In the living room, Ding Yun's departure did not stop Xu Hui and Li Qinghua from continuing their discussion, their hearts filled with emotion.
"At first, I was worried about Xiao Yun's poor academic performance and lack of notable achievements in other areas. I thought we'd have to give a substantial dowry when she got married, just so she wouldn't suffer.
Who would have thought I was so wrong.
She's actually the most accomplished in the family."
Only when the living room was empty of the children did Li Qinghua voice what he hadn't said in front of them.
"Exactly. It seems we won't have to worry about Xiao Yun anymore. Xiao Ran is also doing alright, it's just De Dong who is truly difficult to manage!"
While proud of her daughter's achievements, Xu Hui hadn't forgotten about her son.
"I put aside all household matters and followed him to be his study companion. After a year, apart from gaining twenty pounds, his grades have shown virtually no improvement.
Forget the teachers at school.
Even I am considering giving up on him.
If it really doesn't work out, perhaps he should enter society earlier. Maybe he just doesn't have a talent for academics. These days, there isn't only one path through college entrance exams. Having him learn from you for a few years and take over the company is also a viable path.
After all, he'd be the boss, and there's no academic requirement for that."
During their time as study companions, Xu Hui felt her son hadn't played games excessively, yet his grades stubbornly refused to improve. Thus, she had already resigned herself to it.
Much like how she had previously given up on asking about Yuan Shen's grades.
"I think it's not a problem of not being able to learn, but a problem of not wanting to learn. Xiao Yun's grades were so poor before, even worse than his. We even thought she wasn't very bright and didn't push her.
But in the end, the facts proved that her poor grades were simply because she wasn't putting in the effort, or rather, hadn't found the right learning methods. Once she found the right method and applied herself, her grades quickly improved.
All three children are our biological children.
It can't be that only he is truly unintelligent.
Why don't we let Xiao Yun try? Since Xiao Yun was able to improve her own grades, she must have some skills and methods. Regardless, De Dong's grades can't get any worse. Perhaps we should let Xiao Yun give it a try?"
Li Qinghua still felt a sense of unwillingness to accept this. He was unwilling for his son to ruin the honor of his reputation as a father of two esteemed university graduates. At this point, unable to find a solution himself, he could only place his hopes on his daughter.
Perhaps his daughter, who was so adept at improving her grades,
could also guide their son.
Mentioning this, Xu Hui also felt there was a tiny bit of logic to it. In any case, their son showed little hope of getting into university. It was better to try as a last resort, perhaps their daughter, who had always been capable of creating miracles,
could create another one?
Therefore, the couple quickly reached an agreement. They went upstairs and knocked on Ding Yun's door, proposing their idea and hoping Ding Yun could spare some time to help.
However, Ding Yun used the excuse of needing to write new works and refused.
From now until Li De Dong's college entrance exams, Ding Yun would only have one winter break and a few short holidays to return home. If she spent all her time together with him, the total time would likely not even amount to a month. What could she possibly teach him?
Rather than achieve no results in the end,
it was better to simply refuse outright.
To avoid hassle and thankless effort.
Xu Hui and the others also remembered after Ding Yun explained, their daughter was still attending university, and in a different city at that. She could only return home a few days a year. They couldn't possibly ask her to take a year off to tutor Li De Dong.
Setting aside whether tutoring would be effective,
even if it were, they wouldn't have the nerve to ask.
Thus, this matter was naturally dropped.
What followed were the usual preparations for the New Year, and Li Qinghua and Xu Hui traveling around promoting and boasting about their daughter writing a novel, how popular it was, and that the television adaptation would be airing on a certain channel in a couple of days. They would urge everyone to support it, and so on.
Fortunately, Ding Yun rarely went out.
This prevented any overly awkward situations.
...
On the twenty-first day of the twelfth lunar month, "Legend of the White Snake" finally officially premiered. The viewership ratings on its opening day were quite good and continued to grow as time went on.
By the day before the Little New Year,
the total viewership ratings for the several television stations broadcasting "Legend of the White Snake" had reached twenty-four percent. On the day of the Little New Year, it climbed even higher, breaking through thirty percent, and then began competing with the Spring Festival Gala for ratings.
Although it ultimately didn't surpass the Spring Festival Gala, it was still a significant achievement. The next day, it made headlines across major news outlets, truly reaching a level of nationwide awareness, widespread discussion, and viewership by the majority of people.
At one point, even the daytime reruns' ratings
were as high as twenty percent.
Meanwhile, many netizens, who were already intensely discussing various CPs and issues while reading the novel,
found the discussions became even more fervent now that the novel's characters had faces.
Of course, there were also many people discussing the plot, the visuals, the special effects, and the songs.
["Legend of the White Snake" is truly addictive. At first, I thought it was strange that they suddenly started singing during scenes, but now I've not only gotten used to it, I even find myself singing a couple of lines when talking to my mother!]
[And my mom and I sang together, but I was completely crushed by my mom; I just can't compare!]
[I really love the songs in it. "A hundred years to meet on the same boat, a thousand years to sleep in the same bed." Every time the music plays, I can't help but sing along.]
[Overall, I'd give it an eight out of ten. The special effects were a bit lacking, but I heard the investment wasn't very large.
It's acceptable...]
[This is the first time I'm realizing that Xu Xian was actually played by an actor in cross-dressing. So, Bai Suzhen is a woman, Xu Xian is a woman, and Xiao Qing is also a woman. Thinking about it this way, Fahai suddenly seems like a moral guardian!]
[Are there any hints of a lesbian relationship?]
[Why am I the only one getting more confused the more I watch? My heart is currently being scratched a thousand times, I really want to know what's going on with Guanyin, what her background is, and what the Heavenly Realm is like. I feel like there are so many things not written in the novel.
Is it the author deliberately setting up foreshadowing?
Or did she simply not consider how to flesh out the background?]
[It's probably because she didn't consider how to flesh out the background. After all, the "Legend of the White Snake" novel is already completed. This is truly a pity. I have a premonition that if the background were fleshed out, it would be an incredibly grand worldview.]
[Everyone, quickly go to Zhutian Literature Network! The author of "Legend of the White Snake" has a new book out. The new book is called "The Lotus Lantern." Judging by the plot summary, it seems to have a connection with "Legend of the White Snake." It also mentions the Heavenly Realm. I feel like the author is building a grand scheme. She intends to use several novels to perfect a worldview. That's too awesome!]
[I'm bowing down, there really is a connection!]