A considerable amount of time has passed since the filming of "360 Trades," but the show remains a hot topic online, with even the participating guests gaining significant attention.
As for Xu Gui, she was undoubtedly the biggest beneficiary of the program, achieving instant fame and becoming a household name, her reputation as a fortune teller deeply ingrained in the public consciousness.
The shipwreck she found at sea that day was later taken over by government officials; she only took a few gems, donating the rest to the state without compensation. She didn't follow up on the subsequent events.
About a week after the program ended, the autumn-themed magazine "Fashion" finally began arriving in the hands of its buyers.
Yu Tian, as the most loyal consumer of the "Fashion" brand, bought every issue without fail, and this issue was no exception.
She wasn't a fan of celebrities; aside from those familiar from television, she paid little attention to stars or internet celebrities.
So, when she learned that the model for the fall issue of *Fashion* magazine was a celebrity named Xu Gui, she didn't recognize him, didn't care, and didn't pay any attention. After all, as a consumer, all she wanted to see was the designs in the new issue of *Fashion*.
This thought persisted until the magazine arrived.
*Fashion* magazine was exceptionally well-made. At fifty-five yuan, although it was ten or twenty yuan more expensive than other magazines, its workmanship was extremely exquisite. Even without looking at the content, just the design and quality made it feel like the money was well spent.
Therefore, even if one wasn't interested in the *Fashion* brand, many people would buy it to collect simply because of its quality.
However, Yu Tian didn't have a collecting habit; she valued the magazine's content more.
After receiving the magazine, she eagerly opened the package. The first thing she noticed was the cover—an extremely vibrant image.
Yes, vibrant.
The theme of this issue of *Fashion* is "sea," and its cover image, reflecting this theme, features a mermaid—a green mermaid with a green fishtail and thick, dark green hair like seaweed.
The mermaid swims towards the water, a beam of light projecting into the seawater above her head, and below her lies a giant seashell with its shell open, containing a pearl.
Her clear, bright, emerald-green eyes gaze directly at the camera. Her face is as white as jade, her lips as red as pearls, and she exudes an extremely strong sense of the superhuman, appearing both alluringly beautiful and incredibly dangerous.
Yes, dangerous.
Most photographers focus on the beauty and ethereal quality of mermaids, but Xu Gui, as captured by Mom Bell's lens, possesses a distinctly superhuman quality, along with the powerful presence of a predator at the top of the food chain.
Therefore, when you see her, you are both awestruck by her beauty and filled with a chilling sense of being watched by a predator.
The image was so powerful that Yu Tian couldn't help but shiver and rub her arms, which were covered in goosebumps.
However, she was also pleasantly surprised—the cover image was incredibly impactful, making her eagerly anticipate the contents of this issue of *Fashion*.
Yu Tian couldn't wait to flip through the magazine.
She quickly removed the protective film and sat on the sofa to examine it closely.
*Fashion* is positioned as a young and fashionable brand, and this issue's theme was the ocean, so the clothing designs incorporated many marine elements.
Yu Tian really liked *Fashion*'s designs. Unlike other brands that were so focused on the artistry of their work that they didn't consider practicality, *Fashion*'s designs were very realistic and looked great on.
This issue was particularly eye-catching; Yu Tian found several pieces she liked.
Of course, what surprised her most was the model in this issue. The model and the theme were a perfect match. She wondered how Mom Bell had managed to photograph her; in every picture, the model's presence didn't overshadow the main theme, yet she possessed a unique charm, perfectly complementing and enhancing the clothes in *Fashion*.
Therefore, when she reached the back of the magazine and saw the other models, she felt a sense of disappointment. It wasn't that these models performed poorly; in fact, they were all excellent, but something seemed to be missing.
Then, flipping back through the magazine, she realized, "Yes, it's perfect."
Yu Tian felt that among all the models in all the issues of *Fashion* magazine, her favorite was still this Xu Gui.
"Xu Gui..."
She couldn't help but pick up her phone, wanting to search for information about him online. However, as soon as she logged onto Weibo, she found that there were already related trending topics.
#XuGui,Fashion#
#XuGui,Sea#
#XuGui...#
Yu Tian's eyes widened as she looked at the several trending topics, and she couldn't help but think: Is this Xu Gui a big star?
She randomly clicked on a trending topic and found the discussion below it was extremely lively. Refreshing the page brought up countless messages. She glanced at them casually.
"Ahhh! I knew the theme of turtles and the ocean was a perfect match! Who remembers that amazing picture from before? I thought turtles would be perfect as mermaids!" Now it seems Mom Bell thinks the same way I do!
[This issue of *Fashion* magazine is indeed excellent; it truly reflects Mom Bell's aesthetic—very sophisticated, instantly distinguishable from other photographers.]
[I feel this issue will definitely have high collectible value; I've seen people already offering 80 yuan for it.]
[Mainly because the finished product is so beautiful—the clothes are beautiful, the person is beautiful, it's perfect. Xu Gui is indeed very suitable for the ocean theme.]
[Our little turtle is so handsome; fans are truly satisfied.]
[I feel that in the realm of inhuman beauty, Xu Gui is simply unrivaled, far surpassing everyone else. That otherworldly allure is truly the most suitable I've ever seen.]
...
As someone who doesn't watch variety shows or dramas much, Yu Tian, seeing everyone's discussions, became increasingly curious about the name "Xu Gui." So, she posted online:
[Is this Xu Gui a very famous celebrity?]
The moment she asked that question, she garnered countless replies. Yu Tian saw responses like: "[She's not a celebrity, but a fortune teller, and a super-powerful one at that]," "[Famous? Of course she's famous! She gained over 300 million followers in just three months. Who can compare to her?]," and "[Are you a new fan of our Little Turtle too?]" Some fans ,
assuming she was a new fan of Xu Gui, enthusiastically added her to Xu Gui's fan group. So, in a daze, Yu Tian not only joined Xu Gui's fan group but also received a warm welcome from countless netizens within it.
Yu Tian: "..." Ah, although she was indeed curious about this person named Xu Gui, she really wasn't a fan.
However...
after thinking for a moment, Yu Tian typed, "I read 'fashion' magazine, so I'm curious about Xu Gui. If I want to learn more about her, what are some ways to do so?"
Then, she got the #Must-Watch Videos to Learn About Xu Gui#.
That's right, these so-called must-watch videos were edited by the well-known Xu Gui fan, Zhe Ergen. The editor's skills were incredibly high, capturing all the highlights from Xu Gui's "360 Trades" live stream. Watching the series of videos was simply addictive, like binge-watching a drama, a perfect way to watch while eating.
To date, the edited videos have garnered over 100 million views online. Anyone who has watched these videos would find it hard not to become a fan of Xu Gui.
After getting the videos, Yu Tian watched them, and after a day and a night, with dark circles under her eyes, she successfully became a true fan of Xu Gui.
[Xu Gui is really amazing!] "Ahhh, she's so beautiful!"... These were the only thoughts Yu Tian had about Xu Gui; she was now a complete Xu Gui fan.
After watching the video, she went online and saw everyone in the group discussing Xu Gui's current work.
"...Xiao Gui has joined the cast of 'All Under Heaven'. I heard she plays a really powerful role, but I wonder what kind of character she is."
"Is this Xiao Gui's first time acting? I'm actually a little worried. What if she doesn't do well? Will she be ridiculed?"
"I wonder if the crew will allow people to visit the set when Xiao Gui is filming..."
"Hey! I saw that Hunan TV is preparing to edit and broadcast the last episode of '360 Trades'. Then we can watch variety shows again!"
...
Because of the publication of *Fashion* magazine, Xu Gui gained a group of fans similar to Yu Tian. At the same time, various fashion resources flew towards her like trailers, though some were good and some were bad, requiring careful selection. However, these were matters for Kuang Ming to worry about. What Xu Gui needed to do was eat and drink well, hone her acting skills, and be happy every day (oh, the last sentence was added by her).
Xu Gui had indeed joined the cast of *All Under Heaven*. The drama had actually been filming for some time, but Xu Gui's role as [Si Xuan] had very few scenes, so she only joined the cast now.
The first thing Xu Gui did upon joining the cast was naturally to take her costume fitting photos. Since it was her first time acting, Kuang Ming accompanied her to the set. By the time Xu Gui finished her makeup and styling, the entire crew was already enjoying the coffee and milk tea that Kuang Ming had bought.
In this regard, Kuang Ming... Xiang Dafang bought only the best coffee, creating a harmonious atmosphere on set.
Xu Gui was to play Si Xuan, not a human, but a phoenix. Therefore, her robes were a vibrant red, embroidered with golden phoenix patterns, exceptionally beautiful and intricately detailed. Her hair was like clouds, styled in a high bun with hairpins and ornaments that jingled as she moved.
Such makeup and styling would have been completely overwhelmed if the actor's presence had been slightly weaker, making the whole look incongruous and strange.
However, to everyone's surprise, Xu Gui carried off the look perfectly. She appeared magnificent and haughty, with a noble and imposing aura that commanded respect.
Even more remarkably, Xu Gui's performance didn't feel out of place; her presence perfectly complemented the costume, and every movement gave the impression that this was the very image she was meant to wear.
"A chosen one from the ancients."
This phrase flashed through the minds of many present at that moment.
The director had initially been somewhat uncertain about Xu Gui's portrayal of Si Xuan, but seeing her in this costume, that uncertainty vanished completely.
Even if Xu Gui's acting wasn't great, and she couldn't convincingly portray Si Xuan, her very presence embodied the character's essence. As long as her image matched, everything else would be easier to handle.
... After completing
her makeup and styling, Xu Gui went to take her costume fitting photos.
Afterward, she sat down to rest, watching the other actors film and learning from their experience. Now, sitting there, her imposing aura wasn't as strong as before; instead, she appeared peaceful and approachable, a stark contrast to her earlier demeanor.
"...That's acting!" the staff exclaimed in amazement.
Kuang Ming, looking at Xu Gui's appearance, was also somewhat surprised and said, "You look quite impressive. It seems He Yuan's special training for you has been quite effective."
This was Xu Gui's first time acting, and Kuang Ming had originally wanted to find her a professional acting coach. However, he later discovered that He Yuan was better at teaching than those so-called professional teachers, so he entrusted the task to her.
After half a month of training, Xu Gui officially joined the cast of "All Under Heaven is Bright." Before that, Kuang Ming wasn't very confident about her acting skills, but now he felt reassured.
He Yuan really had some talent.
Kuang Ming asked curiously, "How did He Yuan teach you to play the role of [Si Xuan]?"
Xu Gui was playing on her phone. Hearing this, she recalled for a moment and said, "He Yuan asked me if I knew anyone with a particularly strong aura, and asked me to learn from their aura." "...
What a coincidence! Human Xu Gui doesn't have that, but Xuan Turtle Xu Gui does. The elders of their Xuan Turtle clan, like the Third Elder, are very authoritative, and all the little Xuan Turtles in the clan are afraid of him. Of course, this includes Xu Gui himself.
Xu Gui's behavior just now was imitating the Third Elder, and it seemed to work quite well."
After hearing this, Kuang Ming suddenly understood and felt a little relieved.
For a newcomer to acting, Xu Gui's performance just now was already quite good. And the character [Si Xuan] has very few scenes and disappears after appearing for a short time, so Xu Gui's acting skills were enough.
At least, he wouldn't be ridiculed after the broadcast.
At this moment, Xu Gui's phone suddenly rang. Xu Gui glanced at it and quickly answered: "Hello, He Yuan..."
The person calling was He Yuan. She mainly wanted to ask about Xu Gui's situation. You know, today was Xu Gui's first time joining a crew, his first time auditioning and filming, and He Yuan couldn't help but be a little worried.
"We just finished the costume fitting, and now we're filming other people's scenes. My scenes haven't even started yet..." Xu Gui said.
She only had one scene today, and she could go home after that. According to the crew's schedule, she would have to stay a while longer.
"How about yours?" Xu Gui asked her again, "How's it going? Is your filming going smoothly?"
Hearing this, He Yuan glanced at the director and the others, and then said, "My scenes are finished. If nothing unexpected happens, I can get paid and leave today."
She was currently in the "The Thief" crew, which was the film directed by He Zhao that she had mentioned to Xu Gui. At the time, she had two films: one was "The Murderer," in which she played the lead role,
and the other was "The Thief," directed by He Zhao. In "The Thief," she played a minor role with only two lines.
Xu Gui had encouraged her to choose "The Thief," saying that she would eventually become the female lead. However, now that her scenes were almost finished, the lead role was nowhere to be seen.
He Yuan pondered, the words swirling on her lips, but she didn't utter a sound.
She wondered if Xu Gui might have miscalculated. Although Xu Gui was a master astrologer, as the saying goes, even the best can make mistakes. Perhaps this was Xu Gui's "miscalculation."
Indeed, how could she be so lucky as to be the lead actress?
Thinking this, He Yuan felt a pang of disappointment, but her emotions weren't too agitated. After all, she'd only ever played minor roles for years; this time… it was just another minor incident.
He Yuan ultimately didn't mention the matter to Xu Gui, fearing he might truly be wrong and blame himself. Instead, she recounted her observations on set, especially their crew's lunches.
Director He Zhao was a very generous person, and his productions didn't lack investment, so even their lunches were better than those of other crews, with both vegetables and meat.
The two were chatting when suddenly a cry of alarm came from behind He Yuan:
"...Teacher Lin?"
"Help! Teacher Lin has fainted!"
He Yuan instinctively turned around and saw that Meng Die, the female lead of the film crew, seemed to have fainted. Her assistant was struggling to support her while shouting to those around them.
He Yuan snapped out of her daze, said a few words to Xu Gui, hung up the phone, and rushed off to help.
Meanwhile, Xu Gui looked at the disconnected phone and raised an eyebrow slightly.
"What happened?" Kuang Ming vaguely heard the panic on the other end of the phone and frowned, asking, "Did something happen to He Yuan?"
Hearing his question, Xu Gui looked at him calmly and said, "Don't worry, it's good news for He Yuan."
Kuang Ming: ?
...
The crew of "The Thief" rushed Meng Die to the hospital, and half an hour later, the crew received the good news that she was pregnant.
When Meng Die woke up in the hospital and heard the news that she was pregnant, her face lit up with immense joy. She looked down at her still-flat stomach and a gentle smile appeared on her face.
"…Meng Die, how are you feeling now? Is there anything else bothering you?" Director He came over and asked her with concern.
Hearing this, Meng Die shook her head and said, "I'm fine."
She then apologized, "I'm sorry, Director, I made you all worry because of me. I never expected I was pregnant." Director He
waved his hand dismissively, saying, "It's alright, your health is the most important thing."
He Yuan knew Meng Die was pregnant but didn't think much of it. However, because of this, Meng Die's scenes had to be postponed for a few days, after all, as Director He said, health was paramount.
However, these matters were irrelevant to He Yuan, who had already finished work and left the film crew. About a week later, He Yuan suddenly heard that Meng Die had told Director He that she was withdrawing from the film *The Thief*.
Upon hearing this news, He Yuan was somewhat surprised. "The Thief" was a major New Year's film, and Meng Die's withdrawal at this time... However, after a moment's thought, she seemed to understand.
Unlike her, a nobody, Meng Die was a seasoned actress with numerous awards and a vast filmography. "The Thief" wasn't a new project for her; a child was different.
He Yuan had heard that Meng Die had wanted a child for many years but hadn't been able to conceive due to health reasons. Now, at thirty-eight, she was considered an advanced maternal age.
For Meng Die and her husband, the news of her pregnancy was an extremely joyful surprise. Given their age, this might be the only child they would ever have, so they naturally had to be extremely careful and avoid any risks.
"The Thief," being an action comedy, required Meng Die, as the female lead, to have many action scenes. Therefore, after much consideration, she decided to tell Director He that she was withdrawing from the film.
Now, all that's fortunate is that Meng Die joined the crew a month later than others due to other reasons, so her scenes weren't filmed much, and the loss was within an acceptable range. It's likely for this reason that Meng Die was able to decisively withdraw from the role.
Meng Die finally became pregnant after many years, and even if Director He were heartless, he couldn't refuse her withdrawal. However, with Meng Die's departure, the lead role became vacant.
A friend chatting with He Yuan said, "I heard the director and producer are discussing which actress in the industry is suitable for the role..."
Hearing this, He Yuan's heart skipped a beat, and she suddenly remembered the fortune Xu Gui had told her.
She said she would become the lead actress in "The Thief"... He Yuan's heart pounded like a drum, but she dared not think about it too much, fearing that the greater her expectations, the greater her disappointment would be.
However, even though she tried not to fantasize, He Yuan couldn't avoid being affected by this news.
For the next few days, He Yuan barely knew how she got through it all. It wasn't until Kuang Ming informed her that the producers of *The Thief* were interested in casting her as the female lead that her anxious and restless heart finally settled.
*
The sudden change of the female lead in *The Thief*, from award-winning actress Meng Die to the relatively unknown He Yuan, inevitably sparked considerable discussion. Surprisingly, while some found the change absurd, the majority remained neutral.
However, upon closer examination, it wasn't entirely surprising.
First, Meng Die had voluntarily withdrawn from the role, and her fans, knowing how hard-won her talent was, understood her decision and harbored no animosity towards He Yuan.
Second, He Yuan had previously participated in the show *Acting Competition*, where her acting skills were clearly demonstrated, preventing any perception of unworthiness.
Third… and most importantly, there was the manipulation of online trolls. This was Kuang Ming's job; under his deliberate guidance, online discussions about He Yuan, while containing some negative comments, were largely in the minority.
And so, He Yuan smoothly became the female lead in "The Thief."
Six months later, after the Lunar New Year, "The Thief" was officially released in theaters as a holiday film. On its opening day, it grossed 800 million yuan, and its box office continued to climb daily, reaching a peak of 1.8 billion yuan, and ultimately grossing 8.5 billion yuan.
No one could deny He Yuan's performance in this film; rather, her performance surprised everyone who entered the theater.
One film critic commented on He Yuan's acting in the film: "Such a natural performance, an innate acting skill..."
He Yuan also won the Best Actress award that year for this film. After that, He Yuan officially began her reign on the film industry's charts, and for a long time afterward, she was the undisputed Best Actress.
"The Thief" was just the beginning for her.
...
Unlike He Yuan, Xu Gui had some interest in acting, but not much. She also acted in films afterward; her acting wasn't particularly good, but it wasn't bad either. Occasionally, she would even have exceptional performances, displaying extraordinary acting skills.
However, despite being an unremarkable fortune teller who hasn't won any awards, Xu Gui's dramas consistently achieve high viewership ratings, with several becoming huge hits. This has led netizens to suspect that Xu Gui consults the oracle before accepting each role, only accepting projects she believes will be successful.
Xu Gui's answer to this question is naturally affirmative—if she possesses such exceptional fortune-telling abilities, why wouldn't she use them?
However, this also means that any drama Xu Gui stars in, even if it's initially unknown, becomes an instant hot commodity among industry stars as soon as news of her involvement spreads—a rather unusual phenomenon in the entertainment circle.
Unfortunately, Xu Gui doesn't act in many dramas. She only acts occasionally when she feels like it; most of the time, she's disguised, dragging a small stool to unexpected places to set up fortune-telling stalls.
Ironically, because of Xu Gui's "divine predictions," there's been a surge in fortune-tellers both online and offline. However, nine out of ten of these are fraudsters, providing more work for the police.
The tenth of these fraudsters is Xu Gui herself.
While Xu Gui is setting up her stall across the country, lucky netizens occasionally encounter her and get their fortunes told, seeking good fortune and protection. This makes it a favorite pastime for netizens to "bump into" Xu Gui in various places.
However, since it was a chance encounter, it was purely based on luck. This led netizens to consider running into Xu Gui a very proud thing—and indeed, it was enough for them to be proud. Out of seven or eight hundred million fans, only a few of them encountered Xu Gui; that's a one in eight hundred million probability! Who could resist being proud?
And sure enough, someone else ran into Xu Gui today and excitedly shared it online.
[What a lucky day! I actually ran into Xu Gui, who was setting up a fortune-telling stall on the roadside…]