I have a persona specifically for acting.

The waiter opened the lid and explained:

“Our Buddha Jumps Over the Wall is made using a more traditional method, going through thirty processes, twelve cooking techniques, and incorporating thirteen types of meat and seafood, bringing out its aroma and freshness with sea salt.”

As the lid was opened, a fragrant aroma filled the air.

Tong Zhao had no doubt that it truly involved thirty processes.

After all, sitting atop was half a large abalone soaking in golden broth. Since the ingredients were this lavish, the kitchen naturally would be willing to invest more effort to avoid wasting such expensive ingredients.

“Why not try it while it’s hot?”

Director Chen kindly poured her a drink: “This wine is also quite good; it’s locally brewed fruit wine. You can have a taste, and if you don’t like it, just let them switch to juice or water.” He spoke in detail, as if afraid Tong Zhao might misunderstand and think he was forcing alcohol on her.

“Okay, thank you.”

The drinking glasses were small, and with the director being so courteous, Tong Zhao also gave him face and downed the drink.

Director Chen visibly relaxed.

The other staff members also looked at the director with approving eyes.

What can I say about this atmosphere?

It was like when a certain gang leader in “Young and Dangerous” poured tea and offered apologies to characters like Chen Haonan or Liang Kun; if he didn’t accept it, it would imply that someone might end up dead.

Tong Zhao considered herself a law-abiding good citizen with a fairly good temper,

But this is too much!

Abnormal behavior is suspicious. Could it be that they want something from her and are trying to butter her up first?

She quietly asked, “Is this Buddha Jumps Over the Wall only for me? Isn’t that inappropriate?”

“There’s nothing inappropriate about it; after all, you’re the winner,”

Director Chen smiled slightly and raised his voice to ask everyone, “Do you have any objections?”

The whole table shook their heads in unison, looking completely convinced.

“You see,”

Director Chen continued, “If you don’t believe me, I can ask the other tables…”

Tong Zhao stopped his puzzling behavior, wanting to say to eat quietly and not cause a scene, but then she noticed that everyone was sitting quietly without touching their chopsticks, all looking like they were waiting for her to start eating first.

[…Duan Ge, how many people have you gotten into trouble with this!]

Duan Ge had an innocent expression: [They used to wait for me to eat first in the camp; I got used to it.]

The “camp” here referred to the survival camp she had led in the apocalyptic realm, where everything revolved around her. Even couples who fought would hesitate to act without consulting her first. Later, when conditions improved and there was surplus food, babies were even born wanting to take her surname, asking her to name their children. The opposing forces criticized her for fostering a cult of personality during the apocalypse, but it didn’t stop many people from calling her the “faith in the ruins.” She just wanted to say, “Stop talking nonsense and get to work.”

Tong Zhao smiled and picked up a piece of fish maw with her chopsticks, placing it on a bowl of white rice to eat.

Seeing this, the others finally felt relieved and began to eat along with her.

The flavor of the underworld was getting stronger and stronger; it wouldn’t surprise her if everyone started calling her “Boss” tomorrow. Tong Zhao silently ate for a while and noticed that the big screen began to play a highlights reel. As everyone’s attention shifted to the screen, she quietly asked the director, “I’ll just ask directly, do you need my help with something?”

With her posture so low, it was either an apology or a request for assistance.

“Just say it plainly; whether it can be done is my business,” Tong Zhao made her words even more straightforward. Like Duan Ge, she didn’t like beating around the bush or playing guessing games, as it was a waste of time.

Director Chen showed a moment of surprise, then realized she had misunderstood.

“How could that be? If I had to say I’m asking you for a favor, it would just be to hope that Sister Zhao can cooperate in various ways during the subsequent promotions and help out with our little show.”

Tong Zhao nodded, “Of course, as long as it’s not excessive, I will cooperate. Whether I can attend will depend on the specific schedule.”

Director Chen sighed inwardly; she was right to be popular. From her performances in the variety show, one could see that she had a strong sense of responsibility and an aggressive personality. In person, she was polite and pragmatic. Even though this variety show was like a runaway horse, he still wanted to collaborate with Tong Zhao again…

Forget it; it was pointless to think about it.

Of course, he wanted to work with her, but the question was whether he was worthy. He couldn’t even get a meeting.

“To achieve the desired effect and balance during the show, we’ve been making things difficult for you backstage. We didn’t want you to misunderstand after regaining your memory, thinking we invited you just to target you. So we’ve prepared good food and drink for you; consider it compensation from all of us staff for Sister Zhao.”

Tong Zhao understood.

She thought to herself, Sister Zhao isn’t such a petty person…

Wait, why was she even calling herself “Sister” now!

Han Zhi: [Hahaha, it’s a bit cute that Sister Zhao is calling herself that.]

Duan Ge was curious: [I want to see how they’re making things difficult for me.]

The big screen quickly fulfilled Duan Ge’s wish.

The footage showed her first lottery draw, pulling out three packs of Master Kong instant noodles labeled “Breakfast,” “Lunch,” and “Dinner.” The director zoomed in, giving her a close-up of her dumbfounded expression.

Tong Zhao: [Hahahaha!]

Duan Ge: [That’s not too bad; instant noodles were quite common food back in my time, just with low nutritional value.]

Just as she said it was fine, the next moment, she saw that the instant noodles didn’t have any seasoning packets.

Duan Ge: [……]

Duan Ge: [Was that on purpose?]

Tong Zhao asked Director Chen if this was part of the show’s effect.

Unexpectedly, the modeler chimed in: “It wasn’t on purpose. When I was writing this segment of code, my cat jumped up and randomly pressed a bunch of keys, and when I deleted the mess, I accidentally deleted a portion that included the seasoning packet code.”

He showed Tong Zhao the screensaver on his phone, which was a golden gradient fat cat: “This stupid cat is the culprit; it owes Sister Zhao an apology!”

The cat was just too cute, so Tong Zhao had no choice but to forgive it.

The remaining exciting clips were pretty standard, mostly showing Duan Ge rampaging and ambushing others. No wonder everyone looked at her with both respect and fear—it’s the subconscious effect of variety shows. Even though she herself didn’t seem that fierce, she was still quite intimidating. Some who had already regained their memories were even more afraid of her, like mice seeing a cat, feeling a deep sense of trepidation.

Later, getting shot in the mall wasn’t too impactful; it was all just headshots.

The leader of the Cloud Squad, the Thunder Night Watcher, and He Su had practically developed “Fear of Zhao Syndrome.”

Not only did they insist on sitting far away, but they also occasionally glanced over with concerned looks.

It was too obvious; Tong Zhao found it hard to ignore them.

Fortunately, the Buddha Jumps Over the Wall was quite delicious. She poured a generous spoonful of broth over her white rice, so fresh that she forgot about the gazes of those three little cowards.

Although Tong Zhao’s Buddha Jumps Over the Wall was a special version made just for her, the quality of the food on the other tables was also decent. Overall, everyone seemed to enjoy the meal, chatting enthusiastically about the entertainment programs—there were quite a few nearby establishments in the film city, including KTV, Werewolf, and script-killing games.

Director Chen invited her to go to KTV together.

Tong Zhao thought that since she didn’t know anyone in the production team and hadn’t made new friends during the variety show, there was no need to join in the festivities. It would be better to head back to her room to rest and chat with her agent about any new developments during the filming… so she politely declined Director Chen’s invitation: “You all have fun; I want to rest.”

This time, Director Chen didn’t insist but kindly reminded her that the villa area in the film city offered SPA massage services, and members involved in the variety show could enjoy a half-price discount.

Tong Zhao was tempted.

She left a message for her agent, saying she was going for a spa massage and that if Sister Chu needed her, she could call. She could listen while getting the massage. Sister Chu replied with a “Okay, I’ll wait a moment; I’m currently dealing with another artist being caught making out with their assistant.”

Making out made Tong Zhao laugh: [Is it that serious? Will it be made public? Looks like the only way to bury this news is for me to make out with my assistant too!]

Her assistant was a girl with a round face, who was also one of her fans.

Sister Chu replied with a string of frantic gibberish.

Director Chen’s recommendation was spot on; the SPA services in the film city were very professional, and the service attitude was great. After Tong Zhao explained that she just wanted to rest and didn’t need any conversation, there were no unnecessary words throughout the session. As the therapist began to apply essential oil to Tong Zhao’s back, her phone rang.

Already prepared, Tong Zhao put on her Bluetooth headset and listened to Sister Chu update her on the latest situation.

The main point was about the National Studies Martial Arts Hall.

Sister Chu: “That’s a legitimate big shot. Not only does he hold a high status in the entertainment industry, but he also has considerable influence in politics.” She listed a long string of titles, which sounded dazzling and impressive: “In recent years, he’s taken a liking to young people surfing the internet.”

Got it, in short, he really appreciated Duan Ge.

Tong Zhao: “What should I do about that? Are there any dinner parties I can attend?”

At this, Sister Chu drew in a sharp breath: “Shi Dingjun has invited you to audition for his ‘The Knives of the Maiden’ If you succeed, you should be able to meet the old man… Shi Dingjun is his senior apprentice.”

“Ah?”

Tong Zhao had some impression of this director, but it wasn’t very deep.

After all, he wasn’t the kind of person like Shi Qianqiu, who was always making sensational remarks to the media; the media loved to interview Shi Qianqiu because he always had explosive, candid comments. Director Shi, on the other hand, was a very stable and down-to-earth type. He usually only spoke publicly at formal events, and even if reporters caught him off-guard, they could only get very formal responses.

As for other matters…

In any case, no one is interested in the romantic life of a serious middle-aged artist. Director Shi has been married for many years, and at most, there might be a few lines written about his infertility news. However, he has said that his wife has health issues and doesn’t plan to have children; the couple supports each other and plans to live out the next life together. Some audacious reporter provocatively asked, “Doesn’t Director Shi think it’s a pity not to leave any offspring in the world after a hundred years?”

Shi Dingjun wasn’t angry; he said, “I’ve left behind many great films.”

Then he smiled slightly:

“Compared to my ‘bloodline’… ahem, I’m not tall enough at 175 cm, I developed myopia at an early age, and I usually have some issues during annual health checks. I’m not a handsome man; I wouldn’t say my genes are very exceptional. But I can confidently guarantee that every one of my films is an excellent work.”

This response clearly distinguished him from the reporter.

Of course, it also put him in a different league compared to Shi Qianqiu, who is famous for being child-free. Tong Zhao had seen reporters ask him the same question. At first, he ignored it, saying he didn’t want to respond to personal matters, but after being pressed, he eventually answered:

“Alright, then satisfy my desire to be a dad; just call me ‘Dad’ first.”

The young reporter fell silent.

Digressing, let’s bring it back.

Tong Zhao recalled Director Shi Dingjun’s representative works, which were mostly male-centric stories featuring tough men in hard confrontations. During last year’s China Anniversary Celebration, he was invited to shoot a special on martial arts: “The Knives of the Maiden,’ listening to that name, is it about women disguising as men?”

“Correct, I’m inviting you to audition for the female lead,” Sister Chu said with a hint of pride, “Now you only need to consider the female lead position.”

“Alright.”

Although Tong Zhao chooses her own projects, sometimes a good director and a big production can outweigh personal preferences.

She was quite realistic about this.

If she wanted to take on heavyweight projects and reap the rewards that the industry focuses on, she didn’t want to hold the title of the box office queen for only half a year; she wanted to stay on the throne indefinitely.

“Alright, let’s move on to the next topic.”

Turning the page.

Next was the previously mentioned, jumpy and accusatory, subpar screenwriter who criticized her for her lack of unique subconscious themes. After the broadcast of “One Life Survivor,” he was mocked so much that he turned off comments on his Weibo and went silent. Sister Chu was very indignant: “How can this irrelevant person comment on how diverse our Zhao Zhao’s subconscious is? What does it have to do with him? Isn’t he just jealous that ‘Heartless Tribulation’ exploded in popularity? He should be cursing Shi Qianqiu instead; what does it matter to attack the actors? He deserves the backlash.”

Tong Zhao couldn’t help but laugh at that.

Sister Chu was getting anxious: “Don’t laugh! So many people are waiting to see how good or bad your temper is!”

Concubine Chen agreed: “Zhao Zhao, your manager is right. When I first entered the palace, some nameless minion provoked me, and the other concubines remained silent, waiting to see my temperament. If you don’t show these kinds of people a lesson, they will just keep going.”

Tong Zhao was taken aback.

Show them a lesson? She wasn’t a gang leader.

Tong Zhao: “Alright, I’ll think of a way.”

For now, she would just get through it.

“I won’t laugh, I won’t laugh,” Tong Zhao asked, “Is there anything else?”

That settled it.

After hanging up the phone, Tong Zhao fully immersed herself back into the massage.

The hands of the technician were magical; after a while, she fell asleep. When she woke up, it was already completely dark outside. She dragged her relaxed body back to the small villa to continue sleeping, and she slept soundly until the next morning, waking up to meditate, go for a morning run, and take a shower in one go.

After that, it was no longer her concern; Sister Chu told her to stay home and carefully choose a script.

The audition for “The Knives of the Maiden” was next week, and before that, she could look at other options.

Tong Zhao wanted to pick a gentler script.

After all, Duan Ge was too ruthless. Originally, she was a beautiful star, and once the edited version of “One Life Survivor” was released, she was afraid she would become widely known, so she needed to balance things out.

Hey, hey…

Zhao Zai squeezed half of his head out from the door with the security chain: “Sister, I want to come out and play too.”

He could squeeze his head out, which showed that Tong Zhao’s mental strength had significantly improved after filming the survival variety show.

Tong Zhao: “You should be good to go after filming one more instinct movie.”

Upon hearing this, Zhao Zai’s eyes brightened, and he obediently responded, “Then I’ll wait for you, sister.”

Seeing Zhao Zai made Tong Zhao feel quite complex.

Because it was her younger self, she often wondered… was she really that silly when she was young?

Her thoughts couldn’t escape the notice of the other personalities, and Zhao Zai puffed up like a little pufferfish: “I’m not silly!”

Zhao Zai shrank back, sulking.

[Ah.]

As soon as the words were spoken, the round little head got stuck.

Duan Ge: “Pfft.”

Empress Chen: “Hahaha…”

Han Zhi: “Pet the little Zhao.”

In the end, it was Han Zhi who helped push Zhao Zai’s half head back in. The little loli’s eyes filled with tears, looking aggrieved and withdrawn.

…

The edited version of “One Life Survivor” was about to be broadcast.

The people who would watch the 24-hour livestream were mostly hardcore variety show fans, Tong Zhao’s core supporters, and a portion of those with too much free time. The general public mostly waited for the edited version to come out, followed by an official promotion before they would truly engage with the show.

Promotion was still very important.

Without promotion, no matter how popular it was, it would only spread in a small circle.

Many people entered the live stream room, saw the survivors just hanging around waiting to die, and lost interest. It was boring.

Only the edited version would be worth watching.

Tong Zhao promised to promote it well, but first, she had to attend the Li Zhi TV gala, which was the most important matter at hand.

At the gala, she would sing a duet of a traditional love song with Song Wanzhuo—

Empress Chen made her entrance in a water-red dance dress, playing the guzheng. What a “disobedient” empress, skillfully enticing the audience and the camera. The empress didn’t make overt flirty gestures; rather, every glance, every smile, and every movement exuded charm and allure.

Not only was the audience thrilled for her, but the director also particularly adored her.

If it weren’t for his rationality, the director would have wanted to give the camera to her entirely.

Song Wanzhuo?

It was like the courtiers who had once been enchanted by the empress’s beauty, completely forgetting the emperor’s presence. When they finally came to their senses, the feudal mindset of having served their whole lives under a hierarchy of lords and subjects was stirred for the first time—why weren’t they the rulers? Only His Majesty deserved to possess such beauty!

Empress Chen didn’t play the entire time; she only had a solo on the guzheng in the middle.

She played while Song Wanzhuo sang.

Once that segment was over, she stood up and began to dance while singing.

The empress stood on a high platform, her long hair styled in an intricate updo adorned with gold ornaments. Some of it was fake hair, not all of it tied up; her long hair flowed behind her like black seaweed. As she spun lightly, the ends of her hair created a captivating arc… Even the audience seated in the back row felt far away from her, yet they seemed to have truly caught a whiff of her hair’s fragrance, showing expressions of intoxication.

The silk draped over her hands swayed as she danced, the gauze adorned with tiny sequins, resembling a stream of flowing light that made it hard for anyone to look away.

The live audience and the viewers online were all ordinary men, so it was normal for them to have weak self-control.

However, upon closer observation, the audience members who weren’t mesmerized noticed…

Even Song Wanzhuo, who was supposed to interact with the camera, was totally focused on Tong Zhao!

His gaze was glued to her, unmoving, with a tipsy smile lingering at the corners of his mouth.

Seeing this scene, the agent felt like his heart had died and was filled with frustration—having already been outshined by her and stolen the spotlight, how could he be so careless too? Once the performance ended and they were backstage, the agent pulled him aside and asked, “My Wanzhuo, what were you smiling about? You were staring at her the whole time; it was so obvious!”

“I know,”

Song Wanzhuo momentarily felt guilty and showed a reluctant expression. “Ah, you don’t understand. You’re too far away. When I was in that position, I could smell her sweet fragrance every time she made a big movement.”

“…”

The agent looked at his expression and thought he didn’t seem to have just smelled her fragrance.

He looked as if he had been bewitched, seriously affected.

That night, a reporter indeed asked him. The question was subtle; the reporter mentioned that there were many comments in the live stream about him constantly looking at Tong Zhao. Was that true?

Song Wanzhuo cleared his throat and explained seriously, “That’s because everyone watching us collaborate just wants to reminisce about ‘Ming Emperor’. When I was singing, my mindset shifted to that of the Ming Emperor; it was the Ming Emperor who wanted to see the empress, not me.”

Reporter: ???

We totally believe you!

On Tong Zhao’s side, things were much more normal. Just as she was waiting for a reporter to ask her if she would consider acting in a palace drama, she said, “Everyone has too fixed an impression of me. You can check out my upcoming show, ‘One Life Survivor’, where you’ll see a different side of me, and it’s quite charming.”

[Zhao Zhao’s advertising seems a bit stiff, but she’s pretty, so I forgive her.]

[Wow, that’s a hard sell!]

There were also some clueless onlookers: [How different can it be? But I really want to see such a delicate and beautiful ancient-style beauty~]