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

Don't miss out: Chapter 140, "My Fiancée is Finding a Wife Behind My Back," is available in its entirety. Click here.

Meanwhile, on the set of "The Journey of Flower," Shen Mo had shaken off the media's entanglement and entered the dressing room. Looking at himself in the mirror, a slight smile played on his lips.

The move to acquire a stake in Huayi was both a deterrent to the market and a test of Huayi's capabilities. It seems to have worked well.

Over the next few hours, Shen Mo quickly entered the "Bai Zihua" state, dressed in white, aloof and solitary.

Whether it was his calm scrutiny when he first met Hua Qiangu, or his loneliness and desolation when he stood alone in the Jueqing Palace, he portrayed it accurately and with great depth.

Lin Yu sat behind the monitor, her tense expression gradually easing, occasionally revealing a satisfied look, clearly recognizing Shen Mo's acting skills and professional attitude.

Li Yitong had already changed into casual clothes and was quietly waiting on the sidelines.

She looked at Shen Mo, who was as aloof as ice and snow, with a look of infatuation mixed with a hint of barely perceptible grievance.

He arrived, but he didn't even have a chance to give her a single glance.

In order not to interfere with the filming, she could only sit obediently on the small stool, holding a cup of hot water, and watch him being surrounded by cameras and staff.

The atmosphere on set only truly relaxed when it got completely dark and the production assistant clapped the clapperboard and called "Cut off."

Shen Mo let out a soft breath and rubbed his stiff neck. Maintaining his aloof and arrogant demeanor had truly caused his neck a lot of discomfort.

Just then, a figure darted out from behind him, handed him a bottle of water, and looked at him with bright, pitiful eyes.

It's Li Yitong.

She tilted her head back, her eyebrows drooping, the corners of her mouth slightly downturned, and her crescent-shaped eyes shimmering with tears, conveying the words "pitiful."

Shen Mo quickly opened the bottled water, took a sip, and put it down. Then he reached out and grabbed her hand, asking her with concern.

"What's wrong?"

Li Yitong didn't say anything, but pulled on his wide sleeve and silently walked towards the private lounge next to him.

The door clicked shut softly, shutting out the noise from outside.

Almost simultaneously, Li Yitong threw herself into Shen Mo's arms, wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, and buried her face deep in his chest.

"I miss you so much, Amo!"

Her voice was muffled, carrying an undisguised dependence.

"It's been two months! This is the longest we've been apart since we got back together!"

Feeling the slight trembling of the body in his arms, Shen Mo's heart felt as if something had gently tugged at it.

He raised his hand and gently hugged her back, patting her back reassuringly with his palm.

Li Yitong snuggled against him, raised her teary-eyed face, and spoke with a tone full of exhaustion and coquetry.

"Endless schedules, countless scenes to film, and endless procedures to follow..."

"Being a top celebrity is so tiring! I suddenly don't want to be famous anymore."

"Amo, I'm just so tired, I don't have a single moment to myself, let alone time to talk to you..."

As she spoke, tears finally streamed down her face, soaking the fabric of his shirt.

"I've found that once I'm in this position, I'm not so eager to become famous anymore."

"I miss the old days even more, when I could see you every day, eat together, snuggle on the sofa watching TV, and sleep in late together wrapped in blankets..."

Shen Mo looked down at the tear-streaked face in his arms and listened to her childish complaints. A feeling of pity and guilt welled up in his heart.

He lowered his head, gently kissed away the tear stains at the corners of her eyes, then swept her into his arms in a princess carry, took a few steps back, and sat on the simple sofa in the lounge.

"Fool," his voice was deep and gentle, carrying a reassuring power.

"If you're tired, stop and rest. I'm here for you."

Li Yitong nestled in his arms for a long time, absorbing his reassuring warmth and scent, as if trying to fill the void of the two months they had been apart.

Just when Shen Mo thought she was about to fall asleep, she suddenly raised her head.

The sadness and weariness from before seemed like an illusion. Those beautiful crescent-shaped eyes reappeared, sparkling with a cunning and bright light, though a little bit of moisture still lingered at the corners.

"Ouch."

She drew out her words, gently poked Shen Mo's chest with her fingertip, her tone regaining its usual liveliness, tinged with a hint of smugness.

"I'm just kidding! I've fought my way up to this position, becoming a top star in the public eye, how could I give up so easily?"

As she spoke, she wrapped her arms around his neck, tilted her head slightly, and pressed her lips to his.

It wasn't a fleeting kiss, but a kiss filled with deep longing and a touch of catharsis.

It was as if she wanted to confirm his presence and dispel all her unease through this kiss.

For a long time, the lips are divided.

Li Yitong's breathing was slightly disordered, her cheeks were flushed, but her eyes were surprisingly bright.

She looked into Shen Mo's deep eyes, which were so close to hers, and her voice softened, trembling slightly.

"I just... am too far away from you, and I miss you."

"I'm also afraid... you're too busy, so busy that you've forgotten that I'm still here for you, and that when I go back, there won't be a place for me anymore."

But those expressive eyes were filled with clear worry.

She feared that she wouldn't have the confidence to stand shoulder to shoulder with him in the future, and truly match the ever-expanding business empire he was building.

Shen Mo was incredibly perceptive; he caught the fleeting, complex emotion in her eyes.

He didn't point it out, but simply tightened his arms around her, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"You're being dramatic, Yukiko! If I dared to really leave you, you'd probably turn around and stab me."

As he spoke, the fingers around her waist gently twitched.

The strange feeling instantly dispelled Li Yitong's worries, making her unable to resist laughing and wriggling in Shen Mo's arms.

Unable to break free from his embrace, Li Yitong could only use her smooth forehead to press against Shen Mo's chin.

"Stop scratching, it itches so much!"

A voice as soft as a kitten's came from her lips.

Shen Mo stopped his mischievous fingers, cupped her cheeks in his hands, and pinched them into a chubby shape.

"Yukiko, what do you have to worry about?"

"Our Mohen Media and Mohen Pictures were both built on your 'prophecy'."

"Without you, how would I know which top-tier celebrities to recruit? How would I know which movies or TV shows will be hits? Besides, those wildly popular original scripts all depend on your brain to extract them!"

"Think about it, all these projects of yours have earned us so much money; they're the foundation for our careers in the entertainment industry!"

"Besides, you were able to thrive in the entertainment industry in your past life. With your enhanced looks and acting skills in this life, becoming a minor top star should be a piece of cake, right?"

He gently pinched the tip of her nose, his tone filled with doting affection and encouragement.

"It's okay to complain when you're tired, but don't doubt yourself."

"Once you find me, my arms will always be open to you!"

Li Yitong stared at him blankly, the lingering gloom in her heart instantly dispelled without a trace, and a warm current carrying a familiar fighting spirit surged through her body.

She couldn't help but smile, revealing a slightly silly yet incredibly radiant crescent-shaped smile.

She then hugged him tightly again, burying her burning cheeks in the crook of his neck, her muffled voice carrying a relieved laugh and a touch of coquettishness.

"Okay! I'll keep trying!"

She paused, then muttered a complaint under her breath.

"Why do you love lecturing people so much! Why don't you just say some sweet nothings like 'I miss you too' or 'I love you'? Why do you have to give me a long lecture..."

After a brief period of vulnerability and dependence, Li Yitong, full of energy and high spirits, seemed to be instantly revived.

However, the speed of this "resurrection" is a bit too fast.

She suddenly raised her head, her once tender gaze instantly turning fierce, and she deliberately bared her teeth, making a menacing look.

"Wait! What did you just say?"

She squinted and poked Shen Mo's chest with her finger without any politeness.

"You're saying my looks and acting skills in this life are both enhanced versions?"

She seized on the "loophole" in his words and immediately launched an attack.

"Are you implying that I wasn't good-looking or a good actor in my past life?"

"Great! Little Mozi!"

"You've gotten quite bold! Daring to make fun of me indirectly!"

As she spoke, she pinched Shen Mo's cheeks with her long, slender, and precise fingers, pulling them apart without any hesitation.

"Um... Li... Xue..."

Shen Mo's face was being kneaded by her, and his speech became somewhat slurred.

"What? Did I hit the nail on the head? Feeling guilty?"

Li Yitong pushed her luck, and looking at his face that she had pinched out of shape, she finally couldn't help but burst out laughing, but she didn't loosen her grip.

"Tell me quickly! Which of me was more attractive, my past life or my present self? Which one was a better actress?"

"No thinking allowed! Answer immediately!"

Her face beamed with smugness and cunning, and her crescent-shaped eyes were filled with anticipation for a good show.

Shen Mo moved his clenched lips with difficulty, his voice sounding strange due to the distortion of his face.

"Um……"

"Can I have both?"

He blinked, a playful glint in his eyes, and took the opportunity to slap her hand away, freeing his cheek.

"Now I regret it a little. I should have held Sister Li in my arms sooner in my past life."

"Huh?!~~"

Li Yitong's eyes widened suddenly, and she pointed her index finger at his nose.

"You want two more?"

Shen Mo raised his chin and kissed the fingers in front of him.

Before she could pull back, he grabbed her and pulled her into his arms, then gently stroked her fair and slender hands, which he loved most.

"There aren't two, aren't they both you?"

Li Yitong, lying in his arms, didn't struggle, but just rolled her eyes at him.

"Back then, someone was holding someone else in their arms!"

Seeing her jealous expression, Shen Mo kissed her lips.

"Are you jealous? Jealous of hers or of mine?"

"I know perfectly well that you two are a very famous couple! Fans all say she's your husband!"

With a "pfft," Li Yitong burst out laughing, her face flushing red.

"What the heck! I accept the CP pairing, but where did this 'husband' come from?"

"Are you jealous too? Jealous of Xiaotian?"

Shen Mo chuckled and mimicked Li Yitong's playful accent, "I'm hurt, I'm hurt..."

"My fiancée is cheating on me with another wife, and my girlfriend is cheating on me with another husband."

"How did life get to this point..."

Listening to him mimicking her strange accent, Li Yitong couldn't help but recall the impulsive and carefree sweet girl in his arms.

"Xiaotian's personality is completely different from Laotian's now..."

"I really do miss her."