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

When Bai Lu received Shen Mo's call, Meng Ziyi was right next to her.

She came to visit Bai Lu's room.

Seeing her beaming with joy as she received Shen Mo's message, and seeing her sharing her everyday happiness with him.

Honestly, Meng Ziyi is envious.

My heart aches.

"You make no attempt to hide anything from me."

Is it really okay?

"Haku Mengken!"

This was the first time Meng Ziyi had not shown a smile in front of Bai Lu.

She couldn't do it; the other party made no attempt to hide it, yet she pretended not to know.

"Sister Meng, didn't you already know?"

"When did you find out I knew?"

Bai Lu pursed her lips and reached out to press her hand on Meng Ziyi's cheek.

"It was probably after you started talking about Brother Mo and began to lose your smile."

Bai Lu withdrew her hand, without avoiding Meng Ziyi's gaze.

"It's not that we don't try to hide anything."

"I don't think it's necessary in front of you."

"Sister Meng, how long have we known each other?"

"We trained together, filmed together, and even lived in the same dormitory..."

Some things can't be hidden.

"I don't want to hide it either."

Meng Ziyi's eyes quickly reddened, but she stubbornly refused to shed tears.

"I've known for a long time."

"I pretend I don't know, because I don't know how to face it."

Why do you have to expose me?

Meng Ziyi suddenly raised her voice.

"How am I supposed to face Sister Tong, how am I supposed to face you, how am I supposed to face him?!"

She sniffed, trying to suppress the bitterness.

Her voice inevitably trembled with a sob.

"Do you know that I like it too? I admire it too?"

"But...but I don't want to ruin other people's relationships."

"destroy?"

Bai Lu repeated the word softly and shook her head.

He then sighed, smiled slightly, with a strange calmness.

"So, did I ruin their relationship?"

Bai Lu's voice softened, and she stood up and sat down next to Meng Ziyi.

"Sister Meng."

"Do you think we have a chance to replace Sister Tong in Brother Mo's heart?"

Since they are both girls and share similar thoughts, some things simply don't need to be said.

Meng Ziyi's sudden silences, the fleeting dimming and then forced brightening of her eyes when "Brother Mo" was mentioned, and the seemingly casual gestures of inquiring about Shen Mo's schedule...

Bai Lu had noticed it too, hadn't she? She just didn't say anything, but that didn't mean she didn't understand.

Meng Ziyi didn't speak, holding the tissue Bai Lu handed her, and remained silent.

"Right!"

Bai Lu watched her reaction and a faint smile curved her lips.

"You also think that the relationship between the two of them is something we can't possibly destroy, right?"

Meng Ziyi wiped away her tears and snot, and asked in a muffled voice, filled with resentment and confusion.

"So, what are you after?"

Bai Lu's lips curved into a smile, revealing her carefree grin once more, before she leaned back and lay down on the bed.

"I don't want anything in return!"

"I don't want to replace anyone, or even to achieve any particular result."

Meng Ziyi turned her head and stared blankly at Bai Lu, whose eyes were shining as she looked at the ceiling.

"Simply because I like him."

"It all started when he picked me up in a foreign land, in the freezing cold."

"It started when I became his assistant and stayed by his side to get to know him."

"It started when he abandoned important social engagements for me, and even took me with him."

Bai Lu's smile deepened.

That smile held an almost pure passion and composure.

"I became addicted."

"It's like being a fan of a celebrity."

"Fans love their idols and will go to see them at every single event."

"Does he really think he can marry this idol?"

Bai Lu asked and answered her own question.

"No!"

"It's simply because he enjoys the process of chasing and being with someone."

"I feel the same way about Brother Mo in some ways."

Meng Ziyi stared at her blankly, feeling that Bai Lu had a special radiance that made her unable to look away.

"Moreover, let's look at it from a more realistic perspective."

Bai Lu turned around and propped her head up with one elbow.

"Someone like Brother Mo, who stands in this position."

"The number of people who approach him with various motives is probably countless."

"But look around, are there any promiscuous women around him?"

She smiled slightly and lowered her voice.

Even if he accepts me, it still makes him a womanizer.

"So what?"

"Given his level and the temptations he faces, this is probably the least noteworthy flaw, and it might not even be considered a weakness."

Bai Lu's face blossomed with that carefree yet incredibly genuine smile once again.

"Besides, he's tall, handsome, capable, and responsible."

"And most importantly, I like him, and he likes me too."

That's enough.

Meng Ziyi was stunned by Bai Lu's frank and almost "fierce" logic.

She still felt bitter and resentful.

But undeniably, Bai Lu's purity and courage are something she lacks and envies.

She always overthinks and worries too much; pride and timidity coexist within her.

"you……"

Meng Ziyi opened her mouth, only to find herself at a loss for words.

She looked down at the crumpled tissue in her hand, and after a long while, she finally spoke in a muffled voice.

"Aren't you afraid at all? Aren't you afraid of ending up with nothing, afraid of getting hurt?"

"I'm scared."

Bai Lu answered quickly, reaching out and gently grasping Meng Ziyi's arm.

"But does fear mean you won't like it? Does fear mean you'll pretend you don't like it?"

"Sister Meng, that's not my style."

"If I like it, I'll accept it."

As for the outcome...

"We'll deal with the future when it comes."

"At least for now, I don't want to be so afraid that I don't even have the courage to like something."

"That would be a huge loss."

The room fell silent again.

Meng Ziyi breathed a long sigh of relief.

She looked up, and although her eyes were still red, her gaze had cleared considerably.

"Bai Mengyan, you really are..."

She paused, as if trying to find the right word.

"...weird."

The tone no longer carried blame, but rather a complex mix of emotion and a touch of helpless admiration.

Bai Lu smiled, her eyes curving into crescent moons.

"Thank you for the compliment, Sister Meng! I'll take it as a compliment on my specialness."

"Come on!"

Meng Ziyi said reproachfully, instinctively wanting to roll her eyes, but stopped halfway through the action.

Looking at Bai Lu's bright smile, she suddenly felt that perhaps living so directly, passionately, and openly wasn't so bad.

At least, I won't feel as stifled as I do.

"Alright, I'm going back."

Meng Ziyi stood up and straightened her clothes.

"I have to do promotional work tomorrow, and I can't let staying up late make me look bad on camera."

"Don't worry, Sister Meng's looks are stunning; even if she's a little puffy, she still looks effortlessly beautiful!"

Bai Lu smiled and saw her to the door.

Meng Ziyi snorted, opened the door, paused before stepping out, did not turn around, but her voice drifted over softly.

"You'd better be careful."

"Even if not for your own sake, you should at least think about Brother Mo."

The door closed gently.

Bai Lu turned her head and ignored Meng Ziyi's words, continuing to happily share photos with Shen Mo on WeChat.

It's not that they didn't consider Shen Mo's feelings.

Rather, this path is inherently difficult, with the towering Li Yitong ahead of them and sisters with differing intentions by their side.

The future remains uncertain and may hold other uncertainties.

Instead of overthinking, let's cherish the present moment.

As for the rest, let time and fate decide.

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

On the set of "Nirvana in Fire," Shen Mo had just finished a scene when Zhou Xueting quickly approached him with her phone in hand.

"Mr. Shen, Mr. Chen called me and asked you to call back after the show, saying it's urgent."

Shen Mo took the phone, walked to a relatively quiet rest area, and dialed the number.

Chen Jun's voice came from the other end of the phone.

"Mr. Shen, there's been a bit of a problem with the acquisition talks with Shengda Literature."

"Our people discovered that another group of capital was also making frequent contact with Shengda's senior management, and the terms they offered were quite competitive."

"It's Tencent Pictures."

Shen Mo's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Penguin, Sun Zhonghuai."

This is not entirely unexpected, as Shengda holds a vast amount of online novel IPs, which are the wellspring of inspiration for film and television adaptations.

This is a highly strategically valuable target for any company aspiring to build an entertainment ecosystem.

Inkmark needs it to enrich its content library, and Tencent Pictures needs it too.

"Understood. Continue to follow up and find out the current offer and negotiation progress of Penguin."

Shen Mo gave the instructions and then hung up the phone.

He glanced at Li Lin, who was touching up her makeup not far away, and took the script from Zhou Xueting.

"Xueting, go and talk to the director team and adjust my shooting schedule for the next two days. Tell them I have urgent business to attend to."

The next day, Shen Mo appeared in the Tencent Pictures office in Pengcheng.

Sitting opposite him was Sun Zhonghuai.

"Mr. Shen, you're in such a hurry to meet me, it must be about Shengda, right?"

When Tencent Pictures wanted to acquire Shengda Literature, he naturally received news that Mohen was also in contact with Shengda.

Shen Mo smiled slightly and accepted the tea that Sun Zhonghuai had poured for him.

"General Manager Sun is very perceptive."

"Shengda is indeed a lucrative target. Mohen has been eyeing it for a long time, and I didn't expect that he and President Sun share the same view."

Sun Zhonghuai picked up his teacup and blew on it to cool it down.

"Mr. Shen, you're too kind."

"Shengda's IP library and reader base are crucial to the next strategic move of Tencent Pictures."

"As a shareholder of Tencent Pictures, you must be very familiar with the current situation of Tencent Pictures."

"Although we have the support of Huayi Brothers' production and management team, copyright is still a weak point."

"Therefore, Shengda is a core piece that Tencent Pictures must complete at this stage."

Although he spoke in a seemingly peaceful manner, his tone and posture made it very clear.

He will not give up the acquisition, even though the other party is Mohen, with whom he has just cooperated.

"I understand."

Shen Mo nodded, "Shengda is equally crucial for Mohen."

"After all, Shengda currently has the most mature and abundant content library in China."

He did not show weakness, and thus demonstrated his determination to win.

The air in the tea room seemed to freeze for a moment as the two men, who controlled enormous resources, calmly met each other's gazes.

"So, Mr. Shen, did you invite me today to confront me, or...?"

Sun Zhonghuai put down his teacup and leaned forward slightly.

"It's to avoid a lose-lose situation, or rather, to prevent a third party from profiting."

Shen Mo shook his head slightly and went straight to the core issue.

"Mr. Sun, you and I both know that if Mohen and Penguin compete head-on for Shengda, or even launch an acquisition war..."

"The end result will only be an endless increase in acquisition costs."

"The only beneficiaries are Shengda's shareholders, and it may even attract more vultures to watch, adding more uncertainty."

"This is not good for either of us."

"You wouldn't want Pony to have a bad impression of Penguin Pictures, would you?"

Sun Zhonghuai remained silent, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the table.

Shen Mo is right; malicious competition rarely yields any winners.

"So," Shen Mo looked at him and presented the plan he had been working on for the past two days.

Why don't we try a different approach?

"Joint acquisition, shared copyright."

Sun Zhonghuai's eyes flashed.

"How do we connect?"

"Tencent can lead this acquisition, and InkSign can participate as a partner."

Shen Mo gave his terms.

"After the acquisition, Tencent, as the controlling party, will enjoy the copyright of all content on Shengda."

"At the same time, Mohen requested priority cooperation rights when Penguin Pictures develops Shengda's copyright projects in the future."

"In other words, when Tencent decides to develop a certain Shengda IP, under the same conditions, Mohen has the right to invest first and co-produce it."

He paused, then continued.

"In addition, for some Shengda IPs that Tencent does not plan to develop for the time being, or that it considers unsuitable for Tencent's own development path after evaluation."

"Inkmark wants the option to purchase exclusive development rights at cost price."

This plan acknowledges Penguin's dominant position in the acquisition and satisfies Sun Zhonghuai's strategic demands.

This also secured a long-term, stable, and proactive source of top-tier content for Mohen.

It also avoids vicious competition.

Sun Zhonghuai did not answer immediately.

He picked up his teacup again, but didn't drink it for a long time, scrutinizing Shen Mo with his gaze.

Shen Mo's proposal was very tempting, and it also demonstrated his sincerity and wisdom in cooperation.

Moreover, if the acquisition is successful, Mohen, which has produced many hit dramas, would definitely be the preferred partner.

In addition, Sun Zhonghuai had very good access to information.

He knew that the two private equity funds under Mohen Asset Management, each with a scale of over one billion yuan, would soon be distributing dividends.

There has been a significant increase in online analyses and rumors about the astonishing returns of these two funds recently.

He even suspected that Mohen himself might have orchestrated this to flex his muscles and solidify their reputation as a Midas touch.

Moreover, the LPs involved include internet upstarts and entertainment industry bigwigs, forming a network of relationships that should not be underestimated.

He then thought of Hua Yi's fate.

In that multi-party hunt for capital dismantling, Shen Mo's role and the ruthless precision he displayed made Sun Zhonghuai, who cooperated with him throughout the process, feel a chill.

If Mohen were to challenge Penguin for control of Shengda, he would certainly refuse without hesitation.

But now the other party's proposal is clearly the result of careful consideration.

Sun Zhonghuai quickly weighed the pros and cons in his mind and finally made up his mind.

In that case, why not cooperate?

Finally, Sun Zhonghuai slowly put down his teacup, making a crisp "tap" sound.

"Mr. Shen, your suggestion... is very constructive."

Shen Mo listened quietly without interrupting, awaiting his final decision.

"How about this," Sun Zhonghuai leaned back.

"We'll discuss the details of Shengda's acquisition deal according to the framework you just mentioned."

"The right to priority cooperation and the right to purchase at cost price can both be written into the agreement."

Shen Mo raised his teacup. "Mr. Sun, it's a pleasure doing business with you."

"It's a pleasure to cooperate." Sun Zhonghuai also raised his glass in a toast.

Shen Mo got into the car and sent Chen Jun a short message.

"We've reached an agreement with Tencent for a joint acquisition, with us taking a 20% stake. We're preparing for the details of the subsequent negotiations, as per the plan I previously outlined."

Then, he looked at the flowing neon lights outside the window and breathed a slight sigh of relief.

He didn't want to antagonize the penguins unless absolutely necessary, as the inkprints were far from being a match for them at this stage.