Chapter 132: The Award Ceremony Begins

At the ceremony venue, celebrities walked slowly along the red carpet, under the gaze of countless reporters and fans. The number of fans was substantial; they stood on both sides, holding high illuminated placards printed with the names of their favorite stars, letting out hysterical screams whenever their idols appeared. Meanwhile, the reporters in the front row kept their cameras flashing incessantly, capturing every star as they arrived.

Lin Chuan, Director Chen, and their team did not arrive particularly early. When he appeared on the scene, he noticed that among the surrounding fans, not a single one was there to support him. He couldn't help but offer a wry smile; it seemed he was still several tiers below the big-name stars.

Suddenly, a sharp cry came from not far away, followed by the appearance of several light boards in the crowd. They clearly displayed the words: "Brother Chuan, I love you," "Brother Chuan, you are the best," and "The Chuan Fan Club will always support Brother Chuan."

"Well, well, it seems little Chuan has quite a few fans," Chen Dong, who was walking beside Lin Chuan, teased with a smile.

"Of course. Little Chuan is no match for those newcomers who just debuted; you have all seen his talent. It is no surprise he has such fans," Director Chen explained.

Lin Chuan offered an awkward smile. Discussing fame and fan counts in front of these veteran mentors? That would be asking for a slap in the face. He remained silent, choosing instead to smile and wave at the fans. The next moment, even shriller screams erupted.

The seating was pre-arranged, with specific areas designated for each production crew. After all, this was the National Drama Festival, and attendees were grouped by their respective projects. Lin Chuan sat in the front row with Director Chen and screenwriter Huang. Shortly after, Mu Qing and several unfamiliar key staff members from the crew arrived. As for Chen Dong, he had gone elsewhere to represent a different production.

Just then, three men and two women approached. They were the main cast of "The Noble and Loyal," the leading actors and actresses. How could they be absent from such a grand ceremony? They greeted Director Chen one by one, and before sitting down, they all instinctively glanced at Lin Chuan, who was sitting beside the director.

Lin Chuan smiled faintly and nodded at them, acknowledging their presence. Once most of the guests were seated, the ceremony officially began.

The first to take the stage were a male and a female host—both, needless to say, well-known figures in the industry. Facing so many celebrities and artists, they showed no stage fright, smiling naturally. The male host said, "I am honored to host this year's National Drama Festival once again. Standing on this stage, even though winning awards has nothing to do with me, I am still incredibly excited..."

The line drew laughter from everyone.

"Many of the big names here know me, and some are even good friends in private. However, there are some new friends who might not be familiar with me, so please don't find me long-winded. I still have to follow protocol—let me introduce myself. My name is Li Su, 'Li' as in plum, 'Su' as in serious..." the host chatted glibly.

Immediately after, the female host smiled and said, "Hello everyone, my name is Meng Yao. I am very happy to be standing here hosting the National Drama Festival..."

Applause erupted. The two hosts had started the event with a relaxed and humorous tone, setting a great mood that made the subsequent award segments much lighter.

"Right, enough chatter. Let us now invite veteran artist Mr. Wei Liqiang and the famous vocalist Ms. Cai Fen to open this year's National Drama Festival..."

Another round of applause followed, and everyone watched the stage with anticipation. Soon, an elderly man with white hair, walking with some difficulty, led a lady of similar age slowly onto the stage. They looked to be at least seventy or eighty, yet they were full of spirit, glowing with health, and their eyes were bright and piercing.

Standing at the front of the stage, the two elders scanned the crowd and asked with a smile, "We meet again. Do you still remember this old man?"

Laughter rippled through the audience, and many shouted, "We remember!" and "Mr. Wei, you're still as handsome as ever..."

The old man smiled, then suddenly changed his expression to a serious one. "What nonsense are you talking about? I'm just a decrepit old man; how could I be handsome? Now, if you're talking about when I was young..."

After a few jokes, the awards officially began. The big screen played clips from various TV dramas, all of which were the most popular urban life dramas of the year.

When the clips for a dozen urban dramas had finished playing, Mr. Wei tremblingly picked up a list and read into the microphone. "The award for Best Actress, most loved by the audience this year, goes to..." He paused, then slowly read the name: "Shen Chang!"

As the name was announced, the hall erupted in thunderous applause, especially from the fans sitting in the back, who screamed 'Shen Chang' frantically.

With this, the award ceremony truly began; this was only the start. Next came the various awards for Best Actor and Actress, Best Supporting Actor and Actress, Best Newcomer, Best Director, Best Screenwriter, and so on. They were all focused on urban dramas, and the awards were presented one after another. Others either looked on with envy or appeared indifferent, as if they didn't care at all.

Once the urban drama awards concluded, the ceremony moved on to youth idol dramas. In this regard, it differed significantly from the world Lin Chuan had come from; the distinctions were very clear. The winning actors were mostly sunny and energetic youngsters. Despite their young age, some had been involved in the industry since childhood as child stars.

Time slipped away as the ceremony continued. Just as Lin Chuan was watching with great interest, a staff member hunched over and walked quietly toward him. She whispered a few words to Mu Qing next to him before coming to Lin Chuan’s side. "Mr. Lin, it will be your turn to go on stage soon. Please come with me to prepare."

Lin Chuan was startled for a moment, then realized what was happening. He nodded, exchanged a few quiet words with Director Chen and screenwriter Huang, and followed the staff member's lead, hunching over as he left his seat. He hadn't come here just to watch the spectacle; there was another task waiting for him. Uncle Gao had already told him about it before they arrived, so Lin Chuan didn't find the request strange at all.