Chapter 195

Jingcheng, a certain residential community

Li Xue stepped out of the bathroom and stared in surprise at Li Bingbing, who was changing shoes at the door.

"Sis, are you going out?"

Li Bingbing froze mid-movement, then replied calmly, "Yeah, meeting a friend."

"A friend?"

Li Xue frowned. Li Bingbing had a cheerful personality and good social connections—she often went out for meals or gatherings.

But what time was this?

The negotiations with Huayi had failed; the team had been working around the clock discussing and researching. For the past two days, Li Bingbing had been so anxious she couldn't sleep, dark circles under her eyes—so why was she suddenly going out to meet a friend?

"Yeah, this friend of mine knows a lot of people. Might have some insider info. I'm going to ask around."

Li Bingbing, seasoned and composed, spoke without hesitation. Li Xue nodded—this explanation was plausible.

She turned toward the bedroom: "I'll change clothes. I'll come with you."

"Uh, no need. I don't know this person well. Bringing you along would be inappropriate. Stay home and wait for news."

Li Bingbing found another excuse. Li Xue, hearing this, dropped the matter.

"Be careful on the way. Call if anything happens."

"I know. How old do you think I am? Are you my sister or am I your sister?"

Li Bingbing grumbled as she slipped on her shoes and stepped out. Li Xue returned to bed to catch more sleep, but something felt off.

Meeting a friend—why go all made-up? And had she even styled her hair?

And that dress Li Bingbing was wearing—Li Xue remembered it was bought at Henglong Plaza in Shanghai, cost two or three ten thousand, she'd praised how nice it looked, yet Li Bingbing had worn it only once. Now she'd paired it with silk stockings.

Normally, when meeting friends privately, her sister dressed casually—familiar ones even showed up in a baseball cap or no makeup.

For less familiar or more important meetings, she dressed neatly—but never this meticulously.

It didn't look like a friend meeting—it looked like… a date?!

Li Xue scratched her head. No, if her sister were dating, she wouldn't hide it.

She wasn't just her biological sister—she was also her agent. If romance caused any scandal, Li Xue needed to know in advance to intervene and clean up the mess.

Could it be her sister had some secret burden, afraid of worrying her, going alone to face it alone?

Li Xue couldn't help imagining all sorts of scenarios.

It wasn't surprising she speculated—Li Bingbing's mood had been off these past two days. When asked, she wouldn't say anything. Extremely unusual. Now that she looked back, it was probably "struggling and hesitating."

No, she had to follow and see!

Li Xue couldn't sit still. Sisters, no matter what, had to share the burden together.

If something went wrong, she had to stop her sister from doing something foolish. It was just a Huayi contract—better to earn less than sacrifice so much.

She quickly changed clothes and rushed toward the community gate—but too late. Li Bingbing had already driven off.

She called—no answer.

Li Xue's heart sank. She could only return home, frustrated, and wait for Li Bingbing to come back.

Haidian, Wanquan Xinxin Jiayuan

Li Bingbing parked her car and, following the text message address, arrived at a seven-story residential building. She took the elevator to the third floor.

She knocked on the door—no response. She called. Then, scowling, she reached into the electricity meter box, found a piece of tape, peeled it off, pulled out a key, and opened the door.

The apartment was spacious—roughly over 150 square meters.

The renovation was elegant, furniture and appliances complete, but there were no signs of daily life—clearly not lived in long-term. Still, it was clean, likely maintained by regular cleaning staff.

She took a bottle of water from the fridge, checked the expiration date—still good—and drank while watching TV, waiting.

She'd seen the missed calls from her sister but didn't know how to reply. She'd deal with it after this was over.

On TV, the local channel aired "Little Fish and Hua Wuke," where Jiang Yuyan, dressed in imperial robes, used Xiao Yuer as a tennis racket.

Li Bingbing sipped her water. This drama had aired two months ago.

Though not yet broadcast on national channels, it had achieved excellent ratings on multiple regional stations. With the online rights sold, online buzz was also significant.

Coupled with the recent hit "The First Under Heaven," Wang Pangzi's two Wu Xia dramas had both become wildly popular.

Regardless of critical reception, they clearly demonstrated his strength as a commercial director.

Wang Pangzi seized the momentum and launched "The Eight Heroic Warriors," assembling numerous stars from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the mainland. Li Bingbing played the female lead.

Rumor had it they wanted Fan Xiaopang to join, riding the "Double Bing" hype.

But Fan Xiaopang was busy filming "The Investiture of the Gods" and "The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng," had no availability, and with the "Double Bing vs. Yan Li" feud still intense, it was too risky to appear together—so she declined.

But Li Bingbing and her sister suspected this was likely Yan Li's doing.

The hotter the "Double Bing" brand became, the more they clashed—and the more valuable their joint appearance became.

As the mastermind behind the "Double Bing" rivalry and its beneficiary, how could Yan Li let this gimmick go to someone else?

So when Wang Pangzi tried to make it happen, Yan Li sabotaged it, snatched Fan Xiaopang away, and crushed Huayi's hopes—ensuring only he could ever reunite the "Double Bing" again.

Once the "Double Bing" brand grew even stronger, this gimmick alone would be worth tens of millions.

Yan Li made no effort to hide this.

He'd once half-jokingly, half-seriously said: "Wang never meets Wang. But once Wang meets Wang, attention spikes—and that's a goldmine. Filming a drama is too modest—it should be a commercial movie, cash in big."

As she pondered this, the doorbell rang. Li Bingbing opened the door. Yan Li stepped in.

Li Bingbing couldn't hold back her irritation: "You invited me to your place—and you weren't even here?"

"Well, uh—"

Yan Li looked embarrassed: "I don't live here normally. And I never thought you'd come so early—I figured you'd show up in the afternoon."

As he spoke, he searched for slippers, but there were too few—he couldn't even find the shoe rack.

Li Bingbing helped him find them, changed into a pair herself, and complained about how crudely he'd hidden his key.

"Aren't you afraid of theft?"

Although this Wanquan Xinxin Community is of decent quality in Haidian, with relatively solid security and anti-theft measures, these days, burglaries in villa districts aren't uncommon.

"I don't live here much anyway—just some furniture and appliances, nothing worth stealing."

Yan Li wasn't concerned; even if it were stolen, his intelligence system could scan it faster than the police could solve the case.

"Even if there are no thieves, if neighbors start rummaging around or messing with things, that's no good—pay attention."

Li Bingbing, as a public figure, is particularly sensitive about the privacy and security of her residence.

"No neighbors."

Yan Li explained: "Only my unit on this floor is occupied; the neighbors are vacant."

"What if someone moves in later?"

"Impossible—both units are mine."

Li Bingbing: "???"

Yan Li took a key from the TV cabinet and led her to the adjacent unit; the area was roughly the same, but without luxury finishes—only basic plumbing, electricity, doors, windows, and flooring installed.

"I originally bought just one unit, but the neighbor's business failed and they sold it cheaply; I bought it for the peace and quiet."

"I originally planned to connect both units, but since I don't live here much, selling them later would be harder if they were merged, so I left them separate."

Li Bingbing: "..."

Although property prices in Haidian don't match those of the inner four districts or Chaoyang, this community is near Yiheyuan, Zhongguancun, and Haidian Park, surrounded by several universities, and its status is high—estimated to start at several thousand per square meter.

Combined, the two units total roughly 300 square meters—that's two or three million yuan alone.

Such an expensive property, left idle most of the time—isn't that a bit too extravagant?

"Extravagant?"

Yan Li dismissed it; he needed a private base, and two or three million yuan meant nothing to him—besides, real estate can retain and even increase in value.

"If you two sisters have spare cash, you could buy a few units in this area—there are many schools here, and the appreciation potential is high."

Yan Li casually revealed a small investment opportunity—he'd learned from the system that property values in this area would rise significantly in the future.

Even without the system, it was obvious: the surroundings included Zhongguancun, schools, scenic spots, and mature infrastructure—all designed to become a high-end community, destined to become one of Haidian's core districts.

Yan Li mentioned it offhand, but Li Bingbing actually began seriously considering it.

Although the two sisters might have analyzed this themselves, analyzing it didn't mean they could make a firm decision.

But Yan Li carried too many commercial halos; his insight and ability were always trusted by Li Bingbing and her sister—his suggestion instantly tipped the scales in her mind.

Back in the fully renovated unit, Li Bingbing quickly brought up the real matter.

These past two days, she'd been anxious about dragging Yan Li into trouble and hadn't slept well.

Yan Li paused, then began fabricating: "They haven't moved yet—they're probably probing my weaknesses. The few tactics against me are limited: smear campaigns to ruin my reputation, sabotage projects to make me lose money, or targeting me through official channels."

"Smear campaigns create too much noise and risk my counterattack; they're busy dealing with Chengtian right now and likely lack the energy or funds."

"Sabotaging projects? I operate independently; my investors are just profit-sharing partners with no real influence, and the companies I work with aren't easily obstructed—those guys don't have the capability."

"Compared to their background, the easiest and most lethal move against me is through official channels: tax audits, bureaucratic delays, or targeting me or my inner circle."

"..."

Yan Li was fabricating, but also simulating in his mind.

Future conflicts were inevitable—he'd eventually face these tactics, or even use them himself.

Hmm, beyond these tactics, he could also use intelligence for targeted strikes and sow discord.

This idea came from his last encounter with Song Zhude.

He exploited hidden secrets; no one thought of a system—their first reaction was always that someone close had betrayed them.

Yan Li could use intelligence for counter-espionage—even if he didn't spark internal conflict, he could make them grow suspicious of each other and cut off their own arm.

If played skillfully, this tactic could even force a massive purge within the enemy camp.

After all, in any conflict, it's not the enemy's strength that's feared—it's a traitor in your own ranks stabbing you in the back...

Yan Li was lost in these thoughts, while Li Bingbing's face had gone pale.

"It can't be that brutal."

"Not brutal? Wait until I recover and confront them? These two brothers are smart—they either don't strike, or they strike to crush you completely, leaving no room to fight back."

"Then what do we do?"

Li Bingbing was panicked; before coming, she thought even if Yan Li couldn't resolve it, at worst he'd suffer losses, and she'd make up for it later.

But now it seemed like a life-or-death struggle—if Yan Li's hundreds of millions were at stake, even if the two sisters combined their fortunes, they couldn't cover the loss.

"Don't panic."

Yan Li realized he'd overdone the scare—she might go beg those two brothers for mercy, and that'd be a disaster—he quickly backtracked.

"They're capable, but I'm not useless—if caught off guard, I might take a big hit, but now that I've heard the rumors, their advantage is greatly diminished."

"These two brothers aren't stubborn—they've already gotten the message, and we'll meet to talk soon."

Li Bingbing replied: "Then I'll go with you."

"No need—you just trust my word."

Yan Li displayed his confidence: "Relax—those two old fools are bullies who pick on the weak; they can't touch me."

Seeing his confidence, Li Bingbing felt slightly reassured, her expression complex: "This is really a trouble for you."

If not for the two sisters using Yan Li as leverage against Huayi, he wouldn't have clashed with the Wang brothers.

"It's nothing—I've said it multiple times: this isn't just your issue; you're merely the trigger. The real key is Fan Xiao Fan. Besides, if we're not on the same path, conflict was inevitable."

Yan Li didn't take all the credit—he comforted Li Bingbing, deepening her guilt and emotion.

Since meeting the two sisters, Yan Li had always helped them.

The only thing he asked in return was a role in "Huan Tian Xi Di."

As for the hype partnership with Shuang Bing, although she indeed lifted Fan Xiaopang considerably and helped "Huan Tian Xi Di Qi Xian Nü,"

she also gained substantial benefits herself—her current exposure and topic popularity are inseparable from Yan Li's planning, a mutually beneficial arrangement.

Hmm, at most, she'd endure one more time being stacked by this bastard and Fan Xiaopang, but he also promised not to touch her sister Li Xue.

Thinking this over, Li Bingbing felt she owed Yan Li deeply, even bordering on greed.

Fan Xiaopang may have gained much, but he truly worked for Yan Li; she, however, took all the advantages without giving anything, and this time nearly dragged Yan Li into a massive fall.

The more Li Bingbing thought, the more ashamed she became: "That show you mentioned—I'll fully cooperate. If that's not enough, I'll give you another one. I'll make sure you're satisfied."

"The show isn't urgent."

Seeing Li Bingbing agree to act, Yan Li set it aside and bent his head to study her stockings.

"You said last time you'd repay your debt—exactly how do you plan to do it?"

Seeing his expression, Li Bingbing's mood improved considerably; since she'd come to him today and had even dressed up specially, she'd anticipated this moment.

This dog of a man is insatiable for lust; she has no money or resources like him—besides helping him with films, she can only compensate him this way.

Of course, Li Bingbing herself didn't reject it; she even harbored a quiet anticipation.

Last time, when they were stacked together, though embarrassing, Yan Li's ferocity left an extremely deep impression on her—she couldn't help replaying it in her mind from time to time.

Li Bingbing was already in her thirties, with considerable needs.

Yan Li's status, temperament, appearance, physique, ability, plus their relationship—he was a fairly perfect… partner for her.

"You say how to repay it—then that's how it'll be done."

A thirty-something widow who's seen and experienced much is far more open than a young girl; Li Bingbing, with the boldness of a Northeastern girl, was even more… straightforward.

Yan Li was very satisfied—sisters may be pretty and cute, but sometimes older sisters know how to care for a man…

…

In the morning, Li Bingbing left and didn't return home until eleven at night.

She quietly opened the door, dared not turn on the lights, and was just about to slip off her shoes and head to her room when a muffled sound came from the sofa.

"Sis, you're back."

"Mm."

Li Bingbing gave a guilty reply and turned to head for the bedroom: "I'm exhausted—I'm going to sleep."

But click—the light in the living room snapped on. Li Xue was watching her sister, her eyes slowly reddening.

Her stockings were gone, the neckline of her skirt loose, her face flushed and slightly weary.

Li Bingbing instinctively adjusted her clothes, unable to meet her sister's gaze.

Could she have figured it out?

Li Bingbing had always wanted to make this clear to her sister, to end her feelings for Yan Li.

But she feared her sister would get angry, that they'd fall out, so she'd never found the right moment.

Besides, she had a selfish motive—once this was out in the open, her sister would give up, and she herself wouldn't be able to meet Yan Li privately anymore.

Li Bingbing was somewhat reluctant to let go, so she kept delaying, even convincing herself she was watching over Yan Li and honoring her promise not to touch Li Xue.

If it were purely for Li Xue's sake, Li Bingbing would accept being misunderstood—but with her own selfish motives involved, it was no longer honorable.

So she found it hard to face her sister; now, caught red-handed by Li Xue, she felt even more like a thief caught in the act.

But Li Bingbing was wrong—Li Xue, seeing this scene, assumed her sister had done something she didn't want to see, and seeing how "tormented" she looked, couldn't help feeling pity for her.

Li Bingbing: "..."

It really was quite "terrible"—last time, with Fan Xiaopang's help, though she'd been utterly defeated, it was still within limits.

This time, facing Yan Li alone, and having promised him he could go all out, she'd returned home with legs too weak to drive—he'd personally brought her back.

They say a woman at thirty is like a she-wolf, at forty like a tiger—but none can withstand a real-life "Tai Sui God"…

Too embarrassed to explain, she planned to make it up later, gave a few simple soothing words, and stumbled dizzily back to her bedroom.

Seeing this, Li Xue grew even more heartbroken and furious, returned to her own room, thought for a moment, and sent Yan Li a text.

【You have wide connections—can you help me look something up?】

Yan Li was awake; seeing this, he assumed there was trouble with Li Bingbing's team and immediately replied to ask.

【Find out who my sister has been close to lately. The company's negotiations are stalled, and she said she's seeking help—I think it's unreliable. Help me find out.】

Li Xue didn't dare say it outright, hinted obliquely; Yan Li fell silent for a moment, then replied: 【Okay.】

【Thank you.】

Li Xue was deeply moved—Yan Li had no deep financial ties to the two sisters, yet he never hesitated to help.

Her sister always accuses him of being promiscuous—but isn't a man who isn't promiscuous always dependable in a crisis?

If she'd been with Yan Li, today's incident might never have happened; if her sister were mistreated, Yan Li's nature would make him stand up for them both.

【It's been a long time since we last met. After this busy stretch, let me treat you to dinner—it's my thanks for all your help with us sisters.】

"..."

On the way back to Xinxin Jiayuan, Yan Li stared at his phone message, not replying immediately.

Eating one fish two ways was fine—Li and Fan wouldn't cross-check accounts.

But Li Xue—he truly dared not touch her now, both to honor his promise and because he understood Li Bingbing's sensitivity about this.

They were real sisters; the situation was completely different from Shuang Bing. If he messed around, Li Bingbing would truly tear him apart…

————

The next day, Yi'an Film & Television

Yan Li arrived at his office, hadn't even sat down when Hu Ya knocked.

"Boss, Yu Zheng is here."

"Let him in."

A moment later, Yu Zheng entered the room wearing glasses: "Director Yan, hello."

"Sit down."

Yan Li stood up and sat on the sofa; compared to last time, he now regarded this person with greater importance.

【Monthly Intelligence x: "The Beauty's Scheme" became a huge hit; award-winning screenwriter and producer Yu Zheng spoke at length about public controversies...】

Last time, Yan Li had noticed that this person excelled at uncovering melodramatic love triangles—controversy was inevitable, but it also easily went viral, earning him the title of a 【Magical Pen】.

The monthly intelligence further confirmed this: he was a "rough gem."

However, Yu Zheng was still immature at this stage; his submitted script for "The Qing Imperial Harem" felt artificially profound and overly sentimental, with obvious echoes of others' works.

Yan Li didn't mind controversy, but plagiarism was another matter—it would ruin the company's reputation.

Even if you want to draw inspiration, do it more cleverly.

Imitation and adaptation are too common in the film and television industry; merely sharing a similar framework or partial character designs absolutely does not count as plagiarism. Yu Zheng isn't a newcomer—he should be able to make the traces far less obvious.

So Yan Li sent back "The Qing Imperial Harem" for rewriting, deleting those sensitive plot points.

Yu Zheng was still fairly obedient; this was normal in the screenwriting industry—writers grew uncomfortable if they weren't forced to revise.

After the script was reorganized, though it still bore the shadow of "Jin Zhiyu," it was far from plagiarism—at most, it was following the trend.

Similar situations were far too common in the film and television circle; even if some controversy remained, it was largely harmless.

After all, if you took it too seriously, "Jin Zhiyu" itself, when making Qing palace dramas, was also following the trend...

However, because the subsequent "The Legend of Yang Yuhuan" involved some palace intrigue, Yan Li had Fan Xiaopang choose the Wu Xia topic "The White-Haired Demoness," and "The Qing Imperial Harem" project was put on hold.

Yu Zheng was unwilling to give up and actively lobbied for it himself.

The guy actually had some connections—he not only convinced senior executives in the film department to speak on his behalf, but even Fan Xiaopang spoke well of him.

Yan Li could reassess "The Qing Imperial Harem"; this time, upon returning to Beijing, he called Yu Zheng in to discuss the project.

Yu Zheng had clearly prepared thoroughly and even produced a dedicated report.

Having been at the company so long, he knew Yan Li wasn't the type to indulge in empty formalities—especially regarding film and television projects, where commercial returns and corporate interests were heavily prioritized, so he focused his pitch on these aspects.

Currently, Qing-era themes were a non-negligible part of the television market.

Many popular films and TV dramas were set in the Qing dynasty, accumulating broad influence and a solid market foundation among audiences.

Beyond the popular rumors about loyalist remnants, the film industry's obsession with Qing-era themes had several key reasons: abundant historical records, trend-chasing, fictionalized storytelling, and lenient censorship.

Abundant historical records meant plentiful source material, easy adaptation, and strong folk influence.

Trend-chasing ensured both upper and lower limits of success once the market was cultivated—film companies eager to profit naturally favored this genre.

Fictionalized storytelling and censorship were especially critical.

Many dynasties were hard to adapt; fictionalized or secret-history plots often involved heavy distortion or even defamation, easily sparking controversy—but these issues were far less severe when set in the Qing dynasty.

Due to modern history, the Qing dynasty had become a dumping ground—any dirt or filth could be poured into it without consequence.

For example, in "The Qing Imperial Harem," various concubines falling in love and giving the emperor green hats—unthinkable in other dynasties, but in a Qing setting, most audiences accepted it well.

Censorship was also relatively relaxed; as long as no sensitive elements were involved, approval was almost guaranteed.

Combined, these factors made Qing-era themes a vital branch of today's television market, with Qing palace dramas especially popular.

There was a saying that 99% of male actors had shaved their heads at least once—proof of the genre's dominance.

So Yu Zheng believed "The Qing Imperial Harem" had excellent market prospects, even stronger than "The White-Haired Demoness."

Currently, Wu Xia themes were oversaturated; "The White-Haired Demoness" had low original novel recognition and clichéd plotlines; its only selling point was Fan Xiaopang himself—far less commercially valuable than "The Qing Imperial Harem."

Moreover, he believed "The Qing Imperial Harem" could launch stars.

"The White-Haired Demoness" only highlighted Fan Xiaopang, maybe adding a male lead, but "The Qing Imperial Harem" had several standout roles—just look at "Jin Zhiyu," which launched multiple stars at once.

"..."

Worried Yan Li might counter with funding allocated to "The White-Haired Demoness," Yu Zheng shifted his attack to that very project, aiming to replace it.

The company's current funds and personnel could barely manage two projects.

"The Legend of Xue Rengui" was being starred in by Yan Li himself—he dared not touch it; if he could sabotage "The White-Haired Demoness," "The Qing Imperial Harem" would have a chance.

Of course, he knew this drama was meant to promote Fan Xiaopang—but couldn't he just move Fan Xiaopang over to "The Qing Imperial Harem"?

This drama was a Qing palace piece; the female lead was the absolute protagonist, no worse than "The White-Haired Demoness."

Yu Zheng rambled on at length; Yan Li fell silent for a while but gave no clear response, only saying he would consider it upon returning.

Leaving Yan Li's office in anxious uncertainty, Yu Zheng felt he couldn't just wait—he needed to act.

Fan Xiaopang was the best opening, but he dared not get too close, or it might cause misunderstandings and backfire.

After much thought, Yu Zheng spotted Zhang Songwen arriving at the company, and his eyes lit up.

How could he have forgotten these people? If they all spoke up together, their influence would surpass half of Fan Xiaopang's.

Moreover, they were close to Director Yan, knew more inside information—if he could extract even one or two other key figures, it would be a new breakthrough.

Yu Zheng smiled warmly as he approached Zhang Songwen, chatting casually, praising his acting, and steadily building rapport.

Yan Li didn't care about Yu Zheng's private maneuvers.

When you reach a certain position, countless people can gain enormous benefits through you—how many will try to flatter, study, or scheme against you?

The daily intelligence Yan Li now triggered included a significant proportion of people scheming behind his back to achieve their own ends.

Because there were too many, the system ignored those of low importance or minimal interaction—otherwise, even a compilation would overwhelm the trigger limit.

Yan Li now understood why those emperors and bigwigs were so suspicious by nature.

Human hearts are fickle; when the vast majority of people interact with you with ulterior motives, and you don't know what they truly intend behind your back, you can only adopt a conservative, defensive mindset.

Over time, even good people could be driven mad!

But seeing through it all saved some trouble—and had its own drawbacks: too many negative thoughts and emotions, and seeing too much of it was exhausting.

So Yan Li often sought ways to relieve and release tension, to prevent his own mind from deteriorating.

Qin Lan was a spiritual harbor for Yan Li; among all the women, she had the fewest distracting thoughts, her heart soft and delicate, offering Yan Li the greatest care and tolerance.

When Yan Li felt suppressed and down, he greatly enjoyed being with her—it felt healing.

But recently, someone had emerged to compete with Yan Li for Qin Lan's attention.

Yan Li had no way to deal with the rival; Qin Lan protected the other fiercely, leaving Yan Li no chance to act.

Guanghua Li

When Yan Li opened the door, he heard two dog barks; after changing his shoes and entering the living room, he saw Qin Lan fussing over that white Teddy dog.

"Good boy, Ball, don't move—Mommy's going to apply medicine."

Seeing Yan Li, Qin Lan patted the dog's head and beamed: "Look, Daddy's back."

"Woof woof."

Yan Li: "..."

Wang Ou would surely look utterly stunned if he found out he suddenly had a dog brother...

This dog of Qin Lan's was a stray she'd picked up on the street not long ago.

Supposedly, they'd met three times before; each time, the little Teddy followed her obediently all the way to the residential compound before parting ways.

Qin Lan felt the dog had spirit and a karmic bond with her, so she took it in—even ignoring its skin disease, applying medicine daily.

They were inseparable at home and took the dog everywhere; even Yan Li felt neglected, making him seriously consider dumping the thing back onto the streets.

To put it simply, Yan Li and Qin Lan held completely different views on dog ownership.

Qin Lan treated the dog as a pet—to play with and relieve boredom.

Moreover, since she'd lost a puppy as a child, she'd attached some emotional attachment to it.

Yan Li had grown up in the countryside; dogs were kept as dogs—tied in the yard to guard the house, given just enough food to keep from starving.

There was some affection, but not much; far from treating it like a son.

He didn't oppose Qin Lan keeping a dog, but thought it should be useful—like barking when strangers intruded.

But this little snorter Qin Lan kept? Even big rats might outmatch it in a fight, let alone scare off criminals.

Still, Qin Lan doted on it so fiercely that Yan Li just let it be.

After all, Dong Xuan had Guan Yue as her inseparable best friend, but Qin Lan didn't have such a close companion; and due to her profession, they saw little of each other—keeping a dog for company wasn't bad.

"Once its skin improves, take it to a pet shop and get it neutered—save it from going into heat, barking and causing chaos, and avoid a whole litter of puppies."

Still, Yan Li set one condition; Qin Lan hesitated slightly but didn't object.

When she'd gotten the dog vaccinated and bought its skin medicine, she'd inquired—neutering could extend a dog's lifespan, reduce illnesses, and make its temperament gentler and more obedient.

It wasn't just dogs; other mammals showed the same trend—data showed male neutering could extend lifespan by up to 50 percent...

Looking at Qin Lan's eyes, Yan Li felt a chill between his legs; he stepped back silently and warned sharply.

"What are you thinking?!"

Qin Lan slapped her own forehead—she'd gone mad. If she neutered Yan Li, what would she use... ugh, what would she rely on to have children? She couldn't really treat the dog as her actual son.

She had calmed down, but Yan Li still felt shaken.

What the hell was wrong with these women? Had he pushed them too far?

Last time, Dong Xuan had shouted about poisoning him; this time, Qin Lan was even more ruthless—she didn't even care about her future happiness.

No, he'd have to be more low-key from now on—no more arrogance. The system had delays; if someone flipped their jealousy switch one day, got hot-headed, and—crack—no amount of money would matter...

(End of Chapter)