Rebirth: A big star falls in love with me

Liu Shishi said softly, "What's even more precious is that 'genuineness.' She wasn't acting out her sadness; she was genuinely grieving."

Both of them are professional actors, so their observations are more insightful. They can see the subtleties in Chen Chen's performance and also the skill of Zhang Yu's direction—every detail is just right, not too much or too little.

The filming lasted for over an hour. Chen Chen needed to deliver an eight-minute monologue with three emotional shifts. This would be a huge challenge for any actor, but she performed exceptionally well.

"Cut!" Zhang Yu called out, his voice filled with undisguised admiration. "Perfect! That take is a hit!"

Applause erupted from the audience. Chen Chen snapped out of character and let out a long sigh of relief. This scene had been incredibly exhausting; she felt completely drained and slumped into her chair, utterly drained.

Zhang Yu strode into her room and handed her a glass of warm water: "Drink some water and rest for a bit."

His voice was gentle, and his eyes held undisguised appreciation and concern. Chen Chen took the water glass, her fingertips brushing against his hand, the touch warm. She looked up at him, her emerald eyes still brimming with emotion.

"How was my performance?" she asked, her voice a little hoarse.

“Very good.” Zhang Yu squatted down to look her in the eye. “Especially that last look in her eyes—the transformation from confusion to determination—was handled brilliantly. Chen Chen, you are a born actor.”

He spoke sincerely. Chen Chen smiled, a tired but satisfied smile: "You gave me excellent guidance."

“It’s because you have a special kind of spirit.” Zhang Yu reached out and gently wiped the fine sweat from her forehead.

The gesture was intimate, and the staff in the boudoir pretended not to see it, but the women outside the window all witnessed it. Bai Bing's eyes darkened, and he turned to leave. Shu Chang and Liu Yifei also tactfully walked away. Only Yang Mi and Liu Shishi remained standing there, their expressions complex.

"Director Zhang is so kind to Miss Chen," Yang Mi suddenly said, her voice not loud, but loud enough for the two people in the room to hear.

Zhang Yu turned to look at her, his expression calm: "It's normal for actors to need the director's care and encouragement."

"Is that so?" Yang Mi smiled, a smile that was both cold and a little playful. "But I've met many directors whose concern for actresses goes beyond just acting skills."

These words were ambiguous, carrying a clear probing tone. Chen Chen's expression changed slightly. Zhang Yu, however, smiled, stood up, and faced Yang Mi: "Miss Yang seems to have some unique insights into the relationship between directors and actors?"

His tone was relaxed, even slightly teasing, but his eyes were sharp. Yang Mi met his gaze and was momentarily stunned—this man's eyes were so deep, as if he could see right through people.

"I've just... seen too much." Yang Mi looked away, her tone softening.

“Then don’t use ‘too many’ to speculate about ‘this one’.” Zhang Yu’s voice remained calm, but every word carried weight. “Every director has their own principles, and every actor has their own bottom line. Since Ms. Yang wants to develop in this industry for a long time, she should learn to deal with things on a case-by-case basis, rather than generalizing from a single instance.”

He spoke bluntly, but his reasoning was sound. Yang Mi's expression changed slightly, but she quickly recovered: "Director Zhang is right, I misspoke."

She nodded slightly, turned and left. Liu Shishi glanced at Zhang Yu, her eyes filled with apology, and followed him away.

The bedroom fell silent again. Chen Chen stood up and said softly, "Thank you for speaking up for me."

“I’m stating the facts,” Zhang Yu said, looking at her. “You’re a good actress, and you deserve respect. No one should view our working relationship with prejudice.”

He spoke with utmost seriousness. A warm feeling welled up in Chen Chen's heart, but at the same time, a sense of unease lingered—the more open Zhang Yu was, the more it meant he truly defined their relationship as "cooperation." Then, what did she mean to him?

The thought caused her a pang of pain. But she didn't show it, only smiling and saying, "Alright, it's time to prepare for the next scene."

The next scene is a conversation between Shen Qingwan and Gu Jiangnan in their boudoir. This is a crucial scene where their feelings for each other become clear, requiring the actor to portray the ambiguity and restraint of unspoken emotions.

Lu Yuan had already changed into his costume and was waiting in the courtyard. When he saw Chen Chen come out, he nodded politely: "Junior Chen Chen, you performed that monologue scene really well."

"Thank you, senior." Chen Chen replied with a smile.

Zhang Yu began explaining the scene: "The key to this scene is 'restraint.' Love in the Republican era, especially for a well-bred lady like Shen Qingwan, is expressed very subtly. A glance, a gesture, a hesitant word is more powerful than a direct confession."

He looked at Chen Chen: "Shen Qingwan has realized her feelings for Gu Jiangnan at this point, but she can't and doesn't dare to express them. So her reaction should be contradictory—wanting to get close but not daring to, wanting to confide but swallowing it. This contradiction needs to be expressed through subtle expressions and actions."

She then looked at Lu Yuan: "Gu Jiangnan is more proactive, but he also knows how to keep his distance. He understands Shen Qingwan's situation, so his pursuit is gentle and respectful. He needs to convey that feeling of 'I love you, but I won't force you.'"

Both of them nodded to indicate that they understood.

"Alright, everyone to your positions." Zhang Yu walked back behind the monitor. "Scene 32, Shot 1, Action!"

In her boudoir, Chen Chen sat before her embroidery frame, holding an embroidery hoop, embroidering a plum blossom. Lu Yuan stood by the door, holding a scroll of painting.

"Is Miss Shen embroidering plum blossoms?" he asked softly.

Chen Chen looked up and saw it was him, her cheeks flushing slightly: "Mr. Gu, what brings you here?"

"I just finished a painting and would like to ask Miss Shen for her guidance." Lu Yuan walked in and unfolded the painting—it was a painting of plum blossoms in the snow, with rich ink and a serene artistic conception.

Chen Chen put down the embroidery frame and walked to the painting to examine it closely. The two stood very close, their sleeves almost touching. She could smell the faint scent of ink on him and feel his body temperature. In that instant, her heart skipped a beat.

"Mr. Gu's paintings... are getting better and better." Her voice was a little soft.

“It’s because Xitang is so beautiful.” Lu Yuan turned to look at her, his eyes gentle. “It was also… Miss Shen who inspired me.”

He spoke subtly, but his meaning was clear. Chen Chen's face flushed even more. She lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her dress. That small gesture was delicate, perfectly expressing the girl's shyness and fluttering heart.

Behind the monitor, Zhang Yu watched intently. He could sense that Chen Chen was completely immersed in the role; the subtle flow of emotions and the unspoken ambiguity were all portrayed perfectly by her.

Strangely, watching her and Lu Yuan act out a romantic scene made him feel somewhat uncomfortable. Even though he knew it was acting, even though he was the one directing it, seeing her blush for another man, seeing her heart flutter for another man, that feeling... was very subtle.

"Cut!" he called out, his voice a few degrees colder than usual. "Very good, prepare for the next close-up."

Chen Chen snapped out of her role and looked at Zhang Yu, noticing that his expression was off. A thought flashed through her mind—was he bothered? Was he bothered that she was acting out a romantic scene with someone else?