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

The old man didn't last long.

Fortunately, Dilraba went back to spend one last night with her, but she still cried uncontrollably.

If only I could go back sooner.

Perhaps I can spend more time with the elderly.

Talk to her more.

Although, in the end, he still stayed by her side.

However, people are always greedy and want more.

Seeing her complexion and condition, her assistant Jia Yue still dialed Shen Mo's number.

Perhaps only this boss can comfort her.

When Shen Mo arrived, travel-worn and exhausted, it was already the day after all the funeral arrangements had been completed.

The person who opened the door was Dilraba's mother, a woman who bore a resemblance to her in some ways.

She recognized Shen Mo; during the Spring Festival Gala, Dilraba had even dragged them along to watch his performance.

Although I was somewhat surprised by his appearance, I felt mostly grateful.

She quickly ushered him into the house, lowered her voice, and spoke in somewhat broken Mandarin.

"Boss Shen, you've arrived. Reba is in her room and won't come out."

"Perhaps your words will have an effect; please help persuade her."

She had heard the man's name from Dilraba countless times.

And it's not just about being a boss or the job itself; she, as a mother, understands all too well what kind of mentality it is.

Seeing Shen Mo walk towards the door of the room she pointed to, Reba's mother casually pulled her father, who was sitting on the sofa, out of the room.

Hearing the door close behind him, Shen Mo raised an eyebrow in surprise.

When he reached Dilraba's room, he raised his hand and gently knocked on the door.

no respond.

She knocked on the door again, this time with slightly more force.

"Dilraba, it's me!"

There was a rustling sound coming from inside, and after a while, the door lock made a soft click before it opened.

He met a pair of bloodshot eyes, glistening with tears, and a face that was deathly pale.

Shen Mo followed her inside.

The room's windows were covered by thick curtains, making it dimly lit and the air somewhat stuffy.

Dilraba sat back on the bed, curled up against the wall, her once thick and fluffy long hair now hanging messily over her shoulders.

He didn't turn on the light or draw back the curtains; he simply walked slowly to the bedside and sat down next to her.

Her eyes were fixed on him, moving in sync with his every movement.

However, it ultimately lost its former luster and vibrancy.

Shen Mo knew that in the face of such a life-or-death separation, any words would seem powerless.

However, when he received a call from his assistant Jia Yue, he still felt that he should come over.

At least spend time with her.

She didn't know how much time had passed when she gently opened her mouth, her voice hoarse and almost broken, carrying a trace of memories.

She said she was so happy to finally see me...

She said, "I'm beautiful now..."

"She said she liked seeing me shining on TV..."

She sobbed softly, feeling increasingly guilty.

"I...I wish I had come back a day earlier."

"Would...would that allow me to talk to her a little more?"

Tears welled up again, and her words were interrupted by a sob.

Shen Mo took a deep breath, reached out, and gently placed his hand on her trembling shoulder.

"She saw you."

"You came all this way to be with her; she knows that."

"Not enough...not enough..."

She shook her head blankly, tears streaming down her face as she sobbed.

"I'm so greedy now, I want more, and I regret it so much."

"Why didn't you come back sooner...?"

"Why do you always say you're busy and not make more phone calls...?"

Why...?

Clearly, she was now caught in a vicious cycle of self-reproach.

Shen Mo gently pulled her close, letting her rest her head on his shoulder, interrupting her thoughts.

"Reba".

Shen Mo turned his head and met her eyes.

"You did a great job."

"She must be very happy, after all, you rushed back to be with her."

"Besides, I don't think she would want to see you looking so sad."

"Didn't you just say that she really enjoys seeing you shine on TV?"

She likes how beautiful you are.

"You've disappointed her now..."

Dilraba stared at him blankly, tears silently streaming down her face.

But he had clearly parted the fog of confusion and pain in his eyes.

He reached out with his other hand and pulled her directly into his arms, enveloping her body in his embrace.

"Cry now, cry everything you want to cry."

"My clothes can be your tissues."

"But."

"After you've cried, let's go outside."

"Carry the courage and memories she gave you, and keep moving forward."

"This is the best way to comfort her, and it's the way she would most like to see you."

Shen Mo's words were like a sharp blade, precisely dissecting her heart and casting a ray of light into the darkness that filled her with regret and sorrow.

She'll be disappointed in me now.

This realization is more impactful than any comforting reassurance.

She turned around and hugged Shen Mo back, clasping her hands tightly behind his back, as if she wanted to bury herself in his arms, as if that would better hide her disheveled state.

She turned around and hugged Shen Mo back, clasping her hands tightly behind his back, as if she wanted to bury herself in his arms, as if that would better hide her disheveled state.

The scent lingering around my nose was his clean and reassuring aura.

My nerves, which had been taut and on the verge of breaking, suddenly relaxed in this unexpected and comforting embrace.

"...Waaah...!"

He burst into uncontrollable sobs, accompanied by trembling, which came from his chest.

She finally stopped suppressing her feelings and stopped worrying about anything.

She gripped his shirt tightly from behind and hugged him tightly from behind.

She buried her face in his chest, letting the sadness, self-blame, and regret that had been building up for days pour out with her tears.

Shen Mo supported the back of her head with one hand, and gently patted her back, which was heaving from crying, with the other hand.

Gradually, Dilraba stopped crying and began to sob intermittently. Then, her breathing finally calmed down.

She leaned against this comforting embrace, motionless, her tense body completely softening.

I fell asleep.

The light from outside the window moved quietly along the edge of the curtains, and gradually the last rays of light disappeared, plunging the room into complete darkness.

Shen Mo didn't move her away, but simply held her quietly.

Until, her head, nestled in his arms, moved slowly.

He lowered his head and gently touched the top of her head with his chin.

"woke up?"

Dilraba nudged her head and gave a soft "Mmm" with a heavy nasal tone.

"That's good."

Shen Mo released his grip and was about to get up.

Dilraba pulled him back forcefully from her arm that was around him.

Having finally managed to bury her head in this warm embrace, she didn't want to leave for the time being.

Shen Mo didn't try to get up again, letting her hug him. He leaned back against the headboard and adjusted his position to make her more comfortable.

"Let me hug you today."

The room was quiet; her steady breathing and, clearly, her heartbeat, could be heard clearly.

"Brother Mo... thank you for coming."

"Mm," Shen Mo replied. "Of course."

Another moment of silence followed.

"Was I...did I look really bad just now?"

"She was crying uncontrollably."

She asked softly, her words now carrying a hint of emotion that was finally more present than her earlier sobs.

There was a hint of embarrassment in his belated realization.

Shen Mo chuckled softly, "Actually, it's alright. You look quite pretty even when you cry."

This slightly teasing reply made her feel a little more relaxed, and even the corners of her mouth twitched unconsciously.

I tried to force a smile, but I couldn't manage it.

She could only bury her face deeper into his chest, greedily absorbing his reassuring presence.

"Grandma...she was smiling in the end."

She suddenly spoke, her voice very soft, with a hint of wistful recollection.

"Although she didn't say anything, her eyes were curved when she looked at me..."

"Just like when she taught me to dance."

Shen Mo listened quietly without interrupting.

"She used to say that I was like a little sun, shining wherever I went, and that it made her happy."

Dilraba's voice suddenly choked up. She sniffed and continued speaking.

"She told me to eat well and focus on filming."

She said she missed me, so she took out my TV series to watch.

She said, "I shine even brighter on TV."

"She likes me the way I am."

At this point, tears welled up in her eyes again, but this time she didn't break down like before.

She simply let the tears slide silently down her cheeks.

"Then you need to take even better care of yourself."

Shen Mo's voice in the darkness made Dilraba feel incredibly safe and secure.

"You must shine brightly and be the most dazzling star."

"Perhaps this is what she wants to see of you."

Dilraba nodded vigorously, rubbing her forehead against Shen Mo's chest.

"Um."

"I know."

"But I think I'm out of power..."

This slightly childish analogy almost made Shen Mo burst out laughing, and he tightened his arms around her a little.

"It's okay, there's a huge human-shaped charger right here."

He paused, his tone softening and becoming more indulgent.

"Today, there's plenty."

These words made Dilraba's heart tremble violently, and a bittersweet and scalding heat surged through her entire body.

She didn't say anything more, but hugged him tighter, enjoying the limited warmth and wanting to lock it firmly into her body.

When Dilraba's parents returned with fresh vegetables and fruits, Dilraba had already sat back down on the sofa in the living room, with Shen Mo sitting on the single sofa next to her.

Her hair had clearly been carefully combed and loosely tied into a high ponytail at the back of her head, with stray hairs falling smoothly over her cheeks.

Although her eyes were still somewhat listless and confused, carrying a hint of sadness, her brows had relaxed considerably.

At least she was willing to leave her room and sit in the bright living room.

Keep in mind that she had already spent almost the entire day in her room.

Reba's mother's eyes welled up with tears, and she quickly lowered her head to hide them.

They quietly put their things down, didn't ask any questions, nodded to Shen Mo, and then tacitly slipped into the kitchen.

Dinner was plentiful, with the small table filled with local specialties.

Shen Mo was warmly invited to sit down. During the meal, Reba's parents repeatedly expressed their gratitude to Shen Mo in their not-so-fluent Mandarin.

I am grateful for his care of my daughter, for making this special trip, and for helping my daughter overcome her grief.

After the meal, when Shen Mo politely got up to say goodbye, Dilraba escorted him to the entrance of the residential area before returning home.

"I want to go back with Brother Mo tomorrow..."

Back home, she sat across from her parents, remained silent for a moment, and then uttered these words.

Her mother reached out and took her hand, looking into her eyes with concern.

Dilraba lowered her eyes and spoke softly.

"For the film crew, a single day of work stoppage results in a loss of hundreds of thousands or even millions of yuan."

"I'm the female lead. If I'm not there, many scenes simply can't be filmed. Now that Brother Mo, the male lead, is also not here, it's almost impossible for the production to function."

"and……"

He paused, then looked up at his parents.

"It's already quite an achievement that Brother Mo, who manages such a large company, can squeeze out time to accompany me on set. I can't keep delaying things like this."

Just as Dilraba's father was about to speak, her mother interrupted him.

Go!

Your grandmother probably also hopes that you can work hard and get over your grief.

"Go back and finish your work properly."

She knew that perhaps only by keeping her daughter busy could she gradually emerge from her grief.

Moreover, she didn't want her daughter to bear any more losses, which amounted to hundreds of thousands or even millions of yuan a day because of her daughter.

Even if she no longer hides it and directly calls him "Brother Mo" in front of the two of them.

In this kind of relationship, she shouldn't owe the other person too much.

Her father was silent for a while, then sighed deeply and patted his daughter's shoulder with his broad hand.

"Go on, child. You're all grown up now. If you're feeling down, give us a call."

Her mother hugged her and gently patted her back, just like when she was a child.

"Go, go where you're meant to shine. Don't worry about us. Take good care of yourself, eat on time, and stop dieting, okay?"

Feeling the warmth of her parents' embrace and their unconditional support, Dilraba's nose tingled with tears again.

She blinked hard, forcing back her tears, and then nodded emphatically.

"Yes, I will!"

That night, Dilraba did not suffer from insomnia again.

Perhaps it was the exhaustion after crying, or perhaps it was the warm embrace of Shen Mo and her parents that made her feel relieved.

She lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling, letting her thoughts drift, and then drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, when Shen Mo and Jia Yue arrived at Dilireba's house, she had already packed her luggage and changed into sportswear.

She wasn't wearing makeup, and the faint blue circles under her eyes were still faintly visible, but her eyes had regained their brightness and liveliness.

Amidst the reluctant yet encouraging gazes of her parents, she went downstairs and left.

The next chapter is even more exciting: Chapter 258, "Let Me Give You a Hug," awaiting your visit.