Rebirth: A big star falls in love with me

"A bet?" Zhang Yu raised an eyebrow. "Mr. Wang, this is only my second film, and you want a bet already?"

Wang Zhongjun laughed: "Director Zhang, I have a good eye for people. You have talent, ambition, and... that indescribable charm. After yesterday's interview aired, your public image started to turn around, which proves that you not only know how to act, but also how to manage yourself. A person like that is worth investing in."

"What are the conditions?" Zhang Yu asked.

“Five years, five films,” Li Bing continued. “The total box office revenue needs to reach 200 million. If you don’t reach that, you’ll need to make three films for Huayi Brothers for free; if you do, Huayi Brothers will give you five percent of the shares and establish ‘Zhang Yu Studio,’ giving you complete creative autonomy.”

Two hundred million yuan in box office revenue in 2000 was an astronomical figure. But Zhang Yu knew that with the development of the Chinese film market, this goal was not impossible.

“I need to think about it.” Zhang Yu closed the file. “Besides, I’m currently under contract, and the investors of ‘Scholarly Family’ won’t agree.”

“We’ll handle these problems.” Wang Zhongjun leaned forward. “Director Zhang, I know you’re in a delicate situation right now. President Wang is putting pressure on you in conjunction with other investors, and there are also internal conflicts within the production team. But if you sign with Huayi Brothers, none of these problems will be problems—Huayi has the resources and connections to help you resolve them.”

He spoke with great confidence. Zhang Yu looked at him and suddenly laughed: "Mr. Wang, is this a timely help?"

“No, it’s an investment,” Wang Zhongjun said frankly. “I have faith in you, so I’m betting on you. That’s how this industry is; there are many who add to your success, but few who offer help in times of need. I’m willing to be the one who helps in times of need, but the prerequisite is... you have to be worthy.”

These words were quite direct. Zhang Yu remained silent for a few minutes, his fingers lightly tapping the table. The mole under his left eye felt slightly warm; he could sense that this was a crucial decision—signing with Huayi Brothers would give him a powerful backer, but he would also lose some of his freedom; not signing would mean facing the onslaught from President Wang and his ilk alone.

"Give me three days," Zhang Yu finally said. "Filming for 'The Scholarly Family' will wrap up in a month. I'll give you an answer before then."

“Okay.” Wang Zhongjun stood up and handed over a business card. “Director Zhang, I’ll wait for your call. By the way, Li Bing will be staying in Hengdian for a few days. If you need anything, feel free to contact her.”

Li Bing also handed over his business card and smiled, saying, "Director Zhang, I really like your work. I look forward to collaborating with you."

After seeing the two off, Li Xiaoming pulled Zhang Yu aside and asked, "Director Zhang, are you really going to sign with Huayi Brothers?"

"I'm still considering it," Zhang Yu said. "Mr. Li, what do you think?"

“Although Huayi Brothers is just starting out, it’s gaining momentum.” Li Xiaoming lowered his voice. “Wang Zhongjun is a visionary and willing to take risks. The fact that he’s willing to give you a betting agreement shows that he really believes in you. However… the betting risk is too great. If you lose, you’ll have to work for Huayi Brothers for three years.”

“I know.” Zhang Yu looked towards the film set, where Chen Chen was rehearsing with Lu Yuan. Her moon-white cheongsam shimmered softly in the sunlight. “But sometimes, if you don’t take a gamble, you might not even have the chance to sit at the card table.”

---

at noon.

The atmosphere on set was somewhat awkward during lunch. Zeng Li and Yang Mi sat at the same table, but the air between them was almost frozen. Several staff members whispered among themselves, and Zhang Yu vaguely heard words like "billing order" and "screen time."

Sure enough, Yang Mi came over right after we finished eating.

"Director Zhang, do you have a moment? I'd like to talk to you about the film." Today she was wearing a black embroidered cheongsam with a red knitted cardigan over it. Her makeup was cool and elegant, but her eyes held a clear emotion.

The two walked to a gazebo in the corner of the set. Yang Mi got straight to the point: "Director Zhang, haven't Zeng Li's scenes been added too much? The script only has twelve scenes for her, but we've already filmed the fifteenth, and they're still adding more."

Zhang Yu looked at her and said, "This is necessary for the creative process. Some characters will naturally become more fleshed out during filming, which is normal."

"Then why only flesh out her character?" Yang Mi asked sharply. "Director Zhang, we are all actors, and we all put in a lot of effort for this film. But aren't you afraid of alienating the others by showing such favoritism?"

“Yang Mi,” Zhang Yu said calmly, “I remember we had an agreement. You help me, and I’ll support you. But now, it seems you’ve forgotten your place.”

Yang Mi's face paled: "I haven't forgotten. But Director Zhang, you promised me the second female lead, and now Zeng Li's scenes are almost as many as mine. What kind of second female lead is that?"

“The amount of screen time doesn’t mean anything.” Zhang Yu looked at her. “Yang Mi, you’re a smart actress. You should know that a brilliant supporting role is more memorable than a mediocre lead. Zeng Li’s role has indeed been expanded, but your role hasn’t been cut. Moreover… you have a pivotal scene, the emotional climax of the entire film. If you film that scene well, you will shine brighter than anyone else.”

Yang Mi was taken aback: "Which scene?"

"The scene where Lin Wanqing removes her makeup backstage after singing 'The Peony Pavilion' at the opera house," Zhang Yu said. "I rewrote that scene and added a five-minute monologue. If you can perform it well, it will be one of the most tear-jerking parts of the whole film."

He pulled a sheet of paper from his bag and handed it to Yang Mi. It was the script he'd stayed up all night revising. It featured Lin Wanqing removing her makeup in front of the mirror, going from heavy makeup to a bare face, while recounting how she escaped from Suzhou to Shanghai, how she survived in the entertainment industry, and how she fell in love with someone she shouldn't have...

Yang Mi looked at the script, her eyes gradually brightening. This scene was indeed outstanding, with rich emotional layers; if she could perform it well, it would definitely move the audience.

"Director Zhang..." Her tone softened, "I'm sorry, I was too excited just now."

“I understand,” Zhang Yu said. “It’s normal for actors to care about their screen time. But Yang Mi, you have to remember—in this industry, you have to have a long-term vision. The success or failure of a show doesn’t depend on who has more screen time, but on who acts well. You have talent and ambition, so don’t let short-term gains blind you.”

Yang Mi looked at him and suddenly smiled: "Director Zhang, you really know how to manipulate people. I was so angry just now, but now I think you're right."

“Because I’m telling the truth.” Zhang Yu smiled. “Go ahead and prepare well for this scene. We’ll shoot next Tuesday. I’ll give you a whole day to shoot until you’re satisfied.”

"Thank you, Director Zhang!" Yang Mi left happily.

Watching her retreating figure, Zhang Yu breathed a sigh of relief. The conflicts within the film crew needed to be resolved one by one; none of these actresses were easy to deal with.

But just then, he saw Zeng Li walking towards him from another direction, her expression not looking good. Clearly, she had witnessed Yang Mi's conversation with him earlier.

"Director Zhang," Zeng Li approached, her tone somewhat cold, "did Yang Mi complain to you?"

“No,” Zhang Yu said. “We were talking about the play.”

"Do we need to discuss the script separately in the pavilion?" Zeng Li raised an eyebrow. "Zhang Yu, I know you made a promise to her. But you also promised me that my scenes wouldn't be cut. Now there are rumors circulating in the crew that you're going to cut my scenes to add more for Yang Mi. What kind of nonsense is that?"