Chapter 194

KTV private room

At first, Wu Jiani was still a bit restrained, dancing only slow, gentle routines with minimal movement.

But after drinking and chatting, she gradually loosened up, and when Yan Li asked her to dance again, the moves became much more daring.

For instance, seeing that Yan Li seemed to enjoy sultry, seductive Latin dance, she performed several more segments.

After the dance ended, Wu Jiani took two light breaths, sat back on the sofa, her brow slightly flushed, and asked Yan Li.

"Was it nice?"

"Nice."

Yan Li nodded. Classically trained really made a difference—she radiated charisma, her dancing electrifying, making her seem altogether more beautiful.

So, seducing a woman is sometimes like drinking alcohol.

Gulping down the glass in big swallows may quench thirst and feel satisfying, but sipping slowly, savoring each drop, is another kind of delight.

Yan Li wasn't particularly thirsty today, and since this was his first time with Wu, he didn't want to be too crude—he decided to set a mood.

"I want to learn to dance too—something slow, like a tango. Will you teach me?"

"Sure."

Wu Jiani readily agreed. They stood in the empty space of the room, and she taught Yan Li how to stand, how to coordinate, the sequence of steps, and so on.

Yan Li learned attentively, wrapping his arms around Wu Jiani's waist, holding her hand, moving his body slowly under her guidance.

"Director Yan, your physique is good, but you're a bit stiff—you need to be more fluid."

Wu Jiani offered advice. Yan Li was half a martial artist and classically trained, with solid physical foundation and sharp intellect—he picked it up quickly—but some old martial habits were hard to shake off.

From a teacher's perspective, Wu Jiani was a good teacher—diligent and responsible—but Yan Li had never been a good student.

At first, during the initial instruction, things went fine, but as practice continued, he began adding his own little embellishments, his hands full of tiny, extra motions.

"Mmm…"

Wu Jiani let out a muffled groan, collapsing softly against Yan Li's chest as he held her gently, swaying.

Her face flushed red; she pouted slightly: "Director Yan, did I teach you to dance like this?"

"I think this way stirs up more emotion between us."

Yan Li, shameless, lifted his hand slightly around her slender waist, lowered his head slightly, and kissed her twice.

"You teach me to dance—I'll teach you acting, how about that?"

"Huh?"

Wu Jiani was confused—how did they end up talking about acting?

"Acting's most important thing is dialogue—your tongue must be clear…"

The ever-teacherly Yan Li spoke as he pried open Wu Jiani's slightly bewildered mouth; his instruction shifted from articulate speech to muffled murmurs.

"…"

Hours later, after bathing Wu Jiani and holding her, Yan Li lit a cigarette with satisfaction.

He felt his portrayal of King Zhou in The Investiture of the Gods had been truly fitting—exceptionally successful.

Su Daji, the Chick Spirit, the Pipa Spirit—the Three Demons of Xuanyuan—and Empress Jiang—he'd won them all, on and off screen.

Playing a corrupt monarch is better—next time he gets the chance, he'll play another corrupt monarch…

A pleasant phone ringtone sounded; Wu Jiani struggled to sit up.

"My phone."

"I'll get it for you."

Yan Li got out of bed to fetch Wu Jiani's phone—mainly because he hadn't been able to resist trying out his newly acquired Heavenly Upheaval One Hundred and Eight Moves; Wu Jiani, still unaccustomed to his strength, had cried earlier.

Not the kind of crying Qin Lan did—this was real, unbearable crying. Yan Li felt a twinge of guilt and grew a bit more tender toward her.

"Uh, it's your O sister."

Yan Li glanced at the caller ID, handed the phone to Wu Jiani, who was embarrassed and flustered; after hesitating a few seconds, she still answered.

"Jiani, how's your relationship with Director Yan going lately?"

From the other end came Wang Ou's concerned tone. Wu Jiani couldn't help glancing at Yan Li, who had returned to bed and was holding her, and stammered:

"... It's okay."

"Don't rush. When we get back to Jingcheng, I'll help you figure something out."

"Figure out what?"

Yan Li asked. Wang Ou hadn't realized yet and continued casually: "One day I'll invite Director Yan over for dinner—you come too, we'll…"

As she spoke, Wang Ou suddenly realized something was wrong and fell silent. Yan Li took the phone from Wu Jiani's hand and said coolly:

"Go on. What were you saying?"

"Cough… Jiani, I've got bad signal here. Hello? Hello? Can't hear you. I'll call you back later."

Wang Ou pretended ignorance to escape. Yan Li smirked: "I'll settle accounts with you later."

Though Wang Ou had tried to secure him benefits and he didn't oppose it, this little bitch had acted on her own—she needed a warning, or else she'd get another bright idea and drag him into trouble again.

After ending the call, Yan Li looked down. Wu Jiani was now utterly humiliated, curled up under the thin blanket like an ostrich.

Climbing into bed was one thing; being caught red-handed while secretly plotting how to climb into bed was another.

Wu Jiani didn't know Yan Li had an intelligence network—she always believed he saw her as pure and sweet.

Even this time, she thought of it as "passion reaching its peak," then "losing control"—at most, it was because Director Yan was so charming, she admired him, felt drawn to him, so her initiative and enthusiasm were understandable.

But secretly plotting with Wang Ou how to seduce him? That ruined her image entirely—it was too embarrassing.

Yan Li had planned to tease Wu Jiani, but seeing her state, he said nothing.

Wu Jiani was different from Wang Ou.

The latter had grown up seeing the coldness of human relations, left home young to struggle, had strong mental resilience and great ambition—such a personality needed to be held back, or else she'd get too cocky.

He had some understanding of Wu Jiani's personality through intelligence reports—she was a normal girl, even somewhat delicate and soft-spoken.

She hadn't taken the idea of climbing into Yan Li's bed as easily as Wang Ou had initially assumed; she still carried emotional burdens she hadn't resolved, so she needed time to adjust, some dignity preserved.

So Yan Li simply let the matter drop and instead played with her phone.

"This model's outdated. I'll buy you a new one tomorrow."

Compared to the effort of weaving sweet nothings, Yan Li was growing increasingly accustomed to throwing money around.

Of course, Wu Jiani wasn't famous and didn't earn much, but a new phone wasn't enough to buy her off—it was just an appetizer.

"After the shoot wraps, what are your plans?"

Seeing Yan Li didn't mention Wang Ou, Wu Jiani relaxed slightly and replied softly.

"The company hasn't said, but it seems they're planning to refer me for an audition with another crew."

"Which crew?"

"Tang Ren's—something called 'The Young Yang Family Generals.'"

Yan Li's hand paused as he stroked Wu Jiani's smooth back, a wry smile tugging at his lips.

This world really is small!

"Forget the audition—I'll arrange it for you later."

Besides 'The Young Yang Family Generals,' Tang Ren's 'Fairy from Beyond the Heavens' could also slot in a role; Zhou Yi also has a new drama—could fit someone in too.

Yi'an's plan for the second half of the year includes producing 'The White-Haired Witch' and 'The Legend of Xue Rengui'—Wu Jiani isn't without opportunity.

By the way, Wang Ou's drama 'Detective Di Renjie 2' should have a unit female lead role; those two are close friends—perfect chance to deepen their bond.

Without realizing it, Yan Li now understood more deeply why Wu Jiani had hesitated yet stubbornly clung to him.

The resources Yan Li currently controlled were enough—even a trickle from his fingers—could feed Wu Jiani, a minor actress.

And these were only a few companies Yan Li had participated in or collaborated with deeply.

If he threw his full weight behind her, even more crews would be open to her—even landing the female lead wouldn't be difficult.

This new title—'Big Shot in the Industry'—Yan Li truly needed to get used to…

Yan Li arranged two projects—'The Young Yang Family Generals' and 'Detective Di Renjie 2'—both notable within the industry.

The rest are pending, but she'd get at least one role, and none would be insignificant supporting parts.

Wu Jiani was overjoyed—Wang Ou had been right: Director Yan was truly generous, lavish in his gifts, never letting down those who followed him.

But even in that one area, he was a bit… too generous, almost torturous.

She had once thought Wang Ou pulled her into this solely to please Yan Li and secure her favor; now she saw it might also have been a move to recruit an ally and spread the pressure.

Recalling the "pitiful" scene just now, Wu Jiani seriously considered Wang Ou's suggestion for the first time.

…

'Detective Di Renjie 2' set, hotel accommodation

Wang Ou paced back and forth in her room, hands behind her back, recalling the recent call.

She wasn't sure whether Yan Li had simply been beside Wu Jiani, or whether the two had already become involved.

If it was the former, it was fine—Wang Ou could just get punished again; it wasn't the first time.

But if it was the latter, Wang Ou realized she needed to reassess Wu Jiani—she'd clearly underestimated this shy, timid girl.

Earlier, when she'd tempted and urged Wu Jiani, the girl had been hesitant, embarrassed, agonizingly conflicted.

How long had it been since she left Hengdian, and already Wu Jiani had seized the opening and moved in?

She needed to have some sense—don't end up getting played, losing sight of priorities, turning from 'Sister Ou' into 'Little Ou'…

————

Yan Li's scenes in 'The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng' wrapped; though he hadn't left Hengdian, his focus had shifted from the set to Yi'an Garden, where he now spent most of his time working.

Wu Jiani was originally scheduled to wrap and leave the crew, but she hesitated, considering how recently she'd clung to Yan Li's leg—better to stabilize first.

She didn't know how he'd convinced the company, but she'd stayed in Hengdian anyway.

With no scenes, she followed Yan Li, replacing her sister Ou's position as his personal assistant, serving him day and night.

Yan Li didn't exploit her for free.

He replaced her phone and computer with the latest models, gave her generous daily spending money, and confirmed her role in 'Detective Di Renjie 2.'

But because she'd asked too late, most cast members were already locked in—she wouldn't get the unit female lead, only a supporting role, though reportedly the screen time was decent.

As for 'The Young Yang Family Generals,' it was still in pre-production; Yan Li had already spoken up, and when casting began, they'd consider her role based on the crew and director's input.

Wu Jiani herself accepted it well.

First, her status was low—any role was satisfying; second, Yan Li still had bigger pies on the table.

She didn't know much about 'The White-Haired Witch,' but because Yan Li had discussed 'The Legend of Xue Rengui' during work these past few days, she

With Yan Li's permission, she'd skimmed the script and found several substantial female roles.

The female lead, Princess Princess Zhao Yang, a princess of the Boliao Kingdom, had contributed greatly to Xue Rengui's rise and had the most screen time in the entire drama.

The female second lead, Liu Yinhuan, Xue Rengui's first wife, married him when he was destitute and waited patiently for over a decade while he fought away from home; she had significant screen time in the early, middle, and later acts.

The female third lead, Zhang Meiren, a venomous villainess who sought revenge for her father and brother by sabotaging Xue Rengui.

This character originally had screen time rivaling the female lead, but after major script revisions, her role was reduced—yet she remained crucial, with standout scenes, even more compelling than the second lead, Liu Yinhuan.

The female fourth lead, Tuoya, was not in the original script; she was newly created because the revised script added scenes of warfare against the Uyghurs.

After all, there was already Princess Princess Zhao Yang and Tie Shiwen's wife—without another female warrior later, the story felt dry.

So they added one—a chieftain of the Nine Uyghur Tribes, a female warrior, with a scene of a "Two Phoenixes Duel" against Princess Princess Zhao Yang.

This was an old trope from folk tales and operas—female warrior versus female warrior; clearly, from ancient times to now, everyone loved watching women fight.

Tuoya was later subdued by Xue Rengui and, along with the Nine Uyghur Tribes, submitted to the Tang Dynasty, becoming his beloved confidante.

The drama never explicitly stated whether he took her as a lover, but the audience all understood.

This was Yan Li's personal agenda; he originally planned to pair up Xue Rengui's good brother Zhou Qing with her.

In Yan Li's view, since the first half had already taken in a foreign princess, adding a foreign chieftain and female general in the second half would deliver even greater satisfaction.

After all, Liu Yinhuan and Princess Princess Zhao Yang were already called sisters—what was one more?

As everyone knows, the triangle is the most stable structure.

His good brother Zhou Qing could be assigned as Toya's subordinate and younger sister, and even add an actor to flesh out the plot.

Yan Li was the male lead and the biggest investor; besides, this plot change did have advantages, even if it made Xue Rengui seem like a scoundrel—but having three wives and four concubines was normal in ancient times.

If Yan Li, who played the role, wasn't worried about damaging his image, why should they care?

Wu Jiani was also eyeing this Toya.

Princess Princess Zhao Yang had more screen time, but she had less fame and feared being outshone; Liu Yinhuan needed to be gentle and dignified, which didn't quite match her, and she didn't want to play a villain—Toya was the best choice.

This character appeared cold and aloof but was actually tsundere, known as the Flower of Tianshan, captured and released three times by Xue Rengui, defeated again and again, slowly falling for him.

The concept was quite appealing; though her screen time was less, she felt more likely to shine.

Yan Li understood Wu Jiani's intentions perfectly but never gave a clear answer.

The drama "The Legend of Xue Rengui" was planned with him as the male lead.

In terms of fame, thanks to the hype around "Two Bings Compete for Yan," his billion-dollar fortune, and other publicity, Yan Li had been on the front pages often this past half-year—he still had some confidence in his popularity.

But fame on gossip pages didn't mean audiences would support his drama.

The roles in "Emperor Wu of Han" and "Huan Tian Xi Di Seven Fairies" had boosted his visibility, but whether he could carry an entire drama remained uncertain.

After all, this drama's investment was also substantial, with an estimated budget of 26 to 30 million.

If he let blind arrogance cause the project to collapse or reduce profits, it would be too late to regret it afterward.

So, while he could boast to the media and investors, privately he had to be cautious—especially since this was Yan Li's first time as a male lead.

Otherwise, if he failed, he'd be utterly humiliated.

Thus, to boost popularity and raise distribution prices, the "Legend of Xue Rengui" crew planned to bring in a high-profile actress to anchor the cast, or several lesser-known but popular young actresses to co-star.

If conditions allowed, they could even arrange for a current popular young male actor to play the male second lead or make a guest appearance.

They were still in the research and contact phase; before any clear signs emerged, Yan Li didn't want to create trouble for himself—he'd play it safe, ready to advance or retreat.

Besides, by dragging it out, Wu Jiani could perform better privately; once the cards were laid out, her enthusiasm would drop…

…

While Yan Li was busy with work, waiting quietly for "The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng" to wrap.

Wang Jinghua finally confronted Huayi, announcing she would leave with her team; the news spread, causing uproar both inside and outside the industry.

Media rushed to Huayi for interviews; though the Wang brothers insisted everything was under control.

All artists were signed to the company and wouldn't leave—except for the two of them, Huayi could survive without anyone else.

But soon, after Chentian signed with Wang Jinghua, Huayi artists began announcing defections one after another; Xia Yu publicly declared, "We all follow Sister Hua."

The situation kept worsening; Huayi's earthquake could no longer be hidden.

The Wang brothers' tone shifted from confidence to panic—"We can't talk about this now; we're in a meeting discussing it."

According to Yan Li's "inside source" Li Xue, the Wang brothers had underestimated Wang Jinghua's ruthlessness and her appeal among artists.

They knew Wang Jinghua planned to leave and had prepared for departures, even targeting some artists for retention, so they believed she couldn't take many people with her.

But Wang Jinghua gave the Wang brothers a brutal slap in the face.

She swept away almost the entire Huayi roster in one go—no, strictly speaking, she had already emptied it.

Aside from the music company's singers, Huayi had almost no actors left; even those remaining were wavering, their attitudes ambiguous.

This forced the Wang brothers to make frantic promises and spare no cost to retain key elites.

Now it wasn't just an economic accounting—it was political accounting too.

If Chentian and Wang Jinghua really stripped Huayi bare of every artist, they couldn't answer to shareholders, and Huayi would never survive again—after all, investors and partners didn't want to deal with a "useless company."

As Huayi's flagship artists, the Two Bings were naturally the Wang brothers' top PR targets, and their decisions were closely watched by the public.

Gossip media buzzed with rumors.

Sometimes they claimed the Two Bings were leaving; sometimes they said both were staying; sometimes they claimed the two had fought, one leaving and one staying.

Li Bingbing and Li Xue, goaded by Yan Li, were demanding exorbitant terms from Huayi and were currently holding out, offering no response.

Fan Xiaopang didn't need to worry so much.

Wang Jinghua's departure from Huayi was the catalyst; her defection didn't stand out as particularly damaging—at least not as bad.

So now was the best time to respond, before things settled and she became a target if she emerged later.

Also, considering her relationship with Li Bingbing, she might be dragged into rumors that she was kicked out by Li Bingbing, making her seem inferior.

So, just after joining the cast of "The Tokyo Trial," Fan Xiaopang clearly stated to reporters that she would leave Huayi.

But when reporters later asked whether she would join Chentian, and how she viewed Chen Hao, who had already signed with Chentian, hinting at a rivalry for top female status,

Fan Xiaopang smiled faintly: "Who said I'm going to Chentian?"

The reporters' eyes lit up instantly—was there a third player in the Chentian-Huayi battle?

But when reporters pressed further, Fan Xiaopang gave no more answers—she only needed to clarify she wasn't joining either company; there was no need to drag Yi'an into the conflict.

Though Fan Xiaopang didn't say it outright, the media and netizens weren't fools—given her flirtatious behavior with Yan Li, who else could it be?

"Fan Bingbing Suspected to Join Yi'an, Entertainment Circle Sees New 'Power Couple'"

"Two Bings Battle Reignites: Yan Li Strikes to Steal the Prize"

"Insider Reveals Li Bingbing Also Heading to Yi'an; Her Sister and Manager Li Xue Remains Silent"

"The Second Round of Two Bings Competing for Yan: Who Will Be Yi'an's Future Boss Lady?"

"The Mantis Catches the Cicada, the Bird Behind Strikes: Huayi Suffers Heavy Blows"

"Yan Li Admits Poaching: Details Still Under Negotiation; Full Disclosure to Follow Later"

《……》

Jingcheng, Huayi Company

Wang Zhonglei cursed: "The Wu family has Japanese capital backing them—that's one thing—but some twenty-something kid dares to provoke a tiger's whiskers."

"Bro, if we can't touch Orange Sky, go after this brat—kill a chicken to scare the monkeys."

Wang Zhonglei's eyes turned vicious; after all these years of Huayi's growth, this was the first time the two brothers had suffered such a crushing blow, and they were seething with rage, naturally looking for someone to vent on.

"He dared to provoke you—he's not afraid of you striking back."

Wang Zhongjun's expression was grim, but he held his composure: "This kid may be young, but he's no pushover."

"He's just a country bumpkin from Shandong—there are plenty of ways to crush him."

Wang Zhongjun hated both Wang Jinghua and Yan Li intensely.

The former drained half their artists; the latter directly targeted their last flagship duo, Bingbing and Bai Bai—damn, each one more venomous than the last.

"Can a country bumpkin build a business to this scale in two or three years? Can a country bumpkin have ties with dozens of TV stations? Can a country bumpkin sell several dramas for hundreds of millions? Can a country bumpkin send Song Zhude straight to jail in three moves?"

Wang Zhongjun's barrage of questions stunned his brother, who protested: "We checked through our connections in the compound—we heard nothing about this kid having any backing."

"That's precisely why it's more terrifying."

Wang Zhongjun narrowed his eyes: either Yan Li has connections reaching the heavens, beyond our reach, or he's a ruthless powerhouse with extraordinary ability.

If he has connections reaching the heavens, no need to say more—he's definitely untouchable.

If he rose purely by his own strength, built such a vast empire, and operates in distribution, how could he possibly have no ties everywhere?

Besides, rumors circulating in certain circles say this kid is well-informed within relevant agencies—he's nothing like some lucky fool.

Even if Yan Li's rise was recent and his foundation shallow, he can't match us, the compound-bred elite.

But his personal network and wealth aren't negligible—he's no small fry. If pushed to the wall, he'll fight to the death—can Huayi walk away unscathed?

In the past, maybe it didn't matter—but now, with Huayi teetering, Orange Sky watching like a hawk, and other companies stirring, there's no need to make a mortal enemy.

"Fan Bingbing is close to him—she's probably gone for good. Li Bingbing, I doubt she truly intends to leave—she's likely using it as leverage to negotiate."

Wang Zhongjun quickly made his decision: let one go, keep the other—preserve the most valuable one, Li Bingbing.

"Also, invite him to dinner under my name. Fan Bingbing's contract is still with Huayi—she can leave, but the favor mustn't go to Wang Jinghua."

Wang Zhonglei frowned: "Bro, you mean…?"

"Exactly. Orange Sky is the real threat right now. This guy's capable—we should bring him over. At the very least, we can't let him side with the Wu family."

Compared to Yan Li, who was opportunistic, Wang Zhongjun cared most about Orange Sky—they were strong enough and aimed squarely at the movie market, posing a direct threat to Huayi.

"He steals our people, and we invite him to dinner?!"

Wang Zhonglei trembled with rage, but Wang Zhongjun's face was stern: "Even Han Xin endured the humiliation of crawling under a man's legs—what's this to us? A gentleman waits ten years to repay a grudge. Once we deal with Orange Sky, we'll settle accounts with this kid."

"But…"

Wang Zhonglei still resisted, but Wang Zhongjun had decided: "Do as I say."

"... Understood."

Though younger brother Wang Zhonglei was the one who appeared publicly more often, the real decision-maker was the elder brother—once he made up his mind, Wang Zhonglei, no matter how resentful, would obey without question.

…

Hengdian, hotel room

【Daily Intelligence 3: Huayi's Wang brothers have decided to temporarily pursue a strategy of wooing Yan Li…】

Yan Li clicked his tongue in mild disappointment—these old foxes were indeed sharp, each one capable of bending and stretching.

It was a pity he'd recently triggered this intelligence—he'd planned to release it if the Wang brothers came after him, to stir up chaos and hand Orange Sky a knife.

Now it was useless; once the intel expired, it'd be wasted.

No—wait, it wasn't useless. Wang Zhongjun was inviting him to dinner—then he'd give him the intelligence.

A show of force, plus a favor, and maybe some perks.

Yan Li had no affection for either Orange Sky or Huayi—he hoped they'd cripple each other so he could reap the benefits. So as long as neither side provoked him, he wouldn't strike either, lest he accidentally benefit the other.

From the current perspective, Huayi was weak, while Orange Sky's theater network layout conflicted somewhat with his own interests.

The enemy of my enemy is my friend—Yan Li currently leaned more toward talking with Huayi.

Of course, he knew full well what the Wang brothers were thinking—they wanted to recover and then come for him.

But Yan Li wasn't holding back either—otherwise he wouldn't have secretly encouraged Li Bingbing and Bai Bai. Once his strength was sufficient, Huayi, standing in front of him, would be his next target.

One can't blame the elder brother for the younger's faults—let's settle this with real power when the time comes!

After some thought, he organized today's daily intelligence, pulled out his phone, and called Li Bingbing.

Li Bingbing, who was at home applying a face mask and discussing negotiations with Huayi alongside her sister and team, peeled off the mask and stepped into the bedroom.

Li Xue glanced at her sister curiously—why did this call require privacy from her?

Hmm, glancing at the rest of the team, maybe she was avoiding them.

Inside the bedroom, door shut, Li Bingbing lowered her voice: "Hello."

Yan Li was surprised: "You're still awake at this hour?"

Li Bingbing rolled her eyes, irritable: "You care whether I sleep or not? Why call me now?"

"..."

Yan Li changed the subject, groaning: "You two sisters really screwed me over—I just got word that Wang Zhonglei is plotting to take me down."

"That shouldn't happen."

Li Bingbing was startled—she and her sister had seen Fan Xiaopang publicly announce his defection, so they'd decided to ride the wave, using Yan Li as a pawn to pressure Huayi into concessions.

They'd analyzed it: Huayi was under relentless pressure from Orange Sky, overwhelmed and unable to focus elsewhere.

Since Yan Li had already angered Huayi by poaching Fan Xiaopang, adding one more charge wouldn't matter—they owed Yan Li a huge favor and would repay him later.

Yan Li had agreed, even helped create momentum—but they hadn't expected a misstep on Huayi's side.

"No choice—I dug up two at once, got both brothers pissed off. They probably think I'm easy to bully, can't touch Cheng Tian, so they're gonna make an example out of me."

Yan Li's tone was low and agitated; Li Bingbing's heart churned with turmoil—he had helped out of kindness, and if he dragged Yan Li into this mess, he'd be utterly ungrateful.

"What should I do? Should I go explain things to those two brothers?"

"Useless. It's not just your issue—it's Fan Xiao too. If you go over now to plead, you'll only add fuel to the fire."

Yan Li's voice grew steadily calmer: "Stick to the original plan. Don't let them see your weakness. I'll return to Jingcheng the day after tomorrow—we'll discuss it in person."

"Alright."

Li Bingbing had no plan of his own; he instinctively followed Yan Li's lead, yet couldn't shake his guilt.

"Sorry—I've dragged you into this."

"Hey."

Yan Li dismissed it: "Same as before—it's not just your problem. I was the one who suggested stirring up trouble with Huayi. Besides, I'm not taking the blame for free—you did my play, didn't you?"

Li Bingbing didn't accept Yan Li's reasoning: "Regardless, you helped me out. This debt is huge—just doing the play won't make up for it."

"Debts like that can wait till we're back in Jingcheng. Keep your composure. Reach out anytime if there's trouble."

"Alright."

After hanging up, Li Bingbing felt heavy-hearted. He considered calling his sister over to discuss it, but then remembered it involved Yan Li—Li Xue might lose her cool—so he swallowed the words.

On the other side, Yan Li held his phone, pondering for a moment, then dialed Fan Xiaopang.

"Sis, this time, for your sake, I've really pissed off those two Huayi brothers…"

Too bad the atmosphere was tense right now—Shuang Bing couldn't meet in person. Otherwise, Yan Li mused, he could've painted the Wang brothers' actions as even worse and more vicious, piled on the pathos, and maybe even relive the glory of Shuang Bing side by side.

On July 22, after over four months of filming, "The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng" finally wrapped.

Yan Li booked a lavish wrap party to reward the entire cast and crew.

A large portion of these people would later join the "White-Haired Witch" crew in Hengdian.

Though the "White-Haired Witch" production hadn't yet begun, as the core team trained by Yi'an's Wu Xia dramas, they'd inevitably be reused in future Wu Xia projects.

Besides the crew, the director for "White-Haired Witch" had also been confirmed: Ju Jueliang.

But Wang Xinmin wouldn't be involved; as an old-school director, he still disliked Yi'an's producer-centric approach.

Though Wang Xinmin had left, Chen Yongge—who had worked with him on multiple consecutive dramas and was practically his half-disciple—would serve as Ju Jueliang's partner.

Though Chen Yongge fell far short of Wang Xinmin in crafting hard-boiled Wu Xia and street-level martial worlds, his action design was his strength.

Other aspects of a Wu Xia drama could be weak—but the fight scenes couldn't be boring.

Ju Jueliang plus Chen Yongge, plus a fully mature team, would have no trouble handling "White-Haired Witch," which had lower demands than "The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng."

As for "The Legend of Xue Rengui," Yan Li hadn't yet decided on a director. The Taiwan director recommended by producer Li Si didn't impress him.

Currently, the director he favored was Feng Xiaoning—the one who directed "Purple Sun" and "Love Across the Yellow River."

Though he rose to fame with wartime literary films, he'd also directed "The Beiyang Fleet," a historical drama with solid ratings and acclaim.

Most crucially, monthly reports showed his drama "Zhu Yuanzhang" had received favorable reviews.

Yan Li knew about this project—it had been submitted to Yi'an around the same time as "The Legend of Xue Rengui."

But Yan Li thought both scripts were too weak. "The Legend of Xue Rengui" was willing to be heavily revised, so they collaborated; this project, however, went quiet—apparently it found new investors.

Since he knew the script was weak, if it still succeeded, the director's contribution would be indispensable.

If Feng Xiaoning could make "Zhu Yuanzhang" work, then "The Legend of Xue Rengui," with a better script, more funding, and superior conditions, had no excuse to fail.

…

After the wrap party, Yan Li returned to Jingcheng. Beforehand, Wu Jiani had already gone ahead to "Detective Di Renjie 2" to find her O-jie.

As soon as the plane landed, Yan Li opened his phone—invitations poured in endlessly; he ignored them all, and told his driver Wu Maowen to drive home.

"Uh… which home?"

(End of Chapter)