The Entertainment Industry in Turmoil: Young Actresses All Want to Rise to the Top

Chapter 102 Li Yitong: This is home!

After a long day of hard work supervising the post-production work, Li Yitong felt like her bones were about to fall apart.

She dragged her exhausted body to open the door, and a familiar and enticing aroma wafted towards her.

It's the taste of braised pork that she misses most!

The fragrance seemed to instantly dispel most of my fatigue.

Her eyes lit up, she kicked off her high heels, tossed her bag onto the cabinet in the entryway, and without even bothering to put on slippers, she followed the aroma barefoot straight to the kitchen.

Shen Mo's figure was turned away from her, with the slightly comical cartoon apron she had bought tied around his waist, intently watching the bubbling casserole.

The warm light shone on him, and white steam carrying the aroma of meat rose from the pot. This scene instantly touched the softest spot in Li Yitong's heart.

She moved closer silently, stretched out her arms from behind, and wrapped them tightly around Shen Mo's waist, burying her face deeply in his back.

"Shen Mo————"

She used all her charm and coquettishness, her voice so soft and sweet it could drip water.

"You're so wonderful—I love you to death!"

Feeling the sudden hug and deliberate voice from behind, Shen Mo's hand holding the spatula paused slightly, and his body trembled involuntarily.

He chuckled helplessly, making a sarcastic remark without turning his head.

"Yukiko, quickly take the clamp out of your throat."

Upon hearing this, Li Yitong wrinkled her nose in displeasure, opened her mouth, and lightly bit his back muscle through the thin T-shirt.

It was less of a bite and more of a light tap with the teeth, leaving a wet mark.

Shen Mo let out an exaggerated "hiss".

"Hey, I'm warning you, you just ate my meat, so you're not allowed to eat the braised pork in the pot later."

"Hmph! You dare!"

Li Yitong rubbed her face against his back, her voice muffled but full of spoiled charm.

"Besides, I won't just eat your flesh, I'll eat your whole body!"

Shen Mo chuckled maliciously.

"Okay, then finish your meal first, so you'll have the energy to eat slowly."

"Hate!"

Li Yitong playfully punched his strong back, then turned and hummed a song as she walked towards the bathroom.

"I'm going to take a shower now!"

When she came out, still damp and smelling of fresh shower gel, the table was already set.

The mouthwatering bowl of braised pork was placed in the very center, next to refreshing stir-fried vegetables and glistening rice.

After enjoying her meal, Li Yitong patted her satisfied belly and slumped in her chair.

His previous boast about eating someone is long forgotten.

Shen Mo silently cleared away the dishes and walked to her side. Looking at the faint dark circles under her eyes and her forced spirits, a trace of heartache flashed in his eyes.

He didn't say anything, but gently picked her up, sat her down on the living room sofa, and held her softly in his arms.

Li Yitong shifted her body, finding the most comfortable position, like a kitten that had found its nest, completely relaxing.

She directed, "Let's watch 'Empresses in the Palace,' it seems like it's time for Consort Hua to leave the show today—"

Shen Mo picked up the remote control, tuned the channel, and then tightened his arm around her to make her feel more secure.

On television, the palace intrigue is raging fiercely, with sharp and witty dialogue.

But Shen Mo's attention was mostly not on the plot.

Li Yitong initially commented on the plot, saying things like, "Tsk tsk, this woman is ruthless," and "The Empress is no pushover either."

He could feel the softness of the person in his arms and her gradually deepening, steady breathing; he could smell the clean fragrance in her hair.

Before long, the voice commenting on the plot gradually subsided and turned into even, long breaths.

He looked down and saw that Li Yitong had fallen into a deep sleep in his arms at some point, like a child who had let down her guard, but a trace of weariness still lingered between her brows.

Shen Mo gently adjusted her position to make her more comfortable, then pulled over a thin blanket and carefully covered her up.

He turned the TV volume down to almost nothing so as not to disturb the person sleeping peacefully in his arms.

The only sounds in the living room were the soft hum of the laptop fan and Li Yitong's even, long breaths.

Shen Mo reached for the laptop on the coffee table and skillfully opened it with one hand.

He clicked on a real estate agency's website, which contained information on more than a dozen properties that he had recently selected.

The lease on this apartment I rented last year is about to expire.

Now that we have a little more money, it's time to settle down and have a real home.

Li Yitong didn't sleep soundly in Shen Mo's arms, perhaps because his embrace was too comforting.

She stirred groggily, her long eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings, and slowly opened her eyes a crack.

My vision was initially blurry, then it became focused.

Then my attention was drawn to the laptop screen, which was right next to me and emitted a soft glow.

She blinked, her sleepiness instantly dispelled, but her head remained nestled in Shen Mo's arms, motionless.

She simply extended a slender finger, its strength still soft from just waking up, and poked the hand that Shen Mo was using to operate the laptop.

"Feed————"

Her voice was still hoarse and soft, as if she had just woken up.

Shen Mo felt the touch on the back of his hand and heard her muffled voice, and immediately lowered his head.

Did I wake you up?

Li Yitong shook her head, still pointing at the screen. "Rewind."

"Huh?" Shen Mo didn't react for a moment.

Li Yitong poked him again, this time with more force.

"In my bookmarks, go back to the fifth one. I think I just saw a good one. Let me take a closer look."

Shen Mo chuckled to himself.

Surprisingly, this guy had pretty sharp eyes even when he was half asleep.

He followed the instructions and scrolled up the page, returning to the previous thumbnails.

"Is this the set?"

He clicked on one of the sets.

"No, further ahead—yes! This is it!"

Li Yitong's eyes lit up completely, and she struggled to sit up from his arms.

Shen Mo released his arm, helped her sit up straight, and moved the notebook closer to her.

Li Yitong rubbed her eyes, leaned closer to the screen, and carefully looked at the apartment layout that she had fallen in love with at first sight.

It was a living room with an enormous curved floor-to-ceiling window that connected to a wide terrace with excellent views.

"Look at this living room."

She pointed at the screen, her tone becoming excited, and all sleepiness vanished.

"The natural light must be amazing! And this curved window is so unique! Putting a rocking chair here, basking in the sun while reading a script would be absolutely wonderful!"

As she spoke, she gestured with her hands, as if she could already see the layout of her future home.

"And this terrace!"

Her fingertips swiped across the screen.

"We can plant lots and lots of flowers, and even put up a swing! We'll have barbecues here in the summer, and in the winter—"

Enjoying the snow scene wrapped in a blanket in winter!

She became more and more excited as she spoke, her crescent-shaped eyes crinkling, her face radiating pure anticipation and joy.

Seeing her overjoyed expression, Shen Mo's heart melted.

He had originally planned to surprise her, but she had already "solved the case" beforehand.

But at this moment, watching her so intently planning their future together, this feeling of shared participation seemed to move him more than mere surprise.

"Hmm, good taste."

He smiled and agreed, reaching out to tuck a stray strand of hair from her cheek behind her ear.

"I've also been looking at this one; the location and layout are great. It's just the price—"

"What's there to be afraid of regarding the price!"

Li Yitong interrupted him, raising her chin with a hint of pride and confidence in their shared struggle.

"It's not like we can't afford it! Besides, this is our home!"

The word "home" came out of her mouth so naturally, causing warm ripples to spread across Shen Mo's heart.

He looked into her bright eyes, which reflected her boundless anticipation for their shared future.

"it is good."

He nodded, his voice low and firm.

"Then let's focus on this one. Shall we schedule a meeting with the agent another day to go and see it in person?"

"Absolutely!" Li Yitong nodded vigorously, leaned back into his arms, and hugged his arm contentedly.

Her gaze, however, was still fixed on the floor plan, and she had already begun to plan where to put the sofa and where to place her dance mirror.