The next day, news of New Sony Records' collaboration with Shen Lang broke in the media.
His album, Shen Lang - Radio Love Songs, was set to launch in Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and other parts of Asia within a week.
This information had been leaked to the press by Chen Yaochuan.
Strategic hype was an effective marketing tactic.
Hype, at its core, was essentially advertising.
Successful advertising required three key elements:
Someone must vouch for your talent.
The person vouching for you must be credible.
You must genuinely possess the talent.
The small stone Chen Yaochuan had tossed into the pond created a massive ripple effect.
New Sony Records was backed by Sony Music, one of the world's three largest record labels.
Shen Lang was being touted by the media as the future of Mainland China's music scene.
This collaboration was akin to two powerhouses joining forces.
Industry insiders speculated whether Shen Lang had already signed a contract with New Sony Records.
"I heard he turned down Warner Music before."
"Rumor has it he demanded ridiculously strict terms."
"A rookie negotiating terms with Warner Music, one of the world's top three record labels?"
"Talk about guts, right?"
"But to be fair, his talent is undeniably awesome."
"Not necessarily. Let's wait and see. Plenty of artists debut as geniuses only to fall from grace after a single album."
Everyone was watching from the sidelines.
Only Na Ying was taking the hits.
She had been counting on sales in Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and other parts of Asia to compensate for the impact on her album's sales in Mainland China.
But now that Shen Lang and New Sony Records had pulled this stunt, everyone would suffer the consequences.
Her autograph sessions were packed, but their impact on album sales was negligible.
Most attendees were fans who had already bought the album.
In contrast, Shen Lang's first autograph session had caused a sensation.
Shen Lang Nearly Suffocated as Overzealous Fan Crushes Him in Chest Embrace!
Frenzied Female Fan's Chest Assault on Shen Lang at Autograph Session!
Shen Lang's Intimate Encounter with 36D Fan Leaves Him Seemingly Unsatisfied!
These sensational headlines in entertainment news drew massive public attention.
Shen Lang's fame had skyrocketed.
But for him personally, this kind of notoriety was more trouble than it was worth.
Yanjing:
"Whew... I'm exhausted... Boss, hurry! Three copies of Shen Lang - Radio Love Songs on cassette tape!"
"Young man, take it easy. No need to rush. We just received a shipment of 1,000 copies this morning. You'll get one."
"If I'd known, I wouldn't have run so hard."
Chuncheng:
"Boss, do you have any albums by Shen Lang?"
"You're too late. The last CD was just bought by that young woman. How about Fei Xiang's new album, Loved You, which was released on National Day? It's really good too."
"No thanks. I'm saving my allowance for Shen Lang. My mom can have Fei Xiang's album."
Jiang Cheng:
"Boss, Ten Years! Ah, no, I mean Shen Lang - Radio Love Songs."
"Is he really that popular? We've had about a dozen people asking for it this morning."
"What?! His new song has been topping the charts for over ten days! Haven't you heard?"
The second batch of 150,000 copies sold out in just a few days, fueled by the immense popularity.
Fortunately, the 2 million yuan from the distribution rights deal allowed them to quickly order a third batch of 150,000 copies, which were already on their way.
However, piracy had begun to surface, so they couldn't afford to overstock.
Several major audio-visual publishing houses from Mainland China approached Shen Lang to negotiate for the distribution rights.
In the end, he sold the exclusive rights to Yanjing Universal Audio-Visual Publishing House for a flat fee of 500,000 yuan.
Established in 1993, this company was affiliated with the Central Conservatory of Music.
Shen Lang didn't haggle; the price was standard for regional distribution rights.
"Shen Lang, good morning."
"Morning."
Returning to work at the radio station, Shen Lang was now a different person. Everyone he encountered, whether he knew them or not, greeted him warmly.
Such was the reality of fame.
As the saying goes, "In a bustling city, no one asks about the poor; in a remote mountain, even distant relatives flock to the wealthy."
During the National Day holiday, Shen Lang's wallet grew increasingly plump.
After deducting the radio station's share and his income tax, he still had over a million yuan left.
In the year 2000, a million yuan could easily buy an apartment in Yanjing.
By 2024, that same amount wouldn't even cover the cost of a toilet in the city.
As his financial situation improved, his mood naturally brightened.
"Good morning, Brother Wu, Sister Zhao, Brother Zhang!"
"You're still coming to work?" Zhang Zhong asked, sounding surprised.
Shen Lang blinked in confusion. "Today's the 8th. The holiday's over."
Seeing his confusion, Zhao Xue chimed in, "What he means is, now that you're famous, you should focus on your singing career and quit your radio job."
Shen Lang's eyes lit up with playful energy. Grinning widely, he replied, "I'm hardly famous yet! I still have a long way to go. Besides, you've all been so good to me—I can't bear to leave."
Shen Lang was a man of his word. If he truly wanted to leave this job, he would at least go through the proper resignation procedures.
Wu Zhoutong laughed heartily and joked, "Whether you're a minor celebrity or a major star, you're buying lunch today!"
Shen Lang had received considerable help from his colleagues during his two months at the station. Previously, he had been financially strapped and could only offer verbal thanks. Now that he had some money, he was eager to show his appreciation properly. "Absolutely," he replied without hesitation.
They chatted and laughed until it was time to start work.
At eleven o'clock, Director Yang Lin summoned Shen Lang to his office to convey the leadership's praise and recognition.
Their bold experiment with Shen Lang - Radio Love Songs had not only generated revenue for the station but also enhanced its reputation. The higher-ups were delighted.
Yang Lin, in particular, saw a promotion within reach.
"Xiao Shen," Yang Lin said, his smile fading as he adopted a serious tone, "there's another important matter I need to discuss with you."
Sensing the gravity of the situation, Shen Lang's expression turned serious as well. "Please speak, Director."
"Are you planning to pursue a career in the entertainment industry? Answer truthfully," Yang Lin asked.
"Yes," Shen Lang nodded.
"It's a real shame," Yang Lin said slowly. "You're a top graduate from China Media University's Broadcasting Department, and you could have made a name for yourself here. But since you're pursuing a career in the entertainment industry, you naturally can't keep working here full-time. The station has its regulations, as you know..."
It was a shame.
Though, he wasn't exactly a "top graduate." Just someone with good grades—always in the top three of his class from elementary school to university, and a recipient of various scholarships.
Hearing this, Shen Lang raised an eyebrow slightly.
Are they trying to fire me?
They had just enjoyed a pleasant collaboration.
But Yang Lin's words made sense.
Right now, he had the time. But once his entertainment career took off, he'd never have the time or energy for the station again.
Oh well, no point dwelling on it. I was going to leave sooner or later anyway.
After a pause, Yang Lin continued, "After our meeting, we decided to appoint you as the station's 'Honorary Radio Host.' You won't need to come to work here, but whenever you need to, you can release your songs on our programs and collaborate with us on albums."
Isn't this exactly like a school's "Honorary Principal"?
The radio station typically appointed national celebrities to honorary positions, which were largely symbolic and didn't involve actual management. The goal was simply to leverage their fame to boost the station's popularity.
The station would have loved to keep Shen Lang around permanently. He was practically a money-printing machine.
But the problem was, they couldn't hold him.
Their contract was a standard employment agreement, allowing him to resign at any time. It wasn't like a celebrity contract, where leaving before the agreed-upon term would constitute a breach.
Given this, they decided to offer him the title of "Honorary Radio Host." Even if Shen Lang left immediately, his fame would remain associated with the station.
Who came up with this idea?
A genius!
Shen Lang saw this as a win-win situation for both himself and the station. "Director," he said, "I accept the arrangement."
Yang Lin had anticipated his acceptance—it was a mutually beneficial outcome, with no reason to refuse. Smiling, he said, "I wish you a bright future and smooth sailing in your career."
Shen Lang relaxed, replying calmly, "Thank you, Director. I appreciate your kind words."