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

Chapter 276: The Counterattack Begins! A surprise awaits! Click here to unlock now.

From the moment she got off the bus, Li Yitong clung to Shen Mo. Fortunately, the private apartment provided enough privacy.

Although they had been separated before, for countless longer periods, Li Yitong had never felt such a sense of relief and joy at having regained what she had lost, and she just wanted to be with him all the time.

Even when she went into the bathroom to wash up, she never thought of letting go.

She held him tightly, buried her face in his chest, listened to his real heartbeat, and confirmed again and again that he was really back.

After clinging to Cao Pi, Li Yitong lay motionless in front of Shen Mo, but even so, she was reluctant to leave, wanting to continue experiencing this feeling of fulfillment.

She looked up and saw the faint dark circles under his eyes. She ran her fingers over the dark circles. "Are you tired?"

Shen Mo shook his head, smiled, and took her hand. "Seeing you makes me feel less tired."

Li Yitong glared at him, but still couldn't help but laugh.

She gently kissed Shen Mo's lips, then looked at her with her crescent-shaped eyes, completely bewildered, and said, "That's so nice!"

Shen Mo reached out and gently stroked her smooth back. He could feel her emptiness and lingering fear. "There won't be a next time!"

She buried her face back in his chest, snuggling closer to him. "Okay, don't let it happen again!"

Li Yitong snuggled closer to him, her voice muffled, "Do you know how tired I've been lately?"

"I have to help you shoulder the burden of the company."

Shen Mo smiled. "It's yours too."

Li Yitong raised her head again, glared at him fiercely, and said, "Don't interrupt me!"

As she spoke, her lips pouted even higher, "Not only will I help you shoulder the burden of the company, I'll also help you soothe women!"

Shen Mo's smile froze. Li Yitong continued to glare at him, "Did I owe you something in my past life?"

Shen Mo reached out and gently brushed a strand of her hair aside, his gaze softening. "No, I owed you something in my past life!"

Li Yitong paused for a moment, then turned her face away. "That sounds nice! If Old Tian comes back, won't you be indebted to her again?"

Shen Mo paused for a second, then said, "You noticed too?"

Li Yitong sighed, "How could I not see it? She's having more and more frequent dreams, and they're all real memories from her past life."

She leaned back against his chest, her fingers unconsciously tracing circles on his skin. "Tell me honestly, besides Bai Mengyan and Li Qin, have you touched anyone else?"

Shen Mo shook his head. Li Yitong stared into his eyes, expressing strong doubt, "You really didn't touch her?"

"I really didn't touch it!"

Li Yitong narrowed her eyes slightly and pursed her lips. "You didn't touch them, so they're the ones pursuing you? And you reluctantly accepted it?"

"Um..." Shen Mo paused, "Chu Ran and Hao Cun really don't have any relationship. They're not even adults yet."

"They're underage," Li Yitong raised an eyebrow. "So, Meng Ziyi, who is an adult, has a relationship with Dilraba?"

Shen Mo opened his mouth but couldn't say anything. Li Yitong continued, "They're not adults yet, so will it matter when they come of age?"

She reached out and pinched Shen Mo's cheeks, pulling them apart forcefully. "Shen Mo, Shen Mo, can you please tone down your womanizing ways?"

Shen Mo's face was distorted from being pulled so hard. "I..."

"Shut up!" Li Yitong interrupted him. "I know you didn't cheat on me, but you didn't refuse! Aren't they the same thing?"

She released her grip, sighed, and said, "In my past life, I knew not to eat the grass near my nest, and not to bring it home. How come I keep eating the grass near my nest in this life?"

Shen Mo rubbed his face, unsure of what to say. Li Yitong looked at him and suddenly smiled, a smile that was both helpless and resigned.

"Never mind." She leaned back into his arms. "Let Lao Tian teach you a lesson when she gets back."

Shen Mo was taken aback.

"you……"

"You're taking advantage of the fact that I can't live without you, and you're just bullying me."

Li Yitong's voice was muffled, carrying a hint of grievance, a hint of coquetry, and a hint of something indescribable... indulgence.

Shen Mo looked down at her, her eyelashes trembling slightly. He suddenly felt as if the softest part of his heart had been struck hard by her.

He reached out and cupped her face in his hands. Li Yitong looked up at him, her eyes red-rimmed. He leaned in and gently kissed her.

Li Yitong closed her eyes, reached out and hugged his neck, tears sliding down her cheeks and into the space between their pressed lips.

It was salty, but she thought it was sweet.

"Hmm..." A soft moan came from Li Yitong's throat, and she frowned slightly.

They actually launched a sneak attack!

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

The next morning, shortly after 10 a.m., the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) issued an announcement: [After investigation, the allegations were found to be false; Shen Mo has not engaged in any illegal or irregular activities.]

A single line of text, like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, caused a huge uproar in the online world.

Shen Mo immediately reposted it, adding the caption: "The innocent will clear themselves."

Before the comments section could even react, Shen Mo retweeted the second Weibo post, adding the caption: [Are you ready, you rumor-mongers?]

The post was forwarded from the account of a lawyer at Junhe Law Firm, one of the top-ranked law firms in the country.

The content posted was a nine-square grid, a nine-square grid with more than thirty lawyer's letters neatly arranged.

Each one has the name of a marketing account on it.

The comment section exploded.

[Holy crap, is Shen Mo going to start a war?]

[So assertive? Suing marketing accounts right after the announcement!]

[I told you Shen Mo was alright! Where are those who were hurling insults? Come out and apologize!]

[Those who said Shen Mo was definitely guilty, are they going to step forward and say something?]

Shen Mo's move was so bold!

But some people were sarcastic:

What's the point of suing marketing accounts? The people behind them don't care.

[Exactly, if you're so capable, why don't you find out who's behind this?]

[That's all Shen Mo is capable of; he bullies the weak and fears the strong.]

Shen Mo saw these comments, smiled, and turned off his phone.

No rush, let's take it one step at a time.

Wang Zhonglei stared at the trending topics on his phone, his face turning ashen.

"So what if Shen Mo is out?" He picked up the phone, his tone full of disdain.

"How many times have I told you, either stay within the entertainment industry and don't do anything underhanded, or if you do, crush them!" Wang Zhongjun's voice on the other end of the phone was as cold as ice.

"What's the point of saying all this now? Release all the material you have on ink stains. If you don't have any, then spend money to buy it! Don't let him direct all the public opinion and criticism at us."

Wang Zhonglei frowned. "Where are you?"

"Hengda, discuss that real estate project." Wang Zhongjun paused, "Handle it well, and don't cause any trouble."

The phone hangs up.

Wang Zhonglei tossed his phone onto the table, picked up a cigar, took a deep drag, and said, "Shen Mo, you're lucky you got out this time."

Amidst the swirling smoke, his eyes were sinister. "You'd better prepare for what comes next."

He picked up the phone and dialed. "If you have any information, release it. If not? Then go buy it! I don't believe his company is that clean!"

Wang Zhonglei's men hadn't even moved yet, but Shen Mo's men had already started moving. Lin Wei's efficiency was never a concern.

At 11 a.m., a wave of strange press releases appeared simultaneously on major platforms.

This isn't a clarification, a debunking of rumors, or a counterattack; it's a compliment.

I can't possibly be covered in filth like an artist!

[Shocking! It turns out they quietly donated so much!]

[A list of actresses with over 1 billion yuan in box office revenue—do you know these people?]

[Beautiful, kind-hearted, and a great actor—that perfectly describes you, Liu Haocun!]

You've all overlooked this quietly growing and excellent actress—Dilraba!

[She's got both high IQ and EQ, but it turns out she's a straightforward, albeit somewhat naive, beauty!]

[Sweet on the outside, tough on the inside: Tian Xiwei wants to be a mature and sophisticated woman, not just a sweet one!]

[Wang Churan, who can be both sweet and sassy, ​​has a naturally handsome face perfect for a traditional Chinese opera role!]

[Li Lin: From a Kunqu Opera Heiress to a Powerful Performer, Five Years of Dedication Lead to Stardom!]

[The story of Bai Lu and her fans' mutual support is so touching!]

……

It's all over the internet—WeChat official accounts, Toutiao, Baidu, Weibo, Sohu… It's not just debunking rumors, it's even better than debunking rumors.

When everyone's attention was drawn to these "positive energy" press releases, those posts spreading rumors gradually disappeared.

Wang Zhonglei's men had the money, but they couldn't find a way to make a move.

"Mr. Wang, the trending topics are all taken."

"Then let's buy a new one!"

"We can't buy...we can't get any more. They've filled up the market too much; our submissions will just sink."

Wang Zhonglei gripped his phone, his knuckles turning white.

That kid's pretty fast; he actually anticipated his movements.

Just as he was considering other ways to retaliate, his phone rang again.

"Mr. Wang, something's happened."

"Over at Huaguang... all those new talents we recruited from Mohen have failed."

Wang Zhonglei frowned. "What do you mean?"

"The production teams we contacted for them all replied to us immediately after Shen Mo came out that the roles were gone."

"It wasn't explicitly stated, but the meaning is clear: Mohen has made its voice heard in the industry."

"Isn't this a ban?"

On the other side, Shen Mo smiled mischievously, "This is called using their own methods against them. That's exactly how Huayi blacklisted us back then. We got through it, now it's their turn."

"By the way, Naïve, how much were the breach of contract penalties for those newcomers?"

"We calculated it based on the highest possible amount, but they are still newcomers and haven't played any major roles before, so it's only 200 million per person."

"Alright, it's not bad. After all, we bought it for 20 and sold it for 200 million, which is more profitable than raising pigs."

Li Yitong, who was drinking tea nearby, almost spat it out. "Shen Mo! What are you saying?!"

Shen Mo shrugged. "To be honest, raising pigs can't make ten times the profit."

Yang Tianzhen suppressed a laugh, "So, the publicity... will proceed as planned?"

"Proceed."

Shen Mo said, "Zhang Ruonan and Zhou Ye are the main focus of our promotion."

"We need to let the outside world know that the traitor has been punished, and those who remain will be rewarded."

Yang Tianzhen nodded. "Is it Zhang Ruonan and Zhou Ye?"

Yang Tianzhen nodded, turned around and left.

The office fell silent. Li Yitong leaned back on the sofa, looking at Shen Mo sitting in the office chair.

He just sat there, legs crossed, twirling a pen in his hand, a faint smile on his lips.

With boundless confidence and ambition!

She suddenly remembered that three days ago, she was sitting in this chair, curled up in a ball, crying her eyes out.

Now that he's back, everything is alright.

She stretched and said in a very relaxed tone, "Now that you're back, I can finally step down as the interim chairman."

Shen Mo turned to look at her, a slight smile playing on his lips. "No need for that when you step down."

Li Yitong was taken aback for a moment, "Huh?"

"I'll reserve the position of vice chairman for you."

Shen Mo said, "We don't need to manage things, but in case of an emergency, we don't need to provide proof of shareholding on behalf of others anymore."

Li Yitong's lips immediately pursed. "Okay."

He said he was reluctant, but the smile in his eyes was impossible to hide.

Shen Mo stood up, took her hand, and said, "Let's go thank a few people."

He paused for a moment, then added, "By the way, let's discuss a collaboration."

Li Yitong's eyes lit up. "President Lei and the others?"

"Yes, that's right!"

"I heard you claimed the other day that it was a counterattack by someone with a love-struck mind."

"Aren't you just engaging in petty revenge right now?"

"Same to you!"

"Hehehe..."

……

Wang Zhonglei's phone rang again. He picked it up and frowned.

"Mr. Wang, Mohen has invested in all three of our projects that are close to completion, and this time the premium is 15%, even higher than last time!"

Wang Zhonglei's hand, gripping the microphone, veins bulging, exclaimed, "A 15% premium? Are they crazy? Aren't they making money?"

"Let them take it! I don't believe they can take it all!"

"Furthermore, four more of the sports venues we operate have been shut down. Performances and events that were originally contracted to these venues were snatched up by other companies the moment they were shut down."

Wang Zhonglei rubbed his temples. "Ink stains again?"

"The company that snatched the deal wasn't Mohen, but rather a Tencent or Alibaba affiliate. However, the fact that they were able to snatch it so quickly suggests that Mohen is also involved."

……

The guests had all arrived at the private room of the restaurant: Lei Jun, Zhang Yiming, Wang Xin, and Cheng Wei.

When Shen Mo pushed the door open and went in, Lei Jun was the first to stand up and open his arms.

"Mr. Shen! Congratulations on your exoneration!"

The two hugged, and Shen Mo patted his back with a smile, "President Lei, thank you so much this time."

"No need to thank me," Lei Jun waved his hand. "We didn't do anything, did we?"

Zhang Yiming laughed from the side, "That's right, we even made money. Your fund doesn't give us a chance to enter unless it's an opportunity like this."

"Enough of that, let's drink." Wang Xin raised a bottle of liquor.

The group burst into laughter.

Shen Mo pulled Li Yitong to sit down. After a few sips of wine and some pleasantries, Shen Mo explained his purpose for coming.

"There are two things to discuss over this meal." He held up two fingers.

"First of all, thank you. Thank you all for your help this time. I will remember this kindness."

"Second—" he paused, "I want to work with a few people to establish a new Ink Trace No. 3 Foundation."

Lei Jun raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

"This second fund, which was supported by several people, is ultimately open to the general public. Every year, countless retail investors open positions, buy in, and redeem their shares. This kind of operation is not conducive to long-term value trading."

"Thanks to everyone's help with this matter, I was thinking, since that's the case, why don't we just tie ourselves even tighter and set up a special fund to link our interests together?"

The private room was silent for a few seconds, then Lei Jun laughed, "President Shen, you're trying to drag us into this."

Shen Mo shrugged. "You're already in the water."

Wang Xin nodded. "He's right. The moment we bought at the bottom, the outside world already assumed we were on the same team."

Zhang Yiming raised his glass. "I definitely have no objection to President Shen helping me make money."

Cheng Wei nodded, "We've been envious of President Shen's fund's earning power for a long time, and I have no objection."

Lei Jun looked at Shen Mo and smiled, "Alright, then tie it tighter."

Shen Mo raised his wine glass, clinked it with the others, and then downed it in one gulp with a flourish.

"Now I feel much more at ease."

As he spoke, he turned to Li Yitong and smiled at her. "Don't worry now, these big shots are all our allies."

Lei Jun pointed at Shen Mo and then burst into laughter.

"President Shen, you underestimate President Li. She is not a weak woman."

"Yes!" Zhang Yiming nodded. "We were watching those days."

"After you were taken away, there was a lot of cursing outside. She single-handedly carried the company, confronting those who needed to be confronted, maintaining stability when necessary, and not hesitating to ask for help when needed."

Wang Xin added, "A woman like that is hard to find."

Cheng Wei simply concluded: "Hmm! A virtuous wife!"

Li Yitong's face turned slightly red from their comments, but she felt quite pleased with herself.

"Please stop praising me... I'm not that amazing..."

Shen Mo looked at her, his smile growing wider. He reached under the table and took her hand. "You're all right."

Li Yitong looked up at him, and Shen Mo happened to turn his head to look at her as well. "She's the best."

Li Yitong's face turned even redder, but she didn't pull her hand away. She just lowered her head and the corners of her mouth quietly curved up.

"Ahem! I want to go back to my wife!"

Lei Jun coughed lightly twice, clenching his fist, and looked at the two of them with a teasing expression.

Shen Mo, being thick-skinned, didn't react much, while Li Yitong blushed but decisively reached out and hugged Shen Mo's arm.

"Mr. Lei, you should bring your wife along next time. You can chat, and we sisters can chat."

Lei Jun nodded seriously, "Hmm, that's a good idea."

The people around him laughed as well. Shen Mo smiled and looked around. "Actually, I have a small request."

"As you all have seen, some people are using underhanded tactics to try and destroy me."

Shen Mo's voice was calm, "Now that I'm not dead, I think it's their turn."

Zhang Yiming nodded. As the person present who had worked most closely with Shen Mo, he naturally continued, "So?"

"So!" Shen Mo laughed, "I hope you can help me push them through your channels, for GG, endorsements, publicity and stuff like that."

Zhang Yiming nodded. As the person present who had worked most closely with Shen Mo, he naturally continued, "So?"

"So!" Shen Mo laughed, "I hope you can help me push them through your channels, for GG, endorsements, publicity and stuff like that."

Lei Jun raised an eyebrow and answered decisively, "No problem. Give us a list when you get back."

After all, in his view, helping to keep a few people in the entertainment industry in check didn't conflict with his main business and was indeed a minor issue.

Zhang Yiming then added that, in fact, the most severe blow to the publicity channels of those present was the one that was blocked, but his relationship with Shen Mo made it impossible for him to refuse the proposal.

The others readily agreed.

After chatting for a while, the dinner ended. After seeing off the big shots, Shen Mo and Li Yitong returned to their car.

After thinking for a moment, he took out his phone and dialed a number, "Mr. Sun."

On the other end of the phone, Sun Zhonghuai's voice came through, "President Shen! Congratulations on passing the test!"

Shen Mo smiled, "Same to you, same to you! I heard you were also invited in for tea?"

Sun Zhonghuai laughed and scolded, "It's all thanks to you! My wife was so scared those two days she almost packed up my clothes and took them inside!"

Shen Mo laughed heartily, "Then, Mr. Sun, would you be interested in venting your anger together?"

Sun Zhonghuai was taken aback. "What do you mean?"

"Tencent Video, kiwifruit, and Tao, in which we have a stake," Shen Mo said, "the three of them are joining forces to shut down a group of people."

Sun Zhonghuai paused for a second, then asked, "From the Huayi Group?"

"right."

On the other end of the phone, Sun Zhonghuai laughed, "President Shen, you're too late with your call."

Shen Mo raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

"I've already had people sorting out the artists, projects, and endorsements of the Huayi Group. Those that can be blocked should be blocked, and those that can be delayed should be delayed."

He paused for a moment, then said, "I have some self-respect, otherwise everyone would think I'm easy to bully, and how can I manage them?"

Shen Mo smiled, "Then it's a pleasure to cooperate."

After hanging up the phone, he thought for a moment and then dialed a second number. "Mr. Zhang."

"Mr. Shen, I've been waiting for your call," Zhang Qiang's voice came through, tinged with a smile.

"Mr. Sun just messaged me," Zhang Qiang said. "He said you definitely have to call me."

Shen Mo laughed heartily, "So, what does President Zhang mean?"

"Me?" Zhang Qiang laughed. "You're all not easy to bully, but do you think I'm easy to bully?"

"Alright, let's join forces then."