The Best Director - Chapter 191

Chapter 191: Chapter 191 Who Will Win Best Director (Please Vote)

“`

“Donny suddenly said he would stand or fall with Yang! If Best Director isn’t awarded to Yang, he’ll return the trophy to the organizers, and the scene was filled with surprise!” Sina’s live broadcaster Xiao Yan was quickly updating the live situation, and at the same time, the news flash had already gone out, “Robert Downey Jr. wins the award for Best Actor in a Drama Movie,” followed by, “Asking for forgiveness and promising to reform, Downey’s emotional acceptance speech,” and then, “Downey’s shocking statement.”

Xiao Yan further updated, “The guests were all whispering amongst themselves, the TV camera turned to the amazing Yang, who was smiling somewhat shyly. Could it be that he and Uncle Donny really have something indescribable going on?” As if to preempt the die-hard fans from taking it seriously, she added, “Just kidding, Yang’s relationship with Barbara has always been sweet and stable; Donny used to be a famous bad boy, and now his son is almost 10 years old…”

On the long sofa, Evelyn wiped her moist red eyes, staring at the television screen, sobbingly said, “This is so cool, I forgive him! I want to become Robert Downey Jr.’s fan.” Next to her, Kelly Doyle glanced at her, a swing of worry crossing her face, as she frowned and laughed, “What if the amazing Yang doesn’t win Best Director?” Andrew smiled in anticipation, “Then there will be a good show to watch.”

“Yang and Donny will become the headlines of the newspapers, and gossip websites will mock them, ‘Just go hide in a corner and admit it to yourselves,’” Jeremy analyzed seriously, while Evelyn shouted, “No way, they’ll lift the trophy together!” While she said this, her heart suddenly grew anxious; what if the amazing Yang didn’t win, how would this situation be resolved? It seemed rather awkward.

“What will happen if Wang Yang doesn’t win the award?” Hearing the question from her roommate Beth, Natalie on the sofa grunted, popped open a bottle of beer and gulped down several mouthfuls, her expression casual as she shrugged and said, “Robert Downey Jr. will just return the trophy, but the organizers won’t reissue it to anyone else.”

If I had done this when I won the award two years ago, what would have happened? Natalie thought with a chuckle, finding it somewhat intimidating, but if Yang didn’t win the award… She had no idea; after all, no one on the nomination list was easy to provoke.

“He said he’ll return it, so he will,” Harry George, who’d spent a considerable amount of time with Donny on set, was quite certain; his chubby cheeks quivered as he spoke, “He might even curse the jury a few times.” Joshua laughed as he propped himself up on the couch, “Wouldn’t that be interesting? No no, of course, I support Yang winning the award!” Michael Pitt said in a low voice, “Hm, this isn’t just Donny’s matter anymore.”

“Definitely not the amazing Yang, it absolutely cannot be him!” As the media reporters heard the news, they instantly boiled with excitement, all of them internally shouting, “Not Yang!” Now the situation had become that Wang Yang winning the award was big news, but not winning would make for an even bigger and more eye-catching headline, and they would have their chance to shine! Will the newly acclaimed Best Actor mightily stand up for amazing Yang, a show of deep affection, or just arrogance?

Whether Donny returned the award or not, as long as the amazing Yang didn’t win, both men’s somewhat foolishly arrogant image would be highlighted in the coverage.

Online and in front of TVs, movie fans and audiences had varied sentiments; Donny’s move was hard to define as right or wrong. Die-hard fans were naturally worried, while most people were just enjoying the entertainment and excitement; at this point, any result would do. There were also many people who disliked the amazing Yang, waiting for the moment the list is read out, hoping it’s not “YOUNG,” so they could then mock their foolishness.

Inside the Hilton Hotel, many of the star guests were laughing and whispering to each other, Jack Nicholson joked with those around him, “That kid Robert really brought trouble onto himself, the jury is probably thinking now, ‘If only we’d awarded Jack instead.’” The crew from “About Schmidt,” including Kathy Bates, Hope Davis, Alexander Payne, and others all laughed heartily.

“`

“Alexander, when you give your acceptance speech later, do you want to give a shout-out like, ‘Sorry Downey, the magic of Yang’?” Dermont Moroni, looking dapper in a black suit with a red tie and also one of the stars of the movie, chuckled with champagne in hand. The Best Director nominee Alexander Payne smiled and waved his hand dismissively, “I know I’m just here to make up the numbers tonight, as long as everyone’s happy.”

Although he said that, he still harbored a bit of hope. Theoretically, doesn’t everyone have a 16.6% chance? Jack Nicholson, on the other hand, joked, “Alexander, I hope you say the old man didn’t get it, and I don’t want it either.” The crowd laughed again.

“Downey must be over the moon.”, “It’s too emotional, very irrational.”, “It’ll be hard for him to win another award next time.” The stars and guests at various tables chatted and laughed amidst their dining, Jonathan Demme, the producer of ‘Adaptation’, laughed and said, “Wang Yang has been lifted too high by those kids, surely the reporters wouldn’t do that?” In a raspy voice, Nicolas Cage gently chuckled, “Wang Yang will definitely win a directing award someday, at 33, 43, or 53, but I don’t think it’s tonight.”

At another table, Sharon Stone, who was serving as the presenter for Best Supporting Actress in TV, had a mocking lilt in her voice as she laughed, “Some naïve people take themselves too seriously, ‘Best Director at 23, haha’”—she rocked back and forth, laughing so hard then said “He’s not getting it, I even wonder if little Robert Downey Jr. is on drugs right now, haha—”

The people at her table either smiled politely or looked away, opting not to engage. They didn’t want to get on the wrong side of Wang Yang; after all, the director had a promising future.

At the ‘Friends’ table nearby, Jennifer Aniston, who had just won Best Actress in a TV Musical or Comedy series, was acquainted with Wang Yang. Hearing these comments, she pursed her lips. She supported the idea of Yang winning the award, why not? Let’s create some surprise!

The celebrity guests all had mixed feelings. Besides the nominated casts and their supportive friends, whether Yang won the award or not really didn’t matter to them. Some were there for the spectacle; some didn’t want Yang to win because he was too young and it made them feel old; others didn’t care at all, as there was no competition between directors and actors; still, there were those fond of him who cheered him on, not to mention his close friends.

Of course, there were also those with hidden racial prejudices, wishing for a white person to win rather than someone of Chinese descent. No matter how well Wang Yang performed, they always carried a hint of contempt, disdain, and jealousy.

“Yang, no matter what, I’m with you,” Jessica whispered into Wang Yang’s ear, her eyes brimming with affection. Wang Yang felt touched and, casting aside any concerns about the cameras, he leaned in and kissed her on the lips, saying with a smile, “Thank you!” He then wiped his lips and asked with a teasing smile, “No lipstick, right?” Jessica observed seriously for a moment before laughing, “No.”

“Can you two not be so intimate? I’m getting jealous here,” Michelle Rodriguez said shaking her head with a smile, while Charlize Theron added, “I was just thinking how nice it would be if Stuart was here right now.” Her boyfriend, Stuart Townsend, was who she referred to. Wang Yang pointed at Ed Helms across the table, and joked, “Stu’s got one.” Jessica, who was sipping champagne, nearly spit it out as everyone laughed. Charlize Theron shrugged and laughed, “I married a doctor.”

The two tables for ‘District 9’ and ‘The Hangover’, including Michelle, Charlize, and the comedic quartet Wang Yang had helped discover, were all rooting for him to win Best Director.

However, the first letdown for them was the Best Screenplay award going to ‘About Schmidt’s Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor. Following that, the Best Foreign Language Film Golden Globe was awarded to the Spanish film ‘Talk to Her’, with both Chinese films facing a defeat. The Chinese websites were suddenly filled with gloom and doom, with film fans feeling disappointed. The live broadcaster Little Yan from Sina sighed and wrote, “Now it’s all about whether Yang has a chance, come on Yang!!”

At this time, Robert, who had just come back from an interview backstage holding the trophy, emerged from the passageway, greeting and chatting with the people nearby with a joyful expression, pointing here and there.

Regardless of what everyone was thinking, they all greeted him with smiles, “Robert!”, “Congratulations, Downey!”, “Your speech was remarkable!”

Robert nodded frequently, and as he passed the “Sex and the City” table, he saw Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, and the others and cheerfully said, “Hey guys, enjoy your dinner!”

“You too, congratulations.” Sarah Jessica Parker smiled faintly. Her husband Matthew Broderick didn’t mind either, smiling and saying, “Congratulations, Robert!”

“Thanks!” Downey winked mischievously and danced away, continuing to point and greet happily, “Hey, Jack! Sorry I won the award, haha—”, “Enjoy your dinner!” Eventually, he returned to the “District 9” table and immediately shoved the trophy into Wang Yang’s hands, laughing, “Yang, happy?! We’re all in this together.”

“Is there something wrong with your brain?” Wang Yang laughed dismissively, pretending to be unappreciative. Everyone congratulated Downey and Jessica explained for Wang Yang with a smile, “Robert, he’s actually very happy.”

Downey shrugged, forked a pastry into his mouth, and said with a mouthful and a smile, “I know, I know this guy is quietly thrilled. I’m a genius, right? I just thought of this idea and blurted it out.”

Wang Yang laughed as he held up the Golden Globe trophy, feeling its heft, and said, “Thanks, Robert! Wow, this award is pretty heavy, is it made of real gold? Now I’m really eager to get that damn Best Director!” He made a biting gesture towards the trophy and laughingly added, “Otherwise, even this trophy would be lost, and the thought is just pitiful.”

Michelle said with a laugh, “No, it’s just gold-plated.” Zack, the chubby one, laughed, “But the trophy itself is worth more than gold.”

“He wants to sell it,” Jessica said with a crisp laugh, vaguely remembering him saying as a child, “Those awards look valuable, we’ve got another reason to make movies now!” She couldn’t help but laugh, “Haha, but I won’t let him sell it!”

Looking at her radiantly joyful face, the image of a woman basking in happiness, Robert pulled Wang Yang closer, leaning in to his ear, and whispered, “Yang, as a middle-aged man, let me tell you something—if you truly love your girlfriend, cherish her, don’t mess around. You definitely don’t want to see her with another man.”

He shrugged and sighed softly, “You never want to know how much I regret now.”

For Sarah Jessica Parker, actually, Donnie had buried those feelings deep in his heart a long time ago, he had also resented her for abandoning him, and half the reason he rushed into marriage and had a child was to show her; but only 12 years had passed, just now when speaking on stage and remembering, sitting at the dinner table… looking at that woman, all the warmth of the past surfaced before his eyes, and he thought he might be a bit moved by the memories.

“Yeah, of course,” Wang Yang nodded. He wouldn’t get sentimental with age like Donnie! Not wanting to see Donnie’s continued dejected expression, Wang Yang laughed and said, “So what do we do now? The chances of me winning Best Director are slim; now that they’ve given you the Best Actor, it’s even slimmer.” Donnie, not the least bit nervous, smiled and said, “Either we both get it, or we both forfeit. But I’ve successfully kicked my addiction, could there really be no hope for you to win an award?”

“The winner of the 60th Golden Globe Award for Best Musical or Comedy is…” Evelyn stared nervously at the TV screen, murmuring, “The Hangover, The Hangover,” her friends also staring wide-eyed, so the fanatics rooting for “The Hangover” were all feeling the same way, hoping for a miracle that the R-rated comedy could beat “Chicago”!

“Chicago!” The TV instantly relayed the crazy cheers and applause from the audience, the camera focusing on Rob Marshall, Catherine Zeta Jones, Renée Zellweger, and other creators and stars of “Chicago,” who were hugging each other excitedly; numerous cries of “YEAH!” and “COME ON!” rose in front of the television, fans of “The Hangover” were all very disappointed.

Evelyn, crestfallen, covered her forehead, then suddenly clenched her teeth and said, “Wait for the MTV Awards! ‘The Hangover’ is the most popular movie!”

After the award for Best Actor in a Drama Series (Michael Chiklis) was given, the ceremony moved on to the Best Director for films.

The three top contenders on Rotten Tomatoes were Stephen Daldry’s “The Hours” with fresh ratings of 81% from the public, 78% from well-known critics, and 83% audience approval; Martin Scorsese’s “Gangs of New York” had 75%, 67%, and 76% respectively; Wang Yang’s “District 9” had public reviews at 92%, 95% from the well-known, and 87% audience approval.

If such comparisons were to be made, “District 9” clearly had the edge; but actually, it was not so simple, “The Hangover” had better word of mouth than “Gangs of New York.”

And on the official Hollywood website, on the famous entertainment site Hollywood.com, four editors — Berwen, Cadreite, Hugrand, and Johnson — made their award predictions yesterday.

Berwen chose Stephen Daldry, with the supporting reason being “every performance in it is impeccable, and the film is well-organized,” the opposing reason was “it’s only his first nomination;” Cadreite chose Martin Scorsese, in support because “among the six, he is the most powerful to win this award,” opposition was “it’s Scorsese again, and he can’t make good movies anymore.”

Hugrand and Johnson both chose Wang Yang, supporting reasons were “it’s astonishing that a 22-year-old can make a film like this, there’s no reason it shouldn’t be him,” and “he took care of everything — the actors, the scenes, the shots — just right, he deserves commendation,” but opposing reasons were “Magical Yang is too young, it looks frightening,” and “he’s still young, give it to the older folks first.”

Wang Yang’s age was like a double-edged sword, it might lead to him winning, or to him losing out. Being so young and achieving these feats was astonishing, if the award went to him, it would definitely be a sensation, the Golden Globes’ attention would skyrocket, it’s not just about handing the award to someone young, first, you need the qualifications to be nominated, and usually, by the time you’re nominated, you’re already past 40, being in your early 30s is already “the youngest.”

In recent years, Steven Soderbergh winning an Oscar at 37 and Sam Mendes at 34 taking both the Golden Globe and the Oscar had been sensational events. So what about the wondrous Wang Yang at just 22? Everyone loves a young hero; “golden boys” are always in demand, and the judges are no exception.

But the high qualifications of the other nominees and the golden boy’s youth became obstacles. Everything depended on that moment when the judges cast their votes, choosing between youth and age…

“Clap clap clap—” Amid thunderous applause, presenter Tom Hanks stepped out from the side of the stage. Dressed in a black suit, white shirt, and a black tie, he walked briskly to the center of the stage with an envelope in hand and said with a deep chuckle, “When I formally grabbed the megaphone to direct ‘That Thing You Do!’ in 1996, I realized how hard it is to be a director, and an even harder task to be a good one.”

The TV broadcast quickly scanned the six nominees, all wearing calm smiles as they listened to Tom Hanks continue, “On set, everyone looks to you for answers. You have to cajole the actors like children, which is just like how I communicate with my own kids.”

A burst of laughter rose from the audience below, and Hanks continued with a smile, “Then there’s the camera crew, the production team… A director is like the center of a storm, all troubles come to him, and he must resolve them all perfectly while also taking good care of his storyboard. He is a good director. I still can’t do it, to become that kind of person, but they have!”

“This year’s six nominees include Stephen Daldry for ‘The Hours’…”

Amid “oohs” and enthusiastic applause, the television camera switched between the big screen, the nominees, and Hanks, showing Stephen Daldry with frameless glasses clapping with a smile; “Peter Jackson for ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers’.” Another round of loud applause as the bearded Peter Jackson gave a brief glance to the camera with a smile; “Rob Marshall for ‘Chicago’,” and even louder cheers arose as the suited Marshall smiled, revealing his upper teeth, while Renée Zellweger and others around him cheered and shouted.

“Alexander Payne for ‘About Schmidt’.” Before Hanks could finish, equally strong applause continued to ring out, with Alexander laughing and waving to the camera; “Martin Scorsese for ‘Gangs of New York’.” A sudden outburst of applause and cheers erupted in the hall, with many guests standing up to clap in respect. The old-fashioned glasses-wearing Scorsese pursed his lips with a kindly smile.

Unconsciously, Wang Yang grasped Jessica’s hand, listening to the deafening applause around him and Hanks on stage saying, “Wang Yang for ‘District 9’.” The previous high-spirited applause continued with some mixed noises of laughter, making it unclear what the people were shouting.

“…” For a moment, Wang Yang’s heart seemed to stop as a reel of film rapidly unfurled before him, showing the nearby ceiling of a cell, a hospital bed, Vancouver, slums in South Africa, the editing room… the movie theater’s big screen, and now here.

Looking at Jessica beside him either shouting or clapping, Downey, and Stephen Cauley from the crew across the way… It’s as if they were muted, their shouts indistinct, only their smiling faces… and certainly now, his parents watching the television, his brothers and friends, his family, his lover, friends, and the fans who supported him…

He wanted to win the award! He didn’t want to disappoint himself, nor did he want to let down those who loved and cared for him; as for those who hated him and were ready to mock him and his friends, he wanted to see them disappointedly eat shit.

“Hi!” Wang Yang beamed like a silly boy, waving his hand at the camera and saying with a smile, “Are you all watching? Are you all good?”

“Yang, I’m by your side,” Jessica said again, her voice trembling as if full of confidence and determination, yet her eyes were so tense she could barely blink; Robert Downey Jr. put a hand on Wang Yang’s shoulder and smiled, “My fate with an award is in your hands now.” Michelle, Charlize, Zack, Bradley, and the others at the table were also very nervous, their clapping gradually stopping.

The applause in the hall died down, with guests brewing a larger wave of sound. Tom Hanks slowly opened the golden envelope on stage, and in that moment, everyone watched him quietly—Nicolas Cage with slightly furrowed brows, Jennifer Aniston, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jack Nicholson, Sharon Stone… each person had their own thoughts, and those who were chanting “not Wang Yang” were not few.

“Yang, Yang…” On the couch in front of the TV, Evelyn clasped her hands together in prayer, mouthing silently, and Kelly Doyle did the same; Evelyn would have to throw a party if her bet won! Countless movie fans were supporting their own favorite candidates, countless gamblers were also hoarsely shouting for their bets, 6 times the magic Yang! Please be magical one more time!!!

Joshua, Michael Pitt, Zachary, and others were leaning forward, ready to jump up excitedly at any moment; Rachel, Annie Darren, Nancy, and others in different places also held their breath in unison; Natalie bit on her own fist, uttering an unclear sound “Cool trousers, cool trousers…” In the tension, Beth couldn’t help but wonder, “What are cool trousers?”

“And the winner of Best Director at the 60th Golden Globe Awards is…” Tom Hanks looked at the result in the envelope, the TV screen split into 6 frames, the nominees all waiting with a calm composure.

Hanks lifted his head, his face full of smiles as he looked at the guests below, his lips moving.

“Young Wang for ‘District 9’!”

“Wow, wow, wow oh—!” A crazy roar of applause, louder than any other time that evening, suddenly erupted, like a flatline turning into a series of high and low peaks. Many guests stood up smiling, clapping their hardest to bless this 22-year-old director who was younger than themselves, shouting, “Yang, the magical Yang!” “Congratulations! You are amazing!” “Unbelievable—!”

Nicolas Cage whispered a low “Oh my God,” Jennifer Aniston squinted her eyes with laughter, Sarah Jessica Parker let out a sigh of relief, and Sharon Stone clapped mechanically in a daze, trying to understand what had just happened.

The judges chose youth! They chose to create a historic moment, the youngest Best Director in the history of the Golden Globe Awards!

“YES! YES——!” Everyone supporting Wang Yang on the couch jumped up excitedly, Natalie screamed, “Ah!” and the only sound left in the dormitory was her high-pitched voice. She excitedly exclaimed, “FUCK! Cool!” Joshua, Rachel, Annie-Darren… they all jumped and danced, and their joyful mood made them think only one thing, “Yang got the Best Director!”

Countless movie fans screamed wildly, Evelyn burst into tears, sobbing, “Yang… it’s Yang! The magical Yang got it, it’s Yang…!” Kelly Doyle held her hand and giggled happily, “You just made 500 bucks!” Evelyn’s joyful tears kept flowing as she laughed and cried, “Yeah, yeah!” Andrew, who was skeptical of the magical Yang, opened his mouth in astonishment, “Oh shit, a 23-year-old Golden Globe Best Director!”

“He’s 22!” Evelyn corrected again, choking with laughter, “His birthday isn’t until the 5th of next month, wow——!” Jeremy kept marveling, “That guy is insane, oh oh, insane! He’s only 5 years older than us? Oh my mom——” Evelyn corrected, “It’s 4 years!”

Young… A buzzing noise, and suddenly Wang Yang couldn’t hear anything, his brain went blank, damn it!

“Yang——!” Jessica’s face was filled with incredulous joy, and she couldn’t seem to speak, just kept calling out his name, “Yang…” Little Robert Downey Jr. laughed heartily, continuously clapping his hands, exclaiming with joy, “We all got it! We all got it!” Everyone around them stood up, Michelle, Charlize, and others were all smiling faces, “Congratulations! Oh, congratulations!”

Gradually, he could hear again. Wang Yang hugged Jessica tightly and gave her a heavy kiss on the forehead, which caused the audience to go even crazier with their shouting; he embraced each actor and creative from “District 9” one by one, solid hugs, heads of various departments… His nose suddenly tingled, his throat choked up, and his hands and feet clumsily headed towards the stage.

“Shh—— Shh!” As the magical Yang walked up to the award stage amidst applause on the screen, Evelyn raised her finger signaling her friends to be quiet. On stage, Wang Yang embraced Tom Hanks, then took the Golden Globe trophy from his hands.

“Magical Yang, congratulations to you, this is your stage,” Tom Hanks said with a smile and applause, as he walked to the side and handed the microphone to the awardee. Pressing down the emotions bubbling up inside him, Wang Yang smiled at him shakily, “Thank you, thank you!”

With the trophy in his hands, feeling so heavy, yet it made his heart skip erratically, Wang Yang looked down at the tables of people, black suits, and colorful evening gowns, familiar and unfamiliar faces… Even though he was used to grand occasions, Wang Yang was momentarily stunned, unable to organize his thoughts. He chuckled a few times, adjusting his breath and mood, and just when everyone was about to applaud again with laughter, he said, “Thank you, this is truly shocking.”

“I don’t know how many records I’ve broken standing on this podium, what history I’ve refreshed… age, science fiction movies, cult movies… none of that is important.”

He took a deep breath, slightly lifting the trophy in his hand, looking at the people from the tables of “District 9” and “The Hangover”; Jessica’s face was full of tender smiles, Downey was blinking his eyes while raising the Best Actor trophy… Wang Yang laughed out, “I’m happy, I’m excited, I’m saying ‘Hell, is this real!? Wow——’ and it’s for the following people. I don’t have Robert’s tales of hardship, just the quite corny task of reading off name after name.”

The guests below let out a light chuckle as the camera panned over to Martin Scorsese, who wore a benevolent smile that betrayed no signs of disappointment. Some stars smiled with genuine interest, while others maintained an indifferent calm.

“First of all, I’m really grateful to my dad, mom, grandpa… all my family. They will always be the people I love the most. Second, sorry Jessica, it’s actually Robert Downey Jr.” As he spoke, another round of light laughter rippled through the audience. Jessica stuck out her tongue in jest, and Downey Jr. grinned, his smile wide. Wang Yang continued with a laugh, “Yes, I really hit him hard that day. I have to say sorry, it wasn’t because I lost control of my emotions and it wasn’t to save you or anything.”

Hahahaha— The guests all burst into laughter, some even whistling in a teasing spirit. Downey Jr. rested his chin on his trophy with an expression of resignation. Wang Yang laughed and said, “But the outcome was effective for you, which is great. I’m proud of you, and I believe a lot of people are proud of you! Thank you for your brilliant performance and the support just now; and then there’s Jessica, I love you. The rest is too cheesy, we’ll talk privately.”

Once again a wave of laughter rose in the hall. Jessica, feeling his burning gaze, slightly bared her teeth in a grin, her whole being filled with the urge to run over and hug him, that one sentence was enough!

“Next, to everyone who worked hard on this film, Wale Fiest, you shot it beautifully; Stephen Cauley, Gordon Chin; Sean Walsh, you and your team scared many children to tears with the Prawn people…” Wang Yang thanked a long list of cast and crew from “District 9,” all of whom had worked together to create the movie and propel him and Downey Jr. onto the award stage.

He then looked towards the camera and said with a smile, “And my friends, I know you’re all watching, so I won’t list all the names; I can’t forget my fans, the fans of ‘District 9,’ you are truly wonderful. Watch my blog for detailed thoughts—this is not an advertisement!”

Amid the laughter of everyone below, Wang Yang looked down at the trophy in his hand then lifted it up, smiling and said, “Finally, I must thank the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, they gave up five Best Directors to choose this Super 8 kid. That’s the most incredible part of this whole thing, thank you!” The hall erupted in thunderous applause, and the nominees all clapped with smiles.

“I love movies because they always manage to give something to others—thoughts, laughter, tears… and faith in life.” Wang Yang said, turning his head to look at Tom Hanks standing close by and laughed, “And so I must also thank a woman, a beautiful woman full of philosophical wisdom, Mrs. Gump! She said…” he intoned solemnly: “Forrest, buddies, life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get.”

Watching him look so serious yet so comical, nearly every guest below burst into laughter, followed by an echoing wave of applause; Tom Hanks also clapped with a Gump-like silly smile. Wang Yang said “Thank you!” with a laugh, glanced at the overjoyed Jessica, and then walked with “Gump” towards the backstage area.

※※

PS: I’m begging for monthly tickets, recommendation tickets, 8600 words, I’m utterly exhausted, and I can’t say anything else. If you guys are happy, just smash those votes, thank you!