Finally, the main competition’s award categories commenced. The first was for the Best Debut Film Award. The cast and crew of “Strong Yet Broken” clasped their hands together in prayer. Iris squeezed Jin Liwei’s hand, seeking comfort and absorbing strength from him.
Unfortunately, “Strong Yet Broken” didn’t win. An Indian indie film won instead. Iris and Jin Liwei along with the others clapped their hands in congratulations to the winner. The Indian movie was one of the few films they managed to watch during their free time. Although they felt a slight disappointment for not winning the Best Debut Film Award, they didn’t feel too bad losing to such a thought-provoking film.
Other awards, nominees and winners were announced. More applause, cheers and speeches.
Iris continued to translate the speeches to her darling. This time, the film’s cast and crew closest to them abandoned their earphones and listened to her translations instead. They found her translations smoother, more confident and easier to understand compared to the earphone interpreters who stammered and hesitated at some of the speeches. Now they knew just how talented she was as an interpreter. Of course, they heard her being lauded as a genius polyglot when China hosted this year’s international business conference during the summer, but it was a different matter to witness her skills firsthand.
After the latest commercial break, everyone paid more rapt attention to the next remaining awards. These were the biggest and the most important out of all the awards presented in the film festival. Receiving any of these awards was a great honour to anyone working in the film industry anywhere in the world.
“And the nominees for the Best Soundtrack Award are…”
The guest presenters started announcing all of the nominees.
Iris’ calm and pleasant expression had now become solemn. She gripped Jin Liwei’s hand so hard that it actually started to hurt him. However, he didn’t complain nor show any indication of pain on his face. Instead, he used his other hand to rub her hand and soothe her.
The cast and crew of “Strong Yet Broken”, including the President of LX Productions and Guan Jintao and his wife, looked more nervous than Iris. The producer even closed his eyes and began chanting a prayer.
In another part of the audience, Wei Lan grabbed Grandpa Lu’s sleeve beside her and repeatedly tugged it in anxiety. She looked paler than usual.
Grandpa Lu pursed his lips while looking at his now wrinkled sleeve. The woman was holding his poor sleeve in a death grip.
“Calm down, woman!” he told Wei Lan, but she ignored him. All he could do was sigh and allow his sleeve to be abused by her perfectly manicured claws.
On Grandpa Lu’s other side, Lu Zihao wore a frighteningly cold expression. His usual devilish playfulness was nowhere to be seen. He looked at the other nominees competing against his little sister on the giant monitors, as if he wanted to squeeze the life out of them.
Grandpa Lu noticed his abnormal state. “Haohao, my boy! What’s wrong with you? I want to know! Why do you look like someone just stole your favourite candy directly from your hands? You calm down, too!”
It was only then that Lu Zihao regained his senses. He actually allowed the nervous atmosphere to affect him. Indeed, his weakness would always be his sister. Fortunately, the old man prompted him to get a hold of himself. He turned his head and flashed Grandpa Lu a devilish smile.
“Hmph!” Grandpa Lu scowled upon seeing his grandson’s smile. “Why are you trying to flirt with your own grandfather? I want to know! You think that your smile will work on this old man and make me swoon? Hah! I’m the original, you’re only the remix version! That smile won’t work on me. This old man’s smile is many times more potent than yours! All I see whenever I look at you is the Baby Haohao in his diapers when I was taking care of you when you were just this small!”
Lu Zihao rolled his eyes. The old man really knew how to shoot his mouth off. He wasn’t the original Lu Zihao, so the old man’s words didn’t embarrass him at all. He only shrugged his shoulders and returned his full attention to the awards ceremony. But not before he felt a small twinge within himself before a warm pleasant feeling filled his heart. The feeling wasn’t his.
On the stage, the guest presenters announced a total of sixteen nominees for the Best Soundtrack Award, including Iris Long.
When her name was announced, the cast and crew of “Strong Yet Broken” cheered for her. Wei Lan also cried out and almost started yelling “that’s my daughter” before catching herself. She remembered that she was a viscountess now, so she must maintain her graceful and classy image. It was difficult, but she was able to restrain her wildness.
On the stage, the guest presenters opened the envelope.
“And the Best Soundtrack Award goes to…”
Iris, Jin Liwei and the others held their breaths.
One second. Two seconds. Three seconds…
“Iris Long, ‘Strong Yet Broken’!”
The producer who was praying hard earlier was the first one to react. He shot up from his seat and started jumping and screaming at the top of his lungs. The others also followed suit. They all turned to Iris who had a slightly dazed expression on her face.
“Iris, oh my God! You won!” they exclaimed.
Everyone in their group looked as if they also won the award. Her achievement felt like their achievement as well. They were one team.
“Miss Iris Long, please come up the stage,” one of the guest presenters reminded her in English.
“Love, you did it,” he whispered directly to her ear. “Now go get that award and make us even prouder.”
