Chapter 192: Yan Li: I

Xiangjiang, a hotel room

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

Is it turned off… or did she block me?

Huang Shengyi refused to accept it; she borrowed a phone from the hotel and dialed again—still no connection.

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

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

These days, phone numbers change frequently, and public figures like Yan Li don't bother with privacy protection—fools who post numbers online are countless, leading to constant harassment of celebrities, forcing them to change 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 down that number, but had never called it.

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

Beijing Film Studio Compound

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

"Someone's calling for you?"

Since Yan Li now has many work phones—including from partners, media, and officials—anyone casually answering could cause trouble, so the women never picked up even if they saw the call.

"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, those 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 my senior brother on."

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: "Telemarketing."

"…."

In the Xiangjiang hotel, Huang Shengyi gritted her teeth—she recognized it: the woman who answered was definitely that bitch Dong.

She'd seen the news and thought Dong had been dumped by her senior brother, but apparently she was still clinging to him.

She threw her phone onto the bed and stopped calling—now that Dong was beside him, even if she got through, it would do no good and might ruin her plans.

Frustrated, she rubbed her hair, slowly sank down onto the floor beside the bed, her spirits low.

The past half-year has 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 luckily became the female lead in *Kung Fu Hustle* among countless competitors, a new-generation Star Girl.

*Kung Fu Hustle* topped the 2004 box office, making her an instant celebrity, a media darling, with fame and fortune pouring in.

Huang Shengyi admits she was indeed blinded by the glitter of the entertainment industry back then, becoming vain and restless—and even now, she still is, though she's begun to see the truth beneath the surface.

At that time, facing Yan Li's cold, distant attitude, she felt resentment.

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

As a rising Star Girl, 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, their attitude far better than Yan Li's, making her feel the same way she had when Jia Nailiang pursued her.

Huang Shengyi was full of ambition then, even fantasizing about becoming the most famous female star, far surpassing that Dong and the two soldiers by ten thousand times.

Then she'd go see Yan Li, watch him writhing in regret, admitting 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 with Zhou Xingchi's Starlight Company for eight years, with a low personal royalty share.

Of course, as a newcomer, such contracts were standard in the industry—even harsher ones existed; nothing unacceptable.

A newcomer's mindset differs from that after fame, and over time, conflicts inevitably arose.

Huang Shengyi was most dissatisfied with three things.

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

Still, this happened at every entertainment company; if she could barely accept this one, hoping for improvement, she absolutely couldn't tolerate the other two.

Second, income was opaque.

Starlight repeatedly engaged in fraudulent accounting—for example, receiving 300,000 yuan for a role but telling Huang Shengyi it was only 100,000.

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

Third, Starlight offered few resources and restricted her growth.

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

The company produced almost no projects of its own, outsourced all resources, but Zhou had poor ties with Xiangjiang companies and little familiarity with the mainland.

Had it not been for *Kung Fu Hustle* bringing her some fame, she'd have struggled to land any work.

She'd personally witnessed a former Star Girl who'd appeared in *Shaolin Soccer*—because she wasn't popular, the company gave her no resources; she couldn't even land one film a year, nearly vanished from public view.

This gave Huang Shengyi a strong sense of crisis.

The *Kung Fu Hustle* windfall wouldn't last forever—continue like this, and she'd eventually be strangled by Starlight.

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

Regardless of anything, Huang Shengyi was made famous by Zhou Xingchi, and she signed an eight-year contract in black and white—how could she leave so easily?

Not only did the company refuse to let her go, they increased her workload to earn more money, and subtly signaled their intent to force her into submission.

Huang Shengyi finally understood the cruelty of the real world.

Meanwhile, Yan Li publicly stirred up gossip with Fan Xiaopang, landing her the female lead in a multi-million-dollar production and gifting her a million-yuan luxury car.

At the time, Huang Shengyi was so jealous she could have pickled cabbage in it.

When she first dated Yan Li, she only asked for clothes, bags, and pocket money—though the total wasn't small, it paled next to the big G.

Yan Li did arrange resources for her, but both opportunities were missed due to conflicts with Starlight's scheduling; even if they hadn't clashed, they couldn't compare to The Investiture of the Gods.

At the time, Huang Shengyi, in a fit of emotion, exposed her "romance" with Yan Li.

She was dissatisfied with the company, envious of the publicity, but mostly consumed by resentment, bitterness, and regret toward Yan Li.

The more brilliant Yan Li's career became, the worse her own situation grew, and the more complicated and painful her emotions became—if another woman benefited from Yan Li, she hated even more.

So Huang Shengyi came forward to expose herself, wanting everyone to know she had once been with Yan Li.

It was both to disrupt and retaliate against Yan Li, and to see how he would react.

The result? Yan Li remained silent, leaving Huang Shengyi both pleased and disappointed.

She was pleased because Yan Li at least didn't deny it—acknowledging her as his so-called "ex-girlfriend," granting her status and exposure; she was disappointed because he offered no other gesture—they were truly past tense.

After the "ex-girlfriend" incident, Starlight flew into a rage, suppressing and targeting Huang Shengyi as a warning—but this only drove her further away.

As of now, both sides were nearly at the point of open rupture.

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

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

Many were willing to help her, especially a wealthy second-generation from Hebei, Young Master Yang.

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

Aside from Yan Li's considerable power, she also 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 deep affection and remorse.

…

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

"What a headache."

With his intelligence system, Yan Li wouldn't just believe Huang Shengyi's one-sided plea for sympathy.

From the system's 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—there was another key reason: she'd found a new employer.

And not just one!

Her senior brother was a favored option, but companies from mainland China and Xiangjiang had also offered her opportunities.

The most eager was Young Master Yang—he'd grown very close to her privately.

Yang even used his connections to help Huang Shengyi take on side jobs, and at one point publicly presented himself as her mainland agent.

Correct—Starlight kept shady books, and Huang Shengyi took on side gigs; what kind of company produces what kind of artist.

Moreover, although Starlight was ruthless and domineering, if it was clearly impossible to keep her, they might not refuse to let Huang Shengyi go if the breach penalty was paid.

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

She felt she'd earned the company plenty, that they were even, and wanted to terminate the contract outright.

Disobedient, seeking new employers, taking side jobs, refusing to pay breach penalties, and yet a newcomer personally launched by them…

As a film and television company boss, Huang Shengyi was wildly dancing on Yan Li's minefield.

Putting himself in her shoes, if Yi'an encountered such a newcomer, Yan Li would rather "mutually destroy" 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; coupled with their past bond, Yan Li hesitated whether to lend her a hand.

After thinking it over, Yan Li called Huang Shengyi.

"Senior brother, you finally responded to me."

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

Yan Li rubbed his temples, feeling a headache: "I looked into your situation—if you want to terminate the contract, pay the breach penalty."

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

Huang Shengyi explained that Starlight didn't recognize the breach penalty at all, since she was currently their most profitable artist, and the long-term profits she generated far exceeded the penalty amount.

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

Yan Li was confident: if Huang Shengyi was determined to leave, and Starlight's contract had flaws, then…

Whether they buried her or took it to court, neither outcome would look good—and they might end up with nothing.

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 praised them a bit, both sides could save face—perhaps they'd even collaborate again in the future.

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

"How much do you need?"

"Over a million."

In the past two years at Starlight, during her peak popularity, she'd taken many dramas and ads, earning Starlight at least five million—so she felt she'd settled the score.

"I'll cover the difference—I'll lend it to you."

Yan Li had known Huang Shengyi had no money and had already prepared to lend.

"But I can't pay you back."

Huang Shengyi's voice turned sultry, almost implying she'd repay with her body—or count it as maintenance fees.

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

"I'll get you a role and offset the fee."

Huang Shengyi's status as a starlet still holds value; Yan Li could use her for his own projects, and others could too.

Later, we'll slightly inflate the fee—say, 600,000 yuan—and give Huang Shengyi 200,000 for living expenses and team support; the remaining 400,000 counts as repayment.

She doesn't have a company taking a cut, so Yan Li can occasionally inflate her fee a bit to show consideration.

With a few million in breach penalties, Huang Shengyi can pay it off in one or two years, shoot plenty of dramas, and still save some money.

"... Brother, can I talk to my parents first?"

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

He had provided money, effort, and resources—he could already say he'd done everything for Huang Shengyi.

If Huang Shengyi hadn't been obedient and well-behaved when she first followed him, if the promised resources had never been delivered, if she'd attached herself early and gained nothing from him, Yan Li might've felt some obligation to compensate; otherwise, he wouldn't have bothered.

Yan Li thought his proposal was already excellent.

But for Huang Shengyi, it might not be—after all, she'd have to earn several million herself, honestly.

Another young Mr. Yang claimed he wouldn't give a single cent, and planned to exploit the situation for a big publicity boost, then start a company with Huang Shengyi and become the boss himself.

Given Huang Shengyi's personality and intellect, it was hard to say what choice she'd make.

But that had nothing to do with Yan Li; he'd offered her the path—how she chose was her own business.

Now he had plenty of home flowers, and even more outside ones; Yan Li's eyes were already dizzy—he had no interest in eating leftovers...

In comparison, Yan Li was more curious about that young Mr. Yang.

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

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

Seriously, eight out of ten news articles carried that label—sometimes flaunting ostentatiously, sometimes denying media hype, repeating her origin story six or seven times: sometimes driving out to support someone, sometimes parking in the garage for days to feign humility.

After going through it all, Yan Li almost didn't recognize the words 【Hummer】 anymore.

Still, those terms were pretty impressive, so Yan Li called a contact in the car circle—and hung up, speechless.

Bullshit, Asia's only—this thing was just a modified vehicle, designed mainly for commercial use, like a wedding or corporate event escort car.

Price ranged from 100,000 to 250,000 U. S. dollars, roughly 700,000 to 1.8 million RMB, depending on configuration.

The poor couldn't afford it; the rich didn't care—weren't Rolls-Royce and Maybach better? Anyone with even a shred of taste wouldn't be caught dead in a super-long Hummer.

Plus, this guy boasted about a 4.6-billion-yuan emerald ring, a $220,000 Vertu phone, and being a self-made founder and CEO of Juli Group.

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

But blowing smoke elsewhere was fine.

Public online records showed Juli Group was founded in the mid-1980s; this guy was just thirty this year—meaning he started his business when he was in elementary school.

And during interviews, he claimed he left Juli to enter the entertainment industry to avoid "overshadowing the master," claiming 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, telling her to ensure any future soft articles praising him completely avoided such exaggeration.

So fucking stupid!

Yan Li even began reflecting and doubting himself—had he been this flashy when he first got rich?

Huang Shengyi had been with him for a while, yet she still associated with this guy—it truly lowered his standards...

————

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

Fan Xiaopang, who had just wrapped up his role in The Investiture of the Gods, was now on The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng; Qin Lan was there too.

The two once again replicated their mutual indifference from the previous 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 to cross paths.

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

Yan Li wanted to avoid it too, but couldn't—Qin Lan sought him out the moment he returned, possibly deliberately showing off in front of Fan Xiaopang.

Normally, Fan Xiaopang would turn away or just leave, but today she surprisingly came over.

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

Yan Li: "???"

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

But Fan Xiaopang ignored all that and kept going: "This time she was really wronged—you've got to soothe her, spend more time with her, buy her gifts..."

Qin Lan, beside them, couldn't take it anymore—her eyes glinted with fire: "Finished? Then leave."

"Angry?"

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

Qin Lan paraded Yan Li around every day; since she couldn't do that, she'd use Dong Xuan to rattle Qin Lan—you're Qin, right? Then kick Dong Xuan out too.

Fan Xiaopang loved chaos—she hoped they'd fight, so neither would keep watching her.

Seeing Qin Lan about to snap, Yan Li quickly pulled her away; after calming her down, 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? You came back from Jingcheng—I'm just asking about Dong Xuan, isn't that fine? She's my third sister."

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

Due to scandals and other reasons, Fan Xiaopang was now as disliked by Dong Xuan as Hu Siyan, even edging ahead slightly.

She hadn't surpassed her yet only because she hadn't been caught in the act—if she'd done what Qin Lan had done, she'd already been seen as a thorn in Dong Xuan's side.

"Can we at least keep it low-key until you officially sign with Yi'an?"

Yan Li worried—should Fan Xiaopang jump into a full alliance with Qin Lan and Dong Xuan to block his signing with her, it'd be hard to handle.

"After signing, you'll have to bow your head and become their servant, right?"

Fan Xiaopang was deeply resentful—she came to the company to be the top girl, and it was fine for Yan Li, as boss, to hold her back, but she refused to have two more "mother-in-laws" over her head.

"Public is public, private is private—I know the difference. They haven't joined the company; they won't affect you."

Yan Li gave Fan Xiaopang a reassuring word, but the latter remained noncommittal.

They haven't joined the company, but they can still whisper in the pillow—far more troublesome than direct confrontation inside the company.

Still, if they can whisper, so can she…

Fan Xiaopang snorted and started gossiping about Qin Lan: "She shows up on set even when she has no scenes—just afraid I'll slip in and take her spot. Cowardly little worm, clingy pest—how did you ever get attracted to her?"

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

"Jinghua's about to move."

"Really leaving?"

Fan Xiaopang was surprised. She'd heard rumors from Yan Li that Wang Jinghua and Huayi were splitting, but she'd half-doubted it—never expected it to start so soon.

"Jinghua'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 the rest plan to follow Jinghua."

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

Fan Xiaopang suddenly understood, then grew confused: "Wait, why hasn't Jinghua approached me?"

Yan Li gave her a look of exasperation: "Do you think her title as China's number one agent is just for show?"

"We're so close—you've got me arranging drama roles and commercial deals for you. She's not stupid; she probably already knows our plans and's just waiting for the right offer."

"Once she's settled, I'll negotiate your agency contract with her. She's desperate for resources to soothe her artists, and I've got plenty of TV dramas under my investment and distribution—do it right, we can even avoid breach penalties."

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

"Jinghua hasn't approached her yet—Li Bingbing's still Huayi's top girl; she might not be worth poaching."

She might not be easy to poach, but the Wang brothers will definitely try to keep her—Li Bingbing's earned plenty of benefits from Huayi and has little desire to venture out with Wang Jinghua.

Fan Xiaopang nodded, then eagerly pulled Yan Li into further discussion.

"If Huayi wants to keep me, what'll they offer?"

"Lead female roles—Li Tianwang's 'Mo Gong,' or Feng Xiaogang's upcoming epic 'Night Banquet,' or Jackie Chan's 'Baby Plan,' plus some TV dramas as bonuses."

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

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

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

Yan Li remained unfazed: "I'll just assume 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—he was a bastard, always mocking her, 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—even billions—in investment."

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

"I'm not certain—I just have confidence in my own character and potential. This period has let you see my strength, my dedication to you, and my plans."

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

"…."

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 Yan Li's nose, her slightly curved peach 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 well, 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.

And at Yi'an, she was unquestionably the top girl—even those two "bosses' wives" had to make way for her in terms of career resources.

Huayi already had Li Bingbing on top, plus four little blossoms flirting outside—no matter how good the resources, how much would actually reach her?

Yi'an might still lag behind Huayi for now, but it was growing fast.

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

Most crucially, Huayi's internal culture was rotten.

With Jinghua protecting her before, it was fine—but without her, she'd be surrounded by a pack of wolves.

Yi'an had one wolf too—but this wolf was ruthless, fiercely protective, and no one else dared touch her. And most importantly—she liked this wolf.

Her goal of prioritizing career remained unchanged; but why not also become a boss's wife? Love and career blooming together wasn't out of the question…

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

Leaving other things aside, her face and body were exactly what he preferred. After being watched over by Qin Lan for so long, he'd genuinely missed her.

He gently opened his mouth and bit her finger: "How about I schedule an event for you tomorrow? I'll go with you."

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

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

Yan Li spoke confidently, but noticed Fan Xiaopang's face had hardened, and 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 and left the set, while the Three Xiao from "Investiture of the Gods" made guest appearances.

The original plan was to recruit another Seven Fairies, then create a fairy version of the Three Xiao.

However, the First Fairy Li Lin was postpartum, the Second Fairy Li Bingbing was too busy, the Fifth Fairy Fan Xiaopang had played Su Daji and couldn't play again, and either the Seventh Fairy Hu Siyan or the Third Fairy Dong Xuan would bring trouble if they took the role.

So instead, Zeng Li, Yang Xue, and Jiang Xin formed a trio, originally cast as Golden Light Holy Mother.

There was no choice—Cheng Lidong's own chosen actresses were somewhat old and plain-looking, utterly unable to match Jiang and Yang; they looked less like sisters than an aunt accompanied by two nieces.

Thus, he swapped roles with Zeng Li; Zeng Li's beauty was elegant, her demeanor cool and gentle, actually quite fitting for Yunxiao.

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

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

After all, she had been based in Hengdian all along; her scenes in "Lu Xiaofeng Legend" had already been shot in bulk once, plus scattered scenes, and her original episodic portions were never many—there wasn't much left.

Qin Lan's scenes were, strictly speaking, mostly wrapped too, but she didn't leave the set after finishing.

Wu Jiani and Zeng Li were both in the same unit as Yan Li and still had some scenes to film.

The actress with the most scenes in "Lu Xiaofeng Legend" now was Sun Li, who had just arrived.

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

She was a rising star, so Yan Li went personally to greet her with courtesy.

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

Fan Xiaopang watched all this in astonishment: "The famous Yan girl—you have no thoughts?"

"You think I'm a reincarnated lust demon who falls for every woman I see?"

"Aren't you?"

"Get lost."

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

This wasn't to say Sun Li was unattractive; she just wasn't his type. Of course, Yan Li could make do—but the key was, she already had someone.

"Hey, is she really… with Liu Yanming from Hai Run?"

Fan Xiaopang switched into gossip mode; clearly, rumors abounded about how Sun Li, once an obscure dancer, suddenly became the female lead of "Jade Guanyin."

Yan Li disliked spreading others' private affairs, but Fan Xiaopang pestered him relentlessly, so he finally gave a silent nod.

"What about that Hai Run girl Li Xiaoran…"

Fan Xiaopang started probing about other Hai Run actresses; among these heavily promoted Hai Run beauties—including those actresses who rose to fame through Hai Run dramas—almost all had rumors linking them to Liu Yanming.

It was inevitable: male bosses and female actresses, just as female bosses and male actors, always had such gossip.

Zhou Yi's Jiang Xuerou and Yu Bo, Tang Ren's current hot star Hu Ge, were also "leaked" by Tianya as Cai Yinong's kept lover.

"They sign actresses mainly to make money; some relationships may exist, but they don't sleep with every single one."

Yan Li cut off Fan Xiaopang's baseless speculation, defending the film company bosses—outside rumors had demonized them.

But Fan Xiaopang gave Yan Li a strange look: "Aren't you one who didn't let any go?"

Yan Li: "..."

His face instantly flushed red, veins bulging on his forehead as he argued, "Only two actresses… can that count as not letting any go?"

Then came incomprehensible words—something about "guiding acting," something about "work exchange"—making Fan Xiaopang snicker; the air around them filled with cheerful emptiness…

————

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

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

(End of Chapter)