Chapter 81: This Year's Golden Phoenix Tree Awards, Best Actress Is..."
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
2023 Ver.
>>>Original Version Here<<<
"What? Qu Xizhi is not in the city?" Gu Xizhi asked while taking notes with paper and pen. "Tell me the address."
After a long pause, Gu Xizhi said, "Why did you call me if you don't know the address?"
The other person said something, and Gu Xizhi's expression immediately became serious. "Are you sure he bought two tickets to Italy for tomorrow morning?"
There was a quick response, and Gu Xizhi held the phone for a while before saying, "Understood." Then, she hung up the phone.
As soon as the call ended, another call came in. Gu Xizhi looked at the time wearily but then changed her mind about hanging up.
"Xiao Jing," after she answered, Lili earnestly said, "I just confirmed the award ceremony location. It's tonight at 7 o'clock at the International Center Opera House. Rest well, and leave at 2 this afternoon."
Gu Xizhi just responded casually, "Okay."
At domestic film festivals, the Golden Tripod, Golden Palm, and Golden Phoenix Tree awards are often compared due to regional factors, but their quality has always been quite similar.
This time "Black and White Feathers" was nominated for seven awards, including Best Feature Film, Best Director, and two Best Actress awards, making it the most nominated film in the entire film festival. Therefore, before the awards ceremony began, the crew of "Black and White Feathers" became the most watched crew on the field.
After walking on the red carpet, Gu Xizhi and the entire film team encountered crazy questions from reporters.
"Miss Gu Xizhi, your red dress and diamond necklace today are both very special and beautiful. Did you prepare them specifically for winning an award?"
"Hello Director Scarlett Li, your film has two Best Actress nominations, so why hasn't Miss Qu Xizhi appeared?!"
"Miss Gu Xizhi, there is a lot of support for you to win this award on the Internet, but some people also believe that Miss Qu Xizhi's performance is on par with yours. Do you have confidence in winning the award this time?"
"Director Scarlett Li, some netizens have dug up a situation from twelve years ago where two female leads jointly won the Best Actress award at the Golden Phoenix Tree Awards. Do you think there's a possibility of a 'double yolked egg'* for the Best Actress at this year's Golden Phoenix Tree Awards?"
*sometimes used to describe an award being given to two people.
….
Countless questions came flooding in. Fortunately, everyone had already mastered the ability to face the media nonsense, and they were able to get over it with a few witty words.
However, among the many issues raised by the media, there is one issue that Gu Xizhi is also very concerned about.
Qu Xizhi didn't come.
Although Scarlett Li used the excuse of being "busy" when facing the media, Gu Xizhi knew that the truth was not the case.
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
The banquet started at seven o'clock, and all the guests who had walked on the red carpet were seated. Gu Xizhi and Scarlett Li were sitting next to each other in the audience seats. But for some reason, as the night progressed, Gu Xizhi's hands became more and more sweaty.
Scarlett Li noticed her nervousness and smiled at her: "Xiao Gu, what are you nervous about?"
Gu Xizhi looked sideways at her, knowing that she couldn't hide her thoughts from her, and said with some emotion: "Director Jia, I'm thinking that if I don't win this time, I might have missed my last chance to keep her."
Scarlett Li smiled and patted her hand, "Don't worry, Heavens will not let true love slip away, and besides... she chuckled, "How can you not win? Are you lacking in confidence?"
Gu Xizhi smiled and laughed at herself mockingly: "Probably because I have failed too many times. When I sit here, my mind is filled with pictures from the past."
Scarlett Li patted her on the shoulder, "I bet you will win the award." She paused, "I bet there won't be a 'double yolked egg' in this Golden Phoenix Tree Award."
Gu Xizhi looked at her in surprise.
Scarlett Li smiled and said: "Let's wait for the result."
On the stage, various colorful lights created a dazzling visual experience. The male and female hosts were dressed in elegant black and white attire, and their humorous hosting style kept the atmosphere lighthearted and not too serious.
"We all know that the Golden Phoenix Tree's Best Actor has always been a male idol, but what about the Best Actress?"
The young female host smiled as she directed the microphone toward the audience. However, the fans in the audience seats didn't respond with "goddess" as expected. Instead, they shouted the names of their supported actresses.
"Mm, I heard it, I heard it all." The host returned to the center of the stage and smiled at the camera, "It seems the competition for Best Actress this time is fierce. I can't decide who the Best Actress is; we'll have to ask the judges. Now, please welcome Mr. Lu Guangyi, the President of Phoenix Media Group, and our previous Golden Phoenix Tree Awards Best Actress, Miss Jia Yun, to announce the award winners."
The lighting and music immediately pushed the atmosphere to a climax. A middle-aged man and a beautiful woman walked out of the entrance area amidst applause. The woman walked elegantly to the stage with the support of the man. After taking the envelope with the list, they stood in the center of the stage.
The applause gradually faded, and the two presenters looked at the list of winners. The man motioned to the woman to read it out, and the woman did not beat around the bush. She faced the camera and said, "It is an honor to announce the Best Actress of this year's Golden Phoenix Tree Awards. I want to say that this year’s Best Actress is not only a goddess in my heart but also a well-deserved movie queen. Her starring role in "Black and White Feathers" made me feel..."
At this point, the applause from the audience had already swallowed up her voice, and she paused for a moment before continuing, "Her starring role in "Black and White Feathers" made me feel like I have been through a thousand sails and come back still a youth. I have a deep appreciation for the character she played. I like it very much, and just now I made a bet with our Movie King Xiao Ji in the audience. I said both Xizhis portrayed their roles so well that it's hard to determine who did better. So, we each placed our bets. Whoever loses will treat the other to dinner, and..."
The live camera cut to Xiao Ji in the audience, and the audience erupted in enthusiastic applause.
"The King guessed the answer correctly."
"Then I want to say." Jia Yun smiled and looked at Xiao Ji's position in the audience, "Movie King, you really have a keen eye."
The camera lingered on Xiao Ji for a long time, and Xiao Ji nodded slightly and smiled at the camera.
The camera cut back to Jia Yun and she put down the list and faced the camera with a sweet smile, "Okay, that's enough gossip, I won't keep you waiting anymore."
"Now I announce, this year's Golden Phoenix Tree Awards, Best Actress is..."
"The 27th Chinese Film Golden Phoenix Tree Awards Best Actress goes to..."
"Gu Xizhi."
"Miss Gu Xizhi, congratulations!"
Crazy screams flooded the entire exhibition hall for a moment, in the next moment, the entire big screen played scenes from "Black and White Feathers." Gu Xizhi stood up amid thunderous applause, bowing to everyone around her. The clear and resonant male announcer's voice in the exhibition hall became the most beautiful background sound.
"The jury commented that in the movie "Black and White Feathers", the heroine Yun Xiaoxiao played by Gu Xizhi has a deep and complex heart, and sensitive and changeable emotions, which is in contrast to her real age. Gu Xizhi, through her meticulous performance, naturally and vividly shaped a complex protagonist with rich layers, presenting the growth trajectory of the female lead Yun Xiaoxiao. The details are agile and vivid, and her emotions are sincere and simple. She handled the tough character with warmth, depth, and thickness, showcasing exquisite emotional tension and emotional explosiveness, and demonstrating outstanding artistic performance. Thus, she was awarded the Best Actress of the 27th Chinese Film Golden Phoenix Tree Awards."
"Okay, congratulations Miss Gu Xizhi. Miss Gu Xizhi please come to the stage to accept the award."
The big screen switched to a close-up of Gu Xizhi. Dressed in a vibrant red gown, she was seen embracing various actors and directors in the background music. Almost everyone congratulated her.
This time, the lights and camera focused solely on her. Guided by the stage crew, Gu Xizhi ascended the stage, took the trophy from Jia Yun's hands, expressed her gratitude, and then, following the host's indication, walked to the microphone to deliver her acceptance speech.
"Thank you, thank you so much to the jury for this high praise and recognition. I am extremely, extremely excited and happy."
With the trophy and applause surrounding her, she choked up and bowed to the camera, which was met with even warmer applause from the audience, and her emotions seemed even more uncontrollable.
"To be honest, I didn't think I would actually win this award. It's been almost ten years since I debuted, and this is the fourth time I've been nominated for Best Actress. In fact, I'm not particularly confident that I will win this award..."
She shed tears of excitement on stage, and at this moment, the audience burst into enthusiastic applause. The encouragement from the audience drowned out her choking. She adjusted her emotions on stage and looked back at the camera after a moment.
"I have never thought of myself as a talented actress. Although some people told me that I am really talented and that I seem to be born to act, I always feel that in front of more amazing talented actors, my so-called talent is like a feather, light, erratic, and not worth mentioning."
"But, so what? In the almost ten years since I debuted, I have never given up on my love and pursuit of movies. No matter whether I have talent or not, no matter what hardships I faced in the past or will face in the future, I will steadfastly continue on the path of film, I will make up for all my shortcomings with hard work, and I will give myself a miracle with my persistence."
She bowed to the audience amid applause and cheers, and the audience's enthusiasm remained undiminished. Her emotions continued to fluctuate.
"I am very grateful to Director Scarlett Li for choosing me, and I am very grateful to Huaxing Film for trusting me. Without you, I would not be standing here today, and I would not have the opportunity to portray this character."
"But standing here today, I also want to thank someone."
At this moment, the audience gradually fell silent, and the camera focused on a close-up of Gu Xizhi. Her gaze towards the camera gradually became calm.
"Even though you didn't come, I know you must be watching."
The shutter sounds increased, and the camera once again turned to her. Her meaningful words made the people in the audience who were initially playing with their phones concentrate on the stage, their expressions becoming curious and focused.
"I bow to you because I know that if it weren't for you, I wouldn't even have had the opportunity for the first two bows." She kept looking directly into the camera. "When I met you at the age of twenty-six, I was still living in a world of confusion. Both my work and my relationships were particularly unsuccessful. You may not have been my first love, but you were the best love I've ever encountered. Your thoughtfulness even made me..."
When she mentioned the word "love," the audience suddenly realized and erupted into enthusiastic applause. Gu Xizhi's voice was drowned out, and it took a moment before she continued, smiling at the camera.
"Whether it's your excellence or your efforts towards me, it made me feel like you were unattainably superior, and I could only stand in the shadow of your greatness, forever an ordinary person who could never catch up to you. Four years ago, I was like dust, not daring to hope to walk side by side with you again. But four years later, to keep up with your pace, I put the cart before the horse and worked hard to match your love. I guess I've never disliked you, I just didn't dare to allow myself to like you. It's also because of this fear that this feeling was filled with so much hesitation and passivity."
The audience was particularly interested in this kind of heartwarming revelation, and as soon as she finished speaking, the hall erupted once again in enthusiastic applause.
"My manager once asked me a question, roughly asking if I would be willing to exchange you for superstar status," her tone always sounded as if she was speaking to someone else. "It's obvious that, without you, all the achievements mean nothing to me. Because in the past, these were just ladders to get closer to you. But if there's no one at the top of the ladder, what's the point of climbing up to such a cold place?"
She shook the trophy in her hand and said, "I like this very much, just because you have one too. I wanted to use it to shorten the distance between us, but in the end, I realized that I was wrong."
The enthusiastic applause intensified the atmosphere in the venue. Some were already whispering and discussing the object of her confession. After the applause subsided, Gu Xizhi could finally hear her own voice through the microphone.
"The reason why it's been so tortuous between us is simply because I saw you as too powerful. All along, you've been like an unattainable fairy tale to me. I've lived in your shadow from beginning to end. But the truth is, you're just an ordinary person. You have your strengths and flaws, and I should have my own beautiful scenery, a kind of scenery that truly belongs to me. I think I won't care about these gains and losses in the future because you've made me feel that I'm not so bad. If I can make you like me this much, I must be good too. I can be even better. We can work together. I'll have another chance. As long as you're by my side, I can always stand in the sunlight and bravely face everything."
"You've made me feel unable to forget. I think I won't be able to erase the mark you've left in my heart in this lifetime." She looked sincerely into the camera. "I don't intend to say your name and trouble your undecided life. I just hope that wherever you are in the world, when you see me, hear me, you might change your mind and stay."
She put down the trophy and bowed.
The entire audience seemed to understand what had happened at this moment. After a deathly silence, there was suddenly an eruption of extremely enthusiastic applause.
At the same time, online media went almost crazy.
In the latest official Weibo announcement of the Best Actress at the Golden Phoenix Tree Awards, besides numerous congratulations, more people were exclaiming.
"What the hell?! What's going on?!"
"Hahahahahahaha! I have been watching for a long time, I can't believe someone confessed her love live at the Golden Phoenix Tree Awards."
"Can anyone tell me what Gu Xizhi is playing? I'm shocked!!"
"I can only say it's awesome. I guess even the Golden Phoenix Tree organizers are confused.
A few hours later at the airport.
"Miss Gu, may I ask, was the person you confessed to at the awards ceremony tonight a Movie King or a Movie Queen?"
"Miss Gu Xizhi, why did you confess your love at the award ceremony? Did you break up?"
