Chapter Summaries

Song Shi'an filmed Meng Zhen’s imperial court scenes, using precise posture and subtle gestures to convey the chief eunuch’s authority. Director Zheng approved his warning scene in one take, and Teacher Zhou praised his added tea-pouring gesture.

• Xu Yanzhi praised Song Shi'an’s delivery at the table read, and they agreed to revisit the rhythm during rehearsal.
• Song Shi'an followed Xu Yanzhi through the enthronement scene, and Director Zheng approved his blocking without asking for another take.
• Song Shi'an stopped an imperial consort from approaching the emperor and added a gesture that Director Zheng praised as thoughtful scene work.
• Song Shi'an warned Wang Zhaoshan that the emperor could withdraw the grace behind his seniority, then poured him tea as the minister’s confidence faltered.
• Director Zheng approved the warning scene in one take, and Teacher Zhou praised Song Shi'an’s added gesture.

Song Shi'an filmed his first week on The Emperor's Ambition and shared a grand court assembly scene with Liu Bin, who landed a small eunuch role on the production. The scene went smoothly, and Liu Bin left for another acting job while promising to treat Song Shi'an to barbecue after his wrap.

• Song Shi'an finished a tiring day of filming and told Liu Bin that Teacher Zhou had praised him.
• Liu Bin told Song Shi'an he had landed a eunuch role on The Emperor's Ambition and was excited to share the frame with him.
• Song Shi'an and Liu Bin met in costume before filming the grand court assembly scene.
• Liu Bin called out, "His Majesty arrives!" as Xu Yanzhi entered, and Song Shi'an followed behind the emperor; the scene passed in two takes.
• Liu Bin celebrated his successful line delivery, praised Song Shi'an's presence, and hurried off to a makeup test for another production.

Song Shi'an returned to the dorm group chat and discovered that students had identified him as the mysterious long-haired student now filming a eunuch. On his last day of filming, his accidental lick of the terrible-tasting fake blood made Meng Zhen's death scene look convincingly mad and stunned Qin Yan.

• Song Shi'an sent a message to the Jingchen F4 group, where Jiang Ye shared a campus post comparing his old long-haired look with his masked appearance and revealing his eunuch role.
• Song Shi'an joked with Jiang Ye and Chi Xun that the whole university now knew he had gone to play a eunuch because he wanted to.
• On the day Song Shi'an wrapped filming, he complained to the makeup artist and Xu Yanzhi about the cheap fake blood's awful flavor.
• During Meng Zhen's death scene, Song Shi'an accidentally licked the syrupy fake blood, creating a chilling moment that made Xu Yanzhi pause as Qin Yan.
• Director Zheng praised the take's effect, learned Song Shi'an had not planned the gesture, and shouted at the props team to stop buying cheap fake blood.

After wrapping filming on The Emperor's Ambition, Song Shi'an returned to campus and reunited with his roommates. He settled back into classes and delivery work, ending the chapter back in his ordinary routine.

• Song Shi'an finished filming, received a crew gift, and left the studio after joking with Xu Yanzhi about his acting.
• Song Shi'an returned to campus, where Chi Xun and Jiang Ye welcomed him and teased him about playing a eunuch.
• Song Shi'an unpacked, received a message from The Emperor's Ambition crew about future promotion, and reflected that his second cannon-fodder role had wrapped.
• Song Shi'an spent the weekend sleeping in the dorm and showed Chi Xun a signed production still featuring Xu Yanzhi's autograph.
• Song Shi'an resumed attending classes and making deliveries on his electric scooter, growing accustomed to carrying orders up six flights of stairs.

Song Shi'an watched the premiere of Aspiration to Reach the Clouds with his roommates and saw viewers react enthusiastically to his brief appearance as the masked guard Ying Qi. Their comments and Pei Zhiyan's praise left him happy about acting as the episode ended.

• Song Shi'an uploaded a dog-walking video to D Station and learned from Chi Xun that Aspiration to Reach the Clouds would premiere the following week.
• Chi Xun, Jiang Ye, and Pei Zhiyan prepared to watch the premiere with Song Shi'an, and the roommates gathered around Chi Xun's laptop.
• Song Shi'an appeared briefly as Ying Qi, and viewers flooded the bullet comments with questions and praise about the masked guard.
• Viewers recognized Song Shi'an's name in the credits and discussed his tragic roles in Aspiration to Reach the Clouds and The Emperor's Ambition.
• Pei Zhiyan praised Song Shi'an's acting, and Song Shi'an watched the closing comments feeling happy about being an actor.

After receiving his acting pay, Song Shi'an sent money to his parents and registered for tennis, borrowing a racket from Pei Zhiyan, whom he jokingly called his godfather. At his first class, Cheng Haotian challenged him and quickly drove the inexperienced Song Shi'an across the court.

• Song Shi'an received thirty thousand yuan for "The Emperor's Ambition," sent ten thousand to the original owner's parents, and set aside the rest for debt repayment.
• Song Shi'an registered for tennis and worried over the cost of a racket until Pei Zhiyan offered him one.
• Song Shi'an thanked Pei Zhiyan by calling him "Godfather," leaving Jiang Ye and Chi Xun stunned.
• At tennis class, Song Shi'an met Zhang Yuanyuan and Cheng Haotian, who appeared jealous of Zhang Yuanyuan's attention toward him.
• Coach Ma taught the class basic tennis techniques, and Cheng Haotian insisted on practicing against Song Shi'an.
• Cheng Haotian hit fierce serves that forced Song Shi'an to scramble across the court.

Song Shi'an redeemed Basic Tennis Technique during class and turned the match around against Cheng Haotian, stunning the court with a leaping smash. Chi Xun recognized him in a viral D Station video, and Song Shi'an watched the clip after class.

• Song Shi'an redeemed Basic Tennis Technique after Cheng Haotian dominated him in tennis practice.
• Song Shi'an returned Cheng Haotian's serves with growing skill and won the rally with a leaping smash.
• Coach Ma praised Song Shi'an's potential, while Zhang Yuanyuan congratulated him and Cheng Haotian left for water.
• Chi Xun recognized Song Shi'an in a D Station tennis video and shared it in the dorm group chat.
• Song Shi'an opened the video and watched footage of his poor play before he gained the tennis skill.

Song Shi'an's viral basketball video brought him praise but no money, while the episode showing Ying Qi's death sent his character trending. The chapter ended with Song Shi'an going to bed before the system suddenly appeared with a message.

• Song Shi'an saw that viewers were praising his basketball smash, but worried about how to raise the rest of his money.
• Song Shi'an returned to the dorm unaware that a candid post-workout photo of him had become popular on the campus confession page.
• Chi Xun showed Song Shi'an that his blurry basketball video had passed eight hundred thousand views, while Song Shi'an lamented that he could not turn the attention into money.
• Song Shi'an watched Ying Qi's final scene in Aspiration to Reach the Clouds with Chi Xun, who mourned the character's death and praised the scene.
• Song Shi'an saw that Ying Qi's death scene had begun trending, then went to bed, where the system suddenly displayed a line of text.

After Song Shi'an passed actor verification, his wrap photo went viral and brought him 260,000 D Station followers overnight. He agreed to meet Stars Entertainment, while newfound attention followed him to class, where a student asked for his autograph.

• Song Shi'an updated his social media profiles, posted a wrap photo from The Emperor's Ambition, and went to sleep.
• As Ying Qi's battle-damaged scene spread online, viewers found Song Shi'an's D Station account, and Chi Xun watched his followers surge to 260,000 overnight.
• Song Shi'an read Stars Entertainment's invitation and arranged to meet them Saturday near Jingchen University.
• Xiao Zhou told Shen Lingshu that Song Shi'an had agreed to meet, and Shen Lingshu decided to attend and prepare a contract herself.
• At thermodynamics class, Song Shi'an noticed classmates secretly looking at him, and a student asked him for an autograph on behalf of his girlfriend.

Song Shi'an gained attention at school, confronted classmates who insulted him, and found fan letters waiting in his bag. He then headed to a part-time job selling press-on nails, where the stall owner was surprised he was a man.

• Song Shi'an signed a photo for a classmate and fled the classroom when other students began seeking autographs.
• Song Shi'an confronted two students in the restroom after overhearing them spread rumors about him, and they hurried away.
• Song Shi'an swept the gifts and letters piled on his desk into his bag while classmates shared a photo of him in his fan group.
• Song Shi'an read two students' affectionate letters in his dorm and put them away in a drawer.
• Song Shi'an rode to a pedestrian street for his part-time job and met the girl selling press-on nails, who was surprised he was a man.

Song Shi'an filled in for Xiaolin at her press-on nail stall and sold nearly all her stock, drawing attention from customers. After earning his commission, he considered what to sell at a stall of his own next time.

• Xiaolin left Song Shi'an in charge of her stall and explained how to sell and apply the press-on nails.
• Song Shi'an sold three sets to a customer and applied them, impressing her with his steady hands.
• Customers gathered around the stall, and Song Shi'an handed over several preordered bags while some customers wondered if they recognized him.
• By around eight, Song Shi'an had sold nearly all the nails, and Xiaolin returned, surprised by how quickly the stock had gone.
• Xiaolin paid Song Shi'an his commission and invited him to help again, while customers messaged her asking about him.
• Song Shi'an rode home and considered what he might sell at his next stall.

Song Shi'an negotiated and signed a contract with Stars Entertainment, insisting on keeping control over his roles and schedule. Shen Lingshu gave him a script for a company-funded campus drama to consider, and he left wondering which supporting role to pursue.

• Song Shi'an met Shen Lingshu at a café to discuss signing with Stars Entertainment and was startled to recognize her as the novel's female lead.
• Song Shi'an rejected contract terms requiring him to take leading roles and attend unwanted events, explaining that he wanted to prioritize school and play supporting roles.
• Shen Lingshu revised the contract, loosening its restrictions while retaining the manager's final say, and Song Shi'an signed it.
• Shen Lingshu gave Song Shi'an a script for a campus drama filming at his university and suggested he consider its supporting roles, though she preferred him for the male lead.
• Song Shi'an told Chi Xun that he had signed with Stars Entertainment and began thinking about the campus drama and its pay.

Song Shi'an received homemade beef jerky from his mother and shared it with his roommates before reading the script Shen Lingshu had given him. He discovered the role of Xia Yu, a lonely student with autism and depression, and began considering the character.

• Song Shi'an collected a heavy package from his mother and reassured Pei Zhiyan that his meeting with Shen Lingshu had gone well.
• Song Shi'an opened the package of beef jerky, and Jiang Ye and Chi Xun eagerly asked him to share it.
• Song Shi'an sent his mother a photo and listened as she offered to make more jerky for him and his roommates next year.
• Song Shi'an read the script for "Endless Summer" and looked for the character with the hardest life.
• Song Shi'an found Xia Yu's character description, which detailed his isolation, his encounter with the female lead, and her occasional observations of him.

Song Shi'an chose to play the bullied student Xia Yu, then learned his new agency had hoped to cast him as the lead in an S+ project. After Ji Shuyao became his agent, Stars Entertainment announced Song Shi'an as a new artist, and fans flooded the announcement with praise for his looks and past roles.

• Song Shi'an read Xia Yu's scenes, confirmed with the system that the role qualified as cannon fodder, and asked Shen Lingshu to let him play Xia Yu.
• Shen Lingshu assigned Ji Shuyao as Song Shi'an's agent, and Ji Shuyao urged him to consider the male lead in an S+ project tailored for him.
• Song Shi'an told Ji Shuyao that he would only accept supporting roles until he graduated, and Ji Shuyao decided to support his choice.
• Stars Entertainment announced Song Shi'an as a new artist, and fans recognized him from his previous roles and a tennis-class photo.

After photos of Song Shi'an sparked sudden attention, his new manager Ji Shuyao tried to discuss a career plan with him. Song Shi'an rejected the proposed persona and suggested his roommate Pei Zhiyan instead.

• Stars Entertainment and marketing accounts boosted Song Shi'an's photos, drawing fans to his dorm the next morning.
• Song Shi'an saw fans photographing him in his worn bear pajamas and hurried back inside to change.
• Ji Shuyao had Song Shi'an brought to him in a minivan and explained that the company announcement had caused the sudden attention.
• Ji Shuyao presented a proposal recommending a contrasting, black-bellied tease persona for Song Shi'an.
• Song Shi'an misunderstood the idea of luring people in as fishing, then said Pei Zhiyan fit the described mysterious persona and asked whether the company wanted to sign him.

Song Shi'an agreed to move off campus after Ji Shuyao explained the company would arrange housing and transportation. He was taken to a luxurious villa and decided he would work for Stars Entertainment for the rest of his life.

• Ji Shuyao persuaded Song Shi'an to move off campus, and Song Shi'an agreed when he learned the company would cover rent and arrange rides to class.
• Lin Fan visited Song Shi'an's dorm to pack his clothes and record the brands and flavors of his daily essentials.
• Pei Zhiyan told Jiang Ye and Chi Xun that Song Shi'an would still stay on campus when he had classes.
• Song Shi'an recognized the villa complex where he had once brought Little Xing home, and the security guard welcomed him as a new resident.
• Ji Shuyao brought Song Shi'an to Villa Seven, where Song Shi'an admired the spacious home and vowed to work for Stars Entertainment for the rest of his life.

Song Shi'an explored Ji Shuyao's villa, used the system to learn Top-Tier Culinary Arts, and decided to earn money by selling food at a night market. He opened his first stall selling foil-tray clams with glass noodles, where a customer thought his masked appearance resembled a popular celebrity.

• After Ji Shuyao left, Song Shi'an explored the villa and learned he could wear the branded clothes in its walk-in closet.
• Song Shi'an bought Top-Tier Culinary Arts from the system for 50,000 Affection Points and cooked a delicious pork and tomato dish.
• Song Shi'an decided to start a food stall, ordered equipment, bought ingredients, and arranged the required paperwork.
• Song Shi'an set up at the night market and began selling foil-tray clams with glass noodles.
• Two girls bought extra servings, and Wenwen wondered whether the masked stall owner resembled a celebrity she had seen online.

Wenwen realized the night-market clam vermicelli vendor was likely Song Shi'an, the actor who had played Ying Qi, after spotting matching moles. As Song Shi'an’s stall drew a growing crowd, food blogger Zhu Tao tried the dish and declared it the best clam vermicelli he had eaten on the street.

• Wenwen devoured the clam vermicelli and noticed the vendor’s eye mole matched Ying Qi’s in Aspiration to Reach the Clouds.
• Wenwen checked Song Shi'an’s drama stills and candid photos, confirmed the matching moles, and regretted buying only one portion.
• Song Shi'an struggled to serve the long queue at his stall, while the neighboring grilled chicken drumstick seller also benefited from the crowd.
• Zhu Tao followed the garlic aroma to Song Shi'an’s stall and began filming a food-blog video.
• Song Shi'an agreed to be recorded, and Zhu Tao tasted the clam vermicelli and praised it as the best he had tried at the night market.

Song Shi'an sold out his food stall, gained new customers through a food blogger's video, and was recruited to join a promotional livestream for The Emperor's Ambition. He worried about appearing on camera, but Ji Shuyao reassured him that a professional team would help.

• Song Shi'an closed his stall after running out of ingredients, formed a group chat with customers, and counted a profit of over two hundred yuan.
• Song Shi'an discovered that blogger Zhu Tao's video had spread his group chat's QR code, bringing in more than a hundred members and a red packet worth eighty-eight yuan.
• Director Zheng asked Song Shi'an to fill in for an actor at The Emperor's Ambition's promotional livestream, and Song Shi'an agreed.
• Director Zheng celebrated after persuading Song Shi'an to participate, while his assistant Xiao Zhou backed away from his smile.
• Song Shi'an asked Ji Shuyao about the livestream, and Ji Shuyao promised that a professional team would help him prepare.

Song Shi'an joined a livestream call promoting the drama and gained a surge of new followers thanks to his appearance. He ended the chapter wishing his growing follower count were an increase in money.

• Ji Shuyao arrived with a crew to prepare Song Shi'an for the livestream, and the stylist was stunned by how handsome he looked in person.
• Song Shi'an spent six hours getting styled, then went to the kitchen and made instant noodles; Ji Shuyao sent Shen Lingshu a photo, and Shen told him to let Song Shi'an eat.
• At seven, Song Shi'an joined the group video call as Meng Zhen, and viewers flooded the comments with praise for his looks.
• Song Shi'an mostly stayed quiet during the two-hour livestream while his Weibo following increased by more than three hundred thousand.
• After the livestream, Song Shi'an checked his D Station dashboard, saw that he had gained over four hundred thousand followers, and told Ji Shuyao he wished the increase were yuan.