Rebirth: A big star falls in love with me

“It’s too late.” Zhang Yu shook his head. “Wang Zhongjun won’t give me a chance to take my time. If he wants to wipe me out, I’ll fight him to the bitter end.”

Chen Chen looked at him, the man she had loved for eight years, always so stubborn, so unwilling to admit defeat. She suddenly felt very tired.

“Zhang Yu, if we get married at the end of the year, can you take a step back for my sake and for our family?” she asked softly. “We can go abroad to live and leave this place of trouble. Haven’t you always wanted to make art films? We can go to Europe, go to America, and make whatever you want.”

These words were spoken with utmost sincerity. Zhang Yu looked at her, a complex mix of emotions welling up inside him. If he could, he also wanted to leave, to live a peaceful life with the one he loved.

But he couldn't. He still had a mission to complete.

"Chenchen, I'm sorry." He held her hand. "I can't leave. This is my battlefield, and I can't be a deserter."

Chen Chen's tears fell: "What about me? What about our home? Don't you care?"

“I care.” Zhang Yu hugged her. “But I have my responsibilities. Chenchen, believe me, I will handle all of this. Once this is over, we will get married and live a good life together.”

"Wait until when?" Chen Chen pushed him away. "Wait until the company goes bankrupt? Wait until you're ruined? Zhang Yu, I can't wait that long!"

"So what do you plan to do?" Zhang Yu looked at her. "Leave me? Go act in Orange Field's play?"

Chen Chen fell silent. After a long while, she said, "I won't leave you. But Zhang Yu, give me a deadline. If you can't resolve these troubles by the end of the year, we'll get married and leave this place. If you don't agree, I'll... I'll cancel the engagement."

This was an ultimatum. Looking into her resolute eyes, Zhang Yu knew he had no other choice.

"Okay." He nodded. "I'll definitely resolve these problems before the end of the year. Then we'll get married and live a good life together."

Chen Chen hugged him and buried her face in his chest: "Zhang Yu, I love you, so please, don't make me wait too long."

"I know." Zhang Yu stroked her hair. "I won't keep you waiting too long."

But he knew in his heart that it was almost impossible to resolve all the troubles before the end of the year. He could only take it one step at a time and try his best to keep Chen Chen calm.

This game is getting harder and harder.

……

October 5, 2000, 10 PM, training camp rehearsal room.

The auditions for "New Generation Actors" have begun. Two people will be selected from each class, making the competition fierce. Yang Mi, Tang Yan, and Zheng Shuang are all in the advanced class, but there are only two spots available.

The selection process involved a live performance, judged by Zhang Yu, Wang Ou, and several other teachers. The performance theme was "Reunion"—reuniting with a lover after many years, requiring complex and nuanced emotions.

Yang Mi drew the first one. She played a character who bumped into her ex-boyfriend at a coffee shop, going from surprise to embarrassment, then to feigning indifference, and finally to a hidden heartache. Her performance was very nuanced, especially the changes in her eyes, which were very layered.

"9 points." The acting teacher gave the score, "Natural emotional transitions and attention to detail."

Zhang Yu gave it a score of 9.5: "Yang Mi has made great progress, especially the last turn, the loneliness in her back view is very touching."

Yang Mi bowed and stepped off the stage. As she passed Tang Yan, the two exchanged a glance. Tang Yan smiled at her, a sweet smile, but her eyes held a competitive glint.

Next up is Zheng Shuang. She plays a character who reunites with her first love at the train station, going from disbelief to excitement, and finally to embracing and weeping. Her performance is very powerful, but a bit over the top and lacks restraint.

"8 points." The acting teacher gave the score, "The emotions were full, but lacked depth, and the crying scene was a bit deliberate."

Zhang Yu gave it an 8.5: "Zheng Shuang's performance is vibrant, but she needs to learn to control it. Sometimes, less is more."

Zheng Shuang bit her lip, bowed, and stepped off the stage.

It was Tang Yan's turn. Today, she wore a white dress, her hair was down, and she wore light makeup, looking as sweet as a candy. But when she stood on the stage and got into character, her aura completely changed.

She plays a character who reunites with her ex-boyfriend in a bookstore after many years apart. There are no lines; everything is conveyed through her eyes and micro-expressions—from the surprise of recognizing him, to the sadness of recalling the past, to the avoidance of pretending not to see him, and finally, the lingering affection of turning back.

The entire performance was restrained yet moving, especially the final look back, which conveyed a thousand unspoken words.

After the performance ended, there was a few seconds of silence from the audience, followed by a burst of applause.

"9.5 points!" the acting teacher exclaimed excitedly. "Tang Yan, you acted so well! That feeling of wanting to say something but holding back was very moving!"

Zhang Yu gave it a perfect score of 10: "Perfect. Tang Yan, you've found your own way of performing—a restrained yet explosive performance. This kind of acting is more powerful."

Tang Yan bowed and smiled sweetly: "Thank you, Director Zhang, thank you, teacher."

The selection results are in: Tang Yan came in first, Yang Mi second, and Zheng Shuang third. Tang Yan and Yang Mi qualified to participate in "New Generation Actors".

After stepping off the stage, Zheng Shuang ran to the restroom and cried. She felt she had tried her best, so why was she still not as good as others?

Tang Yan found her and handed her a tissue: "Don't cry, you acted very well."

Zheng Shuang pushed her hand away: "I don't need your fake kindness! You won, are you happy now?"

Tang Yan's smile faded slightly: "Zheng Shuang, I don't mean to compete with you. This is just a competition, there will be other opportunities in the future."

"Opportunities?" Zheng Shuang sneered. "You've all stolen all the opportunities! Yang Mi has Director Zhang's special care, you have talent, but what do I have? I have nothing!"

"You have a strong drive," Tang Yan said earnestly. "Zheng Shuang, you work harder than any of us, and that's your strength. As long as you keep going, you will definitely succeed."

Looking into her sincere eyes, Zheng Shuang's anger subsided somewhat: "You...you really think so?"

"Really." Tang Yan nodded. "Let's work together, okay?"

Zheng Shuang wiped away her tears and nodded.

That evening, Zhang Yu called Tang Yan to his office.

"You did very well today." He looked at the sweet girl in front of him. "Especially the look in your eyes when you turned around, it was very charming."

"Thank you, Director Zhang." Tang Yan blushed. "It's all thanks to your excellent teaching."

"What did I teach you?" Zhang Yu laughed. "You didn't ask me for tutoring today."

“I’ve remembered everything you said in class,” Tang Yan said softly. “You said that acting is not about acting out emotions, but about acting out a state of being. Today I was thinking that when people reunite, it’s not just about being happy or sad, it’s complicated and hard to explain. So I tried to act out that complexity.”

Zhang Yu nodded: "You have a great understanding. Tang Yan, you will be a good actress in the future."

"Really?" Tang Yan's eyes lit up.

“Really.” Zhang Yu took out a document from the drawer. “This is the contract for ‘New Generation Actors.’ Take a look. The show will start filming next month, two days a week, so it won’t interfere with training.”

Tang Yan took the contract, her hands trembling: "Director Zhang, thank you for giving me this opportunity."