Ming An Film and Television Company maintained high production standards, with all their television dramas in recent years receiving widespread acclaim, consistently ranking among the industry’s elite.
However, misfortune struck when their recently completed project “Qing Cheng” encountered problems.
Two actors—one portraying the male lead and the other a key supporting female role—were arrested for group drug use.
The company now faced two options: either recast the roles and reshoot their scenes, or utilize AI face-swap technology to alter the affected actors’ footage.
AI face-swap technology could replace actors’ faces through algorithms without requiring reshoots, saving significant time and resources compared to refilming.
The challenge lay in the current limitations of AI face-swap technology. Any overlooked detail could draw criticism from audiences.
Precedents for such failures already existed.
Unwilling to take risks, Ming An Film and Television approached Shi Xi, hoping to collaborate and apply her technical expertise in this area.
With effortless access to the original host’s knowledge and the System’s constant supplementary guidance, Shi Xi accepted the position and officially joined the post-production team for “Qing Cheng.”
These developments weren’t publicly disclosed. Out of consideration for Shi Xi’s physical condition, the company specifically allowed her to recuperate fully before starting work.
Shi Xi had only mentioned this matter to Huo Yao.
But Huo Yao remained distant toward her, never overstepping boundaries, his replies mostly polite and formal.
As the weather grew increasingly muggy, Shi Xi had already turned on the air conditioning in her room.
In the thick of night, an unconscious moan shattered the silence.
Shi Xi woke from the pain, a dull ache in her left foot intensifying until she was drenched in cold sweat.
“System, can you block the pain for me?”
System: “Yes.”
Detecting the host’s physical abnormality, it promptly reminded her, “Inflammation has flared up in the old injury on your left foot. The host needs to go to the hospital for debridement surgery.”
Shi Xi struggled to sit up, checking the time: 2 a.m.
Wiping the cold sweat from her face, she felt her pajamas were soaked through.
She started to dial 120 but deleted the number with trembling fingers, scrolling down to Huo Yao’s contact instead.
2 a.m., City Public Security Bureau.
Several members of the Criminal Investigation Team were working overtime, investigating the suspect’s information.
Today’s public restroom murder case shared similarities with both the previous abandoned factory homicide and a violent crime in a neighboring province. The perpetrator appeared to be the same individual, with indications of likely reoffending.
Two officers from the neighboring province had been dispatched to assist with the investigation. Under heavy pressure from superiors, they were given seven days to solve the case.
Thus, everyone was stretched to their limits, conducting field visits by day and working late into the night.
It wasn’t until Huo Yao said, “Everyone disperse, get some rest first,” and led the way out himself.
Ji Lu groaned, “How am I supposed to sleep with this? Feels like that bastard’s blade is already at my throat!”
“Exactly! Three killings in one month! The guy’s an animal!”
“Watching that footage made me sick, my eyes are about to give out!”
The office erupted in angry complaints as they temporarily set aside their tasks.
Just as Huo Yao got into his car, his phone rang.
Seeing the caller ID, he hesitated.
In the end, he didn’t answer.
She had been sending him messages over the past couple of days too. He had replied to some, others he’d forgotten to respond to.
Occasionally he would hear updates about her from colleagues. Since her life was improving, he didn’t need to interfere further.
He had originally considered recommending a psychologist to her, but now it seemed temporarily unnecessary.
However, after ignoring that phone call, he had been somewhat distracted throughout the journey.
She wasn’t someone without boundaries – calling him so late at night likely meant something important had happened.
He pulled the car over to the roadside and decided to call back to clarify.
But no one answered for a long time.
Just as he was about to hang up, he suddenly heard her weak, hoarse voice through the receiver: “Huo Yao…”
“What’s wrong?”
Without hesitation, Huo Yao stepped on the accelerator while asking, turning the steering wheel to head back toward her apartment.
She was mumbling something on the other end that he couldn’t quite make out, only hearing her rapid breathing mixed with painful sobs.
Then the call cut off, seemingly accompanied by loud knocking sounds…
The distance was only five kilometers. A few minutes later, Huo Yao arrived outside her door and knocked.
But there was only silence inside.
Instead, the door across opened, and a bespectacled young man peeked out saying: “An ambulance came earlier – that girl seemed to have fainted and was taken away.”
“Thank you.” Huo Yao nodded and immediately turned to leave.
He had seen the city hospital’s ambulance at the residential complex entrance earlier.
When Shi Xi was wheeled out of the operating room, she caught sight of Huo Yao’s figure in her peripheral vision.
He had actually come.
Harsh light shone from above as he leaned against the wall, head bowed.
The scattered shadows falling across his face made it difficult for her to see his expression clearly.
“Huo Yao,” she called softly.
“Hmm.”
He stepped forward to walk beside the moving bed, his gaze falling on her injured foot.
Her explanation came out weakly, “Some inflammation – it happens often. This time was just a bit more serious.”
The nurse beside them looked at Huo Yao, then at the girl, and said: “This is more than just ‘a bit’ serious. You’ve developed a fever, young lady. You’ve been in pain for several days, haven’t you? Quite the endurance you have.”
Her tone carried both concern and slight reproach by the end.
She had seen many patients who thought they could tough it out, failing to come to the hospital early enough, ultimately worsening their conditions and suffering more.
Shi Xi’s eyelids drooped guiltily: “I’ll be more careful next time.”
Because she had regular check-ups, she hadn’t thought her foot injury was that serious.
She had been quite busy these past couple days. Whenever it hurt, she would have the System block the pain sensation for her.
She had no idea her old injury had become inflamed from all the activity.
The nurse teased in Huo Yao’s direction, “As her boyfriend, you should keep an eye on her.”
Huo Yao froze.
Shi Xi had already spoken up: “He’s not my boyfriend.”
The nurse looked completely unconvinced, waving her hand, “Same difference.”
Though she worked herself to exhaustion every day, she still found time to watch dramas and ship couples, okay?
That ambiguous atmosphere between them – she definitely wasn’t mistaken.
If they weren’t together now, they would be eventually.
Huo Yao didn’t explain, instead skipping over the topic to ask: “Does she need to be hospitalized?”
The nurse nodded: “She needs rest. If there’s any discomfort, don’t tough it out. Doctor Xu will come explain the situation to you shortly.”
Huo Yao went to handle the hospitalization procedures.
Shi Xi’s body still felt somewhat feverish, and as she lay there, she gradually grew drowsy.
After the doctor arrived and spoke nearby, Huo Yao responded in a low voice—she didn’t catch it clearly.
Other patients in the ward were resting, so the doctor didn’t say much before leaving.
When the nurse turned around, she happened to see the man bending over to pull the blanket up for the girl.
The smooth, defined lines of muscle on his arm were wild and explosive.
His face, usually stern, was deep-set and three-dimensional, rugged and resolute.
The girl seemed unwell, her eyes tightly shut, yet she subconsciously grabbed his hand… his finger.
Ahhh! It was his finger!
His hand was bony and distinct, looking powerful, while hers was slender and pale, delicate and fragile.
She was clutching his index finger like this—far more visually impactful than an actual handhold!
The nurse, who often indulged in wild thoughts, automatically conjured up even more explosive images in her mind.
Sigh… Oh my, this little girl needs to recover quickly, or how will she withstand her boyfriend’s—ahem, I’ve let my imagination run wild again!
The nurse hurried away, suddenly feeling less burdened by her shift.
Before Shi Xi fell into a deep sleep, she called out in her heart, “System, don’t forget to time it…”
The System: “…Mm.”
Huo Yao remained bent over. When she fell ill and felt miserable, his number was the first she dialed.
Now, holding his finger, it was just like that rainy night.
He sensed her dependence on him, which was precisely why he had deliberately tried to keep his distance—but it seemed to have no effect.
He was still here, right in front of her.
Being clung to like a lifeline, gripped tightly in her hand.
He let out an almost imperceptible sigh and sat down beside her.
His tall frame slightly hunched, quiet and still.
Dawn had not yet fully broken when Huo Yao was awakened by his internal clock, his eyes snapping open abruptly.
Something soft was pillowed against his cheek.
He lifted his head and glanced down to see their hands.
She was still holding his index finger; he had been resting on the back of her hand, which was now flushed red from the pressure.
After all this time, her hand must have gone numb.
He took one look and swiftly withdrew his finger.
Hastily, he rubbed her small, reddened hand a few times to stimulate circulation before hurriedly getting up and leaving.
At the station, Huo Yao ran into Ji Lu.
At first glance, Ji Lu was taken aback: “Captain, what happened to your face?”
Puzzled, Huo Yao used his phone as a mirror and indeed saw the red mark pressed into his cheek.
It looked like it was from her knuckles.
“Nothing.”
“Oh…” Ji Lu noticed he was still wearing yesterday’s clothes and asked, “Captain, did you not go home last night?”
“Hmm.”
Ji Lu found it strange. Although the captain often pulled all-nighters, he was very particular about cleanliness—how could he show up without even changing his clothes?
With a disapproving look, he said, “Captain, you really should take care of yourself. How can you stay up all night? Why not go back and rest for a bit? At least freshen up…”
He exaggeratedly took a few steps back, “I’m almost overwhelmed by your manly scent!”
“Looks like you’re asking for a beating.”
Huo Yao threw a punch.
Ji Lu laughed and darted away.
Huo Yao lifted his arm, sniffed the scent, and frowned.
Although he had only slept for a short while last night, he had surprisingly slept very soundly.
After reporting on his progress, Huo Yao decisively went home for a bit.
Shi Xi didn’t wake up until noon.
By then, Huo Yao was no longer by her side, but she received a medical instruction message from him on her phone.
Every detail was clearly written out.
The System said, “Contact time increased by 3 hours and 36 minutes.”
Which meant that after Huo Yao fell asleep holding her hand last night, he never let go until he left this morning.
Hehe, what a gain.
Immediately after, she saw Bai Fan walking in through the door, and her smile vanished.
The youth wore white clothes and black pants, still sporting that baseball cap, carrying a canvas bag in his hand that looked like it belonged to a girl.
“What are you doing here?”
“What are you doing here?”
They spoke almost simultaneously.
Bai Fan seemed like he wanted to say something, but his phone rang, so he immediately headed back out.
Shi Xi watched his retreating figure in confusion, though her attention soon shifted to her painfully empty stomach.
Her hospitalization last night had been rushed; she hadn’t brought anything with her.
Several other patients in the ward had family members accompanying them, and they were already starting to eat lunch, filling the air with the aroma of food.
Meanwhile, she was alone, with limited mobility… and desperately needing to use the bathroom.
Shi Xi grabbed her cane and slowly got down from the hospital bed.
Fortunately, there was a bathroom right inside the ward.
Shi Xi didn’t even have toiletries, so she could only roughly wash her face with cold water.
The gauze on her left cheek had come loose; she lifted it to take a look, then pressed it back into place.
Though it was uncomfortable, she still had to endure it for now.