AAMIBBSBY 1

In early January, the entire city was dyed with a white filter by the snow filling the sky, and the temperature plummeted. In a shabby and dilapidated tube-shaped¹A type of old, socialist-style housing in China characterized by long, dark corridors with single rooms opening off them, often with shared kitchens and bathrooms.  apartment building, bright yellow lights lit up in a bedroom. A pale, slender arm reached out from the thick cotton quilt and pressed down on the alarm clock.

“So sleepy…”

Suddenly, Xia Zhi sat up abruptly. Sporting a head of messy hair, he stared blankly at the white snow outside the window, his clear, ink-black eyes blinking.

He was going to be late again! He could already imagine the look of Li Bapi²Li Bapi / Skin-peeler Li (李扒皮 – Lǐ bā pí): “Bapi” means skin-peeler or flayer. It’s a derogatory nickname derived from a famous fictional evil landlord (Zhou Bapi), used to describe a cruel, exploitative, and stingy boss who “peels the skin” off their workers to squeeze out every penny. from the production crew deducting his wages. This would make things even worse for him, who was already poor and struggling!

Hurriedly putting on his clothes, he stood in front of his mother’s portrait to say good morning, and sprinted toward the production set.

The roads in the dilapidated neighborhood were uneven, and coupled with the slippery snowy weather, Xia Zhi walked very carefully. Who could have imagined that the current Xia Zhi was a wealthy young master whose ten fingers never touched the spring water³A poetic idiom used to describe someone from a wealthy or privileged background who has never had to do any manual labor or household chores (like washing clothes in cold water). years ago?

The Xia family was considered a somewhat famous wealthy family in the Beijing circle⁴This refers to the elite, interconnected social, business, and entertainment circles based in Beijing., engaged in the transportation industry, having just gone public a few years ago. Who knew that just as the Xia family ushered in its glory, his bastard father, Xia Huaishan, having an affair, resolutely threw a divorce agreement at his mother. It wasn’t until that day that his mother found out Xia Huaishan had an illegitimate son on the outside, who was only two years younger than Xia Zhi.

When it rains, it pours⁵Literally “a leaking roof happens to meet a night of endless rain.” A very famous idiom meaning bad things tend to happen at the same time.. While his parents’ divorce lawsuit was making a huge fuss, Xia Zhi, who was studying abroad, got into a car accident. Due to a severe head injury, his memories from his time studying abroad became blurry. By the time he was sent back to the country by the hospital, the mother and son had already been driven out to this dilapidated tube-shaped apartment building.

His mother’s health was already poor to begin with, and later she contracted a serious illness and passed away from a broken heart.

When studying abroad, Xia Zhi majored in acting and directing. After returning to the country, he originally wanted to work in this field, but unfortunately, the mistress’s son, Xia Mingxuan, had debuted in the entertainment industry early on, and his connections and resources were very good. He had warned the industry in advance, so much so that no one dared to hire Xia Zhi. 

His childhood friends blocked his contact information, and the social-climbing relatives sucked up to the mistress all day and ignored him. Xia Zhi survived alone with great difficulty in this city.

Forget it, forget it, cursing his dad and the mistress every day to have an unhappy life and be plagued by bad luck is enough!

Fortunately, Xia Zhi was willing to endure hardships. He temporarily found a job as an extra in the film and television city to make a living. 

Wait until he explodes in popularity in the future, then he will ruthlessly slap the faces of that bunch of scum!

However, right now, the fact that he was about to be late was the most pressing matter! 

He had also promised others yesterday to help bring breakfast. 

The heavens want him dead!

Panting as he ran to the film and television city⁶It’s a massive, specialized studio complex designed to replicate ancient, historical, or specific period scenes for filming., the vendors at the breakfast stalls lowered their heads to prepare ingredients while bantering with Xia Zhi. “How many people are you buying breakfast for today?”

Xia Zhi was a famous money-grubber in the entire film and television city. He could act up high, pull a cart down low, work part-time at the breakfast stall when he was free, and sell candied haws on the side. 

The key was that he looked the part no matter what he did.

“For five or six people. Auntie Wang, jellied tofu, deep-fried dough sticks, and egg-filled pancakes, please make it quick.” Xia Zhi panted heavily, a hint of a smile hanging in his beautiful eyes. “Put extra veggies and sauce.”

Auntie Wang smiled amiably, hurriedly giving Xia Zhi full portions for the breakfast, and even secretly slipped in a sausage. Give him a little more, who told this child to look so endearing.

This film and television city was built by a wealthy capital investor outside of Beijing. It had recently been completely renovated and had been in use for a month. It was said that it could accommodate up to fifteen production crews filming simultaneously.

Hurrying to the production set, Xia Zhi kept an egg-filled pancake for himself and distributed the rest of the breakfast to the other extras.

“Xiao Xia, I transferred the money to you, paying you a one-yuan errand fee.”

“Thanks, Xiao Xia. I pulled an all-nighter playing a corpse last night; your breakfast will save my life.”

Sitting on a small folding stool, Xia Zhi finally took off his scarf. Due to his vigorous running, his cheeks were dyed with a faint shade of red, similar to the color of his lips. 

The light snow on the eaves was blown down by the wind, falling onto his small and straight nose. As he slightly raised his deep, exquisite eyes, it seemed to crush the accumulated winter snow, looking exceptionally gentle.

Xia Zhi was very popular throughout the film and television city. This was thanks to him helping everyone bring breakfast every morning. Although they had to pay a one-yuan errand fee, it was super worth it!

“Zhizhi, here is the soy milk the crew just handed out.” Xiao Pang, who was also an extra, muttered while looking ahead, “Eat quickly, Xia Mingxuan and his people are coming in a bit.”

Xia Mingxuan—the mistress’s son, Xia Huaishan’s precious darling.

Xia Zhi puffed out his cheeks and narrowed his eyes. The soy milk was really sweet.

There was a lot of preparation work to do before shooting started. Extras like Xia Zhi would sometimes act as stand-ins for the main actors’ blocking, and could also earn a little extra money.

An hour after work started, the male lead, Xia Mingxuan, arrived late. Recently, he was arguably in the limelight like no other, having just won the Huachen Award for Best TV Actor. Although he was constantly mocked as a “Water Emperor⁷“Water” (水) is common internet slang for something that is inflated, fake, or lacking real substance. Because “Best Actor” is called “TV/Film Emperor” (影帝/视帝), a “Water Emperor” is an actor who wins the award undeservedly, usually through bought votes, a weak competition year, or heavy PR, rather than actual acting skills.” who got it through PR, there were still many sycophants flattering him.

At this moment, a bunch of people from the crew had already gone up to greet him with smiling faces and flattery. 

Xia Mingxuan was decent-looking. His phoenix eyes slanted slightly upward, hiding a bit of shrewdness beneath his exquisite makeup, giving him a look that said he was not to be trifled with. He was followed by more than ten assistants, an extremely grand entourage. News of him playing like a big shot on set often spread, making his father, Xia Huaishan, pay his PR fees.

Sitting in his exclusive resting area, Xia Mingxuan spotted Xia Zhi not far away at a glance, and a bit more disgust and disdain filled his eyes.

His manager followed cautiously by his side. “Breakfast first?”

Xia Mingxuan didn’t look sideways. “Seeing that cheap wretch, I’ve lost my appetite.”

The manager broke out in a cold sweat inwardly. He had to be extremely cautious to avoid displeasing Xia Mingxuan today.

As filming began, Xia Zhi changed into his costume and leaned against a pillar, holding a prop for the scene in his hand.

Perhaps related to his childhood love for fencing and playing the piano, Xia Zhi had an upright posture and a great temperament. Just standing there casually, he carried an innate elegance and noble aura, drawing many people to frequently look his way.

However, this temperament was broken in a second. Xia Zhi let out a yawn and gave the director a bright smile. “Don’t forget to settle the stand-in fee!”

Tacky as it might be, he just loved money!

Xia Mingxuan sneered and slowly said, “Some extras are just tacky, always talking about money every day. With your measly few cents of wages, no one is going to stiff you.”

Xia Zhi had sharp ears and smiled at him. “The big star is right, I am just tacky. However, people who embezzle other people’s property and use despicable means to climb the ranks are even tackier, wouldn’t you say? Or do you think what they do isn’t called tacky, but rather being shameless?”

Xia Mingxuan’s expression changed instantly. Staring at Xia Zhi with ill intent for a long while, he simply looked away.

Clenching his fists, just before filming started, he whispered to the director, “I see that the extra over there is very suitable for a role in the script, why not let him give it a try?”

The director had naturally also heard the melodramatic gossip of the wealthy Xia family, and had even heard about Xia Mingxuan warning people in the industry to blacklist Xia Zhi.

He asked hesitantly, “Sure, which role?”

Xia Mingxuan: “Wang Qing, who gets bitten to death by dogs in the snow while wearing women’s clothing.”

The director seemed hesitant. “…Um, Wang Qing is considered a supporting role with significant screen time, and has some scenes opposite you.”

Xia Mingxuan: “It doesn’t matter.”

Seeing Xia Zhi receive Wang Qing’s script, Xiao Pang frowned on the side. “Zhizhi’s acting skills are quite good. With that Water Emperor Xia’s acting, is he sure he isn’t afraid of losing face?”

Countering soldiers with generals and water with earth⁸A common idiom meaning to adopt flexible countermeasures depending on the situation; whatever the opponent throws at you, you find a way to block it., Xia Zhi knew Xia Mingxuan’s tricks. He didn’t back down; he politely took the clothes handed over by the staff and changed into them efficiently.

This movie was adapted from the stage play Searching for Plum Blossoms in the Snow. Xia Zhi really liked this play. In it, Wang Qing was considered a tragic character with only a few minutes of appearance, meant to satirize the darkness under the feudal system.

Standing in front of the camera, Xia Zhi straightened the hem of his skirt. Putting away his joking demeanor, his expression turned serious.

Although Wang Qing was a supporting character in this scene, if acted well, it would be extremely brilliant.

Xia Mingxuan, having changed his clothes, was standing right opposite, raising his head and looking at Xia Zhi with a hint of contempt.

He wasn’t sure about the other party’s acting skills, but he heard that his brain was damaged while studying acting abroad. He guessed it wouldn’t be much good, and crushing him would be a matter of minutes, not to mention he was playing a buffoon.

At the clapperboard loader’s shout to start filming, he widened his eyes and said in surprise, “Are you really going to make this kind of choice?”

The extras watching from the side held back their laughter. Xiao Pang quietly mocked. “Just this eye-staring acting⁹A common critique by Chinese netizens for actors (often “traffic stars”) who rely solely on widening their eyes to show shock, anger, or sadness instead of actually acting with emotion.? Where did he learn that?”

Xia Zhi had already entered the character. Slightly raising his dim gaze, he staggered two steps.

Suddenly, he looked up at the sky and laughed.

“How were you treated when you were born! How was I treated!” All of a sudden, his pupils flared with desperate anger, staring straight at Xia Mingxuan.

The helpless and angry low roar resounded through the sky above the set.

In an instant, everyone on the scene, including the extras, was slightly shocked. They didn’t expect Xia Zhi’s explosive power to be so strong.

Even the director’s gaze was drawn to Xia Zhi.

He had to admit that this kid’s acting was pretty good. With just two lines of dialogue, he portrayed Wang Qing with profound depth.

Xia Mingxuan blanked for a moment, pressed his lips tightly together, and took two steps back. When he made eye contact with Xia Zhi again, he actually forgot his lines for a moment due to nervousness.

Seeing Xia Mingxuan standing motionless in the camera lens, the cameraman asked in a low voice, “What’s wrong here?”

Looking at Xia Mingxuan’s stiff facial expression in the distance, a staff member guessed, “The professional term for this situation is failing to catch the scene.”

Xiao Pang looked immensely proud on the side. “How about it? Our Xia Zhi’s acting isn’t bad, right?”

The set was silent for a full two minutes, followed by faint sounds of sighing. In order to save face for Xia Mingxuan, the director coughed. “Adjust the lighting a bit.”

Even though the director tried to smooth things over, he still couldn’t stop the staff’s scrutinizing gazes, watching a good show.

A dignified Film Emperor! His acting was actually crushed by an extra?

As this part ended, Xia Zhi sat back on his small stool, slightly lowered his head, and patted his chest to catch his breath.

Self-evaluation: his performance just now was pretty good.

It was just quite hard on the vocal cords.

The extras gradually gathered around, and sounds of envy and praise rose one after another around Xia Zhi. “Alright, everyone will be going on stage soon, do your best!” While speaking, he kept an eye on the movements over at Xia Mingxuan’s side.

Xia Mingxuan pursed his lips, his face turning pale with anger. He never expected that Xia Zhi’s acting skills would actually be quite good.

That was really humiliating just now.

A surge of resentment welled up in his heart, and he said coldly to his assistant, “Switch to the fiercest dog for the next scene.”

The assistant asked hesitantly, “Are you sure?”

Filming continued, and a fierce-looking wolfdog was brought out by the staff.

Xia Zhi was not afraid of dogs, but this wolfdog kept baring its teeth, ferociously lowering its head and letting out low growls, maintaining an attacking posture. Seeing this, many staff members stepped back one after another.

Xiao Pang was indignant on the side. “Why use such a dangerous dog?”

Xia Zhi only took one look at Xia Mingxuan to know that this matter was related to him. Moreover, he had deliberately noticed Xia Mingxuan giving instructions to his assistant earlier, and reading his lips, there were the words for “wolfdog”.

When the wolfdog was brought up, Xia Mingxuan’s assistant followed behind it.

Tsk tsk tsk, this treacherous peasant wants to harm him!¹⁰A hilarious internet meme reference. The full phrase is “总有刁民想害朕” (There are always unruly commoners trying to harm my majesty/me). It is used jokingly when someone feels paranoid or suspects someone is plotting against them over trivial matters.

He was so scared!

Ah, no, just pretending symbolically.

In the plot, this wolfdog was sent by the people trying to capture Wang Qing. According to the props team, this wolfdog only looked fierce, but had undergone proper training and wouldn’t actually bite anyone.

Xia Zhi stood with his hands on his hips, cursing under his breath.

Like hell I believe that!¹¹Literally “I believe your big-headed ghost.” A very common, colloquial way of saying “I don’t believe your nonsense at all!” or “You’ve got to be kidding me!”

Filming began.

In the original script, Wang Qing did not flinch. After all, the Wang Qing in the play was already fearless. Where could he escape to? Where in the secular world could accommodate him?

As the snow filled the sky and fell, Wang Qing died smiling in the snow.

Everything developed according to the plot. When the wolfdog ran toward him, Xia Zhi slightly clenched his fists and took to his heels.¹²A common phrase meaning to drop everything and run away as fast as possible.

Their filming location was very large, enough for Xia Zhi to walk the dog.

The more the person in front ran, the more excited the wolfdog became, letting out low, rumbling growls. However, Xia Zhi wasn’t running very fast, only maintaining a certain distance from the dog.

The director couldn’t help but frown. Did Xia Zhi temporarily change the script?

Ten meters away, Xia Mingxuan was sitting there alone drinking coffee. He didn’t know the specifics of Wang Qing’s scenes, and thought the original scene arrangement was for Wang Qing to be chased by the wolfdog and finally bitten to death.

He was just laughing at Xia Zhi’s panic-stricken appearance, but little did he know that the person in front of him revealed a sly smile.

There was only Xia Mingxuan ahead, so there would be no accidental injuries.

Now is the time!

Xia Zhi quickened his pace, running toward Xia Mingxuan’s direction, and the chasing wolfdog behind him became thoroughly excited. Just as the wolfdog was about to catch up to Xia Zhi, Xia Zhi suddenly dodged nimbly, his movements so fast that the wolfdog couldn’t react. He slipped directly into a narrow crevice in a hidden corner, panting slightly.

The wolfdog’s footsteps stopped, and the person closest to it directly ahead was Xia Mingxuan.

It barked a few times at Xia Mingxuan, and lunged ferociously with its powerful limbs.

A few seconds later, Xia Mingxuan’s miserable and panicked screams rang out through the set. The director shouted anxiously, “Hurry and catch the dog!”

The dog was caught, and Xia Mingxuan was supported by everyone.

His right leg was trembling non-stop, his pants were torn by the wolfdog’s bites, and his leg was scratched.

“This beast! What are you all getting paid for!”

Facing Xia Mingxuan’s scolding, the staff members looked apologetic.

It wasn’t until then that Xia Zhi came out, clutching his chest and sobbing softly, leaning weakly and limply against a chair. “Sorry, Director, I was too scared just now, so I hid.”

Sigh, so green tea¹³Slang for “Green Tea Bitch” (绿茶婊). It describes someone (usually in a romantic or dramatic context) who acts incredibly innocent, weak, and pitiful on the outside to gain sympathy, but is actually highly calculating and manipulative on the inside.!

The director sighed. “I don’t blame you.”

When Xia Mingxuan was taken away by the ambulance, Xia Zhi tsked and shook his head, saying loudly on purpose, “What was the props team thinking, choosing such a fierce dog.”

Xia Mingxuan on the stretcher was so angry his lips turned pale, and glared fiercely at Xia Zhi.

After seeing off Xia Mingxuan, Xia Zhi was in a good mood. After receiving his wages for the day, he took out some money and bought some cat food from a small shop.

He was raising three abandoned kittens on the set.

After the little guys were full, he rubbed the kittens’ heads with a smile. “Be good, Daddy will come see you again tomorrow.”

Walking to the gate of the film and television city, Xia Zhi was suddenly stopped. Brother Li, who was in charge of pulling the rickshaw, said with a pale face, “I got an upset stomach today from something I ate. Watch the cart for a while, and I’ll share some of the money you make pulling it during this time.”

If the supervisor found out that the puller was absent from work for a long time, he would be fined.

Xia Zhi readily agreed. When he had no money, he pulled carts together with Brother Li. It wasn’t easy for Brother Li to raise two children alone.

This kind of cart was similar to a tourist sightseeing vehicle. The back seat could accommodate two people, covered by a sunshade on top. Sitting on it in spring and autumn was very comfortable, and it was considered a regular service in the film and television city.

Xia Zhi sat on it, humming a song, pondering what to eat for dinner. Although the snowstorm had stopped, gusts of wind were blowing. He shrank his hands, feet, and head into his down jacket, revealing only a pair of eyes, which curved in contentment.

At the entrance of the film and television city, a Ferrari slowly came to a stop.

The assistant sitting in the passenger seat looked at the man in front of him and respectfully said, “President Shen, we have arrived at the film and television city.”

The man addressed as President Shen gave a “hmm” of acknowledgement, and continued typing on the keyboard in his hands. Between his brows, there was a hint of coldness and alienation.

The assistant didn’t speak further, and thoughtfully handed over a cup of coffee. His new boss had just returned to the country a month ago, so he couldn’t grasp his temper and personality for the time being.

However, as the helmsman¹⁴A common metaphor for the absolute leader or shot-caller of a massive corporate conglomerate. of the Shen Group, how good could his temper possibly be?

According to gossip, the new boss loved his first love to the point of madness. His bai yuegang was the blood of his heart and his cinnabar mole¹⁵This is a deeply poetic, romantic reference. “Cinnabar mole” (a bright red mole) comes from Eileen Chang’s famous novella Red Rose, White Rose, symbolizing a passionate, unforgettable love that leaves a permanent, beautiful mark on one’s heart/body. “Blood of his heart” means someone he values more than his own life.. His return to the country this time was specifically to find his bai yuegang.

The old-fashioned watch worn on his wrist was also given by his bai yuegang, and he treasured it dearly.

He sighed emotionally—rich people were surprisingly devoted.

As the finely crafted, custom-made leather shoes stepped on the snow, they made a “crunching” sound. The assistant hurriedly held up an umbrella for him, following by his side.

The black cashmere coat on his body was slightly open, revealing the brown sweater inside, the hem swaying gently with his footsteps.

Shen Shixiao was tall; due to year-round fitness, he had broad shoulders and a narrow waist. His long, straight legs took steady strides, his posture elegant.

At this moment, Shen Shixiao’s phone rang. It was from Mother Shen.

“Shixiao, you won’t go to blind dates or marriage alliances. You said you want to find your bai yuegang, and I understand that. However, you’ve been back in the country for two months now, and I haven’t even seen a shadow of your bai yuegang! When are you going to find him?”

Shen Shixiao revealed a rare, faint smile. Looking at the person sitting on the small cart outside the film and television city, he replied, “Right now.”

• 1
  A type of old, socialist-style housing in China characterized by long, dark corridors with single rooms opening off them, often with shared kitchens and bathrooms.
• 2
  Li Bapi / Skin-peeler Li (李扒皮 – Lǐ bā pí): “Bapi” means skin-peeler or flayer. It’s a derogatory nickname derived from a famous fictional evil landlord (Zhou Bapi), used to describe a cruel, exploitative, and stingy boss who “peels the skin” off their workers to squeeze out every penny.
• 3
  A poetic idiom used to describe someone from a wealthy or privileged background who has never had to do any manual labor or household chores (like washing clothes in cold water).
• 4
  This refers to the elite, interconnected social, business, and entertainment circles based in Beijing.,
• 5
  Literally “a leaking roof happens to meet a night of endless rain.” A very famous idiom meaning bad things tend to happen at the same time.
• 6
  It’s a massive, specialized studio complex designed to replicate ancient, historical, or specific period scenes for filming.
• 7
  “Water” (水) is common internet slang for something that is inflated, fake, or lacking real substance. Because “Best Actor” is called “TV/Film Emperor” (影帝/视帝), a “Water Emperor” is an actor who wins the award undeservedly, usually through bought votes, a weak competition year, or heavy PR, rather than actual acting skills.
• 8
  A common idiom meaning to adopt flexible countermeasures depending on the situation; whatever the opponent throws at you, you find a way to block it.
• 9
  A common critique by Chinese netizens for actors (often “traffic stars”) who rely solely on widening their eyes to show shock, anger, or sadness instead of actually acting with emotion.
• 10
  A hilarious internet meme reference. The full phrase is “总有刁民想害朕” (There are always unruly commoners trying to harm my majesty/me). It is used jokingly when someone feels paranoid or suspects someone is plotting against them over trivial matters.
• 11
  Literally “I believe your big-headed ghost.” A very common, colloquial way of saying “I don’t believe your nonsense at all!” or “You’ve got to be kidding me!”
• 12
  A common phrase meaning to drop everything and run away as fast as possible.
• 13
  Slang for “Green Tea Bitch” (绿茶婊). It describes someone (usually in a romantic or dramatic context) who acts incredibly innocent, weak, and pitiful on the outside to gain sympathy, but is actually highly calculating and manipulative on the inside.
• 14
  A common metaphor for the absolute leader or shot-caller of a massive corporate conglomerate.
• 15
  This is a deeply poetic, romantic reference. “Cinnabar mole” (a bright red mole) comes from Eileen Chang’s famous novella Red Rose, White Rose, symbolizing a passionate, unforgettable love that leaves a permanent, beautiful mark on one’s heart/body. “Blood of his heart” means someone he values more than his own life.