Jiang Li became a celebrated, top-tier editor thanks to a hit fantasy drama.
To make her cousin Jiang Chen a star, she created a script tailored to the trainee's debut, featuring two male leads.
To boost ratings, the production team brought in a veteran top idol.
The day Jiang Li received the cast list, she was stunned to discover that the lead was her high school nemesis, the stumbling block in her career: Zhou Yanzhi.
Zhou Yanzhi had become famous at a young age. He was disciplined, never embroiled in a single rumor, and always gentle and polite.
Only Jiang Li knew just how devious and shameless he was.
Clutching the script, she threw her head back and shouted, "At last, he's fallen into my hands!"
The original novel, Jiang Yuan, was a two-male-lead redemption story. The leads went from nobodies to dominating the martial world, supporting each other as they fought demons and evil, then wandering the world together and leaving behind a beautiful legend.
Jiang Li worked through the night, furiously revising the script.
She made his character as miserable as possible: abandoned by his parents, tormented by wicked relatives, betrayed by his first love, forced to climb mountains of blades and wade through mud. He was deserted by everyone, turned into a dark lord, and finally killed by the male lead, a beacon of righteousness, and his first love.
It would not only help her cousin ride the wave of Zhou Yanzhi's popularity, but also let her capitalize on the buzz around the "forbidden CP."
She was killing several birds with one stone. Jiang Li could hardly stop smiling, even in her dreams.
The director filmed the drama.
Watching Zhou Yanzhi lying in the muddy rain, his gaze fragile and forlorn as everyone despised him, Jiang Li felt an immense sense of satisfaction. At last, she had avenged that "cheap shot" from back then.
Jiang Li: This is absolutely the most satisfying story ever!!!
Zhou Yanzhi: "Why does this scene feel so familiar?"
After the drama aired, it topped the ratings charts across every channel.
It also shot to the top of Weibo's trending list, with every hashtag drawing a flood of comments.
Fans switched from shipping the couple to becoming one character's solo fans.
#This is basically playing himself. Editor Jiang really is a top-tier editor. This beautiful, tragic character hits so hard... What a gorgeous, unhinged beauty!!!#
#Didn't they say Editor Jiang wrote this script to promote her cousin? Why is this another drama where the second male lead overshadows the lead? Hahahaha...#
#@The person above: Maybe the one Editor Jiang wants to promote is Brother Zhou...#
She accidentally helped her nemesis win an award.
That night, he posted a languid acceptance speech.
Zhou Yanzhi: Thanks to Editor Jiang for putting the past behind us... and writing a script tailored just for me. @Jiang Li
Jiang Li: ... #gritting her teeth#
Theme: Have fun and be happy
