Chapter 81: "Best Male Singer"

With so many songs, if Zhou Ran had to sing them all himself, it would take who knows how many years, and besides, there were some pieces that simply didn’t suit his voice. That’s why writing songs for others had always been part of his plan—plus, it allowed him to profit from his compositions as well.

It was worth noting that, at the current market rate, the price for a song written by Zhou Ran was already climbing into eight-digit figures. Of course, whether that number was inflated or not remained to be seen, since Zhou Ran had never actually written a song for anyone else before. The price was little more than an estimate.

As the ceremony for Best Female Singer concluded, it was time for the Best Male Singer award to be presented. Zhou Ran’s mood had shifted, echoing Zhang Yuan’s earlier tension. This was the main event of the night, after all. In all the years of the Golden Melody Awards, never had a newcomer taken home the Best Male Singer prize upon debut.

Whoever won Best Male Singer would instantly be hailed as the King of Pop, earning the award its popular moniker: the “King Award.” The Best Female Singer was similarly known as the “Queen Award,” with recipients celebrated as pop queens.

Now, with the Best Female Singer honored, the ceremony was fast approaching its grandest moment—the presentation of the Best Male Singer. Countless guests in the auditorium and millions watching the live broadcast waited in anticipation. When the time came for the award, the audience numbers in the live room soared to an all-time high. According to official Golden Melody Awards statistics, the number of concurrent viewers had reached an astonishing fifteen million.

Before tonight, the awards ceremony’s highest online viewership had barely touched ten million. Tonight, the Golden Melody Awards smashed that record, a historic feat by any measure.

Much of this success could be attributed to Zhou Ran. His immense popularity had driven the award’s viewership to new heights. Moreover, with his four consecutive wins earlier in the evening, he dominated the top three spots on the trending charts, drawing in even more spectators.

They were all waiting for a chance to witness history. Even if the odds were slim, people needed to have dreams—without dreams, what difference was there between a person and a salted fish?

The segment for Best Male Singer was about to begin—a prize that had captured the attention of every media outlet and countless internet users. If Zhou Ran could claim this award as well, he would have swept six major categories in one night.

As for the final award, Best Single, there was truly no competition for Zhou Ran. This prize was determined solely by online performance, and Zhou Ran held the top three spots on the charts. His victory was beyond dispute.

Even before the official announcement, Zhou Ran’s nerves were taut. He finally understood how Zhang Yuan had felt earlier, though for him, the anticipation was even more intense. Zhang Yuan had been a long shot for any prize, but Zhou Ran’s achievements made him a strong contender. Their situations, therefore, were fundamentally different.

Not long after, the ceremony for the Best Male Singer award was set to begin.

Tonight’s presenter was an unusual choice—someone not from the music industry, but from film and television. For various reasons, the organizers had invited Director Ning Wei to present the award, a person who had played a pivotal role in Zhou Ran’s career.

Originally, the previous year’s winner had been slated to present the award, but a last-minute scheduling conflict forced a change. So Ning Wei was invited to take his place.

When Zhou Ran saw Ning Wei take the stage, he was genuinely surprised. He hadn’t known in advance that Ning Wei would attend the ceremony; Ning Wei hadn’t mentioned it to him. The invitation had been extended only a day or two before, and Ning Wei had decided to keep it a secret, intending to surprise Zhou Ran. Since their last meeting on the show “Who Is the King of Songs,” it had been a month or two since they’d seen each other.

As Ning Wei took to the stage, he deliberately glanced over at Zhou Ran, curious to see his reaction. Zhou Ran didn’t disappoint—his expression made Ning Wei very satisfied. He was still the same Zhou Ran Ning Wei had met during the filming of “Who Is the King of Songs.” Though he looked more mature now, at his core, he hadn’t changed.

This pleased Ning Wei immensely. After years in the entertainment industry, he’d seen all kinds of people. Some, after shooting to fame overnight, acted as if they didn’t know anyone from their past; others changed completely, becoming unrecognizable after their success. Humble before fame, arrogant afterward—such stories were so common in the industry that Ning Wei had long since stopped being surprised.

If one wished to witness the full spectrum of human nature, Ning Wei would recommend spending some time in the entertainment world; it was a place where all masks were eventually revealed.

That’s why he was especially pleased that Zhou Ran had remained true to himself.

Zhou Ran was no mere overnight sensation. He was the kind of star who became a national phenomenon in a single night. Even among the few who had risen so quickly, Zhou Ran was unique for how swiftly he consolidated his status.

With a single album, he had firmly established himself at the top, leaving no room for doubt. If anyone wanted to challenge him, they would first have to surpass the quality of his songs.

The excellence of Zhou Ran’s music was undeniable, leaving no opportunity for the petty to clamor.

When Zhou Ran saw Ning Wei smile, he couldn’t help but smile back.