Chapter 1

"... Lu?... Wake up... Lu Lu..." The voice seemed to come from the clouds, erratic and unreal. Lu Yao felt like she was floating in the clouds, her thoughts were tangled together, and sporadic fragments flashed from time to time, but she could not see anything. The sound coming from her ears was mixed with the sound of her chest breathing, and it sounded like an old radio that was about to run out of power, and the sound was distorted. Something was shaking in front of her eyes, and the sound in her ears seemed to be gradually hurried.

Lu Yao felt that all this was very strange. She was clearly... clearly... right, what was she doing in the last second? Bright lights, full of applause around, someone seemed to stand up and congratulate someone, and there seemed to be a figure shaking in front of her eyes. Lu Yao wanted to shake her head, but she seemed to have no strength in her body.

Then, a faint smell, not perfume, but more like laundry detergent or washing powder, filled her nose. Her body began to shake, someone was shaking her. Then, the voice seemed to pass through the blocking cloud layer and suddenly became clear: "Hey?! Lulu? Lulu is up! Lulu? Dont sleep!" The voice was particularly familiar, but she couldnt remember it for a while.

She struggled to open her eyes. It seemed that there was a hand shaking in front of her, but the eyes that had just opened could not adapt to the light. Everything seemed to be hazy through gauze.

Lu Yao blinked twice and shook her head, only then did she see clearly that it was indeed a shaking big hand in front of her, and there was a childish-looking watch on the wrist. Looking along the wrist, Lu Yao saw the owner of the hand clearly.

The first thing she saw was the thin sweat on the tip of his nose. Lu Yao thought in a trance: He is still like this. Unlike others, when they are nervous and anxious, they always sweat on their noses first, but their foreheads are still dry and cool.

How long has it been since she saw him like this? It seems that they havent met since she got married. Then she divorced again, and received his greeting text message, and then they resumed contact. However, after meeting again, she never saw him show any outward emotions, let alone nervousness and anxiety. So when she thought of him, the first thing she thought of was his always tight mouth and expressionless face.

"William?" Subconsciously, Lu Yao called out his name.

"What? What William? Lulu, are you still asleep? Dont sleepwalk, wake up quickly, you forgot to meet Director Song today? Get up quickly, youre going to be late." He seemed to look at her strangely, frowning slightly, and helplessly urged her to leave quickly.

Lu Yao felt that she must be in a dream, otherwise how could she see such a young Zhuo Fan? Yes, his name is Zhuo Fan, and he used to be her assistant. Later, when they contacted each other again, he changed his name to William. At that time, he was no longer Er Fan who nagging behind her every day and worrying about everything, but William, a businessman who exudes the aura of a successful person.

Zhuo Fan looked at Lu Yao who was staring at him in a daze, and his eyes rolled slightly, as if he wanted to roll his eyes. Then he silently increased the intensity of shaking, trying to quickly bring this obviously wandering lady back to her senses as soon as possible.

Lu Yao had not recovered from her shock until Zhuo Fan had tidied up her slightly messed up hair due to a nap, added powder, smoothed out her slightly wrinkled clothes, and stuffed her into the nanny car.

Lu Yao sat in the seat and looked at her open palms, then clenched, loosened, and clenched again, subconsciously using this to confirm that she was not dreaming. She, is this, really, reborn? From the 57-year-old me who was attending the awards ceremony, I suddenly became the newcomer who just debuted and is now popular? Before everything happened, when everything was still in time?

Lu Yao covered his face and his body trembled slightly. This is really... really... how lucky!

"Here, this is the script this time. Take a look. Take a look now. Although the company has basically won this role, you have to take it seriously. Get familiar with the character and plot before meeting Director Song. Dont let Director Song ask you something and you cant answer it. Dont annoy him and lose the role you got." Zhuo Fan, who was beside him, half bent over and took out a thick script from the briefcase at his feet. He handed it back to Lu Yao and kept reminding him.

Zhuo Fan held it for a few seconds and found that no one took the script. He looked back and saw Lu Yao covering his face and shaking. After putting the script aside in shock, he hugged Lu Yao and asked anxiously: "Whats wrong? Whats wrong? Are you cold? Or is there something hurting? Are you feeling unwell?" While speaking, he patted the shoulder of the driver in front of him, signaling him to turn off the air conditioner in the car.

Lu Yao put down her palm, her eyes were slightly red, and her lips trembled slightly, as if she was excited and had some unspeakable feelings. She stared at the man in front of her.

The man in front of her was not handsome, but he was tall, but because he was thin, he gave people a weak feeling. His hair was not styled and drooped down obediently, and he wore a pair of black-framed glasses on his not-so-high nose. He had few expressions and a wooden face, but his frowned eyebrows and the caring words like a machine gun revealed his worried emotions.

The immature Zhuo Fan at this time was very different from the William in Lu Yaos impression, but looking at Zhuo Fan who was worried now, Lu Yao felt a little sour in her nose, as if no one had worried about her like this for a long time. And the current Zhuo Fan was the most unforgettable Er Fan in her deep memory. The man who accompanied her through the short but most confusing time. He was her first assistant and the best one in her heart.

"Lulu, Im asking you a question. Whats wrong? Dont scare me." Zhuo Fan looked at Lu Yao who was still in a daze and pushed her.

Lu Yao came back to her senses and took a few deep breaths, spread her hands, and said, "Wheres the script? Let me see it. Dont worry, Im fine, its just... Im just very excited to meet Director Song."

"Really okay? Did you lie to me? If you really feel uncomfortable, dont bear it, Ill take care of everything." Zhuo Fan looked at Lu Yao seriously. He felt that Lu Yao was very wrong today.

"Its okay." Lu Yao blinked, her heart was still beating wildly, as if she had not completely accepted the fact of rebirth. She had to look at the script to see if it was the one in her memory, and whether she was really reborn at this time.

"Here." Zhuo Fan handed over the script, and after thinking about it, he still said with some worry, "Dont be too stressed. The company has been running well. Its just a matter of meeting up according to the process. Just relax."

"Yeah." Lu Yao took the script and looked at the two big words "harem" on the cover. She didnt think about anything else. After responding absent-mindedly, she couldnt wait to open the script.

Her hands were still shaking slightly as she turned the script. Her heartbeat didnt weaken because she confirmed the fact of rebirth. Instead, it beat more and more.

Looking at the familiar words on the script, Lu Yao was excited and emotional. This play can be said to be the biggest opportunity in her acting career, and it was also the fuse of her failure later.

Lu Yao used to be like this. Sitting in the car, she listened to Zhuo Fan telling her to read the script carefully to avoid the director Songs unhappy answer if she talked about the plot of the script after meeting with him. But what was she thinking at that time?

She felt that it was unnecessary. She didnt think that director Song was a very authoritative person, even if he was very famous. At that time, she was confused by the media reports and the flattery of fans. She thought she was a big shot, a new star that directors had to give some points to. She filmed idol dramas, played the leading role, acted in several commercials, and received many endorsements. Fans said that she was beautiful and had a good temperament, and had more potential than those first-line female stars; the media said that she was a rising star in the film and television industry; the company told her that the play was very good, and the director was also a famous director. She was very talented in acting and asked her to perform well.

They said so, and she believed it and believed it without a doubt. Later, of course, the meeting with Director Song was a disaster, but she was only concerned with being complacent because she could play the leading role. She casually prevaricated her understanding of the character, which was superficial and shallow, and arrogantly thought that others didnt know. Then, she suffered the consequences.

Perhaps, for other small directors, the actors stuffed in by Venus Entertainment, whether good or bad, must be worshipped and praised, because Venus Entertainment has one of the best status in the industry. However, this is Director Song, a famous director in the TV circle who is strict, aloof, and upright. The person in charge of public relations of the company bowed and said a lot of good things before persuading Director Song to meet the companys main newcomer, Lu Yao, before the public casting. Jin Xings plan is very good. The reason why she is interested in Lu Yao is that Lu Yao is a good actor among the newcomers, she is spiritual and talented, popular, and new. Jin Xing is eager to make Lu Yao a first-line actress in the future. Because, after all, Jin Xing does not have an actress who can hold up the facade in the film and television industry.

However, ideals are full, and reality is very skinny. While Jin Xing enjoys everything under control and fantasizes about future success, she ignores Lu Yaos determination as a newcomer in the colorful and exaggerated entertainment industry. She was soon fooled by the praises around her and could not find herself, her true strength, or her position.

This is a common problem for newcomers in the entertainment industry, whether actors or singers. Usually, after falling down a few times, they will wake up, and then, either break out of the cocoon and be reborn, or quit sadly. However, Lu Yaos fall this time made her unable to stand up again in the next ten years of her acting career. One wrong step led to another. Because, after this meeting, she was asked to participate in an open casting, but was rejected. Then, after the open audition, she did not get any role in the drama.

In fact, this was not a big deal, just a TV series. Although she was replaced, she still had many other ways to go, and she could continue to act in idol dramas and wait for the next opportunity. However, she was unwilling and unconvinced at that time. When she was full of confidence that she was the next queen of the screen, she was replaced? It was incredible, unbelievable, and unforgivable. Because after all the pride, complacency and inflated mind were punctured by this incident, she began to go further and further on the road of self-destruction.

The media reported her replacement, and then all kinds of rumors began to spread on the Internet. Her fans left messages under the actress who replaced her, saying that the other party used hidden rules to get to the top and was shameless. And what about her? She didnt believe that she was not good enough, and then, like an ostrich, she really thought that she was squeezed out by the so-called unspoken rules. She spoke tactfully on Weibo, implying that the casting was unfair, and then refuted it with confidence when her agent angrily accused her of causing trouble.

At that time, the company did not completely suppress media reports, because this matter was not unprofitable. Although it was a pity to be replaced, after all, this drama had the possibility of becoming a big hit. If so, Lu Yao could complete the transformation from an idol to a powerful actor. But things have already happened, and such results must be turned into the greatest benefit. Most of those who criticize the other partys unspoken rules on the Internet are water armies hired by the company, so Lu Yao is completely a victim in the eyes of the media or the public. And "Harem" has not yet started filming, but it has already been exposed and hyped, and the attention must not be too low. And the actress who replaced Lu Yao? She is just a brand new newcomer without any works. This incident gave her news, and I guess she didnt have time to thank her. So the whole thing intensified until the day when the opportunity came.

A reporter poked the microphone and asked Director Song about his views on the hidden rules and Lu Yaos Weibo statement. Everyone thought that Director Song would be vague and not deny it clearly, nor reveal any concrete information, in order to keep the news hot. However, Director Song said to the camera seriously: "There is no hidden rules in this matter. The casting is completely transparent and fair. If you have any questions, I can make the audition video public. The reason for choosing Qi Fei is very simple. She can play this role to life." Then, Director Song, who originally had no expression, suddenly pulled an arc at the corner of his mouth, as if mocking or contemptuous. He said in a tone that seemed to be inadvertent: "As for Lu Yao, she is not good enough and has no acting skills."

Since that day, this news has become popular again from a new angle.

And Lu Yao sat in front of the computer in the apartment, watching the interview video over and over again, watching the contemptuous smile at the corner of Director Songs mouth, and listening to him say "She is not good enough and has no acting skills" over and over again. Later, for a long time, she looked at everyone with the same sarcasm as Director Song. Her temper began to get more and more violent. She hated Director Song, Qi Fei, and even the company that had not fought against the unspoken rules. Later, the company turned to another new actress, and she completely fell silent. This silence lasted for ten years...