Moonlit: Thank you, Sagey, for the ko-fi~
Late Autumn, Seaside Island
Waves crashed one after another against the rocks scattered along the beach. The bleak, cold wind blew incessantly, and the air was filled with a damp chill. But it still couldn’t compare to the bone-deep cold the actors were feeling.
Anyone who arrived here with dreams of filming on a tropical island vacation would likely feel just as crushed as they did now. All around was nothing but a barren island stretching to the horizon. Perhaps the only good news was that they didn’t have to camp on the spot. Surprisingly, the production team had “kindly” prepared lodging for them.
At this moment, the staff bustled about on the desolate island, while the key actors were gathered aboard a yacht anchored at the shore, seated around a conference table in the middle of a meeting.
Seated at the head was the biggest investor, Su Weisheng, currently doing a headcount. He flipped open the list in his hand. “Su Ran, Xie Wei, Song Qing, Su Anyao…” His gaze swept across the group, then landed on the three unfamiliar faces and continued, “Zhi Yu, Qin Xiaohe, Tong Wei.”
The first was a well-known “queen of hustle” in the entertainment industry. The latter two were members of Ruby, the boy group Su Ran belonged to. Due to a shortage of actors in the production, the two had been volunteered—roped in by their top star teammate.
Su Weisheng nodded with satisfaction. “Alright, everyone’s here.”
Movie king Xie Wei asked with concern, “Are the only actors in this drama the seven of us?”
—Of course, it’s just you seven, because the rest are all ghosts.
Without batting an eye, Su Weisheng calmly gave a side-stepping answer. “The other actors joined the crew earlier and are already waiting to regroup with you.”
Everyone looked around curiously, but aside from the busy production staff, there was no sign of any other actors.
Su Weisheng knocked on the table, coolly pulling their attention back. “Stop looking. The actors’ accommodations are all on the yacht. Once the teams are assigned, you’ll understand.”
Upon hearing this, everyone immediately perked up, focusing all their attention on Su Weisheng.
This group of actors had either come for Su Weisheng and You Sui, or had fought their way through a competitive audition process after hearing the project’s stellar reputation. But they all shared one thing in common: because of the high level of confidentiality around the script, no one had read it yet. They didn’t even know what kind of story it was, let alone which character they were supposed to play.
As soon as this topic came up, nerves began to rise.
Among them, Song the Little Drama Queen was the most anxious. He quickly volunteered, “I’ve studied acting with A-Wei for a few months, but I’m not a professional. If it turns out I really can’t pull it off…”
“No need to worry, I already took that into account. If you’ve been arranged to join the cast, it means it was a decision made after careful thought,” Su Weisheng reassured them with a stabilizing dose of confidence.
The group was pleasantly surprised. Su Ran exclaimed emotionally, “So Great-Grandfather trusts us that much…”
“Not quite,” Su Weisheng replied calmly. “I thought it through beforehand. In your group, only Xie Wei has solid acting skills. Su Anyao and Zhi Yu barely scrape by the passing line. As for the rest, everyone has their own way of tanking the performance. I already made mental preparations for this before the team assembled.”
The “barely passing” group covered their faces in shame: “……”
The “each bad in their own way” group awkwardly shifted their gazes elsewhere: “……” Did you really have to be that blunt?
Only Best Actor Xie, the sole recipient of praise, gave a not-so-humble wave of his hand. “It’s nothing, really. I’ve just happened to collect a few more awards than the rest of you.”
Su Ran snorted. “You say that like no one else has ever won an award. My house has so many Golden Melody trophies, we use them as dog bowls.”
Xie Wei raised an eyebrow. “Golden Melody Awards, huh? I thought you were going to say Golden Broom Awards.”
As Su Ran’s family member, Lu Huanjin was already getting a headache. He reached out to tug on Su Ran’s sleeve, but the top star, already riled up, slammed the table and declared dramatically, “You old geezer, just wait—this time, I’ll show you what it means to act on a godly level!”
Xie Wei let out a cold laugh, ready to fire back with a retort—
Su Weisheng: “Enough.”
The top star and the best actor shut their mouths in an instant, quiet as chickens.
Su Weisheng gave a slight nod toward You Sui. The latter, with his fox-like eyes arched in a smiling curve, nodded back cheerfully. Then he slowly pulled out a script and began reading in a languid tone: “A vacation cruise ship is struck by a tsunami. The stranded tourists wash up on a deserted island. While waiting for rescue, differing opinions lead to conflict. Eventually, they decide to split up…”
Everyone listened attentively. But after a moment of silence, they asked, “And then?”
“And then,” You Sui propped his chin up with one hand and looked around at the group, amusement flickering in his gaze, “comes the improvisation segment.”
He smiled as he observed the varied reactions on everyone’s faces. “Because your acting skills are… inconsistent, the head director and investor discussed it and decided to try a different filming method. You’ll be given only your names, identities, and simple relationship settings. The rest of the plot will be up to your free performance. The camera crew will secretly film you the entire time and edit everything into a finished piece.”
“We want to see how well everyone does with improv. Sounds fun, right?”
Everyone: Damn!
So basically, because their acting is too weak, they have to make up for it by playing themselves, huh? Truly worthy of a director with a reality show background—he knows how to play the game.
According to the script setting, after splitting up due to disagreements, the cruise passengers take different paths: some stay on the ship, some head to a small house deep within a peach forest to seek help, and others build a makeshift shelter in a mountain cave.
The actors would be split into three teams. Each person would choose their own name, personality, and character setup. Once it was finalized, no one was allowed to go out of character, ever. All developments must follow the basic logic of their chosen persona.
Holy crap! There’s something this fun, too?!
Seeing the rules laid out above, the actors who had initially been a little skeptical now lit up with excitement. One by one, they eagerly rubbed their hands together over the script, ready to show off their skills.
To give the actors enough time to make thoughtful choices, the director even generously allowed them an hour to deliberate.
As soon as they heard this bit of good news, the drama king couple—the movie king and his over-the-top husband—immediately snatched up their script and sneaked off to another room to hold a whispered strategy session.
Meanwhile, the only two actresses in the cast, Su Anyao and Zhi Yu, exchanged a glance and, with a tacit understanding, went up to the deck to talk.
Qin Xiaohe and Tong Wei originally wanted to brainstorm with their team captain, but Captain Su Ran was already fully immersed in his personal fantasy of “I’m going to conquer this show with pure acting talent”. He launched into a frenzied creative spree, pouring ideas onto the script page.
Seeing him scribble furiously, Lu Huanjin curiously walked over for a peek.
【Su Huoran, male, 27, currently a popular singer…】 Following that was an entire flood of detailed personal biography. Given that he did in fact have a solid track record in the music industry, the content surprisingly didn’t come off as too exaggerated.
Lu Huanjin nodded in satisfaction. As expected, Great-Grandfather knew what he was doing. Having a top star play himself was the right call. Who knows—maybe after this show airs, the public’s view of his acting might actually improve.
Su Ran, meanwhile, was still writing feverishly:
【Deeply in love with his boyfriend, Lu Xiaojin, but just days ago, Lu Xiaojin was diagnosed with a terminal illness. In his desperation to save his beloved, Su Huoran boards a cruise ship in search of a legendary island said to possess a miracle cure that can bring the dead back to life…】
Lu Huanjin: …?
He rubbed his eyes in disbelief, truly stunned. “You killed me off just to highlight your undying devotion?”
“You’re not dead yet!” Su Ran replied seriously. “Don’t worry, I’ll definitely find the miracle cure to save Lu Xiaojin!”
Lu Huanjin: “……” Yep, definitely his real partner. No one else would’ve written something this absurd.
Very quickly, Su Ran reached the final column: Personality. He paused in thought, then turned to Lu Huanjin and asked, “Ah Jin, what kind of personality do you think your husband has?”
Lu Huanjin: An idiot.
He sighed, using up a lifetime’s worth of lies just to humor his spouse. With a straight face and false sincerity, he said, “You’re a passionate, intelligent, filial, and adorable little Ran-bao.”
Su Ran frowned. “Sounds great, but that kind of character isn’t dramatic enough for a screen role. I can’t just play myself. I need a powerful character archetype to model after.”
Lu Huanjin had a bad feeling. “Who are you planning to model after?”
“Of course I’m modeling after Great-Grandfather!” Su Ran declared righteously. “Is there anyone in this world more formidable than my great-grandfather? If I can portray him perfectly, why wouldn’t fans and viewers fall head over heels in love with me?”
Saying that, he picked up his pen and scribbled quickly.
【Name: Su Huoran, Personality: Mastermind strategist, intelligence bordering on the demonic, mature, steady, and reliable; skilled at calculations and manipulation; excels at controlling the scene and protecting teammates; strikes fear into enemies at the mere mention of his name…】
Lu Huanjin was utterly stunned.
“W-Wait, don’t rush to write all that!” President Lu looked at the string of descriptors, scalp tingling, and gritted his teeth as he tried to reason with him. “Think this through. Can you actually pull all of that off?”
“Of course I can!” Su Ran lifted his chin proudly. “I’ve been by Great-Grandfather’s side for so long, and I’ve been through round after round of acting boot camp. If I still can’t do it now, I might as well quit the industry and go home to drive a cab!”
As he said this, Su Weisheng just happened to walk by. The great-grandson immediately snatched up his finished script and dashed over like an eager puppy, showing it off.
“Great-Grandfather! I’ve finished writing my character profile!”
Su Weisheng didn’t even glance at the script. He merely raised an eyebrow and asked, “Have you picked your residence yet?”
“Not yet!” Su Ran humbly sought guidance. “Great-Grandfather, where do you think is the best place for me to stay?”
Su Weisheng pondered for a moment before answering, half-truthfully, “The cave has the lowest difficulty, but the conditions are harsh. The cruise ship is the most difficult, but offers the greatest reward—best suited for honing and proving your acting skills.”
Su Ran’s eyes lit up, and he declared firmly, “Then I can’t let all that training go to waste! I’ll definitely choose the cruise ship to prove myself!”
“You’re sure?” Su Weisheng gave a remark filled with subtle implication: “Once you’ve chosen, there’s no turning back.”
Su Ran tilted his chin with pride and said, “Just wait and see how I perform!”
“Good luck.” Su Weisheng gave his foolish great-grandson’s head a light pat, took the script he handed over, and said meaningfully, “Great-Grandfather is very much looking forward to your performance on the cruise ship. Just remember—don’t break character.”
*
Meanwhile, Qin Xiaohe and Tong Wei were huddled together, racking their brains over which group to join. Neither of them had much acting experience, nor did they understand if there were any hidden rules in this whole setup. While they were still dazed and confused, they spotted the Su family’s great-grandfather and great-grandson chatting in the hallway. The moment their eyes met, it was as if a light broke through the darkness—they had finally found a ray of hope.
As soon as Su Weisheng left, the two of them rushed over to Su Ran and surrounded him completely.
Qin Xiaohe clung to Su Ran’s arm and cried out excitedly, “Brother Ran! Captain! Mama! Male mama! Mama, have you picked your residence yet? Did Great-Grandfather give you any inside info? Mama, help us! Raise your children!”
Tong Wei was no less skilled, grabbing Su Ran’s other arm and pleading tearfully, “Mama! Our beloved male mama! Xiaohe and I came because you called us! You can’t just abandon us, Mama!”
“Shoo, shut up, call me mama again and I’ll kill you both!” Su Ran’s face darkened as he kicked each of them once. Then he found a place to sit down, grumbling, “Useless deadweights. Wanted me to carry you when releasing albums, and now you want me to carry you through filming, too. Aren’t you both just big brainless babies?”
But even as he cursed, he still didn’t drive them away.
Giant Baby No.1 very perceptively began massaging their male mama’s shoulders, while Giant Baby No.2 quickly fetched a drink and handed it to Su Ran, both of them practically tripping over themselves to please him.
Su Ran gave a light snort, appearing aloof and unimpressed—but the corners of his lips curled up uncontrollably in pride. Still, he put on a nonchalant front and said with a casual tone, “Fine, I am the father of this team after all. Once a dad, always a dad. You two can stay on the cruise with me.”
Qin Xiaohe asked excitedly, “Is there special storyline content on the cruise?”
Tong Wei replied, “Duh! You heard our male mama, ah—ah no, our captain, say it himself, there’s definitely some perk! Why are you asking so much? Whatever the captain says, we just follow, end of story!”
Su Ran coughed and patted Tong Wei’s head with a modest air, praising, “As expected of my good son, at least your brain still works. Don’t worry, as long as I have a bite of meat on this cruise, you two will get a sip of broth.”
The two beamed with joy, showering him with “Brother Ran” and “Captain”, thoroughly delighted.
Once their plan was settled, they cheerfully got to work moving their luggage to the cabins. The cruise ship was massive, spanning five levels, with guest cabins located on the third floor and above.
“Each group should only have three actors. Since we chose the cruise group, that means the rest are stuck suffering in the little house or the cave.”
“I heard Film Emperor Xie took his little delicate hubby to the cave.”
“Tsks, Song Qing really has it rough. Having to live in a cave with Xie Wei… and to think he’s my trusted advisor! If we get the chance, we should send him a care package.”
The three basked in the superiority of staying on the cruise while others had to endure the cave, chatting excitedly as they wheeled their suitcases into the elevator. Su Ran was the last to enter, and just as he did, a gust of wind blew in from outside, making him shiver and raising goosebumps on his arms. He rubbed at them and then pressed the button for the third floor.
Beep beep beep…
The elevator didn’t close or ascend. Instead, the red warning light kept flashing as the alarm blared incessantly.
“What the hell?” The three of them were confused and looked toward the elevator screen. On it, a bright red message flashed: Elevator Overload.
“Overload?” Su Ran cursed, “How the hell is it overloaded with just three people? Are your suitcases filled with bricks? The production gave us a cruise this old? Even the elevator’s busted? That’s insane!”
“Uh…” Tong Wei hesitated, then suddenly reached out and pressed the open door button while whispering, “Captain… haven’t you heard that ghost story? If the elevator says it’s overloaded, it might not be a mechanical issue—it might mean it’s packed full of ghosts…”
Su Ran’s expression changed instantly. “Don’t talk nonsense—” he snapped, but at the same time started frantically pressing the open button himself.
But whether it was because they pressed too many buttons or something else, the elevator door refused to open. Instead, the alarm blared even louder. Then, with a loud click, the elevator lights suddenly went out, plunging the cramped space into total darkness.
“AAAH—!”
“WHAT THE HELL—!”
“HELP HELP HELPPPP—!”
Their terrified screams overlapped in a chorus of panic.
Then Qin Xiaohe quickly slapped a hand over Su Ran’s mouth and whispered in a rush, “Brother Ran! Brother Ran, don’t panic, let me be the one to scream! You can’t scream, remember your character setting? You’re Su Huoran—cool-headed, sharp as a demon strategist. You can’t break character!!”
Su Ran, now pinned against the elevator wall with his mouth covered, found his gaze locked on the elevator door behind Qin Xiaohe. In the darkness, he could swear there were countless blood-red eyes staring straight at him through the elevator gap.
He wanted to scream in horror, but his mouth was still covered. And because he couldn’t break character, he had no choice but to hold it in—his eyes rolled back from sheer fright as he forced himself to bluster through clenched teeth: “What… malicious spirits dare mess with me—do you even know who I am, I… I…”
I-I-I-I-I’m gonna DIE!
Great-Grandfather, save me——!!!!
