Rebirth: A big star falls in love with me

Yang Mi remained silent in the car. As they approached the hotel, she suddenly said, "Director Zhang, I'm sorry, I've caused you trouble again."

“It’s not your fault.” Zhang Yu looked out the window. “The fault lies with those who bully others by taking advantage of their power.”

"But...but if it weren't for you today, I really wouldn't know what to do." Yang Mi's voice trembled with tears. "Is this how it is in this industry? Do women have to use their bodies to get opportunities?"

Zhang Yu turned his head and looked at her tear-filled face, a surge of emotion welling up inside him. He reached out and pulled her into his arms.

“No,” he whispered in her ear. “This industry certainly has a lot of darkness, but it also has a lot of light. What you need to do is protect yourself and then strive to shine. When you are strong enough, no one will dare to treat you like this.”

Yang Mi leaned against him, inhaling his familiar scent, and suddenly felt a sense of peace. She reached out and hugged his waist, whispering, "Director Zhang, could you... could you stay with me for the night? I'm scared to be alone..."

Zhang Yu's body stiffened. He knew what this request meant, and he knew he should refuse.

But when he looked at the trembling girl in his arms and remembered her pale and terrified face from earlier, his heart softened.

"Okay," he finally said. "I'll stay with you until you fall asleep."

III. The Ambiguity and Restraint in Hotel Rooms

Back in the hotel room, Yang Mi went to take a shower first. The sound of running water came from the bathroom. Zhang Yu stood by the window and lit a cigarette.

He knew what he was doing, and he knew it was dangerous. Yang Mi was young and vibrant, his student, and he should keep his distance. But too much had happened tonight—Chen Chen's departure, the pressure of investment negotiations, Producer Zhao's harassment, and Yang Mi's tears and dependence—all of these intertwined, weakening his self-control.

The bathroom door opened, and Yang Mi stepped out. She wore a white bathrobe, her hair wet and draped over her shoulders, her face flushed from the steam. The neckline of the bathrobe was slightly loose, revealing her delicate collarbone and a small patch of fair breast. Her youthful and beautiful body had matured well, and her shapely curves were faintly visible beneath the bathrobe.

"Director Zhang, I'm done washing up." Her voice was soft, carrying the shyness unique to young girls.

Zhang Yu stubbed out his cigarette: "Go lie down in bed, I'll get you a glass of water."

Yang Mi obediently got into bed and leaned against the headboard. Zhang Yu poured her some water and then sat down on the chair next to the bed.

"Go to sleep, I'll stay here with you."

"Aren't you going to sleep?" Yang Mi asked.

"I'll sit here."

The room fell silent, save for the hum of the air conditioner. Moonlight streamed in through the gaps in the curtains, casting a silvery ribbon across the floor.

After a long while, Yang Mi whispered, "Director Zhang, I can't sleep."

"why?"

“Whenever I close my eyes, I think of Producer Zhao’s face… his hands, his scent…” Yang Mi’s voice trembled. “Director Zhang, could you… could you hold me while I sleep? Just like we did in the car just now.”

Zhang Yu was silent for a few seconds, then got up and sat on the edge of the bed. Yang Mi immediately snuggled up to him, like a little animal seeking shelter.

Her body was soft and carried the fresh scent of shower gel. The skin beneath the bathrobe was warm, and through the thin fabric, he could feel the softness and elasticity of her young body. Zhang Yu's body stiffened for a moment, but he quickly relaxed and gently patted her back.

"Don't be afraid, it's all over now." His voice was gentle. "No one will dare to bully you again."

"Mmm." Yang Mi leaned against his chest, listening to his strong heartbeat, and suddenly felt very at ease. "Director Zhang, you are so good to me."

"Because you are my student, I have a responsibility to protect you."

"Just a student?" Yang Mi looked up at him in the dim light. "Director Zhang, do you really not have any other feelings for me?"

This is a dangerous situation. Zhang Yu looked at her face so close to his, at her moist eyes and slightly parted lips, and suddenly felt an urge to kiss her.

But he restrained himself.

“Yang Mi, you’re still young. You can’t tell if your feelings are admiration or love. I’m your teacher and your boss. Your feelings for me might just be a student’s dependence on their teacher.”

“No.” Yang Mi shook her head, tears falling again. “I know what admiration and liking are. I admire your talent and your achievements, but what I like is you as a person—your gentleness, your protection, your seriousness when you teach me acting, the way you look at me… Director Zhang, I really like you, not just admire you.”

As she spoke, she suddenly tilted her head back and kissed his lips.

The kiss was awkward and clumsy, but forceful. Yang Mi's eyes were closed, tears still clinging to her eyelashes, her lips soft and warm. Zhang Yu's mind went blank; his instinct was to push her away, but when his hand rested on her shoulder, it turned into an embrace.

He responded to her.

This time, from awkwardness to skill, from tentative exploration to deeper engagement, Zhang Yu's hands unconsciously tightened, pulling the girl's soft body even closer into his arms. Yang Mi's bathrobe straps loosened, revealing her infinitely young and beautiful body beneath.

"Director Zhang..." she gasped between kisses, "I want... I want to be yours..."

These words were like a bucket of cold water, waking Zhang Yu up. He abruptly pushed her away, stood up, took a few steps back, and his breathing became rapid.

“No.” His voice was hoarse. “Yang Mi, you’re too young, I can’t…”

“I’m not a child anymore!” Yang Mi stood up as well, her bathrobe slipping off her shoulders. “I’m an adult now, I know what I’m doing! Director Zhang, I’m doing this willingly, I really want you…”

She walked up to him, hugged him, and pressed her face against his chest: "Director Zhang, please... just tonight, let me be yours. I won't bother you anymore, just tonight, okay?"

Her body was trembling, and her voice was choked with sobs. Zhang Yu could sense that she was truly afraid, truly needed comfort, and truly... loved him.

The star-shaped birthmark under my left eye began to heat up, and a familiar impulse surged within me—driven by the instinct to collect marks.

He looked down at the girl in his arms, at her young and beautiful body, at the undisguised adoration and longing in her eyes. He knew that if he took her tonight, her mark would be complete.

But she's only this old.

Reason and impulse were locked in a fierce battle. Zhang Yu closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and finally pushed her away.

“Yang Mi, listen to me.” He gripped her shoulders, forcing her to look at him. “You are beautiful, you are charming, and I do have feelings for you. But that’s precisely why I can’t have you right now.”

"Why..." Yang Mi's tears fell.

“Because you are too vulnerable right now,” Zhang Yu said earnestly. “You have just experienced something bad, your emotions are unstable, and the decisions you make may be irrational. I don’t want you to regret it in the future and say that I took advantage of you.”