Chapter 105: The Screenwriter

Xu Zhizhi stood frozen in place, her eyes filled with confusion and panic.

She took a step back and bumped into Feng Jie.

“What’s wrong?” Feng Jie immediately stepped forward and grabbed Xu Zhizhi’s arm. “What’s going on? What’s on the ground?”

Hearing the sound earlier, Feng Jie now glanced down and saw a silver picklock lying on the floor.

Xu Zhizhi quickly squatted down, picked it up, and tightly gripped it in her hand, hastily saying, “It’s… it’s nothing. Let’s go inside.”

Not noticing anything unusual, Feng Jie nodded and stepped around Xu Zhizhi to unlock the door.

At six in the evening, the sky was already dark. Feng Jie entered the room and casually turned on the lights.

Xu Zhizhi instinctively closed her eyes for a moment and the pallor of her bloodless face was replaced by a faint flush.

Dinner was takeout. They had just arrived in Shanghai and hadn’t had the chance to try many things yet.

Feng Jie put down her bag and tidied up a bit, before looking at Xu Zhizhi, who was sitting on the small single sofa. “What should we eat?”

“Just order something light, no chili,” Xu Zhizhi said without much thought. But as soon as the words left her mouth, she frowned, her expression turning a bit odd. “Actually, get something spicy. I haven’t had much of an appetite lately and a bit of spice might help.”

Feng Jie initially thought it was strange. Xu Zhizhi usually preferred her meals with a hint of chili and found dishes without any spice too bland.

She was about to ask if Xu Zhizhi was feeling unwell or had a sore throat, but before she could say anything, Xu Zhizhi had already changed her mind and asked for something with chili.

Feng Jie nodded, gave a soft ‘Okay,’ and started ordering takeout on her phone.

Xu Zhizhi lowered her gaze, her emotions churning.

She felt as though a fragment of someone else had infiltrated her subconscious and was subtly influencing her.

A thought struck her and she quickly walked to her bedroom to retrieve the character profile she had written for Wen Yang.

Typically, when Xu Zhizhi developed a character, she would outline their name, personality, preferences, and habits, to ensure those traits were reflected during filming.

She flipped to the second page, where the character’s preferences were listed.

[Loves meat but avoids spicy food due to stomachaches caused by overeating chili. This stems from a childhood incident when her mother carelessly ordered overly spicy takeout, leaving her in pain for two days.]

Reading the accompanying incident notes, Xu Zhizhi gripped the character profile tightly as she sat on her bed.

The cost of fully immersing herself in a role was more severe than she had anticipated.

Her heart pounded so loudly she could almost feel its rhythm echoing through her chest.

Her fingertips trembled slightly as a wave of despair swept over her.

Her eyes were filled with panic and confusion. On one hand, she couldn’t stop filming. On the other, she felt as if she was sinking deeper into quicksand.

Sitting on the bed, she reflected on the past few days of filming while her thoughts were in turmoil.

She didn’t know how much time had passed when a knock rang through the door.

Xu Zhizhi looked up and Feng Jie’s voice sounded from outside. “Zhizhi, dinner’s ready. Let’s go out for a walk afterward.”

Xu Zhizhi hesitated before responding, “Coming!”

“Okay, I’ll set the table,” Feng Jie replied and her footsteps receded from the door.

Xu Zhizhi took a deep breath, composed herself, and left her room for dinner.

During the meal, Xu Zhizhi behaved normally. About an hour after eating, the two of them donned hats and masks and went outside.

Once they reached a quieter area, Xu Zhizhi and Feng Jie started jogging.

As her fame grew, Xu Zhizhi needed to maintain her figure consistently. Otherwise, rumors and gossip might start circulating.

To avoid unnecessary trouble, she stuck to her fitness routine.

Feng Jie had already scouted the area beforehand and the two headed east of the film and television city to a small lake. The lake wasn’t large but it had a bike path around it. The scenery was nice and the place wasn’t crowded.

When they arrived, Xu Zhizhi found it indeed peaceful, with only a few people around who were mostly exercising.

Under the streetlights, wearing hats made it easy to blend in. Even if their faces weren’t fully covered, most passersby didn’t pay much attention to others unless something stood out.

Xu Zhizhi wasn’t as athletic as Feng Jie, who had been running regularly for years since Xu Zhizhi leaned more toward being a lazy homebody.

She followed behind Feng Jie and ran about seven kilometers in total.

Their pace wasn’t fast and they took breaks in between to avoid overexertion.

Familiar with the route and having run there twice before, Feng Jie led the way.

Xu Zhizhi simply followed while listening to upbeat music through her earphones.

As she panted, she felt revitalized like her body was coming alive again.

After four more kilometers, their pace slowed slightly.

The two of them continued jogging along the lake path.

As they ran along the lake, the path came within just over two meters of the water’s edge. A gentle breeze brushed over the lake’s surface, bringing a refreshing coolness to the two overheated runners.

They passed a section of the lakeside fenced by a railing and noticed a girl standing by the lake, talking on the phone.

Neither planned to intervene but just as they jogged a few steps forward, the girl suddenly climbed over the railing and jumped into the water with a loud splash.

Both Xu Zhizhi and Feng Jie froze for a moment before immediately turning around and running toward the railing.

The section of the lake had a small viewing platform with an unobstructed view of the water.

Xu Zhizhi, who had learned to swim during the filming of the ‘Sky Heist Project’ for a waterfall-jumping scene, assessed the situation quickly. She removed her earbuds and instructed Feng Jie, “Call the police right away and find a long pole.”

“Got it,” Feng Jie responded, her voice still carrying the shock from what had just happened.

Xu Zhizhi estimated the girl’s position and the depth of the water before removing her light jacket and jumping in.

She didn’t act recklessly. Swimming toward the girl, she approached from behind to avoid the danger of being grabbed by the victim in panic.

It was a common reaction that could drag the rescuer under as well.

Xu Zhizhi reached under the girl’s arms from behind and positioned her to ensure a firm hold. With her free hand, she paddled to keep them afloat, then began inching toward the shore.

The lack of footing beneath her and the resistance of the water made the process slow and arduous.

The girl, now soaked in the icy lake water, seemed to calm down as the heat of her impulsive act faded.

A spark of survival instinct reemerged and she flailed awkwardly, splashing and kicking as she tried to stay afloat.

“Stop moving! If I lose my grip, you’ll sink!” Xu Zhizhi shouted, taking advantage of a brief foothold on something protruding underwater.

The girl immediately froze, as still as a statue.

Onshore, Feng Jie had already called for help, reported their location, and was searching for a long branch or any tool that could be used for rescue. She also shouted for others nearby to assist.

Gradually, a group of bystanders gathered, including some who could swim. One of the men quickly dove into the lake to help bring the girl ashore.

With the combined efforts of those onshore and in the water, the girl was pulled up safely.

As soon as the girl was out of the water, Xu Zhizhi swam toward the railing to climb out herself. However, just as she reached it, she felt a sudden, sharp pressure around her ankle, as though something had caught her foot.

The man who had helped shouted from above, “Hey, girl! Reach up, and we’ll pull you out!”

Xu Zhizhi hurriedly reached out her hand but said, “Something’s caught my foot. Just hold on to me. If you can’t pull me up, don’t let go.”

The man froze briefly before realizing it might be something like underwater plants and nodded. “Okay, if it’s weeds, I’ll try pulling harder to break it.”

Before Xu Zhizhi could clarify that it wasn’t weeds, the man tugged with force.

Feng Jie grabbed Xu Zhizhi’s other arm. “Zhizhi, tell me if it hurts!”

The other rescuer, who had jumped in, had already climbed out, leaving only Xu Zhizhi in the water.

Xu Zhizhi felt herself being pulled upward but the resistance around her ankle tightened, sending a jolt of pain up her leg.

Realizing the danger, she kicked frantically, trying to free herself.

The pressure on her ankle increased, and she felt as though her arm might be pulled out of its socket. Hearing the distant sound of sirens, Xu Zhizhi shouted, “Let go first!”

The man immediately released her hand.

Feng Jie hesitated, fear and worry flashing in her eyes, but eventually released her grip as well.

As soon as they let go, whatever had ensnared Xu Zhizhi’s ankle dragged her underwater.

Being prepared, Xu Zhizhi took a deep breath before plunging down. She saw the approaching lights of the police on the shore and resolved to save herself.

The thing pulling her seemed to shift slightly and dragged her sideways. Xu Zhizhi realized she couldn’t wait for help and had to act.

Holding her breath, she swam downward to try to free her leg.

In the darkness, visibility was almost zero and Xu Zhizhi had to rely on touch.

Her fingers found something. It was steel wires wrapped tightly around her ankle. The good news was that she wasn’t being dragged down any further.

Xu Zhizhi immediately activated her prop [Psychopath’s Explosive Strength]. Summoning all her energy, she grabbed the wires firmly and began pulling upward with all her might.

It seemed that Xu Zhizhi’s forceful movements dislodged the steel wires. With a frantic splash, she broke free.

She quickly swam to the surface for air, her hands paddling furiously.

In her panic, she grabbed onto something without thinking.

Before she could figure it out, several people jumped into the water to help her, pulling her upward and supporting her.

Before Xu Zhizhi realized what was happening, she was hauled out of the water by many hands.

Two police officers and a couple of bystanders also came forward to assist.

Xu Zhizhi leaned against the railing on the small viewing platform, gasping for air. Her body trembled uncontrollably from the tension and the freezing water.

Feng Jie rushed over, draping her own jacket and Xu Zhizhi’s over her.

“You scared me to death,” Feng Jie said, her voice trembling.

The others let out a collective sigh of relief. At least no lives had been lost in the incident.

As Xu Zhizhi calmed down, she suddenly noticed that the object in her hand was dripping water.

She raised it for a closer look and froze.

Everyone nearby followed her gaze and gasps of shock rippled through the crowd.

Under the white glow of the streetlamp, Xu Zhizhi was holding a human skull.

Xu Zhizhi’s first instinct was to drop it but she stopped herself, realizing it might be evidence.

The police also noticed the skull. Quickly assessing the situation, one of them said, “Don’t panic. It might just be a prop. Everyone, please disperse.”

Xu Zhizhi pressed her lips together and handed the skull to the nearest police officer.

The officer, a local policeman unaccustomed to handling such incidents, recoiled slightly before stepping forward to take it.

Xu Zhizhi’s calm demeanor as she handed over a human skull left the officer visibly startled.

For a moment, the officer even thought, ‘Who do I call when I need police?’

Remembering his role, the officer stiffened and reluctantly took the skull, glancing at Xu Zhizhi’s composed face.

Then his jaw fell and his eyes widened in disbelief.

“Don’t say anything!” Xu Zhizhi quickly cut in.

Feng Jie, already accustomed to Xu Zhizhi’s unusual situations, stepped in front of her to shield her from curious onlookers and those holding up phones to take pictures.

She discreetly pulled Xu Zhizhi’s hood down over her face and turned to call their driver to pick them up immediately.

The police understood the need to let them go, especially with the cold weather. Xu Zhizhi clearly needed to change into dry clothes.

They also helped cover Xu Zhizhi from others’ sight. At the same time, the officers realized the skull could not be a prop!

Soon, their car arrived, having been allowed to drive onto the bike path after coordination with the park authorities.

Feng Jie quickly guided Xu Zhizhi into the car, while also pulling along the woman they had rescued, who was sitting dazed and soaking wet on the platform.

They left their contact information with the police and promised to visit the station later. The rest was left to the officers to handle.

Once inside the car, Xu Zhizhi’s trembling hands finally began to steady.

The car’s heater was turned on and Feng Jie wrapped Xu Zhizhi in a large towel, which began to warm her up.

The woman they had rescued was still in shock and took several seconds to respond when Feng Jie handed her a towel.

Feng Jie, ever prepared, had stocked the car with supplies. There were plenty of towels, a toolbox, even baseball bats and golf clubs in the trunk.

While there were spare clothes in the car, Feng Jie didn’t suggest changing yet, given the presence of the rescued woman. Even though she was a fellow woman, it wasn’t appropriate under the circumstances.

The driver efficiently drove them to the apartment complex. The elevator took them directly to Xu Zhizhi’s floor.

Once inside, Feng Jie quickly turned on the heater and Xu Zhizhi went to her room to shower and change.

The rescued woman was given the guest bathroom to clean up and change as well.

The woman came out before Xu Zhizhi with her face filled with guilt and she lowered her head like a young girl who had done something wrong.

Feng Jie sat nearby while dissolving a packet of cold medicine into a steaming cup.

She was worried that Xu Zhizhi might catch a cold.

Psychological trauma, however, wasn’t a concern. Xu Zhizhi wouldn’t be affected by the incident.

After all, she had been through far more intense situations.

The oversized clothes from Feng Jie made the rescued woman look like a child wearing adult clothes.

When Xu Zhizhi emerged, the two had already been sitting in silence for a few minutes.

Seeing her, the woman immediately stood up with reddened eyes and bowed deeply. “I’m sorry. I almost got you hurt…”

Her tears fell to the floor as she bent down.

Xu Zhizhi shook her head. “Don’t overthink it. Just explain everything at the police station later and you’ll be able to go home.”

Feng Jie handed Xu Zhizhi a cup of the prepared cold medicine and then passed another to the woman.

“Don’t do anything foolish again. Nothing is worth it,” Feng Jie said.

The woman looked up to reveal her delicate and beautiful features. With tear-filled eyes, she nodded in agreement.

Xu Zhizhi glanced at her in surprise.

The woman looked at Xu Zhizhi and said, “You’re Xu Zhizhi. You’re just like what they say online, beautiful and kind.”

“Thank you for the compliment,” Xu Zhizhi replied calmly.

The woman lowered her head again and took a sip of the cold medicine.

Finding the temperature tolerable, she tilted her head back and drank it all in one go.

Xu Zhizhi did the same.

Without any unnecessary chatter, they finished their drinks and headed to the police station.

There were two matters to address: the woman’s suicide attempt and the skull Xu Zhizhi had retrieved.

Feng Jie and Xu Zhizhi were accustomed to such surprises. Life was full of surprises. In fact, it would be odd if things weren’t.

Wearing a hat and a mask, Xu Zhizhi entered the police station.

The station was bustling. Many officers had gone out that evening to retrieve the remains from the lake.

Xu Zhizhi speculated it wouldn’t take long, perhaps only about half an hour for divers to pull everything out.

Most of it was likely in a bag, with the steel wires meant to secure it being what had trapped her earlier.

At the station, routine questioning was conducted. They also contacted the woman’s family to come and take her home.

After a pause, the woman said she would call her parents.

Xu Zhizhi didn’t ask why she had tried to end her life. The reasons behind such a decision were often complex and as an outsider, she couldn’t solve the problem. Only the person involved could figure out how to move forward.

After the experience, Xu Zhizhi hoped the woman would rethink her choices.

Sometimes, Xu Zhizhi herself wondered what could drive someone to such desperation.

What about her?

If she were being pushed to the brink, would she choose to end it all to thwart the system? Or would she persevere until she gradually loses her sense of self and becomes unrecognizable?

She fell into deep thought, torn between survival instinct and self-preservation.

The police officer’s questions brought her back to reality and she recounted her experience in the lake.

When she left the inquiry room, Xu Zhizhi saw the woman surrounded by a middle-aged couple.

“What were you thinking?!” The middle-aged man pointed his finger at her forehead and shouted, “Are you out of your mind? Jumping into a lake like that—are you sick?!”

The middle-aged woman also wore a stern expression. “It’s just marriage! Who doesn’t get married? Why make such a scene? The man is good-looking, decent, and behaves well. Isn’t he good enough for you?”

Both parents spoke in a soft Shanghai accent but their tone was dripping with passive aggression.

At that moment, a man in a suit, with a sunny and handsome appearance, walked in.

As soon as he saw the woman, he rushed over with his eyes filled with concern. “Little Wan, are you okay? It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have joked about such nonsense. I’m so sorry!”

He reached out to grab her hand but the woman quickly dodged him.

Seeing her reaction, his expression flickered. “If you’re mad, you can hit me or scold me. Do whatever you want!”

But the woman didn’t only avoid him. She moved over a meter away, retreating until she couldn’t anymore. Cornered, she stared at her parents in disbelief and screamed hysterically, “Why did you call him? Why did you let him come? I don’t want to see him! I don’t want to see him! Get out! Make him leave!”

As she shouted, her arms and legs flailed uncontrollably and her chest heaved, causing her entire body to tremble with agitation.

Feng Jie stepped forward, ready to intervene if the family took any further action.

After all, it was Xu Zhizhi who saved the woman and it wouldn’t sit well if they stood by and watched her get pushed into despair again.

The man’s expression stiffened as he observed the scene, his eyes flickering with doubt and confusion as if he didn’t understand why she was acting this way.

Little Wan’s father reached out to grab her. “What’s wrong with you? Little Lin is talking to you nicely! He’s already apologized. What else do you want?”

“You’re acting crazy! Are you refusing to get married over a joke? Are you insane?” her mother chimed in, glaring at her with a look of disapproval as if she couldn’t understand why her daughter was being so difficult.

Meanwhile, the man played the role of the peacemaker and uttered conciliatory words.

But Xu Zhizhi, standing to the side, grew even more curious about what kind of ‘joke’ had been made.

Little Wan looked at Xu Zhizhi, who was wearing a mask, and suddenly remembered her—someone who risked her life to save her.

She abruptly stopped moving and her gaze grew calm as she fixed her eyes on the three people in front of her. “Do you really think it was just a joke? Or was it a way to express what you truly think? Am I a pig? Just because I’m of age, does that mean I should be treated like an object to be moved into another household? To you, I’m not even human, am I? I shouldn’t have my own emotions or thoughts, right?”

Her sharp, cold words silenced all three of them.

“It was just a joke…” the man said impatiently. “You’re blowing this way out of proportion.”

She sneered at him. “It hit a nerve, didn’t it?”

Her father was about to speak, but her cold, piercing gaze stopped him in his tracks.

“We’re only doing this for your own good…” her mother said.

Little Wan’s eyes fell on her mother. “For my own good? Then get out! All of you, get out! Otherwise, I’ll lose it and make sure the whole world knows how you’ve been pressuring me with your so-called jokes!”

Her father raised his hand to strike her, but Feng Jie, with her mask on, intercepted him and grabbed his arm.

He tried to say something, but a police officer stepped in while frowning, trying to mediate the situation.

In the end, the couple and the man left together. Before leaving, the man announced they were breaking up.

Little Wan exhaled heavily, finally feeling relieved.

She had been suppressing her feelings for a long time. When she was listening to her parents, she thought she should get married and agreed to date the man they deemed ‘the best.’

But when the topic of children came up, the man joked that if they didn’t have a boy, they’d keep trying until they did, treating her like a pig meant to produce litter after litter of offspring to carry on the family line.

He said it was just a joke but she was devastated. When she brought it up with her parents, they bombarded her with insults instead of support.

She felt abandoned by the world, as if no one understood her, as though she was an outcast.

When she stood by the lake, she’d thought about ending it all.

But after being rescued, she felt as if the water had cleared her mind.

Xu Zhizhi approached her and said gently, “It’s okay. Their perspective is narrow and their thoughts are selfish. It has nothing to do with you.”

“Mm-hmm,” Little Wan nodded.

She realized it was time to grow up and learn to live for herself.

Xu Zhizhi watched the flicker of hope reignite in her eyes and saw something real, something alive, a spark of vitality and resilience.

She parted her lips slightly, her thoughts drifting. Even if Wen Yang was sincere and even if she was fully immersed in the role, what difference did it make?

Wen Yang wasn’t real. The plot and all of it were fake.

What was real, however, was herself. She couldn’t allow a few immersions to rob her of her identity or let herself be manipulated into fulfilling the system’s agenda.

If that woman’s situation was the same, no matter what words were spoken, they could only cloud her judgment temporarily.

As Xu Zhizhi mulled over it, seven or eight people entered the police station carrying bags.

One of them held a transparent bag containing the skull Xu Zhizhi had retrieved from the lake.

With just a glance, Xu Zhizhi and her companions were dismissed.

As they walked out, the woman introduced herself, “My name is Li Wanwan.”

The three exchanged a brief conversation, with Xu Zhizhi and Feng Jie offering her words of comfort. After chatting for a few minutes, Xu Zhizhi got in her car and left.

A night filled with danger and drama had passed. The next day, Xu Zhizhi resumed her usual work routine.

The retrieved bones had nothing to do with her, so there was no need for her to get involved further.

However, to her surprise, Li Wanwan showed up on set the following day.

The moment Xu Zhizhi saw her, she marveled at how small the world could be.

Li Wanwan approached her and said, “Zhizhi, I’ve decided to be true to myself. So from now on, please take care of me!”

Xu Zhizhi was puzzled.

Feng Jie was equally confused.

Li Wanwan smiled and said, “Let me introduce myself. I’m the screenwriter for this film.”