Rebirth: A big star falls in love with me

"Thank you," Zhang Yu said. "That scene was filmed seven times, and Chen Chen's eyes were swollen from crying."

“Chen Chen is indeed a good actor.” Li Bing looked at Chen Chen across from her. She was wearing a simple light blue dress today, with light makeup, but her face was still pale. “But Director Zhang, I heard… there are some problems between you two?”

Zhang Yu raised an eyebrow: "Miss Li is very well-informed."

“In this industry, you can’t afford to be out of the loop,” Li Bing smiled. “Director Zhang, I don’t mean to pry into your privacy. It’s just… if you want to sign with Huayi Brothers, there are some issues you’d better sort out beforehand. Huayi can help you handle external troubles, but internal emotional issues are something you’ll have to resolve yourself.”

She spoke very directly. Zhang Yu looked at her; this capable female director had a sharp eye.

“I know,” Zhang Yu said. “Thanks for reminding me.”

Halfway through the banquet, Yang Mi walked over with a wine glass in her hand: "Director Zhang, let me toast you. Thank you for that scene."

She had drunk a bit too much today; her cheeks were flushed, and her black dress accentuated her fair skin. The off-shoulder design revealed her delicate collarbones and rounded shoulders. As she bent down to offer a toast, the cleavage of her chest was faintly visible.

Zhang Yu raised his glass and took a sip. Yang Mi, however, didn't leave but sat down beside him: "Director Zhang, I have some thoughts about that monologue scene, and I'd like to discuss them with you..."

She stood very close, the scent of perfume mingling with the smell of alcohol, creating a seductive and ambiguous atmosphere. Zeng Li, sitting opposite her, saw this, gave a cold laugh, and turned her head away.

Zhang Yu subtly distanced himself: "Let's talk on set tomorrow. Now is not the time to discuss work."

"Director Zhang is so serious." Yang Mi smiled, a smile as alluring as a fox. "Alright, then I won't bother you any longer."

She got up to leave, but as she turned, her high heels twisted, and she fell towards Zhang Yu. Zhang Yu instinctively caught her, and Yang Mi fell into his arms, her soft body pressed against him, her warm breath brushing against his neck.

"I'm sorry..." Yang Mi said softly, but did not get up immediately.

Everyone witnessed this scene. Wang Zhongjun raised an eyebrow, Li Bing frowned, Zeng Li sneered, and Chen Chen... Chen Chen lowered his eyes.

Zhang Yu helped Yang Mi stand up straight and said calmly, "Be careful."

Yang Mi blushed and finally returned to her seat.

The banquet continued in a subtle atmosphere. Zhang Yu could sense that Chen Chen's starlight had dimmed a little more.

---

Eleven o'clock at night.

After the banquet, Zhang Yu returned to the hotel. As soon as he stepped out of the elevator, he saw Chen Chen standing at his room door, holding a script.

"Chen Chen?" Zhang Yu was somewhat surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"I'd like to talk to you about tomorrow's scene," Chen Chen said, his voice still hoarse. "Is it a convenient time?"

Zhang Yu opened the door: "Come in."

The room was messy, with the script, storyboards, and a draft contract from Huayi Brothers spread out on the table. Chen Chen glanced at them, said nothing, and sat down on the sofa.

"I want to film the river-jumping scene tomorrow," she said bluntly. "I've taken my medicine, my fever has gone down, and I can film it."

Zhang Yu poured her a glass of water: "Why did you have to film this scene?"

“Because…” Chen Chen looked down at the script in his hand, “Because Lin Shuwan jumped into the river not to die, but to be reborn. While she was struggling in the water, she understood many things—love is not everything in life, and men are not a permanent support. When she surfaced, she was reborn.”

She was absolutely right; that was exactly what Zhang Yu intended when he wrote this scene.

"Do you know why I can understand Lin Shuwan?" Chen Chen looked up at him, her eyes reddening. "Because I've also struggled in the water. Zhang Yu, from Xitang until now, I'm just like Lin Shuwan, loving someone I shouldn't love, knowing it's a pit of fire, but still jumping in."

“Chen Chen…” Zhang Yu wanted to say something, but Chen Chen interrupted him.

"Let me finish." She wiped away her tears. "Zhang Yu, I love you, and that has never changed in these three years. But I'm tired, really tired. Every time I see you being intimate with other women, every time I hear those rumors, every time you lie to me... it feels like my heart is being cut by a knife."

“But strangely enough, I can’t bring myself to hate you.” She smiled bitterly. “Because I know you’re not the kind of person who plays with emotions. Everything you do seems to have a reason, a hardship. So I forgive you again and again, waiting for your explanation, waiting for you to tell me the truth.”

“But I don’t want to wait anymore.” Chen Chen stood up, walked to the window, and turned his back to him. “Zhang Yu, I want to film this scene of jumping into the river. After filming, Lin Shuwan will be reborn, and I… should be reborn too.”

Zhang Yu stood rooted to the spot, his heart clenching as if gripped by an invisible hand. He could feel Chen Chen's starlight imprint pulsating violently—pain, reluctance, and resolve...

“Chen Chen,” he finally said, “if I told you everything now, would you believe me?”

"Will you tell me?" Chen Chen turned to look at him. "Will you tell me why you suddenly changed? Why are there so many women around you all of a sudden? Why do you hurt me when you clearly love me?"

Zhang Yu fell silent. He couldn't speak, at least not now. The mission was too absurd, too burdensome; even if he told Chen Chen, she wouldn't believe him, and it would only cause her more pain.

"See, you still won't tell." Chen Chen laughed, a laugh filled with utter desolation. "Zhang Yu, sometimes I wonder, do you have some unspeakable secret? Do you have a terminal illness? Do you owe a huge debt? Is that why you're treating me like this, trying to make me leave you?"

“No…” Zhang Yu shook his head, “but I do…have my reasons.”

"Is your suffering more important than my happiness?" Chen Chen asked, tears silently streaming down her face. "Zhang Yu, isn't loving someone about wanting them to be happy? If you truly love me, why can't you put aside your suffering for my sake?"

Zhang Yu couldn't answer that question. Because that mission concerned not only his own fate, but also... the fate of many more people.

"I'm sorry." That was all he could repeat in the end.

Chen Chen stared at him for a long time. Then she wiped away her tears, picked up the script, and said, "I'll film the river-jumping scene tomorrow. After that... Zhang Yu, let's break up."

She spoke calmly, but every word struck Zhang Yu's heart like a heavy hammer.

"Okay," Zhang Yu heard his own voice say, "If you've really thought it through... I respect your decision."

Chen Chen nodded and turned to leave. She stopped at the door, but didn't turn back: "Zhang Yu, I have one last question for you."

"You said."

"In these three years, was there ever a moment when you truly and purely loved me? Without scheming, without ulterior motives, simply loving me as a person?"

Zhang Yu closed his eyes. Countless images flashed through his mind—their first encounter in Xitang, the afternoon at the library, the way she blushed when they first held hands, her burning her hand while learning to cook for him, her staying up all night with him writing a script...

“Every moment,” he heard himself say. “Chen Chen, I love you, from the beginning until now, and that has never changed. Those hardships, those hurts, have nothing to do with love. My love for you is the truest and purest truth.”