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

Shen Mo watched her back as she walked into the bedroom, then suddenly strode forward, wrapped his arms around her legs and neck in a princess carry, accompanied by hearty laughter.

"Let's shower together!"

"what!"

Caught off guard, Li Yitong gasped and instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck, her cheeks instantly turning crimson, even her ears turning bright red.

"Shen Mo! What are you doing! Put me down! I just finished washing!"

She protested softly, her fist lightly pounding his firm chest, but he held her even tighter.

"Didn't you complain that I smelled of alcohol?"

Shen Mo looked down at her, the weariness in his eyes replaced by a bright smile of triumph after a prank, and carried her steadily toward the bathroom in the master bedroom.

"Let's shower together. Wouldn't it be faster if you scrubbed my back?"

Li Yitong was amused by his shameless logic. After struggling a few times to no avail, she simply buried her face in his neck, her muffled voice filled with embarrassment and annoyance.

"You...you're being a pervert! I'm not going to shower with you."

Shen Mo felt the soft touch in his arms and her slight struggles, and let out a pleasant laugh.

"If I don't play tricks on you, who will I play tricks on?"

As he spoke, he pulled Li Yitong into his arms and they collapsed onto the large bed in the bedroom.

"Heavy!"

Shen Mo's chest pressed against hers, and Li Yitong pouted and protested softly.

"Haha, it itches!"

As Shen Mo's hand slid across her fair legs, a unique sensation surged within her.

Her slender, long hands cupped Shen Mo's face, turning him to look at her directly.

"Why are you so lecherous today?"

Shen Mo smiled slightly and lightly touched her lips with his own.

Why are you so horny today?

She wore a loose-fitting shirt and black shorts.

On her way back to the bedroom, her swaying steps revealed a beautiful scene of her lower body being missing.

Having already drunk quite a bit at the banquet following the Hundred Flowers Awards ceremony, he naturally couldn't contain himself upon seeing this scene.

Having practiced folk dance for many years, her leg shape can be described as perfect, and her feet do not show any deformities like those of girls who practice ballet.

In addition, the body's healing buff upon returning in this life has brought the allure of these legs to its peak.

"This is the first time I've realized you're so obsessed with my legs!"

Li Yitong happily revealed her crescent-shaped eyes and rubbed his face all over with her hands.

"My obsession with you goes beyond just those legs!"

Shen Mo's other hand slowly slid up her waist.

Surprisingly, there was absolutely no hindrance!

"Why didn't the rebirth buff make it grow?"

Hearing Shen Mo's mutterings, Li Yitong's hand, which was rubbing his face, froze, and her face instantly turned red.

"Shen Mo!"

She suddenly opened her little mouth and bit his shoulder, making a muffled sound of exasperation as she bit.

"You're asking for it!"

"Have you forgotten your eldest sister...?"

Li Yitong didn't finish her sentence because she felt a slight itch on her right shoulder when she bit his left shoulder.

He didn't bite, but the noise was almost as loud as if he had, and he ended up with his shoulder covered in saliva.

"I'll fight you to the death!"

Li Yitong clenched her fists, then suddenly flipped over and pinned Shen Mo beneath her.

"This time, I'll teach you a lesson up here. I'll show you what I'm capable of!"

……

Shen Mo kicked open the slightly ajar bathroom door and gently placed the limp woman in his arms onto the spacious marble countertop of the washbasin.

The bathroom was lit with soft, warm yellow light, and the large mirror reflected the slightly disheveled figures of the two people.

"Someone just said they weren't going to shower with me."

"So, in the end, we still have to wash it, don't we?"

Li Yitong sat on the table, at eye level with him, her cheeks still flushed, glaring at him fiercely.

"Then I can wash it myself!"

"Who knows if you'll cause trouble again if I'm with you."

Shen Mo braced himself on the table beside her with one hand, pulling her into his arms.

Then, gently brush away a stray strand of hair that wouldn't listen to her with your fingertips.

"Yukiko."

He called her softly, his voice ringing out clearly in the quiet bathroom.

Li Yitong's heart skipped a beat at his sudden tenderness, but she still refused to admit defeat.

"What? What excuse does Actor Shen want?"

Shen Mo looked at her feigned composure, his smile deepening. He didn't answer, but slowly lowered his head and gently pressed his lips to hers.

After a few seconds of gentle contact, they parted, foreheads touching, their breaths mingling.

"Thank you for waiting for me."

Li Yitong's heart melted instantly, and all her feigned anger and teasing vanished without a trace.

She raised her arms, wrapped them around his neck, buried her face in his shoulder, and spoke in a muffled voice, yet with an undeniable dependence.

"Idiot... if I don't wait for you, who will I wait for?"

Shen Mo held her close, feeling the warmth and trust of the person in his arms. He felt that the tension and calculation of the past few days had been quietly soothed by this simple embrace.

After a long while, he turned his head and kissed her earlobe, his voice tinged with a hint of teasing.

"So, can we take a shower together now? I promise, it's just a shower!"

"We will never cause trouble!"

Li Yitong lifted her head from his embrace, blushed, glared at him reproachfully, then smiled shyly and sweetly, and softly hummed in agreement.

The rising steam gradually spread, blurring the embracing figures in the mirror.

……

Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the curtains, casting a thin, golden line across the dark carpet.

The sheets were disheveled, a corner of the blanket was hanging on the floor, and the air still held the warmth of last night.

When Shen Mo regained consciousness, the first thing he felt was a heavy, warm weight in his arms.

He lowered his head slightly; Li Yitong was curled up in his arms, fast asleep.

Her cheek was pressed against his chest, her breathing even and long, her warm breath brushing against his skin, bringing a slight tickle.

Her lips were unconsciously pouting slightly, revealing a childlike innocence and softness that showed no signs of defense.

He stroked her smooth back with extreme gentleness, his fingertips feeling the delicate and warm touch of her skin.

Li Yitong seemed to sense something, and unconsciously snuggled against him, letting out a satisfied whimper like a kitten.

She tightened her arms around his waist, found a more comfortable position, and fell into a deep sleep again.

Shen Mo's lips curled up uncontrollably, forming an extremely gentle curve.

He lowered his head and placed a light, almost silent kiss on her smooth forehead.

In stark contrast to the tranquil and warm atmosphere inside, the public discourse outside the room was already boiling over.

The Hundred Flowers Awards have dominated major entertainment sections and social media platforms.

"Shen Mo crowned Best Actor! 'Love is Not Blind' is a dark horse hit, with a rising star taking the top spot!"

"Who won the Best Film award at the Hundred Flowers Awards? 'Aftershock' takes home Best Film, 'Love is Not Blind' sweeps the Best Actor and Actress awards!"

"Feng Xiaogang's veiled criticism: 'Profound history' or 'urban romance'?"

"With Li Lin taking sides, is Mohen gaining another potential star?"

One sensational headline after another attempted to interpret the industry signals implied behind this award distribution from various angles.

Professional film critics split into two camps: one praised the Hundred Flowers Awards for its "boldness" and "keeping up with the times," acknowledging the emotional power of "Love is Not Blind" and the victory of its low-budget production.

The other side insisted that the grand narrative and profound exploration of human nature represented by "Aftershock" were more deserving of awards, and expressed their conviction in the Best Picture award, but had some reservations about the distribution of the acting awards.

The inks, on the other hand, were engulfed in a complete frenzy.

Social media platforms such as Weibo and Baidu Tieba are flooded with close-ups of Shen Mo holding the trophy, as well as montages of classic scenes from "Love is Not Blind".

"Well deserved" and "Promising future" were the themes in the comments section.

They celebrated and cheered online as if it were a festival, keeping the hashtag #ShenMoBestActorAtTheHundredFlowersAward# firmly at the top of the trending topics list.

While "Aftershock" won Best Feature Film, Best Director, and Best Screenplay, fans of Huayi Brothers' artists were inevitably disappointed, as it wasn't their idols who won the award.

When Li Lin's fans first approached Shen Mo, they expressed extreme incomprehension and even dissatisfaction, believing that it was too risky and hasty, and even suspected that she was trying to woo him.

However, after Zhang Zifeng won the Best Newcomer Award, they immediately changed their attitude and were glad that their idol had made a "wise choice".

After all, Huayi can win awards even for an 11-year-old girl, while Li Lin's agency, Rongxinda, has done nothing.

Compared to "Love is Not Blind," which won Best Actor and Best Actress awards, look at the recent overwhelming success of Mohen.

Suddenly I feel that if Li Lin joins Mohen, it would undoubtedly be very beneficial to her future development.