The Rebirth of a Top Star

Today is a busy day in Hengdian. After Shen Nanqiao finally met Song Shiyuan a few days ago, things have calmed down.

Even though Song Shiyuan didn't reply, the only trace on her phone screen was of her daily tantrums and harassment with cute emojis.

There was nothing else.

Shen Nanqiao knew it was a trial period.

Considering today's date and the recent progress, Shen Nanqiao estimated that it would be about a week before Song Shiyuan replied.

It's so convenient to have WeChat to contact you.

Shen Nanqiao sat on a small stool, picking and choosing for a long time, before sending her sugar daddy a picture of a watermelon with a round belly from just finishing a meal, with the caption: Good afternoon, burp.

There was no reply from the other end, which made him laugh at himself first.

Fang Zihe, watching Shen Nanqiao from afar, was extremely puzzled. Ever since Shen Nanqiao left for half a day, she had returned as if she had been injected with chicken blood. No matter how difficult the scene was to film, she was full of confidence and could get it right in one take.

NGs (no good) except for reasons attributable to oneself.

She has complained to her agent more than once about how much pressure she is under.

"Alright, actors, get ready!" The director started calling out names with a megaphone.

From afar, Zihe saw Shen Nanqiao put away her phone, jump up easily, and casually toss it onto a small table. She didn't care whether anyone was looking at her phone or not, and headed straight for the middle of the street.

Fang Gu couldn't help but frown.

He approached Shen Nanqiao, and although he was a head taller than her, Fang Zihe still voiced his concerns during their final rehearsal.

"If you plan to work on a film set for a long time, it would be better to hire an assistant."

Shen Nanqiao looked up at him but didn't respond.

I wonder what Fang Zihe is up to this time. What a strange man.

Shen Nanqiao has discovered it two days ago.

The surrounding area has been cleaned up and all irrelevant people have been cleared out.

Shen Nanqiao lowered her eyes, adjusting her state.

The weather is bad today; it's a sunny day. The sunlight is so bright it's blinding.

When Shen Nanqiao heard the sound of the clapperboard and glanced at Fang Zihe in a daze, the person in her eyes was no longer Shen Nanqiao.

The surroundings were completely silent. The street, which should have been bustling with people, was now eerily quiet.

Zhou Wei knew she was being targeted by the enemy. Ever since she supported her husband on this path, she knew this day would come.

The water stains from the previous second still lingered on the bluestone slab, and tender shoots quietly sprouting from the cracks in the soil hid beneath Zhou Wei's feet.

Its power is too weak; no one can see it.

The very disappearance of everything now makes it extremely uneasy. There are no of its kind around, or rather, there are its kind that have not yet broken through the soil.

No one can help you on this desolate street, those eyes in the shadows, those gazes from the windows.

Zhou Wei was just as nervous as the blade of grass. The wide street, the man she had just brushed past.

Zhou Wei knew his body temperature so well, yet at this moment, she dared not even spare him a trace of warmth from the corner of her eye. This was clearly her lover, a patriotic scholar.

Yet, for the future of a nation, they drove steel nails into their bones, becoming among the first to rise up against all odds. Zhou Wei admired them, but also felt heartache.

Now, for the safety of the organization and for those like us, Zhou Wei has no choice but to put on this ugly farce on the street.

His lowered eyes, how much of which the hidden mouse saw, revealed his concealed loneliness.

"Crack!"

Without any dialogue, just a few close-ups of her eyes, Zhou Wei's image becomes increasingly vivid.

Shen Nanqiao blinked, quickly snapping out of her reverie. Fang Zihe, who had been rehearsing with her earlier, leaned closer and patted Shen Nanqiao's shoulder, "Are you alright?"

With a wave of her hand, Shen Nanqiao went to the director's side to check her performance, and plopped down on Zhao Yinhu's stool without any hesitation.

"Actually, it's not bad." Shen Nanqiao affirmed her acting skills.

Zhao Yinhu, watching her composed demeanor, chuckled. "Stop pretending and go watch the next scene."

Shen Nanqiao stood up and made room for Zhao Yinhu, without a script in her hand. "Didn't we say a couple of days ago that the next scene would be the one where we first met?" The set she just saw was different.

"The weather is bad today," Shen Nanqiao heard Zhao Yinhu say with some regret.

This is the Nth time the crew has heard this phrase today.

The weather was indeed bad; the day Zhou Wei and Fang Gu met was during the rainy season in the south. Against a dim, pale blue background, the young girl, her clothes fluttering, faced the spirited young man whose literary talent was beginning to emerge.

This is the most valuable shot in the entire film.

We cannot be careless.

Shen Nanqiao agreed, then patted the director's shoulder heavily, "It's okay, Lao Zhao, we'll wait a few more days."

Zhao Yinhu, who was confident in his ability to judge people, never expected Shen Nanqiao to be so unconventional after they became acquainted. She had absolutely nothing in common with Zhou Wei's calm and shy nature.

Even though it didn't stop Shen Nanqiao from instantly becoming Zhou Wei on camera, she was still ridiculed by her two friends several times in private.

After shaking his head and shooing away the troublemaking Shen Nanqiao, Zhao Yinhu was still calculating the weather for the next two days.

Zhao Yinhu dedicated a week to perfecting the most stunning scene in the play.

I'm not worried about Shen Nanqiao's condition, but what's most worrying is Fang Zihe, who can't keep up with Shen Nanqiao.

Zhao Yinhu looked up at the man talking to his assistant. He was dressed in a scholar's long gown, exuding an air of intellectualism. Looking further up, he saw Fang Zihe frowning and impatiently asking his assistant something.

Goodness, all the elegance that comes with clothes has been ruined.

There was no other way but to take it slow. Zhao Yinhu knew he couldn't rush things; good things take time to come.

It was nearly four o'clock in the afternoon, and Shen Nanqiao was still resting.

She hasn't hired an assistant yet, so during her breaks, unlike the male lead in the same drama, she isn't surrounded by many people, including her own assistant, makeup artists and costume designers who come to help her, and aspiring actors who want to curry favor with her.

The entire crew consisted of child actors, the only one who was known in the entertainment industry was Fang Zihe.

The venue took a long time to set up, and the set design was quite troublesome. Shen Nanqiao initially wanted to go up and help, as playing alone would be too boring. In the end, she was kicked out and made to sit on the outside and watch.

This is a set built for the night.

She lowered her head, burying it in her knees. Shen Nanqiao closed her eyes temporarily. So tired.

It seems like everything is finally on track, but it's really tiring.

The moment she closed her eyes, Shen Nanqiao stopped pretending. Her thin body curled up into a ball, seemingly unable to withstand the gradually cooling wind outside.

"It's raining!" someone shouted, and then everyone started to get excited.

Shen Nanqiao ignored her legs, which had gone numb from squatting.

Yesterday's weather forecast predicted sunny skies, but now it's actually raining. Shen Nanqiao picked up her phone in disbelief, looking at the message that it would rain lightly for the next two days.

This was simply a godsend opportunity for the film crew.

Shen Nanqiao went straight to the director, ignoring the large crowd surrounding him, and asked directly, "Director, should I go get my makeup changed now? There should be a chance today."

Zhao Yinhu was also very happy, and he smiled and told the two lead actors to hurry up, while he personally led the crew to the set to make arrangements, doing everything himself.

The highly anticipated scene was not filmed today.

I thought I had easily resolved the issue of Lu Feier with a few words of advice. But things went wrong during today's most important scene.

Filming was paused, and the dim light of dusk in Hengdian shone through the misty rain onto the lights.

When Lu Feier arrived at the film set, she saw Shen Nanqiao standing in the backlight.

A young face, a young figure, Zhou Wei's compassion and gentleness, even the weather seemed to contribute to Shen Nanqiao's portrayal of Zhou Wei.

Lu Feier's anger surged up her esophagus, and she didn't hide the harshness that came out of her mouth, "Shen Nanqiao, do you feel comfortable playing the role you stole?"

Lu Feier is not as tall as Shen Nanqiao, and she was wearing trendy flat shoes today, which naturally made her look down on him.

Moreover, when Shen Nanqiao faced Lu Feier, he didn't show the kindness and playfulness he usually put on. He just looked at her indifferently and didn't even respond to that deliberate sarcasm.

Everyone in the crew was watching the drama unfold, and even Zhao Yinhu, who was affected, didn't have time to come up and explain immediately.

Shen Nanqiao asked the director calmly, "We're not filming anymore, are we? Then I'm leaving."

Without the support of the lights, and sporting Zhou Wei's look, Shen Nanqiao, without smiling, appeared even more aloof. Her upturned eyes swept over Lu Feier, offering no explanation, but her exasperated expression had already won her the upper hand.

Shen Nanqiao is tired of playing the role; she's no longer Zhou Wei, she's Shen Nanqiao.

To present a polished image of a novice, Shen Nanqiao cultivated a good temper and an arrogant kindness every day, making her no longer a recent college graduate inside.

Just when all the actors had finally gotten into character, Lu Feier's interference made everyone unhappy.

Let's leave the mess to the director and the others to handle.

Right now, all Shen Nanqiao wants to do is plop down on the shabby sofa and fiddle with her phone.

That's what Shen Nanqiao thought, and that's what she did.

The messages on my phone are scattered and not nearly as messy as before, but those who are thinking of me now are all people who are somewhat sincere.

If we don't talk about others, for example, our own dorm leader.

When I first came back, I was acting strangely every day, which scared her for a long time.

"Nan Qiao, I heard you're working on a film set now. I didn't know you actually went to act in a movie. How was it? Did you meet any celebrities? What was it like?"

Below are some strange emojis.

Shen Nanqiao relaxed and changed her posture. After thinking for a while, she replied, "What are you saying? Aren't I a star myself now that I'm filming? I'll definitely send you autographed photos when I become famous."

The message was sent around 4 or 5 pm when she was busy, and Shen Nanqiao just replied. She didn't expect the other party to reply so quickly.

"Okay, okay, we had an agreement. I'm still working like a slave every day and haven't even finished my shift yet."

The complaints of the working class were overwhelming, and Shen Nanqiao could even imagine the expressions on the faces of the people opposite her.

After grumbling for a while, Shen Nanqiao, seeing no reply, assumed she was busy again, put down her phone and closed her eyes.

The confusion in my heart traveled through my veins.

Shen Nanqiao's current pace is not the same as her previous life, but time is much faster now.

Thinking of all this, she opened her eyes again to look at the messages on her phone. There was still no reply under the nickname "Big Boss". Shen Nanqiao was even certain that Song Shiyuan must have seen her message.

The moment I saw him, I knew he was a reserved and taciturn man, unlike the typical domineering CEO protagonist in novels.

He seems to place great importance on his career.

Shen Nanqiao didn't know Song Shiyuan well. In her previous life, she only knew that he was someone who had reached the top level of society. The current Song Shiyuan was still a fresh-faced, handsome young man who hadn't experienced the hardships of life.

Sometimes I can't hide the impatience in my eyes, but I force myself to remain calm.

Shen Nanqiao had already defined him from the beginning.

She tucked her hands into her hair parting and fussily ran them through her hair a few times, only to find herself tripped up by the hairspray stuck between her fingers.

I left in such a hurry that I didn't even have time to remove my makeup.

I felt even more irritable than before.

Next to the kitchen sink were large, bundled bottles of shampoo and conditioner bought from the supermarket. Shen Nanqiao washed about 80-90% of her hair directly in the large sink.

She simply wrapped her hair in a hair-drying cap and went to look in the mirror to diligently take care of her skin.

One of the jobs of female celebrities is to protect their faces. They don't have to rent nice houses, but they must use the most expensive cosmetics.

The reason Shen Nanqiao is so cautious is because she learned her lesson the hard way in her past life.

That first night, she simply suffered from insomnia and didn't sleep well. Relying on her youth, Shen Nanqiao decided to stay up all night watching dramas and studying other actors' performances. The next day, her fatigue on set was impossible to hide.

Fortunately, the show had a skilled makeup artist; little did I know that the paparazzi's sneaky photos that day would almost have gotten me into trouble.

A single photo of someone looking unwell can be interpreted by paparazzi as promiscuity, infidelity, secret rendezvous, and other borderline legal matters. Not to mention, rival trolls might use your photo to create negative images and spread them around the world.

The thought of Shen Nanqiao sent chills down her spine.

The more she thought about it, the more frequently she slapped her cheeks.

If someone were to notice the high-end cosmetics displayed in Shen Nanqiao's shabby bathroom, they might marvel at the income of female celebrities, as even someone who has never acted can afford so many luxury brands.

I'm so tired.

Being a female celebrity must be exhausting.

Shen Nanqiao would sigh like this every night after tidying herself up.

Ding Dong

The WeChat notification sounded on my phone.

Shen Nanqiao did a half-splash and lunged at her phone.

Shen Nanqiao carefully picked up the small phone that she had casually tossed on the sofa. It was a notification sound that she had specially arranged for her sugar daddy, Song Shiyuan. It was unique and she could react to it instantly.

A reply finally appeared on the mobile screen.

That's an address.

Shen Nanqiao was very familiar with it; it was the largest star-making company that everyone looked up to in her previous life.

He just sent over an address, and Shen Nanqiao pretended to be clueless, "What's wrong, Mr. Sugar Daddy?"

Shen Nanqiao has really liked this nickname lately, which can be simply understood as a rare quirky quirk of a female celebrity, but the person opposite her really hates this word.

"Don't call me that again." Song Shiyuan's unease could be felt even through the phone screen. Shen Nanqiao, however, didn't want to give him his wish. "I know, Mr. Sugar Daddy." Changing the words, it was still annoying.

Shen Nanqiao picked up her previous question and asked it again.

Only then did Song Shiyuan answer seriously, "I've arranged an agent for you. Go find someone to claim him/her yourself tomorrow."

"Why can't my agent come to see me? Why do I have to run over there myself?" Without the CEO's wires on the other end of the phone, Shen Nanqiao was unusually sarcastic.

Song Shiyuan didn't want to waste words with her; he was busy with his own affairs and simply ignored Shen Nanqiao's last message.

Finally, a time was given: "Eight o'clock in the morning." No further words were said.

Even when Shen Nanqiao deliberately used the offensive term "sugar daddy" to refer to him, Song Shiyuan didn't have time to correct her, because the documents he needed to review were handed to him again.