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

Shouzhu shook his head.

"It was built with funds from the imperial court back then," Chen Shouyi said.

"Our Wenshi School has been passed down from generation to generation. By the time it reached my generation, the walls of the temple were in such a dilapidated state."

"If the patriarch truly has a spirit, do you think he'd rather I stick to the strict rules and regulations and fall down with the plaster, or would he rather I go out and make some money to repair the temple?"

Shouzhuo opened his mouth, but no words came out.

"Whether you enter or leave the world, it's never about where you are, but where your heart is." Chen Shouyi picked up his teacup and took a sip.

"Even if I entered the entertainment industry, if my heart is filled with the Tao, that is cultivation. If you sit in the temple every day, thinking about what to eat for lunch, that is not cultivation."

Shouzhuo nodded thoughtfully.

He didn't fully understand, but there was always a reason behind what his master said.

Over the past two years, he has learned one thing: he only needs to carry out his master's decisions. In the end, they will all be correct anyway.

Sure enough, Shouzhuo thought for a moment, and his brows slowly relaxed.

He stood up, refilled Chen Shouyi's cup with hot water, sat back down, and asked again:

"Master, now that you've signed a contract, does that mean you'll be acting frequently from now on?"

"Nonsense, why would I sign a contract if I weren't acting?"

"What about the Taoist temple?" Shouzhuo suddenly became serious.

"If you go to film a movie, there will be no one left in the temple. Who will take care of the incense offerings? Who will offer incense to the patriarch? And what about those benefactors who made appointments to come and see the shrine—"

Before he could finish speaking, Chen Shouyi suddenly stood up, stepped forward, and slapped Shouzhuo on the back of the head.

The force wasn't strong, but the sound was crisp and clear.

"Ouch!" Shouzhuo rubbed the back of his head, looking up at him with a wronged expression. "Master, why did you hit me?"

Chen Shouyi stood in front of him, looking down at him, and the corners of his mouth slowly turned up.

"This is where you'll have to go."

Shouzhuo was stunned.

"You've been following me for two and a half years now." Chen Shouyi was unusually serious. "How much of the Daoist Canon have you memorized?"

"Uh... I've finished memorizing the Tao Te Ching, I've memorized half of the Zhuangzi, and I've just started memorizing the Huangting Jing..."

"That's enough," Chen Shouyi interrupted him. "You can do all these things yourself, like guarding the house, offering incense, sweeping the floor, and greeting visitors. If you're unsure about anything, just call me."

Shouzhuo's eyes slowly brightened.

"While I'm out earning money to maintain the temple, you stay inside and guard the monastery," Chen Shouyi said to him. "We, master and disciple, will work together from the inside out, with a clear division of labor. Do you understand?"

Shouzhu nodded vigorously, so much so that his head almost fell off.

"Understood, understood! Master, you can go film with peace of mind; I'll take care of the temple!"

"Alright, go back to sleep." Chen Shouyi waved his hand. "We have to get up early tomorrow; the setup on site can't go wrong."

"yes!"

Shouzhuo stood up and walked out, but when he reached the door, he suddenly turned around, scratched his head, and chuckled.

"What's wrong now?"

"Master, may I discuss something with you?"

"explain."

"If you become famous in the future, could you get me a few autographed photos?" Shouzhuo asked expectantly. "The Bingbing one... any Bingbing will do."

Chen Shouyi glanced at him twice.

"roll."

"Okay!"

Shouzhuo quickly opened the door and slipped out. The moment the door closed, his light footsteps echoed in the corridor as he hummed a tune he couldn't quite place.

April 19th, Sunday, sunny.

It's already getting quite hot in Hengdian in April.

A little after 10 a.m., outside tent number 16 in the Qingming Riverside Scene scenic area, several stagehands were working up a sweat.

Chen Shouyi stood at the entrance of the shed, his purple robe gleaming slightly in the morning light. He held a thermos in his hand, drinking tea while keeping an eye on the arrangement of the offering table.

"Move two inches to the left, yes, right there." He pointed.

Old Zhou hurriedly directed people to adjust the position, muttering "be gentle, be gentle," and then turned to give Chen Shouyi a smile.

"Master, how about this?"

Chen Shouyi took two steps forward, squatted down to check if the four legs of the offering table were on the same level, then stood up to check the position of the incense burner and the central axis of the offering table before nodding.

"Alright. Prepare the incense and candles before noon, arrange them neatly, and make sure no one touches them."

Old Zhou breathed a sigh of relief and was about to tell the stagehands to go about their other business when he glanced outside the shed and suddenly clicked his tongue.

He worked as a production assistant for seven or eight years, and worked with at least twenty or thirty different production teams. He had seen actors of all ranks.

But to be honest, he hadn't seen many actors who came to the set to scout out the location the day before filming started.

It's not like the computer's turned on today, so there's no need to come. But these guys are something else. They came over early this morning and just stood there for over an hour, doing nothing but sitting there.

"What's wrong?" Chen Shouyi handed the compass back to Shouzhuo.

"Taoist Master, look over there." Old Zhou gestured towards the outside of the shed with his chin.

Chen Shouyi followed his gaze.

Under the antique-style locust tree diagonally opposite shed number 16, Jin Chen was leaning against the trunk playing on his phone, Nazha was sitting on the prop box next to her, and Chen Yao was standing on the far side, holding a cup of soy milk and sipping it slowly.

Except for two fewer people, the three of them were standing in exactly the same positions as yesterday.

Jin Chen was the first to notice Chen Shouyi looking at her. She immediately put her phone away, smiled, and waved to him.

Naza also raised her hand as a greeting. Chen Yao paused for a moment, then nodded slightly.

Chen Shouyi nodded to them in response.

Old Zhou chuckled twice beside him: "Master, you have a lot of influence. This is the first time I've ever seen an actor arrive on set a day early and stay for so long."

Chen Shouyi glanced at him but didn't reply.

Old Zhou didn't mind and added, "Really, I've never seen them this enthusiastic when filming."

Chen Shouyi didn't respond to that, but turned to Lao Zhou and said, "Leave the offering table here for now. Go check if the water circulation system for the water feature behind the shed is installed. We need to use running water tomorrow, not stagnant water."

"Okay."

Old Zhou responded and was about to leave when Chen Shouyi suddenly asked, "By the way, why is it so noisy in the scenic area today?"

He noticed it when he entered the shed area in the morning; he could hear a commotion outside through the fence, much more lively than yesterday.

You can faintly hear the sounds of gongs, drums, and music, as if there is some kind of event taking place.

"Master, you didn't know?" Old Zhou slapped his forehead. "The Qingming Riverside Scene scenic area is having an event today."

It's called "The Song Dynasty's Grand Song and Dance Performance," which is the opening event of the Flower Festival. On a Sunday, it's packed with tourists; people start queuing as early as eight in the morning.

"A grand celebration of songs and dances in the Song Dynasty?" Chen Shouyi's interest was piqued. "What kind of event is it?"

"It's that spring outing festival organized by the scenic area, which takes place from March to May."

"There are flower goddess parades, lantern releases, flower cake making, and even RPG live-action game experiences. Along the way, NPCs dressed as Song Dynasty merchants, artists, officials, and so on interact with tourists."

"There are also stamp collection activities, folk performances, and other things. It's quite lively, and many parents bring their children to play."

Chen Shouyi nodded, having already made up his mind.

I've been in Hengdian for several days now, staying in the studios and hotel every day, and haven't really explored the scenic area yet. Luckily, I can finish my work this morning, and I'm free anyway, so I might as well go out and take a look around.

"Shou Zhuo."

"Hey, Master." Shouzhuo was squatting next to the offering table arranging incense and candles when he heard him being called, so he stood up.

"You go with Master Zhou to check on the water features, I'll go for a walk outside."

Shouzhuo was taken aback for a moment: "Master, you're going alone? Shall I go with you?"

"No need." Chen Shouyi waved his hand. "You go with Lao Zhou. You saw what happened with the water feature yesterday, so you know how to do it. I'll be right back."

Shouzhuo simply said "oh," didn't ask any further questions, put the compass back in his bag, and followed Lao Zhou to the back of the shed.

Chen Shouyi straightened the cuffs of his Taoist robe and turned to walk out of the shed area.

I had only taken a few steps out of the shed when I heard a series of hurried footsteps behind me.

"Master Daoist!"

I know who it is without even turning around.

Chen Shouyi stopped and turned around to see Jin Chen jogging towards him, the hem of his knitted sweater swaying as he ran.

She ran up to him, slightly out of breath, and said reproachfully, "Taoist Master, I sent you a WeChat message last night, why didn't you reply?"