I really didn't intend to make a living based on my looks.

"When my mother was pregnant with me, he was addicted to that stuff and squandered all the family's money."

Mao Xiaotong's voice was very soft, as if she were talking about someone else's story. "When I was born, he took one look at me in the hospital and said I was a money-losing burden. That very night, he threw me into a trash can in the back alley of the hospital."

"My mom had just given birth, and her stitches hadn't even been removed yet. She dragged herself around and searched through more than a dozen trash cans in the back alley. Just before the garbage truck arrived, she finally found me. She was so cold that her whole body was turning purple, and she was almost out of breath."

She looked down at the porridge in the bowl, the steam rising and making her eyes a little wet.

"Later she divorced me, ran away with me, and changed my name. It wasn't originally my name; she said she wanted to throw away the past and start a new life."

Jiang Chen poured her a glass of beer. "Want some?"

Mao Xiaotong paused for a moment, took the cup, and took a sip.

She frowned at the bitterness, but didn't put it down.

She looked down at the wine in her glass, unable to explain why she suddenly wanted to say these things today.

Perhaps I've been keeping it bottled up inside for too long; I should have talked to someone about it a long time ago.

Perhaps because he had seen her in her most disheveled state, there was nothing left to hide.

Or perhaps it's because Jiang Chen himself possesses an innate sense of reassurance that makes her feel inexplicably trustworthy.

"My mom operated a sewing machine during the day and sold wontons at night. When I was four years old, I would sit on the cement floor drawing musical notes and wait for her to close up shop."

"Once, during a heavy rain, she was in a hurry to pack up her stall and accidentally injured her foot while pushing her cart. I helped her carry the aluminum pot home, and some wonton soup spilled on her leg, causing a string of blisters."

As she spoke, she suddenly laughed: "That's when I realized that life won't make an exception for you just because you're a girl."

Jiang Chen didn't say anything, just listened quietly, and poured her some more wine.

"When I was fourteen, my mother suffered carbon monoxide poisoning. I was doing my homework when I smelled something was wrong. I covered my nose, dragged her to a well-ventilated area, and called 120."

Mao Xiaotong gripped the cup tightly. "That was the scariest time of my life. I thought she was going to leave me."

She looked up, her eyes a little red: "But I didn't let her go. I saved her."

"And then?"

"Later, I got into the Central Academy of Drama. I studied hard and acted like a pro, even taking on minor roles and playing maids, all so that she could have a better life!"

"He suddenly appeared the year before last."

"I don't know where they heard that I was making money from acting, but they came to the film set to claim kinship. They demanded 500,000 yuan, saying it was alimony that hadn't been paid for so many years, and they wanted to settle it all at once."

Jiang Chen frowned: "You gave it to me?"

"No," she shook her head. "Why should I give him anything? Has he ever supported me for even a single day? I told him to leave, and he started causing trouble, throwing a tantrum at the entrance of the film set, calling me an ingrate and an unfilial daughter. When security guards chased him away, he lay on the ground pretending to be sick and called 120."

She gave a wry smile as she spoke: "It was so difficult to get him away that time, but he came back last year and demanded 300,000. This year... this year it's gone up to 500,000."

Jiang Chen asked in bewilderment, "Can this really go up in price?"

"He said I've taken on too many roles and my pay is too high," Mao Xiaotong said sarcastically. "He also said... if I don't pay him, he'll expose me online, ruin my reputation, and say I'm not supporting my biological father."

She looked up at Jiang Chen, her eyes filled with exhaustion and anger: "Jiang Chen, why should I give it to him? When he threw me in the trash, did he ever think of me as his daughter?"

"If you don't give it to him, he'll keep bothering you?"

"Yes, he's been looking for me everywhere, and he even threatened to go after my teachers at the Central Academy of Drama, saying I'm ungrateful. My mom doesn't know any of this, and I don't dare tell her, afraid she'll worry."

"I can only hide. Hengdian is so big, he'll always find me. Like a ghost."

Mao Xiaotong suddenly looked up at him and asked, "Jiang Chen, do you think I'm pathetic?"

Jiang Chen picked up his cup, clinked it against hers, and took a sip.

"You are very strong!"

"When people have no way out, they are more likely to be forced to make a decision. We do not glorify these hardships."

"It's not worth it."

"But from another perspective... these hardships have become the foundation of your current resilience."

Mao Xiaotong gripped the cup tightly with her fingers.

Jiang Chen put down his wine glass, looked at her, and suddenly said.

"Mao Xiaotong, it's time for you to make your move."

"For ten years, a dragon lies hidden in the abyss; one day, it rides the wind to the heavens. Heaven does not give birth to useless people, nor does the earth grow nameless grass. Even the Yellow River has its day of clearing; how can man never have his time of fortune? The plum blossoms, though weighed down by snow, do not bow their heads; they endure hardship and bide their time, awaiting their opportune moment. One day, they will rise with the wind, soaring straight up ninety thousand miles!"

Mao Xiaotong was stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing, but tears welled up in her eyes as she laughed.

She bent down to wipe, but the more she wiped, the more there was. In the end, she simply stopped wiping and just kept her head down, her shoulders twitching.

Jiang Chen didn't look at her and continued eating her porridge as if nothing had happened.

When people are extremely sad, they often don't need any extra comfort.

All you need is an undisturbed space to quietly release your emotions.

The private room remained quiet for a long time, and the night market outside the window gradually quieted down.

"It's time to go back." Jiang Chen put down his chopsticks.

The girl has probably vented her emotions enough!

"Um."

As the two came out of the shop, the night breeze, carrying the sweltering heat of late summer, caused her low ponytail to sway gently.

Mao Xiaotong walked beside him, half a step away, occasionally her shoulder lightly brushing against his arm before quickly separating.

She secretly moved half a step to the side, letting the shadow get closer.

"Jiang Chen".

"Um?"

"You..." She bit her lip, "Why are you helping me?"

"Just passing by!"

"Just passing by?"

"Otherwise what?"

Mao Xiaotong lowered her head, her ears turning slightly red.

She didn't know what was wrong with her today, or what answer she was expecting, but her heart was beating faster than usual.

"We've arrived." Jiang Chen stopped in his tracks.

She looked up and realized she had already arrived at the hotel entrance.

It turns out this road is so short.

"See you tomorrow."

"Jiang Chen!"

He turned around.

She looked at him, her eyes still a little red, but her eyes were bright.

"Um... 'White Crane Spreads Its Wings'," she said with a hint of a smile, "it's actually quite beautiful."

Jiang Chen paused for a moment, then laughed out loud: "Handsome, right?"

"Yes," she nodded, a beautiful smile curving her lips, "very handsome."

After she finished speaking, she turned and ran into the hotel entrance, her low ponytail swinging behind her head, and quickly disappeared into the elevator.

Jiang Chen stood there, watching her back, and suddenly shook his head, but couldn't help but smile.

In the days that followed, Jiang Chen had a very "lively" time on set.

Yang Mi goes without saying; she's always clinging to him, both on and off screen. She sits next to him during breaks, across from him during meals, and even calls the makeup artist over to touch up her makeup.

Zhao Ruoyao had already given up, watching expressionlessly as her artist handed water, held an umbrella for someone, and fanned them...

Tong Liya also likes to come over when she has nothing to do.

She always brought food for Jiang Chen; sometimes it was fruit, sometimes milk tea, and sometimes snacks.

When Yang Mi saw her arrive, she smiled and called out "Sister Ya Ya," but she blew the fan in her hand even more vigorously at Jiang Chen.

Yang Zi is Jiang Chen's "personal assistant". Although she said she was going on strike, she still showed up on set on time the next day, holding an iced Americano and cursing.

Her bowl-cut bangs were shiny with oil under the scorching sun in Hengdian, but she didn't care. After all, she was playing the junior sister of Tianyong City, not the female lead in an idol drama.

Mao Xiaotong also came.

Unlike Yang Mi, who was blatant, or Tong Liya, who brought food, she simply stood quietly to the side, waiting for Jiang Chen to finish filming a scene, handing him a bottle of water, saying "Thank you for your hard work," and then walking away.

But her gaze was off; the way she looked at Jiang Chen was different from how she looked at others.

Four women, four styles, all revolving around Jiang Chen.

Chen Weiting saw this, sighed, and turned to Ma Tianyu, saying, "In the drama, I'm his senior brother, but in real life, I can't even get close to him."

Ma Tianyu was touching up her makeup and didn't even look up: "Why are you touching him? You're not as good-looking as him."

Chen Weiting: "..."

Zhang Zhiyao, carrying a thermos, passed by and overheard the conversation. He said slowly, "Young man, don't be jealous. Being handsome is something you're born with; jealousy will ruin you."

Chen Wei rolled his eyes.

In early September, the film crew moved to Xiandu Scenic Area in Jinyun County.

Dinghu Peak's iconic stone pillar stands over 170 meters tall, shrouded in mist and clouds, and is hailed as "the No. 1 Peak under Heaven."

The scenes of Kunlun Wonderland were filmed here. Jiang Chen, dressed in Baili Tusu's black robes, stood on the peak, his robes fluttering in the wind.

The Lianxi River of Zhutan Mountain encircles the green hills, and the distant scenery of mountains and waters serves as a backdrop for flying on a sword, creating a full-on fantasy atmosphere.

The scene of Baili Tusu searching for the entrance to the secret realm was filmed in the natural karst cave of Niweng Cave. The lighting technician spent a long time setting up the lights to capture the mystery of the cave.

They filmed a battle scene on the red cliffs of Xiao Chibi. Jiang Chen was suspended by wires and flew back and forth on the cliff. When he came down, the steel wire on his waist left red marks. Yang Mi rubbed ointment on him and rubbed it hard. Jiang Chen hissed and said, "Bear with it."

In October, filming wrapped up.

……