Recaps

Shen Qi kept studying acting and martial arts while applying for roles, then prepared to travel to Shanxi to film Migrant Workers with Huang Qidao. At the crew’s meeting point, he unexpectedly reunited with Fan Ming, still unsure what role he had been hired to play.

• Shen Qi studied martial arts with Wen Jingrou and recorded film sets in the Magic Book whenever he worked as an extra.
• Shen Qi applied to productions using Huang Qidao’s computer, and the two discussed their uncertain career prospects and Huang’s plan to try business.
• Shen Qi told Huang Qidao he was leaving to film Migrant Workers and agreed that Huang could come along, though he could not pay him.
• Shen Qi and Huang Qidao reported to the crew’s meeting point and ran into Fan Ming, who asked what role Shen Qi was playing.
• Shen Qi admitted he did not know his role and prepared to leave with the crew for the filming location.

Shen Qi joined the cast of Migrant Workers without knowing his role, then learned he would play Ju Shuangyuan, Fan Ming’s on-screen son. As the cast traveled to experience rural life before filming, Shen Qi realized he already knew plenty about it from growing up in the countryside.

• Fan Ming brought Shen Qi onto the bus and introduced him to director Kang Honglei, who sent him to find a seat.
• Shen Qi reunited with Zhang Yi, who said he was playing Guo Zhendong, and the two caught up on their acting fortunes.
• Pan Yuchen and Liu Siyan guessed Shen Qi was playing Ju Shuangyuan, while Zhang Yi envied his likely second-male-lead role.
• Kang Honglei’s assistant told Shen Qi he was playing Ju Shuangyuan, the son of Fan Ming’s character, and handed out the complete scripts.
• Kang Honglei announced that the cast would experience rural life before filming, and Shen Qi thought about his own rural upbringing.

Shen Qi impressed Kang Honglei with his farming skills and rural experience, earning the director’s respect and a chance to sign his acting contract. As Kang Honglei summoned him that evening, Huang Qidao insisted on accompanying him to protect his virtue.

• Kang Honglei assigned the actors wheat harvesting and fieldwork, but Shen Qi finished his rows before the others had learned how to use their sickles.
• Kang Honglei asked Shen Qi to demonstrate bad farmwork, then had him train the cast after seeing how convincingly he could perform both skilled and clumsy labor.
• Shen Qi taught Zhang Yi, Pan Yuchen, Liu Siyan, and the others to harvest wheat and imitate rural habits.
• Kang Honglei learned Shen Qi had not yet signed an actor’s contract and arranged for them to sign one that evening.
• Huang Qidao insisted on going with Shen Qi to Kang Honglei’s room, joking that he needed to protect Shen Qi’s virtue.

Shen Qi joined Director Kang Honglei’s production of Migrant Workers, where he received a five-thousand-yuan contract and began filming as Ju Shuangyuan. After Shen Qi performed in his first scene, Kang Honglei offered to help him improve his acting.

• Kang Honglei introduced Producer Li Ju, who offered Shen Qi five thousand yuan and asked him to help the production with local tasks.
• Shen Qi taught actors farmwork, helped build sets, and bought supplies before Migrant Workers began filming on August 20.
• Shen Qi filmed Ju Shuangyuan’s family birthday scene, portraying the conflict over his decision to quit school.
• Kang Honglei told Shen Qi that his performance fell short of Fan Ming’s and Zhang Hongjie’s and asked him to consider why.

Shen Qi learned from Kang Honglei how his own family experience differed from Ju Shuangyuan’s, then used Fan Ming’s portrayal of Ju Guangda to improve his recordings. The shoot left Kang Honglei impressed with Shen Qi’s coachability and eager to work with him again.

• Kang Honglei explained that Shen Qi had wanted to quit school as a sacrifice for his family, while Ju Shuangyuan felt guilty and resisted, and offered to reshoot Shen Qi’s close-ups.
• Shen Qi thanked Kang Honglei and used the Magic Book to improve his performance.
• Fan Ming delivered an intense scene as Ju Guangda, and Shen Qi praised him and drew him into explaining the character’s motivations.
• Kang Honglei watched Shen Qi and Fan Ming discuss the scene, then resumed filming.
• Shen Qi used Fan Ming’s analysis to record a successful shot and left Kang Honglei impressed by how much he had improved.

Shen Qi persuaded Huang Qidao to return to the capital and help manage his career, offering him a small monthly stipend. He then discussed talent agencies with Zhang Yi, and the two actors agreed to compete in their upcoming scene.

• Huang Qidao admired Shen Qi's people skills and decided he wanted to stay in the entertainment industry with him.
• Shen Qi persuaded Huang Qidao to finish his studies and gather production and agency information from the capital, promising to pay him five hundred yuan a month.
• Shen Qi asked Zhang Yi whether he belonged to a talent agency, and Zhang Yi said he was with a theater troupe instead.
• Shen Qi voiced his concern that an agency might pressure him into drinking or sleeping with people, and Zhang Yi said capable actors could succeed without such compromises.
• Shen Qi and Zhang Yi agreed to wager five yuan on which of them would force another take in their upcoming scene.

Shen Qi struggled through a scene with Zhang Yi, whose natural acting exposed Shen Qi’s weaknesses, then gradually found his rhythm on set. During filming of a crowded village wedding, Shen Qi used his knack for learning dialects to explain that the ceremony was staged, while Pan Yuchen grew uneasy at how real it felt.

• Zhang Yi performed naturally in a scene with Shen Qi, while Shen Qi missed his cues and paid Zhang Yi ten yuan for the ruined takes.
• Shen Qi reflected on Zhang Yi’s talent and resolved to keep working hard instead of relying on the Magic Book.
• Shen Qi improved during filming and used the Magic Book to record the local Shanxi dialect by listening to a farmer.
• The crew filmed Ju Shuangyuan’s wedding with villagers serving as extras, and some villagers tried to give Shen Qi and Pan Yuchen wedding gift money.
• Shen Qi explained that the wedding was only for a TV show, while Pan Yuchen admired the lively celebration and felt a little excited by the illusion.

Shen Qi and Pan Yuchen filmed Ju Shuangyuan and Li Ping’s wedding, then Shen Qi struggled through a demanding grief scene after Liu Yanmei’s death. His performance impressed Kang Honglei, who had him continue straight into the confrontation between Ju Shuangyuan and Li Ping.

• Shen Qi warned Pan Yuchen about the villagers’ wedding games, and the crew arranged for extras to protect them from being jostled.
• Shen Qi and Pan Yuchen filmed the wedding ceremony and toasted the guests with both filming units working to finish the scenes in one day.
• Shen Qi struggled through three takes of Ju Shuangyuan learning about Li Ping’s past, then used Fan Ming’s performance record to find the character’s anger and despair.
• Shen Qi completed the scene with a convincing stumble, earning Kang Honglei’s praise and a promise of a good role in his next production.
• Kang Honglei moved Shen Qi directly to the argument scene, where Ju Shuangyuan dragged Li Ping home to confront her about revealing her past to the villagers.

Shen Qi used the Magic Book’s Guo Da card to deliver a strong performance as Ju Shuangyuan, then discovered that the book had upgraded and could be summoned or dismissed at will. He left the chapter relieved by his new power but embarrassed when Zhang Yi mistook his hand in his pocket for something else.

• Kang Honglei coached Shen Qi and Pan Yuchen through Ju Shuangyuan’s difficult scene, and Shen Qi used the Guo Da card to give a standout performance.
• Shen Qi realized the Magic Book was nearly drained and resolved to improve his acting so he could record more accomplished performers.
• Shen Qi opened the Magic Book and found that his occupation had changed to supporting actor, his level had risen to Sequence 8, and he had gained a seventh page that could record any skill.
• When Zhang Yi called him over, Shen Qi thought the Magic Book had vanished, then discovered he could summon and dismiss it with his mind.
• Zhang Yi spotted Shen Qi moving his hand in his pocket, and Shen Qi explained that he was handling a notebook.

After Zhang Yi left the crew, Shen Qi finished filming Migrant Workers and earned Kang Honglei’s promise of future work. He returned to Capital City, where Wei Jianguo showed off the Cadillac he had bought.

• Zhang Yi told Shen Qi that a director was considering adapting Elna Assault into a TV series and advised him to seek a role.
• Shen Qi finished his rural scenes and began filming city scenes, while Kang Honglei coached him through romantic scenes with Pan Yuchen.
• Pan Yuchen praised Shen Qi’s acting and offered to recommend him to a director, and Kang Honglei promised to call Shen Qi for his next project.
• At the end of September, Shen Qi returned to Capital City, where Huang Qidao and Wei Jianguo met him in Wei Jianguo’s new Cadillac.
• Wei Jianguo explained that he had bought the car in the northeast with Piao Yiye’s help, and Shen Qi wondered whether Piao Yiye had led him astray.

Shen Qi moved into a cheap apartment near the university and hosted Huang Qidao, Wei Jianguo, and Wen Jingrou for dinner. As they discussed entertainment news and possible talent agencies, Shen Qi ruled out several options, leaving his search for a suitable agency unresolved.

• Huang Qidao rented Shen Qi a one-bedroom apartment near the university, and Wei Jianguo offered Shen Qi use of his car.
• Shen Qi inspected the apartment, found the household essentials Huang Qidao had bought, and invited Wen Jingrou to dinner.
• Wen Jingrou complained about her coach, then joined Shen Qi, Huang Qidao, and Wei Jianguo for a meal and drinks.
• Huang Qidao shared entertainment news about Super Girl and an on-set incident involving Little White Dragon.
• Shen Qi rejected Hong Kong and Taiwan agencies, Hairun, and Qianyi as options while Huang Qidao discussed Huayi Brothers.

Shen Qi joined the intensive training for The Return of the Condor Heroes, where he reunited with Chen Zihan and met Huang Xiaoming before beginning sword practice. Huang Xiaoming recognized Shen Qi as a potential rival for Yang Guo but chose not to interfere, while Shi Feng remained distracted by gossip and an imagined story about Shen Qi.

• Huang Qidao gave Shen Qi information about several talent agencies, and Shen Qi decided to wait until an agency approached him.
• After spending the night in his new apartment, Shen Qi reported to The Return of the Condor Heroes training facility and ran into Chen Zihan.
• Chen Zihan brought Shen Qi to Zhao Jian, who introduced him to Huang Xiaoming; Huang later called his agent Zhou Siwei and said they did not need to do anything about Shen Qi.
• Zhao Jian assigned Shen Qi swordplay practice because he had missed most of the training, and Shi Feng took charge of him.
• Shi Feng asked Shen Qi about rumors linking him with Chen Zihan, then invited him to begin sword training while imagining a scandalous novel about him.

Shen Qi trained with Shi Feng and quickly mastered Yin Zhiping’s sword moves, then went with him to learn horseback riding. He was introduced to the gelding Lü Bu, leaving his riding lesson about to begin.

• Shen Qi practiced the Quanzhen Order’s swordsmanship with Shi Feng and recorded the moves in the Magic Book.
• Shen Qi mastered the sword moves in half a day, impressing Shi Feng, who invited him to use the martial arts team’s riding slot.
• Shi Feng asked Shen Qi about his preferred type of woman while they traveled to the riding grounds.
• Shi Feng introduced Shen Qi to instructor Zhao Bei, who asked whether the Little Dragon Maiden would end up with Yang Guo or Yin Zhiping.
• Zhao Bei assigned Shen Qi the gelding Lü Bu after the horses Zhao Yun and Zhang Fei were unavailable.

Shen Qi reluctantly learned to ride the difficult gelding Lü Bu while Shi Feng coached him at the riding club. He ran into instructor Xiao Xue and Liu Yifei, and Xiao Xue reacted with disgust when she learned he was playing Yin Zhiping.

• Shen Qi fed and brushed Lü Bu, then listened as Shi Feng explained riding safety and basic techniques while he took notes.
• Shen Qi spotted Liu Yifei riding but refused Shi Feng's suggestion that he go greet her.
• Shen Qi nervously mounted Lü Bu, and Shi Feng steadied the impatient horse.
• Shen Qi recognized his former schoolmate Xiao Xue, who said she was an instructor at the club and asked what role he played.
• Shi Feng told Xiao Xue that Shen Qi played Yin Zhiping, and she recoiled in disgust.
• Liu Yifei rode over after seeing Xiao Xue speak with Shen Qi and Shi Feng.

Shen Qi grew closer to Lü Bu while preparing for The Return of the Condor Heroes, then traveled with the crew to Jiuzhaigou, where Li Ju and Shi Feng helped him find a room. He settled in with Shi Feng and discovered the martial arts director was researching how to identify legitimate foot massage parlors.

• Shen Qi rode and cared for Lü Bu over several days, forming a bond with the horse while Shi Feng covered for him.
• After the National Day holiday, the production crew traveled to Jiuzhaigou, and Shen Qi flew there with Li Meng and Shi Feng.
• At the hotel, Shen Qi was left waiting for a room, but Li Ju and Shi Feng arranged for him to share Shi Feng's spacious room.
• Shen Qi saw Shi Feng reading a post about how to tell whether a foot massage parlor was legitimate.

Shen Qi joined the filming of The Return of the Condor Heroes and unexpectedly saved Huang Xiaoming when a frightened horse threw him. The crew watched in shock as the two actors recovered, while Shen Qi wondered how their real-life rescue would affect their on-screen rivalry.

• Shen Qi checked Huang Qidao's messages, agreed to Wei Jianguo's visit to Jiuzhaigou, and refused to let him watch a scene with the Little Dragon Maiden.
• As filming began, Shen Qi used the Magic Book to record Huang Xiaoming's and Liu Yifei's performances, but neither gave him a meaningful acting advantage.
• The crew struggled to film Huang Xiaoming riding a horse through cold water, and Shen Qi went to help the stunt team.
• When the black horse bolted toward shore and threw Huang Xiaoming, Shen Qi rushed forward and caught him in a princess carry.
• Huang Xiaoming thanked Shen Qi profusely, while Shen Qi wondered whether the rescue would make their future scenes as Yang Guo and Yin Zhiping awkward.

Shen Qi saved Huang Xiaoming from a runaway horse, earning the crew’s gratitude and leaving Huang Xiaoming determined to repay him. When Huang offered him a car, Shen Qi felt unable to accept it now that Huang had declared them brothers.

• Shen Qi stopped the runaway horse from injuring Huang Xiaoming, and the crew celebrated him as a hero.
• Director Yu Min thanked Shen Qi, while Zhang Jizhong considered how the production could reward him fairly.
• Huang Xiaoming discussed ways to repay Shen Qi with Zhou Siwei, rejecting a folding chair and a work opportunity before suggesting a car.
• After Chen Xin treated the crew to dinner, Huang Xiaoming visited Shen Qi and insisted that saving his life deserved more than thanks.
• Huang Xiaoming offered Shen Qi a car as a welcome gift and called him his brother, leaving Shen Qi feeling he could no longer accept it.

After refusing Huang Xiaoming’s car, Shen Qi learned that his role had been renamed from Yin Zhiping to Zhen Zhibing. He sought acting advice from Li Mingqi, whose guidance eventually helped him record a powerful Granny Sun performance.

• Shen Qi refused Huang Xiaoming’s offer of an old car, preserving the favor between them without accepting a gift that could damage his image.
• Shen Qi received the script and learned that Jin Yong had changed his character’s name from Yin Zhiping to Zhen Zhibing while leaving the character’s deeds unchanged.
• As more actors joined the crew, Shen Qi recorded several performers and approached Li Mingqi to ask about portraying villains.
• Li Mingqi advised Shen Qi to build Zhen Zhibing through detailed, layered changes rather than reducing him to a simple label.
• Shen Qi failed to record Granny Sun at first, but Li Mingqi patiently explained performance techniques to him.
• After two days of trying with Li Mingqi’s guidance, Shen Qi successfully recorded a Granny Rong Card.

While waiting to film, Shen Qi agreed to Shu Chang’s request to help keep Liu Yifei safe on set, but the crew mistook his concern for romantic interest. Executive producer Li Ju stopped the teasing before the rumor could damage Shen Qi’s reputation.

• Shen Qi told Shu Chang he was studying Li Mingqi’s acting while waiting for his turn to film.
• Shu Chang asked Shen Qi to watch out for Liu Yifei and warned him about hazards and harassment on film sets.
• Shen Qi agreed to help, and the props and stunt crews promised to pay extra attention to Liu Yifei’s safety.
• An Jingchuan and the crew joked that Shen Qi was interested in Liu Yifei, despite his repeated denials.
• Li Ju told the crew to stop teasing Shen Qi and warned them that spreading the rumor could hurt his reputation.

Shen Qi began filming as Zhen Zhibing, earning better pay and a polished costume while completing a horseback chase scene. Zhao Guangbin stopped a later scene at the Ancient Tomb, saying Shen Qi’s gaze at the Little Dragon Maiden looked too lovestruck, and Shen Qi questioned the direction because the script called for fervent infatuation.

• Shen Qi accepted An Jingchuan’s apology, and the crew stopped making dirty jokes around Liu Yifei.
• Shen Qi prepared to film his first scene, and Liu Naiyi teased him about his unusually well-fitted Quanzhen robes and hairstyle.
• Shen Qi learned his pay had risen from eight thousand to thirteen thousand yuan and planned to bring his father to the capital for treatment.
• Shen Qi invited Liu Naiyi to join him and Huang Xiaoming for drinks after filming.
• Shen Qi and Liu Naiyi completed the horseback chase scene in half a day.
• Zhao Guangbin stopped Shen Qi’s Ancient Tomb scene and told him his gaze at Liu Yifei looked more lovestruck than Yang Guo’s; Shen Qi pointed out that the script described Zhen Zhibing as infatuated.

Shen Qi refined his portrayal of Zhen Zhibing and filmed scenes with Liu Yifei and Huang Xiaoming, while the crew adjusted the staging to hide their height difference. Afterward, he waited on set and helped Chen Zihan warm up after she came out of the water.

• Zhao Guangbin coached Shen Qi to add restraint to his performance, and Shen Qi used the Magic Book to apply the advice in a scene with Liu Yifei.
• Shen Qi played Zhen Zhibing’s tender reaction to the antidote vial, choosing not to make him seem overly sleazy.
• Yu Min watched Shen Qi film the confrontation with Zhao Zhijing, where Yang Guo defeated Zhao Zhijing and made both men swear to keep the martial arts practice secret.
• The crew noticed that Huang Xiaoming and Shen Qi, both listed as 179 centimeters tall, looked very different in height, so Yu Min added lifts and adjusted Huang Xiaoming’s topknot and camera angle.
• While waiting for his next scene, Shen Qi lent Chen Zihan his warm coat after she came out of the water.

Shen Qi continued studying other actors and helping the stunt crew while working on his acting. After he slipped into a waterfall, Liu Yifei fell in trying to save him, and he later thanked her for her help.

• Yang Mi met Shen Qi, who explained that he recorded performances to improve his acting.
• Shen Qi joined the stunt crew and helped coordinate Huang Xiaoming's wire work.
• Shen Qi slipped on moss near the waterfall, and Liu Yifei grabbed him before they both fell into the water.
• The crew pulled Shen Qi and Liu Yifei to safety, and Liu Xiaoli wrapped her daughter in a coat.
• Shen Qi thanked Liu Yifei, telling her he might have gone over the waterfall without her, while she wished the embarrassing accident would be forgotten.

After Shen Qi fell into the water with Liu Yifei, Huang Xiaoming hosted a dinner where the actors joked about the mishap and traded stories about dangerous shoots. Huang Xiaoming later warned Shen Qi about Chen Zihan’s powerful ex-boyfriend, but Shen Qi said he had no romantic interest in her and remained focused on his career.

• Shen Qi joined Huang Xiaoming, Zhao Hongfei, Chen Zihan, and Yang Mi for dinner, where they teased him for falling into the water with Liu Yifei.
• Zhao Hongfei and Huang Xiaoming recounted dangerous filming accidents, and the group discussed the hardships and risks of acting.
• The actors gossiped about Zhong Zhentao’s financial and personal troubles and agreed that reckless investments and love could ruin a person.
• After dinner, Huang Xiaoming privately told Shen Qi about Chen Zihan’s on-again, off-again relationship with the powerful Wang Xiaoyu and warned him to be careful.
• Shen Qi told Huang Xiaoming that he had no feelings for Chen Zihan and would not get involved with her, while Huang Xiaoming concluded that Shen Qi was devoted to his career.

Shen Qi learned that Wu Shuixing had secured him a fighter role in a new Milkyway Image triad film, though Wu had exaggerated Shen’s experience and skills to get him cast. Shen then discovered that Wu’s uncle, Zheng Zhaoqiang, was a prominent cinematographer who had worked on many films.

• Shen Qi received Wu Shuixing’s call and heard that Wu had gotten together with Ah Zhen after finally confessing his feelings.
• Wu Shuixing told Shen Qi he had secured him a fighter role in the second film of a new Milkyway Image triad project, with filming planned around New Year’s Day.
• Shen Qi learned that Wu Shuixing had claimed he was an experienced, formally trained actor and an expert with Shaolin sabers.
• Wu Shuixing reassured Shen Qi by revealing that his uncle was Zheng Zhaoqiang, Johnnie To’s cinematographer, and gave Shen the production’s contact details.
• Shen Qi asked An Jingchuan about Zheng Zhaoqiang and learned that he had worked on numerous well-known films.

Shen Qi arranged to travel to Hong Kong for a production opportunity, then filmed a major intimate scene with Liu Yifei as Zhen Zhibing. The scene went smoothly in one take, and the chapter ended with Liu Xiaoli teasingly lecturing her daughter while Shen Qi tried to comfort her.

• Shen Qi learned Cantonese, contacted a Hong Kong production, and agreed to send photos and travel there around New Year's Day.
• Shen Qi and Liu Yifei grew closer on set, and Liu Xiaoli often brought Shen Qi egg tarts in appreciation of his kindness and dependability.
• Shen Qi and Liu Yifei filmed the Little Dragon Maiden scene, with Yu Min clearing the set because Liu Yifei was seventeen.
• Shen Qi completed the intimate scene in one take, earning praise from Yu Min and sparing Liu Yifei further retakes.
• Liu Xiaoli offered Shen Qi warm water, and Liu Yifei thanked him before Liu Xiaoli scolded her for fooling around on set.