Chapter 1: The Starting Line Redrawn

“The winner of the Fire Phoenix Best Actress Award at the XXXth Golden Dragon & Fire Phoenix Awards is—XXX!”

As the presenter finally drew out the name after a suspenseful pause, thunderous applause and congratulatory cheers erupted throughout the grand auditorium.

With a calm smile, Luo Xi Chu felt no particular disappointment. Perhaps she had sensed the outcome long ago, so she accepted it without regret.

She had been in the industry for twenty years, working her way up from her earliest days in the film city after graduation. She no longer wished to dwell on those years. Now, she was no longer young. This, the most prestigious and impartial film award in China, might be her last chance. If she let it slip by, she might never get another.

After so many years of hard work, countless nominations, and never once taking home the highest honor, even those with the weakest resolve would have learned composure. What’s more, she had already achieved the standing she deserved; it was only this final crown, the Best Actress award, that had eluded her.

“What the hell! XXX just played a naive girl—how did she end up as Best Actress? Have the judges all lost their minds?” fumed one fan, more agitated than Luo Xi Chu herself.

“Hah, you just don’t get it. What’s popular now are those weepy, ‘pure-hearted’ ingenues! At least XXX looks pitiful when she cries, and most of the judges are men!”

“Ugh, it’s disgusting and frustrating. The Golden Dragon & Fire Phoenix Awards claim to be the biggest and fairest, but is there some shady business behind the scenes after all?”

“I’ve been suspicious for a while. Our Luo Xi played a modern female assassin with such depth—critics everywhere were full of praise, and yet she still couldn’t bring home Best Actress. It’s infuriating…”

“Exactly! Does XXX have someone pulling strings for her? Wasn’t there gossip recently about her and the company president? Maybe it wasn’t just a rumor. Damn, when I heard the result, I almost smashed my TV. Our Luo Xi deserves better.”

“Heh, as much as I want to say that, the Golden Dragon & Fire Phoenix Awards have a long-standing reputation—no single company president could sway them. As loyal fans, we must face reality and not cause trouble for Luo Xi with baseless rumors, or the media will have a field day slandering her.”

“Agreed! What’s done is done—we can’t change it. As die-hard fans, all we can do is support Luo Xi wholeheartedly. If not this year, then next; if not next year, then the year after. Sooner or later, she’ll win it. I refuse to believe that talent can’t outshine a pretty face in this world!”

“Agreed, both hands up! I just hope Luo Xi starts on a new project soon and doesn’t dwell on this…”

“Agreed is agreed, but we’re not powerless to do something for Luo Xi!” Suddenly, someone in the group spoke up, rallying the fans’ spirits.

“What, what can we do?”

“Just say it! Don’t keep us in suspense. We’ll do whatever it takes…”

“Yeah, we’re just waiting for someone to take the lead!”

The speaker chuckled, “I’ve already contacted a group of fans. We’re pooling our resources to produce a film for Luo Xi. That way, we’ll have much more control over things like the script. We’ll make sure to pick the very best story, so next year’s Best Actress will be hers, without a doubt.”

Another chimed in, “That’s actually a solution. Honestly, the films Luo Xi has taken in recent years haven’t had great scripts or memorable characters. Any nominations were due to her own outstanding acting, but there’s only so much she can do with poor material…”

For some reason, those words, once so vivid in her memory, suddenly became distant and indistinct, slipping further away the more she tried to listen.

“Luo Xi Chu, come up here and give us a demonstration—play a leopard!” The teacher, cool and stern, called her name in the middle of class.

It felt as if a thunderclap exploded beside her ear. Luo Xi Chu snapped awake, blinking in confusion but grateful she had at least caught the last command.

Had she just dreamed of her life before she was reborn? She stood there dazed for a moment, gathering her thoughts. Under the gaze of her classmates, she rose, walked to the front, dropped to her knees, and in the next instant, moved onto all fours, sprawling on the floor without hesitation.

Her eyes narrowed to slits, half-open, half-closed, her expression exuding the utmost laziness. Though she was simply crawling across the floor, there was an elegance to her movements, a regal ease, as if she were a monarch patrolling her domain, gazing down with haughty authority. Every glance was powerful, carrying a commanding presence that was both awe-inspiring and oppressive.

Her performance was so vivid, so captivating, that everyone watching felt a sudden tightness in their chest, as if being seen by such eyes was an honor that left them breathless.

A collective gasp sounded. Both students and the teacher stared in astonishment, their eyes wide and fixed.

Just then, the bell rang, signaling the end of class, and the building burst into life. Luo Xi Chu stood up in one smooth motion, nonchalantly brushing dust from her arms and knees, as if the extraordinary moment had been nothing but an illusion.

“Wow, Luo Xi, you’re amazing! This expressive acting class only started this term, but you’re already so good!” Zhu Xue Shuang hurried over, praising her sincerely.

These performance classes were designed to hone the students’ acting skills and encourage them to open up and truly understand the art. Usually, they began with animal imitations to help students explore their potential, but at first, few could really let go—it was a process.

That was why Luo Xi Chu’s performance left both teacher and classmates in stunned silence.

Still a little disoriented, Luo Xi Chu could only nod in response to her roommate’s praise.

“It seems you have a real talent for acting, Luo Xi!” Liu Yu Jia walked beside her, glancing over. “But you don’t look well. Should you go back to the infirmary? That accident was serious enough that you had to take time off.”

At the mention of the accident, Luo Xi Chu’s expression changed again. The new semester of sophomore year had just begun; the freshmen were still in military training, with only two days left before National Day. She had merely been passing by the field when a strict instructor, in the middle of disciplining a cadet, whipped off his belt. By pure, unlucky chance, the belt struck her, knocking her out cold.

Such terrible luck, such a random accident! In her previous life, this incident was the butt of many jokes. Even after she graduated and entered the entertainment industry, when she’d made a name for herself, entertainment reporters still dug it up as juicy gossip—never in a flattering way.

In this life, fate took another turn. That bizarre accident, paired with some unexplainable phenomenon, somehow sent her twenty-three years into the past, leaving her feeling as if she were living in a dream.

Alas, she couldn’t be reborn before the incident—that would always be her regret! It seemed this joke would follow her for a lifetime.