The red sun had just risen.
All the military training freshmen boarded the bus and, accompanied by the morning breeze, left Oriental Green Boat.
On the bus for the directing department, the 602 dorm remained steadily seated in the last row.
The only difference was that Jiang Xiao’s seat had moved from the left side to Wang’s hometown – the window seat on the right!
Jiang Xiao had even bought a bag of oranges in advance this time.
Song Qiuyu didn’t forget to pretend to take motion sickness medicine, committing to her motion sickness persona.
After the bus departed, the latter half of the carriage was always filled with the fragrant scent of oranges, and the air was exceptionally fresh.
The journey back to school was naturally the same as the journey there, a one-hour drive.
Thus, the atmosphere inside the bus was also quite similar.
“Let’s go, prepare for battle!” Xie Zhuran opened the game and entered the login screen.
“Let’s do it!” Lin An was also ready.
Song Qiuyu also picked up her phone.
She hadn’t even had time to tap the game icon.
“Beep!” The counselor sent a new message in the QQ professional group.
[Counselor Yang Yang]: “@All members. Classmates, good news! The military training video Xu Tongtong posted on our school’s official account last night has received a good response. Go check it out! And don’t forget to like it when you go, remember to follow if you haven’t, and also click on push notifications and share it!”
Xu Tongtong: I just opened the video and found it’s quite popular. I was just about to say something, and I’ve already done the four-step combo: followed, liked, pushed, and shared!
[Counselor Yang Yang]: @Xu Tongtong Thumbs up.
[Gu Nian]: Saw it, saw it! Oh my, Xu Tongtong, your video filming skills aren’t very good. You didn’t even capture one percent of my handsomeness.
[Lin An]: Received, already did the four-step combo.
[Xie Zhuran]: Received, already did the four-step combo.
Xie Zhuran, who replied with “four-step combo,” didn’t even look at the video and went straight into the game.
The video could be watched anytime, but the game had to be played now.
However, one of his teammates, Lin An, had already closed the game.
As the vice class monitor, he chose to watch the video.
Seeing the “+1” that had appeared on her phone screen, Song Qiuyu also casually added her “+1,” then switched out and opened a certain short video app.
She had already followed the official account of Nanxi (Southern Drama) for a long time.
As soon as she entered, the latest work under the account was their military training video.
Likes: 100,000.
Comments: 114,513.
Pushes (shares through push notifications): 94,355.
Shares: 444,443.
Nanxi’s competitiveness among numerous drama academies and media universities was quite strong.
Now, many of the top celebrities frequently appearing on screen were graduates of Nanxi.
So, it already had a significant number of followers.
However, for it to have such an impressive response overnight, Song Qiuyu was more or less surprised.
She opened the video.
The video began with Xu Tongtong’s personal monologue in the base apartment, accompanied by soothing music.
She glanced at the beginning, and as an instinct of the directing department, she subconsciously began to consider how she would edit the video if it were up to her.
While thinking, she liked, pushed, and shared, completing the three-step combo.
Finally, she entered the comment section.
At a glance, the comments section was quite diverse.
Some were alumni, commenting on the overall military training situation, and veterans reminiscing about past military training.
Some were passersby, purely pushed to them by big data.
They were more interested in the freshmen’s looks.
For them, this video was somewhat like a recruitment advertisement.
Some were students already preparing to apply to Nanxi, with every word filled with longing for the academy.
Naturally, what caught Song Qiuyu’s attention the most in the comments were those about the skit “Marrying Off the Groom” and the “Robbers.”
Xu Tongtong had edited and uploaded portions of both their rehearsal video and the actual performance video.
[Warm Itch]: hhh I’ve seen the original version of this skit, but a guy cross-dressing as the bride? That’s a first for me. His voice must be practically smoking from trying to sound like that, right?
[I’ve Said Many Times I’m Not a Loli]: I finally understand Wu Zetian now. The moment I saw this robber leader, it was like Wu Zetian lost Li Zhi; I almost lost my mind!
[I’m a 26-year-old Divorced Uncle with Two Kids]: There are too many handsome junior students in this skit, especially the robber’s sidekick. Promise me, don’t become a comedian; please pay more attention to your image in the future, okay?
[This user has been logged out]: Are you trying to make me laugh myself to death so you can inherit my Huabei bill? The acting is too amazing, even funnier than the original!
Seeing this, Song Qiuyu couldn’t help but crack a smile, though it quickly faded.
Most of the comments she saw next were discussions about their looks.
Jiang Xiao had already gained quite a few cyber fangirls, and she herself seemed to have more male fans than female, all calling her “wife.”
Many even argued over her gender.
The discussion even escalated to the current trend: “Nanniang” (effeminate men) are rampant, where has male masculinity gone!
How typical.
But who’s a “Nanniang”?
If you have Buddha in your heart, everyone you see is Buddha.
They have a “little Nanniang” in their own hearts, that’s why everyone they see is a “little Nanniang”!
She didn’t waste a second of mental energy on their comments.
Her attention was quickly drawn to the new surge in video reactions.
In the short time she spent Browse comments, the number of likes had actually doubled, skyrocketing to 300,000!
Song Qiuyu was stunned.
To be honest, Xu Tongtong’s video editing wasn’t too bad, but it wasn’t particularly good either.
The main reason for such widespread exposure was that it was on the official account.
If they could use a better script and better editing, but do it themselves, perhaps they could also get a considerable response?
Since they chose the directing department, building a fanbase online in advance was basic practice. Filming some things in advance could also serve as practice.
Besides, filming some interesting skits should help Jiang Xiao become more outgoing!
And, if the video went viral, they could also make a small profit.
She furrowed her brow, opened the dorm group chat, and typed her thoughts, saying that after seeing the video’s comments, she also wanted the dorm to organize and film some skits to post online.
[Lin An]: I think this is a good idea.
[Xie Zhuran]: Good, good, good! It looks like those treasures I collected will soon have a use! Let’s go!
Song Qiuyu turned to glance at Jiang Xiao, who hadn’t spoken.
Jiang Xiao was silent for a moment, then gently nodded.
Afterward, she and her three roommates discussed the profit-sharing if they made money.
More specific details would be easier to talk about once they returned to the dorm.
With the general plan settled, Lin An and Xie Zhuran both started taking selfies for their avatars.
Using selfies as avatars now, while the video was still trending, could help them gain some basic traffic.
It was pure profit.
Jiang Xiao didn’t take any.
Song Qiuyu knew exactly why; he wasn’t someone who liked taking selfies before, and it was even less likely now.
She even wondered if Jiang Xiao’s phone even had that short video app installed.
After all, he didn’t surf the internet much.
Song Qiuyu’s eyes darted around. She opened the camera. “Jiang Xiao!”
Jiang Xiao heard her, and instinctively turned to look at her.
“Come on, smile, say cheese!” She smiled brightly and pressed the confirmation button.
Click.