16/07/2026
A young man stands behind a vegetable stall, weighing fresh produce and chatting with customers like he's done it for years.
His grandfather is beside him, arranging baskets while the market carries on like any other morning.
Nothing about the scene really stands out until you learn that this is Xu Peng, a professionally trained actor who once spent up to 16 hours a day filming China's hugely popular short dramas.
He was known for playing millionaire CEOs, but as AI-generated productions rapidly spread through the industry, the acting jobs slowed, then almost disappeared.
So he went home.
Now he helps his grandfather sell vegetables while waiting for another chance to act.
The suit is gone. The work didn't disappear.
How many careers can change this quietly?
