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

Only the three members of the Tian family remained in the living room, and Tian's mother spoke first.

"Weiwei, tell your mom and dad the truth, do you really want to go?"

Tian Xiwei nodded almost immediately, her small hands gripping the sofa cushion tightly, her eyes shining brightly.

"Yes! Dad, Mom, I want to be a big star! Like Brother Mo and Sister Tongtong! I don't want to give up this opportunity!"

Seeing the longing in her eyes, Tian's father subconsciously took out a cigarette, but did not light it; he simply twirled it slowly between his fingers.

He was silent for a moment, then looked up at his daughter and asked her a series of questions.

"Weiwei, Dad doesn't mean to discourage you. But we need to think about this path realistically."

"First, the training there will definitely be tough and rigorous. What if you can't keep up?"

"Secondly, even if you keep up with the pace and pass your specialized courses, what if you don't do well in your general education courses and don't get into the corresponding university?"

"Third, and most realistically, even if you achieve all of these things, what if in the end... you don't become the big star you imagined? What then?"

Every question was incredibly real, so real that even a 14-year-old could understand its meaning.

The excitement on Tian Xiwei's face gradually faded. She lowered her head, her long eyelashes drooping down and casting a small shadow under her eyelids.

A brief silence fell over the living room, broken only by the ticking of the second hand on the wall clock.

Seeing his daughter's silence, Tian's father softened his tone, speaking with the earnestness of a father.

"Weiwei, Dad isn't against your dreams."

"But dreams can't put food on the table. You have to think it through yourself and see if you can handle the worst possible outcome."

"Your parents can't be with you forever; you have to be responsible for your choices."

Tian's mother gently held her daughter's slightly cool hand and patted it tenderly.

"Whatever decision you make, Mom will always support you."

Tian Xi felt the warmth of her mother's hand and remained silent for a long time.

She raised her head, and in her large eyes, the fervor had subsided, replaced by an unprecedented seriousness and determination.

"Dad, Mom, I've made up my mind."

"If I can't keep up with the training, I'll work twice as hard. If others practice once, I'll practice ten times; if others rest at night, I'll train late into the night. I'm not afraid of hardship!"

"What if... what if I didn't get into university?"

"Then I'll take the exam again next year. If I don't succeed the first time, I'll try again, until I pass!"

"Finally... if I really don't become a big star..."

She took a deep breath and a smile appeared on her face.

"With all these singing, dancing, and acting skills I've learned, I won't starve, will I?"

"I can become a teacher and teach children to dance and sing, I can do that too!"

Her answer, which was beyond her years, completely surprised Tian's father.

He stared blankly at his daughter, at her still-childish face, which was full of determination and love.

That hardened heart was deeply touched, and a surge of bittersweet joy welled up inside.

He opened his mouth, but for a moment he didn't know what to say.

Tian Xiwei stood up, walked to her father's side, took his arm and shook it gently, with the coquettishness unique to little girls.

"Dad, I really want to go. I want to try it. I want to be a big star."

"Please reconsider and support me this time, okay?"

Before her father could answer, she looked at her mother and gave her a bright smile.

"Mom, I'm going out to find Brother Mo and Sister Tongtong!"

"This is their first time visiting, and they're unfamiliar with the area. As their host, I have to take them to try our local delicacies!"

After saying that, he ran out the door with a clatter, leaving his parents speechless in the living room.

Father Tian stared at the doorway where his daughter had disappeared for a long time, then sighed heavily and threw the slightly deformed cigarette in his hand into the trash can.

Tian's mother walked to his side and gently took his hand.

"The child... seems to have really grown up."

Tian's mother spoke softly, her tone filled with emotion, as if she felt a sense of loss of control over her child who was about to slip away from her.

The father did not answer, but instead gripped his wife's hand tightly, his gaze deep as he fell into deep thought.

……

When Tian Xiwei called, Shen Mo and Li Yitong had just checked into a nearby hotel.

The young girl excitedly said on the other end of the phone that she would do her best to be a good host and take them to visit her "territory".

At the hotel entrance, Tian Xi excitedly rushed between the two.

She took Li Yitong's arm with one hand, hesitated for a moment with the other, and was still too embarrassed to take Shen Mo's arm. She just looked at him with bright eyes.

"Brother Mo, Sister Tongtong, come with me! I'll show you my secret hideout!"

The foggy city under the cover of night is dimly lit, and the air is filled with its unique humidity.

Tian Xiwei transformed into the most enthusiastic guide, first taking them to a community park not far from their home.

"Look at that swing over there!"

She pointed to a somewhat old swing set in the corner, her tone full of nostalgia.

"When I was little, I loved swinging on that swing; I always felt like I could fly up to the sky!"

As she spoke, she ran over and gently pushed the empty swing, causing the chains to creak.

Shen Mo and Li Yitong stood aside, watching her childlike actions, and unconsciously smiled gently.

Li Yitong took out her phone and quietly snapped a picture of the scene.

"And there's that little slide over there," Tian Xiwei pointed to the other side.

"I scraped my knee there when I was in first grade. I cried so much that my dad had to carry me home."

She laughed shyly as she spoke.

Then, she led the two through several familiar alleys to the gate of her junior high school.

Through the tightly closed retractable gate, she pointed to the dark, dimly lit teaching building inside.

"That's my classroom, the second window from the left on the third floor!"

"I always tend to daydream in class, looking at the trees and clouds outside the window, imagining what I will become in the future."

As she spoke, she secretly glanced at Shen Mo, who stood tall and straight beside her, her cheeks slightly flushed.

Now I think I have a better idea of ​​what I want to become.

Then, Tian Xiwei led them to a bustling night market street and, familiar with the area, squeezed into a stall selling roasted pig brains.

He took a deep breath and revealed an expression of ecstasy.

"This is it! The best grilled pig brain in all of Tongliang! Tongtong, do you dare to try it?"

Her large eyes were full of provocation.

Li Yitong looked at the sizzling, oily food, sprinkled with chili peppers and spices.

He raised an eyebrow and then rolled up his sleeves.

"Who's afraid of who!"

"Since we're already here, of course we have to give it a try!"

She took the roasted pig brain that Tian Xiwei handed her.

I took a bite cautiously, and the spicy and numbing sensation instantly exploded on my taste buds.

It made her gasp, but then her eyes lit up.

Wow! It's delicious!

Tian Xi smiled smugly, then looked at Shen Mo.

"Brother Mo, what about you?"

Shen Mo looked at the two girls who were eating with sweat dripping from their noses and their eyes shining. He felt a little resistant, but he still accepted a serving.

Seeing them accept and enjoy the food she recommended, Tian Xiwei felt sweeter than if she had eaten honey.

As she ate, she chattered on about the interesting things that had happened on the street.

My classmates and I fought over the last serving of glutinous rice cakes here. I was so greedy that I cried from the spiciness and my best friend laughed at me...

Shen Mo and Li Yitong listened quietly, occasionally chiming in with a few words.

They showed no impatience whatsoever, because they were listening not only to a young girl's childhood, but also to the growth and development of an old friend.

The streets and alleys became a stage paved with Tian Xiwei's memories.

She unreservedly unfolded her life story of the past fourteen years before two special viewers.

She knew that her parents were still at home having an important discussion about her future.

But at this moment, holding Tongtong's warm hand and looking at Mo Ge's profile, which appeared softer under the neon lights, she was filled with courage and anticipation.

As night deepened, the crowds at the night market thinned out slightly.

Tian Xiwei led the two to a relatively quiet viewing platform.

None of the three spoke; after the excitement and commotion of the journey, a sense of tranquility descended.

They all understood that this relaxed and enjoyable night out was more like a buffer before the verdict was handed down.

Tian Xiwei leaned against the cold railing, turned her head, and looked at Li Yitong and Shen Mo beside her.

He spoke softly, with a hint of trepidation.

"Sister Tongtong, Brother Mo...do you think my dad... will agree?"

Li Yitong reached out and put her arm around her slightly thin shoulder, pulling her closer to her.

"Yes, Xiaotian, your father will see your determination."

Shen Mo did not turn his head.

"Your parents care about you the most. As long as you're happy, that's all that matters."

His words brought Tian Xiwei's pounding heart back to normal.

She nodded vigorously, pressing her body even closer to Li Yitong, absorbing that reassuring warmth.

"It's getting late."

Shen Mo glanced at his watch and gently reminded him.

"Let's go, I'll take you home. Don't keep your parents waiting too late."

After dropping Tian Xiwei off at her apartment building, watching her turn back to look at her every step of the way, Li Yitong sighed softly, her tone complicated.

"Little Tian... really likes to wear all her emotions on her sleeve..."