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

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Less than ten minutes after Wang Zhonglei appeared downstairs, related news appeared in the push notifications of major news apps.

The Weibo hot search list was instantly ignited, with multiple hot search topics appearing on the list one after another.

Who did these two brothers offend? This kind of entourage is something most people can't afford to hire!

[Rumor has it: Shen Mo was harmed by these two brothers, and now he's being retaliated against!]

[Upstairs, are you saying Shen Mo just came out, and then this incident happened? The timing is too coincidental, isn't it?]

[Isn't business warfare all about seizing company seals and watering money trees? How come it's evolved so much now?]

Is this a violation of divine law?

[Can anyone tell me what's going on?]

[An industry insider here: In this situation, it means there's a real problem; it's basically over.]

[It's said that dozens of reporters surrounded the entrance; the scene was even more spectacular than what happened with Shen Mo that day.]

What goes around comes around; no one escapes the wrath of Heaven!

Meanwhile, messages were flooding various groups within the entertainment industry.

"Have you heard? All the cinema chains under Mohen, Tencent, Alibaba, and Wanda have had their revenue sharing settlement cycles delayed by a year for any films related to Huayi Group."

"Holy crap, really? Won't those guys fight Inkmark to the death?"

"Why risk your life? Which of these companies can you beat? Even the most troublesome one, Ink Stain, isn't someone you can mess with."

"What are they doing? They just lost their company to Shen Mo a few years ago, and now they're provoking him again. Now look what they've done, they've really messed up."

"It's not just about the movie. Our crew just received a tip today that Mohen has said that any artists associated with those two brothers, or those who have switched from Mohen, will not be allowed to be used in any future projects related to Mohen."

"This is just the beginning. The three video platforms have also spoken out, downgrading the exposure of all related projects and advising users to be cautious when choosing cooperative projects."

"Sigh, what's this about careful selection? It's just FS!"

Similar conversations are taking place in various online groups.

Those celebrities who previously mocked or even kicked Mohen when he was down online are now feeling extremely uneasy.

Wu Fanfan and others quietly deleted their Weibo posts, while Li Yifeng, Wen Zhang, and others silently followed Shen Mo back. Yu Zheng patted his chest and sighed with relief, thankful that he hadn't gone online to mock her this time.

Fan Binbin's Weibo account was suddenly updated at 2 PM. She reposted a promotional poster for "Monster Hunt" with the caption: "Congratulations to 'Monster Hunt' on its box office success! Good movies deserve support!"

Three minutes later, Huang Xiaoming also reposted the same Weibo post, adding the caption: "[I've been wanting to watch this for a long time, weekend plans!]"

Following closely behind, Li Chen, Chen Kun, Zhou Xun, and others began forwarding content related to "Monster Hunt".

Some people even dug up old Weibo posts from a few months ago, edited them, and added the tag "Monster Hunt".

One promotional Weibo post after another propelled the hashtag #MonsterCatching# back to the top of the trending searches.

[Wow, why is everyone in the entertainment industry sharing posts about "Monster Hunt"? Is this movie really that good?]

Whether the movie is good or not is unimportant; what's important is to quickly take sides and express your opinion!

[A weather vane, swaying from side to side, and falling quite quickly.]

They didn't think the movie was good; they were just worried about losing themselves.

[The Huayi brothers are in trouble, and you're only just now sharing this? Isn't that a bit late?]

Shen Mo isn't stupid. Do you think he'd forget what you did before?

[However, Shen Mo was also detained a few days ago, wasn't he? He was able to get out, so why do you all think something will happen to the Wang brothers?]

Are you kidding me? Please read the actual news before you speak, okay?

[Look at the current state of the financial market, and then look at the information circulating online about these two brothers. Which one can be easily ignored?]

In Mohen's office, Shen Mo leaned back in his chair, scrolling through his phone with a slight smile on his lips.

Li Yitong nestled on the sofa next to him, holding a tablet, and read the messages to him one by one.

"Fan Binbin reposted it, Huang Xiaoming reposted it, Li Chen also reposted it... Oh, Chen Kun even added the comment 'A good movie is worth watching twice'."

She looked up at Shen Mo, "These people, who used to hide far away one by one, have all suddenly appeared!"

Shen Mo smiled and said, "When the winds change, people will naturally follow suit."

Li Yitong curled her lip, "Snobbish."

"That's normal," Shen Mo said. "That's just how the entertainment industry is."

Li Yitong looked at him. "So what do you plan to do? Accept their advances?"

Shen Mo shook his head. "I accept it, but I don't trust it."

"Those who forward this now can have a sip of soup." He paused, "but if they want the main course, that depends on my mood."

Just then, Shen Mo's phone vibrated, and a name popped up on the screen: Jiang Lei.

He raised an eyebrow, answered the phone, and pressed speakerphone. "Mr. Jiang, what's up?"

Jiang Lei's voice came from the other end of the phone, sounding noticeably tired and cautious.

"Mr. Shen, I'm sorry to bother you. I... I'd like to have a talk with you."

Shen Mo didn't speak, but Jiang Lei continued, only his tone was even lower.

"President Shen, we were in the wrong this time."

"On Li Yifeng's side, his management team acted on their own initiative, and I really didn't know they would do it beforehand."

Jiang Lei was indeed unaware of, or rather, hadn't paid attention to, the moment Wang Zhonglei's story became a trending topic, Li Yifeng's agent called him immediately.

Only then did he realize that they had also been involved in the black water that had previously tainted Inkmark.

After much deliberation, he chose to call them proactively. He didn't think Shen Mo couldn't find out; they were involved in the matter.

He didn't want to offend Mohen, and he certainly didn't want to see a group of people in uniforms in his office one day.

Shen Mo's lips curled up slightly as he leaned back in his chair and spoke slowly and deliberately.

"President Jiang, what are you saying? Li Yifeng is the backbone of Huanrui. How could you not know what his team does?"

Jiang Lei fell silent again, and Shen Mo, unhurried, picked up his teacup and took a sip.

A few seconds later, Jiang Lei's voice came again, this time with a hint of resigned acceptance.

"President Shen, we were wrong this time."

Shen Mo put down his teacup. "President Jiang, is this a call to apologize?"

"I've come to beg you to show leniency," Jiang Lei said, adopting a very humble posture.

"Mr. Shen, I've seen your methods. My small business can't withstand such turmoil."

Jiang Lei took a deep breath. "Our Huanrui is currently preparing a big-budget drama, 'The Legend of Chusen.' I don't know if you've heard about it?"

Shen Mo glanced at Li Yitong, who blinked, got up from the sofa, and moved closer.

"I've heard of it," Shen Mo said.

"The male lead was originally planned for Li Yifeng," Jiang Lei said. "Now I think since he's not listening, let's give up the role and let him play the second male lead."

"As for the male lead, Mr. Shen, why don't you recommend a suitable candidate?"

Shen Mo raised an eyebrow and shook his head. That wasn't enough. "Have you decided on the female lead yet?"

"The female lead..."

Jiang Lei understood Shen Mo's subtext: one male lead wasn't enough.

"This TV series has two female leads, and we have already decided that Zhao Liying will play Biyao."

Jiang Lei paused for a moment, "The other female lead, Lu Xueqi, hasn't been decided yet. How about President Shen recommends someone?"

Shen Mo was silent for a few seconds, then smiled and replied, "President Jiang, what are you saying? Aren't we friends? I even worked with Dilraba on 'Swords of Legends' back then."

Jiang Lei gave a wry smile. "President Shen, I know we made a mistake. I will discipline Li Yifeng strictly."

Seeing Li Yitong's suppressed laughter, Shen Mo nodded, "President Jiang, you flatter me. I hope that Mohen and Huanrui can cooperate for mutual benefit in the future."

Jiang Lei on the other end of the phone was clearly stunned for a moment, and then let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank you, Mr. Shen! Huanrui and Mohen will definitely cooperate more in the future."

After hanging up the phone, Shen Mo tossed it onto the coffee table and looked at Li Yitong. "See, someone's here to make a statement. That's the right way to apologize!"

Li Yitong smiled, her crescent-shaped eyes crinkling. "Huanrui Jiang Lei is a smart man."

"So, who do you think would be more suitable for these two roles?" Shen Mo looked at Li Yitong. He hadn't watched the TV series, so he could only ask for her opinion.

Li Yitong blinked and began to analyze seriously.

"The male lead of 'The Legend of Chusen,' Zhang Xiaofan, is initially honest and kind but later turns evil, so we need someone who can portray the nuances of his character. I think Zhang Ruoyun is quite suitable. His face is perfect for playing an honest and kind character, and he can also convincingly portray a character who turns evil."

Shen Mo nodded. "What about Lu Xueqi?"

Li Yitong thought for a moment, "Lu Xueqi is the cold and aloof type, seemingly icy on the surface but deeply affectionate inside. Qinqin is quite suitable for the role. Moreover, Qinqin played the movie version of Lu Xueqi in her previous life, and received a lot of praise."

Shen Mo raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really? Then that's perfect for her."

"Since Li Yifeng has apologized, do you think Wu Fanfan will apologize too?"

Shen Mo reached out and tapped her on the head. "What are you thinking about?"

"Their company, Beijing Capital Cultural Investment, is a core company in the Beijing entertainment circle. How could they possibly bow down to us?"

Li Yitong pouted, rubbed the top of her head, rolled her eyes at Shen Mo, and then started scrolling through Weibo on her phone.

"Sigh, look, Kris Wu deleted his Weibo posts!"

"The day you were taken away, he posted a celebratory Weibo post, which he has now deleted. See, I told you he would back down."

Li Yitong raised her chin arrogantly at Shen Mo.

Shen Mo burst out laughing. "Alright, alright, let's just say they've given in."

To be honest, this isn't really bowing down; it's more like him admitting defeat.

Their company would never bow down to them after they've put the Wang brothers in this situation; otherwise, how would they survive in Beijing's elite circles?

……

"Where are you?" Li Yitong, who was bored in Shen Mo's office, suddenly received a call from Yang Mi. "I'm at your shop."

What are you doing at the store?

"I was bored, so I took Xiao Nuomi out for a stroll around Houhai Lake, and we happened to stop by your shop on the way. It seems like your shop is quite crowded today!"

"Hmm? Really?" Li Yitong's eyes darted around. "Wait a minute, I'll be right there."

Wearing a mask and a baseball cap, Yang Mi, accompanied by her assistant, discreetly pushed a stroller into Xue Lu.

The hall was full of people, and she vaguely recognized some of them. She listened for a few moments and realized they were people from the industry.

After showing his face at the front desk, he was led directly to Li Yitong's private room.

"There are quite a lot of people today."

"There are quite a lot of people today."

"Yes, it's never been this lively before. The private rooms are almost full," the receptionist replied as she led the way. "And most of them are celebrities."

Yang Mi nodded, and then a slight smile appeared on her lips.

Li Yitong's shop may not be that famous outside, but it is well-known in the industry. After all, Shen Mo and his team have brought countless people from the industry here to discuss projects.

It seems the rumors circulating online today have scared some people, and they've started showing their faces here.

After waiting for a short while, just as Yang Mi was holding and playing with Xiao Nuomi, a sparse commotion suddenly came from outside.

"Hello, Mr. Li!"

"Mr. Li, hello, I am..."

"Oh, Yitong, it's been so long!"

……

Yang Mi raised her eyebrows and was just about to get up and walk towards the door when the door was pushed open.

"Oh dear, little Nuomi, do you miss your godmother?"

As soon as Li Yitong came in, she threw her bag onto a chair and reached out her hand to the little girl in Yang Mi's arms.

"Come here, let your godmother give you a hug."

Yang Mi smiled and handed the child over, saying, "Since you like it so much, why don't you and Shen Mo have one too?"

A flicker of interest crossed Li Yitong's eyes, but she quickly pursed her lips and said, "Forget it, we're still young."

Yang Mi reached out and slapped her on the back, saying, "Who are you calling old!"

"Never get old, never get old." Li Yitong smiled, her eyes crinkling into crescent moons, and gave a silly look. "Sister Mi is the most beautiful, the most beautiful woman in the world."

Upon seeing Li Yitong enter, Yang Mi's assistant turned and left, closing the door behind her.

Yang Mi crossed her arms and looked at Li Yitong with envy. "Yeah, she's so young and she's already the chairman of such a big group. If it were me, I'd play around for a few more years and then have a baby."

"Deputy, deputy, isn't Shen Mo back? Let him manage the company. I'll just hold a deputy position." Li Yitong said while shaking Xiao Nuomi.

"The deputy is also very capable. I saw the analysis of your Mohen outside, and the entire group with several companies combined must be valued at tens of billions."

After saying that, Yang Mi pulled Li Yitong to sit down at the tea table. "Look at all those people outside. Aren't they all trying to get your attention and hoping you'll take them under your wing sometime?"

Little Nuomi's cheeks were chubby, and Li Yitong couldn't resist reaching out to pinch them. Then she turned to look at Yang Mi and said, "Not everyone here is just here to show off their looks. At least you're not, Sister Mi."

Yang Mi rolled her eyes at her, "Who says otherwise? I also hope you can mentor me."

"Hey, go easy on her, little girl, your skin is so delicate." With that, Yang Mi slapped Li Yitong.

Li Yitong actually pinched the little girl's face and pulled it to both sides. Although she knew the girl wouldn't use too much force, a mother is always worried.

"Look... how can you ask for favors like that?" Li Yitong said, then leaned in and kissed Xiao Nuomi on the cheek. "Right, Xiao Nuomi, your mom's attitude is wrong, we're not playing with her anymore."

The little girl made babbling sounds, as if she were really talking to Li Yitong.

Yang Mi rolled her eyes at her, reached out and took the child from her, "Let me hold him, I'm scared when you hold him."

After adjusting her posture and holding the child properly, Yang Mi looked up at Li Yitong.

Seeing that she opened her mouth several times but didn't say anything, Li Yitong smiled slightly, "Just say what's on your mind. Why are you being so polite with me?"

Yang Mi pursed her lips, lowered her head and thought for a moment before looking up and meeting Li Yitong's eyes. "Didn't I previously collaborate with my agent to establish Jiaxing Company?"

"Your success is indeed very inspiring to me," Yang Mi thought for a moment and then told the truth, "So, we're considering whether it's time to expand our scale and capitalize on our operations."

Li Yitong raised an eyebrow. She remembered that Yang Mi did indeed start the bet at the end of 2015 in her previous life, but now it was a few months earlier. Could it be that she was really swayed by her own butterfly effect?

Would you like us to help you invest?

Yang Mi quickly shook her head, "No, that's not it. If I let you in and you get into trouble, I'm afraid I'll never be able to face you again."

Li Yitong looked at her in confusion, "What's that?"

"Isn't your Shen Mo a professional in finance and capital operations?"

With a fawning expression, Yang Mi looked at Li Yitong and said in her uniquely charming voice, "Tongtong~ I was just thinking, could you please ask him to help me analyze this?"

Li Yitong quickly took a half step back, pretending to wipe her arm, "Sister Mi, don't do that, it's giving me goosebumps."

Actually, she could get the gist of it without Shen Mo's analysis, after all, she had heard plenty of gossip in her past life.

But how should I tell her?