The Martial Artist Turned Movie Mogul-Chapter 1010 - 1009. Feng Yan Returns

Master Yan affirmed:

"Indeed, those old-timers aren’t easy to deal with. The immense popularity of your stage productions is merely your ticket into their line of sight, but this award signifies their true recognition of your acting skills."

Perhaps in the realm of movies and television awards, the jury might weigh in capital interests, but stage awards are different—the value of every trophy is unequivocally solid.

Tang Shu nodded thoughtfully, accepting the significance of the award in her heart, along with the challenges that stage acting would undoubtedly bring in the future.

Master Ke, being the veteran actor of the industry that he is, summed up the game rules of this circle with just one sentence.

This was the realization Tang Shu arrived at within days of receiving the Best Newcomer in Stage award. Shortly afterward, she endured accompanying others in the race for Best Actress in Television, only to secure the title of Best Actress in Film.

The entire crowd of onlookers was floored.

Five days later, when Tang Shu, wearing a sky-blue backless gown, held onto a freshly-crowned Best Actress trophy, even she found herself dumbfounded.

The entertainment reporters stationed outside the awards ceremony went into a frenzy. They surrounded the youngest Best Actress winner in history, cameras relentlessly clicking from all angles.

"What on earth is this? Tang Shu won the Best Actress in Film only three days after losing the Best Actress in Television?"

"This scene...I just can’t wrap my head around it. Can any expert explain this to us?"

"I admit Tang Shu’s acting is fantastic. I wouldn’t have been shocked if she swept up two awards, honestly!"

"But here’s the odd part—she lost Best Actress in Television but won Best Actress in Film?"

"Ridiculous. Word has it that the acting performance of the Best Actress in Film isn’t even as strong as the Best Actress in Television next door. Now, isn’t that bizarre?"

The internet erupted with discussions so intense that they couldn’t be suppressed. On the surface, people seemed to be defending Tang Shu, but in truth, they were using Tang Shu as a reason to pit the two groups of adjudicators against each other.

The hyperactive commentary left Shen Yan overwhelmed, his head spinning, feeling desperate as he turned to Luo Lin for help.

"Sister, what should we do now?"

Luo Lin felt even more flustered. "How would I know? The jury will decide as they decide."

Yet, instead of celebrating their precious actress clinching the Best Actress in Film, her heart was laden with worry.

The unspoken industry truth is that films are considered to carry more prestige than television productions, but Tang Shu’s vastly contrasting treatment across the two awards had triggered heated outrage among some netizens. For an actor, such controversy posed greater harm than benefit.

"Everyone knows that it’s not just the actor’s skills but also the appeal of the role itself that factors into winning. The character Zhang Xiaojun simply doesn’t compare to Miss Qi in terms of likability. Failing to win Best Actress in Television is understandable."

But the majority of netizens didn’t share this view.

Luo Lin’s anxiety reached a peak the next day as it spiraled into chaos when a soft news article titled "What Allowed Tang Shu to Claim the Throne of Best Actress in Film?" surfaced, reigniting public uproar.

"The author, after attending both awards ceremonies, also finds the situation puzzling. Without question, Tang Shu’s acting is far superior to her peers; many cinephiles were moved by the undercover operative she portrayed, and her performance as Zhang Xiaojun leading villagers to prosperity in ’The Doorway’ was equally outstanding. So, why did the final results of these two awards differ so drastically?"

"Upon scrutinizing the awards’ selection criteria, the author noticed certain details: for instance, the weight of online votes among nominees was different for each award, and their voting deadlines didn’t align. The voting for ’Typhoon’ occurred in early January. Could this result be influenced by Tang Shu’s participation in a variety show?"

...

The article then detailed voting rules and deadlines at length. Netizens, upon reading, experienced sudden epiphanies. Many agreed, complimenting the editor for their strong logical reasoning.

But in Shen Yan’s eyes, this article was nothing less than an all-out attack.

"What is this crap? They’re outright accusing our boss of exploiting her family connections. Can these people have a shred of decency?"

Luo Lin remained silent for a moment, deep in thought.

Although she genuinely admired Tang Shu’s acting, the timing of public voting indeed coincided closely with her appearance on "One Day Idol." This undeniably opened the door for criticism, and proving there was no such connection would be tough.

"Shen Yan, get in touch with the jury and see if we can access the firsthand data."

"Got it."

Luo Lin pondered for a moment longer, sensing that something wasn’t right about this situation.

"Our precious actress is currently riding a wave of popularity. Who would have the guts to mess with her? Doesn’t this feel strange to you?"

Shen Yan froze, then immediately nodded like a woodpecker. "True enough. Our boss’s status is leagues beyond what it used to be. No one in their right mind would deliberately pick a fight with her. Why is she suddenly being thrown under the bus?"

Could it be that someone truly holds a grudge against Starshine Media?

"Sister Luo, should I gather data on these netizens’ IDs?"

"Do it."

After instructing the IT department, Luo Lin immediately stood up and left to call Xie Yunqing, praying that the ever-resourceful Director Xie might have insider news.

***

Three days after Tang Shu secured her stage award and Best Actress in Film title, rumors continued to snowball, stubbornly dominating the trending charts.

Before Starshine Media could obtain compelling evidence, a bombshell announcement rocked the entertainment industry.

Yes, the entire entertainment industry!

This was because the internationally-acclaimed superstar Feng Yan had returned and agreed to star in a major costume drama centered on a female lead.

Inside Starshine Media, the moment Luo Lin learned of this, her face darkened instantly. Her immense frustration was so palpable that the surrounding office staff didn’t even need to glance at her expression to sense the suffocating tension in the air.

Shen Yan, while working, cautiously slid his chair closer to Xiao Li.

"What’s going on? I’ve never seen Sister Luo radiate such an intimidating aura before. Who on earth got on her bad side?"

If anyone could provoke Sister Luo’s wrath, it’d surely be the boss. Yet Shen Yan was convinced this time wasn’t Tang Shu’s fault, because...since her last award win, their boss had completely vanished. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Vanished in the most literal sense!

She had merely left a shining "Going into seclusion for a month" message in the company group chat, then disappeared without a trace—even her phone was switched off.

Xiao Li stared at his computer, deep in thought, for a long moment before finally sighing.

"You better tread carefully these next few days and avoid getting caught in the crossfire. This time, Sister Luo is genuinely furious."

"You know something? Spill the beans, buddy. What’s going on exactly?"

"It’s Feng Yan..."

"Feng Yan? Isn’t she a big deal? She’s starred alongside international celebrities in a ton of movies. A heavyweight!"

"..."

"Wait, what connection does Feng Yan have with Sister Luo?"

Xiao Li’s expression turned complicated. "Back in the day, Feng Yan’s climb to becoming a top actress in the domestic scene was entirely due to Sister Luo’s mentorship."

"!!!"

Shen Yan sucked in a sharp breath.

"And then...and then what happened?"

"What else? The two parted ways because they couldn’t agree on her future direction. Feng Yan unilaterally severed ties with Sister Luo."

Xiao Li closed with a cryptic summary, "Here’s what I know: Sister Luo wasn’t too fond of Feng Yan’s approach to things at the time and persuaded her to turn down a critical role."