I'm just trying to ride the wave of popularity!

Chapter 131 We're tough, we won't kneel down!

"You are crazy!"

"I've been crazy for a long time!"

"You, Lao Zhong, do you know what kind of situation this is? Do you know how you're going to clean up this mess?"

"The aftermath isn't my problem, it's yours..."

"You...you really want to ruin your job?"

"It's not that I'm ruining my livelihood, it's that you're ruining yours. Look at this year's Golden Horse Awards, apart from the film 'Undercover Detective,' what other films were nominated... Is this fair, just, and reasonable?"

"..."

"You keep saying how great Hollywood is, but have you ever thought about it? When all the resources are concentrated on a group of unambitious filmmakers, how can the film industry possibly progress!"

"..."

"I don't have such big dreams, nor such big ambitions, and of course I don't have such great power. However, the end of the Hong Kong film era is a painful lesson, and we cannot go further down the wrong path!"

"..."

"Inviting a few unknown film directors to the Golden Horse Awards is what it means to be in line with international standards? You can fool others, you can fool movie fans, but don't fool yourselves. Ask yourselves honestly, how well was 'The Little Chinese Seamstress' made? Was it good? Damn it, it was all so hesitant and fussy, it was a complete pile of dog shit!"

"..."

"Encouragement? Encourage foreigners to create? Differential treatment? Why don't you encourage our own Chinese films? Reform? What reforms have been implemented this year? Reforms that allowed foreign films to enter the Golden Horse Awards? Reforms that increased the rankings of films from the five major film companies? Reforms that monopolized all the hope and resources of the film industry, leaving those who actually make films with no hope whatsoever? What reforms have been implemented...?"

"..."

"I don't want to, I won't, I won't now, and I won't in the future. Damn it, I'm not going to lick those foreigners' asses anymore. You guys can lick them if you want, I'm not playing this game anymore!"

"..."

Backstage.

Everyone on the organizing committee was staring at Zhong Jianming.

Zhong Jianming's face was slightly contorted as he looked at his colleagues in the organizing committee.

His sharp gaze swept over everyone.

Everyone was under their gaze, and they all subconsciously lowered their heads.

He abruptly ripped off the judge's badge, threw it hard on the ground, stomped on it a few times, and then walked out of the house without looking back, all under everyone's gaze.

A brief silence fell over the backstage meeting room.

Clearly, no one expected that Chung Kin-ming, who had always been a nice guy, would suddenly erupt at this juncture.

Chairman Li Mingrui stared silently in the direction Zhong Jianming had left for a long time, finally uttering, "Perhaps we should give him face... [Best Visual Design] should..."

"Chairman, regarding the next steps, we..."

"Follow the procedures. It's not a live broadcast now, so there's still time to salvage the situation. Have the staff cut out the scenes of Lao Zhong going crazy. Notify all media outlets, organizations, and security personnel. Under no circumstances should the footage be leaked. We must minimize the impact. Also, don't change the awards for 'The Haunted Village'... We absolutely cannot let any rumors become factual. I will communicate with Lao Zhong..."

"it is good!"

"..."

....................................

Awards ceremony.

It's still going on.

only……

This time, both the guests on stage and the host had expressions that showed some caution.

After several awards were presented, the audience members still had somewhat complicated expressions...

During the break in the awards ceremony, host Cai Mingyi attempted to lighten the mood with a few industry jokes...

Although the applause was thunderous and the venue was filled with laughter, an unsettling sense of oppression suddenly permeated everyone's hearts.

At this moment...

The photographer's lens began to occasionally capture footage of Zhou Yang's side.

not only that……

One by one, several staff members also came to Zhou Yang's side.

"Zhou Yang, hello, we hope you can do us a small favor... could you help us record a few videos?"

"What kind of help?" Zhou Yang asked a smiling staff member.

Just then, another gloomy staff member approached and whispered, "Zhou Yang, the 'Best Sound Effects' award ceremony is about to begin. When you go on stage, I hope you, and all of you, will be a little more sensible and cooperate with us..."

What does it mean to be sensible?

"If you want to participate in the Golden Horse Awards again next year, do as I say. This is a prepared speech; memorize it..."

"..."

"Let me tell you, this time, I hope you have the self-awareness. Normally, you wouldn't even qualify to come in, let alone win an award. But this time, you've hit the jackpot... You should thank the judges for giving you this hard-won opportunity, understand?"

"..."

Zhou Yang took the speech draft written by the staff.

After taking a look, he immediately frowned.

He handed it to Shen Hu, who was standing next to him.

After reading it, Shen Hu's face turned very ugly, but he clenched his fists and ultimately said nothing.

After the staff left, Shen Hu took a deep breath.

"I... Mr. Zhou, I... maybe I shouldn't take it, you can go upstairs..."

"Say whatever you want..."

"Really?"

"real!"

"You can say anything?"

"They can say anything..."

Zhou Yang narrowed his eyes, then lowered his head and stood up.

"Mr. Zhou, what's going on...?"

"I'm going to the restroom..."

"What if... I accidentally cause a huge disaster..."

"So what if it breaks!"

"..." Zhou Yang looked into the distance. When he saw a figure take off his suit and walk into the bathroom, Zhou Yang subconsciously stood up and walked in that direction.

..............................

"Director Zhong..."

"Hmm? Zhou Yang?"

"..."

In the bathroom.

Zhong Jianming silently smoked.

When he saw Zhou Yang walking over, Zhong Jianming smiled and nodded at him.

Although it was the first time the two had met in a formal setting, Zhong Jianming did not feel any sense of unfamiliarity.

He had seen several of Zhou Yang's movies, including the worst one, "Sun Wukong vs. Superman 2".

He vaguely sensed the unique sharpness and ambition in this young man's film...

"You were a bit out of line just now. I guess the organizing committee staff have come looking for you?"

“I looked…” Zhou Yang nodded.

"That's good. You should have won the Best Newcomer Award and the Best Sound Effects Award..." Zhong Jianming laughed, a hint of satisfaction appearing on his wrinkled face. He looked out the window: "Only by tearing off the hypocritical mask of fairness will some people rush to repair and whitewash it... If you cooperate and say some nice things, you'll be the focus of this year's Golden Horse Awards... I guess I've done something good..."

"Do you think we should win the award?" Zhou Yang asked Zhong Jianming without a smile.

"That's what you deserved."

Why does it feel like charity?

"But the ending is the same. Although I satirized you on stage that you should go and pay respects to the powerful, and that this industry is rotten to the core, at least you were telling stories seriously, unlike some nobodies who can't even tell a story properly. You deserved the award..." Zhong Jianming took a puff of smoke, but his expression was very serious.

"Director Zhong, what about the future? Are you leaving this industry?"

"Ah……"

Zhong Jianming sneered, then stubbed out his cigarette. His eyes finally showed a hint of melancholy and disappointment: "Ever since the collapse of Hong Kong films, the rules of the Chinese film industry have been completely messed up... Sigh, in fact, I've noticed that since the millennium, more and more directors can't even understand the most basic scripts. Capital has more and more say in theaters, the film industry, and awards. We old folks are starting to lose our place. It seems like we've suddenly become tools of capital and monopolies. Rather than watching this industry get worse and worse, it's better to retire early..."

After Zhong Jianming finished speaking, the phone kept ringing.

After answering the phone...

Everyone advised him to calm down.

He shook his head and turned off his phone.

Zhou Yang suddenly looked at him and said, "Teacher Zhong, why don't you join our [Xuan Shi Entertainment]?"

"Huh?" Zhong Jianming was taken aback.

"How about we create our own award... to recognize niche films? What do you think? This time, let's ride the wave of the Golden Horse Awards and make a big splash!"

“我们？”钟建明又是一愣，随后哈哈大笑了起来：“我们，你？你们？这些刚成立的公司？奖项？”

He laughed for a while, but after seeing Zhou Yang's serious expression, he immediately calmed down: "Do you know how strictly capital controls the entire film industry now? At least in Taiwan, if you dare to do this, you can forget about ever setting foot in this place again..."

Zhou Yang remained silent.

Zhong Jianming stared at Zhou Yang.

For some reason, he had a vague feeling that he was dealing with a madman.

After a brief silence...

A sudden uproar erupted in the meeting room.

Immediately afterwards...

Zhong Jianming and Zhou Yang subconsciously left the bathroom.

then……

"Thank you!"

"I don't want this award!"

"I do not deserve!"

"..."

On the stage of the Golden Horse Awards ceremony.

A figure stood ramrod straight.

He tore up a card that a staff member had prepared for him...

Then, to everyone's astonishment, he lowered his head and walked off the stage step by step.

"I don't deserve it..."

"I can't cry either..."

"I can't cry my heart out, and I certainly can't kneel down in emotion..."

"I have naturally stiff knees, I can't kneel down!"

"We don't know how to compose music, we don't know how to do voice acting..."

"We only deserve to enter this cinematic hall of fame because of charity, luck, and sympathy..."

"We're nothing!"

"Give it to those who deserve it..."

"..."

……

"It seems we really can't continue on the Golden Horse stage..."

Zhong Jianming watched that figure walk off the stage.

His back was ramrod straight.

Immediately afterwards...

Zhou Yang, standing nearby, looked at the figure with a smile and said, "Looks like we're going to be permanently banned from the Golden Horse Awards. Sigh, this is a real headache..."

Zhong Jianming looked at it for a moment, then burst into laughter: "You guys are pretty tough!"

"Ha ha……"

"It's my fault for being too impulsive. Anyway, I don't really enjoy traveling around Taiwan anymore, so I might as well hang out with you young people... But I have very high standards for judging films; not just any Tom, Dick, or Harry can win awards..."

"Haha, sure, sure..."

(Disclaimer: This novel is entirely fictional and has no connection to any real-world awards.)
(End of this chapter)