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

While helping him tidy up his new clothes, Wang Jinhua asked nervously.

"Xiao Chen, your next performance is a skit called 'Not Short of Money' with Teacher Ben Shan. Have you memorized the lines?"

Xiao Chen's voice remained calm and steady.

"Aunt Hua, don't worry."

He looked at his rapidly changing reflection in the mirror, his eyes remaining completely unmoved.

From a gentle and refined young singer to a comedian about to take the stage.

For him, switching roles is as natural as breathing.

Fifteen minutes later.

When the host announced that the next program was the skit "Not Short of Money" performed by Zhao Benshan and others, the entire audience erupted in cheers.

Uncle Ben Shan is the pillar of the Spring Festival Gala; his skits are a must-see every year.

And Xiao Chen, the man who just captivated audiences nationwide with his good looks, is going to perform in a skit?

This combination is so fresh!

Everyone craned their necks, eagerly anticipating what was to come.

The stage lights came on again, revealing the familiar rural scenery of Northeast China.

Ya Dan and Lao Bi took the stage first, and their conversation made the whole audience burst into laughter.

Then, Uncle Benshan, wearing an old military overcoat and a dog-skin hat, limped up.

The moment the iconic image appeared, the applause nearly lifted the roof off the studio.

With just a few simple lines of dialogue, the character of a proud and somewhat calculating old farmer from Northeast China is vividly portrayed.

Just as the audience was laughing so hard they were doubled over, the restaurant door was pushed open.

A waitress wearing a kilt and playing bagpipes strode in with an air of arrogance and haughtiness.

His comical gait and earnest expression instantly tickled everyone's funny bone.

The audience laughed, but also felt that the waiter looked somewhat familiar.

As he approached, the camera gave him a close-up.

The laughter from the audience abruptly stopped.

? ? ? ?

Then, a burst of exclamations and laughter erupted, more intense than ever before.

The girls who were just admiring Xiao Chen's stunning photos in his Zhongshan suit in front of the TV dropped their phones with a thud.

On the screen, there was a man wearing a red plaid skirt, white stockings, and a ridiculous beret...

It's Xiao Chen?!

Is this the same Xiao Chen who, just a dozen minutes ago, was dressed in pristine white, exuding elegance and grace, and who astonished the entire nation?!

Is this the same person?!

The stark contrast creates an unparalleled comedic effect.

After the initial shock, the audience burst into laughter.

"Hahahaha! Oh my god!"

"Xiao Chen! Give me back my gentle and refined gentleman!"

"Pfft—I just sprayed all the water I was drinking onto my dad's face!"

"Sorry, but I really couldn't resist! This look is just too sexy!"

"Those of you who praised him for his upright character, come out here!"

"Your upright young people are wearing skirts and dancing the Yangko on stage!"

"I hereby declare Xiao Chen a god!"

"A man who can make the entire nation experience the heaven and hell of good looks in fifteen minutes! He did it!"

"That's what a real actor is! Absolutely no idol baggage! They'll wear anything and act anything for a role! I'm a fan now!"

On the internet, the servers, which had just calmed down, once again cried out in despair from being overwhelmed.

#XiaoChenScottishKnit#

This brand-new term, with an even more ferocious momentum than before, immediately topped the trending searches.

Following it was a huge, bright red "Explosion" character, almost as if it were dripping blood.

Backstage, Wang Jinhua watched Xiao Chen's comical yet earnest performance on the monitor, covered her face, and laughed so hard she couldn't stand up straight.

On stage, the actors from the "Not Short of Money" team are giving a great performance.

Xiao Chen plays a waiter who goes to great lengths to help his partner get a chance to perform in front of Grandpa Bi.

He would sometimes nod and bow, giving Grandpa Bi a fawning smile.

At other times, he would straighten his back and boast that his hotel was not short of money.

Every movement and every glance of his was full of comedic effect.

Especially when Zhao Benshan asked him.

What is the most painful thing in a person's life?

He answered in a very serious manner.

"The person died, but the money wasn't spent."

The whole place burst into laughter.

When Zhao Benshan said it again.

"The most painful thing in a person's life..."

Everyone assumed he would continue speaking.

He then changed the subject, adopting a weathered, experienced tone, and slowly began to complain.

"The person is still alive, but the money is gone."

That expression, that tone of voice.

The audience was taken aback at first, then burst into thunderous laughter and applause.

The sound of that bundle being shaken resounded through the heavens!

What truly brought the atmosphere to its climax was his famous quote in his final concluding remarks.

He addressed the national audience with a disillusioned tone, expressing his feelings.

"Life is actually quite short, just like sleeping. You close your eyes, open them, and a day is gone, hoo~"

He dragged out the word "howl," with a hint of mockery and helplessness.

"If you close your eyes and never open them again, your life will be over, hoo~"

Two howls, two different states of mind.

The audience roared with laughter, many laughing until tears streamed down their faces.

The entire production team backstage was laughing so hard they were practically doubled over on the table.

The director of the Spring Festival Gala looked at the young man on the monitor, who seemed to be handling the situation with ease, and kept praising him.

"Inviting Xiao Chen was definitely the right decision."

After the skit ended, the three bowed in farewell.

The applause was like a tidal wave, lasting for a long time.

Countless audience members stood up and cheered for this wonderful show that had surprised everyone.

That night, the hashtags #XiaoChenIsNotShortOfMoney# and #ItPassedInTheBlinkOfAnEye# appeared on the internet.

It shot up to the top of Weibo's trending topics list with rocket-like speed.

Almost everyone who watched the Spring Festival Gala was discussing the waiter who was so handsome it was almost unfair, yet so funny it made people burst out laughing.

People began to imitate his tone of voice and use his famous quotes as their personal signatures.

A rising star in comedy was born on New Year's Eve in 2009 in a way no one could have imagined.

The backstage area of ​​the Spring Festival Gala was in complete turmoil.

"My goodness, Mr. Xiao Chen, you're amazing!"

Feng Gong, the sketch comedy actor who was just worried, was the first to rush up, his face full of admiration.

"Your moves, your rhythm, were simply amazing!"

"More authentic than those of us who've spent half our lives doing comedy!"

A group of comedy stars were all gathered around Xiao Chen, their enthusiasm resembling that of a fan meeting.

The way they looked at Xiao Chen had changed from initial curiosity to complete admiration.

This young man has not only achieved legendary status in film and music, but he can also perform comedy sketches with such skill.

However, Xiao Chen, surrounded by the crowd, simply smiled politely.

He took off his performance costume and changed back into his own clothes, the movements swift and discreet.

"You flatter me, teachers. I was just fooling around."

He nodded slightly to everyone, then pulled up Wang Jinhua, who was already prepared beside him.

"Aunt Hua, we should go."

Before anyone could react, Xiao Chen had already led Wang Jinhua nimbly through the crowd and turned into a dark backstage passage.

"Hey? Teacher Xiao Chen, don't go!"

"Leave your contact information!"

His figure quickly disappeared around the dimly lit corner.

All that was left was a group of comedy stars looking at each other in bewilderment and with regret on their faces.