Chapter 47: I am Xiahou Cheng.

Xiahou Cheng, born into wealth, was sent abroad by her father at the age of three under the guise of "training" her. She returned to China at the age of twelve to settle down. During her university years, she fell in love with extreme sports, experiencing life through skydiving and bungee jumping, and incidentally mastering various skills in the process. At the age of twenty-two, after graduating from university, she entered the entertainment industry, playing the second female lead in a hit drama that year, and winning the Best Supporting Actress award.

Then this woman gracefully retired from the entertainment industry and started appearing on variety shows to make a living, during which time she earned the title of "Crazy Queen of the Chinese Entertainment Industry".

The eldest daughter of the Xiahou family, an actress, a regular guest on the variety show "Days of Teasing Cats and Walking Dogs", and an e-net administrator 09.

Xiahou Cheng first came into contact with eNet when she was seventeen, a year that coincided with the height of the women's rights movement across the country, led by Lin Yi. From then on, she also became a member of eNet, contributing her own strength.

Two years later, news of Lin Yi's death came back from abroad, shocking the entire East.

She died amidst the global women's rights movement, killed by the vicious retaliation of the locals, and by class and discrimination. The fire burned for three days and three nights, leaving no trace of her body; in the end, only a lighter was dug out from under the rocks.

The online community was outraged, but lacking a leader, the situation gradually subsided. It was during this period that Xiahou Cheng applied to become administrator 09, responsible for maintaining the website's operations.

She and other administrators also tried to organize orderly activities on the website, but no one had the same appeal as Administrator 01, and everyone was still arguing amongst themselves.

More than half a year later, when Xiahou Cheng was twenty years old, the administrator 01's avatar lit up again, showing that he was online.

The entire e-net went crazy; posts kept refreshing and then disappearing, and the website crashed at one point.

Xiahou Cheng was extremely busy at the time. After the new post finally appeared, Administrator 01 pinned a post at the top of the announcement board, briefly explaining the latest situation.

She stated that she had been rescued by administrator 01 and had been involved in the eNet movement ever since. Now that Lin Yi has passed away and her will has been executed, her lawyer has given her a USB drive and some of Lin Yi's belongings for safekeeping. If she wishes, she can take over as the leader of eNet.

She then released a video, which was Lin Yi's own recording of her will. Lin Yi's mother also came forward to corroborate and confirm this statement.

Due to work requirements, they often communicate in the administrator group chat and also exchange private messages. The new administrator 01 is very mysterious, has never revealed any personal information, and never participates in offline activities with them.

Everyone can understand, after all, Lin Yi was retaliated against to the point of being completely wiped out because her identity was made public.

Over time, Xiahou Cheng became quite interested in the new administrator 01 and began to speculate about what kind of person she was. This sense of mystery further fueled her curiosity, so when she saw the [Film Crew Recruitment] posted by Administrator 01, she immediately decided to apply.

She had a feeling that Administrator 01 was about to unveil the mystery.

On the day of the audition, she followed instructions to avoid any appearance of suspicion from Feng Manhong, an artist under her own group's company. This was because Feng Manhong was her godmother, and the two lived together; her agent was worried about being the subject of rumors.

Xiahou Cheng herself didn't mind being called a "capitalist," but her aunt, who managed the company and was the only family member who truly cared about her, was particularly unhappy to hear such things. So she informed Feng Manhong in advance, and the two of them came one in the morning and the other in the afternoon.

As soon as Xiahou Cheng entered the shed, he saw a woman covered in safety pins. She was wearing a baseball cap and was eating with her head down.

Xiahou Cheng suddenly felt an inexplicable magnetic pull: "Is this the crew of 'The Age of Red Powder'?"

The woman raised her head and swallowed the meat in her mouth: "Yes, you are... Teacher Xiahou Cheng?"

Xiahou Cheng found the face rather pleasing to the eye, so he twisted his body and revealed a hint of madness: "Xiahou Cheng is me, I am Xiahou Cheng."

The other person immediately replied, "I am the examiner, I am the examiner, ma'am, please sit here."

Wow, this person understands her.

Xiahou Cheng met a kindred spirit in a foreign land, but began to doubt whether this person was really Administrator 01. After all, the person she communicated with online about work was quite aloof, so how could he be a madman offline?

Could it be such a coincidence?

Xiahou Cheng's parents didn't understand that her childhood experience studying abroad had planted a seed of loneliness in her heart. On the surface, she acted crazy, performing art, but deep down she longed to be understood. At the same time, she was proud; she didn't need to be accepted by the masses, she was waiting for a truly unique person to resonate with her.

The moment she saw Yu Jintang, she knew he was the kind of person she had been waiting for.

As for whether this person can become the most unique one, she did not immediately draw a conclusion.

So she asked her godmother, Feng Manhong, to keep an eye out for her, and then she packed her bags and went to play on the variety show "Stage" next door.

"The Stage" is a variety show that combines dance and vocal performances. This season, they happened to invite the wildly popular girl group Eleven, while the other guests were more casual, including many idols with average skills or even ordinary people. Xiahou Cheng shamelessly added a spot for himself, which led to a lot of netizens criticizing him as a "resource-backed" celebrity and telling him to get out of the show.

Xiahou Cheng immediately posted a Weibo message: "[This humble woman is not very talented, but I do know a little about singing and dancing]."

Attached is a certificate of examination, for piano, guitar, jazz, vocal, etc.

That's how he avoided being torn apart by Eleven's fanbase.

She sat backstage watching Eleven's opening dance. It was undeniably electrifying and explosive; the atmosphere was electrifying, and every pose was iconic. Yang Xingji, in the center, was both sweet and commanding, and her pink light stick illuminated the entire night sky.

Xiahou Cheng openly took out his phone and started browsing Yu Jintang's WeChat Moments.

The first thing you see, pinned to the top: 【Kill! Kill! Kill!】

Xiahou Cheng's eyes lit up, and he quickly gave it a thumbs up.

As a result, a row of hate, hate, hate, hate, die, die, die, sword, sword, sword appeared below, which Xiahou Cheng found very satisfying. This crazy, reckless state of mind was too beautiful.

She liked each post and casually left a comment: "Hey beautiful, DM me for five yuan and I'll kill someone for you."

It is said that director Yu Jintang, who was busy filming, transferred five yuan to her five seconds later.

Xiahou Cheng received the red envelope, and then Yu Jintang's message came in: [The commission has arrived. When will Teacher Cheng start taking orders?]

Xiahou Cheng: [Heh, a name.]

Yu Jintang: [Zhao Qian, the lighting technician on set, would rather shine the light on a passing dog than give my lead actor any light at all.]

Xiahou Cheng: [Beautiful lady, you should leave. I don't kill people who love dogs.]

Then she continued browsing Yu Jintang's WeChat Moments.

January 30th: [The ruler commands the subject to die, and the subject has no choice but to die! The ruler commands the subject to die, and the subject has no choice but to die! The ruler commands the subject to die, and the subject has no choice but to die! !!!]

[Old Lady Qin Lan] commented below: See? This is what happens when you study directing.

Yu Jintang replied with five words: "You are that subject."

On January 15th, this person posted another message on WeChat Moments: [Heh (a short laugh) (knuckles clenched until white) (cold eyes concealing deep anger) Turn this world upside down!]

They had many mutual friends, but Xiahou Cheng noticed that Yu Jintang's posts on WeChat Moments had almost no likes or comments.

Qin Lan would interact with her, but rarely liked her posts; people kept their distance from her because of her taste.

This director would occasionally punctuate her erratic tantrums with a few serious messages, sometimes recommending a book or a song, making her seem like she had a dual personality. And when she did tantrum, she did so openly, displaying everything on her WeChat Moments. Xiahou Cheng, seeing this, felt like he'd struck gold and politely left a comment asking for the caption.

Yu Jintang: [Teacher Cheng, feel free to take it. I have a notebook of my crazy thoughts here. It's rare that we're on the same wavelength. I'll share it with you later.]

A meeting of minds?

Xiahou Cheng liked her unique way of phrasing: "Am I the first lunatic Teacher Yu has ever met?"

Yu Jintang: [The first guaranteed authentic product in 25 years]

Xiahou Cheng switched to another app and sent a message to Feng Manhong: "Godmother, I've finally found another lunatic."

Feng Manhong: [You mean Director Yu? There are actually women who catch your eye!]

Xiahou Cheng: [My godmother is different from other women, she's insane!]

Feng Manhong: [There are many crazy people in the world, why did you choose her?]

Xiahou Cheng: [My godmother is different from other lunatics; she's a lunatic with depth.]

She's also very beautiful; I like good-looking people.

Feng Manhong: [I haven't known Director Yu for long, but I feel she's not easy to pursue.]

Xiahou Cheng: [Godmother, please stop talking. I have my own pace.]

After a while, she asked again, "Godmother, what are you doing?"

Feng Manhong replied after a long while, her tone helpless: "I'm gathering intelligence for you."

Xiahou Cheng: [How is the situation?]

Feng Manhong: [We are currently discussing Xiao Qin and Xiao Jiang. Teacher Yu is very professional and has a very experienced grasp of the script; it doesn't seem like he's directing such a large script for the first time.]

Xiahou Cheng: [Godmother, godmother, I want to see her]

Feng Manhong: [That's impolite. If you want to see it, come see for yourself.]

Xiahou Cheng: [Never mind, I can't leave right now.]

She put away her phone, gazed longingly at the sky, and imagined what Yu Jintang would be like directing a film.

The directors she had met were all overweight, and just looking at their faces made her feel like she wouldn't want to use oil when cooking anymore. But she remembered Yu Jintang sitting behind the camera eating rice during her audition; even though the studio was a mess, she was so clean and beautiful.

She still didn't get a chance to play the next day, so Xiahou Cheng still had the opportunity to slack off in the dressing room: [Godmother, Godmother, Godmother, Godmother]

Feng Manhong didn't reply until evening: [Godmother is here.]

Xiahou Cheng rested her chin on her hand, looking bored: [What did you do today?]

Feng Manhong: [Today we filmed the scene where money is burned, and Teacher Yu was running around all day; she's exhausted.]

Xiahou Cheng pondered for a moment: "She looks so thin and frail, can she really handle such intense work?"

Feng Manhong: [At noon, Teacher Yu rolled up her sleeves; her upper body has some thin muscles.]

Xiahou Cheng sent eighteen lewd emojis in a row.

The more she thought about it, the happier she became; it was just so in line with her aesthetic sense.

On the third day, her godmother messaged her: "You might have a rival in love."

Xiahou Cheng: [Am I prettier than you?]

Feng Manhong: [No]

Xiahou Cheng: [Those are bigger than my breasts?]

Feng Manhong: [No, not at all]

Xiahou Cheng: [Is that because she has a slimmer waist and longer legs than me?]

Feng Manhong: [She is closer to Teacher Yu than you are]

Xiahou Cheng: [Whatever, I have abstract concepts, does she?]

Xiahou Cheng was extremely confident. She firmly believed that she was Yu Jintang's soulmate, and that no one else could understand her abstract nature except herself.

In the afternoon, Feng Manhong sent her another message: "Teacher Yu calls her 'little friend'."

Xiahou Cheng remained as composed as ever: "The more they shout like that, the more impossible it seems."

Feng Manhong: [How do you know?]

Xiahou Cheng: [Is Teacher Yu abstract to her?]

Feng Manhong: [Quite serious]

The other side replied with just two words: 【Instant kill】

This shows that Yu Jintang won't reveal her true self in front of her love rival!

Next, it was her turn to perform. Xiahou Cheng directed the staff to bring up the keyboard, guitar, and drum kit, resulting in a spectacular multi-instrument performance.

During a break, she glanced at her phone. Feng Manhong had messaged her as usual: "What do 'sword cultivator' and 'spirit stone' mean? Is this some new kind of code among you young people?"

Xiahou Cheng laughed so hard he almost fell over.

We're kindred spirits.

I feel more and more that my soulmate is here.

That evening, Feng Manhong sent another message: "Confirmed, she is indeed Administrator 01."

We went for drinks. She had someone she liked before.

Xiahou Cheng thought for a moment: [Lin Yi?]

Feng Manhong: [Yes]

She allowed Lu Xi to stay by her side, probably because she saw her younger self in her.

Xiahou Cheng: [Godmother, you don't need to persuade me anymore, I've made up my mind about her.]

One cannot live in the past forever; she firmly believed that she could bring Yu Jintang into the future.

Feng Manhong: [But she has someone in her heart, so you'll have a hard time.]

Xiahou Cheng: [Let the storm rage on! The road to Shu is harder than ascending to heaven, but I won't ascend to heaven, I'll just climb her!]

Feng Manhong habitually exited the chat.

Suddenly, someone rushed up to Xiahou Cheng. Yang Xingji had gotten quite familiar with her these past few days, and affectionately put his arm around her shoulder: "Hey, Chengzi!"

"Hey sheep!" Xiahou Cheng grinned wildly.

"Orange, you like to have a drink too?"

"What, Yangzi, you drink too?"

"Oh, it's not me, it's a friend of mine. I'll introduce you two another day. Wait, you should know her, I heard you'll be joining her crew soon." Yang Xingji laughed, "It's Director Yu Jintang, she likes to have a little drink now and then."

Xiahou Cheng blinked: "We just met. Let's get together sometime."

The two walked away arm in arm, drinking beer and chatting about their dreams. When Xiahou Cheng checked her phone again, Feng Manhong told her: "She has deep feelings for Lin Yi; life and death stand between you two."

Xiahou Cheng: [Does she still like Lin Yi?]

Feng Manhong: [Your godmother will try to ask around for you.]

Xiahou Cheng replied: 【It's alright, it's alright, there's plenty of time. Love you, godmother】

Xiahou Cheng's life on "The Stage" became busy because she was not eliminated for a long time.

Preparing a new stage became the top priority, but Xiahou Cheng became even more energetic. Under the starry sky, she practiced accompaniment with her guitar and took a big gulp of ice-cold beer with great enthusiasm.

Yu Jintang received a message from Feng Manhong, and when he opened it, he found a poem.

I am familiar with the sky cracking open under the electric light.

Raging waves, raging torrents, tornadoes; I am familiar with dusk.

And the dawn, as invigorating as a flock of white doves,

I've also seen wonders that people can only dream of!

I've seen sunsets, stained black by a mysterious terror.

Shining with a long, shimmering purple glow,

Following the gentle trembling of the waves rolling into the distance,

It resembles a chorus from an ancient drama!

I dreamt of a green night, amidst dazzling white snow.

A kiss slowly rose to the sea's eyes.

An unprecedented circulation of fluids

The Yellow and Blue Awakening of the Phosphorescent Singer!

Yu Jintang's eyes lit up: [Does Teacher Feng also like Rimbaud's poetry?]

Feng Manhong forwarded it to Xiahou Cheng verbatim.

Xiahou Cheng: [You asked her what she liked about Rimbaud's poetry?]

Feng Manhong: [She said she liked that wild and untamed vitality, and I didn't expect that I would like it too.]

Xiahou Cheng: [We're such a perfect match, we're a match made in heaven.]

A few days later, Feng Manhong sent her a message: [Teacher Yu is a bit funny]

Xiahou Cheng: [Remove the "something," it's just that your sense of humor is too high, godmother.]

Feng Manhong: [The crew was very noisy just now. Teacher Yu shouted "Little mouth!" and then everyone quieted down.]

Xiahou Cheng: [Godmother, how could you tell such a funny story in such a dry way?]

Feng Manhong replied an hour later: [No more intelligence tomorrow]

Xiahou Cheng: [Godmother, how could you, with your stunning beauty, bear to refuse this humble woman's request?]

Godmother, please, please send me some!

Please, just a little bit, send me a few more, I promise I'll never look at them again.

Godmother!!! Your daughter is kneeling before you! Poor me, I've never seen my parents since I was little, I was a wanderer at an age when I was drooling, and I even became a lesbian. She's the only one living in my heart.

Feng Manhong: [Stop sending it]

It's so noisy.

【Let's go to the bar now】

Xiahou Cheng instantly perked up: [Godmother, remember to find out for me!]

A little while later, Feng Manhong replied: [Now playing a game, Truth or Dare]

Xiahou Cheng: [Great, it's my turn now. Godmother, you're on my side from now on.]

So, under Xiahou Cheng's scheme, Lü Xi was forced to instruct Qin Lan to call Jiang Yan and demonstrate a series of lines that made everyone cringe and Yu Jintang laugh until she fainted.

After the bottle was returned to Feng Manhong's hands, she asked Yu Jintang that question, not forgetting to subtly help Xiahou Cheng.

Fortunately, Yu Jintang did not misunderstand her, but she tactfully expressed her refusal.

After hesitating for a while, Feng Manhong asked again for Xiahou Cheng after getting the bottle. Unexpectedly, the answer was different this time. Feng Manhong memorized the passage and then forwarded it to Xiahou Cheng.

A while later, Xiahou Cheng also sent her a message.

I found a quote online: "A star explodes when it is dying, but under extremely harsh conditions, it can be reborn with the help of other companion stars, gaining a second new life."

This process is also known as carbon flash. It is extremely difficult to occur, requiring all conditions to be perfectly met, such as the accretion rate being neither too fast nor too slow. It is almost impossible, but once it happens, it will overturn everything.

Feng Manhong: [You mean, you think you can perfectly meet these conditions?]

Xiahou Cheng said confidently, "I just slapped the bed, and guess what?"

In an instant, the force of the palm strike pierced through the entire Earth!

I stomped my foot on the ground again, and guess what?

When I opened my eyes again, I was in outer space!

[While taking the bus, a little girl said she wanted to marry the most beautiful woman in the universe.]

As soon as I turned around, she screamed, "Mommy, I want to marry him!"

When I pick up my brush and write, people call me a reincarnation of Wang Xizhi, a modern-day Zhao Mengfu.

[After I painted or wrote a piece of calligraphy, people called me a descendant of Wu Daozi and a reincarnation of Leonardo da Vinci.]

[I place a chess piece, and the master player sighs in admiration; I play the zither, and the mountains echo with my music!]

My face is as bright as the autumn moon and as beautiful as spring flowers; people say I am a banished immortal descended to earth, a divine being from Mount Gusha.

I am the ruler, I am the center, I am the sun at eight o'clock in the morning!

I am so dazzling, I am the perfect choice for her.

Feng Manhong ignored her for three whole days.

When Xiahou Cheng received the next news about the film crew, Jiang Yan had already gotten into trouble.

Feng Manhong said: "Director Yu is in a very bad mood today."

Xiahou Cheng: [Tell her not to be sad, because her true love is about to make a dazzling appearance.]

Then she packed her bags and joined the crew, where she met Yu Jintang again.