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

Someone gasped in surprise.

"This is... Xiao Chen?"

Someone nearby answered.

"Impossible! This is a completely different person!"

"That timid and submissive attitude is absolutely amazing."

Jiang Wei suddenly stood up.

He circled the middle-aged man twice.

Even when they were right next to each other, he couldn't find a trace of Xiao Chen's original features in this person's face.

Aside from the makeup effects created by the production team, the most amazing thing was the change in Xiao Chen's aura.

That's acting.

This is the terrifying control that top actors have over their physical abilities.

"Great! That's wonderful!"

Jiang Wei slapped her thigh.

"In this state, if anyone says you're too handsome to play a spy..."

"I'll be the first to get angry with him!"

Xiao Chen suddenly grinned.

In that instant, Yu Zecheng's dullness vanished, replaced by Xiao Chen's signature humor.

"Director, are you implying I'm ugly?"

Everyone burst into laughter.

The tense atmosphere vanished instantly.

The actors, who had been hesitant, now looked on with awe.

Someone who can win an Oscar for Best Actor is truly a monster.

An actor of Xiao Chen's caliber is no longer just acting.

He is reshaping the soul.

Meanwhile, on the domestic internet, another storm is reaching its peak.

The Legend of Sword and Fairy 3 has come to its finale.

That night, countless viewers in front of their televisions wept uncontrollably.

But in Wang Jinhua's office, the data monitor's voice was almost trembling.

"Sister Wang!"

"It's broken!"

"It's all broken!"

"The peak viewership ratings soared to their highest level since 2009!"

"All the major forums have crashed, they're all filled with posts discussing 'The Legend of Sword and Fairy 3'."

Wang Jinhua looked at the red line on the big screen that was rising almost vertically.

She knew that these newcomers at Shiba Culture had already achieved legendary status.

The person behind all of this was wearing a Zhongshan suit and eating a five-yuan boxed lunch on the set of the TV series "Lurking".

Xiao Chen sat on a small stool, holding a script in his hand.

He has finished polishing the script for "A Little Reunion".

That was another gift he was preparing to offer to this era.

Dilraba sent several more voice messages on her phone.

"Brother Xiao Chen, Xuejian's ending was so tragic, sob sob sob."

When are you coming back?

"Mom said she wants to treat you to a meal, and she wants you to bring that photo."

Xiao Chen listened to the voice message, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.

That was the warmth he showed only to those he was close to.

He replied.

"I can eat the food, but the photos... I'll keep them."

After sending the message, he put his phone away.

All departments of the production team are ready.

He raised his head, his eyes once again becoming dull and deep.

"All departments, prepare!"

"Scene 1, Shot 1 of 'Lurking,' Action!"

Xiao Chen walks into the frame.

He is no longer the world-renowned Best Actor.

At this moment, he was simply Yu Zecheng.

A soul walking alone in the darkness.

Outside the film set, Wang Jinhua watched Xiao Chen on the monitor.

She suddenly realized.

This child is filling the void of this era with an almost cruel self-destruction.

He is the god of wealth in the entertainment industry.

He is the only sober pilgrim in this turbulent world of fame and fortune.

Even though he was only eighteen years old.

Even though he already has everything.

Xiao Chen's scenes were filmed very quickly.

He doesn't need to audition; the moment the camera starts rolling, he is the character.

Even the veteran actors who co-starred with him felt unprecedented pressure.

After finishing a scene, a veteran actor wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"Teacher Xiao, you're putting too much pressure on me."

Xiao Chen handed over a bottle of water, raising his eyebrows mischievously.

"Teacher, I was just acting, pretending to be afraid of you. Why are you actually afraid of me?"

With just one sentence, the awkward situation was resolved once again.

The entire crew then began a more relaxed filming process.

The night was as dark as ink, spilling over every corner of the city, yet it could not extinguish the raging fire burning on the internet.

Tonight belongs to "Chinese Paladin 3".

The servers of Tieba were struggling frantically on the verge of collapse.

Each refresh brings in hundreds or thousands of new posts.

[Breaking down in tears] Mao Mao, my Mao Mao! I'll trade my flesh for yours! How can the people of Chang'an eat your flesh!

[Who understands? I'm a strong man weighing 300 pounds, and I cried like a fool when I saw Longkui offering the sword. Brother, she waited for you for a thousand years!]

[Zi Xuan and Xu Changqing, through three lifetimes, why did they still have to let go in the end? It's so heartbreaking, so incredibly heartbreaking! Why can't people who love each other be together?!]

[Jing Tian and Xue Jian shippers are absolutely thrilled! We're the official couple! Sweet from beginning to end!]

Debate, lamentation, praise, regret...

Countless emotions intertwine to form a vast web, enveloping the entire Chinese-language internet.

Every character in the drama, whether main or supporting, has been repeatedly brought up for discussion.

The charm of the Fire Demon King, the deep loyalty hidden beneath the Thunder God's seemingly harmless exterior, and even the Five Poison Beast has had its own dedicated fan club created by fans.

One TV series made a group of people famous.

Yang Mi, Wallace Huo, Tang Yan, Liu Shishi...

These actors, who were already somewhat famous or just beginning to make a name for themselves in the industry, saw their value skyrocket overnight.

The number of fans has increased exponentially.

They both posted similar content on Weibo in the early hours of the morning.

Yang Mi V: [Chinese Paladin 3 has ended, but Xuejian's story continues. Thank you to the production team, thank you everyone, and most of all, thank you to the person who brought us into this world. @Xiao Chen, thank you.]

Tang Yan V: [Through three lifetimes, Zi Xuan has no regrets. Thank you, Xiao Chen, for giving Zi Xuan life. @Xiao Chen]

Liu Shishi V: [With my blood, I forge my sword. Long Kui has no regrets. @Xiao Chen]

Huo Jianhua V: [Gu Liufang, Lin Yeping, Xu Changqing, it feels like three lifetimes. Thank you, Xiao Chen, for letting me experience three lives. @Xiao Chen]

……

The comments under each Weibo post quickly exceeded 10,000, and the post trended on social media.

Everyone is grateful to the boy who gave them all of this.

However, the person at the center of the conversation is completely unaware of this at the moment.

After finishing the early episodes of "Lurking", Xiao Chen immediately flew to the set of "The Lord of the Rings".

Queenstown, New Zealand.

The dawn of Middle-earth tore through the night, and golden light spilled across the rolling mountains.

Xiao Chen wore a dark cloak typical of wanderers, his hair was disheveled, and his face bore the dust and weariness of a long journey, but his eyes were as sharp as an eagle's.

Before him stood director Peter Jackson's iconic bearded face.

"Cut!"

Peter jumped up from behind the monitor, waving his arms excitedly.

"Xiao is too perfect."

"Your performance was impeccable from beginning to end."

This is the last scene in The Lord of the Rings trilogy that belongs to Aragorn.

Xiao Chen removed his hood, revealing a face so handsome that even the elves paled in comparison.

Sweat trickled down his perfect jawline.