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

Li Yitong was woken up by the sunlight. She squinted at the light coming through the gap in the curtains, then reached for her phone and saw that it was ten o'clock.

She paused for a moment, then turned over and buried her face in Shen Mo's arms again.

Besides the familiar scent of Shen Mo, there was also a faint, refreshing fragrance—Tian Xiwei's scent—that was incredibly alluring.

"Are you asleep too?" Li Yitong's voice was slightly hoarse from just waking up.

"I took a nap."

Li Yitong paused for a second: "I slept for another three hours?"

Shen Mo hummed in agreement. After lying down for a while, he kept using his phone to handle official business.

Shen Mo gently stroked her back with his hand, without urging her to get up. Li Yitong hadn't slept well last night, and this nap was so deep and heavy that she didn't even dream.

Now that she was fully awake, she stretched and gradually became more alert. Looking at Shen Mo beside her and smelling the unusual scent from the blankets, her eyes suddenly lit up.

She reached out and quietly touched the buttons on the front of Shen Mo's shirt, one, two...

Shen Mo noticed the unusual activity under the blanket, paused abruptly, a slight smile playing on his lips, put down his phone, and reached out to grab her mischievous little hand. "What do you want to do?"

"think!"

Li Yitong nodded seriously, her face full of earnestness.

After a two-second pause, her crescent-shaped eyes suddenly lit up, and a sly smile appeared on her lips.

"Don't you think this environment is quite special?"

Shen Mo's grip on her hand trembled slightly, and he slowly loosened his hold. Li Yitong's smile became even brighter. With a slight movement, she broke free from Shen Mo's grasp and continued her little antics.

One button at a time, until all the shirt buttons were undone, and with a "click," the belt was also loosened.

"Hmph..."

Li Yitong looked at Shen Mo with a mischievous grin, "You still refuse? You're clearly being very tough!"

As she spoke, she tightened her grip a little, and a warm sensation, both soft and firm, emanated from her fingertips, causing a blush to gradually rise from her neck to her cheeks.

Shen Mo cupped Li Yitong's small face in his hands and slowly leaned closer, their breaths mingling on each other's faces.

With her cherry-like lips so close, just as Shen Mo was about to kiss her, Li Yitong suddenly stuck out her tongue and flicked it across his lips, a mischievous and provocative smile on her face.

Shen Mo could no longer hold back, and their lips met. He wrapped one arm around her slender neck and pulled her tightly into his arms, as if he wanted to meld her into his own body.

Li Yitong raised her head, her crescent-shaped eyes slightly glazed, her small mouth slightly open, and she was breathing heavily.

Her hands gripped Shen Mo's back tightly, her knuckles white, leaving several bright red marks.

Suddenly, Shen Mo's phone on the bedside table started vibrating continuously, causing the two people who were pressed tightly together to stop abruptly.

Li Yitong turned her head to look, and the caller ID showed a familiar bright smiling face, with the three words "Tian Xiwei" below it immediately catching her eye.

That was last night on her birthday, after the cake fight, when Tian Xiwei took a selfie with Shen Mo's phone.

From Li Yitong's perspective, her eyes met those of Tian Xiwei in the profile picture.

She turned to Shen Mo with a blank expression, "Should I answer it?"

"Do you think you can answer now?" Shen Mo moved slightly, and a tingling sensation swept over Li Yitong's brain.

Seeing the mischievous smile on Shen Mo's face, Li Yitong couldn't help but pout, a pang of guilt flashing through her mind.

But then a strange sense of novelty and excitement suddenly welled up in her heart. She wrapped her arms around Shen Mo's neck and gently kissed him. "Then, let Tian'er tremble for a while!"

On the bedside table, Tian Xiwei's call was still vibrating. The smile on her profile picture was bright and sunny. Not far away, the bed sheet was fluttering as two figures moved.

It's several times more intense now than before...

After the fierce battle ended and she finished washing up, Li Yitong looked at the messy sheets in the bedroom and felt a chill run down her spine. What was she thinking, coming here like this?

She sighed, ran her fingers through her hair, and made it all tangled and messy.

"Fine, just call Quan Quan and have her come over and tidy things up, then supervise the housekeeping to make sure they're done cleaning."

Shen Mo leaned against the headboard, a slight smile playing on his lips: "It's time to visit the set, we agreed on yesterday."

Li Yitong nodded and walked to the dressing table to start tidying up. On the other side, Shen Mo picked up his phone, looked at the missed calls on it, pursed his lips, and then dialed Li Yitong's assistant, Quan Quan.

It was almost 11 o'clock when the two walked out of the hotel.

The sun was blazing, turning the ground white; the October weather was still so hot that no one wanted to go out.

The film crew was in a studio at the Huairou Film and Television Base. It was about a ten-minute drive from the hotel. When Shen Mo and Li Yitong arrived, a van was already parked at the entrance.

The trunk was open, and inside were several large boxes of milk tea neatly stacked. Next to them were two large bags containing egg tarts and fruit cups.

That was a gift that Shen Mo and his team had arranged in advance for their visit to the set. The crew member on duty at the door recognized them and quickly took out a walkie-talkie. Shen Mo and Li Yitong had only walked a few dozen meters inside when director Wang Jun, who had received the news, ran out.

He was wearing a wrinkled director's vest, his hair was a little messy, but his smile was sincere and warm. He walked over in a few quick steps and took Shen Mo's hands in his.

"President Shen, President Li, why did you both come all the way here in person?"

Li Yitong smiled and said, "I came to see these girls and brought them some drinks."

Wang Jun nodded repeatedly, "You're too kind, you're too kind."

He then turned to the staff next to him and said, "Come on, a few more people, help me move this."

Several stagehands who had come over immediately ran over and hurriedly carried the milk tea and snacks inside.

Wang Jun led the way, saying as they walked, "They happen to have a scene today. I've asked the assistant director to keep an eye on them, so you can catch a glimpse of their performance. There's another scene later, but don't worry, we can postpone it."

He spoke very tactfully. Since the big boss was here, they had to stay with him a little longer, and the filming wouldn't be delayed in any way.

Shen Mo nodded: "Thank you for your trouble, Director Wang."

"No trouble at all," Wang Jun said with a smile, "It's nothing."

The filming area was set up in a studio within the base, depicting the 22nd floor of the TV series "Ode to Joy".

When Shen Mo and Li Yitong followed Wang Jun inside, Tian Xiwei was filming a scene with Liu Tao and Jiang Xin.

Less than two minutes later, with the assistant director yelling "cut!", the props team quickly stepped forward to tidy up and prepare for the scene change.

Several people walked out from in front of the camera. Liu Tao, wearing a suit jacket, and Jiang Xin, wearing a red dress, were talking when they looked up and saw the people next to Wang Jun, and they both paused.

"President Shen? President Li?" Liu Tao reacted first, a look of surprise and delight on his face.

Shen Mo bowed slightly: "Sister Tao, Sister Xin, I'm sorry to bother you."

Liu Tao walked over with a smile, his gaze sweeping between him and Li Yitong: "What do you mean by disturbing us? You're here to visit Xiaotian and the others on set, right? It's our honor that you could come to visit."

Jiang Xin nodded in agreement, her gaze filled with scrutiny, but more so with curiosity. She had been in this industry for many years and had seen all sorts of people, but she had rarely seen a combination like Shen Mo and Li Yitong, a top actor and a powerful financial tycoon.

"Sister Tao, you're too kind." Li Yitong smiled, her eyes crinkling into crescents. "These girls on set have been well taken care of by you all."

Liu Tao waved his hand: "Don't mention it. Xiaotian, Lulu, and Hanhan are all very clever, they take filming seriously, and they cooperate well. We still need them for this film."

Hearing these words, Shen Mo's lips curled into a slight smile. "Sister Tao, Sister Xin, I'm entrusting them to you."

Liu Tao and Jiang Xin exchanged a glance, their smiles fading as they looked at him intently.

Li Yitong nodded, "These girls are not always thorough enough. If they do anything wrong on set, you should speak up and scold them if necessary."

On the surface, Li Yitong was asking for special treatment, but in reality, she was making a statement that artists from Mohen would not seek special treatment or act like divas in Mohen's production crews, and would abide by all the rules.

Liu Tao and Jiang Xin were both shrewd people, so they naturally understood what he meant.

Liu Tao smiled and nodded: "Don't worry, President Shen, we're all one family in the crew."

Jiang Xin chimed in, "Yeah, we should look out for each other."

The group exchanged a few more pleasantries.

Although Liu Tao and Jiang Xin are older than Shen Mo and Li Yitong and have been in the industry for a longer time, they unconsciously lowered their posture by half a notch when they stood together.

It wasn't that they were putting on airs; it was just a subconscious reaction. After all, in this industry, capital carries far more weight than seniority.

Just then, footsteps sounded behind them.

"Brother Mo! Sister Tong!"

Tian Xiwei's voice boomed from the other end of the corridor, filled with excitement.

Shen Mo turned his head and saw three figures: Tian Xiwei was running in front, Bai Lu was following behind, and Li Lin was walking at the very back.

Tian Xiwei rushed to her side, her hair still a little wet, her forehead covered in fine beads of sweat, and she was still wearing her costume from the play—a light blue shirt and white trousers.

"Why are you so late!" Her eyes were surprisingly bright, but her lips were pouting. A moment later, she broke into a bright smile, revealing her dimples.

Li Yitong reached out and straightened her crooked collar: "I slept in a bit this morning and overslept."

"Going back to sleep? Did you oversleep?"

Tian Xi was slightly taken aback, then her gaze swept between Li Yitong and Shen Mo, and her expression became subtle.

I called Brother Mo, how would Sister Tong know?

"What are you thinking about!" Li Yitong slapped her on the shoulder, her face slightly flushed.

Bai Lu walked over with a smile on her lips, but there was a hint of bitterness in her eyes.

She glanced at Shen Mo, quickly looked away, and then took Li Yitong's arm: "Sister Tong, I'm so envious of your nap! Let's have lunch together on set at noon."

Li Yitong felt even more uncomfortable after hearing this: "Okay."

Although Bai Lu didn't say anything, the curve of Li Yitong's lips seemed rather meaningful.

Li Qin stood at the very back, quiet and still. Her gaze swept across Shen Mo's face, then fell on Li Yitong, and finally returned to Tian Xiwei, without saying a word.

Seeing this, Liu Tao smiled slightly and winked at Jiang Xin. Jiang Xin understood and said with a smile, "Sister Tao, let's go touch up our makeup first and let the young people chat."

Liu Tao nodded: "President Shen, President Li, you two talk, we'll go and get ready."

After watching the two walk away, Tian Xiwei grabbed Li Yitong's arm and said, "Sister Tong, let's go to our lounge."

Bai Lu and Li Lin followed, and the group headed towards the other end of the corridor.

The dressing room was small, a makeshift shed temporarily set up by the crew for the actors. Pushing open the door, you would find a few folding chairs, a small coffee table, a clothes rack, and scripts and snacks piled up in the corner.

"The conditions are limited," Bai Lu said, pulling over a few chairs. "Brother Mo and Sister Tong, please make do with these."

Shen Mo waved his hand: "That's good. How long are you going to film today?"

"There are two more scenes this afternoon, we'll probably finish filming around 5 or 6 pm."

As Tian Xiwei spoke, she squeezed next to Li Yitong, leaning half her body against her like a clingy kitten, and rubbing her head against her shoulder.

Li Yitong shifted her position to make her more comfortable, then reached out to straighten her askance at her askance: "Are you tired?"

"It's alright," Tian Xi shook her head slightly, her voice carrying a hint of coquettishness, "It's just that I stayed up too late last night and almost couldn't get up today."

Bai Lu sat opposite Shen Mo, legs crossed, looking very relaxed. She glanced at Tian Xiwei, a mischievous smile on her lips, and added a comment from the side.

"She was late this morning and Director Wang scolded her."

Tian Xi glared at her, then grumbled and glanced at Li Yitong. With a quick twitch of her eyes, she confidently shifted the blame onto Li Yitong.

"It's all Tong-jie's fault! She wouldn't let go of me this morning, I almost couldn't get out of bed!"

"Cough cough..."

Li Yitong was taken aback by these words, coughed twice, glanced at Shen Mo apologetically, then straightened her neck and decided to give him a taste of his own medicine.

"Who crawled into my chest this morning, crying for milk?!"

"puff--"

Li Lin was sitting at a dressing table not far away, holding a glass of water. She was quietly being a background figure when Li Yitong said those words. She choked on the water, spilling it all over the floor, and bent over coughing so hard that her shoulders were shaking.

Shen Mo glanced helplessly at Li Yitong, his lips twitched, and he suppressed a laugh as he pulled out two tissues and handed them to Li Lin, gently patting her back.

Li Qin had finally recovered and was about to say something when she heard Tian Xiwei start spouting nonsense again.

"Isn't it soft and comfortable to press against your face?"

His voice was confident and his tone innocent, as if he were simply stating a perfectly normal fact.

Li Lin's face flushed red instantly, whether from choking or embarrassment, she didn't know. She sat there holding an empty cup, pointing at the two of them.

"Hey! You two, can't you watch your image? You're supposed to be big stars!"

Her voice was a half-tone higher than usual, "And Shen Mo is still here!"

As she spoke, she turned to look at Shen Mo, but Shen Mo was looking up at the ceiling with a focused and serious expression, as if he were counting how many lights were installed there.

Tian Xiwei and Li Yitong exchanged a glance and laughed at the same time. Bai Lu leaned back in her chair and suddenly uttered a sentence in a low voice.

"What's the big deal? Brother Mo has seen him far more often than Tian'er."

The voice wasn't loud, but every word was clear, and Shen Mo's smile instantly froze on his face.

He jumped up, moving as fast as if springs were on a chair, and strode toward the door, saying as he went, "I'm going out to talk to the director. You guys continue."

With a loud "bang," the door was opened and closed again, all within two seconds.

Bai Lu stood there stunned, not having time to react to what she had said, when Li Yitong's voice came from beside her, so gentle it was unbelievable.

"Yume Yan Na—"

Bai Lu felt a chill run down her spine and stiffly turned her head to see Li Yitong smiling with her eyes crinkled, and Tian Xiwei also standing up.

"Sister Tong! Sister Tong! Let's talk this out..."

Bai Lu jumped up from her chair. "Tian Xiwei, what are you doing?!"

Tian Xi flexed her wrists and grinned, "Nothing much, just playing with Sister Mengyan."

"Brother Mo! Help!"

Outside the door, Shen Mo leaned against the door panel, listening to the sounds of ping-pong balls and screams coming from inside, and shook his head with a smile.

"Mengyan, sometimes you can't just tell the truth."

He paused, then added, "It's better for me to die than for my friend. Please accept my condolences."

"Click".

A soft sound came from behind, and the door opened a crack, through which a thin figure emerged.

Shen Mo turned his head and met Li Lin's gaze. He grabbed her wrist, pulled her to his side, and then reached out to close the door behind him again.

Inside the door, Tian Xiwei's strange screams and Bai Lu's pleas for mercy continued to come through the door. They were not very clear through the door panel, but it was very quiet outside.

Shen Mo looked down at Li Qin, and Li Qin looked up at him. A smile suddenly bloomed on her usually cold face.

"You think you can run away after just a few words?"

Her voice was soft, with a hint of teasing, "If I join in later, won't you be in for a world of trouble?"

Shen Mo looked around and saw that there was no one in the corridor. He quietly took her hand, his fingertips slipping between her fingers, their fingers interlocked, and their palms pressed together.

A helpless smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he lowered his voice, "Our Sister Qin is understanding, considerate, and gentle; she certainly won't make things difficult for me."

Li Lin rolled her eyes at him, her ears turning red again. She tried to shake her hand off, but couldn't, so she let him hold her hand, though she still couldn't hold back her words.

Don't give me that.

The voice of a staff member came from the end of the corridor. Li Qin glanced in that direction, then at the door behind her, and suddenly tugged at it.

"Come with me."

Without waiting for his reply, she pulled him to the other end of the corridor.

Shen Mo was led by her through the corridor and around a corner. This was the prop room area, which was quieter and dimmer than the previous area.

Li Lin stopped in front of a door, peeked inside, and then pulled Shen Mo inside.

With a "click," Li Qin locked the door behind her.

This is a small warehouse for storing props. It's not big, with shelves on three sides, displaying all sorts of odds and ends. An old sofa sits in the center of the room, and the window is half-blocked by the shelves, so not much light gets in. The whole room is shrouded in a dim, yellowish hue.

Li Qin stood at the door, leaning against it, and reached out to wrap her arms around the back of his neck. The cold expression on her face faded, and her gaze became intense, her eyes filled with deep affection.

She tiptoed, tilted her head back, and pressed her lips to the glass, feeling a slight coolness and the lingering taste of tea from the previous cup of water.

It started very gently, as if confirming something, then suddenly the arms tightened, and the whole person pressed against her.

Shen Mo's hand slowly landed on her waist. She was much shorter than him, and Shen Mo was afraid that she would have trouble standing on tiptoe, so he slowly bent down.

Her lips went from cool to hot, her breathing went from steady to rapid, and her whole being was like a ball of fire that had been lit.

A soft smacking sound, mixed with the subtle rustling of breath and the soft friction of fabric.

After a long pause, she gently bit his lower lip, with a hint of resentment and punishment.

Shen Mo groaned, but hugged her even tighter.

After an unknown amount of time, the two slowly separated, their foreheads touching, their noses brushing together, their rapid breaths mingling.

"miss you."

Her voice was very soft, and she was still breathing heavily.

It was just three words, but what they contained was her most genuine feeling at that moment.

Shen Mo didn't say anything, but simply pulled her into his arms and rested his chin on the top of her head.

She nestled against his chest, listening to his heartbeat, her fingers gripping the lapel of his shirt tightly.

After a while, she finally let go. Although the blush on her face hadn't completely faded, her expression had returned to normal, with only a thin layer of moisture remaining in her eyes.

She pulled Shen Mo to sit down on the sofa. The springs of the old sofa made a soft creak, and then she sat directly on his lap.

Shen Mo placed his hand on her waist, and she leaned against his shoulder, her fingers unconsciously fiddling with the buttons on his shirt, turning them in circles.

"Sister Tong really did a great job."

She didn't look up, but suddenly spoke, her fingers still twirling the button.

"She single-handedly shouldered the burden of the entire company, dealt with all the malice from the outside world, and even helped you appease all the women. If it were me, I couldn't do it."

Li Qin's voice was very soft, "She is in a stable position, and she deserves to be in this position."

She looked up into Shen Mo's eyes: "So I won't try to steal it, I don't want to, and I can't steal it anyway."

These words were so blunt that Shen Mo didn't know how to respond for a moment.

Looking at his expression, Li Qin's lips curved slightly: "What, what did you expect me to say?"

Shen Mo shook his head: "No."

Li Qin leaned back into his shoulder, her voice muffled: "What I care about isn't the title, what I care about is you."

She paused for a moment, then said, "It would be enough if you could come and keep me company often."

Shen Mo tightened his grip on her, holding her even closer. Li Qin remained quiet in his arms for a moment before suddenly speaking, her tone a mix of teasing and seriousness.

"You need to keep an eye on Tian'er."

Shen Mo's hand paused slightly.

Li Qin lifted her head from his shoulder, looking at him with a half-smile: "Her attitude towards you is a bit abnormal. Too intimate, so intimate that..."

"It doesn't seem like I just see you as an older brother."

Shen Mo remained silent and did not answer.

Li Qin leaned back, a fleeting smile playing on her lips. "I'm not jealous. I just wanted to remind you that she's just turned 18 and doesn't understand anything. Don't..."

"I didn't." Shen Mo interrupted her, raising his right hand with a solemn expression. "I swear, I'm not that much of a beast."

Li Qin was silent for a while, then hummed in agreement.

Even if she is deeply in love with you and can't live without you, I still think you need to give her some time to grow.

Her voice was soft, "After all, she's only just come of age."

"Besides, given her current personality, if you actually take her in, you'll be in for a lot of trouble."

As she spoke, she laughed, her laughter shaking her head like a cunning little fox watching a play.

Shen Mo pursed his lips and shook his head. He knew what Li Qin was talking about.

Moreover, what makes him even more hesitant to take action against Tian Xiwei now is the uncertainty of when Old Tian'er might return.

Her attitude is very important!

The warehouse fell silent, save for the sound of two people breathing and the faint calls of the film crew in the distance.

After a while, Li Qin stood up from his lap and tidied her hair.

"Let's go, if we stay any longer, they'll be looking for us."

The two walked to the door, and Li Lin unlocked the door and opened it. Suddenly, the light in the corridor rushed in, a little dazzling.

In the distance, the sounds of staff moving props and Tian Xiwei's faint laughter could be heard, but they were indistinct and separated by several walls.

Li Qin glanced back at Shen Mo, a faint smile playing on her lips, before turning and walking out.

Shen Mo stood at the door for a few seconds, then walked out as well.

When I got to the door of the lounge, it was open.

Bai Lu sat on the chair with messy hair and a long lipstick mark on her face, her expression as resentful as a bullied cat.

Tian Xiwei sat next to her, reaching out to fix her hair, muttering, "Will you say it again next time?"

"I'm not going to say anything more, I'm not going to say anything more..." Bai Lu replied weakly, but the look in her eyes as she looked at Tian Xiwei was clearly defiant.

Li Yitong leaned back on the sofa watching the show, her eyes crinkling with laughter. When she saw Shen Mo come in, she raised an eyebrow, her gaze sweeping over him and lingering on his collar for a few seconds.

Shen Mo followed her gaze and looked down. There was a faint red mark on her collar.

He looked up and met Li Yitong's gaze. Li Yitong didn't say anything, but the curve of her lips deepened a little.

She reached for the milk tea on the coffee table, took a sip, and said slowly, "Finished talking with the director?"

Shen Mo nodded without changing his expression. "We're done talking."

Li Yitong said "Oh," nodded, and didn't ask any further questions.

Bai Lu broke free from Tian Xiwei's clutches and saw Shen Mo. Her expression became even more resentful. "Brother Mo, why did you run away just now?"

Shen Mo shrugged innocently, "I'm going to talk to the director about work."

Bai Lu glared at him, her eyes filled with distrust and betrayal. Tian Xiwei, standing beside her, laughed so hard she slapped her thigh. "Bai Mengyan, you deserve it!"

Li Lin had already sat back down at the dressing table, holding a glass of water again. Her expression was cool and her posture was composed, as if nothing had happened, except for the faint redness on her earlobe.

Shen Mo walked in and sat down next to Li Yitong. Li Yitong handed him the cup of milk tea in her hand, "Want a sip?"

There was a faint lipstick mark around the straw. Shen Mo glanced at Li Yitong, then leaned forward and put the straw in his mouth, taking a big gulp.

Li Yitong took the milk tea back with satisfaction, leaned on his shoulder, and said lazily, "How about we order some takeout for lunch and eat here? Let's improve their meals; it's not good for them to eat boxed lunches every day."

Shen Mo nodded. "You decide."

"hot pot?"

"OK."

Tian Xiwei, with her sharp ears, immediately turned her head upon hearing the words "hot pot": "Hot pot for lunch?!"

Li Yitong smiled at her and nodded, "It's your birthday today, so we definitely have to have a good meal."

Tian Xi cheered and almost jumped up, but just then the director's voice called "Ready" came from afar, and her cheer stopped abruptly. She ran out in a flash.

Just as we finished filming the last scene of the morning, the hot pot delivery arrived.

Bai Lu and several assistants ran out to meet them. When they returned, their hands were full of bags, and a bag of seasonings was dangling from their mouths. They mumbled, "Excuse me, excuse me, it's hot!"

Li Lin took it from her and placed it on the coffee table.

Tian Xiwei had already set up the folding table, opened the bag, took out chopsticks and distributed them, eagerly waiting for Bai Lu to unpack the various dishes.

"Are you a reincarnated starving ghost?" Bai Lu complained as she unpacked the pot. "The pot isn't even boiling yet, what's your rush?"

"You've been filming all morning, aren't you hungry?" Tian Xiwei retorted confidently, her hand already reaching for the packet of seasonings.

On the other side, Wang Zheng had already installed the portable gas stove and small pot he had just bought on the coffee table, poured in the soup base from the takeout order, and then turned around and walked out with several assistants.

Shen Mo and Li Yitong sat on the sofa, watching the others busy themselves, their lips curled into smiles.

Although Li Qin remained silent, she was just as fast as Bai Lu and Tian Xi in unpacking. Liu Tao and Jiang Xin declined the invitation, saying they needed to touch up their makeup and rest. As they left, they smiled and said, "You young people get together."

In just ten minutes, the pot boiled, the red broth bubbling away, while a few red dates and goji berries floated on the white broth. The aroma filled the entire room amidst the rising steam.

In just ten minutes, the pot boiled, the red broth bubbling away, while a few red dates and goji berries floated on the white broth. The aroma filled the entire room amidst the rising steam.

"Come on, come on, the first bite is for Sister Tong!"

Tian Xiwei picked up a piece of tripe, dipped it in the red soup a few times, and put it into Li Yitong's bowl.

Li Yitong smiled and picked it up. "Mmm, it's cooked just right."

Tian Xi tilted her head slightly, looking at Li Yitong with a puzzled expression. "Huh? Sister Tong, you don't feel the spiciness today?"

Li Yitong raised her chin arrogantly, "You still want to tease me today? Don't you know this is takeout I ordered? Can't I control the spiciness myself?"

Tian Xi chuckled, then pouted slightly in disappointment before scalding herself with a piece of tripe.

Bai Lu glanced at Li Yitong and smiled with relief, "If Sister Tong thinks it's not spicy, then it definitely isn't spicy!"

Li Qin pursed her lips, glanced at her, and said, "That's hard to say. What if you're even worse?"

"Sister Lin, you've gone astray!"

"Tian Xiwei taught me that one is influenced by one's surroundings."

Suddenly being called out, Tian Xi hummed twice, "You become like those you associate with, but that's related to Brother Mo, it definitely has nothing to do with me."

After saying that, she continued to work hard on her meal, which made Shen Mo laugh.

The steam from the hot pot mingled with the casual conversation of the group, filling the small lounge with warmth.

The chopsticks were fighting in the pot as Bai Lu and Tian Xiwei argued heatedly over a piece of shrimp paste. Li Qin silently picked up another piece of shrimp paste and put it in Tian Xiwei's bowl, which made Bai Lu glare angrily.

After eating for about half an hour, around 1 p.m., Bai Lu yawned.

"I can't take it anymore, I'm too full, I'm sleepy."

Li Qin also put down her chopsticks, leaned back in her chair, and half-closed her eyes.

Tian Xi huddled on the sofa, nodding her head like a chick pecking at rice.

She shook her head, trying to clear her mind, but her eyelids grew heavier and heavier.

"Tired?"

Li Yitong turned her head to look at her.

"Hmm... a little..."

Tian Xi gave a vague reply, then leaned against Li Yitong's shoulder.

Li Yitong adjusted her posture to make her more comfortable and gently patted her back.

"Take a nap. Your scene doesn't start until after 3 a.m., there's still time."

Tian Xiwei hummed softly, her voice growing softer and softer as she curled up next to Li Yitong and slowly closed her eyes.

The lounge fell silent for a moment.

Bai Lu was slumped in her armchair, her phone lying on her lap, but the screen was still lit. Li Qin leaned against the wall, quietly scrolling through her phone, the volume turned down to the lowest setting.

Shen Mo sat opposite Li Yitong, quietly watching Tian Xiwei's profile. She was sleeping peacefully, her eyelashes drooping, her lips slightly parted, and her breathing even and long.

Li Yitong glanced down at Tian Xiwei, then looked up at Shen Mo, a gentle smile playing on her lips.

Shen Mo returned a smile, but for some reason, he had an inexplicable feeling in his heart. Then he let out a soft breath and realized that he was overthinking things.

In her sleep, Tian Xiwei's eyelashes trembled slightly, but Shen Mo, who was watching Tian Xiwei and Li Yitong, noticed it.

However, it's perfectly normal for a sleeping person's eyelashes to twitch.

But then, her brows suddenly furrowed.

At first, it was a slight frown, like when having a nightmare, but gradually the frown tightened, as if something was gripping the heart, and even the breathing became rapid.

Her lips parted slightly, as if she were saying something, but no sound came out.

Li Yitong was the first to notice that something was wrong.

"Tian'er?" She looked down at Tian Xiwei and gently patted her shoulder. "Tian'er, what's wrong?"

Tian Xiwei was still asleep, but her head began to sway slightly, the movement small but rapid. Fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead, trickling down her temples.

"No, that won't happen..."

Li Yitong finally heard the words she was repeating.

Her lips moved, her voice muffled, as if muffled by a thick wall, repeating itself over and over.

"No, that won't happen..."

Li Yitong's heart clenched suddenly. She grabbed Tian Xiwei's arm and began to shake her violently.

"Tian'er! Tian'er! Wake up!"

Shen Mo frowned. Li Yitong turned her head, her panicked eyes meeting Shen Mo's.

Bai Lu was startled awake by the noise. Her phone fell to the ground with a "thud." She froze for a second, then her expression changed instantly when she saw Tian Xiwei's appearance. She jumped up and stood up abruptly.

"What's wrong? What's wrong with Tian'er?"

Li Qin also stood up, his brows furrowed, his gaze lingering on Tian Xiwei's face for a second before turning to walk towards the door.

"I'll go get the doctor."

"No need!" Shen Mo grabbed her hand. His voice came from behind Li Qin, who stopped and turned to look at him.

Shen Mo stood up, took a few big strides to Tian Xiwei's other side, bent down, took her from Li Yitong's shoulder, and hugged her in his arms.

His movements were steady, but where no one could see, his fingers were trembling slightly.

If he wasn't mistaken, perhaps...

The day has finally arrived!

In the previous life, on October 14, 2025, Lao Tian's birthday, they ate cake together around 12 o'clock.

At 13:17 PM, Li Yitong said she had to catch a flight back to Hengdian to continue filming, so he saw her off at the elevator.

Then an accident happened, and he and Li Yitong were reborn. When he returned, he checked the time on his phone and it was 13:20 PM.

And now, it's October 14th again, at 1:25 PM.

Tian'er is acting strangely. If it is really Tian'er's memory returning, then it can only be that Tian'er also had an accident less than a few minutes after the two of them had their accident.

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