Chapter 366: Bragging Rights
Translator: Min_Lee Editor: Tennesh
When Anna's fans recovered their composure, they realized that something was wrong. They couldn't put up with this.
And so the live audio feed featured a face-off between Anna's fans, who appeared to have squeezed every last ounce of energy left in them and cried hysterically, and the mayhem brought on by Fang Zhao's fans and the photographers.
Neutral parties wondered who they should support. Forget it, I'll just chant what the person next to me yells.
In an atmosphere like this, one would feel bad not taking a side.
Eventually, the mood hit its ultimate climax. At that point, words became meaningless. A simple cry of "ah" sufficed.
So shouts of "Fang Zhao" and "Anna" eventually blurred into one loud chant of "ah."
The sense of excitement that gushed forward from all four corners had a dizzying effect on Anna, who was at the center of the storm. The smile she wore was no longer contrived. It came from the bottom of her heart. She was happier than she had ever been winning an award.
Outsiders didn't appreciate the moment, but as a regular at film festivals, she knew clearly how rare a response like this was. Even if she didn't win an award, this trip was worth it!
Not far from the venue, fans who hadn't been able to stake out a spot outside the ceremony tuned into the live broadcast.
Zuo Yu and Yan Biao felt their hearts skip a beat when they saw the situation on the screen.
Zuo Yu shivered, his body covered in goosebumps. "Is our boss this popular?"
Yan Biao was baffled. "Don't they say that newcomers are at a disadvantage, appearing at an event like this?"
Zuo Yu turned toward Nanfeng. "Did you hire fake fans? Did you arrange for professional fans to set the tone?"
"No way! I just hired a few bodies. Just judging from the number of journalists and the number of fans outside the venue, you can tell it's something way beyond my reach." Still, Nanfeng was blown away. He was ecstatic.
Nanfeng had been worried that an acting newcomer like Fang Zhao might not receive a warm welcome. When he'd found out that Anna was his red carpet partner, he had felt somewhat reassured. With this Huangzhou superstar as a partner, the response definitely wouldn't be lukewarm, even if the cheers were all for Anna.
But the reality far exceeded his expectations. The way things were unfolding, Fang Zhao's fans might crowd out Anna's!
The excitement of the photographers wasn't something anybody could provoke. They had seen their share of superstars. Nanfeng wasn't entirely sure why they had responded to Fang Zhao this enthusiastically. He wasn't a professional photographer. He couldn't understand what had motivated them. But he could tell from the live broadcast that Fang Zhao's aura didn't fall short of Anna's.
Nanfeng was so emotional that he was near tears, yet there was nowhere to vent his sense of vindication; Zuo Yu and Yan Biao were on a different page. So he sent a message to the chat group made up of his friends from the entertainment industry.
"Did you watch the live broadcast? That's my boss!"
"That's quite something—performing so well on his debut 'Golden TV Series Gala' red carpet. Look at how the photographers responded! Nanfeng, you're a rich man now!" one friend congratulated him.
"If you have any business needs in the future, don't forget about your brothers! We'll give you a discount."
"Hahahaha! Of course, of course!" Nanfeng was quite pleased with himself. He applauded himself for having the foresight to switch employers. Stars with Fang Zhao's talent and luck weren't easy to come by.
"After enduring so much hardship over the years, I don't know how to describe my emotions now." Nanfeng's eyes were bloodshot, his hands shivering.
"Is it the same kind of excitement that a pig farmer feels when his pig is ready for slaughter?" another friend suddenly wrote.
"Yeah... My ass! What are you talking about?" Nanfeng furtively glanced at Zuo Yu and Yan Biao. He breathed a sigh of relief when he confirmed that neither had looked his way. How could you compare Boss to a pig? Even if he were a pig, he'd be a prize pig. Would you be excited if a prize pig was ready for slaughter?
Meanwhile, Zaro's agent, who was also watching the live broadcast, was likewise tearful—out of envy.
Even though he was well compensated, he never experienced the kind of satisfaction that came with great honor and respect. Every time he watched an event like this, he felt jealous watching the reception other celebrities received.
Compared to other celebrities, my client is a dog!
A stupid dog at that!
But even though my client is a stupid dog, I still have to babysit him. This stupid dog pays my salary, after all.
Based on his understanding of Zaro, he figured his client would also be filled with envy and jealousy. So, with a heavy heart, Zaro's agent sent Zaro a short text message: "No need to be too jealous. You can do it too. There's a saying from the Old Era: 'All great journeys begin with one humble step.' Let's take things step by step."
Soon, Zaro responded, "I get it, but I have to ask, where do we take that first step? Which continent?"
Zaro's agent was dumbfounded.
It's a f*cking analogy!
Then he recovered his composure.
Gotta come to terms with reality. Instead of dreaming the impossible, I better figure out how to increase this stupid dog's market value, how to fetch a higher price for him. As stupid as Zaro is, his last name gives him a major leg up. What can Fang Zhao do? As popular as he is now, he isn't the descendant of a general.
Meanwhile, Fang Zhao and Anna had finished walking the red carpet and entered the entrance to the venue, which was emblazoned with a logo of a golden coral. The commotion outside died down. After signing the autograph wall, having a few more pictures taken, and doing a brief interview, the couple entered the event hall.
Anna had yet to calm down entirely. She turned toward Fang Zhao and smiled. "So what do you think? Isn't there something magical about the red carpet that makes you feel like you're floating in midair? Do you want to switch to the entertainment industry for good?"
Fang Zhao lifted his head, his eyes completely devoid of any excitement. "No."
Anna: "..."
Anna noticed that Fang Zhao was typing into his bracelet. "Are you sharing your thoughts with friends?"
Fang Zhao responded, "Teacher Mo sent me a quiz question earlier. I'm sending him my answer."
Anna gave Fang Zhao a curious stare. "'What kind of question did Teacher Mo ask you?"
"He asked me to pay attention to the music playing in the background during the red carpet and text him the name of the composer after I was done."
Anna: "..." Junior disciple, are you a freak?
It was hard enough for a normal person to maintain their composure in a setting like that, let alone pay attention to the background music amid all the screams and cries. It was impossible to hear anything, let alone identify the composer.
After finding her seat and sitting down, Anna immediately texted her husband Lan Jing: "Now I know why Teacher Mo wanted Fang Zhao so badly."
Lan Jing's curiosity was piqued. "Why?"
"Because Fang Zhao is a freak!"
Setting aside the enormous response Fang Zhao had provoked on the red carpet, the lone fact that he could tackle a quiz question while walking the red carpet and then calmly send a text message with the answer afterward was a sufficient blow to Anna.
"You can't argue with talent. Lan Jing, you're about to fall out of favor."
Huangzhou.
Mo Lang was watching the live broadcast too. During the red carpet, he had only tuned in for Fang Zhao's walk. He glared at the screen, paying close attention to Fang Zhao's demeanor. On his high-resolution screen, Fang Zhao's performance seemed quite flawless. Perhaps his only mistake was not being adept at giving photographers the perfect line of sight.
Seeing Fang Zhao generate such an enthusiastic response made Mo Long wonder, Did the kid remember my quiz question?
The background music for the red-carpet walk had been commissioned specifically for the event. The pieces would not be played again elsewhere. The songs were restricted to a certain length. Every couple that walked the red carpet was introduced by a new song.
Soon enough, after Fang Zhao finished walking the red carpet, Mo Lang got his response.
Not only did Fang Zhao give an answer, he provided a full analysis. He deduced the song's style based on signature features, structure, and tempo. He concluded that the style was representative of the master musician Staple and that the song had been composed by one of Staple's top disciples.
Actually, all Mo Lang had expected was Staple's name, yet Fang Zhao had managed to figure out which one of Staple's students had written the piece.
After reading Fang Zhao's response, Mo Lang rocked his rocking chair triumphantly and dialed Staple's number.
"My man Stapes!" Mo Lang's pitch was quite high because he was in a good mood.
"Please call me Staple." Staple was baffled by the call. What was the old geezer doing, calling at this hour?
Staple found out soon enough.
Being able to break down the song in that kind of setting, analyze every single note accurately, and pinpoint the composer—this was something Mo Lang could brag about for half a year.
How long had it been? Mo Lang had not felt the need to brag to someone since he had stopped taking disciples. No, even before the announcement, he had rarely felt this way. Mo Lang felt that the decision to recruit Fang Zhao was the best decision he had made ever. Even though Fang Zhao wasn't officially his student, he had to instruct Fang Zhao personally. Fang Zhao's official master, Carter, isn't good enough, Mo Lang thought.
Seated at the venue of the "Golden TV Series Gala," Fang Zhao had no idea that Mo Lang was bragging about him to someone else. After he sent his answer to Mo Lang, all he received in return was a simple "good job." That was it. Maybe that's the style of a master, Fang Zhao thought.
After saying hello to all the senior actors in the room, Fang Zhao was summoned by Nova Roman, the head director of "Founding Era."
The venue was packed, but all the nominees sat up front. Their every move was closely watched. Many folks were curious when Roman asked for Fang Zhao and greeted him with a friendly smile. How come Director Roman is so nice to Fang Zhao this long after "Founding Era" wrapped?
Then again, Fang Zhao's performance in "Founding Era" had provided Roman bragging rights until the end of his directing career. What a bold move! Such a great eye for talent!
Quite a few actors were wondering if Roman's next film might cast newcomers from their respective companies. They had been too timid to approach Roman on "Founding Era" and had handed Fang Zhao the opportunity on a platter.
The big screens set up inside the event hall still showed a live feed of the red carpet, but none of the couples that followed Fang Zhao could generate a similar response. The photographers seemed less enthusiastic too.
The contrast was glaring.
The actors that immediately followed Fang Zhao and Anna secretly cursed the pair.
How cunning those two are! Especially Fang Zhao!