Chapter 39: "No Room for Mistakes"

After the competition for "Who Is the King of Songs" ended, it did not mean that Zhou Ran could finally take a break. On the contrary, it signaled the start of a much busier schedule for him. For the past several days, Li Mi had been occupied arranging Zhou Ran’s various activities and engagements.

Now that the competition was over, Zhou Ran had to head straight to the airport. There was a multitude of matters waiting for him in the Magic City, all postponed until after the contest due to his participation. As a result, he had no time to rest; the moment the competition ended, he had to rush off to catch his flight.

While waiting to board at the airport, Li Mi pulled out a stack of contracts and handed them to Zhou Ran.

“Huh? What’s all this?” Zhou Ran was bewildered at the sight of the pile of contracts.

“These are all offers for potential collaborations,” Li Mi explained patiently.

“Wow, am I really in such demand now?” Only then did Zhou Ran realize how much his value had soared.

“That’s right, Xiao Ran. And these are just the ones I’ve personally filtered for you.” Li Mi shrugged helplessly. She had already screened out any unsuitable proposals before presenting them to Zhou Ran.

If Zhou Ran were to accept every contract offer, his schedule could easily be filled for the next two or three years—without a single day off.

“Excuse me, are you Zhou Ran? Could I get your autograph?” a flight attendant approached, asking for his signature.

Zhou Ran’s fame had reached the point where even the flight attendants on a random plane could recognize him.

“Oh, a fan? Sure!” Zhou Ran still hadn’t fully grasped the extent of his own popularity, and the autograph request surprised him a little. Nevertheless, he did not refuse—after all, it was just a fan, so giving an autograph was nothing out of the ordinary.

He took the pen and signed for the flight attendant. But as he handed over the autograph, his expression changed for a brief moment before quickly returning to normal.

It was only after the flight attendant had left that Zhou Ran revealed a slip of paper hidden in his palm. On it was a phone number.

The paper had been secretly slipped into his hand by the flight attendant when she accepted his autograph. The move left Zhou Ran dumbfounded.

He was no fool and instantly understood what the flight attendant meant by giving him her number.

I thought you were a fan, but you actually want to sleep with me? Zhou Ran immediately tore up the slip of paper and tossed it in the trash.

He didn’t want to report the flight attendant or make a fuss—it was all too much trouble. It was easier to just destroy the note and pretend it had never happened. After discarding the paper, Zhou Ran reclined in his seat, intending to get some rest.

What Zhou Ran didn’t know was that Li Mi had been quietly keeping an eye on him the whole time. She’d seen every detail of the encounter with the flight attendant.

Zhou Ran’s reaction satisfied Li Mi—this was the Xiao Ran she knew and trusted. If instead of destroying the note he had secretly kept it, he’d be facing a torrent of scolding next. Li Mi would never tolerate such things happening around her artists.

She had seen too many celebrities ruin their reputations, their promising futures destroyed by such incidents. Li Mi understood the motives of people like that flight attendant: looking for a shortcut to success without any effort.

If Zhou Ran had kept the note and contacted the flight attendant, Li Mi could already foresee what would happen next. The flight attendant would try to take a photo with him and use it as leverage for endless blackmail, or perhaps demand marriage. If Zhou Ran went along with it, he’d end up as her long-term meal ticket—no question about it.

And if he really made such a mistake, Li Mi wouldn’t bother managing him anymore. Someone who can’t even control himself would be beyond saving—she’d be better off looking after a dog.

Fortunately, Zhou Ran hadn’t disappointed her. His conduct was worthy of all the hard work she had put in these past days.

In the span of a week, Li Mi had traveled to five or six cities and visited more than ten companies to negotiate a variety of deals. She conducted thorough background checks to avoid any scandals, ensuring there were no hidden dangers in the companies they worked with.

Zhou Ran had told Li Mi in advance that he would never endorse health supplements or medicines. The quality of such products was too unreliable. Should something go wrong, Zhou Ran would feel tormented, especially if his fans suffered because they trusted his endorsement. That would be the end of him.

Li Mi fully agreed with this principle—money could be earned, but not at the expense of one’s conscience. No matter what, they had to live up to their own moral standards.

At present, Li Mi was the only person working for Zhou Ran, so she handled all of his affairs personally, making sure he had nothing to worry about. Otherwise, she’d feel undeserving of her substantial salary—after all, even a single endorsement now brought Zhou Ran a sum in the eight-figure range.

On the way to the airport, Li Mi had actually suggested that Zhou Ran consider renegotiating his agent’s contract. But Zhou Ran, ever the man of his word, refused outright, saying a true man stands by his promises, never going back on his word.

After a long flight, Zhou Ran and Li Mi finally arrived at the Magic City airport.

Once they landed, Zhou Ran stretched to ease the discomfort of sitting for so long. But this was part of the price of success; from now on, such schedules would become his new normal.

Zhou Ran and Li Mi exited the airport through the VIP passage. They wanted to avoid any unnecessary complications and simply handle their business in peace.

Their first order of business in the Magic City was to discuss a contract with the boss of Huayu Entertainment.

After all, nothing attracts trouble like a tall tree in the woods. With just Zhou Ran and Li Mi, there were bound to be inconveniences in the entertainment world. But with a powerhouse like Huayu Entertainment backing them, things would become much smoother. The company’s name alone would be enough to deter most troublemakers.