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

You have received a new chapter update: Chapter 313 I'm Going to Kill Bai Mengyan!, here's the reading link.

The afternoon sunlight slanted in through the window, spreading a warm golden light across the living room floor.

Tian Ruowei was taking a nap on the sofa, still holding the cup of milk tea she couldn't bear to finish. Her mouth was slightly open, and her breathing was even.

Tian Xiwei sat at the table, holding her phone, but she couldn't concentrate on anything. Her gaze kept drifting to the neatly folded blue scarf on the table.

"Ding-dong—ding-dong ding-dong ding-dong—"

The doorbell rang, and the ringing was quite urgent.

"Weiwei, go open the door."

Tian Xi frowned slightly, put down her phone, and went to open the door.

The moment the door opened, an excessively bright smile was thrust in front of her.

Meng Ziyi stood at the door, wearing a creamy white long down jacket, with a scarf wrapped twice around her neck, her eyes sparkling, and her face red from the cold.

She carried a gift box in each hand, fruit in her left and candy in her right. The handles of the gift boxes made her fingers turn white, but the smile on her face didn't diminish at all.

"Surprise!"

A bright sound came, and eyes blinked incessantly.

Tian Xi stood there stunned, blinking twice to make sure she wasn't seeing things.

"Why are you here?"

Meng Ziyi squeezed through the door, put the two gift boxes on the ground, straightened up, pulled off her scarf, and let out a long breath.

"Bai Lu sent me photos! She said they're all spending the New Year at your house!"

She spoke rapidly, her cheeks flushed with excitement.

"I thought, everyone's going, so I have to go too! So I immediately booked a flight and flew over!"

As she spoke, she looked around the living room, her gaze sweeping over Tian Ruowei on the sofa before settling on Tian Xiwei's face, and she blinked.

"Where are they? Where's Bai Lu? Where's Shen Mo?"

Tian Xi leaned against the door frame, her arms crossed over her chest, and a meaningful smile slowly curved her lips.

"Didn't Bai Lu tell you?"

Tell me what?

She left after sending you the photos.

Meng Ziyi's smile froze on her face instantly. She stood there motionless, her mouth agape and her eyes wide open.

Tian Xiwei couldn't help but laugh when she saw her stunned expression.

She kindly reached out to help Meng Ziyi close her chin, then gently tapped her nose with her finger, instantly triggering the power-on button on Meng Ziyi's malfunctioning brain.

Are you coming in?

Meng Ziyi nodded mechanically, then shook his head, then nodded again.

Tian Xiwei stepped aside to clear the doorway and pointed into the room.

"Come in and sit down, it's cold outside."

Meng Ziyi walked in, looking bewildered, and sat down on the sofa, her movements as slow as if in slow motion.

Tian Ruowei was woken up by the noise. She rubbed her eyes and sat up. When she saw Meng Ziyi, she was stunned for a second before her eyes lit up instantly.

"Sister Ziyi?!"

Meng Ziyi looked down at Tian Ruowei, mechanically forcing a smile, "Hello..."

When Tian's mother peeked out from the kitchen and saw another unfamiliar girl in the house, she paused for a moment, then wiped her hands and greeted her with a smile.

"Oh dear, another guest? Weiwei, is this your friend?"

Tian Xiwei poured a cup of tea and walked over to hand it to Meng Ziyi.

"Yes, friend, Mom, you go about your business, don't worry about her."

Mother Tian responded, then glanced at Meng Ziyi a few more times. She felt that the girl looked familiar, but couldn't remember where she had seen her before. She shook her head and went back to the kitchen to continue preparing vegetables.

Tian Xiwei sat down next to Meng Ziyi, crossed her legs, picked up her teacup, and slowly took a sip.

Meng Ziyi held the cup of tea, turning her palms to warm her icy hands, staring blankly at Tian Xiwei.

"So..." her voice faltered slightly, "Bai Mengyan and Brother Mo aren't here?"

"Hmm, no, I'm gone. How did you know my address?"

"I used to send you packages when we lived together."

After saying that, Meng Ziyi took a deep breath, tilted his head back and drank the cup of tea in one gulp, then put down the cup, stood up, and turned to walk towards the door.

Tian Xi raised an eyebrow: "Where to?"

"I'm going to kill Bai Mengyan!"

Meng Ziyi's voice seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth. He didn't turn his head and took big, fast steps.

Tian Xiwei didn't stop her. She leaned back on the sofa, holding a teacup and watching her.

Meng Ziyi walked to the door, her hand already on the doorknob, then suddenly stopped, turned around abruptly, and strode back.

Before Tian Xiwei could react, Meng Ziyi had already bent down and hugged her tightly.

"Happy New Year."

Meng Ziyi's voice came from beside her ear, with a smile and a touch of her unique nasal tone.

Then she quickly kissed Tian Xiwei on the cheek with a "pop".

Tian Xiwei froze completely.

Meng Ziyi released her, straightened up, waved at her with a grin, and then turned and really left.

Tian Xiwei sat on the sofa, stunned for several seconds, and then slowly smiled.

Tian Ruowei looked at her with a puzzled expression.

"Sis, what are you laughing at?"

"It's nothing."

Tian Xi shook her head slightly, put down her teacup, reached out and touched the side of her cheek that had been kissed, unable to suppress the smile on her lips.

"Your sister Ziyi... is such a lively character."

Tian Ruowei tilted her head and pouted, regretting that she hadn't had a chance to get closer to Meng Ziyi before she left.

Outside the window, Meng Ziyi's figure had already run to the alley entrance, her down jacket billowing in the wind.

Tian Xiwei stood up, walked to the window, watched the figure recede into the distance, shook her head, and whispered something.

"madman."

In Changzhou, Bai Lu had just gotten off the plane and turned on her phone when messages flooded in like a tidal wave.

Meng Ziyi's chat box appeared at the top, flashing red numbers.

Guess where I am?

In the photo, Meng Ziyi is making a peace sign with two fingers and smiling brightly, but in the background is a prominent sign: Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport.

The photo was captioned: "[I'm here! Surprised? Unexpected?]"

Bai Lu looked at the photo and her heart skipped a beat.

She glanced at the time the photo was sent; it was less than an hour after she boarded the plane.

In other words, she and Shen Mo took off one minute and Meng Ziyi landed the next.

Bai Lu quickly calculated that Meng Ziyi had probably arrived at Tian Xiwei's house by now.

Finished!

Before she could even think of an explanation, her phone started vibrating incessantly.

Meng Ziyi sent a voice message.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Five.

Bai Lu stood next to the baggage carousel in the arrival hall, looked at the five long voice messages, took a deep breath, then took another deep breath, and resignedly clicked on them.

"Bai Mengyan!!! Explain yourself!!! Where are you?! Tell me where you are?! I flew all this way here, and you're telling me you're gone?! Why didn't you tell me you were gone?! Are you doing this on purpose?!"

Meng Ziyi's voice burst out from the receiver, so loud that the passengers waiting for their luggage nearby glanced at her. Bai Lu quickly turned down the volume and put on her headphones.

"Bai Mengyan, I'm already at Tian Xiwei's doorstep! Do you know the look on Tian Xiwei's face when she sees me?! Like she's looking at an idiot! You've made me so embarrassed!"

"And another thing! You actually secretly spent the New Year with Brother Mo! How could you do this to Sister Tong? How could you do this to me? You even went to Tian Xiwei's house with Brother Mo! Didn't you and she have a falling out?! You two made up for the New Year together, but you didn't take me with you? Are you kidding me?! Luckily, I went too! I kissed Tian Xiwei, and she didn't reject me, so I'll take it as a reconciliation, otherwise you really would have betrayed me!"

Bai Lu bit her lip, suppressing a laugh, and continued listening.

"Do you know how busy I've been these past few days? My movie 'The Mermaid' just came out, and I'm still running around doing promotional tours! Do you know I specifically asked Stephen Chow for leave to come here?! Do you know I didn't even have lunch so I could get here as quickly as possible?!"

"You're not answering your phone! I'm telling you, I'm at the airport now, you just wait! Send me your address right now, I'm coming to kill you!"

Hearing this, Bai Lu finally couldn't help but burst out laughing. The passenger next to her glanced at her again, and she quickly covered her mouth.

After listening to the five voice messages, Bai Lu's lips curled up to her ears.

She lifted her suitcase off the carousel and turned on the voice button as she walked outside.

Are you sure you want to come find me?

"Let me tell you, Mo-ge isn't with me right now! Tong-jie is back in her hometown of Jinan! Mo-ge is all alone now!"

"Think it over carefully now. Are you going to come and settle accounts with me, or go find Brother Mo!"

Meng Ziyi replied with a few question marks in a second, and then sent a "humph" emoji.

Where did Brother Mo go?!

This time she didn't send a voice message; instead, six words appeared clearly in the chat box.

Beg me!

Bai Lu's lips curled into a mischievous smile. "Little brat, trying to rip me off?!"

"Mmm~ Good dream, my best buddy! Just tell me!"

Less than five seconds later, a voice message came through, accompanied by Meng Ziyi's sticky, coquettish accent.

Bai Lu looked up and smiled happily.

In the distance, an airplane flew overhead, leaving a white contrail before disappearing into the clouds.

She picked up her phone and texted Meng Ziyi: 【Let's go to the capital! Brother Mo is back!】

【Mua~! Yume-chan is the best!】

Meng Ziyi quickly exited the chat interface and opened the flight booking interface to reschedule her flight!

Beijing, my sister Meng is back!

Winters in the capital are colder than in Chongqing. The wind blows from Siberia, dry and cold, and feels like a blade on your face.

On the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, not many people remained at the company, and the office lobby was quiet.

When Shen Mo arrived at the company, he was carrying a large stack of red envelopes, bulging with gold-stamped "Fu" characters on the covers.

When Olivia at the front desk saw him, her eyes lit up instantly, and she jumped up from her seat, her voice crisp and clear: "Happy New Year, Mr. Shen!"

"Happy New Year."

Shen Mo took out a red envelope and handed it over, saying, "Thank you for your hard work, working during the New Year."

Olivia accepted the red envelope with both hands, beaming from ear to ear, and said "Thank you, Mr. Shen" three times.

She secretly pinched the thickness of the red envelope, her eyes widened, and then she quickly stuffed the red envelope into her pocket.

Shen Mo smiled and turned to walk towards the office area.

There weren't many people left, scattered across a few offices. Shen Mo walked from office to office, handing out greetings one by one, saying "Happy New Year" at each workstation.

Some people stood up and bowed in excitement, while others rubbed their hands together shyly and said, "Mr. Shen, you're too kind."

Then he turned around, took a picture of the red envelope, and posted it on his WeChat Moments with the caption, "My boss gave out red envelopes. Are you envious?"

The relaxed and lively atmosphere added a spark to the otherwise quiet and deserted company.

When Meng Ziyi arrived at the entrance of Mohen Capital, although he looked travel-worn, he was in incredibly good spirits.

She pushed open the door and went in. Olivia, who was tidying up her desk, was taken aback when she saw her.

"Sister Meng... Sister Meng? What brings you here? Happy New Year."

"Happy New Year!" Meng Ziyi smiled brightly, leaned her suitcase against the front desk, and walked inside with her hands behind her back. "Is President Shen here?"

"Yes, they're handing out red envelopes. Please come inside; they shouldn't be finished yet."

Meng Ziyi quickened her pace, her heels clicking crisply on the floor.

She walked through the corridor, turned the corner, and saw Shen Mo standing next to a workstation in the distance, holding a red envelope in his hand, handing it to a male employee wearing glasses.

She didn't say anything, but quietly walked over and stood behind Shen Mo.

After Shen Mo finished handing out the red envelope, he was about to walk to the next employee when suddenly a hand reached out from behind him, with fingers spread and palm facing up, and stopped steadily in front of him.

That hand was different from all the other hands that had received red envelopes before. The nails were neatly trimmed, the fingertips were a light pink, and it was fair and slender, like a piece of warm white jade.

Shen Mo paused for a moment, looked down at the hand, then looked up and turned back.

Meng Ziyi stood there, tilting her head and smiling at him. She was wearing a light purple sweater with a short white down jacket over it, and her hair was loose.

Happy New Year, Mo Ge.

Her voice was clear and bright, and her cheeks were flushed with the chill that had come in from outside.

Shen Mo paused for a second, then the corners of his mouth slowly curved up.

"You're here so early? Aren't you spending the Lunar New Year at home?"

He placed the red envelope in her hand. Meng Ziyi grasped it, gently hooked her fingers into his palm, then withdrew them, stuffed the red envelope into her pocket, and patted it.

"You can spend the New Year anywhere. Even Mo-ge isn't home, is he?"

Shen Mo smiled, didn't reply, and turned to walk towards the next workstation.

"Thank you, Mr. Shen, and Happy Chinese New Year!"

"Happy New Year."

Meng Ziyi silently followed behind Shen Mo. Seeing the staff member accept the red envelope from Shen Mo, she smiled and said to the staff member, "Happy New Year!"

The staff member accepted the red envelope, his gaze quickly shifting between Shen Mo and Meng Ziyi.

Behind them, someone raised an eyebrow, someone's lips curved into a meaningful smile, and someone looked down at their phone, frantically typing in the group chat.

Why is Meng Ziyi here?

[I don't know, they just came, and they even handed out red envelopes with President Shen.]

[Judging by her posture, she seems to have the ambition to become a business owner! No way...]

[You're overthinking it. Everyone in the company knows about President Li! Besides, President Shen's expression when Meng Ziyi appeared clearly showed he was unaware of her arrival.]

[President Shen doesn't know she's coming, but Meng Ziyi might have her eye on her! If I had her looks, I'd be interested too!]

[Look at how President Shen sends out a red envelope and she says a blessing... think about it carefully.]

The group chat was instantly flooded with "those who know, know" emojis.

Shen Mo noticed those gazes, but he didn't explain or turn around to shoo Meng Ziyi away. He simply continued sending out his red envelopes, walking at a leisurely pace, his expression as calm as if nothing had happened.

Meng Ziyi noticed those gazes, but she didn't care. She was even a little smug, her chin slightly raised, her steps light as if she were floating.

After sending out the last red envelope, Shen Mo turned and walked towards his office.

Meng Ziyi followed behind him, walking a little faster than him, as if afraid of losing him.

Shen Mo pushed open the office door and went in. Meng Ziyi followed him in and closed the door behind her.

The noise in the corridor was shut out, and the office suddenly became quiet. The sky outside the window was beginning to darken.

Shen Mo had only taken two steps when Meng Ziyi pounced on him.

She jumped up and hooked herself onto Shen Mo's back, wrapped her arms around his neck, buried her face in his shoulder, and mumbled, "Brother Mo—!"

Her voice was nasal, carrying a hint of grievance and coquettishness.

Shen Mo was knocked back several steps by her before he regained his balance. He supported her bottom with one hand and gently patted her head with the other.

"What's wrong?"

Meng Ziyi turned her head to the side, her lips pressed against Shen Mo's neck, pouting like a kitten that had suffered a great injustice.

"Bai Mengyan bullied me!"

Shen Mo raised an eyebrow. "How did she bully you?"

Meng Ziyi sniffed and began to accuse, her speech becoming faster and faster, and her emotions becoming more and more agitated.

"She sent me photos! She said she and you were spending the New Year at Xiaotian's house! I flew there immediately! But when I got to Tian Xiwei's house, she told me that you had already left!"

"Bai Mengyan isn't answering my calls! She's definitely doing it on purpose!"

Shen Mo's lips twitched slightly.

"And then? You didn't stay at Tian Xiwei's house any longer?"

Meng Ziyi shook her head. "I went there because of you, Brother Mo. Now that you're gone, what's the point of me staying?"

"How infuriating! Bai Mengyan made me spend the whole day on a plane!"

"I haven't even had lunch!" Meng Ziyi said, tears welling up in her eyes. Then she rubbed her eyes against Shen Mo's neck, trying to wipe away her tears.

Shen Mo walked to his office chair, patted Meng Ziyi's bottom with the hand that was supporting her, and Meng Ziyi obediently jumped down and landed on the ground.

As soon as Shen Mo sat down in the chair, she sat on his lap and then snuggled into his arms, just in time to see the curve of his lips.

She couldn't help but raise her fist and lightly punch Shen Mo in the chest. "Brother Mo, you're making fun of me too!"

Shen Mo finally couldn't help but laugh.

"I didn't."

"You have it! You definitely have it!"

Meng Ziyi punched him again, this time a little harder, but it still didn't hurt. "Your smirk is practically reaching your ears!"

Shen Mo grasped her wrist and pressed it against his chest.

"Okay, okay, it's my fault. I'll teach Bai Mengyan a lesson next time!"

Meng Ziyi snorted, buried her face in his chest, and mumbled something.

"Forget it, after all, she asked me to come to the capital to find you."

Shen Mo's fingers paused on the back of her head for a moment. "Did she send you?"

"Mmm." Meng Ziyi's voice grew softer and softer, as if she was afraid of being overheard. "She said you're all alone in the capital right now..."

Shen Mo was silent for a few seconds, then sighed softly, "She certainly knows how to make arrangements."

Meng Ziyi lifted her head from his chest, her eyes red-rimmed, but the corners of her mouth were already curved up.

"Brother Mo, you're not going to kick me out, are you?"

Shen Mo looked into her bright, sparkling eyes and reached out to brush the tip of her nose.

"Since you're already here, you won't leave even if we try to get rid of you."

Meng Ziyi smiled, her eyes crinkling. She buried her face in his chest again, tightening her arms around him and pressing herself even closer.

"Brother Mo is the best."

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