Chapter 229: Yan Li: I

BBQ restaurant

Li Chen couldn't help glancing inside the restaurant; Li Xiaolu tapped him with a skewer.

"What are you looking at?"

"Nothing."

Li Xiaolu looked at Li Chen with a half-smile: "I saw those sneaky eyes of yours darting all over Fan Bingbing. What, you wanna compete with the big shot for a woman? If you've got that kind of thought, just say it—let's break up. Don't drag me into your suicide mission."

"How would I dare?"

Li Chen smiled nervously, swearing his loyalty to his girlfriend: "Besides, in my eyes, there's no one but you."

In their relationship, Li Xiaolu clearly held the upper hand.

They first met while filming "Thirteen Huanzhu Gege"; at the time, Li Xiaolu was already a Golden Horse Award-winning actress, famous from the TV drama "It Was the Angels Who Caused the Trouble."

Li Chen had some name recognition then, but far behind Li Xiaolu, and with her family's three-generation hold on the entertainment industry and their vast connections, the gap was even wider.

So Li Chen pursued her for a long while before finally winning her over, and even now he had to coddle her, treating her like a princess with her occasional tantrums.

To please Li Xiaolu, Li Chen even got a tattoo of the character 【路】 on his thigh.

After Li Chen poured out a flood of flattery, Li Xiaolu's expression slowly softened.

She loved to play around and sometimes craved excitement, but that didn't mean she wanted daily thrills.

On the contrary, raised in constant indulgence, she preferred being pampered and catered to in every way—that's why she stayed with Li Chen, who always yielded to her.

Seeing Li Xiaolu calmed down, Li Chen explained he'd just been curious about Yan Li, wondering how she knew him.

They'd been dating for years and even lived together, yet he'd never heard she had any connection with this rising big shot.

"We knew each other before, but we got close recently—I helped him with a small favor."

Li Xiaolu began showing off her connections: Tong Dawei and Ma Yili from the "Struggle" cast, her best friends Qin Lan, Huo Siyan, and Dong Xuan.

Pick any one of them—they were all well-known in the industry, all redder than Li Chen.

Of course, she talked most about Yan Li.

The others were actors, at most big or medium stars; Yan Li, as an actor, might not stand out among them, but he was a genuine billionaire, and more importantly, he had not just money but all kinds of resources.

Yan Li was truly deserving of the title "big shot," but different tiers of entertainers saw him differently.

For example, top-tier megastars wouldn't easily offend him, but weren't particularly afraid of him either; a few could even interact with him as equals.

A-list stars, each with their own backing, respected and were friendly toward him, but if they had nothing to gain, they wouldn't grovel.

Below that, it was different: either you couldn't afford to offend him, or you wanted to cling to his leg.

Take Li Xiaolu, for instance—a rising starlet, but even among starlets, there were differences; otherwise, she wouldn't have been cast as a supporting role to Ma Yili in "Struggle."

Her family had connections, but connections weren't capital; helping to link up with certain production teams and directors was fine, but directly promoting someone? That was a stretch.

In other words, to Li Xiaolu, Yan Li was top-tier connections.

Li Chen was even less of a player—a little-known actor in the industry; any resource Yan Li casually offered would be enough to advance his career.

So both were eager to talk about Yan Li—Li Xiaolu eager to show off her connections, Li Chen eager to latch onto them.

"Should we go offer him a drink or something?"

Li Chen was tempted; Li Xiaolu rolled her eyes: "Didn't you see earlier? He's annoyed by your meddling. Why go annoy him further? Instead of toasting, just pay the bill."

"You're right."

Li Chen thought it made sense—a BBQ meal couldn't cost much, but if it won the big shot's favor, it'd be worth it.

He got up to pay the bill, and returned with a grumble: "Seriously rich—this meal cost over 600."

This was 2006; even in Jingcheng, where prices were high, 300 per person for BBQ was a bit exaggerated.

"What's that? A decent bottle of wine costs a few hundred."

Li Xiaolu didn't care; for ordinary people, eating like this was wasteful and irresponsible, but for billionaires, it was just prudent living.

Not to mention 600+, even if they spent six thousand or sixty thousand on a meal, they could afford it.

"..."

Li Chen fell silent; in this era, money was the ultimate truth.

As long as you had money, even if you loved eating shit, people would praise your unique taste and exceptional character.

They arrived early and finished eating early, yet stubbornly stayed, moving their seats to a conspicuous spot by the door.

After a long while, Yan Li and Fan Xiaopang stepped out wearing masks—and sure enough, they spotted them immediately and came over to greet them.

"You shouldn't have spent so much."

"Nah, just a meal—what matters is you enjoyed it, Brother Yan."

Li Xiaolu was very generous; after chatting a bit, Yan Li and Fan Xiaopang got into the driver's waiting G-Wagon and drove off slowly.

"Tsk, when will I ever get to drive a G-Wagon?"

Li Chen felt envious; no man didn't love cars, especially Li Chen, who had once been a race car driver and loved them even more.

Though not famous, he still got roles and had some savings; his family background was decent too—he could afford a million-yuan luxury car if he sold everything he owned.

But then what?

He had to live, pay his mortgage, and support a girlfriend raised to spend money like water—and a new car depreciated the moment he drove it off the lot, plus maintenance was expensive.

He could buy it, but he couldn't afford to own it!

Li Xiaolu looked down on Li Chen's pitiful expression: "So you can afford it? Big deal. You think a G-Wagon is your dream, but for him it's just transportation. Driving the same car doesn't mean you're the same class."

You didn't realize the difference until you compared—others might not know, but Yan Li giving Fan Xiaopang a G-Wagon was famous news; what did Li Chen give her?

A heart-shaped stone!

Back then, young as she was, she thought it was romantic; now, comparing it to others, it left a bitter taste.

Of course, Li Chen had given her other gifts, but everything he'd given her over years of dating didn't add up to half a G-Wagon.

"..."

Starting today, Li Chen was repeatedly made to feel inferior by Li Xiaolu, who kept dragging Yan Li into the conversation, and he was a bit annoyed.

But he dared not retort, or Li Xiaolu would make an even bigger scene, so he swallowed his anger and said the matter was done—they should head back.

In the end, the two found the owner to settle the bill, because they'd been waiting for Yan Li the whole time, they hadn't paid their own bill to avoid blocking the table.

The owner said someone had already paid for them—and even topped up 1000 yuan on their membership card, so next time they could just use the card to pay.

Li Chen stared blankly as he took the membership card; Li Xiaolu muttered, "What a slick one—he doesn't even owe a single meal's favor."

"What favor is there in one meal?"

In the car, Yan Li and Fan Xiaopang talked about what had just happened, shrugging.

Too many people want to invite him to meals; if he owed a favor for every meal, his favors would be worthless.

Although Yan Li's status is mostly reflected within the entertainment circle, his fame outside is enormous—he's among the most well-known businessmen.

Often, when eating out or having fun, friends, people wanting to befriend him, or simply admirers pay his bill; restaurant owners frequently waive the bill and give free dishes or drinks.

Not just Yan Li—even if Fan Xiaopang were recognized, he sometimes gets similar treatment.

That's the benefit of fame; many people are happy to play along.

Just one meal—go back and brag to friends about treating some big shot to dinner, and feel proud.

So if it were just Yan Li alone, if invited, he'd accept, say a few polite words, and that'd be the end of it.

But today Fan Xiaopang was with him, and the latter thought Li Xiaolu was being overly eager.

A rising star, calling him "Yan-ge" sweetly, volunteering to pay—given Yan Li's reputation, she had to be cautious.

So Fan Xiaopang noticed Li and Li's bill wasn't settled, and returned the favor by treating them, even topping up the membership card to cover the difference, to make her stance clear.

We're not playing that game—keep your distance!

Yan Li thought Fan Xiaopang was overly sensitive: "She has a boyfriend, you know. Am I that kind of person?"

"Heh—hearths are worse than concubines, concubines worse than stealing; other people's rice tastes best, other people's wives are most tempting. I know exactly what men's dirty little minds are like."

Fan Xiaopang shot Yan Li a glare—he had no shortage of women, and just waving a hand drew them rushing in; who knew if he might be deliberately seeking thrills?

Besides, having a boyfriend doesn't mean you can't break up.

Just look at how Li Xiaolu's eyes lit up when she saw Yan Li—someday she might kick that Li-whatever guy to the curb and scamper over to cling to Yan Li's leg. It's not impossible.

People often climb the social ladder by abandoning poor lovers for rich ones; how much more so in the entertainment world, a den of fame and fortune?

Too many have cut ties with boyfriends or girlfriends for advantage—even, she'd heard, women who willingly sent their own lovers to other people's beds to climb higher.

"Tighten your belt—you're just a stick-thin matchstick girl, what's so appealing?"

Watching Fan Xiaopang jealously belittle Li Xiaolu, Yan Li found it amusing and couldn't resist teasing her.

"She's thin, sure, but she's not completely flat, and she's awfully pale."

"You're still thinking about her?!"

Fan Xiaopang snapped: "Then go ahead—don't you worry you'll puncture her?"

Yan Li: "..."

Li Xiaolu isn't especially short—she's about 1.6 meters in shoes—but she's thin, so she looks especially petite.

Unlike Yang Rong or Huo Siyan, who are also short but have curves; they just look short, not as frail as Li Xiaolu, who's like a Barbie doll.

Come to think of it, except for Huo Siyan, Yan Li really hasn't interacted much with petite women.

Barbie doll, skinny and small... I wonder if she'd be fun!

"Cough."

Coming back to his senses, Yan Li looked at Fan Xiaopang glaring at him, and pinched her cheek.

"Alright, just teasing you. Honestly, Li Xiaolu is close with Qin Lan and familiar with Dong Xuan—if I so much as touch her, they'd eat me alive."

Yan Li meant to explain, but Fan Xiaopang's eyes lit up at his words.

"This little girl's got quite the network."

"..."

Seeing her expression, Yan Li didn't know what she was thinking, but he knew it wasn't good.

Add in Qin Lan and Dong Xuan's schemes—he really wondered if Li Xiaolu's tiny frame could hold up.

But Yan Li didn't care; as long as these three women didn't bother him, they could mess with whoever they wanted—if things got bad, he'd privately compensate Li Xiaolu.

At Fan Xiaopang's apartment, Yan Li went to shower, while Fan Xiaopang went to the bedroom to tinker, saying she had a surprise for him.

When Yan Li came out, she hadn't finished—over half an hour passed, Yan Li had even watched one episode of his drama, when the bedroom door finally opened.

Fan Xiaopang had her hair pinned high, adorned with golden hairpins, matching earrings, her makeup refined, brows and eyes like a painting, lips painted alluringly.

She wore a magnificent Tang-style orange-red sleeveless long dress, its lines flowing, perfectly showcasing her graceful figure; the vibrant color made her neck and chest skin look even whiter and more tender, making her appear regal and dazzling.

Fan Xiaopang held a poised expression, stepping gracefully toward Yan Li with ladylike strides, looking at him.

"How do I look? Am I beautiful?"

Yan Li stared at her for over ten seconds, then nodded sincerely: "Beautiful."

Though they'd known each other a long time, and Yan Li had seen Fan Xiaopang in countless beautiful forms.

But seeing her dressed up today, he couldn't help being stunned.

"Still thinking about that matchstick girl?"

Fan Xiaopang started bringing up old grievances; seduced by her beauty, Yan Li shook his head decisively: "I've got you—why would I think of her?"

"Who's prettier, me or her?"

"No comparison."

"Who's more beautiful, me or Qin and Dong?"

"You're the most beautiful."

"Then say 'Yan Li loves Fan Bingbing' three times."

"Never ending?"

Yan Li watched Fan Xiaopang's brazen behavior grow increasingly insolent; he pulled her into his arms and sealed her lips with his own.

Fan Xiaopang resisted, breaking free: "That's not fair! I spent so much effort picking out this outfit—just humor me a little."

"What do you mean 'you picked it'? Do you think I don't know?"

Yan Li tugged at her dress: "The costume from 'The Legend of Yang Yuhuan'—didn't I pay for every stitch, every piece of jewelry? And don't forget, I had a hand in you too."

Fan Xiaopang retorted: "I was born beautiful—what did you have to do with it?"

"Beauty comes from good genes, but it also needs good care."

Yan Li spoke with perfect confidence: "I've fed you the best food, treated you to the finest things, worked day and night to provide you with essence—I spent money and effort. Tell me, didn't I earn my share?"

"..."

Fan Xiaopang admitted Yan Li's words weren't without merit.

Since she'd been with Yan Li, her career had improved, her aura had flourished, her finances had soared, every aspect of her life had reached its peak, her emotions found anchorage, her intimate life was harmonious—and barring a few minor issues, everything went smoothly.

Under these conditions, Fan Xiaopang radiated vitality every single day.

A good mood and state naturally improved her body and demeanor; medical studies even supported this: the better one's life, the more beautiful one becomes.

"But aren't you the one enjoying it all?"

Fan Xiaopang stubbornly insisted—yet Yan Li didn't argue. Instead, he lifted her up.

"Then I'll enjoy it."

"No—first say you love me."

"I'm a rough soldier, not good with words. Your Majesty, just watch my real skills."

"..."

————

In mid-May, Yan Li arrived in Shenzhen, first visiting the construction site of the Yian Cinema's flagship store, then setting off for Xiangjiang.

"Master Yan, you've finally arrived—we've been waiting for you!"

"Director Huang, you flatter me too much. I'm on your turf now—I'll need your guidance."

Yan Li exchanged pleasantries with Huang Baiming, who had come to meet him, and met his son, Huang Ziheng—also a senior executive at Oriental Films, known as Little Director Huang.

Though he carried the "little" title, Huang Ziheng was actually two years older than Yan Li.

This was one of Yan Li's slightly awkward little situations.

His rise had been too swift—he often collaborated on equal footing with seasoned businessmen who had spent decades in the trade.

These older men, now aging, were often training their successors, frequently bringing along nephews or sons to broaden their networks.

The elders introduced each other easily: "This uncle," "that grandpa"—all smooth. But with Yan Li, problems arose.

If someone was slightly younger, calling him "Brother" wasn't an issue.

But the real trouble came with second-generation heirs who were only a little older than him—calling him "Brother" felt wrong, treating him as an equal felt awkward, and using official titles felt cold.

And such people were especially numerous.

After all, Yan Li was only twenty-five. Those younger than him were either still in school or just graduated, still fumbling in corporate roles.

Those brought out by elders—especially those groomed as successors—had usually undergone some training; most were at least twenty-seven or twenty-eight, and many were over thirty.

Every time this happened, he had to hesitate over how to address them.

Especially with those who clung tightly to etiquette—he'd more than once been forced to be called "Uncle" by people his own age or even older.

Yan Li didn't know whether these encounters were friendships or enmities.

You parents don't mind—playing the elder with full authority—but he hated being resented and blamed by these second-gen kids.

But this time, the Huangs were fewer in number, more Westernized in thinking, and since they weren't familiar, everyone stuck to formal titles: "Master Yan," "Big Director Huang," "Little Director Huang."

After the greetings, they first hosted a welcome dinner. Huang Baiming reserved a table at the Peninsula Hotel. After the meal, Little Director Huang, as a peer, took charge of entertaining Yan Li.

That's why the father-son duo thrived in both Xiangjiang and the mainland—they'd even thought ahead about the generation gap.

Guests follow the host's lead. Yan Li wanted to draw closer to the Huangs, so he went along with whatever they suggested.

He had a pile of official business the next two days—he might not even have time to build ties.

Little Director Huang led Yan Li to a famous Xiangjiang nightclub.

Under Western cultural influence, Xiangjiang's nightclub scene was thriving, even attracting many stars—Chen Guanxi, Xie Tingfeng, Zhang Baiji, Yu Wenle, and various TVB young actors and actresses were regulars at these clubs and bars.

"In Xiangjiang, you can bump into a star even at the market. No nightclub survives without star patronage."

Inside the club, bombastic music and flashing lights made Little Director Huang visibly excited.

Yan Li feigned enthusiasm, swaying occasionally to the beat, but his eyes remained watchful.

Caution never hurts—even if the Huangs wouldn't betray him, such a chaotic place demanded vigilance. If someone slipped something into his drink, it'd be over.

So Yan Li rarely went to nightclubs—too noisy, too many unknowns, too unsafe.

He preferred high-end lounges. Not that they were guaranteed safe—but their higher thresholds filtered out many people, offering relatively better security.

After dancing a while, he voluntarily found a private booth to rest.

Seeing Yan Li unimpressed by the club, Little Director Huang recalled his father's briefing on Yan Li's profile, then whispered to a familiar bartender.

Soon after, a woman with big curls approached, smiling brightly.

"Little Huang Zong, it's been ages! Linna's been missing you."

"Enough chatter."

Little Director Huang pointed at Yan Li: "This is my esteemed guest. Bring me your most beautiful girls—money's no issue."

"No problem."

The curly-haired woman grabbed her walkie-talkie, spoke a few words, and soon returned with several girls.

Little Director Huang turned to Yan Li: "Master Yan, what do you think?"

Yan Li had just been thinking about the World Cup and was a bit distracted, not expecting Xiao Huang's team to move so quickly.

It was hard to refuse such goodwill, so Yan Li glanced at them a few times and forced a faint smile.

"Not bad."

They weren't unattractive, and their figures were decent, but each one was heavily made-up, dyed hair, tattooed, dressed skimpy, slouching, reeking of the night scene no matter how hard they tried to hide it.

Even just putting his arm around one of these, Yan Li felt he'd been taken advantage of.

Xiao Huang wasn't stupid—he saw Yan Li's disdain. He thought about it: after all, Yan Li was famous in the mainland entertainment circle for his romantic escapades, always dealing with top-tier female stars, his standards were high.

"Change."

The woman with big waves glanced at Yan Li, switched out a few more, but Yan Li still gave polite evaluations.

"Change again."

After three rounds of replacements, Yan Li didn't like a single one—he even felt embarrassed, ready to just pick one at random—but Xiao Huang refused.

This wasn't just about cooperation anymore; it subtly carried a hint of regional tension.

He refused to believe that not a single beautiful girl could be found across all of Xiangjiang to satisfy Yan Li!

"Aren't you known as the Queen of Causeway Bay? If you can't find someone today, take down your sign."

The woman with big waves wasn't happy either, but in this line of work, there was no choice. She thought for a moment and called an old friend.

"Kim, I've got a tough customer—do you have any strong models? Send two over."

"Help me out, I'm telling you, the guy arranging this is Huang Shao from Oriental Films, and the client is from the mainland—I recognize him, he's some kind of star. Aren't you trying to connect with people in the entertainment circle? This is a perfect chance."

"He's picky, and I feel he dislikes those who've been around too long—bring someone fresh."

The woman with big waves had spent years in the night scene; her eye for quality was sharp. She could roughly tell why Yan Li was so disdainful and picky.

But the kind of clean, high-quality girls she needed, she didn't have on hand—she could only call in outside help.

About half an hour later, Kim arrived with two girls in a hurry, and the woman with big waves was displeased.

"Only these two?"

"You rushed me, and your requirements were high—where could I find more on short notice? These two are all I got, and I had to beg them here using the excuse of networking with entertainment people. Are you sure you're not lying to me?"

"I can't be sure about the mainland guy, and I don't know Huang Shao—do these two even meet your criteria?"

Kim pointed to the two slender, inexperienced girls behind her: "These two are under eighteen. If they still aren't good enough, go find someone else."

"Alright, let's go."

The group walked toward the VIP booth. When they were three or four meters away, Kim suddenly froze, staring at Yan Li with shining eyes, grabbing the woman with big waves.

"Is that him?"

"That's him."

"We hit the jackpot—we caught a big fish."

Kim was excited, glancing at the two girls behind her, still uncertain: would these newcomers be enough for a man of this caliber?

But the opportunity was rare—she couldn't let it slip. She'd give it a try.

Firming her resolve, Kim quickly gave them instructions: "That tall, handsome one—he's a rising star in mainland entertainment, worth hundreds of millions, tons of resources—give him your best."

The two girls exchanged glances and replied in clear, youthful voices: "Understood, Kim-jie."

The group approached Yan Li and Xiao Huang, exchanged a few words, then pushed the two girls forward to introduce themselves.

"Mr. Yan, hello, I'm Angelababy."

"Mr. Yan, hello, I'm JaniceMan, Chinese name Wen Yongshan."

Yan Li looked up at the two—decent looks, and more importantly, their aura seemed clean.

But they looked way too young—were they even adults?

He always followed the law—he'd never touch a child of the motherland…

————

ps: Writer's block, owes 2000 characters, will make up later

(End of Chapter)