"Jiao Shou, can I stay in the zoo to play for a few days? I don't need to attend the eting anyway, and I don't seem to be in the next episode."
Who would have thought that right before the film crew was about to leave the zoo, the lead actress Xiaoi suddenly asked Jiao Shou.
Actually, her role in this episode wasn't substantial, just a symbolic presence at the beginning and end, and her lines totaled two sentences. She didn't need to familiarize herself with the plot nor spend ti filming; frankly, her part could have been played by a cardboard cutout.
Precisely because of this, she had plenty of free ti on set to play with the animals. While others were filming, she would be squatting on the sidelines, teasing the monkeys. Most girls like animals, and the ones brought in for filming had been specially trained by Suming, able to be both cute and act like domineering CEOs, quickly capturing Xiaoi's tender heart.
As she spoke, she was hugging a fatty rabbit, the very one nad Tutu-chan.
Tutu-chan, the Hop-hop King, was rescued from Huiya's mouth by Xiaoi and, after being trained with spiritual power by Suming for a day, joined the filming crew on the spot, playing the role of Boss Number One, the Hop-hop King.
"Yeah, okay, just don't trouble Mr. Su," Jiao Shou warned specifically before boarding the vehicle, and Xiaoi said with a giggle, "I wouldn't dream of it."
It was unclear whether she was talking to Jiao Shou or to Tutu-chan as she rubbed the rabbit's long ears, "Right, we are being very good, aren't we?"
Girls who say they are well-behaved usually aren't all that docile. Xiaoi might look quiet and like the girl next door, but she was a celebrity, after all. Using his spiritual power covertly, Suming commanded a couple of hornets to follow Xiaoi day and night for the next few days, to ensure that no accidents occurred in the zoo.
"Mr. Su, where will I be staying?" Xiaoi asked Suming while holding the rabbit.
"You're not staying at a hotel?" Suming was slightly taken aback. It sounded like she was expecting him to take care of her accommodations and als.
Poor little star, without a decent nanny or agent and having to worry about lodging and als herself. Staying in a hotel was possible, but the nearest one was several kiloters away from the zoo, and as a stranger in Yangchuan City, Suming couldn't possibly assign soone to accompany her exclusively.
"Why don't I stay at your place? It's quiet with beautiful scenery, and I can play around in the zoo every day." Xiaoi tugged at Suming's sleeve and cooed.
When the crew negotiated with Suming, they sotis did it in the office, sotis directly at Whisperwind Pavilion, and Jiao Shou had even shared tea with Suming on the pavilion's deck. Xiaoi had been there too and quite liked the environnt.
"Stop joking, what are you thinking? You're not afraid of scandal, but I am," Suming rolled his eyes. If she really moved into the pavilion, that would be like mud falling into the crotch – not poop, but close enough.
Well, of course, that comparison isn't quite suitable. Xiaoi did have her charms, definitely not mud, let alone poop...
Besides, as soone with a girlfriend, how could he possibly let another woman move in to live with him?
"So where will I stay? I'm not going to a hotel. If I wanted to stay in a hotel, why would I co to Yangchuan City?" Xiaoi pouted, her eyes rolling whiter than the fur on Tutu-chan in her arms, practically threatening to faint herself if he suggested she stay at a hotel.
I knew it, definitely not the docile type. Jiao Shou leaves and her true nature cos out. But the ntion of Whisperwind Pavilion gave Suming an idea. There was more than one 'Whisperwind' in the zoo; beside Shuijun Lake, there was a six-story Whisperwind Pavilion with an environnt just as nice as the Fengshui Pavilion, and it was much closer to various attractions in the zoo. After arranging for a cleaning crew, he let Xiaoi stay there to make do for a few days.
"There's a boat on the lake below, and you can even ride fish; if you want to go fishing, find a researcher nad Liang Shi; the pebble path beside the lake leads to the main area of the zoo, and the small path behind it goes straight to the Fox Immortal. Oh, and there's a grey wolf on the hill behind, which you have seen; don't wander around at night, be careful not to be carried off by a wolf..." Suming gave her a list of dos and don'ts.
"I heard there's a hot spring, where is it?"
After the monkeys finished brewing the wine, Suming didn't hide the existence of the hot springs anymore. He had even sent his uncle Su Desheng with a construction team to scout the area, planning to refurbish the surroundings when funds permitted. Xiaoi probably heard about it from the zoo staff.
"The hot spring hasn't been developed yet; the surrounding area is rough, and it's not safe for you to go there as a girl."
...
This episode, beyond everyone's wildest dreams, didn't only elate Jiao Shou and the film crew when it aired, but Suming also experienced the sensation of overnight fa.
Jiao Shou exchanged follows with Taoyuan Interests and actively recomnded them.
While Taoyuan Interests already had so young fans, along with so older ones who may not all enjoy web series, the unexpected fans were mainly young people. Thus, Suming's original followers might not all be interested in the unexpected hit show, but most of the surprises' fans were quite fond of animals.
In just a few days, the followers of Taoyuan Interests surged to nearly five hundred thousand, and the number continued to rise!
What's called a nouveau riche, that's it!
In the past, despite being on TV and dealing with the Fox Immortal incident, along with a charity funds investigation, he spent so much ti and effort, and only just managed to break a hundred thousand followers on Weibo.
But now, just by assisting with a web series and exchanging follows with Jiao Shou, in less than a week, his follower count multiplied several tis, so much so that even Suming began to doubt the data on the server, wondering if there was an error in the stats?
Fifty thousand followers, all real people without any fake followers. While still far from the tens of millions that popular stars boast, it had surpassed many so-called famous institutions and shows, an unimaginable feat for a zoo with educational purpose.
Suming went online to check, and among the largest zoos in the country, just in terms of Weibo marketing, they've been left in the dust by Yangchuan City Zoo by a long shot. The Capital Zoo's Weibo only just broke ten thousand followers, and the renowned Songjiang Wildlife Zoo's followers have just surpassed fifty thousand, which isn't even on the sa level as Yangchuan City Zoo.
The new followers are also interested in more than just the "Never Would Have Guessed" show itself.
At first, everyone's attention was focused on the animals featured in the show. Those monkeys and hopping kings were poles apart from the animals in regular zoos, with many people mistaking Yangchuan City Zoo for a circus. But after longti fans introduced them to previous posts and dug up a series of videos featuring things like riding fish and Fox Immortals, only then did they realize that this was no circus—Yangchuan City Zoo is simply one of a kind!
"Holy shit, are these foxes for real? Are you sure it's not CGI? I'm convinced!"
"Are they really riding fish?"
"Just co and visit Yangchuan Zoo, and you'll know. I go there to play every week, and the fish-riding attraction has been redeveloped for a month now, with lines every day!"
"What breed of axolotl looks like a crocodile?"
"The one beside it is the crocodile. These two guys fight every day. Last ti I went, I saw the axolotl spraying water at the crocodile!"
"That's a huge python, just letting it crawl around on the ground, is that really okay?"
"The zoo director ntioned that they are building a snake park on the hill behind the zoo; the pythons will live there in the future, and there are hundreds of wild venomous snakes..."
"I've been into 'Magical Beast' since the '50s, and I'd like to visit Yangchuan Dasheng Distillery in person. Director, will the distillery be open to the public? Do they have Chen. Stormstout Brew?"
"Isn't Stormstout Brew related to pandas? Could there be pandaren?! Director, are there really pandas there?"
"Director, director, is that Da Sheng Liquor really as amazing as they say? The drink of youth, friendship, and health?"
"Sa question, I'm going to my girlfriend's house next week, and I don't know what gift to bring. Director, where can I actually buy Da Sheng Liquor? I've searched many stores and can't find it!"
...
Alongside "Never Would Have Guessed", another na that has been making waves is none other than Yangchuan City Dasheng Liquor Industry.
With a focus different from that of general viewers, professional journalists from major news outlets have a keener sense of sll and concentrate on digging deeper into phenona beyond their surface.
Close to the water, Whisperwind Pavilion got the moon first and was the first to publish an article.
"Who is King in the Age of the Internet?"
The article analyzed marketing models in the internet age, posing a question: In an era where information spreads at incredible speeds, how should product marketing be conducted? Clearly, the old adage "If the wine is good, it needs no bush" no longer applies. In the current environnt, which is more important—product quality or marketing?
Other major dia outlets also published their articles almost simultaneously.
"Never Would Have Guessed breathes second life..."
"A national frenzy of celebration!"
"Humans and animals, you protect , and I bring you joy!"
"Overnight fa: Yangchuan City Dasheng Liquor Industry!"
"In fact, Da Sheng Liquor is currently unavailable on the market!"
"Hundred-Fruit Wine—Exploring the origins of Monkey Wine brewing."
dia outlets from major southeastern Huaxia regions, as well as nurous national internet dia platforms, like Qianbaidu and Sōuhu, had several columnists provide in-depth analysis, as nearly all of them voiced their opinions due to the popularity of that episode of "Never Would Have Guessed."
This is not just about a web series heating up once more, but about the underlying effective marketing model it represents.
But as of now, this so-called 'Yangchuan City Da Sheng Liquor' isn't available for sale in various major stores as ntioned in the web series.
On the contrary, Da Sheng Liquor can't be bought on the market at all.
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