Guess What? The Entire Entertainment Industry Thinks I’m Dead - Chapter 69

Although this award didn’t come with a grand halo of prestige, the results were heavily influenced by netizens’ votes, making it particularly significant for Lin Chenghuan, who had always struggled with public favorability.

Thus, Lin Chenghuan finally stepped onto the stage in high spirits, dressed elegantly and smiling as she delivered her acceptance speech. After the awards ceremony concluded, the cast and crew of Under the Long Night were once again surrounded by the media for another round of interviews.

They took numerous group photos, signed their names on the signature wall, and finally wrapped up the day’s events.

“Quick, quick, let’s go get changed!” A group of female stars, shivering in their thin evening gowns, hurried back to the backstage lounge, feeling as if they had been rescued at last.

Lin Chenghuan’s assistant stayed by her side to take care of her, and Fang Yuan was there too, soon sharing the latest online buzz with a smile.

“Many people are disappointed that you didn’t win Best Actress, but it’s a good thing you and Qianran are on good terms, you even hugged. So, no one’s accusing you of being jealous. In fact, your fans aren’t attacking each other; they’re joining forces to criticize those trying to stir up trouble.”

“That’s great. Let me take a look…” Lin Chenghuan opened her phone and was amused to see countless photos of her hugging Yu Qianran flooding the internet.

It was just a small moment, how had it spread even more widely than the photos of the Best Actor and Best Actress winners holding their trophies?

That evening, Weibo was abuzz with excitement. Fans of the newly crowned Best Actor and Best Actress were flooding the platform with celebratory posts, while various celebrities also shared congratulatory messages.

Lin Chenghuan posted numerous tweets expressing her gratitude and congratulations. Regardless of whether she had won Best Actress, this TV series had elevated her status. From now on, she was not just a popular star capable of carrying box office numbers and ratings but also a genuinely acclaimed actress.

That day, Lin Chenghuan and Lu Zhiwei attended the Under the Long Night wrap party together. However, due to the large crowd, they didn’t sit at the same table. After the meal, they were pulled to different floors for entertainment and had to part ways again, though fortunately, they were staying at the same hotel.

By the time the party ended, it was already 10 p.m. Lin Chenghuan, slightly tipsy, was escorted back to the hotel by her assistant. Lu Zhiwei quickly opened the door to help her inside.

“Congratulations, my dear, on becoming the year’s most popular actress and for starring in a series that’s become a benchmark in the industry. You’ve gained both fame and fortune. From now on, you’ll be flooded with great roles, and major awards will surely come your way,” Lu Zhiwei said with a smile as she helped Lin Chenghuan onto the sofa.

“Mmm… awards flying my way… and congratulations to you too, my dear, for investing in a series that swept all the awards,” Lin Chenghuan mumbled drowsily, following Lu Zhiwei’s words before breaking into a silly grin.

“Goodness, how much did you drink?” Lu Zhiwei was taken aback by her dazed expression, Lin Chenghuan had never been this drunk before.

“It’s fine, I’m not completely out of it…” Lin Chenghuan collapsed into Lu Zhiwei’s arms, nuzzling for a moment before feeling overwhelmingly sleepy. She struggled to get up and head to the bathroom.

“…” Lu Zhiwei hurried after her, and with her help, Lin Chenghuan managed to safely shower and get into bed.

The next day, Lin Chenghuan was still resting at the hotel. Han Ruoruo, who had been planning to visit her on set, came straight to the hotel upon hearing she hadn’t returned to work yet.

“Sister Huan, is it difficult to film a sci-fi movie? Do you need to use wires for zero-gravity scenes inside the spaceship?” Han Ruoruo asked.

“Not at all. It’s actually quite easy to film. The movie’s setting assumes that warp drive technology has already been developed, and the spaceship can simulate gravity during travel.”

“Wow, that sounds quite blissful!”

After chatting for a while, Han Ruoruo kept addressing Lin Chenghuan as “Sister Huan,” which Lin Chenghuan quickly corrected.

“No need to call me Sister Huan anymore, just use my name.”

“Ah, I actually really wanted to keep calling you Sister Huan…” Han Ruoruo looked melancholic, hesitating as if she had more to say, but in the end, she followed Lin Chenghuan’s lead and became more casual.

After resting that day, Lin Chenghuan returned to the film set to continue shooting. Lu Zhiwei also visited her on set for a few days. Two months later, The Final Voyage wrapped up, and Lin Chenghuan was able to return to Beijing.

Shortly after she got back to her place, Li Chengnian surprised her with a visit: “Sis, I bought an apartment in your Qianliu Shuyuan complex too. Unfortunately, it’s not in the same building, so we can only gaze at each other from afar.”

“Oh, so you’ve moved out too.” Lin Chenghuan raised an eyebrow and smiled, then added, “Are you still with your partner? I remember you dated my college roommate too. I hope your current partner is still a woman.”

“Yeah… Speaking of which, I’m really sorry about how awkward it made things between you and your roommate after we broke up.” Li Chengnian said sheepishly.

“It’s no big deal. Honestly, she was the one who felt the most awkward, not me. So, is it someone I know again? Is that why you’re too scared to tell me?” Lin Chenghuan’s expression twitched, then she broke into an amused grin.

“…” Li Chengnian’s expression said it all. Lin Chenghuan’s curiosity instantly piqued, and she began guessing animatedly.

“Who is it? Xu Sheng? Liang Xin? Fang Yuan?? No way, you even managed to win over Sister Fang?!”

“No, stop guessing, you’re getting more and more off track… I think we’re about to break up again, so it’s better if you don’t know.”

“Breaking up again… Alright.” Lin Chenghuan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry and decided to drop the subject for the time being, though she hadn’t given up entirely.

…

Finally, on a calm and sunny afternoon, Lin Chenghuan dropped by Li Chengnian’s place and stumbled upon an unexpected guest.

“Ruoruo, you…” Lin Chenghuan was stunned, taking in the casual, at-home attire of the two.

“Sister Huan.” Han Ruoruo smiled awkwardly and gestured toward the person beside her. “I… didn’t mean to hide it from you. She told me not to say anything.”

“Sis, I was just about to tell you,” Li Chengnian said, blushing.

“That’s great! What’s there to hide?” Lin Chenghuan was unusually excited, already thinking she had to share this news with Lu Zhiwei as soon as possible.

“Is this the romance sparked by an autographed photo?” Still basking in the joy of having “shipped” them, Lin Chenghuan completely missed the hesitant looks on their faces.

However, as time went on, she eventually noticed something was off and found a chance to whisper to Li Chengnian, “Don’t tell me you two have already broken up.”

“Yeah, that’s right…”

“Did you break up today?”

“No, it’s been a few days.”

“So, are you here today to hash things out? Sorry, I won’t disturb you two.” Lin Chenghuan chuckled and immediately made a swift exit without looking back.

Of course, she later checked in on her sister’s emotional well-being. Finding that both of them were doing fine, she felt somewhat resigned and decided to let them sort things out on their own.

…

In the days that followed, Lin Chenghuan began a phase of her career where she didn’t take on acting roles but continuously landed high-end luxury endorsements, which ended up earning her more than her previous grueling TV drama shoots. As a result, Fang Yuan set a new career path for her, focusing almost exclusively on film roles, and Lin Chenghuan was more than happy to take it easy.

Before they knew it, another two months had passed. In early September, news arrived that the Qianqiu Awards, originally scheduled for November, would be held a month earlier this year.

“This is great! The awards are in October, we’re saved!” Lin Chenghuan and her industry friends were overjoyed. Even celebrities who hadn’t planned on attending began considering joining the event for networking opportunities.

Moreover, the Qianqiu Awards committee sent Lin Chenghuan an invitation, informing her that her role as Shen Qiutong in The Flames of Wancheng had earned her a nomination for Best Actress.

“No way! I didn’t win the Fengshang Award, but now I’m nominated for the Qianqiu Awards?” Lin Chenghuan was astonished. The Qianqiu Awards were even more prestigious and rigorous than the Fengshang Awards and were held biennially.

“It seems the senior members of the committee still have a soft spot for Republican-era dramas,” Lu Zhiwei remarked with a smile.

Lin Chenghuan nodded, though she felt uncertain inside. Despite the nomination, she had no idea what the final outcome would be.

“Back when I was under your management, I was nominated twice, but… I still let you down,” Lin Chenghuan murmured with a sigh.

“Let me down? Just being nominated proves your talent. You’ve already achieved so much. Keep focusing on your work, time will tell,” Lu Zhiwei reassured her, pulling her into a gentle embrace.

“Mm…”

Lu Zhiwei never pressured her, but Lin Chenghuan still hoped everything would go as planned. If she was destined to reach her goal, why not sooner rather than later?

A month later, at a venue in Tanzhou, the atmosphere was as lively and dazzling as ever. Lin Chenghuan, dressed in an elegant gown, walked the red carpet and exchanged greetings with a group of friends.

“Wow, you all made it! Guess I had to come too!” Han Ruoruo exclaimed, her words echoing the playful tone she’d used months earlier. The group burst into laughter, chatting animatedly.

“Hehehe, I’m hosting this time. You’ve all come to my turf, after all,” Liang Xin said with a mischievous grin.

“You mean your hometown, right? ‘Turf’ doesn’t sound very nice…” Lin Chenghuan sighed, shaking her head.

Xie Ying chimed in, “Seems Xinxin is well aware of her villainous image.”

Liang Xin laughed. “Hahaha, that’s right…”

Lin Chenghuan scanned the area but didn’t see Liang Xin’s other host friends. They were likely still outside or backstage, and even after the ceremony began, they’d probably be seated in the audience section.

Just then, Lu Zhiwei appeared out of nowhere, smiling as she remarked, “Wow, it’s so lively here.”

“President Lu!” the group greeted her warmly, exchanging a few casual words.

Lu Zhiwei made no effort to hide the fact that she had arrived with Lin Chenghuan. They had stepped out of the car together, facing the media cameras. By now, the industry widely regarded them as close friends, possibly even childhood acquaintances.

“Everyone’s so gathered here, for a moment, I thought I was back on Happy Night Theater with the Joy Before the Monarch cast,” Lu Zhiwei joked.

“Hahaha, the actors are all here, but as for hosts… it’s just me for now,” Liang Xin replied, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

Lu Zhiwei smiled briefly but didn’t press further, quickly turning to Lin Chenghuan. “By the way, Huanhuan, I think I accidentally took your eye drops. Does your assistant have any extras?”

“Huh? She does, just keep them…” Lin Chenghuan replied with a strange expression, thinking that Li Xiaoyi’s bag was always stocked with such small items. Even if Lu Zhiwei had taken one by mistake, it wouldn’t be a problem.

Lu Zhiwei had long been aware of this and had even joked that her assistant was acquired in bulk. Now, she was likely saying this deliberately to make it seem like they were very familiar and close.

“Alright,” Lu Zhiwei replied with a smile, nodding. Lin Chenghuan met her gaze and nearly burst out laughing but struggled to maintain her composure.

“Wow, President Lu and Huanhuan live in the same neighborhood back home? Did you mix up your things in the car or at home?” Xu Sheng teased.

“I can’t quite remember either,” Lu Zhiwei said gently. Lin Chenghuan looked up at the sky, her eyes brimming with laughter, thinking to herself that she wouldn’t be able to hold it together much longer.

Fortunately, it wasn’t long before the owner of Spark came over to ask Lu Zhiwei how many singers she planned to sign next year, so Lu Zhiwei had to excuse herself and return to her circle of fellow executives.

“President Lu and Huanhuan really have a great relationship,” Xie Ying couldn’t help but remark. Han Ruoruo and Liang Xin snickered quietly beside her.

Lin Chenghuan simply smiled without saying a word, thinking to herself that at least no one would suspect she was being kept as a mistress now. It was fine to let their relationship gradually be discovered and slowly spread within the industry.