Chapter 133: “I Love You”

"Yes, yes, yes, this is exactly the feeling I want—let’s keep it like this."

Zhou Ran and Zhang Xiaofeng sat in the recording studio, watching Zhang Yuan inside, singing the same song over and over again.

The next episode of "Heavenly Voice" required songs of the sweet love genre, which was completely different from Zhang Yuan's usual singing style and repertoire.

Since her debut, Zhang Yuan had always leaned toward melancholic and deeply emotional songs, rarely venturing into sweet, lovey-dovey tunes. Such songs clashed somewhat with Zhang Yuan’s image—she had always portrayed a young, somewhat sophisticated urban woman, and her singing style reflected that persona.

When Zhang Yuan first heard about the theme for the next episode from the "Heavenly Voice" production team, she found herself a bit stumped. Though she had anticipated this might happen, she hadn’t expected it to come so suddenly and so soon, catching her completely off guard.

She knew the producers weren’t targeting her specifically; this was a challenge most singers faced. Everyone had their strengths and weaknesses, and sweet, cute love songs just weren’t Zhang Yuan’s forte—they conflicted with her established image.

Fortunately, Zhou Ran, her human golden touch, was by her side. He immediately gave Zhang Yuan a reassuring look, signaling her to relax and trust that he had everything under control.

That was exactly why Zhang Yuan’s company had hired Zhou Ran. Otherwise, he might have felt awkward accepting such a hefty fee from them. As soon as Zhang Yuan finished recording, her company promptly transferred the payment to Zhou Ran’s account, anxious that any delay might upset him.

All of this was earned by Zhou Ran through his undeniable talent. People with real skill command respect wherever they go—an eternal truth. Zhang Yuan’s company fully recognized Zhou Ran’s value and did everything to keep him content.

Zhou Ran was genuinely pleased to receive the payment; after all, few people turn down money. If anyone did, it was only because the amount was insufficient. And this sum was merely an appetizer, with more earnings expected after the song’s release.

To justify the fee, Zhou Ran wasted no time after Wang Chong explained the next recording’s requirements. He crafted the new song quickly but deliberately extended the writing process to avoid drawing too much attention—after all, producing a song in just a few minutes could seem suspicious if done repeatedly.

He thoughtfully chose to take three hours to write the song, successfully creating the piece Zhang Yuan would prepare for her next competition.

Beside him, Zhang Xiaofeng immediately grabbed the lyrics as soon as Zhou Ran finished writing. She read them only briefly before looking at Zhou Ran with surprise—she hadn’t expected him to compose such a sweet song.

“If you suddenly sneeze,
It must mean I’m thinking of you.”

Zhang Xiaofeng read the line and shivered with goosebumps, imagining how Zhou Ran would sing it. She couldn’t fathom what that would look like—there was no doubt it would have the entire audience bursting into laughter because the contrast was just too strong.

To be honest, the song Zhou Ran wrote, titled "Love You," wasn’t really suited for a male singer. If a man sang it, it might come across as overly effeminate. On the other hand, it was perfect for a female vocalist. The lyrics alone conveyed a cute vibe, and paired with a charming female voice, it would be utterly enchanting. Zhang Xiaofeng could already picture the adorable performance.

As she thought this, she glanced at Zhang Yuan and inexplicably felt a pang of envy. Having Zhou Ran write a song personally was truly a blessing.

The song Zhou Ran had written for Zhang Yuan was the classic "Love You," originally sung by Cyndi Wang—a quintessential example of a cute and sweet love song.

Cyndi Wang herself earned the nickname "Sweetheart Queen" and captured the hearts of countless young fans in her heyday. Alongside two other contemporaries, she was hailed as one of the "Three Great Queens," a cultural phenomenon of her time.

Though approaching forty, she still maintained impeccable form—a testament to the seemingly ageless quality of some female entertainers in the Chinese entertainment industry. Their youthful appearances showed no signs of aging, as if they had discovered the secret to eternal beauty.

Unbeknownst to Zhou Ran, Cyndi Wang’s career had recently experienced a resurgence thanks to this very song, rekindling fond memories among middle-aged fans and sparking a renewed wave of "Cyndi Wang Boys" fandom.

When Zhang Yuan received the lyrics Zhou Ran had written, her reaction mirrored Zhang Xiaofeng’s—she was equally surprised.

Zhang Yuan felt uncertain about whether she could pull off this style. Just imagining herself singing the song made her cringe, as awkward as a six-foot-tall man performing a bunny dance on stage—something that felt inherently discordant.

At this moment, Zhou Ran stepped up and delivered a dose of tough love. He firmly believed every girl secretly had a sweet, playful side; she just hadn’t discovered it yet.

“Ah, don’t worry, Yuan. I believe in you. With your talent, singing this song is a piece of cake!”

“And when the next episode airs, how about I go with you? We’ll give you a dazzling, perfect debut as the star. I’ll be your sidekick—how’s that sound? I’ve never been anyone’s sidekick since I debuted!”

“Don’t be scared, Yuan. Xu Yan is just waiting for you to slip up and become her joke.”

Finally, after Zhou Ran’s encouraging pep talk and a bit of provocation, Zhang Yuan grudgingly agreed to sing the song "Love You" that Zhou Ran had written.

But as she agreed, she couldn’t help but let slip a sly smile.