The director explained, “The artist who quit the recording did so because she was raped at night, and now has severe psychological trauma.”
The girl with the high ponytail added, “In fact, the four of us all heard the knocking last night.”
“But we three didn’t open the door; only the last girl did.”
“We only found out the next day what happened to her last night.”
The director continued, “I gathered them all together, and to protect the female artist’s reputation, we publicly stated that she was merely frightened. Then, I started to retrieve surveillance footage. At the time, I was really angry, thinking that some bold and presumptuous man in the group did it.”
“But after checking the surveillance footage, I broke out in a cold sweat. You’ve probably watched variety shows like this, where they cover up all the cameras before the artists go to sleep at night. So we couldn’t film anything inside the room, but we could hear the sound.”
“The only footage I could see was from the corridor.”
“Around midnight, I saw that girl suddenly open the door.”
“But at that time, there was no one in the corridor.”
The director shivered, and the other three girls’ faces turned pale.
“We also heard the knocking at around midnight. I asked who was outside, but no one responded, so I didn’t dare to open the door, afraid of some pervert,” described the girl with the high ponytail.
“I was similar; I didn’t even get up from the bed. I’ve been afraid of this stuff since I was little. I looked at the clock, and it was midnight. According to reason, if someone was looking for me, they wouldn’t just knock; they should also say who they are. But I only heard the knocking, so I didn’t get out of bed and even covered myself entirely with the blanket.”
She shivered, “Just a moment, and all my drowsiness was scared away. I listened carefully for any sound outside, and the knocking continued for a while and then stopped. But I didn’t hear any footsteps at all.”
“Oh, let me add,” the girl with bangs spoke up, “The houses here are made of wood, including the walls and the floors, to create a romantic atmosphere. Even walking lightly will make a sound unless you’re barefoot.”
“My situation was similar to theirs. I looked through the peephole and saw no one outside, so I didn’t dare to open the door.”
The director said, “None of them opened the door, but the other girl was bold and opened it. As a result… alas!”
“I called you here for one thing only: I want you to help me catch this culprit!” The director’s features twisted together in anger. “If it’s a person pretending to be a ghost, I’ll send them to jail! If it’s a supernatural spirit, it must also pay the price. We women aren’t that easy to mess with! I can’t stand this kind of insulting behavior towards female professionals.”
Bai Lixin looked at the angry faces and asked, “Why didn’t the victim identify the the attacker? Was the victim controlled?”
“Yes,” the director nodded, “After the girl opened the door, she found no one outside and went back to sleep. In the middle of the night, she felt someone touching her, and she got scared and wanted to scream. But she found that not only couldn’t she move, but everything before her was pitch black, and she temporarily lost her vision.”
“If she didn’t wake up feeling unwell in the morning, she might have thought it was just a nightmare.”
“I feel guilty,” the director rubbed her hands anxiously. “Before this show started, I said I would protect these girls, but after just a few days of filming, this happened. Now the girl’s condition is not good; her agent took her back, and she’s reportedly preparing to undergo psychological treatment.”
Bai Lixin looked into the director’s eyes. “Then how do you want me to handle this?”
“Before you came, I was struggling to figure out how to catch that troublesome garbage,” the director stared at Bai Lixin with a serious gaze. “That garbage is a pervert. If we want to lure it out, we need bait, but I’m not willing to risk those three girls.”
“But now that you’re here…”
The director’s voice paused slightly, and Bai Lixin’s crisis radar instantly activated.
He looked at the director with incredulity, “You don’t want me to dress up as a woman, do you?”
“Well, why not?” The director smiled faintly with a hint of embarrassment. “No wonder you became a gold medal sleep tester. You’re really smart. Thumbs up to you.”
Bai Lixin: “…”
‘Let me tell you, flattery won’t work with me!
Also, when did I become a gold medal sleep tester?’
Escape system: [After you excellent performance in the task last night, your profession changed from “Haunted House Sleep Tester” to “Gold Medal Haunted Sleep House Tester.” Great job, Master Bai Lixin.]
Seeing that Bai Lixin remained silent, the director changed the subject, “When I placed the order, I was told that we can rate your performance after the job is done. If we are not satisfied, we can complain and leave a negative review.”
The Escape System quickly added, [That’s right! If you receive one complaint, you’ll be downgraded from ‘Gold Medal’ to ‘Ordinary.’ If you receive two complaints, you’ll be deemed ‘incompetent’ and will be dismissed.]
[Master Bai Lixin, please think carefully before making a decision! It’s just crossdressing; we’ve all done it before, heehee.]
Bai Lixin: [From your tone, it seems like you’re quite excited about this?]
‘Heehee?’
The Escape System: [Heehee, who wouldn’t look forward to seeing Master Bai Lixin crossdress? Not only me, even the audience in the live broadcast wants to see it. I’m just here to provide everyone with some extra benefits~]
Bai Lixin: […]
‘Sister System, you’ve changed. You’re no longer the innocent system.’
——————————-
Five minutes later, a tall and graceful black-haired beauty walked out of the dressing room.
When they first saw the black-haired beauty, the director and the three female artists were amazed.
Director: “I told you, with my vision, I would never make a mistake. Are you really not thinking about debuting? I can find you an agent who won’t deceive you. You were born to be an actress!”
Bangs: “Ah, I’m a girl, but I want to drool just by looking at you. You can even skip the makeup; as a woman, I feel so inferior.”
The clothes were women’s clothing from the adjacent dressing room. The director took Bai Lixin’s acceptance into account and chose a modified casual beige two-piece suit.
Bai Lixin’s slender frame and graceful figure allowed him to wear it without any sense of incongruity. Instead, it exuded a special charm between femininity and competence.
He already had a beautiful face, and the suit’s shirt had a ribbon, which covered his Adam’s apple and added a touch of softness to him.
The director took a pair of flat shoes from the dressing room. “You’re too tall, and you might not be used to wearing high heels. Wear these.”
—————————-
In the live broadcast room.
[? God Xin will be uncomfortable wearing high heels? Don’t look down on our God Xin, okay? Back then, our God Xin wore a cheongsam, high heels, and even carried two skeletons in his hands, striding gracefully without any panic.]
[Hahaha, I remember now. It was from the copy with the “Little Mom Literature”. ]
[Right, right, I also remember now. That copy was simply fragrant. After more than two years, we finally have a chance to see God Xin in women’s clothes again. Cheers!]
[□□□□.]
[Hisss…..]
[I want to see the big boss staring at God Xin in a daze.]
————————-
The director personally led Bai Lixin into the small villa. “From now on, you’re an artist. Your stage name will be ‘Xiao Xin.’ Let’s go I introduce you to the others, and tonight you’ll stay in the room of that girl who left.”
“All of her belongings have been removed, and we’ve prepared a new bed for you, not the one from yesterday. You can rest assured.”
“Do you have any other questions?”
Bai Lixin: “Am I restricted to staying in the room all night, or I can come out?”
The director replied, “You can come out. I’m not sure where that scum is hiding, so if you have the ability to take the initiative, you can do that too.”
Being able to leave the room would significantly expand his range of activities.
Bai Lixin nodded to show that he understood the director’s words.
The director gathered all the male guests after arriving on the ground floor of the small villa. There were four male guests, and they appeared to be slightly older than the female guests.
With all the male guests present, the director introduced Bai Lixin, “ Amy withdrew from the recording today, so I invited a female guest overnight to replace her. You may not be familiar with her; she’s a student from X University’s acting department, and she hasn’t graduated yet. Please take good care of her.”
The four male guests stared at Bai Lixin with curiosity. After a while, some shyly looked away, while others continued to observe him.
After a brief self-introduction, Bai Lixin was approached by a man wearing a white shirt who said, “Xiao Xin, you look tall. You should be around 1.8 meters, right? Do you work as a model in your spare time?”
Bai Lixin smiled awkwardly, “No, this is my first public event.”
The man looked around 27 or 28 years old. He was the tallest among them at about 1.9 meters, and he assessed Bai Lixin, “With your physique and proportions, it’s a shame not to be a model. I used to be a model myself. If you become one, you can reach the international stage, and every step will be worth millions.”
Bai Lixin continued to smile awkwardly, “Hehe, I’m fine the way I am now.”
Identifying and complimenting the members was one of the team-building activities.
Through conversation, Bai Lixin quickly learned the professions of the four male guests.
The tallest one was a model.
The one with a cute baby face was a singer.
The one portraying a mature and profound character was an actor.
And there was a cool singer-dancer.
Baby-Faced Brother: “Sister Xiao Xin, why didn’t you bring any luggage?”
The director explained, “Oh, I grabbed her at the last minute, so she didn’t have time to bring anything. Someone will deliver her belongings tomorrow.”
Profound Mature Brother: “That was quite rushed. Will you be comfortable?”
Bai Lixin forced a smile, “Well, I haven’t stayed here yet, so I don’t know if I’ll be comfortable.”
Profound Mature Brother: “…”
Cool Brother: “Since you rushed here, did you have dinner? You guys chat, and I’ll go wash some fruits for you.”
With that, Cool Brother left the group.
The director whispered, “That’s just his personality; he’s slow to warm up.”
After clearing her throat, the director continued, “Now that you all know each other, I’ll leave. It’s getting late, and we have outdoor activities tomorrow, so rest early, and don’t stay up too late.”
The director finished speaking and tugged Bai Lixin’s sleeve. Bai Lixin naturally stood up and followed the director out of the small villa.
Standing in the spacious yard, the director asked in a low voice, “Do you find any of them suspicious?”
Bai Lixin replied, “Ah, we just met, and I haven’t noticed anything yet. Have you found anything?”
The director said, “Not exactly. Today, I checked the team, and they all had alibis for last night. They’re my people, loyal for many years. I trust their character, and they know what I despise the most. It’s unlikely they would do such a thing.”
“Let me tell you something; I don’t believe it’s the work of ghosts. It’s possible someone is playing tricks. Among those four, the one who washed the fruits had studied hacking before, and I have some suspicions about him. But it’s just a suspicion; I don’t have any evidence. If we wrongly accuse him, it would be unfair.”
“I’m telling you this so you can be careful.”
Bai Lixin replied, “Alright, I’ll adapt accordingly.”
The director gave Bai Lixin a complicated look, “Just be careful. If you encounter any issues, call for help immediately. Don’t hesitate. As women, we should pick up arms to protect ourselves.”
Bai Lixin: “?”
‘Did I just have a sex change?’
The director still seemed concerned and repeatedly reminded Bai Lixin to be careful before preparing to leave.
As she was about to leave, they heard noises and shouting outside the courtyard. “Old Li, you’re so unreliable.”
Bai Lixin and the director turned to see the male director who had been filming across the road, accompanied by two others.
The two directors clearly knew each other well. As soon as the male director arrived, the female director laughed, “Old Zhang, what wind blew you here? Weren’t you shooting night scenes over there? You finished so quickly?”
“Sigh, don’t mention it. Shooting? What a fart! Sister Mei, the film queen, was supposed to arrive in ten minutes, but we waited for her, and her agent suddenly called and said she had an emergency arrangement and won’t be coming tonight.”
“I’m so angry! We’ve prepared everything – lights, equipment, props – even the film king is waiting for her. But she said she won’t come, leaving us hanging. Does she know how much manpower and resources we’ll lose?”
The female director: “Well, she is a film queen. Just be a little more understanding.”
“What else can I do? Let her fans torment me to death?” The male director complained, but then he noticed Bai Lixin standing next to the female director. His eyes lit up, and he quickly made a frame gesture with his fingers.
“Hey, Sister, is she the newcomer you found for the show?”
“Yes, she’s from the acting department, isn’t she pretty? You’re envious, right? Well, I found her!”
“From the acting department? Quick, Sister, lend her to me.”
The female director looked nervous, “What do you want to do? No way!”
“I want to make use of her talents. My resources are all set up, and I can’t just let them go to waste. I’d like her to be a stand-in for a scene with the film king.”
The male director looked at Bai Lixin and smiled, “You’re from the acting department, right? Then you must know me, right?”
The female director looked at Bai Lixin anxiously.
Bai Lixin blinked in confusion, “Hello, Director Zhang.”
–‘Who are you?’
Director Zhang: “…”
He was caught off guard and taught a lesson—some people shouldn’t assume everyone knows them. Not everyone is famous like money.
Director Zhang tried to salvage the situation with a light cough, “It’s okay if you don’t know me. But you must have heard of Shen Mo, right?”
‘And who is Shen Mo?’
Bai Lixin continued to look puzzled, “Oh, I’ve heard of him, he’s very talented.”
“…” Director Zhang, “Anyway, our crew is filming a high-quality movie that’s sure to be a hit. Would you like to act opposite Shen Mo? You’re still a university student so you don’t know that some actors may never get the chance to act opposite a film king in their entire career? This will be beneficial to your future performances.”
Bai Lixin looked at Director Zhang, and then at the female director, seeking approval.
‘Catch this pot.’
The female director hesitated, “Um…”
‘It’s not that I don’t want to help, Brother, but he’s not from the acting department, and he’s not even a girl.’
The male director said, “Old Li, we’ve known each other for so many years, can you bear to see me lose so much money? Are you pushing me into a pit? Are you going to ignore a friend in need? Since I can’t wait for the film queen, can’t I hire a stand-in for her?”
The female director looked at Bai Lixin and said with a brave face, “How about you go? Don’t refuse. Think about your five-star review.”
Bai Lixin: “…”
The damned day to day life of an average worker.
——————
Director Zhang cheerfully led Bai Lixin to the other side. On the way, he started explaining the scene to him, “We’re shooting a costume drama with a high starting point.”
“You’ll be playing a thousand-year-old cat demon who meets, knows, fights, and then falls in love with the male protagonist, who plays a Taoist priest. It’s a story of saving the world.”
“The actor playing the Taoist priest is Shen Mo, the film king. Although you’ll be a stand-in without showing your face, you can still learn from Shen Mo’s acting. You’ll benefit greatly from this; I’m not lying to you.”
Bai Lixin: “…”
Oh, he finally understood. The film king’s name is Shen Mo.
Bai Lixin: “I’m considered tall for a girl. Is that so-called film queen also this tall?”
Director Zhang: “…”
‘Wow, what did she learn in the acting department?!
She doesn’t even know the movie queen?!’
Director Zhang: “It’s alright. Shen Mo is quite tall, and even the female lead has to wear high-heeled shoes to act with him. But Xiao Xin’s height is just right, and in a costume drama, with many layers of clothing, there won’t be much difference.”
As the director led him to the set, he said, “I’ll introduce you to Shen Mo first and say hello to him. He’s been waiting for a long time; I hope he isn’t so angry.”
He spoke while leading Bai Lixin back and forth on the well-constructed platform, and they soon arrived in front of a nanny car.
He knocked on the door of the nanny car, and a man’s voice came from inside, “Who is it?”
Just one short word, but it carried an inexplicable sense of familiarity.
Bai Lixin froze for a moment.
Director Zhang said, “Shen Mo, it’s me. I brought someone for you to see, and then we’ll continue shooting.”
The door of the car opened, and Bai Lixin looked up to see a face that couldn’t be more familiar.
The director explained, “The artist who quit the recording did so because she was raped at night, and now has severe psychological trauma.”
The girl with the high ponytail added, “In fact, the four of us all heard the knocking last night.”
“But we three didn’t open the door; only the last girl did.”
“We only found out the next day what happened to her last night.”
The director continued, “I gathered them all together, and to protect the female artist’s reputation, we publicly stated that she was merely frightened. Then, I started to retrieve surveillance footage. At the time, I was really angry, thinking that some bold and presumptuous man in the group did it.”
“But after checking the surveillance footage, I broke out in a cold sweat. You’ve probably watched variety shows like this, where they cover up all the cameras before the artists go to sleep at night. So we couldn’t film anything inside the room, but we could hear the sound.”
“The only footage I could see was from the corridor.”
“Around midnight, I saw that girl suddenly open the door.”
“But at that time, there was no one in the corridor.”
The director shivered, and the other three girls’ faces turned pale.
“We also heard the knocking at around midnight. I asked who was outside, but no one responded, so I didn’t dare to open the door, afraid of some pervert,” described the girl with the high ponytail.
“I was similar; I didn’t even get up from the bed. I’ve been afraid of this stuff since I was little. I looked at the clock, and it was midnight. According to reason, if someone was looking for me, they wouldn’t just knock; they should also say who they are. But I only heard the knocking, so I didn’t get out of bed and even covered myself entirely with the blanket.”
She shivered, “Just a moment, and all my drowsiness was scared away. I listened carefully for any sound outside, and the knocking continued for a while and then stopped. But I didn’t hear any footsteps at all.”
“Oh, let me add,” the girl with bangs spoke up, “The houses here are made of wood, including the walls and the floors, to create a romantic atmosphere. Even walking lightly will make a sound unless you’re barefoot.”
“My situation was similar to theirs. I looked through the peephole and saw no one outside, so I didn’t dare to open the door.”
The director said, “None of them opened the door, but the other girl was bold and opened it. As a result… alas!”
“I called you here for one thing only: I want you to help me catch this culprit!” The director’s features twisted together in anger. “If it’s a person pretending to be a ghost, I’ll send them to jail! If it’s a supernatural spirit, it must also pay the price. We women aren’t that easy to mess with! I can’t stand this kind of insulting behavior towards female professionals.”
Bai Lixin looked at the angry faces and asked, “Why didn’t the victim identify the the attacker? Was the victim controlled?”
“Yes,” the director nodded, “After the girl opened the door, she found no one outside and went back to sleep. In the middle of the night, she felt someone touching her, and she got scared and wanted to scream. But she found that not only couldn’t she move, but everything before her was pitch black, and she temporarily lost her vision.”
“If she didn’t wake up feeling unwell in the morning, she might have thought it was just a nightmare.”
“I feel guilty,” the director rubbed her hands anxiously. “Before this show started, I said I would protect these girls, but after just a few days of filming, this happened. Now the girl’s condition is not good; her agent took her back, and she’s reportedly preparing to undergo psychological treatment.”
Bai Lixin looked into the director’s eyes. “Then how do you want me to handle this?”
“Before you came, I was struggling to figure out how to catch that troublesome garbage,” the director stared at Bai Lixin with a serious gaze. “That garbage is a pervert. If we want to lure it out, we need bait, but I’m not willing to risk those three girls.”
“But now that you’re here…”
The director’s voice paused slightly, and Bai Lixin’s crisis radar instantly activated.
He looked at the director with incredulity, “You don’t want me to dress up as a woman, do you?”
“Well, why not?” The director smiled faintly with a hint of embarrassment. “No wonder you became a gold medal sleep tester. You’re really smart. Thumbs up to you.”
Bai Lixin: “…”
‘Let me tell you, flattery won’t work with me!
Also, when did I become a gold medal sleep tester?’
Escape system: [After you excellent performance in the task last night, your profession changed from “Haunted House Sleep Tester” to “Gold Medal Haunted Sleep House Tester.” Great job, Master Bai Lixin.]
Seeing that Bai Lixin remained silent, the director changed the subject, “When I placed the order, I was told that we can rate your performance after the job is done. If we are not satisfied, we can complain and leave a negative review.”
The Escape System quickly added, [That’s right! If you receive one complaint, you’ll be downgraded from ‘Gold Medal’ to ‘Ordinary.’ If you receive two complaints, you’ll be deemed ‘incompetent’ and will be dismissed.]
[Master Bai Lixin, please think carefully before making a decision! It’s just crossdressing; we’ve all done it before, heehee.]
Bai Lixin: [From your tone, it seems like you’re quite excited about this?]
‘Heehee?’
The Escape System: [Heehee, who wouldn’t look forward to seeing Master Bai Lixin crossdress? Not only me, even the audience in the live broadcast wants to see it. I’m just here to provide everyone with some extra benefits~]
Bai Lixin: […]
‘Sister System, you’ve changed. You’re no longer the innocent system.’
——————————-
Five minutes later, a tall and graceful black-haired beauty walked out of the dressing room.
When they first saw the black-haired beauty, the director and the three female artists were amazed.
Director: “I told you, with my vision, I would never make a mistake. Are you really not thinking about debuting? I can find you an agent who won’t deceive you. You were born to be an actress!”
Bangs: “Ah, I’m a girl, but I want to drool just by looking at you. You can even skip the makeup; as a woman, I feel so inferior.”
The clothes were women’s clothing from the adjacent dressing room. The director took Bai Lixin’s acceptance into account and chose a modified casual beige two-piece suit.
Bai Lixin’s slender frame and graceful figure allowed him to wear it without any sense of incongruity. Instead, it exuded a special charm between femininity and competence.
He already had a beautiful face, and the suit’s shirt had a ribbon, which covered his Adam’s apple and added a touch of softness to him.
The director took a pair of flat shoes from the dressing room. “You’re too tall, and you might not be used to wearing high heels. Wear these.”
—————————-
In the live broadcast room.
[? God Xin will be uncomfortable wearing high heels? Don’t look down on our God Xin, okay? Back then, our God Xin wore a cheongsam, high heels, and even carried two skeletons in his hands, striding gracefully without any panic.]
[Hahaha, I remember now. It was from the copy with the “Little Mom Literature”. ]
[Right, right, I also remember now. That copy was simply fragrant. After more than two years, we finally have a chance to see God Xin in women’s clothes again. Cheers!]
[□□□□.]
[Hisss…..]
[I want to see the big boss staring at God Xin in a daze.]
————————-
The director personally led Bai Lixin into the small villa. “From now on, you’re an artist. Your stage name will be ‘Xiao Xin.’ Let’s go I introduce you to the others, and tonight you’ll stay in the room of that girl who left.”
“All of her belongings have been removed, and we’ve prepared a new bed for you, not the one from yesterday. You can rest assured.”
“Do you have any other questions?”
Bai Lixin: “Am I restricted to staying in the room all night, or I can come out?”
The director replied, “You can come out. I’m not sure where that scum is hiding, so if you have the ability to take the initiative, you can do that too.”
Being able to leave the room would significantly expand his range of activities.
Bai Lixin nodded to show that he understood the director’s words.
The director gathered all the male guests after arriving on the ground floor of the small villa. There were four male guests, and they appeared to be slightly older than the female guests.
With all the male guests present, the director introduced Bai Lixin, “ Amy withdrew from the recording today, so I invited a female guest overnight to replace her. You may not be familiar with her; she’s a student from X University’s acting department, and she hasn’t graduated yet. Please take good care of her.”
The four male guests stared at Bai Lixin with curiosity. After a while, some shyly looked away, while others continued to observe him.
After a brief self-introduction, Bai Lixin was approached by a man wearing a white shirt who said, “Xiao Xin, you look tall. You should be around 1.8 meters, right? Do you work as a model in your spare time?”
Bai Lixin smiled awkwardly, “No, this is my first public event.”
The man looked around 27 or 28 years old. He was the tallest among them at about 1.9 meters, and he assessed Bai Lixin, “With your physique and proportions, it’s a shame not to be a model. I used to be a model myself. If you become one, you can reach the international stage, and every step will be worth millions.”
Bai Lixin continued to smile awkwardly, “Hehe, I’m fine the way I am now.”
Identifying and complimenting the members was one of the team-building activities.
Through conversation, Bai Lixin quickly learned the professions of the four male guests.
The tallest one was a model.
The one with a cute baby face was a singer.
The one portraying a mature and profound character was an actor.
And there was a cool singer-dancer.
Baby-Faced Brother: “Sister Xiao Xin, why didn’t you bring any luggage?”
The director explained, “Oh, I grabbed her at the last minute, so she didn’t have time to bring anything. Someone will deliver her belongings tomorrow.”
Profound Mature Brother: “That was quite rushed. Will you be comfortable?”
Bai Lixin forced a smile, “Well, I haven’t stayed here yet, so I don’t know if I’ll be comfortable.”
Profound Mature Brother: “…”
Cool Brother: “Since you rushed here, did you have dinner? You guys chat, and I’ll go wash some fruits for you.”
With that, Cool Brother left the group.
The director whispered, “That’s just his personality; he’s slow to warm up.”
After clearing her throat, the director continued, “Now that you all know each other, I’ll leave. It’s getting late, and we have outdoor activities tomorrow, so rest early, and don’t stay up too late.”
The director finished speaking and tugged Bai Lixin’s sleeve. Bai Lixin naturally stood up and followed the director out of the small villa.
Standing in the spacious yard, the director asked in a low voice, “Do you find any of them suspicious?”
Bai Lixin replied, “Ah, we just met, and I haven’t noticed anything yet. Have you found anything?”
The director said, “Not exactly. Today, I checked the team, and they all had alibis for last night. They’re my people, loyal for many years. I trust their character, and they know what I despise the most. It’s unlikely they would do such a thing.”
“Let me tell you something; I don’t believe it’s the work of ghosts. It’s possible someone is playing tricks. Among those four, the one who washed the fruits had studied hacking before, and I have some suspicions about him. But it’s just a suspicion; I don’t have any evidence. If we wrongly accuse him, it would be unfair.”
“I’m telling you this so you can be careful.”
Bai Lixin replied, “Alright, I’ll adapt accordingly.”
The director gave Bai Lixin a complicated look, “Just be careful. If you encounter any issues, call for help immediately. Don’t hesitate. As women, we should pick up arms to protect ourselves.”
Bai Lixin: “?”
‘Did I just have a sex change?’
The director still seemed concerned and repeatedly reminded Bai Lixin to be careful before preparing to leave.
As she was about to leave, they heard noises and shouting outside the courtyard. “Old Li, you’re so unreliable.”
Bai Lixin and the director turned to see the male director who had been filming across the road, accompanied by two others.
The two directors clearly knew each other well. As soon as the male director arrived, the female director laughed, “Old Zhang, what wind blew you here? Weren’t you shooting night scenes over there? You finished so quickly?”
“Sigh, don’t mention it. Shooting? What a fart! Sister Mei, the film queen, was supposed to arrive in ten minutes, but we waited for her, and her agent suddenly called and said she had an emergency arrangement and won’t be coming tonight.”
“I’m so angry! We’ve prepared everything – lights, equipment, props – even the film king is waiting for her. But she said she won’t come, leaving us hanging. Does she know how much manpower and resources we’ll lose?”
The female director: “Well, she is a film queen. Just be a little more understanding.”
“What else can I do? Let her fans torment me to death?” The male director complained, but then he noticed Bai Lixin standing next to the female director. His eyes lit up, and he quickly made a frame gesture with his fingers.
“Hey, Sister, is she the newcomer you found for the show?”
“Yes, she’s from the acting department, isn’t she pretty? You’re envious, right? Well, I found her!”
“From the acting department? Quick, Sister, lend her to me.”
The female director looked nervous, “What do you want to do? No way!”
“I want to make use of her talents. My resources are all set up, and I can’t just let them go to waste. I’d like her to be a stand-in for a scene with the film king.”
The male director looked at Bai Lixin and smiled, “You’re from the acting department, right? Then you must know me, right?”
The female director looked at Bai Lixin anxiously.
Bai Lixin blinked in confusion, “Hello, Director Zhang.”
–‘Who are you?’
Director Zhang: “…”
He was caught off guard and taught a lesson—some people shouldn’t assume everyone knows them. Not everyone is famous like money.
Director Zhang tried to salvage the situation with a light cough, “It’s okay if you don’t know me. But you must have heard of Shen Mo, right?”
‘And who is Shen Mo?’
Bai Lixin continued to look puzzled, “Oh, I’ve heard of him, he’s very talented.”
“…” Director Zhang, “Anyway, our crew is filming a high-quality movie that’s sure to be a hit. Would you like to act opposite Shen Mo? You’re still a university student so you don’t know that some actors may never get the chance to act opposite a film king in their entire career? This will be beneficial to your future performances.”
Bai Lixin looked at Director Zhang, and then at the female director, seeking approval.
‘Catch this pot.’
The female director hesitated, “Um…”
‘It’s not that I don’t want to help, Brother, but he’s not from the acting department, and he’s not even a girl.’
The male director said, “Old Li, we’ve known each other for so many years, can you bear to see me lose so much money? Are you pushing me into a pit? Are you going to ignore a friend in need? Since I can’t wait for the film queen, can’t I hire a stand-in for her?”
The female director looked at Bai Lixin and said with a brave face, “How about you go? Don’t refuse. Think about your five-star review.”
Bai Lixin: “…”
The damned day to day life of an average worker.
——————
Director Zhang cheerfully led Bai Lixin to the other side. On the way, he started explaining the scene to him, “We’re shooting a costume drama with a high starting point.”
“You’ll be playing a thousand-year-old cat demon who meets, knows, fights, and then falls in love with the male protagonist, who plays a Taoist priest. It’s a story of saving the world.”
“The actor playing the Taoist priest is Shen Mo, the film king. Although you’ll be a stand-in without showing your face, you can still learn from Shen Mo’s acting. You’ll benefit greatly from this; I’m not lying to you.”
Bai Lixin: “…”
Oh, he finally understood. The film king’s name is Shen Mo.
Bai Lixin: “I’m considered tall for a girl. Is that so-called film queen also this tall?”
Director Zhang: “…”
‘Wow, what did she learn in the acting department?!
She doesn’t even know the movie queen?!’
Director Zhang: “It’s alright. Shen Mo is quite tall, and even the female lead has to wear high-heeled shoes to act with him. But Xiao Xin’s height is just right, and in a costume drama, with many layers of clothing, there won’t be much difference.”
As the director led him to the set, he said, “I’ll introduce you to Shen Mo first and say hello to him. He’s been waiting for a long time; I hope he isn’t so angry.”
He spoke while leading Bai Lixin back and forth on the well-constructed platform, and they soon arrived in front of a nanny car.
He knocked on the door of the nanny car, and a man’s voice came from inside, “Who is it?”
Just one short word, but it carried an inexplicable sense of familiarity.
Bai Lixin froze for a moment.
Director Zhang said, “Shen Mo, it’s me. I brought someone for you to see, and then we’ll continue shooting.”
The door of the car opened, and Bai Lixin looked up to see a face that couldn’t be more familiar.
