Chapter 42: First Day's Data (Seeking Monthly Votes and Rewards)

“Good evening, Jiang Qi,” Li He greeted politely, as he always did.

Across from him, Jiang Qi had long grown used to Li He’s peculiar way of thinking, and found it entirely normal by now. The more exceptional someone was, the more fully their mind seemed to develop, and naturally, their way of thinking would differ from ordinary people. Take Newton, for instance: when a normal person was hit on the head by an apple, their first reaction would be to pick it up and eat it. But not Newton—he wondered why the apple fell straight down, and not upwards or at an angle.

Thank goodness Newton didn’t live in modern-day China, Li He mused inwardly.

Jiang Qi had already confirmed in her heart that Gabe was indeed as extraordinary as his reputation.

“Mr. Gabe, have you seen the short video released by Yin Mengna? It’s the cut version of her upcoming June single, ‘I Love You, But You Love Her,’” Jiang Qi said indignantly. “She actually stole our idea. It’s outrageous.”

In Jiang Qi’s eyes, she, Gabe, and He Luoluo stood on the side of light and justice, while the coquettish Yin Mengna represented the forces of evil.

Li He was already aware of the first part of what Jiang Qi said—he had, in fact, repeatedly studied the editing techniques and approach in Yin Mengna’s video. But the latter part, about “stealing our idea,” left him utterly bewildered.

What idea of ours did she steal?

When did “you and I” become “us”?

I suspect you’re taking liberties with me, and I have proof... Li He voiced his confusion: “What idea did Yin Mengna copy from us?”

“Of course, it’s the release of a cut version of the song,” Jiang Qi replied as if it were obvious.

In her view, it was He Luoluo who first released a cut version, which she herself had then helped to popularize.

Seriously?

Li He was dumbfounded.

So in your eyes, even cut versions of songs are some sort of patent now.

“I was just trying to earn a bit of negative attention, nothing more,” Li He said honestly, for the first time realizing just how terrifying a sycophant could be.

You’ve even managed to turn flattery into a patent—your future is bright indeed.

“What are you trying to say? Don’t beat around the bush. I’m afraid I’ll get lost in your winding mountain paths,” Li He said, exhausted. Jiang Qi’s mind clearly worked in mysterious ways.

“Mr. Gabe, what do you think of Yin Mengna’s single?” Jiang Qi asked eagerly.

If I say it’s just average, you’ll probably be over the moon, won’t you... Li He answered calmly, “The video was well-made. The director who shot it had some good ideas. I’d like to meet them if I get the chance.”

Just as Jiang Qi began to suspect that even Mr. Gabe was an ordinary person after all, Li He’s tone shifted, and he said with certainty, “But her single poses no threat to your chart ambitions in June.”

A true sycophant never doubts a word from the object of their devotion.

Jiang Qi had already become a master in this regard, believing everything Gabe said without question.

Li He, unaware of this, explained, “The reason the cut version of Yin Mengna’s single has gained such rapid popularity is simply because the earlier online spat brought her a massive influx of casual fans, combined with the highly sensational visuals in her video.”

“But the full version of ‘I Love You, But You Love Her’ doesn’t have any video footage.”

The song’s music video is free to watch—no purchase necessary. If the MV is more compelling than the song itself, then people will just watch the MV. Why bother paying to download the song?

Finally, Li He added, “A video that relies solely on flashy visuals won’t last long.”

Receiving Mr. Gabe’s reassurance, Jiang Qi happily ordered a milk tea.

Her assistant hurriedly reminded her, “Qi Qi, you said you were going to watch your figure and stop drinking milk tea.”

Jiang Qi waved her off. “I’m a singer. What matters is my voice and skill, not flashing my looks for attention. That kind of thing never lasts.”

The assistant was left completely bewildered.

Does watching your figure conflict with having talent?

What does a good figure have to do with seeking attention?

None of it made sense. The assistant’s mind was buzzing.

How is it that after chatting with Mr. Gabe, Qi Qi seems to have become a different person entirely?

Meanwhile, with the help of her alluring short video, Yin Mengna’s popularity skyrocketed, quickly climbing to third on DouShou’s trending search, and fourth on Weibo.

The top two trending searches on DouShou were:
#He Luoluo 2.0 is here#
#Jiang Qi’s cut version of ‘Bubble’#

Third place was Yin Mengna:
#A different Yin Mengna#

There was little difference between the DouShou and Weibo trending lists, except that the second place on Weibo was a bit odd:
#The King of Rock Awaits You in June#
Sandwiched between Jiang Qi and Yin Mengna, as if the one he was waiting for in June was one of the two.

As May drew to a close, more and more entertainment companies ramped up their promotions. Jiang Qi and Yin Mengna weren’t the only ones vying for the June charts.

The King of Rock’s trending topic was quickly displaced.

Next, top singer Wang Kunkun was hospitalized after cutting his finger at an event, and this news shot to third place on Weibo in a flash.

In the blink of an eye, May faded, and June arrived.

Though she felt confident about “Bubble,” Jiang Qi was still extremely nervous. The success of a debut album is crucial for a singer’s future resources and status in the industry.

At this moment, all of Shengshi Entertainment seemed to fall into a strange, tense silence.

Jiang Qi sat on the sofa, her leg bouncing uncontrollably as she awaited data from her agent, Deng Qin.

Her assistant was a bundle of nerves, trying her best to remain calm and offer comfort.

Deng Qin, in the manager’s office, kept glancing at the door or checking the elegant watch on her wrist.

She had invested a tremendous amount of effort into Jiang Qi, and the company’s resources poured into her far exceeded her current standing. If the debut album’s performance fell short, Jiang Qi could be in trouble going forward.

Shengshi Entertainment had truly tilted the scales in Jiang Qi’s favor, investing heavily in her promotion a week ahead of time. Though the push wasn’t the most aggressive, it still consumed enormous resources.

At 6:03 p.m., an employee from the data department knocked on Deng Qin’s office door.

“How is it?” Deng Qin asked anxiously.

The employee handed her the folder with a smile. “On the day of release, ‘Bubble’ had 791,000 downloads, ranking first.”

Deng Qin took the folder and, seeing the exact numbers, finally exhaled in relief.

Jiang Qi, after 18 hours, had achieved 791,000 paid downloads, while second-place “I Love You, But You Love Her” had 551,000.

A difference of 240,000 paid downloads—a staggering gap.

Deng Qin, relaxed, strode out of her office in her red high heels, the sound echoing down the hall.

Qi Qi must be anxious by now, Deng Qin thought, her smile unconcealed.

From afar, Jiang Qi caught sight of the smile on Deng Qin’s face, and the weight in her heart instantly vanished.

It’s in the bag.

I wonder what Yin Mengna’s numbers are... Jiang Qi rose happily to meet her agent.

Elsewhere.

At Brothers Entertainment.

Receiving the first day’s data, Zheng Ming looked a little gloomy.

Jiang Qi had still come out on top—a devastating blow for Yin Mengna.

Yin Mengna could lose to anyone, but not to Jiang Qi.

Rumors that Yin Mengna was inferior to Jiang Qi were already flooding the internet, and now there was hard evidence.

When Yin Mengna released her debut album, Jiang Qi hadn’t responded, and the two had avoided direct confrontation.

But now, they were facing off head-to-head.

Both had released cut versions ahead of time. Even though “I Love You, But You Love Her” was overshadowed by “Bubble” in terms of popularity, it still garnered plenty of attention.

But now, with the numbers laid out, how could anyone argue otherwise?

Zheng Ming could already predict that news of Yin Mengna being crushed by Jiang Qi would soon be everywhere online.

Just then, Jiang Qi updated her Weibo.

——

(To be continued)