AM: Chapter 81

The performances on the big stage were still ongoing. There were several top stars in the music industry invited today. The atmosphere of the party was warm. The broadcasting platforms also live broadcasted today’s awards ceremony simultaneously and the amount of views easily exceeded one billion.

Chen Yijun finished singing this year’s new song Memory Fragments and then the host took to the middle of the stage. “Next, let’s present the first award for the annual feast of online dramas—Best Newcomer!”

The information of those nominated flashed on the big screen on the stage and camera shots were given to the actors sitting below the stage.

Cheng Xia’s face was captured by the camera and shown on the screen. He wore a suit today and looked a bit more mature than usual. Once the camera came to him, Cheng Xia immediately smiled at it. His handsome smile caused deafening screams to burst out from the audience.

The barrage of the major live broadcast platforms instantly filled the screen. [Xia Xia is super handsome today!]

[Out of the newcomers who debuted in the past few years, Cheng Xia has the strongest development momentum right? He has two hot dramas in a year!]

[This year’s Best Newcomer Award is undoubtedly Cheng Xia!]

Some audience members found the handsome man sitting next to Cheng Xia and a few people asked questions.

[Who is the one next to Cheng Xia? Isn’t his appearance too great?]

[Which star is he? I haven’t seen him before?]

Someone soon started the lesson. [Don’t you know him? He’s President Pei!]

[He is the boss who made the most money from dramas this year!]

[The one sitting with Xia Xia is Tianxuan’s boss!]

The moment the camera swept over, there was no expression on Pei Shaoze’s face.

The host finished reading the names of the nominated actors. Then he opened the envelope and announced excitedly, “The winner of the Best Newcomer Award for 20XX is—Cheng Xia in Folding Paper!”

There was thunderous applause from the audience. The spotlight fixed on Cheng Xia’s position as he stood up excitedly and waved to everyone. The expressionless Pei Shaoze smiled slightly and stood up, stretching out his arms.

Cheng Xia immediately rushed into his arms and hugged him tightly. It was common for the boss to politely congratulate the artists who won awards. The viewers watching the live broadcast felt that this scene was very harmonious. The two people stood together and matched well. In particular, the always serious and indifferent President Pei had a rare gentle gaze as he gently patted Cheng Xia on the shoulder and whispered a few words in his ears.

Cheng Xia nodded and separated from him. Cheng Xia turned and bowed to the audience before heading quickly to the big stage. The host said, “Please welcome President Jiang from Little Bear TV onto the stage to present the award!”

President Jiang handed the golden trophy to Cheng Xia on the stage. Cheng Xia took the trophy and shook hands with the other person.

The host asked, “Cheng Xia, you got the Best Newcomer Award. What do you want to say to everyone?”

The bright lights on the big stage made Cheng Xia almost unable to open his eyes. Below the stage, the audience was dark and such a grand scene inevitably made Cheng Xia a bit nervous. Then he remembered Brother Pei’s words and took a deep breath to adjust his mood. He smiled and took the microphone, saying seriously, “I am very happy to win the Best Newcomer Award! My dream since I was a child is to be an outstanding actor. Last year, I was fortunate enough to sign a contract with Tianxuan Entertainment and formally entered the acting industry. When shooting my first work, I was fortunate to have the help of Director Liu, Screenwriter Xu, the author Teacher Lemongrass as well as the many other teachers in the crew and my agent.”

“As a newcomer, my performance in Folding Paper isn’t perfect. I want to thank the judges and teachers for acknowledging my performance. I also want to really thank my fans for their support and encouragement. Thank you!”

There were immediate screams of excitement from the fans in the audience. As a newcomer who was attending the awards ceremony for the first time and receiving an award for the first time, Cheng Xia’s performance was very good. He didn’t choke up and spoke complete words. He also didn’t cry with excitement. He was very calm and humble.”

People in the live broadcast talked about it. [It’s amazing. He has no stage fright at all!]

[Many people are too excited to speak when receiving an award for the first time. Cheng Xia is too stable…]

[It feels like he has been influenced by President Pei!]

Cheng Xia stood on the big stage with a shining smile.

He was indeed influenced by Pei Shaoze. Pei Shaoze was so calm in everything he did that Cheng Xia didn’t want to embarrass Brother Pei. It was just like the words Brother Pei whispered in his ears just now. “The Newcomer Award is just the beginning for you.”

Thus, there was no need to be too excited. He should stabilize his mind. In the entertainment industry, there were many stars who won the Best Newcomer Award only to quickly fall later. He had to work harder for the sake of his future career.

Cheng Xia stared in the direction of Pei Shaoze in the audience and spoke slowly, “Here, I would also like to thank a special person.”

The applause stopped and Cheng Xia’s voice echoed through the venue thanks to the microphone. The young man’s eyes were clear and bright and his tone was particularly serious. “It’s President Pei of our Tianxuan Group.”

The spotlight fell on Pei Shaoze. The man was dressed in place and sitting down in a dignified manner. After hearing Cheng Xia’s gratitude, the originally handsome and serious face showed a slight smile. He looked at Cheng Xia on the stage with very gentle eyes.

Cheng Xia continued, “Thank you President Pei for your respect and care toward the company’s artists. Thank you for giving me the chance to be a proper actor! Since entering the entertainment industry, my biggest fortune was to sign with Tianxuan and meet a boss like you!”

The audience laughed and applauded again. Pei Shaoze also chuckled and applauded Cheng Xia.

The passersby in the live broadcasting room started to fill the screen with messages. [Cheng Xia’s praise is so smooth!]

[Xia Xia’s exaggerated praise caught President Pei’s heart. Did you see him smile?]

[President Pei rarely smiles. Once he goes back, he should give Xia Xia a salary increase.]

[Cheng Xia’s praise is unmatched when it comes to praising the boss. From the serious expression to the smooth line, it can be a template for everyone.]

Many celebrities felt that Cheng Xia’s EQ was quite high. He didn’t miss anyone when giving the acceptance speech and he finally sincerely thanked the boss. No one would say anything about him flattering the boss in this situation. His actions also gave Pei Shaoze enough face.

Only Cheng Xia and Pei Shaoze knew that this gratitude wasn’t flattering words. It was sincere gratitude from the heart.

From the moment Cheng Xia took the trophy, he couldn’t help wondering what would’ve happened if Pei Shaoze didn’t control himself on the day when Cheng Xia’s pheromones went out of control. What if Pei Shaoze marked him? Everything after that wouldn’t be the same.

Regardless of his achievements, he would just be a lowly entertainer who seduced his boss and sold his body. He had no way to stand on the stage with a clear conscience and accept the award, nor could he calmly accept the criticisms of the netizens.

It was Pei Shaoze’s respect and love for him that gave him the opportunity to stand upright and be an actor. It was also Pei Shaoze’s unique vision and precise investment that allowed him to win the award for Best Newcomer with his first drama!

How could he not thank Pei Shaoze? This alpha was so kind to him. It was his boss and the lover he wanted to cherish in his heart.

Cheng Xia finished the acceptance speech, bowed deeply to the audience, and walked off the stage with the trophy.

Once Cheng Xia sat down, Pei Shaoze leaned toward his ear and whispered, “There is no need for thanks. Meeting you is also my luck.”

Cheng Xia’s heart was immediately wrapped in the familiar warmth. He gently held Pei Shaoze’s hand under the seat and carefully observed the trophy in his other hand. He asked curiously, “This trophy is very beautiful. Is it gilded?”

Pei Shaoze answered, “The surface layer is gilded and it won’t rust for many years.”

Cheng Xia whispered, “Then I should win a few more trophies to take back home. They are so beautiful.”

Pei Shaoze’s voice was very gentle. “Yes, continue to work hard in the future and you will get all the awards for TV dramas and movies.”

Cheng Xia had a goal and his heart was immediately full of fighting spirit. It was now the end of November and the Spring Festival this year was in January. He thought that after the Spring Festival, he would be ready to shoot his next work. He couldn’t be idle for too long.

***

The awards ceremony continued. The Best Actor and Best Actress awards were given to the actors of the online drama, Gene Project. The cast of this drama was all first-tier artists in the circle. They were famous and had great acting skills. It made sense and Pei Shaoze didn’t have any opinion about it. He couldn’t take all the awards.

Then came the highlight. “The nominees for the Best Online Drama for 20XX—Flowers in a Mirror and the Moon Reflected in the Lake, Gene Project, Folding Paper, Investment Elite, and Disappearing Traces!”

These dramas were all well-known in the field of online dramas this year. Everyone discovered that both dramas invested by President Pei were nominated and compared them. The other three dramas had investments of over 100 million yuan while Pei Shaoze’s investment in these two dramas was only 10 million.

It felt like two bicycles were mixed in with a group of luxury cars yet they could actually keep up with the luxury cars.

As the audience was filled with expectations, the host opened the envelope and announced excitedly, “Now I will announce the winner of the Best Online Drama award is—Disappearing Traces!”

The expressions of those who invested in the other dramas didn’t look good. A suspense drama with just 12 episodes surpassed the 60 episode xianxia big IP, the 50 episode sci-fi drama, and the 40 episode workplace inspirational drama to become the strongest dark horse of the year!

Director Zhu excitedly went to the stage to accept the award while Cheng Xia sat on the stage and clapped hard.

“The next award, the Best Screenwriter for an online drama is—Disappearing Traces!”

There was thunderous applause from the audience.

“Best Editing—Disappearing Traces!”

“Best Music—Disappearing Traces!”

The audience, “……”

This filled the screen.

What did it mean by ‘getting the prize until one’s hands were limp with exhaustion?’ What did it mean by ‘Life Winner of the Year’?

President Pei invested in two online dramas. Folding Paper was the first trial and it allowed Cheng Xia to get the Best Newcomer Award while returning ten times the profit. Disappearing Traces was the second work and it won Best Online Drama, Best Editing, Best Screenwriting, Best Music, and other awards. It became first in the rating list for the suspense drama genre and it got a terrible 20:1 return on the investment!

If there was the Best Investor of the Year award then it would undoubtedly go to Pei Shaoze!

***

After the awards ceremony, Pei Shaoze’s Weibo was filled with tens of thousands of messages praising his investment vision. A few fans said, [What drama will President Pei invest in next? I will invest a few forum coins in advance.]

[President Pei says that I have reserved the awards for next year in advance.]

[I am going to use all my wealth to buy Tianxuan’s stocks. I think that a boss like President Pei will definitely double Tianxuan’s market value!]

At the same time, there were many big bosses in the circle who took the initiative to invite Pei Shaoze for a meal. The topics of discussion were:

“President Pei, do you have your next investment plan? Is there a shortage of funds? We can make additional investments!”

“Are you interested in cooperating with our company?”

Some advertisers contacted him, expressing their willingness to pay tens of millions in publicity expenses to place advertisements in Pei Shaoze’s next drama.

Pei Shaoze had become the target of cooperation among everyone in the investment circle which was very similar to his experience in reality. He always believed that capable people never lacked partners. In the future, he wouldn’t have to worry about funds. Doubling Tianxuan’s market value was just his initial plan. He wanted to open up a wider world for his beloved.

On November 21st, Pei Shaoze returned home because the results of his father Pei Sheng’s examination came out.

Due to the timely surgery for early gastric cancer, the cancer cells didn’t spread and he recovered very well. Combined with his good mental state, his complexion had become much better than before. Pei Sheng had watched the awards ceremony on TV at home and had been smiling from ear to ear when he saw that the dramas his son invested in were a success.

Therefore, Pei Shaoze suggested, “Dad, after the Spring Festival, I want to formally establish two branches, Tianxuan Movies, and Tianxuan Records to further reform the Tianxuan Group.”

Pei Sheng didn’t hesitate. “Dad believes in your strength. Go and do it!”

Pei Shaoze continued, “In addition, there are some tumors in the company. I want to get rid of them as soon as possible.”

Pei Sheng was startled. He frowned and asked, “Tumors? What do you mean?”

“Cui Jue,” Pei Shaoze simply stated. “Dad, Vice President Cui has embezzled company funds and it’s as high as 200 million yuan. I have all the evidence in my hand. The deputy manager of the financial department has worked in collusion with him to help make another ledger. He invested in a few dramas certain to make ‘a loss’ and transferred the funds to his private account. I have already found a lawyer. His actions are enough to sentence him for more than 10 years in prison.”

Pei Sheng’s lips trembled. “What a mess! I’ve always considered him a good brother yet he actually embezzled the company’s money…”

Pei Shaoze calmly said, “The temptation of money always changes people. He did a lot of movement behind your back around the time when you were diagnosed with early gastric cancer and had surgery. Now that he has taken this path, we don’t need to show him any mercy, don’t you think?”

Pei Sheng clenched his fists and nodded. “I’m old… you handle it.”

Pei Shaoze wouldn’t show the slightest softness to Cui Jue. After all, in the original novel, Vice President Cui won the Tianxuan Group and was also the root cause behind his younger brother Pei Shaoyan suddenly dying from a drug overdose! This time, Pei Shaoze had the upper hand and he would let Cui Jue go to prison for more than 10 years before he could feel relieved.

The father and son were chatting when his mother Lu Manjing came over with a plate of fruit and told them gently, “Shaoze, it will be your birthday in two days. For this year’s birthday, your father wants to host a birthday party for you. After all, this is your first birthday since officially taking office at Tianxuan. It can’t be too shabby.”

Pei Shaoze frowned. “Birthday party? I’m not a star. Is this necessary?”

Pei Sheng was serious. “Of course it’s necessary! Your current identity is the president of Tianxuan and you’ve made a lot of money from the two dramas you invested in this year. We’ll host a birthday party where everyone in the company will participate. This is a type of recognition from the whole company. Your mother and I will also be there at that time.”

Pei Shaoze thought carefully. His father’s consideration was reasonable. Previously, he was just the nominal boss and no one in the company was convinced by him. Now he had invested in two dramas with his unique vision. In just one year, he invested 20 million yuan and made more than 1 billion yuan in return. No one in the company should have any more doubts about his strength.

This birthday party was equivalent to Chairman Pei Sheng of the Tianxuan announcing that his older son, Pei Shaoze would officially become the head of this entertainment empire.

Pei Shaoze nodded. “Yes, then I’ll let you arrange it.”

This is tomorrow’s chapter because I’m getting my wisdom teeth pulled out tomorrow and will be in recovery. :blobsweats:

Proofreader: Cat