Rebirth 02, the Celestial Being Told Me to Stop Pretending

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In late December, the A-share market rebounded in the final wave of the year-end rally. Lu Chen used all three million yuan in his A-share account to buy Changan Automobile shares at a cost of 10.4 yuan per share.

He hasn't touched the HK$1.5 million in his Hong Kong stock account; he's waiting for Tencent to go public.

He split the $200,000 in his US stock account into three parts: $120,000 to buy Apple, $30,000 to buy NetEase, and $50,000 to invest in stock options.

12 month 30 day.

My phone rang at three in the morning.

When Lu Chen saw the caller ID, his heart sank.

"Lu Sheng," Yang Shoucheng's voice was heavy, "Amei is gone."

Lu Chen sat on the edge of the bed without saying a word.

"This afternoon, the cancer caused lung failure." Yang Shoucheng's voice trembled.

Lu Chen closed his eyes.

December 30, 2003. Just like in my previous life.

In early April, when he was in Hong Kong, he reminded Anita Mui, and she underwent examination and cooperated with the treatment.

But it still couldn't save the life of this Hong Kong entertainment industry heavyweight.

"President Yang," Lu Chen said, "when I met her in March, she said one thing to me—'Don't let down the people around you.'"

There was a long silence on the other end of the phone.

"She said the same thing to me," Yang Shoucheng said in a hoarse voice. "She said, 'Shoucheng, after I'm gone, please take good care of the people around me.'"

Lu Chen didn't speak.

He remembered the night he saw Sister Mei at the hospital; she was so thin that a gust of wind could blow her away.

She knew she had a health problem and actively cooperated with the treatment.

Lu Chen did what he could, but Mei Yanfang's condition was indeed beyond what could be cured simply by wishing to.

"Mr. Yang, does my brother know?"

"I haven't told him yet." Yang Shoucheng paused for a moment, "He's worried about his condition, so..."

"I'll make a phone call."

Lu Chen then called Zhang Guorong.

One sound, two sounds.

"Younger brother?" The older brother's voice was soft and gentle.

"What's wrong? Why are you calling?"

Lu Chen opened his mouth, but found that his throat seemed to be blocked, and he didn't know how to speak.

"younger brother?"

"Brother," Lu Chen said, "Sister Mei is gone."

There was silence on the other end of the phone.

Then Lu Chen heard Zhang Guorong's voice, which was clearly suppressed and hoarse.

"When?"

"This afternoon, at Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital."

Silence again.

She's gone. But I'm still here.

Lu Chen gripped his phone, his knuckles turning white.

"good."

"Don't worry. I won't leave."

Lu Chen hung up the phone.

It was December night in Beiping outside the window, eight degrees below zero, and the wind was howling so loudly that the windows rattled. He sat on the edge of the bed, looking at the darkness outside the window, and didn't move for a long time.

Lu Chen admitted that his initial motives were impure.

Relying on his memories from his past life, he calculated the exact day and chose his words carefully, all to place a piece in the Hong Kong entertainment circle and to add a "loyal and righteous" label to his business empire.

In his eyes, human life was initially nothing more than a bargaining chip to be cashed in.

But in the tea room at the Mandarin Oriental, Zhang Guorong put away the note, accepting the kindness and then thanking him.

They didn't even ask Lu Chen how he knew these things.

Then came an interview I had seen in my previous life at the Lu Chen Conference.

Someone asked Zhang Guorong, "Why are you so kind to everyone?" He replied, "Because I remember when others treat me badly, but I don't remember when I treat others well."

Since then, Lu Chen has never bothered to calculate this "connection account" again.

Therefore, the medicines, the meetings, and the messages delivered through intermediaries that followed were no longer just for personal gain, but rather a reflection of his genuine affection for his brother as a friend.

The next morning, Lu Chen was woken up by Liu Yifei's phone call.

"I saw the news of Anita Mui's passing."

Lu Chen's fingers unconsciously tightened around his phone.

How did you know?

"I had just finished work last night when I saw the news."

"Didn't sleep all night?"

"Hmm. I'm a little... worried about you." Her voice was soft and gentle, yet it struck Lu Chen's heart instantly.

Lu Chen closed his eyes.

I didn't sleep all night because I was worried about him.

Lu Chen wanted to reprimand her, but all the words he wanted to say were stuck in his throat.

"Lu Chen."

"Um?"

"You've done a great job."

"Liu Yifei."

"Um?"

"Thank you."

"What are you thanking me for?"

Thank you for worrying about me.

There was a two-second silence on the other end of the phone.

Then Liu Yifei's voice came through the receiver.

"Lu Chen, open the door."

Lu Chen was stunned for a moment.

He stood up and went to open the door.

Liu Yifei stood outside the door, wearing a white down jacket and a mask, only her eyes were visible.

A speck of frost clung to her beautiful eyelashes, as if she had been walking for a long time.

"Why are you here?"

"I came because I was worried about you."

His tone was full of unease and worry.

Are you alone?

"And an assistant too? They came by taxi."

Lu Chen looked at her.

The girl in front of him took a taxi overnight from Hengdian to Beiping to find him.

I was just worried about his condition.

"Are you crazy?"

"I'm not crazy."

Liu Yifei walked in and took off her mask.

"I just feel that you shouldn't be alone right now."

Lu Chen didn't speak.

He closed the door and turned to look at her.

How did you know where I was?

"It's either the dormitory or the company." Liu Yifei sat on the sofa.

Lu Chen looked at her.

She sat on the sofa, hugging her knees with her arms, her eyes resolute.

"Liu Yifei."

"Um?"

"Next time you can make a phone call; this is very unsafe."

"I'm coming." She looked up. "You said I was your lucky charm."

Lu Chen didn't speak.

"So you shouldn't be sad right now." Liu Yifei stood up and walked up to him. "You still have me."

Lu Chen looked at her quietly.

The sixteen-year-old girl had a look in her eyes that softened his heart.

"Liu Yifei."

"Um?"

"When you're like this, it's hard for me not to be nervous."

She paused for a moment, then turned her face away, her ear tips turning slightly red.

"I'm an investor," she said softly.

"Investors certainly need to be concerned about the partners' situation."

"Okay. Investor."

He reached out and ruffled her hair.

"Don't ruffle my hair!"

"Let's go, I'll take you back to rest."

"No need." Liu Yifei put her mask back on. "I've finished filming my scenes, I'm going home."

She walked to the door, glanced back at him, and said, "Lu Chen."

"Um?"

"Gain and loss always come together. You gain more than you lose."

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

That year, he made a movie, won the Golden Horse Award, opened the door to Hong Kong, and saved his brother's life.

Sister Mei is gone.

But he gained a girl who only had eyes for him.

Gain and loss always come together.

But he gained more than he lost.

Liu Yifei went downstairs and got into a black minivan, but the person inside was clearly not an assistant, but Liu Yifei's mother.

Liu Xiaoli.

It got even colder in Beiping after New Year's Day.

After Changan Automobile released its profit forecast in January 2004, it started its main upward trend, with its stock price rising from 10.4 yuan to 19 yuan.

Lu Chen cleared out his stock around 18.2 yuan, turning 3 million into 5.44 million.

He used the money to buy Yangtze Power and Sinopec, each holding half of his portfolio.

Two weeks later, the National Development and Reform Commission imposed power rationing, causing the power sector to surge. He sold Yangtze Power at 10.5 yuan and Sinopec at 5.2 yuan, and his A-share account grew to 14 million yuan.

In the office of Zuobiao Pictures, Wang Yan was making tea, Zhao Bo was organizing materials for the Golden Horse Awards, and Ning Hao was studying a new script.

Everything seemed perfect.

But a sudden phone call interrupted this beautiful moment.