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

The backstage area of ​​CCTV's Studio One on New Year's Eve.

In the dressing rooms, corridors, and waiting areas, one can see actors dressed in their finest attire and staff members hurrying about.

The air was filled with the smells of cosmetics, hairspray, and faint boxed lunches, while the background music was the faint celebratory music from the front desk.

Amidst the hustle and bustle, the dressing room where Shen Mo and Li Yitong were located was relatively quiet.

The two were dressed and ready to go on stage.

Shen Mo was dressed in a dark blue velvet suit, while Li Yitong had already changed into her specially made dance costume, covered by a thick down jacket. She hadn't put on her gorgeous headdress yet, her long hair was draped smoothly over her shoulders, her makeup was exquisite, and her eyes already hinted at the dignified air of a noble concubine.

Just then, Shen Mo's phone rang with a video call invitation.

Four familiar and friendly faces appeared on the screen at the same time.

The couple's parents had clearly just finished a lively New Year's Eve dinner together.

They were currently huddled on the sofa in the Shen family's living room, with the sounds of the Spring Festival Gala playing in the background and a plethora of fruits and snacks on the coffee table.

"Xiao Mo! Xiao Xue!"

Shen's mother brought her face closest to the screen, her face beaming with uncontrollable smiles and concern.

"Are you all ready? Are you nervous?"

"Dad, Mom, Uncle, Aunt, everything is ready, don't be nervous."

Shen Mo set up his phone and appeared in front of the camera with Li Yitong.

Li Yitong immediately smiled sweetly and waved.

"Dad, Mom, Aunt Zhou, Uncle Shen, Happy New Year! Did you enjoy your New Year's Eve dinner?"

"So happy, so happy! I've been waiting to see you all!"

Mr. Li said with a smile, his gaze lingering on his daughter's gorgeous attire, full of pride.

A light also shone in Shen's father's eyes.

"Xiao Mo, Xiao Xue, when you go on stage later, relax and don't be nervous."

"The whole country is watching, so just treat this as an act for your family. Don't put too much pressure on yourself."

Shen Mo and Li Yitong exchanged a smile. If they were really acting for their families, that would be truly nerve-wracking.

Li's mother quickly spoke up as well.

"Xiaoxue, be careful where you step when you dance, safety first."

"Oh, right." She suddenly paused and turned to Shen Mo.

"Take Xiaoxue out for a nice meal. It's the Lunar New Year, and it's just the two of you in the capital. Don't settle for anything less than the best. Eat something good to celebrate the New Year."

"Yes, yes!" Shen's mother echoed repeatedly.

"We're all watching TV, so we'll make sure you don't miss a single shot! Good luck! Give it your all!"

The four elderly people spoke one after another, their words of advice filled with care, pride, and expectations.

Even through the screen, both of them could feel the deep warmth from their loved ones.

"Don't worry, uncles and aunts, parents, we'll do our best in our performance."

Li Yitong's eyes welled up slightly, and she nodded vigorously.

Shen Mo nodded as well.

"Okay, I'll take her out to eat after the performance. You all enjoy the show at home, and Happy New Year."

After exchanging a few more words, the video call ended with everyone reluctant to part.

Meanwhile, thousands of miles away in Chongqing, Tian Xiwei had already dragged her parents to sit in front of the television.

The table was covered with her favorite snacks, but she seemed a little absent-minded, glancing at the clock on the wall every now and then.

"Weiwei, which show did Shen Mo and Li Yitong appear on?"

Mother Tian handed over a segment of orange and asked with a smile.

Since joining Mohen, her daughter has idolized these two people in the company. This time, she dragged them to the TV early in the morning. She even helped her mother refuse to play mahjong tonight, which made her mother very unhappy.

"Almost there!"

Tian Xi stared at the TV screen, her eyes sparkling, and mumbled something while chewing on an orange.

"Mom, Dad, you'll see soon enough! Tongtong's dancing is amazing, and Mo's singing is fantastic!"

Her tone was full of pride and excitement as she hugged her younger sister and chattered on and on, earning her several eye rolls in return.

Meanwhile, in Changzhou, northern Xinjiang, and Kunming, in their homes across the country, Bai Lu, Meng Ziyi, Dilraba Dilmurat, Liu Haocun, Wang Churan…

These girls were all in front of the TV on time, even though they didn't have the habit of watching the Spring Festival Gala at home, they still locked the TV to Channel 1.

Meng Ziyi hugged her mother, Sister Qian, and said proudly, "Our CEO Shen sings so well, he's my idol. He even praised my singing."

Liu Haocun sat between his parents, resting his head on his mother's shoulder. "Sister Tongtong is an outstanding graduate of the Beijing Dance Academy. She's an amazing dancer. I want to be like her when I grow up!"

While munching on sunflower seeds, Bai Mengyan explained to her parents, "Brother Mo and Sister Tong are the male and female leads from 'My Love from the Star' and 'The Journey of Flower.' They rehearsed for the Spring Festival Gala for a long time, and I was completely stunned watching them at the company!"

Wang Churan nestled in her mother's arms, acting coquettishly, "Brother Mo is really amazing. He's a great actor and a great singer. I admire him so much."

Dilraba sat in front of the TV with her parents, who never watch the Spring Festival Gala. "I promise, with their performance, tonight's Spring Festival Gala will be really good, really."

Zhang Ruonan looked at her jumping and making a ruckus with a headache. "Can't you guys just sit still and watch? I'll give you red envelopes after we finish watching our boss's performance!"

Zhou Ye pouted and explained to his parents, "I've only been with the company for less than a year, and I haven't learned much about acting training yet. If I become famous for acting in TV dramas, I'll definitely have the opportunity to appear on the Spring Festival Gala."

Li Lin sat beside her parents in her hometown of Suzhou, listening to their ramblings. Her face remained aloof, but her eyes were full of anticipation and happiness.

"We really need to thank your CEO, Mr. Shen, for giving you so many great scripts and opportunities. It's so much better than your previous company. Otherwise, when would we, Chen Chen, ever have a chance to get ahead?"

Backstage at CCTV, the final checks were completed, and staff members were already at the door to remind us.

Having already donned the dazzling headdress, Li Yitong took one last look at the elegant and noble "Imperial Concubine" in her glasses, took a deep breath, and handed her down jacket to her assistant.

Shen Mo stood beside her and reached out his hand.

"Let's go," Shen Mo said softly, "Tonight, you will amaze everyone!"

Li Yitong placed her hand in his palm, smiled sweetly, and walked out hand in hand.

At the end of the passage, Shen Mo and Li Yitong stood in the shadows of the side curtain, their hands still tightly clasped together.

Li Yitong could feel her palms were slightly damp, and her heart was pounding like a drum. It wasn't just nervousness, but more of an excitement.

Shen Mo squeezed her hand and smiled at her, instantly calming Li Yitong down.

The staff member gestured, indicating that they would be on stage in thirty seconds.

Li Yitong took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, a hazy and languid noble air had emerged in her eyes.

She slightly raised her chin, her neck as graceful as a swan's, and slowly walked to the center of the stage behind the curtain, standing between the four backup dancers.

Shen Mo released his grip, retreating into deeper shadows and handing the stage over completely to her.

The curtain was slowly drawn open, leaving a small gap.

Gasps and exclamations erupted from countless television viewers.

Is this Li Yitong? She's so beautiful!

[That aura is absolutely stunning!]

[It was worth waiting so long just to see her on stage, she was so beautiful!]

[This costume has a strong sense of history; the Spring Festival Gala stage is truly different.]

I've seen her act before, but I never knew she could dance! And she dances well, huh? This isn't some company party performance.

[This is ridiculous! The Spring Festival Gala actually invited an actor to dance. They just invite whoever has the most buzz and popularity. It's pointless.]

[Wasn't plumpness considered beautiful in the Tang Dynasty? With her petite frame, playing Yang Guifei is just ridiculous!]

On stage, the lighting suddenly changed, turning into a deep blue-purple hue, resembling a tranquil palace garden at night.

A cold, clear spotlight shone on her, as lonely as moonlight.

In the halo of light, a beautiful concubine with cloud-like hair and a flower-like face stood alone.

Embroidered with peonies in gold thread, her crimson dance dress, with its flowing sleeves, fluttered gently in the breeze.

The magnificent headdress reflected a delicate shimmer under the spotlight, illuminating her exquisitely made-up face and the sorrowful look in her eyes.

A few melodious and ethereal notes from the guzheng, mixed with the faint sound of the xiao (vertical bamboo flute), drifted over.

Li Yitong moved slowly.

As the melody played, she swayed slightly, her wide sleeves fluttering like clouds.

Her eyes sparkled, shifting from a tipsy state to a dazed look; her toes touched the ground lightly, her steps unsteady yet possessing a unique rhythm.

The seemingly simple poses of lying on the ground like a fish and holding a cup in one's mouth involve bending the incredibly flexible waist into a breathtaking arc.

With trembling fingertips and a flicking wrist, the imperial concubine's inescapable loneliness and bitterness at drowning her sorrows in wine were vividly portrayed.

Amidst the increasingly urgent pipa music, the red figure transformed into a swirling flame, her skirt billowing, and the tassels on her head drawing streaks of dazzling light.

Her drunken state was a mixture of captivating charm and profound sorrow.

She is no longer Li Yitong.

She is Yang Yuhuan, who drank herself into a stupor and smiled through her tears after the emperor broke his promise!

The audience at the scene held their breath, and countless people in front of their televisions stared wide-eyed.

[This dance, this expressiveness—if you told me she was a professional dancer, I'd believe you!]

[Hate me! Tong Jie's dancing is just that amazing!]

Outsiders are just watching the show; the dance student has already knelt down!

Holy crap, I've got goosebumps! I feel like I'm seeing the real Yang Guifei!

[My mom asked me why I was crying, and I said I was now the emperor and that Yang Guifei danced for me! Then my mom beat me and made me cry again.]

I declare this the best performance of the night, without a doubt!

【Tongtong! Xuebao! Mommy! Love me!】

The difficulty and expressiveness of this dance, as well as its skillful yet innovative modern interpretation of traditional opera dance, completely exceeded people's expectations of an actor or idol.

This emotional monologue, almost overflowing the screen, vividly portrays Yang Guifei's every frown, smile, sorrow, and resentment!

Just as the dance reached its emotional peak, and the concubine, drunk, staggered and was about to fall.

The lingering melodies of the guzheng and pipa faded away, and a clear and pleasant prelude began.

A tall, dark blue figure had quietly appeared not far behind the Imperial Concubine.

Shen Mo's appearance was completely natural, as if he had always been standing there, an observer of this dream, and also the one who awakened the dream.

The drunken concubine seemed to sense something, tilting her head slightly, her hazy gaze meeting Shen Mo's deep gaze in mid-air.

A single tear quietly slid down Li Yitong's cheek, and the thick, intoxicating feeling of intoxication and sorrow emanating from her body slowly receded like the tide.

She gave Shen Mo a relieved and dependent smile.

The music underwent a complete transformation at this moment.

The familiar and warm prelude to "Rings of Time" flows out, perfectly carrying on the emotional aftertaste of the previous classical rhythm.

Shen Mo stepped forward and naturally took Li Yitong's hand.

Her hand was still trembling slightly, but he held it firmly.

"Circles outlined as fingerprints, imprinted on my lips."

The song came from his lips, like a story told after years of sedimentation.

"The bitter kiss marks of memory are like tree roots."

It was as if, after witnessing and waiting across a thousand years, it uttered a profound sigh.

"The lushness that comes with spring and autumn obscures the twilight."

After recovering, Li Yitong picked up the microphone that Shen Mo handed her and continued writing the lyrics.

"I'm all alone in the cold night, waiting for dawn."

Although the audio played on TV was pre-recorded, the audience at the scene could still hear a slight pant in her voice, which only made it more real and moving.

The two sang while looking at each other. Li Yitong's gaze swept over Shen Mo, her eyes filled with complex emotions, as if she were experiencing the regret of Yang Guifei in the dance just now, or as if she were recalling their past.

But Shen Mo's gaze as he looked back at her was filled with unwavering acceptance and certainty.

"Counting the rings of time, I carefully seal away all my secrets..."

When the chorus came, the two, having undergone physical enhancement, delivered a perfect harmony.

The deep male voice and the clear female voice intertwine and intertwine, pushing the complex emotions in the song to a climax layer by layer.

The stage lights also brightened and warmed up with the singing, changing to warm gold and orange-red spots that symbolize the passage of time.

The final line, "Unfortunately, no one has ever acted this script with me," fades into a long and peaceful ending amidst the interwoven harmonies.

The music stopped.

On stage, Li Yitong still had fine beads of sweat on her forehead, glistening under the lights, and her face was flushed with satisfaction after a thoroughly enjoyable performance.

Shen Mo turned his head to look at her, his eyes filled with pride and self-satisfaction.

Immediately, applause swept through the entire studio like a storm!

Social media exploded almost the instant the show ended.

#Li Yitong's Drunken Concubine# Breaking News!

#ShenMoLiYitongTheGrowth# Breaking!

#ThisIsTheSpringFestivalGalaStage# Boom!

Holy crap! I admit I spoke too loudly just now! I absolutely love Li Yitong's dance!

[Was Li Yitong's tear pre-planned, or a genuine expression of emotion? It was truly a brilliant touch!]

From drunken dancing to a duet, Li Yitong's emotional transitions are absolutely amazing!

I almost cried when Shen Mo came out! He's so handsome!

The stories told in their eyes are so powerful!!

[The best Spring Festival Gala ever! Without a doubt! So sophisticated!]

When Li Yitong danced, I forgot to breathe; when she sang, I cried. My mom asked me why I was crying during the Lunar New Year...

[This is boring. It's lip-syncing. They didn't even seem out of breath after dancing and singing.]

I don't know what's so great about this dance, and the singing is just so-so; it's nowhere near as good as a professional singer.

[You're just being sour. Even professional singers have to use pre-recorded audio on the Spring Festival Gala. No one can take the blame for any mistakes made on the Gala.]

This is the real stage for couples! It's soul-stirring!

In front of the television, Tian Xi jumped up excitedly, hugging her younger sister and laughing and shouting.

"Ahhh, did you see that?! It's so beautiful! Sister Tongtong is stunningly beautiful! Brother Mo is incredibly handsome!"

Liu Haocun looked at his mother with pride. As a dance teacher, she could best understand the exquisite choreography and high level of difficulty of Li Yitong's dance.

Without her saying anything, her mother's praise rang in her ears, and Liu Haocun's face was filled with pride.

Bai Lu immediately sent Shen Mo a WeChat message: [Brother Mo is so handsome, Sister Tong danced so well, I definitely want to learn to dance from Sister Tong after the New Year!]

Li Qin then sent a message directly to Li Yitong: [Tongtong, you're so beautiful! My parents are stunned. Their WeChat Moments are flooded with your videos and photos!]

Meng Ziyi was having a blast on her alternate account in the Super Topic and the Ink Fan Group, her slender hands moving wildly, posting almost a comment every second, drowning out the Ink Fan's celebration.

Dilraba Dilmurat, Zhang Ruonan, Zhou Ye, Yang Mi, Liu Shishi... and many more people who have worked with Mohen or have a good relationship with him all expressed their amazement at home.

Backstage, Li Yitong, back in the dressing room, leaned against Shen Mo, almost completely exhausted.

But her eyes were incredibly bright, filled with starlight.

Shen Mo put his arm around her and gently patted her back.

"Are you tired?"

Li Yitong shook her head, her eyes narrowed into crescents, her voice carrying a tired yet incredibly cheerful laugh.

"Not tiring at all! It feels great!"

She stared at him intently.

"Thank you, Shen Mo."

Thank you for your suggestion, thank you for your support, thank you for standing right where I can see you.

Shen Mo lowered his head and kissed her sweaty forehead.

"You're really something. Come on, my 'Imperial Concubine,' let me take you out for a nice meal."

Li Yitong stood up decisively, wrinkled her delicate nose haughtily, and glanced at him.

"I'm not going to be a concubine; I'll be the empress!"

After saying that, she turned and walked into the changing room.

The Entertainment Industry's Shura Field: All the Young Actresses Want to Rise to the Top - This is a free book reading app from "Renren Bookstore". Search "Renren Bookstore" on Baidu to download and install the Android app. Read the latest chapters of "The Entertainment Industry's Shura Field: All the Young Actresses Want to Rise to the Top" anytime!