Chapter 287

"Among the following male actors, who do you think is most likely to win Best Actor at this year's Cannes Film Festival?"

Similar polls, as far as Gao Gao Yuanyuan knew, were present on the entertainment sections of several major portals like 163, Sina, and Tencent.

The wording might not be exactly the same, and the actors in the options might vary, but the meaning was always the same.

This was not news.

So when Li Li Lianjie brought this up, Gao Gao Yuanyuan immediately became vigilant.

She smiled and said, "Of course I've seen them, Brother Dong Jie."

In this charity film *Ocean Heaven*, she was only there for a cameo.

Two or three days of filming, without a single cent of pay.

The purpose of her agency's arrangement was to let her rub shoulders with Li Li Lianjie's status and try her luck. What if this film became a hit?

She really hadn't expected director Xue Xue Xiaolu to invite her to dinner, let alone create such a grand scene.

At this moment, to her right was the film's lead actor, the famous philanthropist, Buddhist, and actor, Mr. Li Li Lianjie.

Although few people in the country knew it yet, Gao Gao Yuanyuan had once heard someone say that he had already followed Gong Li and joined Singaporean nationality.

The person who told her this had a nonchalant expression, saying that news from Warner's Asia division indicated Mr. Li was actually already a Singaporean.

After buying a luxury mansion in Singapore worth over 100 million RMB, he ran to China, established a foundation, led by example by donating one yuan, and simultaneously called on everyone to be like him and donate one yuan for charity.

Calling it "gathering sand into a tower" made sense.

But for some reason, the logic inside always felt quite strange.

In any case, it was best to stay away from him in the future.

Gao Gao Yuanyuan remembered this, so she indeed sat further toward the other side.

Closer to a young actor named Wen Zhang.

Wen Zhang was different from Mr. Li Li Lianjie. He had delicate features and upright character; although he wasn't old, his current popularity in the country was on par with a female actress like her who was nearly 30.

After hearing her words, he asked with a smile, not being overly polite: "Then who do you think is more promising among those people in the polls?"

Gao Gao Yuanyuan became even more vigilant inside. "I don't know, I haven't paid attention to these. I've only seen a little bit when surfing the internet."

Li Li Lianjie smiled at this moment and said, "Haha, Gao Yuanyuan, you've filmed with Chen Nuo before, right? Are you two familiar with each other?"

The words "not familiar" were already on the tip of her tongue, but Gao Gao Yuanyuan swallowed them back.

She couldn't say that; it felt like she was trying to distance herself.

In the current domestic scene, which actor would do that?

It was too obvious a cover-up.

Gao Gao Yuanyuan tried to smile as naturally as possible and said, "Not very familiar, but we have a good relationship. When he came to cameo in Director Zhang Yi's film, I was fortunate enough to spend half a day with him, and I think he's quite a good person."

Li Li Lianjie nodded and said, "Young and vigorous, I thought he would be difficult to get along with."

Gao Gao Yuanyuan felt a chill in her heart and said, "I don't know about that; at the time, chatting and filming were all quite pleasant."

Li Li Lianjie smiled:

"Among so many young people in the country, I've met all the ones who have made a name for themselves, but I haven't met him. This time, everyone seems to be very optimistic about him winning the Cannes Best Actor. Haha, young and promising. However, is Cannes that simple? I don't think so."

Gao Gao Yuanyuan was 28 years old and had been struggling in the entertainment industry for quite some time. She had originally thought Li Li Lianjie had heard some rumors about her and Chen Nuo from somewhere and was testing her.

Now, hearing these words from Li Li Lianjie, she realized it had nothing to do with her.

Come to think of it, it had only been a few years, and that man was already ranked second on this year's Forbes Celebrity List. Where did that leave the faces of many senior veterans in the industry?

If he really went to Cannes and won Best Actor, then the glory of a 100-million-yuan paycheck per film might have to be shared by a second person in the mainland alongside Mr. Li Li Lianjie.

It might even go beyond that.

Naturally, a Singaporean philanthropist who donated one yuan after taking a 100-million-yuan paycheck wouldn't be very happy about that.

Until the man on the screen completely merged with the white light.

Just as Gao Gao Yuanyuan finished drinking, Wen Zhang smiled and said, "Miss Gao, I'd like to toast you too. It's our first meeting; you are even more beautiful in person than on television."

Gao Gao Yuanyuan waved her hand and said, "Little Wen, let me rest for a moment. I can't handle drinking too fast."

Wen Zhang's expression stiffened slightly, but he immediately smiled. "Alright, then I'll wait for you to catch your breath."

Amidst the clinking of glasses and after three rounds of drinks, for some reason, the topic circled back to Cannes.

By this time, everyone was a bit tipsy. Mr. Li Li Lianjie said, "It's not that I want him to take the initiative to pay me a visit, but after all, we are Chinese; we cannot forget the tradition of respecting the elderly and caring for the young, right? Everyone, tell me, am I right? I had Chen Chen Kexin give him my number last year, and he still hasn't called me. You tell me, is this young man a bit out of line?"

Gao Gao Yuanyuan finally understood what was going on.

Then Gao Gao Yuanyuan recalled the time after Chen Nuo and she had finished their business, she was still unsatisfied, but the man was as timid as a mouse.

So he babbled nonsense to change the subject.

After finishing the topic of philanthropist Mr. Li's nationality, she threw out another question.

This Chinese nationality, is it rare or not rare?

If you say it's rare, it seems many people rush to change their status as soon as they become famous.

If you say it's not rare, when chatting, these people who are clearly not Chinese often identify as Chinese; it really is strange and bizarre.

Thinking about this, Gao Gao Yuanyuan seemed to see the man's serious face as he stalled for time, terrified that she would be impatient and demand a second round, and she couldn't help but purse her lips and smile.

Miss Gao's face, flushed with alcohol, had a blush that looked just like the sunset clouds on the horizon, stunningly beautiful. Seeing this, Wen Zhang was a bit dazed, and his words stuttered, "Right, Brother Dong Jie is right. That Chen Nuo, is, is indeed out of line."

Li Li Lianjie shook his head and said, "Forget it, let's see if he can win an award tomorrow night. If he wins, I'll congratulate him. If he doesn't... haha, we Buddhists have a saying: the way of heaven is cyclical, and retribution is swift. I think this might be called immediate retribution."

Wen Zhang raised his glass and said, "Brother, retribution will definitely come. Come, I'll toast you, thank you for your constant care."

Li Li Lianjie said with a chuckle, "Little Wen, I heard Chen Nuo's new film is about a fool. As for you, you're playing an autistic person in this film. I think we should go to Cannes next year too and get you a Best Actor award. Director Xue, what do you think?"

Xue Xue Xiaolu's face was very red, and it was unclear if it was from the alcohol or something else; she smiled and nodded, but didn't say a word.

After this dinner, even though Gao Gao Yuanyuan tried to decline, she felt a bit dizzy and hot by the end.

Supporting herself on the shoulder of her agent, Jin Ling, on the way back to the hotel, Gao Gao Yuanyuan asked with a slightly slurred tongue, "Sister Jin, do you believe in retribution?"

Jin Ling said, "Believe in my ass."

Gao Gao Yuanyuan said, "Then do you think Chen Nuo can win an award this time?"

Jin Ling said, "Why did you jump topics so much? I think he should be able to, right? I saw on 163 News that many foreign media outlets said his acting in this film is good and very artistic. Doesn't Cannes like art?"

Gao Gao Yuanyuan was truly drunk, asking questions only an 18-year-old girl would ask. "Then if he doesn't win, will it be very miserable?"

Jin Ling was truly a responsible agent, answering such questions very seriously: "Actually, it doesn't matter if he doesn't win; at most, his fans will be upset for a while."

"Those polls online now, 80% or 90% think he will win, aren't they all voted by his fans? Actually, they don't understand. Acting isn't a sports competition. Even if an Oscar winner makes a film, they wouldn't dare say they are guaranteed to win any award. 90% chance to win Cannes Best Actor? That's simply a joke."

"... Actually, I voted too, I also think he can... Hey, I can't do it, I'm so dizzy."

"What? Hey, hey, Gao Yuanyuan, wake up, we haven't entered the elevator yet, get up, wake up!"

The night before the Cannes closing ceremony, after the *Un Certain Regard* awards ceremony ended, Fan Fan Fan Binbing returned.

Although *Un Certain Regard* is not as prestigious as the main competition section, as one of the six jurors this year, Fan Fan Fan Binbing had also been in the spotlight during this period.

As a juror, she could appear on the red carpet of any *Un Certain Regard* film premiere.

The film's owners would only be overjoyed and would absolutely not think she was there to freeload.

This allowed her to truly satisfy her red carpet addiction for once.

According to the woman, she was really tired of walking it during this time; if Chen Nuo hadn't used his status as a Winston spokesperson to provide her with several sets of free jewelry to swap, she would have really wanted to attend this final awards ceremony in casual clothes.

Of course, Chen Nuo wouldn't believe a word of what she said.

It was nothing more than showing off in front of her little sister Feifei after returning.

But Liu Qi Yifei looked like she truly believed it.

Just like when everyone was chatting past ten o'clock at night, Fan Fan Fan Binbing said she was tired and wanted to sleep.

This girl also couldn't have imagined in a hundred years that her Sister Fan Fan Binbing, who kept yawning, only circled her own room before slipping upstairs.

Because there were many people who came to France this time, including company employees, the villa rented by Qi Yuntian was very large, with a very spacious floor area. Although there were only three floors in total, there were over 10 rooms in total.

Originally, when Fan Fan Fan Binbing wasn't there, Li Jing lived on the first floor, Liu Liu Xiaoli and Liu Qi Yifei lived on the second floor, and Chen Nuo lived alone on the third floor.

Once Fan Fan Fan Binbing and Qi Yuntian returned.

Qi Yuntian went to live on the first floor, Fan Fan Fan Binbing went to live on the second floor, and he still lived alone on the third floor.

When Fan Fan Fan Binbing slipped in, Chen Nuo was just coming out of the bathroom.

Raising his eyes, he saw the woman standing at the door wearing a tight-fitting white nightgown. The smooth, milk-like fabric was slightly translucent, faintly revealing the contours of her body.

She was carrying a pair of shoes in her hand, her jade-white feet bare, and was slowly pushing the door to close it.

Looking from behind her, her waist was slender enough to be held in one hand, and following it down, the curve of her buttocks was round and full, outlining an extremely eye-catching S-curve with her slender waist.

The door was closed, and Fan Fan Fan Binbing turned around. Seeing him come out, she put on a serious expression and said, "Keep it down later, don't let Auntie Liu hear. When I came up just now, she seemed to have come out."

"Fine, then you cover your own mouth."

17 minutes later.

"I've been a juror for these few days, you've had quite the romantic luck, haven't you?"

"What do you mean?"

"What do you think I mean? Qi Da isn't here, in a whole house, you're the only man..."

"... I see your skin is itching, you want a beating, right?"

The woman's voice was like honey, sweet to the point of being cloying, and she arched her body, shaking her blindingly white buttocks. "Then come and get it."

27 minutes later.

"Okay, okay, I'm done."

"No, no, I'm dying, I'm dying."

5 minutes later.

"I can't, really can't, I'll help you."

8 minutes later. "Pfft, pfft, pfft. Why didn't you say anything?"

After washing up, the two could finally lie together and chat for a while.

Fan Fan Fan Binbing pressed her face against Chen Nuo's chest, listening to his heartbeat, her fingertips drawing circles on his stomach.

"The awards are tomorrow night, are you nervous?"

Chen Nuo said, "A little."

Fan Fan Fan Binbing said, "How come I can't tell? I feel like you don't have it on your mind at all."

Chen Nuo thought for a moment, omitted the matter of Ivanka sending the hat, roughly described the bet he made with the Green Hat Brother, and smiled bitterly: "You tell me, am I nervous or not?"

After hearing this, Fan Fan Fan Binbing suddenly propped up her body, staring at him with wide eyes, "5 million??? Dollars???"

"Yes. Thinking about it now, I regret it a bit; I feel like I was impulsive."

Fan Fan Fan Binbing stared at him blankly for a while, pouted, and then lay back down, continuing to rest her face on his chest.

Her fingers were still drawing circles around his navel.

"Bet if you want to bet, you can't be a coward after being bullied, right? It's fine, it's only 40 million RMB; at worst, I'll work for free next year. I came to Cannes as a juror this time, my market value will rise when I go home."

"Commercial appearances rising by 500,000, I think that's no problem. Then I'll run 50, um, probably 40 shows, and it'll be back. Calculating it this way, it won't even take a year; if I work hard, maybe eight months."

Chen Nuo stroked her long, silk-like hair, feeling the woman's fine, porcelain-like body.

The two stayed quietly like this for a while, and Chen Nuo suddenly laughed and said, "By the time you earn 40 million, the company will have earned about that much too, so it seems I won't need you."

Fan Fan Fan Binbing was silent for a moment, then lightly twisted his waist with her hand, and said huffily: "Oh right, I forgot you're the boss. You capitalist... but you spend money recklessly, forget it, let's keep this account on me."

"... Hey, that's not right, why do you keep talking about me losing? What if I win the bet? Let me tell you, you'll definitely drool when you see that villa. People told me, a house in a location like Palm Beach, the next time it appears on the market, it will probably be after World War III..."

"Chen Nuo." Fan Fan Fan Binbing sat up again and interrupted him in a very serious tone.

Chen Nuo blinked, "What's wrong?"

Fan Fan Fan Binbing said, "I heard something while I was a juror this time. Yu Yu Peier doesn't really like you."

French local time, 7:00 PM, May 24, 2009.

The 62nd Cannes Film Festival welcomed its closing ceremony.

If it were like previous years, there shouldn't be so many stars at the closing ceremony.

Because those who are there for show, those with no hope of winning, those helping to stand on stage, and those used by Cannes officials to boost ratings, would all leave before the closing ceremony.

But this year was a bit different.

Although many filmmakers had left, a considerable number remained, and there were even superstars who returned after leaving.

For example, Brad Pitt and his virtuous wife Angelina Jolie.

And the reason was precisely this top French actress, Ms. Isabelle Yu Yu Peier, who was wearing a white dress, carrying a faint, elusive smile, and walking onto the red carpet with the other eight jurors.

Originally, the suspense for Best Actor had been killed off a week ago, but in the last few days, some gossip about her had been spreading in secret.

This caused many people to reignite their hope.

"Yu Yu Peier doesn't really like Chen Nuo."

Those who received this news were not just Fan Fan Fan Binbing, nor just Brad Pitt, who had already set off a frenzy of flashbulbs on the red carpet,

but also Chen Chen Sicheng and Qin Hao, who were in a limousine and had not yet reached the red carpet.

"Brad Pitt is here, his news must be better informed than ours."

In the car on the way to the red carpet, Chen Chen Sicheng was discussing this issue with Qin Hao, "Haozi, don't you think so? We really have hope, right?"

Qin Hao hesitated and said, "It should be like that, but... it's hard to say."

"What's hard to say about this!" Chen Chen Sicheng's eyes shone with excitement. Although he had boasted grandly at the BBQ shop a while ago, most of it was just self-comfort. In fact, he was just guessing wildly about who Yu Yu Peier would favor.

But the news circulating these two days was different; it was said to have come from within the jury. And Brad Pitt's arrival made the news seem definitive.

Thinking that today he had a chance to step on Chen Nuo, Chen Chen Sicheng was so excited he was almost incoherent.

"Haozi, don't think I was sucking up to him that day, really. I was just, I was just teasing him. I know these past few days, you and Lei haven't been paying much attention to me, just because you think I'm a bit, you know, right?"

"It's fine, I don't blame you. If I win Best Actor today, let's have a drink at the table, and we'll pretend nothing happened. In the future, we two brothers will still be the same; as long as I have a bite to eat, I definitely won't let you go hungry."

"Haozi, have you thought about it? If Chen Nuo doesn't win an award, but we do, what kind of concept is that? No matter how popular Xiao Shenyang is, he probably won't matter in front of us."

"And those Zhang Zhang Yimou, Chen Chen Kaige, Wang Wang Jiawei, won't they have to beg us to film for them by then? Damn it, if they don't offer 10 or 20 million in pay, I won't even give them the time of day, no matter how big their names are."

"And Chen Nuo! Just wait and see what kind of attitude I give him. You just watch. I don't care how he's doing in Hollywood; in any case, in the future, in China, in front of me, Chen Chen Sicheng, he's just this!"

Chen Chen Sicheng curled four fingers, holding up only his little finger.

Then he felt it wasn't enough, turned his hand over, and let the little finger dangle in the air like a limp piece of meat.

Chen Chen Sicheng was truly very happy; even after getting out of the car and seeing the various support posters or light boards in the hands of foreign fans, his excitement did not diminish.

Even thinking that in the near future, the face on the signs those people were holding would be used by him as a stepping stone, Chen Chen Sicheng's smile grew several degrees wider without him realizing it while taking photos on the red carpet.

Especially when he put one hand in his pocket, imitating the pose he learned from *Twilight*, facing those photographers, causing many foreign cameramen to exclaim repeatedly: "Good!", "Cool!", "Nice!"

Afterwards, more flashbulbs went off at him in a frenzy.

At this moment, Chen Chen Sicheng vaguely remembered again,

That day at the *Spring Breeze* premiere, he was also the one among the main creators who received the most attention from the cameras.

After the premiere ended, amidst the spotlight and applause that everyone was watching, he was full of anticipation to see the media's evaluation of his acting.

In the film, he accompanied the music, imitating the dance Zhang Zhang Guorong did in *Days of Being Wild*.

He thought the media would definitely mention it.

Because although it was an imitation, but... how many foreigners have seen *Days of Being Wild*? When he was imitating it, although Director Lou Ye definitely knew, he didn't say anything and let it pass.

Such a classic scene, recreated by himself, and he even added some of his own understanding of a sissy homosexual.

How could it not cause the film critics to gasp and praise?

He thought so confidently, but what was the result?

In the magazines and newspapers he bought the next day, the only media that mentioned him separately was a secondary Cannes publication, *The Film Critic*.

It first ridiculed *Spring Breeze*, and finally mentioned his dance moves, using a French word: "affecté".

He asked the translator to explain it.

The translator stalled for a long time, and finally, under his insistence, told him that if this French word were expressed in Chinese, it should mean "affected and pretentious."

Affected and pretentious!?

His, Chen Chen Sicheng's, dance was called affected and pretentious!

But, what about the one Chen Nuo danced in *Mother*? How much different was it from his?

Why did it make those film critics go crazy, as if they couldn't wait to use the whole magazine to suck up to him?

Was he, Chen Chen Sicheng, really that bad, that rotten, that he didn't even deserve to carry someone's shoes?

How could he make sense of this?

Therefore, hearing that Chen Nuo was going to lose Best Actor again, and that he, Chen Chen Sicheng, might win Cannes, he was naturally ecstatic.

"Sir..."

Just as Chen Chen Sicheng was standing with one hand in his pocket, striking various cool poses for the media reporters, suddenly, a sentence in English came from beside him.

Although his English wasn't good, he barely understood the meaning.

"Tell me to leave? Wait, I've only been here for two minutes." Chen Chen Sicheng was afraid he wouldn't express himself clearly enough, so he specially held up his fingers to make a V sign.

"Yes, I know. But I'm sorry, please move forward immediately." The staff member in a suit and leather shoes extended his hand politely, making a "please" gesture.

"What do you mean, you..." Chen Chen Sicheng said halfway, then suddenly raised his eyes and saw Qin Hao, Lou Ye, Hao Lei, and the various audience members who had originally entered were all being asked to leave the red carpet area.

He suddenly realized and asked, "Are you clearing the venue?"

The staff member smiled, "Yes, sorry, sir."

Well, nothing to be done then.

Chen Chen Sicheng understood the rules of Cannes; when some important figures Cannes valued arrived, such arrangements would be made at the closing or opening ceremony.

For example, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie now, or Gong Li and Zhang Zhang Ziyi in the future.

Chen Chen Sicheng followed the staff's pace forward, walking to the steps of the Palais des Festivals.

According to Cannes tradition, they should walk up the steps from here to the platform in the middle, then take a photo with the organizing committee chairman Gilles Jacob, and then have Gilles Jacob accompany them for the rest of the way.

But they arrived too quickly; Gilles Jacob had just sent the previous crew up, so the *Spring Breeze* quartet had to stop and wait at the steps.

And just at this moment, they heard a wave of sound suddenly erupt from behind them.

At first, only a dozen people were screaming, using a very strange pronunciation to shout a monosyllabic word.

But almost immediately, that entire volume merged into a torrent, as if every one of the hundreds of fans in the fan area was shouting the same word.

This word was so familiar to Chen Chen Sicheng that he immediately turned his head back.

Then he saw a man with black hair and black eyes, wearing a black suit, white shirt, and bowtie just like him, get out of a limousine, wearing a slightly shy smile, and walk onto the red carpet.

The fans waving signs behind him were screaming desperately, their outstretched arms looking like a forest of flesh.

Everyone had their mouths wide open, shouting a Chinese character in unison: "Chen!"

Chen turned his head back, waved at those fans, letting the volume of the cheers rise another level.

Then the man turned around without hesitation and walked toward the red carpet area.

There were no pedestrians in front of him, and no one coming behind him.

On that spacious red carpet of the Cannes closing ceremony, fifty meters long and seven or eight meters wide, he was the only one at this moment.

When he walked alone to the photography area, at that moment, all the flashbulbs flashed in unison.

Only then did Chen Chen Sicheng know that Cannes cameramen could actually become so fanatical.

When they were frantically pressing their shutters with ferocious expressions, they weren't using "good", "cool", or "nice" to express their feelings,

they were shouting: "Amazing!!!"

(End of chapter)