In the fiery red era of the heavens, refrigerators are refreshed daily.

To coincide with the promotion and release of the movie "Love", the first single from this album was "At Least I Still Have You". With the release of the movie, it had already become a hit across China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.

"At Least I Still Have You" is currently at the top of the music charts on major radio stations.

The second single is scheduled for release on June 15th, and the chosen song is "Too Softhearted".

Yan Pingsheng called Yang Guangming in advance: "Young Master Ming, on June 15th, 'Too Softhearted' will officially start its chart run. Shall we hold a press conference?"

Yang Guangming thought for a moment and said, "No need for anything too grand. Keep it simple, just invite a few media outlets and have a small press conference."

"Okay, I'll arrange it."

On the afternoon of June 15th, Yang Guangming arrived on time at the press conference of Hong Kong Island Asia Records.

This is a large hall that can accommodate 300 people, but the number of media present far exceeded expectations. Reporters from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and mainland China, along with some Japanese and South Korean media, filled the small hall to capacity.

Yang Guangming was dressed in a light gray casual suit today, simple and elegant. He walked onto the stage, smiling and waving to the audience.

The flashbulbs went off instantly.

The press conference was hosted by Yan Pingsheng. He briefly introduced the album "18" and then invited Yang Guangming to the stage for an interview.

The reporters' questions came one after another:
"Director Yang, why did you decide to release a record?"

"Director Yang, did you write all these songs yourself?"

"Director Yang, what do you think is the biggest highlight of this album?"

Yang Guangming answered each question calmly and unhurriedly.

A reporter asked, "Director Yang, what are your expectations for the second single from the album, 'Too Softhearted'?"

Yang Guangming smiled: "Expectations? I hope everyone will like it. This song is about the emotions of urban people, and everyone can find their own reflection in it. Whether you like it or not, as long as you listen to it and feel something, I will be satisfied."

A reporter asked, "Director Yang, what are your plans for the future? Will you continue making movies, or will you pursue a career in music?"

Yang Guangming thought for a moment and said, "Filmmaking is my main job, and music is my hobby. I will continue to make films and write songs occasionally. But my focus will still be on filmmaking."

The press conference lasted for nearly an hour, ending close to 5 p.m.

That evening, the music video for "Too Softhearted" premiered simultaneously on the music channels of major television stations.

The next morning, when Yang Guangming woke up, there were already more than a dozen missed calls and text messages on his phone.

He turned on the TV and tuned to the music channel.

The host is reporting the latest news: "Yesterday afternoon, Yang Guangming's new album '18' released its second single, 'Too Softhearted.' As of 8:00 AM this morning, the song has already topped the charts on major radio stations..."

The scene shifts to a street interview.

A young girl said to the camera, "The song 'Too Softhearted' is so good! I listened to it once last night and memorized it. When I woke up this morning, it was still playing on repeat in my head."

A middle-aged man said, "Yang Guangming's voice is absolutely amazing. Listening to his songs is like having someone talking in your ear; it's incredibly soothing."

Another elderly man gave a thumbs up: "This song is well-written and well-sung! Young people today should listen to more songs like this!"

Yang Guangming looked at these scenes with a smile on his lips.

He then turned on his computer and checked the online comments.

Discussions about "Too Softhearted" have flooded various forums.

"It's playing on a loop, I just can't stop!"

"You're always too soft-hearted, too soft-hearted... This melody is so catchy!"

"Yang Guangming is amazing! He makes great movies, writes such great songs, and most importantly, he sings so well! His voice is absolutely unique, the more you listen, the more you want to listen!"

"I strongly demand that Sunshine Ming hold a concert! I want to go!"

As Yang Guangming looked through the rows one by one, he felt very satisfied.

In the following days, the popularity of "Too Softhearted" continued to rise.

On major radio stations' music charts, this song quickly rose to the top, pushing "At Least I Still Have You" to second place.

The media began to describe this phenomenon as the "Sunshine Phenomenon": a director who crossed over to release an album, with two main songs topping the charts for two consecutive days, something that had never happened before in the Chinese music scene.

One critic wrote: "Yang Guangming's success is not accidental. He has talent and ability, but more importantly, he knows how to touch people's hearts. This is true of his films and his songs. He expresses the most basic emotions in the most sincere way, which naturally resonates with people."

On June 20th, the third single from the album "18", "Norwegian Wood", was officially released.

This song is completely different in style from the previous two; it's artistic, detached, and tinged with a touch of melancholy. Gao Yuanyuan's performance in the music video made countless people remember this quiet girl.

Discussions about Gao Yuanyuan have also started to increase on various forums.

"Who is this girl? She's so pretty!"

"She acted so well; her eyes told so many stories."

"Isn't she the student from 'Love Letter'? Yes, that's her!"

Gao Yuanyuan became a hot topic overnight.

She called Yang Guangming, her voice filled with excitement and nervousness: "Director Yang, I... I've seen a lot of people discussing me online, and I'm a little nervous."

Yang Guangming laughed: "What's there to be nervous about? This is a good thing, it means you acted well and everyone likes you."

“But…” Gao Yuanyuan hesitated for a moment, “I’m afraid I won’t do well on the exam. If my academic score is too low, it will be too embarrassing, and I will also let everyone down.”

Yang Guangming said gently, "You have a good foundation and you work so hard, you'll definitely be fine. The exam is in a few days, so focus on your studies and don't overthink it."

"Mm." Encouraged, Gao Yuanyuan seemed to have gained more confidence. "Thank you, Director Yang."

On June 25th, the fourth single from the album "18", titled "The Moon Caused the Trouble", was released.

This song is light and romantic, and Zuo Xiaoqing's performance is lively and natural, exuding youthful energy.

Zuo Xiaoqing has become the envy of her classmates at school lately. Walking around campus, people often point at her and whisper, "Look, she's the female lead in the 'Sunshine Bright' music video!"

She called Yang Guangming, her voice filled with joy: "Brother Guangming, all my classmates are talking about 'The Moon Caused the Trouble'! They say it's so well-made!"

Yang Guangming smiled and said, "Then enjoy this joy. You acted very well and have something to be proud of."

The college entrance examination ended on July 9th.

Gao Yuanyuan immediately called Yang Guangming, her voice filled with relief: "Director Yang, the exam is over!"

Yang Guangming smiled: "How are you feeling?"

"It's alright," Gao Yuanyuan said. "Math was a bit difficult, but I did well in Chinese and English. I should pass."

"That's good. Take a good rest for a few days, and I look forward to seeing good results from you."

"Mm." Gao Yuanyuan paused, then said softly, "Director Yang, thank you. You've been encouraging me and giving me confidence all this time. Without you, I probably wouldn't have been able to persevere."

Yang Guangming said gently, "It's all thanks to your own hard work. Get some rest, and we'll be waiting for your good news."

The students eagerly awaited the day when their college entrance examination results would be released.

Gao Yuanyuan called again, her voice filled with joy: "Director Yang! I passed the exam! I passed the academic subjects!"

Yang Guangming was also very happy: "That's great! Congratulations, Yuanyuan!"

Under his influence, Gao Yuanyuan was able to successfully get into the Beijing Film Academy, which can be considered one of his positive influences, and it is indeed gratifying.

Gao Yuanyuan cried with emotion on the other end of the phone: "Director Yang, thank you... thank you for your continued encouragement..."

Yang Guangming's heart softened: "Don't cry. It's mainly because of your own hard work. You should be happier. You'll be able to enter the Beijing Film Academy in the fall, and then we'll be alumni."

Gao Yuanyuan smiled through her tears: "Yes! Director Yang, I will definitely study hard!"

Fan Bingbing, who hadn't been in contact with him for a long time, also called Yang Guangming.

Since successfully passing the entrance exam for the Beijing Film Academy, Fan Bingbing returned to Qingdao to prepare for the college entrance exam. Having already attended an art school and taking the exam a year early, her academic foundation was already weak, making the academic exams particularly challenging for her.

In order not to fall behind Gao Yuanyuan, to be able to enter the Beijing Film Academy as soon as possible, and to become a fellow alumnus of Yang Guangming, Fan Bingbing did her best and devoted all her energy to her studies in academic subjects with unprecedented effort.

Fan Bingbing was very excited after checking his college entrance examination scores. Although he only passed with a low score, he was already very satisfied to be admitted to the Beijing Film Academy.

She also spoke with Yang Guangming on the phone, but they hadn't been in touch for a while and seemed a little estranged.

Fan Bingbing was also admitted to the Beijing Film Academy, which is quite a big change. Yang Guangming also gave her a lot of encouragement.

Fan Bingbing found that Yang Guangming's attitude towards her was still the same as before, and her unease finally dissipated. She regained her confidence and chatted with Yang Guangming on the phone, returning to her former liveliness.

After hanging up the phone, Fan Bingbing began to look forward to the day she would walk into the Beijing Film Academy campus. She couldn't wait to become a student of Sunshine University.

Amidst the anticipation of fans, the fifth single from the album "18", titled "Wild Geese", has been released.

The music video for this song caused a sensation as soon as it was released.

Vast grasslands, winding rivers, distant hills. Zuo Xiaoqing stood between heaven and earth, her eyes empty, yet seemingly filled with many things. Wild geese flew by, and her thoughts drifted away with them.

The vastness and solitude of the grassland deeply moved and touched countless people. Media outlets commented: "The music video for 'Wild Geese' is one of the most beautiful music short films in recent years. Yang Guangming used cinematic techniques to capture the soul of the grassland. Zuo Xiaoqing's performance showcased her boundless potential as an actress."

Seeing these comments, Zuo Xiaoqing was so excited she couldn't sleep. She called Yang Guangming: "Brother Guangming, I saw those comments. Am I... am I really that good?"

Yang Guangming smiled: "Of course. You performed exceptionally well this time, even better than I expected."

Soon, the sixth single from the album "18", titled "Night in Ulaanbaatar", was released.

Night fell, and the starry sky shone brightly. Gao Yuanyuan stood beneath the stars, gazing up at the heavens. Her eyes held longing, sorrow, and an indescribable tenderness.

She walked into the night, further and further away, until she finally disappeared under the starry sky.

This music video made Gao Yuanyuan a household name.

The media described her as "the girl under the starry sky," saying she possessed a "heartbreaking beauty."

Gao Yuanyuan called Yang Guangming again, "Director Yang, I...I don't know what to do. So many reporters are contacting me, so many companies want to sign me. It's so troublesome to deal with them..."

After more than a month of promotion, the album "18" was officially released on July 20th.

Cassette tapes, CDs, and vinyl records were released simultaneously. Long queues formed outside major music and record stores.

Yan Pingsheng called, his voice full of excitement: "Young Master Ming! It's a hit! It's a hit! Long lines have formed in front of all the major audio-visual stores, and everyone is worried about not having enough stock and is urging for more!"

Yang Guangming was not surprised: "President Yan, just replenish the goods according to plan."

“They’re already restocking!” Yan Pingsheng laughed. “Young Master Ming, do you know that on the first day alone, sales across Asia exceeded 500,000 copies! 500,000! What does that mean? Many singers can’t sell that many copies in their entire careers!”

Yang Guangming smiled: "President Yan, this is just the beginning. There will be more to come."

"Yes, yes, yes!" Yan Pingsheng nodded repeatedly. "Young Master Ming, this album of ours will definitely break ten million copies!"

In the days that followed, good news kept coming in.

The album "18" sold over double platinum status in Hong Kong Island within a week of its release, which is 100,000 copies!
Within a week of its release in Taiwan, sales exceeded 250,000 copies!

On Japanese islands, this album set a new record for Chinese-language records, selling over 500,000 copies in its first week!
In South Korea, it also set a new record for Chinese-language albums, with first-week sales exceeding 300,000 copies!

Sales were also impressive in Southeast Asian countries.

Yan Pingsheng would call Yang Guangming every day to report the good news: "Young Master Ming, sales in Hong Kong have exceeded 100,000!"

"Young Master Ming, sales in Taiwan have exceeded 250,000!"

"Young Master Ming, the sales volume of Ridao has exceeded 500,000!"

Yang Guangming always remained calm: "Thank you for your hard work, Mr. Yan."

But deep down, he was also very happy.

This album is a gift to his mother and a memento for himself. Its success shows that people like it and that his songs have touched people.

This is enough.

Within a week of its release, the album "18" had sold over three million copies across Asia.

This is a record-breaking sales figure!
The data had just been compiled when Yan Pingsheng called again with good news: "Young Master Ming, three million across Asia! And that's only been a week! At this rate, ten million is definitely not a dream!"

Yang Guangming smiled: "President Yan, let's keep up the good work."

"Young Master Ming, how about we hold a celebration party?" Yan Pingsheng suggested. "Such a great achievement deserves a celebration."

Yang Guangming thought for a moment and said, "Let's wait until we break five million before we talk about it."

"Alright! Let's wait until we break five million!"

Within two weeks of its release, the album "18" had sold over five million copies across Asia.

Yan Pingsheng flew to Beijing again and paid a personal visit.

"Ming Shao! Five million!" He was so excited his face turned red. "Only two weeks! Five million in just two weeks! This is a miracle in the Chinese music scene! It's also a miracle in the Asian music scene!"

Yang Guangming poured him a cup of tea: "President Yan, don't get agitated. Have some tea and tell me slowly."

Yan Pingsheng took the teacup, took a sip, but was still incredibly excited: "Young Master Ming, do you know, most singers don't sell that many copies in their entire careers. You did it in just two weeks. What does that mean? It's phenomenal! It's a legend!"

Yang Guangming smiled and said, "President Yan, it's all thanks to everyone. You did a great job with the promotion, and the fans liked it, which is why we achieved this result."

"No!" Yan Pingsheng said seriously, "It's because your songs are well-written and well-sung. Without good works, no matter how good the promotion is, it's useless."

He paused, then continued, "Young Master Ming, we've reached five million. Can we hold a celebration party now?"

Yang Guangming thought for a moment and said, "Okay, let's do one. Keep it simple, nothing too extravagant."

"Okay! I'll arrange it!"

On August 5th, a celebration was held on Hong Kong Island to mark the milestone of the album "18" surpassing five million sales.

Yang Guangming flew to Hong Kong Island a day early and stayed in a villa on the Mid-Levels.

This is a property that Yang Guangming purchased on Hong Kong Island. It's nestled against the mountains and overlooks the sea, boasting stunning views. Standing on the balcony, looking out at Victoria Harbour, Yang Guangming felt a sense of peace.

Chen Hong and Zuo Xiaoqing both came. Chen Hong is currently filming in Hong Kong, and Zuo Xiaoqing is on summer vacation, so they came together.

The two stood beside him, one on his left and one on his right.

Chen Hong said softly, "Guangming, you have truly created a miracle."

Zuo Xiaoqing nodded, "Brother Guangming, you're amazing."

Yang Guangming put his arm around the two of them: "I am indeed very good, and everyone likes these songs. In addition, the two of you have also made great contributions. Without the inspiration you two gave me, there would be no album."

Hearing Yang Guangming say this, the two of them were very happy. Such a great album actually originated from the inspiration they gave Yang Guangming, and they both felt a great sense of accomplishment.

At this moment, they felt that even if there was another annoying person by their side, it wasn't so hard to accept.

Chen Hong looked at him, her eyes full of love: "You're amazing. You're not arrogant, you're not impetuous, and you always know what you want."

Yang Guangming laughed: "Alright, stop praising me. Let's go inside, it's hot outside."

The three of them went back inside and sat in the living room chatting.

The following afternoon, a celebration was held at the most luxurious hotel on Hong Kong Island.

Hundreds of guests attended the event, including media reporters, industry professionals, and fan representatives. Yan Pingsheng invited ATV's most famous host from Hong Kong Island, making the occasion grand and enthusiastic.

Yang Guangming, dressed in a dark blue suit, walked onto the stage.

The applause of the audience was thunderous.

He took the microphone, smiled, and said, "Thank you everyone. I am honored and deeply moved to stand here today."

The audience fell silent.

"This album is a gift I gave to my mother." His voice was soft but sincere. "From a young age, my mother taught me vocal music and how to sing. She said, 'Mingming, your voice is a gift from God, it would be a pity if you didn't sing.' I chose the path of directing, but I have always kept my mother's wish in my heart."

He paused, his gaze drifting to a corner of the audience. There, Chen Zhiyun and Yang Hongwen sat together, their eyes both red-rimmed.

"I never expected this album to be so successful. Five million copies is a number I never imagined. Thank you to everyone who likes these songs, thank you for your support and encouragement. I will continue to work hard, make good movies, and write more good songs."

Applause erupted again.

The celebration lasted for more than two hours. Yang Guangming gave an interview and took photos with countless people.

That evening, Yang Guangming didn't stay with Zuo Xiaoqing and Chen Hong any longer. Instead, he returned to his own villa, where Chen Zhiyun and Yang Hongwen were already waiting for him.

Seeing her son come in, Chen Zhiyun stood up, walked over, and hugged him tightly.

"Mingming, Mom is proud of you."

Yang Guangming patted his mother on the back: "Mom, it's all thanks to you. Without you, there wouldn't be this album."

Chen Zhiyun shook her head: "Mom wouldn't dare take credit. It's all your own hard work. Mom is just a guide; you made your own way."

Yang Hongwen also came over and patted his son on the shoulder: "Well done."

A family of three gathered together in the Hong Kong Island night.

On August 10th, Yang Guangming returned to Beijing.

Sales of his album "18" are still climbing, and his songs occupy the top spots on various charts.

Yan Pingsheng would call every day to report the good news: "Young Master Ming, it's six million!"

"Young Master Ming, it's six million five hundred thousand!"

"Young Master Ming, it's seven million!"

Yang Guangming remained calm each time, but was happy inside. (End of Chapter)