In the past, Luo Ding had mostly operated within the domestic market, making him one of those “well-regarded but poorly-selling” singers. His albums often ranked near the top of domestic sales charts, but that was mostly because the competition was weak. Even his best weekly sales numbers were modest compared to others. But now, the sales figure he had usually reached in a week had been surpassed on the first day of the EP’s release. This kind of achievement was something only those powerful Korean idol groups could accomplish in China, and in the history of the Chinese music scene, there likely hadn’t been a precedent for this.
“We…we broke a record…” Gu Yaxing was still in disbelief as he reached out to gently touch the computer screen. The first time they calculated the numbers, no one believed they were real. After triple-checking the results, this was the final figure. Gu Yaxing felt like a passerby who had been walking along when a pie suddenly fell from the sky and hit him. Initially, he had only hoped that Luo Ding’s album would sell well, but now, the results weren’t just good—they were astonishing!
If it weren’t for the hard evidence in front of him, not even in his wildest dreams could he have imagined that his little studio would break sales records in the Chinese music industry!
Luo Ding licked his lips and softly said, “Hmm.”
This result… truly exceeded his expectations. The fact that the EP had achieved such sales would undoubtedly shock the Chinese media.
******
Luo Ding’s prediction was spot on.
Once the EP sales were tallied, it immediately knocked the reigning champion off the top spot on the weekly charts. Many people, refreshing the rankings, were stunned to see a new “airborne soldier” had taken first place and couldn’t help but think, “Is this a joke?!”
However, after checking with multiple sources, they found that this wasn’t a glitch or a mistake. This was a clear-cut data-driven takeover!
The sales figures continued to rise steadily. By the second and third days, the previous second-place artist, who had initially been close behind, was quickly left in the dust by nearly an order of magnitude. Many people couldn’t believe their eyes.
For the first time, the news media felt truly surprised.
Were they really looking at the Chinese music album sales chart and not some Western music forum’s rankings? The singer Luo Ding had pushed out of the top spot was an emerging idol whose sales had consistently been praised by the industry. Known for having a highly dedicated fanbase, this artist had broken China’s album sales record three times in a row. Just the day before, many had been predicting that this singer would once again claim the top spot. Yet, in the blink of an eye, the entire entertainment landscape had shifted dramatically.
For the first time, the industry’s focus was so universally concentrated on Luo Ding. And this time, it wasn’t just the online media buzzing—it was the mainstream television media that had taken notice.
From starring in TV dramas to films, and eventually securing a role in Hollywood, to now sweeping the charts with his first EP release, Luo Ding’s name was already becoming well-known. But this was the first time he had used hard, irrefutable data to directly respond to those who had doubted him.
Sales figures were always managed by official platforms. Any changes in the numbers required real-time market coordination. Even the most powerful companies in the industry could only fabricate a portion of their sales. But the sales miracle Luo Ding had created was far beyond anything that could be explained by faking the numbers. Some speculated that the numbers were manipulated, but most believed that no company would be foolish enough to make the figures so obviously fake.
From a reverse logic perspective, even if they didn’t want to admit it, many had no choice but to believe the official figures after seeing the evidence.
Luo Ding had truly fired a groundbreaking first shot.
It was only after this that many media outlets in mainland China realized that Luo Ding had already built a substantial overseas fanbase before they had even taken notice of him. Many Chinese artists spend their entire careers trying to achieve what Luo Ding had accomplished with just one collaboration and music video early in his career. Unlike those self-proclaimed “Asian stars,” Luo Ding’s overseas fanbase had been built on solid ground, as evidenced by the overseas album sales.
The entire month of September was busy and fulfilling for Luo Ding.
As more albums were released, more online resources inevitably began to surface. However, since the sales were already winding down, these resources had little impact on the final numbers. Meanwhile, Luo Ding was becoming increasingly well-known, and when people mentioned the name “Luo Ding,” it was no longer met with indifference or unanimous praise.
As is the nature of fame, the larger your audience, the more polarized the opinions. Previously, Luo Ding’s name circulated mostly among his fans. Outside of them, people either liked him or didn’t know who he was. Few would bother to criticize a small celebrity they barely knew. However, over the course of just one month, Luo Ding’s presence had grown to the point where he could no longer be ignored. Now, voices expressing indifference, annoyance, and even dislike were becoming more common.
All of this pointed to one undeniable fact.
Luo Ding was truly famous now, having transcended the influence of the internet and entered the mainstream.
Soon, brands began approaching him for endorsement deals. Among the various business offers, Luo Ding and Gu Yaxing disregarded the low-quality, high-paying products and chose to endorse two premium brands instead. It wasn’t yet time for Luo Ding to focus on making money; his priority was to cultivate his market value in the industry. Endorsing low-quality brands early on would make it harder to attract high-end brands later. The industry was full of short-sighted celebrities who had trapped themselves in low-tier product endorsements, and Luo Ding had seen enough of them to avoid being tempted by such small gains. Fortunately, Gu Yaxing was also supportive of this approach, which made things much easier.
After finishing a photo shoot, Luo Ding drank some warm water with sugar and salt and collapsed into his seat, drowsy.
Gu Yaxing had bought him a new luxury van, which, although understated in appearance, was far more comfortable than the old one. Soft music played, and the van’s built-in radio was tuned to the city’s most popular station. The soothing voice of the female host greeted listeners and introduced the next track. As the familiar melody began to play, the corner of Luo Ding’s mouth lifted slightly.
The last song on the EP, “Concerns,” was the most favored track by mainstream Chinese media. While the upbeat track “Dream” had already become so popular it was nearly overplayed, this slower song had a more refined melody and thoughtful lyrics. As soon as the single became available online, it quickly dominated various radio stations, becoming a favorite recommendation by hosts. Many domestic music news reports also used the song as background music.
This indicated that a large portion of Luo Ding’s audience in China ranged from young adults to middle-aged listeners.
By contrast, in Hong Kong and Taiwan, the jazz song “Afternoon Tea” was more popular. According to fans in those regions, not only did mainstream media constantly feature the song, but many upscale restaurants also had it on their music playlists. The song’s reception was further confirmed by data from music streaming platforms, where it had topped the charts for several weeks, surpassing even new singles from major artists in those regions and remaining unshakable.
In Japan, the most popular track was “Victory,” the collaboration with Duan Xiubo. The music video, featuring an angel and a fallen angel locked in a fierce battle, resonated deeply with Japanese fans. From the day the album was released in Japan, this song quickly became one of the top twenty most beloved songs in the local music scene. As album sales began to wind down and the music video and audio tracks became widely available, the song experienced a second surge in popularity. Despite not understanding the Chinese lyrics, Japanese fans’ enthusiasm remained undiminished. Images of Luo Ding as both the pure, white-clad angel and the wicked fallen angel were printed by fans and plastered across Tokyo’s billboards, even appearing on advertisements in department stores. Luo Ding’s name was now becoming well-known among the Japanese public.
In Korea, the response was similar to Japan’s. However, while “Victory” dominated in Japan, the dance track “Dream” also gained considerable popularity in Korea.
Although Chinese and Korean genes are similar, distinguishing between their physical appearances is not difficult. In a sea of heavily made-up Korean idols with thick eyebrows and sharp chin lines, Luo Ding’s appearance was like a breath of fresh air—unforgettable. The difference between natural beauty and artificial enhancement was evident. Despite the advanced plastic surgery industry in Korea, Koreans still valued natural beauty the most. No matter how developed their cosmetic industry was, the charm of a natural appearance, something often lost through excessive modification, still held the greatest appeal.
While most Chinese celebrities were naturally beautiful, their styling was often subpar. Compared to Korea, where even those with flawed features could be transformed into something presentable, China’s fashion industry often fell short, even turning handsome men into awkward caricatures. This was one reason why many Chinese stars struggled to break into countries with strong local protections for their own celebrities.
However, this time, Luo Ding had completely changed the game, thanks to a series of favorable circumstances. The term “Chinese handsome guy” quickly gained attention overseas, and because of his influence, many of China’s up-and-coming singers began promoting their new work in Japan and Korea. A Chinese wave of popularity seemed imminent.
Having already made a name for himself in Asia and beyond, Chinese news media were eager to report on Luo Ding, the star who had brought pride to his country. With solid work to back him up, his appearances on the front pages of websites and newspapers were well-justified. His clear positioning as a high-quality artist gradually won over the public, and after a few variety show appearances, Luo Ding’s fanbase had grown significantly compared to before.
Now, whenever Luo Ding went out, he had to carry a hat and mask with him. Although this was inconvenient, it also gave him a strange sense of satisfaction.
He thought to himself, perhaps he was born to enjoy this kind of attention. The spotlight and admiration made him feel like he had found his true value.
Gu Yaxing had hired a trusted driver who had worked for Yaxing Studios for a long time to transport Luo Ding. With the album’s success and Luo Ding’s rising fame, the company’s financial situation was gradually improving. Gu Yaxing’s top priority was to improve Luo Ding’s quality of life, as a way of reciprocating the artist’s contributions. The driver, who used to double as a part-time assistant, now focused solely on managing Luo Ding’s schedule, meals, and errands. Slowly, Gu Yaxing was also teaching the driver how to handle tasks typically managed by a personal agent.
The driver carefully navigated the car, and once they left the congested city streets for the suburbs, the road became much smoother. He occasionally glanced in the rearview mirror to check Luo Ding’s reaction to see if he needed to adjust his speed. In the passenger seat, Wu Fangyuan, Luo Ding’s assistant, was tapping away on his iPad. Suddenly, he turned to Luo Ding, excitedly shouting, “We’ve broken ten million!”
Luo Ding rolled his eyes and adjusted his sleeping mask. This idiot had been nervously refreshing Weibo since six in the morning, eager to capture a screenshot of the moment they hit ten million followers. It was now nearly nine o’clock, and he had spent almost three hours doing nothing but this boring task.
Luo Ding didn’t understand why Wu Fangyuan was so fixated on the Weibo follower count, but he didn’t scold him either. Wu Fangyuan had been under a lot of pressure since Luo Ding’s rise to fame, and within reasonable limits, Luo Ding didn’t mind if he found joy in something so trivial.
Wu Fangyuan, grinning from ear to ear, saved the screenshot and admired the number on the screen. It wasn’t so long ago that the number in that spot was a pitiful five digits. From late spring to early fall, everything had changed so drastically in just a few months. Apart from reflecting on the unpredictability of life, Wu Fangyuan often felt moved to tears, realizing that Luo Ding had finally made it big.
He knew that Luo Ding secretly rolled his eyes at him, but so what? He was happy in his own way!
Sniffling, Wu Fangyuan put away the iPad and, a little choked up, told Luo Ding, “Don’t sleep too long; we’ll be at the airport soon. You don’t want to be photographed sleeping.”
Luo Ding yawned and sat up, glancing at his watch. He rubbed his temples and said, “Duan-ge arrives at 9:30. We can wait outside. Fangyuan, you go in and pick him up. There will probably be a lot of fans meeting him at the airport, so be careful not to get hurt.”
After finishing a series of international fashion endorsements, Duan Xiubo was finally returning to China. While waiting for his flight at the airport, he had been calling Luo Ding non-stop. Even though they had been apart for a while, Luo Ding found himself missing Duan Xiubo quite a bit. After getting permission from Gu Yaxing, he had volunteered to pick him up at the airport.
Duan Xiubo was surprised and delighted, likely not expecting Luo Ding to be so enthusiastic.
Luo Ding found it strange as well. Normally, he wouldn’t have made such a troublesome commitment.
What had gotten into him?
As he watched the rows of trees whizzing past the car window, Luo Ding imagined the scene of meeting Duan Xiubo soon and couldn’t help but smile in anticipation.
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