Due to this, Cosmos Short Vid created a new feature called “Celebrity Topics”, with stars and fans as the main focus. This was specially developed for the celebrity chasers, where fans could communicate with each other and their idols.
Once “Celebrity Topics” was released, fangirls collectively shifted their focus from Weibo to Cosmos Short Vid.
With this feature, the posts were about fans complimenting their idols, fans begging for celebrity picture cards, exchanging cards, and showing off how many picture cards were in their collections.
New cards had been constantly released but no one knew exactly how many there were.
According to their collective statistics, there were about 254 cards released thus far.
Chu Ying and Song Wenye were part of these fans who collected Qi Xiu’s cards. Song Wenye managed to get 200, but Chu Ying struggled desperately and only got 100.
“You girls are really willing to waste your family fortune just to chase an idol.” Lin Ge was impressed yet baffled at their fanaticism. “Cosmos Entertainment is really smart. They earn so much more just from this card collection.”
Chu Ying did not care about Cosmos Entertainment but only the cards. “Do you know how much Chen Bingbing has collected?”
Lin Ge muttered, “How would I know?”
Chu Ying gave him a blank look, ignored him, and ran to Shen Xi. “Xixi, do you know anyone who bought Qi Xiu’s album and doesn’t want the card? I can pay for it!”
Shen Xi was scrolling through her phone and said lazily, “You want that set of cards so badly?”
Chu Ying nodded with an enthralled expression and made a bold statement. “I’m willing to be single for one decade in exchange for that whole set of cards!”
“Then I’ll ask and see if I can get you guys a few sets.” When Shen Xi joined the planning meeting for this gimmick, the cards were intended as a surprise and reward for the fans. They also wanted to show the extra effort they put in for the fans and took more pictures of Qi Xiu during the shoot.
Shen Xi did not expect the fans would go crazy for these small photocards but this was a pleasant surprise. It increased the interactions between fans and created a solid fanbase, which raked in a lot of profits for the company.
Fans who were crazy about collecting these photocards but did not have much money would exchange them with each other or buy them separately, whereas the rich ones would just buy the albums in bulk since they were not lacking money. Then, they would remove the photocards and give those albums away in the “Celebrity Topics” group.
The card collection promoted the physical album sales, so as of now, they had exceeded five million copies, which was more than double that of Su Muyan’s album sales. Qi Xiu’s daily sales were still rising at an alarming rate and had not reached their peak yet.
Chu Ying looked at her in surprise. “Sister Xi, you can do that?! Do you know anyone in Cosmos Entertainment? Are they from management?”
“I’ll try.” Shen Xi thought to herself, ‘I am the management…’ Getting these cards was easy for her and she would willingly give them a set.
Chu Ying was so excited that she wanted to hug her.
Shen Xi pressed one finger on Chu Ying’s forehead to stop and remind her, “Class is in session…”
Chu Ying was so grateful that her eyes were misty with tears. She then ran back to her seat in delight and did not doubt that Shen Xi could get these cards for her.
This afternoon was the last training session before the National Physics Olympiad, which would start at 9:00 am tomorrow in S City.
Shen Xi and Song Wenye sat in the last row of the classroom.
Yu Qiubai sat on Shen Xi’s left and deliberately left an empty seat between them because he was afraid of being driven away by her. He folded his long legs on the table and fiddled with the pen in his hand as he asked Shen Xi. “When will your sister come to the capital?”
Shen Xi’s head remained low and she said in a cold voice, “If you need your ring urgently, I’ll ask my sister to courier it to you.”
Her uncle and aunt said they would need another week to wrap up the family business before they could come to the Capital. They were still waiting for one more payment.
“I’m not in a rush.” Yu Qiubai thought of that gentle and well-behaved girl, then asked another question, “What is your sister planning to do when she comes over?”
Shen Xi swept him a threatening glance. “It has nothing to do with you.”
Yu Qiubai looked at Shen Xi’s protective and wary face that only thought of him as a bad guy. He shrugged his shoulders indifferently and said, “Your sister is coming over to treat her eyes, right?”
Shen Xi did not pay attention to him.
Yu Qiubai sighed and thought, ‘When will I be treated the same as Pei Xu?’
The Top Class was very quiet that day. Not many people talked, even the usually arrogant Chen Bingbing who liked to pick a fight was crestfallen.
Su Ruowan looked at her phone miserably.
Chen Bingbing sat next to her and advised her, “Wanwan, don’t look. They’re all crazy and talking nonsense. Qi Xiu’s nothing and Brother Yan is still the best.”
As she said this, she thought of slapping herself in the face.
Su Ruowan smiled bitterly. “Bingbing, I just feel sorry for you guys for getting so much pressure because of me. I’ll help you girls think of a way to get the money.”
Chen Bingbing was bold. “Don’t talk about money. We’re good friends, so don’t mention it!”
‘Money? Is it called spending money if I spend it on my husband? That’s called willingly buying happiness!’
“That’s right, Wanwan. You don’t have to worry about this. We can still afford this amount.”
“You should stop worrying. Brother Yan’s strength is obvious. Qi Xiu is just lucky.”
“The songs that Qi Xiu composed himself are just average. The main thing is his music producer for his main songs. Anyone would be a hit if they hired that composer!”
A group of girls went around to console Su Ruowan. They did not mention Qi Xiu’s talent and attributed his success instead to the producer of his main songs.
In fact, they admitted that Qi Xiu’s main songs were phenomenal. Any of those songs would make an album popular all over the country. These three main songs in the same album had an explosive effect and raised Qi Xiu onto a pedestal.
Besides the music producer, Qi Xiu himself was capable too. The songs written by Qi Xiu could beat Su Muyan’s hands down.
Not to mention, the Chinese music industry was in a decline lately and needed a strong stimulant. Since Su Muyan’s debut, he had been buying a following to brainwash the public that he was the hope and rising star of the Chinese music industry.
Besides his fans and marketing accounts bragging about his strength and talent, the general public did not acknowledge his title. Professional musicians knew that he was not qualified to be the hope of the Chinese music industry.
Qi Xiu and Xixi, his main songs’ composer, came out of nowhere and made a huge splash in the music industry, creating new hope in the increasingly stagnant music scene.
The music industry’s big shots had also expressed their heartfelt hope and expectations for this new singer.
“Thanks, girls.” Su Ruowan looked at them gratefully.
