Chapter 40: Win the Club's Young Models, Lose and Go to Sea to Work

In 1999, mainland singer Pu Shu released his first solo album—"I Go to 2000."

The album's dual explosion in reputation and sales marked the mainland music market's formal entry into a period of rapid development, as young people urgently sought new music different from the previous generation's that could satisfy them.

By the year 2000, although the mainland music market had begun to catch up, striving to run toward the direction of the Hong Kong and Taiwan music markets, there was still a certain gap compared to Hong Kong and Taiwan singers in terms of pop singers' vitality and numbers, as well as song themes and musical styles.

This was evident from the most popular songs in the mainland market at that time.

Compared to the various singers in Hong Kong and Taiwan who took turns on stage, the hottest and most popular song in the mainland up to the end of June and early July this year was "The Heavenly Road is Wide and Broad."

Yes, that's right, it was the classic theme song of "Journey to the West: The Sequel": "The Heavenly Road is Wide and Broad."

As a classic sequel to the 1986 version of "Journey to the West," "Journey to the West: The Sequel," which aired on February 8, 2000, quickly achieved a dual domination of viewership ratings and music charts upon its broadcast.

That classic line, "Just caught a few demons, subdued a few monsters, why are there so many ghosts and goblins," was something everyone from ninety-nine down to those who had just learned to walk could hum a couple of lines.

Below "The Heavenly Road is Wide and Broad" was yet another song from the "Journey to the West" film and television theme—the theme song of "Journey to the West: Aftermath": "I Wish to Become an Immortal."

Sung by Liu Huan, a singer who was already vaguely heading toward the status of a grand master, the results were equally impressive.

Besides that, nothing else.

The number one male singer of the middle generation, Sun Nan, and the number one female singer, Na Ying, had not released any songs up to now this year.

On the various music charts, besides Chen Ming's "I Want to Find You" and Jin Haixin's "So Proud," the only songs that could be considered outstanding were those by the rock band Baojia Street No. 13, but their commercial performance was poor, and they had officially disbanded in May.

The other songs on the charts could not be said to be both widely sung and excellent; at the very least, they could be described as unremarkable.

In such a wretched overall environment, Zhou Yi couldn't imagine how his songs would lose in the mainland.

Whether it was "It's Me" and "Love Is You," whose styles were closer to the year 2000, or "Give Me Time for a Song," whose arrangement style was more catchy and more avant-garde.

If he couldn't hang these singers currently on the mainland charts up and beat them together, he wouldn't be surnamed Zhou.

As for Hong Kong and Taiwan, it didn't matter; "Happy Worship" would step in.

On July 1st, at 7 a. m., Warner Music officially announced the release of its new artist Zhou Yi's album for sale; his self-titled album "Zhou Yi" was released simultaneously in the Treasure Island, the mainland, and Xiangjiang.

At the same time, a photo book specifically shot to highlight Zhou Yi's looks was also launched—

According to Warner's marketing department, it would be a waste not to shoot a photo book for someone so handsome.

And on that same day, Guo Tianwang, under Xiangjiang Emperor Entertainment, also arrived with his Mandarin new album "Understanding," whose lead single was: "Because of Love, Therefore Love."

"How about it, do you have confidence? This is a real dragon, with popularity high enough to fight Ren Xianqi."

Warner Music, General Manager's Office.

Zhou Yi, returning here once again, met Sun Yanzi after she became famous; the latter, just as when they first met, came up laughing and patted his shoulder.

"What's there to fear? Just fight it out."

Turning his head to see her, Zhou Yi waved the photo book in his hand and joked with a smile: "Win the young models at the club, lose and go into the sea to work. With my looks and figure, even third-tier film producers would probably offer me a high price."

"Then you might have been born in the wrong era; the era of Hong Kong third-tier films selling well has passed; now you have to look to RB over there."

Saying this, Sun Yanzi actually sized the man up and down, then snatched the photo book from his hand, flipped through it, and commented with mock seriousness: "But your body and this face are indeed much better than the male leads in those third-tier films from before."

"Sounds like you seem to have studied this quite deeply?" Zhou Yi, with both hands resting on either side of the sofa back, relaxedly crossed his legs, tilted his head slightly, gazed at the woman sitting directly opposite him, and raised an eyebrow.

Sun Yanzi, who was flipping through the photo book in her hand, heard this and couldn't help but look up; their eyes met, and a hint of playfulness hung on her eyebrows: "I am already 22 years old this year, okay?

"Even if I haven't eaten pork, haven't I seen a pig run?

"Believe me, just as you guys boys privately circulate third-tier films, there are some in girls' dorms too; after all, Hong Kong third-tier films from the eighties and nineties were a famous presence even in Singapore."

Being able to turn smutty films into a kind of hot-selling cultural product, even squeezing the survival space of similar competitors over in Little Japan, one has to admit that Hong Kong film exports from the late eighties and early nineties were indeed powerful.

Facing Sun Yanzi, who remained open and unafraid even when discussing such topics, Zhou Yi, unable to help but smile silently, reached out and snatched his photo book back from her hand: "If you haven't seen enough, I suggest you buy it yourself on the market, contribute a few copies of legitimate sales to me, thank you."

"Why waste that money? You're just sitting right here."

Sun Yanzi, who had been so busy since becoming famous that her feet barely touched the ground, now found that long-lost sense of ease in front of Zhou Yi; sinking entirely into the sofa, she laughed and raised her head: "First, perform a strip dance for me, let me see something that even the fans who paid money for the photo book outside can't see."

"That won't do."

Zhou Yi, showing no worry at all about his album sales, refused solemnly: "That's a different price; you'll have to pay extra."

Sun Yanzi, who never expected such a sentence to come out of the man's mouth, completely lost her composure, baring her big teeth and laughing uncontrollably: "Pay extra, pay extra, I will definitely pay extra; I'll buy a dozen or so albums out of my own pocket first, okay?"

"A dozen or so is enough for what? A hundred thousand would be more like it."

Zhou Yi waved his hand with feigned disdain, looking utterly contemptuous: "Do I lack those ten or so sales from you?"

"Then go find Xiao Yaxuan; her family has money."

"I found her; she told me to sell my looks," Zhou Yi said lazily, recounting the several condolence calls he received as soon as he arrived on the Treasure Island.

Compared to Xiao Yaxuan, this woman who now didn't know what she was thinking, Zhang Shaohan, Zhou Jielun, Liu Genhong, and Wen Lan actually took action, each buying a dozen or so albums to show their support.

Especially Liu Genhong and Wen Lan.

Although these two weren't yet big shots, they had a certain level of fame in the Treasure Island market, so their promotion couldn't be said to be useless.

As for Cheng Hao in the mainland, she was even more ruthless; Zhou Yi didn't know exactly how many copies she intended to buy. He could only add a few words telling her not to waste money, it wasn't necessary.

"Looks like your mindset is good."

Seeing the man's posture, which was completely unlike acting, Sun Yanzi felt a sigh of relief in her heart.

She had specially run out from home during her break just to conveniently comfort Zhou Yi, who might fall into anxious emotions at the beginning of his new album's release.

She had experienced it once before and knew the taste of it very well.

To this, Zhou Yi only smiled.

July 2nd.

The Warner General Manager, stationed in his office, looked at the first-day album sales figures compiled by his subordinates and, incredulous, reached out to adjust his glasses frames—

"'Zhou Yi' first-day CD sales: fourteen thousand three hundred and seventeen? Cassette sales: twenty-three thousand?! How is there so much?!"

Heaven and earth bear witness, Zhou Yi hadn't even started his promotional tour yet; how did he pull off such an insane first-day sales figure on the very first day of sales?!

Is spreading rumors this useful?!

People had spread rumors before, this...

Zhou Jianhui stared with wide eyes at the document in his hand, utterly baffled.

Zhou Yi, sitting on the sofa, brushed his fingernails, turned his head to look at Sun Yanzi who had also come to check the sales figures, and said with a smile: "Isn't this perfectly normal?

"Yanzi's explosion in popularity in June was itself a hot topic rare on the island in several years, compounded by Xiao Yaxuan's popularity—

"In the last two weeks of June, over 80% of entertainment newspapers carried news about Yanzi and Xiao Yaxuan discussing me and my album.

"Add Warner's public relations work, and under this so-called saturation-style brainwashing marketing, someone will inevitably buy my album out of curiosity; having this first-day sales figure is perfectly normal."

Essentially, this is the same playbook as the fan-cinema box-office boosting of later eras.

He simply borrowed the fan circles of Sun Yanzi and Xiao Yaxuan.

He used the popularity converted from them and their credibility within their respective fan bases to stack a buff for his own start.

After all, one or two promotions would be fine, but this continuous two-week high-intensity saturation bombing, no matter how you look at it, doesn't seem like forced work; it will inevitably arouse the curiosity of some fans.

Zhou Yi did not like to play the game of starting from the few thousand copies typical for newcomers; if he was going to play, he would play big.

Just as he said: win and you get the club hostesses, lose and you go to sea to work.

"Increase the stakes! Increase the stakes! Get our people to increase the stakes immediately! The original sales target is definitely not enough; raise it! Raise it even higher for me!"

Having held his post at Warner for three years, watching his position gradually become precarious, Zhou Jianhui, who had staked everything on the two newcomers he personally discovered, now had no trace of his usual steadiness—

Due to his excitement, even Niu Ergen turned slightly red while Zhou Jianhui was making the call to his subordinate.

"Damn it, who said you can't win anything by relying on kids? I have won everything!"

With the last boulder on his heart dissolving, thinking of those scum who had coveted his position in the past, Zhou Jianhui finally had the confidence to vent.

According to the Hong Kong and Taiwan calculation method, 50,000 actual sales equal one platinum record...

Damn it, I hold the albums 'Sun Yanzi' and 'Zhou Yi', both heading straight for double platinum and even with hope for triple platinum; who dares to talk nonsense anymore?!

"Zhou Yi, rest assured and wait for the schedule; I'll go arrange charting for your songs first."

Following Sun Yanzi, Zhou Yi had once again become the existence that made Zhou Jianhui stand tall, walking with the wind at his back.