[Support, support! By the way, does no one really know this screenwriter? There were so many rumors before, but now that the show is a hit, there’s no news at all?! The story is written so well, it’s impossible that no one knows them, right?]
[No, no, no, listen to my analysis. I think the truth might actually be like this…]
As the buzz spiraled out of control, the entire public joined in the guessing game, and the rumors grew more and more outrageous.
The most widely spread theory was that this screenwriter, whose style was exceptionally romantic and gentle, had actually based “Bei Xing’s Necklace” on their own daughter.
That was why, even though this was their first time writing a script and no one had ever heard of them before, they still managed to create such a vivid and moving portrayal of Bei Xing.
However, when Director Lin Ke heard this theory from a group of veteran screenwriters who had come to visit him, he almost spat out the mouthful of water he had just drunk.
“Ahem! No, what kind of wild guesses are these?! They’re young! They aren’t even married! Where would they have a child? And this person has written some really intense, action-packed stories before!”
The words slipped right out of Lin Ke’s mouth, instantly making the surrounding screenwriters exchange strange looks.
“Oh? They’ve written before?”
“Are you saying this screenwriter has previous works?”
“And they’re action-packed?”
A chorus of questions erupted, leaving Director Lin Ke struggling to keep up.
It was only then that Lin Ke realized something. Initially, these veteran screenwriters had dismissed “Mian’s” script because it was so different from their traditional styles. But once “Bei Xing’s Necklace” shot to the top of the ratings without dispute, their attitudes shifted. Instead of looking down on “Mian”, they had become extremely curious about the other party.
“Alright, alright, stop bombarding me with questions. I can pass along a message and see if they’re interested in joining your association.”
In the end, Director Lin Ke could only smile wryly and promise to ask the other party while handling other business with them.
But when Yu Mian heard Lin Ke’s recount of the rumors, he almost didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He was beginning to think he might actually need to clear things up.
[Lin Ke: But honestly, they really do seem very interested in you. I think they just want to discuss scriptwriting and story development. If you’re willing, I think this could be a great opportunity.]
These veteran screenwriters were all highly skilled and produced scripts of consistently high quality. However, they have been swept up in the industry’s rush to show off their skills, and the storytelling in scripts has been neglected. Instead, they tried their best to create various grand scenes.
Director Lin Ke thought it would be great if “Bei Xing’s Necklace” could remind these people of the importance of strong storytelling and character development.
[Fish: Actually, I’d love to learn and exchange ideas with them as well. I just need to check my schedule first.]
After a brief hesitation, Yu Mian was still very interested. When he first attempted screenwriting, he had read a lot of classic interstellar scripts, many of which were truly stunning.
But after getting past the initial masterpieces, he had noticed a troubling trend: the deeper he dug, the more repetitive the themes became.
Stories like “Bei Xing’s Necklace”, where an ordinary girl was the main protagonist and the plot revolved around everyday school life interwoven with fantasy, were practically nonexistent.
But small-scale narratives were often more suitable for introducing a grander, more fantastical world. Not to mention, with the advancements in animation, depicting magical girl transformations had become effortless, producing breathtaking visuals.
[Lin Ke: That’s great to hear! Oh, and there’s more good news, the official merchandise is about to launch.]
Lin Ke smiled as he shared the update, clearly aware of how much popularity Fish Soup Noodles’ previous work, “Fallen Morning Star”, had generated, particularly the princess dress from the story.
In the exhibition space at the Freckton Gallery where “Girl Gazing at the Morning Star” had once been displayed, a replica of Isabaelle’s princess dress was still on show.
Many fans of “Fallen Morning Star” made special trips to the gallery just to take pictures, hoping to catch a glimpse of the world that the girl in the painting had once inhabited.
[Fish: Wow, that’s fast. The show isn’t even halfway through yet, is it?]
Yu Mian was surprised.
[Lin Ke: You have no idea how popular it is. Even headpieces similar to Li Chun’s have been selling out! Once the official merchandise drops, it’s only going to get bigger.]
Compared to the children’s picture book “Fallen Morning Star”, “Bei Xing’s Necklace” had a more complete storyline and a longer runtime. Combined with the animated adaptation, Lin Ke believed that character-themed merchandise would become a massive hit in schools.
If not for his short hair, his own grandson would have already begged for a Li Chun-style floral braid.
And a few weeks later, when Lightyear Pictures officially announced the launch of “Bei Xing’s Necklace” merchandise, the show, which was gradually climbing toward its peak in popularity, triggered an even bigger frenzy than anyone had anticipated.
In particular, Lightyear would specially broadcast a dreamy advertisement featuring several young models wearing various merchandise after the animation of “Bei Xing’s Necklace” ended every night.
One of the models, a girl dressed in Li Chun’s signature light green dress, had her long black hair intricately braided with delicate flower buds. The effect was a perfect 1:1 recreation of Li Chun’s animated appearance.
As she stepped forward, special effects of blooming flowers unfolded at the hem of her dress. Any previous hair accessories that vaguely resembled Li Chun’s were instantly rendered obsolete.
And of course, the boys weren’t left out.
Another young model wore a dark retro-style suit, adorned with Yishui’s signature brooch. As he posed, a stunning water manipulation effect played in sync, elevating his elegance to a whole new level.
Not to mention the effect caused by Bei Xing’s necklace of the same style appearing.
Lightyear took an especially clever approach to the release: they were selling the necklace and the gemstones separately.
At first, the necklace only came with a single gemstone–a fresh green stone representing Li Chun’s magical powers.
The other gemstones, corresponding to the characters that had appeared in the animation so far, were sold separately. Once purchased, they could be attached to the necklace, allowing fans to collect them one by one.
Under the light, the gemstones shimmered brilliantly, and if one looked closely, they could faintly see the elemental symbols of the solar term spirits embedded at the core.
The first time this advertisement aired after an episode of “Bei Xing’s Necklace”, countless screams were heard in front of the screens of countless households across the interstellar regions.
“Bei Xing’s Necklace!”
Even the two young daughters of the Camberley family, who had seen it all, were completely stunned. They were just a step away from throwing themselves at the light screen, imagining that the next moment, they would be the ones wearing those outfits and necklaces.
Meanwhile, after understanding the full context, Camberley and his wife exchanged a glance as the advertisement ended, and without a word, they both broke into knowing smiles.
“Lightyear’s strategy this time is really… well, thorough.”
Camberley only needed a single glance at the necklace and the gemstones that were sold separately to be sure that, once a child got the base necklace, there was almost no chance they wouldn’t beg their parents to collect the rest of the solar term gemstones one by one.
Not buying it was fine. But the moment it entered a household, it would serve as a constant reminder for the little guys to keep watching the animation and collect the remaining gemstones.
As the leading company in the animation industry, Lightyear’s marketing approach this time was also exceptionally aggressive. The advertisement was broadcasted across all major platforms and channels.
Any household with children had definitely seen it.
And the results were astonishing.
“Ah! Li Chun! Yishui! And the solar term necklace!”
Every time this giant-screen advertisement played in the central square of the Federation Star’s CBD over the weekend, countless children would shriek with excitement, tugging their parents toward the advertised products.
Not only did the young models in the advertisement become overnight sensations, but as soon as the official merchandise was released, sales skyrocketed instantly.
