Chapter 488: Strolling Out of the Award Lineup

Chapter 488: Strolling out a Star-Studded Award Lineup

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Chapter 487: Strolling out a Star-Studded Award Lineup—the chapter number was mistaken.

"Please, spare me. I am far too young to match your enduring vigor; pulling an all-nighter is truly something my body cannot bear!"

After Meng Fan voiced his complaint and saw that everything on his end was finally sorted out, he hurriedly slipped away to wander around.

The backstage of the Double Eleven Gala was teeming with celebrities. Meng Fan had encountered quite a few the last time, but upon stepping out of the dressing room tonight, even more stars crossed his path in a series of "chance encounters." Whether they were familiar acquaintances or complete strangers, they all stepped forward to greet him the moment they saw him emerge. Whatever their underlying motives—be it to ride his coattails, forge a connection, or simply out of genuine admiration and devotion—Meng Fan undeniably commanded a massive following within the entertainment circle.

Through casual banter, posing for photographs, and exchanging contact details, Meng Fan naturally extended invitations for future collaborations to several singers and actors, all pertaining to the realm of animation.

Nowadays, the animation market was gradually gaining momentum, and it was becoming increasingly common for renowned actors and singers to participate in its production, whether by performing opening theme songs or voicing specific characters.

Meng Fan's invitations did not feel abrupt in the slightest. This was particularly true for the singers, as word had long spread through the music industry that he had been actively scouting musicians for song commissions and anime theme performances at the recording sites of Mango TV and Blue Whale TV. Faced with such invitations, these vocalists were genuinely delighted, and those whose schedules permitted gladly accepted on the spot.

Meng Fan possessed immense popularity, and his manga enjoyed an equal measure of renown. Even the Shanhai Animation Studio he founded and the Anime Shanhai Awards he spearheaded boasted considerable public interest—having trended on the hot search charts multiple times. Performing a theme song or voicing a character for them were projects capable of boosting one's public profile, not to mention they were paid endeavors; as long as schedules allowed, there was absolutely no reason to decline.

Furthermore, Meng Fan brought up the upcoming awards ceremony for the Anime Shanhai Awards, inviting them to come and partake in the festivities whenever they found themselves free. For events of this nature, aside from a few exceptional circumstances, appearance fees were generally non-existent, covering only travel expenses—unless there was a specific performance scheduled, which would be negotiated separately, either through direct compensation or as a conditional clause attached to their initial song or voiceover contracts. Yet, most celebrities were more than willing to attend such functions for a simple reason: an event meant exposure.

With a single casual stroll through the star-studded backstage of the Double Eleven Gala, Meng Fan had effectively secured half of the celebrities required for both the red carpet and the live performances, achieving an efficiency that was nothing short of miraculous. When one carries prestige, the world naturally bends to accommodate them—a truth vividly illustrated by Meng Fan's current standing, as everyone gladly granted him face.

Of course, mutual respect is a two-way street, and Meng Fan graciously accepted most of the invitations extended to him by the other celebrities in return. These invitations primarily consisted of private gatherings and social functions rather than commercial engagements. After all, Meng Fan’s current appearance fee had been driven up to a staggering height, and even these prominent stars would not casually invite him unless absolutely necessary. There were exceptions, however, as such opportunities were exceedingly rare; everyone knew Meng Fan seldom accepted commercial gigs, and under normal circumstances, any invitation would likely be declined under the pretext of training or competitions. But now, in the spirit of mutual courtesy, since he had agreed to their requests, it would be unseemly for them to refuse his.

Meng Fan naturally did not refuse. Fortunately, the invitations were mostly for him to appear as a guest performer at their concerts. He cared little for the money, offering to guest star at their shows in exchange for their commitment to perform an animation theme song or sing at his awards ceremony down the road. In any case, those capable of inviting him to their concerts were inevitably big names, who happened to be the primary targets within the scope of his awards ceremony guest list.

Moreover, there remained a "Concert Killer" quest within his system that had yet to be completed. The current progress hovered near seven hundred, and he estimated that after participating in these events, he could easily grind it to one thousand to claim the reward. The tier-three reward offered a plus one to presence, camera presence, and vocal skills, alongside one thousand points, while the title rewards were far more bountiful: a plus ten to presence, a plus five to camera presence, and a plus five to vocal skills.

This title would prove immensely useful for Meng Fan, who was planning to release an album.

After Meng Fan concluded his stroll and returned, the celebrities gathered in small clusters to chat, invariably bringing up his name. Upon comparing notes, they realized he had been soliciting songs everywhere once again. Beyond finding it rather amusing, they could all discern that Meng Fan was pouring every ounce of his strength into elevating the animation industry.

Truth be told, they could not help but admire him.

Those present were all celebrated singers or actors, each holding a position of distinction within the industry, yet none of them would ever dare claim they intended to fix an entire sector. At most, they spoke of self-improvement or expressed hopes for the industry's prosperity, with only a select few taking concrete action toward that end.

For a single individual to propel an entire industry forward was simply too daunting a task!

What manner of person could achieve such a feat?

For instance, in the very Double Eleven event they were participating in, the big boss, Jack Ma, belonged to that rare breed who had single-handedly driven an industry forward. This required far more than mere courage; it demanded exceptional capability as well as destiny's favor.

Was Meng Fan such a person?

Upon closer reflection, the answer was undeniably affirmative.

He was a man of courage and a man of capability, and within the context of the rapidly expanding Chinese animation market, he was also a man blessed with destiny's favor.

Most of these individuals genuinely hoped for the true prosperity of the animation market, as a flourishing market meant an increasing abundance of high-quality, large-scale animated series and theatrical films, which naturally translated into more employment opportunities for them. Although animated series and films possessed their own specialized voice actors and vocalists, productions still favored inviting established singers and actors to participate, provided the budget was sufficient.

The Double Eleven Gala commenced precisely at eight-thirty on the evening of the tenth. Around ten-thirty, Shi Shiwu took the stage to perform an insert song from "Spirits Beneath the Earth." This was not requested by Meng Fan, but rather volunteered by Shi Shiwu himself. As a friend, his intention was solely to promote "Spirits Beneath the Earth" and the Shanhai Animation Studio, proving himself beyond reproach in the realm of friendship. It would have been absolutely perfect, had he not constantly forced Meng Fan to stay up all night gaming.

Following the conclusion of the song, Meng Fan took the stage to perform a duet with Shi Shiwu, singing the opening theme of "Spirits Beneath the Earth," of which Shi Shiwu was the original singer as well as the lyricist and composer.

The vocal prowess of the duo required no elaboration. One was a walking compact disc, while the other possessed an emotional resonance bolstered by the flawless pitch and vocal infection delivered by the system's assembly line. Complemented by their deep personal friendship, the performance displayed an impeccable chemistry despite a lack of formal rehearsals, as they were intimately familiar with the nuances of each other's voices. The resulting duet was nothing short of magnificent.

To say the live audience and the viewers before their television screens were stunned and ecstatic would be no exaggeration, though entranced remained a highly fitting description, followed closely by the word beautiful.

As the two concluded their performance, the host, Hua Shao, stepped onto the stage to detain them, inviting them to conduct a prize draw. The drawing they were responsible for was remarkably generous, consisting of the universally beloved clearing of shopping carts.

The method of participation involved shaking one's mobile phone, and miraculously, among the five individuals Meng Fan drew, one turned out to be Wu Tong.

Wu Tong had accompanied him to the venue to enjoy the festivities, joining the crowd in shaking her phone for amusement, never anticipating she would actually be selected!

One could not tell whether it was simply Wu Tong's exceptional luck, or if Meng Fan's luck attribute had exerted its influence.

(End of Chapter)