Su Yan's current popularity had already begun breaking beyond the television sphere.
This kind of crossover wasn't uncommon in the entertainment industry of his previous life—sketch comedians, novelists, and others stepping into filmmaking.
Some simply cashed in on traffic and left.
Others, despite crossing industries, genuinely produced strong films and carved out real reputations in cinema.
But Su Yan's popularity in Xia Nation now far surpasses most comparable examples from his previous life.
Normally, the conversion rate of TV fans into moviegoers for the same celebrity wasn't particularly high.
But that depended on the person.
Su Yan's popularity and cultural heat in the television industry were no longer within the range of "normal."
The number of fans willing to support his film had already exceeded competitors' expectations.
And the number of people anticipating '5 Centimeters per Second'—a project announced over half a year ago—had also surpassed market projections.
Most importantly, Su Yan's reputation for never botching an ending was the strongest marketing weapon among his fanbase.
Over the next few days, promotion for '5 Centimeters per Second' continued dominating trending searches.
Other July releases also ramped up their pre-release campaigns.
But this time, Su Yan was no longer an unknown rookie like last year.
The pre-release buzz for his film was undeniable. The cast lineup was impressive. Competing productions clearly felt the pressure, and the media eagerly fueled the rivalry.
📰'5 Centimeters per Second' Builds Momentum Before Release, Second Only to 'Windmill' in Pre-Sales Buzz—Su Yan Comes in Aggressively This Summer
📰Genius Screenwriter Su Yan's Second Film Project—Can It Replicate or Even Surpass the Success of 'The Garden of Words' in a Fiercer Summer Season?
📰'Windmill' Creative Team Claims Box Office Target Above One Billion, Aims to Sweep the Summer Season—Currently Identifies Romance Film '5 Centimeters per Second' and Fantasy Horror 'Black Mist' as Its Biggest Rivals
📰'Windmill' Holds Advance Screenings in Hudu—Audience Approval Exceeds 90%
📰Famous Director Fu Yunxiang and Renowned Screenwriter Xia Yunze Appear on Hudu TV, Support Friend Director Lu Chentao's 'Windmill', Dismiss Su Yan's '5 Centimeters per Second': "A Young Man Who's Never Been in Love—What Kind of High-Level Romance Film Can He Possibly Create? It's Laughable!"
📰Summer Season Promotion War Begins—Compared to Last Year, the Number of Well-Funded Investors Has Doubled
📰Su Yan Arrives in Hudu from Tokyo for Pre-Release Promotions—At Fan Meeting, Claims '5 Centimeters per Second' Will Be Unforgettable
📰Su Yan Responds to Fans: Is '5 Centimeters per Second' a Depressing Romance? "The Protagonist Is Smiling at the End."
📰Does the Title '5 Centimeters per Second' Hide Deeper Meaning? Su Yan Hesitates to Elaborate at Fan Event
Late June.
Morning.
Hudu, inside a villa district.
Su Yan got out of bed.
Though he hadn't returned much in the past two years, he regularly hired cleaners, so the house remained spotless.
He had been in Hudu for several days now.
His schedule was packed daily.
Dinners and drinks with distribution executives.
Meetings with major cinema chain representatives.
Though Su Yan preferred working independently, the entertainment industry was ultimately a vast web of relationships.
Others valued the commercial benefit he represented.
He valued the screen allocation and promotional support they could provide.
Mutual networking was unavoidable.
After days of nonstop busyness, today's schedule was somewhat special.
He would head to Sakura TV to formally sign the S-level drama contract for 'Fate/Zero' with the station's current Head of Production, Ogata Aya.
Not long ago, when Zhongxia TV learned that Su Yan intended to cooperate with Sakura TV, its Head of Production personally flew to Tokyo to negotiate, hoping to secure the broadcasting rights for 'Fate/Zero'.
Su Yan declined politely, promising future opportunities for collaboration.
He had a good working relationship with Zhongxia TV.
But never put all your eggs in one basket.
When profit distribution disputes arose, even the closest partnerships could fracture overnight.
Better to prepare in advance.
That was one reason he was willing to consider working with Sakura TV.
After washing up, the stylist he had booked arrived to handle makeup and wardrobe.
Once everything was set, his assistant and team arrived to pick him up.
They reached Sakura TV ahead of schedule.
Reporters and media invited by the station immediately began filming as soon as Su Yan stepped out of the car.
"Su Yan, we meet again."
Dressed elegantly and confidently, Ogata Aya stepped forward with a group of station executives.
Su Yan looked at her—and at the building behind her.
For a moment, he felt slightly dazed.
Three years later, he had returned.
It seemed like nothing had changed.
And yet, everything had.
"Minister Ogata, it's good to see you," Su Yan said with a smile, shaking her hand.
They turned toward the cameras for photos.
This was, after all, a carefully arranged press event.
Su Yan and Sakura TV reconciling and cooperating again was headline-worthy news.
Though 'Fate/Zero' wouldn't air until January next year, beginning promotion now was perfectly reasonable.
"Three years apart—and you seem just the same as before," Ogata Aya sighed.
"Not at all. Minister Ogata looks even younger and more radiant," Su Yan replied lightly.
She studied him closely.
She had always admired his talent.
In fact, without Su Yan leaving Sakura TV and clashing head-on with Akasaka Yoshitoki, she likely would never have had the opportunity to become Head of Production.
And yet—
The man who once worked under her had achieved such heights.
It still felt unreal.
After all, it was Sakura TV now approaching Su Yan from a lower stance.
All of this—
He had accomplished within just three years.
They proceeded to the prepared venue, where staff from the Production Department, Script Department, and other divisions were gathered.
The contract terms had long been finalized.
This ceremony existed primarily for media exposure and momentum-building.
Sakura TV hadn't secured a quarterly champion in a long time.
Ogata Aya urgently needed a strong result after assuming her new position.
For both Su Yan and Ogata Aya, there was only one target for this collaboration:
First place.
As they calmly answered reporters' questions, the employees standing behind them felt as if they were in a dream.
Especially those from the Script Department.
Some of them had once mentored Su Yan when he was merely an intern.
Time had shifted swiftly.
The signing event concluded with one final question from a reporter:
"Do you believe 'Fate/Zero' can recreate the ratings miracle of 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica'?"
Su Yan's response trended across all major platforms that night.
"'Puella Magi Madoka Magica' and my previous works were merely the beginning of my journey. As for 'Fate/Zero'—I fully believe it will surpass all of my past achievements."
That evening, Su Yan's fans resurfaced en masse.
Though July would not feature a new Su Yan drama, his name remained everywhere.
["Old sadist's getting a bit overconfident. Surpass 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica'?"]
["Is that what you're focused on? He's only 24. He's got plenty of time to surpass himself. I'm more shocked he's cooperating with Sakura TV again."]
["Life's unpredictable. I thought he'd never work with them again."]
["You don't know? Back when he was at Sakura TV, several of his projects only got approved because of Ogata Aya. Now she's the Production Head—he's helping her build performance credentials."]
["He had a grudge against Akasaka Yoshitoki, not Sakura TV itself. Totally normal."]
["It's just painful that 'Fate/Zero' won't air until January. That's half a year away."]
["Stop complaining. Compared to others, he's already a workhorse. Next winter we get 'Fate/Zero', and in spring the 'Rurouni Kenshin' film releases."]
["That's too far away. I'm only interested in '5 Centimeters per Second' in two weeks."]
["Feels like there's news about him everywhere lately."]
["He's some nobody from three years ago. He's now a titan in television and a rising star in film. If '5 Centimeters per Second' and the 'Rurouni Kenshin' film succeed too, next year his momentum will be unimaginable."]
["Among the five July films with budgets over 100 million, '5 Centimeters per Second' is at least the top three in pre-release buzz. If we support him more, maybe he can win the summer box office!"]
["He's always number one on TV. No reason he should flop in film."]