Chapter 202

Yan Li had always believed that when dealing with several women, the most important thing was to treat them all equally.

But with the system's help, Yan Li could directly and accurately understand what each woman was thinking, and gradually realized his previous thinking was somewhat narrow-minded.

Treating them all equally was not a flawed strategy, but it was not perfect.

In fact, if Yan Li showed it too obviously, it would provoke dissatisfaction.

Because no matter which woman, what she wanted was not to be equal to another woman, but to become Yan Li's most loved, most important, most special woman.

Dong Xuan felt that she had been dating Yan Li since university, starting from humble beginnings, supporting and understanding each other—what right did those other women have to compare with her?

Qin Lan also felt that she and Yan Li had been mutually in love since he was a minor actor, their bond deep and strong, having endured life and death (SARS, an exaggeration)—all other women should step aside.

Even Fan Xiaopang believed that she and Yan Li had struggled and fought together, were soulmates and partners, and could not be equated with those other women.

Treating them all equally? They won't accept it!

So in terms of treatment, you can do that—but in emotional expression, you must clearly show favoritism.

You must make them feel that Yan Li loves her the most, that she is his most special and important woman.

As for those flashy, cheap women, they're just temporary flings, or clinging to Yan Li for some reason or another.

Men are bound to be flirtatious, but his heart still belongs to her.

After Yan Li figured out this technique, he found it worked extremely well—far superior to blindly treating them all equally.

Of course, there was one hidden risk and drawback: each one was hoarding to become the main wife, suppressing or even driving away the other flirts, which might not be as harmonious as treating them all equally.

Hmm, even treating them all equally probably wouldn't bring harmony anyway—they'd still fight.

Since that was the case, Yan Li stopped caring too much, especially under special circumstances—he'd just get through them first.

After Yan Li spent two days charming her with sweet talk and devoted actions, Dong Xuan finally "grudgingly forgave" him.

Yan Li counted on his fingers—she held out over ten hours longer than Qin Lan.

Water Lan was still easier to appease!

Forgiveness wasn't enough; compensation was needed too—otherwise Yan Li wouldn't have stayed with Qin Lan for days, and now, whenever he had free time, he accompanied Dong Xuan.

Bedroom

Dong Xuan looked in the mirror—her previous gloom had vanished completely; she radiated vitality and brilliance, and even felt her formerly pale skin had become noticeably more dewy and smooth.

After a light touch of makeup, walking through the Beijing Film Academy campus, she made the younger students feel utterly ashamed of themselves.

"This year's Most Beautiful Teacher—I wonder if that Ms. Xu can still rank above me?"

Dong Xuan was full of confidence. Last year, students at Beijing Film Academy had held an election for "Most Beautiful Teacher," where "most beautiful" meant pure physical beauty, judged solely by appearance, figure, and aura.

She lost because she was new, some students didn't know her yet, and her fame didn't match Ms. Xu's.

The result made Dong Xuan extremely resentful!

She wasn't a sore loser—Beijing Film Academy had more than one beautiful teacher; if she'd truly lost on beauty alone, she might have been upset, but she could accept it.

But Ms. Xu's beauty wasn't truly outstanding at Beijing Film Academy—she won purely on fame, which was "cheating"—so Dong Xuan naturally refused to accept it.

This year, after one year of employment, Dong Xuan was now known by all faculty and students.

Added to that were boosts from the Spring Festival Gala and "Huan Tian Xi Di Seven Fairies," her fame and popularity were no longer low—she was determined to reclaim her honor.

Yan Li was replying to messages, and upon hearing this, couldn't help muttering.

"She's a talented woman—comparing your beauty to hers is like making Yao Ming play basketball with Pan Changjiang."

"That's an exaggeration."

Dong Xuan gracefully brushed a strand of hair from her temple, though her lips couldn't stop curving upward.

After all, Ms. Xu was one of the Four Little Goddesses; being able to outshine her in some way gave Dong Xuan a quiet thrill—and with Yan Li's praise, she felt even more delighted.

"Alright, you're going to be late."

Yan Li checked his phone and reminded her; Dong Xuan checked the time and quickly grabbed her bag.

"Hurry up, let's go."

Locking the door and heading downstairs, Yan Li started his BMW and dropped Dong Xuan off at the campus gate, then headed to his company.

Dong Xuan loved when Yan Li picked her up and dropped her off—it made her feel valued and cherished, and brought a warm, unspoken sense of a happy married routine.

Yan Li catered to her preferences, occasionally surprising her—like waiting for her at the campus gate after returning from a business trip.

These days, given the special circumstances, Yan Li had been dropping her off every morning, and if time allowed, even left work early to pick her up.

According to system feedback, the effect was excellent—second only to the Platinum Wang Guan and his diligent cultivation.

"Drive slowly."

After giving her a parting reminder, watching the BMW drive away, Dong Xuan stepped into the school, clutching her bag.

"Teacher Dong."

"Good morning, Teacher Dong."

Along the way, many people greeted her; though she was only a teaching assistant, her fame made her one of the most well-known teachers on campus.

She didn't go to the office—instead, she contacted Guan Yue, who was already waiting, and headed habitually to the dorms.

Their work mainly involved caring for students' daily lives; they visited dormitories more often than classrooms.

Male dorms were inconvenient, so usually several teachers went together; if only Dong Xuan and Guan Yue were going, they almost always visited the female dorms.

The 2005 undergraduate acting class had 30 students, 12 of them female—four per dorm, exactly three dorm rooms.

Today there were no morning classes, so all students were in their dorms; Guan Yue and Dong Xuan entered one dorm, two were sleeping, one was listening to music, and one was absent.

"Zhang Xiaofei, where's XX?"

"Teacher, she's out doing morning exercises."

Guan Yue and Dong Xuan said nothing—they'd both been students once; back then, Dong Xuan had sneaked out with Yan Li, and Guan Yue had covered for her.

No one around at night? Bathrooms and toilets.

No one around in the morning? Morning exercises.

But the two of them didn't care much; college wasn't high school, and as long as nothing went wrong, teachers often turned a blind eye—too much interference only invited complaints.

In another dorm, a girl named Jiao Junyan also went out for morning cultivation.

This time, Dong Xuan and the others believed it more, because Jiao's art exam scores ranked among the top in their class.

For acting students, unless they're exceptionally gifted, lack of private effort is easy to spot.

The last dorm was fully occupied, but three of them lay in bed sleeping or playing with their phones; only Yang Mi sat at the table reading, and Dong Xuan glanced at her.

Wang Zhaojun's reading material?

Could this little girl be auditioning for CCTV's Wang Zhaojun?

She's confident enough— that drama's a historical piece, produced by CCTV, with heavy investment, and she's the female lead; plenty of actresses are watching it closely.

It's said that Shuang Bing, Gao Yuanyuan, Li Xiaoran, Zhang Jingchu, Chen Hao, and Mei Ting have all taken action.

By the way, Dong Xuan herself was also listed by the media as a candidate.

But since filming would take place in Mongolia and last a long time, Dong Xuan merely looked into it and didn't pursue it further; she didn't audition, assuming the production team was using her name for publicity.

"Teacher Dong, Teacher Guan."

Yang Mi rose in surprise, invited the two to sit down, and eagerly poured them water.

"No need to fuss—we're just taking a look."

Dong Xuan waved her hand, but couldn't help feeling slightly more favorably toward Yang Mi.

She didn't need this cup of water, but compared to other students, Yang Mi's respectful behavior earned her high marks in Dong Xuan's eyes.

Dong Xuan had always liked Yang Mi—not only was she the most promising student in their class, she was also always close and obedient; had it not been for her frequent absences, Dong Xuan had even considered recommending her as class monitor.

Seeing Dong Xuan staring at the book in her hand, Yang Mi didn't hide it—after all, she might need to request leave again later, so she revealed the situation.

She had indeed auditioned for Wang Zhaojun, and with her own effort and company support, she had advanced to the second round.

Theoretically, she had a one-in-forty chance of landing the role.

Dong Xuan didn't dampen her spirits; for a newcomer like Yang Mi, making it this far was already impressive—even if she failed, it wouldn't be shameful.

Seeing Dong Xuan's support, Yang Mi's heart stirred: "Teacher Dong, I'm still unsure about some things—I lack experience in lines, physicality, and blocking. Could you possibly help me review them later?"

"Of course."

Dong Xuan agreed readily; if a student showed ambition, it was her duty as a teacher to support them.

Though she wasn't an elite teacher or a veteran actress, she had studied longer, acted in dramas, played female leads, served as a teaching assistant for a year, and helped senior teachers rehearse skits with students.

So, for a newcomer like Yang Mi at Beijing Film Academy, Dong Xuan believed she could still teach her something.

She couldn't promise to greatly improve Yang Mi's acting skills, but at least it would help her audition.

"Thank you, Teacher Dong—you've solved a huge problem for me."

Yang Mi beamed; even if she failed Wang Zhaojun, building a connection with Dong Xuan now would be a major win.

They set a time, exchanged a few encouraging words, and then Dong Xuan and Guan Yue left.

Yang Mi saw them off at the door, humming a tune as she flipped through the book she'd only pulled out after hearing the dorm inspection noise—since it was out, she might as well take a look.

Next to her, her roommate Yuan Shanshan, who had been playing with her phone, secretly rolled her eyes in disdain.

Pfft, pretending to be such a good student, sneaking off to ask for help—just showing off that she made it to Wang Zhaojun's second round.

Yang Mi didn't know what her roommate thought, and even if she did, she wouldn't care.

Before enrollment, she'd already signed with a company and acted in The Legend of the Condor Heroes; many classmates pretended to be warm but secretly envied and excluded her.

Yang Mi thought this was fine; at first she'd considered mentioning Dong Xuan's name, but now she could confidently hide it and get ahead of others by building a relationship with Dong Xuan first.

Later, even if Dong Xuan's relationship with Yan Li was exposed, by then she'd already become Dong Teacher's favorite student…

————

Meanwhile, Yan Li arrived at the company and attended a morning meeting, going over several matters.

The release of The Legend of the Condor Heroes was progressing slower than expected, mainly because he took over midway and had to reorganize many prior arrangements.

Though the satellite channels negotiated slowly, the terrestrial channels sold very well; The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng sold just as well.

The "Phoenix and Condor Battle" wasn't empty hype—now with joint distribution, the effect was even better.

Several TV stations bought both dramas outright, planning to air them consecutively or on the same day in daytime and nighttime slots, creating their own "Phoenix and Condor Battle."

The Legend of the Condor Heroes is still uncertain, but for The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng, the marketing department believes that if aired well, it could reach 80 million.

There were also several upcoming projects Yi'an would produce.

The White-Haired Witch has already started filming; The Legend of Xue Rengui and Crazy Stone are expected to begin next month.

The Qing Dynasty Harem is still in preparation; the exact filming date is undetermined, but it will definitely be before the New Year.

Yi'an Garden, the base in Hengdian, has accelerated progress—many functions and facilities are now in place.

Since Yi'an's main productions film mostly in Hengdian, the company plans to temporarily relocate some staff there, especially the film and television department, where nearly half the employees will move.

In fact, many people are already stationed at Yi'an Garden.

Many crew members from the currently filming The White-Haired Witch and the pre-production of The Legend of Xue Rengui are there; a few scouts for The Qing Dynasty Harem are also present.

Yan Li had seen the photos; the once desolate, empty base now truly resembled a headquarters.

Besides advancing these projects, another key topic of discussion was the popularity of Bright Sword.

This drama premiered in mid-September and swiftly dominated the entire September TV market.

Ratings rose steadily; now that over half has aired, the average viewership has approached 10%, crushing all competitors and leaving popular dramas like The Inspector Song Ci, Emperor Wu of Han, and The Seven Fairies far behind.

Li Yunlong has become the most popular screen character of the moment!

Li Youbin, whose acting style had previously leaned toward refined and intellectual roles, suddenly became the symbol of rugged, tough men, famous across Dajiangnanbei.

Other supporting characters in the drama also gained varying degrees of benefit.

Even Yan Li, though his screen time was limited, had standout moments—especially in the cavalry charge episode, which stole the spotlight from Li Yunlong, Zhao Gang, and other main characters.

On Douban, Tieba, blogs, and Tianya, Yan Li's performance received countless praises and recognition.

【Previously, my impression of Yan Li was that of a fickle businessman, but in this drama, I truly saw the presence of an excellent actor.】

【Yes, during Sun Desheng's final charge, Yan Li portrayed it with remarkable "authenticity"—his eyes conveyed fear, despair, helplessness, and exhaustion, making the character feel closer to an "ordinary person"; and precisely because of this, the rage and resolve that erupted in that final moment came at you with overwhelming tragic power, sending chills down your spine.】

【I'm something of a fan of Yan Li; I first noticed him in "Emperor Wu of Han," where he played the youthful, spirited Huo Qubing—a role that still gives me strong affection for him.】

【After watching Huo Qubing, I then saw him play Yuwen Chengdu, and for a while I couldn't believe both roles were played by the same person.】

【What stuck with me most was Zhu Bajie's Sky-Swallowing Rat—he portrayed it so chillingly that even my young nephew was scared to tears.】

【I watched the crew interviews and learned that Yan Li actively fought for the role of Sun Desheng—he grew a beard, trained hard in horseback riding, wrote thousands of words on a character profile, and even adjusted his accent slightly to match the character's regional dialect; though his screen time was minimal, he performed with exceptional seriousness.】

【Among young actors, Yan Li has decent acting skills, and his appearance, physique, and aura are all excellent—he's far superior to Chen Kun or Huang Xiaoming, he just doesn't act much.】

【Actually, it's not that little—I've seen him in several dramas, but mostly in supporting roles with little screen time.】

【Haha, I saw a netizen on Tianya say he's a movie emperor-in-waiting ruined by business.】

【……】

Yan Li had never before seen so many people praising him and commending his acting.

He even vaguely felt that the minor supporting role of Sun Desheng was more popular than his portrayals of Huo Qubing and Jin Zha.

Yet, this was partly due to his outstanding performance and the explosive popularity of "Bright Sword," and partly because his fame had risen dramatically over the past year.

Previously, Yan Li himself lacked sufficient fame; no matter how well he played a supporting role, he could hardly steal the spotlight from the lead.

But in "Bright Sword," apart from Li Youbin, whose performance bordered on life imitating art, and the cameo role of Sun Li, Yan Li was the "most popular actor" in the cast.

When a drama becomes a hit, the star actors and standout characters naturally attract more attention—Yan Li had both, so he naturally became a hot commodity.

Interview requests were obvious, but film offers also came knocking, and even brands reached out to him for endorsements.

Yan Li himself was stunned—he'd rarely been approached for commercials before, and now he was getting endorsements?

"Which brand?"

"A liquor group from Hebei Province—Hengshui Laobai Gan."

"Baijiu."

Yan Li vaguely understood why they'd chosen him—"Bright Sword" was a tough-guy drama with many drinking scenes, and the character he portrayed, Sun Desheng, the one-armed, single-sword charging soldier, was the epitome of a tough guy.

Laobai Gan, along with Erguotou and Shaodaozi, is a well-known domestic strong liquor brand; his image did align with its brand identity to some extent.

Moreover, Yan Li wasn't just a tough guy—his various commercial images were also eye-catching, possibly helping Laobai Gan open up new markets.

"How much is the endorsement fee?"

Yan Li was most curious about this point; his assistant Hu Ya showed him the quote: five million yuan over two years.

"Whoa, that's not cheap."

Yan Li understood the market—currently, the advertising market was in a high-growth phase; top-tier and first-line celebrities were in high demand, but below the top, things were average.

For second-tier artists, prices ranged from five hundred thousand to two million yuan per year, depending on popularity, commercial value, and brand alignment.

Yan Li didn't know if he qualified as a second-tier artist, but based on his acting fame alone, he certainly couldn't command this price.

The manufacturer likely added value from his other sources of fame and his personal wealth.

Other stars could name a price and haggle slowly if unsatisfied.

For someone like Yan Li, offering a few hundred thousand yuan wouldn't even be worth their time—it would feel insulting, even provocative.

So Laobai Gan's sincerity was clearly evident: two hundred and fifty million yuan per year. Though the number sounded awkward, it was a first-line artist's rate.

"Boss, should we take it?"

Hu Ya was eager—now that all of Yan Li's offers passed through her hands, landing this endorsement would let her enjoy being his endorsement manager.

"Er…"

Yan Li hesitated—five million yuan wasn't small, but it didn't move him deeply.

Laobai Gan was a well-known brand; he wasn't worried about endorsement problems, but he wasn't sure if it would affect his commercial image.

In Yan Li's mind, that was worth far more than five million yuan.

"Turn it down."

Yan Li ultimately chose a conservative strategy and declined the endorsement—he wasn't short on cash anyway.

The stock market was bringing more good news; during good periods, five million yuan would flow in every ten or fifteen days.

Hu Ya felt disappointed, but she dared not speak further—her boss had decided. She continued her report.

"'People' magazine has invited you for an exclusive interview, possibly with photos; CCTV also has an interview, but it's focused on the 'Bright Sword' crew and hopes you'll attend. Here are invitations from several industry events and award ceremonies…"

Yan Li rubbed his temples—fame brings trouble; whether as an actor or businessman, once your name grows large, all sorts of miscellaneous demands flood in.

Even if most were declined, some invitations and events still required a show of face.

Compared to handling these matters, Yan Li preferred managing his company or filming—he sometimes found it tiring, but his mind remained clear.

After careful selection, Yan Li chose a few he couldn't refuse and scheduled appointments.

Once he entered Hengdian, it would be inconvenient to deal with these matters—it was better to settle them before filming began.

Afterwards, Yan Li discussed with the marketing department the second and third rounds of broadcasts and local channel releases for "Bright Sword."

The original distribution plan for this drama was a joint effort between Hai Run and Yi An.

But as Yi An grew dominant in distribution, Hai Run realized its efficiency and profits lagged far behind; after discussions, Hai Run retained only a nominal role—Yi An now handled all distribution business for "Bright Sword."

Now that "Bright Sword" had exploded in its premiere, it was the perfect time to strike while the iron was hot and make a fortune.

To this end, Yan Li even pulled staff from projects like "The Legend of the Condor Heroes," dedicating all resources—except for "Feng" and "Diao"—to promoting "Bright Sword."

In terms of performance, "Bright Sword" was Yi An's most popular production to date.

Beyond profit, Yan Li hoped "Bright Sword" would have even greater influence, further establishing Yi An's reputation as a producer of blockbusters.

Throughout 2005, Yi An not only shone brightly in distribution, but also delivered consistent successes in investment and production.

So far aired, Yi An's main productions "Huan Tian Xi Di Seven Fairies" and "Survival: The Migrant Workers" were both wildly popular and critically acclaimed, respectively.

Joint productions "Chinese Paladin" and "Railway Guerrillas" also performed impressively, and the currently airing "Bright Sword" is poised to compete for the title of Drama of the Year.

The quality of this output would make renowned companies such as Rongxinda, Jinyingma, Dongfang Mingzhu, and Zhou Yi bow in defeat.

If not for the contributions of companies like Shan Ying, Hai Run, and Tang Ren, the media might well have crowned Yi'an as the top television production company of 2005.

Regardless, after consistently producing and investing in multiple blockbusters year after year, and with its distribution arm quietly becoming the industry's leader, Yi'an has recently gained the endorsement of popular young actress Fan Xiaopang, further strengthening its momentum and earning it growing recognition for its status and strength within the industry.

Yan Li, the founder and leader, has also been praised by many for his celebrity aura, romantic reputation, and astonishingly young age.

People magazine featured him on its cover, with a headline that pulled out all the stops—

"The New Entertainment Mogul at 24 Years and 11 Days"

————

ps: Today I'm feeling unwell; I'll make up the full update tomorrow.

(End of Chapter)