Chapter 43 - Awards Ceremony

Translator: Lynn

After a morning of rest, Brother Jian took everyone to a well-known local restaurant for a lavish meal. Then, they strolled through the famous commercial avenue, where Brother Jian generously bought expensive souvenirs for everyone. The two young assistants were completely taken in by Brother Jian’s charm, exclaiming how he was a true gentleman and a perfect marriage partner. However, they couldn’t help but feel sad that he was already taken. As for how many times they teased Brother Jian and praised Long Zichen behind their backs, we’ll leave that aside for now.

The group had a fun-filled day, and the next morning, Jian was taken by Jason to meet the members of the Silver Moonlight band. During these days, he familiarized himself with some of Silver Moonlight’s hit singles. Today’s meeting was mainly to get to know each other, discuss the chorus arrangements, and start formal rehearsals the following day.

In the afternoon, Jason personally accompanied Jian Jie and his assistant to Sunlight Films, a subsidiary of the Press Group, for an audition. The movie “Life of an Opera” was one of the major productions of Sunlight Films that year. The entire company attached great importance to it, and even the supporting roles had been auditioned several times. Jian Jie was auditioning for a supporting role that would appear later in the film. He would play a student of the protagonist, opera master Hayne Freeman, in Freeman’s later years. This young and talented opera singer would stay with Freeman until the end of his life, and their relationship would be very close.

Jian Jie received a simple introduction to the role and a scene clip. Jason advised him, “Just act as usual. Our director likes to cast non-professional actors for his films. He made two award-winning films, and neither of the leads were real actors. You just need to be natural, as realism is more important than acting skills.”

Jian nodded, feeling very nervous. He was so preoccupied with how he would perform during the audition that he even forgot to thank Jason. However, Jason didn’t mind. To him, Asians seemed small, and Jian Jie was still a young child in his eyes. People were always more understanding and forgiving towards children.

After a while, Jian Jie was ushered into the audition room, which was just an ordinary office space. There were only three people in the room: the director, the assistant director, and an assistant. A camera was set up next to the desk.

The film had hired the renowned art director, Paul Cook, to direct. Paul was a man of few words, with a beard, unruly curly hair, and plain clothing, making him look like a blue-collar worker.

Upon Jian’s entrance, he greeted both the director and the assistant director. Paul simply nodded, while the assistant director warmly invited Jian Jie to sit on the sofa and asked him some questions, such as his age and whether he played any musical instruments. Then, with a smile, he said, “I heard from Jason that Jian is a famous singer in Huaguo. This character has several scenes that require singing. I wonder if you could sing a part for us right here?”

“Of course,” Jian Jie replied, relieved that he only needed to sing. He asked, “Which song would you like me to perform?”

The assistant director flipped through the script in front of him and said, “It’s ‘Although I Love You This Way’ from Hein Freeman’s musical ‘Once Upon a Time’. Can you sing that?”

“Sure,” Jian Jie agreed. For today’s audition, he had listened to all of Hein Freeman’s works. ‘The Past’ was Freeman’s later masterpiece, and ‘Although I Love You This Way’ was the most popular excerpt among them, which Jian Jie had heard several times.

Taking the lyrics handed over by the assistant, Jian Jie stood up and began to sing. As soon as he opened his mouth, he forgot his earlier embarrassment. His emotional voice drew people into the atmosphere of the song, making them feel the sorrow of unrequited love.

At the end of the song, the assistant director applauded, nodded, and said with a smile, “You truly are a professional singer, it was perfect.” He stood up and shook hands with Jian Jie, adding, “I’ll let you know in a few days. Thank you for coming for the audition today.”

“Okay, thank you for your time,” Jian Jie replied. As he left the room, he noticed that the director Paul remained expressionless, leaving him uncertain about his performance. He thought to himself that the audition was quick, but since he wasn’t asked to do more, it probably meant he wasn’t the right fit for the role. Jian Jie scratched his head and went outside to find Jason and his assistant.

Jason was charmingly entertaining a group of female employees when he noticed Jian Jie coming out. He asked about the audition, and after listening to Jian Jie’s description, he shrugged and said with a smile, “I may be the producer, but I can’t influence Paul’s decision. He’s a renowned director, and the fact that he interviewed you already gives me a face. But don’t worry, even if you’re not selected, our collaboration remains the same.”

“Okay, thank you, Jason,” Jian Jie replied. He hadn’t been too hopeful about the audition from the beginning, so he felt at peace with the outcome. The next day, he started intense rehearsals.

Before the rehearsal began, Jian Jie took the time to do an exclusive interview with a domestic TV station, as arranged by the company, to announce his guest performance at the Crystal Music Awards. The news quickly spread across China and generated widespread attention. Jian Jie’s fans were thrilled, praising their idol as young, talented, and full of promise. Some even hoped he would become the next Asian Heavenly King and showered him with endless praises.

Of course, there were also detractors, who mocked Jian Jie for performing at the awards ceremony without receiving an award. They questioned his boasting and criticized his actions. Meanwhile, a certain patient, stuck in the hospital, vented all his energy online, sparking numerous controversies. Fortunately, Jian Jie rarely used the internet, let alone searched for news about himself, so he remained unaware of these troubles. His main focus was on his upcoming performance at the awards ceremony.

The performer, Silver Moonlight, is a young pop-rock band with three members who happen to be cousins. The lead singer, Chris, possesses an idol-like appearance and enjoys immense popularity among young fans. Despite their successful records, they have yet to gain recognition from mainstream musicians. At the Crystal Awards this year, they only received technical awards, such as the best album packaging, which did not do much to encourage their music.

Despite this, the band remains optimistic and doesn’t mind being labeled as an idol group. They understand that their looks may help sell records, and they harbor no ill feelings toward Jian Jie gaining their glory. They treat him as a newcomer and believe that not all companies behave similarly.

During rehearsals together, the band realizes that the Asian singer is quite skilled and easy to get along with, which leaves them satisfied. They appreciate his professionalism, as it aligns with their own approach.

Jian Jie also enjoys working with this band full of youthful energy. However, he has been in a low mood lately. Whenever Long Zichen calls with his usual cheerfulness, Jian Jie feels a bit annoyed, realizing he shouldn’t be so irritable over trivial matters. He knows Long Zichen has always been kind to him, and he regrets reacting this way. Thankfully, while working and being with the band, he manages to forget these troubles.

On the 12th, the Crystal Awards take place at the local sports center. Jian Jie and the others can’t attend the event, so they watch the live broadcast on TV from their hotel.

In the fifth song of the evening, Jian Jie appears on the elevator platform in a stunning white dress, alongside Chris, who wears an equally impressive black dress adorned with rivets. Their dresses, featuring sequins and rhinestones, perfectly combine delicate and wild elements, exuding a mix of angelic and devilish vibes.

They perform the powerful melody of “December” but unexpectedly blend it with another lyrical song, “Time Flies,” by Jian Jie and Chris, alternating between singing parts. This impromptu version impresses the live audience and fans worldwide, leaving an indelible memory in their hearts.

Meanwhile, thousands of miles away, someone lying alone on a hospital bed watches the live broadcast on a computer and can’t hold back tears of joy. Witnessing his beloved Jian Jie shine on a world-class stage like the brightest star fills his heart with happiness and excitement. He longs to speak with Jian Jie right away but hesitates due to the recent coldness between them. He doesn’t know how to mend their relationship.

Jian Jie is extremely busy with multiple interviews scheduled for him from various local and domestic sources in the United States. After the interviews, he rushes to take off his makeup and change into a simpler suit for a dinner party. Surrounded by unfamiliar faces, he feels lost among the tall, handsome men and beautiful women.

The happy state lasts until late at night, but Jian Jie can’t fall asleep. The memory of the cheering audience still excites him. After much thought, he decides to share this joy with Long Zichen and sends him a message, despite their recent distance.

Please let me know if there are typos/mistakes in the chapter.

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