Chapter 201: The Women Are Broken—Who Said There Can Be Only One Crown?

On September 16, Yan Li spent Fan Xiaopang's birthday at home; the two didn't leave the house all day.

Meanwhile, outside, news about Fan Xiaopang's signing ceremony began to spread.

As television broadcasts and edited segments from information programs aired, the incident's influence grew larger, and media and online outlets began digging deeply into every detail of the signing ceremony.

…

【It is understood that Yi'an arranged for Fan Bingbing endorsements and advertisements across multiple fields, including clothing, cosmetics, video games, automobiles, and more, with brands such as Head & Shoulders, Yulandou, Grey Mouse Casual Wear, and Changan Ford…】

【A source revealed that Fan's total income from these endorsements and ads is approximately 8 to 14 million, earning her the title of Gold-Digging Queen…】

Wang Ou, who returned to Beijing to discuss the script of Great Qing Harem with Yu Zheng, saw this news after their meeting—her eyes turned purple with rage.

The boss is clueless!!!

Watching Fan Xiaopang rake in so much money made Wang Ou feel worse than being killed herself.

She couldn't help calling her agent, Jia Qian, head of Yi'an's artist agency.

After all, she was the company's second sister; not all endorsements and ads could go to Fan Xiaopang alone.

Jia Qian currently manages only two artists: Wang Ou and Fan Xiaopang.

But Fan Xiaopang has her own team brought over from Huayi, enjoys greater autonomy, and some business matters are personally overseen by Yan Li; Jia Qian, as her nominal agent, is more of a collaborator.

In contrast, every aspect of Wang Ou's career is fully managed by Jia Qian.

Even securing Wang Ou the female lead in Great Qing Harem required Jia Qian's efforts—originally, the production team wanted a more famous actress, and even Yan Li's recommendation, Hu Siyan, was once favored over Wang Ou.

After all, Hu was a well-known rising star; Wang Ou was still relatively unknown.

It was Jia Qian's planning—applying internal pressure through the artist agency and having Wang Ou approach Yan Li directly, balancing public and private channels—that ultimately won her the lead role.

Thus, Jia Qian and Wang Ou have grown closer; Wang trusts her and speaks her mind when dissatisfied.

"Don't just be jealous—she earns a lot, and she brings the company a lot too."

Jia Qian naturally favors Wang Ou emotionally, but as an agent and head of Yi'an's artist agency, she firmly stands by Fan Xiaopang.

"Don't rush—you're just starting out, not yet famous, and few ads are willing to hire you at high prices."

"Once your next few dramas air and your fame rises, the company will definitely assign you projects."

"Trust me—and more importantly, trust Manager Yan. We absolutely want you to take more ads and earn more money."

"How about this? I'll ask Manager Yan if we can secure two endorsements and some variety show invitations for you."

"Change your mindset. She's powerful—you can't resist her. Better to cling to her leg, flatter her, and maybe she'll pull you along. Your fame is low; with her backing, exposure and other benefits won't be lacking."

…

Wang Ou felt wronged—she wanted to flatter Fan Xiaopang, but that sly fox refused to include her.

Unless she broke up with Yan Li, but that would be trading a watermelon for a sesame seed, becoming Fan's loyal dog forever.

After much thought, Wang Ou decided the breakthrough still lay with Yan Li.

Whether endorsements or other resources, ultimately, Yan Li had the final say.

Great Qing Harem was exactly like that—Jia Qian fought hard for her, the production team kept delaying, until Yan Li stepped in and made the final decision; no director, producer, or investor dared object again.

Thinking this over, Wang Ou pulled out her phone and began her daily brainwashing routine on Wu Jiani.

She alone couldn't match Fan Xiaopang; if she brought Wu Jiani along, maybe they could at least resist a little.

…

【……The investment for Mo Gong was 150 million RMB, a collaboration among Chinese, Japanese, and Korean actors targeting the Asian market, starring Li Tianwang…】

【Surprisingly, even after leaving Huayi, Fan Bingbing still landed the female lead role. Combined with the presence of Wang Zhonglei and Wang Jinghua—this pair of bitter rivals—at her signing ceremony, it's unclear whether Fan Bingbing herself played both sides or whether her behind-the-scenes master, Yan Li, is simply brilliant…】

【The investment for The White-Haired Witch exceeded 20 million RMB… Yi'an revealed plans for a historical epic tailored specifically for Fan Xiaopang, costing tens of millions, and combined with the previously massive-budgeted The Investiture of the Gods, Yan Li has already invested over 100 million in Fan Bingbing…】

Hu Siyan looked at the newspaper article with a sour expression, wondering if Yan Li had been bewitched by Fan Xiaopang.

Why is he treating her so well?!

Thinking again of Fan Xiaopang's dazzling signing ceremony yesterday, today's overwhelming media coverage, and all the favors she received from Yan Li.

Hu Siyan grew increasingly bitter—why didn't Yan Li choose her?

If Yan Li gave her even one-third of Fan Xiaopang's treatment, she'd be willing to bear his children.

…

【……Agent Jia Qian stated that future plans will comprehensively develop Fan Bingbing across film, television, fashion, and commerce, with deliberate efforts to expand overseas into Asian and global markets…】

"Hmph."

Li Bingbing tossed the magazine aside disdainfully: "Expand overseas? Does she even know which door to open?"

"Sis, don't underestimate her—she may be weak, but she's got Yan Li."

Li Xue frowned; she'd heard Yan Li had been close to Hong Kong and Taiwan recently—if they used those as a springboard, breaking into Japan and Korea wouldn't be hard.

At this stage, domestic stars are still popular in Asia; Fan Xiaopang starred in Huanzhu Gege and already has a solid fan base.

Films and TV dramas are hard to secure for now, but through endorsements and commercial deals, it's still a viable path.

"She really did latch onto the right leg."

Li Bingbing's tone was bitter, tinged with hidden regret.

When she snatched the female lead in Mobile, she and Fan Bingbing pulled far apart—she'd been proud then, but now it was hard to say whether it was good or bad.

Becoming Huayi's top star further bound her to Huayi; she neither dared nor wanted to leave easily.

Unlike Fan Xiaopang, who had few constraints and no attachments, she directly pursued Yan Li and joined Yi'an.

At the time, Yan Li was inferior to Huayi; even now, he still lagged in status.

But the key was Yan Li's rise was too fast!

In just a few years, he already controlled several multi-million-dollar projects and became the King of Film Distribution, drawing industry attention through his distribution advantage, and leveraging that to secure TV station and commercial resources.

Right now, all these resources are concentrated on Fan Xiaopang alone—enough to make Li Bingbing tremble.

If this pace continues, before long, even if Yan Li can't catch up to Huayi, he'll become a dominant force within the industry.

Li Bingbing sometimes even wondered what if she had chosen Yi'an too…

She shook her head and dispelled this unrealistic thought; within a short time, she could not leave Huayi, and Yi'an's scale couldn't support two Bingbings.

"Go chat with General Wang and the others. Since I'm staying, shouldn't we also have a ceremony?"

Fan Xiaopang's grand signing ceremony had indeed stirred something in Li Bingbing, making her want one too.

"I already said so."

Li Xue sneered: "It's not just us pushing for it—the Zhou team seems to have the same idea too; those two brothers are pulling their hair out over it."

Yi'an threw money around to build momentum for the company and Fan Xiaopang, aiming for a stunning debut, so they were especially generous with spending.

But this kind of thing, the first one to try it is the freshest; those who follow later don't get nearly the same effect.

Besides, Yi'an only has one Fan Xiaopang; no matter how much they spend, it's a one-time consumption.

Huayi has many artists—not just Li Bingbing and Young Master Zhou—there may be other important artists signing later; if you give ceremonies to these two, you can't leave the others out.

If the ceremony is too shabby, both artists and fans will be dissatisfied.

But if every single one gets a ceremony on Fan Xiaopang's level, the money will be spent like water.

The Wang brothers privately cursed Yan Li for ruining people.

But Li Bingbing and her sister didn't care; they quietly watched how Huayi responded.

She's more popular than Fan Xiaopang; her ceremony should be better and grander.

If it's equal to or worse than Fan Xiaopang's, then the Wang brothers are just stingy.

By the way, Young Master Zhou's side too—as a new artist, he can't surpass her, the number one.

…

【……Besides investments in her career, Yan Li is also very generous with beauties personally—he first gifted her a million-yuan Mercedes G-Class, then spent tens of millions to "redeem" Fan Xiaopang……This signing ceremony cost nearly two million, inviting countless big-name media figures to attend……】

【……Professionals revealed that the gemstone necklace Fan Xiaopang wears is from a famous French luxury brand……worth roughly 300,000 yuan; other accessories are also valuable……】

【……When asked about the rumored ten-million-yuan signing fee, Yi'an's representative gave no direct response, citing business confidentiality; insiders revealed the fee might be even higher than public rumors and includes equity clauses……】

After speaking with her lawyer, Huang Shengyi returned to her hotel and heard the TV program's introduction; her weary eyes showed a flicker of irritation.

It's just a signing—why keep showing off endlessly?!

She turned off the TV, took a deep breath, but couldn't hold back—she slammed the remote control hard onto the floor.

Lately, she's been trapped in an online storm; despite high exposure, her image and reputation have plummeted.

Worse still, terminating her contract wasn't as smooth as she imagined—the two sides ended up in court, and her legal fees were nearly as high as the termination penalty.

That Yang Young Master who kept promising to fix everything for her didn't have nearly the power she thought.

The only thing he could do was pay her legal fees and help her contact drama crews and ads, securing more work.

This was no different from what Yan Li had offered her originally—no, it was even worse.

Yan Li lent her money to pay the termination fee, intervened directly, and let her leave Xinghui smoothly without damaging her image or reputation.

Then he introduced her to resources and film roles; with Yan Li's strength, the offers would've been top-tier and effortless—unlike now, where she scrambles for every job, busier even than when she was at Xinghui.

Back then, Yang Young Master told her that Yan Li lending her money and making her act to repay it was exploiting her, with malicious intent.

But now, most of the money she worked hard to earn goes to Yang Young Master for lawsuits, leaving her with barely anything.

If she loses the lawsuit, she'll owe even more—termination fee plus legal fees—and her reputation will be ruined.

Her own hardships and setbacks she could endure, but seeing another woman shine brilliantly under Yan Li's help—this contrast was painfully sharp.

If only she'd listened to her senior brother back then, paid to terminate her contract, and found a way to join Yi'an—would Fan Xiaopang's everything now be hers?

Huang Shengyi knew this line of thinking was biased, but she couldn't help it—the worse things got, the more she couldn't stop thinking it.

Just then, her phone rang; a voice full of smug pride came through the line.

"Shengyi, some friends are coming over—come join us for dinner. You've got half an hour, hurry up."

"Mm."

Huang Shengyi answered, hung up, tried to stand up and change clothes—but her foot slipped, and she fell to the ground.

She rubbed her aching ankle; pain mingled with regret, tears streaming down her face…

…

Guanghua Li and Beiying Community

【……Fan Mu openly said Yan Li had treated their family very well, and she was pleased with Fan Xiaopang's choice……As the saying goes, a mother-in-law's view of her son-in-law grows ever more favorable……】

【……Fan Bingbing said Yan Li's meticulously prepared signing ceremony was the best birthday gift she'd ever received at twenty-four……Money doesn't matter; people are what matter most……】

Qin Lan squinted, slowly trimming her nails, shaping them bit by bit from rounded to sharp, testing them against a pillow, then continuing to trim.

The once lively, energetic white Teddy dog now huddled in the room's corner, curled into a ball, occasionally trembling.

Dong Xuan ignored her friend Guan Yue, who was ranting about a scumbag beside her, expressionless, focused on chopping vegetables for dinner.

Carrots sliced into threads, cucumbers sliced into pieces, eggplants chopped into chunks, ham sausage minced into paste, bananas mashed into mush; beside it, a pot held a bowl of burnt rice.

…

"Achoo! Achoo…"

Fan Xiaopang brought Yan Li his prepared medicine, concerned: "It's not even cold—how come you, who's as strong as a donkey, keep sneezing? Shouldn't you go to the hospital?"

"No need."

Yan Li blew his nose: "Probably sweating too much, and the AC's set too low—I caught a chill."

Fan Xiaopang glared at him, unimpressed: "Serves you right—for being greedy with food."

"I was passive, okay?"

Yan Li was speechless; these past two days, because of the ceremony and her birthday, Fan Xiaopang had been far more proactive than him—she practically clung to him, even eating meals pressed against him.

"I started it, but I didn't make you go on endlessly."

Fan Xiaopang retorted—she only set the pace at first; the middle and later stages were all controlled by Yan Li; sometimes she begged for mercy and it did no good—how could he blame her?

"That's your fault too—you're like a seductress; if it weren't for my strong body, you'd have drained me dry long ago."

"You're the seductress."

Fan Xiaopang scolded him playfully, then snuggled into his arms with smiling eyes and a sweet, syrupy voice.

"Help me take a few days off from the set, and stay with me for a few more days, okay?"

"How can you let romance distract you from your grand ambitions? Don't you want to be a big star anymore? Don't you want to make money and become a rich woman?"

Fan Xiaopang snuggled deeper into his arms and huffed twice: "Aren't you still here?"

Yan Li sighed in anguish: "I never thought your thinking could be this shallow. Men can't be relied on—you must depend on yourself."

"You must stick to your career, become the most outstanding and dazzling woman, so that men will admire you, cherish you, and refuse to leave you—not treat yourself as a man's appendage."

"………"

Fan Xiaopang clamped her hand over his mouth, laughing bitterly: "Sounds so noble—aren't you just trying to make me earn money for you?"

Yan Li corrected: "It's not just about making money…"

"Right, you also need me to free up time so you can put out fires—after a while, those two at home will be sharpening their knives, won't they?"

Fan Xiaopang saw right through Yan Li's thoughts; a cold smile appeared on her bright, oval face. Yan Li felt awkward and lowered his head to kiss her earlobe.

"One day at most—otherwise something bad will definitely happen."

Good! Let something bad happen!

Fan Xiaopang's peach-shaped eyes flickered, her rosy lips curling slightly.

All that talk about putting career first, about discussing only风云 and not emotions, about not caring for men—she hadn't forgotten it all, but it had grown increasingly faint.

In contrast, Fan Xiaopang's affection and longing for Yan Li grew heavier by the day.

She now desperately hoped Qin Lan and Dong Xuan would break up with Yan Li, so she could claim him for herself and become the rightful madam of Yi'an.

But Fan Xiaopang feared showing her hand too clearly might scare Yan Li away—this dog of a man clearly hadn't had enough fun and had no intention of settling down.

So she planned to proceed slowly and steadily.

Fan Xiaopang could feel Yan Li still had considerable affection and attachment to her—even after the Qin Lan incident, he'd indirectly apologized in private.

He might still care a bit less for her than for Qin Lan and Dong Xuan, but he certainly didn't see her as expendable.

If so, she could gradually strengthen her position in Yan Li's heart while finding ways to slowly push Qin Lan and Dong Xuan out of it.

Fan Xiaopang was quite confident in her plan.

Because she and Yan Li had a business alliance, their interests were tightly bound; moreover, they shared many similarities, compatible personalities, mutual understanding, and their feelings would only deepen over time through cooperation.

With interest plus emotion, how could Qin Lan and Dong Xuan compete with her?!

Once those two were out of the picture and she became Yan Li's most important woman, everything else would follow naturally.

"Fine, one day—but I want to go out and play, and you're coming with me."

"Huh? Staying home is better."

"Better my ass (through gritted teeth)—I'm still a little sore!"

"Try something new…"

"Pervert."

Fan Xiaopang, bristling, wriggled and kicked her soft white feet at Yan Li's face: "You like it, don't you? Then enjoy it—really enjoy it…"

————

North Film, the playground

The military training review for the 2005 freshman class had ended. Guan Yue directed the students back to their classes, then turned to Dong Xuan, who stood nearby with a gloomy expression.

"That bastard still hasn't come back?"

Dong Xuan nodded, her voice hoarse: "He says he's busy."

"Busy my ass."

Guan Yue could barely hold back her anger: "Even if he's busy, he can't even find time to go home? It's been nearly a week—what the hell is he up to?"

Dong Xuan glanced around, grabbed Guan Yue's sleeve, her tone filled with helpless confusion and panic.

"Do you think Yan Li is going to break up with me?"

"Uh…"

Guan Yue fell silent. Earlier, when they'd seen the signing ceremony, they'd been itching to give Yan Li a beating.

But Yan Li had vanished for days, and both Dong Xuan and she had grown restless.

Add to that Fan Xiaopang's grand signing ceremony, Dong Xuan's label as "ex-girlfriend," and other factors—and both women had begun spiraling into wild speculation.

If Yan Li pulled away now, Dong Xuan would be left abandoned—with no one to drug, no one to find.

"No way. You and Yan Li have history—he's probably just swamped. The company's got a lot on its plate, and his show 'Bright Sword' just aired; everything's piled up."

Seeing Dong Xuan's fragile state, Guan Yue dared not say more, fearing she'd make things worse—instead, she began comforting her best friend.

But she knew waiting like this wasn't a solution—she'd have to go find Yan Li herself.

If that bastard really abandoned her, she'd leak to the media that Yan Li was cheating, juggling two women, and all that.

"..."

But wasn't that exactly his image already? Hadn't he seen this coming all along?

Just then, a pretty girl in military training uniform ran over.

"Teacher Dong, I'd like to take a day off tomorrow."

Dong Xuan perked up slightly. She and Guan Yue were teaching assistants for the 2005 Performance Undergraduate Class—sort of part-time counselors, handling student life issues like difficulties and leave requests.

"Again? Yang Mi, you've taken leave several times already since the semester started."

Guan Yue was dissatisfied, but Dong Xuan was more understanding—Yang Mi wasn't an ordinary student.

Before entering North Film, she'd already begun acting and even signed with Rong Xinda, appearing in several dramas.

Especially the role of young Guo Xiang in *The Legend of the Condor Heroes*.

Although the drama hasn't aired yet, the project itself carries weight; Yang Mi has already gained considerable exposure and is the most popular freshman in the Class of 2005, with the brightest prospects.

This kind of student can't be managed like an ordinary one—some special consideration must be given.

"What's the reason for this leave request?"

"Uh, the company arranged an audition and asked me to take leave to test for the role, Teacher Dong, please help me—it's a really important production."

Yang Mi had taken leave several times before and knew Dong Xuan was easier to persuade, so she primarily targeted her as the breakthrough.

Dong Xuan nodded: "Go write a formal leave note, but you must return before dark—I'll be checking dorms."

"No problem, thank you, Teacher Dong."

Yang Mi left happily. Guan Yue looked at Dong Xuan: "You spoil them too much—you're too easygoing, they'll all come to you for leave next."

"I play the bad cop, you play the good cop—approve the legitimate requests, deny the rest."

Dong Xuan was easygoing, but not without limits; she and Guan Yue worked in perfect sync, one strict, one lenient, one firm, one soft.

"Hmph, you're just good at pretending to be nice."

Guan Yue rolled her eyes, but inwardly knew she was indeed more impatient than Dong Xuan—she couldn't even play the bad cop well.

"Alright, I'm sorry you're put out—I'll treat you to dinner."

Dong Xuan smiled, linking arms with Guan Yue, who pouted: "I'm not going with you—Da Wei's waiting for me at home..."

Before she finished, Guan Yue realized she'd said the wrong thing. Sure enough, Dong Xuan's smile vanished instantly; she slapped her own mouth.

"Let men go play with themselves—we're sisters, let's hang out."

After tidying up the office, it was time to clock out. Guan Yue and Dong Xuan walked arm in arm out the school gate; the latter glanced at the roadside and suddenly stopped.

"What's wrong?"

Guan Yue asked. Dong Xuan nodded toward a Volvo by the curb: "Look over there."

"Isn't that your car?"

Guan Yue froze, then realized—she was both delighted and furious: "That bastard finally came back?!"

Because Beidian and Beiying residential areas were so close—just a few minutes' walk—Dong Xuan rarely drove to work, so her car usually stayed parked at home.

Now that it was out and parked right at Beidian's gate, a thief wouldn't be so brazen—it had to be Yan Li.

Dong Xuan pressed her lips together, suppressing her emotions, then walked over coldly. Guan Yue followed.

She knocked on the window—it was indeed Yan Li, wearing sunglasses, grinning.

"I've been waiting for you half an hour—I thought you'd left through another gate. Get in quickly."

Guan Yue scoffed: "Get in for what? To attend your wedding to that fox spirit?"

"What kind of talk is that?"

"Stop pretending. You made such a fuss—the newspapers and TV are all saying 'Chairman Yan has won the beauty.' So now the groom's coming to hand out wedding candy?"

"What groom? That's just a signed artist—where did you get that idea?"

"Signed artist?"

Dong Xuan finally spoke: "If the entire mother's family of the signed artist showed up, was my little gift enough? If not, I'll add a red envelope."

Damn it!

Yan Li silently cursed—normally, when Guan Yue teased him, Dong Xuan would step in to smooth things over; if she was angry, she'd just watch coldly. But now she was joining in the jabs—this was real fury.

Think about it: even Fan Xiaopang's signing was bad enough, but the real blow was his absence for the past few days—it was adding fuel to the fire.

But Yan Li had no choice—he'd been held up by Qin Lan.

That woman knew about Dong Xuan—if he'd gone to Dong first, it would've blown up, making calming her twice as hard. He had to pacify Qin Lan first, then tackle Dong Xuan last.

But now it looked like that plan wasn't working either—after being ignored for days, Dong Xuan's resentment had solidified.

"Cough, don't say things out of anger."

He cleared his throat awkwardly, glancing around at the passing crowd: "Get in the car. We'll talk at home."

Dong Xuan ignored him, turning to leave. Yan Li had no choice but to get out, grab her, and shove her into the car despite her resistance.

"What are you doing?"

Guan Yue moved to intervene, but saw Dong Xuan struggling while secretly waving her off where Yan Li couldn't see.

"..."

No wonder you're being ridden roughshod by that fox spirit—just keep coddling him.

Guan Yue silently gave Dong Xuan the middle finger, then turned to Yan Li: "You two sort out your own business—but if you hurt my friend, I won't let you off."

"Alright, alright, I'll treat you and Da Wei to dinner sometime. Let's go."

Yan Li agreed, opened the driver's door, and slid in.

Dong Xuan still tried to struggle, but feared too many people were watching at the school gate—she sat stiffly in the backseat, ignoring Yan Li.

Yan Li didn't mind—he knew exactly what they'd just done.

This woman was naive—she only avoided looking at him, but didn't realize the window tint acted as a partial mirror?

The Volvo drove off. Soon after, Guan Yue left too. From behind a nearby tree, just a few meters away, a figure stepped out.

"That's Yan Li, the boss from Yian?" "Wasn't he supposed to have broken up with Teacher Dong?"

"Still tangled? Or was the breakup just for show?"

Yang Mi couldn't be sure, but one thing was certain: their relationship was far from ordinary.

A campus love "ex-girlfriend" carried weight no mere seductress ever could.

And judging by their earlier interaction, it seemed Yan Li was even trying to appease Teacher Dong.

"This is a big leg to hug!"

Yang Mi, who had started working and earning money long before most, was only a freshman who'd just finished military training—but her mindset was far more mature than ordinary college students.

Before this, she had consciously cultivated a good relationship with Dong Xuan.

Although back then she didn't know Dong Xuan had any connection with Yan Li, Dong Xuan was still a well-known leading actress in the circle, with far greater status, connections, and fame than a newcomer like her—she might just be able to help.

Now, Yang Mi had elevated Dong Xuan's importance by several levels.

She was familiar with the names of Yan Li and Yi'an; their momentum was explosive. Previously, her own company, Rongxinda, had a mid-level executive defect to Yi'an.

Many believed Yi'an merely needed time to catch up to Rongxinda, and some even thought Yi'an had already surpassed Rongxinda.

At least over the past two years, Rongxinda hadn't produced any major hits like "Huan Tian Xi Di Seven Fairies," "Liang Jian," or "Lu Xiaofeng Legend."

Meanwhile, the top female star, Zhou Young Master, had left after her contract expired, leaving the company propped up only by its top male star, Chen Kun, while rumors swirled everywhere.

One rumor claimed Yan Li wanted to lure Chen Kun to Yi'an, forming a powerhouse duo of top male and top female stars with Fan Xiaopang.

Thinking of the explosive scene when Fan Xiaopang recently joined Yi'an, Yang Mi felt a surge of ambition.

If she could use Teacher Dong to connect with Yi'an's boss…

Yang Mi turned and walked away, her thoughts shifting from the audition crew to how she could draw closer to Dong Xuan.

…

Beiying Community

Dong Xuan walked in with a cold face, went straight to the bedroom, locked the door from inside, and Yan Li silently took the key from the TV cabinet.

Too lazy—last time they'd already done this once, and now they're not even bothering to change the key's location.

He opened the door and entered; Dong Xuan was already sitting on the bed, her eyes slightly red. Yan Li reached to embrace her, but she pulled away.

"Don't touch me."

Yan Li didn't care; he ignored her resistance and pulled her into his arms, soothing her gently.

Usually this trick worked fine, but Dong Xuan was truly furious this time—she started by pretending, then shifted into genuine hurt, tears falling pata-pata.

Yan Li hated this tactic most of all!

Whether she threw tantrums or argued fiercely, he could stay calm—but he couldn't withstand a woman crying, especially a woman he cared about; one tear and he was done.

Both Dong Xuan and Qin Lan had mastered this weakness of his, crying in the most pitiful way imaginable.

Yan Li, who had always been shamelessly unfaithful, now felt a touch of guilt and shame.

After soothing her for a long while, Dong Xuan finally calmed down a little, and Yan Li produced a box.

"Stop being angry—I got you a gift."

"You think giving me something is enough?"

Dong Xuan was displeased—thought she could be bought off with money? Did he really think she had no temper? But Yan Li urged her to open it, promising she'd love it.

Seeing Yan Li's demeanor, Dong Xuan grew curious and opened the box, her eyes widening slightly.

Wang Guan!

Yan Li took the platinum Wang Guan from the box and placed it on Dong Xuan's head, telling her to look in the mirror.

"This Wang Guan is bigger, heavier, and more exquisite!"

Dong Xuan delicately touched the Wang Guan, held up the mirror, and let a faint smile touch her lips—then immediately suppressed it, shooting Yan Li a glare.

"You planned this all along, didn't you? One small, one big—you're thinking awfully cleverly."

Yan Li said nothing; to be precise, he had actually prepared three Wang Guan altogether…

(End of Chapter)