Chapter 39: Featured Recommendation
Wang Bingbing nodded; her company held the same opinion. She shifted in her seat, then asked curiously, “What’s going on this month? Out of nowhere, two powerful unknown singers have appeared—one is Xu Ze, the other is Salted Fish.”
“Xu Ze can be considered half an amateur, since he participated in a show, but this Salted Fish didn’t join any show at all and managed to rank ahead of you,” said Zheng Yu, exasperated. Why emphasize that he’s ahead of me? Isn’t your ranking below mine?
Thinking of this, Zheng Yu couldn’t help but smile mischievously. Seeing his expression, Wang Bingbing slapped him on the head.
Zheng Yu winced, looking aggrieved. “Why’d you hit me?”
Wang Bingbing looked at him knowingly. “Ever since high school, whenever you make that lewd face, it means you’re up to no good. You’re probably thinking something indecent.”
Zheng Yu: “……”
About an hour later, the three parted ways. The agent went home alone, while Zheng Yu escorted Wang Bingbing to her apartment building.
“I’m heading up. Be careful on your way back, you drank tonight,” Wang Bingbing waved to Zheng Yu before turning toward the stairwell.
As she was about to enter, Zheng Yu suddenly called out, “Hey, why did you choose to join Icefire Entertainment back then?”
Wang Bingbing turned around, gazed steadily at Zheng Yu, and replied, “If I hadn’t joined Icefire Entertainment, was I supposed to listen to you and form some so-called Legendary Duo at your company?”
“I wasn’t interested.”
Zheng Yu protested, “It’s called Phoenix Legend! If you had formed Phoenix Legend with me, maybe we’d have been famous by now, instead of lagging behind Wang Yihan and two amateurs!”
Wang Bingbing looked at Zheng Yu’s stubborn figure, sighed softly, said nothing more, and walked into the stairwell. What difference would forming a duo make? Without good songs, it would all be futile.
Just then, Zheng Yu shouted again, “Bingbing, I’ll wait for you to come around! Remember, together we’re a blazing fire, apart we’re a sky full of stars—youth never ends, and the future is still ahead!”
Wang Bingbing stumbled as she entered the stairwell, muttering irritably, “That idiot, where does he even learn these phrases—almost threw out my back.”
…
In the general manager’s office of Sacred Emperor Entertainment, the atmosphere was tense.
Huang Minghao stood with his head drooping, hands clasped behind his back, before the boss’s desk. He was anxious, not daring to look at the boss’s face, which was more intimidating than any school disciplinarian.
At that moment, he even thought about quitting the entertainment business and going back to school, suddenly feeling that studying was quite nice.
He’d been standing there for half an hour, and the boss hadn’t said a word; he didn’t dare speak either. All he could do was keep inhaling the pleasant scent of the female secretary’s perfume.
Suddenly, the boss’s phone rang. After answering, Shi Guoqiang waved at Huang Minghao, “Go. Prepare well for the next competition.”
“Huh?” Huang Minghao was momentarily confused. He was being let go just like that? No lecture?
But he wasn’t foolish enough to ask questions at this moment, so he quickly nodded. “Yes, Boss.”
After Huang Minghao left, Shi Guoqiang picked up his phone and dialed, “Wang Yihan, wherever you are, get to my office immediately. Ten minutes, no excuses.”
He hung up abruptly and slammed the phone down on the desk.
The female secretary behind him flashed a look of terror in her eyes; it had been a long time since she’d seen the boss this angry. Would the props be needed today? Damn Wang Yihan, what did he do to enrage the boss so much?
…
The next day.
Xu Ze woke up and habitually opened Shengshi Chinese Web on his phone. The moment he launched it, something seemed off.
He closed the app and reopened it.
“The splash screen cover image—isn’t that my ‘Zhu Xian’?” Xu Ze rubbed his eyes, a bit stunned.
His novel had been featured on the splash screen cover.
Xu Ze had researched the site’s recommendation system. The splash screen cover was the ultimate recommendation, reserved for works that had gone through several rounds of smaller recommendations first. Only after completing those steps would a book have a chance at the splash screen cover.
But his ‘Zhu Xian’ hadn’t received any recommendation before; how could it jump straight to the final step?
When he clicked in, Xu Ze wondered if the site had a bug.
On the recommendation page, from top to bottom, every single spot was filled with his novel.
Hot new release: Zhu Xian!
Xianxia featured: Zhu Xian!
Popular serial: Zhu Xian!
Editor’s top pick: Zhu Xian!
Even the worldly-wise Xu Ze was bewildered.
It was dazzling; the whole page was nothing but his Zhu Xian.
Just then, his QQ received a message from his editor, KuKu.
“Xiao Yan, you’re recommended today! You can resume updating ten thousand words a day now QAQ.”
Xu Ze asked, “Editor, why did I get so many recommendations at once? Did the site change its rules?”
KuKu replied, “Nope, our Xianxia channel chief editor fought for you. Since you updated so much before, they worried you’d have too many words before going premium, so these recommendations are compensation.”
So that’s it?
Xu Ze nodded. Truly, a good book shines even in another world.
It seemed the classic from his previous life wouldn’t be buried in his hands.
Xu Ze replied, “Thank you for the recommendations, Editor. I’ll keep updating diligently.”
KuKu: “Yes, go Xiao Yan!”
Xu Ze: “Ok.”
After closing QQ, Xu Ze thought to himself that he should update more today.
Such splash screen recommendations usually only last twenty-four hours. The more updates during this period, the more reader retention he’d get.
Meanwhile, Shengshi Chinese Web’s writer forum was much like the recommendation page—an entire screen filled with posts discussing Zhu Xian.
“I thought I got up wrong today when I saw the Zhu Xian recommendation. Damn, I’m so jealous my liver’s turning purple.”
“This is insane—is Xiao Yan the site’s favorite child? First he gets super rewards, now he’s bypassed all the recommendation rules and received everything at once.”
“Xianxia is about to rise! Don’t you get it? The perennially unpopular Xianxia channel is about to explode—hurry up and jump on the bandwagon!”
“To be frank, the old Xianxia wasn’t really Xianxia. At most, it was fantasy adventure novels dressed up in martial arts tropes. Reading Zhu Xian, I finally understand what a true Xianxia world is!”
“I feel the same. The world-building in Zhu Xian is grand and novel—never seen this kind of genre before. I’d call Zhu Xian the true founding work of Xianxia. Clearly the site sees its value, hence the strong push. I can only say, the editors and management have real vision.”
“I once wrote a Xianxia novel; it didn’t do well, and I thought the genre was the problem. But now, after binge-reading Zhu Xian’s chapters, I realize—it’s our writing that was lacking. Who knew Xianxia could be written like this?”
“Exactly. I’m now a devoted Zhu Xian reader. Hope Xiao Yan updates more today; the plot’s at the Qingyun Sect’s Seven Veins Tournament, looks like a major climax. With today’s recommendations, Zhu Xian’s favorites will explode.”
“I’m just curious about Little Grey, Zhang Xiaofan’s monkey. Is it really powerful later on?”
“Little Grey is definitely important, and the Bloodthirsty Pearl—feels like it’ll be a turning point for Zhang Xiaofan later!”
…