LayarHijau – Zhao Lusi continues her winning streak. Her urban romance Love’s Ambition (许我耀眼), co-starring William Chan, has officially surpassed 2 billion views on Tencent Video. The drama has become the platform’s biggest hit of 2025, cementing Zhao Lusi’s comeback after a period marked by contract disputes and mental health struggles.
Riding on this phenomenal success, Tencent wasted no time announcing a new project titled Beyond the Brilliance (璀璨之上), to be helmed by the same production team behind Love’s Ambition under director Chen Chang. With a focus on themes of “female growth and empowerment,” the upcoming series is already being referred to by netizens as the “sister drama” to Love’s Ambition—even before the script is finalized.
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Zhao Lusi’s name immediately dominated online discussions, with fans eagerly hoping she would reunite with Chen Chang once again. Every collaboration between them has been a massive success—from Dating in the Kitchen (我，喜欢你), Tencent’s top-rated urban drama in 2016, to Love’s Ambition, which now holds the record as the most-watched modern drama of the past five years. The idea of a third partnership between the two sparked waves of excitement across social media.
However, the enthusiasm took a sharp turn when rumors surfaced that the female lead role in Beyond the Brilliance was being offered to Ju Jingyi, the actress famously dubbed “the beauty of four thousand years.” Although Ju gained fame through costume dramas such as In Blossom (Hua Jian Ling), she has yet to make a significant mark in modern settings. Many viewers believe her delicate image and soft demeanor don’t suit the commanding, career-driven tone of an urban empowerment story.
Social media quickly filled with comments. Some netizens wrote, “This drama needs a boss lady aura, not a porcelain doll.” Others added sarcastically, “We can already tell how it’ll turn out before filming even starts.” Many argued that Beyond the Brilliance could only replicate the success of Love’s Ambition if Zhao Lusi returned as the lead, as she perfectly balances vulnerability with ambition—traits central to a modern woman’s journey to success.
As of now, the production has yet to make an official casting announcement. Tencent is reportedly still in the negotiation stage, with other names also being considered. Filming schedules remain unconfirmed, leaving fans to wait for the final word on who will lead the highly anticipated project.
For Zhao Lusi, Love’s Ambition marked more than just a hit drama—it was a personal and professional rebirth. After breaking free from her former agency Yinhe Kuyu, she signed with Tiger Whale Entertainment, a subsidiary of Alibaba. The move signaled a new era for the actress, transforming her from a once-troubled starlet into the new face of China’s modern drama scene.
Note: Beyond the Brilliance is not the official title but a literal translation. The drama’s official English title will be confirmed once the production team makes an announcement.
