Rebirth: A big star falls in love with me

"I'm willing to learn!" Zhang Hanyun nodded vigorously. "Director Zhang, as long as I can act, I'm willing to learn anything!"

The second auditionee was a tall girl, wearing a white shirt and black trousers, with long, flowing hair and a cool, aloof demeanor. She was Liu Shishi, a sophomore in the ballet department of the Beijing Dance Academy, who had been recommended by her teacher to audition.

"The role I want to audition for is... a dancer in Shanghai," Liu Shishi said softly. "Although I can't dance ballroom dance, I can do ballet. And... I think the character of a dancer should have a very complex inner world. She appears glamorous on the outside, but suffers inside."

She was absolutely right. Zhang Yu looked at her: "Can you portray that kind of complexity?"

“I can give it a try.” Liu Shishi walked to the center of the pavilion, closed her eyes for a few seconds, and when she opened them again, her entire aura had changed—her back was straight, her chin slightly raised, and her eyes held the unique charm and aloofness of a dancer. She began to dance, not a ballroom dance, but an impromptu ballet, her movements elegant yet tinged with a touch of decadence, like a flower blooming and withering in the night.

As the dance ended, she was slightly out of breath, her cheeks flushed. Zhang Yu clapped: "Very moving. But dancers need to learn ballroom dancing; you should learn."

“I can learn,” Liu Shishi said. “I learn to dance very quickly.”

“Okay, this role is yours,” Zhang Yu said. “However, filming will be tough, with some night scenes and some rain scenes, so be prepared.”

"I'm not afraid of hard work," Liu Shishi said, her eyes lighting up. "Thank you, Director Zhang!"

The third person to audition was someone who surprised Zhang Yu—Song Qian. She didn't come through the normal channels; she came directly to the film set. Today, she was wearing sportswear, her long hair was tied in a bun, and she had no makeup on, but her features were striking, giving her a mixed-race beauty.

"Hello Director Zhang, hello President Li." Song Qian bowed, her Mandarin tinged with a Shandong accent. "I'm Song Qian, a student at the Beijing Dance Academy, and currently a trainee at SM Entertainment in South Korea. I... I sneaked in here to try out for a role."

"You sneaked in?" Li Xiaoming frowned. "How did you get in?"

“I snuck in with a film crew.” Song Qian stuck out her tongue. “Director Zhang, I read the report on ‘A Family of Scholars’ and I really admire you. I’m thinking… I’m thinking of trying out the role of the female student who returned from abroad.”

Zhang Yu remembered—there was indeed a character in the script, a progressive young woman who had returned from studying in France. She didn't have many scenes, but she was very memorable. Song Qian's temperament did indeed have that blend of Chinese and Western qualities.

"Why do you want to act?" Zhang Yu asked. "Aren't you a trainee in South Korea? You should develop your career as an idol."

“I love acting,” Song Qian said earnestly. “I also love singing and dancing, but acting…acting allows me to become someone else and experience different lives. Director Zhang, I really want to give it a try.”

Her eyes burned with a fiery intensity, the undisguised longing unique to a seventeen-year-old girl. Zhang Yu looked at her, the birthmark under his left eye slightly warming—Song Qian's star-like mark was unique, a blend of yearning for the stage, curiosity about the unknown, and a kind of...adventure.

"Do you speak French?" Zhang Yu asked.

"I know a little!" Song Qian immediately said, her pronunciation very standard. "I learned it at school."

"Dancing?"

"I know folk dance and modern dance, and I also learned street dance in South Korea." As she spoke, Song Qian demonstrated a few street dance moves in the pavilion, which were smooth, powerful, and full of energy.

Zhang Yu and Li Xiaoming exchanged a glance. This girl was indeed a promising talent.

"Okay, I'll give you a chance," Zhang Yu said. "But you need to coordinate your schedule with the company so it doesn't interfere with the training there."

"No problem!" Song Qian jumped up happily. "Thank you, Director Zhang! Thank you!"

The auditions didn't end until 4 PM. Zhang Yu selected three newcomers—Zhang Hanyun, Liu Shishi, and Song Qian—all promising talents. Li Xiaoming was very satisfied, feeling that the cast of this film was becoming increasingly impressive.

But Zhang Yu knew that with each additional girl came an additional responsibility, and also an additional... starlight mark.

The progress is accelerating. There are already twenty-four questions.

---

Six o'clock in the evening.

As we finished work, the sky suddenly darkened, and then a torrential downpour began. The weather in Hengdian in March is unpredictable; large raindrops pounded on the bluestone pavement, splashing up a spray of water.

The staff were busy packing up the equipment, and the actors were finding places to take shelter from the rain. Zhang Yu stood under the eaves of the "Imperial Study," staring blankly at the rain.

"Director Zhang didn't bring an umbrella?"

A gentle voice came from behind him. Zhang Yu turned around and saw Wang Likun standing not far away. She wasn't filming today; she was wearing a beige trench coat, her long hair was loose, and she was holding a transparent umbrella.

"I didn't bring any," Zhang Yu said. "I'll leave when the rain gets a little lighter."

"This rain isn't going to stop anytime soon." Wang Likun walked over and naturally held up her umbrella. "Let me give you a ride for a bit, it's on my way anyway."

The umbrella wasn't large, and the two were very close. Zhang Yu could smell the faint scent of gardenias on her and feel the warmth of her body. Wang Likun was very tall, only half a head shorter than him. When she held the umbrella, her arm was slightly raised, and the sleeve of her trench coat slipped down, revealing a section of her fair wrist.

"Is Miss Wang from the Beijing Dance Academy?" Zhang Yu started a conversation.

“Yes, I’m a senior this year.” Wang Likun nodded. “Director Zhang, thank you for giving me this opportunity. I especially like that elegant young lady who dances.”

“I’ve seen your profile; you have a very good foundation in ballet,” Zhang Yu said. “However, the ladies of prominent families during the Republic of China era didn’t dance ballet; they danced classical dance. You’ll need to learn it again.”

“I’m learning,” Wang Likun said, her eyes shining. “I found a teacher and I practice every day. Director Zhang, I’m sure I can do a good job.”

She spoke with unwavering conviction. Zhang Yu looked at her; this girl possessed an elegant yet stubborn air, like a swan—gentle on the outside, proud on the inside.

"Why do you want to act?" Zhang Yu asked. "Isn't dancing good enough?"

“Dancing…is too limiting,” Wang Likun said softly. “On stage, I can only express myself with my body. But acting is different; I can use facial expressions, my eyes, and lines…I can express so much more. Director Zhang, I think acting is a much broader art form.”

Her words were very insightful. Zhang Yu was somewhat surprised; he hadn't expected a dance student to have such an understanding of performance.

“You’re right,” Zhang Yu nodded. “Dance is the poetry of the body, and performance is the painting of the soul. They are connected, yet different.”

"Director Zhang's analogy is excellent." Wang Likun smiled, a gentle smile. "By the way, Director Zhang, I have a question I'd like to ask you."

"You said."

"The character I played secretly loved Gu Jiangnan, but because she was from a respectable family, she couldn't confess her feelings and could only keep them hidden in her heart." Wang Likun asked earnestly, "How do you portray this kind of restrained unrequited love in a way that makes the audience feel it?"

This is a very professional question. Zhang Yu thought for a moment: "Restrained emotions are often expressed through details. For example, when he is present, your eyes will unconsciously follow him; when he speaks, your body will lean forward slightly; when he looks at you, you will subconsciously avoid his gaze, but your ears will turn red... These small actions are more powerful than a straightforward confession."