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

On October 13th, at 10 PM, at the hotel where the cast and crew of "Ode to Joy" were staying.

As soon as Bai Lu entered Tian Xiwei's room after washing up, she was amused by the scene before her.

Balloons of all colors—pink, gold, silver—filled half the living room, some still floating on the ceiling, others already rolled under the sofa.

Colorful ribbons hung haphazardly on lamps, curtains, and televisions, without any order or arrangement.

Li Qin stood on a chair, trying her best to stick a "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" banner on the wall. She tried her best to stick it on, standing on tiptoe because she wasn't tall enough, and her brows were slightly furrowed, but the banner was still obviously crooked.

"It's tilted to the left," Bai Lu pointed out.

Upon hearing this, Li Qin moved to the right.

"I said the left side was crooked, why did you move it to the right?"

Li Qin glanced down at her, expressionless: "You said the left side was crooked, so I moved it to the right. Isn't that the proper thing to do?"

Bai Lu was stunned for a moment, then realized what she meant and laughed so hard she couldn't stand up straight: "Li Qin, what kind of logic is that! If it's crooked, why don't you just straighten it? Why move it to the right?"

Li Qin also realized what was happening, her lips twitched slightly, and she continued to adjust the banner.

Beside the sofa, Wang Churan and Liu Haocun were squatting on the ground, looking at a pile of air pumps and uninflated balloons with worry.

"It's broken, what should I do?" Wang Churan picked up an air pump, examined it for two seconds, and then gave up. "I don't know how to fix it."

Liu Haocun pursed his lips softly: "I don't know either..."

The two looked at each other, then simultaneously turned to look at Li Qin, who was putting up a banner.

Li Qin caught their gazes out of the corner of her eye, but without turning her head, she said, "Don't look at me, I don't know either."

The two then looked at Bai Lu, who simply shrugged and said, "I can't fix it either, I can only give instructions."

The four of them fell silent for a second. Wang Churan rolled her eyes helplessly: "Then we'll just have to blow on it!"

Liu Hao looked at the bag of deflated balloons in front of him and sighed heavily. "I can already feel my cheeks hurting."

Bai Lu burst out laughing, walked over, squatted down, picked up an air pump and examined it: "If only someone knew how to fix this..."

Before they could finish speaking, there was a knock on the door. All four of them stopped what they were doing and looked at the door.

"Who is it?" Tian Xiwei's voice came from the bathroom. She had just finished showering and was brushing her teeth, toothpaste foam still in her mouth. She asked indistinctly, "Did anyone order takeout?"

Bai Lu put down the air pump in her hand, stood up, and ran over with a clattering sound.

The door opened, and two familiar figures stood in the doorway. Bai Lu was stunned for a moment, then her face instantly broke into a big smile.

"Brother Mo! Sister Tong! You're here!"

The room instantly became lively.

"Who is it?" Tian Xiwei's voice came from the bathroom, tinged with urgency. "Who is it?"

She poked her head out with a toothbrush in her mouth and immediately saw the two people at the door. Her eyes widened instantly.

The next second, she pulled the toothbrush out of her mouth and threw it on the sink. Then she drank water, rinsed her mouth, and spat it out in one go. She didn't even have time to wipe her mouth before rushing over barefoot.

"Brother Mo!! Sister Tong!!!"

Like a small cannonball, she pounced straight over, hugging Shen Mo with her left hand and Li Yitong with her right, hanging on him, her almond-shaped eyes narrowed into slits with laughter.

"Why did you all come here! You didn't even say a word!"

Li Yitong smiled indulgently. This girl's strength had increased again; her arm was a little sore from being gripped so tightly.

She reached out and pulled away, smiling as she patted her head: "Gently, gently, you're hurting me."

Tian Xi chuckled and wrapped her small hand around Li Yitong's armpit, putting it around her back.

Shen Mo smiled and patted her on the back: "After midnight, you'll be an adult. How could we possibly miss such an important birthday?"

Tian Xi looked up at them, her eyes sparkling, "I thought you weren't coming until tomorrow..."

Li Yitong reached out and pinched her cheek: "We originally planned to come tomorrow, but considering that you have to film tomorrow, your brother Mo said we'll come at midnight to celebrate your coming-of-age birthday."

Tian Xi paused for a moment, then turned to look at Shen Mo, who shrugged: "What? Don't want it to be past midnight?"

"Yes!" Tian Xiwei nodded vigorously. "I want to so much!"

Bai Lu closed the door and pushed the group of people from behind into the room. "Stop talking at the door, let's go inside!"

"Brother Mo, Sister Tong!"

Wang Churan and Liu Haocun were still sitting on the ground, but their bodies had been turned ninety degrees as they looked at Shen Mo and Li Yitong, with bright smiles on their faces.

Upon seeing Shen Mo, Wang Churan's eyes suddenly lit up. "Brother Mo! I desperately need your help!"

Shen Mo walked over and sat down next to her. "What's wrong?"

Liu Haocun realized what was happening and said softly, "Brother Mo, the air pump is broken. Could you help me fix it?"

Li Yitong also came over and pulled Tian Xiwei to sit down next to her.

Then, he pulled a tissue from the coffee table with one hand and pinched Tian Xiwei's chin with the other, saying, "You don't even wipe your mouth after brushing your teeth. You're almost an adult, but you still act like a little kid."

Tian Xi chuckled, raised her chin towards Li Yitong, closed her eyes contentedly, and let Li Yitong wipe her.

Tossing aside the tissue in her hand, Li Yitong turned to the other side, "Thank you for your hard work, it must have been difficult to set this up like this, right?"

Wang Churan pouted: "It's not easy. We're practically blowing up balloons with our cheeks."

As she spoke, a slow smile crookedly appeared on her lips. "Li Qin even put up the banner crookedly just now."

Li Qin had just gotten off the chair when she laughed irritably and rolled her eyes at her, saying, "If you're so good, you do it."

Wang Churan shrank her neck: "I should be able to do it, after all, I'm a bit taller than you, Sister Qin."

Li Qin frowned, walked around the coffee table and pounced on Wang Churan, yelling as he pinned her down and raised his arm high to slap her buttocks hard several times.

While filming, he said, "You little brat, you think I can't handle you?!"

Everyone who saw this burst into laughter.

Shen Mo studied it for a long time, even taking the air pump apart, but still couldn't find the problem, so he simply gave up.

He looked around at the crooked ribbons, the balloons scattered on the ground, and the banners hanging in the air, and couldn't help but smile.

"This arrangement..." he paused, "is very artistic."

After dealing with Wang Churan, Li Lin sat down directly behind her. Upon hearing this, she turned to look at Shen Mo and raised an eyebrow.

"Shen Mo, is that a compliment or an insult?"

Shen Mo raised an eyebrow at her. "Of course it's a compliment! It's creative, and it's aesthetically pleasing!"

"Absolutely amazing!"

After saying that, he gave a thumbs up.

Enraged, Li Qin picked up the balloon bag from the ground and threw it at Shen Mo, scattering the balloons all over the ground.

She finished work early today; this is the masterpiece she painstakingly created over several hours after coming back early.

The group laughed again.

Looking at the people laughing and joking around the room, and at the decorations that, though unprofessional, were full of heart, Tian Xiwei's eyes couldn't help but sting.

She then took a deep breath and blinked hard, suppressing the heat.

Li Yitong noticed her expression and gently put her arm around her shoulder. "What's wrong?"

Tian Xi shook her head slightly, hugged Li Yitong's arm, turned her head and leaned in, leaving a kiss mark directly on her face.

"Nothing much...hehehe...just...happy!"

Li Yitong was caught off guard by the sudden kiss. She instinctively shrank back, paused for a second, then smiled and reached out to hug Tian Xiwei even tighter.

"You brat! You have no manners!"

Tian Xi shook her head smugly and moved even closer to Li Yitong.

Bai Lu clapped her hands beside her, "Alright, alright, Tong Xinwei, stop showing off!"

"Quick, quick, everyone stop standing there and blow up balloons!"

"Otherwise, it's almost midnight, and with only a few scattered balloons, if we take a picture and post it online, people will think we're stingy!"

She bent down and picked up the balloons that had been scattered all over the ground, stuffing a handful into everyone's arms.

"Here you go, Brother Mo, Sister Tong, Sister Qin, Chu Ran, Cun Zi... and you too, birthday boy, don't even think about slacking off!"

Tian Xiwei took the bunch of balloons Bai Lu handed her, pouting in protest: "It's my birthday today, and I still have to work?"

"It's not your birthday yet!" Bai Lu raised an eyebrow. "Besides, it's only meaningful to do things yourself on your own birthday."

Tian Xi hummed and hawed a couple of times, but still obediently picked up a balloon and started blowing it up.

For a moment, the room was filled with the whooshing sound of blowing air and the rustling sound of balloons rubbing together.

While blowing on the glass, Bai Lu asked indistinctly, "Brother Mo, is your and Sister Tong's Mo Tong Fund making a profit or a loss now?"

Wang Churan put down the half-blown balloon and looked at Shen Mo with sparkling eyes: "Yeah, Brother Mo, everyone outside is saying you guys lost a fortune!"

Shen Mo's lips curled into a slight smile, deliberately keeping everyone in suspense: "Guess whether I made a profit or a loss?"

Wang Churan pursed her lips and rolled her eyes: "Fine, don't tell me then. If I could guess, why would I ask you?"

Li Yitong frowned and drooped her eyelids, saying, "What a loss! Your sister Tong is now penniless! From now on, you'll have to rely on your earnings to support us..."

Liu Haocun's eyes widened suddenly, and he exclaimed in surprise, "Really? Can we not buy it? That's billions!"

Shen Mo tied a knot in the inflated balloon and tossed it aside casually: "So you guys have to study hard and act well, that way you can earn more money. Otherwise, your brother Mo's company can't afford to support you, so I'll have to sell you to raise money!"

Tian Xi's eyes lit up: "Don't sell! Don't sell! If you don't have money, I'll slaughter a pig to support you!"

Li Yitong was taken aback, exchanged a glance with Shen Mo, and then burst out laughing, her eyes curving into crescents. The people around her also simultaneously made a "tsk" sound.

Clearly, this girl was probably having some dreams again. Li Yitong remembered that this line was a famous scene from the trailer of one of her dramas.

Li Qin shook his head and didn't say anything, but Bai Lu pouted and said, "You guys just listen to them bragging, they're lying to you! If your brother Mo loses money, I'll change my surname to his!"

Liu Haocun murmured, "Shen Baishi?"

As soon as those three words were uttered, almost everyone turned to look at her immediately, startling her so much that she widened her eyes and covered her mouth.

Liu Haocun murmured, "Shen Baishi?"

As soon as those three words were uttered, almost everyone turned to look at her immediately, startling her so much that she widened her eyes and covered her mouth.

Bai Lu blushed and lowered her head. However, she glanced at Li Yitong a few times and was relieved to find that Li Yitong did not have any special expression. But she still did not dare to raise her head.

Li Qin glanced at Bai Lu and said calmly to help her out of the predicament: "These days, all the stock market investors online are worshipping you two like gods."

Liu Haocun nodded frantically, very grateful to Li Qin for changing the subject.

"Yes, yes, yes! I saw it when I was scrolling through Weibo; someone said you two are their eternal idols!"

Tian Xi cleared her throat and mimicked the tone of a marketing account: "The only top female celebrity born in the 90s! The leading lady in domestic films! A darling of the fashion world! A queen of the capital world!"

Li Yitong blushed and quickly covered Tian Xiwei's mouth, saying, "Alright, alright, stop reading! It's too embarrassing..."

The group burst into laughter at her appearance.

Tian Xiwei rested her head on Li Yitong's shoulder. "Sister Tong, do you think I can become as famous as you?"

Li Yitong reached out and ruffled her hair: "What's the rush? You're only eighteen. When I was eighteen, I was still stretching my legs in the Beijing Dance Academy's practice room."

Tian Xi thought for a moment, then grinned and said, "That's true."

Liu Haocun nodded repeatedly, standing beside him: "Xiao Tian'er will definitely become a big star in the future."

Wang Churan nodded: "Absolutely. Otherwise, how could we justify spending so late here blowing up balloons for her?"

Tian Xi turned her head and glared at her: "Wang Churan, if you don't want to brag, then don't. Don't beg me when you come of age!"

Wang Churan glared at him angrily: "What do you want to do?"

The two started arguing again.

Bai Lu suddenly sighed, "Speaking of which, Sister Tong is like she's got a cheat code; I'm so envious!"

Li Qin casually replied, "You can too."

Bai Lu was taken aback for a moment. Li Qin looked up at Shen Mo and smiled slightly, "Work hard on your acting, and do your best. Your brother Mo will get you up there, right, Shen Mo?"

Bai Lu looked at her, then at Shen Mo, and suddenly laughed: "Sister Qin, you're talking a lot today."

Li Qin rolled her eyes at her, her ears turning slightly red.

Time flew by as they chatted. Bai Lu glanced at her phone unintentionally and suddenly exclaimed, "Oh no! It's 11:50!"

Holy crap, it really is!

"So fast?"

"How long did we talk?"

"About an hour..."

Bai Lu slapped her thigh: "Stop talking nonsense, hurry up and prepare the cake!"

A group of people hurriedly began to act.

Li Lin went to get the cake, Bai Lu started playing with the balloons, Wang Churan and Liu Haocun cleaned up the clutter on the coffee table, and Tian Xiwei stood there, watching the group of people busy around, with a bright smile on her face.

The cake was arranged, and two number candles were inserted, one "1" and the other "8", standing neatly on top.

Bai Lu took out a lighter and lit the candles one by one. The moment the candlelight came on, Wang Churan turned off the lights in the room.

Everyone gathered around the cake, watching the flickering candlelight.

Tian Xiwei, wearing a golden birthday crown, stood directly in front of the cake, the brim of her hat slightly askew.

Her face was flushed red by the candlelight, and her eyes sparkled with tiny, twinkling lights.

Liu Haocun took out his phone, turned on the video recording, stood opposite her, and smiled as he recorded this special moment.

Li Yitong glanced at the time on her phone and said softly, "Xiaotian, close your eyes."

Tian Xi nodded slightly, put her hands together, and closed her eyes.

"3!"

"2!"

"1!"

Happy Birthday!

Birthday songs rang out from everyone's mouths, sung cheerfully, but the tunes were completely off-key.

The candlelight flickered on Tian Xiwei's face, her eyelashes trembled slightly, and a faint smile played on her lips.

Shen Mo looked at the girl in front of him and his heart suddenly clenched.

Eighteen years old, an adult.

He remembered the first time he saw her in this life. She was only fourteen years old, surrounded by several classmates, stubbornly biting her lip.

He went over to help her out of the predicament, and she looked up at him with a defiant spirit in her eyes.

Later, he took her to the clinic. At that time, she was just a little girl with a soft voice and shallow dimples when she smiled.

Later, she came to the capital and joined Mohen, growing from a little girl into what she is now.

He watched her grow up little by little, watching her transform from a timid little girl into the outspoken, passionate, and outspoken Tian Xiwei.

And now, she's eighteen!

Shen Mo took a deep breath, his breathing quickening slightly.

Under the table, his hands unconsciously clenched into fists.

He and Li Yitong had talked many times about Tian Xiwei's memories during this period. They knew that Tian Xiwei's fragmented memories of her past life were being pieced back together little by little.

She dreamed of more and more things, and they became clearer and clearer, until one day they would all come to light.

But which day exactly?

They considered many possibilities: Could it be a special moment? Could it be a special day?

Under the table, Li Yitong quietly reached out and took his hand.

Her palms were a little damp, her fingertips were slightly cool, and she gripped his hand harder than usual.

She didn't look at him; her gaze remained fixed on Tian Xiwei's face. She appeared calm, but her hands betrayed everything.

Not only was Shen Mo nervous, but Li Yitong was just as nervous.

The two people held hands tightly under the table, waiting for an answer.

The birthday songs gradually faded away, and the room became quiet, with only the faint sounds of the city outside the window.

In the room, everything seemed to stand still as everyone waited for Tian Xiwei to finish making her wish.

She clasped her hands together, closed her eyes, and the candlelight flickered on her face for a long time. The wishing process took a little longer than usual, but no one urged her on, no one spoke, and even Bai Lu, who was usually very talkative, became quiet.

Shen Mo looked at her face, his heartbeat growing louder and louder in his ears.

If she remembers, how will she face all of this now?

His Adam's apple bobbed, and he swallowed unconsciously. Li Yitong gripped his hand even tighter, her nails almost digging into the back of his hand.

Tian Xiwei's brows furrowed slightly, very lightly and briefly, but both of them noticed it.

Shen Mo's heart skipped a beat, and Li Yitong's fingers trembled slightly.

Tian Xiwei's eyelashes trembled slightly, her brows suddenly relaxed, and her eyes slowly opened. Her eyes were very bright, and reflected in the candlelight, they looked like two pieces of amber.

She looked at the cake in front of her, glanced around at the people around her, her gaze lingering slightly on Shen Mo and Li Yitong's faces before her lips slowly curved into a smile, revealing shallow dimples.

"I've made my promise!"

Tian Xiwei's clasped hands suddenly opened, and she raised them above her head, shouting loudly in a light tone, with a hint of pride and the excitement of a child showing off a secret.

Shen Mo stared intently into her eyes for a long time.

Those eyes held light, laughter, and everything an eighteen-year-old girl should have.

But there was nothing he expected to see.

There was no sense of being in another world, no bewilderment, no tears, no complexity.

It was just Tian Xiwei.

Tian Xiwei, who had just turned eighteen and made her birthday wish, was overjoyed.

Shen Mo's hand slowly loosened its grip, and he could feel that Li Yitong's hand also suddenly relaxed. At this moment, both of their palms were sweaty and pressed together.

Isn't it today?

Old Tian didn't come back today...

He couldn't explain how he felt.

Was it a sigh of relief? Or a little disappointing?

It seems like it has both, yet it also seems like it doesn't.

His heartbeat gradually returned to normal, and the feeling of urgency that had been so intense it felt like his heart was about to leap out of his throat gradually subsided.

Instead, he had a strange feeling, like waiting for a long-awaited downpour. The sky had been overcast for a long time, and the clouds were very thick. He thought a storm was coming, but in the end, the clouds dispersed and the sun came out again.

Li Yitong pulled her hand out of his palm, subtly wiping it on her pants to clean the sweat from her palm.

She took a deep breath, a smile returned to her face, and reached out to straighten Tian Xiwei's crooked crown.

"What did you wish for?" She raised her crescent-shaped eyes, her tone exactly the same as usual.

Tian Xi looked up at her, smiling mysteriously: "I won't tell you, otherwise it won't work."

"Tch, who cares?" Li Yitong rolled her eyes, but the corners of her mouth were still curved.

Bai Lu was already shouting from the side, "Blow out the candles! Blow out the candles! Blow them out now!"

Tian Xiwei hummed in agreement, placed her hands on the coffee table, took a deep breath, and blew hard at the candle.

The flames all fell down, and the surroundings were instantly plunged into darkness.

A second later, the lights came on again, and Wang Churan went over and turned on the living room light.

"Happy coming of age!" Bai Lu was the first to shout.

Li Qin silently handed the cake knife to Tian Xiwei and said calmly, "Cut it."

Tian Xiwei took the knife, looked down at the cake, removed the candles, took a deep breath, aimed at the middle, and cut it down.

"Your knife skills aren't good enough," Wang Churan said, leaning closer.

"If you're so good, then you do it!"

"I'll go, then I'll go."

The two started bickering again, and Liu Haocun, standing nearby, gestured, "Hey, Chu Ran, don't snatch it, let the birthday boy have it..."

Bai Lu had already reached out and taken the cake that Tian Xiwei had cut and handed out, but pushed it back to her: "The birthday girl eats first!"

Tian Xiwei took the plate, nodded, forked a piece and stuffed it into her mouth, her cheeks bulging, and said indistinctly, "So sweet."

Just as Tian Xiwei took a bite, Wang Churan had already sliced ​​it into pieces and plated it.

After finishing, he gave Tian Xiwei a provocative look, "How about it? I cut it better than you, right?"

Tian Xi turned her head dismissively, put down the cake in her hand, picked up two plates and handed them to Shen Mo and Li Yitong.

Wang Churan picked up a piece of cake with her fork and just put it in her mouth when suddenly her eyes darted around. Then, her fork "accidentally" picked up a small dollop of cream from the cake, flicked her wrist, and landed precisely on Liu Haocun's nose.

Liu Haocun froze instantly. She stared at the white cream on the tip of her nose, her eyes slowly widening into a cross shape, looking like a little white rabbit that had been acupunctured.

"Hey! Wang Churan!"

She called out softly and reached out to wipe it, but Wang Churan had already fallen to the ground laughing so hard that he couldn't even hold the fork properly.

Tian Xiwei was the first to stand up for justice, or rather, she found an excuse to take action.

"Hey! Where do you think you're going, you monster! I'll avenge you, Cunzi!"

She dipped her finger in a large dollop of cream, aimed at Wang Churan, and pounced. Wang Churan reacted quickly, flipping over to dodge, and the dollop of cream splattered onto the floor behind her.

"Tian Xiwei, what are you doing here!"

"You bullied Cunzi, I'll act on behalf of Heaven to avenge you!"

The two men faced off across Liu Haocun, one holding a fork covered in cream, the other with cream still clinging to his fingers.

Liu Haocun still had a dollop of cream on the tip of his nose, and he was caught in the middle of the battle, looking completely innocent.

Bai Lu watched the commotion from the sidelines, laughing so hard she slapped her thigh, almost spitting out the cake in her mouth.

She laughed so loudly that Wang Churan and Tian Xiwei turned to look at her at the same time. Bai Lu realized the danger and turned to run away, but suddenly a scream came from the other side.

"Hey! Tian Xiwei, you're bullying me too!"

"It wasn't me!"

Liu Haocun wiped the cream off his face, his fingers covered in white cream.

"It's you! Your hands are covered in cream!"

"That's from when I was cutting the cake!"

"I saw your hands!"

"All of you, charge in!"

Seeing the three of them fighting and the scene completely out of control, Bai Lu was stunned for a moment. Hehe, no one was paying attention to her anymore, but she was a little envious. She wanted to play too.

She suddenly noticed something unusual. Li Yitong, who was sitting on the ground opposite her, was holding a plate and slowly backing away with a smile on her lips.

Suddenly, a dollop of cream fell from the sky and hit her squarely between the eyebrows.

The cream slid down the bridge of her nose, paused for a second on the tip, and then continued down, hanging above her lips.

Li Yitong subconsciously closed her eyes, pursed her lips into a thin line, and frowned deeply.

"Oops... I threw it away in the wrong place..."

Bai Lu's voice came from the other side, carrying a hint of affectation and guilt.

Li Yitong opened her eyes, glared at her fiercely, and gritted her teeth, "You threw it away by mistake, didn't you!"

Bai Lu raised an eyebrow. Her spider-like reaction was at its peak. She knew that this was a sign that Li Yitong was about to retaliate.

Li Yitong grabbed the cake from her hand, rubbed her hands together to enchant it, and then charged towards Bai Lu.

Bai Lu screamed and backed away, but there was a sofa behind her, leaving her nowhere to retreat.

Li Yitong threw herself onto Bai Lu, pressing the cake in her hand precisely onto Bai Lu's face.

She couldn't stop laughing, pressing herself against Bai Lu and rubbing her face repeatedly with both hands.

suddenly!

"ah--!!!"

"Li Yitong! You definitely did this on purpose!"

Li Qin, sitting next to Bai Lu, exclaimed in surprise and looked down at the five-finger mark on her chest. Just now, Li Yitong raised her hand and casually slapped her on the chest.

Li Yitong chuckled, still on top of Bai Lu, and raised her eyebrows provocatively, showing no intention of getting up.

Bai Lu's face was covered with layers of cream, and muffled sobs of resistance came from Li Yitong's men.

But Li Lin understood.

Because Bai Lu reached out and grabbed her arm, then frantically pointed at Li Yitong with her fingers.

Li Lin understood! She reacted instantly, then grabbed the cream and slapped it onto Li Yitong's face.

If we miss today, where will we find another opportunity to openly and legitimately gang up on Li Yitong?

"Li Lin!!!"

Li Yitong's laughter stopped abruptly, and a muffled scream came from Li Qin's palm, which was also covered in cream.

Taking advantage of the situation, Bai Lu turned around and, instead of being the one on top, pressed Li Yitong down onto the sofa with Li Qin on either side.

Li Yitong struggled to sit up, but Bai Lu and Li Lin were pressing her down, so she couldn't move at all.

Three people were rolling around in a heap on one side, while the battle on the other side was equally intense.

Wang Churan and Liu Haocun also joined forces to pin Tian Xiwei down, after all, one person couldn't subdue this little tyrannosaurus.

"Wang Churan, let me go!"

"I won't let go!"

"Liu Haocun, why are you siding with her too!"

Liu Haocun, perched on Tian Xiwei's lap with cream still on his hands, said in a cute but fierce tone, "You smeared cream on my face too..."

"Wang Churan struck first!"

"But you've got the most bloopers," Wang Churan added.

Tian Xi was slightly angry. She struggled a couple of times but couldn't break free, so she simply gave up. She lay on the ground, panting heavily, her chest heaving violently. "You...you wait..."

She said weakly, "Wait until I recover..."

Wang Churan looked down at her, a smug smile playing on his lips: "You're not going to recover."

She then reached out and began to draw on Tian Xiwei's face.

Tian Xi let out a slight scream, and after gathering her strength, she suddenly flipped over, throwing Liu Haocun off her and rolling around with Wang Churan in her arms.

Shen Mo sat there happily, just like the day he returned in his previous life.

This time, however, the girl celebrating her birthday didn't throw herself into his arms or use him as a shield.

In the end, no one was clean, including Shen Mo. Everyone's face was covered in cream, but everyone was smiling and everyone was happy.

After wiping themselves down briefly, everyone dispersed one by one.

Bai Lu and Li Lin were staying in adjacent rooms of the same hotel, so she left first.

Wang Churan and Liu Haocun had to attend class the next day, so they left together.

There were only three people left in the room, along with balloons scattered all over the floor and an unfinished cake.

Shen Mo stood up and was about to leave with Li Yitong when her arm was grabbed by a pair of hands.

"Sister Tong—!"

Tian Xiwei's voice trailed off, carrying a sticky, coquettish tone, "Why don't you stay with me tonight?"

Li Yitong was stunned for a moment.

Tian Xiwei pressed her face against her arm, looked up at her, her big eyes blinking, and her little mouth slightly pouting.

"Anyway, you're with me every day, so one more day won't make a difference."

When Tian Xiwei said those words, Li Yitong's face instantly turned red.

She felt shy and guilty; no matter how she listened, something just didn't feel right.

However, she suddenly realized that this wasn't something Xiao Tian'er would say, given his personality. Could it be that Lao Tian'er was pretending?

"What did you say!" She reached out and pinched Tian Xiwei's cheek, her crescent-shaped smiling eyes staring intently into Tian Xiwei's eyes.

Tian Xi smiled and dodged away, as if she hadn't noticed Li Yitong's gaze, and instead reached out and hugged her even tighter.

"Please, Sister Tong, tonight! It's my birthday, are you going to leave me all alone to sleep?"

Shen Mo looked at the two of them, a slight smile playing on his lips. He waved and turned to walk outside. "Alright, I'll go back first. You stay with her. I'll bring you some clothes tomorrow morning."

Li Yitong pursed her lips, unable to discern anything from Tian Xi's subtle expression.

She turned to look at Shen Mo, her eyes filled with a hint of sorrow. Shen Mo turned back, raised an eyebrow, and returned a helpless look.

The two stared at each other for a second, then Li Yitong gave in and sighed, "Fine."

Tian Xi gave a slight cheer and waved to Shen Mo, "Goodbye, Brother Mo! Take care on your journey!"

Shen Mo smiled, shook his head, and walked out the door.

Li Yitong and Tian Xiwei lay on the bed, embracing each other. The lights were off, and a little bit of city light shone through the curtains.

Tian Xi snuggled in her arms, nuzzling like a kitten, finding a comfortable position.

"Sister Tong."

"Um?"

Thank you for staying with me.

Li Yitong paused for a second, then gently patted her back: "Go to sleep."

Tian Xiwei hummed in agreement and closed her eyes.

Li Yitong opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling. Tian Xiwei was holding her arm, and she could feel her even breathing.

She couldn't sleep, and one thing kept replaying in her mind—who was she now?

Is it the little Tian'er who ran off to the capital at the age of fourteen and whom she watched grow up? Or is it the old Tian'er who appeared on variety shows with her in her past life, laughed and joked together, and finally said "I want to marry Shen Mo"?

Or... both?

She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, wanting to test the waters, but each time the words reached her lips, she swallowed them back.

She slowly closed her eyes, trying to suppress those chaotic thoughts.

Tian Xiwei shifted slightly in her arms. Actually, she was also feeling a little uncomfortable because her dreams had been rather strange lately.

She dreamt that she was Mo Ge's girlfriend!! Sister Tong, no!!!

How is that possible!

She stole Tong Jie's boyfriend, yet Tong Jie continues to treat her and Mo Ge well as always!

Mo Ge actually abandoned Tong Jie; even if she were the one who abandoned him, she would still find it hard to accept.

Scumbag!

She had previously suspected the relationship between Shen Mo, Bai Lu, and Li Lin, but even so, at least he hadn't abandoned Sister Tong.

But what about my own dream?

Could it be that Mo Ge will abandon Tong Jie for his own sake in the future?

That's even more of a scumbag!

I really want to punch him!

But that was something that hadn't happened yet; it was a vision of the future. How could I blame him for that?

What's more, this is the Mo-ge that Sister Tong has always loved, and that I have always loved too!

She couldn't bring herself to say it, because it was a future vision she had seen in her dream that hadn't actually happened. Should she tell them about it?

If I tell them that Brother Mo will abandon Sister Tong for me in the future, will they believe me? If they do believe me, will I then make them both wary of me and stay away from me?

Personally, she didn't want to; she didn't want to be far away from them.

So, Sister Tong, please forgive my selfishness.

I don't want to compete with you, but I also don't want to drift away.

……

The next morning, before it was fully light, Li Yitong woke up. She had something on her mind and couldn't fall back asleep.

Tian Xiwei was still asleep, curled up in the blanket, with only her fluffy head and half her face showing.

Li Yitong stared at her; the morning light was faint, only vaguely outlining her silhouette.

Her brows relaxed, her lips parted slightly, and she occasionally smacked her lips, as if she were dreaming of something delicious.

Li Yitong looked at it for a long time, but she still wanted to confirm it.

A person's guard is weakest when they are half-asleep or just waking up.

Tian Xiwei was not a professionally trained agent, so it was impossible for her to have made such preparations.

So she wanted to see her first reaction when she woke up and opened her eyes.

After waiting for about ten minutes, or perhaps a long time, Tian Xiwei's eyelashes fluttered.

Li Yitong held her breath. Tian Xiwei slowly opened her eyes, her pupils still unfocused and hazy.

She saw Li Yitong, a slight smile appeared on her lips, revealing her dimples. She looked like a sleepy kitten, mumbling as she pounced on him.

"Sister Tong..."

She buried her face in Li Yitong's arms, rubbed against her chest, and nuzzled against her, like a caterpillar in its pupa, wishing she could stick herself completely to Li Yitong.

"What time is it..." Her voice was muffled, with a heavy nasal tone, and unclear. "Is it time to get up...?"

Li Yitong looked down at the fluffy head in her arms, paused for two seconds, and then smiled.

His smile was a mix of helplessness and relief—such a reaction, so typical of Xiao Tian'er.

There were no complicated emotions of past and present lives, no eye contact that felt like a lifetime ago. This was just an eighteen-year-old girl who hadn't woken up properly, clinging to her and grumbling about wanting to stay in bed.

She patted Tian Xiwei on the back: "It's still early, you can sleep a little longer."

"Oh..." Tian Xi responded softly, already drifting off to sleep again. Li Yitong lay there, staring at the ceiling, and let out a long sigh.

Last night, Li Yitong's clothes were ruined by the cake fight. When Shen Mo came to deliver the clothes, Tian Xiwei had already rushed to the film set.

Li Yitong, wrapped in a blanket, opened the door and ran back to bed with a clatter. Shen Mo shook his head with a smile, closed the door, and followed her in.

Li Yitong huddled under the covers, just like at home. When she saw Shen Mo come in, she patted the empty spot next to her, where Tian Xiwei had slept the night before. The blanket was still a little warm.

Shen Mo smiled slightly, took off his coat, and lay down.

Li Yitong immediately leaned closer, buried her face in his chest, and curled up into a small ball.

Shen Mo held her in his arms without saying a word. After a long while, Li Yitong spoke up, "I hesitated for a long time last night about whether or not to give it a try."

Shen Mo's hand paused slightly: "Try what?"

"I want to test her," Li Yitong snuggled closer to him, "to see if she...has come back."

Shen Mo remained silent, and Li Yitong sighed, "In the end, I still couldn't bring myself to say it. I got up very early this morning, still wanting to see her reaction when she first woke up."

"But—" Li Yitong looked up, her eyes filled with complex emotions, "and then she threw herself into my arms, acting like a complete little brat."

Shen Mo was stunned for a moment, and Li Yitong buried her face back down. "Just like usual."

The room was silent for a few seconds. Shen Mo gently patted her back. "So you think she didn't come back?"

Li Yitong was silent for a moment, then shook her head. "I don't know."

"Judging from her behavior last night, she was exactly the same as Xiaotian before, and she was the same this morning."

"However, what Xiaotian said last night, 'Brother Mo, you spend every day with me, so what's one more day?' is not something Xiaotian would normally say."

"So I'm not sure if she's still Xiao Tian'er, or if Lao Tian'er has regained her memories but is just pretending not to show it."

Li Yitong looked at Shen Mo, pondering for a long time.

"I've figured it out now."

"If she doesn't come back, our hasty probing might scare her; but if she does come back but pretends she isn't, our probing won't do any good."

She paused for a moment, then said, "So all we can do is wait, wait until she really shows signs of regaining her memory, or wait until she wants to talk, or whenever she's willing to talk."

Shen Mo's hand stopped on her back and didn't move.

"Amo." Her deep, magnetic voice carried a hint of doubt.

"Given your relationship with Lao Tian, ​​what do you think?"

"Is she back?"