Chapter 107 Congratulations
"Besides, even if you don't ask me out, I will still look for you after New Year's Day."
Shu Ming's words were so natural, without any deliberate attempt to coax her. But Geng Guanguan felt as if he was gently holding her and placing her gently on the table.
Oh! This little bastard.
Oh! This spoiled brat.
He finally understood why Liang Ruowen, even though he had gained a formal status, would still suddenly go crazy in front of his friends from time to time.
Ugh! You gay men are so scary.
Geng Guanguan deliberately looked away: "Didn't I see you're in the newspaper? I just happened to be passing through Hong Kong and stopped by to see the protagonist of our newspaper news."
"Which newspaper?" Shu Ming paused holding the spoon and thought seriously.
Geng Guanguan's eyes widened. "Which newspaper? You've been in so many newspapers you've lost count, haven't you?"
"That's not the case..." Shu Ming said sincerely, "The large number is one thing, but there are also too many media and magazines here, and they're so messy that I still can't tell them apart."
So honest. Geng Guanguan was speechless: "I'm talking about the charity auction you and Liang Ruwen attended. The news is all over the place. Didn't you see it?"
Shu Ming raised his eyebrows.
He had no idea that two minutes later, he would deeply regret not stopping Geng Guanguan, the melon-eating expert, from speaking.
Geng Guanguan suddenly looked serious and began to announce word by word: "Young Master Liang fought passionately late into the night, standing firm for fifteen minutes for his new love."
Shu Ming almost spit out a mouthful of bean paste and quickly took a tissue to wipe his mouth.
What the hell!
"There's more." Geng Guanguan glanced at him and continued.
"A teacher and student of many years fell out on the spot, and a popular male star threw his hat into the ring for his beloved..."
“Stop, stop, stop!”
Fortunately, they were sitting in a private room! Shu Ming interrupted him hurriedly: "Where did you see such a blast..."
"So you really haven't read those tabloids!" Geng Guanguan stopped talking, with a hint of inexplicable regret on her face. She didn't know if it was Shu Ming's illusion.
"Hong Kong media have always used this style of headlines. When a male celebrity fell into the sea while running, didn't they use the headline 'Fat but Not Drowning'?"
Therefore, "Young Master Liang fought passionately late at night and stood firm for fifteen minutes for his new love" was just Liang Ruwen holding up the card for fifteen minutes in order to win a brooch to give to Shu Ming.
In "A teacher and student of many years fall out on the spot, and a popular male star goes all out for his beloved," Shu Ming initially wanted to buy the ruby brooch alone, but Liang Ruwen stopped him...
Thank you, Hong Kong media, he is now a popular male star!
However, this was the first time Shu Ming realized that if someone had served as a mentor in a talent show, could they also be called teacher and student?
The two of them laughed for five minutes while talking about the extraordinary talents of Hong Kong media, and their hearts, which had been separated for a long time, naturally became closer again.
Geng Guanguan then took the opportunity to ask him, "Why are you two suddenly so high-profile? This is not your style!"
"This is my off-screen homework. Chen Mi specifically requested it, so I'm a bit busier this month."
That's why he has been frequenting various places recently.
As for being photographed... the paparazzi are too pervasive and cannot be stopped.
If you want to take pictures, just go ahead and take them.
The original work of "Far Away" is the best in "pretending to be cool".
Even though it is a winner of the "Five One Project Award" and not an online literature IP, the author is from a wealthy family after all, so much so that his character Huo Jingtian once surpassed the protagonists of many famous works and has been the well-deserved king of male frequency in the hearts of male and female readers for many years.
As for Huo Jingtian, he transformed himself from a small-time gangster in S City to the fourth son of the Huo family, and then to the ruler who could stir up huge waves in the harbor with just a word... His transformation is inseparable from the huge accumulation of wealth.
This kind of confidence of a superior can only be truly cultivated through countless manpower and material resources. Any lack of it will make it appear unnatural and awkward.
To grasp such a perfect balance, the director cannot achieve it by simply telling the actors the play.
You have to experience it for yourself!
Therefore, although Shu Ming has seen many scenes that ordinary people cannot see after entering the entertainment industry, it is still far from enough to meet the standards in Chen Mi's mind.
He spent five years preparing for this film "Far Away". Everything had to be authentic and beautiful, and Chen Mi cherished and put in great effort.
Of course, this play can be regarded as a life-saving straw for Shu Ming. Losing the Golden Osmanthus Award has been a shame for him until now.
No matter what, if you don’t get it, you don’t get it. Without any real achievements, you will be ridiculed and humiliated by others.
Shu Ming simply swallowed this humiliation silently. It didn't mean that he forgot about it, nor did it mean that he could pretend that this matter never happened from beginning to end.
"Far Away" is another springboard he can grab at the moment.
So, the director and the leading actor hit it off and took the most serious attitude.
Chen Mi originally planned to use his connections to help Shu Ming experience the various aspects, but he soon discovered a clue -
Shu Ming and Liang Ruowen probably have some unusual relationship in private.
I can only say that Director Chen is worthy of being a director, his insight is incomparable to ordinary people.
Shu Ming actually really wanted to give Liang Ruowen a legitimate status, so the two of them never deliberately avoided suspicion, but no one could help but think in that direction!
When the two of them made eye contact, others applauded and praised their deep brotherhood; Liang Ruwen personally held an umbrella to pick someone up on a rainstorm night, and the staff praised their brotherhood; Liang Ruwen was a virtuous cook who made soup every day, and others gave him thumbs up and praised his extraordinary cooking skills.
Liang Ruowen was so angry that he laughed!
Shu Ming was immersed in the role of "Far Away" every day, and he even had a little bit of a foxy mischief. This kid was shaking his fox tail, and although he was laughing like crazy inside, he had to play it serious: "I'm sorry for wronging you..."
He can't just rush up to everyone and say - this is my real boyfriend, okay, I'm officially coming out today!
You can’t even rush in front of an elder like Qiao Minxue and openly show your affection!
So apart from Liang Ruwen's friends who could reveal the truth, and the sharp-minded Chen Mi, there weren't many people who knew about their affairs...
Of course, there's also the possibility that someone noticed but played dumb. But it doesn't matter; as long as they weren't caught kissing passionately in public, no one could shake Shu Ming's career.
So what if you know? What can you do to me?
But it is also possible that they are too open and honest, so no one thinks of anything wrong... So sad!
In the end, Chen Mi was the only one who benefited from this matter, because he no longer had to rack his brains to build connections and get sponsorship, he could just recruit strong men directly.
The Liang family is already considered a top family. Is there anything they can't provide? Is there anything that Shu Ming can't experience or enjoy?
Even someone with a strong network of connections like Chen Mi wouldn't dare to say he could give Shu Ming better...
“So I’ve been really busy this month.”
Shu Ming counted them one by one. He had now broadened his horizons to the point where private jets and yachts were nothing more than a piece of cake.
What's more, because the film involved a casino scene, Liang Ruwen simply took the time to fly him to City A.
He was deeply impressed because, after all, he was still a young boy. Who hasn't dreamed of making a stunning debut in a casino? Who hasn't seen some classic scenes from "God of Gamblers" and had some unrealistic dreams?
But Liang Ruwen actually told him to lose all the money in his card. When he lost it all, his mission for the day would be complete... After leaving the casino, he would take him to eat some glutinous rice balls from a certain shop. They were very sweet.
In short, it seems that glutinous rice balls are more important than winning money.
But when Shu Ming privately checked the amount in the card, it was almost half of his net worth.
Alas, let’s fight with you rich people!
Of course, this guy didn't really lose everything until the end.
Shu Ming had been lucky since he was a child, and even made some money. But while he enjoyed it, he wasn't greedy for such a lingering achievement, and he stopped when he said he would.
This experience was more impressive than any auction house or club. However, the reason why he was so impressed was not just because of the pleasure of spending money like this - of course, Shu Ming did taste a different magical taste, which is undeniable.
But more importantly, he vaguely felt something he had never touched before and smelled some different smells.
Shu Ming sometimes wondered, if he really studied hard and then went out to work… when could he accumulate such an astonishing amount of wealth? He probably couldn't earn that much money in eight lifetimes of work!
Therefore, one naturally has to rely on gambling and try to win the favor of fate, but there may not be a winner in the end. Liang Ruowen received such education since childhood, so what he told Shu Ming was "lose everything".
However, the goals of different generations should be different. For someone like him who has nothing, winning for a moment is still a win.
"Someone has to win, and their win is naturally not as good as mine."
Alas, he didn't even know that he still had the gambler's spirit to take such a gamble.
But no one knows a brother better than his brother. Zhuang Zheng hit the nail on the head: "If you hadn't gambled, you wouldn't have stayed in the entertainment industry. Do you dare to say that you never coveted the huge profits in this industry at the beginning?
Well, I failed at playing pitiful. Shu Ming sighed deeply, and then his elder brother rubbed his head hard.
However, the boy soon didn't have much time to complain, because he was immediately taken to class by Chen Mi. There were many financial battles in "Far Away", so the knowledge needed to be learned.
Only when the actors truly understand the script can they perform well and give a brilliant performance, instead of just reciting the script without making any sense.
The lines shot in that way would be wooden and lifeless.
Shu Ming and Geng Guanguan explained carefully: "Don't be fooled by the fact that we get off work at four or five every day. In fact, every night after playing ball, I have to take several hours of extra classes, and they are all taught in English!"
In fact, Xi Jia should also attend the class, but these contents are just for their enlightenment, so there is no need for them to really attend the class.
Occasionally, Xi Jia would actually come over, but it was clear that this young man wasn't really there for class, he was just there to stare at Shu Ming's profile.
Shu Ming was on pins and needles at the beginning, but later he was able to ignore his gaze completely calmly and take notes seriously - what else could he do? He couldn't kick him out.
It won’t hurt if people see you, so it’s more important to attend class!
Even for a top student like Shu Ming, who spent the first twenty years of his life almost mute in English, all-English teaching gave him a headache and he really didn't bother to care about anything else.
"And then there are other things... that force me to split a minute into several pieces, so the few times you came to me, they conflicted with my original plans."
This is the reason why Shu Ming has been unable to find time to meet Geng Guanguan.
Geng Guanguan had long lost her temper, and after being completely appeased by his detailed explanation, she felt sorry for him instead: "You work so hard, can't the director give you a few days off? This isn't the right way to exploit someone!"
My friend, you changed sides too quickly.
"I let him go, I let him go. Otherwise, how could I meet you today?"
Shu Ming winked at him, and with the hoodie he was wearing today, he exuded a youthful vibe.
Geng Guanguan was completely speechless now.
**
New Year’s Day came quickly, but the reading was not over yet.
The usual standard in Hong Kong is to only give the film a day off on January 1st, but Chen Mi is not a regular director, so he gave the entire crew three days off.
Even if it means burning money.
Li Chen and his friends wanted to invite Shu Ming to spend New Year's Eve with them, but he refused.
Shu Ming wanted to take this opportunity to go home.
Although I video chat with my aunt at least once every two days, I still can't help but miss her.
This priority was higher than any other relationship, so he not only turned down the invitations from other crew members for happy hour after get off work, but also rejected his boyfriend's New Year's Eve date.
Liang Ruwen certainly respected him and had anticipated this situation, but she couldn't help but resort to some scheming, feigning a bit of sadness in order to trick Shu Ming into a soft-hearted kiss.
That's good enough! He is such a contented man.
Shu Ming had mailed back all the gifts he bought in Hong Kong, but the little gadgets he bought in Frederick had not been mailed yet, so he wanted to bring them to his aunt in person.
And the money he accidentally earned in the casino... He has contacted his hometown, Wenhe City, and plans to donate part of it.
Shu Ming smiled slightly: "Like I said, if someone has to win, then it's better for me to win than for others to win."
It was hard to argue with what he said. All of this had become his private property, and no one had the right to question it, so it was settled.
Shu Ming had been planning since the 30th—besides meeting his aunt, he also had to personally inspect the donation project. Even if he left the night before, he only had two days left.
There are many things to do but little time, so we must set off without delay.
At 2:14 am on January 1, Shu Ming landed at the provincial capital airport.
That morning, the two brothers, who had been traveling all night, were sleeping head to head in the car when someone called them three times and woke Shu Ming up from his dream.
Outside the car window, the sun had leaped from the other side of the horizon and turned into a strong fireball, a bit like the salted egg yolk pickled by my aunt, with a hazy border.
Shu Ming didn't have time to see who it was. Since someone could call him three times at this time, it must be something extremely urgent, so he put the phone to his ear before he realized it.
The voice was so familiar, he recognized it completely.
It’s Guan Xianyi.
"Shu Ming."
She rarely used such a serious tone, calling Shu Ming's name word by word.
Such an unusual opening remark immediately sobered Shu Ming up a little. He rolled down the car window, and the biting cold wind blew into the car.
Shu Ming felt that his palms were a little wet, so he changed sides to answer the phone.
The person on the other side seemed to take a deep breath, but also seemed not to.
Shu Ming's heartbeat gradually quickened due to his sixth sense. He could hear his voice was a little dry. This nervousness even made his empty stomach feel a little nauseous. "What's wrong? Sister Xianyi."
"Shu Ming."
Guan Xianyi did not keep anyone in suspense; she spoke quickly and steadily.
But if you sit opposite her, you will see a glimmer of tears in her eyes.
"Congratulations! 'Fredry's Poem' has been shortlisted for the Best Film Award at the Gold Coast Film Festival. As the only male lead, you've been nominated for Gold Coast's Best Actor."
The Gold Medal is one of the highest awards in the film industry. Excellent films from all over the world gather here, but each award only has five nominations.
"Do you know the last time a Chinese actor was nominated for the Gold Medal for Best Leading Actor?"
Shu Ming wanted to say that he knew.
But he was speechless.
"Thirty years ago."
What is the value of this?
Guan Xianyi's deep breath this time was very clear: "Shu Ming, I am proud of you."
Regardless of whether you win the award or not, you have left a unique and significant mark in the history of Chinese-language films.
You no longer have to shed tears for superficial recognition like the Golden Osmanthus Award.
The larger world has extended an olive branch to you——
At the same time, related entries quickly topped the hot searches of major software in a very short period of time, and spread across the screen like a flood!
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The author has something to say: I finally managed to hold it out!!!
I really struggled with it for a long time, but finally decided not to be so melodramatic...
God knows how many scraps I've written.
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