After 'Dragon Zakura' squeezed back into the top 3 in ratings, the Top Three TV networks were officially under pressure.
Especially Imperial Capital TV—during a production meeting, the execs ripped into their team for two straight hours.
It wasn't the first time they'd lost to a show associated with Jing Yu, but this season, they were the first of the top three to drop out of the lead—and the media, critics, and drama forums had been roasting them non-stop.
Of course, 'Dragon Zakura''s Episode 4 getting a ratings boost also had a lot to do with Jing Yu's increased screen time in that episode.
But the drama wasn't just about flashy main-character antics or emotional pep talks.
The main storyline followed Sakuragi Kenji and his team of eccentric teachers as they trained failing students to get into Imperial Capital University.
But each episode's side stories focused on the personal lives of six students in the special training class—their families, friendships, and struggles.
Let's be honest—if the show were just a "how to study" tutorial, it wouldn't pull in viewers.
What 'Dragon Zakura' did so well was show how these underachievers found their own motivation, from the inside out.
And for most viewers, that was both emotional and incredibly inspiring.
After all, most people are watching. They weren't top students themselves. The relatability was off the charts.
If you made a show about straight-A students sweating to raise their already absurd scores from 700 to 720… who the hell would care?
Most people couldn't even crack 400 on their college entrance exams.
They'd never understand the pain of missing 1 point on a perfect paper—
If they ever scored 99 out of 100, they'd be throwing a party and sending out invitations for a graduation banquet months before the exam.
That's why, even though 'Dragon Zakura''s ratings ranked third at the time,
It's buzz in May, just one month out from Gaokao, far surpassed the top three's main dramas.
And that buzz created a positive feedback loop.
The ratings kept climbing.
It wasn't just about surpassing Imperial Capital TV anymore.
By Episode 5, the show's ratings had caught up to Xingtong TV's flagship drama of the season.
"The new episode had me crying. That scene where Okuno finally screams in frustration…
He doesn't want to live in his brother's shadow forever."
"Same. Growing up, I was always worse than my younger brother in grades, sports, and brains.
My parents constantly compared us.
He went to an elite high school; I went to a regular one.
He got into a top college; I didn't.
Watching Okuno's story in Episode 5? I lost it."
"Some of the people in the drama are disgusting, though.
Okuno's classmates mocked him just because his brother was a bad student?
And his brother? Punching him like that? That's some heavy insecurity."
"But that's reality.
If someone in your family has a criminal record, society treats you differently.
If your sibling's a screw-up, people judge you, too.
Dragon Zakura showed that pain way too accurately. It hit a nerve."
"That line—'I know I'm not as smart as you, but I want to try too. I don't want to give up on everything.'
Okuno saying that to his brother was the moment I bumped my 9.5 rating to a perfect 10."
"Also… the character played by Jing Yu—the younger brother—was too damn hateable!"
"So smug! I wanted to punch him through the screen.
Just because he's smart, handsome, and talented—does that give him the right to be that cruel?"
"...I mean, doesn't it?"
"???"
Episode 5 of 'Dragon Zakura' reached a 6.70% rating—just 0.1% shy of overtaking Xingtong's top show, placing it second overall.
Even Jing Yu was caught off guard by the result.
To him, 'Dragon Zakura' was a solid drama, sure—but it clearly didn't match the impact of 'Hikaru no Go' or 'Initial D'.
Based on how those two performed last year, Jing Yu thought hitting 6.0% by Episode 5 would've already been great.
But 6.70%?
He could only chalk it up to the momentum built from those past hits.
After last year's string of successes, the Jing Yu brand had become a draw of its own.
And Yunteng TV riding hard on his name in promotions?
Clearly effective.
By mid-May, Jing Yu had officially started filming his scenes as the male version of Fujii Itsuki in 'Love Letter'.
After two months of swinging swords on the set of 'Rurouni Kenshin: Trust & Betrayal',
Changing into a school uniform again gave him a strange sense of nostalgia.
"So pretty."
"Is this man really twenty-six? He looks like a fifteen-year-old idol!"
"Seriously—is there any look Jing Yu-sensei can't pull off?"
"I'm so jealous of Xia Yining. She gets to act opposite Jing Yu in 'Rurouni Kenshin' and 'Love Letter'!"
"Don't forget Yu Youqing! She's the female lead in 'Love Letter'!
Jing Yu and Xia Yining don't even share that many scenes.
Most of the movie is Yu Youqing playing both versions of Fujii Itsuki.
It's really her show."
"Still... I wanna act opposite Jing Yu and sneak a few perks, y'know?"
It had been months since Jing Yu left the 'Initial D' set.
Now, suited up in a school uniform again, he rejoined the 'Love Letter' team.
"Not bad!"
Xia Yining, also in uniform, squinted at him playfully.
"Feels like you'll be stuck playing students for the rest of your life!"
"C'mon. In a couple of years, I'll be too old. Gotta start playing uncles." Jing Yu replied casually.
"Please. In Great Zhou, we've got thirty-something actors playing high schoolers.
As long as you take care of yourself, you've got a long shelf life."
Yining grinned, then noticed Yu Youqing off to the side—wrapped in a jacket and clearly annoyed—so she made a quick exit with a smile.
Though Yu Youqing was unquestionably the main lead in 'Love Letter',
She had zero scenes with Jing Yu.
Because in the movie's timeline, after female Fujii Itsuki grows up, the male one has already died.
In fact, the entire point of Jing Yu's role was… to look handsome. That's it.
He was supposed to stay cold, emotionless, and keep all his feelings buried—
Yet still leave the audience with a lingering sense of beauty and melancholy.
Looks helped, sure. But aura mattered even more.
Thankfully, Jing Yu's acting has matured a lot over the past two years.
After just a few takes, the cast and crew watching him live were already feeling that quiet warmth on-screen.
This… this must be what middle school girls dreamed of when they imagined falling in love.
Meanwhile, the production team's photographer quickly snapped some stills of Jing Yu, Xia Yining, and Yu Youqing.
It was mid-May now—and with 'Love Letter' scheduled to release on August 10,
The team had only two months left.
That meant it was time to kick off promotions.
In fact, by early June, 'Rurouni Kenshin: Trust & Betrayal' would wrap filming.
By the end of June, 'Love Letter' would too.
After that, the cast would be traveling to major cities nationwide, doing live promos and fan meet-ups.
The schedule was going to be tight.