Chapter 192: Yan Li: I

Xiangjiang, a hotel room

Listening to the continuous busy tone on her phone, Huang Shengyi stared blankly.

Is it turned off, or… did she block me?

Huang Shengyi felt unwilling to give up; she borrowed a phone from the hotel and called again—still no answer.

She exhaled in relief—at least she wasn't blocked.

Then Huang Shengyi wondered if Yan Li had abandoned this number altogether.

These days, phone numbers change frequently, and public figures like Yan Li don't bother with privacy; fools who post numbers online are everywhere, causing celebrities to be harassed relentlessly and forced to switch numbers all the time.

Huang Shengyi had experienced something similar before, but she didn't abandon her number—she just stopped using it for a while, got a new SIM card, and resumed using the old one once the fuss died down.

Back in the room, Huang Shengyi thought back: once before, Yan Li had accidentally called her using a different number.

At the time, she'd been cautious and written it down, but never called it.

Huang Shengyi switched phones, called her assistant, and spent hours searching QQ online until she found the number, then dialed it.

Beiying Village

Hearing her phone ring, Dong Xuan called out to Yan Li in the bathroom.

"Someone's calling for you?"

Since Yan Li now had many work numbers—including from partners, media, and officials—anyone casually answering his calls could cause trouble, so the women never picked up even if they saw it.

"Who is it?"

"Unknown number."

"Answer it. If it's important, say you're his assistant secretary."

Yan Li didn't take it seriously—he'd already sorted his phones; if anything went wrong, the women weren't stupid—they'd hang up if something felt off.

"Alright."

Dong Xuan answered the call: "Hello, who's this?"

"I'm Huang Shengyi. Is this Yan Li's number? Put me through to my senior brother."

Dong Xuan hung up immediately, blocked the number, then turned off her phone.

"Who was it?"

Yan Li, hearing the noise from the bathroom, asked. Dong Xuan replied calmly: "A sales ad."

"…"

In the Xiangjiang hotel, Huang Shengyi gritted her teeth—she recognized the voice. It was definitely that bitch Dong.

She'd read the news and thought the woman had been dumped by her senior brother, but now she was still clinging to him.

She threw her phone onto the bed and stopped calling. With that Dong woman beside him, calling now would do no good—it might even ruin her plans.

Frustrated, she rubbed her hair and slowly sat on the floor against the bed, her spirits sinking.

The past half year had been the most "eventful" of Huang Shengyi's twenty-odd years.

She reached the peak of her life, then plunged into unprecedented hardship.

Last year, she lucked out and landed the female lead in *Kung Fu Hustle*, becoming the new starlet of the industry.

*Kung Fu Hustle* topped the 2004 box office, catapulting her to fame, making her the media's darling, and bringing her fame and fortune in waves.

Huang Shengyi admitted she'd been blinded by the glitter of the entertainment world back then, growing vain and restless—and even now, she still was, though she'd begun to see through the surface to the truth beneath.

At that time, she'd resented Yan Li's cold, distant attitude.

Yan Li was impressive, but she wasn't that unknown student from Beijing Film Academy anymore.

As the rising starlet, many men courted her—wealthy tycoons and handsome male stars alike.

Some might not match Yan Li's overall profile, but they treated her like royalty, far better than Yan Li ever had, making her feel the same warmth she'd once felt when Jia Nailiang pursued her.

Huang Shengyi had been full of ambition, even fantasizing about becoming the most famous female star, far surpassing that Dong woman and Shuang Bing.

Then she'd go see Yan Li, watch him wracked with regret, admit he'd been blind to lose her.

But Huang Shengyi's dream didn't last long—it was shattered by reality.

She discovered she'd signed with a "heartless company."

To land the role in *Kung Fu Hustle*, Huang Shengyi signed an eight-year contract with Starlight Pictures, owned by Zhou Xingchi, with a low personal royalty rate.

Of course, as a newcomer, such contracts were standard in the industry—even harsher ones existed; she had no right to refuse.

A newcomer's mindset and a star's mindset are worlds apart, and over time, inevitable conflicts arose.

Huang Shengyi had three major grievances.

First, Starlight assigned her roles and ads without asking her opinion; she didn't want some projects, but the company forced her to take them.

While this happened at every entertainment company, Huang Shengyi could barely accept it—she just hoped for improvement—but the other two she absolutely could not tolerate.

Second, opaque income.

Starlight repeatedly manipulated accounts—for example, collecting 300, 00 yuan for a role but telling Huang Shengyi it was only 100, 00.

That was extremely egregious—you could set a low royalty rate, but financial fraud was another matter entirely.

Third, Starlight offered few resources and restricted her growth.

Huang Shengyi felt she'd been deceived by Zhou Xingchi's name; Starlight sounded powerful, but in reality, it was just a family-run operation supporting Zhou's films.

The company produced almost no projects of its own, relied entirely on external deals, and Zhou had poor relations with Xiangjiang firms and little familiarity with the mainland.

If not for *Kung Fu Hustle*, Huang Shengyi would've struggled to land any work.

She'd personally witnessed a former Starlet who'd appeared in *Shaolin Soccer*—because she wasn't popular, the company gave her no resources; she hadn't shot a single film all year and was nearly forgotten.

This gave Huang Shengyi a strong sense of crisis.

The *Kung Fu Hustle* windfall wouldn't last forever; if things continued like this, she'd eventually be strangled by Starlight.

Huang Shengyi wanted to terminate her contract and leave, but Starlight would never let her go.

After all, she was Zhou Xingchi's protégée, and she'd signed an eight-year contract in black and white—how could she walk away so easily?

Worse, instead of letting her go, the company increased her workload to earn more money, and subtly pressured her to submit.

Huang Shengyi finally understood the cruelty of the real world.

Meanwhile, Yan Li publicly flirted with Fan Xiaopang, produced a multi-million-dollar film with her as the female lead, and even gifted her a million-yuan luxury car.

Huang Shengyi was so jealous she could've pickled cabbage.

When she was with Yan Li, she'd only asked for clothes, bags, and pocket money—though the total wasn't small, it paled next to a Daimler.

Yan Li had arranged resources for her, but both opportunities clashed with Starlight's schedule and were missed; even if they hadn't clashed, they couldn't compare to *The Investiture of the Gods*.

At the time, Huang Shengyi impulsively leaked her "romance" with Yan Li.

She was dissatisfied with the company, craving publicity, but mostly, she was fueled by resentment, bitterness, and regret toward Yan Li.

The more successful Yan Li became, the worse she felt—and if another woman benefited from him, her hatred grew.

So Huang Shengyi came forward to expose it—she wanted everyone to know she'd once been with Yan Li.

It was both sabotage and revenge against Yan Li, and a way to see how he'd react.

The result? Yan Li stayed silent—Huang Shengyi felt both pleased and disappointed.

She was pleased he didn't deny it—he at least acknowledged her as his so-called "ex-girlfriend," giving her status and exposure; she was disappointed he showed no other sign—they were truly over.

After the "ex-girlfriend" incident, Starlight flew into a rage, suppressing and targeting Huang Shengyi to make an example of her, further driving her away.

To this day, the two sides were nearly at war.

Huang Shengyi came to Xiangjiang to terminate her contract, but Starlight refused—even threatened to bury her if she didn't comply.

Starlight was still a well-known company; as a newcomer with her contract still in their hands, how could she fight back? So she sought outside help.

Many were willing to help, especially Yang Dashao, a wealthy second-generation from Hebei, who was especially eager.

But the one Huang Shengyi most wanted to turn to was Yan Li.

Not only because of his strength, but because she hoped to use this situation to return to her senior brother's side.

Thinking of this, Huang Shengyi wiped her slightly damp eyes, pulled out her phone, and began writing a long emotional letter to send to Yan Li, showcasing her sincerity and regret.

…

The next day, on his way back to Hengdian, Yan Li read Huang Shengyi's emotional letter on his other phone, then reviewed the intelligence gathered about her the previous night, and couldn't help shaking his head.

"What a headache."

With his intelligence system, Yan Li wouldn't just take Huang Shengyi's tearful plea at face value.

From a more objective perspective, Starlight indeed had many problems and operated unethically, but Huang Shengyi wasn't as innocent as she seemed.

Her insistence on leaving Starlight wasn't just because of the company's flaws—she'd already found a new home.

And not just one!

He, her senior brother, was one preferred option; two other companies—one on the mainland, one in Xiangjiang—had also offered her deals.

The most enthusiastic was Yang Dashao; they'd grown very close privately.

Yang even used his connections to help Huang Shengyi secure side gigs, and had even publicly claimed to be her mainland agent.

Right—Starlight manipulated accounts, and Huang Shengyi took private jobs; what kind of company attracts what kind of artist.

Moreover, although Starlight was ruthless and domineering, if it was clear they couldn't keep her, they might still release her—provided she paid the breach penalty.

But Huang Shengyi had no money and didn't want to pay it.

She believed she'd earned the company plenty, that they were even, and wanted to terminate the contract without penalty.

Disobedient, seeking new deals, taking private jobs, refusing to pay breach fees, and still a newcomer they'd nurtured…

As a film company boss, Huang Shengyi was wildly dancing on Yan Li's most forbidden ground.

Putting himself in her shoes, if Yi'an encountered such a newcomer, Yan Li would rather "mutually destroy" her than let her go—he'd bury her, make an example of her, and vent his anger.

Of course, Starlight had acted unethically, giving Huang Shengyi some justification, and their past connection made Yan Li hesitate—should he reach out a hand?

After thinking it over, Yan Li still called Huang Shengyi.

"Big brother, you finally answered me."

Huang Shengyi's voice was delighted yet tinged with grievance; over the past year and more, Yan Li had sent her text messages—like notifying her of resources he'd promised—but this was the first time he'd called her directly.

Yan Li rubbed his temples, slightly exasperated: "I looked into your situation. If you want to terminate the contract, you'll have to pay the breach penalty."

"Starlight won't agree. They treat me like a cash cow."

Huang Shengyi explained that Starlight indeed didn't recognize the penalty amount, since she was currently their most profitable artist, generating far more long-term revenue for the company than the penalty could cover.

"You say they won't agree—I say it's different."

Yan Li was confident: Huang Shengyi was determined to leave, and Starlight's contract had real flaws.

Whether they buried her or took it to court, it would look bad—and risk ending up with nothing at all.

With Yan Li mediating, Starlight would know Huang Shengyi had backing; accepting a penalty and cutting their losses was a viable solution.

If Yan Li flattered them a bit, everyone could save face—and perhaps there'd be future opportunities.

Huang Shengyi's voice turned timid: "But I don't have that much money."

"How much do you need?"

"A bit over a million."

During her two years at Starlight, when she was at her peak, she'd taken on countless dramas and ads, earning the company at least five million—so she felt she'd already settled the score.

"I'll cover the difference. Consider it a loan."

Yan Li had long known Huang Shengyi was broke and had already prepared to lend.

"But I won't be able to pay you back."

Huang Shengyi's voice turned sultry, almost implying she'd offer herself in repayment—or that the debt could be converted into maintenance fees.

But Yan Li pretended not to hear her hint and offered another solution.

"I'll get you roles. Use your pay to repay."

Huang Shengyi's title as a Starlight girl still held value; Yan Li could use her in his own projects—and others could too.

We'd set her fee slightly higher—say, 600, 00 yuan—and give her 200, 00 for living expenses and her team, with the remaining 400, 00 counting as repayment.

She wouldn't have a company cut, and Yan Li could occasionally inflate her pay a bit to help her out.

In one or two years, she'd clear the million-plus penalty, shoot plenty of dramas, and still save some money.

"... ig brother, can I talk to my parents first?"

Huang Shengyi hesitated. Yan Li nodded calmly, then hung up.

He'd provided money, effort, and resources—he'd already done more than enough for her.

If Huang Shengyi hadn't been obedient and sweet when she first followed him, if he hadn't failed to deliver the resources he'd promised, if she hadn't been among the earliest to stick with him and gained little from him, Yan Li might've felt some obligation to compensate—but otherwise, he wouldn't have bothered.

Yan Li thought his proposal was excellent.

But for Huang Shengyi, it might not be. After all, she'd have to earn millions herself, bit by bit.

Another Young Master Yang claimed he wouldn't give her a single yuan—he'd exploit the scandal to make her famous, then launch his own company and become her boss.

Given Huang Shengyi's personality and intellect, it was hard to say which path she'd choose.

But it didn't matter to Yan Li. He'd given her the path; how she chose was her own business.

These days, he had plenty of home flowers—and even more wild ones. He was already overwhelmed; he had no interest in eating leftovers...

By comparison, Yan Li was more curious about this Young Master Yang.

The intelligence only mentioned his connection to Huang Shengyi, not his background, so Yan Li searched online.

The most prominent label: 【Asia's Only Owner of the Longest Hummer】.

Seriously—eight out of ten news articles carried this label: sometimes flaunting it ostentatiously, sometimes denying media hype, his origin story repeated six or seven times—sometimes leveraging it to support some cause, sometimes shelving it for days to appear low-key.

After reading through it all, Yan Li almost didn't recognize the word "Hummer."

Still, the terms sounded impressive, so he called a contact in the car circle—and hung up, speechless.

Bullshit about "Asia's only"—it was just a modified vehicle, designed primarily for commercial use: as a wedding or corporate event escort car.

Price range: $100, 00–$250, 00, or roughly 700, 00–1. million RMB, depending on configuration.

The poor couldn't afford it; the rich didn't care. Rolls-Royces and Maybachs were far more elegant. Only crude nouveau riche with zero taste would drive a super-long Hummer.

Plus, this guy boasted about a 4. -billion-yuan emerald ring, a $220, 00 Vertu phone, and being a self-made founder and CEO of Jili Group.

As a veteran of marketing hype, Yan Li didn't need a system to sense something was off.

But blowing smoke elsewhere was one thing.

Public online records showed Jili Group was founded in the mid-1980s—yet this guy was only thirty this year, meaning he started his business when he was in elementary school.

And during interviews, he claimed he left Jili to enter entertainment to avoid "overshadowing the master," insisting he was suited to build empires, not maintain them.

"..."

Yan Li couldn't take it anymore. He sent some screenshots to his secretary Hu Ya, instructing her to ensure any future puff pieces he commissioned avoided such absurd exaggeration.

So fucking stupid!

Yan Li even began reflecting on himself—had he been this ridiculous when he first got rich?

Huang Shengyi had been with him for a while, yet she still associated with someone like this—it truly dragged down his standards...

————

Back in Hengdian, Yan Li, after several days' delay, rushed straight to the set to resume filming.

Fan Xiaopang, who had just wrapped up his role in The Investiture of the Gods, was now on the set of The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng, where Qin Lan was also present.

The two immediately reverted to their previous state of mutual indifference from the neighboring set.

Fortunately, they had no scenes together; after Yan Li gave a heads-up, their schedules were kept apart as much as possible, leaving few chances for overlap.

Because the two sets were close and shared resources, the crew of The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng had heard plenty of rumors—whenever both were present, everyone stepped aside.

Yan Li wanted to avoid her too, but couldn't: as soon as Qin Lan saw him return, she sought him out—likely deliberately showing off in front of Fan Xiaopang.

In the past, Fan Xiaopang would either turn away or walk off—but today, she surprisingly approached.

"Hey, did you give Dong Xuan the stuff I asked you to deliver?"

Yan Li: "????"

When did I ever agree to carry anything for you? And you two haven't spoken in half a year—now you're pretending to be besties?

But Fan Xiaopang ignored this, continuing: "She's been wronged this time—you've got to soothe her, spend time with her, buy her gifts..."

Qin Lan, unable to bear it any longer, glared with barely concealed fury: "Finished? Then leave."

"Angry?"

Fan Xiaopang raised an eyebrow—she knew exactly how to provoke.

Qin Lan paraded Yan Li everywhere; since she couldn't, she'd use Dong Xuan to sting Qin Lan: You're so capable, Qin—why not kick Dong Xuan out too?

Fan Xiaopang loved chaos and hoped they'd fight, so they'd stop fixating on her.

Seeing Qin Lan about to explode, Yan Li quickly pulled her away. After calming her, he returned to Fan Xiaopang.

"Why are you provoking her again?"

Fan Xiaopang replied matter-of-factly: "Who provoked her? Did I even speak to her? I asked about Dong Xuan—she's my third sister."

Dong Xuan didn't want you as her fifth sister!

Due to gossip and other reasons, Fan Xiaopang was now as disliked by Dong Xuan as Hu Siyan—possibly even more so.

She hadn't surpassed her yet only because no one had witnessed it firsthand; if she'd been caught in two affairs with Fan Xiaopang like Qin Lan, she'd have already branded Fan Xiaopang a thorn in her side.

"Can we keep it low-key for now? At least until you officially sign with Yi'an."

Yan Li worried: if Fan Xiaopang truly allied with Qin Lan and Dong Xuan to block his signing with her, it would be hard to handle.

"You'll wait until after signing, then bow your head and become their servant, right?"

Fan Xiaopang was bitter—she came to the company to be the top star. Yan Li, as boss, holding her back was fine—but she refused to have two more "mother-in-laws" above her.

"Professional and personal are separate. I know the difference. They're not in the company—they won't affect you."

Yan Li gave Fan Xiaopang reassurance, but she remained noncommittal.

They weren't in the company—but they could whisper in his ear. That was even more troublesome than direct confrontation.

Still, if they could whisper, so could she...

Fan Xiaopang snorted and started gossiping about Qin Lan again: "She comes to the set even on days off—just afraid I'll sneak ahead. Coward, clingy little thing—how did you ever get interested in her?"

Yan Li didn't want to discuss this. He'd come to Fan Xiaopang not just to ask her to calm down, but for something important.

"Hua Jie is moving."

"Really leaving?"

Fan Xiaopang was surprised. She'd heard rumors that Wang Jinghua and Huayi were splitting, but hadn't believed it—now it was actually happening.

"Hua Jie's contract with Huayi expires in July, with an automatic renewal clause—but she won't renew."

"According to my sources, Xia Yu, Tong Dawei, Chen Daoming, and others plan to follow Hua Jie."

"Now the Wang brothers have woken up—they'll start making offers to lure you and other key artists who haven't decided yet."

Fan Xiaopang understood, then puzzled: "Wait—why hasn't Hua Jie approached me?"

Yan Li gave her a flat look: "Do you think her title as Mainland China's top agent is for show?"

"We're so close—you've got me arranging dramas and commercial deals for you. She's not stupid; she's probably known our plans all along, just waiting for the right moment to make her offer."

"Once she's settled, I'll negotiate your agency contract with her. She's desperate for resources to calm her artists, and I've got plenty of TV dramas under investment and distribution. If handled well, we might even avoid the penalty."

Fan Xiaopang muttered "merchant" under her breath, then asked about her old friend Li Bingbing.

"Hua Jie hasn't approached her yet. Li Bingbing's now Huayi's top star—she might not be able to lure her away."

She might not be able to, but the Wang brothers would certainly try to keep her—Li Bingbing has reaped many benefits from Huayi and has little desire to venture out with Wang Jinghua.

Fan Xiaopang understood, then enthusiastically pulled Yan Li into discussion.

"You say Huayi wants to keep me—what are they offering?"

"The female lead in a movie, maybe Liu Tianwang's 'Mo Ge,' or Feng Xiaogang's upcoming big-budget 'Night Banquet,' or Cheng Long's 'Baby Plan,' plus some TV dramas as bonuses."

Huayi had only a few cards to play; Yan Li easily saw through their hand.

Fan Xiaopang's eyes widened slightly: "Damn, these are all top-tier film resources."

She noticed Yan Li's calm expression, her bright eyes flickering: "Huayi's offering so much—aren't you afraid I'll leave?"

Yan Li remained unfazed: "Then I'll just admit I misjudged you. Who hasn't stepped in a few piles of dog shit along the way?"

"Pfft, pfft, pfft—you're the dog shit."

Fan Xiaopang pinched him in anger; this bastard could be vicious with words, but his own mouth was just as foul.

After the teasing, she still felt uneasy: "You're so sure I'll sign with you? Those are films with tens of millions—or even hundreds of millions—in investment."

If Huayi really gave her these resources, she might skyrocket overnight—how could this bastard be so confident he could keep her?

"It's not that I'm certain—I just have confidence in my character and potential. This period has let you see my strength, my regard for you, and my plans."

"If you choose to return to Huayi, I'll find another partner. Either way, the one who regrets it won't be me."

"..."

Fan Xiaopang clenched her teeth: "Sometimes I hate most how you act like you control everything."

Then she couldn't help smiling, her slender white finger brushing his nose, her slightly curved peach-blossom eyes brimming with charm.

"Still, you look pretty damn handsome like this."

Fan Xiaopang had guts—if she'd chosen Yan Li and things were going smoothly, there was no point turning back.

She knew Huayi's nature well: home flowers never smell as sweet as wild ones. Yan Li might be flawed in a thousand ways, but his loyalty to his people and his protectiveness were exactly what she loved.

At Yi'an, she was unquestionably the top actress—even the so-called two "boss ladies" had to make way for her in terms of career resources.

Huayi had Li Bingbing above her, and four little rising stars flirting outside—how much of the good resources would actually reach her?

Yi'an might not yet match Huayi, but it was growing rapidly.

She'd seen the news from the screening: "The King of Film Sales" was well-deserved; in pure profitability, Huayi might even be worse than Yi'an.

Most crucially, Huayi's internal culture was rotten.

Before, Hua Jie had protected her—but now that Hua Jie was gone, she feared a pack of wolves would be eyeing her.

Yi'an had one wolf too, but this wolf was domineering and fiercely protective—he wouldn't let anyone else touch her. And most importantly, she liked this wolf.

Her goal of prioritizing career hadn't changed—but why not consider becoming a boss lady too? Love and career blooming together wasn't out of the question…

Yan Li watched Fan Xiaopang's smiling, charming expression and felt a stir of desire.

Leaving aside everything else, her face and body were exactly what he preferred. After being controlled by Qin Lan for so long, he really missed her.

He gently bit her finger: "How about I arrange an event for you tomorrow? I'll go with you."

Fan Xiaopang's peach-blossom eyes flickered, her tone soft: "Didn't you say in front of someone that we're just colleagues?"

"Uh, yeah—but colleagues can still discuss work privately."

Yan Li spoke confidently, but noticed Fan Xiaopang's face had hardened; she pulled her finger from his mouth.

"Sorry, I don't like discussing work privately with colleagues."

With that, Fan Xiaopang turned and walked away. Yan Li licked his lips, sighing.

These women—all of them had such tempers!

…

'The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng' was an anthology series; crew members came and went.

Yang Xue and Jiang Xin had finished their roles on 'Lu Xiaofeng' and left the set, while the Three Xiao from 'Investiture of the Gods' made guest appearances.

The original plan was to find another Seventh Fairy and create a fairy version of the Three Xiao.

But the First Fairy, Li Lin, was postpartum; the Second Fairy, Li Bingbing, was too busy; the Fifth Fairy, Fan Xiaopang, had played Daji and couldn't play another role; the Seventh Fairy, Hu Siyan, and the Third Fairy, Dong Xuan—either way, it was a hassle.

So they swapped roles: Zeng Li, who had originally played Jin Guang Shengmu, teamed up with Yang Xue and Jiang Xin.

There was no choice—Cheng Lidong's own cast members were too old and unremarkable in appearance; they couldn't hold their own against Jiang and Yang, looking more like aunts leading two nieces than sisters.

So they swapped roles with Zeng Li. Her beauty was elegant, her aura refined and gentle—she actually suited Yunxiao well.

Wang Ou had also been worn down by Qin Lan, because the 'Detective Di Renjie 2' crew had started filming; her scenes were shot in bulk, then she left reluctantly.

Fan Xiaopang guessed she wouldn't be filming much longer either.

After all, she'd been in Hengdian the whole time; her scenes on 'Lu Xiaofeng' had already been shot in bulk once, plus scattered scenes—and since anthology episodes had little screen time to begin with, she had little left.

Qin Lan's scenes were technically mostly finished too, but she didn't leave the set.

Wu Jiani and Zeng Li were both in Yan Li's unit and still had scenes to shoot.

The actress with the most screen time now on 'Lu Xiaofeng' was Sun Li, who had just arrived.

She'd just finished filming a Republican-era drama with Chen Kun for Hai Run, and rushed straight into 'Lu Xiaofeng.'

She was a rising star, so Yan Li made the effort to go greet her personally.

They weren't close; they exchanged a few words, told her to focus on filming, said the usual pleasantries, then Yan Li left.

Fan Xiaopang was astonished: "The famous 'Yan Girl'—and you have no interest?"

"Do you think I'm a reincarnated lecher who falls for every woman I see?"

"Aren't you?"

"Get lost."

Yan Li was speechless—he'd said it so many times: he was lustful, but picky.

It wasn't that Sun Li was unattractive—she just wasn't his type. Of course, Yan Li could compromise—but the key was, she already had someone.

"Hey, is it true she and Hai Run's Liu Yanming really…"

Fan Xiaopang slipped into gossip mode; clearly, rumors swirled about how Sun Li had risen from an obscure dancer to the female lead of 'Jade Guanyin.'

Yan Li didn't like spreading others' private affairs, but Fan Xiaopang nagged relentlessly, so he gave a silent nod.

"What about Hai Run's Li Xiaoran…"

Fan Xiaopang turned to gossip about other Hai Run actresses; these favored Hai Run "little flowers," including actresses who'd become famous through Hai Run dramas, all had rumors linking them to Liu Yanming.

Bosses and actresses always had such gossip; female bosses and male actors were no different.

Jiang Xue and Yu Bo from Zhou Yi; Hu Ge, now red-hot at Tang Ren, had been "exposed" online as Cai Yinong's kept man.

"They sign actresses mainly to make money—some relationships may exist, but they don't sleep with everyone."

Yan Li cut off Fan Xiaopang's wild speculation, defending the film company bosses; the outside world had demonized them.

But Fan Xiaopang gave him a strange look: "Aren't you one who didn't let anyone slip away?"

Yan Li: "..."

His face instantly flushed red, veins bulging on his forehead: "Only two actresses—can that count as letting no one slip away?"

Then came incomprehensible excuses: "guiding acting," "discussing work," and so on—making Fan Xiaopang snort with laughter; the air around them filled with mirth…

————

PS: The feud between Xinghui and Huang in this story does not slander either side—in fact, both are portrayed with restraint.

Also, begging for base monthly votes at the start of the month.

(End of Chapter)