"First of all, I want to apologize for taking up everyone's time and using the stage of the Chart of Charts for a personal statement." Chu Zhi bowed slightly, then stepped down from the stage.
The atmosphere turned awkward. Was this the right moment to clap? Many people felt the urge to, but this was an awards ceremony, after all.
Li Fei didn't overthink it. As soon as Chu Zhi finished, he stood up and began clapping, "Pa pa pa." His close friends Gu Peng, Yang Guiyun, and a few others joined in, and soon the entire venue was filled with applause.
"East winds blow, war drums thunder. Who's afraid of whom in this world?" Li Guangpu muttered. He thought Chu Zhi was stubborn to the core, but couldn't help feeling admiration. He had never seen a celebrity dare to openly challenge a brand like this.
Bold and unyielding, young and fearless. Song Yuqian decided she would look more into this rising star who'd taken the industry by storm.
"Did his agency really approve this?" Miao Tan was genuinely curious. His own agency would never have allowed it. But inwardly, he gave Chu Zhi a mental thumbs-up. That kid's got guts.
Host Pan Ying quickly stepped in, professionally taking control of the stage. "I believe Mr. Chu Zhi's words were well said. A public figure must stand firmly with their country."
"Just like our Chart of Charts always aims to uphold social harmony," he added, then shifted smoothly, "Now, moving on to the next award—Best Male Singer."
The ceremony continued, though after Chu Zhi's bold speech, the rest of the night felt like an afterthought.
The Best Male Singer award—nicknamed "Little Song King"—went to Gu Peng. His recent folk album Lugou Bridge, released on Christmas, was heavily criticized by mainstream listeners. Some even joked it should be renamed Bridge of Regret. But critics and award panels nationwide had showered it with praise.
"I actually wrote out my speech this time," Gu Peng said as he pulled out a folded paper.
Laughter rippled through the audience. His tone was so serious that many thought he was just doing a bit. But those who knew him understood that his social anxiety made it impossible to speak off the cuff.
"What I wrote in Lugou Bridge isn't the kind of campus folk music people expect. It's a reflection of my thoughts about the Chinese people and our heritage."
"Folk music should express national character. Unique melodies embody that character. Irish folk always has a harp, Italian folk has its accordion."
"But I believe Chinese folk music should carry our identity. French folk is whimsical and humorous. Swedish folk is passionate and stirring. Norwegian folk evokes lakes, mountains, and rivers."
Gu Peng glanced up from his paper and closed, "Thank you to the judging panel for recognizing that vision."
Applause followed. He had ascended the stage slowly, but stepped down with surprising speed.
Three awards remained: Best Album of the Year, Transgenerational Icon of Mandopop, and Most Influential Digital Music Company in China.
With Chu Ci: Ode to the Orange hailed as the source of the new Chinese-style pop wave, Chu Zhi secured the Best Album award as expected.
The Transgenerational Icon award went to Yang Xinbo. It was more of a consolation prize, acknowledging his long career as an idol despite never quite becoming a true king of pop.
The final award, Most Influential Digital Music Company, went to Tencent Music Entertainment Group. A representative from Penguin Music accepted it, officially marking the end of the awards ceremony.
"Ready?" Xiao Yang from Penguin Entertainment gave a glance to his colleague.
Zhou, another journalist, nodded. "Always."
As soon as the host finished his closing words, Zhou dashed forward, eyes locked on the front row where Chu Zhi sat.
Media outlets swarmed the space like sharks drawn to blood. If popularity had a scent, it must have been thick in the air around Chu Zhi.
Only about twenty percent of reporters failed to reach him, simply blocked out by the rush.
"Brother Jiu, no matter what happens, the Musicians' Association will stand by you," Ge Ying called out before slipping away through the crowd.
"I'll be in touch later tonight if you're free."
"Leaving now, but if you need someone to speak up, just say the word."
Familiar faces like Yang Xinbo and Li Fei left one by one, knowing the press would soon make Chu Zhi the sole focus.
It was a good thing Chu Zhi hadn't moved. If he had headed toward the exit, there would have been a complete traffic jam.
Penguin Entertainment, Mango News, Toutiao, Douyin News, Netease Entertainment—everyone wanted a quote. Xiao Yang and Zhou from Netease were among the first to reach him.
The questions came fast and furious, too many for one person to answer at once.
"Please move to the media room for a short press conference," said Niu Jiangxue, taking control of the situation. "Our artist can't possibly respond to all your questions here."
She had entered earlier from the side door. Managers of nominated artists were allowed in, though not via the red carpet.
The so-called "small" media room still held over a hundred seats, quite spacious compared to the massive theater hall.
Xiao Yang and Zhou were reluctant. They'd fought hard to get to the front. Being told to move was like waiting in line for hours only to be cut by someone new.
Still, if they didn't follow, they'd lose out on the exclusive.
"By the way, there were a lot of Little Fruits here tonight," Chu Zhi murmured to Niu Jiangxue as they walked.
"I suspect it was an organized effort. Can you check on that?"
He wasn't speaking out of impulse. He had already calculated the fallout. Even now, as he faced the crowd, he remained calm, still thinking of his Little Fruits.
"I'll look into it," Niu Jiangxue nodded.
"Also, please make a post on the Orange Home forum. Tell fans not to throw away their Adidas products. They paid money for them."
"Very thoughtful of you," she said, impressed.
By then, they had reached the media room.
Press Conference Begins
"Mr. Chu Zhi, earlier you said you would personally boycott Adidas. If the company apologizes, will you accept it?" asked Xiao Yang from Netease.
"There are two kinds of apologies," Chu Zhi replied. "One is sincere, where someone recognizes their mistake and wants to make it right. The other is forced by pressure."
"Judging from Adidas's initial response, even if they apologize, I don't believe it would be sincere."
"Adults must take responsibility for their actions. Especially a Fortune 500 company. If we forgive disrespectful behavior too easily, we'll only be seen as weak and easily manipulated."
"I don't speak for others, but I will personally uphold my boycott of Adidas—permanently."
His words silenced the room. Everyone caught the underlying message: this wasn't about momentary anger. This was long-term. A line had been drawn.
Another reporter from Penguin asked, "So, is 'not disrespecting China' your standard when choosing endorsement brands?"
"Not disrespecting China?" Chu Zhi raised an eyebrow. "That's not a 'standard'—it's the bare minimum. The prerequisite."
The industry insiders knew: most luxury brands had a history of disrespecting China, if not outright racism.
Chu Zhi couldn't take on every brand in the world. His goal was simple: to raise the stakes. If companies like Dior, Montblanc, or Armani insulted China again, they'd know that with him, it wouldn't just mean canceling a contract—it meant war.
Because to luxury brands, dropped endorsements were nothing. There were always other stars lined up to take the deal once the outrage passed.
Journalists thought he was being too idealistic, but Chu Zhi knew exactly what he was doing.
Only Baidu News asked a question unrelated to Adidas: "Chu Ci: Ode to the Orange won Best Album. You're also the youngest artist to ever win that award. Will you continue creating music in the 'New Chinese Style'?"
It was a normal question, but in the current climate, it felt oddly out of place.
The press conference continued for half an hour and wrapped up around 8:40 p.m.
Chu Zhi later met up with Yang Xinbo and others for dinner. During the meal, Niu Jiangxue called to confirm that the support effort had indeed been organized. Only then did he truly relax and enjoy his food.
But while Chu Zhi was calm, the Chinese internet exploded like a powder keg.
Boom. Boom. Boom.
Bigger than any bomb.
The Little Fruits weren't just loyal. They were fierce. Their idol had made a statement, and they unleashed a storm.
"Screw Adidas! I'm such an idiot for buying those sneakers last week. I'm applying for a refund right now."
"Brother Jiu is so right. I didn't even know about that ad before, but I'm never buying from Adidas again."
"Ahhh Brother Jiu is so A! His values are amazing. I was gonna buy Adidas for 6.18, but forget it!"
"This is how it should be. You wanna take our money and insult our country? Get lost!"
"I threw away my Adidas shoes. The fan groups and forum posts are telling us to stay calm, but seeing Brother Jiu that angry—I just can't."
#ChuZhiBoycottsAdidasForever
#RespectOurCountryIfYouDoBusinessHere
#MultipleOfficialAccountsShowSupport
#AdidasWebsiteCrash
Hot searches flooded Douyin, Weibo, even Zhihu.
"How should we view Chu Zhi's clash with Adidas?"
"Why did Chu Zhi take such a stand?"
What started with fans quickly spread. High visibility drew in the clueless. The situation snowballed into something massive.
===
"卢沟桥"(Lúgōu Qiáo, "Lugou Bridge") by Gu Peng
"Three-leaf clover" is the symbol of Adidas Originals.