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

Chapter 340 Coming-of-Age Gift

In August, the foggy city is as hot as a steamer.

If it weren't for Liu Haocun's invitation to visit the set, Shen Mo really wouldn't have wanted to come.

Liu Haocun, this young lady, is more sophisticated than most people think.

On May 20th, the day she came of age, Shen Mo was busy fighting his way in and out of the Le Shi competition with Mo Hen, so busy that he couldn't even take care of her.

She quietly didn't bother him with WeChat messages, but instead posted a photo of herself cutting a cake on her Moments. She was so well-behaved that it broke your heart.

At eighteen, I hope to be able to stand on my own like Brother Mo.

It's already August, and "Goblin" is a hit on Mohen Video, with DAU breaking records. Shen Mo can finally catch his breath.

[Brother Mo, wanna come visit the set?]

Shen Mo seemed to see her cautious, tentative signals through this invitation.

"Brother Mo, if we go there quietly, Cunzi will be overjoyed."

Bai Lu followed behind Shen Mo, her sunglasses covering half her face, but the corners of her mouth couldn't hide the slight upturn.

She wore a simple white T-shirt and jeans today, and her hair was casually tied in a ponytail.

"You seem to understand her quite well."

Shen Mo turned his head and glanced at Bai Lu's barely suppressed smile.

"I understand you."

Bai Lu adjusted her glasses and muttered softly, "She understands me too."

With "Love O2O" currently in its promotional period, she, as the chairman's assistant and the female lead of "Love O2O," can finally openly follow Shen Mo around.

Even if they are photographed, it's just ready-made publicity footage.

The film crew of "Better Days" chose a slightly dilapidated middle school as the filming location.

The creaking of old-fashioned fans echoed through the corridors of the teaching building.

When Shen Mo arrived, Zhou Ye was walking out of the classroom.

The moment she saw Shen Mo, her whole face lit up.

"Brother Mo!"

That crisp shout drowned out the cicadas chirping at the end of the corridor.

Gong Yuhan reacted quickly, turned around, stubbed out her cigarette, and greeted him with a big smile.

Zeng Guoxiang also looked up from behind the monitor. Although he was confident in his connections in the Hong Kong entertainment circle, he still kept a low profile in front of a financial tycoon like Shen Mo, and even showed some restraint.

"Mr. Shen, your presence is an honor to our film crew."

Zeng Guoxiang politely extended his hand.

Shen Mo smiled and shook hands, then patted Wu Lei, who had just run over.

Wu Lei's face was covered in dirt, his school uniform was filthy, and he smiled, revealing a set of white teeth.

"Brother Mo, Sister Bai."

"Director Zeng, you've worked hard. You brought some milk tea and snacks for everyone. They're all in the car. Please have someone go and move them."

As soon as Shen Mo finished speaking, Bai Lu skillfully went to call the staff, perfectly embodying the aura of a chairman's assistant.

Before everyone could finish exchanging pleasantries, Liu Haocun had already quietly moved closer to Shen Mo.

She was wearing a loose-fitting school uniform, her hair was messy and tousled, and she blinked her big, watery eyes at Shen Mo.

Seeing that Shen Mo's attention had turned to her, she called out in a soft, sweet voice, "Brother Mo."

Then, very naturally, she took Shen Mo's arm.

"Brother Mo, you've finally arrived."

"It's too sunny outside, why don't you come sit in my lounge for a while?"

Shen Mo looked down at her. The girl had fine beads of sweat on her face, and her eyes were full of undisguised dependence.

He nodded in agreement: "Let's go."

Wu Lei tried to follow her in, but Gong Yuhan grabbed him by the collar.

"You idiot, what are you doing getting involved?"

Gong Yuhan lowered her voice, "Come back and drink your milk tea!"

Wu Lei was taken aback, looked at Shen Mo and Liu Haocun's backs, and scratched his head.

"No, I'm also from Inkmark————"

"What ink marks? Are they here to see you? Then go!" Gong Yuhan glared at him. "Don't you have any sense?"

Then he turned to look at Zhou Ye, raised his chin at her, and gave her a wink.

Upon seeing her agent's reminder, Zhou Ye immediately realized what was happening and quickly stepped forward to take Bai Lu's hand.

"Sister Bai, let's go over there too."

The air conditioning in the lounge was on full blast.

Liu Haocun pulled Shen Mo to sit down, never letting go of her hand, and leaned his body against Shen Mo.

As soon as Zhou Ye entered the room, he saw the two of them standing so close together, and a wave of jealousy surged through him.

[Wow! How shameless! She's practically sitting on Brother Mo's lap!]

She quickly shook off Bai Lu and plopped down on the other side of Shen Mo.

Bai Lu was left standing there, smiling but frowning.

this----

She shook her head, turned around and closed the door to the lounge, walked to sit opposite Shen Mo, held a cup of milk tea, and began to watch with great interest.

Zhou Ye and Liu Haocun share the same birth date and month. Although the two girls are polite to each other on set, they are actually quite competitive and unwilling to submit to each other.

Just as Liu Haocun and Shen Mo were chatting happily.

Zhou Ye immediately turned on his microphone and interrupted.

"Brother Mo, thank you for giving me 'Chinese Restaurant'!"

Zhou Ye's usually aloof face was now beaming with a bright and flamboyant smile.

I love you so much!

Zhou Ye blurted it out, and she immediately realized that confessing her feelings was too blatant, so she coughed.

"As a fan, my life has been worthwhile!"

"I will do my best and won't embarrass you."

As she spoke, she turned her gaze to Liu Haocun, a hint of provocation flashing in her eyes.

The meaning is clear: Brother Mo gave me a variety show, do you have one?

Liu Haocun lowered his eyes, a slight smile curving his lips.

She ignored Zhou Ye's boasting and instead reached for an orange on the coffee table and started peeling it.

"Congratulations, Zhou Ye! I think that variety show would suit you perfectly; it's lively and fun."

Liu Haocun spoke softly, and his expression was gentle and sincere.

Zhou Ye just pursed his lips speechlessly, inwardly scoffing: [Here we go again! What a green tea b*tch!]

"Thank you. Brother Mo, have you prepared any variety shows for you?"

Upon hearing Zhou Ye's question, Liu Haocun's lips curled up slightly.

She paused in peeling the orange, then held a segment to Shen Mo's lips and spoke softly.

"Maybe Brother Mo thinks I'm not suited for variety shows."

She watched Shen Mo eat the orange segment, then casually rested her head on his shoulder.

"But it's okay, the most important thing right now is to make this movie well."

"I trust Brother Mo's plans for me. I will do whatever he tells me to do, and I will listen to him."

.

Lore!

Zhou Ye was so taken aback by this move that he almost choked and vomited.

She felt like she had punched a cotton ball; not only was the other person not angry, but they also took the opportunity to show off their loyalty and obedience to Shen Mo.

Zhou Ye cursed inwardly: What a pretentious act! He's such a good actor!

Bai Lu watched with amusement, thinking how well the two girls performed.

Shen Mo swallowed the orange and finally spoke.

"Alright, you're both so dramatic."

He reached out and pinched Liu Haocun's cheek, then glanced at Zhou Ye, who was standing next to him with a puffed-up face.

"You two were born on the same day, month, and year, shouldn't you be best friends?"

"Why are you just fighting like this!"

"We need to be best friends, you know?"

Liu Haocun smiled, his eyes crinkling, and hummed in agreement. Then he tightened his grip on Shen Mo's arm.

Zhou Ye snorted softly, and seeing Liu Haocun's actions, he simply followed suit, hugging Shen Mo and pressing himself against her.

Bai Lu finished the last sip of her milk tea, stood up and stretched, her short T-shirt outlining her slender waistline.

"Alright, that's enough of the show."

She walked up to Shen Mo, bent down, and kissed him on the lips. Then she raised an eyebrow at the girls on either side of her.

Liu Haocun's smile froze for a second before returning to normal.

Zhou Ye, on the other hand, was so surprised that he opened his mouth wide.

Bai Lu took Shen Mo from the two girls and pulled him up.

"By the way, Brother Mo, since you're here to visit the set, how about treating everyone to a nice meal?"

"Let's go ask the director."

As she spoke, she pulled Shen Mo out of the lounge.

Shen Mo found Zeng Guoxiang and generously treated the entire crew to hot pot.

The hot pot restaurant we chose was a long-established brand near the film set, recommended by Zeng Guoxiang.

The place was bustling with activity as soon as you stepped inside.

Shen Mo booked the entire second-floor hall, with tripe, duck intestines, beef aorta, and beef rolls covering every table. They also had a yin-yang hot pot, since most of the people here weren't from Chongqing and couldn't handle spicy food.

Wu Lei initially maintained a reserved demeanor, but after Zeng Guoxiang poured him two beers, he started playing drinking games with the lighting technician next to him.

While scolding him for being useless, Gong Yuhan secretly took some tripe from his bowl.

Shen Mo sat in the first seat, and Zhou Ye moved to the seat next to him.

When she sat down to eat with her idol Shen Mo for the first time, her talkative nature completely came out.

One minute she'd be rambling on about the funny things that happened during her training at Mohen, the next she'd be talking about how she laughed during filming, and then she'd be chattering away asking about the post-production of "Goblin" and when "Love O2O" would air.

Shen Mo didn't find it annoying and would occasionally reply with a few words, making Zhou Ye giggle.

Liu Haocun sat on the other side of Shen Mo, sitting quietly the whole time, occasionally putting a piece of food on Shen Mo's plate.

When Shen Mo looked over, she pursed her lips and chuckled, her eyes narrowing into slits.

The hot pot restaurant wasn't far from the hotel where the film crew was staying, so the group decided to walk back.

The night wind in Chongqing is different from other places; it carries a distinct heat.

Zhou Ye walked ahead excitedly, took Shen Mo's arm, and chattered away.

She kept asking about the "Chinese Restaurant" proposal, from the guest partners to the filming location to whether they could cook.

Liu Haocun deliberately lagged behind a few steps and walked beside Bai Lu.

"Sister Mengyan." Liu Haocun suddenly tugged at Bai Lu's clothes.

Bai Lu turned to look at her: "What's wrong, Cunzi?"

Liu Haocun took out a room key from his pocket and spoke softly.

"Sister Mengyan, I just had my assistant book rooms for you and Brother Mo."

"You flew here with Brother Mo today and went to the film set. You must be exhausted. Go back to the hotel and get some rest later."

Bai Lu was taken aback.

She took the room key and glanced at it.

I'm tired? How come I didn't know?

Bai Lu thought to herself, "I just had a hot pot meal, and I'm feeling quite energetic."

She realized it instantly.

This girl is practically telling you to leave.

Bai Lu glanced at Liu Haocun teasingly, but didn't expose her. Instead, she reached out and ruffled Liu Haocun's hair, smiling meaningfully.

"Our Cunzi has grown up."

Liu Haocun lowered his head in embarrassment, his fair neck turning red, and his voice became even softer.

"I feel sorry for Sister Mengyan."

"Okay, you feel sorry for me." Bai Lu smiled.

"Then I'll get some rest early today." After saying that, she quickened her pace to catch up with the two people in front of her.

Liu Haocun walked at the back alone, head down, but the corners of his mouth slowly turned up.

Back at the hotel, Liu Haocun quickly washed up, changed into a plain silk nightgown, and put on a long cardigan over it.

She clutched the spare room key for Shen Mo's room that her assistant had given her tightly in her hand.

I'm eighteen years old.

She had been waiting for this day for a long time.

Meanwhile, Bai Lu went back to her room to change into a comfortable sweatshirt. Her stomach was a little bloated, so she planned to go downstairs to the convenience store to buy a bottle of soda to help with digestion.

As soon as she stepped out of the room, she bumped into a furtive figure.

The figure crouched low, creeping towards Shen Mo's room.

"Stop." Bai Lu said coldly.

The figure was startled and froze on the spot. When he turned around, it was Zhou Ye.

Zhou Ye had changed his clothes, his hair was loose, and he was holding a box of chocolates that had just been opened.

"Bai——Sister Bai.

"6

Zhou Ye gave an awkward laugh.

Bai Lu crossed her arms and leaned against the wall, her eyes filled with hostility.

"Where are you going in the middle of the night?"

"I—I have some really good chocolate, and I'd like to send it to Brother Mo to try."

Bai Lu sneered. She hadn't forgotten the scene when this girl was with Tian Xiwei and arguing with her and Meng Ziyi the last time they met.

Now that Tian Xiwei is not here, Zhou Ye is all alone. Does he still want to launch a night raid on Shen Mo?

"Zhou Ye, you can eat chocolate anytime, but there are some things I want to talk to you about."

Bai Lu took two steps forward, exuding an aura of power.

"Weren't you quite eloquent when you stood up for Xiaotian against me last time?"

"Come on, let's go to the convenience store and have a good chat."

"I don't----"

"That's not up to you."

Bai Lu glanced back in the direction of Shen Mo's room.

Cunzi, this is all the help I can give you.

at the same time.

"drop!"

With a soft click, the door opened.

Shen Mo had just finished showering, with only a towel wrapped around his waist, water droplets sliding down his firm muscles.

Liu Haocun had planned to slip in quietly, but he was met with Shen Mo's gaze right in front of him.

Eyes facing each other.

Liu Haocun's petite body stiffened for a moment, her face turning bright red at a visible speed, and even her round earlobes looked like they were about to bleed.

But a pair of eyes remained fixed on him, showing no sign of backing down.

"Brother Mo————"

Her voice was soft and trembling.

Shen Mo raised an eyebrow and casually grabbed a towel from the side to wipe his hair.

How did you get my room key?

Liu Haocun pursed his lips, his chest heaving violently.

Those were the youthful curves unique to an eighteen-year-old girl, faintly visible beneath her thin pajamas.

She took a deep breath.

"Brother Mo, I'm eighteen years old!"

Her voice trembled slightly, yet it conveyed a sense of resolute determination.

Outside the window, the muffled thunder of the foggy city suddenly exploded, and the night rain began to beat wildly against the French windows.

Shen Mo looked at the girl in front of him and suddenly smiled. He shook his head, turned around, walked to the liquor cabinet, and poured two glasses of ice water.

"You're eighteen now, so you've got some nerve, daring to use your room key to open my door?"

Liu Haocun slowly walked over and gently hugged Shen Mo from behind.

"I'm afraid if I don't fight for it, I won't even have the chance to hug you again."

She pressed herself against his warm, damp back, her heart pounding wildly in her chest.

"When Zhou Ye used variety shows to provoke me, I acted like I didn't care, because I was genuinely indifferent."

"Variety shows are not important to me. I'll follow your arrangements, Brother Mo."

Liu Haocun's voice was somewhat muffled, revealing a desperate and ruthless determination.

"Because what I want is not these things."

"I fell for you the moment you first celebrated my birthday and told me to call you Brother Mo."

"From the moment you took me to the hospital and stood in front of me to help me carry the burden, I knew I would rely on you for the rest of my life."

She hugged him even tighter.

"I've been thinking about giving you a gift, but I know you don't need anything."

"I have no money, no connections, all I have to offer is—"

She paused, her tone becoming extremely devout.

"I only have this eighteen-year-old self left."

"I want to give myself to you, Brother Mo. Are you interested in accepting this gift?"

Shen Mo felt the warmth behind him, and his eyes became deep.

Liu Haocun offered his most sincere reliance and love in the most gentle way.

"Cunzi, do you know the consequences of staying tonight?"

Shen Mo turned around and pinched her chin.

That innocent face, enough to drive any man crazy, suddenly burst into laughter through her tears.

Tears were still welling up in her eyes, but they turned into a smile the moment she met Shen Mo's gaze.

It was a smile of pure contentment, breathtakingly beautiful.

"It seems you've accepted this gift, Brother Mo."

She stood on tiptoe and kissed him.

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