Qiao Zixin's drama wrapped up filming in just two months. When the outside world heard the news, they questioned the new director's ability, wondering what kind of good film could be made with such a hasty and rushed production. But what they didn't know was that this crew had an advantage that no one else had. They were united, not afraid of hardship or fatigue, often working 18 hours a day. When time was tight, they would sleep on set, minimizing the filming time and saving a lot of money.
After filming this movie, everyone lost weight, but they were all radiant with energy. They were just waiting for the movie to be a huge success and kick off their team's first big hit!
Xu Zifan and his team of editors worked non-stop, completing the post-production editing in just half a month – a remarkably fast pace. Immediately afterwards, they submitted the film for review, entered it into awards competitions, and juggled networking and scheduling for a release. He was so busy that even Qiao Zixin couldn't see him. Thankfully, this film was a drama with no special effects; otherwise, even at its fastest pace, it would have taken several months, far too late for year-end awards.
Meanwhile, the film's promotional campaign was in full swing, and the trailer received rave reviews as soon as it was released. The opening scene shows Qiao Zixin as weak and helpless, hunched over; a close-up of her eyes conveys her despair even through the screen, and the iron fists of the man hitting her send chills down the spine. Then, the scene shifts to the child running away, and Qiao Zixin frantically begging the police for help, fighting with the men. She's seen searching for her child throughout the streets and alleys, when suddenly she's pinned to the ground by several men. Xu Zifan rushes in and fights with the men, grabbing Qiao Zixin's hand and running desperately. Afterwards, Qiao Zixin crouches on the ground, sobbing loudly, a heart-wrenching cry.
Then the camera shifts again, revealing a resolute expression on Qiao Zixin's face. She's full of fighting spirit and positivity, suppressing her despair deep within. Xu Zifan is always silently watching her from a short distance away. Next, a emaciated child cries out "Help!" at the camera. Xu Zifan catches the child, his head bleeding, and collapses to the ground. Qiao Zixin rushes over and throws herself on him, panicked and tearful, despair reappearing in her eyes.
The trailer ended abruptly here, leaving many netizens shocked to find themselves in tears. But they didn't even have time to wipe their tears; their first reaction was to rush to the official Weibo account to ask what happened next, what the ending was, whether Xu Zifan died, whether Qiao Zixin managed to save the child, whether justice would prevail, and whether the villagers were punished.
Netizens have countless questions, all stemming from this trailer. Some even went to the station to buy the original novel, but the trailer's plot has clearly been altered and differs from the original work. They are anxiously waiting to see what happens next, because domestic violence and human trafficking are always issues of great concern. Will Qiao Zixin, such a tragic character, ultimately find redemption?
That day, #QiaoZixinDomesticViolence#, #QiaoZixinDesperateEyes#, and #QiaoZixinNewDrama# trended at the top of the search rankings. It was only then that people learned the name of the new drama, "A Mother's Strength." It's a very common phrase and a very easy-to-understand title, but when used to describe a weak and incompetent woman, it allows people to feel its meaning more deeply.
Meanwhile, the hashtags #MostShockingDomesticViolenceCase# and #WhyIsHumanTraffickingNotSentencedToDeath# also trended on social media, instantly increasing public attention and making "A Mother's Strength" the most talked-about drama recently. It completely stole the limelight from Xingchen's new drama "Double Agent," which they were promoting hard. This angered the boss of Xingchen, who once again posted on Weibo to subtly criticize Qiao Zixin, implying that even if "A Mother's Strength" is a good film, Qiao Zixin would ruin it, and that she is not the kind of actress she is.
This time, nobody stood on Xingchen's side. They all ran to scold her for being heartless. After all, they used to be sworn sisters. She kept belittling her sister. Where was the demeanor of a CEO's wife? She really is a delinquent girl who used to hang out in the underworld. Even as a CEO's wife, she can't change her shameless and despicable nature!
The owner of Xingchen Boss Lady got into a heated argument with netizens, subtly bringing up Qiao Zixin. However, this time Qiao Zixin didn't get involved at all, and Xu Zifan didn't hire any online trolls to stir things up. The netizens' spontaneous support alone put Qiao Zixin in an unassailable position! This is all because of Xu Zifan's previous successful maneuvers, which gave netizens the impression that Qiao Zixin was an innocent victim who worked hard. That's why they're willing to defend her now. And this isn't a fabricated persona; this is Qiao Zixin's true self. In the future, more and more people will stand by her side because her persona will never collapse.
Xu Zifan entrusted online matters to his assistant, Luo Fenfen. Having been by his side for so long, Luo Fenfen had learned most of how to handle emergencies, and she was in charge of online matters unless something serious happened. Xu Zifan transformed the resting team into a public relations and publicity department. Luo Fenfen led the public relations department, controlling public opinion across various sectors and intervening to correct any inconsistencies. Lan Gui led the publicity department, utilizing every possible method, both paid and unpaid, to promote the film. The team was once again in action.
However, the simplest way to promote the film would be to have Qiao Zixin give an interview. She hasn't responded directly to those things since the incident. If she can express her true feelings in the interview and gain some sympathy before releasing the film, the promotional effect will be the best.
Xu Zifan returned home late that night and found Qiao Zixin still awake, sitting on the sofa watching TV. As soon as Qiao Zixin saw him, she went to help him with his coat, but Xu Zifan waved his hand, saying, "I can do it myself. You reek of alcohol. Why aren't you asleep yet?"
Qiao Zixin pursed her lips and said, "I'm waiting for you. I have something to tell you."
After changing his shoes, Xu Zifan looked up at her and felt relieved when he saw that she didn't seem to be in any trouble. He smiled and said, "Then I'll go take a shower first and I'll tell you when I come out."
"Mm." Qiao Zixin watched him go into the room, then went to the kitchen and brought out a warm hangover soup. She made it using a recipe she found online, and tried it many times. Although it didn't taste very good, judging from some comments online, it should be able to help with hangovers. She also brought out a plate of pastries from the pot; she had bought them from the hotel that afternoon, and they were still very delicious.
After quickly showering and drying his hair, Xu Zifan came out, raised an eyebrow at the things on the table, and sat down. Qiao Zixin pushed the things in front of him, "This is a hangover soup I made. It's not as good as yours, but you'll have to make do with it. You can teach me how to make it another day when you have time."
Xu Zifan glanced at her hand and noticed a red mark on the back of her hand and two small cuts on her fingertips, probably from making the hangover soup. He didn't say anything and drank the entire bowl of soup. Seeing this, Qiao Zixin said, "You didn't eat well outside, did you? I bought this from the hotel south of the neighborhood. It's not sweet at all, and it's not too soft. Want to try some?"
Xu Zifan picked up the small white pastry and ate it in two bites. It wasn't sweet, but it had a delicate fragrance that suited his taste. He nodded and smiled, "It's delicious. I was starving. Thank you."
Qiao Zixin finally smiled. "No need to thank me. You've been busy until so late because of me." She hesitated for a moment and said, "Actually, I know some people, although we don't really have any contact. But if I go to a social event with you and have a few drinks with you, it should be easier, right?"
Xu Zifan picked up another piece of pastry and put it in his mouth, smiling slightly. "No need, I won't make you go drinking with people." He looked at Qiao Zixin. "Is this all you wanted to tell me?"
Qiao Zixin shook her head. "No, I meant I could do an interview. Since my incident, I've never directly addressed those comments about me. Now everyone wants to see me. If I do an interview, say what they want to know, and then promote the movie, wouldn't the publicity be better? It would definitely get a lot of attention, don't you think?"
Xu Zifan thought for a moment and analyzed for her, "Although many people think you are innocent now, your status has declined. Whether you can make a comeback depends entirely on the box office of this movie. Before the movie is released, you won't be taken seriously when you attend any programs. On the contrary, the program team will use you as a gimmick to attract viewers and ask you questions that you don't want to answer, regardless of your wishes. So if we go on a program, we must do so after the movie's results are in. By then, as long as your box office influence is still there, you will still be a high-ranking actress, and no one will dare to neglect you."
Qiao Zixin glanced at him, then lowered her eyes to look at the table. Her hands unconsciously twisted together under the table as she whispered, "I just saw that you were too busy and wanted to use an easier way to make you less tired."
Xu Zifan smiled faintly and said, "I'm not tired. I said I would help you return to your peak. How could I feel tired when we've only just started? Don't worry, I will definitely not let you suffer any more grievances."
He finished the remaining pastries, then went to the cupboard and got the first-aid kit. "I'll put some medicine on your wound, otherwise it will hurt and heal slowly."
He first disinfected Qiao Zixin's wound, then gently applied ointment with a cotton swab, his expression serious and focused. Qiao Zixin quietly raised her head to look at his profile, a slight smile unconsciously appearing on her lips. He was clearly a man who looked very strong, yet his movements were so gentle, just like him—always silently arranging everything, thoughtful and meticulous.
Xu Zifan applied the medicine to her wound and told her not to get it wet that night and to get some rest. Qiao Zixin nodded in agreement. After he returned to his room, she raised her hand and pressed it to her heart, feeling it beating much faster than usual. She looked down and smiled. If this was the person, he must be the right one, right?