The initial rumors and speculations surrounding “Bei Xing’s Necklace” probably never anticipated that the controversy stirred up would, in turn, transform into solid viewership ratings once the animation aired.
After all, even the audience who had initially questioned whether the screenwriter of this show had engaged in unfair competition had to admit after watching Lightyear’s new production that the work was undeniably captivating.
Not to mention children, even adults found it difficult not to be drawn in by its exceptionally beautiful art style and dreamlike, fantastical plot.
Saying the screenwriter got in through connections? That was really hard to believe!
And it wasn’t just the audience who was curious about this emerging screenwriter, the real shock and intense curiosity came from the interstellar screenwriting industry itself.
“Aren’t audiences supposed to love grand blockbusters instead? The protagonist of this show is just a schoolgirl, and there are no large-scale action scenes or special effects. How did it become so popular?”
Koslin, one of the rejected screenwriters, stared at the constantly replaying footage of “Bei Xing’s Necklace” on the light screen and was unable to figure it out.
He simply couldn’t accept that the project he had painstakingly crafted had lost to a work like this.
After all, Lightyear dominated the animation industry precisely because of its highly advanced animation technology, and was capable of rendering grand action sequences and breathtaking visual effects with incredible detail.
For years, the entire animation industry had thrived on this hardcore tech-driven style, with studios pushing for ever more spectacular, adrenaline-fueled plot scenes.
The more exhilarating a show was, the better it performed, forcing screenwriters to rack their brains for increasingly intense and thrilling plots.
Who could have predicted that all those high-budget productions would ultimately be outdone by a show like this?
“Honestly, I think this just proves Director Lin Ke’s boldness, he was able to completely switch direction against market trends and even hired an unknown screenwriter,” Quint, another screenwriter commented.
Besides the success of “Bei Xing’s Necklace”, he had also begun to perceive the potential impact of this shift to the entire industry.
“I’m afraid other companies will start considering whether there are more possibilities for the types of scripts they accept based on Lightyear’s unexpected success.”
The success of “Bei Xing’s Necklace” was akin to a young girl in a dress unexpectedly defeating a horde of armored mecha warriors, shattering long-standing beliefs about the animation market in an instant.
“I just can’t accept it, what happened to the audience’s tastes?”
Koslin looked at the schoolgirl protagonist whose very first appearance had effortlessly overshadowed the works of veteran screenwriters like himself. The feeling was more than frustrating.
“Koslin, don’t be too stubborn about it. I mean, this show’s appeal is largely due to its fresh and unique concept, audiences aren’t experiencing the usual fatigue. Plus, while the plot isn’t overly complex, it’s certainly bold and imaginative.”
At the start of Lightyear’s script competition, many veteran screenwriters, himself included, had privately seen it as a chance to prove themselves.
Who could have expected that, in the end, none of them would win? The opportunity had gone instead to a complete unknown. It was impossible not to feel shocked or doubtful.
But when they sat down together to analyze the series, they had no choice but to acknowledge that “Bei Xing’s Necklace” had clear and compelling reasons for being chosen.
“When you think about it, the three of us all wrote different stories, but the core themes were quite similar. This show, on the other hand, took a path none of us ever even considered.”
“More importantly, the characters are really well-developed. Whether it’s the solar term gems that have appeared so far or the protagonist herself, each has a unique charm. And once viewers form an emotional connection with the characters, they’ll keep coming back for more.”
As Quint made this observation, several other screenwriters in the room subconsciously nodded in agreement.
The light screen was replaying the scene where Yishui agreed to go back with Bei Xing.
Each time Bei Xing retrieved a solar term gemstone in “Bei Xing’s Necklace”, it formed a complete, self-contained story arc.
After multiple attempts, Bei Xing finally stopped Yishui and asked him to cease the endless rain. But to her surprise, Yishui hadn’t been causing the disruption intentionally. He had only done so in response to a boy’s request.
When Yishui first fell from the necklace, he had wandered around aimlessly, unable to find his way back.
A boy who always did his homework outside a convenience store noticed Yishui lingering nearby and mistook him for a runaway with nowhere to go.
So, on a particularly rainy day, the boy handed Yishui an umbrella and some food, urging him to go home soon.
Yishui, of course, didn’t need food like humans did. But as he accepted the food, he asked the boy if he had any wishes.
The boy was unaware of Yishui’s magical powers, and simply sighed deeply and said, “I wish it would rain every day.”
And just like that, his wish miraculously became reality.
After learning the truth, Bei Xing sought out the boy and, after gaining his trust, discovered that he had been suffering from school bullying.
The older students who bullied him only went to the arcade when it rained, leaving him alone on those days. That was why he had started longing for rainy days every morning before school.
With the help of Li Chun, Bei Xing confirmed the boy’s story. On a clear day, when the bullies came after him as usual but couldn’t extort anything, they became violent. However, they were suddenly tripped by vines sprouting from the ground and their ankles were soon bound.
A moment later, teachers and police officers arrived on the scene.
With the school bullying resolved, the boy realized that his wish had only been a way to escape reality.
Not only had it failed to truly solve the problem, but it had also caused trouble for everyone else. After thanking Bei Xing, he asked Yishui to stop making it rain.
As Yishui watched Bei Xing’s actions throughout this ordeal, he gradually developed a sense of recognition and admiration for the determined Bei Xing.
Finally, as Bei Xing recited her first, slightly unsteady prayer, Yishui offered her an encouraging smile before transforming into a dazzling aurora and returning to the necklace.
With that, Bei Xing had successfully reclaimed her first gemstone!
“But that was only because Yishui has a gentle temperament. And this time, the situation wasn’t dangerous. If people start discovering the solar term gemstones’ existence and magical abilities, things could get a lot more complicated.”
Domi, who was hiding inside Bei Xing’s backpack, analyzed their first success. While happy, it also felt a bit worried.
If one of the solar term gems fell into the hands of a bad guy who refused to return or even wielded their powers freely, then Bei Xing’s mission to restore the necklace could become even more dangerous in the future.
But Bei Xing felt an indescribable emotion in her first success.
Her actions could help those around her, and with the assistance of Li Chun and her new acquaintance, Yishui, Bei Xing, who had once been somewhat withdrawn, came to appreciate the value of friendship.
She hoped she could find Jingzhe soon as well.
In fact, as soon as this part of the story ended, the children, who had already been dazzled by Li Chun’s entrance in the first episode, were now completely captivated by Yishui’s appearance in the following episodes.
Outwardly, he seemed cool and aloof, but in reality, he was quiet and gentle.
Just an umbrella and a piece of bread were enough to soften the heart of this melancholic, handsome boy and make him grant a wish…he was practically a wish fulfillment god!
“If only I could run into Yishui in front of a convenience store on a rainy day, that would be perfect.”
“And when Bei Xing prayed for the first time, he wasn’t annoyed at all. Instead, he gently encouraged her to learn how to use the necklace. That was really cool!”
“If I pray to the rain on a rainy day, will Yishui hear my wish too?”
After the first few episodes aired, the young audience in schools everywhere suddenly had a clear image of their ideal male idol…without a doubt, it was Yishui!
Not to mention, as the two key initial solar term gemstone guardians, Li Chun and Yishui were set to play crucial roles in Bei Xing’s upcoming adventures. Their screen time would only increase, and their popularity was bound to soar.
Just the thought of seeing the lively and spirited Li Chun and the quiet yet gentle Yishui every day was enough to make watching “Bei Xing’s Necklace” the first thing many children did after school.
“And not only that, if you analyze this first story carefully, you’ll see that from a parent’s perspective, it’s also highly acceptable.”
Quint even suspected that this writer had designed it that way on purpose.
For a children’s show, if children became too obsessed with it, many parents would surely have concerns and might even limit their screen time.
But the first arc of “Bei Xing’s Necklace” just happened to revolve around school bullying.
In the story, the lack of communication and understanding between parents and children led to the boy not seeking help from his parents when he faced a difficult situation he couldn’t handle alone. Instead, he chose to endure it quietly, hoping the bullies would leave him alone, which only made things worse.
When Bei Xing stepped in to help and the boy’s parents finally learned the truth, they were filled with fear and regret. Parents outside the show were also alarmed upon watching the episode.
“In situations like this, you have to tell an adult right away. Never keep it to yourself, understand?”
Countless parents found themselves repeating this line over and over, practically treating “Bei Xing’s Necklace” as an exceptionally effective educational tool.
“This… this screenwriter even considered parental psychology?”
Hearing Quint’s analysis, the other screenwriters found their impression of this mysterious new screenwriter becoming more and more intriguing.
“Of course! Otherwise, how could the first story be so ‘coincidentally’ fitting? If I were a parent watching this with my child, I’d definitely feel that this show has real meaning.”
Quint spoke with confidence.
“So what does this tell us? It tells us that in the future, when writing scripts for different audiences, we need to analyze the potential factors influencing them. That way, we can shape the story to resonate with viewers and maximize its popularity.”
At the moment, Yu Mian, the very writer being intensely analyzed by the other screenwriters, suddenly sneezed multiple times in a row.
All he had done was make sure the first episode’s challenge wasn’t too difficult. After all, Bei Xing had just received the necklace and wasn’t yet fully familiar with its powers. If things got too hard right away, how would the story even progress?
On top of that, since Bei Xing was a student, designing a school-related scenario made perfect sense. Even with only Li Chun as her assistant, she could still solve the problem by using Li Chun’s ability to control plant growth and restrain the older bullies.
As for Yishui suddenly becoming the new male god of elementary school students… Well, that wasn’t all that surprising.
Throughout history, the popularity of this type of character has never been low.
As one of the key initial solar term gemstone spirits, of course he had to develop a high level of fondness for Bei Xing, otherwise, how would they form a team to fight bosses in the future?
The more the gathered screenwriters thought about it, the more intrigued they became and finally, they realized that they should not reject this newcomer who suddenly emerged. In fact, they should be trying to contact them as soon as possible and invite them to join the Screenwriters’ Association for discussions and learning!
“Do as you like, but I won’t be going. Just because one show became popular doesn’t mean it wasn’t just luck.”
Seeing that no one agreed with him, Koslin’s expression darkened as he left.
Several old colleagues looked at each other in bewilderment, wondering whether to persuade him.
But they all knew that Koslin had always been arrogant, and he had long regarded himself as number one. Losing to a newcomer this time must have been hard for him to accept.
“Alright, forget about Koslin. The real question is, who can get in touch with this writer? Maybe we should ask Director Lin Ke for an introduction?”
After Quint said that, the room fell into silence again. This time, everyone looked toward the female screenwriters present, thinking they might be the best choice to approach this writer.
And that had everything to do with the ongoing speculation about this mysterious writer’s identity.
After watching “Bei Xing’s Necklace”, people couldn’t help but guess what kind of person this screenwriter might be.
So far, the most popular theory was that this mysterious newcomer, “Mian,” might actually be a thoughtful and meticulous female screenwriter!
[If I had to guess, I’d say the same. After watching so many episodes, I feel like Bei Xing was written as if the writer were portraying their own daughter. So many moments are gentle and dreamy, it really warms my heart!]
