CHAPTER 239: A FAMILIAR FACE

After the New Year, Wen Nuan dove into a demanding exam period. Balancing unavoidable events with studying and taking tests, her days were incredibly busy and intense.

During exam week, people’s emotions are often strained, and she stayed up late studying almost every night.

One of her most unbelievable experiences was that Ye Feimo actually helped her pinpoint the key topics for her exams. Wen Nuan was skeptical at first; Ye Feimo wasn’t a performing arts major. But watching him highlight points with such expertise, Wen Nuan was astonished. Yet, since Ye Feimo had organized everything, and she herself had no clue, she decided to study according to his emphasized points.

The truly miraculous part was that during the exams, Wen Nuan discovered that Ye Feimo had correctly predicted every single question. After the first day’s exam, she immediately questioned Ye Feimo. Seeing he could no longer hide it, he simply told her that he had hacked into the school system and stolen the exam papers.

Wen Nuan covered her face. This was truly...

Too obvious a form of cheating.

However, if she hadn’t cheated, passing her exams would have been incredibly difficult. All her time was dedicated to her career, leaving little for her studies. In the end, when the exam results were released, Wen Nuan placed first in her entire grade.

This was something even her advisor found astonishing.

Over a month, "Beauty in the City" had box office returns that were comparatively lower than Huayun Entertainment’s "King Without a Crown." Both films had strong staying power and fierce competition. However, initial estimates suggested Anning Entertainment had lost this box office battle to Huayun Entertainment.

From late January onwards, more foreign blockbusters were introduced to the domestic market, fragmenting box office revenues. Both "Beauty in the City" and "King Without a Crown" saw their momentum overshadowed by the foreign films, losing steam in the subsequent weeks.

Even so, this didn’t hinder the rise of Wen Nuan and Chen Xueru, especially Wen Nuan. Media praise poured in, followed by fame and fortune. Various endorsements, advertisements, and script offers flew her way. Even many experienced and seasoned directors extended olive branches to Wen Nuan. Interviews kept her busy from morning till night, and she attended all sorts of events with Cai Xiaojing. Beneath the great renown, the various hardships were subtly visible.

Charity galas, press conferences, and all sorts of events were attended. Gradually, Wen Nuan truly felt one thing: she had truly become famous.

Overnight sensation.

This film propelled Wen Nuan to instant stardom and allowed Chen Xueru to make a comeback, returning to the public eye.

MBS International Television intended to promote Wen Nuan, tailoring several programs for her, all broadcast during prime time. Wherever Lin Ning went for promotional activities, he constantly mentioned Wen Nuan and Chen Xueru.

For Lin Ning, his friendship with Tang Shuwen and Young Master Ye Second was very strong. Since Wen Nuan and Chen Xueru were their partners, he was naturally happy to support them. Furthermore, he himself greatly admired Chen Xueru and Wen Nuan’s acting and demeanor.

Chen Xueru, with her slightly superior acting skills and demeanor, deeply impressed Lin Ning. Wen Nuan was also excellent, and most valuable was her authentic performance. With another two or three years of experience, she would surely become the most dazzling star on the big screen.

This film was conservatively estimated to achieve 450 million RMB at the box office, setting a new box office record for Anning films in three years. It was also considered a top-tier domestic film; although its box office slightly lagged behind "King Without a Crown," its critical acclaim was overwhelming.

The internet was flooded with news about the film and its main creators.

This film, along with Wen Nuan, Chen Xueru, and Zhou Chengge, had become hot search terms on major portals, setting one record after another.

Wherever Wen Nuan went now, almost everyone recognized her.

Every time she went to a city for promotion or an event, a large group of fans would be at the airport to greet her, shouting her name. Glory and fame descended upon Wen Nuan, yet it felt sudden. This feeling was exciting at first, but gradually, it brought a sense of fatigue.

Giving over a dozen phone interviews every day, with almost identical content, was exhausting. Furthermore, she could no longer go out casually as before; even the slightest misstep would be magnified. Under the glare of fame, people inevitably felt immense pressure.

Wen Nuan was a woman with strong resilience to pressure, but even she found this kind of constant stimulation a bit overwhelming.

Chen Xueru had already been famous before, and now she was simply returning to the public eye. Beyond her status as a star, she was most notable for her identity as the Young Madam of the Tang family.

Most female celebrities who married into wealthy families retired from acting, but Chen Xueru remained active on screen. Tang Shuwen supported all her decisions and didn’t give her any pressure. The public’s most concerned mother-in-law-daughter-in-law relationship also had no conflicts whatsoever. Wen Lan publicly supported Chen Xueru’s continued acting, directly stating that it would be a shame to waste her excellent acting skills and wonderful performances.

The Tang family certainly wasn’t short on money, and Chen Xueru loved acting, so they all respected her wishes.

She was completely free of pressure.

The date for the 28th A City Film Critics Awards was approaching, nearing Chinese New Year’s Eve.

The A City Film Critics Awards were organized by the A City Film Critics Society and the A City Film Archive. Professional and amateur film critics voted to select the recommended top ten films of the year, as well as awards for Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Newcomer. This award had a history of 28 years and was quite prestigious domestically; many people highly valued it.

The list of judges each year was kept secret, but the general lineup of who would be on it was usually predictable. This was Wen Nuan’s first time attending such a representative awards ceremony, and she took it very seriously.

She was nervous all evening, and equally nervous when choosing her gown. She kept trying on different ones, unsure what to pick. Cai Xiaojing and Lily finally helped her choose a purple Chanel gown.

It swayed gracefully, very beautiful indeed.

Wen Nuan felt most confident about the Best Newcomer award, and there was also a chance for Best Actress. The latter hope was slim, but the former had a high chance of winning. However, a new group had recently risen, very eye-catching. These were actors from Huayun. Every year, Anning and Huayun competed for the main awards; it was a battle of wits and strategies. Unless a truly groundbreaking film emerged.

It was said that this new group had already contacted many filmmakers and professionals, making all the necessary arrangements. Wen Nuan wasn’t overly concerned with winning or losing, but it was her first awards ceremony, so she still hoped to take home an award, as it would be a validation of her efforts.

"Beauty in the City" was sure to be among the top ten films. She didn’t hold much hope for Best Actress, but she had high hopes for the Newcomer award.

Ye Feimo said, "The Film Critics Awards aren’t that important. This year’s focus is on the Golden Seal Awards and international film festivals. Whether you win this award or not doesn’t really matter."

Wen Nuan understood this in her heart, but still held out hope. "I think I can win the Newcomer award."

Ye Feimo smiled and kissed her lips.

"Good girl."

Even if she didn’t win any award, she was still the best leading lady in his life.

Many big stars attended the A City Film Festival that day. What Wen Nuan least expected was that Han Bi would actually attend this A City Film Critics Awards as a judge. And she seemed to have a very good relationship with several professional judges, chatting and laughing effortlessly.

Han Bi wore a black Chanel gown that day, low-cut and off-the-shoulder, her figure exquisite, adorned with sparkling jewels. She was so stunning that it was impossible to look away. When she walked the red carpet, she captivated countless cameras, becoming the most dazzling highlight of the A City Film Critics Awards red carpet.