Rebirth: A big star falls in love with me

As he spoke, he reached out and gently touched her cheek: "For example, this smile—you usually smile too formally, too perfectly, and it looks fake. Try to relax a little, let your smile have imperfections, let it have warmth."

His fingertips were warm, and his movements were gentle.

Yang Mi could feel the warmth of his fingers and smell the faint scent of soap on his body.

Her heart was racing and her cheeks were slightly flushed, but strangely, she didn't flinch.

"Director Zhang..." Her voice trembled slightly.

"Just call me Zhang Yu." Zhang Yu withdrew his hand, his smile languid. "No need to be so polite in private."

Yang Mi looked at him, the light flowing in his eyes, his languid yet gentle demeanor stirring a flutter in her heart she had never felt before. This man knew so well how to touch people's hearts.

"Zhang Yu..." she tried calling his name, her voice a little hesitant, but sincere.

"Mmm," Zhang Yu responded, his eyes gentle.

The two chatted in the coffee shop until ten o'clock. They talked about everything from acting to life, from movies to literature, from the rules of the entertainment industry to personal dreams... The more they talked, the more compatible they became, and the deeper their conversation became. Yang Mi discovered that Zhang Yu not only understood movies, but also many things she didn't know—philosophy, psychology, history, art... He was almost omniscient, and he could always offer unique insights.

What touched her even more was his focused attention when he listened to her. It wasn't perfunctory listening, but genuine understanding and response. In this industry, directors who treat actresses with such seriousness are few and far between.

"It's getting late." Zhang Yu glanced at his watch. "I should head back."

"I'll see you off." Yang Mi stood up.

"No need, I can go back by myself." Zhang Yu also stood up. "You should get some rest too."

The two walked out of the coffee shop. The cold winter wind hit them, and Yang Mi wrapped her coat tighter. Zhang Yu naturally took off his coat and draped it over her shoulders.

"No need..." Yang Mi wanted to refuse.

"Wear this on, don't catch a cold." Zhang Yu's tone left no room for refusal.

The coat still carried his body heat, warm and comforting, along with his faint scent. Yang Mi didn't refuse again, but simply said softly, "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Zhang Yu smiled. "Goodnight, Yang Mi."

Goodnight... Zhang Yu.

She watched him turn and leave, his dark blue sweater silhouette fading into the distance in the glow of the lanterns in the ancient town. The coat on her shoulders was warm, and so was her heart. It was a feeling she had never experienced before—to be cared for, understood, and treated with gentleness.

Perhaps... this man really is different.

Thoughts at night

When Zhang Yu returned to the Shen family ancestral home, it was already 10:30 p.m. The courtyard was quiet, with only the light on in Chen Chen's room. He walked over and gently knocked on the door.

"Come in," Chen Chen's voice came from inside.

Zhang Yu pushed open the door and entered. Chen Chen was sitting at her desk reading a script, wearing a moon-white cheongsam with a light gray cashmere shawl over it. Her long hair was draped over her shoulders, gleaming softly under the light. She looked up, her emerald eyes clear and bright.

"You're back?" Her voice was calm.

"Hmm." Zhang Yu sat down opposite her. "Reading the script?"

"Looking at tomorrow's script." Chen Chen put down the script and looked at him. "How did your chat with Yang Mi go?"

“Not bad,” Zhang Yu said truthfully. “She’s smart and has her own insights into acting. And… she’s very direct and doesn’t beat around the bush.”

Chen Chen was silent for a moment, then said softly, "She likes you."

Zhang Yu was taken aback: "How did you know?"

“A woman’s intuition.” Chen Chen looked at him. “The way she looks at you is different from how she looks at other girls. It’s more passionate, bolder, and more… determined to have you.”

Zhang Yu laughed, but there was an indescribable weariness in his smile: "Chen Chen, do you think... I'm deliberately provoking these girls?"

“I don’t know,” Chen Chen said honestly, “but you can feel their feelings for you, right? You can feel Jing Tian’s admiration, Gao Yuanyuan’s appreciation, Liu Yan’s boldness, Liu Shishi’s reserve, and Yang Mi’s passion… You know all of this, but you never refuse.”

Zhang Yu fell silent. He couldn't refute it, because Chen Chen was right.

He could sense the feelings each girl had for him, and he could feel his influence. But strangely, he didn't see it as a bad thing—as long as he didn't hurt them, as long as he could help them grow, what was wrong with that attraction?

“Chen Chen,” his voice lowered, “I admit, I like to be appreciated and liked. But I also know very well what I can and cannot do. I won’t play with emotions, and I won’t hurt anyone. I just… want to live more comfortably in this industry.”

Chen Chen looked at him, her eyes filled with complex emotions. She could sense Zhang Yu's sincerity, and she could also sense his struggle. But some things are beyond the control of reason.

“Zhang Yu,” she finally said softly, “I just hope... no matter what you do, you will never forget who you were at the beginning. The Zhang Yu who studied diligently in the Beijing Film Academy library, focused on filming on set, and would get nervous at the slightest glance from me.”

Zhang Yu's heart skipped a beat. He looked at Chen Chen, the lamplight casting soft shadows on her face, her emerald eyes as clear as an autumn lake, reflecting his image.

Does he still remember his original self?

I remember. Of course I remember.

That naive, innocent young man, full of passion for film. But now, he has changed, becoming more complex, more mature, and more... adept.

Whether it's good or bad, he himself doesn't know.

"I will remember this," was all he could say in the end.

Chen Chen stood up, walked to him, and gently hugged him. The body beneath the moon-white cheongsam was warm and soft, and the faint fragrance of his long hair wafted over.

Zhang Yu also hugged her, his arms tightening as if trying to hold onto something he was about to lose.

“Zhang Yu,” Chen Chen whispered in his ear, “no matter what you become, I will be by your side. But please… don’t let me down.”

Her voice was soft, but firm. A warm feeling welled up in Zhang Yu's heart, along with a sense of guilt. He knew that Chen Chen truly loved him and cared about him. But he also knew that he could never go back to the way things were.

Although he had temporarily set aside that mission, the desire to control everything and the confidence to be in control had become ingrained in his very being. He could never go back to being that naive young man.

“I promise you,” he finally said. “No matter what, you will always be the most important person to me.”

They embraced for a long time, until the night deepened and the light of the lanterns shone through the window, casting flickering shadows on the wall. The night was quiet, but neither of them felt at peace.

Zhang Yu knew that from today onwards, he would face not only movies, but also more complex interpersonal relationships and more subtle emotional entanglements.

But in this game, he has no way out.

The only thing to do is keep playing, play well, play to your heart's content, and play... without hurting anyone.

This is enough.