Although Xin had no experience in the acting profession, she was then eager to earn money to support her family.

For the next six years, she remained relatively unknown, working as a model to make ends meet while constantly auditioning for roles.

Her breakthrough came when she landed the lead role in the film Crosscurrent after one of her many auditions.

Despite not knowing how to swim, she performed a series of underwater scenes in a partly frozen river in Beijing.

The film was selected to compete for the awards at the 66th Berlin International Film Festival, one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world. There, she met Meryl Streep, an actress she deeply admired, and received praise from her idol.