Chapter 2: A New Life

This is a stage that drives countless people to madness, simply because it bears the name Broadway. Now, the show is over, the audience has dispersed, and the seats have returned to silence. The entire theater has become quiet, but in this silence, Broadway's unique charm remains undiminished. History is etched into the stage and the seats, and the years that float in the air lend this place its distinct allure.

A solitary light illuminates the stage, casting a shadow over a slender figure, stretching long across the ground. The figure holds a pair of shoes in his right hand, his bare feet feeling the soft, slight warmth of the stage. His lowered head and light steps reveal a reluctance to leave. Under the lazy light, the shadow cast by his eyelashes flickers twice on his cheeks before he exhales a long breath, as if performing a farewell ceremony.

Standing on the stage is Evan Bell, who had just bid farewell to Travie Nunn and returned. The audience had already left, the theater lights were off, save for a single chandelier illuminating the stage for the workers who would come to clean. Evan Bell took off his shoes, stepping barefoot on the lake-blue stage, filled with nostalgia.

He has been immersed in this stage for ten years, from entering Off-Broadway at the age of eight to performing today. He has poured no less effort than anyone else into his craft, earning today's applause with his own strength, and his conscience is clear.

Evan Bell—more precisely, Gu Luobei, his Chinese name. In terms of age, he was 30 in his last life plus 18 in this life, totaling 48 years. This is his second life.

After a car accident, he awoke to a completely different world once the thick blood had cleared. He went from Beijing to London, from Singles' Day in 2012 to Singles' Day in 1982, from being a pure Chinese to a white English speaker, and most importantly, from a 30-year-old man to a newborn baby. Having seen so much, even the least observant person would understand—he was reborn.

It was ironic. In his previous life, a car accident occurred as he witnessed his fiancée's affair with his best friend. Anger clouded his judgment, and as he rushed across the street, he was hit by a car. He could clearly see the sweetness on their faces until his death. He never saw their expressions when they witnessed his accident—whether they were gloating, relieved, or regretful.

After his rebirth, he spent his childhood in a strange London. His mother, Catherine Bell, worried he was mentally handicapped due to his quiet and gloomy nature. His brother, Teddy Bell, protected him fiercely. Once, Teddy even beat a neighbor's child who called him mute.

Despite the tragic end of his previous life, he was lucky in this one. At three, he decided to enjoy life and make up for what he missed. He vowed to live for himself this time, not others. Live like a summer flower, die like an autumn leaf.

Gu Luobei was named by Catherine Bell. She was of Chinese and English descent, and "Bei" was a homophone of "Bell." His brother's Chinese name was Gu Zexiong, a play on "Teddy Bear."

Their father left before Gu Luobei was born, and they moved to New York when he was six. The inspirational story of a single mother raising two sons alone was a story that they lived in. To reduce his mother's burden, Evan Bell attempted to use his rebirth to make a fortune. But reality proved tougher than his ideals.

At eight, Evan Bell entered Off-Off-Broadway, chasing his previous life's dream and earning money to support his family. He brought home his first $60 on his ninth birthday.

Off-Broadway refers to theaters outside Broadway Avenue, and Off-Off-Broadway was further from that, often in Brooklyn or Queens. These venues allowed new talent to shine.

Ten years flew by. Gu Luobei, now proficient in acting, music, and dance, stood confidently on the Broadway stage. His recent success as Grizabella was a natural progression, aided by his high voice and deep understanding of the role from living two lives.

Today's performance marked a beautiful comma in his Broadway career. Yes, a comma. For he would return because he had fallen in love with this stage.