Chapter 159: Becoming a Business Idol for the Post-80s and Post-90s Generation

Ma Yi previously lived with Guan Hu, but after they broke up, she moved into a small apartment.

When Qin Lan saw her, she found the other woman's condition much better than she'd expected.

At least she wasn't wailing or threatening suicide—just clearly down, and a bit disheveled in appearance.

After letting Qin Lan in, Ma Yi sat on a messy sofa and handed her a can of beer.

"Wanna have a drink with me?"

"Uh…"

Qin Lan had been about to say she'd driven, but seeing Ma Yi's state, she silently popped the tab, clinked cans with her, and spoke gently.

"There's no room for reconciliation—you two were together for years."

Ma Yi gave a self-deprecating smile: "How do you reconcile? Do you even know how we broke up?"

Qin Lan shook her head—Ma Yi had only said they split; she had no idea. But immediately, Qin Lan perked up; she had a feeling this was going to be explosive.

Sure enough, Ma Yi crushed the aluminum can: "I saw him sleeping in bed with my best 'girlfriend.'"

"Tsk~"

Qin Lan bit her lip—she'd suspected something shocking, but not this shocking.

"Who's this 'best friend' of yours?"

"Liang Jing—you know her?"

Qin Lan thought for a moment, then shook her head; the name meant nothing to her.

"She used to be a host, then starred in that bastard's 'Black Hole.' We hit it off right away—I treated her like a true friend, told her everything. And what did she do? She lusted after my man."

Ma Yi's tone wasn't loud, but the emotion behind it was incredibly complex; her grip on the can tightened further.

Qin Lan didn't know how to comfort her—she'd known friends betrayed by lovers before, but never by their best friend.

Luckily, Ma Yi didn't need her to comfort her—she mostly just wanted someone to listen.

She talked about how hard the relationship had been, and how vile and shameless that couple had been.

Qin Lan arrived at noon and didn't leave until near dusk, taking a taxi home. That night, when Yan Li returned, she told him everything she'd learned.

"... an you believe how shameless those two are?"

As Qin Lan ranted with righteous fury, Yan Li ate fruit while listening, then delivered a sharp assessment.

"Ma Yi's real anger isn't about her best friend stealing her man—it's about being abandoned by Guan Hu."

"Huh?"

Qin Lan was stunned. Yan Li slipped a grape into her mouth and gave a detailed explanation.

After "My Fair Princess 3" aired, Ma Yi gained some fame, but nowhere near the level of Xiao Yanzi or Lin Xinru back then—she was far behind Huang Yi, who also played a lead.

Guan Hu may not be as promising as during his "Black Hole" days, but he's doing well enough, with solid connections in the industry.

The entertainment industry is fiercely competitive for young actresses—many explode in popularity in their first two years, then fade within a year or two, let alone Ma Yi, who hasn't even exploded yet.

Having a director boyfriend with steady resources and connections is a relatively stable advantage—Guan Hu is a good match for Ma Yi right now.

Most importantly, Ma Yi grew up alongside Guan Hu and invested a lot in him.

These sunk costs matter deeply in relationships—the more you invest, the harder it is to let go.

So if Guan Hu sincerely apologized and made promises, Ma Yi might not have been so determined to break up.

But now they've split, it's likely not just Ma Yi who wanted out—Guan Hu probably wanted out too.

Ma Yi suffered a double betrayal and abandonment by both her best friend and her boyfriend, but it's the latter that truly fueled her rage and sorrow.

Qin Lan couldn't understand Guan Hu's actions at all.

"Why? Ma Yi isn't ugly, she's been good to him—when 'Survival: The Migrant Workers' was short on funds, she ran around helping with connections. She's been with him since the beginning. What's so special about that Liang something?"

"Who knows?"

He said that aloud, but based on his past dealings with both of them and some related intel, he made a rough judgment—

Ma Yi's personality is dominant, while Guan Hu has a touch of machismo; she's pragmatic, he's got that artist's pretentiousness and literary idealism.

During "Survival: The Migrant Workers," they clashed often, and only because of practical pressures did Guan Hu finally back down.

But backing down doesn't mean he didn't harbor resentment—he probably had plenty of grievances against Ma Yi.

Then along comes a woman who's utterly submissive, worships him, puts him first—everything Ma Yi isn't.

The outcome is obvious!

Yan Li looked down on men like Guan Hu, but then he thought of his own two-timing and constant affairs—and realized he wasn't much better.

Still, he couldn't help despising Guan Hu—he hadn't slept with his woman's best friend, nor abandoned the woman who stood by him in obscurity.

Pfft!

Scumbag. No—scumbag among scumbags!

As a woman herself, and one with a close relationship and similar circumstances, Qin Lan felt a pang of sympathy for Ma Yi—like a rabbit dying, the fox grieves.

"Should I visit her more often these days? I'm afraid she might do something desperate."

"Probably not, but if you're really worried, I'm going on a business trip in a couple days—have her stay at our place, help her get through it."

Yan Li didn't think Ma Yi was that type, but since Qin Lan was kind-hearted, he didn't object.

Besides, he was due to "switch shifts" to Beiying Village—having someone with Qin Lan wouldn't hurt.

"Fine."

Qin Lan thought it was a good idea—every time Yan Li traveled, she was bored alone at home. If Ma Yi moved in, she'd help her get over the breakup, and Qin Lan would have someone to talk to.

"Have her sleep in the guest room, not our bed. What if I come home and accidentally climb into the wrong one? That'd be a disaster."

Yan Li added a specific warning—just in case of any "surprises." This woman wasn't his type at all.

"What are you dreaming about?"

Qin Lan rolled her eyes at Yan Li, but internally decided Ma Yi would definitely sleep in the guest room.

The goal was to help her get over being betrayed by her best friend—don't end up betraying her yourself. That'd be a whole new mess.

————

Since entering November, Yan Li felt suddenly overwhelmed with work.

"The Seven Fairies' Joyful Days" was finished, and they were now negotiating its broadcast schedule, along with promotional campaigns.

The gossip about Yan Li and Fan Xiaopang had cooled; now he was fully focused on PR for the Spring Festival Gala, hoping to get a "Seven Fairies" New Year's performance.

"The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng" was in early prep, with casting moving erratically—sometimes fast, sometimes slow.

Hua Manlou and Ximen Chuixue were cast: Ren Quan and Yan Kuan. Sikong Zhaixing would almost certainly be Huang Haibo.

Only Lu Xiaofeng remained undecided, and Yan Li and the crew still had no clear direction.

Chen Kun, Huang Haibing, and Zhang Zhilin were the final three contenders.

Huang's advantage: no obvious weaknesses. Chen Kun's: greater fame, distinctive aura, and Renxinda's backing—they'd even assign their top actress, Zhou Young Master, to play a role.

As for Zhang Zhilin, he had less fame than the other two and was a Hong Kong actor.

But he had one advantage: after makeup and costume tests, his look and aura were the most fitting for Lu Xiaofeng, earning support from directors Ju Jueliang and Wang Xinmin.

Still, Yan Li felt uneasy about casting a Hong Kong actor as the lead in such a major project, and Zhang offered no exchangeable leverage—so the decision stalled.

"Emperor Wu of Han" was scheduled to air on CCTV in early January next year; the crew had contacted Yan Li for several interviews.

"Sword of Valor" would start filming in December—if Yan Li wanted a role, he needed to confirm it with the crew soon.

He also had to personally arrange funding for "The Legend of the Condor Heroes."

Plus, he couldn't completely ignore several distribution projects—he had to occasionally check in and advise, especially "The Legend of Sword and Fairy."

This project, in which Yi An had invested, was temporarily blocked from satellite broadcast due to gaming policy restrictions.

Cai Yinong was relieved she'd played it safe and given Yan Li nearly a third of the shares—otherwise, Tangren might have been crushed by this drama.

Yan Li didn't feel cheated—it wasn't a total ban on satellite broadcast, just a delay. He could release it on local channels, slowly building momentum. Since it was marketed as a 2005 hit, it wouldn't lose money.

With so many tasks piling up, Yan Li wished he could split himself into eight people.

He hadn't even celebrated his own twenty-fourth birthday—only gave Dong Xuan a birthday.

Of course, there were too many people who wanted to throw him a party.

Not to mention Qin Lan and Dong Xuan—Wang Ou was quietly trying to lure him to her home, and even Xiao Shimei Huang Shengyi, whom he'd barely contacted lately, suddenly said she wanted to give him a birthday gift.

Other friends also proposed birthday gatherings—some sincere, others with ulterior motives. Yan Li flatly declined them all.

He called his parents, then left on a business trip.

Yes, a real business trip—to negotiate an important distribution contract, and to scout locations for "The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng."

With a 30-million-yuan budget, they couldn't shoot only in film studios—the crew, following Zhang Dahu's example, planned to add natural scenery to elevate the production's quality.

This was also the directors' suggestion.

Ju Jueliang had worked on "The Legend of the Condor Heroes" and "The Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils"—some of the classic outdoor shots from those Jin Yong dramas came from his hand.

Director Wang Xinmin also preferred real locations, though cost often restricted him.

Even so, "The Sword of the Hero" featured a bamboo forest battle, and "The Legend of the Linked Destiny" had gone specifically to Xiling Snow Mountain for filming.

This time, "The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng" had decent funding—if conditions allowed, they'd shoot real locations to make Gu Long's ancient martial world more magnificent.

In Jiuzhaigou, Yan Li ran into the crew of "The Legend of the Condor Heroes," which had just started filming.

They said the tomb scenes, including the training of the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra and Xiao Longnü's loss of virginity, were all shot there.

Yan Li wanted to check out the spectacle, but the crew was wary of outsiders and wouldn't allow visits. He didn't insist—just wandered other parts of Jiuzhaigou, took some photos, and left.

Before he even returned to Beijing, reporters broke the story, claiming Yan Li had gone to spy on the set.

Zhang Dahu even gave a proper interview.

He said he wasn't afraid of competition or spying, but there was no need to steal techniques—just call him, and he'd welcome Yan Li to visit anytime.

"Damn, they're already sticking to their guns."

Yan Li shook his head, strongly suspecting that Hu Zi had spotted him and then contacted the media to drag him down.

He went to steal techniques, proving he had no confidence in The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng.

But this played right into Yan Li's hands—he had previously launched various moves subtly referencing The Legend of the Condor Heroes, and Zhang Hu Zi had stayed silent the whole time; Yan Li had even thought the man had changed his ways.

Perfect.

I'm not afraid of him cursing me—I'm afraid he won't speak at all. A solo performance can't be lively or engaging.

Yan Li immediately contacted the media to clarify that his trip to Jiuzhaigou was for location scouting, and admitted he had indeed seen some filming sets of The Legend of the Condor Heroes.

But how to put it? It wasn't what he imagined—he was somewhat disappointed.

You accused me of stealing techniques? Fine, I stole them—but unfortunately, you're not worth stealing from.

You trampled me? Then I'll trample you back!

Zhang Hu Zi was extremely dissatisfied with Yan Li's response, feeling he disrespected his elders.

He criticized the media for being untruthful in attacking Yan Li, warning the young generation to be grounded, avoid crooked paths, stop relying on hype, and remember that the work itself comes first.

Yan Li retorted, accusing Zhang Hu Zi of leveraging his age to slap on labels.

The person most skilled at hype in the film industry is Zhang Hu Zi himself—he allows himself to set fires but forbids common people to light lamps; how can he dare criticize others?

As for works, Yi'an, though founded recently, has already achieved results.

Don't you remember how The Conqueror last year clashed with The Legend of the Condor Heroes?

And Detective Di Renjie is also one of this year's highest-rated TV dramas.

Yan Li spoke with righteous confidence.

Regardless of whether he directed these two dramas, one was acquired with copyright and produced as the main producer, the other was a co-investor and co-producer—no matter how you spin it, The Conqueror and Detective Di Renjie are Yi'an's productions.

Back and forth, the two traded barbs through the media.

One was a veteran producer with an illustrious record; the other, a rising new power in the industry.

Veteran versus newcomer, Jin Gu's two dramas, a martial arts showdown—topic Redu and buzz were maximized.

Some questioned whether it was all staged hype!

Since The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng was greenlit, its plagiarism of The Legend of the Condor Heroes was obvious to all.

After The Legend of the Condor Heroes responded, Zhang Hu Zi appeared even more youthful and arrogant, as if determined to overthrow his senior—barely hiding his intent to pit the two dramas against each other.

Yet when the casting controversy ended and attention to The Legend of the Condor Heroes declined, Zhang Hu Zi suddenly emerged to brawl with a junior, showing none of the dignity expected of a senior figure in the industry.

He's old enough to be Yan Li's father; after decades of storms in this circle, he shouldn't lack such basic tolerance.

Whether it was hype or not, most netizens didn't care—they just wanted to watch the show.

This wave of "Zhang-Yan Verbal Battle" propelled Yan Li's fame on the internet and in the entertainment industry straight upward.

Public opinion about him was sharply divided!

Some disliked his behavior, thinking he was too flamboyant, too young to understand how to behave, arrogant with success, and destined for a short career.

Others admired and envied him, especially young people, who felt a self-made young tycoon should be bold and unrestrained, courageously challenging so-called elders and showcasing the spirit of the new 80s generation.

Honestly, Yan Li had prepared himself to be scolded for this hype—he sacrificed some reputation but filled his pockets, and he thought it was worth it.

As always: if you want to make money, don't fear being scolded!

But he never expected that his verbal battle with Zhang Hu Zi would earn him so much support and encouragement—even many people began to see him as… a role model.

Yan Li scratched his head, studied it carefully, and realized that today's youth truly loved this kind of thing.

The rags-to-riches story of hard work and perseverance.

The rebellion against authority and celebration of individuality.

And it was also cool—and he had the ability.

Aside from lacking "extraordinary talent" and "trendsetting," he perfectly matched the current 80s youth's ideal of an "idol."

Yan Li pondered: for 80s and 90s generations, Han Han was the literary idol, Jay Chou the musical idol, Yao Ming and Liu Xiang the sports idols, Xie Tingfeng and F4 the entertainment idols.

Could he, then, become the business idol of the 80s and 90s…?

(End of Chapter)