Chapter 1: The Fallen Child Star (1)

An old cell phone was playing an apology video.

The teenager in the video was about sixteen or seventeen years old, wearing a yellow hoodie. The hoodie was too loose, making his already thin frame look even frailer.

He kept his head down, and only when someone seemed to have called out to him did he look up hurriedly, revealing a haggard and tired face.

The comments section was filled with angry remarks.

[Xu Weiheng acted like a diva on set and damaged production property. Apologize now!]

[You publicly beat Xu Yiyuan and even spread rumors about him. Have you apologized to him yet?!]

[You dug your own grave! When you smashed that reporter’s camera, did you ever think you’d end up like this?!]

Just as everyone expected, after a long silence, the boy slowly bent his back and said in a hoarse, immature voice, over and over again:

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry…”

However, the public condemnation did not stop there. New accusations started pouring in.

[How can a few ‘I’m sorry’s make up for the harm you’ve done to my brother?! Hah, you have no sincerity at all!]

[Xu Weiheng, get out of the entertainment industry!]

[Xu Weiheng, leave the entertainment industry!!]

….

Just as the boy said “I’m sorry” for the fourth time, the owner of the phone, Yao Rong, opened her eyes.

She was sitting in a long-distance passenger bus. Apart from her, there was only the driver, an elderly couple, and a pair of lovers, all seated in the front rows. This was why the original owner of the body felt comfortable playing the video out loud from the back row.

Pausing the video that she had watched countless times, Yao Rong turned her head. Through the reflection in the window, she saw her current appearance.

The original body had a very good bone structure, but it seemed like she hadn’t slept well in a long time. Her skin was sallow and dull, with noticeable dark circles under her eyes, and her skin tone was tanned, making her look older than her actual age.

Her back was slightly hunched, and her hair was messy and unkempt, with dry, brittle ends. She had likely been too busy with life to spend time on self-care.

After a brief analysis of the original body’s situation, Yao Rong called out to the system in her mind.

[Ding! Greetings, Host. ‘I am your mother’ System 001, at your service!]

Yao Rong was a task taker for the Time and Space Administration and had previously worked in the Female Supporting Character Department. Recently, a new department was established, and she was specially invited to oversee it.

Her role was to enter the worlds of books, become the mother of cannon fodders, save them from their tragic fates, and help them become the protagonists of their own lives.

“Transmit the plot,” Yao Rong prompted, as she began receiving all the original body’s memories and emotions.

The original owner was also named Yao Rong.

In her youth, she had a failed marriage and had a son named Xu Weiheng with her ex-husband.

When Xu Weiheng was three years old, Yao Rong divorced her husband, and the child was given to the father.

Not long after, the father remarried.

The stepmother brought a child, Xu Yiyuan, who was around the same age as Xu Weiheng.

The two stepsiblings lived under the same roof but had vastly different lives.

Xu Yiyuan’s needs always came first. He could get away with poor grades, make any unreasonable demands, throw tantrums whenever he wanted, and receive the best education since kindergarten.

Meanwhile, Xu Weiheng’s needs were constantly ignored.

He was like an invisible person in that family.

He wasn’t even allowed to be better than Xu Yiyuan, as outshining his step siblings would result in days of cold treatment and attitude from his stepmother.

Gradually, Xu Weiheng learned to hide his talents.

Despite receiving elite education, as he grew older, Xu Yiyuan became the ideal child in everyone’s eyes, while Xu Weiheng’s hidden talents turned into genuine awkwardness.

However, Xu Weiheng did have a brief period of brilliance.

When he was six years old, he was discovered by a renowned domestic director, Director Chen, who cast him in a post-apocalyptic film, “2050,” where he played a character named Xingxing (star).

After its release, “2050” became a hit, and so did Xingxing (star).

Countless netizens shed tears in cinemas because of “Star’s” childish words and actions, and even the harshest critics praised him, saying his eyes were so expressive they seemed to speak.

Director Chen couldn’t stop raving about Xu Weiheng, saying he was the perfect “Xingxing” he had envisioned.

Perhaps wanting to hold on to this rare happiness, Xu Weiheng chose to enter the entertainment industry after graduating from junior high school. With his mother’s good looks and his acting experience in “2050,” he initially attracted a lot of attention when he first appeared in public.

However, things changed when Xu Yiyuan also entered the entertainment industry.

They both joined the same outdoor variety show, and the contrast between them became apparent.

Xu Yiyuan’s cheerful personality and abundant talent made Xu Weiheng look like a burden to the team.

After several episodes, the criticism toward Xu Weiheng intensified.

With his popularity declining, the quality of his projects and endorsements decreased as well. Seeing this, his agency tried to squeeze out whatever commercial value they could by accepting any low-quality projects.

It was then that Director Chen invited Xu Weiheng to star in the sequel 2050 II.

He would play the second male lead, while Xu Yiyuan would play the first male lead.

Ignoring Xu Weiheng’s refusal, the agency accepted the offer without his consent and even threatened him with legal action for breach of contract.

With no other option, Xu Weiheng had no choice but to join the cast and begin filming.

However, when the highly anticipated “2050 II” film which was being marketed as a decade-long project with a substantial budget of 300 million yuan, was released, it flopped at the box office and received negative reviews.

Facing public insults and mockery, the film’s main creative team urgently held an emergency press conference.

At the press conference, Director Chen, whom Xu Weiheng regarded as a mentor, openly accused him of not cooperating with the crew’s promotions, acting like a big shot on set, slowing down the filming progress, and breaking a journalist’s camera.

Mr. Xu, standing by the director’s side, not only agreed with these accusations but also added that Xu Weiheng had physically assaulted Xu Yiyuan multiple times at home.

The accusations levelled by his own father against him carried weight and made the claims against Xu Weiheng seem more credible.

Even his best friend in the industry turned against him, taking to social media to express support for Xu Yiyuan with a post: “I stand with Xu Yiyuan.”

Betrayed by his mentor, father, and friend, Xu Weiheng found himself isolated and alone.

Under strong pressure from the management company, the sixteen-year-old was forced to stand in front of the camera and repeatedly apologize for the unfounded accusations.

Meanwhile, his agent watched the live stream’s viewership surge, glanced at the contract signed with the streaming platform, and smiled with satisfaction.

After this incident, Xu Weiheng disappeared from the public eye for quite some time. He resurfaced on his birthday.

Mustering his courage, he started a live stream, singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to himself, blowing out candles, and cutting a cake, all alone in front of the camera.

As he ate the cake, Xu Weiheng glanced at the comments and said with a smile, “This is the first time I’ve celebrated my birthday with so many people. Can you guys wish me a happy birthday?

“However, the comments were filled with insults.

[Xu Weiheng, how dare you show your face in public again? Are you trying to profit from your tarnished reputation]

[Xu Weiheng, why don’t you just die?!]

Similar remarks filled the screen, as if they had been waiting to unleash their anger.

Xu Weiheng smiled faintly, then lowered his head, remaining silent. He finished the cake in silence before ending the live stream.

Five minutes later, he stood in the darkness of night and jumped from the top of his company’s building.

It was like a falling star, fleeting and tragic.

He left no note behind, so no one could be certain if this live stream, where he confronted his fears, was his final goodbye to the world or the last desperate cry for help from a drowning man.

…

The public bus suddenly jolted, causing Yao Rong, who had just received the plot, to grip her phone tightly. In doing so, she accidentally tapped the screen, resuming the paused video.

The apology video had been uploaded the previous night at 8 p.m.

Yao Rong stared at Xu Weiheng.

He was saying sorry over and over again.

But for some reason, as she looked at him, she felt as if she was looking at a desperate soul who was pleading with her—

Save me.

[Ding, scenario transmission complete. Mission: Save Xu Weiheng and allow him to feel happiness.]

[The System has detected Xu Weiheng’s self-destruct value at 90. Please act quickly, host.]

…

The long-distance bus continued its journey, heading toward its final destination—A City, where Xu Weiheng resided.

Yao Rong checked the time; they still had half an hour until their arrival. She leaned her head back and contemplated the current situation.

After the divorce, the original owner had returned to D City, a small and impoverished county.

Before remarrying, Mr. Xu had given the original owner a call.

Over the phone, Mr. Xu warned her not to come and disturb his new life, claiming that her presence would upset his new wife and embarrass Xu Weiheng. As Xu Weiheng’s biological father, he felt it was his duty to protect his son.

Mr. Xu then promised to provide the best life and education for Xu Weiheng.

After this stern warning, Mr. Xu abruptly hung up the phone.

Later, the original owner had traveled to A City in hopes of reconnecting, only to discover that the Xu family had moved, and Mr. Xu had changed jobs.

Unable to locate them and with no means to contact Xu Weiheng directly, she could only find solace in the annual photos sent by Mr. Xu.

Recently, she learned from the internet that Xu Weiheng had become a celebrity, and she started following his journey, inevitably coming across the hateful comments left by netizens.

The vicious online abuse caused her great distress, and she felt helpless, not knowing how to support Xu Weiheng. Her attempts to defend him online were clumsy and ineffective.

Ever since the incident with “2050 II,” the original owner had not been able to sleep well.

Yesterday evening, she had immediately watched Xu Weiheng’s apology live stream and, without hesitation, packed her bags, headed to the bus station, and took the earliest bus from D City to A City.

But the original owner didn’t know where Xu Weiheng lived.

Yao Rong put her phone away in her jacket pocket and rummaged through her stuffed backpack, finding a hair tie which she used to tie her hair up.

She then moistened a tissue with water and wiped away the dried tear stains on her face.

After this quick fix, Yao Rong looked somewhat less disheveled.

“System,” Yao Rong asked in her mind, “can you help me locate Xu Weiheng’s current position?”

[Of course, no problem, Host. Please wait while I scan the area for you.]

This wait lasted until the long-distance bus reached its destination. Yao Rong got off the bus with her backpack, looking up at the bustling city around her.

Soon, a string of information appeared in her mind, courtesy of the System. It included Xu Weiheng’s precise address, phone number, and email, providing her with the means to reach him.

“Thanks,” Yao Rong muttered as she thanked the system.

She walked out of the bus station, flagged down a taxi, and provided the address of Xu Weiheng’s residential community to the driver.

Half an hour later, she arrived at her destination.

The community where Xu Weiheng lived was an older one, with various shops and amenities nearby.

Yao Rong paused to consider her next move. She decided to get some food first and headed to a small restaurant not too far away. There, she ordered some steamed dumplings and a bowl of congee to-go, and picked up a few side dishes.

As she exited the restaurant, a flower shop next door caught her eye. She stepped inside and bought a beautiful bouquet.

Carrying the food and flowers, she registered her visit at the community gate.

As she neared Xu Weiheng’s building, Yao Rong’s steps faltered. She frowned, noticing people lurking behind flowerpots, trees, and cars—obvious signs of paparazzi lying in wait for their next scoop.

She didn’t need to guess who they were waiting for. Glancing up, she spotted Xu Weiheng’s unit on the ninth floor. The curtains were drawn and the windows tightly shut.

Instead of confronting the paparazzi, Yao Rong’s priority was Xu Weiheng’s well-being. A self-destructing value of 90 was alarming, indicating a potential breakdown.

Without wasting any more time, Yao Rong took the elevator up.

Three minutes later, she reached his door. She rang the doorbell repeatedly and knocked, but there was no sound coming from inside the house.

With no other choice, Yao Rong could only call Xu Weihen, but there was no answer.

She sent a text message as well, which also sank like a stone into the sea.

“What’s Xu Weiheng’s situation now?” she asked the System. “Has he done something extreme, or is he just asleep?”

[…Er, he got drunk and passed out.] After a moment, the system provided an answer.

Yao Rong felt slightly relieved. At least he wasn’t in any immediate danger, but she couldn’t just leave him unattended. She couldn’t keep waiting outside until he sobered up and opened the door.

Between directly picking the lock or finding someone to open the door, Yao Rong was about to choose the former when. Suddenly, an idea struck her. She crouched down and felt around the top left corner on the back of the doormat, and sure enough, she felt the protruding shape of a key.

This method of hiding a spare key was a habit Yao Rong had always kept, one she had taught Xu Weihen about when he was young.

Just now, Yao Rong had only tried it on a whim, never expecting to actually find the key.

She lowered her eyes, using the small knife on her keychain to cut through the fabric stitched over the key, successfully retrieving it.

As soon as she opened the door, a pungent smell of alcohol wafted out.

The small apartment was pitch black, with the curtains drawn so tightly that not even a sliver of moonlight or a trace of artificial light could penetrate.

Yao Rong felt around at the entrance and turned on the dimmest wall light.

In the faint light, she saw empty beer cans littering the floor.

How much had he drunk?

Not seeing anyone on the sofa, Yao Rong went straight to the bedroom.

Strangely, there was no one in the bedroom either.

As she turned to leave, her right foot accidentally kicked one of the beer cans on the floor, the clink resounding loudly in the darkness.

Something in the gap between the sofa and the wall seemed to move slightly.

Stepping over the beer cans, Yao Rong walked towards the corner of the sofa.

Sure enough, Xu Weiheng was hiding there.

He was slumped on the ground, his legs bent, arms wrapped around his knees, his six-foot frame curled up into a tiny ball.

It was a posture of extreme defensiveness and a lack of security.

Yao Rong crouched down and carefully examined Xu Weiheng’s thin face.

He was still wearing the clothes from last night’s live stream.

His makeup was mostly smeared, with large black streaks around his eyes.

His eyebrows were tightly furrowed, and his lips were pursed so tightly that it seemed he couldn’t find a moment’s peace even in his sleep.

“How did a big drunken cat end up hiding in this corner?”

Yao Rong stroked Xu Weiheng’s head, put down the things she was carrying on the table, and returned to Xu Weiheng empty-handed. She gathered her strength slightly and lifted him up.

In fact, Yao Rong could tell that Xu Weiheng was very light.

But it wasn’t until she effortlessly picked him up that she realized just how thin he really was.

She gently set Xu Weihen on the sofa, then went back to the room to get a blanket to cover him.

She had originally wanted to open the window to air out the room, but seeing the tightly drawn curtains, Yao Rong turned on the air conditioner with the remote control and went to the bathroom to turn on the exhaust fan. This would help get rid of the alcohol smell in the room faster.

She then cleaned up all the empty beer cans, found a few vases, filled them with water, and arranged the flowers she had bought inside.

After finishing these tasks, Yao Rong went back to the bathroom, got some makeup remover and cotton pads, and intending to help Xu Weiheng remove the makeup from his face.

When she returned to the living room, Xu Weiheng’s sleeping posture had changed from lying flat to curling up again.

Yao Rong had to help him wipe off the smudged makeup in an awkward posture.

It was unclear if it was because Xu Weiheng was too drunk or because he had not rested properly in a long time, but despite Yao Rong’s not-so-gentle movements, he did not wake up at all.

Xu Weiheng slept until the next morning.

When he opened his eyes, his consciousness gradually returned.

Supporting his head with his right hand, he sat up and pushed back the blanket covering him. He looked around the tidied living room with some confusion.

If his memory served him right, he had been drinking all day yesterday. How did his house become so clean?

Who had prepared the flowers that were now swaying gently on the coffee table and in the corner of the dining table?

Looking down, he found his alcohol-soaked sweatshirt had been changed to comfortable cotton pajamas.

Only his assistant and agent had keys to his apartment, and his agent was already being kind enough by not exploiting him further.

It must have been his assistant.

Xu Weiheng frowned, feeling not touched but rather annoyed and irritated, as if his personal space had been invaded.

When had he ever said that he wanted someone to come take care of him!

Just then, a delicious aroma wafted out from the kitchen.

Xu Weihen’s long-empty stomach was stimulated by the smell, and it growled involuntarily.

Xu Weiheng stood up, his face dark, and strode towards the kitchen, forcefully pulling open the half-closed kitchen door—

Only to come face-to-face with Yao Rong, who was holding a bowl of noodles.

Through the steam rising from the noodles, Xu Weihen scrutinized Yao Rong, unsure of what to make of her.

Who was this woman?

Wasn’t it his assistant Zhou Miao who was supposed to be here?

Stranger still, he felt like he knew her, and there was a hint of eerie familiarity.

But the more he thought, the more certain Xu Weihen was that this person had never appeared in his memories before.

Yet..the way she looked at him was strange, with a kind of reassurance and understanding that instantly calmed him down, along with a gentleness and serenity that made his nose tingle.

Under such a gaze, Xu Weiheng’s expression softened.

Rubbing his head, which was throbbing from the hangover, he asked casually as he walked out, “Are you a housekeeper that Zhou Miao hired?”

“No.”

“No?!?” Xu Weiheng was taken aback, a sense of alertness rising within him. He turned halfway to stare at her.

Yao Rong’s gaze remained calm and gentle as she looked at him.

“Weiheng, I’m your mother.”