Rebirth: A big star falls in love with me

The alley was narrow, and the cobblestone path was slippery. Bai Bing slipped and almost fell. Zhang Yu reacted quickly and caught her, putting his arm around her waist.

"Be careful."

His arms were strong, and Bai Bing was almost leaning against him. Her body beneath the light gray sweater was soft and warm, and her curves could be felt even through the fabric. Bai Bing's face flushed instantly, and she hurriedly steadied herself.

"Thank you...thank you."

Chen Chen watched this scene, her fingers tightening slightly as she gripped the umbrella handle. But she said nothing and simply continued walking forward.

When they returned to the Shen family ancestral home, dinner was already prepared. There were many people today, and Aunt Shen had cooked a table full of dishes. Everyone sat around, the atmosphere seemingly lively, but actually subtly tense.

Zeng Li was good at enlivening the atmosphere, and a few words from her kept the laughter going at the dinner table. Li Xiaoran was gentle and occasionally chimed in. Shu Chang was lively and chatted happily with Zhang Hanyun. Liu Yifei was quiet, only taking small bites of her food. Wang Ou was cool and didn't talk much. Zhang Zilin was dignified and talked with Li Xiaoming and the investors.

Bai Bing remained aloof, but occasionally glanced at Zhang Yu. Chen Chen sat beside Zhang Yu, eating quietly, but Huang Ying could sense her emotions—she was restraining herself.

Zhang Yu remained calm; he ate, drank, and conversed with unhurried ease. But Huang Ying noticed that his gaze frequently swept over the women, carrying a certain assessment and contemplation.

She wondered what this man was thinking.

After dinner, Li Xiaoming suggested going to listen to Pingtan (a type of storytelling and ballad singing in Suzhou dialect). Some people went, but Zhang Yu said he was tired and wanted to rest. Chen Chen also said he was tired and wanted to go back to his room to read the script.

The others gradually left, and the courtyard quieted down again. Zhang Yu stood under the eaves, gazing at the stars in the night sky. The winter night sky was clear, and the stars were exceptionally bright.

Chen Chen walked to his side and asked softly, "What are you thinking about?"

“I’m thinking about… choices,” Zhang Yu said. “Life is always about making choices, and some choices are very difficult.”

"for example?"

“For example…” Zhang Yu turned to look at her, “For example, between ideals and reality, between purity and complexity, between one person and… many people.”

He spoke vaguely, but Chen Chen understood. She looked at him, her emerald eyes clear and bright in the night.

“Zhang Yu,” she said softly, “I’ll only ask you one question—is your heart still the same as before?”

This question was too direct and too pointed. Zhang Yu fell silent.

What could he say? That she would always hold a place in his heart? That everything else was just an act? That it was all for some unspeakable mission?

he can not.

“Chen Chen,” he finally said, “some things will never change. But some things…have to change.”

He spoke honestly. Chen Chen looked at him for a long time, then said softly, "I understand."

She turned and left, her pale purple cheongsam making her silhouette appear frail in the night. Zhang Yu watched her retreating figure, a complex mix of emotions welling up within him—guilt, reluctance, and... an inexplicable sense of resolve.

He knew that from this day forward, some things could never be the same again.

That shelved mission, those starlight marks, and these beautiful and special women... everything was pushing him forward.

He could only move forward.

The night deepens and the stars twinkle.

The mole under Zhang Yu's left eye gleamed faintly in the darkness.

The path to restarting the Stargate may... truly have begun.

……

On February 7, 2000, at six o'clock in the morning, the temperature in Xitang dropped below zero.

When Zhang Yu pushed open the door, his breath condensed into a cloud of mist in the morning light. The old plum tree in the courtyard had blossomed for the third time, its pale pink petals covered with a thin layer of frost, delicate and beautiful in the dim morning light. He pulled his dark gray cashmere coat tighter around him and saw Chen Chen already standing under the plum tree—today she was wearing a moon-white cloak embroidered with silver thread, the hood trimmed with snow-white fox fur, making her face appear even smaller and more delicate.

"Up so early?" Zhang Yu walked over and noticed tiny frosty spots on her eyelashes.

Chen Chen turned to look at him, her emerald eyes clear in the morning light: "I can't sleep because we're filming the last few key scenes today."

Her voice was soft, carrying a hint of barely perceptible fatigue. Zhang Yu knew that filming for "Old Tales of Jiangnan" was nearing its end, and the role of Shen Qingwan had taken a heavy toll on her. This seemingly gentle yet resilient woman from the Republican era, brought to life and soul by Chen Chen's portrayal, had also left her immersed in a prolonged period of suppressed yet steadfast emotions.

"Relax." Zhang Yu reached out and gently brushed away the frost on her eyelashes. "Today's scene is the turning point for Shen Qingwan's emotional outburst. You need to save your energy."

His fingertips were warm, and his movements were gentle. Chen Chen didn't flinch, but simply looked at him quietly: "Zhang Yu, after filming this drama, are you really going to take on 'The Scholarly Family'?"

She had asked this question many times, but today she asked it with particular seriousness. Zhang Yu was silent for a moment: "I'm still considering it."

"If you were to take the job, would you use those people?" Chen Chen's voice was very soft. "Zeng Li, Li Xiaoran, Bai Bing... and so many other actresses."

Zhang Yu sensed the unease in her words. He looked at her; in the morning light, her face was as clean as the first snow, and her eyes held worry, expectation, and something deeper—uncertainty about their relationship.

“The casting process will be fair,” he concluded. “But Chen Chen, you have to understand that as a director, I’m destined to work with many actresses in this industry. It’s my job.”

“I know it’s work.” Chen Chen looked down at his toes. “I’m just… just worried that some things might change.”

She spoke subtly, but Zhang Yu understood. He reached out and put his arm around her shoulder, gently pulling her into his embrace. Her body, slender and soft beneath the moon-white cloak, carried the chill of the morning.

“Some things will never change,” he whispered in her ear, “like the place you hold in my heart.”

Chen Chen didn't respond, but simply leaned quietly against him. It was very quiet at this moment, with only the sound of oars from the early morning boats on the river in the distance and the rustling of the wind through the plum tree branches.

But this tranquility was soon shattered.

"Director Zhang, Sister Chen, good morning!"

A clear, lively voice came from under the corridor. Zhang Yu let go of Chen Chen and saw Shu Chang skipping and hopping over. Today she was wearing a bright red down jacket, which made her little face look fair and rosy, like a lucky baby in a New Year's painting.

"Good morning, Shu Chang." Chen Chen greeted her with a smile. The momentary vulnerability she had shown earlier had vanished, and she had returned to being the gentle and poised senior.

"Aunt Shen said it's especially cold today, so she made ginger tea!" Shu Chang's eyes sparkled. "She asked me to come and call you all to drink it!"

“Okay, I’ll go right away.” Zhang Yu nodded.

The three walked towards the main hall. As they passed the side rooms, Zhang Yu saw that the light in Bai Bing's room was on. Her silhouette, with her head down, reading a book, was projected onto the window paper, as quiet as a traditional Chinese painting.

This aloof woman seemed to have undergone some subtle changes since that morning when she practiced in the study. She was still quiet, but her gaze towards him was no longer so distant, and occasionally, when they spoke, there would be subtle ripples in her eyes.