Xi Nian paused, not expecting him to say that. He unconsciously covered the back of Lu Xingzhe's head, then leaned over and placed him on the bed, propping himself up beside him, "Forget it. Paparazzi are already a handful. If you really became an investor, wouldn't you pester me to death?"

After speaking, he suddenly realized his tone was a bit too intimate. This silent change made Xi Nian feel momentarily out of sorts. He lifted the quilt and got into bed, frowning. This time, he only said two short words: "Go to sleep."

Lu Xingzhe lazily opened his eyes and seemed to smile slightly, "Oh."

If Xi Nian terminated his contract, Shanxing would never do anything to boost his popularity. If he signed with another company in the future, wouldn't they become rivals? The next day, on the plane to the Film City, Xi Nian read through the script once and found that the investment and scale of this Republican-era drama weren't too shabby. The only shabby thing was the character he was playing.

During the Republican era, wars were rampant and warlords carved up the country. The male lead, Ye Qiming, was the son of a wealthy family. In the early stages, he was unmotivated, a good-for-nothing who only knew how to flirt with women and idle away his time. Later, after witnessing the Japanese invasion of his homeland, he had a great awakening and resolutely joined the army, building a career for himself.

Of course, a male-lead-focused drama like this couldn't lack a gentle and lovely supporting female character. On the eve of his enlistment, Ye Qiming had a fiancée. However, because she was too eye-catching, she was snatched by the local lecherous warlord to be his concubine. Ye Qiming once tried to rescue her, but a commoner cannot fight an official. Not only did he fail to save her, but he was also beaten half to death. This served as a catalyst for his later rise.

Hmm.

Xi Nian was playing that lecherous warlord.

Pretty good. He liked playing villains; it wasn't frustrating.

This trip was not publicly announced; even his fans didn't know Xi Nian had taken on a new role. When their flight arrived, staff members picked them up and took them to their hotel. After dropping off his luggage, Xi Nian went straight to the production set to report.

At this point, a quarter of the drama had already been filmed. They happened to be shooting the scene where the male lead was tied up in the ancestral hall by the old master to be disciplined for fooling around in a brothel.

The actor playing Ye Qiming was Zha Pengfei. He was professionally trained, and his acting was decent, but the director kept feeling his pained screams weren't realistic enough. He paced back and forth anxiously, wishing he could personally go up and direct him: "Zha Pengfei, you can't just scream with your mouth. Your face has to show a pained expression, the kind with veins popping out. One more take! If you still don't pass, I'll have them hit you for real!"

Zha Pengfei's face turned pale and livid, and he was losing face. "Director Lin, we've already had six NGs for this scene. I don't understand what you're not satisfied with. Why don't you come up here and demonstrate it for me?"

Director Lin was famous in the circle for his explosive temper. Hearing this, he strode up to him in one step and retorted, "Demonstrate for you? If I could demonstrate it for you, I'd be an actor, not wasting my time here as a director with you lot! All cameras, get ready! One more take!"

While Xi Nian was standing by and watching, Lu Xingzhe left for a short while. When he returned, he had gathered all the information: "This drama is being filmed by two crews, A and B, simultaneously. After Zha Pengfei's scene is done, it's your turn. This Director Lin has a bit of a temper. If you mess up your acting, you might get yelled at, so be careful."

After speaking, he nudged Xi Nian with his elbow and said secretively, "I've never seen you get yelled at before."

With one hand in his pocket, Xi Nian felt he had a wicked sense of humor. He reached out and flicked the brim of Lu Xingzhe's cap, "If the director yells at me, I'll yell at you. No one gets to escape."

There are plenty of assistants who get yelled at these days.

Lu Xingzhe's cap was nearly flicked off. He quickly reached out to hold it down. Just as he was about to speak, he caught sight of the director looking over from the corner of his eye. He discreetly gave Xi Nian a look and then stood behind him.

Director Lin only noticed Xi Nian now. His mind, which had been muddled with anger from Zha Pengfei, finally had a moment to recover. His gaze sized Xi Nian up and down, but his tone was still stiff: "You're Xi Nian? Didn't your agent say you wouldn't be here until tomorrow?"

Xi Nian took every role seriously, so he was quite good at putting on an act in front of directors. He smiled, his attitude impeccable, "I was originally planning to come tomorrow, but I wanted to observe and learn from the crew, so I came a day early."

Although his status wasn't high, he definitely wasn't at the point of having to play a cannon fodder character with a pitiful amount of screen time. The director had originally thought he would slack off, but unexpectedly, his attitude was acceptable. Feeling slightly more satisfied, he glanced at Xi Nian, "What can you learn just by standing on the side? Go with the makeup artist to change and get your makeup done. Good, no need to wait for tomorrow. We'll shoot the scene of you snatching the concubine today."

Talented directors rarely had good tempers. Xi Nian didn't mind hearing this. He turned and followed the staff to try on the costume, while Lu Xingzhe waited outside.

The character Xi Nian was playing this time was named He Xiaoyun. In his early days, he was the leader of a group of mounted bandits who had taken over Fengjian Ao. Relying on his martial prowess, he led his men in an uprising during the chaotic times. He used his accumulated savings over the years to form a troop, which gradually grew stronger and established deep roots in Wucheng, where no one dared to provoke him. His life's passions were women and wine; at best, he could only be considered a boorish character.

At first, the director hadn't thought much of it, only feeling that Xi Nian's tall figure was a good fit for the role.

This drama had been filming for some time, so the costumes were ready-made. Before long, Xi Nian emerged from the dressing room. The people around subconsciously looked over and fell silent for a moment.

Some people are born with the face of a protagonist. The saying "blessed by the heavens with talent" was probably talking about him.

The man was dressed in a dark blue military uniform with tall riding boots. A black gun belt slanted from his shoulder to his waist. With his broad shoulders and narrow waist, his aura alone overpowered most people. Beneath the military cap, his features were handsome and sharp. A glance from his eyes was cold and profound. The epaulets glinted with a cold luster, giving him an unapproachable look.

Xi Nian was putting on white gloves. When he came out, he habitually glanced at Lu Xingzhe, only to see him staring intently.

Lu Xingzhe: "…"

Damn, so handsome my knees went weak.

He unconsciously felt for the backpack on his shoulder but couldn't find his camera. Only then did he belatedly realize that he was no longer a paparazzi. He hadn't carried his camera for a long time. It was a bit of a shame, so he could only reluctantly use his phone to take a few photos as a memento.

The director looked at Zha Pengfei, who was as thin as a piece of paper, then at the ramrod-straight Xi Nian in front of him. He seemed to want to say something but held it back. He just had the props team bring over a horse. "Can you ride a horse? If you can't, we'll call for a stunt double."

In that era, cars were a rarity. Although the male cannon fodder, He Xiaoyun, did not lack for gold or silver, he still had the nature of a mounted bandit in his bones. He preferred riding horses to those iron shells called cars. And it was while he was galloping his horse through the streets that he happened to catch a glimpse of the male lead's fiancée, which led to him forcefully taking her to his mansion to be his concubine.

Xi Nian saw a tall, date-red horse beside him. He took the reins to test its temperament, then deftly swung himself onto its back. He said to the director, "I know a little. As long as it's not a long shot, it should be fine."

The director loved this kind of trouble-saving and money-saving actor. Coincidentally, Zha Pengfei's scene had just finished filming. He immediately used a megaphone to direct everyone to clear the set. The actress in the scene came over to briefly greet Xi Nian, then walked to her designated spot.

The director said to her, "You and the maid will stand here looking at jewelry. In a moment, the warlord and his soldiers will ride past. Just follow the script from there. Pay attention to your expression and movements. Don't give me another NG. It's almost dark. You too, Xi Nian, be careful with the horse. Don't have any accidents."

After speaking, with a 'clack' of the slate: "Action!"

The Republic was a prosperous yet fleeting era. The bustling streets of Wucheng echoed with all sorts of peddlers' cries. Rickshaw pullers tirelessly ran with their carts, their figures darting through the main streets and small alleys.

Xi Nian sat on his horse, his gaze discreetly confirming the supporting actress's position. Then he rolled up his sleeves, forcibly revealing a hint of bandit-like air. His expression became untamable and flamboyant. He casually raised his whip, creating a short crack in the air, and led a large contingent of men galloping down the street. The cape behind him was pulled into a taut, straight line.

The extras playing vendors scattered and dodged. The supporting actress turned around in alarm at the right moment. With willow-leaf eyebrows and cherry lips, her well-tailored blue qipao accentuated her exquisite figure, evoking pity and affection.

Then, everyone watched as the warlord who had just passed by suddenly pulled his reins tight, turned around, and came back. The date-red horse he was riding snorted.

Xi Nian slightly lifted the brim of his cap, his gaze fixed on her like a wolf, a hint of awe visible. After a moment, he squinted with interest, "When did such a great beauty arrive in Wucheng? And I, your old man, actually didn't know."

Ignoring his looks, his voice alone carried a bandit's air.

The adjutant sycophantically stepped forward, "Marshal He, this young lady is the eldest daughter of the Yun family, a famous beauty in our area. It's just that she usually never steps out of the house, which is why you were unaware."

Xi Nian's gaze never left the supporting actress. Hearing this, he laughed out loud, "Usually never steps out of the main gate or the second gate, and the one time she does, she runs right into me. Isn't this fate? It just so happens my marshal's mansion is missing a Third Concubine. This little beauty is not bad. Take her back for me."

The supporting actress's acting was quite good. Her face immediately turned deathly pale. The maidservant also stepped out to shield her, saying in terror, "The Ye Residence is the wealthiest in Wucheng. My young miss is already engaged to Young Master Qiming and is about to be married. I implore Marshal He to be magnanimous…"

Xi Nian refused crisply and cleanly: "I won't!"

Hearing this, the supporting actress pulled her maid aside and glared at the man on the horse, "Is there any law and order left at all!"

Hearing this, Xi Nian's smile vanished. He slowly and methodically coiled his whip, then tossed it to the adjutant behind him. Leaning down, he stared at her and said, word by word, "In Wucheng, I, He Xiaoyun, am the law!"

After speaking, he seemed to lose his patience. He directly grabbed the woman's arm and pulled her onto the horse. Amidst a flurry of panicked curses, he laughed out loud. His handsome face took on a wicked air. He said to the soldiers behind him, "Let's go, back to set up the banquet! Today, I'm taking a Third Concubine. We brothers won't go home until we're drunk!"

Seeing them gallop away, the director called "Cut!" at the right moment. "Good performance, a single take. We'll get a few close-ups later."

Xi Nian got off the horse and helped the actress down as well. She looked a little disheveled. While tidying her hair, she joked, "I didn't realize you were so strong. You scared me when you suddenly pulled me up just now. That wasn't in the script."

Xi Nian also made a joke, "Isn't that how bandits always snatch their brides?"

After speaking, he walked off the set. Lu Xingzhe, who had been watching from the side, saw him and handed him a bottle of water. Then, like any other assistant, he held up a full bag of snacks, "Are you tired? Have something to eat."

Xi Nian didn't sit on a lounge chair but sat down on the ground with Lu Xingzhe by the roadside. He bent his head and rummaged through the snack bag, opened a pack of biscuits, and seeing a bag of chocolate inside, casually tossed it into Lu Xingzhe's lap. He seemed to recall something, "It's fine. There were many times in the past that were much more tiring than this."

Lu Xingzhe finished the chocolate in just a few bites, his cheeks puffed out. While looking around the Film City, he asked unconsciously, "How tiring?"

Xi Nian said, "The kind of tired where you feel like you can't go on."

In the entertainment circle, there were plenty of people who shot to fame without talent, and also plenty who had acting skills but remained unknown. Those with both talent and popularity were few and far between. In the end, what was missing was an opportunity.

And in his past life, Xi Nian had been tormented by this lack of opportunity, suffering sleepless nights. He didn't know how to get what he wanted, nor did he know who could give him a helping hand.

He had already done everything he possibly could, but still saw no hope of making a name for himself.

If he didn't deliberately try to recall it, Xi Nian had almost forgotten that there was a time when he had also been down-to-earth. It was just that later, he didn't get what he wanted and didn't persevere, so he chose another path, not knowing if it was right or wrong.

Lu Xingzhe paused at his words, then broke into a smile, "I don't think I've ever heard you complain about being tired."

It was true.

Not when he was being flamed by the entire internet, nor when Su Ge scalded him with boiling water. Xi Nian was nonchalant about everyone and everything, as if he were detached from the world.

Lu Xingzhe discreetly shifted his position, trying to get a little closer to Xi Nian, and then a little closer still. He squinted at the evening glow gradually spreading across the horizon. A faint golden light touched the tips of his hair as he muttered, "It's normal to be tired. Anyone would get tired. We're not gods, right?"

After speaking, Lu Xingzhe turned his head to look at Xi Nian, unconsciously licking the tips of his teeth as if a mellow sweetness from the chocolate still lingered. Then he patted his own shoulder, "Tsk, if you're tired, I'll lend you my shoulder for free."

Xi Nian didn't move and asked in return, "And I won't be tired if I lean on you?"

Lu Xingzhe silently counted his savings in his head, then counted on his fingers to confirm, "If you're tired, then just stop filming. Worst comes to worst, I'll support you for the rest of your life."

Xi Nian laughed, "Me, need you to support me?"

He averted his gaze and said no more. Lu Xingzhe just sat there quietly with him, occasionally cracking his knuckles or watching the extras, not feeling bored at all.

Before long, a short-haired girl suddenly walked over from nearby. She seemed to be a staff member here. She peeked at Xi Nian, hesitated for a good while before mustering the courage to approach, and asked in a small, blushing voice, "Xi Nian, I'm a fan of yours. Can you give me an autograph?"

Hearing this, Xi Nian snapped back to reality slightly. He looked over and took the pen the girl handed him, "Where should I sign?"

Hearing this, the girl subconsciously patted her pockets, only to find she hadn't brought a photo of Xi Nian. She looked at the short-sleeved t-shirt she was wearing and was about to say to sign on her clothes when Lu Xingzhe, like a magician, pulled a photo out of his bag, "Sign here."

Xi Nian took it and saw that it was a photo of himself. He gave Lu Xingzhe a discreet glance, then swiftly signed his name and handed it to the girl.

The girl was so happy her eyes crinkled into slits. She said in a low voice, "I originally worked here. I didn't expect you to come here to film. Xi Nian, you have to keep it up! All the Niangao support you!"

After speaking, she made a fist in a gesture of encouragement, then left with a joyful expression.

In this antique-style Film City, every brick and tile had the appearance of the old Republic. The ringing of tram bells was incessant, and waves of lively peddlers' cries could be heard. A fiery red sunset spread wantonly across the horizon, and the lights of Paramount Hall lit up one by one. One would have thought it would be dark after sunset, but it turned out to be another scene of decadent nightlife.

The director had originally planned to shoot supplementary shots, but seeing that the daylight was gone, he could only switch to filming a night scene. He walked over and gave Xi Nian a business card. He didn't say anything, just patted his shoulder, "Maybe next time there will be a second or first male lead role waiting for you. Go back and study it carefully. Even a small role can be played brilliantly."

Watching the director leave, Lu Xingzhe slightly lifted the brim of his cap and smiled at Xi Nian, "See, not everyone is as blind as Sun Ming."

Tch.

Xi Nian stood up, patting the dust off his clothes. He didn't make any comment but maintained a high degree of approval for the "Sun Ming is blind" point of view. He reached out to Lu Xingzhe and pulled him up from the ground, "It's going to rain tonight. Let's go back to the hotel."

For the next few days, heavy and light rain fell incessantly. Xi Nian's scenes, which were originally scheduled to be finished in a week, had to be postponed again and again. It took half a month to finally wrap up. At the same time, the fourth season of Escape Room: Decode was due to be broadcast. The production team seemed very confident about this episode, putting a lot of effort into promotion. That very night, it shot up the trending searches, and the official Weibo account tagged several guests.

【@Escape Room: Decode Official Weibo: Tonight's episode will meet everyone at 8 PM sharp. Absolutely thrilling and exciting, guaranteed to get your adrenaline pumping. The timid should not enter. Thank you to our three guests for their enthusiastic participation (Flower)(Flower) @Xi Nian @Qiao Zhi @Bai Yicheng】

This show had a solid fanbase and many loyal fans. Hearing that the new episode was finally airing, they all got excited. The Niangao didn't fall behind, liking and retweeting everywhere to help promote Xi Nian. And at this very moment, the anti-fans popped up again.

Anti-fan: Xi Nian must die!

Niangao: You must die!

Anti-fan: Xi Nian won't last ten minutes before being eliminated!

Niangao: Shh, why speak such a blunt truth.