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

On a July morning in Xiamen, the sea breeze carries a salty, humid heat.

The opening ceremony for "Take My Brother Away" was held on the playground of a middle school.

This movie tells the story of how the younger sister, Shi Miao, is often teased by her older brother, Shi Fen, and she can't stand his unreasonable behavior.

So on her birthday, she made a wish, "Take my brother away quickly," and when she woke up, Shi Fen had become her best friend Miao Miao's brother.

During this time, she learned that her brother's unreasonable behavior was to protect her, and that he had even sacrificed many of his own hobbies and choices.

So, she regretted it.

Fortunately, this year has a leap month, so she has two birthdays. She hopes to bring her brother back on her second birthday.

On the day filming began, Tian Xiwei arrived at the set early, wandering around excitedly.

After all, it was her first film as the female lead, and also her first film with Shen Mo.

Today she was wearing a black T-shirt that was custom-made by the film crew, with the crew's name printed on it.

With her hair tied in a high ponytail, her signature bangs, and her ever-present dimples, she exuded youthful energy.

When Shen Mo appeared, Tian Xiwei hopped over and stood right next to him in a flash.

"Good morning, Brother Mo!"

Shen Mo turned to look at her, his gaze lingering on her bright smile for a moment before he nodded.

"Did you sleep well last night?"

"It's fantastic! I'm so excited about starting up today that I almost couldn't sleep!"

As Tian Xi spoke, she extended her right hand, which had been behind her back.

"Brother Mo, have you had breakfast yet? I brought some small loaves of bread, do you want some?"

Shen Mo was slightly taken aback, then shook his head.

"I've already eaten. You can keep it for yourself."

Would you like a drink? I have some extra in my bag.

Tian Xiwei persisted, looking up at him.

Director Zheng Fenfen watched from the side, laughing and joking.

"Xiwei cares so much about your brother Mo?"

Tian Xi stuck out her tongue a little shyly.

"Director, I'm just getting into time-lapse mode ahead of schedule!"

Shen Mo reached out and ruffled her hair, his eyes full of indulgent smiles.

Wang Churan also walked over from not far away.

She saw Tian Xiwei's intimate posture, almost touching Shen Mo, from afar, and her steps faltered.

"Chu Ran! Over here!"

Tian Xiwei, with her sharp eyes, spotted her immediately.

Wang Churan walked over and nodded to the director and Shen Mo.

"Hello, Director. Hello, Brother Mo."

Her tone was slightly more distant than Tian Xi's.

"Chu Ran is here! You look even more beautiful after two months."

Zheng Fenfen greeted them with a smile.

"When you and Xiwei stand together in the startup photo, the two pretty girls will probably attract a lot of attention."

"it is good."

Wang Churan responded and stood on the other side of Tian Xiwei, but his gaze couldn't help but drift towards Shen Mo.

Tian Xiwei was chattering away to Shen Mo, occasionally tugging at his sleeve as if she were being coquettish.

Wang Churan's fingers unconsciously curled up slightly.

Although I'm used to calling him Brother Mo, I always feel that my relationship with him isn't as close as with Tian Xiwei.

She also wanted to stick close to him without restraint.

She also wanted to go up and hug Shen Mo.

She also wanted to act cute towards Shen Mo.

She also wanted to be looked at with such doting affection by Shen Mo.

But just thinking about it terrified her.

Hmm... I can't make it...

Just imagining those images in her mind gave her goosebumps.

How exactly did Tian Xiwei manage to be so natural, so open, and so oblivious to others as she flirted with them?

Don't you have any shame, girl?

but!

Watching Tian Xiwei pull him so naturally, even hug him, and act coquettishly without any restraint.

Looking at the indulgence and doting on Shen Mo's face, and watching his hand rub the top of her head.

An indescribable emotion churned within Wang Churan.

Out of the corner of her eye, Tian Xi noticed that Wang Churan was kneading her hands in front of her, her lips tightly pursed.

She couldn't help but let out a soft hum, a very faint sound that reached Wang Churan's ears.

"You smug tsundere!"

Wang Churan pouted and turned her head slightly.

She would never admit to being a tsundere!

Shen Mo, who was standing nearby, also heard those three words. He reached out and gently flicked Tian Xiwei's forehead, earning a big eye roll in return.

Then he reached over Tian Xiwei and gently patted Wang Churan's head as well.

"The movie has started filming, be happy!"

The gentle words reached Wang Churan's ears, and her cheeks instantly flushed red. She turned her head away and lowered it, and the corners of her pouting lips subtly curved into an unconcealable smile.

The opening ceremony officially began.

The main creators took turns offering incense, unveiling the red cloth, and taking a group photo.

After the group photo, it was time for media interviews.

Most of the questions focused on Shen Mo's first time acting in a youth-themed film, and his "sibling partnership" with Tian Xiwei.

"Shen Mo, do you find it challenging to play the older brother of a high school student this time?"

"What is the dynamic like between He Xiwei and her siblings when they play each other?"

Shen Mo took the microphone, speaking calmly.

"There will definitely be challenges, after all, it's been a while since high school."

"But the script is very good, so I'd like to give it a try."

"As for Xiwei..."

He paused, glancing at the big-eyed, adorable girl beside him who was staring at him with wide eyes.

"She naturally has a younger sister vibe—lively and straightforward. I feel like she might not even need to act much; she can perform very well on her own."

Tian Xiwei nodded vigorously from the side, and even made a face at Shen Mo in front of the reporters.

The reporters collectively burst into good-natured laughter.

After the interview, the crew immediately began their first day of filming.

Tian Xiwei's sister mode is fully activated, perfectly embodying the character of Shi Miao.

After filming a simple opening scene of her running outside the school, she immediately sat down next to Shen Mo.

"Brother Mo, you're so young!"

To better portray a high school student, Shen Mo deliberately grew his hair a little longer, previously sporting a slicked-back hairstyle to make him look more mature.

After a few strokes by the makeup artist, he was transformed into a slightly long, choppy hairstyle with bangs, a common feature among high school students. Combined with his already young and handsome face, this instantly highlighted the feeling of a high school student.

Tian Xiwei sat on the makeup chair next to her, staring intently at Shen Mo's face, grinning foolishly until her dimples appeared.

"Brother Mo, you're so handsome!"

"Brother Mo, you look about the same age as my classmates now."

"If we had a boy like you in our class, the girls probably wouldn't be able to concentrate on their studies."

Shen Mo didn't move his head, but glanced at her sideways and glared at her.

Tian Xiwei ignored it and continued to giggle foolishly.

"Brother Mo, let me tell you, I ran super fast during the startup scene just now."

"Look, isn't my hair all messed up by the wind?"

Shen Mo replied without even looking up.

"good."

"Oh dear, things must be in chaos, they were running so fast just now..."

"Brother Mo, can you take a look at this for me?"

She persisted, bringing her head right up to Shen Mo's eyes.

Helpless, Shen Mo reached out and smoothed a few strands of hair that were soaked with sweat and stuck to her face.

Then he pressed her head down and pushed it to the side.

"Don't bother the makeup artist while she's doing my makeup."

Tian Xiwei immediately smiled, her eyes crinkling into crescent moons, and leaned back in her chair.

After a while, the stagehand came over.

"Ms. Shen, the director wants you to go and walk through the movement path for the next scene."

Shen Mo got up and took two steps when he noticed that Tian Xiwei was following him like a little tail.

Shen Mo turned around and gave her a look that froze her in place.

"Go and rest for a while. Don't wander around in this bright sun."

Tian Xi wrinkled her nose slightly, stuck out her tongue at him, and made a face.

Turning around, she saw Wang Churan sitting alone under the shade of a tree a few meters away. Her eyes lit up, and she skipped over to him.

"Chu Ran! Are you reading the script?"

The principle of locking is based on my mood; I'll lock in every update of "The Shura Field of Chinese Entertainment: Young Actresses All Want to Rise to the Top".

She plopped down on the empty chair next to Wang Churan, bringing a wave of heat with her.

"Um."

Wang Churan responded with a sound of agreement, without looking up.

"Hey, stop watching and relax! You don't have any scenes to film this morning."

Tian Xiwei reached out to grab her script, but Wang Churan instinctively stopped her and rolled his eyes at her.

"Tian Xiwei!"

"Okay, okay, I won't steal it anymore."

Tian Xi loosened her grip slightly, but brought her face close to Wang Churan's, blinking her big eyes.

"Chu Ran, are you a little shy?"

"What's there to be shy about? No!"

Wang Churan stretched out his long, slender fingers and pressed them directly onto Tian Xiwei's face, then pushed her away.

Tian Xiwei stepped back slightly, dodging her hand, and then moved closer again.

"Definitely!"

"You want to get closer to Brother Mo too, right?"

"But you don't dare! Hahaha, you can't bring yourself to do it!"

Wang Churan directly reached out and pinched the corners of Tian Xiwei's mouth, pulling them apart.

"I said no, and that's final!"

Wang Churan's ears turned red when she said something that hit the nail on the head.

Tian Xiwei wasn't annoyed when her round face was pinched; she just shook her head from side to side.

"Hahaha, you really are a stubborn tsundere!"

Wang Churan turned her face away, not wanting to look into her overly clear and bright eyes, which seemed to reflect the awkwardness in her heart.

"You want to act cute with him too, don't you?"

Wang Churan felt uncomfortable upon hearing the word "acting coquettishly" and blurted it out.

"Who's trying to act cute!"

"Look, look, you're getting impatient, you're getting impatient."

"You said you didn't want to be arrogant!"

Tian Xiwei pointed at her and giggled.

Wang Churan was annoyed by her laughter, but unable to refute it, he could only keep a straight face.

"None of your business."

"I can't care about you."

Tian Xi shrugged slightly, gave a soft hum, and suppressed her smile.

"I wish I were the only one by Mo's side."

Suddenly she took out two fruit candies from her pocket and handed one to Wang Churan.

Here, have some candy.

"I just noticed that you wear your emotions on your sleeve too easily; every expression is written all over your face."

"I was just worried that you would affect the filming and delay Brother Mo's time."

Wang Churan looked at the candy handed to her, hesitated for a moment, and then took it.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome!"

Tian Xi deftly peeled open her candy and popped it into her mouth, her cheek puffing out slightly.

"Actually, Brother Mo is really easy to get along with. You see, no matter how much I tease him, he never cares."

"If you really want to get closer to Brother Mo, then don't be afraid of him."

"Go boldly!"

Afraid of him?

Wang Churan chewed on the candy, his eyes silently following the figure in the distance.

It wasn't that she was afraid.

It's just that... we can't find the right distance and the right way.

Unlike Tian Xiwei, who is optimistic and cheerful and can naturally break down all barriers.

At this moment, Shen Mo returned after finishing his conversation with the director.

Tian Xiwei immediately abandoned Wang Churan and flew over in a flash.

Shen Mo's gaze turned in their direction, seemingly out of nowhere, after Tian Xiwei said something.

Wang Churan noticed his gaze and immediately lowered her head, pretending to be seriously studying the candy wrapper.

Shen Mo said something to Tian Xiwei, and Tian Xiwei nodded and ran away.

He then walked towards Wang Churan.

Shen Mo pulled up a chair and sat down next to her.

"Xiao Tian said you wanted to talk to me?"

Wang Churan was instantly stunned!

Tian Xiwei!

You're asking for trouble!

"Um."

After a few seconds of silence, she finally responded and mustered the courage to look up at him.

"Brother Mo, did I seem a little nervous?"

Shen Mo pondered for a moment, then nodded slightly.

"Yes, you could make it a little more outward."

"You are Miaomiao, and Shifen and Shimiao are both your good friends. There's no need to be so formal between friends."

"Don't be too tense. Just treat it like chatting with a friend, sharing some fun everyday stories, or even... telling corny jokes."

The words "cold joke" were like a key, clicking open a switch for Wang Churan.

Her eyes widened slightly, and she blurted it out.

"Brother Mo, you also think lame jokes are effective?"

Do you also like reading corny jokes?

After she finished speaking, she looked at Shen Mo's raised eyebrows and seemed to realize that this was not the case. She pursed her lips and gave an awkward smile.

A hint of a smile flashed across Shen Mo's eyes. "Looks like you like it quite a bit."

Tell me about it.

Wang Churan unconsciously fiddled with the candy wrapper, overcoming the awkwardness in his heart, and a tentative glint flashed in his pupils.

"Well... Brother Mo, I have a question for you."

"Okay, ask."

"A thug stabbed someone in the stomach with a knife."

Wang Churan's tone became slightly more lively, with a storytelling style.

"But the person who was stabbed was completely unharmed. Do you know why?"

Shen Mo cooperated by adopting a thoughtful expression: "Why?"

Wang Churan slightly raised his chin, a faint smile curving his lips.

"because--"

His heart was in his throat!

After she finished speaking, she stared intently at Shen Mo's face, trying to catch his reaction.

Shen Mo was genuinely surprised by this answer. He paused for a moment, then shook his head with a laugh.

"And there's more, and more!"

Seeing him smile, Wang Churan seemed encouraged and spoke a little faster.

"The assailant, not satisfied, stabbed him in the throat again. Guess why he's still alright this time?"

Looking at her expectant eyes, Shen Mo thought about it following her logic.

"Could it be because... this time, he's finally at ease?"

Wang Churan instantly covered her mouth, her eyes wide with surprise and disbelief.

"Brother Mo! You can actually apply what you've learned to other situations?! That's amazing!"

Her tone was filled with genuine surprise; finally, someone understood her thought process.

Shen Mo's smile deepened as he looked at her.

At this moment, Wang Churan finally revealed a bit of the vitality that belongs to her age.

Just then, Tian Xiwei ran back after circling around with snacks in her arms, and precisely squeezed between the two of them to sit down.

"What are you talking about? What are you talking about?"

"Are you saying I'm cute behind my back?"

As she spoke, she handed one bag of potato chips to Wang Churan and another to Shen Mo.

Wang Churan took the potato chips, glanced at her, and grinned.

"Brother Mo, I think the script is reversed."

"Shi Miao is great! But Tian Xiwei is so annoying!"

"Time is annoying! But Brother Mo, you're great!"

Tian Xi was stunned for a few seconds, then realized what was happening and started scratching Wang Churan with a howl.

"You bastard Wang Churan! I even helped you find Brother Mo!"

"How could you do this to me!"

As Wang Churan dodged, the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl upwards.

Shen Mo watched the two girls bickering, shook his head, tore open the potato chip packaging, and started eating by himself.

"Chu Ran, tickle her waist, she's ticklish."

Tian Xiwei grabbed Wang Churan's soft hands with both hands, turned around and glared at Shen Mo.

"Brother Mo! Whose side are you on?"

Shen Mo picked up a potato chip, popped it into his mouth, and raised an eyebrow.

"Of course we should help the weak. You've almost overpowered Chu Ran."

"My poor little Chu Ran is so pitiful!"

This title made Wang Churan blush, and she resisted even more fiercely.

The commotion caused by Tian Xiwei and Wang Churan's laughter and playfulness drew the attention of several staff members nearby. The two quickly realized that the occasion was inappropriate and immediately restrained themselves.

Tian Xi stuck out her tongue slightly, and Wang Churan tidied her messy hair, but a slight blush still lingered on their cheeks.