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

"Xiao Mo, you've given us a really big surprise!"

On the other end of the phone, Wang Chunzi's voice was filled with barely suppressed joy and eagerness.

Shen Mo had just joined the cast of "Love O2O" and couldn't help but smile slightly when he heard his teacher's straightforward remarks.

"Teacher Wang, what makes you say that?"

He walked to the quiet rest area and sat down on the sofa, his tone carrying a familiar smile.

"Still playing dumb with me?"

Wang Chunzi laughed and scolded.

"Take My Brother Away! It's already grossed over a billion yuan! Our Tian Xiwei is now hailed as the 'billion-yuan box office heroine'!"

"Look around, how many freshmen from previous years at the Beijing Film Academy and the Central Academy of Drama entered the school with this kind of record?"

Not a single one!

"You've set a precedent!"

"Take My Brother Away" has been in theaters for 25 days and is not far from being taken off the screens, but fortunately, its cumulative box office in the first two days just exceeded 10 billion yuan.

This film also set several records: the highest pre-sale record, the highest opening day box office record, and the highest box office record for a youth film.

Recently, Tian Xiwei and Wang Churan have been enjoying immense popularity, enjoying unparalleled fame, with their Weibo followers exceeding 500 million and 400 million respectively.

Fan clubs have sprung up everywhere, and fan-organized support screens are ubiquitous in first- and second-tier cities.

To this end, Mohen specially rented a separate apartment for the two in an upscale residential area and provided them with a complete team of agents, assistants, drivers, and bodyguards.

Wang Chunzi paused, then lowered her voice.

"The second round of auditions for the acting major just ended today, and Xiaotian happened to be in my examination room."

"You've done a wonderful job training him; he's both composed and quick-witted!"

"The improvisation segment was handled with finesse and explosive power; several examiners exchanged glances with me on the spot."

"Let me be frank with you, as long as your academic subjects don't go wrong, your admission is a sure thing."

"Moreover, in the art exam's specialized courses, aiming for first place is highly possible!"

The image of Tian Xiwei in the examination room instantly flashed before Shen Mo's eyes, and a slight smile involuntarily appeared on his lips.

"That's because she's hardworking and talented."

"Talent and ambition alone are not enough; someone also needs to guide her onto this path and give her such a good starting point."

Wang Chunzi sighed, then changed the subject and became serious.

"So, now for the important business."

"Our dean just called me personally, in a great hurry, and his main point was just one thing."

"Make sure you contact me and do your job to ensure that Tian Xiwei's first choice is Beijing Film Academy!"

She imitated the dean's tone.

"Chunzi, you're familiar with Shen Mo, you must pass on this message!"

"This promising talent must stay at Beijing Film Academy!"

"This is a great achievement for the school and a significant role model for future students!"

"If those guys from the Central Academy of Drama next door really poach him, I'll be utterly humiliated!"

After saying that, Wang Chunzi burst into laughter, then regained her composure and added in her own voice.

"Xiao Mo, Xiao Tian will definitely listen to what you say."

"From a public and private perspective, and from a moral and rational standpoint, Beijing Film Academy is the most suitable choice for her."

"Whether it's faculty, practical opportunities, or future career paths, the school will definitely give it the utmost attention and support."

"I'm entrusting this task to you, teacher!"

Hearing the urgency in Wang Chunzi's words, Shen Mo clearly sensed the weight Tian Xiwei held in the eyes of the two top art academies.

He smiled and said, "Professor Wang, you and the dean can rest assured."

"Xiaotian's goal and dream has always been to attend the Beijing Film Academy."

"Great! With you saying that, my call wasn't in vain!"

Wang Chunzi visibly relaxed, and her tone became more relaxed again.

"Once the admission notice arrives, remember to have her come to the school in advance so she can familiarize herself with some of the resources."

"In addition, the dean told me that the Beijing International Film Festival, which will be held two months from now, will add a 'Focus on the Future' section."

"Unlike the 'Tiantan Award' in the main competition, the 'Focus on the Future' section mainly focuses on discovering new talents in film."

"This news will be announced in a couple of days, and the film submission channel will open at the same time. You can submit 'Take My Brother Away'."

"The dean has high hopes for Tian Xiwei's acting skills in the film."

Shen Mo on the other end of the phone raised an eyebrow in surprise, not expecting such an unexpected surprise during the college application process.

"Okay, please thank the dean for the suggestion on my behalf, Teacher Wang. I'll have Xiaotian pay you a proper visit when I enroll."

"Okay, alright, I won't keep you busy filming any longer. Come over for dinner sometime."

"Definitely. Thank you, Teacher Wang."

After hanging up the phone, Shen Mo looked out the window at the busy film crew and thought about Tian Xiwei's upcoming college life and her already brilliant starting point, and couldn't help but smile.

Tian Xiwei's starting point in this life is a bit too high.

However, we won't tell her this news for now. She's currently in the final stretch of her college entrance exam preparation, so we should try to avoid any outside interference.

We can just take her there on the day of the awards ceremony.

"So, is Oda going to win the award?"

Bai Lu, who had entered the lounge while on the phone, was now sitting next to Shen Mo, her eyes wide with curiosity.

"It's not certain yet, it's just that there's a chance."

"oh."

Bai Lu responded with a muffled sound.

She leaned into Shen Mo's arms and lay down on his lap.

"Brother Mo, will I be able to win an award in the future?"

She tilted her head back, her large eyes blinking, clearly reflecting a hint of unease and longing.

Wang Chunzi's high praise for Tian Xiwei on the phone just now clearly touched a chord in her heart.

"Winning an award depends on the right timing, location, and people; normally, it can't be forced."

"But I firmly believe that you can do it."

He reached out and gently brushed a stray strand of hair from her forehead.

"Why are you suddenly asking that?"

She turned to the side, pressing herself even closer to Shen Mo, and wrapped her arms around his waist.

His voice was muffled, carrying a rare hint of hesitation and vulnerability.

"I saw some comments online saying that I'm just a comedian and a variety show personality."

"They said that looking at my face makes it impossible for them to get into the story."

Her voice grew softer as she spoke, but her unease was clearly conveyed.

The huge success of Running Man boosted her popularity, but it also cemented her image as a variety show personality.

Some stereotypes and doubts eventually seeped into the heart of this seemingly frank and carefree girl.

Shen Mo was silent for a few seconds, then reached out and stroked her hair.

"Mengyan, sometimes you have to give up something to gain something."

He lifted her chin, making her look into his eyes.

"Look on the bright side, so many people out there crave this kind of attention but don't even have the chance, right?"

"A talent for variety shows is a gift, an appeal to the audience. The widely read book 'The Shura Field of Chinese Entertainment: All the Young Actresses Want to Climb to the Top' is a work that the author writes based on his mood. It is a precious asset that countless artists would kill for."

"Besides, who says a smiling face can't act out a crying scene?"

"Who says that people who make audiences happy can't break their hearts?"

"This kind of argument is ridiculous in itself."

"The charm of performance lies precisely in breaking down these narrow presuppositions."

He released his grip, his tone softening, and his voice taking on a guiding quality.

"As for audience reviews, no matter how well you perform, there will always be people who criticize you, so you don't need to care too much about it."

"Awards will come. You don't need to deliberately seek them out. When you immerse yourself in the role and inspire everyone, they will naturally find you."

"You must believe in your own abilities, and you must also believe in me."

Bai Lu sniffed, then suddenly hugged him tightly, burying her face in his chest. Her muffled voice was nasal, but the gloom had vanished.

"Okay! I understand! Brother Mo, I'll always believe in you!"

"That's more like it."

Shen Mo pinched her cheek, then switched back to his teasing tone.

"Our teacher Bai Mengyan is a future film queen, how could she be tripped up by a few idle words online?"

"Who, who's going to be the Best Actress!"

Bai Lu's ears burned at his words. She retorted, but a smile she couldn't hide appeared in her eyes.

She decided to play hard to get and rubbed against his legs again, finding a more comfortable position to lie down in.

"But...Brother Mo, what role do you think I should play next?"

"A cold-blooded female assassin? A tragic concubine from the Republican era? Or a highly intelligent female scientist?"

With each word she spoke, her eyes lit up a little more, filled with boundless excitement.

Shen Mo was amused by her and lightly flicked her forehead with his finger.

"That's wishful thinking. A female assassin?"

"Why don't you play the most beautiful woman in the world?"

His eyes were full of mockery, "Let's see if those viewers can laugh when they see such a stunning beauty."

"Brother Mo!"

Bai Lu immediately got angry and reached out to tickle the ticklish spot on his side.

"You're making fun of me again! Why can't I play an assassin? My eyes can be very fierce!"

She tried to widen her eyes and make a fierce expression, but her smiling eyes and slightly puffed-out cheeks only made her look like a kitten baring its teeth and claws.

"puff--"

Shen Mo couldn't help but laugh out loud, easily grabbing her mischievous hand.

"Okay, okay, very fierce, extremely menacing. Teacher Bai has a bright future ahead of him, with an infinitely wide range of acting opportunities."

The perfunctory tone and the amusement in his voice were almost overflowing.

"You didn't believe me at all!"

Bai Lu resisted and tried to break free from his hand, but he pulled her closer to him instead.

She struggled twice but couldn't break free, so she gave up and simply lay on his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat and muttering softly.

"Anyway, you have to keep an eye on the script for me."

"I need someone who doesn't seem like someone I can act, but who would absolutely scare them to death if I did."

"The requirements are quite high."

Shen Mo held her close, his fingers idly twirling the ends of her hair.

"Then you'd better flatter your sister Tong; she has a lot of good stuff in there."

"ah……!"

Bai Lu's expression instantly fell, her lips pursed high, and she opened her mouth several times but couldn't utter a word.

A moment later, she suddenly remembered something, looked up at him with bright, sparkling eyes.

"Brother Mo, after 'Love O2O' is finished filming, will you act with me? I don't feel anything working with other people."

Bai Lu blushed and vehemently denied it.

"I was just asking casually! I was worried you'd have too much free time!"

She became less and less confident as she spoke, until her voice was so soft it sounded like a mosquito humming.

Looking at her flushed cheeks and sparkling eyes, Shen Mo's heart melted.

He stopped teasing her, lowered his head and placed a light kiss on the top of her head, his voice filled with laughter and promise.

"Don't worry, if there are good notebooks or suitable ones, we'll definitely work together."

"But now..."

He drawled out the words and glanced at the time.

"Ms. Bai, shouldn't you get up and touch up your makeup?"

"Their setup outside should be almost finished by now."

"It seems like your scene is next. If you keep the crew waiting too long, people might say you're a 'variety show personality who's acting like a diva and unprofessional.'"

"what!"

Bai Lu was startled by the time, and jumped up from his arms, hurriedly fixing her hair and clothes.

Why didn't you say so sooner!

She rushed to the mirror in a panic, looked at her slightly flushed face and somewhat messy long hair, and couldn't help but glare at Shen Mo in the mirror.

"It's all your fault!"

Shen Mo leaned back on the sofa with a relaxed air, watching her busy figure, a smile never fading from his lips.

"Yeah, it's my fault."

He offered a half-hearted apology, adding further details.

"However, even if Teacher Bai's hair is a little messy, she still looks good."

"I guarantee he'll be so infatuated with his co-star that he'll forget all his lines."

"Smooth-talking!"

Bai Lu quickly touched up her makeup in front of the mirror to suppress the heat on her face. She turned around, but couldn't help but smile.

She quickly applied her lipstick, turned around, and walked briskly but lightly to Shen Mo. She bent down, placed her hands on the back of the sofa on either side of him, and enveloped him in her shadow.

"Isn't my co-star you?"

She deliberately lowered her voice, mimicking Bei Weiwei's tone in the script, her eyes gleaming with cunning.

"Brother Mo, will you be so smitten with me that you forget your lines?"

Meeting her provocative yet affectionate gaze, Shen Mo reached out and gently hooked a strand of her hair that was hanging down, twirling it around his fingertip.

"I'm totally smitten right now. If it weren't for the film crew waiting to shoot outside, you'd be in big trouble."

Bai Lu's cheeks flushed slightly, and she quickly bent down and pecked him on the lips.

"Let me see how bad it gets when we get back to the hotel tonight."

She straightened up, smiling like a cat that had just stolen some fish, her eyes curving into crescents.

"Brother Mo, stop talking about me, you should get ready too."

"I'll go check on the transition setup first!"

She turned and walked towards the door. As she grasped the doorknob, she turned back and gave him a bright, slightly smug smile, her signature little tiger teeth peeking out.

"Brother Mo, you'd better make sure you can keep up with my scenes later on set!"

After saying that, she ran out of the lounge with light steps, leaving Shen Mo shaking his head and laughing.

The lounge returned to silence. He looked out the window at the bright sunshine, his mood as clear and cheerful as the weather.

It looks like the filming will be quite interesting during this period.

There was a knock at the door. Zhou Xueting came in with her makeup and styling team. Bai Lu had called her when she left.