Rebirth: A big star falls in love with me

"Is this your first time at the Paramount, sir?" Her voice carried a hint of sweetness. "Shall I sing you 'Shanghai Nights'?"

As she spoke, her fingers unconsciously twirled the hem of her clothes—the same little gesture Zhang Yu had just mentioned as "calculation." Her smile remained alluring, but a hint of weariness lingered in the corner of her eyes.

Zhang Yu looked at her, then suddenly reached out and grasped the hand she was twisting the hem of her clothes. Bai Bing's body trembled slightly.

"Miss Lin's hands are very cold," Zhang Yu said softly. "Are you dressed too lightly?"

His thumb gently caressed the back of her hand. The touch was warm and ambiguous, and Bai Bing's heart raced again. She could feel the thin calluses on his palm, marks left from years of handling a camera.

"It's warm inside." Her voice was a little unsteady.

"Is that so?" Zhang Yu smiled, a lazy smile with a hint of amusement. "But I feel that Miss Lin is very cold inside."

As he spoke, he suddenly wrapped his other arm around her waist, pulling her closer. Bai Bing gasped, almost falling into his arms. Her body beneath the light gray sweater was soft and warm, and her curves could be felt even through the fabric.

"Director Zhang..." she said in a panic, trying to push him away.

"Shh," Zhang Yu whispered in her ear, "Right now I'm the customer, and you're the singer. If the customer tries to touch you inappropriately, what will you do? Push him away, give in, or... half-heartedly comply?"

His breath brushed against her neck, warm and dangerous. Bai Bing could feel the strength in his arms and smell his even stronger masculine scent. Her mind went blank; she completely forgot this was a performance practice.

"I..." Her voice trembled.

“Remember Lin Wanqing’s situation.” Zhang Yu’s voice remained calm, a stark contrast to their ambiguous posture. “She needs money, and she can’t afford to offend her customers. But she also has dignity; she’s not a prostitute. So her reaction should be… contradictory, struggling, a mixture of reluctance and acceptance.”

As he spoke, his hand moved lightly across her waist. The movement was subtle, yet unmistakably provocative. Bai Bing's face flushed crimson; she could feel her body going weak, heating up, and... generating some inappropriate reaction.

“I…I will smile at him.” She finally found her voice and tried to get back into character. “Then…then gently push his hand away and say, ‘Sir, don’t rush, we haven’t finished our wine yet.’”

As she spoke, she revealed a truly alluring smile, while gently yet firmly placing her hand against Zhang Yu's chest. The smile was beautiful, but deep within her eyes lay a barely concealed humiliation and sorrow.

Zhang Yu let go of her.

“Very good.” He sat back in his chair, as if nothing had happened. “This time you captured the character’s contradictions. Lin Wanqing is such a woman—navigating the world of pleasure, hiding her tears with a smile, and wrapping her dignity in charm.”

Bai Bing took two steps back and straightened her clothes. Her heart was still pounding, and her cheeks were burning. That hug had felt so real, so real that she could remember the temperature of his body, the strength of his arms, and... the breath that made her legs go weak when he was close.

"Thank you for your guidance, Director Zhang." She lowered her head, not daring to look at him.

Zhang Yu looked at her flushed earlobes, a barely perceptible smile curving his lips. This aloof woman, it turns out, also has such a shy side. Interesting.

“Take this book back and read it.” He pulled an old book from the bookshelf, it was Eileen Chang’s “Love in a Fallen City”. “Look at Bai Liusu, she and Lin Wanqing have similarities—both are women who use their wisdom and charm to survive in adversity.”

Bai Bing took the book, her fingertips brushing against his hand again. This time she didn't flinch, but simply whispered, "Thank you."

Morning light streamed through the window, casting swirling dust motes in the study. It was quiet, save for the occasional soft crackling of the kerosene lamp wick.

"Director Zhang," Bai Bing suddenly asked, "why are you willing to spend time guiding me? I'm just a newcomer."

Zhang Yu looked at her; in the morning light, her face was as clean as the first snow. "Because you have talent and sincerity. In this industry, both of these things are very precious."

He spoke with great sincerity. A warm feeling welled up in Bai Bing's heart, along with a hint of... more complex emotions.

Just then, footsteps and voices came from the courtyard. The others gradually got up. A new day was about to begin.

Filming took place at 9:00 AM in the main hall of the Shen family ancestral home. The scene depicted Shen Qingwan confronting relatives from Shanghai who wanted to forcibly buy the ancestral home, which Shen Qingwan resolutely refused.

Chen Chen changed into a dark blue cheongsam embroidered with silver thread, her long hair styled into an elegant bun, adorned with a silver hairpin. This outfit made her look much more mature than her actual age, exuding the authority of a matriarch.

The actor opposite him was a teacher from the Beijing Film Academy's acting department, and his acting skills were solid. When the two acted together, the atmosphere in the entire hall became solemn.

“My niece Qingwan, the situation is turbulent now. Keeping this house would only bring trouble.” The old actor said in a heavy tone, “Property in the Shanghai Concession is the only thing that can hold its value.”

Chen Chen sat upright in the armchair, his back ramrod straight: "Third Uncle, Qingwan will never forget Father's last words—'The Shen family may be scattered, but the ancestral home cannot be sold.' This is not just real estate; it is the Shen family's three-hundred-year-old roots."

Her voice wasn't loud, but every word was firm and resonant. She perfectly embodied that gentle yet strong spirit.

Behind the monitor, Zhang Yu watched intently. He could sense Chen Chen's progress—compared to her initial awkwardness when the machine first started, she was now more composed and knew better how to convey emotions through subtle expressions and gestures.

Bai Bing, Shu Chang, and Liu Yifei stood aside watching. Shu Chang whispered, "Senior Chen Chen acted so well... that look in her eyes, it even scared me."

Liu Yifei nodded: "There is still a lot I need to learn."

Bai Bing didn't speak, but her eyes were focused. She was observing every detail of Chen Chen—his posture, gestures, changes in his eyes, the pauses in his lines. These were things you couldn't learn from textbooks.

The filming was going smoothly. But around ten o'clock, the sound of a car engine came from outside the courtyard again. Zhang Yu frowned—Li Xiaoming was here again?

It wasn't Li Xiaoming who arrived; it was two unexpected people.

When the first woman stepped out of the car, the entire courtyard fell silent for a moment. She was about twenty-four or twenty-five years old, wearing a burgundy cashmere long coat, her long hair styled in elegant waves and cascading over her shoulders. Her features were striking and striking, with a touch of old Shanghai socialite charm in her eyes and brows. Her red lips were full, and her makeup was impeccably applied. Most striking of all was her figure—even the cashmere coat couldn't conceal her enviable curves, her waist swaying gracefully as she walked, exuding captivating charm.

She is Zeng Li, a graduate of the Central Academy of Drama. She has already acted in several TV series and is known for her stunning beauty. She is recognized in the industry as the "Central Academy of Drama's Campus Belle".