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

August sunlight streamed into the room through the window lattice. Yang Guangming leaned back in his chair, listening to Yan Pingsheng continue talking about the situation in overseas markets.

"Young Master Ming, the detailed market report from Japan and South Korea is out." Yan Pingsheng's voice was still excited, but more composed than before. "Let me explain it to you in more detail."

Yang Guangming nodded: "Okay, Mr. Yan, please go ahead."

Yan Pingsheng cleared his throat and opened the documents in his hand.

"In addition to the sales figures and reports mentioned earlier, there are some interesting details from Japan."

For example, the song "Wild Geese" was featured in a special segment on NHK, a Japanese television station, during a program introducing Asian music.

The host said that this song allowed the Japanese audience to truly understand the charm of Chinese grassland culture for the first time. The vastness, desolation, and the homesickness of those far from home are emotions that everyone can resonate with.

The program also interviewed some listeners. One middle-aged man said that he had visited the Chinese grasslands when he was young, but he didn't feel much at the time. After listening to this song, he suddenly really wanted to go again, to stand on the grassland and watch the wild geese fly by.

Another elderly woman said that her husband had worked in China when he was young, but now he's too old and in poor health to travel far. She plays this song for him every day, and it reminds him of his younger days, which cheers him up a lot.

Yang Guangming listened without saying a word.

Yan Pingsheng continued, "There's also 'Night in Ulaanbaatar.' A poet from Japan wrote an essay about it, saying that the song reminded him of his deceased mother. He said that his mother also loved to sing when she was young, and her voice was very gentle. Listening to this song is like hearing his mother's voice again. This article was published in the newspaper and resonated with many readers. Many people wrote to the newspaper to share their own stories."

Zuo Xiaoqing listened from the side, feeling proud of her beloved.

Yang Guangming shook her hand.

Yan Pingsheng turned a page: "Let's talk about the Korean island. 'Night in Ulaanbaatar' has been in first place for three consecutive weeks, but interestingly, the second-place 'Wild Geese' is very close, sometimes only a few dozen votes apart. Fans of both songs were arguing online, each saying that their favorite was better. Later, a neutral listener came out and said, 'Stop arguing, they're both sung by Yang Guangming, so why argue about it when they're both his songs?'"

Yang Guangming smiled: "That's the truth."

“That’s right.” Yan Pingsheng smiled as well.

"There's an entertainment program on the Korean island that does street interviews. They ask passersby if they know the name 'Sunshine Bright,' and seven or eight out of ten people say they do. They ask them what their favorite song is, and the answers are all over the place. Some say 'Night in Ulaanbaatar,' some say 'Wild Geese,' some say 'At Least I Still Have You,' and some say 'Blue Lotus.'"

Another young man said he likes them all and listens to different songs every day, depending on his mood.

The production team asked him what he did if he couldn't understand the lyrics. He said, "At first I couldn't understand them, but after listening to them more, I could feel the emotions. Later, I found a translator and read the lyrics, and I liked them even more. Now I'm learning Chinese, and once I do, I want to sing it for my girlfriend."

Yang Guangming listened with a faint smile on his lips.

Yan Pingsheng continued, "There's a fairly well-known music producer in Korea who said in an interview that Yang Guangming's success served as a wake-up call for Korean musicians. He said that in recent years, Korean music has focused too much on packaging and form, neglecting the music itself. Yang Guangming's songs have simple arrangements and a down-to-earth singing style, yet they can move so many people, which shows that what listeners really need is genuine emotion."

The producer said that while producing the new album recently, he specifically instructed the singers to avoid excessive embellishment and try to sing in the most natural way. The result was excellent; even before the album's release, the title track has already garnered attention online.

Yang Guangming nodded: "It's a good thing to be able to influence others to make better music."

“Yes, yes, yes,” Yan Pingsheng echoed. “Young Master Ming, you have such a grand vision.”

Yang Guangming shook his head: "It's not that I have a grand vision, it's just that music should naturally be diverse. The more styles there are, the more choices listeners will have."

Yan Pingsheng then reported on the situation in Southeast Asian countries, but this time he went into more detail.

"In Singapore, besides what I mentioned before, there's another matter. There's a very famous Chinese language school there that has always used traditional textbooks to teach Chinese, which students find quite difficult. Recently, a teacher had a brilliant idea: to use your song lyrics as teaching materials, letting students listen to the songs first and then learn the words in the lyrics. As a result, the students' interest increased greatly, and they learned exceptionally quickly."

The teacher, in an interview, said that students used to complain endlessly when asked to memorize vocabulary. Now, they learn lyrics by listening to songs, and some even look them up in the dictionary to find out what the whole song is about. This teaching method has been adopted by several local schools, and it's said to be quite effective.

Yang Guangming was somewhat surprised: "Song lyrics can be used as teaching materials?"

“That’s right,” Yan Pingsheng laughed. “The distributors over there told me that some schools have bought hundreds of albums as teaching materials. The principal said that this is the most popular Chinese class at their school.”

"In Malaysia, besides what I mentioned before, there's another situation. There's a small town with a large Chinese population there, and the town's radio station plays your songs every afternoon. The station manager said that if they play other songs, listeners will call in to request them, but it's always the same few songs. When they play your songs, listeners rarely call in because everyone likes them, and they'll listen to whatever is played."

A grocery store owner, in an interview, said that his store used to be quiet in the afternoons, with few customers. "But ever since the radio station started playing your songs, there are always people in the store in the afternoons. Some buy things, some just come in to listen to the music. He doesn't rush them out; doing business while listening to music makes him feel better."

Yang Guangming smiled: "This boss is interesting."

“It’s quite interesting,” Yan Pingsheng continued. “When a reporter asked him which song he liked best, he said ‘The Moon Caused the Trouble’ because he and his wife met on a full moon night. His wife happened to be next to him when he said this, and she blushed.”

Zuo Xiaoqing couldn't help but laugh.

Yan Pingsheng continued, "In Thailand, besides what I mentioned before, there's another interesting phenomenon. There's a temple there, and the abbot is a rather enlightened old monk. After listening to 'Blue Lotus,' he felt that the line 'Nothing can stop you from yearning for freedom' in the lyrics was very Zen-like, so he quoted it during his sermons."

A believer asked, "Is this a quote from a Buddhist scripture?" The abbot replied, "No, it's not from a Buddhist scripture; it's from a popular song."

The believers were quite surprised and went back to find the music to listen to, and many of them were moved to tears. Later, when word spread, the media interviewed them, and the abbot said, "Buddhist teachings and music are both tools for guiding people; anything that can inspire good thoughts in people is acceptable."

After listening, Yang Guangming remained silent for a while.

He recalled Xu Wei's original intention when he wrote this song in another time and space: to give people strength and hope. Now, this power has spread to Thailand, to a temple, and to the hearts of believers listening to the sermon.

It's a strange feeling.

Yan Pingsheng continued, "In Indonesia, besides young people who like 'My Microphone' and 'Happy Worship,' there is also a group of middle-aged listeners who particularly like 'Too Softhearted.'"

There was a Chinese businessman in the area who was devastated after his business failed. One day, he heard this song in a friend's car, "You're always too soft-hearted, too soft-hearted, carrying all the problems on your own," and suddenly he burst into tears.

After crying, he felt the lyrics were describing his own experience. Too soft-hearted, he carried everything on his own, refusing to give in even when he couldn't bear it anymore. He came to his senses, started to pull himself together, and now his business is slowly improving. In an interview, he said he wanted to thank Yang Guangming and this song for giving him renewed hope for life.

Yang Guangming shook his head: "He figured it out himself, it has nothing to do with me."

“Young Master Ming, please don’t say that,” Yan Pingsheng said earnestly. “Music is a catalyst, it can draw out what’s in people’s hearts. But the catalyst has to be the right one. The fact that your songs can resonate with so many people shows that they are good things in themselves.”

Yang Guangming did not refute this further.

Yan Pingsheng paused for a moment, then continued, "In the Philippines, although sales weren't that high, the response was quite enthusiastic. There's a local music program that plays a song by a foreign singer every week and lets listeners vote."

The week your show "The Moon Caused the Trouble" aired, the number of votes was three times the usual amount. The host said he had never seen anything like it in his ten years of hosting.

In Vietnam, various media outlets have also reported on this extensively, and one particularly interesting point has emerged.

There was a young man in the area who loved your songs, but his family was too poor to afford cassette tapes. Every day, he would stand outside the record store listening, sometimes for an entire afternoon. The shop owner, feeling sorry for him, gave him a cassette tape one day. The young man listened to it all night long, and the next day his eyes were red; he said he had cried several times while listening.

Yang Guangming was silent for a moment, then said, "There are many unfortunate people, but fortunately there is still music."

Yan Pingsheng nodded: "Young Master Ming is right. You can listen to music for free, and it can make you feel better. That's enough."

As Zuo Xiaoqing listened, she recalled some things from her childhood. Although those days were over, she still remembered the feelings. Now, listening to these stories, she felt both bittersweet and warm inside.

Yang Guangming noticed her emotions and squeezed her hand.

Yan Pingsheng then reported: "In Myanmar, although there are no official statistics, the distributor said that your tapes have been sold to the mountainous areas along the border."

Transportation there was inconvenient, but vendors carried their goods over mountains and valleys to deliver them. One vendor said, "Other cassette tapes don't sell well, but you can sell as many as you carry." The young people in the mountains had never heard this kind of music before, and they loved it at first listen.

There has been feedback from Laos as well. At a Chinese-aided construction site there, the workers like to play music during their breaks. Once, they played your song "The Chinese," and a Lao worker happened to be passing by and asked what it was, saying it was very uplifting. The Chinese worker explained the lyrics, and the Lao worker said that although it was sung by Chinese people, he understood the feeling it conveyed.

After listening, Yang Guangming remained silent for a long time.

These stories, selected by Yan Pingsheng from various media reports, may have been embellished to some extent, but they also demonstrate that his album has indeed had some impact in various countries. Yan Pingsheng concluded, “Ming Shao, I’ve collected a huge amount of this feedback. Some are reports from distributors, some from media interviews, and some are letters from listeners. Some of these are particularly meaningful and necessary for domestic promotion. I’ve picked out a few interesting ones to tell you. In short, your songs have truly spread throughout Southeast Asia.”

Yang Guangming nodded: "Thank you for your hard work, President Yan."

"It's not hard work at all," Yan Pingsheng laughed. "After so many years in the publishing business, this is the first time I've done such a pleasant business. Every day is filled with good news and new stories. I'm telling you all, we've caught a lucky break. We've met such a benefactor as Young Master Ming, which makes our work so much easier and allows us to achieve great results."

Yang Guangming said with a smile, "President Yan truly deserves to be a president. Not only is his ability to manage downwards outstanding, but his level of management upwards is also very high. I've come to appreciate that now."

Yan Pingsheng laughed heartily, not taking it to heart. Providing emotional value to the boss is also one of the essential skills for subordinates.

He then reported on sales figures and song rankings in Southeast Asian countries.

"Let's start with Singapore. Since our album was released in Singapore, it has sold over 380,000 copies, which is a record-breaking number there."

On the charts there, "Too Softhearted" ranked first, "The Moon Caused the Trouble" ranked second, and "The Rain Keeps Falling" ranked third. Local Chinese residents preferred the song "Chinese," saying it gave them a strong sense of belonging.

The situation is similar in Malaysia, where sales have already exceeded 270,000 copies.

That's a multi-ethnic country, and Malay and Indian listeners also really like your songs. Besides "Too Softhearted" and "The Moon's Fault," their favorites include "My Microphone" and "Happy Worship." Young people are particularly receptive to songs with a strong beat.

In Thailand, sales exceeded 550,000 copies. Local listeners' favorite songs were "The Moon Caused the Trouble" and "The Rain Keeps Falling." Thai television even did a special feature on your film and music. The host called Yang Guangming an "all-around genius."

Sales in Indonesia were also good, exceeding 240,000 copies. Among young people there, "My Microphone" and "Happy Worship" are the most popular. Local musicians say these two songs have brought new inspiration to Indonesian pop music.

In the Philippines, Vietnam, and Myanmar, while sales weren't as high, they were still steadily increasing. Local distributors said this was the most popular Chinese album they had ever seen outside of Chinese-speaking regions.

Yan Pingsheng paused, his tone filled with emotion: "Young Master Ming, do you know, the Southeast Asian distributors at this meeting were all beaming with joy. They said that in all their years in the Chinese music industry, they've never seen anything this popular. In the past, it was considered good if a Chinese music record sold ten or twenty thousand copies in Southeast Asia, but you've broken their record."

Yang Guangming smiled and said, "It's because everyone likes it, and it's also because your promotion was done well."

“You always say that,” Yan Pingsheng chuckled. “By the way, Young Master Ming, there’s something else. They want to invite you to a small concert in Singapore. They say the fans there are so enthusiastic, they’re calling the record company every day. What do you think…”

Yang Guangming thought for a moment and said, "Not for now. I'm busy right now, let's talk about it later when there's a chance."

Although Yan Pingsheng felt a little regretful, he understood: "Okay, then I'll explain to them. You're really busy right now, with movies, studies, and records all requiring your attention."

After hanging up the phone, Yang Guangming leaned back in his chair and looked out at the persimmon tree.

The August sun was bright, the persimmon tree leaves were lush and green, and small green fruits had already begun to appear.

Zuo Xiaoqing asked softly, "Brother Guangming, your fans in China are all looking forward to your concert, and they also want you to go to Southeast Asia?"

Yang Guangming nodded: "Yeah, but I don't want to go."

Zuo Xiaoqing said regretfully, "With the album selling so well, the fans over there must really like you too."

Yang Guangming smiled and said, "It's precisely because I like it that I have to be more careful. Rushing to do it and dealing with those interviews and shows would not only waste time, but the results might not be good either. Besides, I really don't have time right now. School starts in September, and I have to go back to school. I can't rush the concert. Let's talk about it later."

Zuo Xiaoqing nodded and then asked, "Will you go in the future?"

"I'll probably go." Yang Guangming put his arm around her shoulder. "Maybe one day I'll just feel like going."

Zuo Xiaoqing leaned on his shoulder and didn't ask any more questions.

In the days that followed, the album's popularity continued to rise.

As we entered mid-to-late August, more and more feedback from outside the Chinese-speaking region came back through various channels.

A Japanese television station produced a special program dedicated to the album "18". The program interviewed passersby on the street, asking them what they thought of Yang Guangming's songs.

A young girl said to the camera, "My favorite song is 'Wild Geese.' Although I don't understand the lyrics, the melody makes me want to cry. I specifically looked up the Chinese lyrics translation, and I was even more moved after reading it."

A middle-aged man said, "I initially listened to it with my daughter, but later I became attracted to it myself. Now I often play this album when I'm driving. Yang Guangming's voice is very special, very attractive, and very comfortable to listen to."

An elderly woman said, "I love 'Night in Ulaanbaatar.' I listen to it every night before bed, and it feels like I'm back in my youth, when I also longed for someone in the same way."

A radio station in South Korea did a month-long special, playing one song from the album "18" every day and having experts interpret the lyrics. After the program aired, it received a large number of letters from listeners.

One letter reads: "After listening to 'At Least I Still Have You,' I called my wife who lives abroad. We've been married for thirty years, but we live apart because of work. This song reminded me of a promise I made when I was young, and I wanted to tell her that no matter what, at least I'll still be there for her."

A reader submitted an article to a Singaporean newspaper, writing: "I am of Chinese descent and grew up in Singapore. I don't know much about my motherland. After listening to the song 'The Chinese,' I felt a sense of belonging for the first time. I realized that no matter where we are, we are all Chinese."

A Malaysian musician said in an interview, "Yang Guangming's success has brought new hope to the Southeast Asian music market. He has proven that good music can transcend national borders. Even if we don't speak the same language, our emotions are the same."

When Thai television broadcast the music video for "The Moon Caused the Trouble," it achieved record-breaking ratings for its time slot. The host remarked, "Yang Guangming is not only a great director and singer, but also a super handsome heartthrob. Thai girls are all asking the television station to broadcast more news related to Yang Guangming."

One day, after making sure to shield himself from the sun, Yang Ming unusually accompanied Zuo Xiaoqing to the mall.

As I walked into the audio-visual section, I could hear a shop playing "Too Softhearted" from afar. Upon closer inspection, I saw several young people gathered around the counter, selecting cassette tapes.

One girl said to her companion, "I'm buying this one. All twelve songs are so good, I can't choose at all."

The companion proudly stated, "You're so old-fashioned! You're only buying this album now. I bought the cassette, CD, and vinyl records of this album a long time ago. I think they're very collectible."

The sales clerk chuckled, "It's been like this for the past few days. Almost all the customers who come in are buying this album. Some people aren't satisfied with just buying cassettes; they also want to buy CDs and vinyl records to collect. A couple of days ago, a customer bought fifty vinyl records in one go, saying they were gifts for friends."

Another customer chimed in, "I bought it for my mom. After listening to the cassette tape I bought, she insisted on buying one for herself too. My mom thinks Yang Guangming's voice is so nice, and she's a huge fan of his now."

The young people couldn't help but laugh when they heard this.

Yang Guangming stood not far away, watching this scene, and a sense of satisfaction welled up in his heart.

Zuo Xiaoqing took his arm and said softly, "Brother Guangming, look, they all like you."

Yang Guangming nodded without saying a word.

On the way back, the car passed a music store. The speaker at the entrance was playing "My Deskmate".

"Will you remember the diary you wrote yesterday tomorrow? Will you still think about the you who used to cry the most?"

Yang Guangming made Huang Bo stop the car and observe from the roadside for a while.

People came and went in a steady stream, some carrying albums by Yang Guangming, others carrying bags. A middle-aged man stood at the door, humming along softly to the melody. Beside him stood a girl of about ten years old, presumably his daughter, looking up at him.

Yang Guangming stared for a long time, then had Huang Bo drive away.

Zuo Xiaoqing asked, "Brother Guangming, aren't you very proud?"

Yang Guangming nodded: "That's true to some extent. I think making music is pretty good now."

Zuo Xiaoqing leaned on his shoulder, a proud smile on her face.

The album's popularity continued in the days that followed. (End of Chapter)