[Chapter 500: The Explosive Single Sales]
Linton's music video for You'll Be In My Heart was shot amid a whirlwind of rampant tabloid rumors.
Ironically, even without any prior work, Xu Qing had already gained remarkable popularity and recognition across America. Universal Records seized the moment and announced the official release date of the single, You'll Be In My Heart.
Soon after, the MV director, Jack, worked overtime through two consecutive all-nighters to deliver the first cut of the music video as quickly as possible.
---
Meanwhile, the box office performance of Police Story 4: First Strike inevitably declined once the weekday started. On Monday, it made $2.87 million, a 45% drop -- but still within a healthy range. The following days saw slightly decreasing numbers: Tuesday $2.84 million, Wednesday $2.78 million, Thursday $2.73 million.
At the end of the full week, the total box office hit $27.87 million, claiming the number one spot for that week.
However, with new releases arriving on Friday, Police Story 4: First Strike's theater count was expected to shrink to 2,000 screens. Regardless, pulling in $28.56 million in its opening week was a colossal success. Judging by the trend, $50 million wouldn't be the final tally -- hitting $60 million looked increasingly likely.
---
On April 28th, the You'll Be In My Heart music video aired simultaneously on MTV, the UPN Network, and MCA Television, sparking a huge response. Several other TV stations quickly approached Universal Records seeking broadcast rights.
Xu Qing's charm and allure were embraced by North American audiences through the MV. While many viewers did not appreciate her beauty, the majority recognized and admired her charisma and sensuality.
More importantly, Xu Qing was the very first female star to collaborate with Linton since his highly publicized beauty enhancement and vitality supplements debuted. The buzz was off the charts -- everyone had subconsciously accepted her as a Hollywood actress.
Her agent Mira started receiving numerous lucrative commercial offers -- from apparel to watches and sunglasses -- with all offers exceeding $1 million. Unfortunately, the brands behind these contracts were lesser-known mass-market labels, mostly short-term deals.
Considering her vacation was ending soon, and following Linton's advice to plan her commercial value strategically, Xu Qing declined these offers. Since she was already the official beauty ambassador for the products, she decided to wait until the stores officially opened and the beauty and vitality pills were on sale before taking on any endorsements.
That same day, 12 million copies of the single, both CD and vinyl, flooded music and record shops across the country, with posters prominently displayed in every venue.
...
On April 29th, You'll Be In My Heart hit the shelves officially.
Daniel, surprisingly, did not schedule Linton for any promotional appearances -- not even interviews or roadshows. According to Daniel, Linton's current hype was more than enough. The media frenzy during the MV filming had made him a household name, and the simultaneous play on three major TV platforms ensured everyone knew the new single had dropped.
Indeed, Daniel's strategy paid off. The single exploded with unimaginable sales. On the very first day, April 29th alone, it sold 413 thousand copies, smashing every record imaginable.
That one-day sales figure even surpassed the total sales of most Billboard chart-toppers.
This astonishing success shocked even the most confident Daniel and Linton himself.
They wondered aloud: Was this for real? Judging by the numbers, this single's sales were skyrocketing to unheard-of heights.
The previously rushed production of 1.2 million discs was clearly insufficient and wouldn't last more than a few days.
To make matters crazier, several stores reported they had already sold out and urgently requested restocks -- even though the company had no inventory left.
Without hesitation, they instructed the pressing plants to open new production lines and speed up disc pressing. Over three million units had already been produced in the past couple of days and were rushing out for shipment.
As for international markets, Daniel decided to hold steady -- first fully satisfy the North American demands.
The next day, sales continued to surge, reaching 394 thousand copies, bringing two-day cumulative sales to 807 thousand --enough to place the single among last year's top five best-selling singles in North America.
---
On the same day of the single's launch afternoon, April 29th, Linton returned to the farm with Xu Qing.
April 30th was the official day to hand over the vitality and beauty pills to four major clients: the White House, California, Los Angeles, and Montana.
Linton had initially thought about personally delivering the elixirs since it was the first shipment and these clients had paid generously with exceptional support terms.
To his surprise, all four requested to pick up the shipments in person. Linton understood their underlying desire to see the production process firsthand.
But he didn't mind -- he knew the true secrets were indecipherable and they couldn't replicate the formulas anyway.
...
After more than ten days, spring had fully blossomed on the farm. Busy planting and tending had begun. Across the vast fields, workers operated machinery diligently.
Security was extremely tight around the small farm, now fully managed by Thunder Guards. All outsiders had to pass rigorous check-ins and be personally vouched for by insiders.
Despite this, farm production went on without a hitch, the fields buzzing with purposeful activity.
Back at the main estate, Linton entrusted Xu Qing to Li Xiaoran and housekeeper Erica, then went to inspect the health factory with its general manager, Meena.
Thankfully, production was smooth -- after all, it was a simple assembly line operation.
...
Meena, who had transformed from assistant into a confident businesswoman since taking over as factory GM, accompanied Linton to her office.
Her professional and commanding presence, combined with the visible glow from the beauty pills, made Meena more attractive than ever in Linton's eyes.
She proactively reported, "Boss, factory production is running perfectly. As of yesterday, we have produced 5,960 bottles of the beauty supplement. Per your orders, 1000 bottles for the White House, 334 for California, 34 for Los Angeles, and 34 for Montana have all been prepared separately."
"Good. Here's your reward vitality pill -- one pill per month, taken the same way as the beauty pill," Linton said, handing her a black quartz vial containing twelve vitality pills.
"Thank you, boss -- I love you!" Meena exclaimed without hesitation, suddenly throwing herself into Linton's arms and planting a bold kiss.
Linton's impression of Meena had been stuck in her assistant days. He hadn't anticipated this move and was caught off guard. Awkwardly, he didn't push her away roughly -- after all, he prided himself on his gentlemanly demeanor. She had a surprisingly sweet mouth.
"Alright, don't do that again."
Meena's heart leaped with joy. Having had the first time, she wondered if there would be a second or even a third. Someday, she vowed, she would climb into his bed and settle into his grand estate for good.
But to avoid embarrassment, she quickly changed the subject: "Boss, how is the vitality elixir produced? I've been wondering, if production delays continue, we won't make the May 6th launch."
"The vitality pill's production is a bit special. I've arranged it separately. You just focus on the beauty pills."
"Got it."
...
Back in the familiar garden, enjoying a rare moment of privacy between the two, Xu Qing thought about how her vacation was nearing its end.
That night, in their intimate embrace, she took the lead completely, unleashing every seductive talent she possessed. Their rhythms intertwined seamlessly -- incessant sweet, enchanting moans echoed through the night...
*****
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