Crying While Filling the Pit I Dug - Chapter 92

They seemed to think that her nosebleed was somehow related to being with Xu Nanfang…

Song Miaomiao glanced at Xu Nanfang, but he just smiled and remained silent, much like he had with the reporter during their interview. Was he entertaining similar thoughts?

After filming another scene, it was time for lunch. The two protagonists sat together without even realizing it.

Xu Nanfang casually remarked, “The Golden Fish Awards will begin accepting primary election registrations next week.”

The Golden Fish Award was the largest and most prestigious film award in China, and it was judged every year before the Spring Festival.

“Mhmm,” she replied with a smile. “You’ve had so many successful movies this year, so I hope you’ll win—” She lowered her voice. “Best Actor.”

Xu Nanfang had won the Golden Fish Award for Best Supporting Actor the previous year and was nominated for Best Actor the year before that, though he narrowly missed out on the win.

Xu Nanfang remained indifferent, “Whatever is in my fate. What about you? Don’t you plan to give it a shot?”

Song Miaomiao was puzzled, “Me? Try what?”

Xu Nanfang replied, “Register for the Golden Fish Award.”

Song Miaomiao shrugged, “But I don’t have any completed works yet. This is only my third movie. The first one was ‘Record’, and the second is still in production. The third movie is currently being filmed.”

Xu Nan insisted, “Just submit ‘Record’; your performance was excellent.”

Still uncertain about which category she could apply for, Song Miaomiao hesitated, “What category should I apply for?”

Xu Nan suggested, “Best Newcomer Award.”

Although Song Miaomiao had prior experience in TV series, “Record” marked her debut in film, making her eligible for the newcomer category.

“But I only have six scenes; I’m not sure if I’m qualified,” Song Miaomiao objected.

“How will you know if you don’t try?” Xu Nan encouraged her.

Song Miaomiao pondered his words. Perhaps it was worth a shot; after all, one never knew unless they tried.

Xu Nanfang added, “Call your agent and discuss it with him; maybe he already has plans for you.”

With a hint of suspicion, Song Miaomiao sent a message to Meng Jiangye, vaguely mentioning her interest in applying for the Golden Fish Award this year.

Meng Jiangye found himself hesitating as well. While the judging mechanism of the Golden Fish Awards was known for its fairness and lack of external interference, securing a nomination typically required a strong network of contacts. However, seeing that Song Miaomiao shared the same ambition, he eventually agreed to sign her up for the award.

During the shooting process, Guan Xiaocheng and Zhang Yitian immersed themselves in portraying the story unfolding within the breakfast store. Despite a few initial challenges, particularly in the first scene where they experienced multiple retakes, each subsequent scene unfolded with a remarkable sense of mutual understanding. The director praised Song Miaomiao’s performance, likening her portrayal to a character plucked straight from the pages of the script.

Amidst the filming, the nominations for the Golden Fish Award were announced. Using his connections in the entertainment industry, Meng Jiangye managed to secure Song Miaomiao a nomination for the Best Newcomer Award with the assistance of the director of “Record”.

During a break in filming, Song Miaomiao shared the good news with Xu Nanfang, extending her best wishes. Xu Nanfang, himself nominated for Best Actor again with “Record,” congratulated her warmly. 

Xu Nanfang extended his congratulations, adding, “It might seem inappropriate for me to say this, but I hope you don’t mind. From this moment forward, forget about the nomination. Your agent will monitor the progress for you post-nomination. Winning an award is akin to gambling; your bet has already been placed. So, let go of any attachment to the outcome and focus on sprinting towards your next goal.”

Song Miaomiao nodded in agreement, understanding Xu Nanfang’s intention to encourage her not to fixate too much on the outcome, as heightened expectations often lead to greater disappointment if the desired result was achieved.

“I recall a saying,” she began, “the essence of which suggests that success is the result of a combination of external and internal factors. I can only influence the internal factors. Whenever I undertake something, I give it my all, and once it’s done, I let go of any expectations for the outcome.”

Xu Nanfang smiled knowingly in response.

“Thank you for your advice,” Song Miaomiao expressed her gratitude. “You’ve offered me guidance on several occasions.”

Xu Nanfang modestly replied, “You work incredibly hard. Your excellence is inevitable. I’m merely offering a helping hand.”

“No, your insights are incredibly valuable to me,” Song Miaomiao insisted.

The two engaged in a conversation about acting, during which Xu Nanfang shared some of his experiences and techniques with Song Miaomiao.

Xu Nanfang always seemed to be like this, always reminding her and offering his help. Song Miaomiao wasn’t sure how much Xu Nanfang liked her, but he was consistently willing to mention her like this. Did it prove that his level of fondness was at least higher?

However, Song Miaomiao pondered, perhaps he treated everyone in a similar manner. He seemed ready to provide advice to anyone. She just happened to be a newcomer, happened to cross paths with him, and happened to take every word of his to heart, thus adding a touch of drama to it.

The System, until now, only rewarded her with points every time she completed an episode or movie shooting. However, there was nothing when it came to interacting with Xu Nanfang. It was never like the previous world.

Song Miaomiao considered that perhaps it was because when she wrote the story of this actress, she added the label “No CP” and positioned it as the birth of an actress. Thus, the points would only be added to the plotline of the career. She hoped this was the case. Song Miaomiao could only comfort herself in this manner. After all, if she explained it this way, she could convince herself that she had hope with Xu Nanfang instead of pursuing the wrong CP. In other words, the implication was that Xu Nanfang’s CP was not her at all; this was not the main plot. It was just an unimportant trifle, so she would not be awarded additional points.

Another month later, “My Thirty-eight Days” recording concluded, and the awards ceremony for the Golden Fish Awards followed immediately.

The film “Record” was nominated for Best Actor (Xu Nanfang), Best Supporting Actress (Zeng Jiayuan), Best Newcomer (Fang Zhenxin), Best Screenplay Award, and Best Director Award, becoming the center of attention for a while.

Zeng Jiayuan portrayed Yu Ang’s girlfriend in “Record”. Although her role had the largest screen timing for female characters, it was relatively minor. She felt it wouldn’t be considered a female lead’s role, so she applied for the Best Supporting Actress category.