Chapter 114: "Shortlisted"

Although Zhang Yuan did not voice it, she understood deep down that she was primarily swayed by Zhou Ran’s offer to join him on stage. The mere thought of singing "I Love You" to him in front of an audience was electrifying. Even though she knew it wasn’t real, it was enough for her, and so she decided to quit while she was ahead.

A clever woman knows when to advance and when to retreat. More importantly, Zhang Yuan realized she could use this performance to really get under Zhang Xiaofeng’s skin. The moment this thought crossed her mind, the exhaustion of rehearsing vanished, replaced by genuine delight.

Naturally, this also involved Zhou Ran’s constant guidance. He had taken on the rap portion of the song "I Love You." After much deliberation, he had weighed whether to keep it, but ultimately decided to retain it as a treat for the live audience and netizens.

After all, it had been a long time since Zhou Ran had performed on stage. His participation in "Sounds of Nature" had been strictly limited to songwriting and composition; he had no intention of performing. This was a rare exception, fueled by the needs of the song "I Love You."

Initially, Zhang Xiaofeng had been watching their performance with amusement. The contrast of Zhang Yuan, usually a cool persona, singing such a sweet, cutesy song was enough to make her laugh. Yet, as she laughed, her smile suddenly faded, and she felt a wave of grievances wash over her.

Zhou Ran operated with the mindset that if he was going to do something, he would do it thoroughly. Consequently, he insisted on adding choreography to the performance. He had worried Zhang Yuan might refuse, but she nodded in agreement the moment he suggested it. In fact, fearing he might change his mind, she immediately grabbed him to start practicing.

Zhang Yuan was overjoyed. Who wouldn't want to increase their intimacy with him? Even if there were no romantic feelings between them, just looking at Zhou Ran’s face made her feel it was worth it—a total bargain. It was like a boy being invited to dance by a star like Liu Yifei; how could one possibly refuse?

Moreover, as far as Zhang Yuan knew, this was the first time Zhou Ran had ever danced on stage. In a way, she had claimed a "first" from him. Whether it was the kind of "first" that mattered was irrelevant; life was full of "firsts," and each one counted. Of course, if she could have snagged a more meaningful one, she certainly would have—it would have been an absolute steal. (And what are you all thinking? It’s just a first love! Pure friendship, get it? If your mind went elsewhere, go stand in the corner!)

Watching them dance, Zhang Xiaofeng was livid. She longed to rush over and shove Zhang Yuan aside to take her place. She gnashed her teeth, finding the sight of their rehearsals pure torture. Her joy from watching Zhang Yuan sing had completely inverted into agony.

However, Zhang Xiaofeng did not resort to tantrums. Despite her unhappiness, she knew where the priorities lay and would not disrupt their rehearsal, as that would benefit no one. Yet, as she watched, a smile crept back onto her face. She might not have danced with Zhou Ran, but there was one thing Zhang Yuan could never beat her at: she had taken Zhou Ran’s first kiss during their time filming together. That alone gave her a massive head start.

She imagined that if she told Zhang Yuan, the other girl would be furious, but she chose to keep it to herself, giggling silently in the corner. "So what if you’re dancing? I’ve already kissed him. Can you top that? As if!"

She didn't even consider the fact that it was her own first kiss as well; compared to kissing Zhou Ran, that was a trivial detail. It was a trade she would make a hundred times over.

Just as she was reveling in this thought, her phone chimed with a message.

...

Cannes.

Inside a four-star hotel, Chef Huang had been waiting in Cannes for the award announcements for over ten days. By all logic, the shortlist should have been released by now.

Although the official announcement was still a few days away, custom dictated that directors were often given a heads-up. Under the influence of the Huayu Group, even if the voting results couldn't be altered, getting a glimpse of the shortlist was usually feasible—that was the weight of the Huayu brand.

Just as Chef Huang was waiting anxiously, the Cannes International Film Festival committee finally finalized their selection. To his delight, his film "The Drummer" had successfully made the shortlist for several main competition categories.

When the news reached him, Chef Huang let out a shout of excitement. This meant his film was at least in the running, and his initial investment hadn't been in vain. Most importantly, it was the main competition category, not some "watered-down" award that could be bought with money.

The main competition carried significant weight. In contrast, some of the lesser awards were so hollow that they barely mattered, yet some domestic stars still flocked to them. There was one famous young actress who had used various connections to win a "Best Actress" title, only to be exposed by netizens for winning a fake award. If not for her powerful background, her reputation would have been ruined long ago.