Chapter 522: Wen Ming 12
Tan You recognized a few people as well. Or rather, she knew of them, but had never actually met them. She was too much of a homebody, her life basically a straight line between the company and her dorm.
But here, Old Yan, Old Huang, and the others were like social butterflies, seeming to know almost everyone.
Tan You watched Old Yan’s back as he moved through the crowd like a fish in water. "I suddenly want to write a song for Old Yan. I’ll call it ’Social Butterfly’."
Liuu Yize nearly burst out laughing. He glanced at Old Yan’s portly back. "Such a... plump butterfly?"
"Looks aren’t important; it’s the spirit that counts." Tan You pursed her lips. "Look at him. Wouldn’t you say he’s just like a social butterfly?"
"He does, actually." Liuu Yize looked away. "But the awards show today is definitely going to be interesting."
"For both of our albums, you basically did everything yourself—Best Lyricist, Best Arranger, Best Composer, Best Album Producer... Aren’t all those awards going to end up going to you?"
Tan You was nonchalant. "Who complains about having too many trophies these days? I certainly don’t."
Liuu Yize shook his head helplessly. Sometimes he found Tan You incredibly humble, and other times he found her confidence bordered on arrogance. All in all, she was quite a contradictory person.
Even though Tan You and Liuu Yize had achieved great results, the industry was just that realistic, just that focused on seniority. Tan You, Liuu Yize, and the others were seated in the back rows, surrounded by unknown minor singers and even complete rookies.
Gazing at the back of Old Yan’s head in front of her, Tan You looked away. ’Some things are better left unsaid,’ she thought. ’For instance, that one day, others will only be able to see my back.’
’Not me sitting here, sighing as I look at theirs.’
While Tan You was lost in thought, the host took the stage. After getting a clear look at his face, Tan You raised an eyebrow slightly. "An actor?"
"Yeah," Liuu Yize leaned a little closer to Tan You. "Brother Ming is witty and humorous, a regular at all sorts of award ceremonies. Of course, the major ceremonies often invite him to host because he’s really good at bantering with people..."
Tan You nodded slightly, matching this Brother Ming with a certain Best Actor from her memories. ’Does every world have the same types of people?’ she wondered.
Up on stage, Brother Ming was indeed very relaxed, telling witty jokes without being the least bit offensive. He inevitably brought himself into it, and when Tan You heard him mention the name Wen Ming, she raised her eyebrows. ’So how is this Brother Ming going to introduce me?’
"Today, I’m extremely honored to see the recently renowned Ms. Wen Ming here. While her name might sound gentle, her work is anything but ambiguous..."
"From composition, arrangement, lyrics, to performance and more, Ms. Wen Ming created it all independently. Of course, my own involvement was also indispensable—I’ve been here cheering her on!"
Tan You froze for a second, then suddenly laughed.
Up on stage, Brother Ming continued, "When I see Aze, I get especially jealous. Ms. Wen Ming, this humble one was once a singer myself."
As he spoke, he even puffed out his chest, as if to say, ’Look at me.’
The audience immediately broke into a cheerful uproar. Tan You’s lips curved into a faint smile. She liked being around humorous people. Even with all she had been through, she could never be like Brother Ming, who could spout jokes so effortlessly. She didn’t have that kind of quick wit.
Liuu Yize said, "See Brother Ming’s skill now? He’s really likable. Even though he’s not that handsome..."
"No, I think he has a very unique quality," Tan You interrupted him. "He’s a born actor. So expressive."
Liuu Yize was startled. "You want to cast him in a role? Do you even have the time?"
Tan You’s shoulders slumped. "You’re right, I’m too busy. Forget it. We’ll see about it in the future."
Neither of them gave the comment another thought, but they were surrounded by plenty of industry insiders. Soon, Tan You’s words had spread so widely that almost everyone knew, though Tan You herself was completely unaware.
Cheng Ming was extremely busy today. Not only did he have to host the awards ceremony, keeping an eye on everything at once, but he also had to exchange a few words with the award winners on stage. He was by far the busiest person in the entire venue.
But even so, he still heard Tan You’s comment about him being a born actor. Cheng Ming’s heart couldn’t help but skip a beat. He had been in the business for over ten years, but due to his looks, he could only play comedic or supporting roles.
’But if I could land a leading role...’
Thinking of Tan You’s talent, Cheng Ming secretly made up his mind. After the awards ceremony, he had to talk to Tan You face-to-face, no matter what. In Cheng Ming’s eyes, a talented person could do anything.
Tan You paid no mind to what others were thinking, simply sitting there quietly watching the ceremony unfold. At one point, Liuu Yize went up to receive the Best New Artist award. When he returned, Liuu Yize managed to keep a composed expression, but Tan You could tell his steps were much lighter than usual.
"Congratulations." Tan You congratulated him sincerely, although she personally felt this award wasn’t enough to match the quality of Liuu Yize’s album. But if even Liuu Yize couldn’t win an award, then this ceremony would have completely lost all credibility.
Liuu Yize was already very satisfied. If Tan You hadn’t been in the running, he would have felt that Best New Artist was a bit underwhelming. But precisely because Tan You was also participating, Liuu Yize accepted the result wholeheartedly.
"Thanks. The main event is next, and it’s all you," Liuu Yize said softly. "Did you see Qi Ying? He’s over there."
Tan You glanced over. "I hadn’t noticed."
Just as Liuu Yize predicted, what followed was completely Tan You’s personal showcase. She went up on stage four times in a row, sweeping up four major awards: Best Composer, Best Arranger, Best Female Artist of the Year, and Best Lyricist.
This winning streak left everyone in the audience reeling. They were past the point of envy and could only applaud along.
Tan You couldn’t possibly hold so many trophies. Every time she came back with one, it ended up in Liuu Yize’s arms. Liuu Yize chuckled. "So I’m just here to do the heavy lifting today?"
Tan You already heard her name being called from the stage again. She could only wave her hand. "Just help me out. I’m going up again."
After Cheng Ming, Tan You had the honor of becoming the second busiest person in the venue. Her seat would barely get warm before her name was called again. Luckily, she wasn’t wearing an elaborate gown today, otherwise all those trips up and down the stairs would have been a nightmare.
Qi Ying watched as Tan You stood in the middle of the stage, holding the trophy for Best Album, his eyes filled with a profound sense of loss.
If Tan You hadn’t appeared out of nowhere, he would have been the strongest contender for Best Album. Now, that was all ruined. But who could he blame? ’If only I hadn’t divorced Wen Ming...’
People can’t help but have such thoughts. ’If only things could go back to how they were.’ Thoughts like this always surface, but in the end, they’re just wishful thinking. When does life ever give you a do-over?