Chapter 167

"It's the New Year, let's have some fun together."

Yan Li felt a itch in his heart—today was truly a rare opportunity.

The Two Bings hadn't fully broken up; they still maintained a veneer of civility, especially since the Seven Fairies had formed a temporary alliance, barely qualifying as a "Honeymoon Phase."

Once the "Huan Tian Xi Di Seven Fairies" project ends, the Two Bings' careers will rise, their competition will intensify, and their resentment will deepen.

At that point, trying to bring them together again—let alone stack them—would be far too difficult.

Today, everyone appeared on the Spring Festival Gala, excited, far from home for the holiday, feeling lonely inside, craving companionship, having drunk quite a bit, and thus more relaxed, with a suitable excuse to vent.

A drunken, absurd spree, followed by "blackout" afterward—nothing gets in the way.

"Go dream your fairy tale."

Li Bingbing snorted coldly—she wasn't so desperate she'd let this bastard treat her like this.

She turned to leave, but Yan Li pulled her back onto the sofa, wrapping his arms around her waist; she struggled, and he whispered to her.

"Let me have you once, I swear I won't touch your sister—I'll do whatever you want me to do."

Li Bingbing's movements slowed significantly; Yan Li pressed his advantage.

"Later, if you want any role, I'll help you get it; whatever project I invest in, I'll reserve the right role for you."

Yan Li had gone all in—The Two Bings, no matter what, he'd start by painting the big picture.

Li Bingbing was over thirty, long past being some green newcomer.

Grasping her weak point, with sufficient incentive, Yan Li wasn't some unpalatable ugly man—physically, Li Bingbing didn't lose out; if anything, she was the one benefiting from an older man's charm.

Besides his flirtatiousness and occasional shamelessness, Li Bingbing genuinely admired and had a soft spot for Yan Li himself.

If not for his age, and if he'd shown even a hint of interest, she'd have seized him long ago.

Earlier, when trying to dissuade her sister from pursuing Yan Li, Li Bingbing had entertained some bold thoughts of her own.

She claimed it was for her sister's sake, but there were countless ways to break up a couple—why such an aggressive strategy unless there were ulterior motives?

Yan Li understood Li Bingbing's meaning, which gave him the nerve to boldly flirt.

Worst case, he'd get scolded—then blame it on the alcohol; if she had no interest, then he was just a creep, and getting hit with a bottle wouldn't be unjustified.

But at any other time, if Yan Li made a move, and Li Bingbing didn't reject him outright, half-resistance might have turned into acceptance.

But today, Fan Xiaopang was right here!

Li Bingbing was indeed open-minded, but not that open-minded—this bastard should've at least built up gradually; how could he go straight for the grand gesture on the first try?

While Li Bingbing hesitated, Fan Xiaopang was already ready to flip out.

You don't sleep like this—what do you think she is?

Face dark as ink, Fan Xiaopang yanked Yan Li out of her clothes, stood up to leave—but Yan Li pinned her down, and one sentence silenced her struggling.

"Do you want to hear her call you 'Bingbing-jie'?"

Hm?

Yes!

Though called "The Two Bings," Fan Xiaopang was currently just a token addition.

Li Bingbing starred in "Cellphone," which became the 2003 box office champion, and she won the Hundred Flowers Award; last year, her lead role in "No Thieves Under Heaven" grossed over 100 million.

Regardless of how much credit she deserved, purely by box office figures, she was firmly in the top tier of mainland's young female stars.

"Huan Tian Xi Di Seven Fairies" became a huge hit during the Spring Festival and appeared on the Gala, further enhancing Li Bingbing's career.

Fan Xiaopang's "Bingbing" is just a nickname; the real "Bingbing" belongs to her.

"Bingbing-jie" may sound old-fashioned, but for Li Bingbing to be called "jie" by a host of younger actresses is, in some sense, a reflection of her fame and status—Fan Xiaopang might want to be called that, but no one would even respond.

Fan Xiaopang got angry over the name "Jin Suo," revealing her inner sensitivity and unwillingness to be relegated to a sidekick.

She resented being overshadowed by the two Young Ladies in "Huan Zhu Gege," and now Li Bingbing overshadowed her; the Two Bings became "Big Bingbing" and "Little Bingbing"—she was unhappy.

Yan Li used this to manipulate Fan Xiaopang—again, hitting the vital point.

This wasn't Yan Li using Li Bingbing to flatter her, elevating one Bing while belittling the other—he'd first lure her to bed, then make Fan give it back later.

Yan Li had full confidence in his persuasive abilities!

…

Although the Two Bings' attitudes had softened—at least they hadn't walked out directly.

But both were conflicted, clearly still struggling to accept it—the situation was stuck.

Seeing this, Yan Li stopped his flowery persuasion and brought out the liquor.

"Let's have a few drinks first."

As always: alcohol isn't good, but it's a good excuse.

Many things are embarrassing and hard to bring up normally, but once you're "drunk," things gradually become natural.

The Two Bings didn't agree, but they didn't object either; Yan Li poured several glasses and took the initiative to ease the tension.

"Drinking straight is boring—let's play a game."

"How do we play?"

What game didn't matter—what mattered was starting to drink and easing the atmosphere.

Yan Li had been to countless banquets—he knew dozens of drinking games; he started with a few normal ones to warm things up: rock-paper-scissors, seven-avoidance, truth or dare, and so on.

After a few drinks, the atmosphere opened up, and they moved to more advanced games.

Yan Li didn't dare go too far—he feared they'd snap or resent him, ruining everything—so he stuck to games that fostered closeness.

Fan Xiaopang was young and close to Yan Li, so she played more wildly.

One game involved feeding each other alcohol or fruit—originally done by hand, Fan Xiaopang instead held the wine in her mouth and the grape between her lips, gazing at Yan Li with her peach-blossom eyes.

Could Yan Li refuse her? He accepted it all.

Li Bingbing watched from the side, silently cursing the little vixen for being shameless—but she too was gradually swept up in the mood.

Behind them, she and Yan Li played a game of biting cookies, and before long, the middle of the cookie was gone.

The more they drank, the wilder the games became; seeing the atmosphere was just right, Yan Li suggested the suite was too noisy and proposed moving to another room to focus on the games.

Shuang Bing said nothing, but didn't resist when Yan Li pulled them along.

In the new room, Yan Li increased the stakes of the game.

No more fancy nonsense—rock-paper-scissors decided the loser, who had to either drink or take off one piece of clothing.

By now, regret was useless; Shuang Bing let go of her hesitations and even began competing, vying to be first to make that little bitch drink her own hot pot broth.

"…"

On New Year's Eve, the winter air was biting cold.

Amid the rhythmic crackling of firecrackers, frozen ice crystals were torn and whipped by howling winds, emitting sharp, tinkling crashes…

————

On the first day of the New Year, Li Bingbing woke to a steady barrage of phone rings and fumbled for her phone on the bed.

"Hello?"

"Sis, where are you?"

"I'm…"

Li Bingbing suddenly jolted awake, sat up, shoved aside the thigh pressing on her, checked the time, and forced herself to stay calm.

"I'm at the restaurant. Yesterday I got drunk with Fan Xiao and brought her back to her room to look after her, fell asleep there half-asleep, woke up hungry, and came downstairs to eat."

"Oh, bring me something light to eat—I drank too much last night, headache, no appetite."

Li Xue didn't take it seriously, mumbled a couple of things, and hung up.

Li Bingbing didn't dare delay, got up to get dressed, but a large hand pulled her back.

"Where are you going?"

Li Bingbing slapped away the mischievous hand: "It's almost eleven—aren't you afraid Dong Xuan will see?"

"I've already taken care of it."

Yan Li had a strong liquor tolerance and boundless energy—he woke up much earlier than Li Bingbing and had already cleared his own hazards; Dong Xuan now thought he'd returned to the company for an emergency.

"No need to rush—I'll tell the hotel to send your sister's meal up."

Yan Li assured Li Bingbing, his hands already stirring again.

One was radiant, beautiful, and sultry; the other was spirited, crisp, and decisive—combined, they made Yan Li's memories of last night especially exquisite.

Li Bingbing looked at him helplessly: "Are you done yet?"

She now knew Yan Li hadn't been boasting—he was truly formidable; even she and Fan Xiaopang together had been utterly crushed by him.

But the recklessness was over; now that the drinking was done, everyone should return to normal.

"A hangover doesn't clear so easily."

Yan Li ignored her—he might never get another chance at this, so he'd seize the moment now, or regret it later.

Li Bingbing tried to escape, but she was no match for Yan Li—she was pinned down in seconds.

Yan Li also teased the nearby Fan Xiaopang: "Stop pretending—your ears are red."

Fan Xiaopang opened her eyes and cursed: "Asshole."

"Thank you for the compliment."

Yan Li didn't care—he pulled her over and, with two hands at once, moved mountains and filled seas…

…

Around two in the afternoon, Fan Xiaopang and Li Bingbing finally showed up.

As for him, fearing awkwardness and worried about signs of retaliation being exposed, he kept busy with company matters.

Li Lin and her husband had secured plane tickets and had already packed and headed to the airport.

One left, but three arrived.

Jiang Xin and others, hearing how much fun the gathering had been, came over after spending the New Year with their families.

Yan Li didn't check out of the hotel—let them play as long as they liked; a couple extra days' room fee didn't matter.

"Why do all three of you seem weird?"

Huo Siyan studied Dong Xuan and the others, sensing something off.

Shuang Bing felt guilty; Fan Xiaopang explained: "We had too much fun last night, drank so much—we're still dizzy."

Li Bingbing chimed in, Dong Xuan couldn't admit she'd slipped away alone with Yan Li last night, so she agreed, and even Li Xue thought Huo Siyan was overthinking.

Huo Siyan listened, then studied all four more closely.

Li Xue's face was pale, lips dry; Li Bingbing had faint dark circles and tired eyes; Fan Xiaopang's cheeks were flushed, movements slow, voice hoarse; Dong Xuan seemed relatively best, but faintly carried the scent of alcohol.

Hmm, everyone shows hangover symptoms differently—maybe she was just being overly suspicious…

Perhaps they'd simply overdone it last night—Dong Xuan and the others had little energy or stamina, spending most of the time chatting and searching online for reactions to the Spring Festival Gala.

"Spring Festival Gala Masterpiece: Seven Fairies Dance on Clouds, Enchanting All Nine Provinces"

"Li and Fan Shuang Bing Appear with a Group of Beauties at the Gala: Seven Fairies Stage a Dance Spectacle"

"Debut at the Gala, Igniting the Spring Festival Season: Seven Fairies Become the 2005 New Trend"

"Forum Buzz: Who Is the Most Beautiful of the Seven Fairies? The Li-Fan Rivalry Reignites; Huo Siyan Emerges as a Dark Horse"

"Insider Reveals Huayi Preparing to Sign Huo Siyan, Jiang Xin, and Others, Bringing the Seven Fairies Under Their Umbrella"

"Four Dan, Seven Fairies? Can the Seven Fairies Become the New Face of Mainland's Young Actresses?"

"…"

Li Xue read the final few headlines, glanced at Dong Xuan, Huo Siyan, and the others, then locked eyes with her sister Li Bingbing—both nodded in silent understanding.

The concept of "Four Dan, Shuang Bing" hadn't been marketed long—yet now someone was already hijacking "Four Dan, Seven Fairies."

Shuang Bing, after all, are both rising stars; Li Bingbing's recent momentum even allows her to challenge the Four Dan.

The Seven Immortals? That's just forced branding.

They're grouped as the Seven Immortals only for TV marketing and Spring Festival Gala promotions; in reality, they're not even in the same league.

The Li sisters strongly suspect the remaining few, or their behind-the-scenes companies, are trying to forcibly tie themselves to Shuang Bing for upward mobility.

Previously, they hesitated whether to reap more benefits from the Seven Immortals; now, it's clear that after the Lunar New Year, Li Bingbing should sever ties with the Seven Immortals.

Tying herself to Fan Xiaopang might barely count as a strong alliance—they have connections, and the future prospects are worth anticipating.

As for the rest, the sisters aren't running an orphanage…

The Li sisters turned their thoughts, while Fan Xiaopang silently observed the two.

She had discussed it with Yan Li; during the Spring Festival, to secure the benefits of the Spring Festival Gala, they temporarily avoided gossip.

When "Huan Tian Xi Di Qi Xianyu" begins full reruns and widespread promotion on terrestrial channels, they'll launch the gossip campaign to maximize profits.

By then, Shuang Bing will officially "break ties" with Yan Li.

Afterwards, her career focus will shift from Huayi to Yi'an, led by Yan Li.

Whether she'll terminate the contract outright or take them to court depends on negotiations with Huayi and Hua Jie.

While at Huayi, she was tightly suppressed by the Li sisters; switching to Yi'an, with Yan Li planning and supporting her, that's when true Shuang Bing rivalry will begin.

Shuang Bing each had their own agendas; others had their own calculations too.

Yang Xue and Jiang Xin's thoughts were relatively simple: this collaboration went well, they gained plenty of exposure, Boss Yan was generous and sentimental—just keep clinging to his leg.

"The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng" has already internally assigned each of them as the female lead in a separate episode.

With a drama offer in hand and continued closeness to Yan Li, when Yi'an has suitable roles later, they'll be first in line.

Hu Siyan also wanted to cling to Yan Li's leg.

But Dong Xuan had always been wary of her; even Fan Xiaopang, who considered herself the future top star of the company, didn't want another troublemaker stirring chaos.

No choice—Hu Siyan could only turn elsewhere; fortunately, "Huan Tian Xi Di Qi Xianyu" had brought her considerable fame, and with some maneuvering, good next opportunities wouldn't be lacking.

Still, she'd filed this grudge away; one day, she'd reclaim this ground.

Dong Xuan let out a long breath; dealing with this bunch of fairies was a hassle.

You had to stay alert and wary, yet also charm and soothe them.

At last, things would quiet down—at least a few could be ignored entirely; just play with those willing, and keep an eye on one or two.

"…"

Yi'an Pictures: Yan Li, being interviewed by a media outlet via phone about the Seven Immortals, spoke of his views on their relationship.

"Yes, their relationship is exceptionally close, affectionate, mutually supportive—sometimes it feels even deeper than that of biological sisters…"

(End of Chapter)