When the Stars Tremble

The Twenty-Seventh Star

The director’s yell brought the set to a complete silence.

Surrounded by countless cameras, Jiang Chuyi quickly withdrew from Zong Ye’s embrace upon hearing the cut.

She secretly glanced at him from the corner of her eye.

Zong Ye remained standing in place, as if still immersed in the scene, completely forgetting what he was supposed to do.

The assistant director cleared his throat and stepped in to smooth things over, “Zong Ye, how can you be like this? Accepting all everyone who comes at you!”

The sound guy next to them also laughed, his voice suggestive, “It’s a good thing this is just acting. If Mr. Zong treated every girl like this in real life, he would break so many hearts.”

Zong Ye was silent for a few seconds before explaining, “Sorry, I was a bit slow to react.”

The director spoke indignantly, “You call this slow to react? If I hadn’t called cut, you would have kissed her! What were you thinking?”

“I was…”

After saying these words, Zong Ye stopped, seemingly not knowing how to answer the director’s question.

Jiang Chuyi held her breath.

Even though it had little to do with her, a strange sense of guilt and worry emerged.

Soon, she heard Zong Ye say, “I overreacted.”

After all, the members of BloodxGentle were not professional actors and had not received specialized training. For some emotionally delicate scenes that required deep-level performance, it was simpler and faster to let them give genuine reactions without their knowledge during filming.

Originally, as they planned, when Zong Ye was suddenly embraced by a woman who even wanted to kiss him, a normal person’s most basic reaction should have been to be stunned, then resist or feel awkward, but hesitate to push her away due to the filming.

The director wanted to capture these few seconds of instinctive reactions at the intersection of character and reality.

Who would have thought that Zong Ye was neither awkward nor resistant? He did freeze for a few seconds, but then embraced the person in return.

The emotions Zong Ye displayed in this scene clearly did not fit the needs of the plot, so it had to be reshot.

They took a ten minutes break.

Zong Ye sat alone on a shipping container, holding the new script in his hand. His head was lowered, his expression hidden by stray strands of hair.

Jiang Chuyi floated over to his side with a thermos.

Noticing someone approaching, Zong Ye turned his head.

Jiang Chuyi, with a hint of apology, asked uneasily, “Did I hurt you when I jumped into you just now?”

“No,” he replied softly.

She nodded, repeating twice, “That’s good, that’s good.”

Actually, what she wanted to ask was if she had scared him…

On this bitter winter day with sub-zero temperatures, Zong Ye only wore a thin black sweater. As he spoke with Jiang Chuyi, he casually picked up the coat lying beside him and draped it over his legs.

Sensing his low spirits, Jiang Chuyi obediently stood a few meters away, not getting any closer. “Then study the script some more. You can do it.”

“Okay.”

After the encouragement, she floated away again.

Zong Ye watched her retreating figure, then looked away and casually picked up a withered tree branch from the container.

Soon, the fragile branch snapped in two in his palm.

He repeated this mechanical motion, breaking the snapped twigs again.

Wang Tan coughed loudly.

He came back to his senses.

Wang Tan sat down beside him with his hands in his pockets, asking nonchalantly, “What are you doing, bro?”

Zong Ye’s expression was lacking. “Getting some air.”

“It’s snowing so hard, and you’re getting air without your coat? You just filmed an intimate scene and need to cool your head, huh?”

Zong Ye neither confirmed nor denied, tossing away the broken twigs and continuing to read the script.

Wang Tan deliberately glanced down and bumped the coat on his legs. “Ah,” he said, “so it’s not just your head that needs cooling.”

Zong Ye’s expression remained calm, still not responding.

This was as good as admitting it. Wang Tan clicked his tongue and muttered, “It was just a hug, is it that serious?”

…

…

This snowy scene was Jiang Chuyi and Zong Ye’s wrap-up shot.

After the break, the second half of the scene was reshot.

Jiang Chuyi lightly exhaled and hugged the person in front of her.

Her arms encircled his waist, her head buried in Zong Ye’s chest, unable to see his expression.

The director never called cut, so Jiang Chuyi couldn’t let go.

The snow crunched underfoot, the set quiet as they filmed. She could even clearly hear the heartbeat of the man before her.

She smelled that faint citrus fragrance again, mixed with the clean scent of Zong Ye’s clothes. Perhaps it was getting into the character’s emotions, or perhaps it was his embrace feeling especially warm in this cold winter, but in that moment, Jiang Chuyi’s heart truly surged with a hint of reluctance.

Zong Ye’s hands hung by his sides, not daring to move an inch. His fingers curled slightly but ultimately did not rise to touch her.

After half a minute, the director called cut.

Jiang Chuyi suddenly sobered, slightly raising her head, feeling the sunlight hitting her eyes.

Zong Ye remained silent, still maintaining his original posture.

She took the initiative to release him and stepped back.

Before the crew members surrounded them, Jiang Chuyi quietly said to him, “Good work.”

A sudden gust of strong wind blew past, mixing with the sweat on his body, making Zong Ye feel a bit cold. He said, “Congrats on the final scene.”

Jiang Chuyi: “Mm, you too.”

…

…

After wrapping up, Jiang Chuyi returned to her resting area and put on the down jacket Little Zhong handed her.

She packed her things, putting her scripts into a bag.

Some people came over to congratulate her.

A crew member brought Jiang Chuyi a bouquet of white lisianthus, saying it was ordered by some unknown fan, with Jiang Chuyi’s name written on the card.

Jiang Chuyi thanked them and accepted it.

After waiting on set for a while, Xin He, Ji Kai, and Fu Cheng’s scenes were done filming and they also wrapped.

Zong Ye was currently listening to the director and others speaking.

Some extras had come today. They gathered together to discuss for a bit, and one person went over to ask if they could take a photo together.

Zong Ye slightly nodded, agreeing.

He was easygoing and approachable, rarely refusing anyone.

Just like that, most of the people present, including some from the lighting and props teams, took photos with Zong Ye.

Jiang Chuyi was still sitting in her chair chatting with Little Zhong when she noticed her assistant suddenly stop talking.

Following the assistant’s gaze, Jiang Chuyi realized Zong Ye had walked over to her side at some point.

“What is it?” she asked.

“Want to take a photo together to remember this?”

This was practically a convention after wrapping on every drama. As long as the actors’ relationship wasn’t too bad, they would always take photos of each other for future publicity use.

Jiang Chuyi immediately put down the hand warmers she was holding and stood up. “Sure.”

The one taking the photo for them was Zong Ye’s assistant, A’Xi.

The two stood in the open space.

The instant A’Xi raised his phone, Zong Ye very naturally lifted his hand.

She froze for a second, looking up at him.

Quickly realizing they were taking a photo, Jiang Chuyi looked back at the camera.

Fortunately, the down jacket sleeves were quite long, so her clenched fists could be hidden inside without being seen.

His hand lightly rested on Jiang Chuyi’s shoulder. Through the slightly thick clothing, he could feel her somewhat tense body.

Zong Ye smiled.

A few clicks later, the images were captured.

A’Xi dawdled about changing angles, taking quite a few shots before finally giving them an “OK” gesture to indicate he was done.

Zong Ye removed his hand.

Jiang Chuyi let out an imperceptible sigh of relief.

With crew members bustling around them, she said in a low voice, “Send me those photos on WeChat later?”

“Okay.”

*

On the third day, with her scenes already finished, Jiang Chuyi didn’t need to go to the set. She only had to wait for all the day’s filming to wrap, then attend the wrap-up dinner with the cast and crew that evening.

When she woke up at noon, the snow had already stopped.

Jiang Chuyi had made plans to go out with her fan named Qu Zhun.

Qu Zhun took her to a nearby residential street. At the end of a small alley, they ate a meal at an old, homely restaurant.

Qu Zhun had the day off, so after eating, she went shopping with Jiang Chuyi.

After accompanying Qu Zhun to buy a cup of milk tea, Jiang Chuyi remembered something and asked, “Are there any souvenir shops nearby? I want to pick out a few gifts.”

Qu Zhun thought for a moment and told her, “I know of a handmade craft store with some exquisite items. Want me to take you to have a look?”

“Sure.”

The decor of the handmade store Qu Zhun brought her to was very retro. The shelves at the entrance displayed some old records, cameras, and carvings made by the shop owner.

Qu Zhun asked curiously, “Chuyi, are you gifting these to people in the crew?”

“Yes.” Jiang Chuyi smiled, not hiding it.

During this month with the crew, she had received a lot of care. Now that they were about to part ways, she wanted to gift some things. But they didn’t lack anything, so she could only pick out some small gifts to express her feelings.

Jiang Chuyi made a round in the store, selecting a sketchbook for Er Er, a table lamp, eye mask, and plush toy for Xin He, and an exquisite microphone stand model for Fu Cheng, and so on.

Finally, it was Zong Ye’s turn.

Remembering the cake he had sent her from abroad before, Jiang Chuyi stopped in front of a display shelf and pulled out a box of postcards to examine.

Jiang Chuyi packed up all the chosen items, then went to consult with the store clerk.

Following their directions, she gathered the tools and walked over to the handcrafting area.

Qu Zhun sat to the side to keep her company.

Propping her chin up, Qu Zhun watched as a music box gradually took shape in Jiang Chuyi’s hands. On top of the box was a little boy sitting on a bench, holding a guitar.

Qu Zhun immediately guessed, “Is this for Zong Ye?”

Jiang Chuyi was focused on carving and blowing away the wood shavings. She made an affirming sound.

“I didn’t expect you two to have such a good relationship…” Qu Zhun sighed.

Hearing something off in her tone, Jiang Chuyi paused her work. “Is something wrong?”

“It’s nothing.” Qu Zhun bit her lip. “I don’t mean to gossip about your private matters or say anything to upset you, it’s just…”

“No worries, go ahead.”

“It’s just, I’ve been following your news these past few years. I also saw that trending topic about you and Zong Ye a while back.” Speaking of this, Qu Zhun’s tone turned indignant. “Then many fans started cursing people out. Seeing those words made me so upset.”

“Those fans saying you’re not good enough and such, I was so angry I couldn’t even sleep. In my heart, you’re the best person! Maybe it’s a fan’s bias, but I even feel Zong Ye isn’t good enough for you.”

Saying this, Qu Zhun looked around vigilantly, afraid of being overheard by BloodxGentle’s fans.

Jiang Chuyi sighed. Many inside stories weren’t convenient to explain in detail, so she could only reassure her, “He and I are friends. There’s no ‘good enough’ or not. The fans will stop cursing after a while. Actually, Zong Ye is a very good and outstanding person.”

After finishing the music box, with time to spare, Jiang Chuyi went to get another set of tools, planning to make one for Qu Zhun.

“There’s one for me too?” Qu Zhun was surprised.

“Of course.” Jiang Chuyi smiled. “You’re also a friend I met recently. Knowing there’s someone who likes me as much as you do, I’ll have motivation for filming the next drama.”

Qu Zhun stuttered, too moved to get the words out.

Her eyes gradually reddened as she choked out, “Chuyi, you’re such a good person, you deserve to be loved. In the future, you’ll definitely be loved by even more people. Not just me, but many, many people will love you.”

“Alright.” Jiang Chuyi took out a tissue to wipe away her tears and promised, “Then I’ll work hard. When I succeed, if I come to Beijing again, can you treat me to another meal?”

Qu Zhun nodded vigorously, laughing and crying at the same time.

…

…

At the wrap-up dinner that evening, Jiang Chuyi distributed the packaged gifts to the crew.

Toward the end, she realized Zong Ye wasn’t there.

Ji Kai said, “He went to Suzhou for an endorsement event right after finishing his scenes yesterday.”

Jiang Chuyi made an understanding sound, thinking to herself that he was really so busy, working nonstop day in and day out.

She handed the gift bag to Ji Kai. “Then can you pass this to him for me later?”

“Sure.” Ji Kai was about to take it when Wang Tan swatted his hand away.

The two looked at him in unison.

Wang Tan spoke up unhurriedly, “Teacher Jiang, isn’t it more sincere to give gifts in person? Zong Ye will be back tonight. You two can still see each other one last time at the hotel.”

Hearing this, Jiang Chuyi could only take the bag back. “Alright then.”

“By the way, Teacher Jiang, why are you showing favoritism?”

“What?”

Wang Tan waved the record in his hand, questioning, “I only got a record. Why does Zong Ye’s gift get a bag?”

“Yours is more expensive than his,” Jiang Chuyi explained seriously.

“Okay, I won’t tease you anymore.” Wang Tan clicked his tongue. “Thanks for the record. I’ll keep it safe at home.”

*

Back at the hotel, Little Zhong immediately started going through the work group chats, jotting down important notices in a memo.

After organizing, Little Zhong told her that filming for the September Rain drama would likely start after the Spring Festival, shooting in Xiamen.

Jiang Chuyi sighed, “Time flies. Another new year is coming.”

“Yeah.” Little Zhong was thirsty and went to open a bottle of milk. She casually added, “BloodxGentle’s tour is starting this year too.”

“When?”

“January 13th.”

“January 13th?” It sounded familiar to Jiang Chuyi. She thought for a moment and recalled that seemed to be Zong Ye’s birthday.

“How long do their tours usually last?”

“Around half a year.” Little Zhong mumbled while drinking her milk, “The tickets are so hard to get. The scalpers are jacking up the prices like crazy.”

After showering, Jiang Chuyi sat down at the desk and turned on the lamp.

She took out the box of postcards she had bought that afternoon, opened it, selected one, and wrote four characters before stopping.

As she sat in the chair, lost in thought, Gao Ning called her.

“You finished filming that movie?”

Jiang Chuyi: “It’s done.”

“From wrapping up filming to post-production editing, it’ll probably take a few months at most. It can be scheduled for release in the second half of the year.”

Jiang Chuyi’s hand slipped, messing up her writing.

She had no choice but to take another postcard and start over.

“I heard IM found a few sponsors and plans to make a reality show for BloodxGentle to promote the movie.”

“Mm.” Jiang Chuyi responded absent-mindedly.

Gao Ning suddenly said, “Maybe you’ll be able to go on it.”

Jiang Chuyi was skeptical. “I can go on it?”

“Yeah, didn’t they say it’s to promote the movie? You can kind of be considered one of the leads.”

“That’s really a stretch for me.” Jiang Chuyi didn’t take it to heart. “Even if they invite guests on a BloodxGentle show, it should be people with high popularity.”

“Hard to say.” Gao Ning sighed. “I heard Xunfei is also very interested in this show and plans to put a few of their artists on it. I’ll ask around later. It would be great if you could actually go record a few episodes.”

“We’ll see.” Jiang Chuyi advised, “Better not get your hopes up too much.”

After hanging up, she casually flipped through WeChat on her phone.

Zong Ye had just sent her a message.

Zong Ye: “Ji Kai said you have something for me?”

Jiang Chuyi: “Yes, are you back?”

Zong Ye: “I’m back. Let me change clothes first.”

Jiang Chuyi’s gaze fell on the table, looking at the half-written postcard. She replied to him: “No rush. I still have some things to take care of here. Give me fifteen minutes.”

Zong Ye: “It’s 12:57 now. I can come over at 1:15, is that okay?”

Jiang Chuyi: “Okay.”

Putting down her phone, Jiang Chuyi chewed on her pen in thought. She got a sheet of white paper from Little Zhong and drafted a few versions on it. After checking the time, she finished writing the second half of the postcard.

She let it dry for a few minutes on the side.

Once everything was done, Jiang Chuyi put the postcard and music box together in the bag.

At 1:15 sharp, the doorbell rang.

Jiang Chuyi grabbed the items and rushed over.

Seeing the door open a crack, Zong Ye took two steps back.

Jiang Chuyi poked her head out first.

It seemed he had just finished washing his hair. His black hair was half-dry, and he wore thin, silver-framed glasses. His features were refined and handsome.

Jiang Chuyi slipped out sideways and gently closed the door behind her.

Zong Ye looked down at her.

She was wearing a fluffy Welsh Corgi pajama set today. The room’s heating must have been turned up high, as her cheeks were a bit flushed. She looked very warm.

Jiang Chuyi handed the bag to Zong Ye. “This is a gift for you.”

Zong Ye took it. “What gift?”

“Isn’t your birthday coming up?” Jiang Chuyi held back for a moment before saying, “You’ll probably be on tour then, right? I’m giving you your birthday present early, as a thank you for the cake you sent me in Italy.”

Zong Ye didn’t deny it, only asking, “How did you know it was from me?”

“The handwriting on the card was yours.” Jiang Chuyi looked at him. “Did you forget? I’ve seen your handwriting before.”

“I see.”

Zong Ye seemed to recall something and smiled. “Are you not free on January 13th?”

“What?”

“My birthday.”

Jiang Chuyi: “I’m not sure. Why?”

The two gazed at each other. Zong Ye still had a gentle smile on his lips. “Want to come see the concert?”

Jiang Chuyi: “Huh?”

“The first show is in Shanghai.”

She didn’t speak.

Zong Ye seemed to know what she was thinking. After a while, he added, “You can go with Xin He. Besides you two, there will probably be many other people coming.”

After a few seconds of hesitation, Jiang Chuyi nodded lightly. “Alright then. If I’m free, I’ll definitely go support you.”

“Okay.”

Having finished their conversation, Jiang Chuyi didn’t want to take up more of his time. She pointed behind her. “I’ll head back in first then?”

Zong Ye made an affirming sound.

Walking to the door, as she swiped her keycard, she glanced back at him again.

Seeing him standing still, Jiang Chuyi bid farewell once more. “Bye.”

Zong Ye nodded.

She gripped the door handle tightly and added, “Good night.”

Zong Ye smiled and responded softly, “Good night.”

Jiang Chuyi didn’t dare look at him too much and hurriedly pushed the door open.

Watching her go in, after the door clicked shut, Zong Ye stood there a while longer.

He was in no rush to leave, leaning against the wall to look at the items in the bag.

In the long corridor, with only him there, it was quiet again. Zong Ye took out the postcard.

It was an orange-toned postcard printed with a pattern of large cloud puffs resembling the sunset glow.

Through the wall, he could faintly hear her chatting and laughing with her assistant.

Zong Ye flipped the postcard over.

A few lines written in black pen, the handwriting neat and elegant:

Hello, Zong Ye,

I pondered for a long time, not knowing where to start.

I originally planned to write you a few lines, but then I didn’t know which movie you had watched that made you aware of me.

So in the end, I decided to write you a birthday card. Does this count as a special autograph?

I hope you don’t mind.

I accidentally learned a secret about you on that New Year’s Eve.

Because you were drunk.

I’m not too sure, but I think I saw your tears.

When I was out shopping for gifts today, the store was playing a song that suddenly made me think of you.

The lyrics went something like this:

There will always be light from dusk falling upon you.

There will always be stars listening to you tell your stories.

Although I don’t know what you’ve experienced or what kind of unforgettable people you’ve encountered that left you with such regrets,

Life is more than just regrets.

Someday,

The setting sun will fall upon you, and you too can experience joy.

Jiang Chuyi / 2021.1.6