Chapter 53: The Movie

Chapter 53: The Movie

In this era where looks matter, a stunning beauty like An Wen attracts fans effortlessly. Not only did she debunk the plastic surgery rumors, but her fanbase also grew exponentially.

E-commerce platforms even jumped on the trend, selling "An Wen's style" clothing on Hot Search, which quickly became a bestseller. Her influence was undeniable—that very night, Song Jia received calls from multiple advertisers. Meanwhile, the variety show Heartbeat Prince broke records with a viewership rating surpassing 1, and its online streaming count hit 90 million overnight after the platform update. The show remained on Hot Search, continuously drawing new viewers.

The program fully showcased An Wen's star power, and soon, other variety shows came knocking.

Song Jia didn’t hold high hopes for Hua Luo Chang An. After all, An Wen had debuted with a supporting female role in Ye Qiaofeng’s film, setting a high bar from the start. A major production like Hua Luo Chang An had countless established actors vying for roles—it was normal if she wasn’t selected.

She picked out several scripts for An Wen, who initially skimmed through them casually but was deeply moved by one film in particular.

Titled Zeng Ji Fou, the movie was directed by Wu Yan, who had won the Golden Bull Award for Best New Director. The story was so fresh and touching that An Wen cried after reading the script.

It followed Xiao Ying, a woman in her 30s who accidentally traveled back to her high school days. Determined to change her life, she transformed from an average student into a top achiever. She broke up with her childhood sweetheart and husband from her previous life, Chen Lin, ready to embrace a new future.

But gradually, she began to uncover the truth: her bicycle hadn’t been sold at half-price due to a store promotion—Chen Lin had secretly paid half with his long-saved allowance. The blackboard on her duty days was always cleaned by him beforehand. His bruised face wasn’t from fights but from being beaten by her father when he tried to intervene in a family dispute.

Xiao Ying came from a family of four, with a younger brother. Her parents were factory workers—her mother barely educated, her father hot-tempered, taking out his frustrations on his wife and children. Xiao Ying had grown up bearing the scars of his abuse.

In this new life, Xiao Ying resolved to stand up for her mother and push for a divorce, only to end up being beaten alongside her with a clothes hanger. With her in high school and her brother in middle school, their mother endured the abuse for the sake of their tuition.

Xiao Ying realized she hadn’t changed anything—her father only grew crueler after her mother mentioned divorce, hurling vile insults at her.

She threw herself into studying, fighting for her and her mother’s future. During that time, Chen Lin stayed by her side, studying with her and lifting her spirits.

Eventually, Xiao Ying got into a top university, succeeded in freeing her mother from her father, and severed ties with Chen Lin. Everything seemed to be going as she’d envisioned.

But when Chen Lin introduced his new girlfriend to her, it suddenly hit her: The person who once stood up for her was now standing up for someone else. The one who made her laugh when she was sad now made another girl smile. The boy who, despite being poor, bought her gifts for every occasion now did the same for another.

The ordinary, mundane life she once shared with Chen Lin no longer included her.

What should have been a moment of triumph left her inexplicably heartbroken.

Watching Chen Lin and his girlfriend go through the same experiences she once had with him, witnessing their arguments and reconciliations, and their simple happiness. In her previous life, she had desperately wanted a different kind of existence, yet now she couldn't help but feel envy.