Chapter 118

In Jingcheng, a hot pot restaurant

A Buick parked beside the restaurant; Wang Jinghua led Yang Xue out of the car, speaking as they walked.

"During dinner, talk less, drink more, don't act superior just because they're young."

Yang Xue nodded: "I know, Sister Hua."

When the two reached the entrance, they saw Yan Li waiting outside; Wang Jinghua was slightly surprised, quickened her steps, and said with concern and mild reproach:

"Director Yan, it's so cold outside—why are you waiting here? Don't catch a chill."

"Sister Hua, how could I dare call myself 'Director' in front of you? You're scolding me."

Yan Li warmly took Wang Jinghua's arm and smiled: "This time, setting up this production team, Bingbing and the others all relied on your coordination, and you even recommended Yang Xue to me. You've done me such a huge favor—waiting outside is nothing; technically, I should've gone to your home to pick you up myself."

"That's not my doing—Bingbing and the others were all your own negotiations, and Yang Xue was just helping me. If anyone owes thanks, it's me thanking you."

Wang Jinghua didn't take credit, but Yan Li disagreed: "If you approved them coming, that's helping me. Today is specifically to thank you."

The two exchanged words back and forth, passing credit and favors between them, the atmosphere growing warmer and more intimate.

Yang Xue had no right to interject, but she quietly sized up Yan Li a few times.

In truth, Yan Li himself wasn't fully aware that Yang Xue had known him for a long time.

He was in the 2000 intake of the Vocational Class at Beijing Film Academy; Yang Xue was a year older, in the 1999 intake of the same Vocational Class.

But since the Vocational Class was a two-year program, though they were one cohort apart, they actually attended school together for one year.

Yang Xue worked as a part-time model during school, later got discovered and signed by Wang Jinghua, and debuted in acting in 2000, so she spent very little time on campus during her sophomore year.

Yan Li only began studying hard in his first year, then got busy dating Dong Xuan, so naturally he had no memory of a classmate who rarely showed up.

Yang Xue had also only seen Yan Li a few times; she knew of him because he'd dated the campus beauty from the undergraduate class—he was somewhat famous in the Vocational Department back then.

Years after graduation, Yang Xue had forgotten Yan Li entirely—until she applied to the Huan Tian Xi Di Seven Fairies production team, when she remembered this fellow alumnus who was good at chasing girls.

But now, she dared not call him "classmate," and could only respectfully address him:

"Director Yan."

Yan Li smiled gently, exchanged a few casual words, then continued talking with Wang Jinghua.

Yan Li, having reviewed Yang Xue's file and interviewed her, of course knew she was his senior.

But so what?

Beijing Film Academy had been around for decades; before the 2000 intake, there were dozens of graduating classes in the Acting Department, over a thousand undergraduate students alone, and even more in the Vocational Class—did he greet every senior as "Senior Brother" or "Senior Sister"?

You speak according to your position; only those who helped him, he sincerely called by honorifics.

Others, if he needed to get close, he'd use a few polite terms; if not, he treated them as equals.

It may be pragmatic, but it's the truth!

It was too cold outside, and today they didn't stand around freezing; after chatting a while, they went straight inside.

"You order first—they'll arrive shortly."

Yan Li handed the menu to Wang Jinghua, who refused it, saying they'd order once everyone arrived, then continued talking with Yan Li, bringing up Dong Xuan.

"This girl is good—good looks, decent acting. I see your company doesn't have talent management—why not let her come with me for now?"

Worried Yan Li might misunderstand, Wang Jinghua added: "No contracts or anything—I'm just helping you guide her. Later, if she finds another path, she can leave anytime."

"With me looking out for her, you can rest easy—no messy, unpleasant stuff will happen."

Wang Jinghua managed her talents with a nanny-style approach, handling every detail for them—beyond connecting them to career resources, she emphasized emotional bonding to retain artists.

Under her care, artists didn't have to fear being forced into unwanted, distasteful acts.

Of course, normal social dinners like today were unavoidable.

If an artist had ambition and willingly connected with certain directors or sponsors for career benefit, Wang Jinghua turned a blind eye and didn't interfere.

Her philosophy centered on the artist, positioning the agent as an assistant and guide, not a commander.

This strategy had pros and cons, but her artists all held her in high regard.

Yan Li believed Wang Jinghua's assurance.

But times weren't what they used to be—Dong Xuan followed him and lacked neither work nor resources; he had no reason to hand his woman over to someone else, so he politely declined.

"She's not that famous yet, has limited work—I can handle it myself. Besides, she's busy staying on campus, so she doesn't plan to take on many roles right now."

Wang Jinghua caught the implication immediately and shifted the topic: "She's staying on campus too? I remember Da Wei's girlfriend is staying to become a teacher."

"Yes, they're good friends, planning to stay together."

"Good thing—being a teacher is great. I'll look around for you, see if I can find any connections."

"Thanks, Sister Hua."

"Hey, don't be so formal with me—I never signed you, but I've always treated you like family. If you need anything, just tell me—I'll give you everything I've got."

Wang Jinghua's words were polite, but held some sincerity.

After all, Yan Li was doing well—she hoped to cultivate a good relationship with him, so her own artists could benefit later.

"With your word, I feel much more at ease. Actually, I have something I'd like to ask your opinion on."

Yan Li seized the opening, following Wang Jinghua's lead to indicate he had a request; Wang Jinghua smiled.

"I knew you didn't invite me to dinner for nothing—speak up."

"Don't rush—I'll hold back a bit. Let's wait until everyone's here."

As Yan Li spoke, his phone rang; he picked it up, glanced at it, and smiled at Wang Jinghua.

"They're here."

He answered the call, gave the location, and soon Fan Xiaopang entered wearing a white down jacket, raising her eyebrows at the people in the private room.

"Oh? Someone's acting big-time."

"Don't talk nonsense—it's not even time yet."

Wang Jinghua scolded her, then, seeing Fan Xiaopang peeling off the jacket because the room was too warm, expertly took it and hung it up, muttering about sweating, then went to her car and brought back a light coat for Fan Xiaopang to change into.

Yan Li watched from the side, gaining a more direct understanding of how Wang Jinghua interacted with her artists.

No wonder Li Bingbing and Fan Xiaopang held her in extraordinary respect.

For girls like them, who left home young to struggle, with family absent for long periods, such meticulous care and concern made emotional dependence hard to avoid.

Yan Li felt he should also learn from Sister Hua.

When dealing with subordinates, profit is certainly important, but appropriate emotional bonding fosters greater loyalty.

…

It was clear Fan Xiaopang was relaxed around Wang Jinghua, speaking casually about the event she'd just attended.

Her scenes in "Fortune Blesses Zhu Bajie" weren't finished yet; she took two days off from the set for a commercial event, and Yan Li had casually invited her along.

After about fifteen minutes, the remaining guests still hadn't arrived, and Fan Xiaopang grew displeased.

"It's almost time, and you make me wait—that's fine—but why won't Sister Hua and Director Yan show face?"

Sister Hua shot her a glare and explained to Yan Li: "At this hour, everyone's leaving work, traffic's heavy—probably stuck."

Yan Li nodded, picking up the topic to discuss Beijing's current rush-hour traffic jams.

As early as the late 1990s, Beijing already experienced rush-hour congestion, but the frequency and scale were relatively small.

In the past one or two years, due to factors like joining the WTO and successfully bidding for the Olympics, the economy boomed, private cars multiplied, traffic jams worsened, and became a social focal point—people like Yan Li, who owned cars, felt the harm deeply.

For example, once he was maneuvering desperately between Guanghua Li and Beiying Xiaoyu.

A normal twenty-minute drive took over fifteen minutes due to traffic, nearly capsizing his schedule.

Afterwards, still shaken, Yan Li had his secretary Hu Ya draft a formal complaint letter to the relevant authorities.

Traffic jams ruin citizens' personal lives too easily!

Just as he was complaining, the last guests arrived—Li Bingbing and Li Xue rushed in and immediately apologized; they'd hit traffic jams and road closures, forced to detour, hence the delay.

"No problem, no problem, it's fine, we're all family."

Yan Li didn't mind, Sister Hua said nothing, and Fan Xiaopang, who'd just been sarcastic, now became utterly meek upon seeing the real people.

It made Yan Li glance at her, tut-tutting—thought she was some tough nut.

Turns out she's just a coward who dares whisper behind backs!

Fan Xiaopang sharply caught Yan Li's glance and understood his meaning; her pale face flushed crimson, and she glared back.

Who do you think you're looking down on? I… I'm just showing respect to Sister Hua!

With Wang Jinghua and Li Bingbing both present, Yan Li was too lazy to order and simply called the waiter to place the dishes, then engaged in polite small talk.

Fan Xiaopang had nothing to say, but Li Bingbing wanted to offer early congratulations.

"Cell Phone" is coming out in December's New Year slot; Feng Xiaogang always performs well in New Year slots, and this time won't disappoint expectations.

This year's film market suffered greatly due to SARS.

The highest-grossing Chinese film so far is Jiang Wen and Xiao Yanzi's "Hero of Heaven and Earth," with 41 million yuan in box office, ranking fourth on this year's mainland chart.

Compared to last year's miracle "Hero," which earned about 250 million yuan, the difference is not slight.

The industry now pins its hopes on Feng Xiaogang's "Cell Phone," hoping he'll restore pride to Chinese cinema.

Not necessarily matching "Hero" or breaking 100 million, but at least cracking the top three, so Hollywood doesn't monopolize the top three spots.

Of course, that's Hua Yi and Feng Xiaogang's problem; Li Bingbing doesn't need to worry—she just needs to wait for the film's release, then her fame and exposure will surge, propelling her career to a new level.

Thinking of this, Li Bingbing felt cheerful and raised her glass to toast Yan Li.

"Thanks to you—if you hadn't helped with advice, I might never have gotten this role."

"You're mainly talented yourself."

Yan Li felt awkward drinking the wine—he didn't need to guess; he knew Fan Xiaopang was cursing him inside, maybe even "cutting" him with a knife.

Li Xue followed her sister in raising a toast and added: "Don't be modest—you're definitely the main contributor."

Hmm, now Fan Xiaopang was probably already "chopping" him in her mind.

Still, Yan Li noticed Li Xue sitting down and exchanging a glance with Li Bingbing—he understood the sisters were acting deliberately.

Gratitude was fake; their real goal was to provoke Fan Xiaopang and sow discord between him and her.

It seemed bringing Fan Xiaopang into "Huan Tian Xi Di Qi Nüxian" and organizing this dinner tonight had put heavy pressure on the Li sisters.

Yan Li felt both surprised and troubled.

The surprise: the two Bingbings truly disliked each other, their hostility and targeting obvious without any acting.

The trouble: could these two, in such a state, cooperate with his plan?

…

Regardless of his inner thoughts, as the meal progressed and the mood improved, Yan Li began introducing today's main topic.

Stir up the rivalry between the two Bingbings!

Upon hearing this, Yang Xue was surprised, Wang Jinghua was startled but remained calm; Li Bingbing and Li Xue frowned, but Fan Xiaopang's expression didn't change.

Yan Li observed everyone's reactions closely, unsurprised.

Yang Xue was an outsider, and Wang Jinghua was shrewd and experienced—Yan Li had already probed her before; she likely had some idea.

As for the Li sisters and Fan Xiaopang, Yan Li had already spoken to all of them beforehand.

The Li sisters weren't enthusiastic, even somewhat resistant; Fan Xiaopang originally refused too, but now she'd been persuaded by Yan Li and was his supporter today.

After gauging everyone's reactions, Yan Li spoke calmly: "I mentioned this before—it's for the 'Huan Tian Xi Di Qi Nüxian' project, but it also benefits you. In my view, this is a win-win move."

"You know about the online controversy—it's gotten loud, proving the public is highly interested in your relationship."

"I still say: you two share the same name, the same agent, the same company, and both have some fame base."

"So you two are naturally a pair—either close friends, or bitter enemies."

"Personally, I think you met as obscure newcomers with so much in common—you'd make great friends."

"But for various reasons, there are still grudges in everyone's hearts; since there's no affinity, don't force it."

If we can't be friends, then let's be rivals—but better yet, let our competition not be about pulling each other down, but about jointly building each other's careers from another angle, moving forward together.

Today I've invited Sister Hua; everyone here is family. Let me break it all down for you, and you all speak your minds openly—we'll solve what we can.

After Yan Li finished speaking, everyone present fell silent: Yang Xue turned invisible, Fan Xiaopang looked intrigued, and Wang Jinghua seemed lost in thought.

The Li sisters exchanged a glance; Li Bingbing stayed silent, while her younger sister Li Xue stepped forward as the vanguard.

"If you're going to say it like that, then don't blame me for being blunt—our understanding of Director Yan's meaning is clear: mutual hype? We've done that before."

"But whether you're mortal enemies or rivals, there's still a standard of parity. One strong, one weak—that's not taking advantage of my sister?"

Saying this, Li Xue cast a pointed glance at Fan Xiaopang, who immediately frowned, opened her mouth to speak—but Yan Li stopped her.

Yan Li looked at the Li sisters, his tone sincere: "I understand your dissatisfaction. The truth is, it's exactly as you say."

"Right now, your sister is more popular, and Little Fan benefits from it. To be blunt, that's parasitism."

As he spoke, Yan Li gave Fan Xiaopang a reassuring look, then continued.

"But can you guarantee your sister will stay popular forever, always more popular than Little Fan?"

Li Xue frowned: "What are you getting at?"

Yan Li ignored her, turning instead to Li Bingbing: "What I'm about to say may be harsh, but I truly mean it for your benefit. If I offend, please forgive me."

Li Bingbing finally spoke: "Go ahead. I'm not that petty."

"Good."

Yan Li took a sip of wine, and his first sentence Ma Deli Bingbing's cheeks tighten, her teeth grinding silently.

"If I remember right, you're thirty this year?"

"How many years can a thirty-year-old female actress remain popular? I know a sister who was once a top star—within a few years after turning thirty, she became yesterday's news, reduced to playing leads in million-dollar indie productions."

Yan Li pointed again at Fan Xiaopang: "She's only twenty-two—eight years younger than you."

Li Bingbing's face had darkened; Li Xue narrowed her eyes at Yan Li.

Even Fan Xiaopang opened her mouth slightly, gazing at Yan Li as if he were a warrior.

Yet Yan Li wasn't done—he pressed on: "Let's return to physical appearance."

"I'm blunt: in my view, you're pretty—but only an ordinary beauty. Your popularity comes down to two things: you're relentless, and you've had good luck."

Yan Li pointed only at Fan Xiaopang: "I said before she's a beauty who could topple nations—even if I was just teasing her, her appearance is truly top-tier in this industry."

"Qiong Yao agrees. Sister Hua agrees. I suspect you two sisters agree too."

Li Bingbing's face turned completely black; Li Xue glared at Yan Li, while Fan Xiaopang looked at him with admiration—and a touch of smug delight.

Too brutal!

And so perceptive!

Leaving aside everything else, Yan Li had consistently affirmed her beauty, which filled Fan Xiaopang with quiet joy.

Now he was directly attacking Li Bingbing's face—and not laughing out loud was already a testament to her personal discipline.

"Yes, right now you're more popular than Little Fan—but the age gap is here, the image gap is here, and you're under the same company and same agent, so the resource gap won't be extreme. Given time, who can guarantee Little Fan won't surpass you?"

Yan Li kept talking, but Li Bingbing finally couldn't take it anymore. She stared coldly at Yan Li.

"What exactly are you trying to say?"

Li Xue also snapped. No matter how much she liked Yan Li, at this critical moment, the sisters stood together.

"You've insulted my sister enough—do you think we're easy to bully?"

"Don't rush. Let me finish."

Yan Li made a calming gesture, continuing softly: "I know exactly what you two sisters are thinking—you fear Fan Bingbing will replace Li Bingbing, so you're wary, defensive, even suppressive."

Before the Li sisters could rebut, Yan Li raised his hand to stop them: "I think, instead of suppressing and fearing, you should shift your perspective—aim for mutual win-win."

"The Chinese market is huge—it can accommodate two Bingbings. Your styles are different; you're not direct competitors."

"Instead of obsessing over one Bingbing replacing the other, why not create the concept of 'Dual Bingbing'?"

"You know the Four Heavenly Kings, right? Or closer to you—the Four Little Flowers."

"Bingbing, you've competed directly with them. Aside from that Zhao girl, which of the other three could definitively beat you?"

"But once the 'Four Little Flowers' concept emerged, it instantly pushed you behind—no matter how popular the other Little Flowers were, they were all half a step below them."

"That's group labeling and branding—group bundling. From now on, those four are bound together. Whether competing or cooperating, they generate endless buzz, and their status and commercial value rise together."

"They can do it—we can learn from them. They're the Four Little Flowers; we're the Dual Bingbing Rivalry."

"Through joint competition and other maneuvers, we become both friends and rivals, tightly bound in an inseparable bond."

"When you hear 'Li Bingbing,' you think of Fan Bingbing. When you hear 'Fan Bingbing,' you can't leave out Li Bingbing."

"Right now, Bingbing is hotter—pull Little Fan along. When Little Fan becomes popular, she can feed back to you."

"Don't be naive. This isn't the past anymore—just acting isn't enough. Why were those Hong Kong and Taiwan stars so popular? Because they knew how to hype, how to grab attention. We must evolve too—learn these entertainment industry tactics."

"First, 'Dual Bingbing Rivalry.' Once we reach sufficient influence, we'll piggyback on the Four Little Flowers—'Dual Bingbing, Four Little Flowers.'"

Yan Li smiled at the Li sisters: "Trampling those four underfoot is far more satisfying than fighting with Little Fan."

"Yan Li is right."

Fan Xiaopang finally spoke. Though young and low in fame, her ambition was high, and she was bolder.

"No matter how much we fight, we're just fighting over scraps inside the company—pathetic. If we're going to fight, let's fight outside—take the resources of those other little bitches. There's enough for both of us."

Stirred by Yan Li and Fan Xiaopang, Li Bingbing felt her blood boil, restless and eager.

But age held her back—she wasn't some impulsive girl. She turned her questioning gaze to her sister and Sister Hua.

Wang Jinghua spoke directly: "I think it's viable."

As she spoke, she looked at Yan Li with appreciation: "I always said you were born to be an agent. 'Dual Bingbing, Four Little Flowers'—wow, the younger generation is truly formidable."

From Wang Jinghua's perspective, Li and Fan were both her top talents. Maintaining harmony between them while enabling mutual benefit was ideal.

In fact, Wang Jinghua herself had conceived the 'Dual Bingbing' concept long ago.

But the concept was vague, and initially I had thought of turning them into a loving "Da-Bing Xiao-Bing" duo.

Yan Li's "Two Bing Competing" concept clearly surpassed her original idea.

Love and affection are boring; rivalry and mutual destruction are what the public loves to see.

Targeting the Four Little Divas and creating a "Two Bing, Four Divas" angle was a masterstroke—it instantly placed the two on par with the hottest divas, enabling not only internal competition between the Two Bing, but also sparking massive public debate over Two Bing vs. Four Divas.

This kid Yan Li is a genius!

Li Xue pondered for a while, gave Yan Li a complex glance, then nodded to her sister.

"The benefits outweigh the risks."

As Yan Li said, the Four Little Divas are tightly allied.

Her sister fighting alone would struggle against a mob attack; finding a "teammate" is a good idea.

But such a teammate isn't easy to find—it can't be arranged on a whim, and if the teammate is too weak, no fighting power will form.

Fan Xiaopang shares more common ground with Li Bingbing, making it easy to establish a connection, and the impression is unforgettable.

Though not yet extremely popular, she starred in "Huanzhu Gege," has solid fanbase foundations, strong looks, and outstanding potential.

Wang Jinghua and Yan Li's endorsement is proof enough!

As for these two, Wang Jinghua doesn't need to say more—after Yan Li helped Li Bingbing land the female lead in "Mobile," the sisters deeply trusted and valued his abilities.

So when Yan Li endorsed Fan Xiaopang, including his marketing plan for "Two Bing Competing," the sisters hesitated but chose to believe him.

With Wang Jinghua and her clever younger sister's support, Li Bingbing slammed her hand on the table.

"Fine, let's do it."

"Good."

Yan Li smiled, rubbing his hands with slight excitement: "First, we need to hype up the 'Two Bing' concept and create a competitive atmosphere."

"You both starred in 'Huan Tian Xi Di Qi Nüxian'—that's the perfect battlefield and topic. Fans' disputes are already well-prepared, but it's not enough—we need a breakout point to fully capture nationwide attention."

"My suggestion is to stir up gossip—I already have rumors with Bingbing, so let's stir up some with Fan Xiao too. Two women fighting over one man, mixed with melodramatic romance, will absolutely draw countless eyes…"

Before he finished speaking, Yan Li noticed all the women in the room staring at him with strange expressions.

Fan Xiaopang spoke first: "You talked so passionately—so you were just waiting for this? You want us two to fight over you? How self-important."

Li Bingbing studied Yan Li with amusement: "'Two Bing Competing'? Are you really doing this for us, or are you up to some trick?"

Yan Li was speechless: "Look at you two—each of you has more scheming than the other. I have a girlfriend. Why would I care about you two?"

"Even if I do have a little ulterior motive, it's mainly for the sake of this drama—I'm the producer, and I can smoothly redirect attention to the show."

"Fine, if you two don't like me, pick any other male actor from our cast."

Wang Jinghua shook her head: "That would just unfairly benefit some other actor, and it'd feel forced."

Saying this, she stepped forward and patted Yan Li's shoulder: "I think Yan Li is the most suitable choice. The idea was his, he can coordinate with further hype, and it's logically sound."

After all, they're two popular divas— to make the public believe they're fighting over a man, that man must have something exceptional.

Yan Li has money and is the producer of "Huan Tian Xi Di Qi Nüxian"—if the two Bing are feuding over him, the media and netizens will believe it more easily.

Li Xue hesitated: "Two women fighting over one man sounds good, but won't it damage your sister's reputation?"

"If you're in this industry, don't expect to stay spotless. If you're really worried, just blame it all on me—say I'm cheating on both of you."

Li Xue was shocked: "Then what about you? That reputation is terrible—it'll hurt you badly."

"If you want to make money, don't care about your face."

Yan Li was blunt: "Besides, I'm a man—this kind of scandal hurts less. Maybe some people will even envy me."

Fan Xiaopang suddenly remembered the two silver locks and the stack of embroidery she'd seen in Yunnan, and sneered.

Sounds great—but isn't she just using us two as practice runs?!

"Enough, stop whining."

Yan Li didn't want to argue further and declared: "Either stir up gossip, or you two fight on set—pull hair, tear clothes, and post it online. Pick one. Otherwise, no other breakout point is strong enough."

Hearing this, Li Bingbing and Fan Xiaopang exchanged glances and spoke almost simultaneously.

"Stir up gossip!"

"Good."

Yan Li praised them, then laid out the plan he'd already prepared: "Hype is like cooking—it must be done in stages, step by step. Don't dump all the ingredients at once."

"Before filming starts, I'll stir up rumors with Bingbing first. Then, during filming, keep spreading rumors that you two are at odds—ideally, have 'insiders' leak stories online and so on… Let it simmer and build. When the drama is about to air, I'll be caught by paparazzi with Fan Xiao, igniting the breakout point, and then…"

————

PS: This chapter is 7000 words. One update today. The missing 1000 words will be made up tomorrow.

(End of chapter)