At the entrance of Y City Film and Television City, countless people's dreams of becoming stars converge.
"Miss, are you here as a tourist or to film?" asked the owner of a small pushcart selling steamed buns, as he handed Song Jixing two fried dough twists.
Song Jixing, holding the steaming buns, grinned and said, "What do you think I do?"
The owner was a spirited old man in his fifties or sixties. He looked at the girl with braided hair in front of him and thought, "She's really beautiful! Better looking than many TV stars, and there's something special about her, a feeling I can't quite describe."
Yeah, this girl definitely seems extraordinary.
"I can't figure it out!" chuckled the owner.
"These buns you made are delicious. If I were a big star, I would invite you to be my personal chef at my house," Song Jixing said, taking a bite of the bun.
It was really fragrant. She hadn't eaten breakfast before leaving home this morning.
The owner's comment made him unable to close his mouth. "Hey, if you become a big star, send me a Weibo post and promote my steamed bun shop. I guarantee you free steamed buns for the rest of your life."
Song Jixing thought to herself that the owner, despite being older, was quite trendy and knew about Weibo marketing.
"Miss, these two buns don't cost much. Consider them my gift to you. Come by often!" the owner said warmly.
His words caught the attention of several people who had come to buy buns and they sized up Song Jixing.
Sure enough, in this era, relying on looks to make a living was a common thing.
"How can that be? I also want to come and eat your buns often in the future," Song Jixing replied, reaching into her pocket and scanning a QR code with her phone.
Then a mechanical yet pleasant female voice sounded, "Payment of X received, one yuan and fifty cents."
Two plain buns for one yuan and fifty cents, not expensive at all. Song Jixing could easily afford it.
After paying, Song Jixing carried the buns and headed towards the entrance of the film and television city.
She rummaged through her bag for a while and took out a card. With a beep, she entered the film and television city.
The person who had just been standing in front of the steamed bun stall stared in amazement.
"Is this girl really an actress?"
"No wonder she's so good-looking! I should have asked which production crew she's with and asked her for an autograph."
"If she's an actress, why would she be buying buns with us?" someone wondered.
As a tourist attraction, the food inside the film and television city was not cheap. It was difficult for extras who were here every day waiting for a shoot.
Extra work wasn't available every day, and they had to compete for it. These people come to compete for extra work.
Some earned as little as 150 yuan a day, enough to buy one boxed lunch, while others might make up to 300 yuan.
Some came with dreams, hoping to earn a couple thousand yuan a month, but they couldn't support themselves and could only leave dejectedly.
The cost of living in the film and television city was high, and the wages of extras were not enough to cover their meals there.
Some street vendors saw a business opportunity and rode their tricycles over to sell affordable food. Most of the extras gathered there to buy some food to fill their hunger.
If that girl just now was a star, how could she be buying a one yuan and fifty cents bun here?
"Maybe she's a staff member!" the group continued to speculate.
The bun vendor, hearing this, was not too pleased. "Can't it just be that my buns are delicious?"
People who work as extras in filming tend to gauge others' reactions. Seeing that the vendor's face didn't look good, one of them spoke up to compliment him.
"Indeed, these buns are quite delicious. They are the tastiest buns I've ever had in the film and television city."
"Yes, absolutely..."
Outside the film and television city, there was only one bun stall.
A group of people praised them, hoping to make the owner happy and perhaps receive a free meal like the girl before.
The owner was delighted by the compliments and cleared his throat, saying, "If you like it, come back often!"
...
After entering the film and television city, Song Jixing munched on a bun from a plastic bag while glancing at her wristwatch.
8:25.
She was running late and hurried forward.
She moved quickly among the towering palace walls, encountering several crews filming with cameras along the way.
She arrived at the set before 8:30 and finished eating her bun.
This was the rest area for the crew, where they did their makeup and changed clothes.
"Where's Song Jixing? Has she arrived?" The production assistant came out with a form, still focusing on the document, and there was a hint of impatience in their voice.
Song Jixing quickly raised her hand and said, "Here I am!"
The production assistant looked up and was visibly impressed.
"So, you're Song Jixing! Please go inside and get your makeup done." The production assistant's tone softened.
"You look pretty good. How did you end up playing the supporting role?," the production assistant muttered.
At this moment, Song Jixing had already entered the makeup room, but the obvious confusion reached her ears.
Sitting in the makeup room, the makeup artist examined Song Jixing's face. Smooth and flawless, with sparkling eyes, there was no trace of makeup.
"Did you put on any makeup?" the makeup artist asked, holding a makeup brush and unsure of where to begin, not knowing if the person in front of them had any makeup on.
"Just a little bit before leaving the house," Song Jixing replied.
"Okay, which brand of foundation and loose powder did you use? It looks really good, and I can't see any signs of makeup." The makeup artist curiously asked, while grabbing a wig and preparing to put it on Song Jixing.
Song Jixing's eyelids twitched; she hadn't actually put on any makeup.
Just as Song Jixing was struggling with how to respond, the phone rang.
"Yes, the food delivery is here. You guys can eat... "
"There is porridge in the rice cooker. I cooked it last night. I'll order takeout for you guys at noon. Remember to sort the garbage, and I'll take care of it when I come back. Just watch TV and read at home."
"Okay, remember to lock the doors and windows and don't talk to strangers..." Song Jixing reminded.
The makeup artist was fiddling with Song Jixing's hair and, hearing her careful instructions, asked curiously, "Do you have a child?"
Seeing the young age of the person in front of them, it didn't seem like they had a child.
With a sweet smile, Song Jixing told a little white lie, "Oh, it's a relative's child from my hometown. They grew up in the mountains and don't know much about the outside world."
The makeup artist made an "oh" sound, marveling at the nice temperament of the girl in front of them, and continued to put the heavy wig on her.
Song Jixing wiped the sweat off her forehead, relieved that she hadn't said anything revealing.
The drama Song Jixing was filming was an ordinary web drama in the fantasy genre, with a small budget and production scale.
She played the role of the supporting actress, the younger sister of the female lead, a somewhat dim-witted fool.
Each web episode was only about ten minutes long, and the fool only appeared in three episodes before getting a box lunch.
Her role had so few scenes that it could be filmed in just one week!
Perhaps even less than a week!
There were other longer plays as well, either staying with the crew or going out of town.
But Song Jixing couldn't go.
Just as she was about to leave, a few people had just arrived at her home, without identification cards or knowledge of modern life.
If she left, what would happen to those people?
Thinking of this, Song Jixing suddenly felt her palms burning.
She used the thumb of her left hand to feel the palm of her right hand, which was burning hot.
There was a scar less than half a centimeter long inside, resembling a mark, but in reality, it was the trace left by the artifact merging into her in the cultivation realm.
How did she remember that the last time her senior brothers and sisters appeared, it was also this place that burned?
Oh no, is someone else coming again?
