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

In principle, it depends on my mood: I'll read this book!

On the day Tian Xiwei finished filming her solo scenes, the weather in the capital was unusually good.

The late October sunlight streamed down thinly, not hot, but still dazzlingly bright as it shone through the window into the lounge.

Tian Xiwei stretched in front of the makeup mirror, squinted her eyes, and unconsciously curved the corners of her mouth. Today was finally the day to wrap up filming.

She was constantly shuttling between classes at the Beijing Film Academy and filming on set, and she was so exhausted that she would fall asleep the moment her head hit the pillow.

But being tired has its advantages. She was so tired that she didn't have time to think about those messy things or that person. Although he still came over to hang out in front of her every few days, she still didn't give him a good look.

Meanwhile, Meng Ziyi, who recently finished filming "The Mermaid" and "The Lonely and Great God", has returned to school to study.

It happened to be the weekend, so she also visited the set of "Ode to Joy" to welcome her friend as she wrapped up filming.

Before she even entered the lounge, she spotted Tian Xiwei alone inside, and a big smile immediately spread across her face.

"Little Tian!"

Meng Ziyi's voice was crisp and bright. She jogged along, her sneakers making a rapid "clattering" sound on the ground.

Tian Xi raised her head slightly and saw Meng Ziyi running towards her with her arms outstretched. The corners of her mouth curved up.

Meng Ziyi is that kind of person; the moment she stands in front of you, you can't help but imitate her and flash a bright smile.

It wasn't because she said anything funny; it was because she herself exuded a relaxing and joyful aura.

Tian Xiwei quickly got up from the sofa in the lounge and hugged Meng Ziyi.

Meng Ziyi's hug was strong, her arms were tight, and her chin was resting on Tian Xiwei's shoulder. Just now, she was like a large dog pouncing on her, with a kind of enthusiasm and recklessness.

Tian Xiwei was a little breathless from being squeezed so tightly, so she reached out and patted her back.

"Why are you here?" Tian Xiwei pulled her to sit down.

"I missed you." Meng Ziyi pinched her cheek. "Was filming hard? You've lost so much weight."

"It's alright, there's only one more shot left before we wrap up filming." Tian Xi rubbed the spot where she had been pinched.

"That's great!" Meng Ziyi slapped her thigh, raising her voice even higher.

"Then we can go to and from school together. I'm so lonely by myself."

"Do you know how miserable it is for me to eat alone in the cafeteria? Everyone else is in pairs, but me, carrying my plate and looking for a seat, looks like a lonely old man."

Tian Xi smiled slightly. "Isn't our Sister Meng a big star? How could she be lonely? Doesn't anyone admire you?"

Meng Ziyi pouted and rolled her eyes at her, "How can that be the same! Those people aren't friends!"

Meng Ziyi patted Tian Xiwei's hand, her tone carrying a hint of coquetry.

"Remember to wait for me when get out of class ends, don't run off first."

"Let me tell you, a new milk tea shop just opened near our school. Their mango pomelo sago is especially delicious. I'll take you there next time."

Tian Xi smiled and nodded: "Okay."

As the two were talking, the door was pushed open, and it was Shen Mo.

Li Yitong didn't come today. Her new drama "Princess Agents" has officially passed the review and started its project approval. As the executive producer, she has a lot of meetings to attend recently.

Shen Mo was wearing a light gray coat over a white shirt today, and carrying a bag containing milk tea and desserts.

His gaze first fell on Tian Xiwei, he smiled slightly, and then moved to Meng Ziyi.

"Ziyi is here too."

Meng Ziyi's eyes lit up instantly. She jumped up from the sofa, walked a few steps to Shen Mo, looked up at him, and smiled broadly.

"Brother Mo! You're here too?"

"Yeah, to celebrate Xiaotian's wrap-up filming." Shen Mo shook the bag in his hand, "and also brought some drinks for everyone."

He looked down, took a cup of milk tea from his bag, walked up to Tian Xiwei, and handed it to her.

"Yours, domineering raw strawberry cheese."

Tian Xiwei didn't reach out to take it, her voice indifferent, "Just put it there."

Shen Mo's hand paused in mid-air for a second before he placed the milk tea on the coffee table.

He stood there for two seconds, his lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but Tian Xiwei had already turned her head away, showing no intention of paying him any attention.

Just then, Bai Lu's carefree voice came in from outside the door.

"Tian'er! The set outside is ready, come out and film your final scene."

The sound was loud and crisp, and you could hear its energetic and rapid pace from a great distance.

As soon as she finished speaking, her head popped in, her hair a little messy, and her face still covered in the makeup from the play.

"Oh, Brother Mo is here too." Her gaze immediately fell on Shen Mo. "Let's come out and watch Tian'er's wrap-up scene together."

After saying that, she shrunk her head back and walked away quickly. "I'm going to get ready now. I'm still in the scene."

Shen Mo smiled at Tian Xi and said, "Let's go see your final scene."

Tian Xiwei didn't even glance at him. She stood up and passed right through the gap between him and the coffee table without pausing at all.

As she walked to the door, Meng Ziyi called out from behind, "Go, Xiaotian!"

Tian Xi turned around and smiled slightly, "Okay, I'll go first."

Shen Mo stood there, watching her disappearing figure, the smile on his lips still lingering.

Meng Ziyi's eyes darted around, and she glanced around the lounge, only to find that she and Shen Mo were the only two people left.

She moved closer to Shen Mo, snuggling up to him intimately. She looked up at him, her face beaming with a smile, her eyes sparkling.

She tiptoed closer to his ear, her voice low, "Brother Mo, what happened between you and Xiaotian?"

Shen Mo didn't speak, but tilted his head slightly, her breathing making his ear tickle.

Meng Ziyi didn't seem to care and continued, her voice laced with a slyness: "It's alright, she's a girl, a little coaxing will do. Do you want me to help you?"

Tian Xi, who was walking ahead, subconsciously looked back.

She didn't know why she turned back.

Perhaps it was the sudden gust of wind in the corridor that made the back of her neck feel cold; perhaps she wanted to see if Meng Ziyi had followed; or perhaps it was just some inexplicable intuition pulling her to look back.

However, she wished she hadn't looked back.

Shen Mo stood at the door of the lounge, with Meng Ziyi close to him, standing on tiptoe and whispering something in his ear, her smile as bright as a blooming sunflower.

This scene caused Tian Xiwei's fingers to tighten unconsciously, gripping her phone so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

She remained expressionless as she continued walking forward, but her steps became heavier and less forceful.

At the end of the corridor, the lighting technician was adjusting the last set of light fixtures, and Bai Lu stood in front of the camera gesturing something to the photographer.

Everything is normal, everything is proceeding as planned.

She took a deep breath and pushed back down the feeling that was rising in her throat.

Filming is almost finished! It'll be great once it's done!

Tian Xiwei stood in front of the camera, the light shining on her face, making it appear white and a little dazzling.

She closed her eyes briefly, and when she opened them again, Fang Duoduo's emotions had already been drawn into hers. Perhaps the former Xiao Tian'er couldn't separate her emotions, but the current Xiao Tian'er could.

With Wang Jun's shout of "Cut!", Tian Xiwei's scenes in the drama "Ode to Joy" officially wrapped up.

As soon as she stepped out of the area surrounded by cameras, several fireworks went off around her.

With a few "bangs," colorful pieces of paper floated down from above, glittering and scattered everywhere under the light.

The crew members also gathered around, some clapping and others shouting "Happy wrap-up!"

Shen Mo walked over with a large bouquet of flowers, a mix of white and champagne-colored roses tied with a cream-colored ribbon.

He walked through the crowd, stood in front of Tian Xiwei, and handed her the flowers.

Happy wrap-up!

His voice was so soft that it was almost drowned out by the surrounding noise.

Tian Xi glanced up at him, then reached out and took the flowers, a formulaic smile curving her lips.

"Thanks."

Liu Tao and Jiang Xin, who were standing nearby, also came over.

"Congratulations, Tian'er, happy wrap-up!" Liu Tao reached out and gave Tian Xiwei a big hug. "Keep in touch, I'll treat you to a meal."

Jiang Xin also came over and hugged her tightly, much stronger than Liu Tao. "Remember to come visit your older sister often, don't forget me after filming is over."

Caught between the two, Tian Xiwei's smile finally had a genuine curve. "No, Sister Tao, Sister Xin, thank you."

Director Wang Jun also came over, holding a bulging red envelope with the words "Good luck on wrapping up filming" written in gold on the seal.

He handed the red envelope to Tian Xiwei, patted her on the shoulder, and said, "Thank you for your hard work, Tian'er. I hope we can work together again in the future."

Tian Xiwei accepted the red envelope, bowed, and said, "Thank you, Director Wang. I'm very grateful for your care during this time."

The crowd gradually gathered around Tian Xiwei, following the main cast members.

She stood in the center of the crowd, smiling, expressing her gratitude, nodding, shaking hands, hugging, and taking photos with everyone. Her smile was bright and appropriate, truly befitting the mature actress Tian Xiwei who has weathered many storms.

Shen Mo smiled and took two steps back from the crowd. He turned to look at Tian Xiwei's assistant, Cheng Cheng, gave her a look, and nodded.

Chengcheng understood, opened her backpack, and took out a thick stack of red envelopes with the words "Wishing Tian Xiwei a successful wrap-up of filming" written on them.

She walked among the staff and began distributing the items one by one.

"This is a small token of Tian Xiwei's appreciation for everyone's care during this time."

"Thank you for your hard work, here you go."

"We'll meet again someday."

The staff accepted the red envelopes. Some smiled and said, "Teacher Tian, ​​you're too kind." Some opened them on the spot, glanced at them, and their eyes lit up. Some held up the red envelopes, took pictures with their phones, and posted them on WeChat Moments.

After everyone finished wishing Tian Xiwei a happy end to filming, Chengcheng had also finished distributing most of her red envelopes.

Wang Jun called everyone to take a group photo, "Come on, everyone, come over and take a photo with our leading lady who just finished filming."

He arranged for everyone to stand in their positions, his gaze sweeping across the crowd before settling on Shen Mo and Meng Ziyi.

"President Shen, Ziyi, why don't you come over and stand next to Tian'er?"

Naturally, Wang Jun wouldn't let the two people who came to visit the set go. He reached out and pulled Shen Mo to Tian Xiwei's left, and pushed Meng Ziyi to Tian Xiwei's right.

"Come on, stand still, don't move."

Tian Xiwei stood in the middle, not looking at anyone to her left or right, her gaze fixed directly on the camera.

"Three, two, one, wrap-up!"

She flashed a big smile, her lips curving upwards, revealing dimples, and her eyes crinkling into crescent moons.

His expression was exactly the same as in all the wrap-up photos.

"Click."

After the shutter clicked.

The smile on Tian Xiwei's face vanished instantly, and she lifted her leg and walked away quickly, kicking up colorful pieces of paper that fluttered in the air.

Before Shen Mo could react, Tian Xiwei had already taken a long step.

By the time he realized what was happening, she had already turned the corner.

When Shen Mo followed her into the lounge, Tian Xiwei had already started packing her things on the dressing table.

She moved quickly, sweeping her personal belongings from the table into her makeup bag, and slung it over her shoulder without even zipping it up properly.

Shen Mo walked over, and the moment he touched her arm, Tian Xiwei recoiled as if burned, jerking her hand away, "Don't touch me!"

Shen Mo's hand hovered in mid-air. He pursed his lips and his Adam's apple bobbed.

He knew she was angry, and he knew why she was angry.

However, he came here today to make amends. No matter how Tian Xiwei treats him, he will not back down. Shen Mo has never been one to give up easily.

Shen Mo decisively stepped forward, hugged Tian Xiwei from behind, wrapped his arms around her shoulders, and pulled her into his embrace.

Tian Xiwei's body stiffened for a moment, and then she immediately began to struggle.

"open!"

Her voice carried a hint of suppressed anger.

Shen Mo remained unmoved, and even tightened his grip on her arm a little.

"Tian'er, let's talk—"

"I told you to let go!"

She twisted her shoulder sharply, her elbow slamming into Shen Mo's ribs. The impact was so severe that his breath caught in his throat.

But he still didn't let go.

Tian Xi took a deep breath, her chest heaving violently, her breathing rapid and shallow, like a small animal trapped in a cage.

She tilted her head slightly, frowned, and glared at Shen Mo, who had reached out his hand. Then, as if she had made up her mind, she lowered her head and bit down on his hand.

Her teeth were embedded in her flesh; she was using so much force that her cheeks were trembling.

Shen Mo didn't move; he didn't even frown.

He simply held her, quietly and stubbornly, as if her teeth weren't biting his hand.

Tian Xiwei's teeth slowly loosened, leaving a deep, purplish tooth mark on the web of his left hand.

A pang of heartache welled up in her heart, like a needle pricking her soul.

But then, several images flashed through her mind.

When Meng Ziyi came out of the lounge, she tiptoed and leaned close to Shen Mo's ear with a bright smile. Her lips were almost touching his ear. Her smile was so radiant and undisguised.

Twenty minutes earlier, when I had just started filming, Shen Mo was watching me film, but Meng Ziyi was standing shoulder to shoulder with him.

A dozen minutes earlier, during the second take of the scene, Meng Ziyi intimately held Shen Mo's hand as they walked into the dressing room and then closed the door.

I closed the door... and did something...

She didn't want to think about it, but it kept popping into her head.

She raised her hands and grabbed Shen Mo's fingers, forcefully prying them apart one by one with almost all her strength.

Shen Mo frowned, afraid that continuing would hurt her, so he loosened his grip.

Tian Xi turned around, grabbed the bag full of things from her shoulder, and slammed it hard into Shen Mo's face.

“Pah!”

Cosmetics and scripts were scattered all over the floor.

The door to the lounge was pushed open just before that moment.

Bai Lu stood at the door, holding a script in her hand. Li Lin stood behind her, followed closely by Meng Ziyi, both with bright smiles on their faces.

Bai Lu's eyes widened instantly, her pupils dilated, and the script in her hand fell to the ground with a "thud".

Li Qin's brows furrowed sharply, Meng Ziyi's smile vanished instantly, and her expression changed from bewilderment to shock, and from shock to anger.

"Hey! Tian Xiwei, what are you doing?!"

Bai Lu's voice rang out instantly. She and Meng Ziyi rushed in, taking three steps at a time, and stood next to Shen Mo.

The two looked at his face with concern, their eyes filled with heartache.

Bai Lu's lips were pressed into a thin line, her cheeks puffed out, and her fingers gripped Shen Mo's sleeve tightly.

Meng Ziyi's eyes reddened, her fingers hovering beside his cheek, wanting to touch him but not daring to. "Does it hurt?"

Li Lin immediately turned around and closed the door, locking it with a "click".

Tian Xi bit her lip and stared intently at her hands, which were still trembling slightly.

She didn't know what she was thinking just now; she only felt extremely angry. The bag was heavy and contained a lot of things. When it hit his face, she thought she would feel relieved.

However, after actually throwing the bag, she immediately regretted it.

Will he be in a lot of pain...?

Will I hurt him if I hit him...?

Will he really not want me anymore...?

Tian Xiwei slowly raised her head. Shen Mo's face was already flushed, and it was hard to tell whether it was swollen or not.

but……

He was already surrounded by three people.

Tian Xiwei shifted her gaze from Shen Mo's face, paused for a second on Bai Lu's face, then moved to Meng Ziyi, then to Li Qin's face, and finally looked away.

She slowly raised her right hand, chuckled softly, and said, "What am I doing? Didn't you see it?"

Bai Lu turned around, loosened her fingers from Shen Mo's sleeve, pointed at Tian Xiwei, and suddenly raised her voice by a notch.

"Apologize!"

"Why should I apologize?"

At this moment, Tian Xiwei felt a fire burning inside her. She tilted her head, the curve of her lips remained unchanged, but the light in her eyes grew colder.

"Whom do I need to apologize to?"

Bai Lu's face flushed with anger at her attitude. "You hit Brother Mo and you still think you're right?"

"Ask him—" Tian Xiwei's gaze passed over Bai Lu and landed on Shen Mo's face, "Does he need me to apologize?"

Shen Mo stood there, his face and forehead covered in a burning color.

He looked at Tian Xiwei, his lips moved, but he didn't say anything.

Before Shen Mo could speak, Bai Lu glared at him again, "Tian Xiwei!"

Her voice began to tremble slightly.

"I've let it go that you've been giving Brother Mo the cold shoulder lately; I'll assume you're still young and just throwing a tantrum."

"You actually resorted to violence today—!"

She took a deep breath, her chest heaving violently.

"Don't take advantage of Brother Mo's favor to act disrespectfully and recklessly."

"Disrespectful to elders?" Tian Xiwei chewed on the word, her smile deepening.

Her gaze slowly swept over Bai Lu, and an invisible pressure descended upon Bai Lu, making Bai Lu feel a chill run down her spine.

"Are you heartbroken?"

Tian Xiwei's voice remained light and airy, "But..."

"If anyone should feel sorry for someone, it should be Li Yitong."

Her gaze fell on Bai Lu's hand clutching Shen Mo's sleeve, pausing for a second.

"What's it to you?"

Bai Lu's fingers froze instantly.

"What are you to him?" Tian Xi tilted her head slightly, a hint of innocent cruelty in the curve of her lips. "Are you his mistress?"

Bai Lu's face turned pale instantly.

"Tsk tsk tsk—" Tian Xi shook her head slightly, the curve of her lips deepened a little, and her dimples were revealed. It was exactly the same as her usual smile, except that there was no warmth in this smile.

"You haven't actually fallen for him, have you?"

Bai Lu's lips were trembling. She wanted to retort, but the words got stuck in her throat, and she couldn't utter a single one.

"But--"

Tian Xi paused for a moment, then shifted her gaze from Bai Lu's face to Shen Mo's.

Does he really like you?

"You..." Bai Lu's lips trembled, pressed into a thin line, her eyes immediately reddened, her fingers still clutching Shen Mo's sleeve, but she had no strength left.

Her eyes were brimming with tears, and she tried hard to clench her teeth to keep them from falling.

She couldn't utter a complete sentence because every word Tian Xiwei spoke felt like a needle pricking her most vulnerable spot.

She liked Shen Mo, but she never dared to ask him if he truly liked her.

She simply stayed by his side, acting as his assistant, his artist, and whatever role he needed her to play.

She thought she didn't care about the answer, but Tian Xiwei's question directly tore away the facade. It turned out that she had always valued it, but she just didn't dare to ask.

Bai Lu's tears finally fell, and her fingers slowly slid down Shen Mo's sleeve, hanging down at her side.

Meng Ziyi's gaze shifted back and forth between Tian Xiwei and Bai Lu, her brows furrowing deeper and deeper.

She watched as Bai Lu was driven to tears by Tian Xiwei's few words, and watched Bai Lu stand there as fragile as a blade of grass in the wind.

Something inside her snapped with a "crack".

She stepped forward and stood in front of Bai Lu, her chin slightly raised, like a wall, shielding Bai Lu behind her.

"I like him."

Four words were casually uttered from Meng Ziyi's mouth.

Tian Xiwei frowned slightly.

Meng Ziyi's eyes were red. She pursed her lips, then relaxed them, looking into Tian Xiwei's eyes.

"He is my man."

"He may not like me."

She took a deep breath, her chest heaving violently.

"You can disdain it."

"You can look down on me too."

Her voice trembled more and more, but grew louder and louder.

"But! You shouldn't have done it."

She took a step forward, getting closer to Tian Xiwei, close enough to see the tear stains still clinging to Tian Xiwei's eyelashes.

"Don't forget—"

Her voice suddenly lowered.

"When you said you wanted to be a star, who was grooming you?"

She took another step forward.

"When you were being relentlessly criticized online, who was protecting you?"

They took another step, and the distance between them was less than half a meter.

Finally, tears welled up in Meng Ziyi's eyes and slid down her cheeks, dripping onto her clothes. But she didn't wipe them away. With her eyes red and tears streaming down her face, she stared intently at Tian Xiwei.

"He's the one who brought you out of the foggy city, he's the one who hired the best teachers for you, he's the one who gave you the best roles, and he's always there for you on your birthday—"

"You said you wanted to collaborate, and he, a top star, went to accompany you to make a youth movie."

"You won the Best Newcomer Award at an international film festival when you were still a minor. You have no idea how much he sacrificed for you."

"When you were being attacked online, he stayed up for several nights to help you deal with it."

Her lips trembled as she pointed to the scattered cosmetics on the ground. "He was so good to you, and this is how you treat him?"

Tian Xiwei slowly took two steps back and leaned against the back of a makeup chair. She shook her head gently, her voice trembling.

How could she not know about Meng Ziyi's problems?

However, Li Lin's lipstick mark, Dilraba's head rubbing, Meng Ziyi's intimate walk back to the lounge with him, and Bai Lu's outburst just now...

One incident after another replayed in her mind.

Her hands slowly clenched, and a cold smile crept onto her lips once more. "Is Sister Meng going to hit me?"

Her voice was light and airy, with a hint of disdain, "But I think you're not good enough."

Meng Ziyi's pupils contracted sharply, and her fingers instinctively clenched into fists.

Li Qin frowned, quickly walked between the two women, and pushed them apart.

She turned to look at Tian Xiwei, whose face still held a smile, but the smile had frozen, and her lips were pursed white.

"Tian'er, calm down."

Tian Xiwei didn't speak, she just looked at her.

Li Qin pursed her lips and remained silent for two seconds, organizing her thoughts and thinking about how to say it.

She didn't want her words to be the final straw that triggered Tian Xiwei's emotions.

"Now that everyone's brought this up, let me share my thoughts."

After separating the two, her hand did not leave Tian Xiwei's shoulder; she could feel Tian Xiwei's shoulder trembling slightly.

"You've been acting strangely towards Brother Mo lately; you must be angry."

Tian Xiwei didn't speak, but her eyelashes trembled slightly.

"I suddenly realized..." Li Qin's voice was very soft, "that the Mo brother who dotes on you and loves you actually has multiple women, he's actually a scumbag."

Tian Xiwei's lips twitched, and the cold smile finally disappeared.

"Or maybe they're angry—" Li Qin paused, "Even with so many women, there's still no one like me among them."

Tian Xiwei suddenly chuckled softly, pursed her lips, and shook her head.

Li Qin looked at Tian Xiwei, her voice even softer than before, "But, Tian'er—"

Her gaze fell on Tian Xiwei's eyes. "Isn't it better that he's not a jerk to you?"

Tian Xiwei suddenly turned her head to Shen Mo, staring intently at him, and remained silent for a long time.

"Sister Han."

Do you think I care?

Tian Xiwei cares, of course she cares!

She cared so much that she threw the takeout when she saw Dilraba giving him a massage; she cared so much that she clenched her fists when she saw Meng Ziyi whispering in Shen Mo's ear; she cared so much that she wanted to sneer when Bai Lu said "disrespectful to elders".

She cared so much that when she threw the bag, her own heart ached.

But she couldn't say.

"You care."

Li Qin's voice was calm, "I care a lot!"

Tian Xiwei's eyelashes trembled slightly.

"Your brother Mo cares about you too, so he didn't treat you badly—"

She paused, shifting her gaze from Tian Xiwei's face to Shen Mo.

"You're still too young."

These were the words he said to Shen Mo that day in the prop room.

"Besides, even if you were to get involved in this matter, you should have handed it over to your sister Yitong."

Her gaze was fixed on Tian Xiwei. "You're going to throw a bag at Brother Mo's face like that—"

She paused for a moment, then said, "That's a bit much."

Tian Xi looked at her and remained silent for a long time. The curve of her large eyes did not change at all, but the corners of her mouth turned up coldly.

"You're right."

"I went too far!"

Her gaze shifted from Li Lin's face, sweeping over Bai Lu, Meng Ziyi, and Shen Mo.

"It's my fault for not having the right to interfere!"

"Wishing you happiness!"

After she finished speaking, she pushed Li Lin's hand away and started to walk towards the door.

However, Shen Mo suddenly reached out and grabbed her wrist.

Tian Xiwei suddenly stopped in her tracks. She instinctively shrank back, trying to break free, but Shen Mo's fingers were tightly gripping hers.

She looked up at Shen Mo, whose face was flushed, even slightly red, and his lips twitched slightly. "What do you want to do?"

Shen Mo didn't say anything, but simply took her hand and walked towards the door.

The lights in the corridor were much brighter than those in the lounge, so bright that Tian Xi squinted slightly.

He grabbed Tian Xiwei's wrist and made her follow behind, her steps becoming a little unsteady.

It turned one corner, and then another.

Shen Mo stopped in front of a door, pushed it open, and groped his way to the light switch on the wall.

With a "snap," the overhead light came on, revealing a prop room.

Shen Mo closed the door and locked it with a "click".

Tian Xi turned around, her eyes red and her head tilted up to look at Shen Mo. She really wanted to know about the injury on Shen Mo's face.

Shen Mo closed the door and locked it with a "click".

Tian Xi turned around, her eyes red and her head tilted up to look at Shen Mo. She really wanted to know about the injury on Shen Mo's face.

But when he spoke, his tone changed, becoming slightly playful: "You even know about this hidden corner."

Her gaze shifted from Shen Mo's face to the sofa, where there was a spot free of dust.

"This is the room Li Qin brought you to that day, right?"

Shen Mo didn't speak, but Tian Xiwei chuckled softly as she looked at his silence.

"Shen Mo, what do you want to do with me?"

"Are you going to insult me?"

"Still want to fight back?"

She tilted her head, a hint of provocation in the curve of her lips. "Is it because I made your little Mengyan cry? Or because I provoked your little Ziyi?"

Shen Mo's lips twitched, which made the redness and swelling on his cheekbone even more painful. Tian Xiwei looked at Shen Mo's expression and almost couldn't help but smile.

She took a deep breath, stepped back two paces, leaned against the shelf behind her, crossed her arms over her chest, and slightly raised her chin.

"Come on, I'm ready."

There was no fear or tension in her eyes, only a calm and even expectant composure.

Shen Mo looked at her, remained silent for a long time, then stepped forward and pulled Tian Xiwei into his arms.

Before Tian Xiwei could react, Shen Mo tightened his arms around her, trapping her arms between them and causing her some pain.

"Tian'er, shall we make up?"

His chin rested on the top of her head, his breathing a little heavy.

Tian Xiwei's body stiffened. Her face was pressed against his chest. She was so familiar with his scent that she could recognize it even with her eyes closed.

But at this moment, she was extremely upset.

"Relax!"

She struggled to push her arms outward with great force, and Shen Mo dared not provoke her further, so he relaxed his arms.

She took the opportunity to break free from his embrace, took a step back, and looked up at him.

Tian Xiwei's hair was a little messy, with a few strands sticking to her cheeks, and her breathing was uneven.

Shen Mo sighed, "Don't punish me by hurting yourself or others."

Tian Xi opened her mouth slightly, but didn't say anything.

Shen Mo stepped forward, closing the distance between them, and looked down at her. "What are you thinking? Just tell me, okay?"

Tian Xi looked at him, her smile becoming a stiff, fake one.

"I hurt myself? To be precise, I hurt your other little ones, didn't I?"

"If you just hold my hand and walk away, won't they be jealous?" Her tone was light, as if she were talking about something very funny. "Why don't you go back and comfort your little ones?"

Shen Mo's brows furrowed into a knot. He stepped forward and grabbed Tian Xiwei's wrist. "Old Tian."

He paused, looked into her eyes, and said, "Let's talk this out, okay?"

Tian Xi glanced at him. "Old Tian?"

She tilted her head and repeated, "Heh!"

"Now you think I'm too old, huh?"

Her tone was light and airy, but every word was barbed: "There are young Bai Lu and Li Qin."

She paused, her gaze falling on Shen Mo's face, "And there are Wang Churan and Liu Haocun, who are almost ready to be raised."

The curve of her lips deepened slightly. "You look down on me, don't you?"

Shen Mo took a deep breath, his fingers tightening slightly. "You know that's not what I meant."

Tian Xi glanced down at her wrist, which he was holding, then looked up into his eyes.

"Okay, I'll speak properly."

Her tone suddenly changed, becoming resolute and serious.

I'm giving you a chance.

She paused, looking directly at him, and said, "Cut ties with everyone else."

"Let's get married!"

She looked into his eyes, a smile still playing on her lips, but there was no warmth in that smile.

"Will you say yes?"

Shen Mo fell silent, and the room became quiet, so quiet that you could hear the two of them breathing.

He stood there, his fingers still holding her slender wrist, and could feel the stiffness and coldness of her arm, and even a slight tremor.

Her big eyes held expectation, trepidation, and a hint of bitterness and fear.

She was afraid he would agree, but even more afraid he wouldn't.

If he agrees, she will have to face that choice.

Is it really about cutting ties with everyone else and then marrying him?

Or was it just something said in anger, and you don't even know how to handle the aftermath?

If he doesn't say it well...

A smile still lingered on her lips, but it was barely holding on.

Shen Mo remained silent for a long time, so long that the curve of Tian Xi's lips began to tremble slightly.

Marriage is the destiny that two people were meant to have in their past lives.

From the day she agreed, she thought she would continue down this path until that loud bang shattered everything.

After being reborn, she missed it.

He had Li Yitong, Bai Lu, Li Lin, and so many other women.

In his life, she went from being his fiancée to the sister he raised.

He broke up with the other person, then married her, returning to the path he should have followed in his previous life. Logically speaking, this should be the most correct course of action.

But Shen Mo's silence told her—he couldn't do it.

Looking at his expression, Tian Xiwei's upturned smile slowly faded, revealing a bitter smile.

But Shen Mo's silence told her—he couldn't do it.

Looking at his expression, Tian Xiwei's upturned smile slowly faded, revealing a bitter smile.

"Can't you do it?"

Tian Xi glanced down at the hand holding hers, then looked up and stared straight at him.

"If you can't do it, why should I forgive you?"

Her voice suddenly rose, and Shen Mo's Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily.

Tian Xi took a deep breath, her chest heaving violently, and her eyes began to redden, but she bit her lip to prevent the tears from welling up.

"I wasn't originally this angry."

Her voice was trembling, but she was still laughing, only that laughter was uglier than crying.

"I've been trying to avoid you these past few days, just wanting to sort out my own thoughts."

She paused, then sniffed hard. "You guys are really something! One after another, you're trying to provoke me."

"Dilraba gave you a great massage in your office, didn't she?"

"You and Li Qin must have felt very comfortable kissing in this prop room!"

"You and Meng Ziyi were hugging very intimately in the lounge just now, weren't you?"

"And another thing! Bai Mengyan is also defending you and provoking me!"

Her voice trembled with sobs, "What right does she have?"

He practically shouted it out: "The one who should be in charge is Li Yitong, not her!"

Her tears finally fell and slid down her cheeks.

As soon as Shen Mo stepped forward, Tian Xiwei suddenly stepped back and bumped into the shelf. Several old books fell down and hit the ground with a "thud," raising a cloud of dust.

She looked at him, tears streaming down her face. "You too."

Her fingers clenched so tightly that her nails dug into Shen Mo's palms. "Did you drag me to this room to teach me a lesson? To force me to agree?"

She looked up at Shen Mo, her vision blurred with tears.

"Does she really think I, Tian Xiwei, am easy to bully?!"

"Do you really think I can't live without you, Shen Mo?"

As the last word fell, she forcefully shook off his wrist, which he was holding. This time, she used so much force that Shen Mo's hand was flung away.

She roughly wiped away her tears, then walked around him and pushed open the door to leave.

Shen Mo stood there, stunned, his fingers still holding her wrist, but his palm was empty.

He slowly sat down on the sofa, his body seemingly drained of all strength, sinking into the old leather sofa.

Actually, he could have dodged when that bag came flying at him, but he just thought he'd let her vent her anger.

He didn't feel any pain, or rather, he couldn't feel any pain.

After that, my face went numb instantly. When the numbness subsided, it was replaced by a dull, throbbing pain.

He didn't rub it; he just let the redness and swelling remain on his face, like a stamp on his self-righteous face.

Tian Xiwei's smash seemed to have completely woken him up.

Because Tian Xiwei really cares, so much so that she can't pretend not to care.

She cares so much that she takes action, she cares so much that she cries, and on the day filming wraps up, in front of a group of close girlfriends, she puts aside all her dignity and manners.

She never sheds tears in front of outsiders and never lets anyone see her vulnerability.

But today, her weakness has been exposed, raw and bloody, laid bare before everyone.

He seems a bit too self-important.

He thought that as long as he apologized, made amends, and humbled himself, everything would go back to the way it was before.

He thought that as long as he persisted, was patient, and humbled himself enough, she would soften.

Wasn't she always like this?

Every time they argued, as long as he took the initiative to apologize, she would pout and say "never mind," then throw herself into his arms as if nothing had happened.

But this time is different.

She used to get angry because he forgot their anniversary, because he was away on a business trip for too long and didn't reply to her messages, or because he promised to go to the movies with her but changed his plans at the last minute.

But this time, she wasn't angry because he forgot something, or because he did something wrong.

Instead, she discovered that the spot she thought was hers was already full of people.

She discovered that what she thought was special could be replicated in many people.

She discovered that she, Tian Xiwei, was not his only one, and might not even be his first choice.

This kind of anger cannot be dispelled by a cup of milk tea, a bouquet of flowers, or an "I'm sorry."

She is no longer the innocent little Tian'er she once was.

She is both Xiaotian'er and Laotian'er.

She's the woman he promised to marry in his past life.

She was the woman who fell down the stairs, hit the back of her head against the wall, and thought that he and Li Yitong were both dead.

She was the woman who stood before him, carrying the memories, grievances, and loves and hates of two lifetimes.

How could she possibly be the same Xiaotian who could be appeased with just a cup of milk tea?

He arrogantly assumed that Tian Xiwei would forgive him because she loved him.

Looking back on that idea now, it seems as ridiculous as a child's fairy tale.

She loves him, so she will definitely forgive him?

What kind of logic is this?

She loved him. So what? So she deserved it?

He recalled the look in her eyes when she looked at him—not anger, not resentment, but something more terrifying than anger or resentment.

It was disappointment, a disappointment that wasn't built in a day. It was accumulated little by little over the past two weeks, every time he came to the set, every time she saw him, and every time she discovered the tacit understanding and interactions between him and other women.

He thought he was trying to win her back, but in her eyes, he might just be trying to prove something.

Look, this is him. He's kind to everyone, gentle to everyone, and always says "I can't refuse" to everyone.

You, Tian Xiwei, are not special.

She loves him, but she won't let her love for him make her less special.

He leaned back on the sofa, tilted his head back, and stared at the crack in the window.

Sunlight streamed in through the window, casting a thin golden glow on his face.

His Adam's apple bobbed; something was stuck in his throat, something he couldn't swallow or spit out.

"Do you really think I, Tian Xiwei, can't live without you?"

She said those words not impulsively, but because she was genuinely angry.

Will she really leave?

When she pushed through the crowd and walked out, just as she had pushed him away, she didn't look back or hesitate. She wasn't being stubborn; she was truly leaving.

He recalled his past life, when she argued with him, the worst thing she could say was "I don't want to talk to you," and then she would pout and sit on the sofa, waiting for him to coax her.

Perhaps it's time for me to make a choice.

The thought was like a knife, slicing through his mind and cutting away the sticky, tangled mess.

He's been putting it off ever since she regained her memory.

He thought that as long as he dragged it out, things would turn around.

He thought that as long as he didn't let go of either side, one day everyone would accept it.

He thought he could grasp everything and lose nothing.

But Tian Xiwei's act today shattered all those expectations.

He can't grasp everything, he can't possess everything.

He couldn't have Li Yitong's childhood sweetheart, Bai Lu's selfless devotion, Li Lin's silent waiting, Meng Ziyi's blatant audacity, Dilireba's forbearance and restraint, and Tian Xiwei's deep love across two lifetimes.

He thought he wasn't greedy; he thought he was just reluctant to part with anyone around him.

But being unwilling to part with something is the greatest form of greed.

He recalled Li Qin's words, "Isn't it better that he's not a jerk to you?"

These words were hammered into his mind like a nail.

He now realizes that what he's been doing all along is precisely what he's done to her.

He kept her by his side under the guise of "taking care" of her, gave her a place as his "sister," and used a promise from a past life to carry her through this life's future.

He thought this was protection, this was restraint, this was for her own good.

But he never asked her if she wanted this kind of treatment.

She didn't want to.

Xiao Tian'er never wanted to be his sister. From the day she chased him from Chongqing to the capital, she never thought of becoming his sister.

Old Tian never wanted to be one of him. From the moment they agreed to get married in their previous life, he never thought of being one of him.

He knew it from the very beginning.

Li Yitong didn't want to get involved, so things were peaceful.

But Tian Xiwei is not Li Yitong.

He wondered if she would be better off if he let go. He was startled when the thought popped into his head.

He couldn't give her the only one, he couldn't give her everything, he couldn't even give her the first place.

If he can't give it to me, then why shouldn't he let go?

He closed his eyes, then opened them again. His eyes were still hot, and his nose was still sore, but the tears still didn't fall.

Perhaps it's time to let go.

It's not that I don't want her anymore, it's just that we should choose an ending that's good for both of us.

He slowly stood up, his knees a little stiff, and his bones made a soft cracking sound when he stood up.

The old sofa cushions still bear the dents he left behind, deep, like a mark that can never be repaired.

He stared at the dent for a long time before looking away.

When he returned to the lounge, Tian Xiwei had already left, without even picking up the cosmetics and script on the floor.

The cup of milk tea he brought was still on the coffee table; the water droplets on the cup had dried, leaving behind rings of white water stains.

Next to her was the bouquet of flowers; she hadn't brought either of the two gifts he'd given her.

Bai Lu, Li Lin, and Meng Ziyi looked at him with concern. He simply shook his head slightly, pursed his lips, and revealed a smile that wasn't exactly sunny.

He sat on the sofa, staring blankly at the flowers in the middle of the coffee table, as lost as a person who had gone astray.

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

【Remark】

I will accept Tian Xiwei, but if I keep going on and on about this, it will become a melodramatic and sentimental drama, which will be meaningless.

Moreover, the battleground needs to go back and forth many times; it's only interesting when there are conflicts and contradictions.

To give you a little spoiler, the brief relinquishment is for the sake of a better plot development.

The purpose of mentioning this is to prevent some readers from deleting the book after I say I'm letting go.

Finally, it's the end of the month! Please vote with your monthly tickets!!!