Rebirth: A big star falls in love with me

“Those who are meant to come will come.” Wang Jinghua walked to his side and looked outside as well. “Those who shouldn’t be here… have also come quite a few. Look over there, three people from Huayi have come, led by Vice President Wang Zhongjun. And over there, Guangxian, Orange Sky, Rongxinda… have all sent people. Zhang Yu, today’s listing ceremony is no longer a simple company opening; it’s an industry trendsetter.”

She's right. Ever since the news spread that the reshoots for "A Family of Scholars" were completed and the sample footage received high praise from Han Sanping, Zhang Yu Studio has become the focus of the industry. With the addition of Wang Jinghua, "Hua Yu Agency" has been attracting attention since its preparation stage. Today's listing ceremony wasn't just attended by friends; many were there to see how this new group could make a splash.

"Have Chen Chen and the others arrived yet?" Zhang Yu asked.

"We're here. They're in the dressing room next door." Wang Jinghua glanced at her watch. "The ceremony starts at 10:30. Go and greet them first. Today they are the main characters—the studio's first batch of artists and the joint venture's first batch of signed actors."

Zhang Yu nodded and walked towards the dressing room next door.

---

10:10 a.m., in the dressing room.

The dressing room was even more dazzling than the Golden Hall. Six girls, already made up and dressed in their gowns, were chatting in small groups. Upon seeing Zhang Yu enter, they all stood up.

Chen Chen wore a moon-white cheongsam embroidered with silver thread, her long hair styled in a retro updo adorned with a pearl hairpin. Her makeup was understated, and her demeanor was as refined and elegant as a lady from the Republican era. Yang Mi wore a burgundy off-shoulder dress, her long hair slightly curled, and her full red lips strikingly beautiful. Bai Bing chose a light gray suit skirt with a black silk shirt underneath, her short hair neat, and her makeup cool and sophisticated. Li Binbin (Li Bingbing) wore a royal blue satin gown, her long hair flowing freely, exuding gentle elegance. Li Xiaoran (Li Xiaoran) wore a champagne-colored lace dress, her long hair slightly curled, as graceful as a swan. Liu Yifei, being young, wore a light pink princess dress, her long hair tied in a ponytail, looking like a delicate porcelain doll.

Six women, each with a distinct style but equally outstanding, stood together, and even Zhang Yu, who was used to seeing beautiful women, was momentarily stunned.

"Director Zhang," Chen Chen spoke first, his voice calm but his eyes smiling, "You look very handsome today."

“You are all more beautiful,” Zhang Yu said sincerely, then looked around and said, “Are you all ready? When you go on stage, don’t be nervous, just do what we rehearsed.”

"Don't be nervous," Yang Mi replied with a smile. "Director Zhang, we've seen it all—the film set was smashed up and it didn't collapse, what are we afraid of?"

This remark made everyone laugh, and the atmosphere lightened.

Zhang Yu walked over to Chen Chen and asked in a low voice, "How are you feeling? You didn't look well last night."

"It's nothing, just a little tired," Chen Chen said softly. "But seeing what happened today, it was all worth it."

The natural intimacy between the two made Yang Mi's eyes darken slightly, but she quickly composed herself and joined the others in their conversation.

“Director Zhang,” Li Binbin walked over, her tone gentle but earnest, “President Wang just said that there will be a Q&A session later, and they might ask Xiao Ran and me why we chose ‘Hua Yu’. Let’s agree on one thing and say we valued the creative environment and professional team, okay?”

“Okay.” Zhang Yu nodded. “Binbin, thank you for trusting us.”

“I should be thanking you,” Li Binbin said sincerely. “Director Zhang, I’ve been with Huayi for three years, and although things have gone fairly well, I always felt like… a commodity, being manipulated around. At 'Huayu,' at least I can feel that I’m an ‘actor,’ a respected creator.”

These words were spoken with utmost sincerity. Zhang Yu could sense that Li Binbin's starlight shone even brighter at this moment—it was a sense of relief from finding a sense of belonging.

Li Xiaoran also came over. She didn't say much, but her eyes were firm: "Director Zhang, I will also work hard."

“I believe you.” Zhang Yu looked at her. “Xiao Ran, you have a unique quality, calm yet powerful. When ‘The Longest Day in Chang’an’ starts filming, you will amaze everyone.”

Li Xiaoran blushed slightly: "Thank you, Director Zhang."

Looking at the group of girls gathered around him, Zhang Yu felt a mix of emotions. Three months ago, he was just a young director who had just finished shooting an art film, with only Chen Chen by his side. Three months later, he had a studio, a joint venture, and this group of talented and ambitious partners.

The birthmark under my left eye felt slightly warm. Thirty-eight marks, thirty-eight responsibilities.

---

The unveiling ceremony officially began at 10:30 a.m.

The Golden Hall was packed. As Zhang Yu, Wang Jinghua, Chen Chen, and the other six walked onto the stage, flashbulbs went off and camera shutters clicked incessantly.

The host first introduced the guests—Han Sanping, Feng Xiaogang, General Manager Chen of Chengtian, Vice President of Huayi… Each name caused a stir. When "Han Sanping, Chairman of China Film Group" was introduced, the whispers from the audience reached their peak—the presence of the top executive of China Film Group was sending a very clear signal.

"Next, please welcome Ms. Wang Jinghua, Chairperson of 'Huayu Brokerage', to deliver a speech," the host announced.

Wang Jinghua stepped to the microphone, exuding confidence: "Distinguished guests, friends, thank you all for coming to the unveiling ceremony of 'Huayu Agency' today. The name 'Huayu' is taken from my name and director Wang Yu's name, meaning 'flowers bloom in wealth and prosperity, shining brightly.' But for us, its deeper meaning is—to let talented people bloom like flowers, and to let good works shine brightly."

Applause erupted. Wang Jinghua continued, "'Huayu Agency's' core philosophy is 'professionalism, respect, and win-win.' We don't simply act as artist agents; we aim to be planners, guardians, and partners in artists' careers. We believe that actors are not commodities, but artists; and agents are not businessmen, but partners in artists' careers."

These words were quite novel. In the Chinese entertainment industry in 2000, most agencies were still in the rudimentary stage of "attracting clients and taking a cut," and few people spoke so clearly about "artist career planning."

"Today, I am honored to announce the first batch of signed artists of 'Huayu Agency'." Wang Jinghua turned to the side and looked at the six actresses behind her. "They are—Chen Chen, Yang Mi, Bai Bing, Li Binbin, Li Xiaoran, and Liu Yifei."

Every time a name was called, the actress would step forward, and the flashbulbs would go off like crazy. The image of six beautiful women with distinct styles standing in a row was destined to make headlines in the entertainment sections the next day.

"At the same time," Wang Jinghua continued, "'Huayu Agency' will collaborate deeply with director Zhang Yu's studio to jointly create high-quality film and television projects. The first collaborative project, 'The Longest Day in Chang'an,' has already entered the preparation stage and is expected to start filming in June."

Another round of applause followed. Below the stage, Vice President Huayi's expression was grim—he hadn't expected "Hua Yu" to release so many bombshell announcements right from the start.