Starting from Taohuawu, kilometers away

At dawn, the stone pavement of Hengdian Film and Television City still carries the coolness of the night dew.

A ray of sunlight shines through the sparse treetops, sprinkling on Li Cheng's delicate face.

He was wearing loose training clothes and his breath smelled of fresh earth.

Having just finished some morning exercises, his body was warm and his sweat was shining slightly in the morning sun.

All around, there were several film crews that had just finished their night scenes scattered around the film and television city. The actors were either leaning against props or gathered in twos and threes, yawning, with a hint of relief in their tiredness.

Actors from other crews have already begun preparing for a new day's work. The sounds of makeup artists' brushes and costume designers' adjustments interweave into a busy picture.

Li Cheng walked in a hurry. He needed to complete his makeup and change of clothes before the sun rose completely.

However, his plan was disrupted by the fans who were waiting early at the door of the crew.

Their voices, like a string of notes that suddenly resounded through the tranquility of the early morning, were full of enthusiasm and anticipation.

Fans waved their support items and shouted Li Cheng's name, making the originally orderly passage somewhat congested.

Li Cheng smiled and nodded to the fans while trying to make his way through the crowd.

He could feel the enthusiasm of the fans, which was the affirmation and support for his work. Although this delayed him some time, he was not upset. Instead, he was infected by the enthusiasm and felt a sense of warmth and comfort.

Finally, amid the noise of fans, Li Cheng squeezed out of the crowd and continued to the dressing room.

He knows in his heart that as an actor, these moments are unavoidable, and all he has to do is remain professional and patient and not let these little episodes affect his interpretation of the role and his focus on his work.

The lighting in the dressing room was soft and bright. Li Cheng sat in front of the mirror, slowly putting on the wig with concentration, his fingers skillfully combing the lifelike strands of hair.

The costume designers and stylists were busy on the side, occasionally casting curious glances and whispering about the hot topics about him.

"I heard that you went to play ball after dinner with the crew last night?"

the costumer asked half-jokingly, her voice full of gossipy excitement.

Li Cheng smiled slightly and signaled the stylist to adjust the position of the wig to ensure that every detail was perfect.

"Yeah," he replied calmly, "I just wanted to get rid of some energy so I can sleep better."

As soon as he finished speaking, the stylist interrupted quietly, "I see it's ranked third on the trending search list, that's amazing!"

Li Cheng's smile deepened. He nodded gently at the mirror, but his heart was calm.

The ranking on trending searches is not important to him; he is more concerned about how to present his best self in front of the camera.

When he woke up in the morning, he saw the news that he had dominated the trending search list all night, but to him, this was just a small episode in life.

He knows that only by constantly improving his professional skills can he go further on the road of acting.

Li Cheng was holding the wig he had just put on and was about to turn around and leave the dressing room to change his clothes, but was interrupted by a rapid knock on the door.

Sister Meng pushed the door open with an anxious look on her face and almost instantly stopped Li Cheng in his tracks.

"Li Cheng, you were on the trending search again last night? What happened?"

Her eyes were full of concern and confusion.

The stylist and costume designer next to them seemed to smell gossip and pricked up their ears at the same time, with curious eyes moving back and forth between the two of them.

Li Cheng frowned slightly, obviously feeling a little embarrassed. He forced a bitter smile and began to explain to Sister Meng.

"Sister Meng, you know that the Olympics are only half a year away. I have to stay in competitive form and keep myself in a stable state."

His voice was low and somewhat helpless, and his words revealed a complex emotion of nervousness and anticipation for the upcoming game.

After hearing this, Sister Meng's confusion eased a little, but she was still worried. "Will this frequent appearance on trending searches affect your preparations for the Olympics?"

Li Cheng took a deep breath, as if trying to calm himself down. "It will definitely have an impact, but I will adjust. After all, this is also a part that I have to face."

As soon as the words fell, Sister Meng nodded, with a look of relief on her face. She understood Li Cheng's situation and his determination. "Okay, you should take a good rest and don't let these external interferences affect your training."

Li Cheng nodded slightly with a determined look. He knew that the road ahead would not be easy, but he was ready to face the challenge.

He turned around and walked back to the closet, ready to change into the jersey that represented his competitive career.

Meng Ziyi sat in the dressing room, her face without any makeup, her skin as smooth as cream, and a kind of confidence and calmness emanated from her.

She and Li Cheng were the kind of old friends who could meet each other without any pretense or affectation.

The breakfast in her hand was still steaming. While enjoying her simple breakfast, she let her stylist skillfully dress her up in preparation for today's costume photo shoot.

The stylist's comb shuttled through her black hair, and every strand seemed to be looking forward to the ancient costume that she was about to wear.

From time to time, her eyes were drawn to the costume department because Li Cheng was selecting clothes there.

She was curious about what Li Cheng would look like in ancient costume. Could she transform his usual handsomeness into a style from another time and space through the combination of fabrics and colors?

There was a hint of mischievous anticipation in her eyes, as if she was waiting for a surprise.

Every time the stylist finished a step, she would turn her head slightly and glance in the direction of the costume team, the curiosity in her heart was like dew in the morning light, becoming more and more crystal clear. And her plain face, against the backdrop of the ancient costume, seemed to have traveled through time and space, becoming a moving picture.

With the help of the costume team, Li Cheng slowly put on the armor.

The metal plates on the armor flashed coldly under the light, and for a moment, he seemed to have traveled through time and space and become a brave warrior on an ancient battlefield.

He turned his body slightly, and his armor made bursts of crisp sounds, as if they were war drums echoing in the long river of history.

Sister Meng was sitting nearby, her eyes involuntarily attracted to Li Cheng.

There was admiration and curiosity in her eyes, as if she wanted to see through the heavy armor and see into Li Cheng's inner world.

Sister Meng’s peeks were not frequent, but every time she did, Li Cheng felt something was a little strange. His cheeks turned slightly red, but he didn’t show it.

However, when Li Cheng felt Sister Meng's gaze again, he found that she was looking straight at him, without any dodging this time.

He couldn't help but laugh, and asked in a relaxed tone: "Sister Meng, why are you looking at me like that?"

Sister Meng was stunned by the question, and then her pretty face turned red, like a child who was caught stealing candy.

The corners of her mouth curved into a sly smile, and she said softly, "I just want to see you in armor, to see you like a real hero."

Li Cheng raised his eyebrows, surprised by Sister Meng's confession. He could feel her appreciation, which was not fake.

He turned around so that Sister Meng could observe from different angles. The armor swayed with the movement, emitting the brilliance of ancient fighting spirit. Sister Meng's eyes revealed a trace of admiration and expectation, as if she saw in Li Cheng a warrior who was about to embark on a journey.

And Li Cheng found a glimmer of glory belonging to a warrior in this gaze.

In the crew's lounge, costume designers, stylists and makeup artists sat together, all with helpless smiles on their faces.

From time to time, their eyes were cast to a place not far away, where Li Cheng and Sister Meng were chatting and laughing as if nothing happened.

The costume designer tapped his forehead lightly, as if he was troubled by the inaccurate reports from some marketing accounts.

"Look at the two of them, they look like a pair of good brothers!"

The stylist's lips curled up in a playful tone, and his voice was somewhat teasing, but also revealed a hint of envy.

The makeup artist sighed softly, her eyes moving back and forth between the two of them, "How could those people outside understand? These two are obviously good friends, but they are being rumored to be having a bad relationship."

They watched Li Cheng and Sister Meng laughing and joking with each other. The natural understanding and friendship between them seemed particularly precious in their professional eyes.

The costume designer couldn't help but think of the recent scandals that have been all over the Internet, and a sense of dissatisfaction arose in his heart.

“I really want to catch those marketing accounts that spread nonsense one by one!”

He couldn't help but wave his hands vigorously, as if this could erase all the false reports.

The stylist and makeup artist looked at each other and read the same message from each other's eyes - they hated this kind of behavior of fabricating scandals to gain traffic.

Li Cheng and Sister Meng in the lounge were still immersed in their own world, completely unaware that people in the lounge were worried about their "reputation".

They continued their chat, and the relaxed and happy atmosphere made anyone who saw them feel that they were close friends.

The costume designer, stylist and makeup artist smiled at each other and decided to ignore the disturbance outside. They knew that for Li Cheng and Sister Meng, time would prove everything, and those boring gossips would eventually disappear with the wind.
-
Li Cheng pushed open the door of the lounge and stretched his body after a night of fatigue.

He looked down through the wooden stairs and saw that the downstairs was crowded with fans who had been waiting all night, their faces showing lingering excitement and anticipation.

Although it was still early and there was a slight chill in the air, the enthusiasm of the fans was like a burning fire, making this morning seem particularly warm.

“Li Cheng! Li Cheng!”

The fans shouted loudly, and the sound echoed in the empty space, as if it was a hymn sung for him.

Li Cheng was overwhelmed with emotion. He knew very well how much effort and sacrifice these young people had made just to see him.

Their love was so sincere and deep that he couldn't help but have tears in his eyes.

He walked down the stairs, and each step seemed particularly heavy, not because of tiredness, but because he was carrying the heavy expectations and love of these fans on his shoulders.

Li Cheng showed a gentle smile on his face, and he said to the fans in a gentle voice: "Thank you for your hard work, and thank you for your waiting."

When the fans saw him coming, they responded even more enthusiastically. Gifts and envelopes were handed to him one after another. The gifts were carefully wrapped and full of love, and the envelopes were heavy, filled with confessions and blessings.

Li Cheng looked at these with mixed feelings. He sincerely said to the fans: "I feel your kindness. There is no need for gifts, but I will definitely read all the letters. Thank you for your support."

His words were simple but powerful. Although fans were somewhat disappointed, they were more understanding and happy.

They know that their idol truly hears their voices.

On this morning, there is no distance between idols and fans, only communication between one heart and another.

Li Cheng's fingers gently slid across the seal of the fan letter, as if he could feel the enthusiasm and expectations behind those words.

He carefully put the letter into his handbag, and the heavy emotion made the corners of his mouth rise unconsciously.

As soon as he turned around, he saw a familiar figure walking towards him hurriedly.

The man held up a mobile phone with the camera pointed at him. He was an old fan of his, a face he had seen countless times at meet-and-greets.

Li Cheng instinctively wanted to avoid that camera. Actors' fear of the camera is ingrained in their bones. It was an exposure without the director's permission and a challenge to the desire to control their image.

However, he soon realized that it was a personal note from that fan, an expression of support and affection for him.

His expression changed from evasive to an enthusiastic smile, and he waved to the fans, as if he was hugging the countless supporters behind the camera.

"Please take a more handsome photo,"

Li Cheng said half-jokingly, tapping his cheek with his fingers. It was a kind of self-deprecation for an actor, but also a cherishment of the fans' trust.

The fans nodded. Li Cheng felt warmed by their understanding and support.

Although their communication was short, it was full of tacit understanding and sincerity.

Under the flash lights, Li Cheng is no longer a high-ranking star, but a recognized and loved person, a traveler who strives to move forward in the world of light and shadow.

Li Cheng stood next to the black car, took a deep breath, and tried hard to suppress the surging emotions in his heart.

He slowly raised his hand and grasped the door handle. At that moment, it seemed as if an invisible force made him pause.

Turning around, he faced the group of fans who had been waiting for a long time. They were so real, with excitement and reluctance flashing in their eyes.

"Goodbye, everyone!"

He waved his hand, his voice trembling a little, yet extremely firm.

The fans' faces revealed a variety of complex emotions, some forced smiles, while others had tears in their eyes.

Among those familiar faces, some seem to have frozen time at this moment, while others are just a quick glance but will also become eternal.

A young girl broke down emotionally, tears rolling down her cheeks like beads from a broken string. She knew how rare it was to have a brief meeting with a star like Li Cheng, and perhaps it would be something that would never happen again in this lifetime.

Beside her, a middle-aged man had tears in his eyes. Although they had met many times, every farewell still touched his heart.

Suddenly, there were bursts of enthusiastic cheers from the crowd, which were the most sincere blessings to Li Cheng.

He smiled and looked back at them one by one, his heart full of gratitude.

The old fans in Hengdian revealed a kind of tacit understanding in their eyes. They stepped forward and gently patted the shoulders of the new fans, giving them comfort and sharing their deep affection for Li Cheng.

Finally, Li Cheng closed his eyes, took a deep breath, then turned around resolutely and closed the car door gently.

The world inside the car was in stark contrast to the hustle and bustle outside. It was so quiet inside the car that the only sound I could hear was my own heavy heartbeat.

The car started slowly, and as the speed gradually increased, the cries and cheers were gradually left behind, leaving only the roar of the engine and the rhythm of the tires rolling, indicating that Li Cheng was about to embark on a new journey. (End of this chapter)