Huayu: I'm reborn, but you still force me to be a scumbag?

Chapter 582 mentions him more often than God.

The sleeping bag Chen Nuo is using now is a Western product.

Western goods are different from domestic goods.

The advantages of domestically produced sleeping bags are that they are made of solid materials and have high filling density, making them warm and comfortable to sleep in. However, they also have obvious disadvantages, such as being too small in size. This is especially true for tall men with large movements, as their legs can easily hit their heads when they stretch out, and the zipper can be damaged when they turn over.

Western-made ones are the complete opposite. They don't feel very good to the touch, and the filling isn't particularly tight. When I first slept in one, I even doubted that it was made from a single hand. But they have one advantage: they're sturdy, durable, and spacious. You can stretch your legs out inside without worrying about anything going wrong.

This wasn't the first or second time Chen Nuo had slept in this sleeping bag; if you count, it must be the fourth time.

But this is only the fourth time.

For a brand new sleeping bag that has just been manufactured and purchased, it would be hard for any man between 20 and 40 years old to resist.

Although it's not a famous brand and doesn't have any halo, the physiological comfort it provides is real and incredibly sexually appealing.

Take a look—

When unfolded, the sleeping bag has a light brown waterproof nylon outer layer and an inner layer of off-white fleece. The proportions from the shoulders to the feet are perfectly balanced. The lines are smooth, the stitching is tight, and the thickness is even.

What's most wonderful is that its slightly concave inner lining has been shaped by Chen Nuo's sleeping positions over several times. As soon as you crawl in, the soft velvet surface will immediately stick up and tightly wrap around every undulation of your body, neither too loose nor too tight.

In this desolate wilderness, on a night with the wind howling, having such a sleeping bag would be the most luxurious and tender thing a man could do.

Just as Chen Nuo felt he had completed his task and was preparing to take a nap, the Oscars ceremony on the radio continued.

Darius Congee walked off the stage, satisfied, with the trophy in hand.

The stage announcer immediately began, announcing the start of the next segment: "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome Oscar winner, Reese Witherspoon."

It wasn't until this moment that Janice Man calmed down a little. She started frantically trying to recall if she had lost her composure in the past minute or so. If it had been captured on camera, it would have been incredibly embarrassing for her on a global scale.

Just as Reese Witherspoon was on stage, following the script, introducing the three best films of the night, a British-accented voice suddenly came from beside her, "Congratulations."

Janice Man's heart skipped a beat. She turned her head slightly and saw that the person speaking was none other than the legendary actor Daniel Day-Lewis, who was very likely to win the Oscar for Best Actor for the third time tonight.

The fact that she was seated next to Lewis is a common practice at the Oscars. Unlike the Golden Globes, the Academy Awards seating arrangement separates actors from their cast members, especially for acting nominees, who are grouped together in the front row. Mixing nominees from different categories together makes it easier for the cameras to focus on them while avoiding awkward situations of them being grouped together.

In this situation, she somehow ended up being paired with Daniel Day-Lewis and his wife, as well as French actress Emmanuelle Riva, who was nominated for Best Actress that night.

These two figures were legendary figures whom her teachers repeatedly used to explain and analyze cases when she was in the vocational class at Beijing Film Academy—one was a textbook of acting known for his method acting, and the other was a symbol of European cinema, the last glimmer of the French New Wave.

As a result, almost half an hour has passed since the ceremony started, and she has barely dared to breathe. It was only when her familiar old friend, Darius Congee, received his award that she relaxed a little.

And now, this legendary figure, who is rumored to be introverted and silent, suddenly strikes up a conversation with her?
Janice Man was both nervous and apprehensive, but on the surface, she still showed a natural and generous smile—if Chen Nuo were here, he would find that what Linghu said was absolutely right—and nodded politely, saying, "Thank you, Daniel."

The conversation didn't end there. Lewis turned his head slightly and said calmly, "Waterdrop is a good movie, I like it very much. For various reasons, I think it is underrated now, but I think that one day it will be rediscovered."

Janice Man felt a surge of warmth in his heart and said, "Thank you. I will pass on your feedback to the director, and he will be very happy."

After saying that, she looked up at the middle-aged actor next to her and saw that he seemed to be waiting for something. Suddenly, she had a flash of inspiration and immediately added, "And Chen, he too. He told me that he went to the cinema to see 'Lincoln' and that he really likes you."

Lewis smiled slightly and nodded. "Chen is a good actor, and I like him very much."

After saying that, he looked back at the stage, seemingly not intending to say anything more.

Janice Man also breathed a slight sigh of relief and adjusted his sitting posture.

But to everyone's surprise, Lewis turned around and asked in a low voice, "If you don't mind, could you tell me—why didn't he come this time?"

Janice Man paused for a moment, then replied, "He's preparing for a new movie."

Lewis nodded, a thoughtful look on his face: "So... it's true."

"Yes."

He paused for a few seconds, then took out a small piece of paper, about the size of a business card, from his pocket and handed it to her.

"Please tell him that I originally wanted to talk to him this time, but now there's no chance—I sincerely invite him to come to my house sometime. I really hope to talk to him about acting. This is my home address, and my wife's phone number. She will help arrange a time."

"Ah." Wen Yongshan was taken aback for a moment, then quickly took the note. "Okay, I understand. I'll tell him."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Lewis turned his head away, and the conversation seemed to have truly come to an end.

Janice Man carefully folded the note and put it into the hidden pocket at the waist of her dress.

My fingers were trembling a bit, and it took several tries to get it in.

Although she felt that his current status no longer needed anyone to prove it, she had never heard of any actor being personally invited by Daniel Day-Lewis to visit his estate in the Irish countryside.

Does this count as... witnessing history firsthand?

Just then, the large screen on stage switched back to the live performance, and clips from "Les Misérables," "Life of Pi," and "Beasts of the Southern Wilderness" finished playing. The screen went dark, and the entire audience burst into enthusiastic applause.

Host Seth McFarlane returned to the stage with a beaming smile and said, "These are the three best films of the night. And here's a reminder: Quvenzane Wallis, who was only 9 years old when she starred in 'Beasts of the Southern Wild,' is the youngest Oscar nominee for Best Actress in history. Let's congratulate her."

Amid applause, a rather cute little Black girl appeared on the big screen, smiling and waving at the camera.

"How young is 9 years old? Let's put it this way: when she comes back here in 17 years, she will be the same age as Nuo Chen. So, please allow me to remind you who are competing for the award that you have been nominated, but it's not a big deal. A 9-year-old girl can do it too."

"Hahahahahaha."

Applause and laughter erupted throughout the hall.

Seth McFarlane and the others' applause subsided a bit, and he said with a smile, "OK, let's continue."

"The Avengers, one of the hottest movies in the world last year, only received one nomination tonight. The people who are about to come on stage were just complaining backstage about not having enough nominations. I told them, be content. Look at Twilight, it's not much worse than yours, but it got nothing—even the lead actor disappeared."

"Hahahahahaha."

The entire audience burst into laughter, with applause and laughter blending together.

Seth seized the opportunity, spreading his hands and flashing his signature exaggerated smile: "Alright, now let's welcome our superheroes—Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Jeremy Renner..."

As the music played, the main actors of "The Avengers" walked onto the stage together, instantly igniting the atmosphere.

Just then, Wen Yongshan suddenly heard a deep, aged voice from the right, with a slight French accent, say softly, "I counted, Chen's name has been mentioned five times since the beginning."

Omg.

Janice Man called out in his heart.

She's not actually an introverted person, and introverts can't be models. But now—first Daniel Day-Lewis struck up a conversation with her, and now it's Emmanuelle Riva's turn.

She was really struggling to cope.

The woman suppressed her nervousness, smiled, and tilted her head, saying, "Ms. Liva, hello. I didn't notice that."

“Janice, I think you can call me Emmanuel.”

Janice Man paused for a moment.

It's worth noting that Emmanuelle Riva is now gray-haired, her face etched with the marks of time, yet her eyes remain clear and bright. It's an elegance and resilience unique to French actresses.

Given her status, she was a legendary figure not only in France but also throughout the entire European film industry. For her to ask him to address her by her first name? This left Janice Man both surprised and bewildered, feeling incredibly flattered.

But refusing would be inappropriate, so she could only smile cautiously and say:
"Okay... Emmanuel."

Emmanuelle Riva nodded slightly, her gaze returning to the stage.

The five members of the Avengers were joking around on stage, with laughter echoing throughout.

She said slowly, "I haven't been to the cinema in a long time. Last month, your 'DROP' DVD was released in France, and I watched it at home. I have to say, sweetheart, your performance amazed me."

Janice Man's heart raced.

In recent days, she has also seen many effusive praises in some film review magazines, and Chen Nuo has also mentioned that Tom Hanks praised her performance at a screening.

But that was just a paraphrase.

Now, a legendary actress of high status, with whom she had no personal relationship, said these words herself. In that instant, a slight electric current surged from her toes up her spine, until her scalp tingled.

“Thank you, Emmanuel,” she said softly. “I’m truly honored to hear you say that. But I’m far inferior to you.”

“No, my dear,” Emmanuelle Riva shook her head slightly. “This is not a compliment. You know, I’m not a particularly talented person. I’m not like Isabelle Huppert or Noel Chan.”

"Their talent in acting is like a gift from God, a light that can be seen at a glance in the darkness, a candle flame that will not be extinguished in the wind."

"From their very first film, their performances have amazed the world and earned the praise of the most demanding film critics."

"Awards are just grains of sand that they can pick up with a simple bend. Every drop of sweat they put in during their careers will be rewarded tenfold or a hundredfold."

Emmanuelle Riva spoke in a particularly sentimental tone.

This reminded Janice Man that when he was taking acting classes, his teacher had emphasized that Emmanuelle Riva was not only a celibate but also a poet who had published a collection of poems.

"But we are different."

Sweetheart, neither you nor I have that kind of luck.

Although we have a better starting point than the average person, we are still far behind true geniuses.

However, we can also possess something they lack: loyalty.

You see, I'm not married, and I don't have children. I've dedicated my entire life to film. It's my only faith.

And so, I've walked step by step to where I am today.

After Emmanuelle Riva finished speaking, the Avengers had already presented the awards, and the event entered commercial break.

Janice Man took a deep breath and said, "Thank you for telling me all this, Emmanuel."

Emmanuelle Riva extended her wrinkled hand and patted it, then turned her head to examine her face closely, smiling slightly. "You look just like me when I was young."

looks like?

Janice Man recalled seeing photos of Emmanuelle Riva in her youth in class and didn't think she looked like her.

However, when you are sitting alone in the audience with no relatives or friends, the sudden appearance of such a kind and friendly old lady makes you feel really warm and welcome.

At this point, time was no longer so difficult for her to endure.

Before we knew it, the awards ceremony was already halfway through.

Jennifer Aniston, dressed in a red dress, and Channing Tatum, looking stylish, walked to the microphone.

Jennifer Aniston stated bluntly, "Fashion designers, makeup artists, hairstylists, you can't imagine how grateful we are to them."

As soon as he finished speaking, Channing Tatum immediately chimed in: "That's right, you would never guess that all actors in the world, except for George Clooney or Noel Chan, who can get out of bed and go straight to the set to film, all the others, without exception, need these people to apply powder, cut hair, perm hair, shave faces... to make us look presentable before we can go out to film."

Hearing his name again, Janice Man couldn't help but cover her mouth and laugh.

The old lady, Emmanuelle Riva, smiled and turned her head, winking at her, and said, "This is the sixth time. Janice, how is it like dating him?"

Janice Man was stunned.

The old man winked at her playfully and said with a smile, "Don't think I'm old. Actually, I sometimes read gossip magazines when I'm bored, especially the scandals of my favorite movie actors. I pay a lot of attention to those."

Janice Man blushed slightly and said, "It feels great."

"I heard that the way he made your relationship public was by holding your hand and running past the reporters' cameras."

"Oh, you even know that?"

"Haha. So, is that so?"

"Yes."

"Wow, how romantic. But I think what's even more worth celebrating is that even though you're separated now, you're still good friends. That's quite rare for Chinese people, isn't it?"

“Yes, Emmanuel.” Wen Yongshan felt a mix of bittersweet emotions. She smiled and said, “It is indeed a rare find.”

"...The next presenter is Seth, who played a middle-aged man searching for his daughter in Eastern Europe in a hugely successful film..." Seth, with his dark eyes and black hair, walked onto the stage once again and said in a serious tone.

But he stopped halfway through, pointing downwards as if the teleprompter had malfunctioned. "Teleprompter scrolling down... OK, okay, making fun of Harvey Weinstein? Oh, wait... why is there this on the teleprompter? Hey, are you sure you haven't mistaken me for someone else?"

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha--"

The entire audience burst into laughter.

Seth said with a broad smile, "Now, let's welcome Liam Lenson to introduce us to the best movie of the night."

After saying that, he gestured back slightly and walked off the stage.

As soon as he was out of sight of the audience, his face immediately turned gloomy.

Upon entering the lounge, he immediately asked his agent, "How's the effect? ​​I've mentioned him more times than God himself."

The agent said excitedly, "It's getting better."

"Really?"

"It really worked! I just got the news from the director that the revenue, which plummeted to 1030 million after the opening remarks, has now increased to 1220 million. Although it's not as high as the year before last, it has surpassed last year's revenue, and it has now stabilized."

“Motherfucker.” Seth shook his head in disbelief. “Is he really a guarantee of high ratings? Just mentioning his name is enough to get Americans glued to their TVs? Wait, could it be that the production team was right, and those teenagers are really going to have no Chennuo no Oscar? But the Academy did invite him, he just didn’t come!”

Agent Kevin shrugged and said, "If you could explain things to Twilight fans, he wouldn't have been voted the least popular male celebrity among American parents for five consecutive years."

"Never mind." Seth rubbed his temples. "Give me the script, I'll take another look. I remember there are still a few pieces of material about him in it, I'll try to make up a few more."

“OK——”

Kevin pulled a notebook out of his pocket and handed it to him. Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly slapped his forehead.

"That's it! Seth, I've suddenly had an idea. It's brilliant."

Seth didn't even look up: "Oh? Tell me about it."

Kevin lowered his voice: "You see, the reason the Academy asked you to host the Oscars is to fill the void left by their absence, right? They need someone who can tell jokes and has a similar appearance. And you? Thank you to your parents for giving you black hair and black eyes—perfectly filling the void left by Chen."

But I would say that it would be a waste of your potential if we limited this to the Oscars.

You know how things are in the entertainment industry these days, Seth. It's not easy to find work. I was thinking, maybe after the Oscars, I should contact SNL?
You know, they've always wanted Chen to come back and host again, but Chen has consistently ignored them. And now it seems you've done an unexpectedly good job replacing Chen; although it's not the original, it'll do..."

"Kevin."

"what?"

"Could you please get out? I want to read my script in peace, thank you."

"OK, OK, I won't say anymore. I'm sorry, Seth. I didn't know it would hurt your pride. I thought... Never mind, I won't say anymore. Sorry. Now, take a good look and forget what I just said."

"...Kevin, wait."

"what?"

Do you really think there's a chance of getting on SNL?

"I'm 80% sure."

"Hmm...then go and talk to them first."

……

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome the legendary Oscar-winning actor Christopher Premer."

“I know very well that perseverance pays off. None of the outstanding ladies nominated tonight became famous overnight. They all started acting from a young age and are experienced actresses. But I seriously doubt that they may continue acting until they are older than me.”

When the white-haired Christopher Premer said this on stage, Janice Man blushed slightly.

Clearly, this Oscar-winning actor didn't know much about her.

But the meaning behind his words was exactly the same as Emmanuelle Riva's, causing her to clench her fists once again.

Christopher Premer continued, "After such an outstanding performance tonight, I'm a little reluctant to announce the winners, but I look forward to working with any of them. After all, I still have 30 films to make."

He, who was about the same age as Emmanuelle Riva, said this, which immediately drew applause from the audience.

“The nominees for Best Supporting Actress are—” Christopher Premer raised his voice.

Then, accompanied by an introduction, movie scenes appeared one by one on the big screen.

“Amy Adams, The Master”.

“Sally Field, Lincoln”.

"Amway Hathaway, Les Misérables."

"Jackie Weaver, Silver Linings Playbook."

"Janice Wen, The Water Drop."

Her nomination was shown last.

Then, the large screen switched to a gloomy, dimly lit basement. The girl knelt before him, tears streaming down her face, her voice hoarse as she cried out:

"Cassian! Please stop—please! Don't touch that thing!"

“Look at me! Look at me!” She grabbed his face, her voice trembling. “I love you, I don’t care what you’ve done! All I want now is for you to wake up, okay? Right now! Wake up! Let’s leave this place and start over somewhere else. Cassian, look at me, promise me, okay?”

The image on the screen froze on her tear-streaked face.

The audience was silent.

Immediately, applause erupted inside the Kodak Theater.

At this moment, Janice Man truly felt that whatever the outcome, it was enough for her.

So when Christopher Pree silently uttered Anne Hathaway's name, her regret was fleeting, and she broke into a genuine smile and began to applaud.

……

As expected, I still didn't get it.

When Chen Nuo heard Anne Hathaway's name on the radio, a fleeting sense of regret crossed his mind, and then he began to pick up the pieces.

First, put your pants on, then pick up the clothes scattered in various corners of the tent.

Then, watching the Latina beauty who, after finishing, carelessly crawled into his sleeping bag and began to snore, he felt slightly worried.

Should I wake her up?
I feel a little guilty.

After all, the girl had to suppress her cries and fend off attacks, which must have been quite tiring for a woman, especially considering she had only been using the sleeping bag for a short time.

Never mind, since that's how it is...
Let's listen to the Oscars first.

It seems that the luck of "Water Drop" has already been used up in the Best Cinematography category.

The best original screenplay, which initially showed promise, ultimately couldn't beat the assassination of Bin Laden.

Then, the Best Actress award remained unchanged, going to 23-year-old Jennifer Lawrence, making her the youngest Oscar-winning actress. In her acceptance speech, she thanked him, saying he had given her a lot of encouragement, which likely referred to the Shanghai Film Festival incident; it couldn't possibly be the real reason.

As for Best Actor, there were naturally no surprises. Daniel Day-Lewis, with his undisputed performance, won the Oscar for Best Actor for the third time in this era. With this unprecedented achievement, it is unlikely that anyone will be able to surpass it in the future, making him a legend among actors.

Even so, he still felt a little uneasy listening to Daniel Day-Lewis's acceptance speech on the radio.

That feeling was like both a source of resentment and a spark of ambition, making him somewhat agitated.

However, he remained seated quietly until the radio broadcast of Ang Lee winning the Oscar for Best Director for the second time, and "Argo" winning Best Picture, finished playing.
Finally, he quietly turned the knob and with a click, turned off the radio.

The tent returned to silence.

In this wilderness, the atmosphere could be described as eerily quiet.

Suddenly, an angry voice rang out: "That's outrageous! What a load of rubbish, the Oscars! Ugh, I'm so angry!"

He turned his head and saw that Dora had woken up at some point and was sitting on the sleeping mat, hugging her sleeping bag.

"When did you wake up?"

"I was so angry when Chen didn't win Best Actor!" Dora shouted.

Chen Nuo said calmly, "This year was never his year to begin with."

“Who said that!” Dora’s eyes widened. “I’ve seen Lincoln too, and I don’t think Day Lewis is any better than Chen! That’s prejudice! Racism! Those judges are a bunch of damn old white men, KKK members, they don’t understand art at all!”

Chen Nuo laughed, "It's not that serious."

“I think so!” Dora said, then sighed heavily. “These past few days have been really unlucky. The channel is gone, and Chen didn’t win the award. I’m so sad.”

As soon as she finished speaking, her eyes reddened, and tears fell one by one.

Chen Nuo couldn't help but chuckle and said, "You really cried?"

Dora immediately turned her head away, wiping her cheeks haphazardly with the back of her hand, and stubbornly said, "No, I just... um, my eyes feel uncomfortable."

After a moment of silence inside the tent, the sound of the wind whistling outside the shed could be heard.

Chen Nuo watched her retreating figure and heard her sobbing, which she was trying to suppress. He sighed and suddenly said, "Don't cry. I can figure out a way to deal with the channel."

"What idea do you have?" Dora didn't turn around.

"If your current channel is no longer viable, just create a new one. It's not that difficult."

"Not difficult?"

"Yes, it's very simple. You don't believe me?"

"..."

Dora finally turned her head and looked at him.

The tent was dimly lit, and the man was still wearing the mask he used to shield himself from the wind and snow.

But she thought that even if she took it off, it probably wouldn't look good—just a face full of beard.

But those exposed eyes were like a flame burning in the night, making her feel hot all over.

The girl's heart was pounding. Although she didn't really believe it, she couldn't help but say, "...No, I believe you."

Chen Nuo gave an OK sign.

Dora suddenly felt her mouth was dry, and her bare legs twisted together inside her sleeping bag.

She panicked a little, and without thinking, blurted out, "What about Chen's matter? Do you have a way to get him the award?"

Chen Nuo paused for a moment, then said, "Yes."

"Ah? What can I do?"

"Leave a message on his Facebook account, telling him to work hard and try to go to the Oscars again next year."

Dora snapped out of her daze and laughed, "Haha, how could he possibly see that?"

Chen Nuo said, "That's not necessarily true."

PS:
Why are monks required to eat vegetarian food?
I understand now.

I ate only one vegetarian meal in 24 hours, and I felt indifferent to life and death, and detached from worldly desires.

But I still can't let go of the monthly pass.

How is this going?

(End of this chapter)