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

Amidst a clear and melodious bird song and the gentle, rhythmic lapping of waves against the shore in the distance.

Li Yitong slowly opened her eyes. She blinked, and her consciousness emerged from deep sleep.

Feeling the weight and warmth of Shen Mo's arm around her waist, she carefully moved his hand away.

She got dressed, wrapped herself in an air-conditioning blanket, and slipped barefoot onto the cool, smooth wooden floor to her private terrace.

Push open the glass door, A sea breeze blew in, carrying a refreshing scent.

Not long after, very light footsteps came from behind.

Shen Mo also woke up, wearing only a pair of pajama pants, the morning light outlining his tall and muscular figure.

He walked gently behind her, stretched out his arms, and gently embraced her along with the thin blanket, resting his chin on the top of her head.

Did I wake you up?

Li Yitong tilted her head slightly and rubbed her cheek against his chin.

"No, I woke up a while ago. I was planning to cuddle with you for a while, but I didn't expect you to come out like that."

Shen Mo tightened his arms around her neck, took a deep breath, and then held her even closer in his embrace.

"What are you looking at?"

"Look... the empire that Little Mozi has built for me."

Li Yitong deliberately made teasing remarks and pointed to the unbeatable sea view in front of her.

"Hmm, great view, this is a good choice for a vacation villa."

Shen Mo chuckled softly, "As long as the Empress is satisfied."

"Where would the Empress like to go today? Little Mozi will accompany you!"

Shen Mo continued along with her words.

To everyone's surprise, Li Yitong didn't respond at all, but instead started finding fault.

"You call me Empress? You want to be Emperor?"

"Do you want a harem of three palaces and six courtyards? Or seventy-two concubines?"

"Whom do you want to conquer?"

Shen Mo bent down, picked her up, and turned around, making a move to walk towards the bedroom.

"I don't know about anything else, but right now I just want to win over the Empress."

"So that Your Majesty won't overthink it!"

"Ah! Ah! Ah!"

Li Yitong quickly begged for mercy, cupping Shen Mo's face in her hands and looking at him with bright, sparkling eyes.

"No way! Playing like this so early in the morning, how am I supposed to go out today?!"

Shen Mo stopped in his tracks, looking completely innocent.

"Didn't Her Majesty appoint me as Emperor? I must perform well!"

Li Yitong quickly waved her hand; she didn't want to be stuck in bed so early in the morning, unable to go anywhere!

"Gone! Your emperor is gone! Little Mozi, I hereby appoint you as my personal bodyguard."

Shen Mo grinned mischievously, picked her up, and turned to walk towards the bathroom.

"A personal guard is still a personal guard, so let me serve Your Highness well!"

The sounds of playful fighting and the spraying of water from the showerhead soon came from the bathroom.

About an hour later, the two changed into ordinary tourist clothes and, with Wang Zheng following behind, entered Bali's largest weekend market.

Shops and stalls lined both sides of the narrow passageway, piled high with brightly colored merchandise.

Seashell wind chimes hang from the top, rustling softly in the sea breeze.

Wow! This looks great!

Li Yitong squatted down in front of a stall selling handmade woven products, picked up a small bag woven from colorful cotton thread and seashells, and couldn't put it down.

The stall owner was a local woman with a kind smile, who immediately gave a warm introduction in accented English.

Li Yitong only half understood what she was hearing, but that didn't dampen her enthusiasm for bargaining.

She gestured and tried to express "too expensive" or "cheaper" with her limited vocabulary.

Its expressions were extremely vivid, sometimes frowning and pouting, sometimes showing a pleading gesture with its hands clasped together.

Shen Mo stood half a step behind her, carrying her bag with one hand and putting the other in his pocket, his eyes behind his sunglasses filled with undisguised indulgent laughter.

He didn't want to get involved; the amount of money wasn't much to either of them, but they both enjoyed the pleasure of immersing themselves in simple shopping.

Shen Mo only stepped forward to pay after she had agreed on a price with the other party.

Then he took the seashell necklace she had bought and turned around to help her put it on.

Li Yitong looked down at the necklace on her chest and a big smile spread across her face.

She tiptoed and quickly kissed Shen Mo on the cheek, then took a half step back, her eyes curving into sweet crescents.

Shen Mo was infected by his smile and smiled along with him, then put his sunglasses back on and took her hand.

"Let's go, the market has only just begun."

They walked around the market, looking at things and eating as they went.

Golden banana pancakes drizzled with honey, piping hot meat skewers dipped in rich peanut sauce, spicy grilled fish wrapped in banana leaves…

Li Yitong ate until her nose was sweating, and while inhaling, she still wanted to try the next bite.

Shen Mo would occasionally offer her chilled coconut water or freshly squeezed juice, and seeing her eyes light up at the novel taste, he found it more interesting than tasting the food itself.

We ate our way through the streets and skipped lunch.

By 2 p.m., they had almost finished exploring the market and both felt a little tired.

So we went back to the beach where the hotel villa was located and walked towards a huge parasol with two beach chairs underneath.

The beach here is not open to the public, so there are very few tourists; only a handful of European and American tourists are sunbathing or reading.

Li Yitong kicked off her beach sandals, stepped barefoot onto the slightly warm fine sand, squinted her eyes, felt the sea breeze blowing, spun around a few times, and then walked under the umbrella and lay down comfortably.

Shen Mo also lay down on the chair next to her, with only a small wooden table between them, on which were the coconuts they had just bought.

Wearing sunglasses, Li Yitong gazed at the blue sea and sky merging into the distance, and gradually felt a wave of drowsiness wash over her after relaxing.

She turned her head to look at Shen Mo and saw that he seemed to be asleep.

Then a mischievous thought quietly arose in my mind.

Li Yitong secretly sat up, grabbed a handful of sand, and carefully piled it on Shen Mo's ankles until it formed a small sand mound.

After she finished, she suppressed a laugh and took out her phone to snap a picture.

She picked up the half-finished coconut next to her, took a big sip, and then gently pressed her wet lips to Shen Mo's lips.

"Um?"

Shen Mo was startled and slowly opened his eyes, immediately meeting Li Yitong's smile so close to his face.

Li Yitong reached out and cupped Shen Mo's face in her hands, then poured the coconut juice over him.

Shen Mo reacted, stretched out his long arm, precisely wrapped his arm around her waist, and with a little force, pulled her into his arms and lay down on the recliner together.

"Oh no!" Li Yitong exclaimed softly.

"Huh? What's broken?"

Shen Mo followed her gaze and noticed that the small hill on the back of his feet had collapsed.

He smiled slightly, and his arm, which was around her, deftly reached towards her waist and armpits.

"Hahaha...No! Shen Mo! I was wrong! Hahaha...It itches! Help!"

Li Yitong instantly lost her composure, wriggling in his arms and laughing until tears streamed down her face.

Shen Mo only reluctantly stopped laughing when she was almost out of breath and her cheeks were flushed.

"This is your punishment for causing trouble."

Although he stopped, he still held her in his arms.

"Aren't you tired? You've been walking all morning, don't you want to rest in this beautiful weather?"

Li Yitong leaned against his chest to catch her breath. Upon hearing this, she looked up and glared at him, but her watery eyes and flushed cheeks rendered her glare powerless.

"I'm sleepy! Let's just go to sleep!"

"I feel more at ease sleeping like this!"

Shen Mo smiled slightly upon hearing this, then moved his position slightly to make her more comfortable lying on the recliner with him.

In the evening, based on the hotel receptionist's recommendation, they found a local restaurant.

The shop isn't big, but it's quite clean.

They chose a corner seat by the window and ordered roasted pork ribs and curry chicken.

At night, I returned to the villa, far away from the hustle and bustle.

After playing all day, even someone as energetic as Li Yitong felt tired.

She first took a shower, washing away the fine sand and light sweat, then changed into a silk slip dress. Only after burying herself in the fluffy bed did she finally let out a long sigh of relief.

When Shen Mo finished tidying up a little later, he saw her lying on her side with a slender arm sticking out of the thin blanket, seemingly already asleep.

A gentle smile appeared in his eyes as he walked softly to the bedside, bent down, and tucked her exposed arm back under the covers.

He then went around to the other side of the bed, turned off the main light, and lay down next to her.

As soon as he lay down, Li Yitong automatically rolled into his arms.

Her forehead rested against his shoulder, and one leg rested rather unruly on his lap.

Her arms came across and wrapped around his waist.

I found the most comfortable position and snuggled up to her.

Shen Mo pulled her into his arms and gently stroked her back.

"Tired?"

He lowered his voice and asked softly, afraid of disturbing her sleep.

"Um……"

Li Yitong responded vaguely, her voice soft and sweet.

My legs are a little sore...

She muttered that she had walked too much during the day at the market and on the beach.

Shen Mo's hand slid down her back and gently grasped her calf.

He began to knead her with controlled force, making Li Yitong groan comfortably as she relaxed further in his arms.

Just when Shen Mo thought she had completely fallen asleep, the person in his arms stirred again and murmured in her sleep.

"Shen Mo..."

"Um?"

He spoke very softly, and his hands continued to knead her calves.

"Tomorrow morning..."

Her words came out in fits and starts, as if she were struggling with drowsiness.

"Shall we...go...watch the sunrise?"

Her voice grew softer and softer until she finally voiced her expectation.

"it is good."

He paused, then added, his voice filled with laughter and indulgence.

"If you can't get up, I won't be so polite."

The person in my arms gave a muffled "humph" in protest, then their breathing gradually became long and steady.

Shen Mo didn't say anything more. Seeing that she had fallen asleep, he withdrew his arms and changed to a hugging posture, and closed his eyes as well.

The next day, they slept until late morning, completely missing the sunrise that Li Yitong had vowed to see the night before.

When she woke up from Shen Mo's arms, rubbing her eyes, she found that the sunlight had already brightly filled the terrace.

He froze for a few seconds, then buried his face in the pillow and let out a frustrated groan.

Shen Mo had already woken up and was leaning against the headboard, using a tablet to process several emails that he needed to reply to.

He froze for a few seconds, then buried his face in the pillow and let out a frustrated groan.

Shen Mo had already woken up and was leaning against the headboard, using a tablet to process several emails that he needed to reply to.

He chuckled softly, then reached out and ruffled her messy hair.

"Sunrises happen every day, I don't want to disturb your sleep."

Li Yitong peeked out from under the pillow and glared at him, but it wasn't very intimidating.

Ultimately, they decided to combine breakfast and lunch and enjoy a delicious brunch on the terrace.

In the afternoon, Li Yitong enthusiastically took Shen Mo to experience a traditional Balinese aromatherapy massage for two.

Then, I would relax on a lounge chair in the rest area, eat snacks, watch the koi swimming in the pond in the courtyard, and chat casually.

On the third day, they rented a car with a guide and had Wang drive, embarking on a real local adventure.

Instead of visiting popular tourist attractions, we went hiking, explored an ancient temple, and strolled around a local village.

On the fourth day, the continuous heavy rain led the two to decide to stay in the villa and not go anywhere else.

In the morning, Li Yitong took over the white piano in the living room, playing some simple melodies intermittently.

Shen Mo sat on the sofa next to her, gazing at her quietly. When she successfully played a short piece, he gave her an encouraging smile.

In the afternoon, Li Yitong tried to make a local dessert in the fully equipped kitchen, following an online recipe.

As expected, the finished product looked terrible, but surprisingly, it tasted quite good.

In the evening, accompanied by the sound of rain, the two of them sat shoulder to shoulder and enjoyed a quiet and cozy candlelight dinner.

After dinner, we snuggled together on the sofa and used the projector to choose a lighthearted old movie.

Raindrops are the best white noise to help you fall asleep, so much so that Li Yitong fell asleep leaning against Shen Mo while watching them.

On the last day, Li Yitong's obsession with sunrise was finally fulfilled.

Perhaps it was the reluctance of the holiday coming to an end, or perhaps it was her biological clock finally adjusting, but she woke up on her own before dawn.

In the dim light, she quietly admired the sleeping silhouette of Shen Mo beside her.

After a while, she gently moved the blanket aside and quietly got out of bed.

On the horizon, glimpses of golden-red hues are already visible through gaps in the clouds.

She wrapped her shawl tighter around herself and waited patiently.

Before anyone knew it, Shen Mo, who had sensed the emptiness beside him, also got up.

He took one of his light jackets and draped it over her shoulders, then stood beside her and took her slightly cool hand in his.

The clouds moved slowly, and suddenly, an incomparably brilliant golden light pierced through the gap in the clouds.

Then, the golden light edged the piled-up clouds with a dazzling brilliance, a beauty beyond words.

Li Yitong pursed her lips, a slight smile curving her lips. She subconsciously tightened her grip on Shen Mo's hand and then leaned on his shoulder.

"Perfect."

She turned her head and looked at Shen Mo, speaking softly.

Shen Mo looked at her face, which was bathed in the warm glow of the morning sun, and reached out to touch it. "Yes, I finally saw it."

During breakfast, Li Yitong was somewhat silent, looking at the familiar scenery before her, revealing a faint sense of reluctance.

Shen Mo placed a slice of bread with jam on her plate.

Where would you like to go next? Snow-capped mountains? Or grasslands?

Li Yitong raised her head, and her eyes slowly curved back into a smile.

"Hmm...we'll talk about it later."

She poked the bread. "Anyway, with you by my side, I can go anywhere."

In the afternoon, after packing my luggage, I boarded the car to the airport.

As the plane soared into the sky, Li Yitong leaned on Shen Mo's shoulder, looking through photos from the past few days on her phone.

"I'm going back, and I'm really going to miss it," she said softly, then turned off her phone screen.

"Mm." Shen Mo held her hand, their fingers intertwined. "We can go out and play anytime you want."