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

Chapter 90: The Raid [Eight Updates] Requesting First Subscription

In the morning light, before the hustle and bustle of Shanghai had fully subsided, Shen Mo arranged for Bai Mengyan to accompany Li Yitong to Hengdian.

Agent Zhao Xiaoyu, leveraging the influence and resources of Mohen Capital, secured a cameo role for her in "Xuan-Yuan Sword: Scar of Sky".

The Lowhuman Queen is a character whose story is brief but full of dramatic tension.

She lovingly guarded the Kongtong Seal left behind by her lover, the Immortal Guyue, but had to hand it over because the main characters needed it to save the world.

But the price is the loss of eternal youth and beauty, turning into old age with gray hair.

She is a character who embodies both deep affection and tragedy, easily evoking sympathy and pity from the audience.

Upon arriving at Hengdian World Studios, we entered the "Xuan-Yuan Sword" crew and exchanged brief greetings with the director before the makeup and styling process began.

In the dressing room, after the makeup was finished, Bai Mengyan carefully put an elaborate and gorgeous silver crown on Li Yitong's head.

Wear a layered, flowing gauze skirt adorned with mysterious Di ethnic totems.

Li Yitong stared at herself in the mirror, silently pondering the character setting, her eyes and expressions gradually losing their usual liveliness.

A sense of coldness and sorrow gradually emerged in the eyes of the person in the mirror, perfectly matching the empress who remained steadfast in her love despite her tragic fate.

"Ms. Li Yitong, are you ready? Your scene is about to start."

The stagehands reminded them from outside the door.

"alright."

Li Yitong took a deep breath and slowly poured the deep sorrow and determination of the Di people's queen into her eyes.

Filming took place in a dreamlike "Clan Sanctuary" filled with crystals and firefly lights.

As soon as the director yelled "Action!", Li Yitong got into character.

Looking at her guarded and distant expression, which was as cold as ice, the white-haired immortal Ranweng sighed deeply.

He told you not to wait for him anymore.

She shook her head, clasped her hands tightly to her chest, and gazed into the distance with deep affection, a fleeting, uncontrollable pain and reminiscence that penetrated her very soul.

"No, I must wait for him to come back."

Why are you doing this to yourself?

The immortal, Ranweng, spread his hands and let out a long sigh.

"Shut up!"

The Empress loosened her clenched hands and swung her right hand backward!

The gunpowder prepared in advance by the prop team exploded instantly, creating huge splashes of water on the surrounding surface.

Li Yitong was not bothered in the slightest by the exploding water; instead, a poignant and resolute smile appeared on her lips.

At that very moment, a tear silently slid down.

Throughout the entire process, her performance was layered, emotionally rich, and extremely restrained.

"Cut! Excellent! One take!"

Director Li Guoli's voice was filled with surprise and satisfaction.

"Teacher Li Yitong, your emotions were spot-on, thank you for your hard work!"

While waiting to take their next scene, Jiang Jinfu and Liu Shishi exchanged a glance.

"That's fantastic!"

Jiang Jinfu couldn't help but sigh in admiration and clapped his hands lightly.

"This emotional shift, this explosive power—I just thought this was another newcomer that some investor had sent in to get some experience, but I didn't expect him to actually have something."

Liu Shishi looked at Li Yitong, who had just walked out from the center of the film set, and a look of appreciation appeared on her beautiful face.

"Yes, I thought she only took on this cameo role because of the title 'the most beautiful woman in the world, unparalleled in beauty.'"

"This acting doesn't seem like that of a novice actor who hasn't even debuted yet, especially the details in his hands, which are very expressive."

"Your eyes are so expressive."

I used to know him.

Li Yitong walked out from the center of the film set, slowly emerging from that grief-stricken state of mind.

Bai Mengyan immediately took a coat and water and went over to help her put them on, praising her softly.

"Sister Tong, your performance was amazing! You were incredible!"

Just then, a gentle voice with a smile came from the side.

"Yes, he acted really well, and his emotions were particularly moving."

"Did you graduate with a degree in performing arts?"

Li Yitong and Bai Mengyan turned their heads at the same time and saw Liu Shishi walking over.

Li Yitong's eyes lit up instantly, and a bright smile with a hint of surprise immediately appeared on her face. She bowed slightly.

"Senior Sister! Hello! I'm a huge fan of yours. Your portrayal of Ruoxi in 'Scarlet Heart' made me cry so many times!"

As she spoke, she smiled shyly, her crescent-shaped eyes making her appear exceptionally sincere and adorable.

Liu Shishi was amused by her undisguised words of admiration, and her goodwill towards her deepened.

She stepped forward and naturally took Li Yitong's hand, speaking gently.

"Don't be so polite, your performance just now was truly spectacular."

"Did you graduate from a performing arts program at some school? You look so young, yet your acting skills are so mature."

"Senior! I also graduated from the Beijing Dance Academy, not long ago."

Li Yitong answered obediently, and feeling the warmth of Liu Shishi's hand, she returned the hand, her hand trembling with girlish excitement.

"I'm so happy to meet you here, Senior Sister! I've seen you dance ballet before; you have such an elegant presence!"

"From Beijing Dance Academy? A junior? What a coincidence!"

Liu Shishi's smile deepened. With her gentle temperament, she was naturally delighted to meet such a talented and sweet-talking junior.

"No wonder your gesture of turning around with a flick of your sleeve looked so familiar; you clearly have a background in dance."

The two of them held hands and chatted as if no one else was around.

From the details of the performance to life at the Beijing Dance Academy, the atmosphere was so harmonious that it felt like we had known each other for a long time.

Dilraba had just finished filming a scene and was waiting to move on to another location.

She habitually turned her gaze to the familiar spot next to the monitor, where Shen Mo usually sat next to the director, either watching quietly or exchanging whispers.

However, today, that spot is empty.

Her bright eyes quickly scanned the set and spotted Shen Mo in the rest area.

But today, it seems that Bai Mengyan, who always sticks around like a tail, has disappeared.

Li Yitong had other commitments today and wasn't on set, which she knew.

But Bai Mengyan's absence made the space unexpectedly feel "empty".

A hint of smugness briefly crept onto Dilraba's lips, but she quickly suppressed it, leaving only a sly glint in her eyes.

"You've been on guard against me for so many days, and I've finally caught you off guard."

She straightened her slightly disheveled costume and did not return to her dressing room as usual.

Instead, she adjusted her expression, put on a just-right smile, and walked lightly toward Shen Mo, who was sitting alone in the rest area reading a script.

"Shen Mo".

Her voice was still soft and sweet, but it had a slightly lighter tone than when she usually asked for acting advice.

"Did I disturb you?"

Shen Mo looked up from the script, saw that it was her, his gaze lingered on her face for a moment, and he nodded slightly.

"It's nothing. Just finished filming?"

"Um."

Dilraba sat down naturally in the empty seat next to him, without deliberately keeping any distance as she had done before.

She placed the script on her lap, but didn't open it immediately. Instead, she tilted her head and looked at the thermos cup next to Shen Mo, her tone carrying a natural concern.

"Are you drinking black tea today? I noticed you've been drinking green tea the past few days."

This issue goes beyond the scope of discussing acting skills; it carries a hint of intimacy, like peeking into everyday life.

Upon hearing this, Shen Mo's eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly; she was somewhat surprised that she would notice such details.

He glanced at the cup beside him and said in a flat tone, "Well, the person who makes tea isn't here today, and I couldn't find my green tea, so I'll just have some black tea. Black tea can warm the stomach."

"Oh~"

Dilraba drew out the last syllable, as if she had learned something.

Then, as if remembering something, she smiled with her eyes crinkling.

"My mother often says that it's better to drink black tea when the weather is bad."

She skillfully steered the conversation toward "daily life," attempting to build a connection outside of work.

Shen Mo didn't respond to her question about her mother, but he didn't show any impatience either. He simply turned his attention back to the script and asked a casual question.

"You handled the emotional outbursts in today's scene better than last time. You must have practiced a lot in private, right?"

Seeing that he had slightly steered the conversation back from "life" to "work," Dilraba was a little frustrated.

However, the affirmation in his words made her happy, and she nodded quickly.

"Yes! I went back and thought about the method you mentioned last time several times, and I even practiced in front of the mirror for a long time!"

As she spoke, she unconsciously mimicked a gesture from a play, her eyes sparkling as she looked at him.

"If you have the right method, just keep at it."

Shen Mo's words were concise, but his tone seemed slightly gentler than when he usually gave instructions.

Dilraba keenly noticed this subtle change and became a little bolder.

She looked at Shen Mo's well-defined profile and noticed a faint, almost imperceptible bluish tinge under his eyes. She couldn't help but ask softly.

"Shen Mo, did you not get enough rest last night? You look a little tired."

This concern is more direct and touches on a more private matter than the tea inquiry just now.

Shen Mo paused as he flipped through the script, seemingly surprised by her question.

He looked up and met her eyes, which were filled with genuine worry. He paused for a second before responding softly.

"Yeah, I looked at some of the company's later plans, so I stayed up a bit late."

"Oh, then you should get plenty of rest."

Dilraba immediately chimed in, her tone filled with undisguised heartache.

"I noticed that Sister Yitong isn't here either, and no one reminded you—"

Shen Mo glanced at her, but didn't respond to that, instead steer the conversation towards her.

"And you? You just finished filming an emotionally intense scene. You need to learn to detach yourself quickly and not let the character affect you for too long."

This sudden concern made Dilraba's heart skip a beat, and a warm feeling washed over her.

"I'm fine."

She lowered her head slightly, but couldn't help but smile.

"Sometimes after filming, I feel empty inside, especially with characters like Tan Yan who play lovers who can't be together."

As she spoke, she secretly raised her eyelids to observe Shen Mo's reaction, her words carrying a clear sense of probing and empathy.

Shen Mo was incredibly intelligent, and naturally he understood the hidden meaning in her words.

He didn't delve deeper into the topic of "unrequited love," but instead spoke in the tone of a senior.

"It means you're immersed in the role, which is a good thing. But an actor should be like water, able to be poured into any container and also able to return to its original state at any time."

"Find a way to relax that suits you."

"So, Shen Mo, how do you usually relax when you're under a lot of pressure?"

Dilraba immediately seized the opportunity and threw the question back at her, her eyes full of curiosity.

"Besides reading and handling company matters?"

She remembered his previous answer, and her follow-up question was an attempt to gain a deeper understanding of him outside of work.

Shen Mo seemed somewhat exasperated by her persistent "inquiry," but looking at the inquisitive expression on her delicate face, he couldn't bear to refuse.

"I occasionally go to the gym, or find a quiet place to listen to music for a while."

"Listen to music? What kind of music do you like?"

Dilraba's eyes lit up even more, and she unconsciously moved a little closer to him.

You could almost smell the faint, clean scent of soapberry mixed with a hint of caffeine on him.

"Prefers instrumental music, or some old songs."

Shen Mo's answer was still concise, but compared to his previous sparseness of words, it was a rare sharing.

"I also like listening to old songs!"

Dilraba seemed to have found common ground, and her tone became cheerful.

"Especially those with a story behind them —"

She began to list several of her favorite songs, glancing at Shen Mo from time to time to see if he resonated with them as well.

Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the roof, creating a relatively isolated area of ​​light around the two people.

The noise on set seemed to fade into the background noise, leaving only their back-and-forth conversation.

Dilraba was secretly delighted. This feeling, this sense of getting a little closer to his life, swept away her previous frustration.

She greedily savored this rare, undisturbed time, hoping that this break between events could last a little longer, a little longer still.

Shen Mo's aloofness towards unfamiliar people was gradually melted away by Dilraba's persistent and somewhat clumsy yet adorable advances.