Chapter 597: The Most Heartless Man Sings the Most Heartfelt Song

He really wanted to call security, but Zhou Yi was a heavyweight guest invited by Victoria's Secret, so the guards wouldn't even bother to drag him away, not even glancing at him.

He wanted to take back his microphone, but every time he reached out, Zhou Yi would turn, step back, or sidestep—perfectly avoiding his "snatch."

Angry!

He was, after all, a BBC foreign correspondent—when had he ever endured such humiliation!

This was a blatant lack of respect!

Smith felt he could already hear the faint, mocking laughter of his colleagues.

"Thank you for your question, Mr. Smith."

Zhou Yi glanced at his press credential, then smiled as he finally returned the microphone: "I didn't expect you'd be so interested in my new album. I must say, you have good taste—you're fundamentally different from the people at your company who constantly slander me."

"…"

I didn't! I never did!

He's slandering me!

He's slandering me!

Smith's expression turned as sour as if he'd eaten shit, because after saying that, Zhou Yi immediately walked away without giving him any chance to rebut or explain.

Because of his superstar aura, all cameras except the fixed ones followed Zhou Yi's every step—no one paid any attention to Smith's indescribable expression as he was "abandoned."

Unsportsmanlike!

The celebrities and models who had already walked the red carpet—and those who hadn't yet—also noticed this, barely holding back their laughter.

Since Zhou Yi's global rise, BBC had spent the past two years constantly bashing him—first claiming his music videos were morally corrupt, then accusing him of corrupting Western teens and so on.

Since his debut in the West, Zhou Yi had never granted BBC a single interview, never given them a single piece of paid content.

The two sides were locked in a standoff.

"Hey, Spike, were you just promoting your… Chinese album? Are you sure your fans can understand it?"

Inside the venue, Alessandra Ambrosio, who had finished all her preparations early, came over to chat before the director called everyone backstage.

Dressed in a slit long dress, her light golden hair flowing freely, she bore a striking resemblance to Megan Fox's future role as a Transformer heroine.

"Well."

Zhou Yi shrugged noncommittally: "I don't care. I just want to see if BBC will air this segment."

It was pure entertainment.

Even if BBC didn't report it, other media would rush to cover this spectacle, indirectly promoting his Chinese album and boosting his visibility in the West.

Though the sales increase might be negligible, at least it would annoy BBC.

"Honestly, I've never met a star like you before."

Alessandra Ambrosio smiled: "But let me congratulate you in advance—you're definitely going to the Oscars next year."

Amid the global pirate craze sparked by Pirates of the Caribbean, Zhou Yi's movie theme song, bolstered by its own fame and critical acclaim, was virtually guaranteed a nomination for Best Original Song at next year's Oscars.

He was the only star in this year's Victoria's Secret lineup with any Oscar prospects.

In America, the Oscars' attention was unquestionable, especially since Zhou Yi had entered through the blockbuster Pirates of the Caribbean.

This was a film whose global box office had already surpassed $700 million.

"Who knows?"

Zhou Yi raised an eyebrow, offering no direct response.

The Pirates of the Caribbean theme song had originally been composed as part of a package; he'd pulled it out separately as the movie's theme. Whether it would make the nomination truly depended on Warner's PR efforts.

Clearly, AA had learned from her friend about his changing status within Warner Music next year—she was testing the waters.

The Oscars allowed you to bring a date.

After brief small talk, AA received her cue, bid farewell, and returned to the chaotic backstage, shedding her clothes to prepare for the runway.

Zhou Yi sat in the audience, chatting and laughing with the celebrities beside him—whom he couldn't even remember the names of—enjoying this so-called "Age of Gods."

………………………………

"The Most Heartless Man Sings the Most Heartfelt Song—Zhou Yi's Victoria's Secret: Left Arm, Right Arm Real Record"

As "Qi Li Xiang" was gaining momentum domestically, just as the "Double Star CP" fans stood tall and proud, this article from Hong Kong's "Metropolitan Daily" felt painfully out of place.

They were still reminiscing about "you and me, inseparable," and you hit them with a club to the head?

"Libel! All libel! The Metropolitan Daily is desperate for attention, so it's going off-script!"

"Damn it, can't Zhou Yi just behave himself? I was still feeling moved!"

"Why couldn't Sun Yanzi just win Zhou Yi over? Then this situation wouldn't have happened!"

"…"

When the real Zhou Yi shattered the song's filter again, the newly emboldened fans immediately fractured, chaos erupting.

His unparalleled popularity, combined with his constant parade of foreign supermodels, even spawned a series on Tianya titled "Zhou Yi Introduces You to Foreign Female Stars"—now updated to #16: Alessandra Ambrosio.

No other artist in the Chinese-speaking world had ever turned gossip into this level of spectacle.

Sony Global and other companies didn't know how to steer the narrative anymore.

Zhou Yi's rumors used to be called rumors—now, what were they?

Now they were a royal selection!

The announcement that Pirates of the Caribbean would soon premiere in mainland cinemas added more fuel to Zhou Yi's new album—

On November 21, 2003, the global Disney film Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl would open in mainland China, while Zhou Yi's album launched on the 20th.

Since the 1980s, Disney had been trying to enter the Chinese market; now, with many local partners, and under the direction of Disney executive Robert Iger—who held real power—these outlets all unanimously congratulated Zhou Yi on his new album release.

The press releases especially highlighted Zhou Yi's earlier "bold claim" about the film's potential and his personal composition of the theme song.

A string of these stories, directly promoted by Disney into China, left many ordinary netizens who didn't know Zhou Yi had been even more outrageous overseas stunned—

Dude, so you're even more mouthy abroad?

Could it be that your abilities are restricted within the country?

"No, of course not. Everyone knows I've always been a refined and easygoing person."

On the 13th, Zhou Yi, just back from abroad, was asked about this immediately after landing, and protested against the smear campaign against him.

"Thoughts on the Victoria's Secret Show? Legs are long? Good body proportions?"

"Will I go next year? I probably won't go next year—I don't have the time."

Zhou Yi dismissed the question about attending the Victoria's Secret Show next year without a second thought.

After all, due to the impact of the 2004 Super Bowl incident, the Victoria's Secret Show was canceled outright this year—there was nowhere to go even if you wanted to.

Amid the chaos that also drew in Disney, Zhou Yi, back in the country and running promotional tours, threw himself into hard work—and the 20th arrived as scheduled—

Southern Metropolitan Daily:

"The Most Fickle Man Sings the Most Heartfelt Songs: Zhou Yi's New Chinese Album Is Here!"