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Chapter 2: I Am Ready
"It’s starting."
Zhuang Jiang crossed her hands over her lap and lifted her eyes to look toward the front.
Seeing that she had straightened her posture, Li Shu leaned in and whispered softly into her ear: "I don't believe it."
I don't believe that fox has no feelings for you.
After muttering this, she turned back around to look ahead with the others.
The incandescent lights suddenly cut out, and the stage-specific spotlights flared to life.
The first person to appear on stage was the renowned host, He Xian.
He Xian held a microphone, yet he didn't walk directly forward.
He turned around, extended a hand, and leaned halfway down, waiting for Zhao Xiang behind him to place her hand in his palm.
Only then did the two of them, faces full of smiles, walk together toward the center of the stage.
The audience below saw this clearly. Recalling the trending headlines from just a moment ago, they collectively turned their gazes toward Gu Yu and Zhuang Jiang.
Once in the center of the stage, He Xian raised his microphone and spoke first: "On this day where a hundred flowers bloom."
Zhao Xiang held her microphone and followed: "On this day where a hundred schools of thought contend."
Then they laughed and spoke in unison: "2017, here in Sucheng... we together welcome the 32nd Hundred Flowers Awards."
...
The applause was like thunder.
He Xian’s eyes swept across the audience. Looking at Gu Yu, who sat in the center of the first row, he asked with a smile: "Best Actor Gu has already taken the Best Actor award for the 28th Hundred Flowers. I wonder if you have the confidence to take it once more this time?"
The spotlight hit Gu Yu, revealing a gentle temperament that set him apart from the rest.
He reached out and waved to the crowd, then took the microphone and spoke warmly: "The organization shows me great favor; I wouldn't dare decline."
The crowd erupted in good-natured laughter.
He Xian also shook his head and laughed.
Then, he turned his gaze to Zhuang Jiang and asked: "We all know that Zhuang Jiang’s roles aren't restricted to a single style. Last year, the Republic-era literary film Groom’s Embroidery was nominated but lost to Yao Qing by a single vote. This year’s project is the ancient war epic The Female General, co-starring Best Actor Gu—do you feel that this time, you will miss out on Best Actress again?"
Zhuang Jiang took the microphone handed over by Gu Yu, looked up at He Xian, and gave a light smile: "I think I am ready."
The crowd went still, everyone looking toward Zhuang Jiang.
Even the battle-hardened He Xian was stunned for a moment, as if he hadn't expected Zhuang Jiang to speak so bluntly.
Holding his microphone, he gave a "haha" laugh: "It seems our Star Zhuang is very confident."
After He Xian finished speaking, he opened his mouth again: "Then let us first look at the first award, Best Supporting Actor."
...
The Best Supporting Actor award was ultimately given to Ye Fan, who was nearing thirty.
With his portrayal of the Ye family patriarch in Ye Family Fist, he defeated four other nominated actors, successfully claiming this award in the year he turned thirty.
By the time he took the stage to accept the award, he was already sobbing uncontrollably. This man of iron character held the trophy in his hands, unable to say a single word.
Best Supporting Actress went to Han Xi.
In previous years, she had always played innocent, "silly-sweet" female leads, only to be frequently criticized for having no acting skills.
This time, entering with White Lotus Sister, Malignant Younger Sister, she played the wicked sister in the film... it actually received quite a resonance, making it a case of "losing at sunrise but gaining at sunset."
Best Director went to Director Li Zhipeng.
Best Original Score went to Pop Diva Li Shu.
Best Screenplay went to...
**
Once all the important and unimportant awards had passed one by one.
Only two awards remained.
One was Best Actor, and the other was Best Actress—
Both were the weightiest of the heavy.
He Xian had specially invited the famous artist Li Zhen and the renowned director Zhang Ren.
Both were seniors nearing fifty years of age; having them present the awards was enough to demonstrate the importance of these two honors.
He Xian pointed to the large screen and said to the crowd: "The following are the nominations for Best Actor—"
"Business War, portraying Gu He—Gu Yu."
"Qin Dynasty, portraying Li Yu—Bai Yang."
"Calculation, portraying the Strategist—He Guan."
...
The large screen showed excerpts of the nominated films... In Business War, Gu Yu, dressed in a sharp suit, shook hands with An Sheng, who was also in a suit. The clash in their eyes became the most brilliant scene of the drama.
In Qin Dynasty, Li Yu held a silver spear, slaughtering enemies on the battlefield, making one deeply feel the hot blood of a man.
In Calculation, He Guan stood on a high platform, commanding the situation with a flourish, making one feel admiration at first sight.
...
When the large screen went still, the crowd had not yet emerged from the films. A single thought rose in their hearts: "This is a true battle for Best Actor; these are the films worthy of a Best Actor nomination."
Li Zhen held a sealed envelope in her hand and spoke to Zhang Ren: "It seems everyone is still immersed in the films."
Zhang Ren nodded and said with a smile: "If you hadn't spoken, I'm afraid I would be immersed as well."
Li Zhen laughed too, facing the crowd: "Let us all applaud together, for the three of them, and for their teams... thanking them for bringing us such excellent films."
The applause was like thunder, filling the ears.
"No matter to whom this award belongs, I think the achievements of you three are indelible."
After Li Zhen said this, she opened the envelope in her hand and said to the crowd with a smile: "The winner of the Best Actor award for the 32nd Hundred Flowers is—"
"Gu Yu!"
Applause rang out.
In everyone's hearts, for him to take this award was well-deserved!
Gu Yu stood up composedly, gave the people beside him a light hug, and bowed to the crowd before walking toward the podium amidst the applause.
He gave the two seniors a junior's bow. Upon receiving the trophy and certificate handed over by Zhang Ren, he gave him a light hug and shook Li Zhen’s hand—then he walked to the microphone and began to speak under the gaze of the crowd.
"First, I want to thank my parents, my friends, and my fans."
"Thank you to the Hundred Flowers Awards, thank you to every judge, thank you to everyone in the audience... it is because of you that I was able to win this award."
"I also want to thank the director, the screenwriter, and every single staff member."
"Without a powerful team, without an excellent script, and without the dedication of every staff member... Gu He would not exist in this world."
"Finally—"
Gu Yu looked toward the front with a light smile: "I want to thank one person."
Zhao Xiang cut in with a question: "Who is that person?"
"That person—"
Gu Yu opened his mouth with a smile: "Is the most important person in my life."
"Is it inconvenient for Best Actor Gu to disclose? I think the fans on the other side of the live stream definitely want to know as well."
Gu Yu shook his head with a smile, looked toward the cameras, and said warmly: "I’m afraid I’ll have to ask you all to wait a little longer. Just a little longer, and I will bring her to meet you."
Below the stage, Li Shu asked Zhuang Jiang: "Is that fox talking about you?"
Zhuang Jiang looked at her sideways, her expression suggesting she was looking at an idiot. Then, just as the other woman awkwardly rubbed her nose, Zhuang Jiang straightened her posture and looked toward the stage.
Gu Yu also saw Zhuang Jiang. He gave a light smile and bowed to the crowd again before walking down the stage.
The crowd naturally couldn't force him. After a few more words were exchanged, He Xian spoke once more: "The following is the final award, the nominations for Best Actress—let us look at the large screen."
"The Female General, portraying Yan Wan—Zhuang Jiang."
"The Brocade Letter, portraying Lin Wan—Lin Ling."
"Prosperity, portraying Empress Wu—Zhong Jin."
...
The first to appear on the screen was The Brocade Letter. The background of The Brocade Letter was set in the Republic of China, under warlord rule, with war spreading everywhere.
Lin Wan, played by Lin Ling, was a young lady from a prestigious family. Her fiancé was the county commander.
The day before the wedding, the county was bombed. Lin Wan fled to Shanghai with her family...
And the letters she sent to the county were delivered into the flames of war one after another, yet never reached the commander’s hands.
A brocade letter is hard to send.
At the end of the story, Lin Wan finally learned that her fiancé had died long ago, on the very day the county was bombed.
...
Next was Prosperity, played by Zhong Jin. She portrayed Empress Wu. In an era of prosperity, she was nonetheless aging day by day... finally, she sat on a lounge chair, looking at the sunlight outside, her clouded eyes revealing sorrow.
No matter how prosperous the era, it could not save a person from aging.
Even if she was the supreme ruler.
Last to appear was the excerpt of Zhuang Jiang’s The Female General.
At midnight, outside the city gates, there was only a solitary moon... Zhao Lan, played by Gu Yu, looked at the person he loved deeply before him. All the affection between his lips turned into a single sentence: "General, since Zhao Lan can no longer assist you, then he shall no longer hinder you."
After saying this, he grabbed Yan Wan’s hand and pushed the dagger into his abdomen.
"Zhao Lan!"
Yan Wan, played by Zhuang Jiang, let out a great cry, but she only cried out that once... She looked at him, her words incredibly calm: "A-Lan, it's dark now. I’m taking you home."
Then, it faded into silence.
Zhuang Jiang’s performance in this segment was different from her usual bright and haughty roles.
In this film, she transformed from the initially lighthearted and favored Eldest Miss Yan to the only one left to prop up the Yan family army after the entire family of loyalists sacrificed themselves on the battlefield... such a Yan Wan was destined not to be confined by the emotions between a man and a woman.
This short, 140-minute film fully depicted Yan Wan’s journey from a cheerful girl to a cold, iron-willed general on the battlefield... Zhao Lan was the only light in her later life.
After the movie was released, a netizen once commented: "Emotions in a chaotic world—heavy and etched in the bones, stifling yet unforgettable."
...
These three films almost all spoke of... the unattainable.
Lin Wan sent out letters year after year, only to receive news of her fiancĂ©’s early death.
Empress Wu claimed the throne, pursuing supreme desire and a prosperous age, yet she could not resist the day-by-day aging.
Yan Wan sought peace for the world, sought safety for those around her...
But in the end, she could only watch the person she loved deeply die.
**
Such films were undoubtedly thought-provoking.
And destined to be tragic.
Eventually, it was Li Zhen who spoke first. She wiped away the tears at the corners of her eyes and said: "I think everyone present is like me, shocked by these three films—different eras, different character personalities."
"Yet they have all... deeply shocked us."
Li Zhen suppressed her sobbing and said to the crowd: "Let us also applaud these three women, thanking them for their dedication, allowing us to gain such excellent films."
Applause rang out.
No matter how they competed in the past, at a time like this, they all carried the most sincere sentiments and blessings—
Applauding for them.
Then, Zhang Ren opened the envelope in his hand. His eyes swept across the crowd below, and then he looked at Zhuang Jiang with a smile: "The winner of the Best Actress award for the 32nd Hundred Flowers is—"
"Zhuang Jiang!"
"Let us use the warmest applause to congratulate her!"
Gu Yu and Li Shu took the lead in standing up and applauding, followed by the applause of the entire crowd.
Under the spotlights, Zhuang Jiang stood up and gave the people beside her a light hug.
Then, she walked toward the stage with composure and agility.
Dressed in a black V-neck dress, every step she took created beautiful ripples in her wake.
Zhuang Jiang’s face was calm; she didn't pause for a single step.
When she reached the stage, just like the previous award winner, she gave Li Zhen a light hug upon receiving the trophy and certificate and shook hands with Zhang Ren.
Zhuang Jiang then walked to the microphone—
She remained serene, appearing entirely unlike someone her age should, and acting completely unlike someone winning an award for the first time.
Her eyes swept over the crowd, a hint of a light smile appearing on her face.
"This award is very important to me."
Best Actress, Hundred Flowers Movie Queen—how could such an award not be important?
Zhuang Jiang paused for a moment before looking toward the camera placed in the center. She spoke, her voice slow and clear: "Next, I want to announce a piece of news to everyone."
"After today—"
"I will be retiring from the entertainment industry."
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