Overseas sales have exceeded one million copies?
“You really had no idea at the time?”
Xie Qian knows Wen Ying so well that one look at her expression told him her surprise back then was genuine.
Wen Ying shook her head vigorously. “I genuinely had no idea. Before the formal recording, Teacher Yuan said she had something to tell me, but she held back at the last moment and teased me instead. I was guessing what it could be, but I never imagined she had already received the overseas sales data.”
Mainly because it had not occurred to her.
Although Yuan Fenghui had signed the overseas publishing rights along with the domestic ones when they made the agency agreement, finding suitable overseas publishers still required a process. From signing to securing overseas publication and actual release, the timeline would not be short.
Because the process was lengthy, Wen Ying had gradually put overseas publication out of her mind.
Wen Ying had already published four novels domestically: Boy Idol, Star River and You, Searching for Yong, and Exploring Jing.
Yuan Fenghui had handled overseas publication in the same order, starting with Boy Idol.
When Boy Idol was released overseas, it was marketed as a warm, healing story. It became very popular upon its launch last summer, especially in the Japanese market. In Yuan Fenghui’s words, it “sold very well”!
“I had no idea how well it sold. I just remembered Teacher Yuan saying it had already been published overseas.”
Wen Ying said it casually, but Xie Qian felt a dull, aching pain in his heart.
Last summer… that was when he had his car accident.
At that time, the hamster truly had no energy to concern herself with such things.
Xie Qian did not let Wen Ying notice anything unusual. He turned to Yuan Fenghui. “Boy Idol was published overseas last year. Star River and You should be this year?”
Yuan Fenghui nodded. “Exactly, early this year. Along with the overseas publication, we also sold the overseas broadcasting rights for the Star River and You drama! So this million-copy sales figure is mainly from Boy Idol. Star River and You has not really taken off yet. Wait until next month, when the drama airs on television overseas, the novel’s popularity will surge!”
So, overseas novel publication was the main focus, with the drama broadcasting rights sold as a bonus?
Or was it selling the drama rights first and bundling the novel publication?
It did not matter which was the bonus. The important thing was that overseas novel publication earned Wen Ying royalties, and overseas drama broadcasting also brought her a share!
Even Xie Qian had to admire Yuan Fenghui’s outstanding professional ability.
“Teacher Yuan, have you ever considered changing jobs?”
Xie Qian’s sudden invitation caught Yuan Fenghui off guard. Wen Ying glared at him. “Digging someone out right in front of me is not very polite, is it?”
Yuan Fenghui laughed it off. “Changing jobs or not, what difference does it make? Never mind, too much trouble. I am used to Tianjiao. I do not want to switch environments.”
How the tables had turned.
In the past, Yuan Fenghui had constantly tried to lure Xie Qian to work at Tianjiao. Now Xie Qian wanted to poach Yuan Fenghui.
Xie Qian’s invitation was merely a compliment. Both sides knew Yuan Fenghui would never jump ship.
At Tianjiao, Yuan Fenghui thrived.
At Jiaxin, she would have to work under Xie Qian’s watchful eye. If the boss was smarter than her, Yuan Fenghui would not feel comfortable! Working at Tianjiao was easier, with plenty of people who were simple to manage. It was rare to have someone as clever as Wen Ying who was also completely aligned with her!
“Boy Idol and Star River and You are easier to promote across East Asia and Southeast Asia. Readers in these regions better understand the settings of the stories and resonate more easily. Pushing them elsewhere overseas would not have the same effect, especially in Europe and America. What I really want to promote is the Nine Cauldrons series.”
Talking about overseas publication, Yuan Fenghui took the opportunity to brief Wen Ying.
Wen Ying had no objections. “Teacher Yuan, I myself have high hopes for the Nine Cauldrons series. Even before I started writing it, I was already thinking about follow-up copyright development!”
“Excellent. It seems we have reached another consensus.”
With the interview settled, Yuan Fenghui and Wen Ying shifted their focus.
…
Whether Wen Ying had known the overseas sales figures before recording or not, now every viewer in front of a television knew!
In recent years, the Hong Kong entertainment industry had gradually declined, while Japanese and Korean waves swept Asia. China had always been a recipient of other countries’ cultural input. Ordinary people might not immediately recognise the potential crisis of other nations exporting culture to China, but seeing Japanese and Korean stars dominate screens still brought a vague unease.
This probably was not right, was it?
They could not pinpoint exactly what was wrong.
Just a fuzzy sense that something was amiss.
Now, hearing the host announce that Wen Ying’s novels had sold over a million copies overseas, whether they were her readers or not, everyone felt a spontaneous surge of pride.
Well done!
“Little Fish is amazing.”
“Art has no borders. Good works sell well anywhere!”
“Just for this moment of glory, I can stan Little Fish for another fifty years!”
“Fifty years is too few. I will stan for a hundred. The years I do not live to see, my children can continue!”
“Those haters calling her ‘Boss Fish’ were too harsh. ‘Fish Million’ fits much better.”
Pfft.
Reading the QQ group chat, Gan Tao burst out laughing. “Fish Million?”
It sounded vulgar at first, but on second thought, it was quite fitting.
A million referred to sales, not income. Fish Million was well deserved!
“It has only just broken a million copies so far. With Little Fish’s strength, cumulative sales breaking ten million in the future would be completely normal…”
“What does that matter? We can just change it to ‘Fish Ten Million’ later!”
The readers joked around in the QQ group.
Up to now, even the most die-hard fans’ teasing did not dare claim Wen Ying’s novels would reach a hundred million total sales. No one dared think that far.
Gan Tao did consider it for a moment, but quickly pushed the thought aside.
Cumulative sales reaching a hundred million?
Too difficult.
Unless Little Fish dominated the global publishing world, the domestic market alone could never achieve it.
The domestic publishing market was rife with piracy. Many readers had no concept of genuine versus pirated copies. Even those who did often could not distinguish them.
Buying novels at small street stalls was cheaper. Why go to big bookstores?
Whether genuine or pirated, the content was the same. Save money where you can.
The two parts of the interview programme, with a full week of buildup, had masterfully controlled the audience’s emotions through structure and pacing. The moment the host announced Wen Ying’s novels had sold over a million copies overseas, the week-long buildup reached its peak viewership, and the audience’s emotions hit a climax.
Of course, this was also the moment the “anti-Wen faction” felt the most pain.
Even a fool could see that the producer’s so-called “re-editing” was not meant to destroy this premium idol, but to elevate Wen Ying even higher.
After the interview, all previous smears against Wen Ying would collapse in an instant!
Unless Wen Ying committed some greater scandal, the public would no longer dislike her.
Even charging 5 million for a script or once being a shareholder in a medical aesthetics company… none of it could overshadow the achievement of over a million overseas sales.
This was an achievement that made everyone proud, and exactly the kind of “cultural counter-export” the authorities wanted to see. No wonder the producer had not blackened Wen Ying. It was the most upright choice.
Ran Keqing grasped all this in a very short time.
Because she understood, she grew even angrier.
Crash.
Ran Keqing swept the glasses off the table. “The party is cancelled tonight. You can all go home!”
Uh.
Everything had been fine moments ago. The lively atmosphere had just begun, yet Ran Keqing suddenly cancelled the party.
Was she toying with them?
For a moment, no one in the apartment spoke.
Luo Hao turned off the television and smiled apologetically to Ran Keqing’s friends on her behalf. “Sorry, everyone. Sister Keqing suddenly feels unwell. The party is not cancelled forever. We will have a proper celebration another day.”
Luo Hao gave them an out. Ran Keqing’s friends laughed it off and told her to rest well.
The crowd dispersed like a tide, taking the lively atmosphere with them.
Ran Keqing sat on the sofa, her face sombre.
After leaving the apartment, her friends gathered in small groups to complain.
“Summon us at will and dismiss us at will. What does she think we are?”
“What else? Her lackeys. No choice. Huan Yu is powerful, and Miss Ran has the capital to act out!”
True elite families would not tolerate Ran Keqing’s temper.
Ran Keqing also picked her targets. The friends she treated this way all came from families less powerful than hers.
Ran Keqing did not respect these people, and they did not see her as a true friend either.
While Huan Yu thrived, everyone had to swallow their pride and flatter Ran Keqing.
If Huan Yu ever fell on hard times, these people would step on her without hesitation!
Ahhh, Miss Ran really was sick!
One friend grew angrier the more she thought about it. “She really should go to the hospital for a check-up.”
A proper brain scan!
As they walked, the friends gossiped. “But what set her off?”
Nothing unusual tonight, except the interview programme on television.
The interview programme, Reverse Flow Fish?!
“How did a novelist offend Miss Ran?”
“Shh, keep your voice down. I am telling you, but do not spread it. I heard this ‘Reverse Flow Fish’ stole the man Miss Ran had her eye on.”
The gossip spread among Ran Keqing’s friends.
None of them knew Wen Ying, yet they all thought she had done well!
Hee hee hee, someone finally stood up and made Miss Ran eat a loss.
