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

Inside, the air was warm and inviting, and the aroma of food was almost palpable, enveloping every traveler returning home.

As soon as Xiao Chen stepped into the entrance hall, he saw two people quickly coming out of the main hall to greet him.

A warm, smiling male voice rang out, carrying a familiar languor.

"Our Oscar-winning actor is back!"

Leslie Cheung wore a soft beige cashmere sweater, his face beaming with undisguised joy and affection.

He stepped forward and, before Xiao Chen could react, opened his arms and gave him a big hug, patting him hard on the back.

"Ah Chen, you've worked hard."

Following closely behind was Anita Mui.

She wore a festive red cheongsam with a thick shawl draped over it, and her eyes were filled with a gentle smile.

"Don't hug him so tightly as soon as you come back, look how tightly you're squeezing him."

She gave Leslie Cheung a reproachful look, then reached out and gently smoothed Xiao Chen's slightly messy hair.

His eyes were full of pity.

"Quickly, go wash your hands with Sister Hua, we're just waiting for you two to start eating."

In recent years, as relatives and friends have either left for distant places or returned to dust.

On New Year's Eve, a time for family reunions, the houses on Hong Kong Island became even more deserted.

So, flying to Beijing to spend New Year's Eve with Ye Huimei and her son Xiao Chen became an unspoken agreement between them.

There were no flashbulbs, no reporters, only family members.

Looking at the scene before her, Wang Jinhua's initial restlessness caused by the Spring Festival Gala and trending topics completely subsided.

She greeted Zhang and Mei with a smile, as familiar as family.

"Brother Rong, Sister Mei, Happy New Year!"

"Sister Hua, you've worked hard too. Please come in and have a seat."

Ye Huimei came out of the kitchen carrying plates of steaming dishes and greeted everyone.

"Don't stand there, everyone, come to the table!"

"The dumplings are fresh out of the pot. Tonight's pork and cabbage filling is Chenchen's favorite."

Five people sat down around a not-too-large eight-immortal table.

The table was laden with home-style dishes: braised pork, steamed fish, braised prawns...

It may lack the elaborate plating of a hotel chef, but it exudes the most heartwarming, everyday charm.

The TV was still replaying highlights from the Spring Festival Gala, and it happened to be the segment where Xiao Chen sang "Beijing Welcomes You".

The young man on TV, dressed in an elegant white Zhongshan suit, was refined and handsome, drawing cheers from the audience.

Meanwhile, the boy at the dinner table had changed into comfortable pajamas and was diligently serving food to his mother.

"Mom, please eat more of this."

Ye Huimei muttered to herself, but the smile in her eyes was unmistakable.

"Okay, okay, you eat too, look how thin you are."

Leslie Cheung poured himself a glass of wine and filled Xiao Chen's glass with juice.

He raised his glass, his gaze sweeping over everyone present.

"Come on, let's not say anything else."

His voice remained gentle.

"The greatest blessing for our little family is that we can sit together like this every year."

Anita Mui also raised her glass, her eyes slightly moist.

"Yes, let's celebrate our good fortune."

Wang Jinhua added with a smile.

"Congratulations to our Chenchen! He's grown another year older and is getting more and more amazing!"

Her eyes held pride, satisfaction, and the honor of being an agent.

Xiao Chen looked at them, at the faces that were the most important and closest to him in his life.

He picked up the juice in front of him, the clear liquid reflecting the warm light overhead.

The noise and praise from the outside world seem like a story from another world.

Oscar winner, Grammy winner, Spring Festival Gala regular... those are just labels.

Only now, sitting here, is he truly Xiao Chen.

He is Ye Huimei's son, Wang Jinhua's Xiao Chen, and the son that Leslie Cheung and Anita Mui treat as their own.

"A toast to everyone."

He spoke, his voice clear and melodious.

"And best wishes for the new year."

With a crisp clink, the five cups collided.

Outside the window, the faint sound of New Year's bells could be heard.

A huge firework burst open in the night sky, illuminating the entire alley as bright as day.

2009 arrived in this warm and joyful atmosphere.

The short Spring Festival holiday passed by in the blink of an eye.

Xiao Chen arrived back at the set of "Chinese Paladin 3" almost right on the first day after his holiday ended.

The film studio has returned to its usual bustling state, with actors in costumes and crew members carrying equipment everywhere.

He had just entered the dressing room and hadn't even had a chance to sit down when he heard a series of awkward Northeastern accents and loud laughter coming from outside.

"That's a good idea!"

"Pia, one blink of an eye and a day has passed!"

"I really don't have that!"

A stagehand was perfectly mimicking Xiao Chen's classic line from the Spring Festival Gala skit "Not Short of Money".

It made everyone around him laugh so hard they almost fell over.

Another prop master, not to be outdone, cleared his throat and imitated Zhao Benshan's tone in a high-pitched voice.

Do you know what the most painful thing in a person's life is?

"It means the person died before they spent all their money!"

"Ha ha ha ha!"

Xiao Chen stood at the door, listening to the familiar lines, feeling both amused and exasperated.

It seems that this year's Spring Festival Gala has a really strong staying power.

He was trying to sneak in quietly when he was spotted by the sharp-eyed assistant director.

"Hey! Xiao Chen's back!"

That shout instantly silenced the once bustling corridor.

The stagehand who had just been imitating the scene blushed instantly and stood there helplessly.

"Teacher Xiao... Teacher Xiao."

Seeing his embarrassed look, Xiao Chen was not angry at all, but found it rather amusing.

He walked over slowly, patted the young man on the shoulder, and had a casual smile on his lips.

"Well done."

The stagehand was stunned, before he could even breathe a sigh of relief.

Then Xiao Chen lazily added.

"Don't imitate that next time."

"You're stealing my job."

A joke instantly diffused all the awkwardness.

Everyone around burst into laughter, and the atmosphere became even more lively than before.

"Teacher Xiao, you're so funny!"

"That's right, leave us a way out!"

Xiao Chen greeted everyone with a smile before entering his private dressing room.

This atmosphere of being loved and teased by everyone made him feel very relaxed.

He prefers the feeling of being integrated into the group and becoming one of the group to being treated as someone who is treated with great respect.

The final stage of filming was tense yet well-organized.

With Xiao Chen around, the entire crew was exceptionally efficient.

Whether it's complex action scenes or dramatic scenes that test one's emotions.

He always manages to impress his co-stars with his precise performances, getting the scene right in one take.

Soon, with an excited shout from the director...

"Cut! Filming wrapped!"

The filming of "Chinese Paladin 3" has officially come to an end.

The crew was filled with jubilation, hugging each other and celebrating the end of months of hard work.

Amidst the laughter and joy, three figures appeared somewhat forlorn.

Yang Mi, Tang Yan, and Liu Shishi stood together, their eyes following the figure surrounded by the crowd in the center.

For others, wrapping up filming is a liberation, but for them, it's a farewell.