Chapter 69: "Wild Xiaoran"

Amidst the audience’s enthusiastic cheers, Zhou Ran finally emerged slowly from the entrance of the red carpet. Dressed in a black velvet suit adorned with dragon patterns, Zhou Ran’s impeccable formal attire instantly dazzled everyone present.

The moment Zhou Ran appeared, it was as if he radiated light, causing those around him to fade into the background. The entire stage seemed reserved for him alone. The audience, seeing him arrive, hurriedly raised their phones, capturing live photos from every angle. Yet, Zhou Ran’s candid images remained flawless no matter how they were taken, a rare feat among the many celebrities who rely on their looks to stand out.

Most so-called candid photos circulating online are edited or deliberately staged, carefully designed for public viewing. There was even a celebrity in a previous life who cycled for miles just to get one perfect “candid” shot for publicity.

Hearing the fans’ loud cheers and screams, Zhou Ran greeted them warmly. It had been a long time since he’d seen his fans; he’d been secluded, filming with little opportunity to meet them. Taking advantage of today, he could finally say hello in person.

“Hello, Zhou Ran! Now that you’re on stage at the awards ceremony, do you have any goals?” Teacher He, seeing Zhou Ran approaching center stage, took out the microphone to ask him.

“My goals?” Zhou Ran was surprised by the question, as Li Mi hadn’t mentioned any interviews the day before. Without a prepared answer, Zhou Ran could only improvise.

“My goal this time is simple: I want to give my all and win every award I can. I don’t want to let my fans down!” After a brief thought, Zhou Ran replied quickly, making a gesture with his left hand as if grabbing everything. It was the most honest desire in his heart—plain yet sincere.

Zhou Ran did not choose to feign modesty as others might. Instead, he spoke frankly, holding to his long-standing belief: a soldier who doesn’t aspire to be a general isn’t a good soldier. No one really doesn’t want to win—unless their thinking is flawed.

As Zhou Ran finished speaking, the audience fell silent, stunned by his words. Even Teacher He was taken aback. After a moment, the crowd erupted into fervent cheers and screams. Zhou Ran’s declaration and gesture were so bold, so commanding, that they left everyone awestruck.

In their minds, Zhou Ran had always seemed gentle and courteous, a refined young man. But today, his words and actions reshaped their impression entirely. His speech was strikingly charismatic, wild, and full of the energy of “I want it all,” stirring something deep within the audience.

Teacher He, beside Zhou Ran, was equally shocked by the unexpected declaration. Zhou Ran had become more audacious in his eyes—not arrogant, but exuding a unique, untamed beauty.

This audacity was backed by Zhou Ran’s own strength. Just the achievements and quality of his debut album, “Departure,” were enough to justify such a bold attitude.

With Zhou Ran’s speech, the livestream barrage exploded once more.

“Ahhh! Zhou Ran, I’ve been waiting so long for you to say this! You know, I always hoped you would!”

“My wild little Ran!”

“To be honest, today’s speech really impressed me. Wild little Ran!”

“Give it your all, take everything—my god! Zhou Ran, how can you be so cool?”

“To all the award nominees present, did you hear Zhou Ran’s challenge? Prepare for the storm!”

Shortly after Zhou Ran’s declaration, a new topic titled “Zhou Ran’s Declaration” surged onto the trending list on Weibo.

Many present looked at Zhou Ran anew, feeling as if he were a formidable demon king finally baring his fangs.

Zhou Ran quickly finished his walk down the red carpet, having no desire to linger. All he wanted was to complete the walk and find a quiet place to sit and rest.

If the internet celebrities from the opening heard Zhou Ran’s thoughts, they’d be speechless—those inside wanting to leave, those outside longing to enter. Those influencers did everything they could to prolong their time on the red carpet, hoping for more exposure, while Zhou Ran simply wanted to get off as soon as possible to avoid fatigue. Comparing people really can be infuriating.

The organizers had arranged Zhou Ran’s seat alongside Ji Song and Chen Yi. This was a good arrangement for Zhou Ran—being surrounded by familiar faces meant less nervousness.

He found his seat at the awards ceremony and sat down, taking the opportunity to chat with Ji Song and Chen Yi. Although they occasionally spoke on WeChat, this was their first offline meeting since the finals of “Who Is the King of Singers.”

Their schedules were usually packed, leaving little time for private meetings. Today was the perfect chance to catch up.

“Zhou Ran, your speech today was great! It had the wild spirit of youth—I think you should try this more often,” Ji Song said as he sat down.

“Yeah, Zhou, back when we were recording the show, I felt you were holding back—not as wild as your peers. Today’s performance was excellent, very cool!” Chen Yi chimed in, echoing Ji Song.

“Hahaha, thank you, Teacher Ji, Teacher Chen. I just spoke from the heart today. Honestly, I feel pretty normal most of the time,” Zhou Ran replied with a smile, hearing their comments.