One year after my divorce, I announced my retirement from Hollywood. Everyone said I had gone insane after being dumped by Scarlett Vance. Then one day, a wish-granting vlogger's video went viral. My video series was divided into seven episodes. They were the fragments of my life flashing before my eyes. The title of the first episode was: [By the time you see this, I will already be dead.] 1 I was bundled up tight, only my eyes visible. Suddenly, someone blocked my path. "Hi, I'm a vlogger who helps people grant their wishes. Can I interview you?" It had been three months since I retired. I thought I'd been recognized by the paparazzi, so I waved him off immediately. But the guy in front of me kept trying to persuade me. "Do you have any unfulfilled wishes? I can help you, no charge." I turned to leave, but I heard him chasing after me, trying to show me his phone screen. "I'm not a scammer, I have a TikTok account! Look!" I thought he was rude, but what he said was true. He was clearly a newbie. He had barely any videos, and his view count was pitiful. Looking at his earnest face, I suddenly remembered when I first entered the entertainment industry. Back then, I was full of ambition but kept hitting walls. I suddenly felt a pang of compassion. "What kind of wishes can you grant?" The naive kid just scratched his head. "It depends on what you want. To be honest, you're the seventeenth person I've asked today. No one believes me. Like, do you have someone you want to see? A place you want to go? Tell me your story, and I'll arrange it." I teased him a little, afraid I might scare him off. "What if... I want you to document the end of my life? Would you be willing? "The condition is, these videos cannot be released before I die. "If I don't die, these videos are void. Do you dare to take that bet?" 2 The wish-granting vlogger's name was Evan. He was tall and skinny. He sat in front of me. He looked extremely awkward. No, actually, he looked like he was about to cry. "Liam... I didn't expect it to be you. Are you really..." His eyes were red, as if he couldn't accept it. "I really loved your movies." "Yeah. You could say I'm pretty impressive in every aspect. I don't get sick often, but when I do, it's a big one. I have several types of cancer in my body." I pulled out a tissue and handed it to him. "The doctor says I have about six months left." He held his phone up to me. "So, this is the real reason you retired?" "Yeah, I can't film anymore. Constant chemotherapy drains all my energy. And..." I smiled. "Too many tabloids posted proof that I'm going bald." This was the first time I took off my wig in front of a camera. Underneath the wig, there were only sparse patches of hair. My scalp was clearly visible. I looked like a ghoul. "You know I'm pretty vain. If I keep getting papped like this, where's my dignity? "I'm greedy. I want seven wishes from you. You make seven episodes. Deal?" 3 May 2, 2024 – May 8, 2024 Episode 1 (Part 1) [By the time you see this, I will already be dead.] "Film my left side more. Fans always say my left profile looks better." Evan was much calmer than a week ago, but he told me he cried at home for days after finding out and lost three pounds. "I'll definitely make you look handsome." He rubbed his eyes. "Liam, what's your first wish?" "I want to try circumambulating Mount Kailash." He nodded immediately. "No problem, I'll book the tickets now. But can I ask why you want to go there?" I couldn't smile at the camera. "Scarlett Vance and I once promised we'd go together. Now that the chance is gone, I want to see it for myself. They say it cleanses the soul, right?" Tibet is far, but not unreachable. After getting off the plane, the high altitude made me sick. It took two days of travel to reach Darchen, the starting point for the trek. On the way, Evan kept worrying about my health, nagging me with precautions. I teased him with a smile. "I asked the doctor. He said since I don't have much time left anyway, I can go wherever I want." One sentence made the kid's eyes red again. He asked cautiously, "Liam, did you and Miss Vance break up amicably?" I knew he was asking politely. Actually, my divorce with Scarlett was messy and ugly. But in these final moments before leaving the world, I finally had the courage to speak up. "In her eyes, it definitely wasn't amicable. She, like everyone else, thinks I cheated." "So you really didn't cheat, right?" The kid's eyes lit up. "I knew I didn't judge you wrong." I nodded with a smile. "Yeah, I loved that woman to death. How could I look at anyone else?" New vloggers have one flaw: their emotions are too volatile. He started crying buckets right in front of the camera. He sobbed, "The media scolded you so badly back then. How dared they?" I had to comfort him on camera. Finally, I had to admit: "Forget it. I'll tell you. I staged the whole thing." 4 May 2, 2024 – May 8, 2024 Episode 1 (Part 2) [By the time you see this, I will already be dead.] "Six months before the divorce, I was diagnosed with cancer. Back then, it was only one type. The doctor told me if I cooperated with treatment, there was hope for survival. "Later I learned that most doctors are kind-hearted, but sometimes they lie. "I got my childhood best friend to act with me, just to get rid of Scarlett faster. "Don't let her CEO title fool you. She's decisive in business, but with me, she's stubborn as a mule." I didn't say anymore. Everyone understood. Evan asked with a sad face, "Bro, why didn't you tell her the truth about your illness?" "The process of dying is painful. Why drag someone else into it?" Evan suddenly said, "Recent news says Ms. Vance has a new boyfriend." "Really? Then I genuinely congratulate her." I meant it. "She deserves better." I endured the nausea caused by the bumpy road. "I'm not acting here. When you're about to die, you can let go of anything. "I used to joke with Scarlett that if she found another man, I'd break her legs. But look, didn't I let go easily?" The guide suddenly spoke up. "Rest tonight. The rest of the journey is on foot. 32 miles total. But I have to warn you, the altitude is high. It feels much longer than 32 miles." On the first day of the trek, our destination was Dirapuk Monastery. That's where you can see the Golden Mountain at sunrise. "I suddenly feel like it's unfair to drag you on this life-threatening trek for my own selfish desire." Evan shook his head. "Liam, I know my body. If I can't hold on, I won't force it. Besides, you said you prepared for months." Luckily, neither of us had severe altitude sickness. And we were lucky. The morning after staying at Dirapuk Monastery, I saw the sun hit the golden peaks. I copied the pose I saw online, arms wide open for a photo. I shouted, "If possible, I hope you all forget me!" I thought for a moment and shouted again, "Scarlett, I came for you! You don't have to come anymore!" Along the way, we met many devout pilgrims prostrating themselves. We saw hail. The food was terrible. We slept in simple, uncomfortable beds. It took three days to complete the trek. I summarized the episode to the camera. "What I didn't tell you is that when I first planned this, I wanted to come with Scarlett. Later, when I decided to come alone, I thought about killing myself here." Evan was so scared he grabbed my hand. I patted his hand and continued. "Back then I thought, I can't be cured anyway. I'll die in a lake, on a snowy mountain, or just on the journey. "But later, I suddenly didn't want to die. I wanted to live well in my final moments, to make this life worthwhile." Evan suddenly asked, "Any regrets about this first trip?" I nodded. Thinking about it still scared me. "My parents spoil me rotten, but I lied to them. I didn't tell them I was sick. "I even lied that I started acting again, filming a movie in Tibet. "I'm sorry. I was wrong. I ended up being an unfilial son." 5 June 4, 2024 Episode 2 (Part 1) After returning from Tibet, it took me a full month to recover from the altitude and exhaustion before I contacted Evan again. I had a chemo session in between. Each time, it felt harder to get out of bed than the last, as if my strength was being drained, bringing me one step closer to death. I wasn't sure if I could trust this kid I'd only met once. If he released my first video now, he could go viral instantly. I was gambling. Gambling that people generally have a bit more conscience when facing a dying man. "Liam, what's your second wish?" "I want people to get to know me more. And I want to revisit the paths I used to walk." Evan looked worriedly at the camera. "With your health, we can take it slow." "It's okay. I rested enough before calling you. In the final moments of life, people become greedy, wanting to fulfill more and more wishes." "Your look today is great. Reminds me of your breakout role in Do You Remember Me Today?" In that drama, I played a fresh college grad with short hair who got entangled with the CEO of his internship company. I smiled and touched my head. "I can change hairstyles at will now. Handsome, right?" "But you're getting thinner. Has no one around you noticed?" I looked down, embarrassed. "I divorced Scarlett, so we don't meet. Since getting sick, I see my parents less and less. But they are parents, so we video call. Guess what I said? I said I'm method acting a terminally ill patient." I only dared to tell the truth through lies. He rubbed his eyes in front of me. "So where do you want to go for this episode?" "Back to where I grew up." Just a two-hour drive, and I arrived at my childhood hometown. "Liam, where is that assistant of yours?" My assistant, Sam, was a loyal guy. Sometimes his appearances with me created iconic moments. "Oh, Sam? I told him not to follow me." "So he knows about your condition?" "Hahaha." I laughed at myself. "Guess what excuse I used? He's been with me so long, how could he not notice something was wrong?" I sat calmly in front of the camera. "I lied again. I said I loved Scarlett too much, and the cheating scandal and separation made me depressed. I wanted to retire to treat my depression." "He believed it?" "How could he? He and my agent, Lee, dragged me crying, saying they'd take me to a doctor. I said give me some time, I'll see a doctor myself. I'll travel for a while and come back." "Could they have already guessed?" "My hair falling out couldn't be hidden. I made up these excuses, thinking I was smart. But one day Lee said he didn't want me to make money anymore, he just wanted me to live well." Saying this, I started crying. I wiped the corners of my eyes. "Probably no one dared to bring up these sad things in front of me, so they didn't say how much they knew. "Sam, that kid, bought me ten wigs out of his own pocket, saying it was a gift for my trip." I stopped talking. I was wearing a mask and hat, dressed simply in a hoodie and jeans, carrying a canvas bag. Passersby just saw me as another passerby. I pulled a thermos out of my bag and drank. "This is my elementary school." "Bro, you went to First Experimental?" I nodded, pointing to a big tree on the playground. "Back then I competed with others on guts. I climbed up there and couldn't get down. I was so scared I peed my pants crying in the tree." "Liam, school is in session. The guard probably won't let us in." "Not going in. Just looking. Don't disturb them. I'm just taking one last look. After I drink Meng Po's soup (soup of forgetfulness), I won't remember anything. "Hey, why are you such a crybaby? Directors should cast you for crying scenes." I pointed to an alley not far from the school. "Let's go. I'll take you to see my old home. I haven't been back in years." But when I walked in, I was stunned. I stood frozen in the wind. I couldn't help laughing. "Oh boy, it's been demolished." The camera facing me shook a little. "What now? Seems like my old home is gone?" I turned back to the camera. The audience probably couldn't see my expression. To be honest, I was a little disappointed. But I couldn't say it. "Walk forward a bit. I'll introduce it based on my memory. "This used to be an old street. The media always says I'm a rich kid. I explained at events, but no one believed me. "Borrowing this chance, I'll show you. I grew up here. The houses were all old bungalows. My deepest memory is teasing a dog and getting chased. It bit my butt." "Huh?" "Luckily it was winter. I lived with my grandparents, and they dressed me in layers of pants. It bit a hole and pulled out cotton, but didn't break the skin." It sounded funny. At least Evan laughed hard. "Liam, I really can't imagine you being chased by a dog." After laughing, I said, "Let's go. I'll take you to see my high school. It's not far." I paused. "It's also where I met Scarlett."
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