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

It was already late at night when I finished filming my cameo role in "Twenty Your Life On".

After leaving the film set, Shen Mo said a brief goodbye to the girls and got into his car, heading straight to the airport that night.

Next stop, Tianjin.

The plane took off into the night. He leaned back in his seat, took off his mask and hat, and closed his eyes to rest.

On the phone screen was the message Li Yitong had sent a few days ago.

I'll probably still be filming on your birthday, so I probably won't be able to be with you.

Shen Mo's reply was very simple.

It's okay, I came to find you.

Now, he is on his way to fulfill his promise.

The nights in Tianjin are quieter than in the capital.

It was already past 11 o'clock when we landed, and the car drove into a hotel near the film set.

The film crew booked three entire floors, and she stayed in the innermost room on the fifth floor.

Shen Mo didn't call in advance; she simply sent a message to her assistant to ask for the room number.

The elevator stopped with a "ding".

The corridor was dimly lit and quiet enough to hear footsteps.

He stood in front of the door, raised his hand and knocked twice. There was a slight sound inside, and the clattering of slippers came from afar.

The door was pulled open a crack, and Li Yitong froze on the spot.

She was wearing an oversized white T-shirt, her hair was loosely tied in a high ponytail, and her face still showed signs of fatigue after removing her makeup.

When he saw the face outside the door, his eyes lit up.

"Amo!"

As soon as she finished speaking, she suddenly reached out and pulled him into the room.

The door slammed shut.

Then she suddenly jumped up and clung to Shen Mo like a koala, her arms tightly wrapped around his neck and her legs wrapped around his waist.

Shen Mo was knocked back half a step by her, steadied himself, and quickly stretched out his right hand, which was holding the cake box, while his left hand instinctively supported her.

"Oh dear, Sister Xue, be careful with the cake."

His voice carried a laugh, and a hint of helpless indulgence.

Li Yitong didn't care. She narrowed her crescent-shaped eyes, her cheeks flushed with excitement and joy, and stared at him for two seconds, her eyes sparkling.

"The cake isn't important."

She leaned forward and quickly pecked him on the lips.

"You are the most important."

Shen Mo chuckled softly, then carried her to the living room, carefully placed the cake on the coffee table, and then sat her down on the sofa.

She refused to let go, and instead buried herself in his arms, pressing her face against his chest and tightening her grip on his arms.

"Why are you only arriving now?"

Her voice was muffled against his chest, sounding somewhat indistinct, and tinged with a barely perceptible grievance.

"Aren't you filming a movie?"

"I came right after filming wrapped up."

Shen Mo raised his hand and encircled her completely, gently stroking her back with his palm.

"We were both on set last month, and I missed your birthday. I said I'd make it up to you, and I definitely will."

Li Yitong nodded in his arms without saying anything, but hugged him even tighter.

A few seconds later, she slowly loosened her grip a little and looked up at him.

"Tomorrow is your birthday, and I'm so sad I can't celebrate it with you!"

"Perfect timing, it's only a few minutes until midnight, let's celebrate together!"

"Okay, let's go together!" Shen Mo looked down at her, his gaze falling on her face, his voice softening unconsciously.

As he spoke, he opened the cake he had brought on the coffee table in front of him, inserted two candles, and lit them.

With a soft "pop," flames shot up, creating two warm yellow halos.

Li Yitong suddenly jumped up from his arms, ran barefoot to the door, and turned off the lights in the room.

She walked back and sat down next to him, turning her head to look at him, her chin slightly raised. "Birthday boy, make a wish first."

Shen Mo looked at her profile and smiled, "You go first."

Li Yitong paused for a moment, then chuckled, "It's your birthday."

"Your birthday comes first." Shen Mo raised his hand and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "You make your wish first."

She stopped arguing, simply gave a soft "humph," and closed her eyes.

The candle flickered slightly.

When she opened her eyes again, she didn't say what her wish was, she just looked up at him.

"now you."

Shen Mo stared at her for a moment before slowly closing his eyes.

There are no grand ambitions.

It's just a simple sentence—everything is fine.

He opened his eyes and met her expectant gaze.

The two smiled at each other, then leaned forward and blew out the candles in one breath.

Darkness descended instantly, and before his eyes could adjust to the change in light, Shen Mo felt a weight in his arms.

Li Yitong pounced on him again, finding his neck precisely and burying her face in it.

Happy birthday, Shen Mo.

Her voice came close to his skin, and her warm breath brushed against his neck.

Shen Mo pulled his arms around her completely, rubbing his chin against the top of her head.

Happy birthday, Yukiko.

After a while, Li Yitong moved slightly, but did not leave his embrace; she simply looked up.

Their eyes had adjusted to the dimness, and they could see each other's silhouettes very close to each other.

"Do you still want some cake?"

She asked in a low voice, her tone tinged with eagerness.

"I'm a little hungry. I haven't eaten carbs in a long time because I'm trying to lose weight."

Shen Mo chuckled and gently pinched her waist with his fingers.

"No wonder you've lost weight. I was wondering why you looked so small!"

"Explain to me clearly where it's too small!"

Li Yitong immediately retorted.

"Tell me the truth, is it small?!"

She resembled a snarling kitten; even in the darkness, Shen Mo could see her furrowed brows and grinding teeth.

Shen Mo pinched it and chuckled, "I really need to replenish my energy."

Li Yitong wrinkled her nose angrily, then suddenly opened her mouth and bit his shoulder.

Shen Mo almost cried out in pain!

This is such bad luck! Getting bitten twice in one day!

No, we can't just sit here and wait to die!

Shen Mo tightened his grip slightly on his hand, which he hadn't yet moved away from!

I started learning the kneading technique from the ancient poem "The Song of the Pipa," because kneading dough also requires skill.

First push, then roll, then turn, then twist, and finally give a gentle tap.

Only through this process, over and over again, can the dough gradually ferment and undergo transformations in the palm of your hand.

At this moment, Li Yitong's mind was completely blank.

She let out a gasp, and the grip on her shoulder suddenly loosened.

She suddenly tilted her head back, revealing the graceful curve of her neck, and her body began to lean backward.

A soft, unrestrained moan reached Shen Mo's ears.

Her long, slender fingers gripped Shen Mo's shoulder tightly, her nails digging unconsciously into his flesh.

The veins at the temples were slightly bulging, and her fair cheeks were flushed red, which spread all the way to her ears and neck.

Those crescent-shaped eyes were now glistening with tears, half-open and somewhat unfocused.

Her eyes churned with shame and anger, and a hint of excitement.

"You, you're cheating!"

She was panting, her voice broken and intermittent, lacking her usual sharp tongue, leaving only a soft, accusatory tone.

Shen Mo looked down at her, not moving his hand away, but instead increasing the pressure slightly, maintaining the same rhythm.

"Who spoke first, huh?"

His voice was very low, and his breath brushed against her sensitive earlobe.

"Well……"

Li Yitong trembled again, and the fingers gripping his shoulder tightened.

She tried to glare at him, but her misty eyes held little intimidation.

"You're allowed to make me angry, but I'm not allowed to retaliate?"

She tried hard to regain her composure, but her halting and disjointed tone completely betrayed her.

Shen Mo chuckled softly. He slowly leaned down, their foreheads touching, their noses brushing, their breaths mingling completely.

He gently pecked her lips.

"The way you chose is quite unique."

Before he finished speaking, he kissed her again.

His hands didn't stop moving; they began to explore.

Her last sobs were completely swallowed up.

His hand lost its strength and slowly slid down, sinking into the sofa.

Consciousness rises and falls, and primal senses are amplified infinitely.

After a long while, Shen Mo stepped back slightly.

The subtle curves beneath Li Yitong's T-shirt rose and fell before his eyes with each breath.

The neckline of the T-shirt revealed her fair shoulders and delicate collarbones.

Shen Mo's fingers slowly traced across her collarbone, causing her to shudder slightly.

"Look at the teeth marks you left on me, are you going to bite me again?"

His voice was much softer, with a hint of seduction.

Li Yitong shook her head groggily and nuzzled his cheek.

Shen Mo smiled with satisfaction, then lowered his head again, his gaze landing on her collarbone, gently pressing against it.

A tingling, itchy sensation washed over her, and her body went limp.

She let out a soft whimper, her arms limply encircling his neck.

As night fell, the temperature in the room gradually rose, and the intertwined figures warmed each other.

The occasional car headlights passing by outside the window briefly illuminated the room's beauty before quickly fading back into darkness.

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

"I'm hungry..."

"I'll turn on the lights and cut the cake."

"Don't move."

She held him down, and using the dim light, groped her way to the plastic knife in the cake box, then handed it to him.

"Cut it like this, it creates a better atmosphere."

"Besides..."

She paused, her eyes sweeping over the clothes scattered on the ground.

"I'm not used to being under these lights!"

Shen Mo smiled slightly, hugged her, took the knife she handed him, and carefully cut the small cake in half in the dim light, then carefully divided it into small pieces.

Li Yitong had already found the fork and eagerly picked up a piece, but instead of putting it in her mouth, she twisted her wrist and brought it to Shen Mo's lips.

"The birthday person should have the first bite."

Shen Mo looked at her and took a bite out of her hand.

"How is it?" Her eyes gleamed in the dim light.

"Sweet," he said.

"That's right!"

Li Yitong proudly raised her chin, then forked a piece for herself, stuffed it into her mouth with satisfaction, and mumbled a sigh.

"Sure enough, the cake you eat secretly tastes the best."

The two of them nestled on the sofa, sharing a small cake and chatting idly.

The cake was quickly devoured, and Li Yitong licked the cream stains from the corner of her mouth with lingering satisfaction.

Shen Mo took out a tissue and naturally reached out to wipe it off for her.

"Amo".

She suddenly called his name, her voice very soft.

"Um?"

"Thank you for coming."

Her tone was no longer joking or teasing.

"Although I said I was fine, being alone in the hotel and watching the calendar turn to that day, I still felt a little empty inside."

He crumpled up the tissue she had used, threw it into the trash can, and pulled her back into his arms.

"From now on, I will fly back to be with you for every birthday, no matter where I am."

"From now on, I will fly back to be with you for every birthday, no matter where I am."

Li Yitong didn't say anything, but hugged him back even tighter, rubbing her cheek against the crook of his neck.

After a while, she finally spoke, her voice muffled and slightly nasal, but she tried to regain her cheerful tone.

"Then it's settled."

"Next time I'll go filming in the deep mountains and forests, and if you dare to break your promise..."

She raised her head and glared at him, pretending to be fierce, but her crescent-shaped eyes didn't have much of a menacing look; instead, they appeared rather charming and innocent.

"I'll fire Bai Mengyan and Li Qin!"

Shen Mo was taken aback, then chuckled softly, "So ruthless?"

"Absolutely!" Li Yitong wrinkled her nose and pressed her face back against his chest.

"I know you had Wang Zheng send that message."

"Since you dare to post it, I dare to intervene!"

Shen Mo didn't say anything, but tightened his grip on her arm.

After a long while, Li Yitong yawned slightly, and a tear welled up in the corner of her eye.

The days of filming and the excitement of tonight suddenly overwhelmed her with fatigue.

"Tired?"

Shen Mo noticed her drowsiness.

"Um……"

She gave a vague reply, but still lingered in his arms, unwilling to move.

"When are you leaving tomorrow?"

"My flight is this afternoon."

"It's getting late. You have an early scene tomorrow, you should get some rest."

"Okay, carry me to wash up."

Shen Mo bent down, put his arms through her knees, and picked her up in one go.

The two helped each other with their washing and brushing, a normal routine.

Shen Mo didn't want to bother her too much, since she still had filming to do.

After washing up, he carried her to the soft bed and held her in his arms.

Li Yitong habitually draped her arm around his waist and rested her forehead against his shoulder.

The familiar body temperature and scent enveloped her, causing her last shred of consciousness to quickly dissipate.

The mattress sinks slightly, creating a reassuring feeling of being enveloped.

"...Amo."

Just when Shen Mo thought she had fallen asleep, she suddenly called out very softly again.

"Um."

"Happy birthday."

She repeated it, her voice already slurred, before it completely merged into her steady breathing.

In the darkness, Shen Mo slightly curved the corners of his lips, lowered his head, and placed a kiss as light as a feather on the top of her head.

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

The following afternoon, Shen Mo returned to the capital, while Li Yitong continued filming her movie.

After finishing his urgent business at the company, Shen Mo glanced at the time, estimated Tian Xiwei's dismissal time, and then packed up and left.

The car was parked quietly under the sycamore trees by the roadside.

Shortly after the school bell rang, girls wearing blue and white school uniforms and with high ponytails poured out of the school gate with the crowd.

She walked briskly, then suddenly stopped in a certain direction, her eyes lighting up.

It's Wang Zheng! Brother Mo's bodyguard!

Tian Xiwei practically skipped over, a bright, unreserved smile blooming on her face, revealing a dimple on her right cheek.

"Hello, Zheng Ge!"

A gentle smile crossed Wang Zheng's face. He nodded slightly and opened the back door for her.

Tian Xiwei, like a nimble little deer, bent down and squeezed inside.

Sure enough, the figure she had been looking forward to all day was sitting in the back row, looking at her with a smile on his face.

"Brother Mo!"

Without much hesitation, she threw herself into Shen Mo's arms, wrapped her arms around his waist, and nuzzled her head against his chest.

All the longing and dependence found an outlet at this moment.

Shen Mo was knocked back slightly by her bump, but then caught the "little cannonball" steadily.

The girl in his arms was slender yet full of vitality, radiating sunshine and youthful energy. Her high ponytail brushed against his chin, tickling him slightly.

He raised his hand and gently ruffled the top of her hair.

"Long time no see, Oda."

"Happy birthday."

Tian Xiwei lifted her head from his embrace, her eyes sparkling as if filled with stars.

She loosened her grip a little, but still sat very close to him, looking up at him.

"Happy birthday to you, Brother Mo!"

"Thank you, Brother Mo, for coming back to celebrate my birthday with me."

The tone was undisguisedly affectionate.

Sister Tongtong, Sister Meng, and Sister Mengyan are all filming outside. If Shen Mo doesn't come back, only Wang Churan and Liu Hao will be in the dormitory to keep me company.

At that moment, she felt as sweet as if she were sitting in a honey pot.

"Where would you like to go?"

Shen Mo asked in a gentle voice, gesturing for Wang Zheng to drive.

"You're the birthday boy/girl, so you get to decide."

Tian Xiwei immediately sat up straight, her eyes darting around.

"I want hot pot! The super spicy kind! The school cafeteria food is so bland, I'm dying for it!"

After saying that, she glanced at Shen Mo again.

"But, Brother Mo, you can't eat too much spicy food, right? We can order a half-and-half hot pot!"

The car drove towards a famous hot pot restaurant in the capital.

Inside the private room, the chili oil was bubbling and the aroma was irresistible.

Tian Xiwei ate until her nose was sweating and her cheeks were flushed. She would occasionally gasp for breath from the spiciness, but she still kept happily adding tripe and duck intestines to the spicy broth.

While eating, she chattered on about the funny things that happened at school: which teacher gave an interesting lecture, which classmate made a fool of themselves, and what new dance moves she had learned...

The vibrant life force was almost overflowing.

Shen Mo listened quietly most of the time, occasionally picking food for her, reminding her to eat slowly, or handing her chilled plum juice when her eyes welled up with tears from the spiciness.

When his gaze fell upon her, he would often be momentarily lost in thought.

Her animated expression, her exclamation uttered in a Chongqing accent, even the small gesture of sticking out her tongue and fanning herself when she was so spicy.

They would precisely trigger fragments of memories about "Old Tian" deep within his mind.

She was just as vibrant back then, only now, after being honed by the spotlight, she possessed a more confident and radiant charm.

The "Xiaotian" in front of us is more primitive and straightforward, with all his joy and dissatisfaction written on his face.

He knew perfectly well that these were two different stages of life, yet he could not completely sever that deep-seated sense of familiarity.

This realization made his attitude towards her become increasingly gentle yet complex.

"Brother Mo, why aren't you eating? You're just staring at me."

Tian Xi paused eating, blinked, and suddenly scooped up a spoonful of shrimp paste from the spicy pot, blew on it, and offered it to Shen Mo's lips.

"Try this, it's delicious! Just one bite, it's not spicy!"

This gesture was natural and intimate, carrying the air of a young girl's coquettishness.

Looking at the shrimp paste soaked in red oil in front of her and her expectant eyes, Shen Mo smiled and opened her mouth.

The spicy flavor exploded in his mouth instantly, and he couldn't help but cough lightly.

"Haha, is it good? Just kidding, it's a bit spicy, isn't it?"

Tian Xi smiled triumphantly, her big eyes narrowing as she laughed, and quickly pushed the plum juice towards him.

Then she rested her chin on her hand and looked at him with bright eyes.

"But Brother Mo, you're so kind of you, you eat what I tell you to eat."

Shen Mo gulped down a few mouthfuls of plum juice to suppress the burning sensation in his throat, then shook his head helplessly.

"You..."

But there was not a trace of blame in his tone.

After the meal, Shen Mo took out the birthday gift he had prepared.

It wasn't anything luxurious, just an instant camera.

"Wow!"

Tian Xiwei took the camera with delight and played with it with it with great affection.

"Brother Mo, how did you know I like this?"

She looked up, her eyes filled with emotion.

Tian Xiwei hugged the gift tightly to her chest. She looked at Shen Mo, and the feeling of wanting to get closer to him became clearer.

Although they haven't seen each other often lately, she always felt that there was a strange tacit understanding between her and Brother Mo, as if they had known each other for a very long time.

Sometimes I dream of blurry scenes where he is in them.

Sometimes I subconsciously feel what he should like and dislike.

Like when we ordered a hot pot with two broths, he doesn't eat spicy food.

On the way back, Tian Xi, who had eaten and drunk her fill, felt a little drowsy.

The car drove smoothly, and her little head bobbed up and down until it finally tilted and rested gently on Shen Mo's shoulder.

Shen Mo adjusted his posture to make her more comfortable.

Looking down, the girl was breathing evenly, sleeping soundly without any guard.

Scenes from my past life flashed uncontrollably again.

After a tiring day at work, on the way home, she had fallen asleep leaning against him countless times...

Shen Mo gently raised his hand and carefully tucked a stray strand of hair that had slipped down her cheek behind her ear.

The car slowly came to a stop in front of the apartment building.

"Brother Mo, I've arrived."

Tian Xiwei's voice carried a hint of lingering affection.

"Um."

Shen Mo looked at the lit window upstairs.

"They've arrived."

To facilitate unified management and care within the company, and also to provide companionship for these girls who left home early to pursue their dreams, Mohen arranged for them to stay in this well-secured apartment.

Liu Haocun and Wang Churan are in their third year of junior high school, while Tian Xiwei is in her second year of senior high school. Their dismissal times are different, so they walk separately.

(Note: In order for Xiaotian to be able to go to university at the age of 18, I set her to start school a year earlier than in reality, so she is currently in her second year of high school.)

Tian Xiwei followed his gaze and smiled.

"Chu Ran and Hao Cun are definitely waiting for me! We promised to eat cake together tonight!"

Shen Mo reached out and straightened her slightly loose ponytail.

"Have a good celebration and have some fun. But don't stay out too late; you have class tomorrow."

Tian Xiwei trembled slightly at the sudden touch, and her ears felt a little hot.

"Understood, Brother Mo."

She responded softly and finally opened the car door.

Tian Xiwei stood by the car, carrying her schoolbag and holding a gift. She turned around and glanced at Shen Mo again.

At this moment, Shen Mo suddenly felt somewhat dazed.

"Hurry up and go up."

Shen Mo waved to her.

"Okay! Goodbye, Brother Mo!"

Tian Xi smiled brightly, waved vigorously, then turned around and ran lightly into the apartment building.

A few minutes later, the faint sound of girls' laughter could be heard from behind the lit window upstairs.

He didn't go upstairs; spending time with him on his birthday was enough.

The remaining time should be left for these girls of the same age to share secrets and play around.

That's the kind of happiness that Xiaotian's age should have.

However, the lingering attachment in her heart, born from memories of her past life, made her feel both tender and complicated when facing this vibrant little field.

With each passing birthday, she gets closer and closer to the image he remembers of her.