Rebirth: A big star falls in love with me

"It's too late, maybe next time," Zhang Yu said.

"Okay, next time." Yang Mi smiled, a smile that looked as alluring as a fox under the streetlights. "I'll be waiting for you."

She turned and walked into the residential area, her figure in the black leather jacket gradually disappearing into the night. Zhang Yu returned to his car and closed the door.

The car was quiet, with only the sound of the engine. After a long while, Chen Chen spoke: "She likes you."

“I know,” Zhang Yu said.

"How do you feel?"

"...I didn't feel anything."

Chen Chen laughed, but there was an indescribable bitterness in his laughter: "Zhang Yu, you're lying. You clearly enjoy it—you enjoy the feeling of being liked by so many women, you enjoy the feeling of them fighting over you, you enjoy... this feeling of being in control of everything."

She was absolutely right, so right that Zhang Yu couldn't refute her. He truly enjoyed it. The feeling was like a drug, addictive.

"Chen Chen, I..."

“No need to explain.” Chen Chen shook his head. “I said I could accept it. But Zhang Yu, I also want to tell you—my acceptance has its limits. If you really did have something happen with them... I will leave.”

She spoke calmly, but every word was like a knife. Zhang Yu looked at her; in the night, the lines of her profile were soft yet resolute.

“I won’t,” he finally said.

"I hope you keep your word." Chen Chen turned to look at him. "Now, take me back to school."

The car continued driving. Neither of them spoke again, but the silence was heavier than any argument.

When she dropped Chen Chen off at his dormitory, she got out of the car but didn't leave immediately. Instead, she stood outside the car window and looked at him.

"Zhang Yu," she said softly, "will you go to the audition for the role of the White Soldiers tomorrow?"

"meeting."

"So... Zeng Li's audition is the day after tomorrow?"

"Sure."

"Is Yang Mi going to have her audition the day after tomorrow?"

“Yes, I will.” Zhang Yu looked at her. “It’s my job.”

“I know it’s work.” Chen Chen smiled, a bittersweet sense of relief in his smile. “I was just thinking, this week you’ll be spending time alone with so many beautiful women, auditioning, discussing roles, and maybe even… coaching performances. Can you handle it?”

This question was too direct. Zhang Yu remained silent for a long time before replying, "I will try my best."

"Try your best..." Chen Chen repeated the word, then shook his head. "Okay, I believe you. Go upstairs and get some rest."

She turned and walked into the dormitory building, her figure in the beige coat quickly disappearing into the night.

Zhang Yu sat in the car for a long time without leaving. He could feel several more starlight imprints stirring within him—Zeng Li's, Yang Mi's, and even... the kiss just now had transformed the subtle emotions between Chen Chen and Yang Mi into some kind of energy.

The pace was accelerating, but his heart was growing heavier.

Is this game really going to continue like this?

he does not know.

All he knew was that once those memories were awakened, there was no turning back.

The night deepens and the stars twinkle.

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

Of the 108 starlight rays, he had only collected less than ten.

The road ahead is long, but he can only move forward.

This is his choice.

Whatever the cost.

……

At 6:30 a.m. on February 18, 2000, the temperature in Beijing was still below zero.

Zhang Yu was awakened by his phone vibrating. He opened his eyes and saw that the sky outside was still overcast, a cold blue after the snowfall. On his phone screen was a text message from Huang Ying: "Zhang Yu, Chen Chen found a letter while tidying up yesterday. It's a letter you wrote to her last year but never sent. She read it all night, and her eyes are swollen from crying. Could you spare some time to come see her today?"

A letter? Written last year?

Zhang Yu sat up, rubbing his temples; the hangover headache still lingered. He'd been drinking with several investors until the early hours of the morning, arguing about the budget for "The Scholarly Family." Those middle-aged men were as slippery as eels, demanding cost control, big-name actors, and guaranteed box office success. He'd navigated the situation, saying countless things against his will and drinking countless cups of alcohol he didn't want to drink.

And now, she has to face Chen Chen's tears.

He replied to Huang Ying: "I'm arranging auditions at Rongxinda Rehearsal Hall. It'll take all day today. Tell her to wait for me tonight, I'll go find her."

After replying to the text message, Zhang Yu got out of bed to wash up. The mole under his left eye was clearly visible in the morning light, his eyes were bloodshot, and he had new stubble on his chin. Over the past three days, he had attended auditions for seven actresses, providing individual guidance to each one and dealing with their subtle, ambiguous advances. Bai Bing's aloof persistence, Zeng Li's bold passion, Yang Mi's clever danger, Liu Shishi's gentle reserve, Li Xiaoran's mature grace… each woman was a unique landscape, and also a difficult problem to handle carefully.

Today, there are three more people—Shu Chang, Liu Yifei, and one unexpected person: Song Qian.

Song Qian called yesterday, saying she heard that "A Family of Scholars" was casting and she wanted to try out. Zhang Yu initially wanted to refuse, but she persisted on the phone, saying that even a small role would be fine, she just wanted to learn from him. In the end, he agreed—the girl's enthusiasm was hard to refuse, and she had a special energy that other actresses didn't possess.

After washing up, Zhang Yu pulled a kraft paper envelope from his desk drawer. It was written last autumn, right after the script for "Old Tales of Jiangnan" was finished. He wrote it to confess his feelings to Chen Chen, but ultimately lacked the courage to send it. He still remembered the letter's contents; it was all from the heart—saying she was the most talented actress he'd ever met, that her eyes were like jade, and that he wanted to make many, many good movies with her...

Looking back now, those words seem as childish as a love letter written by a high school student. But Chen Chen read them and cried all night.

Zhang Yu put the letter back in the envelope and placed it in his bag. Perhaps he should send the letter tonight, perhaps he should say something more mature. But what should he say? Should he say that although he loves her, he still wants to continue his ambiguous relationships with other female celebrities? Should he say that he has a mission he must complete, which requires him to collect the admiration of 108 women?

He smiled wryly, put on his dark gray cashmere coat, and went out.

The first test in the rehearsal hall in the morning

Nine o'clock in the morning, Rongxinda rehearsal hall.

When Zhang Yu arrived, Shu Chang was already there. She was wearing a pink down jacket, her hair styled in two buns, looking like a lucky doll from a traditional Chinese New Year painting, radiating youthful energy. Seeing Zhang Yu, she skipped over, "Good morning, Director Zhang!"

"Good morning." Zhang Yu put down his bag. "How are the preparations going?"

"I've prepared a clip of Lin Shuwan in her teenage years!" Shu Chang's eyes sparkled. "It's the scene where she's chasing butterflies in the garden! I think it's perfect for me!"

She was referring to the scene in the script where Lin Shuwan is fifteen years old, innocent and naive, unaware of the ways of the world. It certainly suits Shu Chang's current age and temperament very well.

"Okay, get ready, we'll start in ten minutes." Zhang Yu walked to the chair in the center of the rehearsal hall, sat down, and opened his laptop.