[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-king-of-2000-a-mandopop-dynasty":3,"chapter-the-king-of-2000-a-mandopop-dynasty-the-king-of-2000-a-mandopop-dynasty-chapter-66":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The King of 2000: A Mandopop Dynasty",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2301322,4501,"Chapter 66","the-king-of-2000-a-mandopop-dynasty-chapter-66",66,"\u003Cp>As a music gala spearheaded by CCTV, the Global Chinese Music Chart Awards still carried considerable prestige.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The awards ceremony was held in the evening, but in the afternoon they hosted a lavish press conference.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well-known domestic directors, actors, and even nominated singers all showed up to be interviewed—figures like Zhang Yimou, Tang Jili, and Jiang Wen, who had just released *The Guizilaile *, even included internet tycoon Ding Lei from NetEase as a guest presenter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, due to the collapse of the internet bubble, Ding Lei, who had led NetEase’s IPO just last June, was currently having a rough time; his stock price had plummeted beyond recognition and continued sliding with no sign of stopping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether deliberately instructed or not, reporters largely avoided asking him about stock prices.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Hao didn’t understand why Zhou Yi was so confident in NetEase—after all, no other investor in the market had faith in the company; only she and Zhou Yi were still buying in stages.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s Zhang Yimou and Tang Jili—you said yesterday you wanted to act in their films—why are you so indifferent now?” Since the press conference hadn’t officially started and she hadn’t spotted anyone she knew, Zhou Yi hadn’t taken her assigned seat but instead sat in a guest reception area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After sitting down, she couldn’t resist teasing Cheng Hao, who also didn’t recognize anyone around them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve got enough self-awareness—how could a director like that pick a still-ungraduated student like me to act?” Cheng Hao, indifferent as always, casually pulled the fruit platter toward her and, with the air of a host, handed Sun Yanzi a piece of fruit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Surprised by how familiar they seemed, Sun Yanzi quickly extended both hands to receive it and politely thanked her, then asked curiously, “Are you an actress, Miss Cheng?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, but I haven’t graduated yet—I’m just tagging along with Zhou Yi to see if luck strikes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since Sun Yanzi hadn’t yet become fully popular on the mainland, Cheng Hao didn’t have a strong sense of her fame.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She only knew Sun Yanzi sang well and was called, alongside Zhou Yi, Warner’s Twin Stars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But given Zhou Yi’s current overwhelming popularity on the mainland—half the streets still sang *Happy Worship* and *Can’t Help Falling in Love*—Cheng Hao couldn’t help feeling Sun Yanzi’s “Twin Star” title was a bit of a free ride.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as the three were chatting amicably, a figure suddenly appeared before them—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey, Zhou, Stefanie, why are you two sitting here? Aren’t you getting interviewed?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Wu Zongxian appeared with his unmistakable accent, both Zhou Yi and Sun Yanzi froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was Beijing, right?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing their expressions, Wu Zongxian laughed and waved his hand: “What’s with that look? I’m the host of tonight’s awards show—am I that surprising here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, his gaze shifted to Cheng Hao beside Zhou Yi: “This must be Miss Cheng Hao. Let me introduce myself—I’m Wu Zongxian, a host.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I really loved the MV for Zhou’s song *Flower Field Mistake*—your outfit in it was stunning; the switch between ancient and modern attire was absolutely breathtaking.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you, you’re too kind.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Hao, who had at least heard Wu Zongxian’s name, responded gracefully, and couldn’t help glancing at Zhou Yi beside her; he met her gaze and shrugged indifferently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Hao’s eyes curved into a smile, but she said nothing more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Honestly, if Wu Zongxian hadn’t shown up, she wouldn’t have known Zhou Yi was on the interview list—he hadn’t told her a thing. After dropping off his parents in the main hall, he’d just kept chatting aimlessly with her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Wu Zongxian’s arrival instantly drew attention to the trio sitting quietly in the corner—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And what they saw was no small thing: Zhou Yi and Sun Yanzi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When had these two hottest new singers of the year arrived? Why was there no fanfare?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The host assigned to brief interviews before the show rushed over in three strides.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother Wu, you’ve ruined my good time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Zhou Yi stood up, buttoning his white suit jacket, he teased Wu Zongxian: “I was just sitting here, flanked by two beauties—how delightful.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Yanzi, chewing fruit, rolled her eyes; Cheng Hao covered her face and shook her head in exasperation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Okay, okay, my fault. After the New Year, when you come to Taiwan, I’ll treat you to dinner—consider it my apology.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Laughing, Wu Zongxian patted Zhou Yi’s shoulder, accepted the blame, then turned to Sun Yanzi: “Stefanie, stop lounging—you can’t escape interviews just because Zhou Yi’s being interviewed. Come with us.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I finally got a moment to slack off—Brother Wu, you owe me dinner too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under Cheng Hao’s gaze, Sun Yanzi slapped her cheeks twice, sighed, then stood and walked toward the reporters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a truly unknown actress in the crowd, Cheng Hao could only sit back and watch as Sun Yanzi and Zhou Yi walked side by side, were intercepted by the host, and gave a brief interview.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Hao pursed her lips, sitting alone, and for the rest of the time became nothing more than an audience—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching Zhou Yi and Sun Yanzi each hold up their albums and step onto the center of the stage, display them under a flash of cameras, then slot them into the massive V-shaped emblem at the stage’s heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After major stars like Wang Fei, Tengger, Ren Xianqi, Xie Tingfeng, Wang Lihong, Liu Dehua, Li Ming, Mo Wenwei, Wu Bai, Zhang Xinzhe, Na Ying, Chen Huilin, and Zhang Xueyou all arrived, the entire venue erupted in excitement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good to see you again, Ah Yi,” Liu Dehua, who had previously interacted with Zhou Yi at the Rock Records year-end party, approached immediately after taking photos; behind him, Ren Xianqi also greeted Zhou Yi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother Liu, Brother Ren.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come on, Ah Yi, let me introduce you...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the genius universally admired in the Chinese music scene, Liu Dehua, ever the socialite, immediately became the intermediary, introducing Zhou Yi to every star present.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And due to their age difference, Xie Tingfeng’s handshake with Zhou Yi drew particular attention—many media outlets captured that first meeting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Tingfeng was born in 1980; Zhou Yi in 1981.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One was the top star of Hong Kong’s Emperor Entertainment; the other, a purebred mainland native.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In popularity, Xie Tingfeng, who should have led, had been overtaken by Zhou Yi, who debuted only in the second half of last year;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In album sales, outside Hong Kong, Xie Tingfeng was utterly outclassed by Zhou Yi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In songwriting, though Xie Tingfeng wasn’t bad—his new album included self-composed tracks—he paled next to Zhou Yi, who handled every single track himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While looks are subjective—even divine beauty won’t please everyone—Zhou Yi still had a clear physical advantage in height.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Add to that the increasingly tense relationship between the mainland and Hong Kong entertainment circles, and when these two new-generation leaders of Chinese pop met, nearly everyone in the room turned their attention their way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, youth is bold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nearby, Na Ying whispered to her friend Wang Fei, clearly about Xie Tingfeng and Zhou Yi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hello, Zhou Yi, your songs are wonderful—if we ever get the chance, I’d love to make music with you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The twenty-year-old Xie Tingfeng wasn’t yet the fading icon of Hong Kong’s entertainment world; his most defining label now was “Crown Prince of Hong Kong”—music was his true passion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If the chance comes, I’ll take it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You don’t hit someone who smiles at you; since Xie Tingfeng wasn’t putting on airs, Zhou Yi had no reason to provoke him. He smiled, shook his hand, exchanged a few words, then turned his gaze to Wang Lihong beside him—his smile grew genuinely warm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The one-of-a-kind top-tier all-in-one machine in Chinese pop—if he hadn’t appeared, that title would have belonged to Wang Lihong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Zhou Yi, I love your *Flower Field Mistake*—how did you think of blending opera with R&B so perfectly?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you. Your new album’s cover of *Descendants of the Dragon* is great too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching Wang Lihong, eyes alight, eager to discuss songwriting, Zhou Yi felt a strange pang—but his own musical literacy and knowledge were high, and with his future experience, he easily outmaneuvered Wang Lihong in less than a dozen exchanges, leaving the still-exploring musician stunned and deeply enlightened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A guiding light!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the true guiding light!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Lihong, since debut, had been groomed as a mini-Zhang Xueyou and only last year gained full control over his album’s creative direction—he was in transition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After talking with Zhou Yi, he realized this man didn’t just know the domestic music scene inside out—he could effortlessly cite Western pop elements too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This gave Wang Lihong, who’d grown up immersed in Western pop, the feeling of finally finding a kindred spirit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder—he’d been in the industry since 1995, and every producer and company he’d met had been copycats, grinding him down; his passion had nowhere to be expressed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d spent years as “Little Zhang Xueyou” until last year’s smash hit *Descendants of the Dragon* finally cleared the path for his transformation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Offstage, Cheng Hao, sitting alone and watching Zhou Yi chat effortlessly with the stars on stage, thought of something, shook her head, smiled, then rose and headed for the restroom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not long after, as she stepped out wiping her damp hands, she saw Zhou Yi leaning against the wall, waiting for her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re waiting for me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You looked so bored sitting alone—I brought you here, so I’ve got to see you through.” The man shrugged and sighed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beaming, Cheng Hao dried her hands with a tissue: “When did you get so responsible?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not really—I just need a trophy-handling assistant. I might win too many awards tonight; one person can’t carry them all.” Zhou Yi grinned. “Any interest in lending a hand?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I can do it—but this is the last time I’ll be your tool. The day after tomorrow, I’m going home to prepare for the New Year.” Cheng Hao smiled, crumpled the tissue, and tossed it into the trash.\u003C\u002Fp>",1665,"2026-06-20T07:33:41.161Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","e32771e635475b0706a52aff73123b9bd9e6da0952032bb9e78b458a581bb984","the-king-of-2000-a-mandopop-dynasty-chapter-67","the-king-of-2000-a-mandopop-dynasty-chapter-65",883,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-king-of-2000-a-mandopop-dynasty-cover.jpg"]