"So that's Jing Yu!"
"Wow… he actually looks just as good in real life as he does on screen! Did they not even use filters on TV?"
"I heard he's only twenty-five — that's insane."
"We at Huanshi TV have already sent three separate teams to reach out to him, and he didn't even give us a chance to talk. So arrogant — people like that don't last long."
"Well, we'll see. The entertainment industry rarely has anyone who can stay creatively inspired forever. There are always ups and downs. If you're arrogant when you're at the top and give no respect to your peers, then once you hit a rough patch, society will humble you real quick. Sure, he stood out this summer season, but who knows what'll happen with his next work?"
Inside the banquet hall, the representatives from the top six TV stations were mostly speaking about Jing Yu in a sour tone.
But others — executives from major film and television companies or actors from entertainment agencies invited by Imperial Capital TV and the Silver Dragon Awards Committee — who weren't in direct competition with him, were much more objective.
At first, people held back — but once someone made a move, the whole room warmed up quickly.
"Teacher Jing Yu, our company is an entertainment agency based in Modo City. Here's my card — if you ever have time, let's grab tea."
"Teacher Jing Yu, are you considering selling any scripts? We're with Capital Yunwu Film Company. If you've got a good one, reach out. We'll make sure the price is fair."
"Jing Yu-sensei, would you be interested in a cameo in our upcoming film 'Chess Devil', which starts shooting later this year? It would only take two weeks — or even just one, if you're short on time. You name the price."
"Teacher Jing Yu! I'm from Le City, Lan Province — not far from your hometown in Lan City. Here's my business card."
"Our company handles props and equipment rentals. We've got a branch in Modo. If your next drama needs—"
By the time the meal ended — nearly two hours later — Jing Yu finally understood why Cheng Lie was always so enthusiastic about these events.
It really was a rare chance to meet all sorts of industry figures — strange, powerful, and everything in between. By the end of the evening, Jing Yu had dozens of business cards in hand — all from people with real weight in the industry.
Which made sense — only people with influence would have been invited by the Silver Dragon Awards organizers and Imperial Capital TV in the first place.
"Hello, Teacher Jing Yu. Didn't expect our first meeting would be at an event like this."
At the end of the night, a middle-aged man in his forties approached, accompanied by one man and two women.
"And you are…?" Jing Yu searched his memory but came up blank.
"I'm Lin Bin, the screenwriter of You, Under the Cliff."
The man looked a little awkward — Are you serious right now?
Your biggest rival this summer season, and you don't even recognize me?
Jing Yu's expression shifted slightly.
The biggest loser of the summer season had arrived.
From the feedback of viewers and insiders after the season ended, it was widely agreed that 'Hikaru no Go' and 'Steins;Gate' were clearly more impressive than most other dramas.
But quality doesn't always equate to ratings — just like a movie's box office doesn't always reflect its actual quality.
Based on the early ratings trajectory of 'You, Under the Cliff', if 'Steins;Gate' hadn't aired at the same time and siphoned away part of the viewership, then 'Hikaru no Go' probably wouldn't have overtaken it to claim the top spot of the season.
After all, that show had over 100 million in investment, three top-tier lead actors, backing from Huanshi TV, and tens of millions more in promotional spending. Sure, 'Hikaru no Go' was a classic, maybe something that Great Zhou drama fans would still remember in ten or twenty years, but 'You, Under the Cliff'?
It might be forgotten.
Still, in just these few months, for 'Hikaru no Go' to reverse the situation on script quality alone and beat out a project with such heavy capital backing — that was no small feat.
In other words, the biggest victim of the success of 'Hikaru no Go' and 'Steins;Gate' was... 'You, Under the Cliff'.
It was like two sibling dramas — one pulling the other's rival down, so the other could leap ahead.
"Oh, right! Lin Bin-sensei — a pleasure to finally meet you," Jing Yu said with a smile.
A pleasure? You were just staring at me like, "Who is this uncle?"
Lin Bin gave him a confused look, then shrugged. Not worth the argument.
He hadn't come over to stir the pot — he might be proud, but he could take a loss.
If 'Steins;Gate' hadn't surpassed 'You, Under the Cliff' in its final episode, he might still have had objections about 'Hikaru no Go' topping the charts. But now?
He fully admitted defeat. Since Jing Yu was here, he might as well take the opportunity to meet the man who bested him.
"Ah, let me introduce these three. This is Sun Ling, Tong Shujuan, and Xu Rong," Lin Bin added.
Jing Yu looked past him at the three — dressed elegantly, the man handsome and the women stunning.
These three were among the most popular actors in Great Zhou's entire television industry.
"Nice to meet you, Teacher Jing Yu. I haven't acted in a drama for three years — used to be a regular winner of Best Actor at the Silver Dragon Awards. But this year, with your protégé Wu He in the mix, it's going to be tough." Sun Ling laughed as he shook Jing Yu's hand, then looked at Wu He standing behind him.
"Well, when it comes to awards, who can say? As long as you're nominated, everyone has a shot," Jing Yu responded politely.
"Oh, and here's my business card. If you ever have time, we'd love to have you visit the headquarters of Huanshi TV." Lin Bin added with a friendly tone.
"Absolutely. I'd love to," Jing Yu replied, feeling a bit overwhelmed by the man's warmth.
But just before leaving, Lin Bin finally said the one thing he had wanted to say all evening:
"If we ever air new dramas in the same season again, I'll be sure to have our operations team at Huanshi TV take your work — and Yunteng's — seriously. Next time, let's have a fair, head-on match."
Jing Yu and Cheng Lie exchanged a look — they understood immediately.
Next time, no underhanded tactics — just a clean, direct competition.
"I've got a show airing in the winter season," Jing Yu replied after a brief pause.
Clearly, Lin Bin had come to terms with 'You, Under the Cliff' losing this round. But Jing Yu's back-to-back wins in spring and summer? That was something he hadn't fully accepted yet.
Lin Bin's expression froze for a second — then he smiled and nodded.
"Understood."
As the evening passed, the crowd in the restaurant gradually thinned.
"Well?" Cheng Lie asked. "How do you feel?"
"Not really used to it."
"You'll get there. This is just how the industry works," Cheng Lie replied.
"Still… that Lin Bin guy is actually pretty decent," Jing Yu added after a pause.
"Yeah, he's got a solid rep in the industry. And he's got a big heart. If it had been someone else… they probably wouldn't have been so polite to you."
The Next Morning
Jing Yu was woken up bright and early by Xia Yining's phone call.
He had promised to accompany her around the city. She wanted to sneak out early and drag him along — but before they even made it to the elevator, they were blocked by Yu Youqing.
Temples, shopping malls, and historical landmarks — Jing Yu patiently went along with them for the morning. And while he was at it, he also picked up a new formal outfit for the evening's event.
By afternoon, at the event venue arranged by Imperial Capital TV, more and more passersby were gathering.
Word had gotten out — fans were arriving, hoping to catch a glimpse of their favorite stars.
Among them?
Plenty of fans of 'Hikaru no Go' and 'Steins;Gate'.
A crowd dressed in Fujiwara-style period costumes and Okabe Rintaro's crazy scientist lab coats buzzed with excitement, watching each guest as they arrived.
Naturally, inside and outside the venue, TV crews from various stations were filming and broadcasting the live situation.