Chapter 185: A Man

Yu Yanli struggled briefly, but his feet were bound tightly, especially since both ankles were tied together, leaving him unable to generate any real force.

His wrists, however, were less constrained—Qin Lan had somehow found two thin ropes, thinner than his little finger, and tied them loosely enough that he still had a chance to slip free.

Realizing he wasn't in immediate danger of being killed by this woman, Yu Yanli grew calmer.

"If you're gonna play, use a smaller whip or something—this stick hurts."

"Good. That's the point."

Qin Lan, face cold, waved the small straight rod near Yu Yanli: "Speak. What's your real relationship with that Fan guy?"

"Colleague."

Qin Lan sneered: "So you're colleagues who sleep in the same bed?"

Yu Yanli blinked: "Don't make accusations without proof."

Acknowledging something silently was one thing; admitting it outright was another. Uncertain of Qin Lan's stance, even if caught red-handed, he could still grin and claim he was just rehearsing King Zhou and Daji's bedroom scene.

"Hmph. You dare do it but won't own up? She's already confessed—why are you still denying it?"

Qin Lan tried to bluff Yu Yanli, but he wasn't fooled at all.

Since childhood, Yu Yanli had been a mischievous brat, frequently punished, long hardened by his teachers and Zhang Hong.

After starting his business, he'd dealt with countless schemers and tricksters, endured countless background checks from his auxiliary system, and further sharpened his resistance—his skill in this area was exceptional. No amateur like Qin Lan, not even a professional interrogator, could extract a word from him.

Confess openly, and you're finished.

Resist firmly, and you'll be smiling.

"If you've got the guts, bring her here to confront me face-to-face—we'll settle this straight. I… remain calm and unshaken."

Qin Lan gritted her teeth—he was exploiting her reluctance to tear things apart, acting like a brat.

"What about Wang Ou?"

"I already said—also a colleague."

"What about Wu Jiani?"

"Ah, this one… I guess you could call her a colleague too, but she's from the film crew. The first two are company employees."

Qin Lan poked Yu Yanli with the small rod: "So they're all perfectly innocent colleagues, right?"

"Yeah."

"You think I'm stupid? That seductive fox has already claimed to be your girlfriend."

Qin Lan couldn't take it anymore—she swung the wooden stick and struck his buttock. Yu Yanli screamed, writhing violently on the bed, his face turning red.

"…"

Qin Lan snapped: "I didn't even use any force."

To confirm, she struck her own palm with nearly the same motion—no red mark, just a slight numbness, barely any pain, less than when she pinched herself normally.

Yu Yanli: "…"

Sorry, but he had a conditioned reflex to that little stick.

As a child, when he misbehaved, his father and Zhang Hong didn't go easy on him—he had to scream loudly to earn their love.

Unable to keep up the act, Yu Yanli pleaded: "You know I'm popular now—women throw themselves at me constantly. She's stirring up gossip with me to publicly fend off other women from harassing me."

Qin Lan hadn't expected such an explanation—and upon hearing it, it actually made sense.

Fan Xiaopang was indeed the "Empress Dowager"—no wonder he was so confident.

But that was precisely what Qin Lan feared most: Dong Xuan had become "ex-girlfriend," quietly vanished, while Fan Xiaopang was now publicly recognized as Yu Yanli's girlfriend. If this continued, she might eventually become the real thing.

From how Fan Xiaopang carried herself, Qin Lan didn't think it was acting—she truly acted like the boss's wife.

Damn it—he'd invited the wolf inside!

Qin Lan slumped onto the edge of the bed, recalling how she'd warned that Li Bing and Yu Yanli's gossip stunt was too risky.

But Yu Yanli had done it for the company's growth, and she had no valid reason to stop him—so she'd silently accepted it.

Now Fan Xiaopang had not only stirred up gossip but joined the company, now wanted to steal the man, pressing closer step by step—Dong had already been "ousted," and next was her.

Though Qin Lan spoke disdainfully of Fan Xiaopang, she was deeply wary—even afraid.

Her looks and demeanor aside, her fame dwarfed Qin Lan's, and crucially, she could advance Yu Yanli's career.

For a man still in his growth phase, this was extremely important!

And Qin Lan had nothing to match her—only longer acquaintance and deeper feelings. In every other aspect, she was at a disadvantage.

She didn't want to retreat—but could she even win?

Just as she sank into despair, her slender waist was suddenly pulled tight—startled, Qin Lan instinctively swung the wooden stick.

Thwack~

Yu Yanli winced, rubbing his chest: "Trying to murder your husband?"

"How did you get free?"

Qin Lan stared in shock as Yu Yanli freed his hands—he tugged the rope with his fingers.

"Next time, don't be lazy—either tie a proper knot or buy handcuffs. Do you think this is a TV drama? Tie me up and assume I'm helpless?"

"Oh."

Qin Lan nodded, then turned and bolted for the door—she knew this bastard too well. If she didn't run, she'd be punished.

Yu Yanli's feet were still bound—he couldn't chase her—but he wasn't worried. He simply said calmly:

"If you run, I'll go sleep with Fan Bingbing."

"You dare."

Qin Lan immediately stopped and turned around—whether she could win or not, she'd fight first. Her man wasn't to be handed over.

"Come here."

Yu Yanli patted the mattress. Qin Lan looked nervous: "I just hit you once—I'll let you hit me back, but don't go too far."

"Come here."

Yu Yanli didn't answer—he patted the mattress again, louder this time. After a moment's hesitation, Qin Lan shuffled over reluctantly.

The moment she drew near, Yu Yanli yanked her down onto his lap: "Untie my socks."

He was tall, and she'd tied the knots tightly—he couldn't undo them himself.

Qin Lan had no choice—she obediently tried to untie them. The knots were too tight, her hands too weak, and Yu Yanli forbade her to use scissors—so she had to use her teeth.

Yu Yanli watched her struggle with amusement: "No longer find my feet dirty?"

Qin Lan looked up at his smug expression—ashamed and furious. He was the one cheating, letting that fox flaunt herself, and now he was tormenting her. Her heart clenched—she opened her mouth and bit down hard on his calf.

"Holy shit."

This time, Qin Lan didn't hold back—she bit fiercely. Yu Yanli feared hurting her but also felt pain—he dared not struggle, only begged:

"Sister, wife, I'm sorry, I'm sorry—it's bleeding!"

Hearing "bleeding," Qin Lan loosened her grip. She looked—there was a clear tooth mark, but no blood.

"You lied."

Qin Lan bent to bite again, but Yu Yanli pulled her close and kissed her: "Go ahead, bite me."

"Mmm—don't bite my tongue, or I'll bite yours."

As they kissed, Qin Lan's body grew softer. Yu Yanli whispered something in her ear—she shook her head.

"No."

"You don't get a choice. You enjoyed tying me up—now it's my turn."

Yu Yanli grunted, took the rope and silk stockings Qin Lan had used, and bound her exactly as he wanted.

…

"My hands are red."

An hour and a half later, Qin Lan rubbed her reddened wrists, pouting.

"Husband, kiss them."

Yu Yanli had just enjoyed a feast—he was in high spirits. He kissed her wrists several times. Qin Lan, emboldened, stretched out her feet too.

"These are red too."

Yu Yanli glanced at her, kissed her feet a few times, then pulled her head down and kissed her lips.

"Pfft."

Qin Lan spat—this bastard was cruel—he'd make her pay for every slight.

After their row, Qin Lan lay on Yu Yanli's chest, drawing circles, muttering again about Fan Xiaopang.

Yu Yanli now understood—Fan Xiaopang's pressure had triggered a strong reaction in Qin Lan.

Previously, whether it was Wang Ou or even Dong Xuan, Qin Lan hadn't reacted this intensely.

Wang Ou? She'd just seen her as a gold-digger, harmless plaything.

Dong Xuan had the advantage of being ex-girlfriend—more threatening, but Qin Lan had confidence to compete.

But with Fan Xiaopang, she lacked confidence—her composure shattered, even resorting to binding Yu Yanli for interrogation to probe his true feelings.

It wasn't a smart move—quite the opposite, a blunder. It looked strong but backfired, proving Qin Lan was mentally disordered, unable to respond calmly.

"Uh…"

Yu Yanli knew Dong and Qin's concerns, but he'd always felt he could distinguish priorities—he hadn't taken it seriously.

Now he realized—he'd ignored their feelings, underestimated the pressure Fan Xiaopang had placed on Qin and Dong.

Without knowing his true stance, how could they not imagine the worst?

Dong Xuan had worked with Fan Xiaopang on "The Seven Fairies"—she'd held herself as the rightful wife, psychologically superior, and though now "ex-girlfriend," her status was publicly acknowledged.

Qin Lan had no such guarantee—Dong Xuan blocked her front, Fan Xiaopang lurked behind, while Wang Ou and Huang Shengyi danced around—

She's outwardly tough but inwardly tender—it's no wonder she's anxious.

Yu Yanli held Qin Lan, feeling he needed to give her more security; otherwise, she'd be tormented by doubt every day and couldn't even sleep well.

"Why not hire a paparazzo to expose us, or just come clean yourself?"

Current girlfriends are more troublesome—he's willing to admit he had a former girlfriend; if all else fails, he can just be accused of dating two women at once—he's done it before.

The only problem might be Dong Xuan, but Yu Yanli can handle her.

Qin Lan's greatest grievance and fear is that Yu Yanli refuses to acknowledge her in any way; combined with other factors, this leaves her with profound insecurity.

"Aren't you afraid of getting scolded?"

Qin Lan was somewhat tempted, but didn't want to add to Yu Yanli's troubles—he was currently "in the spotlight."

Shuang Bing, Dong Xuan, and Huang Shengyi—four rising stars or new beauties—are linked to him, sparking huge controversy; add her to the mix, and Yu Yanli's reputation will sink even further.

"Let them scold—it doesn't matter."

Yu Yanli was calm—four or five made no difference; compared to him, the real trouble was Qin Lan.

Her career is going well—"The Great Song Inspector" is about to air and will further boost her profile; if she gets dragged into Yu Yanli's "harem," the pros and cons are obvious.

Pros: massive exposure, even a chance to ride Shuang Bing's coattails and elevate her status.

Cons: she'd appear too late, at a sensitive time—whether as ex or current, she'd inevitably get flak.

And don't forget: Qin Lan's most famous role is "Zhi Hua," the classic mistress.

Under stereotypes, even if she were the lawful wife, people would suspect she clawed her way up as a mistress; joining this chaos would make it impossible to explain herself.

This isn't idle talk—everyone linked to Yu Yanli gains something, but the backlash is also significant.

Shuang Bing? Forget it—neither is innocent, and the marketing of their rivalry overall favors the upside.

Fan Xiaopang, because of the "mistress" angle, got hit harder—but that was expected and bearable.

Dong Xuan's situation is best: first, Yu Yanli takes the blame, drawing the fire; second, she admits to being a "former girlfriend," distancing herself; third, their campus romance naturally earns sympathy, even making her seem like a victim.

Also, Dong Xuan's roles are mostly positive—Goddess Dragon and Third Fairy are popular, so public perception is favorable.

This shows the power of roles and image: Qin Lan is the villainous mistress; Dong Xuan becomes the devoted side character.

Huang Shengyi is currently the worst off.

She came out on her own, and Yu Yanli didn't deny or contradict her—implying tacit approval—but he has no obligation to take the blame for her.

Huang herself is newly famous, with few fans, and she just slapped herself in the face—now she's being hunted by Shuang Bing's and even Dong Xuan's fans, accused of riding coattails.

Most critically, she's built her image as a pure, innocent girl—exposing a romance equals self-sabotage; public opinion turns sour, and her company refuses to invest heavily in damage control.

Roughly speaking, if Qin Lan enters the fray, even with Yu Yanli's full protection, the public pressure would be only slightly better than Huang Shengyi's.

Internally, Yu Yanli didn't really support Qin Lan joining in—but since she kept obsessing over being "unrelated" to him, then fine, let it explode; he could just lie low for a while.

"Forget it. Let's wait a little longer."

After much hesitation, Qin Lan still felt it wasn't right—she wasn't sure she could withstand the public backlash.

Besides, Yu Yanli has two upcoming dramas with massive investments; if something went wrong because of her… again, she couldn't help him, but she'd never hold him back.

"Can you just not sign Fan Bingbing?"

Qin Lan convinced herself to stay hidden for now, but she couldn't escape Fan Xiaopang—this woman was too much of a threat.

Yu Yanli was deeply conflicted: "... verything's been set up. If we back out now, the loss is too great. Besides, if we don't promote Fan Bingbing, who else in our company can carry the load? Wang Ou?"

"Not good enough?"

Qin Lan despised Wang Ou, but she feared Fan Xiaopang even more.

"She's not good enough—her conditions are nowhere near Fan's."

Yu Yanli knew this well—he'd seen Wang Ou's background through his system; Wang Ou could at best break into the top tier, but she couldn't match Fan Xiaopang, a top-tier rising star.

"What about me?"

Qin Lan volunteered herself. Yu Yanli glanced at her: "Sweetheart, don't compete with her."

"..."

Qin Lan couldn't hold back: "What does that mean? You think I'm not as good as her."

"Of course you're better."

Yu Yanli didn't hesitate, continuing to soothe her: "But isn't it better to be my boss's wife, settle down, and not rush into acting? Besides, if you're always on set, who'll keep me company?"

Hearing this, Qin Lan felt a mix of dissatisfaction and secret delight.

From Yu Yanli's attitude, he still saw Fan Xiaopang as an employee.

She understood him—he had a touch of machismo, believed in men outside, women inside; he didn't oppose his partner having a career, but the focus must always be on him and their family.

Fan Xiaopang's ambition didn't align with Yu Yanli's ideal partner—here, Qin Lan had the upper hand.

But it wasn't certain—that fox was beautiful, knew how to charm men, and helped his career; day after day together, fighting side by side, who knew if he wouldn't eventually change his mind?

The more Qin Lan thought about it, the more miserable she became—trapped between two impossible choices.

Yu Yanli and Fan Xiaopang were already on the same boat—hard to separate. Acting against her would be inappropriate, damaging Yu Yanli's plans and even his image; if mishandled, it'd just help her.

Ignoring it, though, risked them growing closer—like boiling a frog slowly. Once their bond deepened, it'd be a bigger problem.

Qin Lan couldn't find any good solution. In the end, she bit Yu Yanli hard, tears welling in her eyes.

"You planned this all along. You're just picking on me."

This bastard knew she wouldn't leave—he kept testing her limits, didn't care if she snapped and walked away.

Yu Yanli felt unfairly accused—he admired Fan Xiaopang, was attracted to her beauty, but had no other intentions.

"You're being paranoid—maybe she doesn't even want me. She just sees me as her boss and friend."

"You think I'm blind?"

Qin Lan rolled her eyes—Fan Xiaopang's possessive behavior made it impossible to believe she had no designs.

Women understand women.

Leaving aside his wealth and ability, just his personal qualities—he was handsome, had an excellent physique, was strong and skilled in bed, generous and considerate to women. Though he had flaws, they were overshadowed by his strengths.

Any normal woman who got close to him would be moved—let alone with all his Guanghuanjiachi, his advantages magnified countless times.

"Don't play dumb. Ask yourself honestly—can't you see her true feelings?"

Qin Lan knew Yu Yanli was skilled at reading people, sharp-eyed—but sometimes he pretended not to understand.

He awkwardly rubbed his nose and cleared his throat: "She told me she prioritizes her career, not romantic matters."

"Heh."

Qin Lan sneered—now she's not famous, so she says career first; what happens when her career reaches a certain level?

"Fine, I'll keep my distance from her."

Yu Yanli made a concession, but to Qin Lan, it was meaningless—she couldn't follow him everywhere; whether he was near or far, it was still just his word.

"Then what should we do?"

Yu Yanli frowned slightly but asked patiently. Qin Lan thought for a moment, then had no good idea, muttering: "I don't know."

Yu Yanli: "..."

He pulled Qin Lan close, stroked her eyes, trying to brush it off: "Let's sleep first. We'll figure it out when we think of something."

Qin Lan wasn't stupid: "No. We settle this tonight."

"Alright. I'll make sure you understand tonight—thoroughly."

Yu Yanli realized words alone wouldn't work—he needed to physically convince her, tire her out so she couldn't think about those stupid problems anymore, and then he'd have peace.

"No, I have to shoot tomorrow."

"You bastard, you only use this to bully me."

You bastard, you only know how to bully people with this.

(End of Chapter)

(End of chapter)