How can you ascend to heaven when you are a star?

Chapter 438 The Dark Side
Zhang Wen looked at Cheng Ke and Wu Jianghan's disheveled appearance on the red carpet, a cold smile appearing on his lips, before turning and walking into the stadium.

Trying to trap him? This is the price you pay.

The awards ceremony was already filled with musicians, who were chatting and laughing, creating a joyful atmosphere.

Led by staff, Zhang Wen arrived at his seat.

This was the last row of the entire venue, and in a corner at that. A piece of A4 paper was pasted on the back of the red velvet chair, with two words written on it: Zhang Wen.

"Are you sure this is my seat?" Zhang Wen asked the staff member, a hint of doubt creeping into his mind.

Although this is his first time attending the Golden Melody Awards ceremony, he still has three nominations and three songs nominated for Best Song. If even he is sitting here, what about those who were not nominated? Should they bring their own stools and sit in the corridor outside the venue?
"Yes, Ms. Zhang, your name is on this, there's no mistake." The staff member gave a professional smile, then turned and left the venue.

Zhang Wen glanced at his seat, then at the entire venue, and thought: Is the music industry this cutthroat? There aren't even any seats for this hit song maker among the thousands of seats in front of him?
"Teacher Zhang!"

Suddenly a voice came from not far away. Zhang Wen looked up and saw Zhao Tong and the others to his side. The five women were sitting in the middle of the second to last row, more than a dozen seats away from him.

Are all newcomers like this?

Zhang Wen nodded to Zhao Tong and the others before sitting down.

"Are you Mr. Zhang Wen, the creator of 'New Life'?" the young man sitting next to me asked in surprise.

"It's me," Zhang Wen replied.

"Hello, Teacher Zhang, I'm Zheng Yang, a reporter from Music Week magazine. It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm a fan of yours." The young man said, extending his hand with excitement on his face.

"Hello." Zhang Wen shook hands with the other person, and another question popped into his mind.

Why was he grouped with media people? Shouldn't he be grouped with musicians?

"Your songs 'Human World,' 'New Life,' and 'The Best of Us' are all on my playlist. May I conduct a brief interview with you?" the young man asked expectantly.

"Now? That's not appropriate, the awards ceremony hasn't even started yet." Zhang Wen politely declined, while also becoming wary.

He recalled the conversation between Cheng Ke and Wu Jianghan, and wondered if the male reporter beside him was also an accomplice hired by those two.

"And what happens after the awards ceremony?" the young man continued to ask.

"We'll see. If I win the award, I'll accept your interview; if I don't, then forget it," Zhang Wen said after thinking for a moment.

"Really? That's great!" the young man said excitedly. "The three songs you wrote are of excellent quality and will definitely win awards."

"Thank you for your kind words," Zhang Wen said casually, then looked down and started playing with his phone.

Upon seeing this, the young man said nothing more, straightened his back, stretched his neck, and gazed at the front of the venue.

"Buzz!"

Just then, his phone vibrated. Zhang Wen looked at it and saw that it was a call from Jiang Li.

"Hello, Sister Li, what can I do for you?" he asked after the call connected.

"Why are you sitting in the last row?" Jiang Li's voice came through the microphone, her tone full of doubt.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Wen looked up and saw Jiang Li in the second row at the front of the hall. She was looking back at him with an incredulous expression.

"The staff brought me here, and my name is on the seat. Is there a problem?" Zhang Wen asked.

“The last two rows are usually reserved for the media. You’re not only a musician, but you’ve also been nominated, so you should be seated near the front, or at the very least in the middle. And then there’s Future Girls, they’re singers, how come they’re sitting in the second-to-last row? Did you offend someone?” Jiang Li asked in a low voice, covering her phone.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Wen frowned. He had assumed the newcomers would sit at the back, but now it seemed someone was deliberately trying to embarrass him.

“I’ve only offended Cheng Ke and Wu Jianghan in the last two days,” Zhang Wen said.

"Impossible. With their fame, they absolutely cannot influence the organizers. Think about it again, think about the bigger picture," Jiang Li reminded her.

"Think about it on a larger scale." Zhang Wen went through all the people he had offended in his mind, and finally only one person came to mind, "Li Lehua, she's the only one I can think of."

"Mr. Li?"

Jiang Li frowned slightly. She knew that Zhang Wen and President Li had a fierce falling out recently, even attacking each other in the media, making it known throughout the entertainment industry. In the end, it ended with President Li apologizing.

Knowing Mr. Li as she does, she certainly wouldn't swallow her anger.

Moreover, given Mr. Li's prominent position in the entertainment industry, he can indeed influence the organizers.

"It's very likely her. It seems you'll be going home empty-handed this year's Golden Melody Awards." Jiang Li's tone carried a hint of helplessness.

"Returned empty-handed?" Zhang Wen was taken aback. "Could her reach that far?"

“Don’t underestimate President Li. She has been working in the entertainment industry for many years and has a wide network of connections. She may not be able to make someone win an award, but preventing someone from winning is a piece of cake for her.” Jiang Li explained, “You’d better be prepared. I’m hanging up now. The ceremony is about to start.”

"Ah."

Zhang Wen hung up the phone, understanding dawning on him.

No wonder Cheng Ke and Wu Jianghan were so arrogant; they must have heard something from others that made them so hostile towards him.

'Li Lehua, it better not be you, otherwise your good days are over.'

As time went by, the lights in the venue gradually dimmed, and the entire venue became quiet.

The next second, the circular screen above the stage suddenly lit up, and flowing golden musical notes poured down from the edge of the screen. Accompanied by the prelude to the music, the two hosts slowly walked out from the edge of the stage.

Male host Shen Xin'an wore a dark-colored suit with subtle patterns, while female host Liu Wen wore a burgundy trailing gown. The two stood side by side in the middle of the stage, both with bright smiles.

"Distinguished guests, friends, welcome to the 22nd Golden Melody Awards ceremony!" Shen Xin'an's passionate voice resonated throughout the venue.

"The Golden Melody Awards are a grand event for us musicians every year. Here, we witness the birth of outstanding works and the blossoming of musical dreams. Tonight is destined to be a night of dazzling stars." Liu Wen's melodious voice resounded throughout the venue.

"That's right. Now, let's kick off tonight's musical feast and reveal the winners of the various awards. First of all, let's give a warm round of applause to all the creators who have worked hard for the music industry!"

As soon as the male host finished speaking, thunderous applause erupted in the audience.

Zhang Wen sat in the corner, looking at the spirited host on the stage and then at the excited crowd around him, but his heart remained completely unmoved.

After the applause subsided, the female host continued, "Before announcing the awards, as is customary, we would like to invite a special guest to give us an opening performance. He is none other than Mr. Sun Yinan, a veteran of the Chinese music scene!"

"Wow!"

A cheer erupted from the audience, and many people stood up excitedly. The appearance of King Sun ignited the atmosphere at the scene.

Accompanied by familiar music, Sun Yinan appeared on stage, smiling and waving to the audience, and began today's performance.

Everyone was watching Sun the King of Songs, and some even hummed along, creating a very lively atmosphere.

"..."

After the song was finished, the audience burst into applause.

The two hosts returned to the stage and said with a smile, "Thank you, Mr. Sun Yinan, for your wonderful performance. Now we will begin presenting the first award of the evening, the Best Composer Award. Please look at the big screen."

Excerpts from the nominated works began playing on the large screen above the stage. "A magnificent transformation, lyricist Tang Xinyu."

"Speaking with love," by lyricist Zhang Keyi.

"Hometown Paths," by lyricist Wang Jiayin.

"Newborn, lyricist Zhang Wen".

As each song and its lyricist's name were read out, the atmosphere became increasingly tense.

Meanwhile, the comment section of the online live stream was filled with supportive voices from netizens.

"It has to be 'New Life'. Zhang Wen's lyrics are absolutely brilliant; every line touches my heart."

"Tang Xinyu's 'A Glorious Turnaround' is also good, but I still support Zhang Wen."

"Zhang Wen has had three songs nominated for Best Song Award, and he is undoubtedly the best lyricist!"

The comments section was flooded with messages, with supporters offering conflicting opinions, but those supporting Zhang Wen clearly had the upper hand.

As the video ended, the male host, Shen Xin'an, said with a smile, "It seems everyone is very much looking forward to this award. So, who will win the Best Lyricist Award at this year's Golden Melody Awards? Let's give a warm round of applause to our award presenter, the renowned lyricist, Mr. Lin Wenxi!"

Amidst applause, Lin Wenxi walked onto the stage, took the envelope from the hostess, and slowly opened it in front of the microphone.

In an instant, everyone's eyes were focused on his hands, and the scene was so quiet that you could hear your own heartbeat.

Zhang Wen gripped the armrests of his seat tightly, awaiting the final result, but he had a vague premonition that things might not go so smoothly.

Lin Wenxi cleared her throat, her gaze sweeping across the entire event, and slowly announced the winner's name: "The winner of the 22nd Golden Melody Awards for Best Lyricist is Tang Xinyu, the lyricist of 'A Magnificent Turnaround'!"

After she finished speaking, there was a brief silence before applause broke out. Many people looked puzzled, and even Tang Xinyu herself seemed confused.

"How could it be Tang Xinyu? Her 'A Glorious Turnaround' is good, but compared to Zhang Wen's 'Rebirth,' it's not even a level below, is it?"

"Yes, the lyrics of 'New Life' are so profound and it's so popular, there's no reason why it shouldn't win an award!"

"The song 'New Life' was number one on the hot song chart for two consecutive months. Half a year has passed, and it is still in the top ten of the hot song chart. How come it didn't win an award?"

Is there something fishy going on here?

Some veteran lyricists frowned, their faces full of confusion.

Sitting in the middle row, Wang Qi turned to look at the corner where Zhang Wen was, her eyes filled with worry. She had come with Jiang Li, and she was also surprised by this result.

The expressions on Zhao Tong and the others' faces changed from anticipation to disappointment. Su Jin couldn't help but mutter softly, "How could this be? Teacher Zhang's 'New Life' is clearly better."

Cheng Sisi patted her hand, signaling her not to talk nonsense, as there were too many people around and it would be noisy.

Zhang Wen sat quietly, perhaps knowing that someone was deliberately causing trouble, so his face remained expressionless.

His gaze inadvertently fell on Cheng Ke, who was sitting in the fourth row. Cheng Ke was clapping vigorously with Wu Jianghan. When he turned to look at him, his eyes were full of provocation, and his smugness was almost overflowing, as if he had known all along that he would accept the task.

The online live stream's comment section exploded, with netizens who had previously supported Zhang Wen suddenly becoming restless.

"What's going on? Zhang Wen isn't the best lyricist? Are you kidding me?!"

Why did "A Magnificent Turnaround" beat "New Life"? Is it just because Tang Xinyu is a veteran lyricist?

"From sales to popularity, how doesn't 'New Life' crush the competition?"

"Disappointing! We strongly demand the publication of the selection criteria!"

On stage, Tang Xinyu took the trophy from Lin Wenxi, her face beaming with excitement, and began to give her acceptance speech.

The murmurs from the audience quickly subsided, and despite their confusion, they applauded Tang Xinyu.

"Congratulations to Ms. Tang Xinyu!" Host Liu Wen quickly stepped onto the stage to divert everyone's attention. "Next, we will be presenting the Best Composer Award. Let's see who the nominees are?"

The large screen on the stage lit up again, and began playing excerpts from the nominated works for the Best Composer Award.

"When the Wind Rises", composed by Sun Tianlin.

"Yesterday's Starlight", composed by Zhao Wei.

"Imagined Beauty", composed by Hu Jiaming.

"New Life", composed by Zhang Wen.

After the nominated works finished playing, the female host's voice rang out again: "Next, let's give a warm round of applause to our award presenter, the renowned composer Mr. David Zhou!"

Zhou Dawei walked onto the stage, took the envelope from the hostess, and wore a gentle smile.

However, when he opened the envelope and saw what was written on it, he was clearly stunned for a moment, and even flipped the envelope over to check if he had received the list of winners for the Best Lyricist Award.

Silence fell again. Everyone was puzzled by Zhou Dawei's action. Was it not the other party's choice for Best Lyricist? Otherwise, why would he need to confirm it again?
Jiang Li clenched her fists tightly, silently hoping that Zhang Wen would win an award.

Zhao Tong and the others held their breath, staring intently at the stage.

Zhou Dawei pursed his lips before slowly speaking, "The winner of the 22nd Golden Melody Awards for Best Composer is Sun Tianlin, the lyricist of 'When the Wind Rises'."

As soon as he finished speaking, applause erupted in the room, but along with the applause came expressions of disbelief from everyone.

"What's going on? It's not Zhang Wen again."

"Zhang Wen's 'New Life' surpasses 'When the Wind Rises' in both melody innovation and influence. What's wrong with the Golden Melody Awards? They're making one thing after another that's hard to understand."

"Yes, the melody of 'New Life' is so catchy, there's no reason it shouldn't win an award."

Jiang Li shook her head in disappointment, turned to look at Zhang Wen, her eyes filled with helplessness.

Zhao Tong and the others hung their heads, their faces filled with dejection. Zhang Jiajia couldn't help but tear up and whispered, "This is just too unfair."

Zhang Wen's face remained calm, but his eyes grew colder and colder.

He knew that Li Lehua was definitely behind this, trying to prevent him from winning the award.

It's not that he can't accept defeat; the song's performance speaks for itself. To say that the judging was fair and impartial, and unaffected by external influences, nobody would believe it.
The comment section of the online live stream was once again flooded with angry messages from netizens.

"Zhou Dawei's 'When the Wind Rises' deserves an award? Compared to 'New Life,' it's a mere junior!"

"There's something wrong, there's definitely something wrong. This year's Golden Melody Awards are so corrupt."

"We strongly boycott the Golden Melody Awards. Is this an insult to our intelligence?"

"There is definitely a shady story!"

"..."

(End of this chapter)