Chapter 11: Down and Out

After the rules were announced, the filming set was filled with a gloomy, lifeless atmosphere.

Guan Hai noticed Ruan Yu, who had been silent the whole time. “Ruan Yu, do you have any questions?”

Ruan Yu raised her hand. “What does the last person standing get?”

“The winning guest will have 800,000 yuan donated in their name to the National Entrepreneurship and Employment Fund. In addition, they’ll receive a mysterious prize.”

As for what the prize was—Guan Hai kept it a secret. Then, one by one, everyone drew lots from the torch stands in front of them.

Ruan Yu opened her black character card. It had three short lines of text.

Name: Liu Daxiong
Occupation: Makeup Artist’s Assistant
Task: Assist the makeup artist with daily work.

Ruan Yu’s pupils dilated: “……”

Who the hell is Liu Daxiong?!

“I got real estate agent,” Lu Han complained. “I have to talk to people all day—how am I supposed to stay undercover? What about you guys?”

He Changyuan: “Street magician. Xingchun, what’d you get?”

“Food delivery guy,” Jiang Xingchun said, lifting his card with a puzzled look in his puppy-dog eyes. “But the name’s weird. It says Duo Xiaojing.”

He Changyuan couldn’t help but laugh. “Looks like we’re all in the same boat. Mine’s Xu Laogen.”

What was with the show’s naming aesthetics? Were they pulling inspiration from Country Love?

Ruan Yu sighed quietly and asked the still-silent Qiu Xi, “What’s yours?”

Qiu Xi kept her expression composed, offering a gentle smile. “Rideshare driver. Name’s Fang Xiaomei.”

Now Ruan Yu got it. Every occupation listed on these character cards involved high exposure to strangers—like the show was eager for them to get discovered.

Savage. Absolutely no wiggle room.

The heartless director Guan Hai, clearly satisfied with the effect on the guests, wrapped up filming with two final lines:

“Every profession has its hidden struggles. The spirit of competition is the spirit of professionalism. Undercover Profession—chase your dreams. Good luck to you all!”

After the rules segment, the guests were taken next door to a photo studio to get their hair and makeup done, change into their role uniforms, and shoot a set of promotional images.

Ruan Yu had just changed when she walked out and caught Jiang Xingchun mid-shoot.

He was dressed in a delivery uniform, holding a helmet. With his broad shoulders, long legs, and porcelain skin practically glowing under the lights—he looked incredible.

Ruan Yu quietly clutched her chest, misty-eyed with affection.

My baby boy’s all grown up. He looks amazing in every uniform!

Just then, Jiang Xingchun walked off the set and caught her staring. He blinked, then smiled with his signature dimples. “Ruan Yu, you’re done changing?”

“Yeah.” Ruan Yu instantly masked her expression and nodded coolly.

“You look different,” he said.

Her hair had been sprayed a smoky gray-blue, her makeup bold and dramatic—her already striking features now looked even more exotic. She brushed her ponytail, gazing at her reflection. “Maybe it’s just a new look. Same old beauty, though.”

Jiang Xingchun burst out laughing.

Lu Han turned around at the sound and did a double take. “Hey now—not bad at all. You really look the part.”

And he wasn’t wrong.

The stylist had dressed Ruan Yu in a cropped black sweater that showed off her waist, paired with wide-leg jeans. The faint lines of her abs were visible, giving her a clean, sharp look that radiated charm. The photographer showered her with compliments as the shutter clicked nonstop.

After the shoot, everyone added each other on WeChat. Ruan Yu tucked her phone away calmly—while inside, she was screaming with excitement.

She had her celebrity crush’s WeChat now!!

Just as they were wrapping up, Ruan Yu was pulled aside by a cameraman filming VCRs. “Ruan Yu, say a couple of words to cheer yourself on for the challenge ahead.”

Ruan Yu, her face like that of a celestial being, made a heart with her hands, beamed at the camera, and said—

“Let’s go, Liu Daxiong!”

The production team arranged professional training for each cast member. Ruan Yu was assigned to a celebrity makeup artist invited by the show, and she began diligently learning makeup styles and techniques.

This wasn’t exactly a last-minute scramble. Back in college, Ruan Yu had spent three years in the drama club. Whenever there was a performance, actors would do each other’s makeup, so she had some hands-on experience.

Since the training locations varied, the cast rarely crossed paths. When they had free time, they chatted in the newly created group chat.

Lu Han: [Guys, give me some ideas. How are you all planning to disguise yourselves?]

Jiang Xingchun: [Helmet and mask.]

He followed up with a dog emoji flashing a peace sign.

Qiu Xi: [Yep, mask +1.]

Lu Han: [You two—one’s a food delivery guy and the other’s a ride-hailing driver—it’s normal for you to wear masks. But I’m a real estate agent. What, should I wear a mask to show clients? No way, I’m screwed. @He Changyuan, what about you?]

He Changyuan: [Classified.]

Lu Han: [The shoot hasn’t even started and you’re already playing spy? Unbelievable! What about you, Ruan Yu?]

Ruan Yu, who had been lurking in the chat, slowly typed: [In Korea. Getting plastic surgery.]

Laughter exploded in the group chat.

Lu Han: [Okay, you win.]

The cameraman shadowing Ruan Yu couldn’t hold back a chuckle and asked, “So, have you figured out your disguise?”

“Daxiong has lots of secrets. Daxiong won’t tell,” Ruan Yu replied, fully in character. She flashed a mischievous smile at the camera and returned to training.

…

After a week of training, it was finally time to start filming Undercover Profession.

The initial location was the rooftop of a CBD hotel in the center of Beijing. Ruan Yu said goodbye to Lin Qing downstairs, then dragged her suitcase up to the rooftop.

The director and camera crews had been waiting for some time.

Ruan Yu was the first to arrive. To avoid being recognized, she was fully covered—scarf, mask, the works. Soon after, Jiang Xingchun and He Changyuan arrived, also heavily disguised.

As the three chatted and waited, the rooftop door opened again. A tall woman in sunglasses, a mask, and a long down coat came up—her figure bulky and oversized.

He Changyuan blinked. “Qiu Xi? Did she bulk up?”

“It’s me!” the “woman” replied in a man’s voice. Pulling off the disguise revealed long-haired Lu Han. “Got hair extensions. What do you think? Fooled you, right?”

Laughter erupted from the staff.

Lu Han laughed too. “What could I do?! I can’t exactly get a new face in a week! But you know what, with this long hair, my face actually looks smaller.”

Small, pitiful, and helpless—he was clearly suffering.

Blame it on the showrunners for being merciless.

After Qiu Xi arrived, the staff collected everyone’s phones and any cash they had. Then they inspected each suitcase.

Holding a loudspeaker, Guan Hai announced, “Aside from necessary clothing and daily essentials, everything else is prohibited. The show will provide each of you with 500 yuan in cash and a new phone, to be used solely for communication and GPS tracking. You’ll be able to chat and see each other’s location. —Ruan Yu, what are those bottles in your suitcase?”

Everyone turned to look at Ruan Yu’s open suitcase.

A staff member had just taken out several unmarked white bottles. The labels had been peeled off, and the colorful pills inside looked a little suspicious.

They were, of course, the heart medication she needed to survive a single day.

But Ruan Yu played it cool: “Just some supplements to stay fit. I have a hunch this show’s gonna leave me sleepless and stressed—irregular heartbeat, you know?” As she spoke, she dramatically leaned weakly toward Qiu Xi.

Qiu Xi stifled a laugh. “You should’ve just brought some calming herbal syrup.”

“That’s fine, you can keep them,” said Guan Hai.

The other cast members’ suitcases passed without issue—most had just packed a ridiculous number of masks. After the checks, the staff handed out supplies.

In addition to the phone and money, each person received a mission card.

“The show has prepared support items for you. The address on your mission card is where you’ll pick up your kit. It will help you in your upcoming job.”

Guan Hai announced, “The competition officially begins. Good luck.”

Ruan Yu glanced at her mission card. Everyone had a different location, meaning once they left the hotel, they’d each go their separate ways.

She looked at Jiang Xingchun. The tip of his straight nose was flushed red from the cold. Overwhelmed by motherly affection, she called out, “Duo Xiaojing, you got this!”

It took a second for Jiang Xingchun to realize she meant him. Looking into her crescent-moon eyes, he froze for a beat.

Then he grinned, his tiger teeth showing. “I will. You too… Liu Daxiong!”

…

Kid, those last three words really weren’t necessary to say out loud.

An hour later, Ruan Yu—mask on, scarf and coat tightly wrapped—was walking through a busy commercial pedestrian street.

Each cast member was equipped with a mini microphone and followed by two camera operators: one close-range and one long-distance “follow PD.” But within fifteen minutes of leaving the hotel, they’d all seemingly vanished without a trace.

Ruan Yu muttered, “Am I filming Mission Impossible: Impossible?”

She exited the pedestrian zone and scanned her surroundings carefully for ten minutes. Finally, she spotted a vehicle parked about 20 meters behind her. The passenger-side window was slightly lowered, and inside, the follow PD had a camera pointed in her direction. Very well hidden.

Was this a reality show or undercover paparazzi work?

Whatever. Ruan Yu couldn’t be bothered to find the second cameraman. She headed to the address on her mission card, which led her to a small supermarket with a luggage locker.

She entered the code, and with a soft click, one locker popped open. Inside was a black work bag that felt surprisingly heavy.

Opening it revealed a fully stocked makeup toolkit, her résumé, and a business card. The card bore the name of a celebrity makeup artist, along with the address and contact info for their studio—likely the person Ruan Yu would be shadowing.

A “ding” sounded—Ruan Yu’s new phone buzzed with a text notification.

[Ruan Yu has obtained her support prop. Please proceed with onboarding as soon as possible.]
[He Changyuan has obtained his support prop. Please proceed with onboarding as soon as possible.]

…

Ruan Yu tapped into the sole group chat on her phone.

The WeChat account on this phone wasn’t even hers; the contact list had only show staff and the other four contestants. It felt more like a joke than a tool.

In the group, Guan Hai was updating everyone on their progress.

Ruan Yu had been assigned as a makeup assistant, and her “support prop” was a fully stocked makeup kit. By deduction, He Changyuan must have received magic-related props, while Qiu Xi had apparently received a car…

But unlike Jiang Xingchun, He Changyuan, and Qiu Xi—whose roles as a delivery rider, street magician, and driver respectively made disguises easy—Ruan Yu and Lu Han had it harder.

As a makeup assistant and a real estate agent, it was unrealistic for them to cover their faces during work. No masks, no helmets—no disguise.

Which meant her position was precarious.

Outside the convenience store, the hidden cameraman noticed Ruan Yu exiting with her gear-laden utility backpack. But instead of heading to her next destination, she wove through alleys and narrow streets, eventually ducking into a secluded lane.

Where on earth is this woman going?!

Ruan Yu had entered a local hair salon.

The cameraman waited outside, left and right, growing increasingly puzzled. From the earpiece, all he could hear was the brief exchange between Ruan Yu and the salon owner.

“Where is she?”

The driver wasn’t sure. “Brother Tian, is that her? Looks like the same shoes.”

The cameraman followed his gaze—and was stunned.

If that was Ruan Yu, she had ruthlessly chopped off her long, wavy hair into a short, ear-length bob with jagged bangs that screamed edgy-chic. She now wore a pair of champagne-gold rimmed glasses and bold, Western-style makeup on her honey-toned skin, topped off with oversized silver hoop earrings.

She’d not only gotten a haircut—she’d changed her entire head.

Ruan Yu’s hard-earned makeup skills had finally paid off. She expertly covered her signature tear-shaped mole, subtly altered her facial features, and now looked like a completely different person. Unless you knew her very well, there was no way you’d recognize her at a glance.

The driver gasped, “Did she swap faces?”

Newly “face-swapped” Ruan Yu touched her pocket, sobbing internally over the 440 yuan she had left.

Sixty!

That tiny, out-of-the-way salon had charged her sixty yuan for the cut!

Already barely scraping by, this unexpected hit made her situation even more pitiful.

Choking on tears, Ruan Yu messaged the group chat:

@Director Guan Hai, may I sell my blood for extra cash?

Others immediately joined in:

Lu Han: @Director Guan Hai, may I sell my blood for extra cash?
He Changyuan: @Director Guan Hai, may I sell my blood for extra cash?
…

The endless stream of copy-pasted pleas carried more unspoken suffering than anyone could describe.

Guan Hai: ……

From their car, the cameraman and driver watched in disbelief as Ruan Yu scanned the area, locked eyes with their vehicle, and walked straight toward them.

“?”

Ruan Yu leaned against the car window. “Hey, Mr. Cameraman, could I hitch a ride? Just this once?”

“No can do. The show rules…”

“But the rules only say contestants can’t help each other—they don’t say anything about getting help from you, right?” Ruan Yu blinked at him innocently.

“…” He was speechless.

With a sudden shift in tone, Ruan Yu theatrically wiped a nonexistent tear. “The subway is so expensive… I can’t afford it. If I somehow survive this show, I’ll forever be indebted to your kindness.”

The cameraman: “…”

Sure, he knew she was acting, but—damn it, it was kind of cute.

All this drama over a subway fare?? You’d think she got a 500-yuan designer haircut!

---

Author’s Note:

Ruan “Scraping-by-on-every-penny” Xiaoyu: Who should I exploit next?
Jiang Xingchun (raising hand): Me! –

Duan Lin: …?