Chapter Fifteen: "Do Not Mock the Ambitions of Youth, Once Promised to Be the Finest in the World!"

Zhou Ran’s rendition of “Chasing the Heart of a Dreamer” instantly ignited the audience. After finishing his performance, Zhou Ran spoke again: “At the very beginning of the show, I said something—‘Do not laugh at the ambitions of youth.’ Today, I’d like to share the second half of that phrase with all of you.”

“Do not laugh at the ambitions of youth, for once they vowed to be among the best in the world!”

“I hope that everyone here, after listening to this song, can recall the dreams they held in their youth. Even if the road is difficult, don’t give up.”

“This song is dedicated to all those who chase their dreams.”

With those words, Zhou Ran bowed as customary, expressing his gratitude. His remarks pushed the atmosphere to its peak, setting off a wave of excitement throughout the venue. The entire audience rose to their feet, paying tribute with thunderous applause.

The charm of “Chasing the Heart of a Dreamer” was fully revealed at that moment.

Some songs possess a unique allure. You might grow tired of them after hearing them many times, even become weary. Yet on a certain day, when you hear them again, your emotions are still stirred.

“Chasing the Heart of a Dreamer” is such a song. It might sound a bit odd, not especially elegant, but it holds a peculiar power that can ignite your spirit.

In his previous life, this song served just this purpose. Whenever it played in a video, it inspired and uplifted countless people.

Backstage, Fujiwara Taku was listening and watching Zhou Ran’s performance, growing increasingly excited. He was thoroughly impressed by Zhou Ran’s approach.

“Ji-san, this singer is incredible! Why have I never heard of him before?” Fujiwara Taku was eager to learn more.

Ji Song, standing nearby, could only patiently explain. He could tell from Fujiwara Taku’s reaction that Zhou Ran had won him over—an ideal outcome, since Ji Song had intended to introduce Zhou Ran to him anyway.

Meanwhile, in the studio, Ning Wei was discussing Zhou Ran with a man beside him.

“So? Old Xu, isn’t Zhou Ran impressive? Handsome, talented, and all his songs are original—a pure genius,” Ning Wei praised Zhou Ran with the enthusiasm of a salesman. “Maybe you should consider him for your anti-dumping candidate?”

The man didn’t answer directly, instead teasing Ning Wei.

“Old Ning, you really have high hopes for this young man,” he joked.

As Ning Wei listened, he felt a strange sense of déjà vu.

The scene shifted; the audience votes had been counted.

Nine hundred thirty votes.

Zhou Ran’s performance once again secured first place.

When Zhou Ran returned backstage, the contestants all applauded him. Chen Yi, rarely so expressive, was the first to give Zhou Ran a thumbs-up—an indication that Zhou Ran’s performance had won him over. Chen Yi was not known for praising others.

When Zhou Ran took his seat, Fujiwara Taku came over to speak.

“Zhou-san, your approach was outstanding! Especially the final vocal break—it was flawless. As you say in China, it was the finishing touch!”

“Oh, no, no, you’re too kind,” Zhou Ran replied, embarrassed. That vocal break was simply the result of reaching too high and running out of breath. He awkwardly scratched his head.

Not long after, Ning Wei entered with a broad smile. Zhou Ran found his expression odd, as if an old tree had suddenly blossomed—a bit sly.

Ning Wei’s smile was not without reason. After spending half the day in the studio negotiating, he finally secured an opportunity. The man had promised that, as long as Zhou Ran continued to perform at this level and kept producing original work, he would be given a chance.

Truth be told, Ning Wei was a little envious; this was an opportunity that, if seized, would surely launch a career.

Following routine, Ning Wei announced the voting results: unsurprisingly, Zhou Ran took first place, while Shen Wei was unfortunately eliminated.

After the results were announced, Zhou Ran thought he could finally go home, but Ning Wei stopped him midway, leaving Zhou Ran bewildered.

Ning Wei told Zhou Ran, “Perform well in the upcoming episodes—good things will come your way. If there’s anything you’re unsure of, ask your agent. Keep at it, young man.”

With that, Ning Wei patted Zhou Ran’s shoulder and left, feeling quite heroic, like a master passing on wisdom.

In his heart, Ning Wei thought, “Zhou, you brought a fresh breeze to the show; I’ll give you an opportunity in return.”

Zhou Ran was left confused by Ning Wei’s actions. What did he mean? Why did every single word make sense individually, but together, they became incomprehensible? Helpless, Zhou Ran could only seek Li Mi’s assistance—whenever in doubt, call Li Mi. Coincidentally, he had other matters that needed her help as well.

...

Magic Publishing House.

Li Xi was at his desk, reviewing files sent to his email.

“Oh, honestly, do these people even understand what fantasy novels are? Why are they all about romance? Some are even about boys dating boys?”

As the chief editor of Magic Publishing House, Li Xi was frustrated. Why were all submissions like this every day? He was beginning to question his own sanity—did people even know what fantasy novels were anymore, or were they sending romance stories just to annoy him?

Magic Publishing House was once one of the four major publishers in the country, with its own period of glory.

At one time, it rose to number one among domestic publishers thanks to its fantasy novels—it was the peak of its success.

But as times changed, fantasy novels began to decline, and Magic Publishing House was on the verge of losing its place among the top four.

There were many reasons. First, the novelty of simple, formulaic stories led to a dwindling audience for fantasy novels. Second, many writers switched to producing these formulaic works, as the income difference was staggering.

Writing a formulaic story mindlessly could earn a fortune, while carefully crafting a fantasy novel brought in less than a tenth of that. Who would choose the latter?

As a result, Magic Publishing House fell into decline, surviving only by relying on its past glory—but even that would run out eventually. As chief editor, Li Xi was deeply troubled.

He had witnessed the heyday of fantasy novels and now watched helplessly as they faded—an unbearably painful experience.

After pondering for a long time, Li Xi finally decided to dial a number from his phone and try his luck.