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

The inpatient department of Tonghua City People's Hospital.

The corridor smelled of disinfectant mixed with the morning sunlight. Occasionally, a nurse would push an instrument cart past, the wheels making a soft but clear sound as they rubbed against the floor.

Liu Haocun stood in front of the ward door, his fingers hanging at his sides unconsciously curled up, his fingertips icy cold.

Those little deer eyes were filled with hesitation, and she hesitated to take a step inside.

Shen Mo didn't urge her, but simply moved half a step to the side to make way for her in front of the door.

Liu Haocun took a deep breath, reached out, and very slowly pushed open the door.

The ward was small, and the curtains were half-drawn, allowing sunlight to fall directly on the bed near the window.

The girl on the bed was even thinner than Liu Haocun had imagined. Her small body was sunken in the clean white bedding, her face was pale as if she hadn't seen the sun for a long time, her eyes were downcast, and she was quietly looking out the window.

Almost the instant he saw the girl's face, Liu Haocun's eyes suddenly reddened.

A dull pain, like being struck hard in the chest by a giant hammer, made it hard to breathe, washed over her.

A stinging sensation shot straight into my eyes, instantly blurring my vision.

She stood frozen at the doorway, her throat tight, her legs weak, and she didn't even dare to take another step forward.

The girl on the bed seemed to notice the movement at the door and slowly turned her head.

Her eyes were initially somewhat blank, carrying the weariness and alienation of long-term illness. But when she saw the person standing at the door, a hint of curiosity that should belong to someone her age was added to that blankness.

Liu Haocun forced himself to move, stopped beside the hospital bed, and slowly squatted down, his gaze level with the girl on the bed.

Her gaze fell on the girl's slender hand. She hesitated for several seconds before gently touching it with her trembling fingertips and then taking it in her hand.

That hand was cold and thin.

"……sorry."

Liu Haocun's voice was very soft, and the tears he had been holding back finally broke through the dam and rolled down in large drops.

She didn't wail or even sob; she just lowered her head, her shoulders trembling uncontrollably.

Shen Mo stood at the door of the ward, with the company's legal representative on one side and Liu Haocun's parents on the other.

The middle-aged couple had slightly hunched backs and kept their heads down, not daring to look directly at the scene in the ward.

In the ward, the girl's mother stood by the bed, glanced at the door, and then turned her complicated gaze to Liu Haocun, who was crying in front of the bed. Her lips moved, but in the end, she sighed and did not go forward to pull her away.

The girl's father's gaze swept over the group of people at the door, finally settling on the humble, bowed heads of Liu Haocun's parents.

He strode out of the ward and casually clicked the door shut behind him.

He stood opposite Shen Mo, his back straight, a tense and defensive posture born from being driven to the brink by life.

"You may leave."

His voice wasn't loud, but every word was filled with barely suppressed anger and an undeniable refusal.

"No need for further apologies. We've heard enough."

"Don't tell me you feel sorry for me."

"Don't tell me you can't produce it."

"Don't tell me you'll lose money later when you make money."

"And don't even mention that you have children to raise."

He spoke faster, with a mocking pain, refuting their previous statements one by one.

Finally, he raised his hand, his fingertips trembling, and pointed to the tightly closed ward door.

"What about my child? Does that mean she doesn't need to raise him?"

"She can't wait for your 'future,' she needs money now, immediately, right now! She needs the best treatment!"

The air tensed up instantly.

The legal counsel instinctively took a half-step forward, but was stopped by Shen Mo's gesture.

Shen Mo did not speak immediately, but looked at Liu Haocun's parents.

At that moment, the couple, who had been silent and hunched over, seemed to receive a command, as if the pressure they had been accumulating for too long had finally found an outlet.

Without any hesitation, the two of them stepped forward at the same time, bowed deeply at a ninety-degree angle in front of the girl's father, and bent over.

Their heads were bowed, and their backs trembled slightly.

A full three seconds.

"I'm sorry," Liu's father said in a hoarse, dry voice.

"I'm so sorry..." Liu's mother choked up, her words turning into suppressed sobs before she could finish.

The girl's father was clearly unprepared for this turn of events.

The angry words he had prepared got stuck in his throat.

Just then, Shen Mo's voice rang out, breaking the tense silence.

"The apology is their way of showing their sincerity, but this matter cannot be resolved with just 'I'm sorry'."

His gaze finally met that of the girl's father, without flinching, and with a serious, matter-of-fact expression.

"I will formally communicate with you regarding the specific compensation and follow-up matters."

"We will fully cover the compensation you are seeking from the court, as well as all necessary medical, rehabilitation, long-term care, and living expenses for the child."

The girl's father was stunned, seemingly not expecting that the two-year-long tug-of-war had actually made progress.

Shen Mo paused for a moment, then continued.

"Legally, this money is their responsibility."

"But in terms of procedure, our company will pay in advance."

"You can think of it as them owing me now."

He looked the other person in the eye and said the most crucial sentence.

"Your most important thing right now is to get the money so you can provide your child with the best treatment and care."

"Is it right?"

This statement, devoid of any artifice, is nonetheless extremely realistic.

The legal representative stepped forward at the opportune moment, opened the folder in his hand, and presented a document that had been prepared in advance.

The girl's father's gaze fell on the numbers and terms, and his fingers trembled slightly as he took the documents.

After a long while, he raised his head, the anger in his eyes suddenly dissipated, and a feeling of relief washed over him, followed by a deeper weariness.

He looked at Shen Mo, his voice low and hoarse: "What we're asking the court for is 120 million."

But he didn't want to provoke anyone who could easily come up with the 170 million figure written on it.

Shen Mo met his gaze and said, "I personally added another 50."

"For the child's follow-up treatment and protection."

"Consider it me, on behalf of Haocun, doing my part to show my appreciation for her."

The girl's father held the heavy document, closed his eyes briefly, and when he opened them again, he let out a heavy sigh. [Your one-stop haven for novel reading.]

"……good."

"I'll sign."

The scratching sound of the pen tip gliding across the paper was exceptionally clear in the quiet corridor.

"We will withdraw the lawsuit."

One name, countless zeros.

A tragedy that could have devastated two families came to a temporary end at this moment.

Stepping out of the inpatient building, the blazing sunlight was so intense that it was almost impossible to open one's eyes.

Liu Haocun's parents followed closely behind Shen Mo, their steps still a little unsteady.

Mr. Liu rubbed his hands together, his eyes red-rimmed, his voice choked with emotion.

"Mr. Shen, this time... this time we really... our whole family doesn't know how to thank you enough..."

"But this money... even if we sell everything we own, I'm afraid we still won't be able to..."

Liu's mother wiped away her tears, "The extra 500,000 you gave me... this..."

"Why?" she asked softly, her voice tinged with confusion and a hint of trepidation.

Shen Mo's expression changed slightly at that moment.

He turned around, his words carrying a clear sense of detachment.

"Gentlemen, there are some things that need to be clarified."

"This 120 million was advanced by the company; it was not a gift or a waiver."

"The contract you signed when you came here clearly stated that it was written in the contract."

His gaze swept over the couple, each word clear and distinct.

"This debt will be transferred to Liu Haocun."

"It will be deducted in installments from all of her future acting income from Mohen."

"At the same time, as risk compensation, her revenue sharing ratio with the company's artists will be adjusted from the original 70/30 split to 80/20 split."

"The termination compensation clause will be increased to 30 million."

"The original brokerage contract should also be extended to fifteen years."

Although they knew these details before coming, Liu Haocun's parents were still stunned when they thought about these terms again after resolving the issues at the hospital.

"I'm not here to do charity; this is your responsibility."

"I'm not a sucker either; I have to be responsible for the company's investments and risks."

"Therefore, this money must, and can only, be taken back from you, or rather, from Liu Haocun."

He stopped looking at the stunned couple and instead turned his gaze to Liu Haocun, who had been standing quietly to the side.

She kept her head down, her shoulders slightly tense, and her fingers gripping the hem of her clothes.

"Hao Cun".

"do you understand?"

Liu Haocun slowly raised his head.

Her eyes were still red and swollen, but there were no more tears. Instead, they were exceptionally clear and bright, and showed the unwavering determination of an adult who had grown up in an instant.

She looked at Shen Mo and nodded vigorously, her voice soft but unusually firm.

"I see."

"I will pay it back!"

Watching Shen Mo, who had repeatedly refused her invitations to come home for a simple meal, leave with Liu Haocun, Liu's mother turned to look at Liu's father in a daze.

"Are we 'selling' our daughter?"

"Really...right?"

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

There weren't many people in the waiting area. Liu Haocun sat in a chair by the window, his back straight, his gaze somewhat blank as he stared at the planes taking off and landing outside.

Shen Mo sat down next to her, casually flipping through a magazine.

Do you regret it?

"Suddenly burdened with this debt, the contracts are now even more tightly bound..."

"Do you regret it? Regret signing with Inkmark, or regret coming with me today?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Haocun turned his head, thought about it seriously, and then slowly but firmly shook his head.

No regrets.

She spoke softly, her gaze fixed on her fingers.

"only……"

She paused, then looked at Shen Mo with her clear, doe-like eyes, which flickered with a complex yet bright light.

"Brother Mo, this is the first time I've felt..."

"Growing up is such a heavy thing."

Looking into her eyes, at the clarity and responsibility that seemed beyond her years, Shen Mo's stern features softened slightly.

He put down the magazine, smiled faintly, with a hint of approval.

"You've grown up, Haocun."

"Brother Mo will take care of the financial compensation for you."

"But there's much more to this than just what you need to do."

His voice softened as he looked into Liu Haocun's eyes.

"What that girl lost was the possibility of standing, running, and dancing for the rest of her life."

"This deficiency cannot be fully compensated by any amount of money."

"It's not just a courtesy visit, nor is it just about sending gifts."

Instead, listen to her recent situation, her troubles, even if they are just trivial matters.

"Give her some company."

He gave Liu Haocun a deep look.

"This is also the way to truly overcome that hurdle in your heart."

"Guilt needs an outlet, and responsibility needs to be shouldered."

"At the same time," he added, changing the subject.

"You can also chat with her about the new dances you've learned, share interesting things that happened on set, and talk about the scenery you saw..."

"In a sense, you also carry on her dream of dancing."

Liu Haocun listened quietly, his eyes unblinking.

The sunlight outside the window danced in her pupils, making that clarity even brighter.

"I've got it, Brother Mo."

That willingness to shoulder responsibility made her slender frame appear incredibly strong.

She turned her gaze back to the vast, boundless sky outside the window.

After a long while, she turned to look at Shen Mo and slowly stretched out her hands.

"Brother Mo, can I hug you for a bit?"

"Just for a little while..."

The sound was very soft, almost inaudible amidst the noisy background noise of the waiting area.

Shen Mo smiled and reached out to touch the top of her head, then pulled her slender body into his arms.

If you could only read one urban novel in your life, it would probably be "The Shura Field of Chinese Entertainment: All the Young Actresses Want to Climb to the Top".