Chapter Summaries

After transmigrating into the handsome but penniless actor Song Shi'an, Song Shi'an bought discounted chicken and reflected on his uncertain future. When his loud neighbor began practicing lines, Song Shi'an suddenly froze, leaving his reaction unexplained.

• Song Shi'an waited for the supermarket's evening discounts and bought roast chicken drumsticks and chicken wings with his remaining money.
• Song Shi'an returned to his rented room, ate the chicken, and worried about his isolation, debts, and next month's rent.
• Song Shi'an heard his neighbor practicing loud villain lines at the usual time and suddenly sat up straight.

Song Shi'an learned that the Cannon Fodder Performance System required him to perform one hundred supporting roles to earn a new life, then went to a film studio to find work. There, he accepted a role as a personal guard who would die protecting his master.

• Song Shi'an learned that he had died in his original world and that failing a system mission would cost him his borrowed lifespan.
• Song Shi'an recruited his neighbor Liu Bin to take him to the film studio, bringing him meat buns in exchange for a chance to observe.
• Song Shi'an watched the extras work, drew the attention of a makeup artist, and received a free boxed lunch.
• Song Shi'an overheard that a personal guard role in "Aspiration to Reach the Clouds" was vacant.
• The system offered Song Shi'an the personal guard role, and he accepted it.

Song Shi'an went to audition for a guard role, but his appearance stunned Director Zhang, who offered him a much larger part. Song Shi'an refused the fifth male lead to avoid violating his system’s requirements, and he was taken to hair and makeup for the guard role.

• Song Shi'an arrived late to audition for the guard role while Director Zhang complained about the available candidates.
• Director Zhang saw Song Shi'an's face and offered him the fifth male lead instead of the guard.
• Song Shi'an declined the larger role and insisted he wanted to play the guard.
• Director Zhang agreed to let Song Shi'an try the guard role and sent him to hair and makeup.
• The stylist cut Song Shi'an's long hair and began applying makeup after seeing his striking face.

Song Shi'an transformed into a striking personal guard for a period drama and filmed his first scene beside Xu Che. After the director called for the screenwriter, Song Shi'an was left waiting to learn what the director wanted.

• Song Shi'an darkened his complexion, put on the guard costume, and impressed the crew with his changed appearance.
• Song Shi'an met Xu Che on set and learned he would play Ying Qi, the silent guard of Xiao Yichen.
• The director asked the props team to give Song Shi'an a mask, then approved his masked look.
• Song Shi'an followed Xu Che through the study scene, which the crew completed in one take.
• The director called Song Shi'an over and summoned the screenwriter from the lounge.

Song Shi'an worked as a masked guard on a film set while worrying about his screen time, finances, and the system’s restrictions on entertainment jobs. A photographer for hire, Wu Yue, spotted him and took a series of striking photos before he disappeared from view.

• Lin Xiao approached Song Shi'an to discuss adding shots for his guard role, then hurried away after hearing his voice.
• The director noticed Song Shi'an’s appearance on the monitor, while Assistant Director Zhang explained that Song Shi'an had refused the young marquis role.
• Song Shi'an asked the system whether extra scenes could jeopardize his status and learned that his screen time could not exceed one-twentieth of the lead’s.
• Song Shi'an worried about paying rent and tuition, but the system prohibited entertainment-industry work except as a cannon-fodder actor.
• Wu Yue photographed Song Shi'an from a tree, then lost sight of him and turned her camera back toward Xu Che.

Song Shi'an earned a small speaking role on his first day of filming and counted his money, worried about covering his expenses. A call from his mother brought the original owner's hardworking parents into focus, and the chapter left Song Shi'an speaking with her.

• Wu Yue photographed the masked boy in black during filming and wondered whether he was an important character.
• Song Shi'an received a thousand yuan for two scenes, and Liu Bin congratulated him on landing a speaking role.
• Song Shi'an returned to his rented room, calculated his upcoming expenses, and decided he needed to buy more food.
• Song Shi'an answered a call from his mother, who asked why he had not contacted home and said his father worried about him.
• Song Shi'an remembered that his father worked construction far from home while his mother farmed to support his university education.

Song Shi'an returned his parents' money and began working as a delivery rider after struggling to find other part-time jobs. He completed his first delivery just before the deadline, and the customer was captivated by his appearance.

• Song Shi'an returned the five thousand yuan his father sent and went out to buy steamed buns.
• Noticing that people kept staring at him, Song Shi'an bought a black mask and searched for part-time work, but found the available positions filled.
• Song Shi'an remembered the original owner's electric scooter, registered as a delivery rider, and immediately received an order.
• Song Shi'an struggled to navigate to the pickup shop and then sprinted up six flights of stairs to deliver the order on time.
• The customer opened the door, became flustered by Song Shi'an's appearance, and thanked him as she accepted the delivery.

Song Shi'an delivered food to earn money while photos of him in costume went viral, prompting the Aspiration to Reach the Clouds directors to consider expanding his character. The next morning, a production assistant called to invite him to the set.

• Song Shi'an completed several difficult delivery orders and earned one hundred and thirty yuan before falling asleep exhausted.
• Wu Yue posted photos of Song Shi'an in costume, and the images spread widely online.
• Director Zhang showed the viral photos to Director Wang, who decided to discuss adding more scenes and highlights for Song Shi'an's character.
• A production assistant called Song Shi'an and asked whether he could come to the Aspiration to Reach the Clouds set that day.

Song Shi'an refused Director Wang and Director Zhang’s expanded role for Ying Qi, but agreed to film a fight scene for featured-actor pay. After learning the sword moves and wirework, he impressed Director Wang, who decided Song Shi'an should perform the scene himself without a stunt double.

• Song Shi'an hurried to the film studio, where Director Wang and Lin Xiao offered him an expanded script for Ying Qi.
• Song Shi'an declined the added scenes, insisting that Ying Qi follow the original storyline because he feared the system's punishment for taking a lead role.
• Director Wang offered Song Shi'an a fight scene guarding the prime minister's residence, and Song Shi'an accepted when he heard he would receive featured-actor pay.
• Instructor Zhao taught Song Shi'an a sword sequence and wirework, and Song Shi'an practiced until he could perform the moves steadily.
• Director Wang watched Song Shi'an perform and told the crew to use him instead of a stunt double, while asking Instructor Zhao to rehearse with him again to prevent injury.

Song Shi'an performed a flawless night fight scene as Ying Qi, then finished filming and headed to a night market for food. While eating fried tofu, he noticed a well-dressed boy staring at him.

• Song Shi'an filmed Ying Qi's rooftop fight and escape in one smooth take, earning Director Wang's praise.
• Song Shi'an declined Director Wang's invitation to reconsider becoming an actor and learned he had one scene left before wrapping.
• The actress who played the prime minister's daughter exchanged contact information with Song Shi'an, but he left without messaging her.
• Song Shi'an rode his scooter to a night market and bought fried tofu after resisting the food stalls.
• Song Shi'an noticed a seven- or eight-year-old boy in a white top and little leather shoes staring at him.

Song Shi'an returned Shen Xingluo safely to his upscale residential community after finding him alone at the night market with his hamster, Little White. Shen Lingshu arrived too late to meet Song, while he went home to find that his acting pay and bonus brought him close to ten thousand yuan, enough to ease his worries about tuition.

• Song Shi'an shared his fried tofu with Shen Xingluo, learned that the child had brought his hamster Little White out alone, and offered to take him home.
• Song Shi'an rode his electric scooter with Shen Xingluo to the residential community and handed him over to the security guard.
• Shen Lingshu arrived, embraced Shen Xingluo, and learned from the guard that the handsome young man who brought him home had already left without giving his contact information.
• Shen Lingshu asked the guard for surveillance footage so she could thank Song Shi'an if she encountered him again.
• Song Shi'an received eight thousand yuan from Director Zhang and saw that his savings were nearly enough to cover his tuition.

Song Shi'an discovered that he needed 100,000 Affection Points to gain undergraduate academic knowledge, then learned that an online photo had earned him 68,323 points. After a co-star invited him to audition for an S+ costume drama, he chose the complex eunuch Meng Zhen and applied, realizing the system classified roles as cannon fodder by screen time alone.

• Song Shi'an checked his student records and panicked when he remembered that his major was Energy Storage Science and Engineering, despite having studied humanities.
• The system told Song Shi'an that academic assistance cost 100,000 Affection Points and that he already had 68,323 from attention attracted online.
• Song Shi'an found a popular post about his photo from Aspiration to Reach the Clouds and saw that commenters suspected it was edited, while his Weibo account had 100,000 followers.
• Get-Rich-Quick Pretty Girl invited Song Shi'an to audition for an S+ costume drama and sent him the roles and audition materials.
• Song Shi'an chose Meng Zhen, a palace eunuch whose shifting loyalties and tragic ending made the role compelling, and the system confirmed it counted as cannon fodder because of its limited screen time.
• Song Shi'an realized the system judged cannon-fodder roles by screen time rather than character complexity, then submitted his audition application.

Song Shi'an auditioned for the role of Meng Zhen and impressed the judges with his death-scene performance. He left the venue unsure how he had done and went straight back to delivering takeout.

• Song Shi'an rode his electric scooter to the audition venue and rehearsed two excerpts while he waited.
• Song Shi'an watched other candidates perform and judged their portrayals of Meng Zhen as overly effeminate.
• Sun Min and the other judges examined Song Shi'an, then asked him to remove his mask and perform one of the excerpts.
• Song Shi'an chose Meng Zhen's death scene and acted out his confrontation with Qin Yan, leaving the audition room silent.
• Sun Min praised Song Shi'an's portrayal implicitly by placing his résumé aside and told him to wait for a decision.
• Song Shi'an left the building, declined to comment on the judges, and resumed delivering takeout on his electric scooter.

Song Shi'an finished filming Ying Qi's final scene, received confirmation of his second cannon fodder role, and spun the system's Lucky Wheel, winning God-Level Acting Skills. As he prepared to start the semester, he secured a refund on his rent, arranged a delay on his debt, and saved evidence against the company that had scammed him.

• Song Shi'an registered a D Station account to post delivery-life videos, but his first video received zero views.
• Song Shi'an learned he had landed the role of Meng Zhen and decided to finish Ying Qi's final scene before joining the next production.
• Song Shi'an completed Ying Qi's death scene, joked with Xu Che after the director called cut, and received a wrap gift from Director Wang.
• The system recorded Song Shi'an's first cannon fodder role and awarded him a Lucky Wheel spin, which gave him God-Level Acting Skills.
• Song Shi'an moved out, persuaded his landlady to refund three months of rent, and got the debt collector to grant him three months to pay.
• Song Shi'an saved evidence of the company's threats and contract misconduct in an encrypted folder, planning to confront them when he was in a stronger position.

Song Shi'an arrived at Jingchen University and met his roommates, including Pei Zhiyan, the male lead of the novel world he had transmigrated into. He recognized himself as the doomed cannon-fodder character and ended the chapter settling into a dorm with a cold Pei Zhiyan and an exuberant Chi Xun.

• Song Shi'an cleaned his dorm room, struggled to understand his textbooks, and learned from the system that he had 86,400 Affection Points and two days before classes began.
• Jiang Ye arrived, introduced himself as Song Shi'an's finance-major roommate, and told him about Pei Zhiyan and his engagement to Shen Lingshu.
• Song Shi'an realized he had transmigrated into a novel where a character with his name died by overdosing, and he feared he was that doomed character.
• Pei Zhiyan arrived the next evening with an assistant, spoke little, and kept his attention on his computer while Song Shi'an watched him discreetly.
• Chi Xun welcomed Song Shi'an with snacks and milk, showed off his Xu Che posters, and offered to take him to the cafeteria.

Song Shi'an settled into campus life, where his looks drew attention and his new roommate Chi Xun teased him about his cluelessness. After Xu Che's new drama announced its release and released a trailer, Song Shi'an spotted his brief appearance in it and felt pleased.

• Chi Xun rushed Song Shi'an to Cafeteria Six for the last serving of sweet-and-sour ribs, where two girls asked for Song Shi'an's contact details.
• Chi Xun told Song Shi'an that the girl had been flirting, and Song Shi'an realized he had mistaken her interest for ordinary friendliness.
• Song Shi'an showed Jiang Ye his two-in-one shampoo and body wash, then returned from a shower and drew Chi Xun's praise for his physique.
• Pei Zhiyan glanced at Song Shi'an after Chi Xun admired his appearance, then claimed he had been reading materials when Jiang Ye questioned him.
• Chi Xun announced that Xu Che's new drama had a release date and showed Song Shi'an a promotional image featuring him.
• Song Shi'an watched the drama trailer and spotted himself briefly behind Xu Che, then smiled after replaying the shot.

Song Shi'an gained comprehensive undergraduate knowledge from the system and hurried to class, where his looks flustered Li Meng. After class, he went to his new dog-walking job and struggled to manage three excited dogs.

• Song Shi'an received the Elementary Academic Knowledge Assistance Skill after reaching 100,000 Affection Points and found the knowledge easy to recall.
• Song Shi'an raced across campus to his morning class, while a girl photographed him and posted his picture on the campus confessions page.
• Li Meng recognized Song Shi'an in class, became flustered, and accepted milk candies from him after he mistook her behavior for low blood sugar.
• Song Shi'an rushed out after class to begin his dog-walking job, leaving his textbook behind.
• Song Shi'an entered the house and was nearly knocked over by two huskies and a golden retriever before leashing them for their walk.

Song Shi'an walked three dogs, secured a potential future client, and received the script for The Mountains and Rivers Strategy. He arranged and won approval for two weeks of leave to film The Emperor's Ambition, leaving Chi Xun startled by the news.

• Song Shi'an walked three energetic dogs together at the park, where a woman asked to exchange contact details for future dog-walking help.
• Song Shi'an returned the clean, well-behaved dogs to their owner, who paid him for the walk, and he uploaded a video of them to D Station.
• Song Shi'an received the script for The Mountains and Rivers Strategy and contacted the production team for documentation to request leave from Jingchen University.
• Song Shi'an told Chi Xun he had landed a role, then brought his casting confirmation to Teacher Chen and received approval for two weeks' leave.
• Song Shi'an told Chi Xun he was filming The Emperor's Ambition as a eunuch, and Chi Xun struggled to understand the title.

Song Shi'an prepared to play Meng Zhen in The Emperor's Ambition and arrived on set for his costume fitting and script read-through. His elaborate styling and composed bearing drew attention as he entered Studio Two, where Director Zheng noticed him.

• Chi Xun learned Song Shi'an had been cast as Meng Zhen and asked him to get Xu Yanzhi's autograph.
• Song Shi'an packed and traveled to the filming area, where Sister Li gave him the schedule for his scenes.
• A production assistant took Song Shi'an to the makeup room, where the makeup artist dressed and styled him as Meng Zhen.
• Song Shi'an walked through the corridor toward Studio Two, attracting attention from the crew with his appearance and bearing.
• Director Zheng looked up from discussing camera positions when Song Shi'an entered Studio Two.

Song Shi'an joined the production of The Emperor's Ambition as Meng Zhen, impressing the crew at the table read and delighting Chi Xun with his costume selfie. After the read, he prepared for the production's first day of filming.

• Director Zheng and screenwriter Sun Min approved Song Shi'an for Meng Zhen and scheduled his costume shoot and table read.
• Song Shi'an posed for costume stills and read Meng Zhen's threatening lines at the table read, drawing the crew's attention.
• Song Shi'an sent Chi Xun a costume selfie, prompting Chi Xun to announce he was switching favorites and offer to be his assistant.
• Song Shi'an told Liu Bin he was playing a eunuch in The Emperor's Ambition, and Liu Bin offered to visit him for a meal.
• Sister Li called Song Shi'an early the next morning, and he got dressed and headed to the imperial study set for the first day of filming.