Rebirth: A big star falls in love with me

"Chenchen, wait a little longer," he said softly. "Let's wait until the company is stable, and until we get married, before having children."

"You don't want to have a child with me?" Chen Chen's eyes dimmed.

“It’s not that we don’t want to, it’s just that now is not the right time.” Zhang Yu hugged her tightly. “The company is just starting out, and Wang Zhongjun is eyeing us covetously. It’s too dangerous for us to have children. Once everything is stable, we can have as many as you want.”

That makes perfect sense. Chen Chen sighed, "Alright, I'll listen to you."

She nestled in his arms and closed her eyes. Moonlight streamed in through the window, illuminating the two of them.

Zhang Yu looked at her peaceful sleeping face, and the mole under her left eye felt slightly warm.

Chen Chen's mark still needs to be solidified. This woman is too intelligent and too clear-headed; it will take more time and more sophisticated methods to completely captivate her.

But that's okay, he has plenty of patience.

10 PM, Gao Yuanyuan's dormitory.

She had just finished showering and was wearing cotton pajamas, her hair still wet and draped over her shoulders. A laptop sat on her desk, the screen displaying a video call interface—Zhang Yu's name was prominently listed.

At 8:00 sharp, the video call connected on time. Zhang Yu's face appeared on the screen, with his office in the background. He looked a little tired, but his smile remained gentle.

"Good evening, Director Zhang." Gao Yuanyuan sat up straight, trying her best to look dignified.

"Good evening." Zhang Yu leaned back in his chair. "Have you prepared this week's homework?"

“I’m ready.” Gao Yuanyuan opened the script. “I’ve prepared Fanyi’s monologue from ‘Thunderstorm.’ Please give me your guidance.”

"let's start."

Gao Yuanyuan took a deep breath and got into character. She was playing Fanyi's monologue when she learned that Zhou Ping was leaving, and her emotions ranged from calm to collapse, creating a rich tapestry of emotions.

After her three-minute performance, she nervously stared at the screen.

Zhang Yu was silent for a few seconds, then said, "It's an improvement over last time. The emotional engagement is more natural, especially the final breakdown scene, where the tears fell very realistically."

Gao Yuanyuan breathed a sigh of relief.

“But—” Zhang Yu changed the subject, “you’re too focused on ‘acting’ emotions. Fan Yi isn’t just sad at this moment; she’s in despair mixed with anger, and anger mixed with resentment. Your performance only shows sadness, nothing else.”

Gao Yuanyuan's heart jumped again.

“Come on, I’ll teach you.” Zhang Yu sat up straight. “Now close your eyes and imagine a scene—the person you love most is leaving you, not for a business trip, not to break up, but to never see you again. And the reason he’s leaving is because of another woman.”

Gao Yuanyuan closed her eyes and tried hard to imagine. But her romantic history was too simple, making it difficult for her to comprehend such complex emotions.

"I...I don't think I can understand..." she whispered.

"It's alright," Zhang Yu said gently. "Look at me."

Gao Yuanyuan opened her eyes and looked at Zhang Yu on the screen.

“Now, think of me as the one who’s leaving you,” Zhang Yu said. “Imagine I say to you: Yuanyuan, I’m getting married, and the bride isn’t you. Let’s never see each other again.”

Gao Yuanyuan felt a sudden pang of pain in her heart. Although she knew it was all an act, she still felt distressed when she heard Zhang Yu say, "The bride isn't you."

"How do you feel right now?" Zhang Yu asked.

"I'm sad... and resentful," Gao Yuanyuan said honestly. "Why wasn't I the bride? What's wrong with me?"

“Yes, that’s the feeling of resentment.” Zhang Yu nodded. “Fan Yi feels the same way—I’ve given so much for you, why did you leave me? Why?”

Gao Yuanyuan suddenly realized: "I understand!"

"Try again," Zhang Yu said.

Gao Yuanyuan performed again. This time, her emotions were even richer; she perfectly portrayed the despair and resentment of unrequited love.

After the performance, Zhang Yu clapped: "Very good! You got it right this time! Remember this feeling, you can use it when playing similar roles in the future."

"Thank you, Director Zhang!" Gao Yuanyuan said happily.

"No need to thank me, you're just quick to learn," Zhang Yu smiled. "By the way, how was training this week? Tired?"

"It's tiring, but very fulfilling," Gao Yuanyuan said. "Especially the physical education class. I've never practiced dance before, and now I feel like crying every day because of the leg stretches."

"It's okay to feel pain," Zhang Yu said. "An actor's body is a tool; you have to hone it until you can use it properly. Once you've mastered it, you'll know that all the hardship you're going through is worth it."

Gao Yuanyuan nodded, then suddenly asked, "Director Zhang, are you alright after today's press conference? I saw some really harsh comments online."

"I'm used to it." Zhang Yu waved his hand dismissively. "In this industry, you can't even call yourself a celebrity if you haven't been criticized. But you, you've only been in the business for a short time and already encountered something like this. Aren't you scared?"

“No.” Gao Yuanyuan shook her head. “I believe Director Zhang is innocent.”

Zhang Yu was taken aback for a moment, then laughed: "You trust me that much?"

“Yes,” Gao Yuanyuan said earnestly, “You’re not that kind of person. You’re very kind to every student and genuinely want to train us. A person like that wouldn’t do such despicable things.”

These words were spoken sincerely, and Zhang Yu felt a surge of emotion. At a time when everyone doubted him, this girl, whom he had only known for a month, actually trusted him so much.

“Yuanyuan,” he said softly, “thank you.”

Gao Yuanyuan blushed: "No... no need to thank me. I'm just telling the truth."

The two chatted for a while about acting techniques and the training camp. Before they knew it, the video call had lasted an hour.

"It's late, you should rest." Zhang Yu glanced at the time. "We have to get up early for training tomorrow."

"Okay, Director Zhang." Gao Yuanyuan nodded, but was reluctant to hang up.

"Is there anything else?" Zhang Yu asked.

"Director Zhang..." Gao Yuanyuan mustered her courage, "Can I ask you a question?"

"Just ask."

"Are you this kind to every student? Providing individual video guidance for assignments?"

Zhang Yu laughed: "What, are you jealous?"

"No!" Gao Yuanyuan's face turned even redder. "I'm just... curious."

“You’re the first one,” Zhang Yu said frankly. “The other trainees are all managed by Director Wang Ou. But you’re different—you have talent, but you need special guidance. So I’m spending more time with you.”

"Why are you so good to me?" Gao Yuanyuan asked, her heart pounding.

Zhang Yu looked at her; the girl on the screen was blushing like an apple, her eyes filled with expectation, unease, and a familiar flutter of excitement. He knew this girl was falling for him.

“Because it’s worth it.” He said earnestly, “Gao Yuanyuan, you are worth my time to nurture. In time, you will become a dazzling star. And I want to be the one who pushes you into the starry sky.”

These words were so touching. Gao Yuanyuan almost burst into tears. From childhood to adulthood, everyone had said she was beautiful and suitable for shooting commercials, but no one had ever said she "deserved" it.

"Director Zhang, I won't let you down," she said forcefully.

"I believe you." Zhang Yu smiled. "Alright, it's really time to sleep. Goodnight."