Artists under the Rebirth of the Coal Boss

Chapter 272 I really became a star!

The wrap party ended, and night had fallen.

In the parking lot below the restaurant, the familiar white Toyota Alphard waited quietly.

The cool night breeze slightly dispelled the effects of the alcohol. Lin Xingzhuo accompanied Twins to the car, and the three of them remained silent for a moment.

Fueled by the lingering effects of alcohol, Asa and Ajiao suddenly rushed forward and hugged him tightly.

Then, the two of them quickly placed a warm kiss on each of his cheeks, one on each side.

Lin Xingzhuo stood there, stunned...

…………

Asa turned around first, opened the car door, and sat deep inside the car without looking back.

Ah Jiao hesitated for a moment.

She was well aware of the subtle feelings between Lin Xingzhuo and Asa, and repeatedly warned herself to keep her distance and never make another mistake.

But just before getting into the car, she couldn't help but turn around and mouth to Lin Xingzhuo, "Lin Xingzhuo, thank you for coming!"

This damn visual imagery...

From this point on, Twins have completely emerged from the shadow of the two major incidents and are ready to start afresh...

…………

Bang! !

The metal doors slammed shut.

Asa and Ajiao sat in the back seat, both silent.

After the car drove out of the parking lot and across two streets, Ah Jiao finally regained her composure and slowly said:
"Some things are destined not to belong to us, but it's still lucky to have encountered them..."

"Asa, you and Lin Sheng must take good care of yourselves."

Asa looked down at her phone, which displayed the floor plans of her newly purchased house sent by a graphic designer. After hearing Ajiao's words, she looked up and said:
"Huh? Me? There's no way Zhuo-ge and I could be together. We're really just a couple for publicity."

Ah Jiao said, "But the song created at the food stall, and that time you were interviewed by reporters at the Jockey Club..."

Asa looked at her dejected partner and said, "Don't overthink it! I even sang 'Little Dimples' with JJ!"

"Actually... something happened in my family, the situation is very special... um... family factors... it's impossible for me to be with Lin Xingzhuo..."

Ajiao nodded, assuming that the financial crisis last year had caused Asa's family to encounter difficulties.

Asa's father, Choi Kau-shing, is a wealthy businessman in Hong Kong whose businesses are mainly concentrated in the entertainment and financial industries.

He was a shareholder of Sound Entertainment in the 1990s and began to venture into the financial investment field in the 2000s.

Asa turned off the photos of the new house plans on his phone, opened his email, forwarded an email to Ajiao, and said:
"By the way, Brother Zhuo wrote a new song for Twins..."

Ajiao opened the slider on her Samsung W239, and while opening her email, she said:
"us?"

"But...the company had a meeting last month."

"The group will remain together, but each member will pursue their own individual career path... Twins' tours, recordings, and film and television projects will all be suspended... You will go solo..."

Asa said, "Don't worry about that! I'll handle things at the company. You should first look at this song that Zhuo wrote. It's so good, he's so talented!"

Ajiao opened the email and saw the song title "The Flowers Have Bloomed Again." She was immediately drawn to the lyrics and couldn't help but hum along to the melody...

…………

Finally, the people I've been longing for are reunited.
Finally, all the wounds healed.

The flowers are in full bloom again.
Finally, my heart is filled with courage again.

If you walk with me
Then I have no excuse to give up.
The flowers are in full bloom again.
The sky turned a clear blue again, and the scenery...

…………

Asa watched Ah Jiao singing a cappella in the train carriage.

When I first saw the lyrics and music of this song, I immediately felt that this was the song that could revive the Twins duo!
The song possesses a maturity that transcends youthful naiveté; one can feel the vulnerability and struggle, the tenacious resilience of life after experiencing setbacks, and the rebirth from the ashes!
Actually, she had wanted to confide in her best friend about her relationship with Ronald Cheng several times.

But every time I tried to say it, it always ended up being left unsaid.

On one hand, there was the confidentiality agreement she signed with Ronald Cheng when they got married; on the other hand, she was worried that it would damage their relationship.

Especially after what happened last year, Twins almost broke up, and their relationship could no longer withstand any more twists and turns and suspicions...

In her past life, Asa mentioned this matter on the variety show "Because We're Friends," and she always maintained this line of reasoning.

"If someone outside really knows, does that mean my friend betrayed me?"

"I don't want to cause such a misunderstanding..."

........................

The third day after filming wrapped on "Love in a Puff".

Liu Jialing's commercial activities for the skincare brand SK-II in Shanghai have ended, and she returned to Hong Kong at the end of the year.

Liu Jialing then invited Lin Xingzhuo, Wang Fei, Zhou Runfa, Zeng Huaqing, Shu Qi, He Chaoqiong, Sun Yunyun, Shi Nansheng and others to play mahjong for a week.

With nothing else to do, Lin Xingzhuo decided to play the entire game, from Monday to Sunday. The company reimbursed him for the wins and losses, which helped him expand his network in the Hong Kong entertainment circle.

…………

On Wednesday of the following week, Zhang Youqian packed her luggage and booked a flight back to the mainland.

Executive broker Xiao Ma drove Lin Xingzhuo to Sha Tin Racecourse in the New Territories to see his beloved horse "Haidu Star". He also received a mysterious gift from Twins.

When Lin Xingzhuo got home and opened it, she found it was the cover of a beach photo album.

…………

This was in 2002, just one year after Twins debuted. They quickly rose to fame with many hit songs, becoming the most popular new group in Hong Kong.

The company specially arranged for them to travel to the picturesque Maldives to shoot this photo album, aiming to solidify their youthful, lively, and sunny image.

The photo album is filled with summer elements such as beaches, sunshine, bikinis, and vacations, capturing the natural interactions and playful moments of the two during their trip.

The images are very fresh and wholesome, perfectly showcasing their youthful charm at the time.

This photoshoot is often referred to by fans and media as the "Twins Maldives photoshoot," but its official title is the "Such a better day" photobook.

……

Lin Xingzhuo opened the photo album and noticed something was wrong...

Holy crap!! This is the uncensored version!
This is a private collection of photos taken by the 19-year-old Twins to commemorate their youth.

Twins' reservations about Lin Xingzhuo deeply moved Lin Xingzhuo and his brothers...

Lin Xingzhuo looked down at the photo album cover... Dude, no way?!
You've defied your superiors again! You've gone off on your own again?!
Damn it! These side effects are too severe!

…………

In that painful moment, Lin Xingzhuo suddenly understood.

Why do so many celebrities own Michelin-starred restaurants, time-honored eateries, and five-star hotels?

But that's why I still order takeout, eat fast food, frequent hole-in-the-wall restaurants, eat vegetarian home-style dishes, and go to my sister-in-law's dumpling shop...

The Emperor's younger brother has rebelled, and he's engulfed in flames! I don't care about anything else!!
Lin Xingzhu recalled a post made by the famous ID "Xiangxicun Shangchunshu" on the Golden Forum some time ago.

Last year's financial crisis led to the opening of many new tutoring centers in Hong Kong, offering courses in Japanese, Korean, and spoken English.

I heard some of them graduated from prestigious universities, and they're very pretty...

…………

The next day, Lin Xingzhuo, Zhang Youqian, and Xiao Ma arrived at Hong Kong International Airport, Terminal 2, with bags of luggage.

Zhang Youqian took out an envelope and handed it to Lin Xingzhuo, saying:

"Brother Zhuo, you went out last night. Ajiao came by once and asked me to hand this over to you personally..."

Lin Xingzhuo: “…”

Damn! I feel like I missed out on a deal worth hundreds of millions!
Lin Xingzhuo said, "Why didn't you call me?"

Zhang Youqian said, "Didn't you say you were going to learn a foreign language to prepare for entering the international market? So I didn't bother you."

Lin Xingzhuo was speechless for a moment.

Zhang Youqian muttered under her breath, "Who knew you'd go drinking and come back drunk..."

Lin Xingzhu touched the tip of his nose and said guiltily, "Hey, Huang Zongze dragged me along. He knew I was going back to the mainland and insisted on showing me some hospitality."

…………

Yesterday at the Fuji Building, that pink-clad graduate of a prestigious university.

A huge tattoo right off the bat!

The explanation given was that he had good academic performance since childhood, and his teacher rewarded him with a large spider tattoo.

Lin Xingzhuo knew she had stepped on a landmine.

Just as a clay pot inevitably breaks at the well, a general is bound to die on the battlefield!
A dilemma.

Lin Xingzhuo recalled a famous saying by Cai Lan, a well-known playboy in Hong Kong.

ugly?
Damn it! Kill the ugly ones!!
Moreover, this rune warrior, although pretending to be a cute schoolgirl, is actually quite good-looking.

But... look at that thief's den, it's pitch black...

That's going too far!!

The other party explained that it was from sun exposure...

Lin Xingzhuo lost all interest, quickly told him to go take a shower, and then slipped away.

…………

Having escaped the Fuji Tower, Lin Xingzhuo finally understood the principle that one needs a guide to achieve immortality.

He called Wong Chung Chak, and the two went to the Grand Fortune Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui for a good drink.

Huang Zongze does indeed have special connections in the Hong Kong and Taiwan circles, and has arranged for a highly skilled, prestigious school student named Liu Qiaoan.

A freshman at Taibei University of Political Science and Law, looking radiant and youthful.

…………

Lin Xingzhuo only remembered this when she entered the room.

This woman, a few years later, was named one of the BBC's "Ten Outstanding Young People in Asia" in 2014, a Time magazine cover figure, and a famous "Titanium Flower Goddess"!
The power speed increased immediately...

No kidding! It really is tight!
…………

Lin Xingzhuo has lived two lives. In his previous life, he followed the rules and was constrained by the system. In this life, he has limited experience and ultimately lacks experience in the art of food.

This solo restaurant visit experience allowed Lin Xingzhuo to accumulate a very valuable lesson.

He's starting to understand the memes that's been trending in the Civil Engineering section of Baidu Tieba this year.

When you're out having fun, spend your money wisely and don't skimp on yourself.

The older brother waved his hand not because he thought it was too expensive, but because he felt you were spending your money incorrectly.

If the goods don't match the description, I'll just walk away!
Boldly refuse! Find someone else decisively! There's always someone better waiting for you!!
........................

Zhang Youqian and Xiao Ma went to board the plane first.

Lin Xingzhuo arrived at the airport's smoking room, lit a green Lucky Strike cigarette, and opened the envelope.

A letter written by A Jiao to Lin Xingzhuo.

The letter expressed gratitude to Lin Xingzhuo for helping her overcome her grief.

There was also a key inside the envelope.

This is the key to Ah Jiao's apartment in the West Kowloon Arc de Triomphe residential building...

…………

Lin Xingzhuo put away the keys and was about to turn off the phone when it vibrated again...

This is a text message from Asa, along with a string of numbers.

"I've moved! I've moved to the south bank of the Hung Hom waterfront and installed a new electronic lock. I don't know if it'll work well yet, but you'll have to try it next time you come to Hong Kong..."

…………

Three hours later, Lin Xingzhuo arrived in the capital. As soon as he stepped out of the terminal, a wave of noise surged towards him.

The long-waiting fans instantly erupted in cheers, completely blocking the exit. Screams and the clicking of camera shutters filled the air as countless arms held up phones and light boards.

"Welcome, God of Civil Service Exams!" "Freestyle! Star God!" "Praise! Great Lord of Ruins!" "Forever support! Star God!"

These fluorescent words stood out in the crowd. There were also several promotional materials from the "Beauty's Rival in Palace" drama series and costume posters from the "Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame" drama series.

There were also some female fans dressed in rap style, clutching handmade gift bags tightly in their hands, screaming and pushing forward, hoping to get closer to him.

It was only then that Lin Xingzhuo realized he had truly become a star! He felt the responsibility and pressure of being a celebrity in the Chinese entertainment industry!

"Oh, right! Xiao Ma, get the contact information of those pretty girls."

(End of this chapter)