Chapter 34: A Dramatic Turn of Events

Chapter 34: A Dramatic Turn of Events

The fortune bags unfolded before Tang Fei's eyes, their contents shimmering cards lying in a row before her. Small explanatory texts popped up alongside them.

"Congratulations, Your Highness, with boundless blessings. Your fortune bag contains a Memory Card, allowing you to memorize 1,000 characters per minute for five minutes."

"…Your fortune bag contains a 5-second Time Extension Card. Usage adds 5 seconds to time-limited cards such as Energy Pills and Memory Cards." X2

"…Your fortune bag contains a Smile Muscle Control Card. Usage allows precise control over facial muscles for a perfect smile, increasing Imperial Grace by 1."

"…Your fortune bag contains an Energy Pill." X3

"…Your fortune bag contains a Cooking Skill Card (5% proficiency)."

"…Your fortune bag contains an Embroidery Skill Card (10% proficiency). (Cannot be used without initial embroidery skills.)"

"…Your fortune bag contains a Massage Skill Card (10% proficiency). (Cannot be used without initial massage skills.)"

"…Your fortune bag contains a Balance Skill Card (3% proficiency). (Cannot be used without initial balance skills.)"

"…In your lucky bag, you have a concealer. Upon usage, it enhances your skin radiance by one point."

The once-sparse card slots were now brimming with cards, excluding those for clothing and jewelry, which made them resemble a formerly empty wallet that had suddenly swelled with wages and holiday gifts.

From the cards she obtained, Tang Fei discerned a pattern: the monthly timed expenditure for cosmetic cards would occasionally be interrupted by a couple of item cards.

Fortune bags bestow items and skill cards, whereas the unseen costume and accessory cards remain a mystery in terms of acquisition and their capabilities.

Glancing at the time, Tang Fei suppressed the exhilarating sensation of newfound wealth, refraining from the urge to spend the night counting her cards. With a blink, the card slot, the tiny text prompt, and the mesmerizing, dreamlike light show all vanished before her eyes.

Compared to the initial barebones system with only a simple recharge and lottery, the audio-visual effects had increased, and the side quests and rewards were becoming more abundant. The game seemed to be diverging from its previous iteration as a mobile game.

This was likely a good thing; it appeared that the game wasn't as financially strapped as before.

Tang Fei discreetly drew the curtains of the car window, turned on the small bedside lamp, and set an alarm for 5 am. With her fingers, she repeatedly tapped on the Energy Pills, Memory Cards, and Time Cards, stacking them all for a high-stakes bet.

She unfolded the script, picked up her pen to do reading comprehension, reciting, practicing, analyzing the emotions and actions behind each phrase.

Tonight, Tang Fei didn't limit herself to the content needed for the following day's shoot. Instead, she piled on all the props, aiming to cover everything within a short span of time.

A comprehensive understanding of the script is crucial, connecting the dots between scenes to ensure that the television performance transcends isolated fragments.

Beyond superficial emotions, attention must be paid to the character's overall development throughout the story. Due to location, costume, weather, and actor availability, certain scenes may be filmed out of chronological order in the narrative progression.

The actor needs to precisely grasp where their character stands in the story's timeline and what state they are in during each particular scene.

Otherwise, while her performance might be accurate within individual scenes, the disjointed portrayal of the character's emotions relative to the plot progression could feel disconnected to the audience, causing them to lose immersion.

If you convey a tender gaze towards the male lead in one episode, then appear emotionally stable in the next, or if you engage affectionately with him one episode and then show ambiguous flirtation with the second male lead the following, it can disrupt the narrative flow.

Would the audience suspect that the female lead had a split personality?

Tang Fei, a self-taught keyboard theorist, advanced her acting according to her intuition. She might not possess a systematic theoretical background like an academic actor, but she critiqued her performance through the perspective of a discerning viewer.

While she enjoyed immersing herself emotionally in her performances, she placed greater emphasis on the audience's viewing experience. Television dramas, as a form of mass art, also served as trendsetters and catalysts for societal reflection. If no one watched or appreciated them, who would they influence? Who would ponder over their deeper meanings?

In the stillness of the late-night hours, while many otakus had finished reading updated novels, watching new anime episodes, and completing time-limited gaming missions, they would rub their eyes, lie down on their beds, and scroll through TikTok, Weibo, video platforms, and forums, testing the depths of their sleepiness. Could they squeeze in one more burst of energy? Just one more wave of excitement before dozing off?

With so much beauty in the world, it was truly hard to let sleep take over.

How tedious, but sleeping is even more so. I'll search for something interesting then.

I'll check for another ten minutes before sleeping.

How did ten minutes pass so quickly? Just one more minute, thirty seconds more, and I'll finish this...

At this hour, most people have already dozed off. The die-hard night owls cling to consciousness as if suffering from jet lag.

The official Weibo, Douyin, and Alphabet Video accounts of the Spiritual Frenzy simultaneously released a sixty-second video.

The public relations team had stayed up all night to purchase promoted posts on Weibo, targeting categories such as historical fiction, tea art, celebrities, entertainment, and beauty. On the video website, promotions were pushed to the homepage.

San Liu Jiu was still cozy in his warm bed when his phone suddenly went berserk, buzzing incessantly on his bedside table for a full twenty minutes, wave after wave of notifications.

"Hello..."

San Liu Jiu glanced at the clock: 2 AM, the peak of sleepiness. Who could be so inconsiderate to call at this hour?

"Wake up and retweet the Weibo post!"

Zhou Weichuan's voice roused Sanliujiu halfway out of his sleep. "What the hell, are you kidding me?"

"I'm not joking around. Get up and join in, I've mentioned you." Zhou Weichuan was in a suite at the Grand Hotel in Shanghai, scrolling through Weibo with Zheng Haisheng's phone, promoting Tang Fei as a spontaneous supporter.

"I've checked on Spiritual Frenzy. Seventy percent of its updates are posted after two in the morning, and the most active readers are online between midnight and three. This is the precise time calculated by the PR department. With fewer people online, we can overwhelm them and leave Yao Hui powerless to respond tomorrow."

Sanliujiu put on his glasses, reminiscing about ten years ago. Back then, he could chat with night owl readers after finishing his updates at two or three in the morning. Now, getting up in the middle of the night felt like a life-threatening endeavor – youth truly was a thing of the past.

He opened Weibo to watch the official video...

Ten minutes later, San Liu Jiu re-tweeted the video with captions: "Screaming marmot! Your Xiuyun? No! My Xiuyun is here! Arriving with my racing heartbeat! After watching this, I'm no longer sleepy. I could write a 100,000-word side story for Xiuyun."

The video's soundtrack featured the popular contemporary folk music, with the melody of the Hulusi as the main theme, weaving like silk threads through the gentle rhythm, evoking a serene and ethereal atmosphere akin to an empty mountain. In the accompanying visuals, Tang Fei was depicted kneeling on the ground in a distinctive ancient attire, her body slightly tilted, elongating her already slender figure. She exuded a relaxed demeanor, while her gestures and movements revealed a refined elegance characteristic of classical times. The two states harmoniously coexisted, creating a visually enchanting scene.

The beauty brewing tea in sync with the music brought tranquility and fascination. Her graceful walk resembled that of a village maiden from an ancient painting, her steps light as air. The final playful, yet charming smile she bestowed while lowering her head planted an irresistible desire within the viewer!

"I want to watch the drama right now! What drama is this? When will it air? Where can I watch it? Wait, it's still a year and a half away?!"

Those uninitiated on the psychic wave were utterly bewildered – how long had this been going on!

Why did I have to see this video? Can't I just wait alone?! Retweet, call to action, send it to others! Our suffering is real only when we suffer together! Only by sharing the pain can we find equilibrium!

The initial anticipation and inquiries in the comments section transformed into retaliatory sharing. Fans of the book chimed in happily, saying that they had waited ten years, but this year, finally, there were others waiting alongside them.

"What show is this? Has it aired? Where can I watch it?"

"I'll marry you, girl!"

"AAAAAHHHHH! Are there still such beautiful and talented stars nowadays? I refuse to believe it! Wake me up from this dream!"

...

"A great show deserves promotion! I heard it's airing soon! Fellow mates, come witness the goddess!"

"Recently aired gems, check out the sneak preview @Wife @Brother @Colleague @Classmate."

"Folks, an upcoming epic period drama with handsome men and stunning women. The female lead is breathtakingly beautiful! Highly recommended!"

Aside from these newfound fans, the bookworms, who had already been eagerly anticipating the adaptation, were ecstatic, fervently sharing the scenes featuring Tang Fei's portrayal of Li Xiuyun, wishing for everyone to witness it.

"Book fan reporting! Whoever still doubts Tang Fei's acting skills, get your glasses checked! Look and learn what true acting is!"

"Xiuyun! Alive! A living Xiuyun! Ten years, I've been following the story since college, and now my son's already one year old. My Xiuyun has finally stepped out of my dreams into reality."

"My face hurts so much. Yesterday, I said Li Xiuyun only needed to be still, but today, I'm begging for more movement!"

"Add more scenes! Such a wonderful Xiuyun, her limited screen time is a waste."

"How dare they release this before finishing the shoot? I can't sleep every night, how much longer must I wait! Official team, be a bit more considerate and give us more footage! This isn't enough!"

"Ahh—I'm dead, I died from Xiuyun's beauty."

"That smile truly reached deep into my heart, reminding me of my first love."

"My dad asked me to say he loves Xiuyun, but he's too scared to say it himself, fearing my mom would break his legs."

"Perhaps Tang Fei's lack of acting skills in the past was due to the production team, as the other actors' performances were equally unimpressive."

"Sugar Treasure thrives under pressure! Go, Sugar Treasure, go!"

"Sugar Treasure is so professional, wearing such thin clothes in freezing Jiangzhou. Heart-shaped gesture for you!"

Tang Fei's acting prowess skyrocketed to the top of the trending charts thanks to this video. The discussion not only involved book fans but also reached out to enthusiasts of ancient style, tea art, and those who enjoyed sweet, romantic stories.

"It's been ages since I've seen such an authentic costuming and setting in a period drama. It's set in a fictional world? The production team clearly put in a lot of effort – I'm hooked!"

"The posture and techniques are basically correct. It's rare to see such attention to detail in modern TV dramas. Great acting, great actors! That subtle movement of pulling back her hand after accidentally touching the teapot almost made me miss the fact that there was no fire in the clay stove! I checked five times! Impressive!"

"The female lead's smile is so sweet, and the chemistry between the main couple is strong. I can feel the pink bubbles just from one scene. I love this playful, sweet couple."

"To the person above, I hate to be the one to tell you, but it has a tragic ending. Prepare your tissues."

"The person above is lying! It's a happy ending with sweetness throughout. Don't believe them! Little sister, you must watch it!"

The excitement continued from late night till early morning. As people headed to work or school, opening their social media on subways and buses fueled another wave of enthusiasm, engulfing the entire internet with its popularity.

In classrooms and workplaces, some even shared Tang Fei's video, enthusiastically recommending, "There's a fantastic upcoming ancient drama!"