Chapter 228

Jingcheng, Fuli City

Qin Lan opened the door for Huo Siyan, who flashed her car key: "Sis, I parked your car in the spot."

"Mm."

She took the key, placed it in the entryway key box, and pointed to the dining area: "Help yourself to whatever you want to drink."

Their relationship was close; Huo Siyan had been here before, so no need for formalities.

Huo Siyan went to the fridge herself, took out a drink, took a few sips, then asked curiously.

"I didn't know what happened over there last night, so I didn't call—did Brother-in-law get mad?"

"Why would he get mad?"

Qin Lan's tone was calm and detached: "I couldn't refuse him in public yesterday, but when we got home, we had a fight—he's much more obedient now."

Regardless of the truth, Qin Lan still had face to maintain in front of her little sister.

"..."

Last night she made him count to three and dragged him into the car—he didn't dare utter a word, and who knows what he's bragging about back at whose place.

Huo Siyan muttered inwardly but kept praising: "Sis, you've got your husband under perfect control."

"Cough, cough."

Qin Lan couldn't handle that remark, quickly changed the subject, and thanked and showed concern for Huo Siyan.

"You worked hard yesterday—did you get hurt anywhere?"

"That's so formal—we're sisters, who's who? I swung my bag around, got hit two or three times, not even a scratch."

Last night looked chaotic, but in reality, it was mostly noise—actual blows were few, and Tong Dawei took most of them.

It wasn't that no one dared hit, but everyone feared someone else would go too far.

Most of them were actresses, relying on their faces for their livelihood—getting scratched bloody on the face would be a disaster.

So everyone swung once, dodged three times—whether they landed a hit didn't matter; the key was not getting hit yourself.

The two reviewed yesterday's 【Campaign Against Dong Xuan】, Huo Siyan boasted about her righteousness and bravery, then put down Ma Yili.

"Sis, this girl's no good—sneaky inside, doesn't treat us as family."

"Don't say that—Old Ma had her reasons, and if she hadn't held things back yesterday, it might've spiraled out of control."

Qin Lan still understood Ma Yili's actions and spoke up for her.

But in her heart, Huo Siyan's status had unconsciously begun to surpass Ma Yili's.

I treat you as a true best friend and sister—not to lecture me or defend the bigger picture.

Huo Siyan is a bit impulsive and sometimes useless, but she stands firmly by my side, never backs down at critical moments, and never hesitates when action's needed.

Originally, between Huo and Ma, Ma Yili carried more weight in Qin Lan's heart.

After all, they'd known each other longer—since filming *Huan Zhu Ge Ge 3*, it's been three or four years; even if their relationship was lukewarm early on, they'd been friends far longer than Huo Siyan.

So even though Qin Lan and Huo Siyan got along better, the latter couldn't catch up overnight.

But emotions, while shaped by time, can also leap forward in an instant—some events or moments can instantly elevate someone, even surpassing years.

Still, compared to Huo and Ma, Qin Lan actually thought Guan Yue was the most loyal yesterday.

Though they weren't on the same side, and Qin Lan didn't particularly like her, it didn't stop her from admiring Guan Yue's sense of righteousness.

She dared to argue, dared to fight, stood by Dong Xuan the whole time—even when everyone else hesitated, she was the only one who spoke up for Dong Xuan in front of Yan Li.

Qin Lan even felt a bit envious of Dong Xuan.

She thought to herself: if one day she had a falling-out with Yan Li and was wronged, which of these friends would stand up for her?

Ma Yili was out of the question; Huo Siyan would fight and brawl with other women for her, but facing Yan Li, she'd probably turn as docile as a rabbit.

As for Liu Yun... considering her temper, Qin Lan had a little confidence, but wasn't sure.

Qin Lan never thought she was worse than Dong Xuan in any way—except for luck. Now she felt Dong had the edge.

Lucky enough to meet Yan Li first, snatching the first sip.

Lucky enough to have a true best friend who'd risk everything for her.

Huo Siyan didn't know Qin Lan's thoughts—she kept complaining about Ma Yili.

This wasn't just genuine resentment—it was mostly an attempt to drive a wedge between Qin Lan and Ma Yili, to seize the position of Qin Lan's best friend.

Qin Lan only has a few close sisters—whomever she's closest to will benefit the most in the future.

Liu Yun? Huo Siyan didn't care—too obscure. But Ma Yili, who was more famous and had known Qin Lan longer, was seen by Huo Siyan as her main rival.

She'd planned to slowly maneuver, but now Ma Yili had handed her a knife—Huo Siyan wouldn't be herself if she didn't pour oil on the fire.

Seeing Qin Lan defend Ma Yili, she still didn't feel secure—she planned to bring more of her own allies into the group and isolate Ma Yili.

"Sis, do you remember Li Xiaolu? I'll tell you—she secretly helped us yesterday..."

Huo Siyan had always been on good terms with Li Xiaolu, and after yesterday, her fondness for her had grown even more.

And Li Xiaolu, who loved drama, either genuinely cared about Qin Lan or was just eager to stay close to the action for better gossip.

Last night, over drinks with Huo Siyan, when they talked about recruiting allies and forming cliques for mutual support, Li Xiaolu volunteered to join.

Li Xiaolu is a rising star—her fame, even combined with Qin Lan's and Ma Yili's, still ranks solidly in the top three; her joining the sisterhood would greatly boost its stature.

So Huo Siyan began strongly recommending Li Xiaolu to Qin Lan.

Though the girls always looked to Huo Siyan to organize things, the core of this circle was still Qin Lan—without her approval, Huo Siyan couldn't do a thing.

Qin Lan didn't have a bad impression of Li Xiaolu—but...

"Doesn't she know the Dong family?"

"Exactly because she does, we need to pull her over—otherwise she might get pulled in by the Dongs. Besides, Sis, don't you want someone inside to keep tabs on their side?"

Huo Siyan had already planted a mole for Yan Li at Huayi—now she was thinking of placing one near Dong Xuan.

She had a personal grudge against Dong Xuan and was even more eager to take her down than Qin Lan was.

Qin Lan was somewhat swayed by Huo Siyan's words, but she didn't immediately agree—instead, she suggested first getting to know each other better.

…

While Qin Lan and Huo Siyan actively discussed matters, on the other side of the North Electric campus, Dong Xuan and Guan Yue, having finished their official business, found a secluded spot to review the events.

"So what exactly happened when you went home last night? You didn't clarify earlier."

Guan Yue pulled Dong Xuan aside to ask, and unlike Qin Lan's deference to Huo Siyan, Dong Xuan and Guan Yue's long-standing friendship meant they shared nearly everything.

So Dong Xuan didn't hold back—she gave Guan Yue a general account of what had happened yesterday.

"That's it?"

Guan Yue was speechless: "You fought, and now it's just going to be swept under the rug like this?"

"What else can we do? We can't keep fighting, and we can't reconcile—so we let the big thing become small, the small thing vanish, and silently move on."

Their three-way relationship was a tangled mess; many things could only be handled vaguely.

If things were spelled out too clearly, if attitudes were stated too plainly, it would force Yan Li to make a choice.

What if Yan Li chooses someone else?

Who dares to gamble?

When she saw Yan Li turn and get into the car yesterday, Qin Lan's panic was unclear—but Dong Xuan was truly frightened.

If they split again, Yan Li would be a dragon returning to the sea—what would she do?

As always: back when times were hard, she had stuck by Yan Li through it all; now that it was time to enjoy the fruits of victory, for it all to go to another woman would hurt more than death.

No matter what, Yan Li had never let another woman surpass her—that proved she held the heaviest weight in his heart. So she'd just have to make do for now.

Guan Yue opened her mouth, then closed it without speaking.

Not to mention Yan Li and Dong Xuan were both willing participants in this mess—no matter how close she and Dong Xuan were, she was still an outsider, with no right to interfere.

More importantly, she didn't even know what to say.

To urge Dong Xuan to endure? That was pointless. To urge her not to? But if Dong Xuan broke with Yan Li, where would she find another super diamond bachelor like him?

All men are the same. She once thought her own Tong Dawei was honest—didn't she still find out his secrets?

If Dong Xuan and Yan Li split, and then found a man worse in every way than Yan Li—and he turned out unfaithful too—wouldn't she die of rage?

After a moment of silence, Guan Yue changed the subject: since they couldn't split, they had to fight for what they wanted.

"Hey, have you noticed how many people are gathering around that Qin Lan?"

"Hmph."

Dong Xuan let out a light scoff: "Trying to imitate the beauty."

Though Qin Lan and Huo Siyan were busy recruiting allies and making a big show of it, it was actually Dong Xuan who started this first.

Her network included university classmates Guan Yue and Yin Xu, Yang Xue and Jiang Xin from "Huan Tian Xi Di Seven Fairies," and friends from various other channels.

If Dong Xuan's people were displayed, they'd far outnumber Qin Lan's.

But because she and Guan Yue were so close, their bond stood out too sharply, making everyone else seem invisible.

"Regardless of whether she's imitating beauty, I think we need to pay attention."

Guan Yue, however, felt this couldn't be ignored: Qin Lan's recent outreach was no ordinary move—she had Ma Yili and Huo Siyan beside her; once her faction grew larger, any conflict would leave the weaker side at a disadvantage.

For example, yesterday—thank goodness Ma Yili was solely focused on breaking things up. If she'd sided with Qin and Huo, and Tong Dawei couldn't intervene, three against two—what might have happened?

Dong Xuan listened to Guan Yue's words, lost in thought.

Fights and arguments? She didn't take them seriously—the likelihood was too low. She was competing for Yan Li, not hoarding territory for a gang brawl.

But the reason both she and Qin Lan unconsciously built factions was largely due to their own insufficient strength and influence—so they compensated by gathering crowds.

Especially Fan Xiaopang's strong performance made both sides feel this urgency even more acutely.

If you can't outmatch Fan in solo combat, and you don't gather people to form power, are you just going to sit and wait to be crushed?

After silently considering for a moment, Dong Xuan told Guan Yue: "Finding allies is fine, but we can't take just anyone. What do you think of Li Xiaolu?"

"Average. She looks slick and shifty—I got the feeling yesterday she was favoring Huo."

Dong Xuan frowned, then relaxed: "Perfect. I'm worried I don't know enough about Qin Lan's side—she can go gather intel."

Guan Yue questioned: "Is she reliable? Don't end up throwing meat buns at a dog."

"I know her fairly well—I'll talk to her later."

Dong Xuan still had confidence: they already had a relationship, and whatever Qin Lan could offer, she could offer too.

She didn't expect Li Xiaolu to defect to her side—just needed her to bring back what she required.

Guan Yue didn't oppose further, but recommended another candidate.

"What do you think of Yang Mi?"

"Her?"

Dong Xuan pursed her lips. Since learning Yang Mi's true situation from Yan Li, her impression of her had soured, and the former warmth and friendliness were gone.

She didn't know whether Yang Mi sensed it—but no matter Dong Xuan's attitude, Yang Mi acted exactly as she always had.

Guan Yue knew Dong Xuan's thoughts, but she disagreed this time.

"This little girl had a minor hit in 'The Legend of the Condor Heroes,' and she's now starring in 'Wang Zhaojun'—her prospects are good. She's still our student, close to us. Sure, she has her own schemes—but the more scheming someone is, the more likely they'll rise, and the more useful they can be."

If you treat Yang Mi as a trusted inner disciple, she might disappoint you.

But if you treat her as a frontline tool, she's an excellent choice.

Dong Xuan thought for a moment, didn't say yes or no, only replied: "I'll think about it."

…

While Qin Lan and Dong Xuan were studying how to recruit followers, Fan Xiaopang was leisurely recording songs in the studio.

Because Yan Li had sealed everyone's lips, and no outsiders had witnessed yesterday's events, Fan Xiaopang knew nothing about them.

"…

I know, I've always had invisible wings

That carry me, giving me hope

I've finally seen, all my dreams have bloomed

The youthful voice chasing them is so bright

…

After singing it twice and receiving the engineer's signal, Fan Xiaopang stepped out of the recording booth and spoke to Wang Jinghua, who had come to visit.

"Sister Jing, what do you think of this song?"

"It's a great song—the lyrics are good, and the melody is very pleasant to listen to."

Wang Jinghua wasn't just flattering; the song truly sounded good, and she had even asked the lyricist and composer.

"Wang Yajun, a singer from Taiwan. Do you know Zhang Shaohan? Many of her songs were written by this woman—Yan Li specifically bought this one."

"Supposedly, this song was originally meant for Zhang Shaohan, but Yan Li paid extra to snatch it away."

The song "Invisible Wings" was information Yan Li obtained from the system—it was said to be one of the hottest songs of 2006—so he acquired it to serve as the lead single for Fan Xiaopang's album.

In fact, Fan Xiaopang's version was somewhat restrained.

This song wasn't just written by Wang Yajun for Zhang Shaohan—it could even be said to have been tailor-made for her.

Of course, whether this was just promotional talk was debatable, but Yan Li paid extra, used connections, and obtained the song without much difficulty.

After all, this kind of inspirational song could be slightly altered to fit Zhang Shaohan—or any other artist.

Fan Xiaopang debuted young, endured rough times, faced controversy, and climbed upward through sheer determination.

So inside her, too, there was an invisible wing, carrying her, giving her hope.

That was the surface meaning. In Fan Xiaopang's own understanding, it was also a "love song."

Yan Li was subtly implying he was her "invisible wing," carrying her, making her dreams bloom.

But regardless, the song now belonged to Fan Xiaopang, and she sang it perfectly—her voice was sweet yet confident, so it sounded uplifting and healing.

Besides "Invisible Wings," Fan Xiaopang's album also included a song called "Cherry Grass."

It, too, was snatched by Yan Li through the system—originally a song by the group Sweety, one of whose members was Liu Pinyan, who played Anu in "The Legend of Sword and Fairy."

Once Yan Li learned the lyricist and composer, he used connections and threw money at it.

"Cherry Grass" had a fresh, sweet style that matched well with "Invisible Wings."

Based on these two songs as the foundation, the rest of Fan Xiaopang's album consisted mostly of inspirational, growth-oriented, and positive themes—all carefully selected or custom-commissioned from professional musicians.

Leaving aside arrangement, recording, and production, the cost of acquiring or commissioning just these songs exceeded two million.

"Looking at it this way, Yan Li really treats you well."

After hearing Fan Xiaopang's slightly boastful description of the album, Wang Jinghua couldn't help but sigh.

"Of course—he doesn't treat me well, I wouldn't want to leave you, Sister Jing."

Fan Xiaopang hugged Wang Jinghua; her defection had left a slight rift in Wang Jinghua's heart.

But thanks to Yan Li's careful groundwork and their mutual interests, their relationship remained good, and they occasionally met privately.

In this regard, she was even better off than Li Bingbing, who, because of Huayi, rarely saw Wang Jinghua privately anymore.

After chatting in the studio for a while, Fan Xiaopang finished her work and invited Wang Jinghua to dinner.

After they sat down, exchanged pleasantries, and caught up on recent events, Fan Xiaopang spoke up.

"Sister Jing, did you come here for a reason?"

Having worked with Wang Jinghua since 2000, they knew each other well—so when Wang Jinghua suddenly showed up to visit, Fan Xiaopang knew this former agent never came without a purpose.

"I knew I couldn't hide it from you. Well, how to put it—I was asked to do this."

Wang Jinghua first distanced herself, then explained: the matter was simple—Wu, the boss of Chengtian, wanted to talk to Yan Li, and asked Wang Jinghua to make the introduction.

As a Chengtian executive, Wang Jinghua knew some things; she feared her own involvement wouldn't be enough, so she turned to Fan Xiaopang.

"I see."

Fan Xiaopang didn't know much about Chengtian, but she knew Yan Li and Huayi exchanged information—so she didn't rashly agree, saying she'd ask Yan Li.

Wang Jinghua had no objection; she had delivered the message, and whether Yan Li responded or not, she could account for it.

After dinner, Fan Xiaopang went straight back to Yi'an, found Yan Li in his office, and told him.

Yan Li raised an eyebrow: "Damn, turned him down twice and he's still not giving up—now he's reached you."

Only then did Fan Xiaopang learn Chengtian had previously approached Yan Li.

Thinking about it, it made sense—they weren't mortal enemies, both were big names in the industry; normally, a direct invitation would be enough, and Yan Li wouldn't easily refuse.

The fact that they sent Wang Jinghua as a go-between—and dragged her into it—meant the normal channels had failed.

"Why is Chengtian so eager to get in touch with you?"

Fan Xiaopang asked curiously. Yan Li lit a cigarette: "They want to enter the cinema market, but can't get a license, and acquisitions keep failing—so they're wondering if they can partner with me…"

Chengtian's goal had already been uncovered by Yan Li through the system.

These people had big appetites—while pursuing Shaw Brothers, they were also eyeing him, planning to merge Shaw Brothers, Yi'an, and Chengtian into one.

Then, using Shaw Brothers as a shell for listing, leveraging Yi'an's mainland presence and Yan Li's connections, they'd become China's top private cinema chain and make a fortune on the stock market.

The plan sounded good—if Yan Li didn't have the system, he might have been tempted.

But now he knew the sweet candy hid poison.

Behind Chengtian and Shaw Brothers were Japanese and Hong Kong capital, far larger than Yan Li's; if the merger succeeded, Yan Li would never gain control.

To maintain stability and need his efforts to expand, they'd initially give him some sweeteners.

But once the company grew large and the layout matured, Yan Li's usefulness would decline, control would remain in their hands, and his funding couldn't compete—he'd either be kicked out or gradually marginalized.

Burn the bridge after crossing, kill the ox after the cart is unloaded—this was capital's favorite trick.

Knowing full well these people had no good intentions, Yan Li naturally ignored them, outright refusing every invitation.

Fuck, these people are so fucking malicious!

After hearing Yan Li's "guess," Fan Xiaopang flew into a rage, cursing loudly—had Yan Li not been sharp, he'd have been devoured down to the last bone fragment.

"This is actually the best case—at least you get a taste of sweetness. Worse still, they don't even let you taste it, or make you vomit it up after eating, or even shove you out at the critical moment to take the blame, sending you to prison or off a rooftop."

Yan Li was used to it; everyone said the entertainment industry was dirty, but those stars were still greenhorns compared to the capital circle.

Orange Sky's scheme, in a way, was actually somewhat "sincere."

Otherwise, they wouldn't have been so eager—Yan Li rose from nothing and was hard to fool; too greedy an appearance would never secure cooperation.

In Orange Sky's eyes, Yan Li's move to build this cinema chain was nothing but about boosting industry influence or going public to raise money.

As for building an industrial chain, Orange Sky saw it as highly unlikely—simple enough, where would Yan Li get the funds?

Relying solely on stock trading and a bunch of coal bosses? Pure fantasy!

This line of thinking made sense—who else would know Yan Li could cheat the system?

At this rate, by the time Yi'an burns through its first round of funding, its scale won't reach IPO standards, so it'll have to go back to investors for more capital—the difficulty and complexity need no elaboration.

But if Yan Li merges Yi'an with Orange Sky and Jiahua, he won't have to worry about funding in the short term.

As one of the core senior executives of the new company, Yan Li could mobilize many resources, and his shares could be cashed out.

Even if he's kicked out later, if the early moves are well-executed, he'll be stuffed full to the brim.

That's why Orange Sky had the confidence to try convincing Yan Li—but Yan Li was stubborn, preferring to go it alone rather than cling to a powerful backer.

Fan Xiaopang listened, bewildered—how could Orange Sky be both bad and good? Finally, she asked:

"How should I reply to Sister Hua?"

"Turn them down. Say you're busy, and you're going to Xiangjiang these two days."

"If you're going to Xiangjiang, I'm going too."

Fan Xiaopang's eyes lit up; she wrapped her arms around Yan Li's neck and started cooing. Yan Li pushed her away.

"We're at the company—people will see, it's inappropriate."

"Who cares? We're not doing anything else. Couples hugging and kissing is normal. Besides, Hu Ya and Xiao Yi are outside."

Saying this, she didn't let go—instead, she pressed her whole body against Yan Li. He instinctively squeezed her flesh.

"Huh? You've gotten fatter?"

That one sentence nearly made Fan Xiaopang jump up: "Where's fat? I weighed myself just the other day—106 jin, exactly."

Yan Li squeezed again: "Don't get worked up. If you're fat, you're fat—it's soft, feels good."

Actually, he preferred her a bit fuller—holding and touching her was comfortable.

But her frame was large; if she didn't control her weight just slightly, she looked bulky. In real life, it wasn't obvious, but on camera, it amplified—especially next to a slim, petite actress, the contrast was stark.

So Fan Xiaopang usually preferred to be thinner, afraid of becoming a "fatso."

"Lately I've been busy recording songs, no other public appearances—my mindset's gotten a bit lax."

After fooling herself for a while, Fan Xiaopang faced reality: she'd start dieting after returning from Xiangjiang.

"Hey, I never said I'd take you."

Yan Li almost got tangled in her logic and quickly corrected her. Fan Xiaopang gave him a dangerous look.

"If you don't take me, who are you taking? Ms. Dong? Ms. Qin? Or that little bitch Wang Ou?"

"I'm taking no one—it's just a business trip, discussing work, back in two or three days."

Yan Li wasn't lying to Fan Xiaopang; his schedule in Xiangjiang was packed—besides discussing investments and overseas exports, he planned to place some bets on the World Cup.

This year's World Cup is in Germany; the sweet gains from last year's Euros were too sweet. Yan Li said he'd quit gambling, but when the moment came, he still felt a itch.

But unlike last time, when he bet half his cash in one gamble, this time Yan Li played smaller.

Win, and he gains extra wealth; lose, and it won't affect him.

His capital wasn't high, and now Yan Li was no longer what he used to be—he had enough confidence and connections, so he didn't go to Europe, just handled it directly in Xiangjiang.

He'd even planned ahead how to use this money in the future—keep it in Xiangjiang for investment or property.

When the financial crisis hits, Xiangjiang will suffer even harder than the mainland—perfect for bottom-fishing.

Investment, no need to explain; property—he believes Xiangjiang's housing market will rise steadily. Also, he's considering future children could be born in Xiangjiang—preparing in advance.

Many stars and billionaires prefer giving birth in Xiangjiang—not just to avoid the one-child policy, but also to give their child an Xiangjiang household registration.

Xiangjiang household registration offers many benefits—convenience in education, overseas travel, and more.

Yan Li hadn't decided what to do yet—he hadn't even considered when to have children—but whether to buy now or later, better to prepare early than panic at the last minute.

He didn't need to tell Fan Xiaopang all this—just emphasized he'd be quick in and out, no hidden motives, no one else along.

Fan Xiaopang was disappointed; she'd been looking forward to traveling with Yan Li during this rare free time.

Yan Li also felt he'd been too busy lately—he needed rest and recreation. He'd schedule a vacation soon, go traveling to relax.

But he still didn't tell Fan Xiaopang—whom to take wasn't decided yet. Best to act first, explain later—otherwise, they'd argue forever.

…

Since he was at the company, Fan Xiaopang didn't leave. When Yan Li finished work, she made him take her out for barbecue.

"Aren't you dieting?"

"I'll diet after this meal."

Yan Li nodded—typical of her. Since eating barbecue meant drinking, he had his driver Wu Maowen drive them to a famous barbecue spot in Jingcheng.

The restaurant had no private rooms, just simple partitions between tables. Yan Li didn't mind—just eating, and if paparazzi snapped photos, it didn't matter.

Fan Xiaopang didn't care at all—she wished paparazzi photographed her and Yan Li every day, making their relationship undeniable.

Had Yan Li not held her back, she'd have publicly admitted their relationship long ago—even if it damaged her career, she wanted their bond out in the open.

"... Bring me some enoki mushrooms, eggplant, a few skewers of shrimp, and some kidneys—both inside and outside kidneys…"

Before she finished speaking, Fan Xiaopang cut him off: "Order fewer."

"Alright then, two skewers of each to try."

Yan Li was a bit speechless—other women would go all out making tonics for their men, but here he was, wanting something a little more stimulating for himself, and a few women blocked him every which way.

"Oysters should be fine, right? You can eat those too."

Yan Li kept ordering. Fan Xiaopang nodded—Yan Li couldn't be replenished, but she could, otherwise she wouldn't be able to handle it.

After the dishes were ordered, the two began chatting about the promotion of *Investiture of the Gods*.

The drama was set to air in June; Xiang Province TV wasn't short on good dramas, so this one didn't snag the summer slot.

Still, airing early wasn't bad—if the ratings performed well, the various reruns would line up perfectly with the summer slot, sweeping up young viewers across the daytime blocks.

Fan Xiaopang was still fairly invested in this drama.

Although *The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng* had exploded, she was only one of the unit female leads, so the gains were limited. But in *Investiture of the Gods*, she was the undisputed female lead—perform well, and it could bring her quite a few benefits.

"I asked Brother Cheng, and the promotion might include a variety show on Xiang Province TV. Do you have time?"

Although Yan Li was heavily involved in *Investiture of the Gods* and in charge of distribution, the main control was still Yongle's Cheng Lidong; many of the crew's matters were handled by Cheng.

"We'll see."

Yan Li really wasn't sure—after all, he was only a supporting role in *Investiture of the Gods*. Attending a press conference and cooperating with a few interviews would be no problem.

But going out of town to record a variety show might not fit his schedule, and he wasn't really into the overly playful style of variety shows on Xiang Province TV.

Fan Xiaopang, however, quite wanted Yan Li to go. As the business grew bigger and bigger, Yan Li gave people an increasingly steady and profound impression, and his presence grew ever more powerful.

She wanted to see what state the current Yan Li would be in if he got tripped up by those prank games.

Just as they were talking, someone suddenly patted Yan Li from behind. He turned to look.

Li Xiaolu greeted him cheerfully: "Brother Yan, what a coincidence, we meet again."

As she spoke, she also quickly glanced at Fan Xiaopang—good lord, yesterday two women had just fought over him, and today he was out eating barbecue with another one.

What a scumbag!

Yan Li was also a bit surprised—wasn't the *Struggle* crew supposed to be strictly managed, with even visits controlled? How was this little girl running around everywhere?

Li Xiaolu seemed to read Yan Li's meaning, blinked, and said: "I took sick leave."

Taking sick leave to come get treated at a barbecue place, right!

Yan Li glanced again at the tall young man behind Li Xiaolu.

Hmm, actually he wasn't that tall, but set against petite and slender Li Xiaolu, he looked both tall and sturdy.

"This is?"

"Li Chen, my boyfriend, also an actor."

As she spoke, she patted Yan Li with what seemed like great familiarity: "Chen'er, you definitely know him—Yan Li, my good brother, boss of Yi'an, an absolute big shot."

Li Chen very politely extended both hands: "Hello, President Yan. I'm Li Chen. Xiaolu often mentions you, and I usually rely on your care."

Actually, the two of us aren't that close—we only met yesterday!

Yan Li didn't expose her either, went along with a couple of lines, and also introduced Fan Xiaopang. The latter's reaction to the two of them was flat.

Although Li Xiaolu was a currently popular young actress, she still had quite a gap compared with Fan Xiaopang; as for that Li Chen, she hadn't even heard of him.

Normally, with Fan Xiaopang's emotional intelligence, she would have chatted a few lines. But today, having finally gotten a world-for-two with Yan Li, these two came blabbering over to interrupt—no way she was going to give them a pleasant face.

Li Xiaolu read Fan Xiaopang's coldness, rolled her eyes, and said: "Brother Yan, we won't disturb you anymore. You and sis-in-law take your time eating."

The two words "sis-in-law" instantly pleased Fan Xiaopang. A smile appeared on her face, and she even got up to see them off. Afterward, she praised:

"This little girl is quite sensible."

What little girl—if Yan Li remembered correctly, this one seemed to have debuted very early; she just looked young. Fan Xiaopang might actually be younger than her.

And that Li Chen—he also seemed to ring a bell; he appeared to have acted in *Seventeen Without Tears*, debuting quite early.

"Who cares if they debuted early or not, they're unrelated outsiders. Why bother with them?"

Fan Xiaopang wouldn't let Yan Li mention anyone else, focusing entirely on accompanying her through their world for two.

PS: Sorry, forgot to set the timer.

(End of this chapter)