A top star in the Chinese entertainment industry, but also a Taoist priest.

The shuttle bus slowly drove along the cement road in the shantytown, and Zhao Mingyuan was talking to Chen Shouyi about today's arrangements.

"Master, we've finished looking at Studio 16 this morning. We still have two more studios and one outdoor location to visit this afternoon, all in the Qingming Scroll area. No need to make a fuss."

Chen Shouyi hummed in agreement.

The next two sheds didn't have any major problems, just minor issues like lights pointing towards the entrance and props blocking the air vents.

Li Xianchang followed behind with his phone, taking notes as he went. He wrote down everything Chen Shouyi said, his attitude even more serious than in the morning.

Shouzhuo walked at the very back with his bag on his back, occasionally unscrewing his thermos to take a sip. In Hengdian's weather, you could break out in a sweat just by standing still.

Zhao Mingyuan listened from the side, occasionally interjecting, "Don't worry, Master, we'll have someone fix this this afternoon," being extremely attentive.

The exterior scenes are set deep within the Qingming Riverside Scene scenic area, in a Song Dynasty-style waterfront teahouse, where the crew will be filming a major scene in a couple of days.

Chen Shouyi walked around the teahouse, stopped on the waterfront corridor, and pointed to the water outside the railing.

"This water is stagnant; it doesn't flow."

Zhao Mingyuan was taken aback: "This...this is an artificial lake in the scenic area, it really doesn't flow. Is there a problem?"

"Water represents wealth, but stagnant water does not accumulate wealth." - Chen Shouyi

"No need for big changes. On the day of filming, place a basin of running water in each of the four corners of the teahouse, with two red carp in each basin. When the fish move, the water moves, and when the water moves, the air moves. Once filming is done, just remove the basin."

Zhao Mingyuan nodded repeatedly and asked the stagehand to write it down.

After completing the rounds, it was almost midnight. Zhao Mingyuan led the master and apprentice to the film crew's lunchbox shop for a meal.

Shouzhuo brought back two boxed lunches, and the master and apprentice found a quiet corner to sit down. The boxed lunches were the standard two meat dishes and two vegetable dishes: braised pork, braised shrimp, scrambled eggs with tomatoes, and stir-fried greens. There was plenty of rice.

Shouzhuo ate a couple of mouthfuls of rice and said softly, "Master, this meal is better than the food at our temple."

Chen Shouyi glanced at him: "You like it so much? Then I'll talk to Director Zhao and ask him to let you stay here as a production assistant?"

"...No, don't worry about that, I'll just follow my master."

After dinner, Zhao Mingyuan wanted to take them back to the hotel, but Chen Shouyi waved his hand and said it wasn't necessary. He had to explain the arrangements for the ritual to the event staff in the afternoon, and told him to go ahead and take care of it.

Zhao Mingyuan said "thank you for your hard work" several times, and then instructed Lao Zhou, the stage manager, to cooperate before leaving in a hurry.

It got hot a little after 2 p.m.

Outside shed number 16, several staff members were moving things according to Chen Shouyi's instructions from the morning, while Shouzhuo stood by watching and occasionally lending a hand.

Chen Shouyi leaned against the shade by the shed door, holding a thermos in his hand, watching the staff work idly.

Old Zhou was running around, his forehead covered in sweat, shouting, "Gently, gently!" "Move that one half an inch to the left!"

"Yes, right there." Chen Shouyi pointed and said, "The altar should be tilted a little to the left, directly facing the newly opened opening in the artificial hill."

Old Zhou quickly directed the adjustments, then turned to Chen Shouyi with a fawning smile: "Daoist Master, is this alright?"

Chen Shouyi nodded and was about to speak when his phone suddenly vibrated in his pocket.

He took it out and saw that the screen displayed a number from the United States.

I sent a letter to him.

Chen Shouyi was taken aback for a moment, then frowned.

It must be past 2 a.m. on the US side right now. Why is this girl making phone calls instead of sleeping?

Chen Shouyi pressed the answer button, and before the other party could speak, he simply said "call on WeChat" and hung up.

A few seconds later, a WeChat voice message rang.

Chen Shouyi had just answered the call and hadn't even had a chance to put the phone to his ear when a loud voice came from the other end of the line.

"Chen Shouyi! Are you really that stingy with the phone bill? Why did you hang up on me?! Am I not your favorite little sister anymore?!"

A barrage of complaints came through the receiver, the voice crisp and clear, with a hint of coquetry and a touch of self-righteousness.

Chen Shouyi held the phone a little further away, waiting until she finished yelling before bringing it back to his ear:

"Miss, do you know how expensive overseas calls are? I'm trying to save you money, don't be ungrateful."

There was a moment of silence on the other end, followed by a series of giggles, clearly amused by his words:

"Hehehe, I don't like using WeChat."

Chen Shouyi knew her too well. Xiang Hanzhi was the daughter of his father's old friend, and the two families were very close, having known each other since childhood.

This girl is nine years younger than him, born and raised in the United States, and comes from a fairly well-off family. She has always been talkative and loves to act spoiled, and she is especially disrespectful to him.

Given the relationship between the two families, it wouldn't be too much for her to call him "brother," but this girl just wouldn't listen; she always referred to him as Chen Shouyi.

Chen Shouyi took two steps toward the edge of the shed, distancing himself from the commotion of the field staff:

"Stop kidding me. What time is it where you are? It's past 2 a.m., aren't you asleep yet? Don't you have class tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow's Saturday, no classes." Xiang Hanzhi's voice carried a hint of smugness. "I missed you."

Chen Shouyi didn't respond to that: "Then you should go to bed early. Tell me, what's up? I'm busy right now."

"Why are you being so fierce?" Xiang Hanzhi muttered in dissatisfaction. "I was just asking what you were doing. Are you still that Taoist priest?"

"Otherwise what?"

"What's so good about being a Taoist priest?" Xiang Hanzhi's words carried a hint of seriousness, but it wasn't truly heartfelt advice; it was more like a habitual murmur.

"With grades as good as yours, you should come here and try for an Ivy League school. Let me tell you, the schools here—"

Chen Shouyi thought to himself: So what if I go to an Ivy League school? Will it allow me to cultivate?

"Xiang Hanzhi," Chen Shouyi interrupted her abruptly, "Do you have something to say or not? If not, I'll go back to my work."

If these words were said to someone else, they would be somewhat impolite, but Xiang Hanzhi had been teased by him since childhood, so he didn't take it to heart at all, and instead got angry.

"No, no, no! I really have something to do!" Xiang Hanzhi exclaimed anxiously. "Chen Shouyi, if you dare hang up on me, I'll tell Auntie you bullied me when we get back!"

Chen Shouyi remained silent for a moment.

He'd heard that threat at least eighty or a hundred times.

From childhood to adulthood, whenever this girl got the short end of the stick from him, her first reaction was to bring up his mother. And his mother just fell for it, always scolding him for giving in to his sister.

"...Speak, what is it?"

Xiang Hanzhi's voice immediately became cheerful again, as if the threat from before had never happened:

"I'm going back to China next month! Come pick me up then!"

"No, I'm busy."

"Chen Shouyi!"

"It's not like you have no one to answer you," Chen Shouyi said calmly.

"But you were the one who always picked me up before, weren't you?"

"That was before, I'm busy right now."

Chen Shouyi looked up and saw Old Zhou placing an incense burner in the center of the offering table, but it was off-center. He quickly pointed it out.

"Master Zhou, move the incense burner to the left, yes, right in the center."

Old Zhou quickly adjusted his posture and asked Han Zhi curiously on the other end of the phone, "What have you been busy with?"