Chapter 5: "You're the Type to Get Kidnapped Easily"

When it came time to announce Zhou Ran’s results, Ning Wei began his usual roundabout teasing, deliberately keeping everyone in suspense.

“Zhou Ran,” he asked, “how many votes do you think you’ll get for this performance?”

Zhou Ran, well aware of Ning Wei’s penchant for suspense, hadn’t expected to be called on directly. The question was tossed right at her.

“I really don’t know,” Zhou Ran answered honestly. “I just know I did my best. I gave everything I had in this performance, so as long as I have no regrets, that’s enough for me.”

“Good attitude,” Ning Wei replied, chatting amiably before suddenly making a sharp turn in the conversation: “Well then, let’s take a look at Zhou Ran’s results!”

And just how many votes did Zhou Ran receive? Ning Wei began to announce the number, drawing it out word by word, pushing the suspense to its limit.

To be frank, such behavior from Ning Wei was the sort that could easily earn him a smack, but it was also one of the show’s highlights—to see the contestants’ helpless, anxious reactions.

Ning Wei considered dragging things out a bit more, but after glancing at the contestants’ tense faces, he figured it was better not to tempt fate and risk a midnight ambush. So he finally revealed the result.

“Zhou Ran received 891 votes!” he announced.

“Congratulations, Zhou Ran! With 891 votes, you clinch first place in this round by a single vote!” Director Ning Wei said, his voice tinged with excitement.

“Amazing!”

“Well done, Zhou Ran!”

“Woohoo!”

As soon as Ning Wei finished speaking, the singers present were clearly surprised. No one had expected this outcome.

Everyone had anticipated a high score, but not this high—Zhou Ran had even surpassed the vote count of Master Ji Song.

Ji Song was a top national singer, after all, and had even been invited to perform at the last Olympic opening ceremony.

Yet Ji Song, sitting quietly to the side, showed no displeasure at being overtaken by a newcomer. Instead, he regarded Zhou Ran with even greater appreciation. At his level, Ji Song had already collected every conceivable honor; his focus had long since shifted to nurturing and discovering new talent.

Zhou Ran’s high vote count did contain an element of luck. The audience was naturally more forgiving of a newcomer’s performance, and Zhou Ran’s choice of song was excellent.

Given Zhou Ran’s current abilities, she was still somewhat stretched when it came to high notes; songs requiring intricate technique were still a bit beyond her. But in the end, luck is part of success as well—and Zhou Ran had won.

Soon applause filled the venue, led by Director Ning Wei. The contestants joined in, congratulating each other in a scene of warmth and camaraderie—except for Amu. Human joys and sorrows rarely align.

Amu, after Zhou Ran’s performance, already knew he would be eliminated. He felt the show’s producers had played him—where did this newcomer come from, opening with an explosive original song? If she had such talent, why not release it earlier? Why wait until now?

Entertaining dark suspicions, Amu imagined the whole thing as a setup: the producers had bought a good song from someone else, timed its release to draw in viewers, and paved the way for this so-called newcomer to become famous.

But however much he brooded, Amu wasn’t about to voice such thoughts aloud.

Zhang Yuan, who had been congratulating Zhou Ran, noticed Amu approaching her and thought, with him getting so close after being eliminated, was he about to cause a scene? Zhang Yuan was ready to watch the drama unfold.

But events didn’t develop as he expected.

“Congratulations,” Amu said, extending a hand to Zhou Ran. “You sang beautifully. My purpose on this stage was to promote rap, and I’ve achieved that tonight. I hope you continue to excel in the rounds ahead!”

In the entertainment industry, everyone wears a mask; what’s said to your face is rarely what’s said behind your back. One can never be too careful.

“Thank you,” Zhou Ran replied, not overthinking it. She shook Amu’s hand. “Your performance was incredible too, Amu!”

“No worries. We’ll have a chance to collaborate again next time, and your rap was great!” Zhang Yuan chimed in to comfort Amu.

“Xiao Ran, your songwriting is impressive, and your arrangements are solid. There’s a bit of roughness in your singing, though—like with breathing technique. But that’ll improve with practice,” Ji Song remarked with genuine appreciation. An original songwriter was always worth encouraging.

“Yes, thank you, Master Ji,” Zhou Ran replied. She found his critique fair and had noticed these flaws herself, but old habits die hard—especially those inherited from one’s past life. Having learned outside the formal system, she was bound to have some rough edges; it would take time and effort to polish them away.

“The sense of immersion in your song was fantastic! Listening to it took me right back to my own high school days,” Xu Kun added.

After the director gave a brief summary and announced the time and song requirements for the next recording, the session officially ended. Everyone went their separate ways, busy as ever with packed schedules.

Before leaving, Director Ning Wei called Zhou Ran aside, asking her to record a formal version of her song and apply for a copyright. When the show aired, her song could be released simultaneously on music platforms. Ning Wei had a hunch it would be a major hit.

The broadcast schedule for “Who Is the King of Song” was interesting—the episode would air that very Friday night, with the next recording scheduled for Saturday. Unlike most variety shows, they didn’t stockpile episodes in advance.

This arrangement was partly to avoid problems if a contestant suffered a scandal during the broadcast window—otherwise, pre-recorded material could go to waste. It also enhanced real-time interaction, especially since the show was meant for online streaming.

After the recording ended, Zhou Ran and Bai Ning planned to have a meal together and finally take a proper stroll around Star City. Having stayed in Xiangnan for so long, Zhou Ran hadn’t really had the chance to explore.

Bai Ning, as the local host, was happy to accompany her. She didn’t have any pressing work at the moment—her only current job was “King of Song.”

“Wow, Ran, your performance today was fantastic! Absolutely stunning!” Bai Ning exclaimed as she led Zhou Ran into a Hunan restaurant. They chatted while ordering their food.

“Of course! I promised I wouldn’t let you down, didn’t I?” Zhou Ran handed the menu to the waiter after ordering. “Oh, and please, no cilantro, and go easy on the spice. Thank you.”

“What? You don’t eat cilantro?” Bai Ning was astonished. How could anyone dislike such a delicious herb?

Meanwhile, in a hotel room somewhere in Star City, someone was speaking into a phone: “Is everything in place?”

“Relax, I guarantee they’ll have a hard time. Think you can step on me to move up? It’s not that simple.”