At the Golden Melody Awards ceremony, all the nominees and audience members were just as nervous.
This year's Golden Melody Awards almost became a personal show for Yeh Tsang. Yeh Tsang kept going on stage to accept awards, and later he stopped giving an acceptance speech altogether, instead saying in a very cheeky way, "I might come up again later, so I'll say it all then."
However, he certainly had the right to say that, after all, compared to other singers who received no awards, the string of golden trophies next to Ye Cang was truly enviable.
As the list of nominees for Best Song was displayed on the big screen, Ye Cang's "Long Night" was prominently featured.
The award presenter, Fang Zhilan, the executive vice president of the music association and the dean of the Zhongjing Conservatory of Music, slowly walked onto the stage with an envelope in his hand, and almost everyone stared at the envelope in his hand.
For the candidates, this is their last chance tonight, and for Yeh Tsang, it will determine whether he can become the first singer to win a grand slam at the Golden Melody Awards as a newcomer.
All the media and the audience were watching Fang Zhilan intently, eagerly awaiting the biggest suspense.
In contrast, Ye Cang's reaction was very calm. He was long past the age of needing awards to prove himself. It would be good if he could win one, but it wouldn't be a big deal for him if he couldn't.
On the contrary, Li Zihang next to him looked much more nervous.
Ye Cang also comforted him: "Relax, it's not a big deal."
Li Zihang: "..."
Li Zihang said helplessly, "Can't you act a little more nervous? At least give us runners a little respect, okay? Otherwise, I'm afraid I'll get so jealous that I'll beat you up."
Ye Cang: "Young man, don't be so short-tempered. You're actually already very good."
Li Zihang rolled his eyes: "What's so good about it?"
Ye Cang: "Although you didn't win the award, at least you didn't make a bet with me, right?"
Sitting behind the two, Fang Jiqing, who had neither won the prize nor made a bet with Ye Cang, was speechless.
Fang Jiqing felt that if they weren't under the spotlight, he would strangle that bastard Ye Cang on the spot.
At this moment, Fang Zhilan stood in the center of the stage, opened the envelope, and upon seeing the name on it, a faint smile seemed to appear on his face.
He did not immediately announce the winner, but spoke into the microphone: "I know everyone is eager to see the name in this envelope, but I have to keep you in suspense for now, and I hope you don't mind."
His words eased the tense atmosphere slightly, and many people even laughed out loud.
Fang Zhilan said, "In the blink of an eye, the Golden Melody Awards have been established for 26 years. Every year, we select songs from thousands of new songs that we believe are excellent and can change the status quo of Chinese music. Many times, I see people complaining that the Best Song award is not chosen from the popular songs of the year, but from those niche and obscure songs that no one can understand."
"But in my opinion, being niche and unpopular is not their fault. Every song we selected has its own unique musical charm, innovative musical forms, brilliant arrangements, and amazing musical structures. They have taken that difficult first step, and we hope they will become pioneers and take Chinese music further."
Fang Zhilan spoke slowly, which not only made everyone present thoughtful, but also made the viewers in front of the television and the Internet ponder.
Then, Fang Zhilan changed the subject: "Of course, I still have some regrets. Why is it that the best song of the year is always an underdog, and there isn't a single hit song? Fortunately, today, my regret has finally been filled."
When Fang Zhilan said those words, everyone's eyes turned to Ye Cang.
Ye Cang also looked up as if he had sensed something.
Fang Zhilan opened the envelope and announced loudly, "Now, I announce that the winner of the 26th Golden Melody Awards for Best Song is 'Long Night,' congratulations to Ye Cang!"
Unable to contain his excitement, Li Zihang hugged Ye Cang tightly and patted him hard on the back.
A thunderous applause erupted from the audience, and many fans cried out Ye Cang's name from below the stage.
As Ye Cang stepped onto the stage, he was filled with mixed emotions.
Although he was indifferent to the awards, his heart was still surging with emotion after Fang Zhilan announced that "Long Night" had won the Best Song award, and he could hardly contain himself.
Ye Cang walked onto the stage and received the trophy from Fang Zhilan. For a moment, his mind went blank.
Everyone assumed that he was excited because he was a newcomer who had achieved such results.
However, Ye Cang understood that what he cared about was not the results, but that he had persevered in the boundless darkness for thirty years and finally returned to the stage. He had walked this path for far too long.
He suddenly missed Shen Huai very much and wished that he could stand by his side so that he could share this honor with him.
He looked down at the audience and began to speak.
"This should be the last time I stand on the podium tonight."
As soon as he said that, the audience burst into laughter, and many even booed. Ye Cang had a very fruitful night, which made those of them who had only made it to the bottom feel really bitter.
Ye Cang didn't mind and continued, "I'm very grateful to the expert panel for their recognition, and I'm honored to receive this award. I've always believed that music is a very profound subject, and those pioneers who explored music are all worthy of respect, while the creators who seriously wrote songs are one of humanity's most precious treasures."
“I am probably one of the luckiest people in this group. The success of ‘Rebirth’ is not just due to my efforts alone, but also to the hard work of many behind-the-scenes creators. Therefore, I will donate 10% of the sales revenue from ‘Rebirth’ album to the training of original singers.”
His words caused an uproar in the audience, and even Fang Zhilan, who was waiting by the stage, was shocked.
This is no small sum. The sales of "Rebirth" have already exceeded 50 million, and there will be a continuous stream of revenue. Ye Cang's decision to donate 10% of that amount shows remarkable courage.
Some people were initially envious, but now they only feel admiration.
Although some people still say he's foolish for spending money to cultivate his own rivals, this is ultimately only a small minority.
Shen Huai, sitting in the audience, looked intently at Ye Cang. He knew that Ye Cang wasn't putting on a show or being pretentious; he genuinely hoped that more and better original music could emerge.
This quality is no less than his talent.
After dropping this bombshell, Ye Cang added one more sentence before stepping down from the stage.
"By the way, I hope that when my agent and I come again next time, my opponents will be a bit stronger. Thank you."
Everyone: "!!!"
What a waste of my time! That kid is just asking for it!