I Became the Koi Actor After Entering the Book

**Chapter 89: Cameo**

Translator: Namizaki

*********************

Night had completely fallen in M Country. The old streetlights cast a dim, flickering glow over a small patch of empty ground.

Chi Zhongqiao stood in the darkness. “It was a stroke of luck, really. Director Rex is directing the film, with Director Zhang Zhonghua as the assistant director. I’ve read the script—it’s a commercial blockbuster, but even those have their advantages.”

At heart, he was just an ordinary actor who loved performing. He couldn’t dedicate his entire career to arthouse films. He didn’t mind taking on crowd-pleasing commercial projects, and if the role was good, he was happy to accept it.

Du Yusheng thought he must be hearing things. “…Which Director did you say?”

“Rex.” Chi Zhongqiao replied.

Suddenly, bright headlights pierced the darkness, and a black Continental glided to a stop in front of Chi Zhongqiao.

Chi Zhongqiao slid into the passenger seat, and Lu Yuzhou fastened his seatbelt.

Chi Zhongqiao curled his fingers around Lu Yuzhou’s hand. “I got a supporting role,” he said. “Just a small part, but it’s very likable. We should be done filming in less than ten days.”

Du Yusheng had run out of patience. He sighed repeatedly before saying, “Alright, I’ll book a flight over right away. Just… you’re not on speakerphone, are you?”

Chi Zhongqiao couldn’t help but chuckle. “No, I’m not.”

Du Yusheng grumbled, “Fine, you’re grown up now. I can’t control you anymore. Just take care of yourself and get along with the directors. <Invisible Crime> is doing well in terms of viewership, and there’s still steady interest in you back home. Your popularity hasn’t waned at all. Recently, <Empress of the World> has been re-aired, so focus on filming there for now. We’ll keep this news under wraps until I’ve signed all the contracts and everything…”

With Du Yusheng handling things back home, Chi Zhongqiao felt completely at ease. He listened to the familiar nagging with a smile.

Du Yusheng seemed to take a sip of water before sighing again. “Alright, with your current momentum, as long as you don’t mess things up, no one can knock you off your pedestal. Get some rest. I’m hanging up now.”

Chi Zhongqiao put down his phone.

*****

Director Rex’s film, <The Cage>, sounded quite serious at first glance. Unfortunately, the entire cast and crew were anything but normal, and Director Rex himself was worlds apart from the steady and composed Old Zhang.

On Chi Zhongqiao’s first day on set, he happened to run into Perry, who had just finished her makeup.

Perry’s character in the film was half-elf, and after her makeup was applied, her already captivating face radiated an even more ethereal charm. As for Leon… after his makeup and armor were complete, his pectoral muscles looked even more pronounced.

Chi Zhongqiao glanced at him twice before quietly slipping into the makeup room, just before Leon could pounce on him with a bear hug.

The Little Dragon he was playing had been abducted from its shell and taken to M Country, where it had been imprisoned in a base’s cage and periodically dragged out for experiments. As a result, his character appeared miserable from the start, yet simultaneously powerful. When the main characters broke his specially designed chains, the Dragon led them to the exit.

The makeup artist was Chinese. As soon as Chi Zhongqiao sat down in front of him, the artist smiled.

After the makeup was applied, Chi Zhongqiao glanced at himself in the mirror. He was naturally pale, but now he looked deathly white. Delicate scales had been meticulously applied around his ears and the corners of his eyes, extending even to his neck and wrists. His disheveled, long hair draped over his shoulders, enhancing his wretched appearance.

Finally, they placed the pre-prepared dragon horns on Chi Zhongqiao’s head. One horn was intact, while the other was broken in half, making him look like a pitiful creature who had suffered greatly.

Chi Zhongqiao glanced at himself in the mirror. The look perfectly aligned with Chinese aesthetics, though beauty and charisma, when they reached a certain level, transcended national boundaries.

As if on cue, Perry shrieked, “This must be a deity from Chinese legends!”

For foreigners, the pantheon of Chinese gods had always been a difficult concept to grasp. But that didn’t stop them from appreciating beauty.

Leon said bitterly, “Such dazzling beauty.”

Chi Zhongqiao patted Leon’s chest. “Such dazzling pectoral muscles.”

Leon grinned. “Thank you for the compliment.”

Rex and Old Zhang were highly satisfied with Chi Zhongqiao’s appearance, especially Rex, whose eyes sparkled. “Perfect! This look is absolutely perfect!”

After consulting with the props team, Chi Zhongqiao sat down in front of a green screen, leaning against an artificial green pillar.

“Is this comfortable? Is it too tight?”

A member of the props team carefully secured Chi Zhongqiao’s arms with chains, keeping his voice low as he worked, afraid even a slightly louder tone might disturb him.

He shakily held up a neck shackle. “This goes around your neck.”

Chi Zhongqiao tested the fit and tilted his head back. “It’s fine. Go ahead and put it on.”

As the props team member fastened the shackle, his hands trembled, as if he were about to commit some grave offense against Chi Zhongqiao.

Perry knelt before him, reaching out to touch the prop horns on Chi Zhongqiao’s head, her voice filled with awe. “They’re so beautiful.”

Chi Zhongqiao smiled and let her touch them for a moment before Rex called out loudly, “Enough touching! Let’s get ready to shoot!”

Perry reluctantly stepped back.

The scene’s main plot involved the protagonist group temporarily evading pursuit and stumbling into a secret chamber where a dragon was imprisoned.

Inside the chamber, the faint glow from the elf’s staff banished the darkness as the group filed in. The muffled sounds startled the creature within the chamber awake. The being, recently tortured by researchers, lifted its head. With a clatter of chains, the room seemed to grow colder.

Clearly, something was in this secret chamber.

The elf raised her staff, its light blazing, and the group finally saw the creature before them: A pale, handsome youth chained to a pillar, with deer-like antlers on his head. Chains bound his neck, arms, and torso, but his lower half…

When they saw his lower half, someone gasped, covering their mouth. It wasn’t legs, but a tail! The tail’s tip drooped limply into the pool, surrounded by bloodstained scales.

“Medusa?” someone asked in terror.

Hearing the voices, the creature slowly lifted his head. Having lived in darkness for years, his skin was sickly pale. His sharp brows framed eyes as blue as the ocean. Fine scales lined his temples and forehead.

The elf murmured, “No, it’s a Dragon.”

Of course, this entire scene existed only in the actors’ minds. In reality, a group of drama queens were flailing wildly against a green screen, without a pool, a dragon’s tail, or a secret chamber—all to be added in post-production.

Without special effects, the performance resembled a live-streamed comedy.

*****

The Dragon was a late-addition character, and Chi Zhongqiao only joined the production team during the final stages of filming. The Dragon’s scenes were relatively few, and his filming wrapped up on the ninth day.

After Chi Zhongqiao successfully completed his scenes, the male and female leads were also scheduled to finish filming within a few days. The entire crew was in a jubilant mood, anticipating the end of the project.

Du Yusheng arrived to sign the contract and discuss the film’s subsequent promotional plans before immediately returning to China. Yan Yiyun, that unfortunate child, was currently filming her first leading role. She was constantly oscillating between self-doubt and self-aggrandizement, driving Du Yusheng to the brink of madness.

Chi Zhongqiao’s departure left the entire crew heartbroken. After all, without him, they would no longer be able to enjoy the various Chinese delicacies Lu Yuzhou had been sending.

Leon clutched his thermos, lamenting, “The thought of never tasting such exquisite soup again, of never eating sweet and sour pork ribs again… it makes life feel meaningless!”

Chi Zhongqiao retorted, “Your pectoral muscles are already nearing meaninglessness.”

Leon countered, “I can always work out more!”

He sprang to his feet. “Hey, Joe, let’s make a deal. When we’re promoting the film, I want to visit China. Would you be my guide? I’m genuinely curious about China—I’ve never been there before!”

This person was of mixed Italian and American heritage, spending every extra vacation day flying between the two countries. Even when traveling for leisure, they only visited neighboring nations, never venturing to more distant lands.

Perry squeezed in, “I want to go too! I went to S City last time, and it was absolutely gorgeous! And the street food was amazing!”

China’s cuisine was endless, and its scenic spots were countless.

Chi Zhongqiao immediately agreed, “Then it’s settled! If you ever come to China, you absolutely have to call me.”

The three chatted for a while before Lu Yuzhou arrived to pick up Chi Zhongqiao.

Perry spotted him from afar and couldn’t resist nudging Chi Zhongqiao.

Chi Zhongqiao turned to look at her.

Perry asked, “I’ve been dying to ask—what’s the deal with that handsome guy who picks you up every day? Are you two…?” She winked suggestively.

Chi Zhongqiao glanced up at Lu Yuzhou, then lowered his gaze with a smile. “What do you think?”

Perry clutched her chest and took two steps back, feigning offense. “How rude! If you’re taken, don’t seduce me with those eyes!”

Chi Zhongqiao shrugged and chuckled.

He didn’t mind going public, but he was being vague now because he wanted to announce it himself, not have it leaked by accident or blurted out by someone else.

On one hand, it was a matter of professional ethics as an entertainer. Suddenly revealing he had a partner would only create headaches for his Manager and PR team. On the other hand…

Going public would be the most public declaration of commitment and love, telling everyone who could hear: “We love each other and will stay together.” Such a declaration should be made personally, shouldn’t it?

As they spoke, Lu Yuzhou approached.

Chi Zhongqiao’s eyes lit up slightly, and he instinctively took two steps forward, standing before Lu Yuzhou.

The sun was still blazing outside. Lu Yuzhou gently placed a hat on Chi Zhongqiao’s head and murmured, “It’s hot today. Are you staying cool on set?”

Chi Zhongqiao chuckled. “I’m fine.”

Only then did Lu Yuzhou turn to Perry and Leon, offering them the dessert box he was carrying. “A little something I picked up on the way. I hope you like it.”

Every time Lu Yuzhou came to pick up Chi Zhongqiao, he brought dinner or afternoon tea. Perry and Leon were already used to it. After he left, the assistants would bring the crew’s afternoon tea.

Today truly marked the last free afternoon tea. Perry waved her small handkerchief, and she and Leon tearfully bid farewell to Chi Zhongqiao.

Though Chi Zhongqiao had been labeled a “burden,” Lu Yuzhou didn’t ask him to accompany him to the parking lot. Instead, he drove the car out himself first. While waiting for Lu Yuzhou, Chi Zhongqiao received a call from Du Yusheng.

“Hey, Brother Du, why are you calling me at this hour?”

Du Yusheng’s voice was weary. “It’s nothing. Yiyun just finished filming too… I wanted to let you know that the announcement about your role in <The Cage> has been released. There might be some online chatter, but don’t take it too seriously. Alright, I’m hanging up now.”

He felt obligated to warn Chi Zhongqiao. The internet-addicted young man would inevitably check his phone after filming, and he’d immediately stumble upon the online storm. It was better to prepare him in advance.

Chi Zhongqiao logged into his domestic account and scrolled through the comments, raising an eyebrow slightly.

The top-rated comment read:

[Chigugu Chigugu: Look, I’m not targeting anyone specifically, but if it’s just a cameo, there’s no need to announce it, right? Otherwise, when the movie comes out, people will need a magnifying glass just to find you. How embarrassing would that be?]

Chi Zhongqiao rested his chin in his hand, arching an eyebrow. Even if it’s a supporting role, I can’t quite bring myself to accept being called a “cameo.”

Zaki~ English is not my first language, but I’ll try to get the translations as close as possible to the Author’s work. If you see any grammatical errors or mistakes in the translation, please feel free to drop them in the comments section so I can correct them immediately. Thank you and Happy Reading 🙂