"Chen Fei'er!"
The cheers from the crowd surged to a roar. Support signs bearing Chen Fei'er's name were raised high, casting a pink glow over the eager young faces below.
These were Chen Fei'er's die-hard fans. They had arrived at the plaza outside the National Centre for the Performing Arts hours earlier, waiting patiently for this exact moment.
Amid deafening waves of applause, Chen Fei'er stepped out of the VIP car wearing Chanel's latest evening gown. Two camera operators tracked her every step as she walked hand in hand with Lu Chen onto the red carpet.
The scene was beamed instantly through the livestream feed to television screens and mobile devices across the country. Hundreds of millions of viewers tuned in, and fans of both stars were ecstatic.
Seeing Lu Chen and Chen Fei'er holding hands on camera had become a familiar sight, one everyone knew they would be seeing plenty more of in the future.
Hand in hand, the pair strolled down the long red carpet as reporters along the barricades frantically clicked their shutters to capture the moment.
Lu Chen wore a custom Armani suit. Its sharp tailoring and premium fabric accentuated his height and dashing frame. With his long legs and confident stride, he looked as though he were walking a fashion week runway.
Chen Fei'er's simple white sleeveless gown complemented him seamlessly. The subtly exposed shoulders of pop music's hottest Heavenly Queen added an elegant, captivating touch, leaving the photographers feeling as though no amount of storage space would ever be enough.
Among the guests attending the Global Chinese Music Awards, Lu Chen and Chen Fei'er were not necessarily the most senior legends present.
However, they were undeniably the couple commanding the most spotlight.
Together, they made their way to the signature wall, where a presenter handed them markers. Lu Chen and Chen Fei'er signed their names before posing for photos and writing a short message.
As they stepped away from the signing area, a CCTV reporter approached, her camera crew immediately locking onto them.
The host smiled and asked, "Mr. Lu Chen, Miss Chen Fei'er, how many awards are you planning to take home tonight? Have you thought about it?"
Lu Chen and Chen Fei'er exchanged a warm smile.
They had been asked this question endlessly on their blogs. Between them, they held ten nominations across eight unique categories, with two overlapping. In theory, they could sweep as many as eight trophies.
Of course, that was completely unrealistic.
Lu Chen chuckled. "My goal is just one. As long as I don't go home empty-handed, I'll be happy."
Chen Fei'er offered a soft smile. "Same here."
The reporter laughed. "You two really are the golden couple of the music scene, even thinking alike and staying so modest! Your scores in the online media polls are through the roof."
She then asked, "If you could only pick one award to win, which would it be?"
That was a trickier question.
"That depends on the judges," Lu Chen replied with a smile. "It's not up to me, but personally, I'd hope for Best Male Singer."
The Global Chinese Music Awards featured twenty-four categories, and Best Male Singer was easily one of the night's crown jewels.
Modesty was important, but overdoing it would sound fake. If Lu Chen had to pick one from his six nominations, Best Male Singer was the title he wanted most.
And he had every right to be confident.
Looking back at the entire year in Chinese pop music, Lu Chen had been one of the most dominant male artists of 2016.
Following the release of his second album, 'Ordinary Road', sales had exploded, and its critical acclaim had even outstripped the previous year's 'You Who Sat Next to Me'. The project had solidified his unique place in the industry and firmly cemented his status among top-tier artists.
If 'You Who Sat Next to Me' was the album that put him on the map, 'Ordinary Road' was the masterpiece that built his legacy.
His work had even forced the Original Sound Chart to revise its rules. Winning Best Male Singer of the Year would be entirely deserved.
Granted, at an event of this caliber, many factors went into deciding a winner: talent, popularity, critical standing, luck, and industry relationships.
Still, in Lu Chen's heart, Best Male Singer would be the ultimate validation of his journey.
"What about you, Miss Chen Fei'er?" The reporter turned her microphone toward her. "Which one would you choose?"
Chen Fei'er glanced at Lu Chen and smiled. "Best Female Singer."
Lu Chen had picked Best Male Singer, so she chose Best Female Singer, a response that was unexpected, yet made complete sense.
If Lu Chen had a strong case for Best Male Singer, then Best Female Singer was practically tailor-made for Chen Fei'er. No female artist in 2016 had been more dazzling or successful.
Her album 'Flower Woman' had sold between five and six million copies, breaking a decade-long music industry sales record.
That unprecedented success had firmly reinforced her standing as a Heavenly Queen.
More importantly, 'Flower Woman' marked a massive career breakthrough for Chen Fei'er, smoothly transitioning her from a sweet-pop icon into a powerhouse ballad vocalist and elevating her career to new heights.
In CCTV's official online poll, Chen Fei'er had gathered a staggering 78.49% of the vote for Best Female Singer, leaving the competition far behind.
While online polls didn't directly dictate the panel's decision, overwhelming public sentiment was something no judge could easily ignore.
"Then I wish you both the best of luck! I hope you bring home Best Male Singer and Best Female Singer," the reporter said warmly. "It would make for a wonderful chapter in the history of the Golden Melody Chart!"
"Thank you," Lu Chen and Chen Fei'er replied in unison.
If both of them actually took home the top vocal honors, it would instantly become one of the most iconic moments in the history of the awards.
Watching the livestream on their TVs, computers, tablets, and phones, fans were thoroughly fired up by the host's blessing.
Over in Lu Chen's Whale TV stream, the comment section exploded.
As usual, his channel was rebroadcasting the entire Global Chinese Music Awards ceremony. Even without Lu Chen hosting in person, the concurrent viewership had already crossed the one-million mark and was climbing fast.
Ever since his debut, this channel had served as the central hub for his fanbase. Many had followed him from his humble beginnings as an unknown streamer and remained loyal ever since, growing even more devoted with his success.
Immediately, the entire chat shifted its focus to one central debate: Best Male Singer and Best Female Singer.
---
(End of Chapter)
You can read ahead up to 60 chapters on my patreon https://www.patreon.com/darkshadow6395