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

In the convenience store on the first floor of the building, the ample air conditioning instantly enveloped five girls who had just come out of the practice room.

Bai Mengyan rushed to the freezer and precisely grabbed a classic chocolate-coated ice cream.

"This one is mine!"

Meng Ziyi excitedly squeezed next to her.

"Sigh, only two left! Haocun, we're so lucky!"

She quickly took it out and stuffed it into Liu Haocun's hand.

"Thank you, Sister Ziyi."

Liu Haocun took it, her round eyes crinkling into crescents with pure joy, making Meng Ziyi unable to resist reaching out and gently rubbing her soft cheeks.

Tian Xiwei browsed slowly, her face almost pressed against the glass, and finally carefully selected a matcha flavor.

Wang Churan paced back and forth in front of the freezer several times, her fingertips lingering on different packages, picking them up and putting them down again.

Finally, as if making a great decision, he picked up a low-fat yogurt ice cream and muttered to himself, as if trying to convince himself.

"This shouldn't make me fat, right...?"

Seeing everyone carrying their "trophies," Bai Mengyan generously pulled out her cartoon wallet and slapped it on the cashier's counter.

"Don't move! It's my treat!"

"Why are you treating?"

Meng Ziyi tilted her head, blinked her big eyes, and asked with an innocent and naive expression.

"Is that even a question?"

Bai Mengyan proudly raised her chin, displaying a sense of self-awareness as a "big sister".

"I'm a bit older than you, and I'm the boss's assistant, so isn't it only right that I take care of you?"

That smug little expression immediately earned him a tacit "shh" from Tian Xiwei and Meng Ziyi, along with a knowing eye roll.

Holding ice cream, the five girls sat down in the outdoor rest area outside the convenience store.

"Come on, cheers!"

Bai Mengyan was the first to raise the ice cream in her hand, as if she were holding a wine glass.

"Why are we toasting?"

Thinking of Meng Ziyi's actions just now, Tian Xiwei immediately followed suit, tilting her head and cheerfully throwing the question back at her.

Bai Mengyan's eyes darted around cleverly, and she blurted out.

"So that...in the near future, one of us can become a big star!"

"Why only one?"

Wang Churan's cool voice rang out. Although she didn't make the cute head-tilting gesture, her beautiful eyes flashed with obvious mockery.

Liu Haocun immediately echoed in a low voice, like a parrot mimicking speech.

"Yeah, why can't all five be the same?"

These words caused a moment of silence.

Bai Mengyan rolled her eyes so hard they almost fell off her head, looking around at the group of girls who were trying to sabotage her.

"So, you guys are really something. I'm treating, and you're all ganging up on me?"

Seeing Bai Mengyan wrinkle her nose and reveal a "sneer", Meng Ziyi quickly brought her sea salt cheese ice cream over.

I gently tapped Bai Mengyan's ice cream with a "plop".

"For the five of us! Let's become big stars together!"

"Cheers!"

"Cheers!"

Tian Xiwei reacted quickly and joined in, even nudging Wang Churan and Liu Haocun beside her with her elbow.

Five ice creams of different flavors clumsily bumped together, making a soft sound.

Bai Mengyan's face instantly brightened, and she smiled, revealing her little tiger teeth, and shouted energetically.

"Cheers to us all becoming big stars!"

"Please take care of me from now on, sisters!"

The sweet and cool taste melts on the tip of the tongue, quietly dissolving the unfamiliarity and awkwardness of the first formal meeting.

Back in the practice room, the atmosphere was noticeably more relaxed and lively.

Bai Mengyan took out her phone and started yelling.

"Come on, everyone add me on WeChat, I'll create a group!"

"Ugh, how do I use WeChat?"

Upon hearing this, Tian Xiwei adorably frowned and muttered a complaint under her breath.

"We usually chat on QQ, but isn't that... uh, something old people use?"

Without saying a word, Bai Mengyan gently slapped Tian Xiwei's buttocks and scolded her with a laugh.

"Who are you calling old!"

"I'm just following in the footsteps of my boss and General Manager Li! They both use this!"

"The boss and General Manager Li."

These words seemed to possess a magical power, and Meng Ziyi and Tian Xiwei exchanged a glance simultaneously.

Then, as if on cue, they lowered their heads, their fingers flying across the phone's app store, and began searching for and downloading apps.

Wang Churan and Liu Haocun, who were watching silently, also quietly joined in the downloading.

Bai Mengyan took in all of this, and couldn't help but smile, letting out a proud snort in her heart.

[Hmph, the boss's name is definitely the most useful.]

As soon as the group was created, Meng Ziyi couldn't wait to make a suggestion.

"What should our group name be? How about 'Five Beauties of Ink Traces'?"

Tian Xiwei tapped on her phone screen, denying the statement without looking up.

"That's so corny, it sounds like the name of a square dance group."

"Then what should I call it?"

Meng Ziyi pouted, clearly unconvinced.

Tian Xi's eyes darted around, a sly glint in them, and her fingers flew across the keyboard.

The next second, the group name suddenly changed to "Tian Xiwei's Harem".

The naming surprised everyone.

Even Wang Churan, who had maintained a calm expression, couldn't help but chuckle. "Why not just call them 'Five Big Stars'?"

Bai Mengyan, hands on her hips, made the final decision. "You two naming disasters can stop now! It's 'The Five Beauties of Ink Trace,' and you're not allowed to change it!"

"Ding-dong—" "Ding-dong—"

Message notification sounds began to ring out one after another.

[Bai Mengyan: Welcome to hell, oh no, I mean the place where dreams take flight! (Grinning face.jpg)]

[Meng Ziyi: Reporting to my elder sister! I'm ready to dedicate myself to art!]

[Meng Ziyi: (Photo of us with ice cream just now.jpg)]

[Tian Xiwei: Received! (Kitten saluting.jpg)]

Wang Churan frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, and then cautiously began to type.

[Wang Churan: Can't group names be a little more elegant?]

Liu Haocun immediately whispered his agreement, "I think Chu Ran is absolutely right..."

However, before he could finish speaking, he felt Bai Mengyan's "kind" gaze sweep over him.

Her voice trailed off, and she quickly tried to regain her composure.

"...Of course, the name that Sister Mengyan gave is also very lively and cute..."

"Pfft... Haha!"

Seeing Liu Haocun's cautious demeanor, Bai Mengyan completely lost her composure and burst out laughing.

"Haocun, you're so adorable!"

"Alright, alright, it's settled then! We can change it later if we think of something better."

After the laughter subsided, Bai Mengyan suddenly stopped smiling, turned around to face everyone, clapped her hands, and spoke with a rare seriousness in her tone.

"By the way, since everyone calls me Big Sister, I have something to say upfront."

"From now on, no matter how the company's resources are allocated, or how we compete with each other."

"Remember two things: Don't trip me up behind my back, and don't hurt feelings."

"Friendship first, competition second!"

These words were like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, immediately creating ripples.

"Competition? What competition?"

Meng Ziyi blinked her big eyes, leaned closer, and asked curiously.

"It's very simple: roles, endorsements, exposure... every opportunity."

Bai Mengyan explained it bluntly: "For example, those two commissioned dramas, there has to be a way to decide who plays the female lead and who plays the supporting female lead."

The air in the practice room seemed to freeze for a moment.

The relaxed and joyful feeling while eating ice cream had quietly faded, and a subtle tension and scrutiny flowed silently among the five girls.

Tian Xi lowered her head slightly, pretending to be focused on adjusting the strap of her handbag.

Wang Churan unconsciously straightened her back, which had been somewhat relaxed, and raised her chin slightly.

Liu Haocun's large, watery eyes secretly observed everyone's expressions, and her slender fingers unconsciously twisted together.

"Oh dear! I already said it's healthy competition!"

Upon seeing this, Bai Mengyan immediately broke the silence with her cheerful voice.

"Let's all rely on our own abilities and make progress together!"

"Don't resort to underhanded tactics and make things messy."

"What if the movie isn't filmed well, the dance isn't synchronized, and the song isn't sung well?"

"When the boss got angry, he 'packed us all up and returned us.' Who wants to see that happen?"

The other four immediately shook their heads vigorously.

Bai Mengyan's gaze swept over each youthful face as she continued her analysis, attempting to ease the atmosphere.

"And look, Xiaotian is the sweet and girl-next-door type, Ziyi is the bright and beautiful type, Churan is the cool and aloof type, and Haocun is the soft and cute type."

"Our paths are inherently different, so the conflict isn't that significant. Trust the company and General Manager Shen's judgment!"

Her clear type analysis surprised the other four people.

"Mengyan, how do you know so much?"

Meng Ziyi's eyes widened, her face full of admiration.

Bai Mengyan grinned, a hint of smugness and the superiority complex of someone who's been there.

"There's nothing I can do. I arrived the earliest and have been influenced by President Shen from the start. I need to be able to see things clearly."

When "President Shen" was mentioned again, the girls' expressions became subtle, a mixture of curiosity, envy, and inquiry.

"Is President Shen... fierce in private?"

Liu Haocun mustered his courage and asked in a low, breathy voice, as if afraid of being overheard.

"Him..."

Bai Mengyan recalled Shen Mo's expressionless face, which occasionally revealed indulgence.

"They look a bit cold and unapproachable, but they're actually not that scary."

"As long as you do things well, he won't mind if you make harmless little jokes."

"I really envy you, Mengyan, being able to be by Shen Mo's side every day."

Meng Ziyi cupped her face in her hands, her tone filled with undisguised envy.

Thinking back to her time at Shen Mo's house, Tian Xiwei suddenly chuckled to herself.

Seeing everyone looking at her, she quickly stopped smiling and, as if by magic, pulled out a small bag of cookies from her bag and handed them out to everyone.

"Alright, alright, stop thinking about all that nonsense. Let's use the last bit of our supplies to replenish our energy!"

"Starting tomorrow, it's truly 'hell mode'!"

This time, even the reserved Wang Churan did not refuse, silently accepting it and whispering "thank you".

Liu Haocun also took a piece, ate it in small bites, and thanked her softly, "Thank you, Sister Weiwei."

The sky outside the window had completely darkened.

The five girls packed their belongings, ready to end this fulfilling yet chaotic day.

"Remember everything! Meet in the practice room at 7:00 AM tomorrow!"

Bai Mengyan stood at the door, turned around, and pointed her index finger at them in a deliberately fierce manner.

"Whoever is late, treats us all to milk tea!"

"It's a deal!"

Meng Ziyi hopped over energetically and affectionately took her arm.

Tian Xiwei slung her handbag over her shoulder and quickly followed.

"Hey! Wait for me!"

Wang Churan and Liu Haocun followed quietly at the back.

Stepping out of the company building, the evening breeze carried a slight chill.

Liu Haocun looked up at Bai Mengyan and the other two people who were walking arm in arm in front of him, and asked Wang Churan, who was walking beside him, in a low voice.

"Chu Ran, do you think... all five of us can really become big stars?"

Wang Churan followed her gaze.

She gave a soft "humph," her tone still carrying her usual touch of arrogance.

"Who knows?"

But in those usually aloof eyes, a spark of ambition had already been quietly ignited.