So This Is the World Below the Stage

Fu Qinqin turned around and took the fruit plate. “Song Ci, the one I told you about, is at the award ceremony. I don’t know if she can win the award, so I’m a little nervous.”

“I think she will.” Fu Momo smiled. “Sister, didn’t you say she was very skilled? Then she’ll definitely win.”

“I hope so.” Fu Qinqin rubbed her sister’s head and let her watch television while she continued to browse news about the International Film Festival.

Song Ci waited for a while more before hearing the announcement of Best Supporting Actor. She held her breath and focused, but she was disappointed. The name that the presenter read out was not Chu Yi. Song Ci looked at Chu Yi. His smile was plain and decent. As if he felt her gaze, he turned back to look at her. The smile in his eyes deepened, and he looked open-minded and gentle.

It seemed he was not surprised by this result. It made sense, as Chu Yi’s character was not good enough to defeat everyone and win the award. If she could feel that, Chu Yi could naturally feel it too.

After Qian Wu finished clapping, he wanted to comfort Chu Yi, but the next award was for the Best Female Lead.

Song Ci clenched her fists. Qian Wu, Chu Yi, Shi Mingyu, as well as Fu Qinqin, Lu Gan, and Song Ci’s fans, who were scrolling through the news, all felt their hearts tighten.

At that moment, Song Ci was in a daze. There was silence in her ears, and the commotion seemed to have left her. The past flashed past her eyes like a lantern.

When she sat on the sofa at home and watched television. She hid in the bedroom of her relatives’ house, listening to them say they were the only ones who could take care of her in the future. She looked at her aunt’s happy family and stood at the door, not knowing if she should walk over. Later, she moved out alone, the house still empty and quiet. So she turned the volume up and laughed with the people on the television. However, after laughing, the room became even quieter. Her home was so lonely that there was no sound. She lay on the sofa and stared at the ceiling. The sound of the television accompanied her, day after day, year after year. Finally, she became an actress.

She went from production team to production team, being a set extra. In the beginning, she just wanted to liven herself up. Television had been her companion, and she wanted to bring that company to others. Slowly, she fell in love with acting from the bottom of her heart.

Young actors were always very lively… The popular actor was unexpectedly gentle… Long-established actors paid more attention to their image… Even the extras who acted with her would treat them seriously… There was also a producer with a good temper… Every time, he would add an extra dish to the lunch boxes of the extras…

Of course, there were also bad experiences, but Song Ci had long forgotten about them. he had acted in one role after another, met one person after another, and participated in one film after another. From an actress who knew nothing, she had become an actress who could guide others on set. She passed by the morning sun, the glow of sunset, the vicissitudes of life… She was now sitting here, looking at the stage in front of her, listening to the guest’s voice ring in her ear.

“Song Ci!” he said. Every word was clear and penetrating.

Thunderous applause resounded throughout the venue, making Song Ci finally snap out of her daze. She walked up to the stage amidst the applause and took the trophy from the hands of the guest presenter.

The people below the stage were densely packed, forming a sea.

Song Ci stood on the stage. So this was how the world looked from this angle. How many years had it been since she was qualified to sit below the stage? Now, she was standing on that stage. She took a step forward, walked in front of the microphone, and looked at the eyes of the audience staring at her.

She smiled and recited the acceptance speech she had written earlier. At the end, she added, “You’ll never know when you’ll win an award, so cherish every opportunity and act well in every character. Only then can you wait for the breakthrough that belongs to you with hope. Mine has already arrived. I hope everyone can wait for their future.”

The applause from the audience was thunderous.

Song Ci smiled, turned around, and walked off the stage. It was not until she finished her speech that Lu Gan finally found out that Song Ci won Best Female Lead.