In 2004, Chen Shi rushed into an on-set fire and pulled Lian Yiming to safety. The life-or-death bond led to marriage. She shelved her career, raised funds, and helped him secure a director's path—a story celebrated as a model of shared hardship. Just five years later, he fell for a co-star during filming, asked for divorce, and remarried within six months. Chen Shi didn't dwell on it—she restarted her acting career and won recognition again through "Go Princess Go." Lian's later directorial works drew little attention.
Back in 2004 on that film set, the fire broke out suddenly. Lian Yiming was standing there when the flames, carrying the acrid smell of burning, surged toward him, and he was instantly stunned.When Chen Shi rushed in, no one had time to react. She dragged Lian Yiming out, and the two of them rolled out of the flames, both sustaining scrapes and bruises.
By then, Chen Shi had already made a name for herself in the industry. Lian Yiming was still an actor working his way up. After that fire, the two started dating and were soon married.Chen Shi turned down all her film offers to stay home and handle the finances, cook meals, and take care of their child. She also reached out to people everywhere to raise funds, helping Lian Yiming transition from acting to directing. During those years, everyone in the industry said the two of them were a true model of a couple who stood by each other through thick and thin.
No one could have imagined that five years later, while filming a movie, Lian Yiming would fall for Yang Ruoxi, a fellow actress on the set. As soon as he got home, he filed for divorce from Chen Shi, and six months later, he and Yang Ruoxi got married. The woman who had risked her life to pull him out of the fire all those years ago was simply left behind.
Chen Shi didn’t make a scene. She didn’t cry on TV shows, didn’t post long rants, and never said a single unkind word about Lian Yiming in interviews. She simply dusted off her acting career—which had been on hold for several years—and took on one role after another, starting with small parts to hone her craft.Later, when *The Princess Consort’s Promotion* aired, the character she played reminded audiences once again of her face.
As for Lian Yiming, he went on to direct quite a few plays, but the reception was always lukewarm. The momentum he’d built back then with Chen Shi’s help never returned. The audience knows full well who gave whom a helping hand during tough times—and who abandoned whom once things turned around—and everyone can see it clearly.
Chen Shi later said in an interview, “In life, you can’t rely on anyone more than yourself.” She didn’t view marriage as a ticket to a lifetime of security, nor did she see divorce as the end of the world. She simply did what she had to do—get back on her feet and move forward.In this world, there is no such thing as good fortune that comes for no reason, nor are there any obstacles that cannot be overcome. Life is forged one step at a time; as long as you keep your feet firmly planted on the ground, you won’t stray from the path.
