Chapter 71: Acceptance Speech

Although Zhou Ran had long been prepared to receive the Best Newcomer Award, when the honor finally fell upon him, he was still unexpectedly excited—this was the first award he had ever won. When he saw the audience and the singers beside him applauding and cheering in celebration, Zhou Ran quickly stood up and offered a slight bow to those who had supported him, expressing his gratitude for their good wishes.

He adjusted his clothes and, following the applause, walked slowly onto the stage. Jin Kun, standing on stage, watched Zhou Ran ascend with a look as if he were seeing a reflection of himself from the previous year. The only difference was that Zhou Ran now appeared far more confident and at ease than he had been back then.

As Zhou Ran stepped onto the stage, Jin Kun greeted him with the warmest applause, congratulating him enthusiastically, “Congratulations, Ah Ran! Amazing!”

“Hahaha, thank you, Kun, I appreciate the praise—but I still have a lot to learn from you,” Zhou Ran replied, sharing a brief, lighthearted exchange with Jin Kun.

Their relationship was actually quite good—there was no conflict between them, and they would occasionally chat. With Zhou Ran’s easygoing nature, he was not one to make enemies in the entertainment industry. Moreover, as his popularity soared, few would willingly provoke him, since there was no benefit in doing so.

“Alright, I’ll leave the stage to you then!” Jin Kun said, handing the Best Newcomer trophy to Zhou Ran. This gesture signified the passing of the torch from one generation to the next, just as Jin Kun’s own predecessor had done for him the previous year.

“Okay!” Zhou Ran accepted the trophy with a slight bow, and the two exchanged a knowing smile.

At that moment, the big screen magnified the image of Zhou Ran and Jin Kun smiling at each other. The audience and online viewers erupted in excitement.

“Oh my god, what a dream collaboration!”

“Zhou Ran and Jin Kun look so handsome! Their smiles are killing me!”

“The way Zhou Ran and Jin Kun smile at each other—I’ve already imagined the names of their future children!”

“The spirit lives on! This is killing me!”

“Congratulations to Zhou Ran for winning Best Newcomer! (screaming in excitement!)”

“Achievement unlocked (1/6)”

“Go, Zhou Ran! His fans will always be with him!”

As soon as the major studios saw Zhou Ran win Best Newcomer during the live broadcast, they immediately released press statements online. In an instant, social media was flooded with news of Zhou Ran’s victory. Even during their breaks, media outlets were always ready to be the first to report.

Standing on stage after receiving the trophy from Jin Kun, Zhou Ran looked down at his fellow musicians in the audience. His heart was filled with emotion—just a year ago, he could never have imagined standing in this place.

For the Zhou Ran of Earth a year ago, surviving with enough to eat would have been reward enough. For the Zhou Ran of Blue Star a year ago, simply finishing his trainee days and finding a debut opportunity would have been a tremendous success. Neither of them could have imagined standing here. It was all thanks to a twist of fate.

A butterfly fluttering its wings deep in the Amazon rainforest might, two weeks later, cause a tornado in Texas.

After collecting himself, Zhou Ran took out the acceptance speech he had prepared, ready to address the audience.

But as he was about to speak, he paused, as if reconsidering.

“Before I came to this award ceremony, my agent, Sister Mi, actually prepared a speech for me. She told me that if I won, I should just read what she wrote.”

As he spoke, Zhou Ran displayed the speech Li Mi had written, showing it to both the audience and the viewers online.

“But, just now on stage, I thought about it and decided not to read from the script. Instead, I want to take this chance to share some stories with you.” With that, Zhou Ran tore the speech into pieces.

This was a spontaneous move, not because Li Mi’s speech was poorly written—he had read it beforehand and found it logical and well-crafted, but it lacked a certain authenticity. Zhou Ran wanted to add that genuine touch in his own way.

The audience erupted in screams as Zhou Ran tore up the speech. His action was full of boldness—few had ever dared to rip up their prepared remarks on an award stage. Zhou Ran was truly courageous.

Backstage, Li Mi watched Zhou Ran give his acceptance speech. When she saw him tear up the script, she was left speechless. This mischievous Zhou Ran! But she wasn’t really angry—just slightly exasperated—because Zhou Ran had already texted her before the ceremony, letting her know he wouldn’t use her speech and would improvise instead. What he didn’t mention was that he’d tear it up.

Once the audience settled down, Zhou Ran began his speech.

“Some of my fans know that I debuted as a trainee. A year ago, I never dared to dream that I’d be standing here today, receiving an award I never even imagined.

“All I can say is that fate works in mysterious ways. I owe everything to my agent and former boss, Sister Mi. It’s thanks to her help that I had the chance to participate in ‘Who Is the King of Singers,’ and to appear before all of you. Otherwise, I’d probably still be an unknown trainee.”

He bowed toward the backstage area, knowing that Li Mi was there, watching his speech. He knew she would see his gesture.

The audience erupted in applause.

Clap, clap, clap!

Clap, clap, clap, clap!