Chapter 217: Starlight-Studded, *The Message* Premiere

After the broadcast of the 80th Oscar ceremony on CCTV-6, two very popular topics were created on the internet.

One was: Just how many friends does Chen Nuo have in Hollywood?

Someone had counted: from the moment Chen Nuo learned he had won and stood up, until he walked onto the podium, he had nodded or exchanged eye contact with at least seven top-tier Hollywood superstars along the way.

This did not include Angelina Jolie on the podium.

As everyone knows, this superstar, for some unknown reason, had formed an extremely deep friendship with Chen Nuo.

Thus, someone raised a question:

From this, it can be seen that Chen Nuo did not hit that legendary "racial wall" in Hollywood; why is this?

Opinions on the answer were divided.

Some said that the "racial wall" and such were simply baseless rumors,

That the American "Beacon Country" was clearly an ideal nation where everyone was equal, regardless of nationality or race,

And those who used this to make a point were just being sour and spreading hearsay.

Others said,

What you see is all superficial effort; it would be a miracle if these actors let you see any clues.

Whether Chen Nuo has hit the racial wall or not, just look at the simplest thing—

What exactly is the next role he takes in Hollywood, and see if he will still be playing a villain!

For this reason, someone actually started a poll thread on the Gossip Jianghu section of the Tianya Forum.

In the short two-plus hours before it was deleted by the moderator, over 39,000 netizens had actually participated in the voting.

Among them, 38.1% believed he would continue to play villains, and 40.5% believed he would not.

Another 21.6% of netizens believed: Next one? How could there be a next one.

It can only be said, so what if he won an Oscar?

Brother Nuo still has a long way to go before reaching the altar where everyone praises him.

Besides these two views that had quite a market among passersby,

The third one was the answer that the vast Nuo Mi firmly believed: "Nuonuo's charm has no borders!"

However, as for this answer, anyone with a junior high diploma wouldn't believe it.

So why exactly? How come you aren't like Zhang Ziyi, Gong Li, or even Li Lianjie, who either return to Asia or go to mix in Europe, but instead look like you are going to take root in this North American continent that has always looked down on outsiders?

Liu Yifei asked Chen Nuo this question herself on the plane back to China.

It wasn't that she wanted to ask; it was Liu Xiaoli who forced her.

Liu Yifei had raised an objection at the time, thinking what was there to ask, friendship has no borders, when I was in Tanzania, didn't I make so many friends...

Unfortunately, before she could finish her sentence, her mother covered her mouth directly: "Xixi, just do Mom a favor, okay?"

Liu Xiaoli wanted to know because after the Oscars, the ambition in her heart began to grow again.

Chen Nuo can do it, why can't Xixi? Isn't there a saying that when the water rises, the boat goes up?

Didn't you see the YouTube comment section, how many people are asking, who is the Chinese girl next to Chen?

She is so cute!

So, just ask.

As for future things, who can say for sure, right?

Although it currently looks like Xixi's path has widened, what if one day she still needs her old mother to step in?

She insisted on asking Chen Nuo himself because ever since that speeding incident, Liu Xiaoli felt that Chen Nuo seemed to know the local customs and practices in the US inside and out, no worse than those old overseas Chinese who had stayed in Chinatown for decades.

Chen Nuo looked at her a bit strangely after hearing Liu Yifei's question and said: "You're asking me why I'm doing well in the US?"

"Yeah."

"Then let me ask you, when you were in Tanzania, how come those black... friends in the zoo liked you so much?"

Liu Yifei tilted her head and thought for a moment, then said: "That's because I worked hard, could endure hardship, and wasn't afraid of getting dirty."

"In a word, you were quite useful, right?"

"Yeah."

"Me too."

What does that mean?

Liu Yifei thought about this answer Chen Nuo gave for the whole journey, from LA to the sky over the Bohai Sea, before she excitedly shook Chen Nuo awake and asked: "Is it because you can help them make money?"

"Ah? Oh." Chen Nuo yawned, bleary-eyed, and after reacting for a while, he remembered what Liu Yifei was talking about. He showed an encouraging smile and praised: "Xixi, you're really smart."

It was clearly a compliment, but Liu Yifei wasn't happy; she hummed, turned her head away, and ignored him.

It had to be said, first-class seats are great; there's even space to throw a tantrum. Unlike economy class, where you feel like you'll kiss if you move your face.

Chen Nuo couldn't help but find it a bit funny and asked: "Hey, are you okay? Are you hungry?"

Liu Yifei kept a cold face, and after a while, she turned back and said indignantly: "You're the one who's hungry! You think I don't know? Every time you call me Xixi, you're mocking me in your stomach!"

Holy crap!

This was discovered.

Chen Nuo felt it was truly over. He really had no secrets in front of Liu Yifei now.

He had been seen through completely!

The flight Chen Nuo and the others were on landed at Capital International Airport at 3 PM Beijing time on the 27th.

Unsurprisingly, they encountered a swarm of reporters at the airport. In the end, Chen Nuo had to hold a short, temporary press conference at the airport entrance.

He answered a few questions and talked about his feelings. What he said was actually about the same as in the Oscar interviews.

But there were still differences.

Because domestic reporters knew him better and also understood Chinese, they inevitably asked the second question that was currently very popular on the internet:

What is the meme about the Mingming Comedy Troupe, and who is Su Mingming?

In fact, for the past two days, this was the most hotly discussed topic on the Chinese internet.

The reason was simple: Chen Nuo had thanked countless people in his acceptance speech, including teachers, colleagues, friends, and directors who appreciated him.

He had used English for all of them.

Only for this person did he shout a sentence in Chinese in front of thousands of foreign devils in Hollywood.

So the question arises: who exactly is this Su Mingming, is he a man or a woman, old or young, what is his status,

How could he have such status?

To be singled out above Fan Fan Binbing, Zhang Yiyi, Ning Hao, and Liu Yifei?

And is that Mingming Comedy Troupe real? Or just a joke between friends?

Netizens fully exerted their imagination on these questions.

Su Mingming instantly possessed over thirty identities, from a host of a comedy program on a local Sichuan TV station, to a comedian in a bar, and even an extraordinary librarian at the Beijing Film Academy; people said everything.

Among them, over 70% of netizens believed that this person named Su Mingming or Su Mingming should be a woman.

This made Chen Nuo unable to help but laugh dumbly after hearing the question, and he replied: "Netizens don't need to guess randomly; Troupe Leader Su is my former boss."

After saying this, he thanked the media friends who were present, saying he was truly flattered that everyone had given him face to come and interview him.

It was just that after a long journey, he was exhausted and had to go back to rest.

Let's meet again in two days at the premiere of *The Message*.

Liu Xiaoli and Liu Yifei got into the car early. Seeing the swarm of reporters moving around Chen Nuo, she couldn't help but sigh: "Chen Nuo is really something now. Indeed, acting well, acting in a way that makes Warner, Disney, and a bunch of Hollywood stars think you are useful, can act, and can increase box office—that is the real way out."

Liu Yifei didn't take the bait and said very directly: "Mom, I asked the question for you, so it's settled. You accompany me to Japan to film this time, and you are not allowed to manage me at all."

Liu Xiaoli smiled and said: "Of course, when have I ever gone back on what I promised you? Look, you're sitting in first class, and I'm sitting in business class, and I didn't say anything, right?"

Liu Yifei wasn't having it, "What are you talking about? It was clearly because the time was too tight and we couldn't buy tickets. I told you to sit in first class, you didn't want to."

Liu Xiaoli smiled faintly, thinking in her heart: Silly girl, you can build a relationship by sitting with Chen Nuo. If I go to sit with him, what would that look like?

Liu Xiaoli didn't know that Chen Nuo actually quite wanted to build a relationship with her too.

The fact that she was able to persuade Liu Yifei and regain the qualification to accompany her on the shoot this time was something Chen Zong had personally nodded and approved.

And he had also done quite a bit of work on Liu Yifei.

If she knew, Liu Xiaoli would definitely be so angry she wouldn't be able to eat for three days.

Because it was very obvious that in Liu Yifei's mind, the weight of the words of Chen Mou, who had walked down from the Oscar hall, was now much heavier than her mother's.

If it weren't for Chen Zong thinking that Liu Yifei would start filming in Japan in April,

And that she was a girl in a foreign land,

And the assistant manager sent by the company might not be able to take care of everything...

She would have been left alone in Los Angeles by her own heartless daughter again!

After returning to Beijing, Chen Nuo could be said to have had no rest time at all and immediately threw himself into the intensive movie promotion.

It had to be said that China Film Group was professional; they were not like some reborn person who had left behind the vision of their past life and appeared hesitant and indecisive.

After betting on Chen Nuo winning an Oscar at the gambling table, *The Message* now naturally won a rich return.

Not to mention the anticipation brought by the first Oscar Best Supporting Actor in all of Asia,

Just speaking of promotion, with that glittering little golden man in hand, it could be said that Chen Nuo could lie flat and pass through any media magazine, newspaper, or website in the country.

Even if the T-shirt he was wearing had the huge words "The Message" printed on the chest, what he chatted about in a few words was the release arrangement for March 1st; as for the content related to the Oscars that the general public cared about and was most interested in, he would chat about it for at most three sentences.

However, as long as they could invite him to appear on a program, not only would any production team flock to him, but it would often be like an auction.

If you, NetEase, said you would give two days of homepage banner ads, then I, Sina, would dare to promise one day of full-screen homepage redirects.

In short, as long as you put that little golden man that no one in the mainland had ever seen in our online livestreaming room for half an hour with you, Chen "Oscar" Nuo, I won't charge a cent for ads; not only will I give you a big recommendation, but I'll also pay for your travel expenses.

Even so, the group of people from Huanxin Company and China Film Group still weren't happy, feeling that online platforms were shameful and the grade was truly too low.

Therefore, after repeated deliberation, the first program Chen Nuo participated in after returning to the mainland was the recording of *Face to Face* on the CCTV News Channel.

Yes, that's the legendary program with extremely low ratings, but as long as you can appear on it once, for at least a year, it's equivalent to a Paladin casting "Invincibility."

As long as you don't commit crimes or run naked, no matter what scandals, you will be insulated from any media in the mainland. That is *Face to Face*.

Why is it so awesome? Because before the revision in 2003, this program was originally called: *Son of the East*.

The host who interviewed Chen Nuo was called Dong Qian, and until Chen Nuo was reborn, she was still hosting this program.

Chen Nuo still remembered that in the episode he watched at the time, Miss Dong was interviewing China's first female astronaut.

But in the recording of this episode, I don't know if it was because she felt he was a man and had thicker skin.

In short, Miss Dong was not as gentle with him as she was in that episode.

Many questions were asked very sharply, making him almost sweat through his back.

For example: "When your grades weren't good back then, why didn't you think about studying hard? Instead, you went to take the art exam?"

For another example, "Publicizing your relationship in the mass media at around 20, were you worried that this was encouraging early dating?"

"Did your father give you some help in the early stages of your acting?"

And even more creepy ones, "Counting the four years of university, you don't seem to have studied for many days at school. The year you filmed *The Dark Knight*, you were filming almost the whole year, and at the end of the year, you would rather go to Taiwan to win a Golden Horse Best Supporting Actor than return to school for class. May I ask if you have your own unique insights on college students starting businesses?"

Damn it!

If it weren't for Qi Yuntian desperately signaling him from outside the lens, Chen Nuo would have really wanted to run away in a panic.

Is this a hater, this is definitely a hater, right?

Including after the recording was finished, Miss Dong didn't have any intention of greeting him warmly, just smiled slightly, letting her gaze, which had originally been like a sharp arrow, soften by a tiny bit.

Finally, she shook hands with him and asked curiously: "Were your answers just now all improvised on the spot?"

This question left Chen Nuo a bit dazed,

What does that mean?

It means that people had clearly communicated with Qi Yuntian's side before the interview, and what questions would be asked had also been faxed over, and this was a recording, not a live broadcast.

Which interviewer doesn't look at the pre-prepared answer script?

Facing the *Face to Face* program for 5 years, it seemed he was still the first one.

Chen Nuo was truly speechless about this, and after coming down, he was furious at Qi Yuntian: "Why didn't you tell me? Didn't you see how panicked I was just now?"

Qi Yuntian was surprised: "Were you panicked? Why did I see you calm and composed, talking and laughing? You didn't look at the script, so I thought you were confident and felt that what I wrote was too bad."

Chen Nuo looked at him hatefully, not knowing what to say.

Blame it on the fact that he had developed a habit of acting cool. Even if he was panicked to death inside, his expression was still light and breezy. He was used to it.

Just like at the Oscar ceremony, after he heard the winner was him, his brain was a mess.

But later, after the CCTV rebroadcast, Qi Yuntian's father, Professor Qi, praised him in private, saying he was calm and composed, with the demeanor of a great general.

Actually, he had nothing of the sort.

After getting into the car, it was still Linghu driving in front, and Qi Yuntian and he were sitting in the middle.

Qi Yuntian said: "These questions on *Face to Face*, I think you answered them better just now than what was written in the script."

Chen Nuo smiled bitterly: "She asked them one after another, I forgot what I said."

Qi Yuntian said: "Brother Nuo, there's no need to be like that in front of me, okay?"

Chen Nuo called him brother: "No need for what? Brother Tian, speak clearly."

Qi Yuntian rolled his eyes at him, "In short, after this time, whoever attacks you with these questions again will be asking for trouble. It counts as clearing your name."

Qi Yuntian took out a magazine from his side and handed it to him, "It just came out yesterday, take a look."

Chen Nuo looked at the cover, *Forbes* Chinese edition.

He knew what Qi Yuntian wanted him to see, so he threw it back with no interest and said: "What's the point of the celebrity list, tell me when I make the rich list."

Qi Yuntian laughed: "When you make the rich list, I will definitely frame that magazine and plate it with gold. I'm telling you, there's a surprise in this year's list, you really aren't going to look?"

Chen Nuo had actually made the Forbes China Celebrity List last year in 2007.

Also entering the list for the first time with him was Wang Baoqiang.

Neither of their rankings was low. His was even higher.

Relying on *The Return of the Condor Heroes* and *My Blueberry Nights*, he ranked 33rd, and Wang Baoqiang ranked 39th.

Chen Nuo felt at the time that it was quite meaningless to compete with Baoqiang, so he completely deleted this matter from his memory.

Qi Yuntian was bringing up an old sore today and even said there was a surprise, so he would reluctantly take a look.

Only after looking did he realize there was indeed a surprise.

He asked with a fluctuating expression: "Was this released before the Oscars?"

Qi Yuntian laughed: "Logically, it was the day after the Oscars, how is it, what's the feeling?"

Well, this time there was no Wang Baoqiang, but it involved someone else, and the feeling was even more unbearable than Wang Baoqiang.

Forbes started this celebrity list in mainland China in 2003.

They actually just relied on this to make money; how they ranked was actually the magazine's own business, and logically it had no authority. But they couldn't help it; Chinese people in this era really liked the European style too much.

Every time the list came out, the changes in rankings really attracted a lot of attention, and were even linked to commercial value.

Chen Nuo heard that many stars used money and connections to try to move their rankings forward a bit.

However, he had always been unaccustomed to these foreigners coming to China to make money, and saying he didn't pay attention was truly not caring at all.

Therefore, when he saw that in this 2008 Forbes China Celebrity List, the first and second places, Yao Ming and Liu Xiang, had 2007 incomes of 387.8 million and 163.2 million respectively, he was truly deeply stung.

And the third place, Mr. Li Lianjie's 240 million, was like a nail driven into his eyes.

And him? Ranked 7th, income 36 million.

*The Dark Knight* salary of 500,000 USD plus 0.3% box office share added up to 36 million, plus Li Ning endorsement of 6 million, diapers 3 million, totaling 45 million.

But after taxes and dividends, it was only a little over 30 million. This 36 million estimated by Forbes might have even included the commission fees from the income of the sixth place, Fan Fan Binbing.

That's right, Yao Ming, Liu Xiang, Li Lianjie in the top three, fourth place Yi Jianlian, 29 million, fifth place Zhang Ziyi, 55 million, sixth place Fan Fan Binbing 39 million, seventh place Chen Nuo, 36 million, eighth place Zhao Wei, ninth place Zhou Xun, tenth place Li Bingbing.

This was the top ten list.

Chen Nuo knew that in terms of income, his 36 million was definitely underestimated, because it didn't calculate the dividends he deserved from the company.

However, no matter how he calculated it, he definitely couldn't catch up to International Zhang, let alone those two glittering sports superstars.

And in terms of ranking, although he didn't know what formula Forbes relied on to calculate,

But, how could it be?

Others, he had won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, so he could say he was ashamed of being inferior, but how could this employee Fan Fan Binbing rank ahead of the boss?

"The facts are just like this," Qi Yuntian said with great emotion. "Do you know? When you went to attend the Oscars, went to the US to find Harvey, went to gamble on the Golden Globes, and studied at school. How many events, how many shows, how many commercials, and how many TV series did Fan Fan Binbing participate in?"

"To be honest, Forbes has its own skills; the 39 million mentioned here is relatively accurate, indeed not much different. It is the after-tax income that has been handed over to our company. Chen Zong, did this surprise make you feel ashamed and then brave?"

The answer was yes.

Originally, after accepting the interview, he had nothing to do and could go back to rest and prepare for the premiere tomorrow night.

But now, he was like he had been injected with chicken blood, and immediately asked Qi Yuntian to arrange an exclusive interview with *Southern People Weekly* for him.

The sudden invitation immediately made the reporter from *Southern People Weekly* overjoyed.

Because now, the media in the mainland entertainment industry all felt that this master was simply harder to deal with than Mr. Liang from Hong Kong.

It was fine that Mr. Liang was indeed clumsy with words, but he was different.

Whether in Chinese or English, he was always witty, and when giving an acceptance speech at the Oscars, he could make the full house of superstars roar with laughter.

But why was it so hard to interview him?

As China's most famous and largest-circulation in-depth interview magazine, *Southern People Weekly* had always been ashamed of not having interviewed a certain young actor who had the most interview value in recent years. The editor-in-chief even let out words that salary increases, promotions, or year-end bonuses were all negotiable, as long as you brought back an exclusive interview with Chen Nuo.

Therefore, how could this sudden phone call from Chen Nuo not make the weekly's Beijing reporter almost laugh to death on the phone.

As a result, by the time the day's work ended, it was almost 8 PM, and Boss Chen was starving, so he found a place with Qi Yuntian and Linghu to have a working meal.

Qi Yuntian was replying to messages while eating, and suddenly looked up and said: "By the way, there is a female model in Taiwan named Lin Zhiling, who is quite famous. You should have heard of her, right? She came over to our side last year to film *Red Cliff* directed by John Woo; maybe she also wants to enter the mainland entertainment industry. Today, her agent contacted me; she is in Beijing and wants to meet you tonight. Will you see her?"

Heh, there are many people contacting you. Why do you specifically mention this long-legged, big-breasted one? You're pretending really well. Don't you just think I, Chen, am a stallion? Hmph. Chen Nuo took a sip of noodle soup and said faintly: "Don't know her, won't see her."

Qi Yuntian looked knowing and nodded: "Then we'll talk when you know her. What about Gao Yuanyuan? When you were doing the interview, Jin Ling contacted me. Also asked when you have time."

Chen Nuo blew the oil on the soup, "Let's talk after this period of time. That woman... is a bit hard to deal with. I want to accompany A-Shan well after I return this time. She didn't go to the US this time; although she said it was fine on her lips, but looking at her appearance when I came back, hmm, she should be a bit uncomfortable in her heart."

Qi Yuntian sneered: "It's not like you didn't let her go. Didn't she want to accompany her good friend?"

Qi Yuntian deliberately emphasized the tone of the three words "good friend."

Chen Nuo sighed, "Don't say that. Although she... but she is also a good girl."

Qi Yuntian sneered: "Good girl, heh, if you ask me, there will be a time when Wen Yongshan regrets it. Oh right, there is one more thing, that Su Mingming from Langfang sent a text message, saying he wants to meet you when you are free. Will you see this one?"

Chen Nuo smiled; before that shout at the Oscars, it wasn't that he hadn't considered what consequences it would cause.

However, he still shouted it out, because he felt he understood that man.

Sure enough, until today, there was only a little rumor on the internet about him in Langfang.

Perhaps if it were someone else, they would have come out to accept interviews and go on shows to make a big profit long ago.

Thinking of this, Chen Nuo also had a bit of self-satisfaction in knowing people, and laughed: "See him. You invite him to attend our premiere tomorrow, say I want to apologize to him in person."

There is one more chapter, will be posted tomorrow at noon. It's written, but too sleepy, no time to polish and revise.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 218 =====