007 Those Years of Love and Youth (Part 2)

This popular youth idol movie can be summed up in one sentence: The boys we chased together in those years.

Shen Jia is the perfect campus idol—tall, handsome, a basketball star, and an excellent student. He’s undoubtedly the heartthrob of the school.

The story features four main female characters. The first and second leads have significant roles, while the third and fourth are more similar. The four girls live together in a dorm and all develop crushes on Shen Jia. During a late-night chat, they decide to be each other’s little angels, secretly liking him and agreeing not to confess.

Unexpectedly, Shen Jia confesses to the second female lead. Although they agreed not to confess to him, they never considered he might take the initiative.

Panicking, the second lead consults the first, who, despite being heartbroken, encourages her to accept his feelings. They begin a secret and sweet relationship.

One night, the second female lead is caught with Shen Jia by the third lead, sparking a fierce argument in their once-harmonious dorm. The third and fourth leads blame the second for breaking the agreement, while the second accuses the first of betrayal.

Eventually, the first lead leaves to study abroad, and the second grows distant from the others. Shortly after, she breaks up with Shen Jia.

Five years later, the transformed first lead returns with her handsome boyfriend. At the engagement party, Shen Jia unexpectedly shows up, reuniting the third and fourth leads, while the second arrives alone.

Shen Jia pauses before leaving. The four girls, beautifully dressed, watch him go. The second lead quietly tells the first that Shen Jia confessed to her because he saw the crystal necklace she borrowed from the first.

It turns out the first lead and Shen Jia are childhood friends. He had been bullied as a child, and only she had been kind to him. They lost touch when she moved away. The first lead had intended to confess her feelings but buried them when Shen Jia confessed to the second lead.

After sharing this, she squats down, covering her face as she sobs, “It’s too late—”

Suddenly, silence surrounds her, and a bouquet of roses appears. She looks up to see Shen Jia smiling at her. “I bought these roses. You can’t propose without flowers, right?”

After reading the entire script, Jian Han realizes the story revolves around the first female lead, with Shen Jia as a supporting character. She finds the first lead quite likable.

As for the second lead, Jian Han chuckles, knowing she will likely face criticism from fans despite her prominent role.

She flips back to page 23, focusing on the audition scene where Shen Jia confesses to the second lead, Xiang Weiwei. Surprisingly, Xiang Weiwei has no lines during this moment.

Shen Jia (somewhat shyly): “Would you be my girlfriend?”

Xiang Weiwei is astonished, shyly looking away under his gaze.

Jian Han strikes through the words “astonished,” “shy,” and “escape.” How can she convey a girl’s embarrassment at such a confession?

…

Friday arrives, and Fang Hui parks his Volvo outside Jian Han’s apartment for the audition of Those Years of Love and Youth. When Jian Han opens the door, they both laugh at the coincidence of their breakfasts—she has whole wheat bread and boxed milk, while he has soy milk and soup dumplings.

Jian Han explains her choice of breakfast, sensing Fang Hui’s slight awkwardness as he watches her wipe her fingers with wet wipes.

Fang Hui feels strange being taken care of, used to being the one looking after her. After escorting Jian Han to the audition on the 18th floor and handing her the audition number, he instructs, “Don’t wander off. I’ll come back when it’s your turn.”

Jian Han nods and finds a quiet corner to study her script.

…

This isn’t Shen Yue’s first book, but it’s her first adapted into a movie. The first female lead is a newcomer favored by the investors. Shen Yue was invited by Director Zheng to help select the second female lead.

Looking around, she sees over a dozen beautiful girls already seated, all immersed in their scripts. Feeling overwhelmed, Shen Yue hesitates to interrupt their focus.

She removes her glasses, rubs her brow, and puts them back on. Finally, she notices a girl standing out from the rest. While the other girls hold plain scripts with black titles, the girl in the corner has her script beautifully wrapped in pristine white, instantly giving a sense of comfort just by looking at it.