I have a persona specifically for acting.

There is a saying commonly passed around:

“If you haven’t acted in an instinctive movie, you’ve wasted your life.”

Instinctive movies have an insatiable demand for extras.

For ordinary people, becoming an extra is not something unattainable. Many have “appearing in an instinctive movie” on their list of “things to accomplish before turning twenty,” and many teenagers say that only after experiencing an instinctive movie do they realize how ordinary their “true selves” really are.

The experience of acting in an instinctive movie is also extremely unique.

The memories recalled in the mind are from a first-person perspective, which is different from the viewing angle when watching sample footage.

The final edited version, after post-production, is yet another thing altogether—

Since entering the era of instinctive movies, one of the most crucial tasks for directors has been film editing.

After the actors wrap up, Shi Qianqiu and his editing team “enter” ‘The Heartless Tribulation’ countless times, repeatedly using their own ideas and aesthetics to create the final version.

For instance, Tong Zhao had to go back and reshoot several scenes depicting Mu Yingchen and Shao Xuanzheng’s memories when they were still a dual-cultivation couple.

Lu Xianzhang’s subconscious couldn’t handle acting out his dual cultivation life, so Tong Zhao had to step in herself to barely manage the plot setting of “the two being a couple” and complete the flashback scenes.

Tong Zhao felt she didn’t do a good job in that segment.

At that time, Shi Qianqiu reassured her, saying he had a way to edit the scenes later, adding some details to make it more convincing.

If good subconscious performances from actors are like lyrics, the director is the composer.

Thus, the birth of good work requires both.

Tong Zhao was also curious how Shi Qianqiu would use editing to make up for her stiff performance… The Mu Yingchen she portrayed, although not outright cutting him down with a sword, showed a cold, disinterested attitude—a clear indication of a superficial relationship. There was no way to convey the contrast of someone who once deeply loved her husband, only to sever all ties after being betrayed.

The entire hall darkened completely.

…

The screen lit up with a classic aerial view of the Nine Provinces.

Many towering mountains shrouded in clouds came into view, followed by smooth cuts—

A vast, desolate, snow-covered icy landscape appeared, and in this barren whiteness, a slender, tall figure was captured in a low-to-high shot. Her jet-black hair fell gracefully, and she was the only trace of darkness in the scene, naturally drawing the audience’s attention to her silhouette.

Then, she turned around.

Everyone knew this should be the female lead, Tong Zhao.

Almost all the audience knew what Tong Zhao looked like.

She’s been incredibly popular lately, and everyone must be very familiar with her face!

However, in that fleeting moment when she turned around, the audience was still stunned by her beauty, holding their breath for a second, unwilling to blink—

The moonlight illuminated Tong Zhao’s face, cold and flawless.

If ordinary celestial maidens are like the distant, unattainable mist and clouds, then she is the wind and snow in a lonely, desolate mountain—proud and cold, with an air of solitary elegance. Her beautiful face was slightly raised, and as the snowflakes were about to land on her long lashes, they were shattered into powder by an invisible sword aura, dissolving into the wind before they could touch her.

[Oh my God, is she the real celestial being!]

[How can the same face be so powerful? Or is Tong Zhao actually a set of triplets? Although the face is the same, there are three different people behind it! The temperament is so distinct!]

[Got myself a stunning screensaver. Director Shi still knows how to shoot grand scenes. You can tell he’s a young master from a wealthy family.]

[This modeling isn’t just blowing wind and snow; it’s blowing money.]

The audience felt as though they were seeing her anew.

Amateurs focus on the spectacle, while experts see the technique.

Some film critics were already whispering to each other about Tong Zhao’s subconscious performance highlights this time.

Instinctive films of different genres each have their own challenges. For fantasy and immortal-themed films, it’s rare for anyone to capture the ethereal aura in the details.

It’s not just about having a pretty face.

Some subconscious performances, even if capable of summoning lightning with one hand and calling rain with the other, still come across as ordinary when dressed in a grand mage’s robe.

However, Lu Xianzhang’s subconscious, with just this single detail, allowed the audience to easily accept the image of “a cultivator”—these were all habits deeply ingrained in her subconscious daily life.

“Immortal Shao,”

Even her voice was cold, carrying a chill that could sting the face, with a hint of doubt: “Did you come all the way from the Nanhua Sword Sect just to meet me for the second time?”

Then, a series of montages conveyed to the audience the story of the two meeting, falling in love, and becoming cultivation partners.

“I, Shao Xuanzheng, vow by the sword in my hand and the path I uphold, to love only Mu Yingchen in this life.”

The clear and cheerful male voice echoed through the sky.

Shao Xuanzheng, with a high-spirited look, his hair tied with a long hairpin, his handsome face complemented by his sky-blue robe, stood on a high platform like a nobleman stepping out of a painting. The light behind him outlined a glowing edge around him…

Tong Zhao finally understood what Shi Qianqiu meant by “a little detail.”

In this long opening flashback, he made the male lead look particularly handsome, using various angles with ample surrounding light.

Next, he edited it as if it was the male lead through the eyes of the female lead—

The long shot showed her gazing at him with a pounding heart.

The medium shot showed them exchanging meaningful glances.

The close-up showed her lingering gaze, full of reluctance to part.

The idea is that when you like someone, you see them with a halo around them.

Shi Qianqiu used this mindset to draw the audience’s attention while guiding their thoughts in the direction he intended—that the female lead deeply loved the male lead, admired his charisma, and saw him through a thick, ten-layer filter of admiration.

Tong Zhao, watching with a detached and calm attitude, actually found herself convinced.

Seeing everyone around her engrossed in the movie, she knew she couldn’t engage in unprofessional behavior like whispering throughout the film, nor could she play on her phone and send WeChat messages. She had a strong urge to share her thoughts but had nowhere to express them—thankfully, she still had “herself”—

Tong Zhao: [Wow, it really looks like I was madly in love with the male lead.]

Female Reporter: [The director has quite an artistic vision.]

Usually the most talkative, Concubine Chen was silent. Tong Zhao thought she might have been upset by the earlier comment about her switching partners rapidly and was about to console her when she heard brother Duan say: [She just woke Lu Xianzhang up forcefully.]

What happened?

Concubine Chen: [Quick, look at the movie scene Zhaozhao just saw. That’s your character.]

Lu Xianzhang wasn’t keen on responding, but since they shared the same person and the same brain, the memories were shared. When Lu Xianzhang saw herself deeply in love with Shao Xuanzheng through Shi Qianqiu’s romantic editing, even someone as experienced as her almost had a minor breakdown: [……]

So, Lu Xianzhang, having just appeared, quickly withdrew into seclusion again.

Concubine Chen was delighted and joyfully fanned herself.

Apart from Tong Zhao and the post-production team of “The Heartless Tribulation”, who knew the truth, the rest of the audience was completely immersed in the movie’s storyline. In the first less-than-ten-minute opening, the director sparingly gave the female lead few scenes, focusing more on “Shao Xuanzheng as seen through the eyes of the female lead.” But whenever she appeared, every frame was unforgettable.

She was practicing swordsmanship alone on the peak of Nanhua Sword Sect.

In the past, she was “Immortal Mu” or “Fairy Yingchen.” Now, people called her “Immortal Shao’s partner.”

After her master ascended, she returned to the immortal sect once and stood for a long time before the cliff engraved with the words “Heart Severance Peak.”

The snow-white robe, once perfectly fitted, now seemed oversized on her, conveying a sense of loneliness and suggesting through visual cues that her post-marriage life outside the sect had not been happy.

There had been verbal disputes between the two.

Mu Yingchen’s cultivation level was higher than his, but she never liked to argue with him. Each conflict ended in an unpleasant and unresolved manner.

[Shi Qianqiu really knows how to film beautiful women.]

[Chen Zhuozhi’s performance doesn’t seem bad here? Why was he relegated to a supporting role?]

[“Not bad” my foot! Stay away from Fairy Yingchen! Zhaozhao should shine alone!]

In the first fifteen minutes, the crew successfully portrayed a reticent and aloof “Immortal Mu,” whom the audience became accustomed to seeing always dressed in spotless white, with a flawless face. Though her perfection seemed almost unreal, it was still enjoyable—who doesn’t love watching a beauty?

A great beauty just needs to be responsible for being beautiful!

Besides, she was so powerful.

Was Tong Zhao’s subconscious too strong, turning ‘The Heartless Tribulation’ into a movie where the heroine remains stunning throughout? It’s not impossible. ‘Countdown: 72 Hours’ was also a film where she single-handedly dominated the entire show, and the response was good. Short, highly-praised reviews said that movie was both stress-relieving and exhilarating to watch.

Just as the audience began to wonder how the story would unfold, the hints laid earlier started to come together—

Shao Xuanzheng was jealous of his partner’s talent and longed for his first love, his “white moonlight.”

Mu Yingchen never guarded against him.

At least, that’s the information conveyed through the editing.

When the audience saw Shao Xuanzheng plotting multiple schemes to poison her and destroy her golden core while she was weak, the comment section exploded:

[Oh my god, this scumbag is inhuman!]

[Fairy Yingchen’s golden core is so beautiful, just as bright and pure as she is, QAQ.]

[I want to buy Golden Core merchandise!]

[Shao, you bastard! Also, to the person who wants to buy the heroine’s golden core merchandise, you successfully made me hold back my tears.]

Mu Yingchen’s golden core was shattered, and Shao Xuanzheng gleefully recounted how much he had endured her arrogance and pride over the years, and how he finally didn’t have to bear it anymore. Mu Yingchen just looked at him quietly, her beautiful face even paler than when she was in the freezing wasteland, but her eyes were still cold and bright: “Your plan succeeded not because I was arrogant, not because you were more cunning than me, but because you were despicable and vile enough, while I never guarded against my own partner.”

In the special viewing section, several familiar film critics were whispering their thoughts: “No matter what kind of adversity she faces, we’ve never seen Tong Zhao’s subconscious give up. This seems to be a common trait in many of her characters.”

“That’s what makes her subconscious so likable.”

“These lines are quite emotional, unlike what Shi Qianqiu would write. It must have been an impromptu addition from Tong Zhao’s subconscious.”

They nodded in agreement.

As if responding to the critics’ words, the following scenes showed the fairy, who had been so perfectly portrayed in the first fifteen minutes, having her wings broken, pressed into the cold river, her soft black hair disheveled, and her once-pure white robe stained with blood, now in tatters.

The contrast was devastating.

Mu Yingchen, once so proud and clean, had been completely humiliated and used up by her lover.

The previously lively fans of Tong Zhao in the comment section went silent halfway through, while those who weren’t quiet were passionately cursing Shao Xuanzheng. Casual viewers, feeling sorry for the heroine’s plight, started discussing off-topic matters—what kind of person would Chen Zhuzhi be in real life to play such a despicable role?

The comment section then erupted with a round of gossip about Chen Zhuzhi’s controversies.

The first mini-climax of the first half came when Mu Yingchen, barely recovering from her serious injuries, cut off her own left hand in order to escape.

How painful must that have been!

But her face showed almost no expression, so calm it didn’t seem like she was cutting off her own hand.

Thus, everyone assumed Tong Zhao had the pain immunity mode on.

However, with the pain immunity fully activated, there would be logical inconsistencies, and the actors in the scene would sense something was off, so it wasn’t 100% pain immunity.

[Even at the maximum of 70%, it must still hurt a lot. Tong Zhao’s subconscious is truly resilient. Remember last time when she removed a bullet from her thigh wound? If there’s a big-budget action movie, they should definitely consider our girl.]

[No, no, no, no, please no. Just make some art films. It breaks my heart to see my wife getting hurt!]

After the heroine escaped, she stumbled upon the Li family caravan heading up the mountain.

This is a common trope in movies: first showing the protagonist in a pitiful and downtrodden state, while the villains appear glamorous and powerful. It’s a classic formula that the audience understands, but it still effectively stirs emotions. People want to see the protagonist turn the tables and get revenge, eagerly awaiting what’s next. But…

Renowned film critic Chen Shiyun sighed, “This girl really has an amazing presence. She’s so captivating. Even when she’s in rags, leaning against a tree in the dark, taking up only a small corner of the frame, I still can’t help but focus on her.”

The female critic next to him gave him a sidelong glance.

During the pre-screening event earlier, Chen Shiyun had been eagerly chatting with Tong Zhao, even exchanging WeChat contacts with her. After she left, he looked completely smitten, like he had fallen head over heels in love. She whispered to another female critic, “This must be what men are like.”

However, she had to admit that Tong Zhao had indeed captured seventy percent of her attention just now.

Even though Ding Jiao, who played Li Qiaoqiao, was dressed in exquisite clothes with numerous maids and servants around her, she still didn’t have that commanding presence. If there were points to be deducted from “Heartless Tribulation”, they would start with how it failed to suppress Tong Zhao’s presence.

But was that Ding Jiao’s fault for not being captivating enough, or was it Tong Zhao’s subconscious being too compelling?

It could only be said that competing on the same stage with such a “monster” is a kind of torment.

It seems that whether on or off screen, Ding Jiao could only serve as a foil to Tong Zhao…

The female critic who favored Ding Jiao sighed inwardly while giving Tong Zhao even higher marks in her notes.

The earlier scenes focused mostly on dialogue, and one critic remarked, “The opening showed the heroine practicing swordsmanship. Will there be action scenes showcasing her skills next? Or will it be purely magical combat? Shi Qianqiu’s films always involve a wave of expensive special effects.”

“That would be a waste of Tong Zhao’s subconscious,” another critic replied. “I fell in love with her because of ‘Countdown: 72 Hours’.”

“Haha, her action scenes in that movie were really impressive.”

Film critics are more sensitive to visual information than the average audience, and they tend to watch with a more detached mindset.

When Mu Yingchen discovered the woman locked up in the hunter’s cabin, many in the audience gasped, expecting the protagonist to unleash her power and rescue her. Tong Zhao’s subconscious was so calm and composed that it made the audience temporarily forget her dire situation—that she was currently a shattered Golden Core cultivator, with barely any spiritual power left and one hand severed.

“Oh? Instead of meeting a powerful ally, the protagonist encounters someone even weaker.” A critic expressed interest in Shi Qianqiu’s plot arrangement.

Male critics began discussing this point.

Meanwhile, the female critics, after exchanging opinions, found that they all liked this development.

Who needs a powerful ally?

Having Tong Zhao solo the entire scene is more than enough!

When Qingniang insisted that this “strange woman” was sure to save her, and Mu Yingchen reluctantly replied, “Alright, maybe you’re right,” the audience burst into small bursts of knowing laughter. The screen was filled with comments like [She really did it]—

Immediately afterward, Tong Zhao delivered a beautifully choreographed fight scene, drawing the audience, who had briefly relaxed, back into a state of tense focus.

[Another movie without a single dull moment.]

[Is this how one goes from an extra to a supporting role? Tong Zhao really took her on as an apprentice!]

[Damn, I’m so jealous of Qingniang. I want to be her apprentice too!]

After the initial satisfaction, the audience began repeating the call to become her apprentice.

Who wouldn’t want such a beautiful and powerful master?

By now, the main storyline of the movie had become very clear.

Compared to the female lead’s journey to find the divine sword and seek revenge, Shao Xuanzheng’s scenes were far less engaging. The director begrudgingly provided only some brief explanatory shots. Fans of Chen Zhuzhi were angrily criticizing Shi Qianqiu’s brutal editing for marginalizing their beloved actor, but their complaints were quickly drowned out by the mainstream voices.

Who cares about the scumbag’s debauchery? The audience wanted to see more interactions between Mu Yingchen and her disciple.

In the first half-hour, the audience was introduced to Mu Yingchen’s ethereal, otherworldly side.

In the following half-hour, the audience gradually got to know her warm and endearing side… Actually, the Immortal Master wasn’t being cute, it was just her interactions with her disciple that were adorable. It was a classic “Clueless and Grumpy” duo that the audience fell for without even realizing it.

[Immortal Master: I’m fasting, but my disciple’s grilled fish? Hand it over.]

[Immortal Master, just spoil her already!]

[The orange dynamic is set, let the scumbag die quickly.]

“Heartless Tribulation” is certainly not a yuri film, and the director didn’t mislead the audience. It was made very clear that Qingniang’s feelings for her master are purely admiration and trust, transcending romantic love—a steadfast choice…

And that makes it even more shippable!

What’s the point of shipping an official CP? It’s the ones that are explicitly denied that are the most fun to ship.

Tong Zhao has worked with the “big wolf dog” Song Wanzhuo and played a couple with the “little puppy” Tang Jingjie, but neither CP made much of a splash. After filming, the hype faded away quickly. No one expected that later on, this master-disciple pair would become Tong Zhao’s most prolific and popular fan-created CP.

Back to the film.

When the disciple was about to sacrifice herself to the furnace, an orange-colored comment shot across the screen—

[The master-disciple CP is real! Mom, I’m shipping it for real!]

The discussion was still mostly about the plot.

[Qingniang hates being used so much, but she’s willing to let her master use her…]

[No, little disciple, don’t die! Are there any Shi Qianqiu fans here? He wouldn’t be so cruel, right?]

[Don’t get your hopes up about Shi the Scoundrel’s conscience. He’s a disciple of Gen Urobuchi.]

[Urobuchi, put down that pen!!]

Mu Yingchen, on her journey to find the divine sword with her little disciple, was far more relaxed and happy than during her dual cultivation period with Shao Xuanzheng. The sweetness in the middle was so intense that the audience didn’t realize there were blades hidden in the candy until now, leaving them unexpectedly chewing on shards of glass, mouths bleeding, and tears falling.

Xu Xiaoheng, who played the little disciple, had tears in her eyes.

She glanced surreptitiously at Tong Zhao…

Off-screen, Tong Zhao sat upright, her heavily made-up face showing no emotion. There was no hint of distraction, only contemplation. Xu Xiaoheng felt a bit disheartened as she looked away, thinking that Tong Zhao truly lived up to her superstar status, remaining unaffected by the emotions in the film.

Tong Zhao: [Didn’t expect it—Immortal Lu is a potential lesbian heartbreaker too.]

Concubine Chen: [“Thank you, luckily I’m very straightforward.”]

Tong Zhao watched the movie she starred in with the same mindset as an esports player reviewing match footage—purely analytical, unaffected by the memories and emotions involved.

When Mu Yingchen pinned her disciple down and leaped into the roaring sword furnace, the comments were filled with shock and tears.

There were also some out-of-place comments:

[“Jojo, I’m not human anymore!”]

[“…Refund my tears!”]

[“I beg the brothers in front of me, crying and laughing really looks insane.”]

At this point, “Heartless Tribulation” officially entered the thrilling segment of continuous climaxes. Clichéd, as it may be, executing it well, isn’t easy; audiences need to feel satisfied for the box office to do well. The director stopped toying with the audience, generously granting the protagonist a powerful boost, allowing her to make a grand comeback.

The pacing from setup to explosion was handled perfectly by the director.

“Tong Zhao’s subconscious has an advantage; her comebacks are always satisfying. Even a director with basic aesthetics can edit them well,” said one film critic.

“Exactly, Tong Zhao’s scene here,” one critic who preferred domestic animation recalled an older traditional film: “It reminds me of the climax in ‘White Snake’ when Sun Wukong breaks his seal due to Jiang Liuer’s death, igniting with red light—a moment that, if captured well, would be memorable and exhilarating.”

Mu Yingchen’s astonishing sword strike reduced Shao Xuanzheng to ashes.

In the end, the scumbag was left with nothing.

…

After the movie concluded, thunderous applause erupted in the venue.

The lights gradually brightened, and the list of creators began to roll. Below, Chen Zhuzhi found his name in the cast section, his fist clenched so tightly he nearly broke his fake smile. Next came the interview and Q&A segment, with the crew heading to the designated press area. After this, there would be an after-party exclusively for special guests…

Of course, this would be a gathering for various bigwigs and critics, heavily imbued with socializing and networking.

Shi Qianqiu asked her, “I edited it well, right?”

“It’s good,” Tong Zhao acknowledged, “especially that opening segment; I can’t believe you managed to cut it so emotionally.”

“I added a million little details.”

They spoke in hushed tones under the excited camera flashes, like two artists discussing the beautiful scenes of a film. Many of the positive reports from this premiere featured that candid shot.

The audience applauded more enthusiastically to invite the crew members on stage.

The main cast of “Heartless Tribulation” was quite small, primarily thanks to Shi Qianqiu, who served as producer, investor, screenwriter, and director all in one, thereby consolidating several key roles and simplifying things.

The order of questions had already been arranged.

After the screening, the online audience dispersed as well.

They might remain immersed in the excitement of the film for a while, sharing their thoughts on social media platforms like WeChat, Weibo, and various forums. However, that was a matter for public relations and marketing companies to monitor. Only the more dedicated fans and actor supporters stayed for the interview segment.

The first questions were posed by well-known authoritative media outlets, and the queries were quite standard.

“First of all, congratulations on making such an excellent film,” the reporter said formulaically before continuing, “I understand that ‘Heartless Tribulation’ was originally an experimental film with two protagonists. Such a large production for an experiment could only be achieved by Director Shi. So why did it end up becoming a single-protagonist film?”

Chen Zhuzhi’s smile gradually faded.

“I’m very fair,”

Shi Qianqiu replied with a smile. “Whoever performs well gets to be the protagonist; if she can steal the show, that’s her talent. I truly didn’t expect her to excel to the point of exhibiting overwhelming dominance… The final cut of the film is essentially a single-protagonist movie; adding anyone else wouldn’t fit.”

A reporter, sensing a point of contention, asked, “Is Tong Zhao’s performance significantly better than Chen Zhuzhi’s? What does the actress herself think?”

Shi Qianqiu said, “The result is right there in the movie; you all saw it just now.”

Why even ask?

Chen Zhuzhi felt a murderous urge rising within him.

However, he didn’t dare contradict Shi Qianqiu and could only respond stiffly, “Of course, I’m willing to cooperate with the director’s arrangements.”

The reporter then asked a few questions about box office predictions and marketing plans, which made the fans feel drowsy until the second half, when the questions started to get a bit more interesting—

“As of today, Tong Zhao, your performances in ‘Ming Emperor,’ ‘72 Hours,’ and ‘Sea King Kill’ have shown a lot of variation in your subconscious. There has been much speculation from the outside; how do you think you accomplished this? Is it really due to having triplets?” The reporter ended with a joke.

The audience watching the interview livestream perked up.

Great question!

This was the issue they were most concerned about!

“First of all, I can assure you that I am an only child,”

Tong Zhao laughed, showing her calm and cheerful side as always in front of the camera. “I’ve gone through many changes during my growth process, and I’ve had very different thoughts at different stages. The differences are so stark that they seem like they wouldn’t appear in the same person. Before entering the holographic chamber, I would immerse myself in the mindset of that period, which is why it looks so special. Of course, they are all me.”

As she finished, her slightly curved eyes sparkled with gentle smiles.

Tong Zhao loves herself too much.

[Beauty fans are fully satisfied!]

[Ahhh, my wife is smiling at me! Where’s the best place to buy a house in the school district?]

[Whether she’s the cold and aloof fairy or the private Tong Zhao, I want them all!]

Tong Zhao, professionally exuding her glamorous aura, had an extremely strong presence, but her usual demeanor was a bit more reserved than concubine Chen’s and not as sharp and cold as Lu Xianchang’s. Overall, she was more warm and worldly, making her more acceptable to mainstream audiences.

The reporter, subconsciously influenced by her aura, ended up focusing more on her despite the intention to share the spotlight evenly.

Ding Jiao’s fans were about to complain about the bias when they noticed how their younger sister looked at Tong Zhao…

The orange forces were in trouble!

“Director Shi has a habit of making things difficult for actors. I’ve heard that Tong Zhao is the director’s favorite instinctive actor? Did anything interesting happen during your collaboration?”

“Make things difficult for actors?” Shi Qianqiu asked, puzzled, turning to look at the other crew members. “Did I? I don’t think so. But Tong Zhao is indeed my favorite actor; her subconscious is very creative—she’s the most unique one I’ve ever seen.”

“We won’t compare with the tweezers and bullet clips!”

This cross-regional interaction not only had netizens laughing out loud but also sparked interest in the film.

The news about “Heartless Tribulation” causing many female actors to return home empty-handed was a long time ago. With He Duoduo mentioning it here and marketing accounts reposting it, netizens began to reminisce—miraculously, there was no situation of disparaging each other; instead, they could only exclaim that Tong Zhao’s subconscious was too powerful and feminine.

[If you want to compete with Tong Zhao, you have to go to the male actor circle.]

[The hard male actors in domestic entertainment all have uncle vibes; why not go to foreign entertainment to compete?]

[Support my sister in breaking out of Asia and bringing glory to the country! /doge /doge]

These joking comments shifted netizens’ and fans’ attention to just how powerful Tong Zhao really was.

After one content creator compiled all of Tong Zhao’s action scenes, the view count skyrocketed, landing it in the top three of the film and television section on Bilibili. After watching, netizens couldn’t help but fall into deep contemplation.

Is this the same person who danced the jumping jingling dance, single-handedly battled an army of zombies, and after severing her left hand, still managed to take down the scumbag?

Is it really the same person?

The edited video, along with Tong Zhao’s interview after the premiere of “Heartless Tribulation,” explained this phenomenon.

Netizens started to wonder what major changes Tong Zhao had experienced in her life.

Since she rarely talked about her past experiences, they began to fill in the gaps with grandiose imaginings based on her distinctive subconscious—

The imperial concubine always gets what she wants.

Tong Zhao must have had a rich romantic history; she’s an old sea king.

Feng Yanqi is decisive and incredibly cool.

Tong Zhao must have great leadership skills; she was probably the boss back in school.

Mu Yingchen has an ethereal quality, completely detached from the mortal world.

Perhaps one day Tong Zhao will hold a press conference to announce that she’s going to inherit her family’s Taoist temple.

As the speculation became increasingly absurd, netizens envisioned Tong Zhao as having had a tumultuous and extraordinary first half of her life.

[Ah, I really want to be childhood friends with Sister Zhao; her life must be amazing!]

…

Xu Zhu, who grew up with Tong Zhao, felt very confused.

Wasn’t she just an ordinary rich girl?

Romantic experiences? She hasn’t even dated!

Leadership skills? Tong Zhao doesn’t even participate in clubs!

Xu Zhu also knew very well that the Tong family didn’t have a Taoist temple to inherit.

What a tumultuous first half of life!

However, with the immense popularity of “Heartless Tribulation,” netizens’ curiosity continued to grow. The discussion remained heated, and they finally managed to uncover some clues about her background through Tong Zhao’s old classmates…