Chapter Summaries

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.