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

Chapter 343 This all-in bet, she's going to raise the stakes! [Bonus Chapter 28 (Two chapters combined)]

The cast and crew of "Better Days".

After filming a scene, Zhou Ye and Liu Haocun sat side by side on a bench waiting for their turn.

Zhou Ye had a cold expression on his face, clutching the script in his hand, and fanning himself with the call sheet.

Liu Hao was smiling and thanking the makeup artist when Zhou Ye glanced at him sideways, and the anger in his heart began to rise.

Recently, Liu Chacha has been taking leave frequently, so the director keeps making her film scenes non-stop.

Working overtime in this foggy city's summer is pure torture.

Most importantly, when she disappeared, Brother Mo would often disappear as well, and the director also turned a blind eye to Liu Haocun's requests for leave.

If Zhou Ye wasn't an idiot, she could guess what had happened.

"Cunzi, is your throat feeling any better today?"

Zhou Ye forced a smile.

"Director Zeng was worried yesterday that your health couldn't handle it."

If it were anyone else, they would have lost face long ago.

But who is Liu Haocun?

Instead of getting angry, she tilted her head slightly, a look of innocence flashing in her big, watery eyes.

"Yes, I was indeed a bit exhausted yesterday, which caused trouble for the crew."

She spoke softly, her voice slightly hoarse and charming.

As she spoke, she casually raised her wrist and gently adjusted the collar of her loose school uniform.

She mumbled in a soft, sweet voice.

"It's so hot in this foggy city!"

With her movement, her collarbone, which had been completely covered by her high-necked undershirt, was instantly exposed to the air.

A faint red mark suddenly appeared in Zhou Ye's line of sight.

Zhou Ye's eyes widened instantly.

Her mind went blank!

"you----"

Zhou Ye stared intently at that dark red hue, his lips trembling with anger.

[Shameless!]

[Shameless!]

Liu Haocun seemed to only then realize his lapse in composure, and exclaimed in a flustered "Ah!"

Then she hurriedly covered her collar with her small hands, hiding the brand mark behind her.

But the curve of her lips suddenly became somewhat unfathomable.

Liu Haocun raised his head, his eyes filled with the pity of a victor, but his voice remained soft and pitiful.

"Sister Zhou Ye, why are you looking at me like that?"

"Is there something dirty on my face?"

[Pack!]

[You're still pretending!]

In his eighteen years of life, Zhou Ye experienced for the first time what it meant to "kill without a knife."

They didn't even say a harsh word, and I was already speechless.

"Snapped!"

Zhou Ye suddenly stood up and slammed the script in his hand heavily onto the back of the chair.

"I need to use the restroom!"

She threw down a sentence, her face ashen, and strode out of the corridor.

Each step was taken with extreme force, as if he wanted to crush the floor tiles as if they were Liu Haocun's face.

Behind him, Liu Haocun watched Zhou Ye's hasty retreat, a slight smile appearing on his lips, a hint of smugness flashing in his eyes.

Two o'clock in the morning.

Outside the window, the night rain in the foggy city began to patter against the glass again.

Zhou Ye lay on the bed, tossing and turning.

She closed her eyes, her mind filled with the damned red mark on Liu Haocun's collarbone and Shen Mo's voice, brimming with masculine hormones.

Jealousy, resentment, anger —

Like a raging fire, it burned away all her sleepiness.

She sat up abruptly, grabbed a pillow, and hugged it tightly to her chest.

"On what grounds?"

Zhou Ye gritted his teeth, his knuckles turning slightly white.

"Born on the same day, month, and year, how did I manage to lose to Liu Haocun?!"

In terms of background, Liu Haocun was once a trainee of Mohen, and Zhou Ye was also a trainee of Mohen.

In terms of academic qualifications, Liu Haocun was admitted to the Beijing Dance Academy this year, while Zhou Ye was admitted to the Beijing Film Academy this year.

In terms of looks, Liu Haocun looks innocent but is actually cunning and manipulative, while Zhou Ye is recognized by many of the company's training instructors as having a high-class movie face and a cool demeanor. Her future presence on the big screen will be no less impressive than Liu Haocun's!

"Isn't she just taking advantage of knowing Brother Mo a few days earlier? Isn't she just using that 'green tea' act to steal Brother Mo's heart?!"

Zhou Ye grew angrier the more he thought about it, his chest heaving violently.

Moreover, she is not only an artist of the Ink Trace Group, she is also ink itself.

She was Shen Mo's earliest and most die-hard fan!

She believed that her admiration and love for Shen Mo were no less than anyone else's!

Originally, she was mindful of her status as a fan and the reserve of a young girl.

But reality slapped her hard in the face.

In the cutthroat entertainment industry, surrounded by a financial tycoon like Shen Mo, restraint and discipline are utterly useless trash!

Even Zhang Ruonan was able to get resources much earlier than me by simply saying "I want to improve" in front of Shen Mo, and now she has risen to prominence all the way thanks to "Goblin".

Liu Haocun, who is now in the same production team, gave her the most direct example with a collarbone kiss.

There's a reason why Zhou Ye is lagging behind!

If it were anyone else, she might find it hard to accept, but this was her favorite brother, Mo.

Don't I have that kind of ruthlessness?

"What Liu Chacha can do ————"

Zhou Ye slowly raised his head and stared at his aggressive eyes in the mirror.

The usually aloof noodle set shattered quietly at this moment, revealing her unique madness.

She gave a cold laugh.

"If she can do it, why can't I?!"

2:30 a.m.

The rooftop corridor of the hotel was eerily quiet.

Zhou Ye, wearing a pair of soft-soled cotton slippers, appeared silently at Shen Mo's door.

She was wearing a large black trench coat, but unusually, she was wearing a black lace slip dress underneath.

The fabric was so sparse that it made her pale skin almost dazzling.

"call----"

Zhou Ye bit his left index fingernail hard and paced back and forth a few steps away from the door.

Her heart was pounding like a drum, and her palms were covered in sticky, cold sweat.

"If Liu Chacha can do it, why can't I?"

Zhou Ye hardened his heart, his sharp nails almost digging into his flesh.

She took a deep breath, finally made up her mind, and raised her right hand to knock on the door.

However, just as her fingertips were about to touch the door panel...

Duang————

'

A dull thud suddenly erupted from the inside of the door without warning!

"ah!"

Startled by the sudden commotion, Zhou Ye let out a low cry and stumbled back several steps, pressing himself firmly against the wall.

Her chest heaved violently.

Why is the door making a noise?

What is Shen Mo doing inside in the middle of the night?

The voice was deep and solid, sounding—

It sounded more like something, or a person's back, hitting the door.

"Could it be that Brother Mo fell and bumped into the door?"

The moment this thought crossed Zhou Ye's mind, his initial shock was instantly overwhelmed by worry.

She hurried forward and raised her hand again to knock on the door and ask what was wrong.

But as she approached the door again, a faint sound crept into her ears through the crack in the door.

Her soft, sweet moans carried a hint of a sob.

It looks like he's begging for mercy.

Zhou Ye was struck dumb, his raised hand frozen in mid-air.

Her face turned pale instantly.

Immediately afterwards, a blush spread uncontrollably from her neck to her ears.

She had lived for eighteen years; even if she had never eaten pork, she had at least seen pigs run.

She had finally mustered up the courage to come here dressed like this, only to be met with this unexpected scene.

"Who is it?!"

Zhou Ye bit his lower lip so hard that a deep white mark appeared on it.

The hand that had been frozen in mid-air, ready to knock, trembled as it pressed down on the door.

She pressed her ear against it as if possessed.

The sound seemed to have gotten a little louder.

"Brother Mo—Waaah—"

The sounds from inside the room were too sweet and soft, and there was a thick door panel between them.

Zhou Ye heard it clearly, but he just couldn't tell who it was!

Is it that little slut Liu Haocun?

I haven't been fed enough these past few days, and now I'm here to learn from you again?

Or is it Bai Lu's head assistant?

Using the guise of an assistant to come and collect overtime pay at night?

even!

Is it possible that both of them are inside?

The rumor of "one dragon playing with two phoenixes" was confirmed to be false by surveillance footage, but it still stood in Zhou Ye's way at this moment.

[Who? Who exactly is it?]

Zhou Ye stood in the cold corridor, his body trembling uncontrollably.

The stifling feeling of being excluded, along with her admiration and longing for the man inside the door, churned wildly within her.

In the shadows at the corner of the corridor, two burly bodyguards exchanged a glance.

They are the security team led by Wang Zheng, responsible for Shen Mo's absolute safety.

"cough----"

The younger bodyguard touched his nose and lowered his voice.

"Brother, Miss Zhou Ye is eavesdropping over there—"

"Should we do anything about it?"

The older bodyguard glanced at him sideways, looking at him like he was an idiot.

"Mind your own business!"

"There are many things that need our attention, but these female celebrities with ink-like features are definitely not included. Just pay a little attention to them."

"Then let's—"

"Retreat! Shrink into the stairwell."

"Didn't you see them banging on the door and making a racket? Don't be a third wheel here, or you'll get fired tomorrow for going out with your left foot."

The two of them took a step back in perfect unison, completely hiding their bodies behind the fire door of the emergency exit.

As Zhou Ye listened to the increasingly loud voices inside, he finally couldn't hold on any longer and slowly released his hand from the door panel.

She leaned against the wall, looking down at the thin lace nightgown she was wearing, and suddenly gave a self-deprecating laugh.

Inside the door.

Shen Mo, carrying Liu Haocun, slammed heavily against the door.

"Duang!"

This was the very sound that Zhou Ye, who was standing outside the door, had heard.

In the darkness, the peephole in the center of the door shone exceptionally brightly.

Liu Haocun glanced at it casually, and through the faint light filtering in through the peephole, she could vaguely make out the figure outside the door.

Zhou Ye.

Why would she come to Brother Mo's door in the middle of the night?

And dressed like that—

"Does she also have feelings for Brother Mo?"

"This is----"

"Was he really provoked by what I did during the day?"

Even through the door, Liu Haocun could smell the recklessness and madness emanating from Zhou Ye.

In an instant, a myriad of thoughts flashed through Liu Haocun's little head.

Are you feeling unwell? No.

It's only natural that her brother Mo is liked by many people.

Are you jealous? Not at all.

She was actually quite proud, because she had already achieved it.

You are outside the door, and I am inside.

But more than anything, a mixture of calm and madness flashed through her mind.

Liu Haocun knew his own limitations all too well.

In terms of intimate relationships, she can't compare to Li Yitong.

In terms of being favored, she couldn't compare to Tian Xiwei.

In terms of time spent together, she can't compare to Bai Lu.

She was all alone, and she feared that she would be marginalized sooner or later.

But—what if there's one more person?

What if they were a pair of "top twin flowers" born on the same day, month, and year, one from Beijing Dance Academy and the other from Beijing Film Academy?

No man can resist such an extreme desire for conquest, especially a financial tycoon like Shen Mo who stands at the pinnacle of power.

As long as Zhou Ye is dragged into this, the two of them can be tied together.

She believed that no one could easily shake their importance anymore!

Fortune favors the bold, and in this all-in bet, she's going to increase her stakes!

Thinking of this, a glint flashed in Liu Haocun's eyes.

She leaned close to Shen Mo's ear and gently slid her pinkish-red lips across his earlobe.

"Brother Mo—I've suddenly thought of an even more exciting way to play—want to try it?"

Shen Mo raised an eyebrow and a playful smile appeared on his lips.

He straightened up, holding her in his arms, and their backs left the door panel.

"Little Cun Cun, what kind of mischievous ideas are you having now?"

Liu Haocun did not answer.

She looked into Shen Mo's dark eyes, and a smile that was both incredibly pure and alluringly seductive bloomed on her face.

Then, her slender, white, and delicate right hand quietly climbed onto the metal doorknob behind her and pressed down hard.

"Click!"

In the absolute stillness of the night, the crisp sound of the door lock clicking open was extremely clear.

What the hell!

In that instant, Shen Mo felt the pores on his body suddenly open up in a fraction of a second, the hairs on his back stood up one by one, and cold sweat rushed from his lower abdomen to the top of his head!

Is this girl crazy?!

Isn't she afraid of ruining her reputation?!

Shen Mo almost instinctively unleashed astonishing core strength, grabbing Liu Haocun and twisting his body in mid-air.

Just as the door cracked open, he turned to face the outside, grabbing the coat from the hanger by the door and draping it over Liu Haocun's back.

The moment he turned around, Shen Mo forced himself to calm down instantly.

Fortunately, this is the top-floor executive suite, with no other rooms besides my own.

Moreover, Wang Zheng's security team had already secured all the entrances and exits on this floor.

However, before he could completely relax...

A face filled with astonishment suddenly appeared in his line of sight at the doorway.

Zhou Ye.

She looked as if Medusa had turned her to stone.

He stared blankly at the door that had suddenly opened in front of him, his mouth agape.

Looking at Shen Mo and Liu Haocun, who were embracing each other in the darkness and exuding a strong aura of hormones.

In that instant, Zhou Ye's mind went blank.

Tears streamed down her face, shattering the cool indifference on her sophisticated features.

She looked at Shen Mo, her voice trembling, and asked the question that had been bottled up in her heart all night.

"Brother Mo—am I late?"

Liu Haocun's pretty face was so red it was almost bleeding, but her eyes were filled with the madness and excitement of triumph.

Before Zhou Ye could recover from his shock, Liu Haocun suddenly stretched out a long arm from Shen Mo's arms, grabbed Zhou Ye, and then yanked him roughly into the room!

"It's not too late, you've arrived just in time!"

"Bang!"

With a sharp, muffled thud, Liu Haocun slammed the door shut with lightning speed and locked it from the inside.

Upon seeing Zhou Ye, Shen Mo didn't even have time to feel any embarrassment or shock; instead, an uncontrollable sense of strange relief arose within him.

[Thank goodness! That girl Liu Haocun didn't drag me out to play thrilling games in the corridor.]

The room fell into darkness and deathly silence once again.

The rain outside the window intensified, pounding against the French windows and leaving streaks of water on the glass.

A gust of wind swept through, and Liu Haocun's thin jacket slipped off his back, waking the three of them.

Shen Mo's gaze passed over the person in his arms and fell on Zhou Ye, who was standing by the door.

Zhou Ye was wearing a black trench coat, but the black lace trim peeking out from underneath revealed her true purpose for being there.

Her hair was plastered to her cheeks, and she looked quite disheveled, but her eyes held a resolute determination to go all out.

"you!"

Zhou Ye subconsciously pursed his lips, the sound stuck in his throat.

As she looked at the scene before her, the expression on her face changed from shock to grievance, and then from grievance to something indescribable.

Her hands were clenched together, her knuckles turning white.

"Brother Mo..."

Her voice trembled, and her face was wrinkled, making her look pitiful.

Shen Mo was silent for a moment, then raised his hand and gently smoothed the wrinkle that had unconsciously appeared between her brows.

"You came all this way so late."

His voice was low, sounding more like confirmation than reproach.

Zhou Ye lowered his head, not daring to look him in the eye, and clenched his hands even tighter.

Shen Mo's fingers slid from her brow to her chin, gently pinching it, forcing her to look up.

Eyes facing each other.

"Have you thought it through?"

Before Zhou Ye could answer, a soft laugh came from the side.

Liu Haocun's eyes curved into crescent moons. She wrapped one arm around Shen Mo's neck and reached out with the other to pinch Zhou Ye's nose and gently shake it.

"Yezi, weren't you quite the talkative one during the day? Why are you so quiet now?"

Zhou Ye glared at her, looking fierce, but at this moment it seemed more like he was being coquettish.

Liu Haocun remained completely unmoved; instead, he laughed even more heartily.

"Didn't you ask if we were late?"

Liu Haocun's fingers landed on the first button of her trench coat and gently undid it.

"Actually, it's up to you!"

Before she could finish speaking, the first button had already been unbuttoned, then the second, and the third.

"It's never too late!"

Zhou Ye didn't stop her; she just looked at Shen Mo.

Those eyes were filled with hesitation and anticipation.

With a slight effort, Liu Haocun caused her trench coat to slip off onto the carpet.

A black lace slip dress was revealed.

Her legs appeared even straighter and longer.

The neon lights of the rainy night shone through the window, casting dappled patterns of light on her.

Shen Mo closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened his eyes, he no longer hesitated.

He stepped forward and picked up Zhou Ye.

Even the white gauze curtains couldn't block out the scorching morning sun of the foggy city.

The lingering hormones from last night's storm haven't completely dissipated in the air, mingling with a faint, youthful fragrance, adding a touch of warmth.

-

Shen Mo leaned against the headboard, his strong muscles still bearing faint scratches left by a young girl's fingernails.

Liu Haocun curled up in his arms like a kitten, her fair little hands resting on his abs.

On the other side, Zhou Ye had her back to him, wrapped in a silk quilt, with only a section of her fragrant shoulder and a head of messy long hair showing.

Shen Mo opened his eyes, a wild and unrestrained smile curving his lips.

A soft moan broke the silence of the room.

Zhou Ye moved slightly, and the soreness from receiving the first favor made her unconsciously furrow her brows.

As she slowly opened her eyes and felt the burning heat behind her, the crazy scenes from last night flooded into her mind like a tidal wave.

Zhou Ye's face turned red instantly.

Last night, she not only took the initiative to come up to me.

Even under Liu Haocun's provocation, he followed her and practiced various dance moves.

Shyness, panic, and helplessness overwhelmed her in an instant, shattering all her pride.

"Ugh————"

Zhou Ye subconsciously tugged at the blanket, trying to move closer to the bed.

"woke up?"

Shen Mo's voice rang out from behind.

Immediately afterwards, a long arm with irresistible force pulled her back around the waist.

"Brother Mo—let me go!"

Zhou Ye froze, completely enveloped by Shen Mo's aura.

She bit her lower lip, forcing herself to speak through the broken, cold tablecloth.

"Last night—I drank too much last night!"

"I... I just came here on impulse to get your autograph as ink!"

"As for what happened next, it was nothing more than—"

"It was just an accident between adults!"

"Brother Mo, don't overthink it, and don't think you can use this to control me!"

She spoke hastily, her voice slightly hoarse, but her shifty eyes and flushed ears betrayed the turmoil in her heart.

"Oh dear, Noko, why are you putting on a show so early in the morning?"

Before Shen Mo could speak, a soft, sticky voice with a hint of amusement drifted over from the other side of the bed.

Liu Haocun rubbed his sleepy eyes and sat up.

The silk quilt slid down her arm, revealing large patches of skin with red marks.

She tilted her head, looking at Zhou Ye who was stubbornly holding on, a smile playing on her lips.

"Who was eavesdropping at the door last night?"

"Who was it that I dragged in without any resistance?"

"Who was it that cried and told Brother Mo, 'What Liu Chacha can give, I can give too'?"

"And who was it that was in Brother Mo's arms, saying, 'Brother Mo, it's me, I can't lose to Cunzi'?"

"How come it became an accident for adults as soon as it got light?"

"Liu Haocun! Shut up!"

Zhou Ye was exposed in front of everyone, revealing his most shameful secret, and he instantly flew into a rage.

She turned around abruptly, clutching the blanket tightly to her chest, her beautiful eyes wide open, glaring fiercely at Liu Haocun.

"Do you think everyone is as shameless as you?!"

"I was—experiencing the role!"

"Yes, Wei Lai in 'Better Days' is an extremely crazy and possessive person. Last night, I was just trying to get into character for the role!"

"oh--!"

Liu Haocun let out a long "oh," his eyes full of mischievous amusement, and deliberately leaned into Shen Mo's arms in a coquettish manner.

"Wow, your acting style is so sophisticated! You even have to immerse yourself in Mo Ge's arms to truly experience the character."

"So, in a few days, Wei Lai is going to film a scene where she gets beaten up. Are you going to have Brother Mo slap you a few times?"

"You—you green tea bitch! I'll tear your mouth apart!"

Zhou Ye was furious and could no longer maintain her aloof goddess image. She made a move to pounce on Liu Haocun and fight him to the death.

But as soon as she moved, a wave of weakness washed over her, and she let out a soft cry before collapsing into Shen Mo's arms.

Shen Mo caught her steadily, and with a swift movement of his long arm, he trapped the two twin flowers in his embrace.

"Alright, fighting in my bed so early in the morning, isn't that a bit disrespectful to your brother Mo?"

Shen Mo smiled and lifted Zhou Ye's chin with his fingertips.

His eyes were deep and domineering, with an aggressive quality that made Zhou Ye unable to look him in the eye.

"Yezi, your stubbornness is so endearing."

Shen Mo lowered his head and whispered in Zhou Ye's ear, his hot breath hitting her earlobe.

Zhou Ye felt weak all over under his gaze, his long eyelashes trembling violently.

All her sophistry and stubbornness ultimately turned into a shy hum in front of Shen Mo, and she resignedly buried her flushed face in the crook of Shen Mo's neck.

"Brother Mo—you'll always help her bully me—"

She muttered softly, her tone no longer carrying any trace of aloofness, but rather the coquettishness of a girl in love.

Seeing this, Liu Haocun also pressed himself against Shen Mo's chest, and the two women, one on the left and one on the right, achieved a delicate balance.

Shen Mo felt the warm, soft body in his arms and took a deep breath.

"Yezi," Shen Mo's voice rang in Zhou Ye's ear.

"Would you like to try out our morning exercise program?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Ye's brows furrowed instantly.

"Brother Mo————"

Zhou Ye pouted, his face looking utterly disheveled.

She looked at Shen Mo with teary eyes, her voice softer than ever before.

"Please spare me—"

Zhou Ye could only look at Liu Haocun, who was watching the show with his chin propped up on his hand, with a look of extreme reluctance but also a pleading look.

"Cunzi————"

Zhou Ye hesitated before speaking.

"Huh? What did you call me?"

Liu Haocun narrowed his fox-like eyes slightly, a sly glint of triumph flashing in them.

Even if you were born on the same day, month, and year, it's still incredibly satisfying to enter the house a day earlier or have more seniority in bed.

Zhou Ye bit her lower lip hard, her pretty face so red it was almost dripping with water.

But under the absolute physical exhaustion and the pressure of Shen Mo's amused gaze, she could only manage to utter four words in a barely audible voice.

"————Sister Cunzi————"

"Oh, so good!"

Liu Haocun's eyes curved into two crescent moons as he laughed, and his smug little expression almost made Zhou Ye angry.

However, the little green tea has always been adept at the tactic of "slapping someone and then giving them a sweet treat." Now that Zhou Ye has bowed his head, they will be the strongest allies among Shen Mo's women from now on.

"Come on, since you've been so obedient, I'll teach you a powerful trick today."

As he spoke, Liu Haocun reached out and pulled Zhou Ye into the large silk quilt, where they both crawled into the bed.

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