43: Chapter 43 Both Beauties Win Newcomer Award

The flashbulbs on both sides of the red carpet lit up like a sheet of light, and the bullet comments in the live stream had long since scrolled past the point of being visible.

"Xiao Xue's looks are incredible!"

"Bai Fengjiu is too ethereal!"

"Yang Mi still has that mature charm. A top-tier actress is a top-tier actress; her presence is so steady!"

"That's because the two young ladies are young and debuted later. Give them two more years, and they might not lose out!"

Netizens argued heatedly, but after Yang Mi, Bai Fengjiu, and Xiao Xue alighted from the car, the three of them stopped in unison and looked back toward the vehicle.

The entire venue instantly quieted down. Everyone knew the real protagonist was about to make an appearance.

"CEO Chen is coming out!"

"Holy crap, he looks incredibly handsome today!"

"He could clearly make a living off his looks, yet he insists on being the richest man!"

"Deng Chao and Hu Ge are handsome, sure, but standing next to CEO Chen, they just get crushed into looking like his sidekicks!"

"With the three beauties standing beside him, they look like mere foils. That aura is unmatched!"

Chen Mo was wearing a perfectly tailored haute couture suit, standing tall and straight. His features were sharp, making him look even more commanding than in his usual casual attire.

The moment he appeared, the surrounding celebrities who had been chatting and laughing subconsciously quieted down, their gazes sweeping toward him in unison.

Reporters clicked their shutters until their hands ached, and even artists who had already walked the red carpet couldn't help but turn back to look.

As soon as Chen Mo stepped onto the carpet, the female host immediately hurried over, her eyes sparkling, her voice tinged with excitement:

"CEO Chen, welcome to the Golden Eagle Awards ceremony! May I ask why you specifically came today?"

Chen Mo gave her a faint glance. The host was decent-looking, but her eyes were too superficial; it was clear she had been mingling in the industry for a long time. He wasn't interested in her in the slightest.

"Didn't you all send me the invitation?"

Chen Mo retorted flatly.

The host instantly froze, then forced an awkward laugh and quickly smoothed things over:

"Then, CEO Chen, do you have any thoughts or suggestions regarding our Golden Eagle Awards?"

"The suggestion is very simple."

Chen Mo's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly carried across the nearby area.

"Whoever acts well, directs well, or has a good script, give the award to them. Stop with all the pre-determined winners, favors, and attention-grabbing stunts."

The host's face turned pale. Who would dare respond to such a statement?

She could only steel herself and ask the last question:

"Then... then do you think you have a chance at Best Actor tonight?"

Chen Mo suddenly let out a light chuckle, his tone carrying a hint of casual dominance:

"Winning or not is irrelevant to me. But putting me side-by-side with other actors to compare is inherently not very fair."

He paused, then stated frankly and directly:

"I'm not saying you definitely have to give it to me, nor am I saying my acting is definitely the best, although that happens to be the fact. It's just that this award is optional for me, but for many of them, it's truly necessary."

When these words came out, the live stream instantly exploded:

"Hahaha, CEO Chen dares to speak his mind!"

"He's openly criticizing the fixed results, right?"

"For CEO Chen, the Best Actor award is just a piece of paper, but for others, it's a livelihood!"

"The organizers wanted to ride the hype wave, but CEO Chen publicly shut them down!"

"The key is that no one dares to refute him!"

The host no longer dared to ask anything more. She quickly offered a fawning smile, "Thank you, CEO Chen," and turned to interview someone else.

Chen Mo walked into the venue unconcerned, heading straight for the central main seat specially arranged by the organizers:

The table with the best view and the most honored position in the entire hall.

Yang Mi, Bai Fengjiu, and Xiao Xue followed closely behind, sitting down next to him.

Deng Chao, Hu Ge, and the rest of the cast and crew from the *diamond lover* production could only be seated at the adjacent tables. Even so, these were still seats that others would fight tooth and nail to obtain.

The live stream was flooded with comments again:

"One person rises, the whole group benefits!"

"An entertainment company boss sitting next to CEO Chen's table doesn't even dare to speak loudly!"

"They can only dominate within the industry; in front of CEO Chen, they are nothing!"

At their seats, Bai Fengjiu and Xiao Xue sat close together. The two young women were similar in age and from nearby hometowns, so they already had a good relationship privately.

At this moment, while no one was paying attention, they secretly exchanged messages on their phones, occasionally glancing at each other and suppressing smiles behind their lips.

They both knew clearly that neither of them could become Chen Mo's official girlfriend, but since Chen Mo was rich, generous, and protective, there was nothing for them to compete over between themselves. Sticking together was safer.

This scene, viewed by the masses in the live stream, drove them wild:

"The two beauties secretly interacting, I'm done for!"

"They definitely have a relationship with CEO Chen!"

"One endorses computers, the other endorses phones, and they stay by CEO Chen's side every day. How could there be nothing going on?"

"If I were CEO Chen, I couldn't resist either!"

"Being a star is so tiring. Isn't it better to follow CEO Chen and be a rich woman?"

"CEO Chen isn't married. What's wrong with having a few girlfriends?"

Despite the discussion, the awards ceremony soon officially began.

The initial awards presented were for minor categories like Best Lighting, Cinematography, Script, and Supporting Actor. Viewers in the live stream were dozing off, and the bullet comments were sparse.

It wasn't until the host walked onto the stage, picked up an envelope, and raised his voice by an octave:

"Next, we will present: The Golden Eagle Award for Best Newcomer!"

The live stream instantly revived to full power.

"Here it comes! The main event!"

"Bai Fengjiu versus Xiao Xue—who will it go to?"

"It definitely has to go to one of them, otherwise, where will CEO Chen save face?"

"They didn't give an award to *diamond lover* earlier, so the Best Actor award must be CEO Chen's. They have to arrange at least one Newcomer Award for his people!"

Everyone stared at the stage, and even many celebrities and directors in the venue quietly glanced toward Chen Mo's table.

The host opened the envelope, deliberately pausing for two seconds to build suspense, then announced loudly:

"The recipients of this year's Golden Eagle Award for Best Newcomer are—Bai Fengjiu, from *diamond lover*! And—Xiao Xue, from *The Mark of Heaven*!"

A double win!

The entire venue was momentarily stunned, and the next second, applause thundered. The live stream was instantly flooded with '666':

"The organizers are so clever! Giving it to both, they offend no one!"

"It's clearly pandering to CEO Chen!"

"One is someone close to CEO Chen, the other is CEO Chen's endorser. Everything is arranged perfectly!"

"As long as CEO Chen is happy, the Golden Eagle Awards can sacrifice its reputation!"

Bai Fengjiu and Xiao Xue were both surprised and delighted. They exchanged a look and saw excitement in each other's eyes.

The two girls stood up, adjusted their skirts, and prepared to go onstage to receive their awards. As they passed Chen Mo's side, they subconsciously glanced at him.

Chen Mo nodded slightly and said casually:

"Go on, accept your awards properly."

The two young women nodded and walked lightly onto the stage. The spotlight instantly hit them, one on the left and one on the right, stunning the entire audience.

In the audience, many entertainment company bosses and directors watched the composed Chen Mo at the main table with complex expressions.

The entire Golden Eagle Awards, from the red carpet to the prizes, revolved entirely around him.