Chapter 180: 《Huan Tian Xi Di》Bullies the Fairies,《The Investiture of the Gods》Suppresses Them

"Jiani, what songs can you sing? I'll pick some for you."

Wang Ou was very enthusiastic; Wu Jiani softly named two songs, then went to ask Yan Li, and hurried off to select them.

Yan Li noticed Wu Jiani was tense beside him, so he raised his glass and struck up casual conversation with her.

Given his status, Wu Jiani couldn't ignore him, so she went along, and soon Wang Ou returned to join the chat; with her friend cracking jokes, Wu Jiani's tension visibly eased.

Although the last time—again, filming had stirred up anger, and it happened in Wang Ou's room—it had been awkward.

But enough time had passed since then; they'd exchanged words during filming breaks before, and Wu Jiani had even filmed a fairly intimate scene with Yan Li.

Still, outside of work, the two weren't close.

Facing Yan Li in this setting, plus the gap in status, Wu Jiani naturally felt nervous.

But after chatting longer, she realized Yan Li was less mature, steady, and subtly dominant here at the KTV—his demeanor was more casual and relaxed.

Even a bit… reckless.

The private room was dim; others couldn't see clearly, but she was close enough to plainly see Yan Li's hand secretly kneading Wang Ou's buttocks and thighs.

Wu Jiani couldn't help glancing at Wang Ou, who made no move to stop him—instead, she adjusted her posture to make it easier for Yan Li.

She recalled Wang Ou's explanation that day: Yan Li had come to her room to discuss the script.

Hmph, is this how you discuss scripts?!

As if sensing Wu Jiani's gaze, Yan Li pulled his hand back.

Can't be helped—after so many social events, it's become a conditioned reflex; whenever there's a girl nearby, his hands just won't stay still.

"General Yan, let me toast you."

An actor came over to toast; Yan Li recognized him—Han Dong, the actor playing Yang Jian, a newcomer in the industry who followed Director You Xiaogang's path.

This You Xiaogang directed the "Imperial Palace Secret History" series—all of the Qing court dramas: "Secret History of Empress Xiaozhuang," "Secret History of the Crown Prince," "Secret History of Emperor Taizu," and more.

You was among the representative figures of Beijing's circle, with ties to the Beijing Film Academy faction, Wang Shuo's group, and Zheng Xiaolong.

Cheng Lidong got along well with You Xiaogang; even the Taiwan capital that had walked out after being angered by Yan Li had You as the intermediary.

Liu Dekai, who played Jiang Ziya in "The Investiture of the Gods," was signed under You Xiaogang's company; originally, the role of King Zhou was planned for the company's top Taiwan actor, Ma Jingtao.

Though Han Dong was a newcomer, with You Xiaogang's strong backing, he landed the major role of Yang Jian in "The Investiture of the Gods" right from his debut.

To be honest, he really ought to thank Yan Li.

Originally, Yan Li had intended to recommend someone else to Cheng Lidong, but later, seeing Han Dong's appearance was acceptable and considering You Xiaogang's face, he chose not to interfere.

Mainly because Yan Li's company had no suitable male artists—Zhang and Lin weren't right, Zhou Yi's schedule didn't fit, and he wasn't suitable either.

Otherwise, the role of Yang Jian would never have gone to a newcomer like Han Dong; in that sense, Han Dong's luck was quite good.

Yan Li clinked glasses with Han Dong, chatted a bit, and the man politely took his leave; later, the actors playing Wu Ji, Nezha, and Huang Tianhua also came over one by one to greet him.

Notably, the actor playing Nezha was a woman—Xian Seli, with delicate, beautiful features.

Honestly, portraying a boy like Nezha is hard for male actors; many productions either use child stars or female actors—it works far better.

Out of appreciation for her portrayal, Yan Li chatted a bit longer with Xian Seli, causing Wang Ou to glance at her several times.

She wasn't bad-looking, but that was all—certainly not as good as Wu Jiani.

Yan Li didn't even react to Wu Jiani—why was he treating her differently?

Wang Ou puzzled over it endlessly, circling around to ask Yan Li for details; Yan Li found it baffling.

Is this little bitch addicted to matchmaking?

What's so special about chatting a bit longer? He spent more time talking with Han Dong than with other male actors—does that mean he's interested in him too?

Yan Li thought Wang Ou had gone mad, and casually replied: "I'm not interested in her—I like Nezha."

"So that's it!"

Wang Ou suddenly understood, then after a while whispered something to Xian Seli, and returned to whisper to Yan Li.

"I asked her—there are still costumes left; I can dress up as Nezha too."

"Puh—"

Yan Li spat out his beer, soaking Wu Jiani's leg; he quickly grabbed napkins to wipe her off, still staring at Wang Ou in shock.

How had she interpreted his fondness for "Nezha"?

Wang Ou was still tempting him: "There's also the divine pagoda prop of Li Tianwang—we could do a father-daughter feud, with Li Tianwang suppressing 'Nezha.'"

Yan Li: "..."

Just tell me honestly—have you been secretly in touch with Dong Xuan?!

Yan Li glanced around—no one was paying attention—and slapped Wang Ou's butt.

"Stop with all that nonsense."

"Oh."

Wang Ou looked disappointed; Yan Li scowled at her a few times, but when Wu Jiani went to sing, he added quietly:

"Get that pagoda later."

Nezha's out—after all, he was a childhood idol, and he's a guy; Yan Li just couldn't get past that.

But he still had interest in playing Li Tianwang—can't subdue Nezha? Fine, he could subdue the Brocade Mouse instead.

Fan Xiaopang's costume as the Brocade Mouse and the Fox Spirit in "The Lucky Stars" had left a deep impression on him; he remembered "The Investiture of the Gods" had a white-dominated outfit too—perfect for fulfilling his wish.

Fan Xiaopang was the Brocade Mouse and the Fox Spirit; Wang Ou was the Earth-Surging Lady and the Chick Spirit; Yan Li exorcised demons and pacified his household.

And Qin Lan—she was a Flower Spirit, could also be a Whale Spirit, and could spray water.

"Huan Tian Xi Di" bullies the fairies; "The Investiture of the Gods" suppresses female demons—Yan Li was beginning to understand the joy of being an actor...

When Wu Jiani returned from singing, Yan Li noticed her pants were still damp; the temperature had dropped slightly these past two days, and the private room had no air conditioning—it was a bit chilly—so he took off his coat and draped it over her.

"No need, General Yan."

"It's fine, I got it for you—I've got plenty of heat, I don't mind the cold."

As Yan Li said this, he winked. Wu Jiani felt a little shy; she knew well just how much heat he had.

Wang Ou, watching from the side, saw Yan Li give his coat to Wu Jiani—and seemed to be doing something else too. She was glad their distance had shrunk, that her efforts hadn't been in vain, yet couldn't help feeling jealous.

She'd never been treated this way before!

Wang Ou stared jealously at Wu Jiani and cooed to Yan Li: "Chief Yan, I'm cold too."

"If you're cold, go run a lap outside."

Yan Li snorted. He'd just tried to set things up for her, and she immediately got upset.

Hmph, women!

Wu Jiani, hearing their exchange, hurried to offer the coat to Wang Ou, who waved her off.

"I was just joking. You keep it."

Then she couldn't resist promoting Yan Li: "Isn't Chief Yan such a gentleman? So thoughtful, always looking out for people."

Yan Li couldn't even bear to listen. This woman was going to develop multiple personality disorder if she kept this up. He stood up and went outside to use the restroom.

After he left, Wang Ou leaned close to Wu Jiani and urged: "Don't be so shy. Chief Yan's here—pour him a few drinks, chat with him. I'll speak well of you later; maybe next time he has a role, he'll remember you."

"Let me tell you, Chief Yan's got serious clout—he's invested in over a dozen productions. Just a few words from him, and you won't lack for roles."

"…."

The temptation was still strong for Wu Jiani.

She wasn't famous, and her company offered little support. After "The Investiture of the Gods" and "The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng," she'd had no good offers since.

If Yan Li could lend a hand, she wouldn't have to spend every day in Jingcheng waiting for opportunities or going to endless auditions and social events.

"Alright then. But I can't drink much—Sis Ou, you'll have to help me out later."

"No problem."

Wang Ou readily agreed, then whispered: "If you can, give him a little something sweet. Chief Yan's a playboy—he's easy to sway in these matters."

"…."

Wu Jiani stared at Wang Ou in shock: "Aren't you two…?"

Wang Ou put on a loyal-sisterly expression: "He's not mine alone. I can't hold onto him anyway. Might as well trade him for some benefits for you."

"This…"

Wu Jiani hesitated. Wang Ou reassured her: "I'm here. He'll just feel you up a bit—he won't do anything serious."

"If you can't bring yourself to do it, fine. With our relationship, I'll still speak up for you—but whether it'll work, I can't say. You saw it yourself: I'm not important to him."

"No, that's not it."

Wu Jiani shook her head: "Last time, after what happened in your room, Chief Yan came to me privately and took all the blame, told me to keep it secret for you. And just now, when you said you were cold, the moment he left, the air conditioning turned on."

Wang Ou glanced at the air conditioner—it really was on. Her earlier complaint had been fake, and since it had just turned on, she hadn't even noticed the room's temperature.

"…."

Wang Ou bit her lip. Yan Li usually spoke to her harshly, domineeringly. She always thought he didn't like her.

But thinking back, he'd always been generous with her—never let her lack money, sometimes brought her gifts personally, always remembered to send money to her mother for holidays, cared about her family.

Though sometimes he was rough in bed, that was just his blunt style—and afterward, he always made her happy again.

When she tried to please him with difficult tricks, he'd stop her, telling her not to degrade herself.

When he scolded her, it was always because she'd caused trouble or for her own good. He rarely punished her—instead, he cleaned up after her.

After she started with him, her first drama was the female lead.

Since signing with the company, she'd gotten role after role: she had major parts in "The Investiture of the Gods," "The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng," "The Legend of Lingjing," and "New Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio," and they were preparing to cast her as the female lead in "Detective Di Renjie 2."

Even if she wasn't on Fan Xiaopang's level, he was a current idol. She was just an unknown model. From any angle, Yan Li had never wronged her.

"Maybe we should just drop it."

As Wang Ou weighed Yan Li's kindness toward her, she suddenly didn't want to drag Wu Jiani into this.

Wu Jiani: "…."

I've already done all the psychological prep—you're gonna pull back and back out on me? Are you messing with me, sis?

When Yan Li returned from the restroom, he found Wang Ou gazing at him with dewy eyes, feeding him fruit with a tone ten times softer than before.

Has this woman really gone insane?!

Yan Li didn't understand Wang Ou's sudden shift, but Wu Jiani was clearly much warmer than before.

"Chief Yan, you've taken great care of me on set—I'll drink to you."

"You're too polite."

Yan Li drank with Wu Jiani and glanced at Wang Ou—he knew that as soon as he left, this little vixen had been stirring things up behind his back.

Alcohol is the matchmaker for lust!

If his guess was right, next Wang Ou would join in the drinking, coaxing and chatting, until Wu Jiani drank more and more, loosened up, half-resisted, and let him feel her up, drawing them closer.

Given her personality, a full conquest this time was unlikely.

But if she didn't resist, next time he could invite her out for dinner and karaoke, then go further.

After that, slowly take ground, achieve success, and finally find the right moment to bring Wang Ou into it.

Hmph, she's not Wang Ou—she should be called Wang Po!

Yan Li raised his glass, waiting for Wang Ou to start urging him to drink—when she suddenly said:

"Jiani can't drink much. Don't let her drink too much—she won't be able to get home if she gets drunk."

"???"

Yan Li was baffled. What the hell was this tactic?

Playing hard to get? Switching the beam? Concealing the sky and sea?

Yan Li was baffled, but Wang Ou spoke up, so Wu Jiani could no longer insist on toasting; Wang Ou then poured herself a drink and kept Yan Li company.

She could hold her liquor, but clearly wasn't a match for Yan Li, and soon she was done in; seeing this, Wu Jiani hesitated, then picked up her glass.

"Director Yan, let me drink with you instead of Ou-jie."

Yan Li suddenly understood—it was the "sisterly devotion" tactic: Wang Ou "sacrificed" herself, cutting off Wu's escape route and creating a private space for him and Wu Jiani.

Not only did they drink together in the KTV, but afterward he could also escort Wang Ou back—private time with Wu Jiani, even more thrilling.

Hmph, this little vixen really knew how to play it; he'd been too shallow before.

Wang Ou, eyes hazy with drink, watched Yan Li and Wu Jiani drinking, feeling uneasy: "Director Yan, don't drink with her—I'll drink for Jiani."

"Fine, fine, I'll drink with both of you, okay?"

Seeing Wang Ou still pushing to help, Yan Li felt touched, then soothed her, and drank with both women.

Wang Ou was growing drowsy; Wu Jiani's tolerance was even lower, her cheeks flushed, slowly leaning half against Yan Li's chest.

Yan Li pretended to support her, lightly wrapping his arm around her slender waist; sensing no resistance, he gently stroked her.

"Jiani, Ou-jie's drunk—should we take her back?"

The private room was crowded; Yan Li couldn't do anything intimate here, so he planned to move locations.

"Okay."

Wu Jiani staggered up to help Yan Li support Wang Ou; Yan Li addressed the others.

"Keep enjoying yourselves—I'll cover the bill. I'm taking them back first."

Everyone readily agreed, seeing them off at the door; Yan Li called a car and returned to the hotel.

In the car, Wang Ou mumbled softly; Wu Jiani seemed drunk too, clinging to Yan Li's arm, dozing lightly against his chest.

For once, Yan Li didn't move.

Otherwise, later they'd accuse him of molestation—he'd end up with mud on his pants.

Besides, Yan Li wasn't the type to take advantage of someone helpless; a little coaxing over drinks, or playful interaction after too much alcohol—fine.

But drunk and unconscious, with no clear signal from them? He wasn't that desperate.

At the hotel, Yan Li put Wang Ou and Wu Jiani on the same bed.

Looking at the two hazy, intertwined lotuses, Yan Li exercised great restraint, tidied them up simply, then left the room to find Fan Xiaopang.

"You guys drink, I'm working the night shift, and when I get back you'll take out your drunken rage on me."

Fan Xiaopang cursed—this dog of a man became even more restless after drinking, leaving her limp and exhausted; how was she supposed to perform tomorrow?

"I'll get you time off."

Yan Li hugged Fan Xiaopang: "If you want to sing karaoke, I'll book a private room—I'll sing with you tomorrow."

As he soothed Fan Xiaopang, Yan Li reviewed today's daily intelligence.

【Daily Intelligence 1: Under Wu Jiani's prompting, Wang Ou realized Yan Li had been exceptionally caring toward her, and felt regret...】

?

You think I'm good to you, yet you gave up the benefits? Isn't that ungrateful?

【Daily Intelligence 3: Wu Jiani has decent alcohol tolerance, but flushes easily—she often pretends to be drunk to avoid things. Last night, she intended to feign drunkenness and half-consent so Yan Li could take some liberties, then pretend she didn't remember. But Yan Li held his boundaries and didn't take advantage. Wu Jiani's thoughts grew complicated...】

Damn!

Yan Li was numb—you can pretend to be drunk, but at least give a hint!

I finally try to be a decent guy, and you make me fail utterly.

Yan Li hesitated whether to make a comeback, but as soon as he stirred, Fan Xiaopang begged him.

"No more, no more—I'm exhausted and sleepy. Can we do it tomorrow? I'll let you..."

Yan Li pressed further: "And add..."

Fan Xiaopang bit him, reluctantly agreeing; Yan Li held her contentedly, no longer dwelling on Wu Jiani.

It didn't matter either way—success was fine, failure was fine too.

But if there's ever another chance, this little brat had better not use the "pretend to be drunk" trick again—he knew exactly how to deal with "drunkards"...

(End of Chapter)