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

Good books are never stopped being updated, waiting for you to appreciate them.

Just as "Monkey King: Hero Is Back" was making great strides, another film was in the midst of intensive preparations for its release—"Mr. Six".

Directed by Guan Hu and starring Feng Xiaogang, Wu Fanfan, and Li Yifeng, this cast is a blockbuster in any release window.

Feng Xiaogang is taking on the lead role again after many years, and he's playing a tough guy from Beijing. This alone is enough to keep the media writing about it for half a month.

Wu Fanfan and Li Yifeng are two top celebrities with a combined fan base of over 50 million. Any Weibo post they make can easily trend on social media.

A month ago, "Mr. Six" was officially scheduled for release on December 24th, Christmas Eve.

The date was chosen very carefully, in the prime time slot of the Lunar New Year holiday season, with Christmas before, New Year's Day after, and a weekend in between. Releasing the film during this period means that the company is not afraid of any challenges.

More importantly, at this point in time, "Monkey King: Hero Is Back" only has five days left before it leaves theaters.

In Feng Xiaogang's view, this was a slot with virtually no rivals.

The other films released during the Lunar New Year season were either art films or low-budget comedies; none of them were competitive.

With connections in Beijing's elite circles, top-tier celebrity appeal, and Feng Xiaogang's renowned reputation, "Mr. Six" was almost guaranteed to win.

To promote the film, Feng Xiaogang used almost all the resources he had accumulated in Beijing's entertainment circle.

On the evening of December 20th, the cast and crew of the film "Mr. Six" held a crossover concert of the same name at the Workers' Stadium.

More than a dozen singers and actors from Beijing's music scene took turns on stage, performing everything from rock to folk, from veteran singers to young heartthrobs, creating a lively atmosphere like Chinese New Year. The audience ranged in age from sixty to sixteen, all belting out songs along.

During the press conference scheduled after the concert for film promotion, reporters pointed their microphones at Feng Xiaogang like gun barrels.

"Director Feng, 'Monkey King: Hero Is Back' has already surpassed 8 million yuan at the box office. What are your thoughts?"

Feng Xiaogang leaned back in his chair, his expression relaxed: "Of course, congratulations."

"I'm happy for the box office success of 'Monkey King: Hero Is Back.' It's a good thing that domestic animated films can stand up. I want to see more domestic films rise to prominence."

This statement was perfectly watertight, expressing the attitude without leaving any room for reporters to make a fuss.

But the reporters won't let him off so easily.

"Director Feng, 'Monkey King: Hero Is Back' has already grossed 8 million yuan. Are you confident that 'Mr. Six' will surpass that animated film?"

Feng Xiaogang's smile faded slightly. He glanced at the reporter, his eyes filled with the wariness of a seasoned veteran.

"We don't compare ourselves to anyone." He paused, his tone becoming a little more serious, "but in my heart, 'Mr. Six' is no weaker than any other movie."

Having gained nothing from Feng Xiaogang, the reporters simply turned their microphones to Wu Fanfan.

"Fanfan, what are your expectations for the box office performance of 'Mr. Six'?"

Wu Fanfan sat next to Feng Xiaogang, his expression carrying the undisguised confidence of a young man.

"I hope to break 10 billion."

The moment the words were spoken, the reporters' eyes lit up.

10 million.

"Monkey King: Hero Is Back" has only reached 8 million yuan so far, while Kris Wu has already mentioned 10 billion yuan.

This is probably more than just anticipation; it's setting a flag for "Mr. Six" and handing a knife to "Monkey King: Hero Is Back," betting that they won't break 10 billion.

In that instant, the reporters had already drafted headlines in their minds: "Wu Fanfan boasts of 10 billion, Monkey King Returns is not enough" and "Old Gunner aims for 10 billion, Feng Xiaogang: We are no weaker than anyone else."

After the interview, in the backstage lounge, Feng Xiaogang called Wu Fanfan aside, his smile completely gone.

"You were too reckless just now."

Wu Fanfan paused for a moment: "Director Feng, I just said I hope so."

"What you hope for is not important."

Feng Xiaogang interrupted him, his tone not harsh, but every word was very serious.

"The media will write directly that you think 'Monkey King: Hero Is Back' is not as good as 'Mr. Six'."

"Believe it or not, tomorrow morning, the whole world will be filled with headlines like 'Wu Fanfan looks down on domestic animation'?"

Wu Fanfan opened her mouth: "But I didn't say that."

"Does the media care whether you said that or not?"

Feng Xiaogang looked at him, his eyes filled with the weariness of someone who had been through it all.

"Huayi has already collapsed. Do you think you're more powerful than Huayi?"

Wu Fanfan's lips moved slightly, but she didn't say anything.

"Anyway, I don't want to go against Mohen anymore."

Feng Xiaogang lowered his voice, so low that only the two of them could hear, "Competing for box office revenue, fine."

"I don't want to experience those methods outside the industry anymore."

"You are responsible for what you said."

After saying that, Feng Xiaogang turned and left, the sound of his leather shoes hitting the floor echoing in Wu Fanfan's heart.

Wu Fanfan stood there, stunned for several seconds, her face turning pale and then red.

Feng Xiaogang walked out of the room, took out his phone, opened Weibo, paused his finger on the screen for a moment, and then typed a line of text.

[Congratulations to "Monkey King: Hero Is Back" for setting a new record for domestic animated films.]

The accompanying image is a poster for "Monkey King: Hero Is Back," showing Sun Wukong standing on a mountaintop.

After sending the message, he locked the screen, put his phone in his pocket, and took a deep breath.

Li Yifeng stood at the corner of the corridor, watching everything unfold.

The corners of his mouth curved slightly, a faint arc carrying an indescribable meaning.

He turned to his agent and said, "Go and give him a little push. Set him on fire."

Li Yifeng's smile deepened a little. "I think it's good that the four top celebrities have become three."

The agent paused for a moment, then smiled. "Understood."

The next morning, promotional articles for "Mr. Six" flooded the internet like snowflakes.

Feng Xiaogang returns to leading man role after many years, a nostalgic treat for veteran actors.

"Kris Wu and Li Yifeng, two top celebrities, appear together; their looks are stunning."

But what truly ignited public opinion were those barbed articles sandwiched between normal propaganda releases.

Kris Wu boasts about a billion-dollar budget; is "Monkey King: Hero Is Back" not enough?

Feng Xiaogang: "Old Time Buddies Are No Less Than Any Movies—Who Is He Implying?"

"One Billion vs. Eight Hundred Million: Wu Fanfan Takes on the Challenge of Chinese Animation!"

The comments section below the article was in complete chaos.

Wu Fanfan's fans are desperately trying to control the comments section.

[Fanfan only said he hoped to break one billion; he didn't look down on anyone!]

[Media outlets are taking things out of context!]

Support Kris Wu, support the veteran actor!

[Evidence collected!]

Fans of "Monkey King: Hero Is Back" are also unhappy.

Why are you using a live-action film to criticize our animated film?

[You're just trying to piggyback on our Monkey King's popularity, aren't you?]

[We've reached 8 million, and you're all jumping out to demand 10 billion?]

What has Wu Fanfan acted in? What's his representative work? Oh, it's *Big Bowl Wide Noodles*?

[Isn't he a top star? Let him carry a movie on his own and see what happens.]

The fans on both sides were fighting fiercely, while bystanders watched the drama unfold, and one trending topic after another appeared on social media.

"Look, Feng Xiaogang's sliding knee speed is faster than a rabbit's."

Li Yitong leaned back on the sofa in Shen Mo's office, held her phone up to Shen Mo, and smiled broadly in her crescent-shaped eyes.

Shen Mo glanced at the screen and a slight smile curved his lips.

"Of course he's quick. Didn't he just have Chen Daoming deliver a message begging for mercy a few months ago? He can't possibly turn around and start trouble again. If he did, he wouldn't be a veteran, he'd be cannon fodder."

Li Yitong looked at him, "What about Wu Fanfan? Should we deal with her?"

Shen Mo picked up his coffee, took a sip, and slowly put it down.

"A clown jumping around like a tree trunk."

"Leave it to Wang Jing and Lin Wei."

Li Yitong raised an eyebrow: "You seem quite adept at being a hands-off manager."

Shen Mo glanced at her, then gently kissed her pouting cheek. "Isn't this spending time with our Sister Xue?"

"ah!"

Li Yitong rolled her eyes and wiped her face. "It's broad daylight! Don't ruin my makeup!"

Shen Mo chuckled, "Since you've said that, and we've already made it messy, let's make it even messier..."

As she spoke, she leaned closer again...

On December 22, "Monkey King: Hero Is Back" grossed over 900 million yuan.

It only took 5 days to go from 8 million to 9 million, and the speed has not slowed down much. The word-of-mouth is still growing, and word-of-mouth is still recommending it. Those who used to look down on domestic animation are now going to the cinema and coming out with tears in their eyes.

On the same day, Inkmark received a notification.

The theatrical release of "Monkey King: Hero Is Back" has been extended, with the film's release date postponed from December 29th to January 29th.

An extra month has been added, and everyone knows what that month means.

This means that "Monkey King: Hero Is Back" will clash head-on with "Mr. Six," that the two films will go head-to-head in the same release window, and that this battle for box office revenue has only just begun.

On the day the news was announced, a reporter interviewed Wang Jing, CEO of Mohen Animation.

She stood in an office of Mohen Animation, with an entire wall of "Monkey King: Hero Is Back" manuscripts behind her. Each one was hand-drawn, and each one bore the marks of pencil and the dust of erasers.

A reporter asked her, "With the key release of 'Monkey King: Hero Is Back' extended, has Ms. Wang adjusted her box office targets?"

Wang Jing thought for a moment, then a meaningful smile appeared on her lips.

"Our previous target was one billion."

"But judging from the current situation and the support from our fans, we may be able to break one billion in less than a month."

The reporter nodded, waiting for her to continue.

Wang Jing raised her head, looked at the camera, her gaze was calm, but there was something burning in her eyes.

"As for the postponement, our goal is hopefully 1.5 billion."

The reporter was taken aback.

1.5 billion, which is 600 million more than the current 900 million. Although it seems like there are still nearly 40 days left, the number of moviegoers who want to see this film will only decrease over time.

"When Mohen was making this film, everyone thought we were joking."

Her voice wasn't loud, and she didn't laugh. "We said we were going to make an animated film for all ages, and some people said we were crazy."

"When we said we wanted to make animations made by Chinese people, some people said we were overestimating ourselves."

"When we said we were going to break the record for animated films, some people thought we were joking."

She paused, her gaze sweeping over the wall behind her.

The manuscripts gleamed warmly under the lamplight; each page represented a sleepless night, and every revision was a battle between the team and themselves.

"And now?"

She looked away from the camera, a slight smile playing on her lips.

"We're not joking; we're doing something very serious."

After he finished speaking, the office was silent for a moment.

The reporter opened his mouth, wanting to ask something, but seeing Wang Jing's expression, he swallowed his words.

She no longer needed to ask; the answer was on that wall, in that movie, and on the faces of the audience members who were crying their eyes out in the theater.

The reporter put away his recorder, bowed, and turned to leave. Wang Jing stood there, staring at the wall, for a long time.

Then she looked down, opened her phone, and glanced at the box office data.

9.2 million, still 5.8 million short of 15 billion.

She believed that "Monkey King" could succeed, and she also believed that those who believed in Monkey King would make it happen!

The news that "Monkey King: Hero Is Back" had grossed over 9 million yuan and the announcement of the key extension arrived online almost simultaneously.

The former is a battle report, the latter is a bugle call; the battle report announces victory, the bugle call heralds the next battle.

The news caused an uproar online the day it was announced.

[Is the key extended? Is "Monkey King: Hero Is Back" going head-to-head with "Mr. Six"?]

[The film *Mr. Six* was released on December 24th, and *Monkey King: Hero Is Back* was taken off the screens on January 29th, a full month apart.]

[Exciting! The new king of domestic animation versus the last veteran of the Beijing animation circle!]

[No way, do you guys really think "Monkey King: Hero Is Back" can beat "Mr. Six"? Feng Xiaogang + Wu Fanfan + Li Yifeng, with this lineup, who can stop it in the Lunar New Year season? A mere billion yuan can stop it?]

Didn't Kris Wu say he was going to break 1 billion? Let's see if he's just being stubborn or if his stick is tougher.

[Let's fight! Let's fight! Let's fight!]

The capital market reacted even faster; on the day the news was announced, the valuation of Mohen Animation was discussed again in investment circles.

"With a one-month extension, the box office will increase by at least another 300 to 500 million. Mohen Animation is really reaping the benefits."

"Don't get too excited. 'Mr. Six' is no pushover. The Beijing film circle has staked everything on this; they can't afford to lose."

On December 24th, Christmas Eve, the film "Mr. Six" was officially released.

Its screening rate on the first day was 38%, nearly three times that of "Monkey King: Hero Is Back" which had a screening rate of 13% on the first day.

Of the more than 10,000 cinemas nationwide, nearly 4,000 screened "Mr. Six" during prime time, with screenings so frequent that there was one every 20 minutes.

A pre-sale box office of 1.5 billion is a remarkable achievement for any domestic film.

When Feng Xiaogang saw the data, a smile finally appeared on his face. This was the first time he had truly smiled in a month.

The assistant beside him cautiously suggested, "Director Feng, should we post something on Weibo to celebrate?"

Feng Xiaogang thought for a moment, then shook his head. "Let's wait for the first day's box office results."

The assistant nodded and didn't ask any more questions.

1.8 million.

"Mr. Six" grossed 1.8 million yuan on its opening day, setting a new record for the best opening day of Feng Xiaogang's directorial career.

Feng Xiaogang posted a status update on Weibo at 1 a.m., consisting of only two words: "Thank you."

In the comments section, fans and old friends from the Beijing entertainment circle flocked to offer their congratulations.

But Feng Xiaogang did not reply to any of them because he saw another set of numbers.

Despite having its screenings reduced to only 10%, "Monkey King: Hero Is Back" still grossed 1800 million yuan on its opening day.

With 10% of screenings and 1800 million yuan in box office revenue, "Monkey King: Hero Is Back" still has about half the occupancy rate of "Mr. Six," and this is even after it has been in theaters for nearly a month.

Feng Xiaogang was really anxious. He and Wu Fanfan and Li Yifeng really went all out, traveling to six cities and doing more than twenty roadshows in a week.

Every city was a three-point line between airport, hotel, cinema and airport. Wu Fanfan was so tired that she could fall asleep against the wall backstage, but Feng Xiaogang worked non-stop and didn't even show any fatigue on his face.

"Old hands can't lose."

He said at an internal meeting, "It's not for me, it's for the Beijing circle."

"Huayi is gone. If we can't even hold our heads high in this industry, we can forget about it."

There were more than a dozen people in the conference room, all familiar faces from Beijing's elite circles. Some were drinking tea with their heads down, while others remained silent.

They all knew that what Feng Xiaogang said was true.

After Huayi collapsed, the Beijing entertainment circle was like an old tree with its roots dug out; it looked like it was still standing, but a gust of wind could blow it down.

Meanwhile, the marketing budget for "Mr. Six" continues to increase.

The subway station was full of posters of Wu Fanfan and Li Yifeng, with the two on the left and right, and Feng Xiaogang standing in the middle, with the caption "Your grandpa is still your grandpa".

TV ads bombarded the screen during prime time, and ads appeared on Weibo splash screens, WeChat Moments, official accounts, Toutiao, and even in elevators—every imaginable channel was covered.

Meanwhile, Li Yifeng's team wasn't idle either. Since that interview, classic quotes from "The Shura Field of Chinese Entertainment: Young Actresses All Want to Climb to the Top" have been frequently released to find resonance. Li Yifeng's agent started "casually" releasing information.

It's not about directly criticizing Kris Wu, but rather using a more sophisticated method to praise him.

"Fanfan is really outspoken, setting a goal of 1 billion. Youth is full of drive."

"Fanfan's performance in 'Mr. Six' was truly amazing, and he could definitely win Best Newcomer for it."

"Fanfan's fans are amazing! 1.8 million yuan in box office on the first day, you guys are incredible!"

On the surface it was praise, but in reality it was putting Wu Fanfan on the hot seat.

You say one billion? Okay, everyone's watching you.

Wu Fanfan's team felt the pressure, but they couldn't fight back because these comments were praising them. They couldn't very well say, "Don't praise me!"

As Li Yifeng observed the shifts in online public opinion, the smile on his lips deepened day by day.

However, he always felt that the marketing was much more intense than he had hoped for; why were these marketing accounts suddenly working so hard?

Lin Wei deserves much credit for this. Mohen's promotion of "Monkey King: Hero Is Back" goes beyond her own efforts. She doesn't mind adding fuel to the fire when Li Yifeng stirs things up.

They're just waiting for the other side to react and start a war against Li Yifeng. Lin Wei is also looking forward to helping the other side out. It would be best if both sides could beat each other senseless.

On December 27, the box office of "Monkey King: Hero Is Back" officially surpassed 1 billion yuan.

It's still 500 million short of the 15 billion target. Although the daily box office has declined somewhat, it remains stable at around 20 million. This figure has silenced all those who were pessimistic about "Monkey King".

What shocked the industry even more was that after "Monkey King: Hero Is Back" broke through 10 billion in box office revenue, its attendance rate actually saw a slight rebound.

The reason is simple: the tap water attracted more passersby to watch the film.

"Hey, there's been way too much talk about 'Monkey King: Hero Is Back' on my WeChat Moments lately? What the heck??"

"—It's Sun Wukong again! Can't you come up with something new? All you ever do is rehash old stuff!"

"Hey, this music video is pretty good! It's sung by Chen Jieyi, give it a listen."

"Hey, this looks pretty good. Shall we go check it out?"

"Holy crap, this is a Chinese animation?! The visuals are stunning, the character designs are adorable, and the voice acting is perfect! Holy crap, the voice of the big boss is Tong Zirong!! The Monkey King is so handsome! I want to have your babies!"

—"It turned out to be a tragedy! Waaaaah! The story was so great! I want to watch it again!!"

Then I searched on Weibo and found that Mohen Animation had worked diligently for four years to create such a beautiful "Monkey King," yet they were looked down upon.

How can this be!

If a well-made Chinese animation flops at the box office, how many people who sincerely make Chinese animation will be hurt!

We can no longer tolerate those terrible films in the Chinese film industry! We need to support high-quality domestic animation!

……

More and more people are watching it two or three times.

Someone posted six ticket stubs on Weibo with the caption:

[Six viewings. Each time brings new feelings. The first time for the special effects, the second for the plot, the third for the details, the fourth for the voice acting, the fifth for the music, and the sixth—for myself.]

The most upvoted comment under this Weibo post is:

I took my son to see it. He's five years old. After the movie, he asked me, "Dad, is Sun Wukong real?" I said yes. He then asked, "Where is he now?" I asked him, "Do you believe the Great Sage is real?" He said yes. I told him, "Then the Great Sage is in your heart."

More similar stories are being passed around on social media like a relay race.

Everyone who has watched "Monkey King: Hero Is Back" is telling the same story in their own way: about a monkey, about a group of people waiting, and about a country's animation finally standing up.

The publicity team for "Mr. Six" saw this and was very anxious.

They did so much marketing and spent so much money, but the popularity of "Mr. Six" was always overshadowed by "Monkey King: Hero Is Back".

It's not because "Monkey King: Hero Is Back" had good marketing; it's because it no longer needed marketing.

It has become a phenomenon, an emotion, a social currency that implies "you're not qualified to chat if you haven't seen 'Monkey King'".

Feng Xiaogang lost his temper at an internal meeting, saying, "I refuse to believe that a monkey can turn the world upside down!"

No one dared to speak. He took a deep breath, suppressed his emotions, and regained his calm tone.

"Keep pushing the publicity; I don't believe we can't outdo an animated film."

On the other hand, "Mr. Six" received a score of 7.8 on Douban, which is not low, but it is not high for a highly anticipated Lunar New Year blockbuster. In the comments section, positive and negative reviews are clearly divided.

The positive reviews focused on Feng Xiaogang's performance.

[Feng Xiaogang wasn't acting; he was playing himself. He captured the essence of a seasoned Beijing tough guy perfectly.]

[No one but Feng Xiaogang can play the role of Sixth Master.]

Negative reviews focused on the plot and Wu Fanfan's performance.

The plot is too scattered, jumping from one thing to another, and it's unclear what it's trying to express.

[Wu Fanfan's acting skills... well, he should probably go back to singing.]

[The final scene on the ice was so awkward I was practically digging my toes into a three-bedroom apartment.]

Feng Xiaogang's acting was good, but the film itself was just average. 7.8 points, that's the highest I can give it.

Meanwhile, the Douban rating for "Monkey King: Hero Is Back" remains stable at 8.9.

In the comments section, some people are comparing the two movies.

I just finished watching "Mr. Six," and then I watched "Monkey King: Hero Is Back" again when I got home. How to put it? "Mr. Six" is a movie, "Monkey King: Hero Is Back" is a belief.

[Mr. Six tells the story of the end of an era, while Monkey King tells the story of the beginning of one. One is saying goodbye, the other is setting off. I choose to set off.]

It's not that "Mr. Six" is bad, it's that "Monkey King: Hero Is Back" is too good. It's so good it's on a completely different level.

When these words reached Feng Xiaogang's ears, he wanted to get angry, but in the end he remained silent for a long time before finally saying something.

"Young people like new things, that's normal."

His tone was calm, but his assistant noticed that his hands were trembling slightly.

On December 28, the fifth day of its release, "Mr. Six" had grossed 520 million yuan.

This result isn't bad, but it falls far short of Feng Xiaogang's and investors' expectations.

Based on this trend, the final box office will most likely be between 800 million and 1 billion yuan. Wu Fanfan's goal of 1 billion yuan can barely be reached, but it will definitely not be a "blockbuster".

More importantly, the reputation of "Mr. Six" continues to decline.

The Douban rating dropped from 7.8 to 7.4, and the Maoyan rating dropped from 9.0 to 8.6. Every new batch of viewers who watched it brought a new batch of negative reviews.

I had high expectations, but I was a little disappointed after watching it.

Feng Xiaogang's acting is solid, but the movie is really bad.

[I was immediately pulled out of the story the moment Wu Fanfan opened his mouth; I beg him to stop acting.]

Li Yifeng's team has been busy these past few days.

They "objectively" compared Wu Fanfan and Li Yifeng's performances in "Mr. Six" on various platforms.

[Li Yifeng's screen time wasn't much, but he was consistently excellent in every scene. Wu Fanfan... well, he still needs to work harder.]

[They're both top-tier celebrities, so why is there such a huge difference in their acting skills?]

[The Four Top Celebrities? I think we should just exclude them and call them the Three Top Celebrities.]

These comments were wildly shared by Li Yifeng's fans, gradually creating a public opinion atmosphere: Li Yifeng's acting skills are excellent, and Wu Fanfan is the one who drags the show down.

Wu Fanfan's team tried to fight back, but with limited success, because the words spoken by online marketing accounts and comments, on the surface, were not problematic.

"Objective comparison," "rational discussion," and "no intention to disparage"—each word is harmless on its own, but when put together, they are incredibly damaging.

When Wu Fanfan saw these comments, she smashed her phone on the ground. "What does Li Yifeng mean by this?"

The agent, standing nearby, cautiously said, "Fanfan, how about we release a statement?"

"What's the point of making a statement? Since he's so ruthless, don't blame me for being ruthless too."

"Arrange the same meal plan for him for me too."

The agent nodded.

The following day, rumors began circulating online that Li Yifeng was acting like a diva and refusing to cooperate with publicity.

Within a day or two, fans from both sides started shifting blame and engaging in a war of words. The level of involvement and the intensity of the attacks were so great that neither of their studios could keep quiet for a while.

They always felt something was wrong; they felt that these opinions were out of their control.

Fortunately, the film's popularity and fame were at least promoted, so Feng Xiaogang didn't say much about it.

On December 31, New Year's Eve, "Mr. Six" had been in theaters for eight days, with a cumulative box office of 680 million yuan. "Monkey King: Hero Is Back" bucked the trend and earned 21 million yuan in a single day, bringing its total box office to over 12 billion yuan.

After the box office figures for that day were released, the industry fell completely silent.

It's not because the data is bad, it's because the data is too strange.

An animated film that has been showing for 40 days, with its screenings reduced to only 10%, still managed to gross over 2000 million yuan in a single day. This is almost impossible in a normal film market.

Some analysts say, "This isn't normal movie watching; it's 'support.' It's those who treat 'Monkey King: Hero Is Back' as a symbol that are propping it up."

Some say, "Monkey King: Hero Is Back is no longer just a movie. It's an emotion. An emotion of 'supporting domestic animation'."

Some people even asked, "Have you ever thought about this—if 'Monkey King: Hero Is Back' had 15% or 20% of the screenings instead of 5%, how many billions would it be now?"

No one answered the question because the answer was too frightening.

Shen Mo was having hot pot with Li Yitong on New Year's Eve when he saw these discussions.

Li Yitong picked up a piece of tripe and dipped it in the spicy soup, not even looking up: "The Monkey King has already surpassed the box office of my previous life. Do you think it can reach 15 billion?"

Shen Mo picked up his wine glass, took a sip, and said, "Yes."

"Are you so sure?"

Shen Mo put down his wine glass, a slight smile curving his lips. "Because I also believe in the Great Sage."

Li Yitong rolled her eyes, stuffed the cooked tripe into her mouth, and mumbled something.

"You always say you believe in everything you do. You believe in capital, you believe in the audience, you believe in the Monkey King. But don't you believe in yourself?"

Shen Mo looked at her with gentle eyes, "I trust the person I chose."

Li Yitong paused for a moment, and the tips of her ears turned slightly red.

She didn't reply, but instead cooked another piece of tripe and put it in Shen Mo's bowl, saying, "Eat yours."

After finishing their hotpot meal, the two returned home. Shen Mo leaned back on the sofa, while Li Yitong nestled in his arms, their tongues entwined on their lips. The TV was on, and songs from the New Year's Eve gala were playing, but neither of them were paying attention.

Her hand was in his palm, her fingers gently tracing circles around his knuckles, as if drawing some invisible pattern.

After cuddling for a while, Shen Mo ran his fingers through her hair and placed a light kiss on the top of her head.

Li Yitong squinted, like a cat that had been petted comfortably, and snuggled closer into his arms.

"What time is it?" Her voice was muffled.

Shen Mo glanced at his phone: "9:40."

Li Yitong sighed, propped herself up from his embrace, and sat up straight.

Her hair was a little messy, and the blush on her face hadn't completely faded, but her eyes were mostly clear. "It's time to go."

Shen Mo pinched her waist with his fingers. "Wait a little longer."

"It will be ten o'clock soon."

Li Yitong reached out and patted the back of his hand, her tone tinged with helplessness, "Xiaotian'er is in the capital now, with no one by her side. She doesn't want to see you for the time being, so she can't stay alone on New Year's Eve. In that case, I'll have to go over there, and you'll be all alone in your room."

Shen Mo slowly released his grip, a slight smile curving his lips. "Thank you for your hard work, Sister Xue. Running between two places in the middle of the night."

Li Yitong stood up, picked up her coat from the sofa, put it on, and glared at him as she zipped it up.

"You know I work hard, right?"

She went to the entrance to change her shoes, and Shen Mo followed. He squatted down, took the pair of untied ankle boots from her hands with one hand, and gently helped her put them on with the other.

The shoelaces were wrapped around his fingers twice, tightened, and knotted.

Li Yitong looked down at him, her fingers resting on his shoulder. She didn't say anything, but her eyes were full of love.

After putting on one, he looked up at her, met her crescent-shaped eyes, smiled at each other, and then went to get the other one.

"I can do it myself."

Li Yitong reached out, but Shen Mo blocked her hand.

"Almost done! Sister Xue, you have to let me show off once in a while."

He tied his shoelaces, half-squatted in front of Li Yitong, his eyes meeting hers as she sat in the entryway.

Li Yitong reached out and tapped his chest, right in the heart. "You, think of a way to persuade Tian'er to get better as soon as possible."

She spoke slowly and deliberately, pausing between each word, as if assigning homework to Shen Mo.

"Let's not talk about anything else, at least get her to sit at the same table with you for a meal. Don't make me run back and forth, my old back can't take it anymore."

Shen Mo grasped her fingers that were poking his chest and gently squeezed them. "I understand. Thank you for your hard work, Sister Xue."

"You'll just say it's hard work."

Li Yitong pulled her hand away, rolled her eyes, pouted, and finally couldn't resist gently pressing her lips to Shen Mo's.

"Alright, I'm leaving. Go to sleep early, don't stay up late again."

She opened the door, and Shen Mo watched her walk out before suddenly speaking, "Xuezi."

Li Yitong turned around, half her body already leaning out of the door, "Hmm?"

"Be careful on the road."

Li Yitong paused for a moment, then smiled, her crescent-shaped eyes looking beautiful under the corridor lights. "I understand."

The door closed, and the footsteps in the corridor gradually faded away.

Shen Mo stood in the entryway, staring at the closed door, for a long time.

Then he turned around, walked back to the living room, picked up his phone, and opened the chat window with Tian Xiwei.

The last message was still the same "okay" from half a month ago. He stared at that word for a few seconds, locked the screen, and put his phone on the coffee table.

He leaned back on the sofa, closed his eyes, and his mind was filled with the faces of two women.

One was smiling, her crescent-shaped eyes crinkling into crescents; the other was angry, refusing to show her dimples.

He sighed, opened his eyes, picked up his phone, and sent Li Yitong a message: "Let me know when you arrive."

After sending the message, he felt it was unnecessary. She would naturally tell him when she arrived; he never needed to remind her.

After some time, my phone vibrated. It wasn't Li Yitong who replied; it was Tian Xiwei who sent the message.

He paused for a moment, then clicked on the message: "What did you say to Sister Tong? She insisted on coming to keep me company during the Chinese New Year."

As Shen Mo looked at the words, the corners of his mouth slowly curved upwards.

[Tongjie said she'd rather abandon me than not choose you!]

There was no further reply from the other end. He stared at the chat box for a long time.

Much later, he whispered, "Tian'er, Happy New Year."

The voice was very soft, so soft that only he could hear it.

But at Tian Xiwei's home, Li Yitong, who had worked hard all night, was already asleep, holding Tian Xiwei in her arms on the bed.

Tian Xiwei felt her ears getting inexplicably hot. She touched her earlobes, frowned, and muttered, "Who's talking about me?"

The last day of 2015 has come to an end.

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