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September was typically a quiet month in the pop music scene. No major stars in the entertainment industry had chosen to release new albums or singles, leaving the spotlight on the emerging generation of singer-idols.
On the four dominant music platforms— WeChat Music, NetEase Music, Pop Radio, and China Voice— several rising artists had debuted their albums at the start of the month. However, all eyes were locked on the showdown on WeChat Music, where four up-and-coming stars were battling for dominance.
Cui Zhengzhi, Lu Chen, Zou Bei, and Ling Xiaoxiao were among the brightest talents of the new wave of domestic artists.
Industry insiders believed that Cui Zhengzhi, with his advantages in timing, exposure, and popularity, was the inevitable winner.
Cui Zhengzhi himself thought the same, which was why he openly dismissed Lu Chen in media interviews.
But reality had other plans— it slapped him hard across the face!
By 7 p.m. on September 9, exactly 24 hours after the release of both albums, "Provocative" had sold 67,520 copies, while "My Old Classmate" was close behind at 65,117 copies. The gap had narrowed to a mere thousand copies.
Behind the scenes, Cui Zhengzhi and his label, Orange Field Entertainment, knew the real numbers. At least 15,000 of "Provocative's" sales were artificially inflated. If Lu Chen hadn't engaged in any such tactics, then in reality, Cui Zhengzhi was trailing by over 13,000 copies!
For the entire day, Cui Zhengzhi stayed silent— no blog updates, no social media posts, and not even a word from his publicist, Cui Xiuyin.
He even canceled his scheduled afternoon promotional event, choosing instead to sit in front of his computer, staring at WeChat Music's real-time sales data as if he were under a spell.
Cui Xiuyin didn't dare push him too much and could only report to the company that Cui Zhengzhi had suddenly fallen ill.
For a rising artist, canceling a pre-arranged promotional event was no small matter. Despite Cui Zhengzhi's family connections within Orange Field Entertainment, he still faced scrutiny from the higher-ups.
And frankly, he did look like a sick man. He simply couldn't accept the fact that he was losing to Lu Chen.
He kept telling himself that Lu Chen must have also manipulated his sales figures. But deep down, his instincts— sharpened by years of competing in the idol industry— told him otherwise. Lu Chen's numbers were likely genuine.
But how was that possible?
Lu Chen's songs had already been performed live multiple times, and they were readily available online. His promotional efforts had been minimal, relying mostly on last-minute buzz-building tactics. How could his album be selling this well?
How?!
Cui Zhengzhi couldn't wrap his head around it. He felt an overwhelming urge to smash his computer.
If his label hadn't artificially boosted his sales, he would have been utterly humiliated by Lu Chen!
Meanwhile, Lu Chen was equally perplexed.
Sitting in front of his computer, he watched the ever-changing numbers on WeChat Music's weekly sales chart. Next to him, Li Mubai was casually eating a takeout meal, while Lu Chen stared blankly at the screen.
Lu Chen's initial goal for "My Old Classmate" had been to surpass 100,000 copies. Later, after increasing his marketing spend to keep up with Cui Zhengzhi, he adjusted his expectations to 150,000— enough to turn a solid profit.
But he never anticipated selling over 60,000 copies on the first day alone. If the momentum held, total sales could easily break 300,000, pushing the album into blockbuster territory.
It felt surreal— like an unexpected windfall dropping from the sky.
His gaze shifted toward Li Mubai, suspicion creeping into his expression.
Li Mubai swallowed a mouthful of food and waved him off. "Don't look at me like that. I'm broke. All I did was hype your album in a few WeChat groups. I wouldn't even know how to buy fake sales if I wanted to!"
He gestured toward his takeout. "If I had money, do you think I'd be eating this? But…"
The once-arrogant Third Young Master of the Li family had been reduced to dining on budget takeout.
Ever since Li Murong had cut off his monthly allowance, Li Mubai— who never saved a single cent— was suddenly strapped for cash.
His beloved Porsche had already been sold to Li Mushi at a steep discount, and he was still waiting on payment.
Now, his only hope was that their crowdfunding platform would launch soon.
For someone who had never touched a 15-yuan meal in his life, he was surprisingly satisfied: "Not bad, the pork chop's decent."
Lu Chen didn't know whether to laugh or sigh, but at least one thing was clear— Li Mubai hadn't bought sales for him.
Which meant the numbers were real!
But why?
Although Lu Chen had a large following from his live-streaming days and a strong blog presence, most of his fans were casual listeners rather than die-hard supporters. Even with the album priced at 8 yuan, the conversion rate shouldn't have been this high.
This wasn't just his personal dilemma— new artists like Cui Zhengzhi faced the same struggle. Today's fans were fickle and easily distracted, often juggling multiple idols at once.
Building a loyal, stable fanbase required time and consistent effort.
Lu Chen's rise had been meteoric, but his foundation was still shaky. Both the industry and he himself had underestimated the potential of "My Old Classmate."
The results were nothing short of astonishing!
Lu Chen shook his head and said to Li Mubai, "Let's wait and see. If sales on WeChat Music drop significantly, we'll officially launch the crowdfunding campaign for the album and the commemorative set."
According to the original plan, the crowdfunding site was supposed to go live yesterday. The website had already been built, but for now, it only featured a single product.
However, with "My Old Classmate" performing exceptionally well on WeChat Music, Lu Chen had to rethink his approach. After consulting with Li Mushi, they decided to push the launch back by about ten days to avoid any potential conflicts.
Li Mushi had no objections. The new company's office was still under renovation, and she had just returned to the country, juggling numerous social engagements.
Only Li Mubai was struggling— after losing both his money and his car, he had no choice but to visit Lu Chen's workshop daily, mooching meals.
Mouth full of pork chop, Li Mubai nodded vigorously. "Yeah, yeah!"
But the entertainment industry is full of surprises.
On September 10, Cui Zhengzhi's "Provocative" saw a sharp decline, selling a total of 82,584 copies.
What truly shocked everyone was that Lu Chen's "My Old Classmate" had surged ahead, reaching a total of 102,560 copies— claiming the top spot on WeChat Music's weekly sales chart and leaving his competitor far behind.
Even more remarkable was the minimal drop in sales compared to its debut!
Industry insiders who had been closely following this battle of rising stars expected Lu Chen to surpass Cui Zhengzhi, but the speed of the turnaround still caught many off guard.
Breaking 100,000 sales in just 48 hours didn't just put Lu Chen on track for 300,000 total sales— it brought him within reach of a platinum record at 500,000 copies!
Lu Chen's ambitions were undeniable.
Across blogs, forums, and social media, heated discussions erupted.
Skeptics claimed Lu Chen must have artificially inflated sales, arguing that "My Old Classmate" couldn't possibly perform that well.
Supporters countered, asserting that the song's success was purely based on quality and resonance.
Some envied Lu Chen's meteoric rise, while others mocked Cui Zhengzhi's faltering performance.
A few even dug up old interview clips of Cui Zhengzhi, adding fuel to the fire.
The fiercest debates unfolded on the WeChat Music members' forum, which was buzzing with activity.
As the country's largest digital music platform, WeChat Music attracted a massive community of pop music fans, and the competition between these emerging stars had become a hot topic.
By September 10, Ling Xiaoxiao's personal album, "True Love is Invincible," had only sold just over 60,000 copies, with sales plummeting afterward— raising doubts about whether it could even reach gold record status.
Reviews were equally harsh. The album had a dismal rating of 6.4, barely passing.
Given the suspicion of inflated sales, the real score was likely even lower.
In contrast, Zou Bei's "Blooming Petals" fared much better, surpassing 90,000 in total sales with a solid 8.1 rating, reflecting both a strong reputation and her genuine talent.
With neither Ling Xiaoxiao nor Zou Bei making headlines, all eyes remained on the showdown between Lu Chen and Cui Zhengzhi.
In the comments section of the weekly sales ranking, fan wars raged. Supporters of Cui Zhengzhi, Lu Chen, casual listeners, and bystanders all joined the fray.
WeChat Visitor 00567: "The sales of 'My Old Classmate' are so fake! Who actually believes this?"
Husky Second Generation: "The person above is the real idiot!"
Blue Sky: "LOL, what a clown! I bought Lu Chen's album, and I don't like Cui Zhengzhi. Deal with it."
Mushroom Ears: "Cui Zhengzhi's 'Provocative' isn't bad, but apart from the title track, the rest is forgettable. Not worth buying."
Xiao Zhi is the Best: "My dear Zhengzhi oppa is the best! Can Lu Chen's fans just disappear? Thanks!"
AK47: "Heh, stans, please exit stage left. Thanks!"
Wanderer: "I bought both albums. Objectively speaking, Lu Chen's is better than Cui Zhengzhi's. Just check the ratings!"
Popeye: "True or false? If 'Provocative' used bot sales, then Cui Zhengzhi's completely done for!"
Cheng Cheng Love: "Nonsense!"
Wanderer: "Nonsense? Just look at the ratings and comments for yourself."
On WeChat Music, all purchased albums and singles could be rated and reviewed by verified users, making the ratings a direct reflection of public reception.
So far, "My Old Classmate" held an impressive score of 9.2, while "Provocative" sat at 8.5.
A 0.7 difference might not seem drastic, but in the cutthroat world of digital music, it was enough to tilt perceptions.
Considering that inflated sales often came with artificially boosted ratings, these numbers hinted at a deeper story. And since WeChat Music chose not to interfere, the industry's unspoken rule remained— money talks and those who pay get special treatment.
Yet, for those who cared to dig deeper, the truth lay within the reviews.
The numbers told a story, and soon enough, when the hype settled, everyone would see who truly had the last laugh.
(End of Chapter)