Rebirth: A big star falls in love with me

"Then let me trust you!" Chen Chen grabbed his arm. "Zhang Yu, I love you, I don't want to lose you. But you have to give me a sense of security, you have to let me know that I am your only woman."

Looking at her red, tear-filled eyes, Zhang Yu felt a pang of guilt. He hugged her, "Chenchen, I'm sorry, it's all my fault. I promise you, I'll be more careful in the future and keep my distance from those students. Please don't cry, okay?"

Chen Chen leaned against him, crying even harder: "Zhang Yu, let's get married at the end of the year. I don't want to wait any longer. Once we're married, you'll be my husband, and you can't be involved with other women anymore."

Zhang Yu's body stiffened. Getting married at the end of the year meant he only had three months to complete the remaining steps. Time was too tight, and the risks were too great.

But he couldn't refuse any longer. Chen Chen was already suspicious, and if he refused again, she would become even more suspicious.

"Okay," he finally said. "End of the year it is. I'll have people prepare for the wedding."

Chen Chen looked up, his eyes blurry with tears: "Really?"

"Really." Zhang Yu kissed her forehead. "I promise you, we'll get married at the end of the year."

Chen Chen burst into laughter through her tears and hugged him, saying, "Zhang Yu, I love you."

"I love you too." Zhang Yu hugged her, his eyes deep.

The moon outside the window was round, but it couldn't illuminate the shadows in his heart.

Getting married at the end of the year means he needs to speed up his plans. He must complete more milestones within three months.

It was difficult, but he had no choice.

……

September 28, 2000, 9:00 AM, a high-end club in Beijing.

The private room was filled with smoke. Wang Zhongjun sat in the main seat, surrounded by the bosses of several film and television companies—General Manager Chen of Huayi, General Manager Li of Orange Field, General Manager Wang of Enlight Media, and several purchasing directors from television stations.

"Everyone, I've invited you all here today to discuss something." Wang Zhongjun put down his cigar. "Zhang Yu's 'Hua Yu' has been developing too fast lately, and it's already threatening our interests. Once the training camp model succeeds, he will monopolize new talent resources, and in the future, we'll all have to depend on him for our livelihood."

Mr. Chen from Huayi nodded: "Mr. Wang is right. I heard that the number of applicants for the third batch of 'Huayu' students exceeded three thousand, and he picked out the fifteen most promising ones. At this rate, he'll be snatching up all the good talents."

"And he's even offering free training," Mr. Li, the general manager of Orange Field, scoffed. "Isn't this disrupting market rules? We painstakingly train new talent, and he doesn't charge us a single penny. What are we supposed to do?"

Wang Zhongjun laughed: "So, we need to join forces to deal with him. I propose that—first, none of our companies' projects should use 'Hua Yu's' artists; second, we should also avoid using the dramas of the TV stations and video platforms that we cooperate with; and third, we should spread the word in the industry that anyone who cooperates with 'Hua Yu' is going against us."

Mr. Wang, the CEO of Guangxian, frowned: "Isn't this too ruthless? Zhang Yu is not someone to be trifled with; he has powerful backers."

"What's there to be afraid of?" Wang Zhongjun sneered. "No matter how powerful he is, he can't beat us working together. Besides, he's been embroiled in scandals lately. The news of Li Xiaoran's pregnancy hasn't died down, and he's also involved with female students. We can use that to ruin his reputation."

The bosses exchanged glances and nodded.

"Okay, let's do it this way."

"I agree."

"I agree."

A commercial crackdown targeting "Hua Yu" thus began.

The news quickly reached Zhang Yu's ears. At three o'clock in the afternoon, the atmosphere in the training camp's emergency meeting room was heavy.

“Wang Zhongjun has joined forces with five companies and three television stations to blacklist us.” Wang Jinghua’s face was grim. “Director Zhang, the investors for the several dramas we were going to film have all withdrawn their funding. The variety show project we were negotiating has also been canceled.”

Song Qian added, "At the training camp, some parents of trainees heard rumors and wanted to take their children away. Liu Shishi's mother just called to ask if it was true."

Zhang Yu leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers on the table, his expression calm: "Anything else?"

“And then there’s…” Wang Ou hesitated for a moment, “Chen Chen… she accepted a role in a drama produced by Orange Field, the female lead. Orange Field is demanding that she terminate her contract with 'Hua Yu,' otherwise they will replace her.”

Zhang Yu's eyes turned cold: "Chen Chen agreed?"

"Not yet," Wang Ou said. "She said she needs to consider it. But Director Zhang, it's a big production, an investment of 100 million yuan, which is a great opportunity for her."

Zhang Yu was silent for a few seconds, then laughed: "Good, very good. Wang Zhongjun is trying to wipe us out completely."

"Director Zhang, what should we do?" Wang Jinghua asked. "Should we try to pull some strings?"

“No need.” Zhang Yu stood up. “If they want to play, we’ll play along to the end. Jinghua, go contact Warner Bros. in the US and ask if they’re interested in investing in the movie version of ‘Awakening of Insects.’ Song Qian, contact Hunan TV and Zhejiang TV and say we’re willing to make concessions as long as they continue to cooperate. Wang Ou, keep things stable at the training camp and tell the students’ parents that the sky isn’t falling.”

His instructions were clear and concise, demonstrating his outstanding crisis management skills.

"What about Sister Chen Chen..." Wang Ou asked softly.

"I'll handle this," Zhang Yu said. "Meeting adjourned."

After everyone left, Zhang Yu stood by the window and lit a cigarette. The mole under his left eye felt slightly warm.

The commercial crackdown came faster than he expected. But it didn't matter; he was prepared. It's just that Chen Chen… if she really left "Hua Yu" for an opportunity, he would be very disappointed.

But what if he was disappointed? He never intended to give her a full commitment in the first place.

My phone rang; it was Chen Chen calling.

"Hello?" Zhang Yu answered.

"Zhang Yu, where are you? I want to see you." Chen Chen's voice was calm, but it was tinged with exhaustion.

"Training camp office. Come on in."

Half an hour later, Chen Chen pushed open the door and came in. She was wearing a black dress today, her face was a little pale, and her eyes were bloodshot.

"Sit down," Zhang Yu said, pointing to the sofa.

Chen Chen didn't sit down, but walked up to him and looked at him: "I'll take the role in Cheng Tian's film."

Zhang Yu paused: "So you want to terminate your contract with 'Hua Yu'?"

“No.” Chen Chen shook his head. “I’ve talked to Cheng Tian. We can collaborate under the studio’s name and not terminate the contract with ‘Hua Yu.’ But they have one condition—”

She paused for a moment, then said, "If you want me to persuade you to give up the training camp and reconcile with Wang Zhongjun, then I'll do so."

Zhang Yu smiled: "You agreed?"

“I didn’t agree.” Chen Chen looked at him. “Zhang Yu, I’m your fiancée, your artist. I won’t betray you. But I want to know, why are you so stubborn? Is the training camp really that important? So important that you’re willing to go against the entire industry?”

“It’s important,” Zhang Yu said seriously. “Chenchen, the training camp is not just about training newcomers; it’s my plan for the future of Chinese-language film and television. If I bow my head now, I’ll never be able to hold my head up again.”

“But if this continues, the company will collapse.” Chen Chen’s eyes reddened. “Zhang Yu, we can take it slowly, there’s no need to rush.”