Chapter 207: Yi

Yi'an Cinema Chain is planned to receive an investment of 320 million yuan.

Huarun contributes 20 million yuan in cash, ten years of rent-free operation for its commercial assets, and multiple resources, acquiring a 22% stake.

Yan Li and his subsidiary YanYe Capital plan to invest 150 million yuan; based on his founder status and certain resources valued at a 1.2x multiplier, their combined stake will be 42.5%, responsible for company operations and holding strategic decision-making authority.

The remaining investors collectively contribute 150 million yuan, totaling a 35.5% stake.

As for the employee incentive option pool, future shareholders will relinquish shares proportionally or under other terms.

Of course, this is merely the initial equity allocation for the company.

Just 320 million yuan, plus some resources, is absolutely insufficient to build a cinema chain from scratch.

Further financing will continuously flow in, with different capital providers, investors, or resource partners entering the scene.

Not to mention, Yan Li plans to take Yi'an public and raise funds through the stock market, which will continually alter equity structures.

At present, the 42.5% stake makes Yan Li the undisputed largest shareholder, and many major investors were brought into the deal by him, aligning with his side.

Roughly calculated, Yan Li can exert high control over approximately 70% of the equity, including Huarun, which now also moves in step with him.

In short, Yi'an Cinema Chain is now Yan Li's personal domain, operated and developed entirely under his authority.

Of course, other shareholders still retain their right to be informed; this gathering, besides addressing Huarun, also notifies them of future plans.

"If we were to build a cinema chain from scratch, obtaining licenses would be troublesome—not to mention all the qualifications required—but the critical issue is time: if it drags on two or three years, the market will have completely changed, so I've decided to focus primarily on acquisitions."

"The company has contacted several cinema chains, mostly medium and small ones, each with different scales, advantages, disadvantages, and cooperation models."

Building out the cinema chain has been more complex than Yan Li imagined: not only must capital be gathered, but giants like Huarun must be brought in to provide protection; other aspects are equally fraught with difficulties, each step a hurdle.

Even with his intelligence system's assistance, Yan Li has encountered many setbacks, but overall, progress has been smooth.

Now, after research and contact, Yan Li has selected three cinema chains with potential for cooperation and introduces them one by one.

The first is a regional chain in the southwest, possessing local advantages and great potential, but lacking capital, so it seeks investment.

With Yi'an's 320 million yuan combined with its inherent scale advantages, it could quickly become the leading chain in the southwest and rank among the top nationwide.

But the problem is, this chain may not be willing to give up so many shares; its internal management team has many conflicting ideas, and even if equity is acquired, power struggles are inevitable.

The second is a state-owned chain, primarily rooted in the northeast, with an acquisition price estimated at 50 to 80 million yuan.

However, unlike cash purchases, this chain prefers equity exchange: Yi'an needs only to offer a portion of its shares to acquire a sizable cinema chain.

Of course, there's no such thing as a free lunch.

The chain's existing theaters are outdated, out of step with the market, and fail to meet Yi'an's standards, requiring significant investment for renovation.

Additionally, this state-owned chain is willing to sell because of poor management and financial distress, leaving behind debts, accounting irregularities, and unresolved staff and management placements—all of which Yi'an must resolve.

Most critically, Yan Li learned through his system that the chain is entangled with local conflicts and hidden risks.

Yan Li is no novice in business; he knows the waters here run deep.

These days, private enterprises acquiring state-owned firms are common; many only see the windfalls and condemn exploitation, but many others get swindled.

Although Yan Li has studied it and believes he can resolve these issues at some cost, such matters are best avoided if possible.

Even without saying it outright, this chain has already been placed by Yan Li as a last-resort backup option.

The third, and also Yan Li's most desired target for cooperation, is a small cinema chain.

Strictly speaking, it cannot even be called a chain—it was merely formed during the cinema chain reforms when several theaters banded together to secure their operational rights.

In Yan Li's view, the only valuable asset this chain possesses is its license.

Acquiring this chain is nearly identical to founding a new one from scratch—except that it requires spending extra money to convince the theater owners and purchase the chain's license.

Although this demands substantial upfront investment and makes initial operations more difficult, it eliminates many constraints.

But Yan Li is not the only one eyeing this chain.

There are three parties in total: Yan Li, a regional chain from the Yangtze River Delta, and a foreign investment group.

Yan Li needs no introduction; the Yangtze River Delta chain seeks acquisition.

Currently, cinema chains are categorized as intra-provincial or inter-provincial; although this chain is small, due to its unique circumstances, it holds inter-provincial qualifications.

The Yangtze River Delta chain is itself powerful, but restricted by its qualifications to operate only within its region, so it intends to expand through acquisition.

The foreign investment group is an investment company backed by South Korean and Singaporean capital, planning to join the chain through capital injection.

Yan Li does not take the foreign investment group seriously.

Because national regulations cap foreign ownership in cinema chains at no more than 49%.

Under these conditions, foreigners cannot gain control of the chain; from an investment perspective, they would naturally target medium or large chains for returns—this small chain is likely only being contacted, with little real interest.

The real rival to Yi'an is the Yangtze River Delta chain.

But it's not that complicated: it's a regional chain with strong local power; Yan Li cannot touch them, and they're not powerful enough to come to Jingcheng and confront Yan Li.

No fishing for favors or backroom deals—Huarun's equity isn't given for free, and Yan Li isn't without influence in Jingcheng.

Then it's just a matter of bidding: highest bidder wins!

This is precisely why Yan Li convened these investors today: to make them understand how much effort he's exerted, the pros and cons of each plan, and why he's spending so much to acquire a chain with only a few theaters.

His cooperation with these investors isn't limited to Yi'an Cinema Chain alone—he can't just take their money and ignore them afterward.

The business must be clear; the words must be clear.

Especially in such straightforward transactions, everything must be laid out plainly, so investors trust you more—and when less transparent matters arise later, they'll be easier to cover up.

"Boss Yan, they dare to compete with us? They've got balls made of leopard skin! Should I send a few guys over to scare them?"

A coal tycoon with a thick gold chain volunteered a solution, annoyed by the competition.

This is their old tactic: when competing for business, they send over a few "clumsy guys."

A truck "accidentally" crashes into the company gate, a package "accidentally" left behind looks like a homemade bomb, a toy gun "somehow" gets swapped for one that fires real bullets…

Yan Li said sternly: "Brother Mang, I've told you countless times—we operate legitimately, conduct proper business. If you keep playing the violent gangster routine, don't blame me for losing face—I'll ask you to exit the equity."

Brother Mang chuckled awkwardly: "Just a joke."

Two other coal tycoons nearby, who had dealt with him before, looked surprised—when had this guy become so mild-mannered?

"Mang Ge" isn't his real name, but a nickname—he's the type who immediately yells to send people to stir up trouble, so you can imagine his personality.

Everyone in the circle knows he's infamous for his explosive temper, yet Yan Li silenced him with a single sentence.

Got a problem?!

Mang Ge also vaguely sensed some strange glances, but said nothing—he truly feared Yan Li, even dreaded him.

Many didn't know the two had clashed before; back then, he'd openly threatened to teach Yan Li a lesson.

But within just two or three days, before he'd even decided how to pick a fight with Yan Li, two young men showed up at his door with a bundle of documents.

They listed all his residences in Jingcheng and his hometown, the cars he usually drove, and where he liked to hang out.

Even where his parents lived, where his wives and mistresses resided, where his children—including illegitimate ones—went to school, and key details about his core subordinates.

Oh, and one sheet named the three powerful patrons who backed him, along with their positions.

Then one of the young men said he'd won a 10-million-yuan lottery and no longer wanted to live.

He wanted Mang Ge to join him, asking whether he preferred to die alone or with his whole family, offering choices like speed and passion, burning the Red Cliffs, or blade and axe.

Mang Ge caved!

Few coal bosses who made it to Jingcheng are truly "Mang Ge"—it's just an act, a persona. The genuinely reckless ones are already dead.

Maybe twenty years ago he'd have dared to bluster a few words, but now he has money and a family; a small dispute isn't worth dying over.

That night, Mang Ge invited Yan Li to dinner to make peace.

Yan Li arrived as agreed, acting as if he knew nothing, chatting amiably with Mang Ge and even willing to continue partnering with him—but after the meal ended, Mang Ge saw with his own eyes that the driver who took Yan Li away was that same lottery winner.

From then on, Mang Ge still partnered with Yan Li, but never again dared to provoke him.

Yan Li cast a casual glance at Mang Ge—among these coal boss patrons, even after his careful screening, some slip through the cracks.

After growing accustomed to being brazen and cutting corners locally, they usually get away with anything—but sometimes, when they lose their temper, their true nature surfaces.

Yan Li could only give them a light warning, to make them understand they weren't soft targets.

Though this didn't quite match Yan Li's usual style, it was just a simple scare tactic—it made the team easier to manage and cooperation smoother, so overall, it was worth it.

…

After informing them of the acquisition targets and surplus funds, Yan Li briefly discussed the future vision for the cinema chain.

The planned funds would be allocated to two main directions.

One was to partner with China Resources to build three to four large, high-end cinemas in first-tier cities, with each cinema costing 35 to 50 million yuan.

In second- and third-tier cities, build eight to ten standard cinemas, investing about 15 to 20 million yuan each, totaling roughly 100 to 150 screens.

In first-tier cities, partnerships with commercial districts would dominate; in second- and third-tier cities, if possible, acquiring owned properties would be best.

But owned properties consume heavy capital; whether to prioritize accumulating quality assets or seizing market share would have to wait until the cinema chain actually began operations.

In the short term, Yi'an Cinema Chain would still focus on mid-to-high-end markets and first- and second-tier cities.

As for expanding into third- and fourth-tier cities, it was still too early—the market hadn't begun to trickle down, and box office targets in those cities accounted for extremely low shares.

Without box office revenue, internal operations and future financing would be fatally crippled.

Being half a step ahead of the market captures the trend; being one or even several steps ahead might turn you into cannon fodder.

Entering the cinema market in 2006 was late for Yi'an Cinema Chain, but the start wasn't bad.

Wanda had also just entered the cinema market and hadn't yet dominated; China Film and Mochu United, state-owned chains, were powerful but rigid in structure and inefficient.

There was room for Yi'an to rise.

After Yan Li's presentation, the patrons were highly satisfied; persuaded by him, they firmly believed the mainland film market was about to explode.

When that happened, Yi'an Cinema Chain would rise with the tide, growing bigger and stronger.

When it went public, the shares they held would appreciate dozens or even hundreds of times over, bringing them enormous returns.

"Ha ha, cheers."

"First, to Director Yan—Director Yan, you've worked hard."

"Let's all get rich."

"…"

After the banquet ended, Yan Li, dazed, was helped into the car by Wang Ou; once the vehicle started moving, Yan Li, half-reclining in the back seat, sat up and rubbed his eyes.

"They say Shanxi men are good at vinegar, but they're no slouches with alcohol either."

Wang Ou knew Yan Li's drinking capacity—he knew Yan Li wasn't drunk, but had drunk quite a bit, and pulled out a thermos he'd prepared.

"I specially mixed honey water for you—drink up, it'll sober you up."

Yan Li took it, sipped a few mouthfuls—the temperature was perfect, likely prepared by Wang Ou just before leaving.

A warmth spread in his heart; he reached out and wrapped his arm around Wang Ou's slender waist: "Have you missed me these days?"

Wang Ou nuzzled against Yan Li and smiled sweetly: "I miss you every single day."

Then, with a hint of grievance, she complained: "But you never call me, and when I try to reach you, you ignore me."

Yan Li didn't blink: "I've been too busy filming."

"…"

Wang Ou wanted to retort, but held back, playing with Yan Li's large hand, and suggested: "It's too late tonight—why don't we stay in Mochu and return to Hengdian tomorrow?"

"... Alright."

After a moment's hesitation, Yan Li nodded: "I'll take a day off from the set—I'll spend it all with you."

The driver, Wu Maowen, twitched his eyebrow.

If Yan Li hadn't told him earlier that they'd stay overnight in Mochu and had already booked the hotel, he'd have thought this was all for Wang Ou.

Wang Ou didn't know this was the man's trick—seeing Yan Li change his plans just for her, she felt touched and satisfied, and planted a sweet kiss on him.

At the hotel, cautious Yan Li went down first to "check in"; ten minutes later, Wang Ou knocked on Yan Li's room door.

"Shh."

Yan Li made a gesture, then signaled, returned to the room's desk, where a laptop sat, as if in a video call.

"Hotel service."

Yan Li replied to the other side, and then Wang Ou heard Qin Lan's voice.

"You went to Shanghai alone?"

"No, there was also a driver and an assistant."

Yan Li answered frankly—Wang Ou had not yet been relieved of her role as his personal assistant, so he wasn't lying.

"Just calling isn't enough—you need a video call to check up on me? Don't trust me?"

Yan Li turned the accusation around, but Qin Lan wasn't intimidated: "Do you deserve trust?"

"Cough, what got into you today?"

Yan Li didn't answer directly; instead, he wondered at Qin Lan's unusual behavior—she'd checked up on him before, but never this excessively.

"Nothing. The guy named Wang isn't on set—did you see her looking for you?"

Yan Li: "..."

Wang Ou: "..."

This bitch is truly petty—she's chasing me down!

Qin Lan spoke with perfect confidence: "If she dares challenge me on set, I'll deal with her."

Yan Li could hardly bear to listen: "When has she ever challenged you? She always avoids you on set."

"Is she avoiding you? She's guilty—she's lusting after my man. I've been gentle with her; normally I'd slap her across the face."

Because Qin Lan and Wang Ou were on the same set and had previously clashed, she didn't want them to get close, so she constantly interfered and created obstacles.

This was one of Qin Lan's personal little principles.

Privately, if Yan Li did anything with anyone, she pretended not to know—but she absolutely forbade anyone from appearing before her.

In both "The Investiture of the Gods" and now "The Great Qing Imperial Harem," anyone sharing the set with her—someone she saw daily—had to stay away from Yan Li.

Sleep with Yan Li, then come show off in front of me? No way!

So now, hearing Yan Li defend Wang Ou, Qin Lan's temper flared instantly, making her stance clear.

"Don't think I don't know what you're thinking. As long as I'm on set in Hengdian, that slut won't dare touch you—I'll drive her crazy."

Yan Li couldn't help glancing at Wang Ou, who was indeed furious, trembling with rage.

He could understand Qin Lan's meaning—but Wang Ou couldn't.

This is too much!

Li Bingbing from "The Legend of Xue Rengui," Fan Xiaopang from "The White-Haired Witch"—she didn't believe those two were quietly filming without seeking out Yan Li.

But the surnamed Qin dared not provoke those two tough ones, so she just picked on me.

Even a clay figure has three parts of fire.

Back during "The Investiture of the Gods," Wang Ou had already been punished by Qin Lan; in "The Great Qing Imperial Harem," she'd suffered even more—her resentment had long boiled over, and now, hearing Qin Lan's boasting, she finally snapped.

She'd wanted to rush to the computer and berate her—but seeing Yan Li, she held back her impulse.

But today, she had to reclaim her dignity.

Wang Ou's mind raced; suddenly, she spotted the space under the desk, her eyes lit up, she unlaced her high heels, bent down, and crawled inside.

"..."

Yan Li wanted to end the video call, but Qin Lan refused—she hadn't seen Yan Li in days and wanted to talk more.

There was nothing to be done; Yan Li drank some water and kept listening to Qin Lan's rambling, his attention distracted, barely catching details—something about Huo Siyan trying to recruit people.

"Why recruit so many? It's like forming a gang."

"We stick together for warmth—more people means more fun, and we can help each other."

Qin Lan wasn't telling the truth—or at least not the whole truth. She'd been convinced by Huo Siyan to form a clique, and the main reason was to counter Fan Xiaopang.

Fan Xiaopang was too powerful; she couldn't stand against him alone.

But if she gathered a group of sisters, it would be different—ants can kill an elephant; a crowd of female stars rallying behind Qin Lan would make a formidable noise.

Even if they couldn't crush Fan Xiaopang, they'd at least have the power to resist—and Wang Ou, Huang Shengyi, and others would be easily subdued.

Huo Siyan had already recommended two candidates to Qin Lan.

One was Xiong Naijin, also under Huayi's management; Qin Lan had known her only briefly, but thought she was loyal and also owned a Pomeranian.

The other was Zhao Ke, an actress from "The Great Qing Imperial Harem," who had actively sought Qin Lan's favor during filming and could be evaluated.

Of course, Qin Lan wasn't foolish—she didn't hand over all personnel decisions to Huo Siyan; she was also considering bringing in a few people herself.

In the past, Qin Lan had always been good at making friends—every drama she filmed, she had a few decent connections, not necessarily close friends, but ones she got along with well.

But being friendly with someone didn't mean they were suitable for the sisterhood—Qin Lan planned to think it over.

"Why aren't you speaking?"

As Qin Lan chattered on, noticing Yan Li's silence, she asked.

Yan Li snapped back: "I'm listening. But I warn you—three women make a drama; a whole group of women, especially female stars, shooting big productions every day, you'll regret it."

"It's not as exaggerated as you say."

Qin Lan stubbornly retorted, but inside she felt uncertain—she'd experienced female rivalry before.

High school dorms, university dorms, early modeling contests, even "My Fair Princess 3"—she'd witnessed and even taken part in it all.

Hmm, better think it over again.

Qin Lan chatted idly, and Wang Ou, seemingly tired, couldn't help coughing twice.

"..."

Damn it!

Yan Li broke into a cold sweat, turned to the computer screen—Qin Lan had clearly heard it.

"What was that sound?"

Yan Li stayed calm: "QQ notification."

Qin Lan nodded, but felt something was off, and stared closely at the screen.

"Asshole, pervert, you fucking —"

The video call ended. Yan Li rubbed his temples. Qin Lan was always easygoing; for her to fly into such a rage, this had truly gone too far.

Yan Li knew he couldn't dodge this blame—he himself had refused; how could Wang Ou force him?

But Wang Ou bore responsibility too; Yan Li had to sort this out with her...

By midnight, exhausted Wang Ou had fallen into deep sleep.

Yan Li, mentally alert, sat on the room's sofa, smoking and reviewing today's daily intelligence report.

The first item was Qin Lan—she'd truly panicked, cursed him for hours, and now was too furious to sleep.

He'd have to return separately from Wang Ou; otherwise, if Qin Lan found out it was Wang Ou, she'd really fight her.

He skipped the second and third items. The fourth, about Yi'an Cinema Chain, snapped him to attention.

The cinema chain in the Yangtze River Delta had moved—they'd hired an intermediary and offered a price higher than he'd expected.

But it was meaningless now.

Their every move and strategy was transparent to him; how could they possibly compete? It was only a matter of how much they'd pay.

Yan Li calculated: it was December now; next year's Spring Festival was near the end of January—less than two months away.

Time was sufficient; if things went smoothly, the acquisition would be nearly complete after the Spring Festival.

Add in preparations, rebranding, and fundraising, and Yi'an Cinema Chain would officially emerge by March or April next year.

In 2006, Yi'an would focus on constructing and renovating theaters and training staff; the theater scale would debut at the earliest by late 2006, and the full cinema network wouldn't be operational until 2007.

In Yan Li's view, 2007–2008 would be a critical turning point for Yi'an and his personal development.

The 150 million yuan invested in Yi'an's early stage wasn't all the money Yan Li had.

2006–2007 was a bull market; he planned to keep substantial funds in the stock market to continue building his cash flow.

When the financial crisis hit, many cinema chains or their backer capital would suffer severe losses.

Yi'an's funds would likely be nearly spent; Yan Li could then smoothly push for capital increase and share expansion, channeling his stock market funds into Yi'an Cinema Chain.

This way, he'd not only consolidate internally and gain more equity, but also opportunistically acquire other cinema chains and theaters at rock-bottom prices.

If Yi'an Cinema Chain developed normally, catching up to the top tier would take a long time.

But if he leveraged this rare "opportunity" of 2007–2008, development time would shrink dramatically—perhaps even catapulting Yi'an into the top ranks.

It wasn't just about cinema chains; the financial crisis's impact was enormous. If Yan Li had enough money, he could do many things.

The ember of his cigarette flickered, then he crushed it out with his fingers.

Resist greed!

Taking a little grease was fine; taking too much invited hatred—especially when others bled while you profited hugely. Hmm, human nature is unpredictable.

The next day, Yan Li stayed in Shanghai, directing his team to handle the Yangtze River Delta cinema chain, while Wang Ou returned to Hengdian ahead of schedule.

Yang Rong, who had no scenes today, heard of Wang Ou's return and stormed straight into her room.

"Does Qin Lan know you went to see Boss Yan?"

Wang Ou was startled: "How do you know?"

Yang Rong frowned: "Today she seemed in terrible spirits—no smile at all. She barely spoke to anyone except during filming, not even to Hu Siyan."

"..."

Wang Ou panicked, grabbing Yang Rong: "You didn't tell anyone where I went yesterday, right?"

"Of course not."

Yang Rong swore she had a tight mouth. Wang Ou exhaled: "Good. Don't tell anyone. If anyone asks, say you were shooting an ad."

"What happened?"

Yang Rong couldn't help pressing. Wang Ou shook her head stubbornly and refused to speak. The more she refused, the more curious Yang Rong became—until she started tickling Wang Ou, torturing her.

Normally, the two played rough, and taller Wang Ou had the upper hand. But yesterday's exertion had left her legs weak, and Yang Rong overpowered her.

"Will you talk?"

Wang Ou turned her face away and clamped her lips shut. This could be done—but absolutely not spoken.

Yang Rong resumed tickling. Wang Ou begged for mercy, but still refused to speak.

This only made Yang Rong's curiosity burn worse—but she couldn't truly harm Wang Ou. She thought and thought.

"I'll trade you a secret."

Wang Ou ignored her. Yang Rong coaxed: "It's about Boss Yan."

"..."

Wang Ou opened her eyes: "Tell me what the secret is first."

Yang Rong hesitated: "I'll tell you, but you can't tell anyone. This is a secret I've planned to take to my grave—if it leaks, trouble follows."

Wang Ou was genuinely intrigued: "If it's about Boss Yan, I'll keep it secret. Besides, you've got my secrets too—we're exchanging, mutual blackmail."

Yang Rong thought that made sense, leaned close to Wang Ou's ear, and whispered a few words.

"That old hag!"

Wang Ou spat the words out, then stared strangely at Yang Rong.

"You just listened the whole time?"

"What else could I do?"

Yang Rong rolled her eyes. She'd kept this buried inside, dared not tell anyone, and it had been suffocating. Now that she'd shared it with Wang Ou, she felt much better.

It's your turn, it's your turn—I've always treated you like a confidante, don't you dare fool me.

Yang Rong warned Wang Ou not to dodge the question; Wang Ou had originally planned to brush her off, but then remembered how Yang Rong had stood by her despite Qin Lan's pressure, helping her strategize and treating her like family.

She'd even told Yang Rong that deadly secret—if Li Bingbing or Yan Li found out, Yang Rong would be in deep trouble.

After a moment of silence, Wang Ou gritted her teeth and revealed the truth. Yang Rong listened, stunned, her eyes filled with complex emotion as she stared at Wang Ou.

No wonder that Huo woman called you "Seductive Chicken."

Hey, which side are you on?

Wang Ou panicked—she'd told Yang Rong that nickname to complain about Qin Lan and Huo Siyan bullying her, not to have Yang Rong join in mocking her.

Sorry, sorry—I just blurted it out.

As Yang Rong spoke, she kept staring at Wang Ou's mouth, making the latter feel uneasy.

What?

Yang Rong looked torn, yet couldn't resist her curiosity: "Is it really that big?"

She had some idea of Yan Li's combat strength and endurance, but she'd never seen it firsthand, so she doubted Wang Ou's description.

Since she'd already confessed that, Wang Ou let go and gestured a rough estimate. Yang Rong tried to imagine it, but still couldn't picture it.

Seeing this, Wang Ou pulled out her phone and fiddled with it for a long while, producing several photos.

Yang Rong gasped: "Are you crazy? Taking photos like this?"

"Just for memories—I didn't show my face. I'm good to you, you know—only you've seen them."

Today, Wang Ou had truly laid everything bare, revealing many secrets to Yang Rong.

Yang Rong took the phone, flipped through the photos, and finally gained a rough impression; she sighed and patted Wang Ou's shoulder.

You've suffered.

Suffered?

Wang Ou blinked, scoffing at Yang Rong's naivety—some people would kill to endure this "suffering."

Give me the phone.

Don't rush, let me look again.

Yang Rong studied the photos carefully, completely unaware of how strangely Wang Ou was watching her. When she finally handed the phone back, Wang Ou blurted out:

If you're curious, I'll take you to try it.

Yang Rong choked, nearly suffocated, and shoved Wang Ou: "You're the one flirting—don't drag me into it."

Pfft, your eyes were about to fall right in—still calling me flirtatious?

Wang Ou wrapped her arm around Yang Rong and smirked: "Be honest—after you heard that in the dressing room, did you ever feel anything stir inside?"

She knew Yan Li's strength—even if the situation was unusual, the noise was low, and she'd only heard—it was still more than most women could handle.

Yang Rong's face flushed red; she stammered: "I was terrified then—how could I even think about that?"

Really? I don't believe you.

Wang Ou stared at Yang Rong, waiting until the other was nearly flustered—then suddenly smiled.

There's no need to be shy—if you want to hear it, I'll tell you how I got together with Boss Yan.

Who cares to hear it?

Yang Rong complained with her mouth, but her feet didn't move; she didn't even notice her eyes were faintly gleaming.

…

Another hotel room

Huo Siyan entered, glanced cautiously at the brooding Qin Lan, and reported what she'd learned.

"Sis, Wang Ou's back—her assistant said she was shooting an ad."

The murderous glint in Qin Lan's eyes dimmed slightly: "She's lucky."

Seeing Qin Lan's rage, Huo Siyan couldn't help but advise: "Sis, calm down—men are all like this. They won't behave unless they're chained up."

She didn't know the full situation; she assumed Qin Lan was angry because Yan Li had cheated, and thought Qin Lan was overreacting.

Everyone outside knew he'd cheated countless times—why react so strongly?

Qin Lan said nothing. This was too humiliating, and it involved Yan Li's reputation—she couldn't tell Huo Siyan.

She wasn't angry about Yan Li cheating—she was angry that he disrespected her.

You like thrills, do you?

Wait—I'll make that bastard know what real thrills are…

————

PS: Added yesterday's missing thousand characters.

(End of Chapter)