I really didn't intend to make a living based on my looks.

Chapter 118 Youthful Days of Youthful Passion and Brilliance (10,000 words per day, requesting monthly votes and recommendation votes)

The lights suddenly focused, and a spotlight shone on the guest seats.

Jiang Chen stood up and nodded slightly in all directions.

The oranges have completely gone mad.

"Jiang Chen! Jiang Chen!"

"Unstoppable! Unstoppable!"

The orange signs lit up in unison in the darkness, like a burning fire.

The shutter sound of the DSLR camera was as dense as a downpour; the photographers held up their lenses, their fingers constantly pressing the shutter button.

Jiang Chen walked onto the stage and accepted the trophy from Gao Xiaosong.

Then he stood in front of the microphone, his gaze sweeping across the sea of ​​orange below the stage.

Hello everyone, I'm Jiang Chen.

"First of all, I would like to thank the organizers, Guangxian Media and Music Billboard, for giving me this honor."

"I also want to thank my little oranges who have always been there for me."

The moment the words "Little Orange" were uttered, the audience erupted as if their voices had been detonated.

Screams, cries, and applause mingled together, surging in from all directions.

Some people held up light boards and jumped up as fast as they could, some covered their mouths and burst into tears, some made heart shapes with their hands towards the stage, and some shouted "Jiang Chen, I love you" until their voices cracked.

Chen Yu was so annoyed he couldn't help but cover his ears. "It's too loud! Are these girls' voices made of iron?"

Hai Quan laughed and shook his head: "It's noisier than a concert!"

"I've never seen fans this excited at our concerts!"

"Maybe—he's handsome—"

Zhang Xuan turned to Shang Wenjie and said, "This popularity is ridiculous."

Shang Wenjie said with envy, "It's really something for actors to sing!"

Wei Cheng, who was standing next to him, chimed in quickly: "Damn, actors singing? This is a complete game-changer!"

"That's because they're talented," Zhang Liangying said with a smile. "Are you jealous?"

"I'm not jealous at all," Wei Cheng scoffed. "We're on great terms. I'll ask him to write a song for me next time."

"Are you sure he wrote it for you? You really know him? Introduce him to me!"

'

"Yes—yes—I'll introduce you to someone else next time I have the chance."

Jiang Chen waited until the commotion below the stage subsided slightly before continuing.

"This is the first music award I've received as a solo artist. It means a lot to me, and I'm even a little overwhelmed."

"For me, music is another language besides being an actor. Acting is about portraying other people's lives, while singing is about expressing my own feelings."

"I firmly believe that sound has warmth and melody has memory. I am grateful for the album 'Evening Breeze and Boy', which gave me the opportunity to communicate with everyone through my voice."

"Thank you to everyone who applauded for me offstage. Your applause is the most beautiful chord in my singing."

Someone in the audience shouted, "You have the most beautiful voice too!" which drew laughter and screams.

"In the future, I will continue to pursue both acting and singing. I will use my roles to tell stories and my songs to convey emotions."

To be an actor whose voice is memorable, and a singer whose story is told.

He raised the trophy and bowed slightly.

Thank you.

He didn't leave the stage immediately, but sang two lines a cappella, which is something many singers like to do when receiving awards.

"I have crossed mountains and seas—"

Then, a voice came through.

"Also, I walked through crowds of people."

It was a girl wearing glasses in the first row of the audience. She stood up, holding up a light stick. Her voice trembled slightly with nervousness, but it was very firm.

Jiang Chen raised his head, looked in that direction, smiled, and continued.

Everything I once possessed vanished like smoke in the blink of an eye.

Ten voices, a hundred voices, a thousand voices —

Like streams flowing into rivers, like sparks igniting a prairie fire to form a vast ocean.

"I was once lost and disappointed, I lost all direction —"

The oranges all stood up, and many EXO fans also stood up and joined in the singing.

The atmosphere had gotten so intense that it was impossible to control myself.

We're all fans of celebrities; everyone has moments of emotional turmoil.

They certainly couldn't match the other side in terms of sheer presence, and besides, Jiang Chen looked closely and realized he was actually quite handsome.

Why not just sing along?

If you can't beat them, then join them.

"The only answer lies in seeing the ordinary."

The voices of thousands of people converged into a torrent, echoing throughout the stadium.

The light shone on him, precisely on that—

In the prime of youth, dressed in fine clothes and riding spirited horses, we lived life to the fullest, knowing the joys and sorrows of life.

In the guest seats, the six boys of EX0 looked at each other in bewilderment.

Wu lowered his voice: "This popularity—"

Zhang Yixing nodded: "That's an exaggeration."

Huang Zitao licked his lips: "I feel like we'll be our biggest rivals from now on."

Lu Han didn't speak, but just stared at the person on the stage with a complicated expression.

The online battles started much earlier than those in the stadiums.

Before the music chart competition even started, hundreds of thousands of people had already flooded into the live stream on Sina Weibo.

Every time the live text and image broadcast is refreshed, hundreds of new messages scroll through the comment section.

Han Geng's fans were the first to take control of the scene.

"Han Geng is highly likely to lead in five awards tonight! Most Popular Male Singer (Mainland China), Best Stage Performance, Best Music Video — who else?"

"Han Geng was the first person to debut in South Korea and then terminate his contract and return to China. He's a pioneer, you know? All his juniors have to call him senior."

.

"The first Korean wave star to return to China, who dares to compare with that level of prestige?"

EXO's fans were equally determined.

EXO-M is definitely the most popular group! Six members, six times the talent!

"Lu Han's look tonight is absolutely stunning! His blonde hair is divine!"

"Wu Moumou killed me with a cold face, please give me more screen time."

The comment section was flooded with K-pop fans.

The Korean wave has been sweeping into China for over a decade.

In the late 1990s, she first became a household name through Korean dramas, then "Jealousy" aired on CCTV in 1993, and "What is Love?" in 1997.

It's a hit.

The first peak period was from 2000 to 2005, with tickets for HOT concerts being extremely difficult to obtain, and dramas such as "Dae Jang Geum" and "Full House" becoming huge hits.

After that, waves of Korean idol groups flooded in, and it exploded completely after 2010.

When Han Geng returned to China and EX0 debuted, the fervor of mainland Chinese fans reached its peak.

The most outrageous thing was that on a certain variety show, a host knelt down directly in front of G-Dragon.

Right now, in 2013, the Korean wave is at its peak and most frenzied in mainland China.

But Jiang Chen's fans are just as fierce.

"Jiang Chen's unedited red carpet photos—how many years can this level of good looks last?"

"Korean wave fans, stop jumping around. You'll see who's the real boss when the awards are given out later."

The tension was palpable from the very beginning.

"Your brother is alright at acting, but singing? Forget about it."

"Billboard, has your brother ever touched the edge?"

"What's the use of high popularity? Are their sales higher than EXO's?"

"Sales figures? Check how many Jiang Chen's albums sold before you speak."

The two sides were arguing fiercely.

What's even more exciting are the onlookers who love to stir things up.

"Let's fight! I've already cracked my sunflower seeds."

"Korean Wave fans vs. popular celebrities: the comments section is more interesting than the awards ceremony tonight."

"Stop arguing, we're all just韭菜 (a metaphor for easily exploited people), what's the point of

"I bet Jiang Chen will win; if he loses, he has to do a handstand and wash his hair."

"What are you betting upstairs? You're not losing."

"Haha, let's have a rational discussion. How many awards can Jiang Chen win tonight?"

The comments section was like a pot of porridge boiling, bubbling away.

Then, Jiang Chen won the Most Popular Male Singer in Mainland China award.

At that moment, the rate at which oranges flooded the screen was at its maximum, like a flood bursting its banks.

"Jiang Chen won an award! He won an award! Most Popular Male Singer!!"

"Who said they don't deserve it? Who said that? Come out and take your beating!"

"It's just one award, but Han Geng won four."

"Yeah, so what if it's the most popular? It's just a few catchy pop songs, isn't it?"

EXO fans also joined the fray: "Higher popularity? Is it higher than EXO's?"

Orange immediately showed a panoramic view of the scene, with orange light boards covering the entire stands, while silver-white ones were compressed into the corners.

"You call this the most common silver-white color?"

The comment section exploded instantly.

"Holy crap, are these Jiang Chen's fans? There are way too many!"

"I thought EXO had the most members, but it turns out—"

"The orange tsunami lived up to its name."

The instigators are back: "Where are the K-pop fans? Say something!"

"Stop fighting! Stop fighting! Hua Liu has won!"

"Let's have a rational discussion. Could Jiang Chen be considered a shining example of Chinese culture?"

"Yes, it does! Of course it does!"

K-pop fans are still flooding social media with comments like, "Without K-pop, the Chinese music scene would have died long ago."

"Didn't Jiang Chen also become famous through cover songs?"

The fans immediately retorted: "Cover? Which of his songs isn't his original? You try covering one and let me see!"

"You say the Chinese music scene relies on the Korean wave? Ask Jay Chou if he'd agree?"

Even bystanders chimed in: "To be honest, the Korean wave has been really strong these past few years, but Jiang Chen has truly brought honor to the Chinese music scene this time."

A K-pop fan typed a long message: "Okay, you guys are awesome. Jiang Chen is awesome. But our EXO isn't bad either, we'll see."

Another troublemaker chimed in: "Don't wait and see, just admit defeat tonight."

"Hahaha, the oranges went on a killing spree tonight."

The comments section was in complete chaos.

Han Geng fans, EXO fans, Jiang Chen fans, casual observers, haters, and bystanders—all sides are engaged in a chaotic battle. Every time the page is refreshed, hundreds of new comments flood in, making it impossible to keep up.

But there is one change that everyone can feel.

Before tonight, the comments section was dominated by K-pop fans.

Aside from superstars like Jay Chou, anyone who mentions a Chinese singer will get a rebuttal.

But tonight, from the moment Jiang Chen received the award, the winds shifted.

The voices of the oranges were no longer a lone battle; more and more passersby began to chime in and share the photos of that orange expanse.

The awards ceremony continues.

Then came the awards for Best Album, Best Lyricist, and Best Composer, one after another.

Jiang Chen went on stage again to accept an award for Best Singer-Songwriter, his second trophy of the night.

Then came the best single of the year, "Unstoppable," which came in third.

Three times on stage, three times giving speeches, three times an orange tsunami.

The silver-white camp had gone from initial shock to numbness.

The orange light sign has never been turned off again.

They remained lit until the awards ceremony ended, until the host finished his closing remarks, and until the big screen went dark.

The next day, June 15th, Monday.

The media coverage was overwhelming.

The Beijing News front page entertainment news: "Jiang Chen sweeps the music charts, winning three awards, an orange tsunami sweeps across Shenzhen Bay."

"At last night's 13th Annual Music Billboard Awards, actor Jiang Chen emerged as the biggest winner with three awards: Most Popular Male Singer (Mainland China), Best Singer-Songwriter, and Best Single of the Year. The scale of fan support at the event was record-breaking, with orange light boards covering nearly half of the stands, described by industry insiders as an 'orange tsunami' —"

Southern Metropolis Daily, Entertainment Section: "From Baili Tusu to Billboard, Jiang Chen's Dimensional Reduction Attack."

While other singers were still vying for the mainland market, Jiang Chen had already broken into the Billboard Hot 100 with "Unstoppable".

Top 100. Last night, he proved with three more trophies that this kind of overwhelming victory is not accidental, but a testament to his strength.

Beijing Youth Daily: "A showdown between Chinese pop and Korean pop fans appears on the music charts, with Jiang Chen's fan base overwhelming EXO's."

"Last night at the event, a verbal altercation broke out between Jiang Chen's fans and EXO's fans, requiring security intervention. According to reporters at the scene, Jiang Chen's fans' support far exceeded that of EXO, with orange light boards almost covering the entire stands —"

Entertainment Weekly: "Han Geng, the first Korean wave returnee, leads with four awards, followed closely by Jiang Chen with three awards."

"Han Geng, the spokesperson for this year's ceremony, swept four awards with works such as 'Han Geng' and 'Clown Mask,' further solidifying his position as the leading figure in the Korean Wave's return to China. However, Jiang Chen's rise cannot be ignored; the latter, who crossed over from acting to music, is gaining momentum."

The morning's reports were relatively objective, with both praise and criticism, and each media outlet took its own side.

Fans were busy forwarding, controlling comments, and trending topics, pushing #JiangChenWinsThreeAwards# and #OrangeTsunami# to the top of the trending topics list.

K-pop fans retaliated by posting under the hashtags #KoreanGyeongFourAwardsLeading# and #EXOMostPopularGroup#, leading to a fierce online battle between the two sides.

At 2 p.m., the wind direction suddenly changed.

Jiang Chen: The Next Jay Chou?

This article, from an in-depth column of a portal website, compares Jiang Chen and Zhou Jielun.

Debut speed, creative ability, cross-industry achievements, and fan influence.

The conclusion is: "It took Jay Chou three years to become an Asian superstar, while Jiang Chen only took a year and a half. At this rate, he might not even need to wait until next year."

Industry insiders predict that Jiang Chen may become the first post-90s generation to top the Forbes China Celebrity List.

Financial media outlets have also begun to follow suit.

The article analyzes Jiang Chen's endorsement portfolio, concert box office, and film and television remuneration, and draws conclusions.

"Based on the current rate of growth in commercial value, Jiang Chen is very likely to enter the top three on the Forbes China Celebrity List next year, or even challenge for the top spot."

"Korean Wave, Tremble! Jiang Chen Dominates the Domestic Market After Topping Billboard!"

This media outlet is known for its exaggerated headlines, but the wording of this article still made many people frown.

"From Billboard in the US to award ceremonies in China, Jiang Chen accomplished in a month what his predecessors in the Chinese music scene had failed to do in ten years. The dominance of K-pop in mainland China may come to an end because of him."

Exclusive: A well-known musician predicts Jiang Chen will dominate the music scene for a decade.

The article did not name names, but only an anonymous "well-known musician" said: "Jiang Chen's emergence is not accidental, but inevitable. His songwriting ability, singing skills, image, and fan base are all top-notch. Such a person only appears once every ten years."

A New Benchmark for Fan Economy: The Orange Empire Behind Jiang Chen

This article is even more outrageous, directly analyzing the organizational structure, support strategies, and spending power of Jiang Chen's fan club, concluding that "Jiang Chen's fans are currently the most tightly organized, highest-spending, and most loyal fan group in China. There is no other like it."

""

When the news reached the film crew, Jiang Chen was filming.

Yang Mi called immediately.

"Feed?"

"Brother, congratulations! Three awards in a row, an orange tsunami, the next Jay Chou, dominating the music scene for ten years—"

"You called just to read the headline?"

"I'm happy for you, Ah Chen, keep it up! Defeat Jay Chou, crush the Korean wave, the Chinese music scene is counting on you."

1

"The way you're saying that makes it sound like you're visiting my grave."

"Pah, pah, pah, what are you saying? I'm serious, you're the pride of China right now."

"The Light of Hua Liu?" Jiang Chen repeated, his tone turning indifferent. "Mi Mi, do you believe in this?"

"I don't believe it," Yang Mi's voice returned to normal, "but your fans will."

So what do you think?

"I feel like someone is putting you on a pedestal, a really high one."

Jiang Chen didn't say anything.

Yang Mi continued, "I've read those articles. One or two are normal reports, and three or five can be explained as trying to ride the wave of popularity."

But starting at 10 a.m., wave after wave, from the same angle, started appearing. This wasn't organic traffic; someone was pushing it.

"I know."

"You know?"

"I felt something was wrong when my assistant showed it to me this morning. I asked her to check, but there are still no results."

"So what do you plan to do?"

"I don't really know what to do," Jiang Chen said. "Since they want to flatter me, I'll accept it. But don't try to make me feel overwhelmed by their flattery."

"Thank goodness, it hasn't gone too far yet." Yang Mi's tone carried a hint of relief.

"It's just flattery to kill—" Jiang Chen's voice was calm. "First, we'll lift you up to the sky and let everyone watch you. The moment you make the slightest mistake, those newspapers that praised you today will turn their backs on you faster than flipping through a book."

Yang Mi felt a pang of emotion, as she often experienced similar things. "This isn't the scariest part."

"What's the scariest thing?"

"The scariest thing is that sometimes you are clear-headed, but your fans aren't. They believe the hype and think you're truly invincible. Then they start tearing things apart, fighting for you, and offending people on your behalf. Even though you haven't done anything, everyone thinks it's your idea. When you don't want to get carried away, your fans will push you to do it."

"This is the entertainment industry!"

"Sometimes, the glamour and praise can indeed make people lose their way. And sometimes, even if you know it yourself, your fans will push you along, and you can't help it."

The two of them remained silent for a while, separated by their phones.

"So what do you plan to do?" Yang Mi asked.

"I'll continue filming and winning awards. No explanations, no responses, no engagement. I'll wait for the storm to pass."

"It's that simple?"

"It's that simple."

Yang Mi smiled and said, "Easy for you to say."

"What else? Should I post a Weibo saying I'm not the next Jay Chou? Jay Chou hasn't even said anything, why should I rush to say anything?"

Yang Mi was amused: "Alright, as long as you know what I mean."

"Honey."

"Um?

"

"Perhaps you should consider what you would do?"

Yang Mi was taken aback: "What do you mean?"

"You see, they'll definitely have more to come."

There was silence for a few seconds on the other end of the phone.

Yang Mi didn't press further, simply saying, "I understand."

Then it hung up.

Jiang Chen stared at his phone screen for a while.

Li Yitong walked over and asked in a low voice, "What did Sister Mi say?"

Jiang Chen handed her the phone and turned to walk towards the film set.

She said, "Someone wants to promote me."

"Isn't that a good thing?"

"That depends on who's promoting it."