Chapter 57: Reputation Damaged

"Cut!"

Lai Shuiqing shouted, then led the applause.

"Wrap for the day, smooth sailing!"

Three fight scenes in one afternoon, and Zhang Yuan had actually pulled it off.

"Teacher Zhang, could you spare a few pointers?"

After wrapping, Zhang Yuan proactively pulled Zhang Wanyi aside.

"Happy to."

Being a coach by trade, his favorite thing was talented youngsters; it was practically an occupational habit.

However, bound by the unwritten rules of the martial arts world, he couldn't teach forms or secret techniques—for his own sake, and for the sake of the other's master.

All traditional industries were like this: for non-disciples, one could offer guidance, but not the real goods.

But for Zhang Yuan, a master of this caliber willing to offer guidance was already a stroke of tremendous luck.

For days straight, Zhang Yuan stuck by Xu Jingjiang and Zhang Wanyi, seeking instruction.

But these two were scheming middle-aged men; without any major events, farming Attribute Points from them was genuinely difficult.

Zhang Yuan was fretting when the crew acquired a "soft persimmon."

Shi Xiaolong, playing the young Zhang Wuji!

This version of *The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber* had a famous saying: "Shi Xiaolong suffers all the hardship; Su Youpeng gets all the hugs."

Shi Xiaolong was 14 by nominal age, actually 13—one year younger than Liu Qianqian.

But don't let his age fool you; this guy debuted at five. Starting with *The Wicked Little Kid* (aka *The Miracle Fighters*), he'd starred in no less than 20 films and dramas. A few years prior, he'd blown up again playing Zhan Zhao in *Young Justice Bao*.

And this guy, originally surnamed Chen, had changed his Dharma name after becoming a disciple of the Shaolin Abbot.

This was no joke—he really had become a disciple of the Abbot, none other than the renowned Shi Yongxin.

So he genuinely knew quite a bit of traditional Shaolin kung fu, including Shaolin Tongbei and Luohan Staff.

Zhang Yuan spotted him at a glance, found a chance, and befriended him.

He'd buy him snacks and drinks at every opportunity, scraping together some scattered martial-arts-related attributes, though still not many.

This day, just as Zhang Yuan wrapped, he saw Shi Xiaolong frowning, squatting alone, drawing circles in the dirt with a tree branch.

"Xiaolong, what's wrong?"

"Brother Yuan."

He knew Zhang Yuan knew kung fu and often treated him, so they got along well.

"Run into something annoying?"

"Mm."

"Tell me about it."

Shi Xiaolong hesitated repeatedly before finally speaking.

"Brother Yuan, you know Guo Feili plays Yin Susu, right?"

"The one who plays my mom in the show."

"And then?"

"Lately, she keeps touching... that thing of mine." Shi Xiaolong looked utterly miserable.

Zhang Yuan:!!!

Holy crap, an unexpected bonus!

"Which, which, which, which thing?" Zhang Yuan stammered.

This stimulating?

Couldn't tell at all—Guo Feili going after a kid? I couldn't pull that off!

"Th-that one." Shi Xiaolong pointed upward.

"Huh?"

Shouldn't it be downward?

"What exactly is it?"

"She keeps touching my braid..." Shi Xiaolong tossed his hair, revealing a small braid on top of his head.

I dropped my pants for this... Zhang Yuan really wanted to beat him, but figuring he'd lose, let it go.

What was the deal?

Guo Feili was just playful by nature—always touching Su Youpeng's earlobes, blowing on Jia Jingwen's neck. Who knew if it was her innate mischievous personality or method acting to match Yin Susu's character.

After Shi Xiaolong joined the crew, she'd use "cultivating mother-son chemistry" as an excuse to play with his braid, often hugging him from behind, making the other male actors green with envy...

In terms of looks, Guo Feili was no less than Jia Jingwen or Gao Yuanyuan. Her role as the Peony Fairy in *Journey to the East* was the childhood "white moonlight" of many.

Zhang Yuan draped an arm over Shi Xiaolong's shoulder.

"Just grin secretly, will ya? Loads of people would kill for her to play with that... braid, and she wouldn't even spare them a glance."

Actually, this was just a big sister teasing a kid; the "cultivating chemistry" bit did have some effect.

Zhang Yuan thought for a moment, then spoke again: "Here's the thing—I'll cook up a scheme. Guaranteed she never touches your braid again."

"For real!" Shi Xiaolong was overjoyed. "What's the plan?"

"Heaven's secrets must not be leaked; the mountain man has his wondrous plan." Zhang Yuan wore a profound, inscrutable smile. "But... I help you, you gotta pay me back, right?"

"How?"

"Your Tongbei Fist and Luohan Staff—I want to learn them."

Shi Xiaolong refused at first, but he was still young, and eventually agreed—on the condition it was done in secret, no one could know.

There was the matter of lineage involved; it really wasn't suitable for publicity.

After chatting, Zhang Yuan got up and found Guo Feili.

Right then, she was running lines with Xu Jingjiang and the others.

"Zhang Yuan's here." Su Youpeng saw him approach, smiling warmly in greeting.

Though secretly competitive, Su Youpeng kept public and private separate, treating Zhang Yuan very kindly.

"I need Feili-jie for something. You guys carry on."

Guo Feili followed him off, curious. The others exchanged bewildered looks.

"Could it be he and Feili-jie have a thing going on?" Jia Jingwen, killing time on set, wore a wicked grin.

"Don't talk nonsense. Zhang Yuan's not that kind of person." Su Youpeng replied.

"Who knows? Look at Gao Yuanyuan, Chen Zihan—they're all close to Zhang Yuan. He just attracts pretty girls."

"You're a pretty girl too." Su Youpeng teased his good friend.

"Me?" Jia Jingwen's almond eyes darted. "Not impossible. I quite like his looks and build. Shame he's not rich enough."

"Go find a rich second-gen then." Su Youpeng rolled his eyes.

But thinking of Jia Jingwen's life experience, he couldn't blame her mindset.

Because money really mattered—mattered enough to have once decided her father's life or death.

As *Dying to Survive* said: for every family with a critically ill patient, there's only one disease in this world.

Poverty!

Less than five minutes later, Zhang Yuan left alone. Guo Feili returned to the group, swaying, face pale as a sheet.

"Only five minutes? Is Zhang Yuan that fast?" Jia Jingwen joked. "But pretty fierce—Feili-jie's lips are white. Martial artists really do have great stamina."

"Shut it." Su Youpeng shoved the mischievous Jia Jingwen, then went to Guo Feili's side.

"You okay? Feeling unwell?"

"Nothing..." Guo Feili propped her chin on one hand, clearly distracted.

A day later, Shi Xiaolong found Zhang Yuan, beaming with excitement.

"Brother Yuan, how'd you do it? She really stopped touching my braid."

[Received thanks from Shi Xiaolong: Tongbei Fist +3, Luohan Staff +4, Five Elements Fist +2, Martial Arts Foundation +3!]

"Good, good." Zhang Yuan smiled, pulling him along. "I held up my end. Now you honor yours."

"No problem. There's a tunnel behind the mountain, no one goes there. We'll practice tonight."

"Come on, tell me how you did it." Shi Xiaolong shook his arm, curious.

But Zhang Yuan wouldn't say a word no matter what, leaving the kid's head full of question marks.

It wasn't that Zhang Yuan didn't want to tell him—he couldn't.

Because he'd used a "vicious trick."

Yesterday, after dragging Guo Feili away, he'd said just one sentence.

"Feili-jie, Xiaolong told me—every time you hug him and touch his braid, the kid gets a boner..."

Guo Feili's face drained of color instantly!

She thought: the boy's 13 or 14, right at puberty—suddenly she felt sick to her stomach.

Shi Xiaolong, completely unaware, had his reputation ruined...

So Zhang Yuan would die before telling him how he pulled it off.

Now Guo Feili not only stopped touching his braid, she kept her distance even during filming.

"All for the sake of learning," Zhang Yuan thought.

"Shi Xiaolong gained freedom."

"I gained kung fu."

"Guo Feili gained psychological trauma."

"We all have bright futures on this set."

...

In the days that followed, Zhang Yuan often sneaked off to the mountain tunnel at night to learn martial arts from Shi Xiaolong.

Life on set remained fairly peaceful.

Until this day, when an accident quietly descended...

(End of Chapter)