Despite being just a porn film company, Qing Shen Shen Film City occupies a vast area with a diverse range of styles. Here you might find a mythological crystal room, and there, a commoner’s thatched cottage. From the set design to the props, everything screams realism and professionalism, so much so that even mainstream films have borrowed scenes from here.

The company’s pornographic films are categorized by ratings. A-rated films have a plot and generally do not expose key parts, focusing more on the atmosphere. It’s the kind of erotica that’s suggestive without showing too much. S-rated films are purely pornographic, with the actors nearly fully exposed, and these types of films are more commonly produced here.

S-rated films are further divided into AV and GV films. AVs feature male and female performers, while GVs mostly feature males and “New Females,” although there are some with two normal males. However, the government does not encourage the latter, as it does not contribute to birth rates, so these are relatively rare.

Cheng Xu was filming a GV.

It wasn’t because his sexual orientation was different; in fact, Cheng Xu was quite the clean-living person. In nearly forty years of life, he’d had very few relationships with women or “New Females.” Of course, he’d had his moments of intimacy, but perhaps his desires were just naturally mild, so he wasn’t keen on such activities. He loved classical literature and music, spending most of his free time reading ancient texts. His father urged him to marry, and Cheng Xu had tried to find a suitable partner, but each time he brought someone home, his younger brother didn’t seem to like them, leading him to politely clarify things before breaking up. Thus, he had reached this age without marrying.

After going bankrupt, he faced enormous financial penalties, nearly dissipating his family’s wealth. His father then fell ill. His previously immature younger brother grew up suddenly and began selling everything he loved, which pained Cheng Xu, but he felt helpless. The final straw was when Cheng Jin handed him a beloved box of pearls to sell. That’s when he made up his mind.

The cause of the bankruptcy was his overconfidence in a certain plan. Although he anticipated some risks, he went ahead anyway, and now even his younger brother had to suffer the consequences, having to part with his favorite things because of Cheng Xu’s actions.

Cheng Xu closed his eyes and could remember the excited look in Cheng Jin’s eyes when he first handed him the box of pearls. He knew his brother tended to tire of things quickly, but he had always cherished those pearls, which showed his genuine affection for them.

No matter what, he had to preserve his brother’s favorite things!

With that resolve, Cheng Xu came to this film company, his last resort.

As a once wealthy man, he’d had many “friends” who would guess his wishes without him having to speak, but after his fall from grace, when he sought help, he faced almost nothing but rejection. The help he did receive felt like charity.

Cheng Xu wasn’t surprised by this outcome; that’s just how people on the Imperial Planet were. Living here required adherence to strict rules and standards, and only those deemed worthy were considered peers. Clearly, they no longer saw Cheng Xu as such.

His only choice was this path.

Despite his high education and strong capabilities, anyone who had been penalized could only work the most basic jobs with the lowest salaries on the Imperial Planet, none of which could save his father from the brink of death. The only place where he could earn a high salary was here.

During his interview, the person in charge had a mocking look on his face, tinged with schadenfreude. Cheng Xu had grown accustomed to such looks over the past year, so he wasn’t bothered. He stood there calmly, not as if he was there to sell himself, but rather to discuss a simple business proposal.

The manager casually reviewed his resume and commented flippantly, “Mr. Cheng, you seem a bit old for our company’s usual profile, and you don’t look particularly fit. Though you’re tall, you don’t have much muscle, do you?”

Cheng Xu replied calmly, even gently, “I exercise, though my muscles aren’t very strong, my health is fine. Considering the current human lifespan is around 130 years, strictly speaking, I haven’t even reached middle age yet, so I should be qualified.”

The manager’s initial disdain faded after hearing him speak, and his demeanor turned more professional, his tone improving considerably, “That’s true… However, Mr. Cheng, you’ve probably seen our films before. Our number one actor usually prefers men with more robust muscles for a better visual effect. You don’t quite fit the bill, but as for playing a ‘0,’ you’re not a ‘New Female,’ right?” Inside, he was already excited. Cheng Xu, a topic of interest, though he had been quiet for a year, would surely boost sales, no matter what he filmed!

“I am not a ‘New Female,’” Cheng Xu stood straight, his shoulders not too broad, but his legs long, exuding a chaste allure in his suit.

“I am open to any arrangement, as long as your company can meet my salary demands.”

The manager raised an eyebrow, “You have specific salary demands?”

“Yes, I urgently need a large sum of money, so I hope the amount I request can be transferred to me in one go after signing the contract,” Cheng Xu’s voice was clear, like a mountain stream, “I need fifteen million credits.”

This amount didn’t shock the manager, who stroked his chin and quipped, “Mr. Cheng, that’s quite a high price. Even Lier doesn’t get paid that much for a shoot.”

Cheng Xu remained unflustered, maintaining his even tone, “I’m not asking for the fee for one shoot. You can calculate how many shoots it would take to reach that amount; I’ll fulfill my part.”

The manager was stunned briefly before responding, “Alright, let me calculate that. But don’t worry, we’re a legitimate company, we won’t cheat you.”

Cheng Xu smiled slightly, “I believe that.”

After some quick calculations, the manager called Cheng Xu over and explained, “I’ve figured it out. If you need fifteen million credits, you’ll need to shoot fifteen films, each film taking a day, with about a month between each.”

Cheng Xu listened quietly and after the manager finished, he paused for a moment before asking, “So, I’ll be paid one million credits per shoot, correct?”

The manager, knowing the amount wasn’t high for the profits these films could bring, smiled nonchalantly, “Yes, you’ve got it right.”

Cheng Xu fell silent again, pondering deeply. The longer he was silent, the more anxious the manager became, not wanting to let such a “premium product” slip away. Just as he was about to suggest squeezing the shoots into fewer sessions, Cheng Xu spoke up, “Alright.”

The contract was signed quickly, almost within an hour, and his account was credited with fifteen million.

The manager scheduled the filming for the next morning, and after leaving Qing Shen Shen Film City, Cheng Xu found a bench, opened his holo-screen, and stared at the credit balance for a few seconds before transferring it to Cheng Jin’s account. Almost immediately, his younger brother called him via video. Once connected, Cheng Xu saw his brother’s face.

Cheng Jin was very handsome, with a cuteness that belied his age. Even though he was already in his twenties, Cheng Xu could still remember the first time he saw him as a newborn. Cheng Jin had just been born, and Cheng Xu, already fifteen and quite sensible, had run excitedly to see his new brother, catching the moment the baby opened his eyes.

So tiny, so soft, so adorable!

Cheng Xu’s heart was instantly struck, and from then on, he doted on his younger brother to an almost spoiling extent. After their father became busy and their mother passed away early, his brother had practically grown up under his care, making him even more indulgent, giving him whatever he wanted. His life wasn’t centered around his own needs, but he paid close attention to his brother’s, feeling pained knowing his marriage was unhappy, striving to purchase anything his brother liked… Yet, fate had led them to this day.

“Bro, did you already sell the pearls?” his brother asked.

“Yes.” Seeing the sadness hidden behind his brother’s forced smile, Cheng Xu’s heart ached like it was being pricked by needles.

Cheng Jin smiled, “Still, big brother is amazing, unlike me. I seem to have sold things at a loss before. But it’s okay, the money for dad’s surgery is enough. I’m transferring it to the hospital now.” After the transfer, he smiled again, “Bro, don’t worry, and don’t overwork yourself. I’m also working now, earning a weekly salary that can cover dad’s ongoing medication costs.”

Cheng Xu pursed his lips, finally saying, “I’m sorry.”

Cheng Jin was momentarily stunned, then his eyes reddened, “Bro, don’t say that to me, I can’t bear it. You have nothing to apologize for. In my heart, you will always be the best big brother.”

The brothers chatted for a while before cutting off the signal. Cheng Xu continued to sit on the bench until it grew dark, then walked back to his temporary residence.

The next day, he arrived at the company early. The manager was already waiting and greeted him with a smile, handing him a simple script, “We’ve planned it out, Mr. Cheng. It’s better for your first shoot to be a GV.”

Cheng Xu paused, then asked, “Am I playing a ‘0’?”

“Yes, have you had experience in this area before?” the manager asked.

A memory suddenly came to mind, and Cheng Xu slowly shook his head, “No.”

Seeing his response, the corners of the manager’s eyes and brows revealed a smile, “I knew you probably hadn’t. That’s really great!” He walked excitedly inside, “The son of the former richest man forced to debut in a deeply compromising position—this topic will definitely explode in sales!”

His voice was not soft, and Cheng Xu heard every word clearly, his fingers stiffening on the script. After a long while, the corners of his mouth slowly curled into a bitter smile.