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

Chapter 346 Is Shen Mo really that difficult to deal with? [Two chapters combined, bonus chapter 29]

"It's time to shatter the myth surrounding Shen Mo and Li Yitong."

Inside the conference room of a long-established film and television company in Beijing, a promotional schedule for the film "July and Ansheng" was laid out on the table.

"The current Inkhen is too powerful. If this film, 'Soulmate,' becomes a hit, it will be a huge success."

"Not only will Li Yitong's record of winning a drama series reach a new level, but Tian Xiwei and that Song Weilong will also rise to prominence."

"What will happen to the young artists we have then?"

"We have no chance of winning if we openly target Shen Mo, but the weaknesses of this drama are too obvious."

"Tian Xiwei? A 19-year-old blonde girl, and that Song Weilong, who was signed by Tian Xiwei purely because of his looks, without even a single work to his name—that's our entry point!"

A smear campaign orchestrated by them spread rapidly across the internet.

Two weeks before the film's release, when Mohen began releasing posters and trailers, a massive wave of negative news and doubts suddenly emerged on social media platforms such as Weibo and Baidu Tieba.

"Soulmate" may become Inkhen's biggest Waterloo since its inception!

"Mohen's over-promotion may backfire; sweet girl Tian Xiwei is forced to take on the role of a rebellious and wild woman. I don't understand the casting logic."

Overnight, hundreds of "in-depth analysis posts" appeared on various film and television discussion public accounts, with every word pointing directly at Tian Xiwei and Song Weilong.

[Objective Analysis] Let's talk about why I feel "Soulmate" is bound to flop.

First of all, An Sheng is the soul of the whole book. She needs a kind of decadence, rebellion and wanderlust that is etched into her bones.

But look who Mohen chose! Tian Xiwei!

She has the classic sweet, innocent face of a first love. Does this sheltered flower know what destiny is? Has she ever smoked? Has she ever drunk strong liquor?

And Song Weilong, who plays Su Jiaming, where did Chenxi Pictures find this pretty-boy zombie?

Besides being tall and handsome, even his eyes look wooden in the trailer.

With a male model who has absolutely no acting skills and a sweet girl with little experience, can the show really be made successful, even with Li Yitong in the lead role?

Mohen doesn't really think that the audience in the Chinese entertainment industry is stupid and that they will buy anything you make, right?

Really? Does anyone actually believe the slogan "Everything from Mohen is a masterpiece"?

Following this, marketing accounts on Weibo also began to collectively coordinate and maliciously edit out some of Tian Xiwei's past interview clips.

Interspersed with screenshots of Tian Xiwei swearing and fighting, the images were labeled with tags such as "acting like a big shot," "low character," "unworthy of her position," and "lacking in talent."

Even worse, some bribed so-called fans of the original novel to launch a petition online with 10,000 signatures calling for a boycott of Tian Xiwei for ruining the original work.

Their goal is simple.

The goal is to completely ruin Tian Xiwei and Song Weilong's public image before the movie is released.

If the public opinion surrounding this film is simply labeled as a "bad movie that overly promotes newcomers," it will greatly suppress the desire of casual viewers to buy tickets.

If "Soulmate" suffers a box office flop, Shen Mo and Mohen's undefeated commercial record will be broken.

When major cinema chains negotiated with Mohen later, they had the confidence to lower prices; and newcomers in various talent agencies had hope for advancement.

Faced with overwhelming online violence, Xu Yiruo and Gong Yuhan from Chenxi Pictures frantically arranged for their staff to contact online trolls to counter the attacks and to suppress the online buzz on Weibo.

However, faced with such a massive offensive, the results were minimal.

Just then, Inkhen Pictures' counterattack began.

A well-regarded film review account on Weibo, "Film Scalpel," published a long article.

[Frame-by-frame analysis of the trailer for "July and Ansheng": Is this film starring Li Yitong and Tian Xiwei any good, and what makes it good?]

The article extracts seventeen keyframes from the trailer and breaks them down one by one.

He circled Tian Xiwei's glance as she turned her head in red and wrote four words next to it: "Broken and Stubborn".

In the long shot of Li Yitong in the corridor, he marked the process of tears gathering and falling: "The first stage is the gathering of tears; the second stage is the falling of tears; the third stage is the slight trembling of the corners of the mouth. The collapse of the character's emotions does not need to be hysterical; this is the essence of top-notch acting."

Less than half an hour after the article was published, it began to be shared wildly.

Immediately afterwards, the original author, Annie Baby, posted a message on her Weibo account.

"I stayed on set for a long time and I saw that in order to play the scene where An Sheng smokes well, the director told Tian Xiwei to just pretend to smoke for a bit."

But she didn't. She forced herself to finish a pack of cigarettes in half a day. At first, her eyes turned red from the smoke, but she eventually learned to tolerate the smell and exhale the smoke skillfully. By the end, her voice was hoarse.

She asked me what An Sheng most wanted to do in the winter when she was seventeen.

I said I wanted to go home.

Later, she incorporated this line into her impromptu performance.

So some people asked me, how did you cast the actors for Inkmark?

My answer is: She is my An Sheng.

The top-rated comment in the comments section was: "I hope you haters know how to cast characters better than the original author!"

But Shen Mo knew it wasn't enough; the haters and online trolls wouldn't stop, they would just find another angle to attack.

Sure enough, in less than two hours, a new wave of negative posts began to shift to "the original author was coerced by capital" and "Annie Baby sold the copyright a long time ago, so whatever she says doesn't count."

This was exactly what Shen Mo was waiting for, and the second wave of counterattack followed immediately.

Dozens of film and television media outlets have successively released montages showcasing the acting highlights of Li Yitong and Tian Xiwei's past works.

From Li Yitong's "My Love from the Star", "The Journey of Flower", "Silent Witness", "Wolf Warrior", "Monster Hunt" to the trailer for "Soulmate".

From Tian Xiwei's "A Little Reunion", "My Old Classmate", "Take My Brother Away" to the trailer for "Soulmate".

Each video features clips showcasing their outstanding acting skills, with only one purpose: after watching these, who would dare say they lack acting talent?

At the same time, Mohen, together with Weibo and Bilibili, launched a challenge.

#Playing An Sheng in My Own Way#

The description is just one line: "Everyone has a An Sheng living in their heart. In your own way, let her live once more."

The ingenuity of this challenge lies in shifting the debate over acting from "whether Tian Xiwei acted well or not" to "everyone has their own peace of mind," turning the audience from judges into participants.

Three hours after the challenge went live, the first viral video was created.

A girl who calls herself a "Beijing drifter" filmed a clip of An Sheng eating instant noodles in her rented room.

There were no lines or music. In the scene, she sat alone under the dim light, bringing the instant noodle box to her mouth, when suddenly a tear slid down her cheek.

She captioned the post: "At this time in 2016, I've been living in the same basement as An Sheng for three months."

The video garnered eight million views in six hours.

The comments section became a huge emotional confessional, with countless people sharing their "peaceful moments".

The day I ran away from home, the phone call that betrayed me, the first night in a strange city.

The marketing for "Soulmate" no longer revolves around "how good the movie is", but rather around "how close the movie is to you".

When Shen Mo attended an event, he was surrounded by a group of reporters at the entrance.

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

Shen Mo smiled and said, "The market ceiling for the 'youthful pain' genre has always been very low."

"The highest box office for a similar genre last year was only 60 million."

"Many people feel that this subject matter is outdated, that audiences are tired of it, and that young actors can no longer carry the box office."

Shen Mo paused for a moment after saying this.

"But I believe that the box office of 'Soulmate' will not be less than 100 million yuan, and its reputation will not be bad either."

A reporter quickly countered, "Mr. Shen, where does your confidence come from?"

Shen Mo's lips curved slightly.

"Confidence? It's simple, I've seen the movie."

"I know there are many people online questioning them right now."

"It's okay. Criticism won't make a good movie bad, nor will it make a bad script good."

"Let the movie be released, and let the audience see it for themselves."

"If you think it's not worth it after reading this, feel free to come to Weibo and criticize me."

The reporters present were stunned. They had seen too many celebrities promoting a movie during its promotional period, but no one had ever said, "If it's not good, you'll have to scold me."

Such statements either stem from arrogance that disregards consequences or from absolute confidence in the work itself.

Within ten minutes, the interview was being published by reporters.

It immediately became a trending topic on Weibo.

#ShenMoSaysJulyAndAnShengBreak100Million# Debuted at number one, followed closely by #ShenMoSaysIfYouDontLookGoodGoGoScoldHim#.

Haters immediately flooded the comments section, posting classic quotes like: "Mohen is getting anxious," "Shen Mo is getting arrogant," and "What is a box office of 100 million? Can you just get it casually?"

But this time, their voices were drowned out by an even bigger wave of noise.

Those casual viewers who had seen the trailer, watched Annie Baby's interview, watched the acting mashup, and watched the amateur remake challenge began to spontaneously debate with the haters in the comments section.

They may not be fans, but they were genuinely moved by a certain trailer, a line of dialogue, or a look in the eyes of this movie.

The outspokenness of ordinary people is more persuasive than any marketing press release.

Three days before its official release, "Soulmate" announced that it would hold advance screenings in 30 cities across the country.

Shen Mo mobilized all the resources of the Mohen Cinema chain to schedule the highest number of preview screenings in history.

The preview screenings were prominently displayed on the ticketing platform's homepage, and a dedicated audience feedback channel was set up at the entrance after each screening.

After watching the movie, you can scan the QR code to upload your review and get a chance to win a prize.

High-quality reviews are automatically recommended to the movie topic page on the ticketing platform, perfectly forming an instant closed loop of "watching a movie - feedback - recommendation".

On the first day of the preview screenings, there were 300 screenings in 30 cities across the country.

Most of the people who came out of the movie had red eyes. Looking at the QR code at the door, they suddenly felt a tightness in their chest and had something to say.

The first widely shared review came from an ordinary user on Weibo with the ID "July Has No Peace".

"I thought this was a movie about friendship, but I realized I was wrong halfway through."

This isn't friendship; it's evidence that one person lived in another's life.

Tian Xiwei's character isn't An Sheng, but the friend I lost when I was eighteen.

She doesn't look handsome or cool when she smokes.

But the way she smoked looked painful; it hurt so much that I cried in the movie theater.

The second highly-rated review came from an account that described itself as a "straight male viewer".

"I was watching it with my girlfriend. I was planning to play on my phone to pass the time, but I put my phone back after less than ten minutes."

Tian Xiwei is completely different from what I imagined. Her scene with Li Yitong in the bathroom gave me goosebumps.

I don't understand acting, but I understand the feeling.

The third one comes from a film review blogger with 200,000 followers called "Film Microscope".

He published a long article titled "Tian Xiwei shut up all those who said she was too sweet to play An Sheng."

The core argument of the article is very simple.

"I've seen all the controversies online before, saying that a sweet girl like Tian Xiwei can't play broken, decadent, or rebellious characters."

But tonight she shattered into pieces in the movie.

She acted so realistically that I wondered if she had actually had these experiences.

If so, I hope it's not true.

If not, then she is one of the best actresses of her generation.

During the three-day preview screening, positive reviews kept appearing online, and the positive word-of-mouth was directly reflected in the data.

Pre-sale box office revenue broke through three major milestones in the past three days: 10 million, 20 million, and 30 million.

Its screening share climbed from 8% on the first day of previews to 15%.

Cinema managers are the most pragmatic group of people. The 97% occupancy rate of the preview screenings prompted them to immediately open the scheduling system and move the screenings of "Soulmate" from the corner to the center.

Finally, the much-anticipated release date arrived as scheduled.

The premiere was held in the Wanda Cinema IMAX theater, a landmark in Beijing.

More than 100 mainstream media outlets from across the country, hundreds of senior film critics, and thousands of lucky audience members filled the theater to capacity.

Li Yitong, wearing a black short-sleeved shirt with the movie title printed on it, walked in through the cinema corridor arm in arm with Tian Xiwei, who was dressed in the same outfit. Song Weilong followed closely behind, and the three of them sat in the first row.

Shen Mo, dressed in simple casual clothes, sat there early, waiting for the others to arrive.

"Mr. Shen! What is your opinion on the online comments questioning the acting skills of the two newcomers?"

"Ms. Li Yitong, with two female leads in this project, are you worried that your screen time will be divided?"

"Ms. Tian Xiwei, are you confident you can prove yourself tonight in the face of the negative rumors circulating online?"

The reporters sitting in the middle of the theater couldn't help but start asking questions. Shen Mo slowly turned his head, his dark eyes sweeping over the media reporters who had started the trouble.

In an instant, the noisy venue fell into a deathly silence under Shen Mo's single glance.

A nonchalant sneer appeared on Shen Mo's lips.

"The movie will start in ten minutes. After you've finished watching it, you can ask your questions."

97

Domineering! Yet leaving no room for rebuttal!

As all the lights in the theater suddenly went out, the grand performance of "July and Ansheng" officially began.

The color tone on the big screen presents a film-like texture that is uniquely youthful, moist, bright, and fateful.

The first half of the film is fast-paced yet fraught with undercurrents.

Li Yitong's acting skills remain as solid and formidable as ever.

The character she plays, July, is the quintessential "perfect child" from the moment she appears on screen—well-behaved, sensible, and with eyes that always hold the gentlest submission to the world.

Wearing a clean white shirt, riding a bicycle through a tree-lined corridor, every gesture and movement perfectly portrays the forbearance and gentleness of a girl raised under the traditional system.

However, what surprised the audience was Tian Xiwei.

When An Sheng, with messy short hair and worn-out canvas shoes, appears on the big screen in a noisy, dimly lit underground bar filled with the smell of cheap cigarettes and alcohol.

"hiss--!"

In the audience, many seasoned film critics couldn't help but gasp.

Is this still the same Tian Xiwei who smiles so sweetly with dimples during interviews?

The girl on screen, with her extremely skillful smoking posture, her cold smile at life, her attachment to July, and her complex feelings for Jiaming, is exactly like An Sheng who stepped out of Annie Baby's book!

"Oh My God----"

"That look, that explosive power—can a 19-year-old newcomer really pull this off?!"

The editor-in-chief of Film Weekly was frantically taking notes in his notebook, his hands trembling slightly with excitement.

Song Weilong's portrayal of Su Jiaming, from his very first appearance, perfectly captured the clean-cut, sunny yet slightly indecisive youthful charm of the white-shirted school heartthrob from the original novel, a character whose lifelong entanglement with two girls was portrayed as irrevocably handsome.

Although his lines weren't top-notch, every performance carried the shyness and struggle unique to a young man. Paired with his handsome face, he perfectly balanced "Jiaming's" scumbag nature and innocence.

As the plot unfolds and the conflict builds, the film reaches its climax around the sixtieth minute with the "bathroom conflict."

"Why did I yell at you last time? I really didn't mean to—"

On the screen, Tian Xiwei collapsed onto Li Yitong's shoulder like a lump of mud.

Those big eyes, which were mocked by haters as only capable of staring, were now covered with heartbreakingly spiderweb-like blood vessels on the IMAX screen.

Her voice was thick with sobs and mixed with the smell of alcohol; the grievance and despair she conveyed were not at all like a scripted performance.

Several top film critics sat up straight at the same time.

They keenly noticed that Tian Xiwei's expression on the big screen conveyed a complex emotion that transcended the character herself.

That wasn't just a superficial drunken lament; it was more like a soul trembling that transcended obsession, mixed with guilt and a fateful attachment!

In the video, Li Yitong expressionlessly lays Tian Xiwei down on the sofa.

Tian Xi closed her eyes and took out a lighter.

Click!

The flickering, eerie blue flames illuminated half of her bloodless face.

A wisp of smoke escaped from her lips, and Tian Xiwei's voice instantly switched from a sobbing tone to a low, husky one that sounded like she was trying to sound relaxed.

"My boyfriend suddenly died a month ago — thank goodness Jiaming let me stay at his house."

"July, you're right. You and your mother are both right. I'm just unlucky!"

Suddenly, Tian Xiwei on the big screen choked violently, coughing intensely, and a few tears slid down her cheeks!

Tian Xiwei perfectly incorporated this sudden cough into her speech, causing An Sheng's fragile defenses to crumble instantly.

The incredibly realistic physiological reactions sent a shiver down the spines of many female audience members at the back of the seats.

At this moment, the camera zooms in on Li Yitong's face.

Seeing her best friend's disheveled state, Lin Qiyue instinctively took a half-step forward, but the moment she looked down and saw An Sheng's tears, she froze.

A flicker of intense struggle and resentment flashed in his eyes, and he abruptly stopped himself from taking another step.

"Absolutely amazing!"

The editor-in-chief of Film Weekly frantically typed on his keyboard in the dark.

"The way they handled the ending was so subtle! They didn't just portray pure hatred; they perfectly captured the restrained yet complex emotions of July's love and hate!"

"Li Yitong's restrained acting is absolutely amazing!"

On screen, An Sheng staggers towards the bathroom, kneels by the toilet, hunches over, and dry heaves, her back heaving violently as she howls like a dying animal.

"July, please save me, I'm in so much pain."

However, July, which has passed, has torn apart all the warmth with its own hands.

She roughly ripped the showerhead off the wall, and cold water roared out in an instant, slamming into An Sheng's body!

"what!"

The high-fidelity speakers emitted Tian Xiwei's screams, triggered by the cold.

The water was really cold; under the super close-up on the giant screen, you could even clearly see the goosebumps that instantly appeared on Tian Xiwei's hands.

But she didn't back down. Instead, the fierceness in her bones was aroused. She suddenly stood up, grabbed the showerhead with her backhand, and poured it over her head!

"You've wanted to drench me ever since we met, haven't you! Ah! Come on!"

On the screen, two girls are frantically fighting over the showerhead in a cramped bathroom.

Cold water dripped down Tian Xi's slightly disheveled hair, soaking her clothes completely and sticking to her face.

Body.

Extremely disheveled, yet also extremely wild!

"Didn't you always want to get me wet? Why keep pretending?"

With her face covered in a mist of water, it was hard to tell if it was from cold water or tears. She brought her delicate face, which was filled with defiance and despair, close to Li Yitong's face.

"Are you afraid Jiaming will see? The door is locked now, Jiaming can't get in! I'm worried for you."

The phrase "I'm tired for you" completely ignited the volcano that Lin Qiyue had suppressed for years.

"Are you tired because of me?"

On the screen, Li Yitong laughed in anger. She slowly turned around, roughly ripped off a very seductive black lace bra from the hanger, and held it up fiercely in front of herself.

"What's this? Didn't you say you weren't going to wear anything? Didn't you want freedom? What? Changed your style? Is it because Jiaming's here?!"

With a loud thud, the underwear was slammed onto the ground.

The next second, thousands of audience members gasped in shock.

Lin Qiyue, who was always known for her docile demeanor, suddenly and roughly ripped off all the buttons of her thin shirt!

Li Yitong raised her chin, her whole body trembling as she pointed to the extremely conservative, even somewhat dowdy, white cotton underwear she was wearing.

Her voice, at this moment, completely ripped apart, rising eight full notes, carrying years of humiliation and hysteria, resounding throughout the entire giant screen hall.

"Jiaming likes this!"

"Jiaming likes this! Jiaming likes this rustic style!"

This piercing, almost deafening roar struck the hearts of all the spectators.

Li Yitong's usually gentle face turned pale and distorted with extreme anger, venting all the grievances, anger and resentment that she had accumulated over the past few years!

"Oh my god!"

The rival reporters in the back row, who had originally been ordered to write negative reviews, were now pale-faced and had icy hands.

This textbook-level acting outburst, this suffocating tension brought about by such realistic and terrifying acting, completely captivated them. At this moment, they found the criticisms of their acting in the negative articles they had prepared laughable.

However, An Sheng on screen did not fight back in the face of July's madness.

The provocation in Tian Xiwei's eyes vanished in an instant, replaced by an almost instinctive panic.

She rushed over despite the cold water, her fingers trembling with cold, but she still tried her best to button up July's clothes.

But Li Yitong shook her off like a madwoman.

"Do you think you know Jiaming well? Do you think Jiaming loves you?"

"No one in this world loves you except me! No one loves you at all!!"

A roar struck An Sheng's mind.

In the darkness, the suppressed sobs of several female spectators could be clearly heard.

The reporters who were just waiting to see the joke were now putting down their equipment one after another.

The thousands of audience members felt as if an invisible rope was strangling them, their eyes red-rimmed, their hearts pounding with the two girls' breaths.

The images on the screen seemed to freeze at that moment.

Tian Xi stood there blankly, letting the cold water droplets drip from her forehead.

Her anger, resentment, and ambition vanished instantly upon hearing the words, "No one loves you but me."

She stared blankly at Li Yitong, her eyes filled with the image of the girl who was willing to give up everything for her.

"Take Jiaming with you."

Tian Xiwei's voice suddenly became extremely soft and steady, even carrying a gentle acceptance of fate.

"If I had to choose, between you and Jiaming, who would I pick? I'd definitely choose you."

At that moment, the love and compassion flowing in Tian Xiwei's eyes were extremely sincere.

That wasn't an act; it was her unreserved outpouring of all the debts she owed from her past life, and all the respect she held for Li Yitong in this life, which she then dedicated to the big screen.

Li Yitong's chin remained held high, but her voice trembled uncontrollably.

"Stop deceiving yourself, okay?"

Tian Xi shook her head slightly.

At that moment, the mist that had been welling up in her eyes finally turned into scalding tears, which slid down her cheeks in despair.

"Why did we become like this?"

Screen switch.

"call----"

The audience members present all breathed a sigh of relief.

This bathroom conflict scene, lasting several minutes and almost a physical fight, drew almost everyone in.

No one spoke, no one dared to breathe loudly, and even the sound of eating popcorn completely disappeared.

Everyone was completely stunned by the extreme love-hate relationship and clash between the two girls in that scene, as well as their amazing acting skills!

Especially Tian Xiwei's last look and Li Yitong's piercing roar.

It was like a slap in the face, landing hard on the face of every hater!

Shen Mo, who was sitting in the center of the first row, turned his head slightly to take a look.

In the darkness, Li Yitong and Tian Xiwei held hands, their bodies trembling slightly.

A smile slowly crept onto Shen Mo's lips.

At the end of the movie, July walks the same path of wandering that An Sheng once took, while An Sheng takes July's place and lives a stable life. The two souls complete their final exchange under the mockery of fate.

The big screen slowly focused on July's relieved smile under the snow-capped mountains.

As the end credits song played in a low, melancholic tone, the lights slowly came on.

The entire room fell silent.

Shen Mo slowly stood up, raised his hands high above his head, and clapped his hands crisply.

The long-suppressed atmosphere finally found its outlet, and the entire hall erupted in thunderous applause and cheers!

"What a show! An absolutely fantastic show!!"

"Tian Xiwei! This actress is going to be a legend after tonight!!"

"My goodness, the scene between Li Yitong and Tian Xiwei is absolutely textbook material!"

The editor-in-chief of Film Weekly clapped frantically with red eyes while typing furiously on his notebook.

"This isn't just capital hype; it's the arrival of true acting talent! Those who doubted their acting skills, tonight, these two girls have slapped your faces to pieces!"

The applause was like a tsunami, continuous and resounding for a full two minutes.

Amidst the enthusiastic praise and cheers, several reporters in the back row who had planned to cause trouble during the interview session later no longer had the courage to even stand up.

Looking at Li Yitong and Tian Xiwei, who were the center of attention on stage and bowing deeply to the audience, they felt nothing but endless fear and trembling.

After the premiere, the public opinion that had been building up for weeks finally took a dramatic turn.

The lengthy articles from major mainstream media outlets and authoritative film critics have filled every corner of the internet, completely washing away the negative information and comments fabricated by online trolls.

Official film report account: "Soulmate: A Pinnacle Milestone in Chinese-Language Youth Art Films!"

"————We had doubts about Tian Xiwei's joining, but Mohen Pictures has once again taught the entire industry a lesson with facts."

Li Yitong's performance was as brilliant as ever, she carried the entire show.

The biggest surprise was Tian Xiwei, who brought Li Ansheng's brokenness, madness, and deep affection to life.

This was a celebration of the actors' talent; Inkstone Pictures remains an undefeated legend.

The film critic "Poison Tongue Movie," known for its free, unfiltered criticism and scathing commentary, surprisingly posted a video praising the film.

"Those online trolls who criticized Tian Xiwei's acting skills before, you'll be in for a world of hurt after tonight!"

The acting power that Tian Xiwei displayed in the bathroom scene was enough to make all the young actresses of the same age in the Chinese entertainment industry feel ashamed!

Song Weilong's clean and pure youthful charm injected the perfect chemical reaction into this drama.

Don't judge Shen Mo's judgment with your outdated thinking. When it comes to casting and market control, Shen Mo is a god.

The word-of-mouth is absolutely phenomenal!

The following day, the Douban rating for "Soulmate" soared to an astonishing 8.7 within an hour of its release!

Countless enthusiastic viewers who spontaneously watched the premiere flooded various ticketing platforms with five-star reviews.

The balance of power was completely reversed overnight.

Originally, due to the negative online rumors, the managers of major cinema chains who were not optimistic about the screening of this youth-themed film were now completely disregarding the private remarks from Mohen's rivals after seeing the almost frenzied word-of-mouth online after the premiere and the exponentially increasing number of people who wanted to see it on major ticketing platforms.

Faced with absolute profits, the alliance crumbled instantly; making money was the only way to go.

"Quick! Cut all screenings of other movies in half! Allocate them to 'Soulmate'!"

"All prime-time slots in the evenings will be replaced with screenings of 'Soulmate'!"

"The theater was 100% full on opening day. If we didn't put on this show, we'd be throwing money away!"

On its opening day, "Soulmate" garnered an astonishing 50 million yuan in box office revenue with a 20% screening rate. By its fifth day of release, the box office had officially surpassed 200 million yuan!

On its tenth day of release, thanks to viral growth in traditional media and word-of-mouth, the film grossed a staggering 400 million yuan, with an estimated final box office of over 600 million yuan!

The entertainment company executives who had been secretly plotting for weeks to "prevent the explosion" slumped into their chairs, their faces ashen, as they watched Tian Xiwei's Weibo followers surge by three million in a single week and Song Weilong become the nation's most popular school heartthrob overnight.

"We lost—we lost completely."

"Is Shen Mo really that difficult to deal with?"

Late at night, at Ziyu Villa.

At the celebration banquet that had just ended for "Soulmate", a series of light footsteps broke the silence in the second-floor corridor.

"Ugh—I'm not drunk—I can still drink—"

Tian Xiwei lay on Shen Mo's back, her fair arms tightly wrapped around his neck, her sweet murmurs tinged with a heavy nasal tone.

She was overjoyed tonight. Although she believed the film would do well and that her years of acting experience would be enough to win over the audience, the online criticism and abuse over the past few weeks had still caused her a lot of grievances and pressure.

At the celebration banquet, she accepted almost every toast from executives of major cinema chains and industry peers. But now, the aftereffects kicked in, and she had no strength left.

Li Yitong followed closely behind, her long hair cascading messily over her shoulders.

She also carried a faint scent of champagne, but her eyes were remarkably clear.

Seeing Tian Xi swaying precariously, as if she might slip off Shen Mo's back at any moment, Li Yitong reached out to protect her back, chuckling and scolding her softly with a mixture of helplessness and affection.

"Still saying you're not drunk!"

"Be careful not to drop her."

Shen Mo chuckled. "Who do you think you are? If I could throw her, I'd rather find a tofu block and kill myself."

His steps were steady, and carrying that petite body on his back felt weightless.

He pushed open the door to the secondary master bedroom and carefully placed Tian Xixiao on the bed.

Tian Xi grumbled twice in dissatisfaction, turned over in the silk quilt, and her cheeks, flushed with an alluring pink from the alcohol, looked particularly charming under the light.

Shen Mo sat on the edge of the bed, bent down slightly, and reached his slender fingers towards Tian Xiwei's ankles, skillfully and gently removing her high heels and stockings, revealing a pair of exquisite and delicate feet.

He then walked into the bathroom, wrung out a wet towel, and came back.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Shen Mo lifted Tian Xiwei's chin with one hand and gently wiped away the remaining makeup and sweat from her face.

He wiped her face from her forehead to her cheeks, then down her long, fair neck, all the way to her collarbone.

The warm stimulation made Tian Xiwei breathe a sigh of relief. She closed her eyes, instinctively rubbed her cheek against Shen Mo's palm, and finally fell into a deep sleep.

Li Yitong leaned quietly against the wall, the soft wall lamp casting a long silhouette of her.

She crossed her arms and watched intently as Shen Mo carefully took care of Tian Xiwei.

Any ordinary woman, seeing her husband being so attentive to another woman, would probably be filled with turmoil and jealousy.

But Li Yitong didn't.

Those beautiful crescent-shaped eyes were now brimming with tears, shimmering with a captivating light under the lamp.

Having experienced several years of life and death, she no longer harbored any hostility towards Tian Xiwei.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they are destined to be entangled twin souls, especially since, through Shen Mo's connection, the two have achieved an invisible tacit understanding and harmony.

She looked at Shen Mo, her eyes filled with only the satisfaction of things having settled down, and an endless infatuation with her man.

Shen Mo put the towel back in the bathroom, pulled the thin velvet blanket over Tian Xiwei.

He slowly stood up, turned his head, and met Li Yitong's eyes, which were almost dripping with tears.

A seductive and charming smile suddenly appeared on Li Yitong's lips.

Without any hesitation, she rushed over with her bare, white feet, taking small, quick steps.

She jumped directly onto Shen Mo, wrapped her legs around his waist, and clung tightly to his chest.

The sudden impact caused Shen Mo to sway slightly, but he quickly and steadily supported her buttocks.

"Are you done with your work?"

Li Yitong blinked her bright eyes as she looked at him.

"Okay, all done."

Shen Mo chuckled softly, applying slight pressure with his large palm, feeling the amazing elasticity and plumpness emanating from his palm.

Li Yitong chuckled and wiggled her hips.

"Then you should take care of me!"

"good!"

Shen Mo used one hand to turn off the main light in the secondary master bedroom, then, supporting Li Yitong, turned around and strode towards the master bedroom at the end of the corridor.

Li Yitong's beautiful eyes were overflowing with tears as she leaned forward and kissed Shen Mo's thin lips fiercely.

Brothers, please vote with your monthly tickets!!! I only need a little over 100 more monthly tickets to reach 1000!!!