"You really are a shrewd businessman," Ah Hua joked with a laugh.
Zhang Yichen raised an eyebrow, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips."Brother Hua, I call this reasonable pricing."
Ah Hua burst into laughter, nodding as he picked up a piece of sweet-and-sour ribs. After chewing a few bites, he said,"You're right. For people like us, the time and costs saved by this software aren't small at all."
Gangzi set down his chopsticks and looked at Zhang Yichen calmly."Brother Lin, how are you handling the copyright protection for this software? What if someone cracks it?"
Zhang Yichen remained composed, lightly tapping his fingers against the table."Don't worry, Brother Gang. The core code has multiple layers of encryption. Even top-tier hackers would have a hard time breaking it."
"Besides, every user is bound to their personal account. If illegal copying or distribution is detected, the system will automatically lock it."
Ah Hua nodded, a hint of admiration in his eyes."You've really thought this through. By the way, how much are you planning to charge?"
Zhang Yichen lifted his teacup and took a sip, a sly glint appearing in his eyes."Ten thousand per song. But don't worry—you two can use it for free."
Gangzi frowned slightly, seemingly calculating the value."That price isn't expensive, especially for individuals or studios. It's definitely worth the money."
Ah Hua laughed."Yeah, not expensive at all. I'll give it a try later. If it works well, I'll help promote it."
A trace of delight flashed in Zhang Yichen's eyes as he raised his teacup."Then I'll thank you in advance, Brother Hua."
Since they had a livestream scheduled for the evening, none of them drank alcohol.
Even so, they chatted while eating, and the dinner lasted over an hour.
What they didn't know was that the two preview clips Zhang Yichen uploaded that afternoon had already gone viral on the "Joy" platform.
Within just over an hour, the download numbers for the two songs had already surpassed one million.
And the momentum showed no signs of slowing down.
Night had fallen like ink, scattered lights outside dotting the dark sky, while the atmosphere inside the dining room remained lively.
The dishes on the table had been swept clean, leaving only a few empty plates and bowls behind.
Zhang Yichen leaned back in his chair, lightly tapping the rim of his teacup, his gaze thoughtfully fixed on the phone resting on the table.
The screen displayed real-time data from the "Joy" platform. The download numbers for Rise and Heaven and Earth Dragon Scales were still skyrocketing, and the comment section was refreshing rapidly.
"This is too good! What kind of divine song is this?""I've lived seventy-eight years and never heard singing like this!""Lin the academic genius is truly talented—perfectly blending opera and modern music!"
…
Chen Xiaoxi sat across from him, absentmindedly clutching the corner of her clothes, occasionally glancing at his phone, her eyes filled with nervous anticipation.
Her lips pressed together slightly, as though she wanted to say something but forced herself to remain silent.
Finally, she couldn't hold back any longer and softly asked,"A-Chen… how are the numbers?"
Zhang Yichen looked up, a glimmer flashing in his eyes as a faint smile appeared."Not bad. Both Rise and Heaven and Earth Dragon Scales have passed one million downloads. The comment section is still heating up."
Ah Hua's eyes filled with admiration."Brother Lin, your speed is unbelievable. Going viral within an hour like this is rare."
Gangzi still kept a stern face, but his tone carried rare approval."Indeed. The quality of these two songs is high. Combined with your software's efficiency, being able to release works quickly is definitely an advantage."
Zhang Yichen smiled slightly and pushed the phone toward Chen Xiaoxi."Sister Xiaoxi, take a look. Everyone's praising your singing."
Chen Xiaoxi took the phone, her fingers gently scrolling as she read the comments one by one.
A faint blush gradually spread across her cheeks. Her eyes grew slightly moist, yet the corners of her lips lifted unconsciously.
This song was her stepping stone to the Spring Festival Gala.
From the looks of it, she was only one step away from success.
Her fingers trembled slightly. The warm comments on the screen felt like a stream of warmth flowing into her heart.
Her throat tightened as she spoke in a hushed voice."A-Chen… did I really do it?"
Zhang Yichen stood up, walked around the table, and gently placed his hand on her shoulder, his touch warm and firm."Sister Xiaoxi, you should believe in your own strength."
Seeing this, Ah Hua smiled and raised his teacup toward them."Miss Chen, your talent is unquestionable. Tonight's livestream will be even more exciting."
Gangzi remained silent, but the coldness in his gaze softened, replaced with a trace of recognition.
He glanced at his watch and reminded them,"It's about time. We should prepare for the livestream."
Zhang Yichen nodded, sweeping his gaze across everyone present."Let's go. The livestream has already been warmed up. Now it's time to witness a miracle."
They stood one after another and headed toward the study.
The villa was large, and the study was equally spacious, so the group didn't feel crowded after entering.
Since everything for the livestream had already been arranged, Ah Hua and Gangzi would appear midway through the broadcast.
So Zhang Yichen first guided them to the sofa, then helped them register accounts on "Joy."
He also granted both of them Gold-V verification.
Ah Hua raised an eyebrow, smiling faintly."You're pretty efficient."
Gangzi still maintained his serious expression, but the anticipation in his eyes couldn't be hidden."Now that it's verified, can we start using it?"
Zhang Yichen nodded."All set. You're now Gold-V verified users on Joy. Any content you post will automatically receive priority recommendations."
Ah Hua took out his phone and eagerly opened Joy. As soon as the interface refreshed, a golden "V" icon appeared beside his profile picture.
He scrolled a few times and landed on Zhang Yichen's Congratulations and Prosperity performance video.
"Well done, kid. Your imitation is so accurate that even I can't tell the difference."
Zhang Yichen smiled."Brother Hua, imitation is still imitation. It can't compare to the original. Using your voice to sing always feels slightly off."
Gangzi also took out his phone and operated it for a moment, frowning slightly."The interface is clean, but aren't the features a bit too simple?"
Zhang Yichen smiled confidently."Brother Gang, it's not simple. The platform also integrates karaoke, livestreaming, and a marketplace."
Ah Hua's eyes lit up."Oh? That many features? Then I'm really looking forward to it."
While Ah Hua and Gangzi explored the app, Zhang Yichen opened the livestream.