Zhu Lan always considered herself amiable, having successfully persuaded young ones like Shu Miao within half an hour. However, the situation now was drastically different.

Due to the reactions of these few individuals, she opened her mouth to speak but ended up saying nothing, feeling that persuasion was futile.

Then, Li Chu spoke up, “Director Sheng, I know what you want us to do—you want us to star in your drama.”

Director Sheng smiled and nodded, “Yes, yes.”

“But we have an agent. We don’t just accept resources on our own,” added Ji Mowei, standing next to him. “You should discuss this with President Su. We all listen to him.”

There are no fools in this industry; good resources do not just fall into one’s lap.

Director Sheng had already discussed this with Su Ning, receiving nothing but a blunt refusal. He had hoped to manipulate the artists directly, but to no avail.

Qu Shoubai promptly led the group away, saying, “Sorry, since everything has been said, it’s time for us to go back.”

The seven of them, though very polite, were even more resolute than Su Ning.

Having been repeatedly slighted, Director Sheng, failing even with direct artist engagement, watched them leave with a darkened expression, cursing, “All of them… ungrateful!”

The industry respected the Shen family, but Shen Mingzheng was not yet the head of the family. Moreover, he was absent now, and Su Ning’s Guang Ying Entertainment had just begun to turn its fortunes, relying solely on Glory. What was the need for such stubbornness?

At this moment, Su Ning, seeing that the seven had not returned, grew suspicious. He first sent his assistant to look for them and was about to leave himself when Zhu Lan appeared, urging him to stay seated.

“It’s fine,” she said, “they’re coming out.”

Indeed, following her words, Glory, who had just performed, emerged from the passage and returned to their seats to continue watching the ceremony.

But noticing the timing and Zhu Lan’s expression, Su Ning deduced, “Director Sheng approached them privately, didn’t he?”

Always on the prowl, never missing a chance.

Zhu Lan did not deny it, nodding and then looking intently at Su Ning, “Aren’t you worried, President Su?”

“I know Li Chu and the others wouldn’t agree lightly,” Su Ning replied. “They have discernment.”

Hearing this, Zhu Lan sighed.

“You, Mingzheng, and them are all young,” she said. “Producing successful works in this circle isn’t that simple. Where are all these good scripts coming from? Sometimes you have to make do with the mediocre ones.”

“Not to mention your palace drama without Yue Dong’s help, you’re losing half the battle right from the start. That’s a loss at the starting line.”

“President Su, do you know how many palace dramas are scheduled to start in the first half of this year? There are four. ‘The Ambitious Family,’ despite not being the most famous source material, has the visibility, talent, and platform that others lack,” she continued. “Of course, you and Mingzheng have money to invest, but committing to a major drama now is disadvantageous for both of you within the Shen family.”

The path to becoming an heir leaves no room for failure.

Zhu Lan was not an heir-apparent herself. She maintained her position and connections regardless of who headed the Shen family.

Su Ning knew her advice came from experience and genuine concern, but his philosophy was different.

“The broadcasting platform is indeed important,” Su Ning said. “I tried, and if it didn’t work out, so be it. But the outcome of the drama, the audience has eyes. When the work is released, they will judge for themselves.”

Zhu Lan sighed, “Not necessarily.”

She had seen too many idealists come to harm. Initially, she thought Su Ning was pragmatic, but at his core, he was an idealist.

“I know you don’t want to sacrifice others for your drama,” she finally said, “but President Su, this choice might not be the best for them. This is your last chance to reconsider.”

Su Ning turned to look at her.

After being refused twice, Zhu Lan’s words made it clear that cooperation with Yue Dong was off the table. Offending people was inevitable, but in such a vast industry, not everyone could maintain relationships through smooth diplomacy.

People like Director Sheng were impossible to work with.

Some collaborations could be negotiated, others were fundamentally flawed from the start.

If it was just this partnership that was lost, Su Ning could accept that. But Zhu Lan’s words suggested deeper implications.

The awards tonight…

The Audience Choice Awards had always held considerable authority within the circle.

Su Ning had researched this award. It wasn’t a minor recognition but had official backing. The award calculations were based on a fixed formula, consistently fair, with a jury comprised of well-respected industry figures.

The implication that working with Yue Dong might cost them an award, despite his vast experience, Su Ning was reluctant to believe they would dare go so far.

Would Yue Dong manipulate the award outcomes on the spot?

Su Ning asked, “Would he really dare?”

“I hope not,” Zhu Lan replied. “But, President Su, you still have a choice.”

She held her phone, showing an ongoing call.

As the moment to announce the Best New Male Group approached, the award for female groups was announced first. It was given to “Starlight Girls,” a group that had debuted a few years ago.

Predictably, the group from a small company stood out, with one main dancer and her backup dancers.

The center position, Tang Lulu, was the most popular, wearing a high-end domestic brand gown with a voluminous skirt and a sparkling tiara, while the others, although also in gowns, were visibly less impressive, just slightly fancier and longer dresses.

And during the acceptance speech, Tang Lulu dominated the conversation, barely leaving a few sentences for the others. She didn’t mention her company much but expressed particular gratitude to Yue Dong Video.

“Thank you for the platform’s recognition and the many opportunities,” she said. “I’m very excited to receive this award, I didn’t let everyone down…”

Li Chu, watching from his seat, knew this group well. This treatment disparity wasn’t due to company favoritism; this group was a classic case of being pulled by a single member.

Tang Lulu’s fans accounted for over 90% of the group’s following. The newcomer award was nominally for the group, but in reality, it was for her alone—she was the only one truly popular.

That night, the brand sponsored only her dress and jewelry. If her treatment equaled the other members’, the fans supporting the small company and the group would definitely disagree.

The small company lacked the resources to balance the support among members, thus passively accepting the situation. Despite the apparent disparity, there was no alternative.

Everyone knew Tang Lulu’s popularity wasn’t just due to her looks and talent; a significant factor was her acting.

She had risen to fame through an idol drama produced by Zhu Lan and launched by Yue Dong.

She was fortunate. Although the idol drama was somewhat juvenile, it was indeed sweet and comparatively high-quality. Her performance was well-received, embodying youthful, bubbly charm, and she quickly became popular.

In this industry, luck plays a big role in success, and she had seized her opportunity.

Soon after Tang Lulu finished speaking, the group moved aside, and Liang Xiaoliang returned to announce the Best New Male Group.

Su Ning sat there, knowing the intentions behind tonight’s events.

Yue Dong wasn’t focused on discussing “The Ambitious Family” all along; their target had always been the most popular, Glory. Whether they would win depended on Su Ning’s decision.

This wasn’t about the audience’s choice but their manipulation.

Yet, as Zhu Lan watched, Su Ning still shook his head, “No.”

Zhu Lan sighed and hung up the phone.

Liang Xiaoliang was already on stage.

His own company had launched a new male group, but even he knew they couldn’t match the other’s dehydrated data. They were far behind, and although the previous votes were lacking, the jury votes and some key media data would still need to be added, but the chances were slim.

Before he even opened the envelope, he had assumed it would be Glory, giving a prelude, “This is a new group I particularly admire this year, you could say…”

Then, as he caught a glimpse of the half-visible name on the envelope, even a seasoned professional like him hesitated slightly, faltering.

But he quickly adjusted, continuing, “You could say every member is exceptionally talented and hardworking! Tonight’s Best New Male Group is—”

“ACE!”

It was Qilin’s group.

Not just Glory but many in the audience were taken aback.

Everyone had thought this award was a sure thing, but the large letters displayed on the big screen left no room for error, prompting applause.

The four members of ACE, sitting just behind Glory, were shocked upon hearing their name, standing up tentatively as if in disbelief. They couldn’t help but glance ahead at Glory’s seats, but Li Chu and Qu Shoubai quickly reacted. Despite the setback, they stood and hugged their fellow nominees in congratulations.

They had encountered each other a few times during performances, and Qu Shoubai was originally from Qilin, having gathered with them before, so the groups were quite familiar.

Regardless of the result, especially in such a setting, it was crucial to maintain decorum. With so many cameras pointed their way, it was essential not to show any inappropriate expressions.

Su Ning wasn’t just watching this unfold from his seat.

After finally rejecting Zhu Lan’s suggestion, he had left his seat to call his public relations department, instructing them to prepare and adjust their promotional strategies.

Even though this outcome was his choice, hearing it confirmed still made his heart sink.

Su Ning immediately looked over at Li Chu and the others. The seats for company bosses and stars were in different areas, and from a distance, he saw the forced smiles on the idols’ faces. In that moment, it was unclear whether he was more shocked by the platform’s brazen actions or more pained for them.

This was Glory’s first major award, and he knew the young idols had prepared extensively. The entire team had invested a lot of effort, especially Zhou Chunqing, who had spent days planning just the evening’s makeup. The fans had high hopes, jokingly saying they were there to collect their award, but everyone was nervous.

But reality was harsh—they didn’t win.

In the idol industry, significant awards are few, with some ceremonies held only every two years, making this a heavy blow for the group.

They hadn’t anticipated this, not expecting such a nominal honor to be nothing more than a glorified transaction, which Su Ning had declined.

“The Audience Choice Award,” Zhu Lan murmured. “Who can truly say what the audience has chosen? I warned you about this.”

However, the ceremony continued, one award following another. But as soon as the result was announced, Glory’s fans on the internet couldn’t accept it.

“Isn’t this a fix?”

“Our votes and album sales are clear for all to see! How could we not win Best Newcomer?”

“How is this judged?!”

Many viewers also sensed something was amiss, but Yue Dong being criticized wasn’t new. Popularity isn’t quantifiable, and some comments were mockingly dismissive.

“Aren’t there other votes? Maybe the group just isn’t favored by the media and the jury.”

“Maybe the previous data was bought, just falsely inflated popularity.”

“The officials have spoken, saying according to the usual formula, ACE indeed won by a mere 0.02. As a Qilin group, they have an industry advantage. Fans shouldn’t complain; if you didn’t win, you just didn’t.”

Many people focus only on the outcome, not the process, and subconsciously trust the authority of Yue Dong.

As Zhu Lan said, do the viewers really know what they chose? If momentarily blinded, it’s hard to say.

After the ceremony, Su Ning and the others boarded their car, the whole team somewhat silent. He was the first to speak, taking responsibility, “Today’s issue was my fault.”

He had made the choice.

From that moment, Su Ning began to make amends.

He had many media collaborators, and with Glory’s data very public, the fans’ anger was understandable. Many bloggers spoke up for fairness. Yue Dong might be powerful, but they couldn’t control everything.

Su Ning’s stance was firm, knowing the award evaluation was genuinely unfair, which somewhat turned public opinion.

Even if Li Chu and the others felt bad, they didn’t think he was wrong.

They had simply refused an unlikable and unsuitable collaboration. Upon reflection, the reasons were clear.

After calming down, Li Chu asked Su Ning’s assistant and learned that agreeing could have brought better benefits for the company, but Su Ning had chosen not to.

Qu Shoubai, checking his phone, pondered his words, thinking about how to comfort the fans with practical actions, then added, “We refused it ourselves. Let’s all bear it together; it’s just an award.”

Though they said this, the team couldn’t help feeling the impact.

Even as they followed Su Ning’s steps to remedy and shift the narrative, seeing many voices on the internet calling the situation unfair, the atmosphere was still somewhat tense.

At that moment, the bus carrying everyone hadn’t yet left the venue, stopping at the exit. Su Ning looked over to see Liang Xiaoliang waving, prompting the driver to stop and let him on. His first words were, “President Su, you must see, this wasn’t my doing!”

Su Ning, seeing his anxious demeanor, waved it off, “I know it wasn’t you.”

Liang Xiaoliang was bewildered by the result, and with the internet already in uproar, he was well-versed in the so-called calculation formulas. Yue Dong’s explanation was merely to fool the public; he recognized the oddity in this.

After hearing from Su Ning about the evening’s events, Liang Xiaoliang understood the situation.

“In the early years, when Yue Dong Video was still growing, they weren’t so arrogant. Now that they’ve grabbed market share and influence, they dare to do such things,” he exclaimed indignantly. “It’s good I came here to clarify; otherwise, it would look like creating discord!”

He had always had a stable cooperation with Su Ning, and it was fortunate he came to explain, or there might have been dissatisfaction on both sides.

Su Ning acknowledged, “I underestimated them.”

“Actually, in the initial years of these awards, it was okay,” Liang continued. “But situations always change. Sometimes, ‘authority’ is just a profitable signpost set up.”

The award that Glory didn’t win, ACE did, causing an uproar online, with some fans even criticizing the team. Seeing Su Ning’s calm demeanor and discussing how to collaborate with Qilin to handle the public relations aspect, both groups had been unprepared for this and had no reason to quarrel internally. They should unite against the external pressure and shift the narrative towards Yue Dong.

Liang Xiaoliang naturally agreed.

As he left the bus, he called out, “President Su, don’t let these people succeed! In our industry, it’s the works that speak. The audience might be blinded temporarily, but not forever!”

Liang was full of righteous fervor.

His intent to maintain the relationship with Su Ning at this time slightly eased the somewhat oppressive mood of the entire team.

They couldn’t doubt their own people because of this incident.

Afterward, Su Ning took them back to Xiangshan Garden Villa, presenting the team with the gifts he had prepared for after the award, which also soothed their spirits. He sent someone to communicate with the fans’ support group, and by late at night, the situation on social media had largely improved.

The team had activities the next day and needed to adjust their mood to continue working normally. They comforted each other that things in this industry were never smooth sailing.

Because Su Ning stood firm, the rest managed to control their emotions after the incident.

When he finally got home late, he didn’t go to sleep but sat on the sofa.

The more Su Ning progressed, the more he felt the difficulty and challenges involved. This wasn’t his first experience with such matters, but the fatigue was undeniable.

—Awards, especially authoritative ones, supposedly represented industry standards. If even these basic rules could be arbitrarily changed, the industry was more chaotic than Su Ning had imagined.

Zhu Lan was right; on the surface, Su Ning appeared diplomatic, but at his core, he was an idealist with aspirations for the industry. Facing such incidents, he felt disillusioned with this corrupt circle.

In his previous life, he had encountered similar situations, not infrequently. Climbing up always involved various injustices, which Su Ning had managed urgently, dealing with public opinion, teams, fans, and more.

People’s memories are short; if the team handles this well, it will soon pass, and Glory will remain popular, unaffected in the long run. Awards, after all, are just icing on the cake.

But even after a hundred such experiences, he still felt profoundly disappointed.

Shen Mingzheng arrived by a late-night flight, getting home after 3 AM, thinking Su Ning would be asleep. The lights left on were a mutual habit for them.

He tiptoed in, changing his shoes and removing his coat halfway to the living room before pausing in surprise.

Because there was Su Ning, sitting on the sofa, wrapped in a blanket, his hair slightly disheveled. Shen Mingzheng called his name, and it seemed to take a moment for Su Ning to respond.

“Mingzheng,” he said. “That thing with Yue Dong fell through. Sorry… I’ve been thinking and just can’t sleep.”