I became a movie star at the age of three; Dilraba and I are childhood sweethearts.

The irritability in Stephen Chow's eyes faded, replaced by a complex and incomprehensible emotion.

He waved and spoke to the actor who was still trembling.

"Go to the side and figure it out yourself!"

Then, he turned to Xiao Chen, his tightly pursed lips seemingly trying to curve into a smile, but ultimately failing.

"You're Xiao Chen?"

His voice still lacked warmth, at least it was no longer a roar.

Xiao Chen gave a simple reply.

"Hello, Mr. Stephen Chow."

The way he addressed Stephen Chow was neither too close nor too distant, showing respect from a junior to a senior without being obsequious.

Ok?

This kid is interesting.

Ordinary actors, let alone children.

Even established celebrities treat him with utmost respect, sometimes even with a hint of flattery.

But the boy in front of me had eyes that were excessively clean.

Even though Xiao Chen is currently very popular in the film and television industry, Stephen Chow is still his senior.

Zhou Xingchi spoke slowly, his gaze never leaving Xiao Chen's face.

Uncle Da praised you to the skies.

"But for me, fame and connections are useless."

"I only care about whether you're a good match."

His tone was very flat.

Xiao Chen nodded.

"clear."

Stephen Chow nodded, unusually patient in asking the question.

Which section are you preparing to test?

Xiao Chen answered quickly, clearly having done his homework.

"The part about being bullied as a child, then being swindled out of money by a beggar and buying a martial arts manual."

A barely perceptible look of surprise flashed in Stephen Chow's eyes.

That scene is the core of the childhood character of Ah Xing.

Although her screen time is limited, the emotional shifts she experiences are extremely complex.

From the helplessness of being humiliated, to the longing to see hope, and then to the naivety and stubbornness of still believing despite being deceived.

It's all condensed into just a few minutes.

This kid has a good eye for choosing roles.

Stephen Chow called out.

"Props!"

Soon, a booklet with a yellowed cover and the four large characters "Buddha's Palm" printed on it was handed over.

Several extras playing petty thugs were also called over.

Stephen Chow personally directed them in the play.

"You lot, just bully him to death, do whatever it takes!"

"Treat him like a punching bag, you hear me?"

The extras looked at each other, hesitant to make a move on Xiao Chen's pretty face.

Stephen Chow is getting impatient again.

"What are you looking at! It's acting!"

"That's the kind of realism we want!"

They dared not disobey Stephen Chow's wishes on set.

"Mr. Stephen Chow, I understand!"

Everything is ready.

After Stephen Chow sat back down on the monitor, the entire set fell silent again.

All eyes were focused on the slender boy in the center of the arena.

"Action!"

At his command, Xiao Chen's aura instantly changed.

The original calm and composure have disappeared, replaced by timidity and isolation.

He was hunched over, his eyes darting around, his hands nervously clutching the hem of his clothes—a perfect picture of a boy who was often bullied.

A thug shoved him.

"Hey! Kid! What are you looking at!"

Xiao Chen stumbled and nearly fell.

Several thugs swarmed around him and started punching and kicking him.

"Search all the money on him!"

Xiao Chen curled up on the ground, his hands tightly protecting his head, his small body trembling uncontrollably from the pain.

Behind the monitor, Stephen Chow's brows furrowed into a knot.

The acting was... alright.

But it's just okay.

Most actors can portray this kind of bullying scene; it's simply a matter of showing weakness and fear.

He wants more than just that.

What he wanted was that tiny spark that refused to go out even in despair.

Just then, the punches and kicks stopped.

The thugs stole all the change he had on him and left.

Xiao Chen lay on the ground, motionless for a long time.

The surroundings were silent, except for his suppressed, faint sobs.

His shoulders shrugged, and the loneliness and grievance of being abandoned by the whole world almost overflowed the screen.

On the sidelines of the film set, several female production assistants couldn't help but tear up.

This child's acting was so realistic; it broke my heart.

Finally, Xiao Chen slowly propped himself up with his elbows.

The moment he raised his head, Stephen Chow's pupils contracted sharply.

What kind of eyes were those?

It was filled with tears, humiliation, and pain.

But in that damp depths, a fire was burning.

A cluster of fires, stubborn to the extreme, refusing to admit defeat!

He is not willing!

Xiao Chen bit his lower lip hard, his small fists clenched tightly.

Just then, a ragged old beggar slowly approached.

"Young man, I see you have extraordinary talent; you are a martial arts prodigy, one in a million..."

The performance that followed made everyone on set forget to breathe.

Xiao Chen looked at the beggar, his eyes shifting from initial wariness to suspicion.

Then, when he heard the old beggar say that he wanted to maintain world peace, his eyes suddenly lit up.

That light was not just a simple surprise.

It was like a drowning person grasping at the last straw!

He trembled as he solemnly handed over the last few coins he had on him, the ones he had saved to buy candy, to the beggar.

In exchange, they received the book "The Buddha's Palm".

Xiao Chen held the tattered booklet as if it were the most precious treasure in the world.

He carefully blew away the dust and meticulously wiped the cover with the corner of his shirt.

Then, he turned to the first page.

At that moment, all the pain and humiliation on Xiao Chen's face disappeared.

The corners of his mouth unconsciously turned up, revealing a pure smile.

It was as if what he held in his hand was not a deceptive, tattered book, but the only path to becoming a peerless hero.

He believed it.

I believed it from beginning to end.

Stephen Chow's voice was a little hoarse.

"Cut!"

Afterwards, Stephen Chow stared intently at the playback footage on the monitor.

Again and again.

No one spoke on set.

Everyone was stunned by the performance.

They seemed to have truly seen a lonely young man living at the bottom of society, suffering ridicule, yet still harboring a dream of becoming a hero.

That's fucking genius!

Stephen Chow stood up and walked to Xiao Chen.

He didn't say anything, he just lowered his head and looked at the boy in front of him.

I watched it for a very long time.

He saw a familiar shadow in this twelve-year-old child.

That shadow, too, was once looked down upon and ridiculed.

That shadow once held the belief that "I am an actor" as his lifelong conviction.

That shadow was himself.

Xiao Chen's passion for acting, his dedication, his obsessive pursuit of perfection...

Exactly the same as Stephen Chow.

What awards have they won, or how many people have admired them?

Stephen Chow never cares about these things when making movies.

So at first, Stephen Chow didn't care about Xiao Chen's name.

The only thing that concerned him was that Xiao Chen was someone Wu Mengda had recommended.

At that moment, Zhou Xingchi looked at Xiao Chen seriously and asked him his name.

"Your name is Xiao Chen?"

Xiao Chen nodded.

"Yes, my name is Xiao Chen."