84: Chapter 84: Six AMA Nominations

Chen Mo returned from the gym just as the sky was beginning to brighten. He had his sweatshirt sleeves rolled up to his forearms, and his hair, though washed, was still wet.

He tossed his keys into the tray by the door and opened the fridge to grab a bottle of mineral water. The moment he twisted the cap, the phone in his pocket started vibrating.

"Scott."

There were only two words on the other end: "It's started."

Chen Mo set the water bottle on the coffee table and picked up the remote to turn on the TV.

The special program announcing the American Music Awards nominations was being broadcast live. On screen, two hosts stood in front of a rotating AMA trophy sculpture, with a large screen behind them displaying the scrolling list of nominees.

He leaned against the sofa armrest, the bottle cap still clutched in his other hand.

"Artist of the Year." The female host opened the envelope, glanced at it against the light, and said, "Chen Mo, Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, The Weeknd, Adele."

His own name was listed alongside those four.

Chen Mo's hand, which was twisting the cap, paused for a beat, then continued, and he took a sip of water.

The male host continued reading: "Favorite Pop Male Artist: Chen Mo, Justin Bieber, Ed Sheeran, The Weeknd."

The female host spoke faster than the male host.

"Favorite Pop Album: 《Epiphany》, Taylor Swift 《1989》, Ed Sheeran 《x》, The Weeknd 《Beauty Behind the Madness》."

The nomination list flipped page by page on the TV screen: Best New Artist, Favorite Social Media Artist, Video of the Year.

Chen Mo sat quietly on the sofa, watching his name being read out one by one.

The only sounds in the living room were the TV and the occasional sound of traffic from outside the window.

Scott was still on the line, saying, "Six nominations."

There was an excitement in his voice that had been suppressed for a long time and could finally be released.

"A historical record for a Chinese singer in mainstream American awards. Did your dad cry yet?"

Chen Mo said he didn't know, sounding very calm.

"You could at least pretend to be excited."

"Excitement is for the audience." Chen Mo placed the mineral water bottle on the coffee table; the water inside sloshed, "I'll save it."

After hanging up, he sent a WeChat message to his mother: "Mom, watch the news."

His mother replied almost instantly: "I saw it!! Your dad has been pacing back and forth in the living room not knowing what to say, and finally blurted out, 'This kid's not bad.' He's secretly crying, don't let me tell you."

His mother added another message: "Have you eaten breakfast?"

Chen Mo leaned back on the sofa and typed a few words: "I have, bought it on the way back from the gym."

Ed's messages popped up right after, three in a row.

The first was a screenshot of the TV, with the line for Artist of the Year in the American Music Awards nomination list circled in red.

The second was a voice note. Chen Mo tapped it open; there was an Orange Cat meowing in the background.

"Six nominations? Are you serious? I have three! You're double me, are you trying to make me die of jealousy?"

The third was text: "The Orange Cat says it doesn't care, but when it stepped on the keyboard this morning, it played a C Major. It says it doesn't care, but its body is very honest."

Chen Mo was amused by the phrase "body is very honest" and replied: "One of your three overlaps with mine. As for treating me to a meal, let's talk after the awards ceremony."

Ed replied instantly: "Whoever loses pays."

"You pay. You owe me a pizza from when we played soccer last time, and you still haven't made good on it."

Ed replied with a long string of cat emojis, and Chen Mo replied with a soccer ball.

Taylor's call came in five minutes later. Chen Mo answered, and there was piano music on the other end.

"Are you playing the piano?"

"Writing a song, got interrupted by the nominations halfway through." Taylor's voice held a smile. "Artist of the Year, both of us nominated at the same time. Guess who will win?"

She paused, her tone full of laughter: "You don't want to win?"

"I do, but this year you deserve it." Chen Mo stood up from the sofa and walked to the kitchen counter, placing the mineral water bottle into the sink.

"《1989》 sold over ten million copies, the tour went from Tokyo to New York, sold out every show. You should win this year, next year is mine."

There was silence on the other end for two seconds, then she said: "You know, you are the most clear-headed twenty-year-old I've ever met."

"Because I've experienced worse." Chen Mo leaned against the fridge. Morning light leaked through the gaps in the blinds, landing on the cuffs of his sweatshirt. "Where is your next tour stop?"

"Chicago, the day after tomorrow. What about you? Any plans before awards season?"

"Recording songs. I need to finish polishing a few demos before the end of the year. Scott also wants me to fly to New York to meet a few producers; possibly discussing a movie theme song." He paused, "Luc came to find me a while ago, and James asked me to dinner, saying he's working on a new film recently."

"James Mangold?" There was a trace of surprise in Taylor's voice. "His last film grossed hundreds of millions worldwide, and he wants you to write the theme song?"

"Not decided yet. He said he wanted to chat and hear my thoughts." Chen Mo adjusted the blinds upward, and the shadows of the palm trees outside stretched long in the morning light.

"Are you interested in a cameo? He said there's a role that suits you quite well. A few lines, just play yourself."

Taylor laughed: "Let me play myself? That's harder than writing a song."

"You played yourself quite well in the 《Friends》 reunion special last time."

"That was a reunion special, not a movie."

"Close enough."

Taylor laughed on the other end, and the background piano music disappeared, likely because she had closed the lid.

"What's your schedule for the next few days?"

Chen Mo thought for a moment and said: "Thursday I have a game with Sean, weekend I'm playing soccer with Ed—he lost last time and isn't convinced, wants another match—Monday I'm seeing James. In between, I'll find time to finish editing a few demos; one of them has been stuck for almost a week."

Taylor listened to him finish and was silent for a beat, then asked curiously: "What key is that bridge you've been stuck on for a week?"

"E-flat."

"E-flat again? 《Asgard》 was also E-flat last time. Does E-flat have a grudge against you?"

"It's not a grudge, it's just too dark. When it's dark to the bottom, how to make it bright—I haven't found that yet."

Taylor didn't respond, and after a moment said something that surprised Chen Mo: "Last time in Tribeca, you told me that morning and night are different. Night is a farewell, morning is a plea that hasn't been spoken yet. What key is the morning one?"

Chen Mo leaned against the fridge. The morning light had already covered the entire kitchen. The stainless steel in the sink reflected the light, and the shadow of the blinds lay across the cabinet countertop.

"C Major."

Taylor laughed softly, and one could hear the playfulness through the phone.

"C Major, the brightest key. You found it."

The two chatted a bit more about the tour.

Taylor said she hadn't been to the venue in Chicago yet, heard the wind was very strong, and the stage construction crew had gone over two days early, adding several wind-proofing measures.

Chen Mo said he had been to Chicago to shoot an MV, the wind was indeed strong, but it wasn't cold.

Taylor asked why it wasn't cold, and Chen Mo said because the wind blew over from Lake Michigan, carrying moisture.

Taylor thought for a moment and said, wind with moisture, that's different from the wind in Los Angeles.

"The wind in Los Angeles is dry," Chen Mo said, "It feels like sandpaper when it blows on your face."

Taylor added a very soft sentence: "Then you need a bit of moisture."

After hanging up, Chen Mo stood by the kitchen counter for a while, then picked up his phone and sent a text to Sean.

"Playing on Thursday, same place. Is your knee better?"

Sean replied instantly: "Better, I'm bringing knee pads this time."

Chen Mo replied: "You said you'd bring knee pads last time too."

Sean replied: "Forgot last time, really bringing them this time."

Chen Mo replied with a cat emoji.