Rebirth: Once Again With You

[Yes. I was studying pharmacy in N country up until a year ago. But something kept me from returning, so I only recently returned].

A lot of thought passed through her mind as she recalled what Xia Rouyue told her last night.

The more she thought about it, the more she felt like Dai Zhiqiang and Xia Rouyue had come back together from abroad.

In the past six years, Li Caiyi didn't meet the Dai family at all. Not because she didn't want to but because she couldn't.

Dai Shenqiang seemed to mysteriously disappear, despite having a contract with Glorious Days. When Li Caiyi asked Shao Jingfei about it, he said he couldn't tell her because of employee privacy, so she didn't pry again.

Dai Zhiqiang told her not to care about his family again, but Li Caiyi still visited Ye Wang from time to time. She thought she could at least check on Dai Bolin, but she was surprised when Ye Huizhong told her later that Dai Zhiqiang and his family had gone abroad.

That was the reason Dai Zhiqiang transferred schools and also why he said they wouldn't meet again. Li Caiyi still remembered she was so depressed after that. It was thanks to her family and friends she could slowly pick herself up again.

Now that Dai Zhiqiang had returned, everything went awry again. He suddenly appeared in front of her and saved her.

As if his presence wasn't disturbing enough, Xia Rouyue came along with him and caused a storm in her heart.

She wanted to believe Dai Zhiqiang's words that they had no romantic relationship with each other. But the timing was just too perfect for everything to be a coincidence.

Come to think of it, Dai Zhiqiang also seemed panicked when Li Chunhua and others interrupted them last night. As if he knew Xia Rouyue would be there too, and he didn't want her to see him together with Li Caiyi, his ex-girlfriend.

These thoughts were plaguing her mind all night, making her unable to sleep until dawn. The more she tried to think, the more warped her conclusion became. Her suspicion kept growing, and she couldn't find peace inside her. It felt very unhealthy.

Li Caiyi woke up feeling groggy and heavy. Looking at her reflection in the mirror, she laughed mockingly at herself.

"Look at you, getting so distraught because of them. Just stop thinking about them. It has nothing to do with you anymore."

After berating herself, Li Caiyi slapped her cheeks a few times before she finally felt better. "Yes. So what if there really is something going on between them? Dai Zhiqiang had no intention of rekindling our relationship, so there's no use in thinking about this."

She should focus on her work instead of this.

***

After several more meetings with Director Shen, Li Caiyi felt she had a better understanding of this person's character.

As long as she didn't try to provoke him, the most he could do was nitpick her script. However, even that seemed to be significantly lower after she made some revisions to the script.

Li Caiyi spent a few sleepless nights perfecting the script so he couldn't nitpick anymore. It was so satisfying to see Director Shen's scrunched face when he couldn't find anything to complain about.

A few days ago, she finally got his approval and felt like dancing with joy. Even Chen Ruolan was proud of her for not losing her temper against Director Shen.

The script was finally finalized, and it was time to cast the performers.

Li Caiyi was pretty excited because some famous actors and actresses would join the audition.

Director Shen's fame alone was enough to make this movie one of the most anticipated movies this year.

Li Caiyi could feel the pressure, but she also had so much fun working together with these amazing people. She felt very motivated to do her job well.

She was so excited she came earlier than the appointed time. But even then, so many people were already gathered in the audition venue.

Li Caiyi recognized some of the faces. Probably because she saw them before on television.

They were either busy chatting, rehearsing some lines, or simply playing with their phones. It wasn't every day she saw celebrities, so she stood out by staring at them like that.

"Look at her. Is she one of the auditioners too?"

"No way. Didn't you see what she was wearing? She is probably an employee or part-timer."

"Ah, she must be one of those newbie employees who would gawk at every actor she sees. That's so lame."

Li Caiyi was unaware of what they were talking about and observed her surroundings carefully. This was a rare opportunity to make a first assessment. There would probably be a hidden gem among them.

Some actresses were annoyed. Not only because she disturbed them but also because she was actually beautiful enough to be compared with the rest of them. They would probably have thought she was a celebrity if it weren't for her formal outfit.

What if the judges found her more appealing than them? After all, face value was a crucial factor in this industry.

"Hey, you!"

Li Caiyi turned around and saw a group of people walking over to her. Their facial expressions didn't seem friendly as they scanned her from head to toe.

"Who are you? Are you a reporter trying to get some scoop? It's illegal to trespass without permission. We feel bothered when you stand and gawk at us. Can you get lost if you aren't here to audition?"

"Ah, no, I'm not a reporter. Sorry if I'm bothering you. I didn't mean—"

"Just go, then. We feel uncomfortable with you here. We don't want some nasty reporter to take pictures of us!"

Li Caiyi frowned upon hearing that. These girls were young, yet they were so rude. Of course, she was in the wrong for making them uncomfortable initially, but they didn't even bother to listen to her and treated her like some kind of criminal.

"Listen here, you guys—"

Li Caiyi was about to argue when a cheerful voice interrupted her.

"Everyone! The audition will start shortly. Please make sure you already have your entry number. We will start calling you one by one."

"Crap! I got distracted because of her. I need to retouch my makeup!"

Those girls dispersed simultaneously, and no one paid attention to her anymore after that. Li Caiyi sighed and left the room to prepare for the audition.

She didn't find a hidden gem, but at least she found some fish eyes. One that definitely shouldn't get chosen. With their problematic attitude, she had no doubt that the shooting wouldn't go well.