Lu Duoduo was also surprised. "President Ji, I didn't notice it either. I'll check the backend data right away."
The platform's big data analytics were very advanced. They could track exactly which videos new users clicked on after downloading or searched for.
Lu Duoduo opened the video backend, expecting to see a surge in downloads after the *Bright Sword* finale. But *Bright Sword* had ended several days ago. That surge should have passed. What was causing this sudden spike today?
A few minutes later, Lu Duoduo rushed into President Ji's office, her face beaming with excitement. "It's *Peppa Pig*! All these new users came from *Peppa Pig*!"
Ji Tienan was bewildered. "What? *Peppa Pig*? We didn't even promote it, did we? How many views does it have?"
"The first episode has 600,000 views. The user base isn't huge, but the replay rate is incredibly high. Most users are just looping through those three episodes over and over."
The three episodes of *Peppa Pig* total only fifteen minutes. Children typically watch cartoons for at least half an hour. Fifteen minutes is just too short, which explains why so many people are rewatching it.
Ji Tienan glanced at the data. The replay rate and completion rate were both exceptionally high, and the number of new users downloading the series was particularly impressive. This animated show had the potential to become a real hit.
Ji Tienan's company had built its foundation in animation. Years ago, SouTu Video had focused heavily on the children's market, making him particularly sensitive to this demographic.
The moment he saw the data, Ji Tienan's energy surged.
"Quick! Get *Peppa Pig* featured prominently on the homepage!"
He clicked on the cartoon and watched for a while. Three fifteen-minute episodes passed without him fast-forwarding or increasing the playback speed.
When he finished, his eyes lit up.
"This show is quite interesting."
Lu Duoduo asked, "President Ji, is the quality of this animation good?"
Ji Tienan nodded. "Although its art style differs from the mainstream animation market, the overall color palette, art direction, and plot are exceptionally well-executed."
"I never knew Big Fei had this kind of talent. Children's cartoons should be a bit more whimsical."
"After getting used to those superhero shows about saving the world, kids have no resistance to this kind of cheerful, family-centric animation."
"This animation is going to be a huge hit. Hurry up and push them—tell Big Fei to speed up the updates."
"By the way, is this animation exclusive to SouTu Video?"
Lu Duoduo nodded. "Yes, it's exclusive—online exclusive."
Ji Tienan nodded. As long as Big Fei didn't put this animation on other video platforms, it was fine. TV stations weren't his competitors, so it didn't matter.
Lu Duoduo refreshed the backend data again. "President Ji, our online viewership has already reached 200,000!"
Even Ji Tienan gasped. *Bright Sword* never got this popular, did it?
"Is *Animation City* still airing on TV right now?"
"Yes, I just checked—they're still showing *Sima Guang Smashes the Jar*."
A hint of excitement flashed across Ji Tienan's face. Online platforms don't have ratings like TV, but the backend shows real-time viewership.
Normally, the online audience at this hour was only tens of thousands. He never expected *Peppa Pig* to attract over four times that!
Doesn't this mean SouTu Video is actually competing with *Animation City* in terms of viewership?
This is almost unbelievable!
***
CCTV Channel 1.
Ding Junming sat in his office, his expression darkening as he reviewed the day's dismal ratings.
*How can the ratings be this bad?*
Although the animated series *Sima Guang Smashes the Jar* had been broadcast many times, it was still an educational program designed for children, which should have been popular with parents.
But today's viewership was truly abysmal. If this continued, the time slot might be reassigned.
Allowing a children's program to dominate the 6-7 PM slot had already drawn criticism. If Ding Junming couldn't improve the ratings, the show might be canceled.
After much deliberation, Ding Junming pulled out his phone and dialed a number. He felt a pang of guilt toward the Children's Channel, but he had no other choice.
To survive, he had to poach.
When Liu Huangshan answered, Ding Junming said, "Hello, I'm Ding Junming, producer of *Animation City*. May I speak with Mr. Liu?"
Liu Huangshan's excitement surged instantly.
Ding Junming's call was too obvious to miss—he must want to feature his animated series on *Animation City*.
Liu Huangshan had been waiting for this opportunity for a long time. The reason he'd jumped to the Eighth Channel in the first place was his belief that the Children's Channel's traffic was too low.
Although *Big Dog and Little Dog* was a hit, it had only achieved moderate success.
His company had poured all its energy into this project, and he was still somewhat dissatisfied with its moderate success.
But if it aired on the Eighth Channel or, even better, the First Channel, the impact would be completely different.
Especially *Animation City* on the First Channel, the highest-rated children's program.
Many viewers had developed a habit of tuning in to watch whatever *Animation City* broadcast.
If *Big Dog and Little Dog* could get on *Animation City*, its popularity would skyrocket.
While the animation was already somewhat well-known, its IP and merchandise potential remained underdeveloped.
Getting on *Animation City* might create an opportunity to build the brand, develop merchandise, and even boost product sales.
If they could reach that level, their company would take a significant leap forward.
Ding Junming explained his purpose: he wanted *Big Dog and Little Dog* to air on *Animation City*.
But Huangshan Animation Company had just re-signed with the Children's Channel, so to poach him, they'd have to terminate the contract again.
Without a moment's hesitation, Liu Huangshan agreed.
*Good birds choose good trees to nest in.* Developing on CCTV's main channel would undoubtedly offer far better prospects than staying on the Children's Channel.
Though it would offend people, opportunities and risks always went hand in hand. To advance quickly, one had to be willing to step on some toes.
After settling the terms, Ding Junming said, "Alright, come see me after you've handled the contract termination."
As soon as he hung up, Liu Huangshan immediately called Qiao Liwei, the deputy director of the Children's Channel.
"Mr. Qiao, I need to discuss something with you..."
Qiao Liwei's expression darkened instantly. Though his face couldn't be seen over the phone, a hint of anger could be heard in his tone.
"Mr. Liu, this is the second time! Are you treating the Children's Channel with such contempt?"
Liu Huangshan had anticipated Qiao's anger, but he couldn't do anything about it.
"Mr. Qiao, I'm truly sorry. People seek higher ground and water flows downhill. We'll collaborate again on our next project."
Qiao Liwei said coldly, "Fine, I understand. If you want to terminate the contract, so be it. Come tomorrow morning to handle the paperwork. We won't wait past the deadline."
In reality, the contract had already been signed. Even if Qiao Liwei refused to terminate it, Liu Huangshan would have had no choice.
But Qiao Liwei was a man of pride. If you want to leave, I won't keep you. Don't take me for a fool!
The Children's Channel's ratings weren't as bad as he'd imagined, were they?
While they couldn't match the user base of the First and Eighth Channels, their audience—primarily children—was stable.
Liu Huangshan had first gained minor popularity on the Children's Channel with the first installment of *Big Dog and Little Dog*.
When the second installment was released, Liu Huangshan signed with the Eighth Channel, which already irked Qiao Liwei.
After hitting a wall at the Eighth Channel and being squeezed out by *Bright Sword*, Liu Huangshan returned to the Children's Channel. Qiao Liwei, putting aside his resentment, signed him again.
Now, with a chance to sign with Animation City, Liu Huangshan was abandoning the Children's Channel once more. Qiao Liwei's temper flared instantly.
From now on, Liu Huangshan could forget about ever signing with the Children's Channel again!
***
Happy Child English Institute.
English teacher Zhu Xiaohui was reporting to the manager.
"Manager, I've decided to use this animated series as today's teaching material. I think it will be very effective. Would you like to take a look?"
The manager frowned slightly and clicked on the English version of *Peppa Pig*. After watching an episode, he said, "Don't use this cartoon for the public class. We have a small class of six children later—try using it as teaching material for them."
Zhu Xiaohui nodded. When it was time, she led the six children and their parents into the Early Education Classroom.
"Before we start learning English today, we'll watch an episode of a cartoon first."
The children were thrilled at the mention of watching a cartoon. After all, the children in the early education center were very young, and many could barely speak clearly.
From a scientific perspective, this age was ideal for English learning. Some parents agreed with this view, while others did not.
These parents were very concerned about the effectiveness of the class. When they heard the children would be watching cartoons, some of them were initially worried.
But as the Peppa Pig theme song began, the children's attention immediately focused.
And when they heard it was in English, the children showed no resistance.
They left the class happy and had even learned a few new words.
The parents played Daddy Pig and Mummy Pig, while the children played Peppa and George.
After the class, Zhu Xiaohui handed out satisfaction survey forms to the parents.
"Are you satisfied with this class? This textbook is a trial version. If you're satisfied, we'll use it again next time."
The parents responded, "We're very satisfied. This cartoon is great. Did you make it yourselves?"
"No, this is a new release, a bilingual cartoon called *Peppa Pig*."
"That's wonderful. Let's keep using it next time. The children are eager to learn."
The parents were all highly satisfied, giving five-star ratings. After all, their children were having fun, learning happily, and the cartoon's content was positive and uplifting.
While toddlers aged two or three sometimes struggled to understand cartoons, *Peppa Pig*'s simple plots and easy-to-follow stories captivated them. When their children occasionally repeated an English phrase from the show, it immediately inflated the parents' sense of pride.
They felt their children were truly remarkable, able to speak English from such a young age. The money spent on early childhood education had been well worth it.
Zhu Xiaohui quickly sent Gu Yujia a WeChat message: "This cartoon is really effective! I bet it'll become a hit in the preschool market soon."
Gu Yujia responded with effusive thanks. The other education-focused classmates also had positive feedback.
*Maybe this cartoon really will take off!*
***
The next morning, Gu Yujia arrived at Capital University to give a lecture.
As soon as she entered the classroom, she was greeted by enthusiastic cheers from the students. Although her lecture on postgraduate entrance exams wasn't as dazzling as Da Fei's, Gu Family Education seemed to have become closely associated with him. Thus, Gu Yujia's arrival immediately triggered a wave of cheers and screams.
Smiling, Gu Yujia said, "Don't get too excited. Da Fei won't be joining us for this class."
The students burst into laughter. A male student shouted, "Teacher Gu is just as beautiful as Da Fei!"
Gu Yujia smiled faintly. "Thank you for the compliment. Let's begin the class properly."
Halfway through the lecture, she asked a male student to come up and participate.
After the student spoke about his determination to pass the postgraduate entrance exams, he suddenly added, "Teacher Gu, in ancient times, Yue's mother tattooed 'Serve the country with utmost loyalty' on her son's back. Today, I've also tattooed a character on my back to remind myself to study hard."
Gu Yujia paused. "Yue Fei's tattoo was 'Serve the country with utmost loyalty.' What's yours?"
The student turned his back to the class and abruptly pulled off his shirt.
A pink Peppa Pig was printed on his back.
The entire hall erupted in laughter.
Gu Yujia was caught off guard, nearly snorting with laughter. This wasn't a tattoo at all—it was clearly a sticker. *These college students are too good at pranking,* she thought.
"Peppa Pig on your back, applause for the socialite!"
The crowd roared with laughter.
Gu Yujia asked, "You're all so old—you still watch *Peppa Pig*?"
"Teacher Gu, *Peppa Pig* might be a bit childish for graduate students, but it's just right for undergraduates."
The class erupted in laughter again. They might not have watched much of the show, but their phones were already full of *Peppa Pig* memes.
And this attention-seeker had stuck the sticker on his back, instantly forfeiting his priority in the dating pool for the next four years.
Gu Yujia said, "Since you all love *Peppa Pig* so much, I promise that anyone who signs up for a class today will receive a personally signed Peppa Pig plushie from Da Fei!"
The classroom instantly buzzed with excitement.
*Is there really such a good deal?*
***
At noon, Lu Duoduo came to Liangyin Media and snagged a free lunch in the cafeteria.
She didn't see Shen Jianbin there, but Su Yulin joined them for the meal.
Sun Jie was also in the cafeteria, but they didn't greet him when they saw Su Yulin.
Catching a whiff of gossip, Lu Duoduo asked in a low voice, "Why does it feel like there's some tension within the Big Fly Band?"
As a long-time fan of Da Fei, Lu Duoduo knew the band members well. She was also well aware of the circumstances surrounding Da Fei's expulsion from the band after their collaboration with Liangyin Media.
Since Zhang Yiran's variety show was canceled last time, the Big Fly Band hadn't made any public appearances for a long time.
With Da Fei's career soaring and Shen Jianbin's on the decline, Lu Duoduo, a staunch Da Fei fan, couldn't help but clap her hands in glee, relishing their misfortune.
Jia Lu whispered, "Su Yulin's contract expires in less than a month. Once it's up, she'll definitely join our company. That's why the Big Fly Band no longer considers her one of their own."
In the past, Su Yulin was like a general in the enemy camp, her heart still with her own side. Now, she was fully committed to her current position.
Sometimes, when she had no work, she'd spend her days at Liangyin Media. Shen Jianbin had stopped caring and didn't bother to manage her.
He probably regretted not agreeing to Lin Chudong's offer of one million yuan to let Su Yulin break her contract early.
Su Yulin had been idle for over a month, not contributing a single cent to the company's profits while still drawing her basic salary. She continued to hang around Liangyin Media every day, and Shen Jianbin was furious.
Meanwhile, Sun Jie acted like a government employee, working when there was work and idly enjoying his retirement when there wasn't.
After all, he got food, drink, and a salary at the company. When he had nothing else to do, he'd strum his guitar, post short videos, and live a leisurely life.
As they were eating, Huang Wei suddenly called.
"Sister Huang?"
"Da Fei, Director Qiao from the Children's Channel asked me to see if you're interested in collaborating on *Peppa Pig* with them?"
Lin Chudong was surprised. He had previously inquired about a partnership with CCTV through Huang Wei, but they had shown no interest.
But this time, it had only been a day since the broadcast, and they had already contacted him?
"No problem, we can air it on CCTV. I'd like a good time slot," Huang Wei said. "I'll have Director Qiao contact you personally."
Soon, an unfamiliar number from Beijing rang.
"Da Fei, is that you? I'm Qiao Liwei, Deputy Director of the Children's Channel. I've watched *Peppa Pig* and it's quite good. I believe it's an excellent animation. Huang Wei mentioned you're looking for a good time slot?"
"Hello, Director Qiao. Since it's an animation, the time slot is quite important. Do you have any good slots available for us?" Lin Chudong replied politely. After all, his animation was still in its early stages, and he hadn't expected to get a chance to collaborate with CCTV.
This sudden invitation either meant Huang Wei had done her homework, or the Children's Channel's programming had undergone a sudden change. He had to seize this opportunity. Airing on CCTV would provide far greater exposure than any video platform.
Qiao Liwei said, "I can offer you either the 6 PM slot or the 8 PM primetime slot. You choose."
Qiao Liwei was clearly making a genuine effort. Even before discussing price, allowing Lin Chudong to select his preferred time slot was already a remarkably generous offer.
Lin Chudong felt somewhat flattered and immediately asked, "Director Qiao, doesn't primetime always belong to *Big Dog and Two Dogs*?"
Qiao Liwei snorted coldly. "Don't even mention that show. They've terminated their contract with our channel and are now on *Animation City*."
Lin Chudong suddenly understood. So that's what happened.
*Big Dog and Two Dogs* had jumped ship again, from Channel 8 to the Children's Channel, and now to Channel 1.
The constant switching had infuriated Qiao Liwei, so he'd contacted their competitor to offer Da Fei even better terms, just to spite Liu Huangshan.
Lin Chudong said, "Director Qiao, I think the 6 PM slot is perfect. We currently only have three episodes, but I'll work hard these next few days to finish two more. That will be enough for a half-hour slot, and we can compete for ratings with *Animation City*."
Qiao Liwei was taken aback. "You've got some guts, kid. But that suits me perfectly!"
-----------------------
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