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

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The opening ceremony for "Brotherhood of Blades" was held early one morning at the Huairou Film and Television Base.

The sky was still shrouded in a thin mist, and the palace walls in the distance appeared cold and solemn in the morning light.

The venue was not extravagant; there was no long red carpet or exaggerated media presence. Instead, an offering table was set up outside the main location, complete with incense burner, fruit plate, and red cloth—everything was done according to old customs.

But everyone who came was present.

The producer, director, cinematographer, art director, action choreographer, lead actor, and main supporting actors were all present.

The three characters "Brotherhood of Blades" were written on a red banner with black lettering and hung at the entrance of the set.

Lu Yang stood at the front of the crowd, wearing an unassuming dark coat and clutching a well-worn script in his hand, his expression more solemn than ever.

He had waited too long for this day.

Incense is lit, and wisps of smoke rise.

Lu Yang took a deep breath, his voice a little tight, but very steady.

"Thank you all for believing in 'Brotherhood of Blades'."

"This is not a play that tries to be clever, but I hope it is a play with substance and warmth."

He didn't say much, and after he finished speaking, he bowed.

Next up was Shen Mo.

When he stepped forward, the atmosphere at the scene clearly changed; it wasn't noisy, but rather a subconscious silence.

Shen Mo wasn't wearing a costume, just a simple dark jacket. His brows and eyes were restrained, but his aura naturally commanded the scene.

He took the incense, lit it, and raised it to his forehead with swift, clean movements, without any unnecessary formality.

He placed the incense sticks into the burner and turned to look at the crowd.

"This is my first time acting in a traditional martial arts film."

"I hope that together with everyone, when it is finally filmed, it will live up to the name 'wuxia' (martial arts)."

"Thank you all for your hard work."

After the red envelopes were distributed to start the operation, the camera, which was covered with a red cloth, was slowly uncovered.

"Brotherhood of Blades"

"Power on!"

The clapperboard snapped crisply, like some kind of announcement.

This martial arts film, once considered "out of step with the times," has officially begun filming.

Back in the dressing room, Shen Mo closed his eyes and let the stylist do his job.

He wore a dark red flying fish robe, with metal arm guards fastened tightly, and a heavy embroidered spring knife at his waist.

When he opened his eyes and looked in the mirror, the dressing room fell silent for a moment. The image of Shen Lian, the Imperial Guard, instantly came to mind: a man struggling to survive amidst power struggles and the edge of a knife.

"Ms. Shen, that's enough," the stylist said in a low voice.

Shen Mo nodded, and subconsciously adjusted the angle of his sword as he stood up.

Outside the door, Wang Qianyuan and Li Dongxue had also changed their clothes. The three of them exchanged glances, and without saying a word, the subtle atmosphere of brotherhood, which was both intimate and filled with their own thoughts, was already present.

"One scene, one shot, 'Brotherhood of Blades,' A!" The script supervisor claps the clapperboard.

The camera zooms in.

Shen Mo lowered his eyes slightly, his right hand lightly pressing on the hilt of his sword. His posture appeared relaxed, but in reality, all the muscles in his body were ready to explode at any moment.

This vigilance is ingrained in the bones of the Embroidered Uniform Guard after many years of service.

Wang Qianyuan, who plays Lu Jianxing, sits upright, while Li Dongxue, who plays Jin Yichuan, appears slightly uneasy, with shifty eyes and a suppressed cough.

"Big brother, this case..." Li Dongxue began, her tone filled with anxiety.

"Silence." Wang Qianyuan hissed, his gaze sweeping across the empty courtyard.

Shen Mo looked up at that moment, and the camera zoomed in on his eyes.

There wasn't much emotion in it, only the stillness of a deep pool, but upon closer inspection, there were undercurrents surging at the bottom.

That was the weariness and vigilance that came from knowing too many secrets and bearing the weight of too many lives.

At that moment, many people at the scene were stunned.

That wasn't "Shen Mo acting as Shen Lian," but rather Shen Lian himself standing there.

"CUT!"

The scene fell silent for a brief moment.

Lu Yang clenched his fist behind the monitor. "That's a good take! All three teachers are in perfect form!"

Then, someone let out a soft breath.

Shen Mo nodded slightly, and the somber mood slowly dissipated.

To bring good luck, the first scene in a film is usually not too difficult, hoping to be completed in one take.

Despite this, since it was Shen Mo's first time acting in a period martial arts film, everyone still had some doubts.

Only then did the action choreographer, who was watching, whisper to the person next to him, "His speed in getting into and out of character is truly worthy of a Hundred Flowers Award for Best Actor. I reckon the filming speed will be much faster later on."

When we finished work at noon, the cuffs of the flying fish uniform were soaked with sweat, and there were several red marks on my arms.

Looking at him, Lu Yang suddenly had a strong premonition that this play might actually be a success.

It's not because of capital, it's not because of hype.

It's because someone is willing to carefully sharpen a knife to its finest point.

The afternoon performance was moved indoors.

The guardhouse of the Northern Garrison was dimly lit, with only a few beams of light shining through the small window high up, where dust swirled and rolled.

This was a one-man show for Shen Lian. He had just finished dealing with a tricky "dirty job" and returned to his duty room alone to wash off bloodstains that weren't actually there.

There are no lines; everything is conveyed through body language and eye contact.

Shen Mo sat on the hardwood chair, and the prop master handed him a copper basin filled with water.

Filming begins.

He first unfastened his sword and placed it on the table with a soft thud, then bent down and immersed his hands in the water.

The water was very cold.

The camera zoomed in from the side, focusing on his downcast profile; his bangs were slightly damp and clung to his skin.

He washed very carefully, slowly rubbing every inch of his hands, between his fingers, under his nails, and on the back of his hands.

But while washing, the action stopped.

His hand hovered above the water, water droplets dripping from his fingertips.

Then, he raised his head and looked at a point in the void. There was nothing there, but the look in his eyes made Lu Yang, who was watching from behind the monitor, hold his breath.

That wasn't fear, nor regret; it was habit, numbness, a kind of calm that bordered on resignation.

But deep within this tranquility, there lingers a faint trace of resentment, like the last spark in the ashes.

"CUT!"

Lu Yang's voice was somewhat excited, "You passed! Teacher Shen, this level..."

Shen Mo straightened up, took the towel handed to him by his assistant to wipe his hands, and smiled and nodded to Lu Yang.

"If Director Lu thinks it's okay, then that's fine."

The staff around them exchanged glances.

They had originally estimated that they would need to film at least three or four takes, but they got it in one take.

The afternoon shoot went smoothly, and since it was the first day of filming, we finished much earlier than expected.

When Shen Mo removed her makeup and returned to her hotel room, it was already nearly dusk outside the window.

He picked up his phone and saw that familiar chat window; the profile picture was a smiling face with dimples.

He remembered that dejected girl sitting on the floor in the company's practice room that night.

Although I told her not to rush, to take it slow and build a solid foundation.

But seeing her heartbreaking tears, seeing her counting the other children's things and not hers, how could Shen Mo bear to make her sad?

He hovered his fingertip for a moment, then pressed the call button.

The phone was answered shortly after it rang.

"Feed? Brother Mo!"

Tian Xiwei's voice came from the other end, carrying a hint of unexpected joy. The background noise was somewhat chaotic, as if it were outdoors.

"You're done filming? Were you tired today?"

"I'm alright." Shen Mo walked to the window. "And you? Where are you?"

"Just came out of the practice room, heading back to the dorm."

Tian Xiwei's voice was light and cheerful, "Brother Mo, let me tell you, I practiced that combination of moves again today, and the teacher said I've improved!"

"Mmm." Hearing the undisguised joy in her voice, Shen Mo's lips unconsciously twitched slightly. "It's good that you've made progress."

He paused for a moment, then decided to stop beating around the bush.

"Oh, by the way, I found you a small role."

"Huh?" The person on the other end of the phone was clearly taken aback. "What role?"

"The actress who played the younger version of Zhou Xiaozhi, the female lead in the movie 'My Old Classmate,' directed by Guo Fan, which is being invested in by Fiber Optic Boss Wang, has not yet been cast."

Shen Mo spoke as if it were a trivial matter, "I've asked President Wang to come over, you can give it a try."

There was a two or three-second silence on the other end of the phone.

Then, Tian Xiwei's voice suddenly rose, filled with unbelievable surprise.

"Really?! Brother Mo! A movie?"

"Mm," Shen Mo responded, adding.

"His role may not be large, but it should be very likable. You can check out the movie to see how the scenes are filmed."

"Director Guo has high standards, so you'd better prepare well."

"I definitely will! I promise!"

Tian Xiwei's voice trembled slightly with excitement.

"Thank you, Brother Mo! I...I'm so happy!"

"Brother Mo, you're so great..."

She was so excited that she couldn't speak coherently. It had been more than half a year since the filming of "The Journey of Flower" ended, and she had been studying and watching other actresses join the crew, which made her extremely envious.

"Thank you, Brother Mo."

"Brother Mo, when are you coming back? I want to give you a big hug!"

Shen Mo could imagine her expression at that moment; her big eyes must be incredibly bright, her cheeks flushed with excitement, and her dimples probably impossible to hide.

"You're welcome."

"It's because you've been working hard. Opportunities are for those who are prepared."

"That was also an opportunity you gave me, Brother Mo!"

Tian Xiwei immediately replied earnestly, "I will cherish this opportunity and will absolutely not let you down!"

Hearing her energetic promise, Shen Mo pictured her sweet face, which always carried a defiant spirit.

"Yes, that's good to know."

He glanced at the time. "It's getting late. Go home now and be careful on the road. I'll have Tianzhen send you the specific start date and script tomorrow."

"Okay! Brother Mo, you should get some rest too! Don't overwork yourself while filming!"

After hanging up the phone, the room became quiet again.

On the other side, Tian Xiwei stood there, holding her phone, stunned for a full five seconds.

The streets at dusk were filled with laughter, bicycle bells, and car horns...

All the background noise seemed to fade away in an instant, leaving only the pounding of my own heart.

the film.

It's a movie!

It's a legitimate movie that will be shown in theaters!

It's a movie invested in by fiber optics!

Although it's just the female lead's childhood, and her screen time is definitely limited, but...

That was something Brother Mo personally got for her.

Even during the intense filming breaks of "Brotherhood of Blades," Brother Mo remembered her and specially contacted Fiber Optic's CEO, Mr. Wang, to directly request the role, without even needing an audition!

A surge of scalding heat rushed up from her heart, instantly reddening her eyes and making her nose sting.

She blinked hard, trying to hold back the tears welling up in her eyes, but her lips parted uncontrollably and stretched into a wide, radiant smile, her right cheek sinking deeper into a dimple.

"ah--!"

She couldn't help but let out a soft cry, jumped up and down, and held her hands, which were gripping the phone, tightly clasped together in front of her chest.

A few days ago, Mo Ge comforted himself in the practice room, saying, "No rush, take it slow," but then he turned around and found himself a role.

The lingering resentment and anxiety were completely washed away by this sudden surprise.

Mo Ge has not forgotten her.

Mo Ge cares about her a lot.

This feeling of being valued made her heart flutter even more than receiving the role itself; she was so happy she almost exploded.

She couldn't wait to share her joy with someone.

I opened WeChat and tapped the pinned group chat.

【Five Beauties of Ink Marks】

She took a deep breath and typed rapidly:

Sisters!!! I got a role!!! It's in a movie!!! My friend Mo got it for me!!! It's "My Old Classmate"!!! I'm playing the female lead as a child!!!

He replied almost instantly.

[Meng Da Piao Liang: !!! Really?! My Deskmate? A campus romance movie? Okay! Tian Xiwei!]

[Mengyan: ( ) Did Brother Mo ask you for it? Do I still need to audition?]

[Tian Xiwei: Mm! Mo Ge just called to tell me! No audition needed, I can join the cast directly! Ahhh, I'm so excited!]

[The arrogant girl: Hmph~ I've been filming on set for weeks now~]

[Haocun's sister: Congratulations! Sister Xiaotian, I'm so envious of you~]

[Tian Xiwei: Yeah, you're amazing! You've been on set for so long, you should treat us when you get back! After you treat us, I'll treat you all to a big meal!]

[Tian Xiwei: Haocun! You should try to charm Mo Ge more often; he can't resist that. Maybe he'll find you a role too!]

After sharing her excitement with her girlfriends, she calmed down a bit.

The evening breeze felt cool on her face, but it couldn't dispel the heat on her face or the boiling joy in her heart.

She looked up at the few stars that had just peeked out into the night sky, her eyes sparkling.

Brother Mo...

She murmured it to herself, a gentle yet firm smile playing on her lips.

I won't let you down.

Chapter 180: I Helped Xiaotian Get a Role [10,000 Words, Please Subscribe and Vote for Monthly Tickets] There's a surprise inside, click here to unlock now.