Chapter 48: Creating a Record

That night, when Zhang Qiyang guested on Zebra Live, he shattered multiple records not only for Zebra but for the entire livestreaming industry.

First, the peak of real-time viewers reached a staggering 8.18 million—an astronomical figure, surpassing Zebra’s previous single-room record of 3.1 million by a full 5.08 million. This data point alone was enough to make waves throughout the industry. Even in their wildest dreams, Zebra’s team had never dared hope their audience numbers would climb so high.

To capitalize on the hype, the Zebra team also boosted the room's viewership by about two million, rounding it up to a neat ten million. In the industry, this was a sensational headline. Although their methods for inflating the numbers weren’t particularly sophisticated—anyone with experience analyzing data and traffic could spot the manipulation—no one could deny that, thanks to Zhang Qiyang, Zebra had launched a massive publicity coup, setting a miraculous new record for concurrent viewers.

Hyena Live had been monitoring Zebra’s numbers and situation throughout. Despite all the heavy-handed tactics they deployed, Zebra’s victory left them utterly deflated and demoralized.

Beyond Hyena, every mainstream video livestreaming platform was following the intense battle between Zebra and their rival. Witnessing Zebra topple Hyena with just one headline-grabbing guest left the industry both shocked and envious. Many platforms were now eager to invite Zhang Qiyang to appear on their own streams, hoping to draw in similar traffic.

Preliminary statistics showed that Zhang Qiyang brought at least 1.5 million new registered users to Zebra in a single night. In the livestreaming world, there’s a common rule: acquiring a new real-name registered user costs a platform at least seven yuan. Zhang Qiyang’s contribution in just one night was worth many times the fee they paid him—on the new users alone, Zebra had hit the jackpot.

The special stream Zhang Qiyang joined started at 7:40 p.m. and ended at 9:15 p.m. In less than two hours, the total value of gifts sent in the stream reached a staggering 4.01 million yuan. This set a new record for the highest gift total in a single room for a single session on Zebra.

Nearly 400 “carrier fleet” gifts were sent that night. In the opening segment, Zhang Qiyang himself received 95 carrier fleets, setting the record for the most sent by a single person in one stream. “Pig Third” sent 83 carrier fleets, itself an unprecedented figure in previous streams. These high-rollers alone contributed nearly two million yuan to the stream’s revenue—a figure far exceeding the usual total for online gifting.

Although the industry often reports news of several million in gifts sent in one night, 99% of those are staged by the platforms as publicity stunts. For example, whenever Hyena launches a major event, there are always stories of “tycoons” throwing down millions in gifts, but insiders know those numbers are fabricated for hype.

This time, however, Zebra’s special stream for Zhang Qiyang was 100% genuine. Zhang Qiyang was entitled to cash out 80% of the gift total—if Zebra had faked the numbers, it would have cost them dearly. So, not a single number was inflated. The 4.01 million yuan in gifts was entirely real, contributed by genuine viewers. Zebra’s share of this, over 800,000 yuan, already more than covered the 500,000 yuan appearance fee they paid Zhang Qiyang, and left them with a tidy profit.

Even more valuable was the enormous publicity and social buzz generated by the stream, which brought Zebra an unprecedented level of exposure and discussion. By any metric, Zebra’s decision to invite Zhang Qiyang was a massive win.

Another thing that greatly excited the Zebra team: during the stream, Zhang Qiyang, full of enthusiasm, agreed with the two female hosts and millions of viewers that if he won another weekly championship on “My Song,” he’d return for another Zebra stream and give away his trophy live. This bold declaration caused a huge stir and controversy during the broadcast. Many believed Zhang Qiyang was being wildly arrogant and insisted he could never win again. The Zebra team, however, was thrilled. Whether or not Zhang Qiyang could win another “My Song” championship, as long as he made such a promise, they were confident they could bring him back.

As soon as the stream ended, Zebra’s team began planning how to invite Zhang Qiyang for another special event in the near future. Streams like this were simply too valuable for their platform, especially during such fierce competition with Hyena. Zhang Qiyang’s presence was a godsend for Zebra. As long as he didn’t provoke massive public outrage, Zebra would do whatever it took to keep him close.

Not only did this special stream bring huge benefits to Zebra, but Zhang Qiyang’s dazzling musical talent also promoted Eastern Music Network, which reaped significant rewards as well. Before the stream, Zhang Qiyang had been invited to guest on Eastern Music Network, and their team hoped to capitalize on the momentum by releasing his new champion single, “This is the New Shit,” to continue the surge in traffic and discussion from the previous week.

However, because the song itself was so controversial, Chen Ke strongly advised Zhang Qiyang not to perform it again, and the release plan was scrapped. Not everyone is oblivious; many could tell Zhang Qiyang’s lyrics were loaded with insults.

On Monday, Star City TV had already received a fine from the broadcasting authority. Public commentators and detractors online seized upon the incident, their calls to ban Zhang Qiyang growing louder and louder. Many with ulterior motives fanned the flames, hoping to see Zhang Qiyang brought down for good. Even if the entertainment industry itself didn’t blacklist him, public opinion was pressuring “My Song” to drop him from the lineup.

This week, the “My Song” production team faced even greater pressure than before—accusations of a rigged contest, negative influence, corrupting the youth, and so on. The endless stream of criticism left the production team gasping for air. The Eastern Entertainment team, too, was at their wits’ end dealing with Zhang Qiyang. Chen Ke, who managed a roster of A-list artists, spent almost all her time cleaning up after Zhang Qiyang’s messes, aside from handling a few matters for Li Xuan.

The Eastern Entertainment team kept negotiating with the “My Song” producers, urging them to keep a low profile. Eventually, the two sides reached a consensus: they would withstand the pressure and not ask Zhang Qiyang, their top draw, to withdraw. However, they ordered Eastern Entertainment to keep Zhang Qiyang in check—no more trouble for the show.

If another incident like “This is the New Shit” resulted in the station being fined or warned, the production team would no longer protect him. Fearing Zhang Qiyang’s unpredictable temperament, Chen Ke did not relay the producers’ stern warning to him. She merely urged him repeatedly not to sing “This is the New Shit” again, so as not to let the controversy escalate further.

Zhang Qiyang, knowing he’d caused trouble for many people, stayed away from the controversy for the rest of the week. No matter how many people hounded him on Weibo, demanding to know what he’d really sung, he ignored them all. He also declined Eastern Music Network’s request to release “This is the New Shit.”

But, after all, Eastern Music Network was his own company, and Zhang Qiyang genuinely hoped to see it grow as a champion of legitimate music. He met with the team and devised a new plan to release “I Don’t Care.”

Before the Zebra stream, Zhang Qiyang hadn’t planned to perform “Old Chinese Doctor” or “Spring Breeze Ten Miles”—those were spur-of-the-moment improvisations. But he had long intended to release “I Don’t Care” as a statement of his attitude. Eastern Music Network was ready to distribute the song. When Zhang Qiyang performed it on Zebra Live, Eastern Music Network immediately featured it on their homepage and released it at once, riding the wave of his surging popularity.