I became a movie star at the age of three; Dilraba and I are childhood sweethearts.

Xiao Chen smiled and placed a piece of the fattest fish belly meat in the bowls of Anita Mui and Leslie Cheung.

"Sister Mei, Brother Guorong, don't just watch him eat, you should eat more too."

His voice was clear and gentle.

"I have to attend a sacrificial ceremony this afternoon, so I need to have some energy."

The meal ended amidst Chen Chichi's ravenous eating and everyone's cheerful laughter.

After a short lunch break, the group headed to the sea cliff at the east end of the village, as agreed with Village Chief Wang.

Before we even got close, a series of deep, rhythmic drumbeats accompanied by the sound of waves could be heard.

The air was filled with the rich aroma of incense.

Hundreds of villagers, men, women, and children, have gathered on the sea cliff, their expressions solemn.

They stood facing the sea, before a shrine naturally sculpted from a massive reef.

The shrine houses a statue of a kind-faced goddess, presumably the "Sea Goddess" the villagers speak of.

On the offering table in front of the shrine, there were pig heads, whole chickens, large fish, and various fruits and snacks.

The incense burner was filled with tall incense sticks, and wisps of smoke curled upwards, as if carrying the prayers of humankind to the heavens.

Village Chief Wang was dressed in a brand-new Tang suit with a front opening, his expression one of solemnity and piety he had never shown before.

He stood at the very front, holding three incense sticks.

Leading several village elders, they knelt and kowtowed three times and nine times before the statue of the Sea Goddess, chanting incantations.

Their voices were not loud, but they converged into a deep resonance that echoed in the sea breeze.

Xiao Chen and his group stood quietly on the periphery of the crowd, moved by this primal and powerful force of faith.

Unconsciously, he stopped all jokes and idle chatter.

Mei Yanfang looked at the fishermen with their dark skin and weathered faces; their eyes no longer held the usual憨笑 (simple and honest smile).

Only reverence for the gods and anticipation for the future.

She gently touched Leslie Cheung beside her and whispered.

"Brother, look at their eyes, they've surrendered everything to the sea and the gods."

"We haven't seen this kind of purity in our circle for far too long."

Leslie Cheung nodded slightly, his eyes, which always carried a hint of melancholy, were unusually bright at that moment.

What he saw was not just a ritual, but a display of vitality, a most basic struggle and reconciliation between humanity and the vastness of nature.

Stephen Chow, on the other hand, has completely entered a different state.

He didn't seem like a spectator; he was more like a director observing a meticulously choreographed drama.

He stared at the village chief, Wang, who was presiding over the ceremony, watching the villagers' unified movements and listening to the monotonous yet powerful drumbeats.

His brows furrowed slightly at times and relaxed at others, as if he were conceiving some grand scene in his mind.

Chen Chichi stood there, the fatigue of the morning and the fullness of the midday sun intertwined.

This gave him a deeper appreciation for everything before him.

He looked at the fishermen who were about the same age as his father; every time they went out to sea, it was a gamble between life and death.

This prayer is incredibly heavy.

Dilraba nervously clutched the hem of her clothes. She had never seen such a scene before; it was sacred yet carried a strange sense of oppression.

She subconsciously moved closer to Xiao Chen, as if only by his side could she find a little peace of mind.

Xiao Chen simply watched quietly.

Looking at the vast sea, the devout crowd, and the statue whose face was blurred by the fireworks.

His thoughts drifted far away, back to that unknown past life.

He was like that back then, small and helpless.

They pinned all their hopes on one illusory audition opportunity after another.

Every time you hand out your resume, every time you stand in front of the camera, isn't it a kind of prayer to the god of "fate"?

He understands this feeling all too well.

To stake one's entire fortune on something unseen and intangible.

They won and returned home with a full haul.

If you lose, you will be doomed.

Therefore, he was more able to empathize with this awe than anyone else present.

This is not superstition; it is a lifeline that people living on the edge of a cliff are desperately seeking.

As the sacrificial ceremony drew to a close, Village Chief Wang led the villagers in bowing once more before straightening up.

He turned around and saw Xiao Chen and the others. He forced a smile on his dark face and waved to them.

"Distinguished guests, come and share in the blessings of our Sea Goddess."

"Also, pray for peace for those of us who make a living by the sea."

This invitation is simple yet sincere.

Xiao Chen was the first to walk over and take three lit incense sticks from a villager next to him.

Without the slightest hesitation or perfunctory attitude, he walked to the shrine and, imitating the villagers, bowed three times respectfully.

The sea breeze ruffled his hair, revealing his smooth forehead and deep eyes.

He closed his eyes and, amidst the swirling smoke, raised the incense stick high above his head.

He didn't pray for himself. He already has far more than he could ever ask for.

He silently recited in his heart:

May the seas be calm and all those who set sail return safely to port.

May every cast of the net yield a harvest.

May every expectant gaze lead to reunion.

He wasn't worshipping a god, but the human heart, the simplest yet most extravagant wish in the world—to live, and to live well.

Behind him, Anita Mui, Leslie Cheung, Stephen Chow, Dilraba Dilmurat, and Chen Hechi also stepped forward in turn and solemnly offered incense.

An elderly fisherwoman with white hair and cloudy eyes kept staring at Xiao Chen.

She doesn't understand anything about Oscar winners, nor does she know any big stars.

She only saw an extremely handsome young man, praying for these fishermen he didn't know with the utmost devotion.

She understood that earnestness.

The old fisherwoman grinned, revealing her few remaining teeth, and whispered in her dialect to her daughter-in-law beside her.

"This young man has a kind heart."

"The Goddess of the Sea will protect him."

Sunlight pierced through the smoke, casting a faint golden hue over Xiao Chen, making him appear divinely sacred.

Before the bells that signaled the end of the ceremony had even faded, the most bustling corner of the village was already filled with the crackling sound of firecrackers.

Red scraps of paper fluttered in the sea breeze, mingling with the smell of sulfur.

The solemn atmosphere was instantly transformed into a lively, everyday scene.

Village Chief Wang's dark face broke into a wide smile as he strode up to Xiao Chen, his voice booming.

"Distinguished guests, please don't leave yet!"

"Today, our fishing village is hosting a grand feast for all families. We are blessed by the Sea Goddess, so we must eat and drink to our hearts' content!"

"Come on, come on, let's try our freshest seafood!"

Chen Chichi's eyes lit up when he heard "eat," and he instinctively wanted to agree.

But he still secretly glanced at Xiao Chen first.

Xiao Chen patted Village Chief Wang on the shoulder with a smile, his tone friendly yet slightly joking.

"Village chief, is there enough seafood for everyone?"

"My friends all have quite a big appetite."

His words made all the villagers around him burst into laughter.

Mei Yanfang glared at Xiao Chen reproachfully, then smiled at the village chief.