Rebirth: A big star falls in love with me

"We've arrived. How's Hengdian?" Zhang Yu replied, walking towards the taxi waiting area.

"The reshoots are 80% complete, and we were scheduled to finish them all the day after tomorrow. But this morning the crew received another notification that the filming permit needs to be 're-examined,' which may take longer." Chen Chen's reply was quick, revealing his fatigue and anxiety.

Zhang Yu frowned deeply. This was the third time Wang Zhongjun's side had "legally" obstructed the project—the first time was a fire safety inspection, the second was a noise complaint, and now they were directly using their connections with the industry's regulatory authority to "re-examine" the filming permit for "A Family of Scholars." This kind of administrative tactic was the most troublesome; it seemed compliant, but in reality, it was an indefinite delay, designed to kill the project.

"Don't worry, I'm here to solve this problem," Zhang Yu replied. "Tell everyone to film normally, and leave the permit issue to me."

"Be careful, you're all alone in Beijing. Wang Zhongjun has considerable influence there," Chen Chen sent another message.

"rest assured."

Putting away his phone, Zhang Yu hailed a taxi: "To the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, thank you."

The car entered the airport expressway. In March, the trees along the roadside in Beijing were just sprouting new green leaves, and the air still carried the chill of winter. Zhang Yu watched the city scenery rushing past the window, his mind racing with plans for this trip to Beijing—he had arranged to meet a deputy director of the Film Bureau, a connection made through his mentor at the Beijing Film Academy; in the afternoon, he was to meet with the owner of Orange Field Culture to finalize the specific time for the investment funds to arrive; and in the evening, he was to attend Wang Jinghua's dinner party to discuss the formal listing of the joint venture company.

The schedule was packed, but every single task was a matter of life and death for the studio.

---

10:30 a.m., the corridor of the Film Bureau.

Inside the gray-white building of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, there was a solemn atmosphere unique to those within the system. Zhang Yu sat on a bench in the sixth-floor corridor, holding a "Supplementary Explanation Material Regarding the Filming Permit for 'A Family of Scholars'," which he had prepared late into the night. The corridor was quiet, with only the occasional hurried footstep of a staff member echoing in the empty space.

He checked his watch; he had been waiting for forty minutes. The appointment was at ten o'clock, and it was now ten-thirty, but the person from the office still hadn't arrived.

"Zhang Yu?"

A familiar voice came from behind. Zhang Yu turned around and saw a woman in a beige trench coat with long, flowing hair standing not far away, also holding a file folder in her hand. It was Shu Chang (Shu Chang). She was wearing light makeup today, and her features were as delicate as a porcelain doll, but her eyes showed obvious surprise.

"Shu Chang?" Zhang Yu stood up. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to submit the filing materials for the TV series." Shu Chang walked over and sat down next to him. "And you? Are you here on business too?"

“Yes, about the film license.” Zhang Yu briefly explained the situation.

After listening, Shu Chang frowned slightly: "Wang Zhongjun's methods are getting more and more despicable. But Zhang Yu, which department did you make an appointment with?"

"Deputy Director Li of the Film Bureau's Production Department."

Shu Chang's eyes lit up: "Deputy Director Li? I know him! He's the one who approved the permit for the film I made last year, 'Single Parent Family.' He's a nice guy, quite reasonable."

This was a truly unexpected delight. Zhang Yu hadn't expected to run into an acquaintance here, and even less that Shu Chang knew the person he was supposed to meet.

"Then you..." Zhang Yu asked tentatively.

“I’ll wait with you,” Shu Chang replied naturally. “Anyway, my matter isn’t urgent, and Deputy Director Li sometimes treats people differently depending on who they’re dealing with. Having an acquaintance as an introduction will make things easier.”

She spoke very frankly. Zhang Yu looked at her; this girl should only be fourteen years old this year (based on the actual timeline), but she had already been working in the entertainment industry for several years. A child star, her experience was richer than many adult actors. Her star quality was special—not admiration, not love, but a mutual appreciation between colleagues.

"Thank you, Shu Chang," Zhang Yu said sincerely.

"Don't mention it." Shu Chang smiled, a pure smile. "Zhang Yu, I've always admired you. You dared to refuse Huayi, dared to open your own studio, and dared to stand up to Wang Zhongjun. There aren't many people with that kind of backbone in this industry."

She spoke very seriously. Zhang Yu suddenly remembered that Shu Chang in his previous life was also a rare breath of fresh air in the entertainment industry—she didn't engage in hype or scandals, and focused on acting. Although she never became a big star, she had an excellent reputation.

The two chatted for over ten minutes, mostly about their experiences in the industry. Although Shu Chang was young, she was very insightful, and her understanding of industry rules surprised Zhang Yu.

At 10:50, a figure finally appeared at the end of the corridor. A middle-aged man in his forties, wearing glasses, walked quickly over, and upon seeing Shu Chang, he paused for a moment: "Xiao Shu? What are you doing here?"

"Hello, Director Li!" Shu Chang immediately stood up with a sweet smile. "I came to submit the filing materials and happened to run into Director Zhang Yu. He said he had an appointment with you at ten o'clock, so we waited together."

She spoke skillfully, explaining the situation while subtly implying that the two knew each other. Deputy Director Li glanced at Zhang Yu, the scrutiny in her eyes lessening: "Director Zhang, right? Sorry, I had a meeting this morning. Come in and let's talk."

The office was simple, with a desk, two filing cabinets, and a few chairs. After sitting down, Deputy Director Li got straight to the point: "Director Zhang, there is indeed a problem with your permit for 'A Family of Scholars.' Some people have reported that your filming content may involve 'inappropriate historical representations,' and it needs to be reviewed again."

"Inappropriate historical representation?" Zhang Yu frowned. "Director Li, our script has been officially registered. The content is entirely about promoting the independent spirit of educated women during the Republic of China era, and there is no politically sensitive content whatsoever."

“I know,” Deputy Director Li pushed up his glasses. “But if someone reports it, we have to follow the procedures. That’s the rule.”

Zhang Yu recognized the official jargon. He looked at Shu Chang, who immediately replied, "Director Li, I've read the script for 'A Scholarly Family,' and it's truly excellent. It's about female independence and patriotism, very positive. It would be such a shame if such a good work were to be shelved because of some inexplicable reports."

When she spoke, her eyes sparkled, and her tone carried a girlish sincerity that made it hard to refute.

Deputy Director Li glanced at her, then looked at Zhang Yu: "Director Zhang, I'm not trying to make things difficult for you. But procedure is procedure. Here's what we'll do: leave the supplementary materials here, and I'll try to speed up the review process. However..." He paused, "you'll need to find a reliable guarantor. If someone is willing to vouch for this project, things will be much easier."

A guarantor. This is a problem. Zhang Yu doesn't know many people in Beijing, and even fewer influential ones.

Just then, there was a knock on the office door. A young staff member poked his head in: "Director Li, Director Feng Xiaogang wants to see you about his new movie."