Episode Sixty-Seven: On the Brink of Collapse!

After finishing this episode, Zhang wasted no time and immediately clicked open the second one. This wretched show was actually really interesting! Despite its obvious roughness in every aspect, the plot was captivating and so healing! During those few seconds of buffering, he shared it with a few of his close friends. It would be such a waste not to share this kind of series.

What Zhang didn’t know was that, at this very moment, many others were laughing and recommending the show to their friends, family, and partners just like him. Because "Wanwan" was being featured on the homepage, although most people could instantly see it was a low-budget production, curiosity still led many to click in. They all had the same thought: if Simple Video was pushing it to this spot, it couldn’t be that bad.

The result? Most who entered were instantly hooked. The short runtime might be a disadvantage for the platform, but for many viewers, it was a distinct advantage—especially for those so busy they had to split a movie watching into several sittings. Such brevity was thoughtful.

And so, more and more people watched the show. The increasingly crowded barrage of comments at the top of the screen made it obvious.

...

In a certain basement.

Liu, an extra in the film city, lay comfortably on his bed, opening Simple Video on his phone. He, too, wanted to find something to kill some time. Then, he saw "Never Expected." "Hmm?" At the sight of the cover, he instinctively leaned closer. The person on it... why did he look so familiar? Bai Xiaoke?

He rubbed his eyes in disbelief, confirming that he hadn’t seen wrong—the person really was Bai Xiaoke in costume. But how could that be?

After two seconds of stunned disbelief, he swiped up to double-check that he was indeed on Simple Video. Now he was genuinely shocked. How did Bai Xiaoke end up on Simple Video?

He looked at the show's title. "Never Expected"? Why did that sound so familiar? "Oh—" Suddenly it dawned on him: wasn’t this the series Bai Xiaoke starred in a few days ago? The one that almost killed them with laughter! He’d even hung around the set for a while, and not only watched but had mockingly poked fun at it.

Remembering all this, he was even more astonished. That ragtag show actually made it onto Simple Video? Was this some kind of joke?

Staring at the cover for a long time, Liu, puzzled, clicked in. Produced jointly by Chen Qi Studio and Future Films?

Seeing this title card, Liu almost doubted his entire life. Such a lousy show actually had a production company backing it?

Chen Qi? He vaguely recalled that was the name of a young director. He actually had his own studio? Wasn’t a studio something only big stars could have?

"I am Wang Dachui, filming a low-budget martial arts drama..." With a critical eye, Liu began to watch the series.

But what happened next was unexpected. As he watched, his expression shifted from contempt to shock and disbelief. By the end of the first episode, he was stupefied.

He sat dazed, as if his soul had been sucked out, staring blankly at the credits rolling at the end. So many names he recognized were there: Bai Xiaoke, Zhao Wu, Xiao Jiang...

Seeing those names—once so close to him—appear on the screen, he suddenly felt they were incredibly distant. He couldn’t make sense of it. He’d witnessed the filming, yet what he saw now was nothing like what he remembered.

At that moment, the app auto-played the second episode. Coincidentally, this one was the story of Liu Bei and A Dou—the very episode he’d watched being filmed at the movie city.

Seeing those familiar images flicker across the screen, Liu, whose soul felt stripped away, suddenly snapped awake as if grasping a lifeline. He stared at the screen, not blinking.

A few minutes later, his eyes were once again filled with incredulity.

This...
They...

He suddenly didn’t know what to say. The plot shouldn’t be developing like this!

After a moment’s daze, he shared the show in a particularly active group chat. This group was full of extras, most of whom knew Bai Xiaoke and Zhao Wu; those who’d gone with him to Chen Qi’s crew to watch were also in the group.

He didn’t know why, but he felt compelled to let them witness the show at once. How could such heartbreak be experienced by him alone?

After sharing the link, he didn’t forget to tag everyone and gently remind them, "The show starring Bai Xiaoke is online."

"Bai Xiaoke?"
"When did he become a lead actor?"
"Hahahaha, don’t tell me it’s the one we watched last time? Haha, I’ll check it out."

The group was first filled with jokes.

A few minutes later, the group exploded.

"Damn!"
"Damn!!"
"What the heck is this?"

"Is this really the show we watched filming?"
"My god, look at all the comments, this series is going to blow up!"

After watching the first episode, the hundreds in the group were stunned. They could barely believe their eyes.

Those who were close to Bai Xiaoke especially felt their hearts shatter. Just days ago, they’d teased him, asking when his show would be released; Bai Xiaoke had replied with a helpless look.

He hadn’t seemed like he was pretending at all!

"I admit it, I’m jealous!"
"Jealous? My whole mindset is collapsing! I mocked him just days ago!"
"Bai Xiaoke, what is going on?"
"Zhao Wu, where are you?"

After the shock, they all began calling for Bai Xiaoke and Zhao Wu.

...

Rental apartment.

Bai Xiaoke and his friends were still lost in that endless silence.

"Ping ping ping ping..." Suddenly, the notification sounds on their phones rang out frantically—several phones at once.

These urgent sounds pulled Bai Xiaoke and his friends back from wherever their thoughts had drifted.

Before they could pick up their phones, someone started calling. First one phone, then two, then three... Soon, all their phones were ringing.

Glancing at the names on their screens, they all silently agreed not to answer, each one switching their phone to silent.

They didn’t need to guess what those calls were about.

After a while, the calls finally tapered off.

Bai Xiaoke suddenly took a deep breath and picked up his phone to dial a number.

"Beep... beep..." The call was quickly answered, and a slightly aged voice came through.

"Hello?"
"Hi, Dad, it’s me." For some reason, Bai Xiaoke’s voice was choked.

"Yes."

"Well... The show I starred in is online, on Simple Video, right on the homepage. Could you... check it out?"

The line went silent.

Beside him, Zhao Wu and the others’ eyes reddened inexplicably. Then, one by one, they stood up, grabbed their phones, and left the apartment.