Rebirth: A big star falls in love with me

Zhang Yu stood still, the mole under his left eye burning as if it were about to ignite.

He could feel that several more starlight imprints had appeared within him—Gao Yuanyuan's pure adoration, Zhao Liying's unwavering trust, Liu Yifei's clear longing, and... Chen Chen's complex emotions, a mixture of pain, disappointment, and an inability to let go.

The progress is accelerating.

But the emptiness in his heart grew ever larger.

Outside the window, the sky over Hengdian darkened; it looked like it was going to rain again.

But his game will continue.

Whatever the cost.

……

February 13, 2000, morning.

The mist over Hengdian World Studios hadn't yet dissipated, but the "Imperial Study" in the Ming and Qing Palace Garden was already brightly lit. Today's shoot was a pivotal scene from "The Scholarly Family"—the scene where Lin Shuwan breaks down emotionally in the study after discovering Gu Jiangnan's pre-arranged marriage. Chen Chen had entered the makeup room at four in the morning, and was currently having his eyes closed while the makeup artist adjusted his tear makeup—a light bluish-black was applied around his eyes, his eyelashes were wet, and his lips were slightly pale, giving him an appearance of someone who hadn't slept all night and was utterly exhausted.

Zhang Yu stood behind the monitor, looking at Chen Chen's profile in the dressing room mirror. Her jawline was taut, a sign that she was trying hard to control her emotions. Since the night of the press conference, they had maintained a subtle distance—they worked together seamlessly, but rarely spoke in private.

"Director Zhang," Assistant Director Xiao Wang walked over with the shooting schedule, "Today, besides Sister Chen Chen's scenes, there are three more scenes with supporting actors that need reshooting. Also... people from Enlight Media are here, saying they want to do a set visit and interview."

“Enlight Media?” Zhang Yu frowned. “Haven’t we already rejected them twice?”

“This isn’t an ordinary reporter,” Xiao Wang said in a low voice. “It’s Liu Yan, the rising star host at Enlight Media. She personally led the team and said she absolutely had to interview you.”

Liu Yan. This name made the mole under Zhang Yu's left eye feel slightly warm. In his past life's memories, this female host, known for her sexiness and boldness, was a unique figure in the entertainment industry—she was intelligent, ambitious, knew how to utilize her strengths, yet also maintained a certain bottom line. In 2000, she should still be hosting entertainment news for Enlight Media, not yet fully established.

"Let her wait," Zhang Yu said calmly. "We'll talk about it after we finish filming Chen Chen's scene."

---

At nine o'clock in the morning, the collapse in the study

"All departments, prepare—Scene 187, Shot 1, Action!"

Inside the study, Lin Shuwan, played by Chen Chen, stood before the desk, holding an unfolded letter in her hand. The letter bore the handwriting of Gu Jiangnan's father, informing him that his son was engaged to the daughter of a wealthy businessman from Suzhou and would be married next month.

The camera zooms in for a close-up. Chen Chen's fingers are trembling, and the paper makes a soft rustling sound. Her eyes go from initial blankness to disbelief, and finally to utter despair—the whole process takes only a dozen seconds, yet the distinct layers are heartbreaking.

"Jiangnan...you lied to me..." she began, her voice soft, as light as a feather falling to the ground, "You said...you said you would wait for me to come back from Suzhou...you said you would marry me..."

There was no hysteria, no wailing. Her tears fell silently, one after another, landing on the letter and blurring the ink. That restrained pain was more powerful than any outburst.

Zhang Yu held his breath behind the monitor. He knew that Chen Chen wasn't acting; she was using this scene to release her emotions—the pain of being deceived, the despair of unrequited love, and the unspeakable grievances.

"Cut!" Zhang Yu called out, his voice a little hoarse. "Very good... this take is done."

A few seconds of silence followed, then applause broke out. Several female staff members were already secretly wiping away tears. Chen Chen's performance was so moving; the subtle and nuanced pain resonated with everyone.

Chen Chen stood there, still lost in her emotions. The makeup artist quickly came forward to touch up her makeup, but she waved her hand and walked to the window alone, her back to everyone. Her shoulders were trembling slightly.

Zhang Yu wanted to go over, but Huang Ying had already stepped forward and gently put her arm around Chen Chen's shoulder. The two whispered something, and Chen Chen shook his head, wiped away his tears, and turned around, already calm—at least on the surface.

"Director Zhang, we can continue now," she said, her voice still a little choked up, but her eyes were already focused on her work.

Zhang Yu nodded, but his heart felt like it was being blocked by something. He would rather she cry and make a scene than swallow everything like this.

---

At 10:30 a.m., an unexpected visitor arrived.

During intermission, the people from Enlight Media were finally allowed to enter the set. Leading them was a woman in her early twenties, wearing a white knit sweater and light blue jeans, topped with a beige trench coat. Her long hair was slightly wavy, and her makeup was delicate yet not heavy. Most striking was her figure—curvaceous movements beneath the sweater, long, straight legs encased in jeans, radiating a healthy and sexy energy.

This is Liu Yan. At this moment, she is holding a microphone, introducing the film set environment to the camera. Her voice is clear and pleasant, with the unique friendliness of a host.

"Dear viewers, we are now on the set of 'A Scholarly Family.' As you can see, the set design here is exquisite, perfectly recreating the appearance of a study from the Republican era..."

Zhang Yu stood not far away watching her. Liu Yan was very professional, with a great sense of the camera; her positioning, speaking speed, and expressions were all perfectly controlled. Moreover, she knew when to stop—she didn't disturb the actors who were resting, nor did she take unauthorized photos of unreleased sets; she followed all the rules of the production crew.

"Director Zhang!" Liu Yan's eyes lit up when she saw him, and she quickly walked over. "Finally, I've met you! I'm Liu Yan from Enlight Media, in charge of the 'Entertainment Live' program. May I have ten minutes of your time?"

She extended her hand, her fingers long and slender, her nails neatly trimmed. Zhang Yu shook her hand briefly, then let go: "Ms. Liu, our production team has a rule that we don't give interviews during filming."

“I know, I know,” Liu Yan smiled, her eyes crinkling. “That’s why I waited until the break. Director Zhang, just ten minutes. I’ll ask you a few questions about the filmmaking process, absolutely nothing about your personal life. I promise.”

She spoke sincerely, her eyes holding just the right amount of pleading—neither overly humble nor overbearing. Zhang Yu looked at her, and the birthmark under his left eye warmed even more—Liu Yan's star-like mark was taking shape, a mixture of professional ambition, appreciation for talent, and... a woman's instinctive attraction.

"Five minutes." Zhang Yu glanced at his watch. "Right here, no recording, no video recording."

"Okay!" Liu Yan immediately told the cameraman to turn off the camera, and took out a notebook and pen from her bag. "Director Zhang, how was the project 'A Family of Scholars' originally conceived? Why did you choose to focus on women in the Republican era?"

The questions were very professional and effectively avoided the taboo of gossip. Zhang Yu relaxed a bit and briefly explained his initial motivation for creating the work. Liu Yan listened attentively, nodding occasionally and asking a question or two about specific details, all of which were to the point.