Chapter 539: My Fate Is Determined by Me, Not by Heaven

If a look could kill, then right now, Zhou Yi on stage might have been disemboweled a million times by the staff of the Universal Music Utada Hikaru team, who are all driven by self-interest.

As the "arch-rival" of Zhou Yi in the same age group within the Asian sphere on the surface, plus the whole body-double incident, the Utada Hikaru team's attention to Zhou Yi is still very heavy.

Knowing he was going on the show, they specifically sent a team member to infiltrate the live venue, just to be the first to know Zhou Yi's movements and any potentially controversial remarks; Universal Music also agreed to this decision.

After all, as the woman who once overshadowed Zhou Yi at the World Music Awards, and after experiencing Zhou Yi's success in the United States, Universal Music also placed high hopes on Utada Hikaru—not saying she'd sell thirty million globally like Zhou Yi, but selling three million should be doable.

As long as the promotion keeps up and the album quality doesn't flop, three million copies over her career cycle fits her positioning as an Asian diva.

Of course, this sales figure must exclude the Japanese market.

Because in the Japanese market, the distribution rights for Utada Hikaru's English album still belong to EMI; they handle the release, and Universal gets no share.

But now?

Zhou Yi, do you even hear the nonsense you're spouting?

"Eh? Zhou Yi-san, saying that, isn't that a bit too harsh?"

Sensing the awkward atmosphere on site, the host hurriedly tried to steer the topic back, attempting to make up for him: "After all, not everyone can sell over thirty million copies like you, right?"

As long as the target is anchored to Zhou Yi's album sales, using him as the benchmark, anyone else would be a flop—since last year until now, no one globally has sold more albums than Zhou Yi.

The other guests received the signal, immediately nodded vigorously, and quickly chimed in to agree.

Off-camera, the program producer let out a long sigh in his heart—

Baka!

Who told you to change the subject!

Emperor-san even opened his golden mouth to speak, and you're still pulling it back—what's your meaning? If they start fighting, my show's ratings will hit a new high!

The explosive point! That's the explosive point, do you understand?!

I bet you're just a hardcore Utada Hikaru fan; investigate thoroughly, must investigate thoroughly.

Missing such a great opportunity, and you're still studying journalism? You've studied it all into the Emperor's dog's belly, haven't you?

The producer, with a serious expression, decisively contacted the director's team via earpiece, asking them to notify the guests and host on stage.

Watching from off-site, Qian Yijun habitually slapped his forehead and helplessly shook his head—

Here it comes again, Zhou Yi's unique lack of filter.

He's already used to it; anyway, wherever Zhou Yi goes, he brings his own heat and headline news.

This should be the persona the company is most on edge about, fearing a collapse; after all, if Zhou Yi says one wrong thing, he'll be jumped on by a huge number of fans and rivals—but strangely, Zhou Yi's sharp critiques so far have never been wrong once, leaving many people so frustrated they feel internally injured.

That's also damn ridiculous.

"Then, Zhou Yi Jun, what do you think Utada Hikaru's new album sales will be? Do you already have an estimated number in mind?"

The guest, having received the producer's message, immediately began to press on, with a look of sincerity, as if he were just driven by curiosity.

"For the Japanese domestic market, the final sales will definitely exceed one million, because I believe this country's music market is her basic base."

Zhou Yi, who spotted at a glance that this question was stirring up trouble, didn't mind; anyway, his current persona is to speak freely without restraint, and besides, if Xiao Yaxuan wants to rise, he must necessarily step on this person: "But in the US market, I believe her actual album sales won't exceed one hundred thousand copies."

Host: "..."

Guest: "..."

Audience: "..."

Director's team: "..."

The program producer, with a face full of excitement: "..."

Qian Yijun, blinking frantically—

Good heavens, you're getting more and more excessive.

Before, talking about Chow Yun-fat's Hollywood flop and now the globally explosive "Pirates of the Caribbean" was one thing, but now this "not exceeding one hundred thousand copies"...

How did you even say that number?

The Utada Hikaru Universal team members lurking in the audience had their mouths twisted almost crooked with anger—Baka yaro!

The results in the US market are directly tied to the team bonuses for this group; that's delicious US dollars!

Moreover, saying the actual results won't exceed one hundred thousand copies, aren't you looking down too much on Japanese people in America?

Even if each of them bought just one copy, it would be more than one hundred thousand, okay!

A variety show with the theme of promoting Zhou Yi, near the end, had the most prominent theme—

To the extent that Nakamori Misaki was somewhat surprised.

Having spanned three eras in the Japanese music scene, she had truly never seen a singer like Zhou Yi who gave no face at all; these two didn't have any grudge before, right?

Mainly because Zhou Yi's personality behind the scenes isn't arrogant; on the contrary, he always gives her a feeling of being relaxed and pleasant to be around, which contrasts somewhat with the "overbearing" demeanor on stage.

"That's too much, ten thousand copies is too ridiculous; she's never sold such low numbers in her life, A-Yi. Even the scraps she sells from songs written with her toes are more than this number."

When the recording of the show ended, Qian Yijun immediately approached Zhou Yi, who was still bidding farewell to Nakamori Misaki, Ken Tsuchiya, and others using translators, wanting to discuss follow-up public relations strategies with him, but unexpectedly met with Zhou Yi's refusal—

"Is it ridiculous? I'm even overestimating; my actual psychological expectation is at most fifty-something thousand copies, at most, absolutely no more than seventy thousand."

Zhou Yi, who took everything upon himself, put his arm around his own manager's shoulder, telling him to rest easy—with well-informed reporters running fast, they directly sent Zhou Yi's remarks from the scene back to the newspaper offices, instantly triggering a news earthquake throughout the entire Japanese music industry.

The reason was nothing else; it was simply because the number of one hundred thousand copies seemed utterly ridiculous to them.

The next day, August 10th, many daily newspapers chose to put this breaking news on their front-page headlines; the "Mainichi Shimbun," one of Japan's oldest daily newspapers, even directly came up with an extremely "provocative" title—

"Please Welcome the Next Victim!"

The accompanying picture was, unmistakably, photos of Zhou Yi and Utada Hikaru.

"Just yesterday, the Emperor from China once again passed judgment on others—only this time, the victim became Utada Hikaru..."

The "Mainichi Shimbun" reviewed all of Zhou Yi's past achievements, expressed concern for Utada Hikaru's US trip from a metaphysical perspective, and also triggered another round of fan wars in the Japanese fan circle—

The last time the Japanese fan circle fought so heatedly had to be traced back to the Hikaru-Ayumi War starting on March 28, 2001, which was the direct confrontation between the two divas, Ayumi Hamasaki and Utada Hikaru.

"What kind of joke is this?! Just this? Just this, just this, just this? Is this how Zhou Yi acts as a singer?"

"If you can't speak properly, just cut out your tongue; ten thousand copies, makes me want to laugh just looking at it."

"Zhou Yi, talented but without virtue."

"Baka! Zhou Yi-sama has never been wrong! What are you dogs barking at?!"

"..."

When Zhou Yi arrived with his own buzz, the entire Japanese press industry felt the happiness of their Chinese and American counterparts—this guy really writes material. How long has he been in Japan? Less than half a month, and he's already contributed two major news stories.

A walking bonus machine, that's what he is.

Utada Hikaru, who had already arrived in the United States to promote her brand new English album "Exodus," was silenced immediately upon receiving this news—

She felt underestimated.

Fuck!

Don't underestimate me, okay?!

What "Emperor's golden words are jade words," that's all superstition! It's the 21st century and still so superstitious, the Japanese industry is doomed!

Even if we take ten thousand steps back and say he really is the Emperor, there's another saying in ancient China called "My fate is determined by me, not by heaven."

Utada Hikaru's impression of Zhou Yi worsened by a few points, and she tagged him with the label "talented but without virtue."

Universal Music, actively helping to contact offline traditional channels in the United States, obviously also knew the saying "My fate is determined by me, not by heaven." They are all multinational international companies; who doesn't have a few Chinese people?