Chapter 24: The Awards Ceremony

Inside the Dolby Theatre, lights blazed and stars shone. Xiang Fei led the cast and crew of "Drive My Car," guided by staff, toward their assigned seating area.

"Our seats are great," Han Shanping whispered, "right facing the stage, easy for the cameras to catch."

Xiang Fei nodded, his gaze sweeping the surroundings. The theatre was packed; top Hollywood directors, actors, and producers gathered in one place. Spielberg, Nolan, Tom Hanks, and other big names were already seated, occasionally casting glances their way.

Zhou Huimin gently held Xiang Fei's hand: "Nervous?"

Xiang Fei took a deep breath: "A little."

Han Shanping patted his shoulder: "Relax. Tonight is destined to be our night."

The host stepped onto the stage, and thunderous applause filled the hall.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the 71st Academy Awards!"

Xiang Fei stared at the stage, listening to the host's witty opening remarks, but his mind wandered far away. He knew that if he won the little golden statue tonight, he would instantly become a top-tier director watched by the world. The thought made him both excited and uneasy.

"Next, we present the award for Best Supporting Actress..."

Li Bingbing instantly straightened her back, her fingers involuntarily twisting together. This was her first Oscar nomination; though her chances of winning were slim, one always has expectations.

"The winner is... Judi Dench, for 'Shakespeare in Love'!"

Applause erupted, and Li Bingbing's shoulders slumped slightly.

Hong Jinbao leaned over and whispered: "Don't be discouraged; you are still young."

Zhou Xingxing also comforted her: "Being nominated is already amazing."

Zhou Huimin held Li Bingbing's hand: "There are many more chances; next time it will definitely be you."

Li Bingbing forced a smile: "Thank you, everyone. I'm fine."

"Best Supporting Actor..."

Zhou Xingxing's fist involuntarily clenched, his knuckles turning white.

"The winner is... Steven Zhou, for 'Drive My Car'!"

Zhou Xingxing froze, as if he hadn't heard clearly. Hong Jinbao slapped him on the back: "What are you staring at! It's you!"

Zhou Xingxing finally snapped out of his daze, jumped up, and hugged each team member one by one. Xiang Fei patted his back hard: "Well deserved!"

As he walked onto the stage, Zhou Xingxing's legs felt a bit weak. He accepted the little golden statue, his voice choked: "Thank you to the Oscar judges, thank you to Director Xiang Fei for giving me this opportunity..." Halfway through, tears burst from his eyes. Beneath the stage, kind laughter and applause rose up.

Best Actress was taken by Gwyneth Paltrow. Zhou Huimin kept a proper smile on her face, but Xiang Fei could sense her disappointment.

"I will definitely get you the Best Actress award in the future," he promised in a low voice, "I promise."

Zhou Huimin shook her head: "It's fine, really."

Immediately after, Hong Jinbao won Best Actor for "Drive My Car." This veteran actor was so moved his eyes turned red; he hugged Han Shanping and Xiang Fei at once: "Thank you! Thank you all!"

His acceptance speech was sincere and moving, especially thanking Xiang Fei.

"Best Director..."

Xiang Fei held his breath.

"The winner is... Steven Spielberg, for 'Saving Private Ryan'!"

Xiang Fei's face instantly darkened. He clapped mechanically, his eyes cold. Zhou Huimin tightly held his hand, and Han Shanping and Hong Jinbao cast comforting glances, but he could no longer hear any words.

When Spielberg came on stage, he specifically nodded in the direction of the "Drive My Car" team. This director knew in his heart that this award should have belonged to Xiang Fei.

Best Original Screenplay slipped past Xiang Fei once again. His anger had reached its peak; the rhythm of his fingers tapping the armrest exposed his inner restlessness. If there was one more disappointment, he would likely leave the seat right then and there.

"Best Foreign Language Film... 'Drive My Car'!"

Thunderous applause filled the hall. Zhou Huimin looked at Xiang Fei with concern and quickly signaled Han Shanping. Han Shanping understood, stood up, and went on stage to accept the award on behalf of the team.

"Thank you to the Oscar judges for their recognition," Han Shanping's speech was appropriate and restrained, "the success of this film belongs to the entire team..."

Xiang Fei sat in his seat, clapping with a blank expression.

When the presenter announced "Best Picture... 'Drive My Car'!", the entire team jumped up.

Hong Jinbao shouted excitedly: "I knew it!"

Zhou Xingxing and Li Bingbing embraced and wept. Han Shanping pulled Xiang Fei to his feet: "Let's go, it's our turn to go on stage."

Xiang Fei forced a faint smile and walked onto the stage. After accepting the trophy, his acceptance speech was brief and sharp: "Thank you to everyone for their support. However..." He paused, scanning the hall, "Is my directing ability really that bad?"

Silence instantly fell over the audience, followed by bursts of laughter and applause. Spielberg smiled helplessly in his seat—behind this joke lay Xiang Fei's unmasked dissatisfaction.

After the awards ceremony ended, Xiang Fei returned to the hotel with a cold face all the way. At the celebration banquet, he sat alone in a corner, drinking champagne glass after glass.

Zhou Huimin walked over and said softly: "Don't be like this; we won several major awards."

"Is my directing ability really that bad?" Xiang Fei sneered, "They simply don't understand what true directing art is."

Han Shanping sighed: "The Oscars are like this; many factors must be considered..."

"I don't need explanations, Uncle Han," Xiang Fei stood up, "I'm tired; I'll go back to my room first."

Everyone looked at each other, yet no one dared to stop him. This night, which should have been a moment of celebration, turned the victory bitter due to the absence of one award.