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

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For the first hour after the interview ended, the internet remained calm.

In the second hour, sporadic video clips began to surface.

In the third hour, the trending topics exploded.

#LiYitong'sSpeechAtThePremiere#, #LiYitongCriticizesReporters#, #LiYitong'sMonsterCatching#, every trending topic is accompanied by images from the premiere of "Monster Catching".

Holy crap, this woman is so cool!

How come I never realized Li Yitong was so amazing before?

Where are those people who said Inkmark was finished? Come out and show yourselves!

But some people are sarcastic and sarcastic.

What's the use of saying all that if Shen Mo doesn't come out? It's all just empty talk.

[The fund has been reinstated? Who knows if they just used their own money to cover the losses?]

[No matter how eloquent Li Yitong is, she's still just an actress. Can she really manage a company well? I certainly don't believe it.]

Many more people are waiting—waiting for news of Shen Mo, waiting for the fate of Mo Hen, waiting for the next episode of this grand drama.

The most upvoted comment in the comment section is:

[I'm not taking sides; I'll just watch the show. If Shen Mo comes out, Mohen will come to life. If Shen Mo doesn't come out, no matter how nicely Li Yitong speaks today, it's all in vain. An actress can't handle such a large company; the management team will eventually fall apart, and the artist team will eventually leave.]

This comment received over three thousand replies.

Some spoke the "truth," some called it "cold-blooded," some told the "truth," and some said "wait to be proven wrong."

But no matter what is said, everyone is waiting for the same answer.

Will Shen Mo be able to get out?

……

Wang Zhonglei sat in front of the computer, watching those videos over and over again, no less than ten times.

That woman's gaze was so steady. Whether she was feigning composure or genuinely confident, he admitted he had truly underestimated Li Yitong.

Zhou Mingyi pushed the door open and came in. Wang Zhonglei turned off the video. "What do you think?"

Zhou Mingyi was silent for a few seconds, then said, "She's more capable than we thought."

"The fund has indeed recovered," Zhou Mingyi said. "Our people checked the source of the funds, and it wasn't just her who filled it out; several large institutions have also entered the market."

Wang Zhonglei frowned. "Who?"

"Lei Jun, Zhang Yiming, Wang Xin, Cheng Wei."

Zhou Mingyi paused for a moment, then added, "There are a few others who haven't shown up yet, but I reckon they're all from the Ink Trace faction."

Wang Zhonglei tapped his fingers on the table. "So, they're backing Mohen?"

"It's not about providing support," Zhou Mingyi said, "it's about buying at the bottom."

"Those who redeemed their shares gave up their quotas. These institutions took advantage of the low prices to buy them up, and now they hold far more quotas than before."

Wang Zhonglei remained silent for a long time. "What about public opinion?"

Zhou Mingyi's expression grew even uglier. "Our online trolls are still trying to stir things up, but the effect is getting worse and worse. The number of people supporting them under those trending topics is increasing."

"And several influential bloggers have started digging into our past."

Wang Zhonglei's heart tightened.

"The news that Huayi Investment was intercepted and its employees were poached has resurfaced. There are also rumors that Huayi Sports Stadium was shut down and that banks withdrew loans from Huayi Real Estate."

Zhou Mingyi looked at him and said, "Although Shen Mo went inside, the net he set up outside is still moving."

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

At 10 p.m., the entire floor was dark except for a desk lamp in Shen Mo's office.

Li Yitong sat in that large office chair, her legs curled up, her whole body sinking into the leather seat.

She held her phone to her ear, a standard social smile on her face.

"Mr. Lei, thank you so much this time."

A hearty laugh came from the other end of the phone. "President Li, you've thanked me a million times already. I've said it before, I'm helping Shen Mo because he deserves it. So do you."

Li Yitong smiled and said, "Then we will definitely pay a visit to thank Shen Mo when he comes out."

"Okay, I'll wait. Make him buy me drinks, the best of everything."

"Okay, it's a deal."

After hanging up the phone, Li Yitong put her phone on the table, leaned back in her chair, and closed her eyes.

After the premiere, she made numerous thank-you calls to Lei Jun, Zhang Yiming, Wang Xin, Cheng Wei, and others...

She called them one by one, thanking each one until her mouth was dry.

She suddenly remembered that three days ago, she was sitting in this very chair, curled up in a ball, crying like a child.

At that time, she thought she couldn't take it anymore; at that time, she thought the sky was about to fall.

Fortunately, she pulled through.

She took a deep breath and was just about to stand up to pour herself a glass of water.

"bite--"

The phone screen on the table lit up; it was a WeChat message.

She picked it up casually and glanced at it.

Sender: Shen Mo.

Content: [I'm back!]

Li Yitong's eyes widened instantly; those four words were like a beam of light that shot into her eyes.

She stared at the words, motionless, frozen in place, and then tears streamed down her face silently.

One drop after another, it hit the phone screen.

Her shoulders, which had been taut for three days, finally slumped down; the string that had been stretched for so long had finally loosened.

She let out a long breath and slumped into the chair.

Tears were still flowing, but the corners of her mouth slowly curved up, she was crying and laughing at the same time, like a fool.

She picked up her phone and stared at those four words for a very long time.

Then the chat window slowly opened: [You bastard, where are you?!]

Anyway, I'm just a girl who cries easily, and anyway, he's back!

After an unknown amount of time, footsteps suddenly echoed in the corridor.

"Da...da...da..."

Li Yitong suddenly opened her eyes, sat up straight instantly, and stared intently at the door.

The footsteps grew closer, then stopped.

The doorknob turned and the door was pushed open. A figure stood in the doorway, backlit by the corridor lights, and her nearsightedness made it difficult to see her face clearly.

But that figure was all too familiar to her.

Shen Mo stood there, looking at her. His suit was a little wrinkled, his shirt collar was open, and he had faint dark circles under his eyes.

He opened his arms, a faint smile playing on his lips. "What, don't you recognize me?"

But Li Yitong just stared at him blankly, without moving an inch.

Shen Mo smiled, strode in, and stood in front of her.

Looking at that tear-streaked face, the corners of his mouth curved into a deeper smile. "Crying?"

Li Yitong didn't say anything, she just stared intently at him.

Shen Mo reached out and gently wiped away her tears. "Xuezi, I'm back!"

That short sentence finally made Li Yitong feel real, and tears welled up uncontrollably.

She jumped up from her chair and crashed into Shen Mo's arms, hugging him tightly as if afraid he would disappear again.

Shen Mo was a little breathless from her tightness, but he still smiled and put his arms around her waist. "It's alright, it's alright now."

Li Yitong buried her face in his chest, not saying a word, just crying, her shoulders shaking.

Shen Mo gently patted her back, "You've had a tough time these past few days."

Li Yitong gave a muffled "hmm," and said, "I heard about it. You did a great job."

He hummed in agreement again.

"It's even better than I expected."

"Um."

"If there's a next time, I won't have to worry anymore."

"Um?"

Li Yitong suddenly raised her head, her red eyes wide, staring intently at him.

"Say it again?"

"You dare to do it again?"

"Shen Mo! You bastard, go to hell!"

After saying that, Li Yitong jumped up and pounced on him, biting his shoulder.

"hiss--"

Shen Mo was in so much pain that he couldn't help but open his mouth and make a sound, but seeing her body slowly sliding down on him, he still reached out and steadily supported her with both hands.

"You bastard."

Perhaps hearing Shen Mo's cry of pain, or perhaps she was tired of biting, Li Yitong finally released her grip, raised her head, and looked at him.

"Are you satisfied now?"

Shen Mo reached out a hand, brushed aside a few stray hairs from her cheek, and then gently placed his palm on her face.

"snort!"

Li Yitong snorted heavily, then turned her head away, and less than two seconds later, she put her head back on his shoulder.

"When did you come out?"

"I messaged you right away, and you were the first person I came to see."

Where Shen Mo couldn't see, Li Yitong's lips curled up slightly, and her cheeks flushed.

"That's more like it."

Shen Mo turned her around, picked her up, and sat back in his chair, adjusting himself to a more comfortable position for her.

"Are you alright?"

"It's alright now."

"Don't make me worry anymore."

"good!"

"I'm too tired, I'm not going to care anymore."

"good!"

The two of them just hugged each other without saying a word.

Suddenly, a knocking sound rang out at the door. Li Yitong sat up abruptly and hurriedly wiped her face.

"Who?"

The door was pushed open a crack, and Tian Xiwei's head peeked in, her eyes darting around.

"Sister Tong, is Brother Mo... Holy crap!"

She saw Shen Mo, then rushed in, bypassing Li Yitong and throwing herself into Shen Mo's arms.

"Brother Mo!!! You're really back!!!"

Shen Mo was knocked back by her bump, but he smiled and reached out to catch her.

"I'm back, I'm back, don't strangle me."

Tian Xiwei ignored him, burying her face in his chest and wrapping her arms tightly around his waist.

Li Yitong, who was standing next to her, pouted.

You brat! You forget about your sister as soon as you see a man, don't you!

She crossed her arms, glanced sideways at Tian Xiwei clinging to Shen Mo, and let out a soft "humph" through her nose.

Outside the door, footsteps approached in a flurry.

Bai Lu, Li Qin, Meng Ziyi, Dilraba Dilmurat, Liu Haocun, and Wang Churan walked in one after another.

Bai Lu stood next to Li Yitong, her lips trembling slightly, her eyes slowly reddening.

Li Qin's gaze swept past everyone else, fixed intently on Shen Mo, her teeth clenched tightly, her cheeks taut in a tight arc.

Meng Ziyi pouted, her eyes drooping, tears welling up in her eyes, looking pitifully at Shen Mo.

Dilraba laughed instead, her eyes curving into crescents as she laughed, and tears began to flow uncontrollably.

Liu Haocun, holding Wang Churan's arm, bit her lip and looked at Shen Mo with a resentful expression.

Wang Churan's shoulders trembled as she released Liu Haocun's hand, walked step by step towards Shen Mo, stopped in front of him, and then punched Shen Mo's arm with a "bang".

Shen Mo was stunned for a moment. Tian Xiwei lifted her head from Shen Mo's embrace, her almond-shaped eyes glaring fiercely at Wang Churan. "What are you doing!"

Wang Churan ignored her, staring at Shen Mo with red eyes and trembling lips, "Why did it take you so long to come back?"

Her voice was muffled and slightly nasal.

Shen Mo paused for two seconds, then slowly smiled. "There was a traffic jam!"

Wang Churan froze for a moment, then tears finally fell. She turned her face away, wiped them haphazardly with her sleeve, and muttered under her breath, "Nobody would believe that!"

Shen Mo released Tian Xiwei and stood up. "Why are you all crying?"

No one spoke.

"You don't need to make such a big fuss to welcome me!"

Still, no one spoke.

Shen Mo reached out and gently patted Bai Lu's shoulder. "You've worked hard."

Bai Lu finally couldn't hold back her tears. She turned her face away and nodded vigorously.

Shen Mo turned to look at Li Lin, paused for a second, and asked, "Do you want to say something?"

Li Qin opened her mouth but couldn't say anything. Shen Mo laughed, "Then don't say anything."

He reached out and gently ruffled her hair. Li Qin was stunned for a moment, then her eyes reddened even more.

"Brother Mo..."

Shen Mo turned to look at Meng Ziyi, who was muttering softly, and gently wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes. "Don't cry, your makeup will be ruined, and you'll look even uglier if you cry any more."

Meng Ziyi exclaimed "Ah!" and forcibly stopped her tears, then pulled out a small mirror from her pocket and glanced at herself.

Shen Mo turned to look at Dilraba, whose eyes were curved in a smile and whose face was still streaked with tears. "Dilraba looks so beautiful even when she cries!"

Upon hearing this, Meng Ziyi looked up and glared fiercely at Shen Mo, "Brother Mo, you've gone too far!"

Dilraba covered her mouth and laughed even harder.

"Brother Mo, welcome back!"

Seeing Shen Mo turn his gaze towards him, Liu Haocun finally couldn't hold back his tears.

Shen Mo opened his arms. "What, do you want a hug too?"

Liu Haocun nodded vigorously, then rushed in and hugged Shen Mo, sobbing uncontrollably.

Shen Mo gently patted her head, and when he looked up, he saw Wang Churan, who was puffing up her cheeks.

Wang Churan met his gaze, her eyes red, and stubbornly glared at him before turning her face away fiercely.

At only 16 years old, she has neither great fame nor much power, and there is nothing she can do or is able to do during this period.

She could only wait, wait silently, and pray silently every night.

We pray that this handsome guy, Mo Ge, who cares about her growth, cares about her inner world, brings changes to her life, and makes her feel at ease and comfortable, will return safely.

She was also very upset, and she wanted to throw herself into his arms, but her proud and aloof nature made it difficult for her to express it directly.

Shen Mo offered his hand, "Is one hit enough? Want another?"

Wang Churan was stunned for a moment, "Who wants to hit you..."

"Not going to fight? Then give me a smile?"

Wang Churan suddenly turned around, rolled her eyes, and said, "I'm not smiling."

"Smile."

"Don't laugh."

"Smile!"

Wang Churan finally couldn't hold back and curled the corners of her mouth into a smile. Although the smile was ugly and awkward, she felt much more relaxed and comfortable at that moment.

Shen Mo nodded in satisfaction. "That's good."

"I was only gone for a few days, I'm not really gone!"

"Finished watching?" Li Yitong still crossed her arms, her little mouth pouting even more, her nose wrinkling, and her smiling eyes glaring at him sideways.

"Are you done comforting me?"

Do you remember there was someone here?

Liu Haocun quietly released his grip on Shen Mo and stepped out. Shen Mo turned to look at Li Yitong and raised an eyebrow. "Who?"

Li Yitong glared at him. Shen Mo reached out to pull her into his arms, but she pushed him away, saying, "Don't touch me."

Shen Mo was taken aback for a moment. Li Yitong turned to look at the girls, a dangerous smile playing on her lips. "Sisters."

The girls all looked at her at the same time, "Give him a beating, Sister Tong!"

After saying that, she was the first to rush forward, and Tian Xiwei's eyes lit up, and she was the second to rush over.

Bai Lu followed with a smile. Li Lin's lips curled up slightly. She slowly circled around and pressed Shen Mo's shoulder down, pushing him into a chair.

Meng Ziyi wiped away her tears, exchanged a glance with Dilraba, and then joined the fray with a smile.

Liu Haocun hesitated for a moment, then was grabbed by Wang Churan and pulled so hard that he stumbled and rushed over.

Chaos erupted instantly. Shen Mo was held down by seven or eight hands and couldn't move, nor did he want to.

"Hey! What are you doing?!"

"They've rebelled! They've rebelled!"

"Li Yitong! Who did you start?!"

Li Yitong straddled his legs, tilting her head back and laughing like a smug fox, "So what if I started it? The girls just want to beat you up!"

Bai Lu and Li Lin dug their hands into Shen Mo's hair, making it look like a bird's nest.

Tian Xiwei caught a glimpse of the bite mark on Shen Mo's right collarbone, turned her head, opened her mouth, and pounced on his left shoulder.

"Ah! Tian Xiwei! You're so cruel! You're bleeding!"

Meng Ziyi grabbed his left hand, which was trying to resist Tian Xiwei, and bit his arm.

"Meng Ziyi! Learn something good! Why are you biting too!"

Dilraba snorted coldly, opened her mouth, but then decided against it. She turned around, pressed herself against Li Yitong's thigh, and sat down hard.

Wang Churan grabbed Shen Mo's other arm and punched him several times as if venting his anger.

Liu Haocun glanced around and, finding no one paying attention to her, quietly grabbed Shen Mo's right forearm and pressed his palm against her face.

The moment she looked down, she and Shen Mo made eye contact, and her face instantly turned red.

After joking around for a while, everyone sat down in the guest sofa area of ​​Shen Mo's office.

Shen Mo sat on the single sofa facing the long sofa, and Li Yitong naturally squeezed in next to him, almost pressing herself against him.

Bai Lu and Li Qin squeezed together on the single sofa on the left. Bai Lu leaned against the armrest, while Li Qin sat upright, their legs pressed tightly together.

Meng Ziyi, Dilraba Dilmurat, Liu Haocun, and Wang Churan sat on the sofa opposite Shen Mo.

Tian Xi glanced at the distribution of everyone, her eyes darting around, and then she plopped down on the left armrest of Shen Mo's single sofa.

After sitting down, she secretly glanced at Li Yitong, then comfortably patted her chest and stuck out her tongue, looking smug.

Li Yitong's gaze lingered on Tian Xiwei's face for a second, then she secretly reached out and gave Shen Mo's waist a hard pinch where the two were touching.

Shen Mo's eyes widened suddenly, and he gasped. He looked at the mischievous hand, while Li Yitong looked ahead nonchalantly, a faint smile playing on her lips.

Shen Mo quietly reached out and grabbed it, holding it in his palm, but the people opposite him saw this small movement clearly.

Meng Ziyi couldn't help but burst out laughing, quickly covering her mouth. Dilraba's eyes curved into crescents, Liu Haocun's shoulders trembled, and Wang Churan rolled her eyes and muttered under her breath, "Childish."

Bai Lu and Li Lin, standing to the side, exchanged a glance, one raising an eyebrow and the other pursing her lips, both pretending not to have seen anything.

Shen Mo coughed lightly, his face serious. "Thank you all. You've worked hard these past few days."

The atmosphere finally became serious. Tian Xiwei's smile slowly faded as she looked at him, "Brother Mo, are you really alright?"

Shen Mo nodded. "It's alright. Actually, this was all within my expectations."

No sooner had she finished speaking than another sharp pain shot through her waist. Li Yitong pulled her hand away from his grasp and pinched it hard again. "If I hadn't expected this, why didn't you tell me sooner! You made us worry for nothing!"

Shen Mo grimaced, but before he could beg for mercy, Tian Xiwei frowned. "Sister Tong, be gentle!"

She sat on the armrest, looking down at Li Yitong, her little face full of heartache.

Li Yitong looked up and glanced at her.

Go easy on me? I'm afraid you'll regain your memory and beat me even harder than I did.

However, she obediently let go of his hand and then gently rubbed it a couple of times. Shen Mo smiled wryly, grabbed her hand, and patted it on his leg.

"Aren't you using those long, thin fingers of yours to pinch me a bit overkill?"

Li Yitong rolled her eyes at him. Shen Mo followed her gaze and looked ahead. The girls opposite him all pouted slightly.

Shen Mo: "...Ahem."

He decided to change the subject, "It's really over. From the day I brought down Huayi, I knew they wouldn't let it go so easily."

"So, from that time on, I started collecting relevant materials, whether it was the points they might use to attack me, or the points where they violated laws and regulations internally."

Bai Lu's eyes lit up. "Brother Mo, you bribed their people, right? Just like in the movies!"

Shen Mo nodded meaningfully.

Liu Haocun, with a fangirl expression, covered her mouth with her eyes crinkling, "Wow! Infernal Affairs!"

Wang Churan scoffed, "Infernal Affairs my ass, they bribed someone and still got themselves imprisoned by the other side."

Shen Mo rolled her eyes, mimicking Wang Churan's expression. "Little brat, if you knew better, I'd call you Sister Wang."

"You guys need to think about this. If he's not going to report me this time, he might cause a car accident next time in order to get revenge on me."

"You want your brother Mo to go out and try his luck?"

Everyone shook their heads in unison. Shen Mo shrugged and said, "Right? So rather than doing that, it's better to keep it within a controllable range."

"Even if he reports me, I won't have any problems. After all, it's all fabricated. Besides, it's a good opportunity to set a trap for him."

"A trap?" Tian Xiwei grabbed Shen Mo's shoulders and shook him violently. "Brother Mo, what trap did you set?"

Shen Mo turned his head and smiled meaningfully, "Let me keep you in suspense for now, you'll find out in time."

"cut--!"

They spoke in unison! Shen Mo was astonished; five or six voices could be so perfectly synchronized.

He paused, then continued, "Besides, if I don't go in, how can I get those who are hostile to us to come out?"

"Sister Wang~ do you understand?" Liu Haocun gave a sarcastic snort, then covered his mouth and laughed.

Wang Churan glared at her, then turned around and gave her a light elbow strike.

"Hey! What are you doing!"

Just as Liu Haocun was about to retaliate, Dilireba stopped him, saying, "Stop fooling around, let Brother Mo finish."

Liu Haocun angrily raised his chin, but still nudged Wang Churan with his butt. Seeing her body sway from the nudity, Liu Haocun grinned.

Li Qin ignored their little antics and looked at Shen Mo, asking, "So, when will this matter be considered over?"

Shen Mo smiled slightly and leaned back on the sofa. "The announcement will probably be released tomorrow morning."

Meng Ziyi clenched his fist and waved it in the air, his expression as if he were facing Hua Yi and his gang, wishing he could punch them.

"How does Brother Mo plan to retaliate?"

A meaningful expression appeared on Shen Mo's face. "A counterattack?"

He laughed, "Of course we have to fight back. Your brother Mo isn't someone who'll be easily defeated."

Upon hearing this, the girls in front of him immediately showed curious eyes, their big eyes wide and bright, like a group of primary school students waiting to hear a story.

Shen Mo cleared his throat. "First, lay the legal foundation, then set the tone in public opinion, then launch a capital attack, then cut off business operations, and finally divide people based on personal relationships."

He paused after he finished speaking, waiting for everyone to process what he had said.

After a two-second silence, Meng Ziyi blinked. "And then?"

Shen Mo: "...What do you mean, 'then'? That's it?!"

Meng Ziyi blinked again, "I don't understand."

Dilraba nodded beside her, "I didn't understand either."

Liu Haocun whispered, "It sounds impressive, but what exactly is it?"

Wang Churan pouted and smiled, looking at Shen Mo with an expression that said, "I knew it." "You failed to show off, didn't you?"

Shen Mo: "..."

Li Yitong reached out and gently patted him. "Oh, stop being so mysterious. None of the people here are as in sync with you in this regard."

She glanced at the bewildered faces around her, and couldn't help but smile. "Just tell me directly, how do you plan to fight back?"

Shen Mo laughed heartily, "Then I won't say. You'll see in the next few days. Otherwise, you'll still be confused even if I tell you."

Wang Churan's eyes lit up, and she jumped up suddenly. "Hey, sisters, he looks down on us, he's asking for it! Quick, let's beat him up!"

When she rushed up to Shen Mo, she realized that no one else had moved. She craned her neck, looking at the smiling faces of the crowd with a puzzled expression. "No! You guys! Ah..."

Before she could finish speaking, Shen Mo pulled her down onto his lap.

"Holy crap! Wang Churan, are you that reckless?"

Shen Mo chuckled, grabbed Li Yitong's wrist, pulled her hand over, and slapped her bottom hard several times.

Just as Wang Churan was about to get up, Tian Xi smiled and pressed down on her shoulder with one hand, while flicking her forehead with the other.

"Ah! Tian Xiwei! You just wait!"

After a round of laughter and commotion, everyone went down to the parking lot and started to disperse. Wang Churan dragged Liu Haocun away the fastest, afraid of being beaten again.

Li Qin and Bai Lu walked hand in hand decisively. During this time, Li Qin even moved into Bai Lu's house.

Dilraba also put on sunglasses and left gracefully. Meng Ziyi was a little reluctant to leave, looking back every few steps. However, when she saw Li Yitong next to Shen Mo, she gave up the idea of ​​staying.

Once everyone else had left, Tian Xi pouted and snuggled up to Shen Mo, saying, "Brother Mo, you're back! I have to go back to the 'Ode to Joy' set tomorrow. I really miss you."

Shen Mo reached out and ruffled her hair. "The three of you should go back to the set. I bet Wang Jun is going crazy. There are five female leads in total, and three of them have left."

Li Yitong was amused by this and patted her on the shoulder, "Act well, your brother Mo and I will come to visit you on set."

Once Tian Xiwei's car had disappeared from sight, Shen Mo and Li Yitong got into the car that Wang Zheng had driven.