Chapter 280: People Who Are Determined to Fight Amidst Multiple Challenges...

When Li Sishi and her entourage flew to Cannes, Zhuang Menghua and various reporters, who had returned from Venice, brought back some explosive news—this year's Venice Film Festival actually produced a 4-year-old winner of the "Best Actress" award.

In other words, this four-year-old girl named Violet, as a child star at such a young age, won the Best Actress award in Venice, an honor that many adult actresses can only dream of, in this family-themed film that seems to be a "natural performance".

In no time, not only filmmakers in Hong Kong were alarmed and started discussing it, but even ordinary citizens were talking about it with great interest. It quickly overshadowed the latest morning report in the Fruit Daily, "Rong Juezhang's outburst for a beauty," and refreshed the latest hot topic in Hong Kong at the fastest speed.

As the owner of Qu Weekly and Fruit Daily, Lai Shih-ying was furious when he discovered that the hot topics had suddenly changed: he never expected that Li Si-shi, this "fake actress", would actually have such good luck!

His company's newspapers and magazines have always focused on uncovering things that ordinary media cannot, using this to build their reputation and secure a place in the fiercely competitive Hong Kong media landscape. That's why he was so excited when he received the revelation from Li Sishi that she was suspected of being a "rich family's illegitimate daughter"...

As a result, before the exposé could even reach its peak, that old hag from the Li family and Li Jinhao, that scoundrel lawyer who specializes in helping women steal men's money, actually reacted so quickly and then openly defended Li Sishi!

Even Rong Juezhang, a washed-up superstar who had long disliked their company but had always kept quiet, actually flew into a rage for her sake—even though Rong Juezhang used to have good relationships with major media outlets and would chat and eat with reporters, this guy was just so opportunistic, often ignoring their reporters and even occasionally glaring at them angrily…

Lai Shiying harbored resentment towards Rong Juezhang in his heart, and the more he thought about it, the more dissatisfied he became.

He didn't think there was anything wrong with his company's reckless actions of sending reporters to stake out celebrities' residences, rummage through trash cans, sneak into their homes to dig up their privacy, and even stage accidents for extortion. He believed that getting information was their skill, and since these celebrities had already come out into the public eye, it wasn't spreading rumors or being vulgar; it was clearly satisfying everyone's right to know and pursuing the truth for everyone!

Even though he had offended most of the artists in Hong Kong in just a few years, Lai Shih-ying was still quite satisfied with his "exclusive revelations" that were unique to him.

He even published Rong Juezhang's previous angry outbursts calling him scum in the report titled "Rong Juezhang's Fury for a Beauty"—who can compare to him in running a gossip magazine?!

But then, out of nowhere, a four-year-old girl suddenly became a film queen in Shuicheng...

With such a Water City Best Actress award, clearly created to create a goddess, who would still think that Li Sishi winning the Asia-Pacific Film Festival's youngest Best Actress award for "Mermaid Romance" was a "fake"?

I really don't know why Li Sishi has such strong luck; she had people covering for her after two bombshell revelations.

The news of her being an "illegitimate daughter of a wealthy family" was suppressed by her stepfather. Normally, it would be common for their family to receive warning letters and lawyer's letters, but those people were just actors and entertainers with little support. Sending the letters was just a way to vent their anger and had no effect on their magazine.

But Li Jinhao is different—because behind Li Jinhao stands the Li family, a powerful clan whose intricate web of interests accumulated over generations has formed a vast network. If a nouveau riche like him, who has taken an unorthodox path, were to fight against them, he would be lucky to escape with his life.

Given his extensive network of information from magazines and newspapers, he already knew in advance that Li Jinhao had arranged for someone to investigate the testing center that was secretly conducting paternity tests without the individual's consent—and coincidentally, the new doctor was also an "informant" they had found based on the tip-off.

One of the issues is that the appraisal agency has reportedly been sued and forced to suspend operations...

With such a precedent in mind, Lai Shiying no longer dared to openly target Li Sishi. Instead, he used the pretext of reporting Rong Juezhang's "celebrity gossip" to mock and ridicule the two of them.

"Boss, should we really continue reporting on Rong Juezhang and Li Sishi? Everyone's talking about the 4-year-old Shuicheng Best Actress now." A reporter asked with a troubled expression, "We also sent people to Shuicheng; in terms of firsthand information, we're no less than the others..."

"Report them! Of course we'll report them! We need to go all out and report on those two!" Lai Shiying slammed his fist on the table. "As for Shuicheng, let those idiots fight it out here. Our 'Qu Weekly' has always carved out its own niche with 'exclusives,' and Li Sishi and the others will be appearing at the Cannes Film Festival soon anyway..."

The Cannes Film Festival has never produced a Chinese Best Actress winner. Rong Juezhang went to compete for the Best Actor award a few years ago but returned disappointed. He just doesn't believe that Li Sishi, a newcomer to the film industry who has only just begun to make a name for herself in Hong Kong, can win the Best Actress award at this year's Cannes Film Festival, which is full of strong competitors!

When Li

Si Shi and her entourage returned home dejectedly after failing to win an award at Cannes, and the buzz surrounding the 4-year-old Venice Film Festival Best Actress has surely died down considerably.

Then, they'll compile all the news about Li Sishi during this period and put it in the weekly magazine. Those citizens who are eager to gossip about the latest hot topics will just be the韭菜 (leeks) they can harvest at will.

While undercurrents surge everywhere in Hong Kong, a rare harmony prevails in Kangcheng.

Of course, before "Beauty on the High Platform" was officially released, many insiders who had received advance notice were dissatisfied with the fact that it would be the opening film of this year's Cannes Film Festival. Before "Beauty on the High Platform" was submitted for review at the last minute before the submission deadline, they had almost all received a leaked rumor that the opening film of this year's Cannes Film Festival would be a period comedy film "Absurd Romance" by a French director.

When everyone was eagerly anticipating seeing this supposedly refreshing and simple French film, a period comedy that would highlight the power struggles and sycophancy culture of the French bureaucracy with its rich storytelling and intense dramatic conflicts, the big screen suddenly turned into what looked like a sweet and saccharine romantic idol movie... How could this not be incredibly surprising?

Even though this movie seems like an idol-style film, it features Rong Juezhang, a recognized acting talent...

Yes, although Rong Juezhang did not win the Cannes Best Actor award a few years ago, his image as an unparalleled diva in that film was deeply engraved in the hearts of the French people who love beauty.

Although it's unexpected that Rong Juezhang, after switching back to his suit-wearing gentlemanly image, would be equally charming in the film, the actress he was acting opposite was really just a pretty face – Li Sishi does have a little bit of fame in some parts of the world.

After all, Miss World and Miss Universe, two globally renowned beauty pageants, are said to be fair and just, but in fact most people know that they have a common unspoken rule: if the runner-up is not a contestant from Europe or America, then the champion will inevitably be one of the contestants from Europe or America.

Li Sishi first won the third place in Miss World, and then went on to win the runner-up in Miss Universe. Along with her friend Sushilika, she also defeated all the contestants that year, becoming the first Chinese contestant to enter the top three in Miss Universe and the first Indian contestant to win the Miss Universe title.

As the "Queen of Chinese Beauty Pageants," Li Sishi enjoys a certain degree of fame in foreign lands due to her status as the "first."

Especially now

Western countries haven't yet reached such a dark and distorted aesthetic. Li Sishi's appearance, described as "ethereal" in the East, is closer to the legendary, exquisite "elf" look in Western countries, along with that subtle, indescribable charm that comes from being reborn from another world. The French were quite smitten with her looks back then...

However, while one may appreciate beautiful women, film as an art form cannot succeed solely through beauty—even though Li Sishi's portrayal of the female lead "Kitty" is beautiful and captivating in every single look throughout the film…

With an appreciation for beauty and a critical eye for the film, and given that this was the opening film of this year's festival, even though people at the scene were grumbling to themselves, they at least maintained a semblance of calm on the surface.

Until this film began to reveal its hideous fangs beneath its sugary coating.

Watching the female lead, played by Li Sishi, gradually become melancholy due to the change in the male lead's attitude, those who initially thought this was just an idol movie trying to get a nomination and gain some prestige couldn't help but sit up straight.

The beauty who was once as radiant as a flower has not regained her vitality. Instead, she seems to have gradually faded away from the warmth of spring, endured the scorching summer sun, and survived the merciless cold autumn wind, finally arriving at this solemn winter when all things are still.

Those times, which recorded the blooming flowers of spring, the greenery of summer, and the vibrant colors of autumn, were once displayed in her gowns, stunning the world; but at this moment, all the colors have faded, leaving only this white-based, ink-colored, withered branch long dress in the style of classical Eastern ink painting.

The lavishly decorated mansion is filled with endless vibrant colors, but the female protagonist played by Li Sishi seems to blend into her ink-wash dress, like a black and white doll that has lost all its color, sitting on a high platform that she can never get down from, waiting for the day of her end...

The most beautiful people and things are lost in obscure corners—if this is a beautifully tragic film wrapped in sugar to warn young girls, then they have to admit that this film does have its merits for being nominated.

After all, the fact that the female lead actress herself is a beauty pageant contestant is a good point of reference—whether in China or abroad, most of these beautiful and vibrant beauty pageant contestants end up having all their energy and spirit devoured by the decadent lifestyle that follows.

There will inevitably be a few lucky ones who rise to fame riding the wave of beauty pageants, but the vast majority of beauty pageant contestants, like the heroine in this movie, will simply be consumed by the gold and silver that are rare yet easily obtained in the mundane world.

Jewelry traded for beauty and health, which are easily obtained yet rare in the mundane world...

But just as everyone was lost in thought, anticipating a tragic and beautiful ending, the female protagonist on the big screen resolutely jumped from the seemingly unattainable platform in her eyes, like a withered leaf butterfly, using the last moments of her life to bloom and be stained with that one last vibrant color—

That is the most vibrant red in the world, which must be dyed with blood before it can be displayed before the eyes of millions of people and become an indelible color in their memories.

It was in this very moment that the most ingenious arrangement of the film and the dress was finally revealed as the blood seeped from the wounds on the heroine's body—the red from the wounds gradually stained the black and white dress and the life that had been tormented to the point of being nothing but black and white with the most vibrant red.

Clusters of crimson plum blossoms bloom on the withered branches in the ink painting. The female protagonist slowly gets up from the ground, and each difficult step seems to tread on the heart of the viewer.

Although her expression was almost blank, everyone seemed to be able to see a resolute determination to be reborn in her dark pupils.

Finally, the heavy door that had once seemed so far away was pushed open by the heroine with all her might—

The dazzling sunlight shone in from the outside, reflecting on the silhouette of the ink-wash red plum blossoms, just as the desolate winter has finally passed, and those who were determined to fight have finally welcomed the first ray of brilliant sunlight piercing through the boundless darkness.