Chapter 105: "Listening to the Sea"!

Early the next morning, after bidding farewell to the crew of the show "Speed Run," Jiang Lun and his party boarded their departing flight. Except for Zhang Ziling, who was headed to Hong Kong, the others were all returning to Beijing together, so it wasn’t too lonely.

They had long exchanged phone numbers, and after a brief farewell upon landing, each went their own way. The company had arranged a car to pick Jiang Lun and Chen Yingying up at the airport and take them straight home.

After resting for two consecutive days, Jiang Lun arrived at Yida on the morning of the third day. Taking the elevator upstairs, he went straight to Wu Chaoyang’s office. Pushing the door open, he found Wu Chaoyang engrossed in a computer game and couldn’t help but laugh, “Brother Wu! Your work is really comfortable—air conditioning, tea, and playing games! Tsk tsk, that’s the life!”

“I’m doing serious work!” Wu Chaoyang replied earnestly. “You came at the right time; I have something to discuss with you.”

“Go ahead.” Jiang Lun closed the door and sat down on the chair in front of Wu’s desk.

“Take a look at this first.” Wu Chaoyang handed over a report.

It was a sales report for the new album and for "Ghost Blowing Out the Light," detailing sales figures by channel and daily data since release.

Although the album sales had surpassed 120,000 copies, that figure included the 50,000 pre-ordered copies. In other words, only 70,000 copies had been sold in nearly three weeks, most of which were through e-commerce platforms; sales through traditional channels were negligible.

As for "Ghost Blowing Out the Light," as of yesterday, the first print run was sold out, and the second printing was already on shelves. Sales had dipped somewhat but remained relatively stable.

Since its release, Jiang Lun had only promoted "Ghost Blowing Out the Light" on a program and hadn’t done any other publicity. In less than a month, this impressive achievement surprised everyone.

In cultural circles, the news had caused quite a stir. Experts claimed that the remarkable sales of "Ghost Blowing Out the Light" were due to many factors beyond the celebrity effect; the book’s genre was unprecedented, attracting many readers.

At the internet’s early hype around the book, many were skeptical, especially traditional writers who mocked it. One vice chairman of the Writers’ Association even publicly questioned how Chinese literature could have sunk to relying on “supernatural hoaxes” to become popular and best-selling.

But after reading it privately, they realized it was more than just a book about supernatural tricks.

The story skillfully blended Eastern mystical culture with elements of global popular culture. The riveting plot twists, ancient traditions, mysterious relics, and brotherly bonds captivated readers. Coupled with witty, concise language and rich folk culture, even the skeptics were drawn into the world of "Ghost Blowing Out the Light."

Having transformed from doubters into supporters and then open advocates, their shift attracted more elite attention, which helped the book achieve such remarkable success.

Comparing the sales of the album and the book revealed a stark contrast, suggesting the music market was lagging behind the cultural market.

However, data from major music platforms showed that all songs on the album had impressive play counts, with Jiang Lun’s new tracks dominating the charts.

Especially the songs "Love Before Christ," "The Only One," and "Jiangnan" consistently appeared in the top three on various charts.

But what use was that? Even if the play counts reached billions, listeners weren’t paying for it—it was all free streaming.

Neither the listeners, the music streaming companies, nor the internet providers were generating revenue from it.

The music industry’s hoped-for renaissance seemed elusive.

“Let me tell you about next month’s schedule first,” Wu Chaoyang opened a document on his computer. “We’ll be touring fifteen cities, holding several fan meetings, appearing on major shows to promote the new album, and doing a few signings for 'Ghost Blowing Out the Light.' It’ll be tiring, so be prepared.”

“Mm,” Jiang Lun smiled wryly, knowing hard work awaited again.

“Also, a film company has approached you for a movie role. Are you interested?”

“No thanks.” Jiang Lun waved dismissively. “I’m not planning to enter the film industry right now.”

“Good, I thought so too. I’ll officially decline for you,” Wu said. “By the way, the telecom companies have settled payments—ringback tones and audio preview fees. The company has transferred the amount to your account. Please sign here.”

Wu Chaoyang handed over a receipt from the finance department.

Jiang Lun glanced at it in astonishment. “Three million? That much?”

“Not a lot,” Wu smiled. “That’s just last month’s earnings. The company also signed new contracts with telecom providers for this new album, so you’ll be getting even more every month from now on.”

“Wow…”

Jiang Lun was now a millionaire. After covering family remittances, purchasing a set of recording equipment, and miscellaneous expenses, he still had more than four million in savings.

Some payments were still pending, like the recent fan meetings and the recording of “Speed Run.” The revenue split from the new album and “Ghost Blowing Out the Light” sales would only be settled next month.

By that calculation, surpassing ten million in savings by the end of next month seemed very likely.

“There’s one more thing—the game,” Wu Chaoyang pointed to the game he was playing earlier on the computer.

“What? Want me to endorse it?”

“Not only endorse, but you have to write a promotional song for it,” Wu said. “Writing songs is no problem for you, but the song must fit the game’s theme.”

“Uh… what kind of game is it?”

“‘Mecha Warriors.’ You can try it yourself. It’s a first-person shooter 3D online game. I found it pretty thrilling.”

“Have you agreed to it already?” Jiang Lun asked.

Wu smiled wryly. “Well, it’s still in the running—you’re just one of the candidates.”

“Oh… so others are competing for the endorsement too?”

“Yes, many are trying.”

Wu paused, then added, “And Huang Daming is also a candidate.”

“Huang Daming?” Jiang Lun thought for a moment and chuckled. “Alright, I accept the challenge.”

“When’s the earliest you can have the song ready?”

“Tomorrow!”

Jiang Lun stood up. “No time to waste then. I have to stop by Sister Liu’s office, finish up quickly, and head back to prepare.”

“All right,” Wu nodded. “Looking forward to good news tomorrow.”

Jiang Lun had brought a song for Liu Xiayu this time, so after leaving Wu Chaoyang’s office, he went to find her.

The nameplate on Liu Xiayu’s office door bore only her name. Although she held no official position, everyone knew she was the company’s largest shareholder.

He knocked, and upon hearing a reply, pushed the door open.

“Sister Liu!”

“Come in and sit down.”

At heart, Liu Xiayu was a very easygoing person who disliked troubling others over small matters. She even poured Jiang Lun a glass of water herself, without calling an assistant.

“How was your trip to Nanjin? I heard you also recorded a reality show?”

“Don’t mention it!” Jiang Lun groaned. “It was torturous. I’ll avoid such shows whenever I can in the future.”

Liu Xiayu suddenly smiled. “Do you know why I don’t like participating in variety shows?”

“No idea!” Jiang Lun shook his head, thinking, How would I know? You barely appear even in interviews—once a year is a miracle.

“I just don’t like people fawning over me and spouting endless compliments!” Liu said. “You’re the only man I’ve ever met who doesn’t flatter me. After all this time, I’ve never heard you praise me once.”

“Uh…” Jiang Lun scratched his head. She was so straightforward. They say women like compliments, but he wondered if Liu Xiayu actually wanted to be praised or not.

“Let’s talk business,” Liu said, noticing his awkwardness and changing the subject. “I’ve been too idle lately. We signed an agreement, and though timing isn’t urgent, you’ve been releasing one new song after another outside. When will you write one for me?”

“I already have one!” Jiang Lun smiled. “Just finished it a few days ago. Here, I brought it for you.”

He took out his phone and opened a song from his playlist.

The instrumental was synthesized by Jiang Lun over the past couple of days using software and a keyboard—simple but grand. The opening strings and piano gave it a majestic feel.

To find a song suited to Liu Xiayu, Jiang Lun had listened repeatedly to several of her albums. Her voice was powerful, rich in tone and emotion. Watching her live performances revealed that studio recordings hid many nuances not visible on stage—perhaps due to her opera training since childhood.

After careful selection, Jiang Lun had chosen the first song: "Listening to the Sea."

“Write me a letter, tell me what color the sea is today
The sea that keeps you company every night, how’s your mood?
Gray means you don’t want to say, blue means melancholy,
And you who wander, with a wild heart, where does it rest…”

As the first verse played, Liu Xiayu sat up straight, leaning close to Jiang Lun’s phone to listen carefully.

She was extremely exacting when it came to music, tolerating no flaws.

But this song struck her deeply. Although the demo was sung by Jiang Lun himself, as a professional singer familiar with her voice, she could immediately imagine how it would sound with her own tone.

Jiang Lun watched her reactions, which clearly reflected her feelings about the song.

Fortunately, it seemed to be a success.

“Whew…”

When the song ended, Liu Xiayu exhaled deeply.

After a moment, she asked, “What’s the name of this song?”

“Listening to the Sea.”

“I’m keeping this one.”

She pulled out her phone. “Send it to me via Bluetooth.”

After the transfer, Jiang Lun said, “I’ll bring you another one in a couple of days.”

“No rush,” Liu replied. “If the songs are like this, it’s fine to take your time.”

“I understand!” Jiang Lun smiled.