Rebirth 02, the Celestial Being Told Me to Stop Pretending

Thank you gfan001 for the monthly pass.

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August 25th.

Lu Chen received a call from Wang Yan early in the morning. Wang Yan's tone was mysterious.

"Brother Lu, do you remember what day it is today?"

"It's just Monday, isn't it?"

"No." "It's Liu Yifei's birthday, boss. Her sixteenth birthday."

Lu Chen showed no emotional fluctuation on the phone.

"oh."

"You're not going to say anything?"

"What does that mean?"

"It's her birthday! It's this young girl's sixteenth birthday, and all you say is 'Oh'?"

Lu Chen ignored him, hung up the phone, and continued reading emails.

At 10:00 AM, Liu Yifei sent a text message.

Are you free today?

Lu Chen stared at the screen, his fingers unconsciously stroking the stubble on his chin, a smile playing on his lips.

"I'm busy. Amazon's earnings report is coming out, and I need to monitor the market."

After sending the text message, he leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling.

Lu Chen picked up his phone after it vibrated.

"Oh. Then you're busy."

The four characters were used with a proper period.

There were no complaints, and no whining.

But anyone who isn't stupid can see the dissatisfaction of the person who sent the text message.

Lu Chen placed his phone face down on the table and continued reading his emails.

But he didn't absorb a single word.

Actually, he arrived in Changsha last night.

On the evening of August 24th, he flew from Beijing to Changsha, arriving at 11 p.m.

He booked a room at a hotel next to the Malanshan Broadcasting Center.

This morning, he pretended to be working in Beijing and sent several emails to Wang Yan.

At 2 p.m., he left the hotel and went to a printing shop in town.

"Can you develop the photos?"

"Yes. Memory card or film roll?"

Lu Chen handed over an SD card.

Inside are photos he secretly took with a digital camera.

The images show Liu Yifei eating in the Beijing Film Academy cafeteria, waiting for him at the library entrance, and reading a script in a coffee shop.

There are seven in total.

He sat in the printing shop for half an hour, watching the photos come out of the machine one by one.

Cut it into pieces and put it in an envelope.

We went to another cake shop.

"Can I order a cake? I need it today."

The shopkeeper glanced at his watch. "There's enough time. What size do you need?"

"Six inches. Just write 'Happy Birthday' on it."

"Then come pick it up at five o'clock this afternoon."

Lu Chen nodded and went to a general store.

Do you have scented candles?

"Yes. What flavor? Rose, lavender, lemon..."

Do you have strawberry flavor?

The boss paused for a moment. "Yes, yes."

Lu Chen thought for a moment. "Then let's go for strawberry."

He carried the items back to the hotel, left the cake at the front desk, and instructed them to deliver it to the small restaurant next to the broadcasting center at five o'clock.

10 p.m., Changsha Broadcasting Center, first floor studio.

The recording of "Happy Camp" had just finished, and the audience gradually left.

Lu Chen didn't go through the main entrance, but went around to the backstage entrance, told the staff "looking for Liu Yifei", and then entered by scanning his face.

People were coming and going in the corridor, prop boxes were piled up in the corner, and the door to the dressing room was half open.

He walked to the last room, the door was open, and Liu Yifei was sitting in front of the makeup mirror removing her makeup.

She was wearing a pink dress, her hair was down, and she saw him in the mirror.

She paused for a moment, then her face lit up with surprise, her eyes instantly brightening.

"Didn't you say you were busy?"

"Just kidding."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than a voice came from behind him: "Hey, who's this?"

Lu Chen turned around.

He Jiong stood at the door, holding a bottle of water, and looked at him with a smile.

Li Weijia and Xie Na were standing next to them, and the three of them had expressions that said "we've got them!"

"Teacher He." Lu Chen nodded.

"Director Lu, right? I saw 'Crazy Stone,' it's really well made by young people."

"Thank you for your support, Teacher He. It was all luck, all luck." He cupped his hands in a respectful gesture as he spoke.

He Jiong walked in and looked him up and down.

"But you didn't come here today just to give me an autograph, did you?"

Xie Na leaned closer: "Teacher He, look at his eyes, he's definitely here to see our Xixi."

Liu Yifei blushed instantly and quickly lowered her head to continue removing her makeup.

"Teacher He, please stop fooling around," she said.

"I didn't make a fuss." He Jiong pulled up a chair and sat down, adopting a gossip-loving stance.

"Director Lu, let me ask you a question. Do you know what day it is today?"

Lu Chen glanced at Liu Yifei.

"Of course I know."

"You know it, why pretend?" Xie Na laughed. "It's that girl's birthday today. Xixi sent you a text message this morning, and you said you had to keep an eye on the market."

"Sister Na..." Liu Yifei protested softly.

"Okay, you guys chat then." He Jiong walked to the door, then turned back.

"By the way, Director Lu, come play on Happy Camp!"

"must."

He Jiong left with Li Weijia and Xie Na, and the corridor became quiet.

Liu Yifei looked at him in the mirror, a slight smile playing on her lips, then she suppressed it. "What about Amazon's financial report?"

"I'll check again tomorrow."

She didn't speak. The night breeze stirred the curtains, and she turned around, lifting the hem of her skirt.

"Let's go," Lu Chen said.

Where to?

"Have a meal."

There is a Hunan cuisine restaurant near Wuyi Square in Changsha.

Lu Chen had booked a private room in advance.

As soon as the door closed, Liu Yifei took off her mask and saw the things on the table.

A black hard-shell notebook.

A white envelope.

A glass jar containing candles.

There was also a cake. It said "Happy Birthday" on it.

"What is this?" she asked.

"Birthday present."

She sat down and picked up the notebook first.

I turned to the first page and froze.

There was a photo posted on it, showing her eating in the Beijing Film Academy cafeteria.

Below the photo was a line of text:

"April 5, 2003, Beijing Film Academy cafeteria. She ate half, and gave me the other half."

She turned to the second page.

"April 12, 2003, at the library entrance. She was wearing a mask, only her eyes were visible."

Page 3.

"July 26, 2003, a coffee shop. She read the script for forty minutes, then looked up and said, 'This is a tragedy.'"

Page 4, Page 5, Page 6, Page 7.

Seven photos, seven moments.

She was in every single one of them. He had secretly memorized each and every one of them.

Liu Yifei flipped through the pages very slowly. When she reached the last page, her finger stopped on the photo and didn't move.

The photo shows her during the recording of Happy Camp. Lu Chen took it secretly from behind the crowd.

Below is a line of text:

"August 25, 2003, Changsha. She was sixteen years old."

Liu Yifei closed her notebook without saying a word.

She lowered her head, her fingers tracing the edge of the cover, as if she were processing something.

"Do you like it?" Lu Chen asked.

When did you take these photos?

"Taken secretly."

"You took pictures of me without my permission?"

"Um."

Liu Yifei looked up, her eyes a little red. She bit her lip.

"Anything else?" she asked, pointing to the envelope, her voice a little hoarse.

Lu Chen handed it over.

Liu Yifei opened the envelope; inside was a piece of paper.

It's not a letter, it's a storyboard.

There are seven squares drawn on it, and each square contains a scene.

The first square: a black Audi 100, the two meet for the first time.

The second square: the cafeteria card-swiping crisis.

The third square: Two people reading a script on the rooftop of the Beijing Film Academy playground.

The fourth box: a coffee shop. Holding the script, she said, "You're the director."

The fifth square: Changsha. She ran towards him in a red dress.

The sixth compartment: Small restaurant. She opened her notebook.

The seventh square is empty.

Below is a line of text:

"Fill in the seventh blank yourself."

Liu Yifei stared at the blank square for a long time.

"What does this mean?"

"It means you'll have to write the rest of the story yourself."

She looked up at Lu Chen.

When did you draw this?

"last night."

"Didn't you say you were watching the market last night?"

"Just kidding."

Liu Yifei laughed when she heard this, but as she laughed, tears began to fall uncontrollably.

Lu Chen panicked.

He stood there helplessly, wanting to reach out and wipe her tears, but felt it would be too abrupt.

Liu Yifei suddenly threw herself into his arms, burying her face in his shoulder, her shoulder trembling.

"Lu Chen, you liar," she said in a muffled voice, her voice choked with sobs.

"Do you know that I really thought... I thought you weren't coming?"

Lu Chen froze for a moment, then slowly raised his hand and gently patted her back.

"Why are you crying?"

"I didn't cry."

"She cried."

"I got sand in my eyes."

"Where did the sand come from in the private room?"

"It's none of your business."

The two sat down next to each other, and Lu Chenba pushed the glass jar in front of him toward Liu Yifei.

"What is this?" Liu Yifei picked up the jar.

"Scented candle, strawberry flavor."

How did you know I like strawberries?

"You ate a lot of strawberries last time."

"You remember all of this?"

"Um."

Liu Yifei hugged the jar to her chest without saying a word.

The private room was very quiet.

The only sound was the ceiling fan turning, creaking and groaning.

"Lu Chen."

"Um."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Liu Yifei packed the notebook, envelopes, and candles into her bag.

Then she picked up a knife and cut the cake.

"Do you want some?"

"eat."

She cut a piece for him and a piece for herself.

"Make a wish," Lu Chen said.

"What do you wish for?"

"casual."

Liu Yifei closed her eyes and clasped her hands together.

A few seconds later, I opened my eyes.

"What was promised?"

I won't tell you.

Why?

"It won't work if you say it out loud."

Lu Chen didn't ask any more questions.

He took a bite of the cake; it was too sweet.

After dinner, Lu Chen escorted Liu Yifei back to her hotel.

Liu Yifei stopped at the hotel entrance.

Are you going back to Beijing tomorrow?

"Um."

Are you still watching the market?

"I'm not watching anymore."

"Then what are you looking at?"

"It's up to you."

Liu Yifei paused for a moment, then smiled.

"When did you learn to say things like that?"

"last night."

"Weren't you drawing storyboards last night?"

"I learned it after I finished drawing it."

Liu Yifei remained silent.

She stood at the hotel entrance, the night breeze ruffling her hair.

"Lu Chen."

"Um."

"I'll fill in the seventh blank."

"good."

She turned and walked into the hotel.

Lu Chen stood at the door, watching her disappear at the end of the corridor.

He took out his phone and sent a text message to Wang Yan.

"The gift has arrived."

Wang Yan replied instantly.

"What gift?"

"A notebook."

"That's it?"

"That's it."

Wang Yan replied with an ellipsis.

Then he added, "Do you know that what girls want most on their birthdays isn't gifts, it's company?"

Lu Chen looked at the text message but did not reply.

he knows.

But he couldn't give it to me.

I can't give it to you right now, at least not at the moment.

Then my phone vibrated again.

Liu Yifei sent me a text message.

"Seventh slot, I've made up my mind."

Lu Chen stopped.

"What?"

"I won't tell you. You'll see for yourself when you get back."

Lu Chen put his phone in his pocket and continued walking.

The corners of his mouth turned up, and he couldn't suppress it.

That evening, Amazon released its second-quarter earnings report.

Revenue exceeded expectations by 8%, and earnings per share exceeded expectations by 12%.

The stock price rose from $48.50 to $52.30, an increase of 7.8%. His 5,000 shares of the underlying stock yielded a paper profit of $19,000.