Risking His Life to Save Him?

"No need. It's not like I've got anything to hide."

Shi Feng didn't mind at all.

"I just need to log into QQ," Shen Qi said, pulling the computer over and signing in.

Once he was online, he first checked what Huang Qidao had sent him.

Come to think of it, Huang Qidao and Shi Feng would probably have plenty to talk about.

How could you tell whether a foot massage parlor was respectable?

Brother Dao could write an industry-level analysis paper on the subject.

[Microstep Footpath ╮]: I asked around about hospitals here in the capital. They really can treat it. If you're thinking of bringing your uncle here, I can help look after him.

[Microstep Footpath ╮]: The National Theatre of China and Beijing People's Art Theatre generally don't recruit publicly. I'll keep an eye out and ask around.

[Microstep Footpath ╮]: Jianguo wants to visit you and clear his head. I didn't agree on your behalf, but he might contact you.

[Microstep Footpath ╮]: We're all brothers, but if he's dead set on becoming a male escort, I'd still suggest keeping your distance.

"Microstep Footpath ╮" was Huang Qidao's screen name.

Compared with Wei Jianguo's profession, his own interests weren't exactly wholesome either.

Next came Wei Jianguo's messages.

He was asking whether he could come to Jiuzhaigou for a few days.

Shen Qi replied yes without hesitation.

It wasn't as if Jiuzhaigou belonged to him.

How could he stop the man from visiting? Even if Wei Jianguo was coming to see him, he had no reason to turn him away.

But when Wei Jianguo asked to watch him film scenes with the Little Dragon Maiden, Shen Qi flatly refused.

Why was he so curious?

The more you knew, the sooner you died.

There were other messages on QQ, mostly from classmates, plus a few clients from his gym days.

Most of those clients had ulterior motives.

Shen Qi couldn't even be bothered to reply.

His classmates, from both university and high school, mainly wanted to know how he'd been doing lately.

Some might genuinely have cared.

Others were just curious and wanted gossip.

A few even slipped gloating little probes between the lines. They were no different from those gym clients.

They might as well have asked outright:

So, are you going into that line of work or not? When's it happening?

We're old classmates. Of course I'll come support you!

Shen Qi slept soundly, and filming officially began the next day.

Uh... not that it had much to do with him.

He'd filmed scenes on his second day with Legend of the White Snake, appeared on camera his first day with My Own Swordsman, and had even been the second male lead in Migrant Workers.

Sometimes, he almost felt like a star himself.

Reality gave him a wake-up call.

For a major production like The Return of the Condor Heroes, they were obviously going to shoot the leads' scenes first.

Fortunately, Shen Qi wasn't left with nothing to do.

He took out the Magic Book and began recording performances.

That was when he discovered that Huang Xiaoming's and Liu Yifei's acting was... fairly average.

He successfully recorded Liu Yifei on the first try, but using her performance made almost no difference.

It gave him no real edge over what he could already do.

As for Huang Xiaoming, there was something there, but—why did it feel a little greasy?

Given his background, Shen Qi couldn't help being a bit rustic.

That was why the role in Migrant Workers had suited him so well.

He intended to work on that rustic quality over the course of his career, but he certainly wasn't going to fight poison with poison.

Being greasy felt even more fatal than being rustic.

Besides, using Huang Xiaoming's performance didn't improve his acting much either.

Well, after two or three months of practice, Shen Qi was no longer a complete novice. Without realizing it, he had reached a new level.

That morning, they filmed Yang Guo rescuing a scrawny horse, then riding it over mountains and through streams to attend the Heroes' Assembly.

They shot the river-crossing scene first because winter would soon come to Jiuzhaigou.

People could withstand the cold better than horses, so the horse had to go into the water first.

But the shoot didn't go smoothly. They tried twice that morning at Bonsai Shoal and failed both times.

It wasn't because the water was deep enough to drown the horse.

They were filming at a shallow stretch, less than half a meter deep even at its deepest point.

The problem was that the water was too cold. As soon as the horse went in, it panicked and bolted for shore.

Director Yu Min decided to try again at noon, hoping the sun would warm the water a little.

He was already considering whether to change the script.

The crew had designed the scene of Yang Guo riding through the water to show off the scenery.

Who could have guessed it would be so hard to film?

After resting for a few hours, they started again. Yu Min stationed more people outside the frame to drive the horse forward and force it into the water.

Shen Qi was bored out of his mind, so he went over to help the stunt team.

The quickest way to become part of a group was to work alongside them.

Huang Xiaoming rode the horse into the water.

The big black horse was still reluctant, but at least it didn't turn and run for shore as it had that morning.

Once it reached the middle, though, the water seemed to rise past its knees, and it suddenly grew agitated again.

It lunged forward!

At that speed, its back bucked violently.

The color drained from Huang Xiaoming's painstakingly tanned face.

Shen Qi watched the black horse charge toward him, swallowed, and hurried out of its path.

A wise man didn't stand beneath a crumbling wall!

Brother Xiaoming...

If you fall off and get hurt, I won't say no to taking over as Yang Guo!

Risk his life to save him?

Absolutely not.

He wouldn't risk his life even for a beautiful woman, much less a grown man like Huang Xiaoming.

Shen Qi valued his life!

He was ready to turn and run without a second thought.

But with the lead actor in danger, everyone on the crew was terrified.

Zhang Jizhong looked as though someone had grabbed him by the throat.

Director Yu Min wasn't much better. His mouth opened and closed several times, but no words came out.

The stunt team reacted fastest.

Zhao Jian, Shi Feng, and the others shouted, "Jump off!" as they rushed forward with their crew.

Rescuing actors was their responsibility.

If the lead got hurt—even if he only twisted an ankle—they'd be torn to shreds.

Stricter productions might even fine them and throw them off the crew.

But if they saved the lead and spared the production a major crisis, they'd get a generous cash bonus at the very least. At best, it could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

So what if they got a little hurt?

Even Liu Yifei, who was watching Huang Xiaoming film from the side, instinctively took two steps forward...

It was only natural to worry.

But her mother, Liu Xiaoli, reacted quickly and yanked her back.

You silly girl, what do you think you can do?

At the most critical moment, with only a few strides left before shore, the frightened black horse sprang out of the water.

Huang Xiaoming, who hadn't dared jump, was thrown straight off its back.

The shallow stream was strewn with pebbles and gravel.

A fall there was going to hurt.

Huang Xiaoming let go of the reins and instinctively covered his head and face.

Injuries elsewhere, he could live with.

But if his face got hurt, Nie Yuan could be joining the production tomorrow.

Yet the crushing impact he expected never came.

Nor did he land face-first.

He... landed in someone's warm arms.

He lowered the hands protecting his face and saw "Yin Zhiping" looking back at him.

Everyone else stared at the scene in stunned silence.

The moment Huang Xiaoming had been thrown from the saddle...

Shen Qi had rushed forward and caught him in a textbook princess carry.

The sight was... well, he didn't know how to describe it.

Shen Qi himself was baffled.

He'd meant to take a few steps back and put everyone else between himself and the horse.

He'd already decided to turn and run. When it mattered, he'd moved quickly enough—he'd just forgotten to turn.

Instead, he'd dashed forward and caught Huang Xiaoming perfectly.

For a moment, Shen Qi couldn't tell whether it was his sense of duty as a former teacher or whether getting the Magic Book had somehow made him lose his sense of direction.

Probably more the former.

After all, it was hard to stand by and let someone get hurt.

Besides, Huang Xiaoming was a decent guy.

Despite being the production's male lead, he always greeted Shen Qi. If he was busy, he'd nod or wave; if he wasn't, he'd stop for a chat.

When he learned Shen Qi was also from Shandong, he even called him a fellow countryman.

Huang Xiaoming was from Qingdao.

They were from the same province, after all.

And even if Huang Xiaoming couldn't continue in the role, there was no way Yang Guo would go to Shen Qi.

After catching him, Shen Qi's chest ached from the impact. He staggered several steps and nearly fell, but saving a fellow Shandong native had been worth it.

Huh? I've been saved!

Overjoyed, Huang Xiaoming struggled down to his feet.

Shen Qi breathed a sigh of relief. He could finally put him down.

Huang Xiaoming wasn't particularly heavy, but holding a grown man like that was unbearably awkward.

"Brother... I..."

Huang Xiaoming thanked Shen Qi at once.

Clutching Shen Qi's arm, he stumbled over his words, unsure how to express himself.

Should he just say thank you?

Could a simple thank-you repay someone for saving his life?

"It's fine, really. It was nothing!"

Shen Qi didn't know how to handle Huang Xiaoming's overwhelming gratitude either.

On-screen, one of them played Yin Zhiping and the other Yang Guo. They were mortal enemies.

Off-screen, they barely knew each other.

And now this had happened.

He wondered whether Huang Xiaoming would feel guilty when Yang Guo drew his sword on Yin Zhiping in a future scene.