Chapter 223: And the Award Goes To
Lu Xu and the Clay Man crew arrived at the red carpet event late in the evening.
Speculation about whether Lu Xu would win another Contention Award for Best Actor had gradually narrowed down to a more immediate question—whether he would even attend today’s red carpet. Over the past year, Lu Xu had barely appeared at any entertainment industry events, and his public appearances had become significantly rarer than before.
He had hardly posted on Weibo, and while there were plenty of photos of him circulating online, most of them came from candid shots taken by fans, with very few official event pictures.
In those candid photos, Lu Xu dressed simply—T-shirts in summer, trench coats, wool coats, or down jackets in autumn and winter. Though he had a good sense of style and never mismatched his outfits, his fans still longed to see him meticulously styled, radiating brilliance.
Especially on a night like tonight—the Contention Awards red carpet.
Whether Lu Xu had arrived was evident from the restless energy in the crowd. The moment the Clay Man crew stepped onto the red carpet, the previously calm atmosphere suddenly came alive. Every gaze turned in the same direction, following his every movement.
A journalist from a major newspaper managed to capture this moment, quickly snapping a picture and titling it “The King Ascends.”
For those not present at the event, it was hard to imagine just how much enthusiasm Lu Xu’s arrival had stirred. It was as if he had stepped onto a stage surrounded by thousands of adoring fans, with the entire Contention Awards eagerly awaiting his presence.
“Winning two Best Actor awards really carries a different weight,” a journalist from Film magazine remarked.
Newcomers to the red carpet often appeared nervous, and even veteran actors, if not well-known enough, struggled to exude confidence. But Lu Xu was different. Having already secured two Best Actor trophies, he was undoubtedly the most dazzling presence on the red carpet.
“Lu Xu’s fans barely made any noise online—I guess they all showed up in person.”
“Honestly, with the kind of reception Lu Xu gets, anyone in his position could live without regrets for the rest of their life.”
The reporters sighed in amazement while being nearly deafened by the overwhelming cheers around them. Wherever Lu Xu passed, waves of ecstatic shouts followed, so loud that people wondered if their ears had stopped functioning properly.
But the most important thing was—
Even if Lu Xu disappeared from the public eye for a whole year, the moment he stepped onto an official stage again, he would never disappoint.
“G-brand must be making a fortune.”
“Absolutely. Other brands have been trying to poach him for years—some even put together dedicated teams to lure him away—but no one has succeeded.”
Luxury men’s fashion never had the same brand loyalty as women’s fashion, but during Lu Xu’s years as the face of G-brand, the company had firmly secured that market.
Of course, when G-brand first signed him, they could never have predicted that Lu Xu would be nominated for the Contention Award four times in ten years. The once-arrogant film industry seemed insignificant in comparison to his achievements.
The red carpet was buzzing with excitement, and the Contention Awards’ live-stream chat was just as lively. Any actor witnessing this scene would undoubtedly feel a deep sense of admiration—there was only one Lu Xu in the entertainment industry, and there would probably never be another.
In the past ten, even twenty years, no male actor had ever reached the same level of influence as Lu Xu.
Box office success, prestigious awards… even the international accolades that everyone chased after—he had them all.
“Now, it’s just a matter of whether the Contention Awards will make him a three-time winner. If they do, Lu Xu will be the undisputed number one in the film industry.”
“The Contention Awards committee is well aware of that,” a reporter muttered. “Did you attend today’s press briefing? The organizers dodged every question about it. Several media outlets asked.”
“So… does that mean they won’t give it to him?”
“Who knows? Whether they give it to him or not is their choice. If they’re determined not to, what can anyone do? Hold them at gunpoint and force them?”
“I think the jury must be struggling with this decision. Even hinting that they won’t give it to him would cause endless debates—it’s probably easier to say nothing from the start.”
As the reporters discussed, Lu Xu had already completed his walk down the red carpet. The atmosphere instantly dropped—so much so that everyone could feel it. After his departure, the red carpet could almost be described as deserted.
Returning to the Contention Awards, Lu Xu was more than familiar with the setting. There was no need for the director to introduce him to anyone. On his way to his seat, he exchanged countless greetings—with directors and actors he had worked with, as well as industry figures he barely knew.
As he ascended the steps, his gaze unexpectedly landed on a familiar yet surprising face.
Zhang Che was sitting among the guests, albeit in one of the back rows.
Lu Xu had clashed with him before, so a greeting was out of the question. The two of them tacitly averted their eyes, pretending not to see each other.
But Zhang Che looked much tougher than Lu Xu remembered. It had been a while since he had even seen the word emo.
Later, Lu Xu’s manager told him that after The Swordsman flopped, Zhang Che’s acting career had nearly collapsed. He had to start over with minor roles, slowly working his way back up. Eventually, a young director took him under their wing, pushing him to refine his acting skills. Over time, he became steadier, more patient with character work, and even carved out a niche for himself in the indie film scene.
Of course, his popularity had long faded. His name no longer appeared in the “leading young actor” category.
In recent years, Zhang Che had played disfigured thugs, AIDS patients, and other roles that mainstream young actors wouldn’t dare touch. He had taken a path that no heartthrob would ever choose.
Zhang Che had started his career in idol dramas, attracting a large fanbase that adored his looks. But once he completely abandoned his image, those fans naturally drifted away.
“This isn’t a bad outcome,” Lu Xu remarked.
“Yeah,” his manager nodded in agreement. “If the leading-man route doesn’t work out, there are always other paths—unless he decides to quit acting altogether.”
Still, Lu Xu was curious about how Zhang Che had evolved from an emo king to his current state. According to Xu Wen, when Zhang Che was struggling to stay afloat in the industry, his own agency had taken the opportunity to throw him under the bus, betraying him at his lowest point. That was when Zhang Che truly understood the ruthless side of the business.
“That company signs too many artists. If Zhang Che is gone, there will always be another to replace him.”
For Zhang Che, this wasn’t the worst possible outcome.
Lu Xu vaguely recalled that Zhang Che’s acting had always been mediocre—not great, but not unbearable either. His biggest flaw was his desperation to win awards, which often led him to overact.
As Lu Xu thought about it, he realized that most of his past industry rivals hadn’t fared particularly well either.
But that wasn’t his fault.
Lu Xu had always considered himself a peace-loving person. He didn’t pick fights, didn’t act like a diva, and never encouraged his fans to attack others. Generally speaking, in the entertainment industry, anyone with that kind of personality was only tolerated if they were truly irreplaceable.
Unfortunately for his rivals, Lu Xu was still young. And the people who had clashed with him were also young actors—not quite at that irreplaceable level.
Tonight, at the Contention Awards, Lu Xu could still see Zhang Che.
But the others were nowhere to be found.
…
After the entire Clay Man crew took their seats, the other film teams competing in this year’s Contention Awards also wrapped up their greetings and began settling down.
The Clay Man team had prime seating. Lu Xu vaguely recalled that the last time he attended the Contention Awards, he had been in almost the exact same spot.
Next to them was the Shan Dandan team, with lead actor Cao Yi—one of Lu Xu’s main competitors for Best Actor. Behind them sat the Bricks and Tiles crew, including lead actor Pan Shi, another nominee in the same category. These two were Lu Xu’s strongest competitors this year. In terms of film impact and critical reception, Clay Man had the upper hand. Unfortunately for Cao Yi and Pan Shi, their nominations and past accolades were fewer compared to Lu Xu’s.
Aside from that one time at the Golden Flame Awards, Lu Xu rarely voiced any opinions about award selections—after all, he was part of the competition himself.
Still, he always hoped that external factors beyond pure performance would play a lesser role in the decision-making process. Ideally, everything should be judged on acting alone.
In fact, he didn’t entirely agree with the common trend—whether at the Oscars or domestic awards—where actors from films that weren’t nominated for Best Picture or Best Director had a lower chance of winning.
If an actor could still rise above the competition despite being in a weaker film, wouldn’t that prove their true capability?
Of course, evaluating performance in isolation from the film itself wasn’t realistic, but Lu Xu believed that there had to be roles where acting alone could turn the tide.
Once the awards ceremony began, Lu Xu remained seated calmly, only occasionally chatting with Director Mu Lang.
“Have you prepared your acceptance speech?” Mu Lang asked.
Lu Xu leaned in. “Do you have insider info?”
From what he knew, Director Mu Lang was on fairly good terms with Director Liao Yusheng.
Mu Lang simply waved a hand. “Nope.”
Hearing that, Lu Xu turned away with an unmistakable look of disappointment.
His reaction was so obvious that Mu Lang couldn’t help but glance at him sideways.
The longer Lu Xu worked with Director Mu Lang, the more casual and irreverent he became.
Not that the director minded—he rather enjoyed it.
Mu Lang hadn’t asked the question because he had inside information. He was simply reminiscing. Back when Reverse City was nominated, Lu Xu hadn’t been nearly this confident.
Now, even though there was plenty of skepticism surrounding Clay Man, Lu Xu never doubted himself. He didn’t think he was undeserving of the nomination, nor did he believe Clay Man was unworthy.
That was the significance of winning an award—it wasn’t just recognition of an actor’s performance; it was also an acknowledgment of the character itself.
The amount of effort Lu Xu had put in, the sacrifices made by the entire Clay Man crew—anyone who hadn’t experienced it firsthand could never truly understand.
“Take it easy,” Mu Lang murmured. “Nothing is set in stone yet.”
Lu Xu gave a slight nod.
Clay Man had also been running its own publicity campaign. As far as Lu Xu knew, Mu Lang hadn’t been leveraging Lu Xu’s previous Sunset Film Festival win as a bargaining chip—that would feel too much like coercion. More than that, it would be an implicit admission that the Contention Awards were inferior.
Why should winning at Sunset mean an automatic win at Contention?
That kind of thinking suggested that Contention was inherently beneath Sunset.
Mu Lang believed that as long as they were competing for the Contention Awards, they needed to show it due respect—unless the results turned out to be as outrageous as the Golden Flame Awards. But looking at what happened with Golden Flame, it was unlikely that Contention would make the same irrational mistake.
As the seconds ticked by, one award after another was announced, until finally, it was time for the Best Actor and Best Actress categories.
Lu Xu and Mu Lang both fell silent, their eyes locked on the stage.
The presenter’s hands moved excruciatingly slowly as they opened the envelope, as if the entire moment had been put on pause.
Even though everyone knew it was intentional, it was still enough to make people impatient.
“Who won?”
“Stop smiling mysteriously—just say it already!!!”
Fortunately, the presenter didn’t drag it out for too long. After a brief pause, the answer was finally revealed:
“And the winner is—Lu Xu, Clay Man! Congratulations!”
At that moment, starting from the upper levels of the venue, it felt as if even the air itself trembled.
Yeaaaaayyyyy!!!! 👏👏👏👏👏👏