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

Overwhelmed with gratitude! Deeply grateful! Tears welling in my eyes! Unforgettable!

Thank you so much to [You're so sweet, Tian Xiwei] for being the patron!

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Thank you so much [惊夏] for the generous donation!

Thank you so much to [Iron Guard WL Crown] for the generous donation!

Thank you for your support of this book! Thank you for your support of newcomers!

I owe you 22 extra chapters for all the generous donations you've given me! I'll add at least one extra chapter every day! I promise I'll pay it all back!

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Yang Mi leaned back on the sofa, holding her phone. She had also helped promote Li Yitong's work today.

At this moment, the real-time box office data on Maoyan has soared to 19.98 billion yuan.

She stared at that number for a long time. With just 200 million more, Li Yitong was about to make history.

Liu Shishi, who was nearby, also came to her house today, which was rare for her. She nestled on the other side of the sofa, holding a cup of milk tea and slowly drinking it.

Yang Mi asked without looking up, "Aren't you affected at all?"

Liu Shishi leaned over to take a look, then laughed: "Oh, almost two billion."

"What influenced you?" Liu Shishi raised an eyebrow. "Envy? Jealousy?"

Yang Mi finally looked up, rolled her eyes, and said, "Can't I just be happy?"

Liu Shishi rolled her eyes: "Happy? Then show me how happy you are."

Yang Mi glared at her, then couldn't help but laugh herself. After laughing, she leaned against Liu Shishi and sighed, "To be honest, I am a bit..."

She paused, not continuing, and Liu Shishi spoke for her: "Feeling a little uneasy?"

Yang Mi nodded. Liu Shishi, with her milk tea straw in her mouth, took a big sip and said calmly, "Don't be fooled by my expressionless face; neither am I."

The two were silent for a while, both knowing that thinking this way was wrong.

But that saying is also very true: "I don't want my best friend to suffer, but I also don't want my sister to drive a Range Rover."

Yang Mi suddenly spoke up: "Do you remember? Three years ago, when the three of us first met?"

Liu Shishi, with a straw in her mouth, suddenly laughed, "Of course I remember. We were having a fight back then, and this girl tricked us into going to the 'My Love from the Star' set, wanting to watch the drama unfold on the spot."

Yang Mi laughed too, "Luckily I knew she was a capitalist's daughter back then, otherwise I would have turned on her immediately!"

Liu Shishi frowned. "You really don't want to make up with me?"

Yang Mi quickly leaned against her, wrapping her arms around her, "No way, Shishi is the best!"

"Am I better or Tongtong?" Liu Shishi raised an eyebrow with a mischievous smile.

Yang Mi's eyes darted around, and a mischievous smile crept across her face. She then reached out and placed her hand on Liu Shishi's body. "Then you have to let me touch you so I can know whether you're better or she's better..."

"Oh... Yang Mi!"

After playing around for a while, the two lay down side by side.

"Back then, Tongtong was quite polite and humble, even a little nervous in front of us. You couldn't tell at all what the abstract female image she would later portray later would be," Liu Shishi recalled.

Yang Mi nodded. "Yes, back then she was just a newcomer, and she had to respectfully call us 'Sister Mi' or 'Senior Sister' when she met us."

She paused, a hint of emotion in her voice: "And now? A leading lady with a 2 billion yuan budget, the number one actress born in the 90s, and the second-in-command at Mohen Capital."

"Do you think we can still call her 'Tongtong' when we see her in the future?"

Liu Shishi was silent for a few seconds, then said, "She's still the same person. You're overthinking it."

"Has her attitude towards us changed after she became famous?"

"When I asked her for a collaboration before, didn't she help me? And when you asked her for analysis a few weeks ago, didn't she also ask Shen Mo for you?"

Yang Mi thought for a moment and nodded, "Yes, I know that too. It's just that as the gap between us widens, she hasn't changed, but my mindset has changed. I can no longer treat her with ease."

Liu Shishi opened her mouth as if to say something, but then closed it again. Could she say that she felt the same way?

Yang Mi shifted her body, changed her position, and hugged Liu Shishi's arm, her tone becoming more relaxed: "To be honest, I'm quite happy that she's achieved what she has today."

"Because she showed me something," Yang Mi continued, "that hard work pays off."

"Although she has people promoting her, she has truly earned her success through hard work, one role at a time. At least in this industry, no one criticizes her acting or her character, right?"

"The fact that someone like Tongtong can succeed at least shows that this industry isn't completely rotten, and that we still have avenues and room for advancement."

"If one day this industry is completely controlled by pure capital, then there will truly be no hope of advancement."

After listening to Yang Mi's sentiments, Liu Shishi pursed her lips and said, "Don't think too far ahead. She's our best friend. If she becomes famous, we'll benefit from it too."

"If any good projects come up in the future, we'll approach them, and maybe they'll be ours!"

Yang Mi thought for a moment and nodded: "That's true."

Liu Shishi laughed: "So don't think too much about it. Look, has it broken 20 billion? If it has, quickly send Tongtong a message to congratulate her."

At 10 p.m., the real-time box office of "Monster Hunt" reached 19.99 billion yuan. At this moment, countless eyes in the entire entertainment industry were focused on this number.

Some were nervous, some were expectant, some were envious, some were convinced, and some were unwilling to accept defeat...

But no matter what, everyone knows it can't be stopped! They just hope that this moment can come later.

however……

The record has been broken!

When the numbers jumped, and the cumulative box office increased from 19.99 billion to 20.00 billion, the entire internet exploded!

#MonsterCatchingPast2Billion#

#NewRecordForChineseFilms#

#Li Yitong, leading actress in 2 billion yuan box office#

#Li Yitong Makes History#

#90花 unique female top class#

It appeared out of nowhere in the top ten trending topics and quickly took over the top spots.

Every click leads to an overwhelming flood of congratulations and celebrations.

[Two billion! !!! I'm crying so hard!]

[The first domestically produced film to gross 2 billion yuan! It's our Tongtong!]

[From today onwards, she is the only female top star among the post-90s generation!]

Li Xue is awesome! Li Yitong is awesome!!!

[Watching this for the eighth time, I contributed 300 yuan, it was worth it!]

[I've watched it nine times! 450!]

[You guys upstairs are too enthusiastic, I've only watched it three times...]

[Every step you've taken, every film you've made, has been filled with untold hardships. Li Yitong, please enjoy your moment of glory!]

Some say she was made famous by hype, but she's not the only one in the entertainment industry to be promoted. Many have resources and acting opportunities, but it's rare to find someone like her who possesses acting skills, a willingness to hone her craft, a good reputation, and a kind personality—qualities that have spread throughout the entire entertainment industry!

[In terms of awards, we have the Golden Rooster Award for Best Supporting Actress; in terms of box office, we have the first domestic film to gross over 2 billion yuan, and the only top-tier actress among the post-90s generation—truly deserving of the title!]

In the fan group, red envelopes rained down all night.

The super topic was filled with celebratory posts.

Some people posted photos of their ticket stubs, while others posted screenshots.

Some people even wrote long articles explaining how they started liking her after watching "My Love from the Star" and how she has gradually come to where she is today over the years.

One fan wrote the following:

I remember when she first became famous after "My Love from the Star," some people said she was just lucky. Later, when "The Journey of Flower" became a hit, some said she only relied on Shen Mo. Then "Wolf Warrior" became a hit, and some said she only benefited from Wu Jing's popularity. Now, with "Monster Hunt" grossing 2 billion yuan, compared to the male lead who had little fame and influence, she can be said to be the absolute female lead who carried the box office and attention. Now, what do you have to say?

This post was shared thousands of times, and received over ten thousand likes.

In the comments section, countless people left messages:

Speechless, I'm impressed.

I'm truly impressed, completely convinced.

From this day forward, Li Yitong will always be my goddess.

……

This is not the most exaggerated.

Most shockingly, within a minute of the data breakthrough, major news apps, portals, and self-media platforms, as if they had conspired together, began frantically pushing related news.

It was as if they had been watching the app's real-time data all along, waiting for a data breakthrough so they could release their prepared articles and seize the first wave of popularity.

Their headlines were increasingly scathing.

[Renmin.com Entertainment]: A historic moment! "Monster Hunt" surpasses 2 billion yuan, marking the beginning of the "2 billion yuan era" for Chinese films.

[Xinhua.com]: Li Yitong: From dance student to leading lady with 2 billion yuan box office earnings, she took four years to prove herself.

[Kuang Ming Daily]: A New Benchmark for Domestic Films: The Success of "Monster Hunt" is Not Just a Box Office Success, But a Victory for Domestic Films

[Yangshi Movie Channel]: Exclusive Interview with Li Yitong: "I just want to play every role well."

Mainstream media headlines were relatively restrained, but financial media, industry media, and influential self-media figures went even further.

[36Kr]: "Monster Hunt" surpasses 2 billion yuan in box office revenue, the capital game behind it: How did Tencent and Mohen create a blockbuster?

[Entertainment Capital Theory]: Li Yitong's Commercial Value Assessment: How Much is a Leading Actress with 2 Billion Yuan in Box Office Really Worth?

[Poisonous Tongue Movie]: After watching "Monster Hunt," I finally understand why it broke 2 billion yuan.

[Film and Television Observation]: From being questioned as a "pretty face" to becoming a "2 billion yuan leading lady," Li Yitong's story of success.

[Daily Economic News]: "Monster Hunt" surpasses 2 billion yuan in box office revenue, these companies are making a fortune!

[CBN]: The box office ceiling for domestic films has been broken. Who will take over next?

[Sanlian Life]: Cover Story: Li Yitong, the Birth of an Actress

The most amazing thing was that the "New Shocking News" did a full-page special feature with a title of just five big characters.

The Li Yitong era!

Subtitle: She redefined "top female influencer" with 2 billion yuan.

This isn't a joke, it's a recommendation for the treasure book "The Shura Field of Chinese Entertainment: All the Young Actresses Want to Climb to the Top":

……

Even though it was almost midnight, Li Yitong's various fan groups were still bustling with activity, and related news links and screenshots were being forwarded like crazy.

[Holy crap, holy crap, holy crap, Renmin.com even posted it!]

[Xinhua.net also posted it! My hometown, Tongling, is on Xinhua.net!]

[Kwang Ming Daily! This is Kwang Ming Daily!]

Does anyone have the link to the interview with the Sixth Princess? I want to watch it!

[Wait, wait, wait, the cover of Sanlian Life Weekly??? Am I seeing things???]

[Is it true? What level of publication is Sanlian?]

[The five major magazines represent the fashion world, while Sanlian represents the cultural world. This is recognition from a top-tier cultural weekly!]

【I, Tong, am awesome!!!】

The rain of red envelopes in the group intensified, with someone sending ten red envelopes containing 200 yuan each, with a simple note: "Tongtong deserves it."

At 1 a.m., a young editor at a marketing studio was frantically working on an article at home, already having come up with a title: "From Being Roasted to Making History, How Many People Has Li Yitong Slapped in the Face?"

After he finished writing and sent it to the editor-in-chief, a message came back in the chat box in just a few seconds.

"It's too long, revise it."

The young editor was stunned. "You're still making changes at this hour? By the time you finish, everyone else will have already eaten up all the buzz." He angrily started typing.

"Okay, what should we change it to?"

"The other party is typing..." It displayed for a few seconds before the editor-in-chief sent over six words.

Li Yitong, you win!

The second message came right away.

"This is it."

The young editor looked at those words thoughtfully. No wonder you're the editor-in-chief; there's some truth to it.

The third sentence appeared in the chat box.

"Everyone online is praising her today, so no matter how long your analysis is, nobody will read it. Just keep it simple and say what she wants to say directly."

The young editor nodded and began revising the article. Ten minutes later, the article was published.

In less than three minutes, the article on the WeChat official account had been read over 100,000 times.

The most upvoted comment was: "Yes, she won. Completely and utterly, a truly convincing victory."

……

The next morning at nine o'clock, Yang Tianzhen walked into the office right on time, holding a cup of iced Americano she had just bought.

She stayed up until 2 a.m. last night and was woken up three times by phone calls this morning. Now she's only keeping herself going with this cup of coffee.

But she had barely sat down in her office chair, and hadn't even taken her first sip, when her phone rang.

She glanced down at the number; it was an unfamiliar number. She hung up.

I just hung up, and it rang again. It was another unknown number. I hung up again.

It sounded for the third time...

Yang Tianzhen took a deep breath, picked up the landline, and dialed the assistant's internal line outside the door.

"Xiao Zhou, from today onwards, this phone is yours to manage."

Xiao Zhou paused for a moment, then said, "Mr. Yang, this is your work phone..."

"From today onwards, it is no longer," Yang Tianzhen interrupted her.

"Write down all the invitations, filter them, and then give them to me. I can't waste my energy answering phone calls."

Xiao Zhou took the phone, and just as she was about to say something, the phone rang again. She then took the phone with both hands and left the office.

She glanced at the caller ID and quickly switched to a standard professional smile.

"Hello, may I ask who you are...? Okay, okay, business cooperation, right? Please send your detailed information to our email address so we can review it... Yes, the email address is..."

Yang Tianzhen nodded in satisfaction as she listened to Xiao Zhou's fluent response.

She turned on her computer, logged into her work email, and then her expression froze instantly.

Inbox: 99+

Unread emails: 99+

She rubbed her eyes and looked again; it was still 99+.

She clicked on it and glanced at the title casually:

[Business collaboration invitation from an international beauty brand]

[Endorsement intention from a luxury jewelry brand]

[Consultation for a collaboration with a high-end car brand]

[Invitation to shoot the cover of a fashion magazine]

[An invitation from a top-tier TV station's variety show]

[Offering of a leading lady for an S+ level project on a certain video platform]

……

She slid down for five minutes, but still hadn't reached the bottom. Yang Tianzhen leaned back in her chair and let out a long sigh.

She then picked up the internal phone and dialed the number of the person in charge at the Ministry of Commerce, "Old Li, how many have you shortlisted?"

A tired voice came from the other end of the phone: "Mr. Yang, I was just about to call you. We worked all night last night to do the initial screening of the first batch, and... guess how many?"

Yang Tianzhen raised an eyebrow: "How much?"

Thirty-seven.

Yang Tianzhen fell silent; this was only the first batch selected.

Old Li's voice trembled with excitement, "Mr. Yang, we've struck it rich!"

Yang Tianzhen's lips curled up, and his voice became a little lighter: "Making money is good, but don't be too happy yet. You guys should do due diligence on all the initial screenings first, and then I'll take them to President Li for a personal decision."

Old Li said, "Understood. After I finish screening, I'll send the information to your email so you can go through it first."

After hanging up the phone, Yang Tianzhen opened her email and began reading through the emails one by one. The more she read, the deeper her smile became.

Many interviews and brand invitations were things we used to beg for but couldn't get.

Now, they're lining up to deliver to our door, with two billion in box office revenue. That's great.

Meanwhile, Li Yitong's WeChat was buzzing incessantly.

She was nestled in bed, snuggled in Shen Mo's arms, not fully awake yet.

Her phone kept vibrating on the bedside table. She groggily reached for it, but couldn't find it after a while. Shen Mo reached out and took it for her, then handed it to her.

Li Yitong squinted at Zhao Xiaoyu.

[Zhao Xiaoyu: Tongtong!!! Are you awake yet!!!]

[Zhao Xiaoyu: I have some incredibly good news to tell you!!!]

[Zhao Xiaoyu: Reply to me quickly! Reply to me quickly! Reply to me quickly!!!]

It was followed by a string of exclamation marks and emojis; you could feel the excitement even through the screen.

Li Yitong rubbed her eyes and typed a reply: [Just woke up, what's wrong?]

The moment the message was sent, my phone started vibrating incessantly with screenshots from Zhao Xiaoyu, one after another.

First image: Screenshot of the invitation email for the VOGUE cover

Second image: Screenshot of the ELLE cover invitation email

Third image: Screenshot of the Harper's Bazaar cover invitation email

Fourth image: Screenshot of the Marie Claire cover invitation email

Fifth image: Screenshot of the invitation email with cover number O

Li Yitong stared at the five screenshots, stunned. She rubbed her eyes and looked at them again.

VOGUE, ELLE, Harper's Bazaar, Marie Claire, and O—the top five fashion magazines are all included.

Before she could react, another message came from Zhao Xiaoyu:

[Zhao Xiaoyu: They sent them all this morning!!!]

[Zhao Xiaoyu: Tongtong, do you know what this means?!]

[Zhao Xiaoyu: The first among the post-90s actresses!!! You are the first post-90s actress to have appeared in all five major fashion magazines!!!]

[Zhao Xiaoyu: I'm going crazy!!!]

Li Yitong stared at the messages for several seconds, then burst out laughing.

Shen Mo lowered his head and smelled the top of her head; it smelled sweet. "What are you laughing at?"

Li Yitong held her phone up to his face. Shen Mo glanced at it, raised an eyebrow, and said, "Oh, all five major magazines are here?"

Li Yitong nodded, her eyes curving into crescents. Shen Mo smiled too: "Impressive, President Li, the first one born in the 90s."

Li Yitong gave a smug hum, then snuggled back into his arms, burying her face in his chest, and mumbled, "Am I dreaming?"

Shen Mo gently rubbed her cheeks; they were chubby and felt quite nice to pinch. "Haven't you realized yet?"

Li Yitong looked up at him, then stretched out her long, slender fingers and pinched Shen Mo's face: "Does it hurt?"

"You didn't even use any force, why does it hurt!" As he spoke, Shen Mo tightened his grip on her cheek slightly.

Li Yitong hissed and slapped his hand away: "Ouch!"

Shen Mo chuckled: "If it hurts, it's not a dream."

Li Yitong rubbed her face and glared at him fiercely, but after glaring, she couldn't help but laugh. As she laughed, she buried her face back in his arms.

"Amo, I'm so happy."

Shen Mo gently stroked her smooth back: "As long as you're happy."

"In my past life, I graced the covers of three of the five major fashion magazines: O, Harper's Bazaar, and ELLE."

Li Yitong's voice was gentle and soothing.

"Marie Claire did shoot an inside page once, while VOGUE only had one photo of me in a group display of more than a dozen celebrities."

"Back then, I was incredibly envious of others who had collected the covers of all five major magazines."

Her voice was very soft, as if she were telling a story from a long time ago. Shen Mo didn't speak, but just hugged her tighter.

"Back then, I wondered when I would be able to collect all five major publications."

She paused, then laughed: "I don't seem to have that thought anymore, but in the end, I have all five books."

Shen Mo looked down at her; Li Yitong's eyes were bright and sparkling, filled with light.

"Amo, am I really not dreaming?"

Shen Mo smiled and placed a kiss on her forehead. "This is nothing."

"I think this is just the beginning."

As soon as she finished speaking, Li Yitong's phone rang again. Li Yitong looked at her phone and then turned to look at Shen Mo.

"You seem to be right! But will it be better than the top five magazines?"