Start by Spending One Billion [Entertainment Industry]

Anyone in promotion knows that it's nearly impossible for something to smoothly climb to its peak without any bumps along the way. If people's curiosity is satisfied right from the start, they might only be mildly interested for a short while before moving on.

That's why Sheng Quan didn't release all the information at once.

After the voices of skepticism arose, 【Roadside Flower】(Lubian Yizhihua) waited a day before posting screenshots from a group chat as proof, complete with timestamps. Other members of the group also shared their own evidence.

Once it was confirmed to be true, the curiosity of netizens didn't stop there. Their focus shifted to questions like: So, which novel is the original work? How handsome is the pancake stall guy? Which drama is this? Did they really invest ten million?

From there, Sheng Quan didn't need to do much. Naturally, some curious netizens turned into detectives, piecing together clues step by step with logic and reasoning, leaving the rest of the onlookers in awe.

The scene quickly turned into a relay of digging deeper.

Culiu Tudousi Chao Malingshu: Even though it's censored, decoding it isn't hard. First, there's a popular character in the book with the surname Qin, referred to as "Brother Qin" by readers. Plus, the fact that the book was adapted into a drama and has such devoted fans means its success is undeniable. Also, the drama is still in production, and the actor originally set to play Brother Qin dropped out due to scheduling conflicts. The pancake stall guy was just announced as the new Brother Qin. If this is true, all you need to do is check the official Weibo of the production team.

Light Pollution (Qingdu Wuran): 【Found it. There are quite a few dramas in production right now, but only two have recently announced their cast. One announced the full cast, while the other only announced one actor, and the character he's playing is surnamed Qin. The screenshot is below.】

With a direction in mind, the netizens automatically started looking for more evidence.

Sure. This drama is an adaptation of the novel "Life Path." I went to the novel's comment section, and readers who love Qin Heng all refer to him as "Brother Qin." It matches perfectly!

Maomao Jiao Tianxia Diyi: 【OMG! I can't believe I stumbled upon this drama while catching up on gossip. I followed this novel, and Brother Qin is my favorite character! When I heard it was being adapted, I thought it would ruin the original work and swore I wouldn't watch it. But if it's this drama, it's going to be a celebration for us original fans!】

aaa Xiangcai Pifa Luo Zong: 【Celebration indeed! The investor is a fan of the original work. Who would dare ruin it?】

Cat's Compass (Mao de Yuangui): As a book fan, I have to say, the rich lady has great taste. The guy she pushed into the drama really embodies Brother Qin's vibe! When is this drama airing? I'm definitely watching!

Every pound is five hundred grams (Mei Jin Wubai Ke): 【I checked it out too. You can always trust the taste of the rich (dog head holding a rose.jpg).】

Usually, the idea of an investor pushing someone into a production would be met with disdain, but this case is completely different.

Who wouldn't want a devoted fan with deep pockets to oversee the entire production of their favorite novel?

As the topic gained more traction, more and more people joined the discussion, and members from the readers' group also started chiming in.

Black Snail Noodle (Heise Luosifen): 【I was in the group that day and witnessed the whole thing. At first, we all thought it was a joke. I even said I signed a contract with a paramecium (facepalm). But turns out, she was dead serious.】

Sun is my smd: 【Same here. I even seriously taught the rich lady how to pay contracted artists. She seems young and said she was new to the industry and wanted to learn from me. I feel so guilty!】

These comments from the book fan group were quickly upvoted, with everyone in the replies laughing.

Some meticulous netizens even went to the original novel's comment section and found an account that might belong to the rich lady.

How did they find it so quickly? Because they checked the fan leaderboard, and the top name was 【Brother Qin is So Handsome He Breaks the Sky】. Although it didn't match the name in the book fan group, this user had left gifts in every chapter featuring Qin Heng.

Each gift was worth no less than a thousand, and in Chapter 7, the gift was as high as thirty thousand—not in book currency, but in real RMB.

She tallied up all the gifts from this account: 【Eighty-nine thousand! She spent eighty-nine thousand just on gifts!】

The onlookers were deeply envious: 【Is this what the world of the wealthy is like?】

【Is it too late to start writing a book now? Does the lady need a human accessory? I have a college degree, can cook, and know how to use the bathroom.】

【She spends eighty-nine thousand on gifts for a novel she loves and then drops ten million to ensure the drama adaptation doesn't ruin it. What kind of dream life is this? I'm so jealous I can't even say it anymore.】

【OMG!!! I'm a lemon right now! Having had so many of my favorite novels ruined, I just want the lady to check out my reading list.】

【Wait, there's more! The rich lady seems to be on her seventh reread, still throwing money around! This is history in the making!】

【The original author must be over the moon! Her book has a rich fan throwing money at it, the IP was sold, the investor is a fan, and now so many people are flocking to read it. If the drama becomes a hit, her other works will surely sell too. What a stroke of luck! I'd love to interview the author and ask how she's feeling right now.】

When Sheng Quan came across this comment, she paused. She, too, was curious about how the author of "The Journey of Life" felt. Would the author feel better after seeing the skyrocketing popularity and potential profits?

Sheng Quan tapped the original copy of "Life's Journey" in her hand: "I really love this book. It gives off such a warm feeling. After reading it, you can't help but want to be a little kinder, even if it's just a tiny bit."

She put the book down: "You can tell the author is a good person."

Yu Xiangwan asked, "Do you like her that much?"

"Of course," Sheng Quan replied. "She's much better than that author who creates amazing characters only to give them the worst endings, setting them up with the best potential but never letting them achieve anything. That kind of author is just cruel."

Yes, she was talking about "Starlight." Even though she had already transmigrated, Sheng Quan still gritted her teeth every time she thought about that infuriating ending.

Yu Xiangwan noticed Sheng Quan's resentment and narrowed his eyes behind his gold-rimmed glasses: "Who's that author?"

Sheng Quan didn't need to look to know what Yu Xiangwan was thinking. Others might not, but he would absolutely stay up all night to curse the author on her behalf: "No need to curse them for me. I've already done that."

Although she died right after cursing them, it didn't matter. The author might be heartless, but she could change that blood-boiling ending herself.

At least now, because of her, someone's life had changed for the better.

Sheng Quan gently placed the book down: "If I get the chance, I'd like to meet the author of 'The Journey of Life' and treat her to a cup of milk tea."

As the production supervisor of the film crew, no one had asked Yu Xiangwan to read the original novel, but he quietly finished it on his own. However, it seemed a bit challenging for him, with his not-so-conventional worldview, to grasp the author's inner thoughts through the text. At the very least, he couldn't discern anything.

That said, it didn't stop Yu Xiangwan from aligning himself with Sheng Quan's perspective: "If you like her, you could invite her to be the on-set screenwriter."

Sheng Quan shook his head. "No, she has her own full-time job. Besides, my way of expressing affection is rather one-dimensional."

Yu Xiangwan adjusted his glasses, already knowing what Sheng Quan was about to say.

Sure enough, Sheng Quan pulled out his phone. "Throw money at it."

After saying this, he continued to furiously tap on the gift-sending options on the novel website. Every gift came with a message: 【I really love the books you’ve written, Author! I saw in your notes that you love milk tea, so here’s some milk tea for you~】

Bystanders watching this spectacle couldn't help but comment: "Do rich people really spend tens of thousands just to buy someone milk tea?!"

As more and more onlookers gathered around Sheng Quan's gift-spree, the incident gained traction. Some even joined in, tossing gifts themselves, claiming it gave them a sense of participation.

Everyone shared one thought: "I really want to know how the author feels when a wealthy fan throws tens of thousands at her."

In reality, the author had no thoughts on the matter because she was completely unaware of it.

The original author of *The Path of Life* went by the pen name Na Lan. If she had logged into her account, she would have seen the flood of messages from all directions. However, she had been dealing with a sudden life crisis and was utterly exhausted. She hadn’t logged in for two months, let alone kept up with entertainment gossip.

Na Lan’s real name was Chen Lan, and in her day-to-day life, she was a teacher. Today, she had rushed to school just in time to avoid being late. As she hurried to her class, a new intern teacher asked, "Teacher Chen, didn’t you swap classes with Teacher Ma yesterday?"

Chen Lan suddenly remembered and nodded vaguely. "Right, right, I forgot."

The intern teacher couldn’t help but add, "Did you put your clothes on inside out?"

Chen Lan looked down and realized she had indeed worn her clothes backward. She quickly stood up. "Oh, I didn’t even notice. Thank you. I’ll go to the restroom and fix it."

After she left, the intern teacher turned to Teacher He beside her and asked, "Teacher Chen used to be so meticulous about her appearance. What’s going on?"

Teacher He glanced around and whispered, "You don’t know yet, do you? Something terrible happened in Teacher Chen’s family. Her husband passed away in a car accident."

"What?!"

Teacher He continued, "It’s understandable that you didn’t know. You’re new here. She and her husband grew up together in an orphanage. They were childhood sweethearts who worked hard to build a life together. Their relationship was incredibly strong. Her husband used to pick her up from work all the time and always brought her milk tea. They even had twin daughters. After her husband passed, she had to handle everything alone—arranging the funeral, taking care of the kids... Haven’t you noticed she hasn’t smiled at all lately?"

A colleague chimed in, sighing, "I remember they just bought a house, didn’t they? With our salaries being what they are, how is she supposed to pay for it all by herself?"

Teacher He sighed. "It’s not just the mortgage. There’s also the kids’ daycare, their daily needs, and the car loan. It’s all on her shoulders now. That’s why we should help her whenever we can. If our schedules allow, we should swap classes with her."

"And in the office, let’s avoid bringing up these topics. We don’t want to remind her of her pain."

The intern teacher nodded repeatedly. "Got it. I’ll be more careful from now on."

A little later, Chen Lan returned. She sat down to prepare her lesson, but before long, her phone rang. She stepped out to take the call—it was the daycare center reminding her to pay the fees for the next quarter.

As soon as she hung up, she noticed a text notification. It was a reminder about the mortgage payment. She exhaled deeply and rolled up her sleeves, only to see a doodle on her arm made with a marker. Her daughter must have drawn it while she was asleep.

She couldn’t blame the child. Her daughters were full of energy, but she was too exhausted to play with them. The twins had been so well-behaved, finding ways to entertain themselves while their mother slept.

Chen Lan tried to tell herself it was okay, but the next moment, a tear fell onto the doodle.

The overwhelming pressure of her chaotic life had pushed her to the brink of collapse, especially since her husband’s death had come at what should have been their happiest time.

Everything had been going so well. She had received a modest but satisfying copyright fee for her novel. After discussing it with her husband, they used the money along with their savings to make a down payment on a house and cover the renovation costs. They had finally moved out of rented accommodation and into a home of their own, something they were immensely proud of, especially since they had no parental support.

According to their plans, their combined salaries would comfortably cover the mortgage and car payments, with enough left over to save and even continue donating to the orphanage where they grew up.

But then, at the height of their happiness, her husband passed away.

Overnight, their joyful life turned into one of grief and despair. She had to answer her daughters’ tearful questions about where their father was, sell the home they had just built together, and shoulder all the financial burdens alone. She wanted to write a new book to earn more money, but every time she opened her document, she couldn’t write a single word. She didn’t even have the time to write, let alone grieve for her husband. She was already numb from the sheer weight of everything she had to handle.

To make matters worse, both her daughters had fallen ill recently. She had been surviving on just two or three hours of sleep each night for several days. At first, it was because she didn’t have time to sleep, but later, even when she did manage to rest, she would wake up abruptly.

She was so tired.

It just kept getting worse.

As Chen Lan walked down the school corridor, she suddenly glanced over the edge. A rational part of her told her that things would get better, but another part of her couldn’t help but think, *Maybe if I jump, it’ll all be over. Maybe then I won’t feel so tired.*

She jolted awake, as if she had touched something dangerous, and quickly pulled her hand away from the railing. Panicked, she grabbed her phone and looked at the photo of her twin daughters on the lock screen, forcing herself to push away the terrifying thought.

After the panic subsided, she was left with nothing but exhaustion and confusion. Chen Lan vaguely realized that her mental state was like walking a tightrope over a cliff—or perhaps already falling from it. She thought that maybe she was developing some psychological issues, which seemed reasonable. She and her husband had grown up together, and they had been each other’s strongest support. They were more than partners; they were each other’s closest family.

Losing him had left a void, and it was natural for her to struggle mentally. But where would she find the time or money to see a psychologist? Just taking care of her daughters was already more than she could handle.

*It’s okay. It’ll be okay. Time will heal everything.*

Without realizing it, Chen Lan’s hand slowly drifted back to the railing.

"Chen Lan!!! Chen Lan!!" Teacher Ma came running over, her face lit up with excitement. She was Chen Lan’s friend and the only person at school who knew her pen name. She grabbed Chen Lan’s hand and pulled her away from the railing.

"Have you checked Weibo? I saw it as soon as class ended! You're trending! No, wait, your book is trending!!"

"There’s also a really wealthy fan who spent a ton of money on you! So many people are sending you gifts! Have you not logged in for a while? Right? I knew it! Otherwise, you would’ve told me. I just took a look, and the screen is flooded with gifts. This is amazing! Weren’t you short on cash? This money should be enough to hire someone to take care of Ke Ke and the others, and it’ll also help ease the pressure from your car and mortgage payments. You’ll have some breathing room to figure things out! This money came at just the right time!"

Chen Lan reacted slowly but heard every word clearly: "What...?"

***

While soaking her feet and sipping on the milk tea delivered by a courier, Sheng Quan opened her phone and navigated to the page of the novel *Life’s Path*, where she saw the author’s reply.

Author’s reply: [Thank you, the milk tea was really delicious.]

Satisfied, Sheng Quan set her phone aside and took another sip of the milk tea. "The milk tea really is delicious~"

006, her system, realized belatedly: [Host, you’ve changed her fate. Her original ending was severe depression leading to suicide. After the drama aired, fans would have discovered that she and her husband had been quietly supporting charitable causes. Their story would have sparked a wave of public mourning and remembrance.]

Sheng Quan: [I know.]

006: [She’s not one of the beneficiaries you were supposed to support.]

[I know.]

Sheng Quan took another sip of milk tea: [You didn’t notice that the system didn’t issue any warnings when I used its funds, did you? Because every penny I spent on her was converted into popularity for the drama and for Yan Hui. It’s an expense that aligns with the system’s rules.]

006: [No, that’s not what I meant. I wanted to ask why you chose to help her when she’s not one of the beneficiaries you selected.]

Sheng Quan thought for a moment and smiled: [Because I didn’t like that ending, and I had the power to change it.]

006 seemed to understand but not entirely. Sheng Quan chuckled and set down her milk tea: [It’s fine if you don’t get it. Weren’t you worried about my lifespan? You can rest easy now.]

After a long day of filming in the remote mountains, Wan Bao yawned and led the crew back to their base. As he walked, he pulled out his phone to check for any juicy gossip. The moment he opened Weibo, he frowned. "Why is the internet still so slow?"

Completely unaware that their small, low-profile production might have gained sudden popularity, he muttered, "What’s going on? Did Weibo crash? Of all times... AHHHHHHHH!!!!!"

Wan Bao’s high-pitched scream nearly deafened Lin Aike, who was sipping water from her thermos nearby. Zhou Zhi and Yan Hui, who were sharing some dried chicken breast, looked up in confusion, startled by the outburst.

Lin Aike quickly took a sip of her goji berry-infused water to calm her nerves. She thought to herself, *What’s going on? Has the director finally lost it? I’m so hungry… Is he screaming because he’s starving too?* Just then, her phone reconnected to the network, and a barrage of notifications chimed incessantly.

The same thing happened to the rest of the crew. Phones buzzed and chimed with alerts from various platforms.

Lin Aike was puzzled. They’d been offline for filming before, but she didn’t recall ever receiving this many messages. As she pulled out her phone, her manager called:

"Why did it take you so long to answer? Never mind, that’s not important! Do you know what’s happening? The drama you’re filming right now is blowing up!!"

Director Wan Bao: "AHHHH WHAT’S GOING ON WHY ARE THERE SO MANY NEW FOLLOWERS ON OUR DRAMA’S WEIBO PAGE DID SHENG QUAN BUY US FAKE FOLLOWERS BUT THEY SEEM SO REAL AHHHHHH…"

The manager’s excited voice and Wan Bao’s ecstatic shouts created a chaotic symphony.

Lin Aike, clutching her thermos filled with goji berries and still thinking about what to eat for dinner: "???"

"WHAT??!!"