Bomb!

The entire star-awarding ceremony roiled like a furnace, applause and cheers weaving into a deafening wave of sound.

Depp's gunpowder-laced opening remarks had been like a fuse, completely igniting the crowd's frenzy.

The big-name stars in the guest viewing area smiled and applauded. Tom Cruise leaned toward Tom Hanks and whispered:

"Depp, that guy—I thought he'd taken the wrong medicine today. Turns out he's using himself as a stepping stone to make Lin Yuan look good."

"But he isn't wrong." Tom Hanks's gaze followed the slender figure on the stage, his voice carrying a rare trace of envy. "Working with Lin Yuan can turn an acting career into something legendary. Honestly, I want to hug his thigh and beg for a role."

Tom Cruise burst out laughing, crow's-feet appearing at the corners of his eyes. "Save it, old friend. Even a beauty like Anne Hathaway couldn't monopolize his screen time. Now hasn't she been replaced by Charlize Theron?"

He paused, then suddenly sighed. "Arrogant as this may sound—before Lin Yuan appeared, I was usually the one the whole world envied. But now? When I look at him, it's like looking at a peak I'll never be able to climb."

Not a word of their conversation escaped Kim Taeyeon's ears.

She pursed her lips, a strange sense of pride swelling in her chest, as though Lin Yuan's glory had become her own.

Her seat happened to be at the edge of Viewing Area A—three steps to her left stood a top-tier star like Cruise, while to her right was already a boiling sea of fans.

There were simply too many heavyweight guests today. Even a superstar like Tom Cruise couldn't squeeze into the core area. It was already a rare privilege for them to secure seats in the viewing area, and