Chapter 161: The Daily Lives of the Fairies and the Forbes Rich List

Jingcheng, a rehearsal hall

The Seven Fairies finished their afternoon rehearsal under the instructor's guidance, ready to rest, have dinner, then practice again.

Although they were affectionate when first reunited, and during variety show promotions they all got along harmoniously as sisterly friends, laughter and fun never ceased.

But after that phase passed, the seven of them split into smaller cliques privately.

However, compared to the previous production's situation, some small changes had occurred.

Dong Xuan, Jiang Xin, and Yang Xue remained a trio, but now they had absorbed the previously neutral Li Lin.

Mainly because Li Lin was pregnant, she was being cautious, planning to go with the flow and stay safe, while also fearing she might be replaced by Seeing Yan Li, so she cultivated goodwill with Dong Xuan.

At the same time, because she was pregnant, she was a key person to be cared for, and Seeing Yan Li specifically instructed Dong Xuan to look after her, to avoid accidents.

He had feelings; she returned them.

The trio becoming a quartet was unquestionably the largest faction within the Seven Fairies.

As for the two Bings, who refused to bow to Dong Xuan as their leader and didn't want to be isolated, despite their public rivalry, they had recently formed a temporary alliance.

Both were popular and had formidable personalities; though only two of them, Dong Xuan's group still had to avoid their sharpness.

The remaining one was Huo Siyan, who continued to be ostracized daily.

Dong Xuan led the ignoring, the two Bings looked down on her, so she played alone.

Honestly, if it weren't for the goal of appearing on the Spring Festival Gala, Huo Siyan would've fought these girls to the death.

They were treating her too cruelly!

But there was no choice—she couldn't fight back, so she had to endure it. Fortunately, it was only isolation, not outright targeting; if she kept a low profile, life was still bearable.

Because she could endure it, Dong Xuan and the others, as well as the two Bings, all thought Huo's surname concealed deep scheming—she wasn't a good person—and distanced themselves further.

In short, if you dislike someone, everything they do is wrong.

Even Seeing Yan Li felt Huo Siyan was somewhat pitiful, so privately he arranged extra promotional interviews for her, as a personal consolation.

As for speaking up or taking the lead—that was out of the question. Right now, surface peace was still maintained; if he intervened, it would only add fuel to the fire, possibly sparking a full-scale Seven Fairies war.

"Big Sister Xuan, we're heading to CCTV for rehearsal soon—do you think our program will make the cut?"

Jiang Xin was frantic—she'd turned down all her roles to rehearse; if the program got cut, the losses would be enormous.

It wasn't just Jiang Xin who was tense; Li Lin and Yang Xue also cast glances, and even the two Bings paid attention.

Others might not have turned down roles, but squeezing out schedules wasn't easy, especially for the popular two Bings—none wanted to lose on both fronts.

"Relax."

Dong Xuan had spent the past few days playing "wise older sister," and now she expertly doled out reassurance.

"Don't worry—Seeing Yan Li has everything arranged. Our program is unique; it'll definitely make it."

This had worked a few days ago, but as rehearsal drew closer, everyone's pressure mounted, and Dong Xuan's hollow comfort grew increasingly ineffective.

Dong Xuan had no solution either—she truly wasn't cut out to be a leader.

She could still manage with Beijing Film Academy students still in class, but facing these young stars, especially the few who were more popular and worldly than her, she couldn't fool them anymore.

The two Bings exchanged glances, hesitating whether to step in and smooth things over.

If morale sank too low and rehearsal suffered, affecting the program's rehearsal, they'd suffer too.

But if they stepped forward, would Dong Xuan grow wary and reject them, thinking they wanted to become leader and seize the right to speak? If they clashed with Dong Xuan's group, it'd be even worse.

Just as they were stuck between advancing and retreating, the rehearsal hall door swung open—Seeing Yan Li entered with two others carrying a large foam box.

"Heh, almost late—hurry up, I've got some tasty food for you all, still hot."

Seeing Yan Li had the foam box placed in the rehearsal hall's rest area, where steps and cushions allowed sitting—and eating.

Since they began rehearsing their Spring Festival Gala program here, Seeing Yan Li had visited once; this was his second appearance, met with enthusiastic welcome from the Seven Fairies.

"Boss Yan, why did you grow a beard?"

Yang Xue asked. Seeing Yan Li touched his thick, short beard: "I'm filming a drama soon—the role requires it."

"Boss Yan with a beard looks really handsome—feels more masculine."

Huo Siyan smiled and complimented him.

She wasn't wrong—Seeing Yan Li's features were rugged and heroic; with a beard, though he lost a bit of youthful freshness, he gained mature charm.

Dong Xuan especially loved his beard, finding it sexually charged with male hormones; privately, she'd often stroke and nuzzle it.

But Seeing Yan Li thought beards made him look old, were troublesome to maintain, and sometimes got complained about for being itchy and prickly during intimacy, so he planned to shave after filming.

Still, although Huo Siyan's remark was accurate, it depended on who said it.

If someone else had said it, it might've passed with laughter—but the moment she spoke, every eye turned to her.

Dong Xuan narrowed her eyes slightly, expressionless; Fan Xiaopang and Li Bingbing watched with interest; Jiang Xin and Yang Xue frowned in surprise; Li Lin looked resigned.

Even Seeing Yan Li internally shook his head—no wonder you get punished; you always step right on the landmine.

"What's there to talk about with a beard? Let's eat—this took me sending people to several restaurants to buy."

Seeing Yan Li didn't want the Seven Fairies to fall into chaos, so silently he smoothed things over for Huo Siyan, handing out meals.

"This is yours, Jiang Xin. This is Li Lin's pregnancy meal—light and nutritious."

Seeing Yan Li first served the two special cases, then took a more home-style food box and handed it to Dong Xuan; the rest could help themselves—eat whatever they liked.

"Wow—Congshao Haisen from Fengze Garden, roast duck from Chaoyangfang, seafood, and Cantonese char siu—Boss Yan really went all out."

Seeing Yan Li waved his hand: "You've been working hard rehearsing—deserve a reward. If you want more, just say so—I'll arrange it later."

Fan Xiaopang, who was rolling up duck pancakes, raised her hand: "I want your braised pork."

At this, everyone except Dong Xuan perked up—last year during the filming of Huan Tian Xi Di, Seeing Yan Li had shown off his cooking during the Spring Festival, leaving a deep impression on them.

The flavor had been so astonishing, and since that one meal, they'd begged for more without success, unconsciously adding layers of idealization, making the braised pork even more unforgettable.

During previous variety show promotions, once they discussed the most unforgettable moment from the set.

Everyone had their own stories, but when one mentioned Seeing Yan Li's braised pork, everyone unanimously agreed.

"Uh…"

Seeing Yan Li hadn't expected that after almost a year, these people still remembered this matter.

It also showed that he had to keep them wanting; the more he strung them along, the more they craved it. If they got to eat it every now and then, their appetite would be satisfied, and they definitely wouldn't cherish and long for it as much.

"Alright, everyone rehearse hard. Once we pass the dress rehearsal and confirm we're on the Spring Festival Gala, I'll specially braise a pot for everyone to share as New Year's goods."

"Okay."

Fan Xiaopang took the lead in clapping. This time, not only would she herself get a feast, but she could also let her family have a taste.

Only Jiang Xin watched Seeing Yan Li eagerly. The latter suddenly realized: "This time I won't sneak a bite, you can eat too."

"Thank you, Boss Yan. Long live Boss Yan."

Jiang Xin was overjoyed. If Dong Xuan hadn't been right beside her, she'd have wanted to grab Seeing Yan Li and kiss him.

Last year she could only look and not eat, which made her absolutely ravenous. Just now she'd even been thinking that if it really wouldn't work, she'd secretly ask Dong Xuan to help save a portion for her—well, to give to a friend.

Everyone ate their meal, and someone brought up the worry of whether they'd pass the rehearsal.

Seeing Yan Li was fed a bite of abalone by Dong Xuan, and said confidently: "As long as our program has no problems, the rehearsal won't be a big issue. To be honest with everyone, I've already paved the way. At most, there'll be some adjustments to the order of appearance and the duration."

This was a bit of an exaggeration from Seeing Yan Li. Apart from a few people, the Spring Festival Gala dress rehearsal really wasn't that easy to pass.

Even if he'd worked his connections with the Gala director and some people inside CCTV, there were plenty of leaders in other areas involved, and it was equally possible to be rejected.

Still, since morale was shaky, the reassuring pill definitely had to be a bit exaggerated, to let everyone rehearse with peace of mind.

Actually, Seeing Yan Li's words weren't that different from Dong Xuan's, at most a bit more detailed.

But as the saying goes, the same words depend on who says them.

When Dong Xuan said it, it was comfort. When Seeing Yan Li said it, it was a sure thing. Either way, everyone felt much more at ease.

After finishing the meal, Seeing Yan Li didn't leave either. He watched the Seven Fairies rehearse.

Seven gorgeous celebrity women sang softly and danced gracefully before him. Although he'd experienced it a few times during filming back then, every revisit was still a pleasure.

…

By nearly nine in the evening, they were just about done.

After all, they'd practiced all day and couldn't push too hard. Plus, they still had to rehearse tomorrow, and sometimes they didn't even practice in the evenings.

After changing, the Seven Fairies, one by one, massaged their waists and pounded their backs in front of Seeing Yan Li, all complaining of being tired.

Seeing Yan Li saw through it clearly. Being tired was certain, but it wasn't that serious. After all, Dong Xuan was always fine when she got home. These little minxes were just putting on a show because he was there, deliberately crying poor to take credit.

"Alright, I'm not blind."

Seeing Yan Li knew the dance didn't come free: "If you're free tonight, I'll treat you to a bath and massage to ease the fatigue."

That's what he said, but when Boss Yan treats, not taking advantage would be a waste. Even those who had plans decided to stay.

The group arrived at a high-end club in Jingcheng. Seeing Yan Li entered first, and the lobby manager hurried over to greet him, beaming.

"Boss Yan, you're here. How shall we arrange things today?"

Dong Xuan, who was walking arm-in-arm with Yang Xue, silently turned her gaze to Seeing Yan Li.

From the sound of it, a regular!

"Ahem."

Seeing Yan Li gave a light cough and shot a look: "A few colleagues, tired from work. See if you can arrange a private room for a bath, and find some female technicians for massages."

The lobby manager understood, didn't dare say more, and hurried off to arrange things. Seeing Yan Li turned back to explain.

"It's business. Some clients like to relax—it's unavoidable. But this place is a legitimate bathhouse, none of that shady stuff."

Fan Xiaopang raised an eyebrow: "From the sound of it, there are shady ones too?"

"I don't go to shady places. Even if I did, I'd do it the legitimate way."

Seeing Yan Li said it righteously. At places like this, at most he'd flirt and cop a feel, but he'd never lost his virtue—thoroughly clean.

After a while, the lobby manager had everything arranged. The group headed toward the private rooms. Seeing Yan Li followed behind, but Li Bingbing, sharp-eyed, reached out and stopped him.

"What are you doing?"

Seeing Yan Li was baffled: "I'm the one paying. I can't even wash up?"

Even Dong Xuan couldn't hold it in: "Then wash by yourself. What does that have to do with us?"

"I'm mainly worried that since you're all women, it might be inconvenient. If I'm here, I can help out and such."

Seeing Yan Li put on his warmhearted act, drawing countless eye-rolls. Dong Xuan personally brought up the rear and, with the bold Fan Xiaopang, drove him away.

Left with no choice, Seeing Yan Li could only wash by himself, then opened a private room and called for a male technician to give him a massage.

Dong Xuan was still there. Better not look for trouble.

Seeing Yan Li washed quickly. By the time he was nearly done with his massage, the Seven Fairies had also finished one after another and come to the private rooms. Some enjoyed the female technicians' massages, some ate fruit plates and watched TV or magazines, some gathered to chat.

As they chatted, somehow someone steered the topic to the newly released Forbes Celebrity Rankings.

The Forbes Celebrity Rankings was a brand-new list, mainly targeting celebrities in the entertainment and sports worlds in 2004, ranked comprehensively based on influence, income, and other factors.

Of course, in reality, compared to rankings of influence and such, everyone cared more about the incomes of these celebrities, athletes, and writers.

Topping the income list was Li Lianjie with 140 million, second was Dayao with 120 million, third was Li Ming with 66 million.

Some people present today also made the list, such as Li Bingbing and Fan Xiaopang.

The former, riding the wave of "Cell Phone," broke into the top thirty with an income of 8.6 million. The latter, with numerous film contracts and endorsements, earned over 3.5 million, placing her in the top hundred.

"This list is pure bullshit."

Fan Xiaopang got angry the moment this came up. While it was true that her per-drama fee was in the hundreds of thousands, how many could she film in a year? Not to mention she had to share with the company. She hadn't earned nearly that much.

Li Bingbing was even more wronged. This year she mainly focused on films.

The upper limit of film pay was indeed higher than TV dramas, but she was a newcomer, so her pay was actually less than if she'd done TV dramas.

"Cell Phone" made her famous, and she did pick up some commercial work, but she hadn't earned anywhere close to ten million. So after this list came out, Li Bingbing was one of the celebrities who reacted most strongly, even publicly stating her accounts could be audited.

Plenty of other stars questioned and attacked it too!

Da Yao Agency denied the rumors; Xue Cun, Ying Da, Siqin Gaowa, and even the usually low-key Ge Daye all stated the figures were significantly off.

Yu Quan's reaction was also fierce; they openly stated the reason for the lawsuit and revealed why many celebrities refuted the claims.

Tax audit!

Celebrities pay taxes based on their declared income, but when it doesn't match rumored earnings, the relevant departments will inevitably investigate; Yu Quan were questioned twice in succession—who wouldn't panic?

Liu Xiaoqing's incident last year was a harsh lesson to the entire entertainment industry; everyone is still on edge.

Moreover, the current atmosphere hasn't opened up; most people still believe wealth should not be displayed, let alone after last spring's celebrity kidnapping case, which further heightened industry vigilance and led everyone to remain silent on income matters.

Also, this ranking list is genuinely inaccurate—Li Bingbing and Fan Xiaopang prove that point.

At this stage, the entertainment industry is relatively closed; many collaborations lack transparency, and there are no clear standards for artists' pre-tax or post-tax income or company profit splits.

Forbes' first attempt at a domestic celebrity ranking list had no experience or reliable sources.

They gathered information haphazardly, with questionable authenticity, then calculated based on some business deals, film contracts, and concerts, adding guesses and speculation—how could it be reliable?

"That's not right—why isn't Boss Yan on here?"

Jiang Xin scratched his head; in terms of earnings, Li Bingbing and Fan Xiao together couldn't match Seeing Yan Li—why wasn't he on the list?

"This is a celebrity ranking; it calculates income from relevant fields—film fees, concerts, advertising, etc. —business operations and investments are not included."

Seeing Yan Li counted on his fingers: "My total film fees for 2004 barely covered Li Bingbing and Fan Xiao's pocket money."

"This stupid list is just a joke; Boss Yan's future is definitely on the billionaire list."

Li Bingbing chuckled and flattered him; Seeing Yan Li didn't modestly refuse: "Thanks for the good wishes—if I ever make the list, I'll give you a big red envelope."

Others joined in with laughter and banter, but few actually took it seriously.

Those who make the list are all billionaires!

Seeing Yan Li himself took it seriously, silently calculating his chances of making the list in the future.

Forbes' 2004 Celebrity Ranking was released; the Billionaire List came out too.

The top billionaire was the Rong family; second was Huang Boss of Guomei; third was Chen Boss of Shengda.

The last place, 200th, was shared by several families, each with a net worth of about $79 million—roughly 650 million RMB at current exchange rates.

Seeing Yan Li, who was not far from billionaire status, felt that with effort, he had a good chance of making the list in the future.

Set a goal: make the list in three years, break into the top 100 in five to ten.

Top billionaire? Forget it—too distant.

He didn't have such grand ambitions; just being a solidly ranked billionaire in the dozens would satisfy him…

(End of Chapter)