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

Welcome to the fantasy world of urban novels. The entrance is here:

The phone screen lit up in the darkness, illuminating Meng Ziyi's hesitant face.

Her finger hovered over Shen Mo's chat interface for a long time, typing and deleting the sentence "I have my Beijing Film Academy entrance exam tomorrow, can you come with me?" repeatedly.

She knew she shouldn't have contacted him.

This guy is a scumbag. He's already with Li Yitong, but he's still entangled with Meng Yan.

No matter how carefree Meng Ziyi is, she still has her own bottom line.

but……

Many images flashed uncontrollably through my mind.

His serious profile when he came to Kunming to sign the contract, his focused gaze when he was instructing her on set, and the exquisite custom-made doll he gave her a while ago.

Reason was urging her to distance herself, but the admiration and affection that had been buried deep in her heart since her days as a fan, and the warmth of being held in his arms that night, entwined around her like vines.

Tomorrow is the second round of auditions for the Beijing Film Academy. It's such a big deal, and she's so nervous that her palms are sweating. She feels completely isolated and helpless.

As if by some strange twist of fate, the name she had been deliberately avoiding recently became the only person she could think of to ask for help at this moment.

"Meng Ziyi, you're so useless!"

She cursed herself under her breath, but her fingers seemed to have a mind of their own and eventually pressed the send button.

The moment she sent the message, she threw her phone onto the bed as if she had been burned, her heart pounding.

She pulled the blanket over her head, but couldn't help but strain her ears to listen to the sounds from her phone.

Will he find me annoying? Will he not care at all? What if he rejects me?

Or... worse, he doesn't reply at all?

Various thoughts swirled in her mind; she both anticipated and feared his response.

The conflicting emotions tormented her, causing her even more anxiety than preparing for the re-examination.

Just as she was about to give up hope and prepare to turn off her phone and force herself to sleep, the phone screen lit up again, and the faint vibration was particularly clear in the quiet room.

Meng Ziyi almost held her breath, then suddenly jumped out of bed and grabbed her phone.

Okay. What time tomorrow? Where should I pick you up?

Meng Ziyi read the simple line of text three times.

My tense nerves suddenly relaxed, and my nose inexplicably stung, giving me an urge to cry.

She sniffed hard, suppressing the urge to cry, and quickly tapped the screen to reply with the time and location. After hesitating for a while, she added a smiling emoji at the end.

She put down her phone, lay back down on the bed, and stared at the ceiling.

It felt like half the weight had been lifted from my heart, but another, more complex emotion began to creep in.

Despite deciding to stay away, she pushed herself back, and then, in the moment when she needed help the most, she ended up in his arms.

She angrily punched the pillow and muttered, "Meng Ziyi, you're finished!"

At this moment, she knew clearly that her feelings for Shen Mo were probably much deeper than she was willing to admit.

However, tomorrow's re-examination doesn't seem so scary anymore.

The next morning, the morning mist had not yet dissipated.

Shen Mo's black sedan stopped right on time in front of Meng Ziyi's dormitory building. He rolled down the window and saw Meng Ziyi standing by the roadside.

She was dressed very simply today, in a white sweater and jeans, her hair tied in a neat ponytail, her face showing obvious tension, and she was clutching a document bag containing her identification documents tightly in her hand.

"Get in the car," Shen Mo said succinctly from the back seat.

Meng Ziyi pursed her lips, walked to the front seat door, and just as she reached out her hand...

"Sit in the back."

Meng Ziyi paused, her lips slightly pouting in dissatisfaction, but she still obediently opened the back door, deliberately sitting down close to the window to keep as far away from him as possible.

The car was filled with a faint scent of cedar, a familiar smell to Shen Mo, but at this moment it made her feel extremely unsettled.

Speechless all the way.

Meng Ziyi tried to keep her gaze fixed on the window, but her peripheral vision kept glancing at the profile of the person beside her.

He was dressed casually today, wearing a dark turtleneck sweater and a khaki trench coat. He looked less like a leader and more like a composed senior student.

Her mind was in turmoil. She both cherished the peace of mind that came from his special time to be with her, and kept reminding herself to keep her distance and not be fooled again by his "charitable" tenderness.

Since the scholarship was established, his car has been registered in the school's access control system, allowing them to drive directly into the school without having to wait in line at the gate.

However, at that moment, a person with a camera at the entrance stared blankly at the familiar license plate of the car that drove into the school gate, and at their target in the back seat, who quickly disappeared from their sight.

With a wry smile, he took out his phone and dialed a number.

"Mr. Yang, the plan has failed."

"Meng Ziyi rode directly into the school in President Shen's car; there was no time to take pictures."

Yang Tianzhen on the other end of the phone took a deep breath, feeling a slight headache.

She knew, of course, that today was Meng Ziyi's second round of auditions, and she was certain that Meng would pass. So she devised a marketing plan for "the most beautiful campus belle of the 2013 class of Beijing Film Academy," just like Gulnazar did in 2011.

However, it seems that due to a lack of prior communication, it was ruined by his own boss.

Shen Mo's car slowly drove into the Beijing Film Academy, and the familiar campus atmosphere rushed towards him.

Even though it wasn't her first time here, today's retest still made Meng Ziyi's heart beat faster involuntarily.

Just as he was about to get off the bus, Shen Mo suddenly received a phone call and then patted the driver, Wang Zheng, on the shoulder.

"Back up and stop about 100 or 200 meters from the school gate."

Meng Ziyi, who was repeatedly checking her appearance through the car window, turned her head in surprise to look at Shen Mo.

Shen Mo met her questioning gaze, smiled slightly, and explained, "There's a 'surprise' at the entrance. When you get out of the car, walk in yourself, remember to smile, be confident and poised."

He pointed to the school gate not far from the window, "Will it feel like walking the red carpet? Consider it a rehearsal."

Following the direction he pointed, Meng Ziyi vaguely saw some figures holding cameras and instantly understood. This was…the media?

"Get out of the car." The car came to a smooth stop at a quiet corner not far from the school gate.

Meng Ziyi took a deep breath, pushed open the door and got out of the car. The cool breeze of early spring brushed against her cheeks, making her head a little clearer.

She straightened her back, adjusted her expression, and forced a confident smile as she walked towards the school gate.

Sunlight shone on her young face, outlining a vibrant silhouette.

She walked step by step, feeling the cameras gradually focusing on her. Her heart was still beating fast, and she felt a little excited.

After queuing up and entering the school gate, Meng Ziyi followed the signs to the examination area for the second round of tests, passing through the curious or admiring gazes of the students.

She knew that Shen Mo's car might be parked in some corner watching her.

Then, the tension in my heart mysteriously dissipated, replaced by a firm determination.

She seemed to have regained some courage and confidence.

Shen Mo watched Meng Ziyi walk confidently and calmly into the campus until she disappeared from sight before turning his gaze away and casually instructing Wang Zheng, "Find a place to park and wait for her to finish the exam."

He leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and what came to mind was the subtle change in Meng Ziyi's expression when she deliberately kept her distance but immediately obeyed his instructions.

What should we do with this proud and eccentric little peacock?

-----------------

As Meng Ziyi walked out of the examination room, he breathed a long sigh of relief.

Her tense nerves finally relaxed, and she performed relatively smoothly, which relieved her of a huge weight.

Almost instinctively, she took out her phone, opened the pinned chat box, and typed rapidly.

I've finished my exams!

After sending the message successfully, she belatedly realized that she had "not wanted to talk to him" before, and a hint of annoyance flashed across her face.

But the message has already been sent and cannot be taken back.

She pursed her lips, and with a somewhat resigned attitude, walked towards the parking lot.

From afar, you can see that familiar black sedan parked there quietly.

She paused, took a deep breath, and then walked over.

The rear window rolled down, revealing Shen Mo's well-defined profile.

He turned his head, his gaze falling on her, and asked calmly, "How did the exam go?"

"It's...it's alright."

Meng Ziyi opened the back door and chose to sit by the window as usual. She tried to keep her voice calm, but the slight upturn of her lips betrayed her good mood.

"Okay." Shen Mo responded and said to Wang Zhengdao in the front row, "Let's go to the restaurant we booked before."

Perhaps it was because she had relaxed after the exam, or perhaps it was because Shen Mo's company had really worked, but Meng Ziyi felt that the atmosphere in the car was no longer as awkward as it had been when she arrived.

She stole a glance at Shen Mo, who was looking out the window with a calm expression.

The restaurant was a stylish private kitchen with a quiet and peaceful environment; there were only the two of them in the private room.

After ordering, the private room fell into a moment of silence.

Meng Ziyi lowered her head and played with the tassels on the tablecloth, and that little bit of inner turmoil resurfaced.

She knew she should say something, at least thank him for coming today, but when she thought of him, Bai Mengyan, and Li Yitong, the "thank you" stuck in her throat and she couldn't say it.

"What's wrong?"

Shen Mo picked up the teacup, gently blew on the steam, and looked down at her lowered head.

"You're feeling listless now that the exam's over?"

"No way!"

Meng Ziyi immediately raised her head to retort, but when she met his deep eyes, she looked away weakly and muttered softly.

"It's just... I don't really know what to say."

Shen Mo put down his teacup, leaned back slightly, and looked at her with a knowing gaze.

"Meng Ziyi, when did you become so timid? This isn't like you."

These words seemed to burst the balloon that Meng Ziyi was trying to maintain her composure.

She suddenly raised her head, her eyes a little red, with a hint of recklessness in her expression.

"Yes! I'm not like myself anymore! I don't know what's wrong with me!"

She sniffed, her voice filled with grievance and accusation.

"I know I shouldn't have contacted you!"

"You already have Li Yitong, and you're still with Mengyan... You're clearly... you're a scumbag!"

She said the word "scumbag" through gritted teeth, with a sense of resignation, as if she wanted to pour out all the frustration and moral struggle she had been going through.

"I hate it when you do this!"

"I hate that you've made me so strange!"

"Even though I've decided to ignore you, the first person I think of when I get nervous is still you!"

She became more and more emotional as she spoke, tears welling up in her eyes, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall.

"What use is a doll to me?"

"What's the point of you coming with me to the exam?"

"You have no idea how chaotic my mind is!"

Shen Mo listened quietly to her venting, without the slightest displeasure on his face.

She stared at him, her chest heaving slightly, before he finally spoke.

"Are you done talking?"

Meng Ziyi was taken aback by his words, and choked out, "I'm done!"

"First of all, I don't object to your accusation that I'm a scumbag."

Shen Mo looked at her and continued, "I have never denied my relationship with your sister Tong, nor have I deliberately hidden anything."

"As for Bai Mengyan, I can't ignore her feelings for me, but that's between us."

"Secondly, I agreed to come and keep you company because you wanted me to come."

"This is between you and me; it's a separate matter."

"I admit that I ignored your feelings before and always treated you like a child or a fan."

"I apologize to you; I gave you the wrong signal."

"My situation is already very complicated, and I don't want to see you get involved in it too."

He paused, his tone gradually softening.

"Finally, Ziyi, you're an adult now."

"Just as you said, I'm a scumbag. I can't see relationships in black and white, and it's hard for me to stay with one person forever."

"If you're unhappy here, you can turn around and leave. I won't use the Inkmark contract to bind you."

"If you can't let go of your feelings and can't cross the moral threshold, you'll only trap yourself in the same place and make yourself feel worse."

These words were like a bucket of cold water, mixed with reason, poured over Meng Ziyi's burning emotions.

She opened her mouth, wanting to refute, but found that what the other person said was damn accurate.

Yes, she couldn't bear to part with it.

I can't bear to part with his attention, the peace of mind and dependence he brings, and the gentleness and thoughtfulness he occasionally shows.

Seeing her stunned expression, Shen Mo walked over to her and poured her a cup of tea.

"You can continue to hate me, or you can accept the status quo and pretend you don't see me, or..."

"But the one thing you absolutely must not do is to drain yourself like you are doing now."

At this moment, the waiter began to serve the dishes, breaking the tense atmosphere in the private room.

The aroma of food wafted through the air.

Shen Mo picked up the serving chopsticks and naturally placed a piece of steamed chicken in a clay pot on her plate, his tone returning to normal.

"Eat first. Aren't you hungry after taking exams all morning?"

Meng Ziyi looked at the piece of chicken in her bowl, then looked up at Shen Mo who was eating, feeling a mix of emotions.

She silently picked up her chopsticks and ate in small bites.

It tastes great, just her favorite flavor. She's only ever brought Bai Mengyan to this restaurant.

So, Mengyan also knew that she came to see him today?

The meal was mostly completed in silence.

Meng Ziyi suddenly put down her chopsticks, raised her head, her eyes were still red, but her gaze was much clearer.

"Brother Mo, I know I'm a complete failure."

"But," she took a deep breath, "I still like you a lot, even more than I thought."

"I'm just an ordinary little girl who longs for love; I want a sweet romance."

"I can't be as generous as Sister Tong, nor can I be as carefree as Sister Mengyan."

"I'm petty, I'm jealous, and I get sad."

She looked into his eyes and spoke, word by word.

"So, until I figure out what to do..."

"Can you please stop bothering me? And stop being so nice to me, okay?"

Even if, like this time, I take the initiative to ask you out, you should just pretend you don't see me.

This was almost the only weakest line of defense she could think of before she completely succumbed to it.

Upon hearing this, Shen Mo paused, then looked up to meet her pleading yet stubborn gaze.

He remained silent for a few seconds, his face revealing no emotion, and finally, he simply replied with a single word.

"it is good."

Receiving this promise, Meng Ziyi felt a sense of relief, as if a piece of her heart had been emptied.

She picked up her chopsticks again, ate in silence, and stopped talking.

On the way back to her dormitory, the two remained silent.

Just before getting off the bus, Meng Ziyi heard his voice behind her.

"Prepare well for your academic subjects."

She didn't turn around, but paused for a moment before walking faster into the dormitory building.

Back in the empty room, Meng Ziyi collapsed weakly onto the bed.

The confession session ended; I had spoken my mind and received his promise.

But why didn't she feel relieved at all? Instead, she felt...

Is it even more uncomfortable now?

She rubbed her face hard and muttered under her breath, "Meng Ziyi, you deserve it!"