Chapter 238: Show Off Your “shen Jiayi” That’s Gone Viral
September 15th, half a month until the National Day Slot opens.
Two months have passed since this year’s graduation season, right around the start of school.
《Girl》 is under attack from both sides, #Chi Ye scamming for money##Shang Youshu acting skills bad# related hot word topics dominate the hot search list, 《Girl》 is declining before release, Chi Ye’s fans are anti-black, everyone in and out of the industry is watching the drama.
「Youth films like this shouldn’t exist, especially in the National Day Slot, it used to be Chi Ye’s casual fan base, but this time the scamming for money intent is too obvious, it’s ruining goodwill.」
「What I don’t get is, Shang Youshu is already thirty, how does she have the face to play a seventeen or eighteen-year-old young girl? Doesn’t capital see it, she’s just not suited for the film circle?」
「Sister Shang really stop harming movie fans, come back to shoot ancient idol dramas, benefit the audience, in a few more years she won’t even be able to shoot those.」
「Pure Passerby, this 《Girl》 schedule is indeed awkward, any other slot and I’d think it’s fine, but National Day Slot… the scamming for money intent is way too obvious.」
「What’s wrong with National Day Slot? Who says youth films or small productions can’t release then?」
「Haha, backlash, I said long ago Chi Ye always wanted to be capital, since breaching contract with Yue Na he hasn’t signed with any company, now he’s gone mad for scamming for money, brainless fans keep shouting brother, one willing to hit one willing to take it anyway.」
「……」
Paid Commenters, rivals, bystanders, before a movie releases, or for a smooth release, it always encounters smearing from various competitors and rivals, that’s not rare, but the scale with 《Girl》 is a bit big.
To put it bluntly, with 《Girl》’s investment, the marketing money Chi Ye spent himself might not even match what the film circle is throwing at it.
From the side, you can see Chi Ye really isn’t liked in the industry—this movie’s success or failure decides if he can step down from the “unrivaled top streamer” position, like Yu Yan and Magic City Fortress, if you don’t step down, what about the countless traffic stars below waiting to be fed?
So this time it’s not just the film circle, many rivals in the drama circle, Yu Yan, Peng Chen, Xiao Zhan, Chu Han Zhou and other top young actors, are also quietly adding finishing blows.
In this situation, the 《Girl》 official Weibo, which had been quiet, suddenly posted a video.
Evening, eight o’clock.
Inside the 《Youth》 film crew hotel.
Ling Han finished the activity publicity and distribution, returned to the hotel for a shower, wrapped in a bathrobe, rubbing her medium-short hair, walked to the sofa and sat down, casually picked up her mobile phone and asked: “Still blacking Chi Ye?”
“Yeah, Du Ou said this is an opportunity, audiences now have PTSD from youth films, and this genre has a clear ceiling, no matter how good the quality, it won’t surpass other blockbusters.”
“But we’re a youth film too.”
Ling Han muttered, a bit dissatisfied inside: “Isn’t this dragging us down too?”
“……Our goal is the same as Chi Ye’s, scamming for money.”
The agent laughed beside her.
Ling Han fell silent, her finger refreshed, and a new message popped up in her special attention list.
《Those Years, the Girl We Chased Together》 official Weibo: 【#Those Years##Chi Ye##Chi Ye new song##Shang Youshu# Use Chi Ye’s melody to reboot your youth save file.】
“Huh.”
Ling Han let out a soft “huh”: “Chi Ye released a new song? How come I didn’t know?”
She used to dislike Chi Ye because of Yu Yan, but after the two impacts of 《Xing Ni》 and 《Big Shot》, though she never said it out loud, privately she had always been following Chi Ye and updates on his various works.
—She really liked Chi Ye’s songs, felt this guy was almost unrivaled in the internal entertainment circle for music talent.
Five Seals Golden Melody Awards, what value is that?
So, seeing the #Chi Ye new song# message, she was clearly surprised and delighted, with a bit of confusion—no rumors!
“Posted by the movie official account… is this 《Girl》’s OST?”
The agent noticed the message too, glanced at the account that posted it, and guessed: “Is this a trailer?”
“Speaking of which, 《Girl》 hasn’t released an official trailer yet, just behind-the-scenes footage and editing, looks like they can’t sit still anymore.”
Ling Han listened without speaking, paused, then clicked on this 1:30 first full version 《Girl》 trailer: “Listen to the song, Chi Ye new song, gotta hear this.”
The agent glanced at her, shaking her head with a smile: “If it’s OST, probably just an ordinary campus love song… let’s listen then.”
Ling Han had already placed her mobile phone on the stand, was about to speak, but suddenly froze.
Because at that moment, in the opened video, a line of crooked subtitles appeared, like written by a student.
【Youth is a heavy rain, even if soaked, want to turn back and run wildly once more.】
A beautiful and pleasant prelude guitar solo rang out, almost instantly making Ling Han feel “it’s back, all back” “as expected of him” in admiration and longing—good, this melody, as good as ever.
But different from Chi Ye’s previous works, he… except for 《Fleet of Time》, hadn’t written this kind of campus song, right?
Thinking this, the trailer footage appeared.
Darkness, empty shot, overcast sky.
Close-up: wooden desk in an old classroom, corner carved with “Zhou Ye X Shen Jiayi 2008”.
A piece of chalk rolls off the podium, across the floor, in the blurred background flashes of boys’ playful legs （school uniform pants cuffs, canvas shoes）.
Chi Ye… Zhou Ye’s pleasant yet regretful, nostalgic voice sounds: “In 2008, we thought catching cicadas was catching summer.”
Chalk rolling sounds, distant blurred playground noises fade in, as the first note of the guitar prelude drops, the screen suddenly goes black, Chi Ye’s singing begins:
“Story’s little yellow flower”
“Drifting since the year I was born”
“Childhood swing”
“Swaying with memory until now”
“Re So So Si Do Si La”
“So La Si Si Si Si La Si La So”
“…”
The agent’s ears twitched, surprised and admiring: “This song is so good.”
Ling Han didn’t speak, because the trailer editing was tight, song beautiful, people even more beautiful.
Youthful to heart-throbbing Shen Jiayi in dark blue school uniform, ponytail, turns back with a smile, backlit, hair strands gilded, lens quickly pulls back—
Zhou Ye with student buzzcut sprawled on desk stealing glances at her, uses ballpoint pen to draw little figures in book corner, little figure holding sign “Shen Jiayi big dummy”.
Lens turns, close-up of Shen Jiayi’s book, she quietly uses correction fluid to alter Zhou Ye’s prank, changes to “Zhou Ye is the big dummy”.
Bike back seat skirt flying, Zhou Ye takes Shen Jiayi skipping class for the first time, locust tree flowers fall in the shade.
Outside the old but neat classroom, sudden heavy rain.
The two punished standing in the corridor, secretly playing rock-paper-scissors with toes.
“The day I skipped class for you”
“The day the flowers fell”
“That classroom”
“Why can’t I see it”
“The disappeared rainy day”
“I want to get soaked again”
The agent instantly went quiet, Ling Han was already drawn in by the story’s prelude—through the song, she noticed the plot.
Sunny rooftop, Shen Jiayi smilingly bites the popsicle he hands her, popsicle drips intercut with heavy rain drops.
Pouring rain, in the midnight phone booth, Zhou Ye gritting teeth, immature yet stubborn promises the girl: “I’ll get into Qingbei, wait for me.”
Paper airplane flies through classroom, pierces “College Entrance Exam Countdown 30 Days” red banner.
Shen Jiayi’s graduation album blown open by wind, photo on back written with 《Sunny Day》 lyrics “But in the end of the story you still said bye bye”.
“On this windy day I tried holding your hand”
“But the rain gradually”
“So heavy I can’t see you”
“How long until I can be by your side”
“Until the day it clears”
“Maybe I’ll be a bit better”
“…”
Meanwhile, somewhere in a certain city.
A freshman girl who just entered school, watching this MV-style trailer, listening to this explosively good song from the start, eyes reddening, mood dazed.
Exam papers like snow falling everywhere, 《Sunny Day》 final guitar harmonic fades out.
The faintly beautiful and regretful melody disappears, on-set NG behind-the-scenes footage suddenly inserts, Chi Ye on set strumming guitar humming 《Sunny Day》.
“Chi Ye! Stop singing! Sing more and I’ll cry for you!”
Sister Shang bounces into frame, eyes red and swollen, snatches the lyrics sheet.
Screen freezes, film noise effect retro and crackling sounds.
Fountain pen words burn on film, typewriter-style word by word: “Youth’s biggest regret, is not even able to voice the regret.”
“2026.10.1.”
“This time, let Chi Ye accompany you”
“To replay”
“Youth”
Old projector reels in, mixes with 《Sunny Day》 final acapella line.
“Bye bye~”.
“…”
“Wow…”
Inside the hotel.
Ling Han’s agent shakes her head in utter surprise: “This… this song’s quality?!”
“This official trailer… edited so well.”
Ling Han still didn’t speak, she grew up in a wealthy family, went to a “noble school”, hard to empathize with 《Girl》’s scenes, but…
No matter how noble, youth is real, regret is real, that dazed yet melancholic, throbbing feeling is real.
“His songs are getting better and better… movies too.”
Ling Han said softly.
The agent listened, agreeing yet not.
Just a trailer, she didn’t think it could stir up much storm.
—《Sunny Day》 stirred up a big storm.
Yes, 《Sunny Day》.
Chi Ye’s marketing model actually has templates on Earth, like 《Frozen》, 《Star Wars》, especially the former, three months before release, relied on the god song 《Let It Go》 for marketing, instantly exploded globally.
Ultimately not only box office and reputation double harvest, became one of Disney’s classic works in film history, won multiple Oscar awards.
Among them, due to OST 《Let It Go》’s explosive marketing, box office boost directly up to 300 million USD, later even drove musical animation revival.
So, Chi Ye’s ambition is huge, he has classic marketing cases in mind, plus the most outstanding local works and music, previous so-called youth film marketing in domestic scene seemed like child’s play to him.
Doesn’t he know youth films have low ceiling?
Doesn’t he know marketing is played out?
He knows, but he knows better he has what others don’t, and 《Girl》 is different from other works.
September, just after sad graduation season, dazed students just entering campus, school just started.
Why didn’t Chi Ye object when 《Girl》 was scheduled for National Day Slot?
Waiting for this timing.
When #Chi Ye new song# + 《Sunny Day》 + just past graduation season + 《Girl》 etc. related buffs stack, the chemical reaction far exceeds everyone’s imagination.
「My god, this song is too good!」
「Cried listening, just graduated, finally getting over it…」
「Chi Ye don’t release knives!」
「As expected of you, new song quality still on point… I as a song fan was just helping you anti-black, Chi Ye you’re such a grateful good person.」
「Zhou Ye and Shen Jiayi so youthful, heavens, who said youth films are all scamming for money bad movies? This trailer quality and OST don’t seem like it.」
「Sister Shang in school uniform… awsl!」
「Chi Ye’s acting skills really awesome, just this youthful feeling, and this song… what’s the song called?」
「Begging kind souls to tell me, what’s this OST called, I’ll do anything!」
10 PM.
《Girl》 trailer only two hours after release, changes appeared in the hot search list’s “landscape”.
#Chi Ye new song good#
#What is this song called exactly?#
#Only God of Chinese Music Scene#
#《Girl》#
#Chi Ye Shang Youshu good match#
#Shang Youshu cried at wrap-up#
Various related hot words start fermenting, hot discussion, dominating lists.
Among them, what the OST in 《Girl》 trailer is called is the hottest, because this trailer is only one minute thirty seconds, clearly not full song length.
Everyone finishes trailer, excitedly searches Chi Ye’s works, but finds no info on this song on QQ Music, NetEase Cloud, or Kule.
More and more people search, still can’t find.
#《Girl》 OST# keyword even topped the hot search and search hot words first on three major music platforms, Douyin, Weibo in just two hours.
No name, just a #《Girl》 OST#.
“What is it called exactly?!”
At 11 PM that night, Chi Ye saw the first wave of popularity peaked, then “reacted” on his Weibo, posted a Weibo—
【New song 《Sunny Day》, hope everyone likes it.】
【『Link『Link』『Link』】
Short single line, ten minutes later, #《Sunny Day》# instantly took hot search first, dominated the list.
Overnight, first on hot song lists of three major platforms, prominently 《Sunny Day》.
Parachuted in, without any reason.
This is Chi Ye’s current appeal in the music field, and also 《Sunny Day》 song’s own premium quality.
Still that evening, on Weibo, official started #Show Your “Shen Jiayi”# activity topic.
Encouraging netizens to upload campus old photos and crush stories, while Chi Ye’s true viral marketing finally entered the right track.
