Chapter 82: "Chasing and Fleeing, Escape Is Impossible!"

“Ah! I’m done for. The way they look at each other is so sweet—my god, it’s like we’re back in the ‘Who Is the King of Singers’ era, isn’t it?”

The director at the Chinese Golden Melody Awards was on point, immediately capturing the perfect shot of Zhou Ran and Ning Wei’s gaze, editing it seamlessly for the big screen.

As soon as this image appeared on the giant screen, it triggered a wave of nostalgia for the viewers watching the livestream; for many of Zhou Ran’s fans, this familiar scene stirred their DNA.

“Guys, this is a dream crossover! My god!”

“Full marks to the Chinese Golden Melody Awards for this arrangement. They know exactly what the audience wants!”

“My youth is back!”

“Why do I feel like Zhou Ran and Ning Wei would make such a great pair? A top industry director versus the new overlord of the entertainment world—chasing each other, impossible to escape!”

With Ning Wei’s appearance on stage, the segment for Best Male Singer at the Huayu Entertainment Golden Melody Awards was about to begin in earnest. At last, this most highly anticipated award was starting towards the end of the ceremony.

Soon, the big screen began displaying the photos and brief introductions of this year’s four nominated male singers.

The first photo shown was of Chen Wenhua, a singer from the same era as Master Chen Yi, considered a senior figure in the entertainment industry. He had previously won the Best Male Singer award at the Chinese Golden Melody Awards and was now nominated for the fifth time.

The second nominee was Ji Song, whose nomination for Best Male Singer was largely thanks to the show “Who Is the King of Singers.” Before this, he was one of those singers whose songs were popular but who himself remained unknown—a talented artist in the industry but never truly famous due to lack of exposure.

Ning Wei’s show “Who Is the King of Singers” perfectly compensated for this shortcoming. In just one season, Ji Song was propelled to the status of a top-tier singer, with his popularity and streaming numbers skyrocketing severalfold.

Riding this wave, Ji Song earned his nomination for Best Male Singer at the Chinese Golden Melody Awards.

The third photo featured Jiang Lu, another singer whose career was a testament to steady progress and late blooming. Not every singer is an overnight sensation like Zhou Ran; most artists rise slowly over time.

Jiang Lu is an original singer-songwriter, much like Zhou Ran, though not as prodigious. While Zhou Ran could write every song himself, more than half of Jiang Lu’s works were also originals, each of high quality. In recent years, his popularity had steadily grown, reaching a new peak this year.

With Jiang Lu’s introduction complete, all eyes turned to the hottest contender for Best Male Singer: Zhou Ran.

After watching the short reels introducing the other three nominees, Zhou Ran felt a surge of pressure. The quality of their work was such that, even back on his previous world’s Earth, they would be breakout hits. Zhou Ran couldn’t confidently say he would definitely beat them.

More importantly, Zhou Ran’s greatest disadvantage was his lack of experience—he had only debuted this year. Naturally, this put him at a significant disadvantage in terms of seniority when it came to being considered for Best Male Singer.

But there was nothing to be done. When the organizers set up this award, no one imagined anyone would be nominated for Best Male Singer in their debut year.

Had Zhou Ran been nominated in his second year, his chances would have been much higher.

After Jiang Lu’s reel ended, the big screen began playing Zhou Ran’s introduction. As he watched his own highlights, Zhou Ran felt inexplicably embarrassed—a little ill at ease.

But while Zhou Ran might have felt awkward, the other guests and the fans watching the livestream felt only pride. To even reach this position was a rare honor—the competition was fierce, with only four nominees selected each year from among thousands of registered male singers.

That meant the probability of being chosen was at least one in a thousand.

The organizers of the Chinese Golden Melody Awards had gone to great lengths in editing Zhou Ran’s nomination video, including every significant moment from his debut up to now—it was practically a documentary of his career so far. Of course, since Zhou Ran had only been in the industry for two or three months, it hadn’t taken much effort to compile.

On the spot, the screen played Zhou Ran’s highlights: from his very first appearance—“Hello, I’m Zhou Ran”—to the elimination round’s original song “A Thousand Degrees,” and then to the final performance of “Rice Fragrance” in the grand finale.

The montage drew tears from many fans watching the livestream; the organizers had mastered playing on nostalgia.

Onstage, Ning Wei also found himself struggling to maintain composure as he watched Zhou Ran’s nomination video on the big screen. Back when he agreed to let Zhou Ran join the show, it was only to do Li Mi a favor—never expecting to witness the rise of a superstar in the music industry.

Before meeting Zhou Ran, if someone had asked Ning Wei about his proudest achievement, he might have named a variety show or a film. Now, if asked the same question, he would answer “Zhou Ran” without hesitation.

After Zhou Ran’s reel finished, it was time for Ning Wei, standing at the podium, to announce the ultimate winner.

To be honest, Ning Wei’s heart was pounding. He was both hopeful and fearful: hopeful that when he opened the envelope, Zhou Ran’s name would appear; fearful that it might be someone else’s, and that Zhou Ran would not be able to handle the disappointment.

There was immense anticipation and pressure around Zhou Ran from the entire internet—countless people wanted to see him win.

If Zhou Ran took this award, he would have swept all his nominated categories, as the next—Best Song—was virtually guaranteed.

As Ning Wei prepared to announce the winner, Zhou Ran’s nerves tightened; his breathing slowed. At last, he understood how Zhang Yuan must have felt waiting for the announcement of Best Female Singer earlier.