[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-intelligence-king-of-chinese-entertainment":3,"chapter-the-intelligence-king-of-chinese-entertainment-the-intelligence-king-of-chinese-entertainment-chapter-230":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Intelligence King of Chinese Entertainment",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2260533,4411,"Chapter 230: Reforming the Yan Family","the-intelligence-king-of-chinese-entertainment-chapter-230",230,"\u003Cp>Xiangjiang, nightclub VIP booth\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Yanli looked at Xiao Huangzong: “I recall Xiangjiang prohibits minors from drinking. Can these two have alcohol?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is that so?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Huangzong genuinely didn’t know—some written rules differed from reality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back in high school, he’d gone to Lan Kwai Fong and no one stopped him from drinking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Kim understood Yu Yanli’s implication: he was asking about their ages.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet she wasn’t sure whether he preferred the younger one or the older one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some liked young, some liked older—tastes varied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking this, Kim decided to gamble and pushed Angelababy slightly forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Baby was born in ’89, she’s seventeen this year.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then she pulled over Man Wing Shan: “She’s from ’88, already eighteen.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Yanli glanced at the two again, uncertain whether the short-haired woman was telling the truth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But since she said eighteen, he, being an honest and straightforward man, would believe her this once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Yanli patted the seat beside him: “Join me for a drink.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Man Wing Shan glanced at Kim, then sat beside Yu Yanli under her encouraging gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The remaining Baby looked at Kim with pleading eyes; Kim gave a subtle nod toward Xiao Huangzong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Baby reluctantly complied—though Xiao Huangzong wasn’t ugly, he paled next to Yu Yanli’s upright, robust, and commanding presence. But since he didn’t choose her, she had no choice but to sit beside Xiao Huangzong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Huangzong sighed in relief now that Yu Yanli had picked someone, then glanced at Man Wing Shan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So Yu Sheng likes this type!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rest—curly-haired woman and Kim—were out of the picture, but before leaving, Kim slipped him a business card.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Yanli glanced at the card with interest—he’d assumed Kim was a madam, Meixiangdao  she was a modeling agent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hmm, sometimes these two roles aren’t entirely distinct…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re so young—how did you get into modeling?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Yanli casually set the card aside and chatted with Man Wing Shan, who, nervous before him, whispered softly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I was scouted in school, did ads—they paid fast—and since I liked it, I kept going…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After chatting a while, Yu Yanli learned Man Wing Shan’s modeling was slightly different from what he knew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was teen modeling—commonly called “nengmo”—rarely walked runways, mostly focused on print ads and commercial events.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their target market was teenagers, though some lonely otaku also favored them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After chatting awhile, Man Wing Shan gradually relaxed—being young, she let slip quite a bit under Yu Yanli’s gentle probing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Earlier, Yu Yanli had wondered—now he understood: her income was decent, enough that she didn’t need to serve drinks; she was here for the man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Modeling is a youth-based trade, especially teen modeling. To rise, you either hook a rich guy or push into bigger circles—the entertainment industry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Entertainment resources often attracted more than even second-generation heirs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because rich heirs weren’t easy to land; even if you lucked into one, you only got pocket money.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But entertainment resources made you famous; once famous, you could sustainably attach to rich heirs or elite elites, even possibly marry into a wealthy family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a decades-old Xiangjiang tradition—countless wives and wealthy ladies had started as Miss Hong Kong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Xiangjiang, at least six or seven out of ten girls with even moderate looks dreamed of becoming stars and marrying into wealth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But since everyone chased this dream and the market was so small, competition was fierce.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And it wasn’t just local competition—countless teenagers from mainland China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia came to this fading but still glamorous Eastern Hollywood chasing dreams.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder it was chaotic!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To rise here, you had to go all-in; once everyone went all-in, it became a contest of who could go further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grab every opportunity, pay any price, climb step by step—how could it not be chaotic?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Yanli felt a pang of sympathy—everyone said Beijing drifters suffered, but at least for now, especially in entertainment, Xiangjiang drifters suffered far more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Man Wing Shan described the teen modeling industry’s reality, talked until her throat was dry, lifted her glass to drink—and only then realized:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wasn’t this supposed to be about serving drinks? Why was she giving an industry report?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Man Wing Shan noticed Yu Yanli’s hands remained perfectly still—he didn’t urge her to drink, didn’t flirt, just chatted plainly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Are mainland bosses really this civilized?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because Yu Yanli was so gentlemanly, Xiao Huangzong couldn’t act rudely either—he leaned over to ask:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yu Sheng, are you dissatisfied? I’ll get you someone else.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, no.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Yanli waved his hand: “Quietly drinking, chatting—it feels good.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yu Sheng understands life.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Xiao Huangzong came over himself to join Yu Yanli in drinking and talking, while Baby and Man Wing Shan sat quietly beside them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naturally, the conversation turned to the film Yu Yanli planned to invest in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yu Sheng, for ‘Firestorm,’ we plan to keep the style of ‘Breaking News.’ This kind of action film is popular not just in theaters but also on DVD.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Huangzong seized the chance to promote his own film; Yu Yanli smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Xiao Huangzong, I’ve said this more than once: ‘Firestorm’ is a decent project, but we lean toward ‘Drug War.’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides higher profit potential, ‘Drug War’ was open to actor collaborations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Firestorm,’ however, only wanted financial investment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Yu Yanli’s view, that showed no sincerity—he’d rather put money in the stock market or fund a low-budget film himself than waste it on ‘Firestorm,’ which offered limited returns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What about ‘Woman’s Choice’? We can let Miss Fan play the lead.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Huangzong brought up another film.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pure female-themed, low investment, offering Fan Xiaopang the lead—he didn’t understand why Yu Yanli refused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time Yu Yanli spoke plainly: “I don’t believe in this film—it’s commercially weak and won’t win awards.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Drug War’ and ‘Firestorm’ had decent overall quality, profit potential, and could boost actors’ profiles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But ‘Woman’s Choice’—aside from its so-called female theme—he saw nothing that stood out. Investing in such a film was throwing money into water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Losing money on films? Yu Yanli could accept that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because film is a high-value-added industry: beyond direct profit, it could elevate people, win awards, build reputation, expand influence, and aid corporate goals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But a film with zero merit? No returns at all? That was pure waste of time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Yanli always ran his business pragmatically—he partnered with the Huang family to make money, ideally for everyone to profit. Unprofitable projects? Less cooperation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Huangzong was disappointed but didn’t resent or turn cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their relationship was built for long-term collaboration, exchanging resources; failure now didn’t mean no future chance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To make a “true friend,” you had to invest!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Yanli didn’t reject cooperation outright—he instead promoted Yi’an Film Distribution’s services.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d previously discussed this with Huang Bai Ming, wanting to help ‘Dragon Tiger Gate.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that film was produced by BoNa, with Oriental Film handling production—distribution had no say, so Huang politely declined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now Yu Yanli raised it again: one, to silence him; two, he genuinely wanted to distribute a few “co-produced” Hong Kong films.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Oriental Film’s heir, Xiao Huangzong still had some industry connections—Yu Yanli asked him to promote, and if he brought a good project, he’d gladly share profits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Xiao Huangzong’s eyes brightened slightly; he raised a toast to Yu Yanli, promising to help shoulder the burden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Second-generation heirs—though they carry the word “rich”—don’t necessarily have money!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, it depends who you compare to; compared to ordinary people, they were rich—monthly allowance exceeded many people’s annual salary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But many second-generation heirs only had allowance; homes bought their houses, cars, watches—cash was only for basic eating, drinking, and entertainment; anything more was hard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If their families were strict, even eating and drinking became difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even those doted on by their families rarely got much—not out of stinginess, but fear that too much money would ruin them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So for second-generation heirs, the key isn’t “rich,” it’s “second-generation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Family wealth and control rested with parents; they personally held limited money and assets—far less than someone like Yu Yanli, a self-made entrepreneur.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if Xiao Huangzong’s father, Huang Bai Ming, came here, regardless of net worth, his ability to generate profit and cash flow couldn’t match Yu Yanli’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Man Wing Shan and Baby listened to their conversation, though much flew over their heads.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But two things they understood:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, these two had entertainment resources—serious ones, not like those boastful minor directors or producers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The films they dreamed of were dismissed by these men.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Second, among the two, this mainland-born Yu Sheng was more powerful—Xiao Huang even seemed to be flattering him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This realization made Baby eager—she smiled more sweetly and obediently at Yu Yanli, seizing the chance to light his cigarette first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Baby so proactive, Man Wing Shan felt threatened; she leaned closer to Yu Yanli, then boldly wrapped her arm around his, offering her bare leg as a makeshift armrest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You won’t move? Then I’ll move you!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Yanli glanced at her, ignored her, but didn’t pull away—continued chatting with Xiao Huangzong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They chatted until midnight; Yu Yanli checked his intelligence system, released Man Wing Shan’s arm, and said to Xiao Huangzong:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Time’s up. Let’s rest.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No problem.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Huangzong signed the bill; Baby and Man Wing Shan followed—but when it came time to get in the car, Yu Yanli stopped them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Little sister, focus on school and work. Don’t come to places like this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Saying this, Yan Li took a stack of Hong Kong dollars from his bag, divided it into two piles, gave the thicker one to Wen Yongshan, and the thinner one to Baby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Buy you both some milk tea. Goodbye.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Saying this, Yan Li pulled Xiao Huang Zong into the car; seeing the latter’s confusion, he added an explanation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Minors are a minefield—don’t touch them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li wasn’t short of women; no need to seek such stimulation, and someone picked up last-minute? Who knows what kind of character they have.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If someone got hold of evidence, even if no lawsuit followed, a scandal would be unnecessary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Huang Zong glanced at Wen Yongshan: “Didn’t you say she was eighteen?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li also looked at Wen Yongshan: “Tell me the truth—what month is your birthday?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Yongshan hesitated, saw Yan Li’s calm gaze, and finally admitted: “December.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What I hate most is this kind of falsified data—it ruins people!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li said no more, waved his hand, and moved to close the car door; beside him, Baby bit her lip and suddenly threw a piece of paper into the car.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mr. Yan, wait for me until I’m of age.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The car door shut. Yan Li glanced at the paper—it had a phone number and online account, plus the nightclub’s logo. Clearly written during a restroom break, meant to slip to him secretly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Huang Zong’s expression wasn’t good: “Still, Mr. Yan’s charm is higher.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li smiled, gently tore up the note, and looked at Xiao Huang Zong, partly soothing, partly explaining.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I believe in fate—if destined, we’ll meet again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said it aloud, but Yan Li took it as nonsense—wait for you to come of age? Do we even know each other? Are we acting out some idol drama?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every year, Yan Li didn’t have to attend a hundred banquets, but it was certainly possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most banquets had girls; Yan Li had seen hundreds, if not thousands, all attractive, many beautiful, plenty obedient and compliant, and a significant number had openly admired him, offering themselves as bed companions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was only the entertainment scene—inside and outside the industry, actors, artists, models, and ordinary beauties eager to attach themselves to him were countless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Yan Li truly let loose, bedding a thousand women wouldn’t be hard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under these circumstances, ordinary women, lacking some special aura or exceptional qualities, simply didn’t catch his eye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today’s two young models, by Yan Li’s standards, were barely acceptable—baby faces, slender figures, sweet and cute, at least they had youth—but the risk wasn’t worth it, and afterward, they were just fleeting memories.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Yan Li didn’t care, which didn’t mean Baby and Wen Yongshan didn’t.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both worked for the same company, which intended to promote them as the “Twins” of the young model world; they were still in the adjustment phase, their relationship merely passable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Baby’s behavior, in Wen Yongshan’s view, was stealing someone else’s man. As soon as Yan Li’s car drove off, she voiced her displeasure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You spent the whole night with Mr. Yan—did he touch you? If you can’t, why not let me try?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Baby spoke with confidence. She had watched Yan Li and Wen Yongshan closely earlier; seeing Yan Li’s coldness, she concluded he wasn’t interested in Wen, and had chosen her not because of preference, but because she was too young.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Yongshan was furious—she too had thought Yan Li had no interest in her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But when he asked about her birthday, she realized he had noticed she was under eighteen, which was why he hadn’t touched her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To prove it, Wen Yongshan pulled out the cash Yan Li had given her—several times more than Baby’s—as evidence that Mr. Yan truly favored her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why did Mr. Yan give me money? That proves he likes me. Wait—you’ll get his call.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Baby was confident. Since following Kim’s advice to get dental work done in Japan, and as she’d grown older and matured, she’d become increasingly beautiful, with a hint of mixed-race features.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If she hooked up with Mr. Yan, in one or two years, when she was even more beautiful, perhaps she could land him and become a wealthy mainland wife.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Yongshan didn’t argue with Baby—she turned and walked away. She needed to search for information on this Mr. Yan, learn everything about him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next day, Yan Li met with Huang Baoming in the morning to discuss partnerships with several film distributors with channels in Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia; in the afternoon, he met with Er Dongsheng, director of “The Drug Lords.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Drug Lords” had many investors: China Film Group, BoNa, some Hong Kong capital, and Yan Li’s Yi’an.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The film’s budget wasn’t low—30 to 40 million RMB—with Liu Tianwang’s salary being one of the biggest expenses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this stage, apart from Cheng Long, Li Lianjie, and a few others who broke into Hollywood, Liu was the highest-paid actor; each film earned him at least ten million, sometimes with box office splits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Expensive? Yes—but the film depended on him to sell tickets, so you couldn’t refuse, and you couldn’t haggle—he was in high demand, with many crews competing for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even now, if “The Drug Lords” hadn’t been such a strong script, they might not have gotten Liu Tianwang to play a “male supporting role.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li supported Liu Tianwang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unless they brought in Cheng Long and the others, replacing him would make Yan Li and the other investors walk out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if Liu Tianwang couldn’t be replaced, other actors could.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li and Er Dongsheng’s negotiation goal was clear: how many people the film promoted, how much money Yan Li would pay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among them, Yan Li cared most about the film’s female lead—if Er Dongsheng cast Fan Xiaopang, he could negotiate 10 to 15 million.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Er Dongsheng was troubled: “Mr. Yan, the female lead, Ah Fen, has many passionate scenes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li sipped his coffee: “Then change them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most passionate scenes are just borderline titillation—cutting them wouldn’t affect the plot; if absolutely necessary, imply them subtly—just get the point across.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This film can’t be changed—these passionate scenes serve a breakthrough purpose, to show the addict’s decay, promiscuity, and moral bankruptcy…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Er Dongsheng rambled on, essentially saying the film couldn’t be altered—change it, and the essence was lost.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Also, there’s one shot: a rat crawling over a corpse—we plan to film it live.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li was speechless—would this shot pass censorship? And which actress would be that bold?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Our planned choice is Zhang Jingchu.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Er Dongsheng named his target; Yan Li recalled the name: “The one from ‘The Peacock’?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, that’s her.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Er Dongsheng held Zhang Jingchu in high regard, lavishing praise on her acting, appearance, and professionalism.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This made Yan Li’s gaze grow increasingly strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d heard of Zhang Jingchu—besides “The Peacock,” he’d heard she forced Jiang Wenli to bring her child to the set and take charge, and there were rumors linking her to a director named Jiarui.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li admitted—he was a man who tended to project his own thoughts onto others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Er Dongsheng’s strong support, combined with Zhang Jingchu’s past record, inevitably made him suspect something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You won’t let me promote your girlfriend—could it be you’re trying to promote your own person?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he had to admit—the passionate scenes and the rat shot had deterred him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fan Xiaopang could be bold—he couldn’t, and he didn’t want to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If the female lead is out, what about the male lead—the undercover cop?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li made a concession—he most wanted to promote Fan Xiaopang, but others weren’t unacceptable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he couldn’t get this role, there was no point in further cooperation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li wasn’t putting out hundreds of millions just to beg—he didn’t care for supporting roles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Er Dongsheng was still reluctant, strongly recommending Wu Yanzu; Yan Li remained unmoved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if Wu Yanzu was great—what did that have to do with him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Director Er, I know Hong Kong has some insular tendencies, but isn’t Zhang Zhilin a true Hong Kong native? In terms of fame, he’s currently red-hot on the mainland; in terms of acting, he’s starred in many films for years—he’s credible; his looks aren’t bad either.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He fits every requirement. If you don’t use him, there’s no point in us talking.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li laid down the law, even hinting he’d pull his investment and go back to sway BoNa and China Film Group.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Zhilin’s popularity on the mainland was his best leverage—China Film Group and BoNa couldn’t ignore this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yanzu, though popular and backed by the Hong Kong industry, ranked lower among Hong Kong male leads than Xie and Chen, and even Gu Tianle and Yu Wenle were subtly ahead of him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under these circumstances, the choice was up to Er Dongsheng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Er Dongsheng was torn—he admired Wu, they were close friends, the role had already been nearly agreed upon; if he changed actors… he’d have trouble explaining.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mr. Yan, could I have some time to think?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No problem—I’ll be in Hong Kong these two days. Eight million investment, 20% stake, Zhang Zhilin as male lead. If you agree, we can sign the contract immediately.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Zhilin and Fan Xiaopang still had a significant gap in Yan Li’s eyes—investment amount naturally had to change.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Er Dongsheng nodded. Yan Li had rich negotiation experience; he knew that under these conditions, barring a mishap, it was essentially settled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After leaving Er Dongsheng’s studio, Yan Li called Jia Qian, head of the artist agency department.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The male lead for ‘The Drug Lords’ should be fine. Use this film to negotiate Zhang Zhilin’s contract renewal—minimum five years.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Understood.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Zhilin had already intended to continue working with Yi’an after his contract ended, but now that he was popular, many were watching; Yi’an planned to renew early for peace of mind—“The Drug Lords” would serve as both leverage and gift for the renewal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Fan Xiaopang…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li was troubled—suitable films were too few; there were some supporting female roles, but Yan Li found them unappealing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He considered that if absolutely necessary, once the theater chain and film distribution were stable, he’d assemble and invest in a mid- to high-budget film himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Afterward, Yan Li declined Xiao Huang Zong’s invitation and, through system-verified secure channels, placed bets on the World Cup.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t make it as complicated as last time—he bet on just two.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One was Brazil, the overwhelming favorite, to confuse the crowd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other was Italy, after the phone scandal broke—high odds, yet still strong—a “bet” on an underdog’s inevitable victory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li roughly calculated: if Italy won, after deducting all fees and keeping the money in Hong Kong, he’d net roughly 40 to 50 million HKD.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Could make a small fortune.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li was pleased, but nowhere near as excited or enthusiastic as when he’d done this in Europe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No way—his threshold and mindset had risen. Now, even if he made 400 or 500 million in one go, he might enjoy spending it—but he’d never recapture that feeling of sudden wealth from poverty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After arranging the World Cup bets, Er Dongsheng replied; Yan Li went to sign the contract.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Drug Lords” became Yi’an’s second invested film!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After making arrangements with several film producers interested in collaboration, Yan Li returned to the mainland with his team.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before returning to Jingcheng, Yan Li visited the headquarters of Tudou.com in Modu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was nearly June; the windfall from the Fengdiao War had been largely exhausted, leaving only a steady, slow stream of ongoing revenue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, Tudou.com began its next round of financing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the fastest-growing and best-performing video website, Tudou.com had attracted considerable capital interest; Wang Wei was constantly receiving visitors and seemed thinner than when Yan Li last saw him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How’s it going? Can you raise fifteen million U.S. dollars for 15 to 20 percent of the company?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li asked casually—he didn’t need to ask, since the system had already informed him, and his inside contact at the company had reported to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he didn’t want Wang Wei to feel he was overly focused on Tudou.com, so he pretended to inquire anyway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Should be no problem—it’s going smoothly. Did you know? Google in the U.S. is preparing to acquire YouTube; experts estimate the deal could exceed one billion U.S. dollars.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“One billion U.S. dollars?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Wei’s eyes lit up—if Tudou.com could be worth that much, he would instantly become a super-rich man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’re building China’s YouTube. If America’s version is worth a billion, even if we only hit half that, we’re still worth billions.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Wei clearly intended to exploit this deal heavily, inflating Tudou.com’s fame and concept even further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li approved of his approach but offered a warning: “The more money there is, the more people will rush in to get a share. Future video websites will sprout like mushrooms after rain.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially Youku—it hasn’t launched yet, but it’s already actively preparing, and its momentum is formidable and cannot be ignored.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, Sohu Video has long existed and now, imitating Tudou, has launched its own original video-sharing platform: Sohu Blog.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As one of the three major portal sites, Sohu’s resources and influence can easily propel Sohu Video to rapid growth, making it a major rival to Tudou.com.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tudou.com currently holds a first-mover advantage, but temporary advantage doesn’t guarantee lasting dominance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li felt Wang Wei had become a bit arrogant due to Tudou’s smooth rise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a major shareholder and Tudou.com’s greatest supporter, Yan Li’s words couldn’t be ignored by Wang Wei, who nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll pay attention.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After chatting at Tudou.com, Yan Li got in the car to return to the hotel. When passing a residential compound, he told the driver to stop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He thought for a moment, took out his phone, and dialed a number—but no one answered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li sighed and sent a text message. After a while, his phone rang—it was Yang Rong’s voice on the other end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How do you know where I live?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You tell me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was a pause on the phone, then a flurry of sounds—Yang Rong shouted, “You betrayed me!” and it sounded like Wang Ou was protesting his innocence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re in Jingcheng?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li was surprised. The voice on the other end changed—it was now Wang Ou, slightly amused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Got caught empty-handed, huh? You said you two were innocent, yet you’re already secretly meeting in Modu.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li hung up. He’d impulsively decided to tease the reserved Yang Rong since he was in Modu—but she wasn’t home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luckily, he hadn’t gotten out of the car to knock on her door; otherwise, he’d have made a pointless trip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not entirely pointless, though.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back at the hotel, Yan Li picked out a bracelet from the pile of items he’d brought from Xiangjiang and had the driver deliver it to Yang Rong’s residence—so she’d find it the moment she returned to Modu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li stayed in Modu for two days, besides Tudou.com, he also needed to maintain relationships with some partners and television stations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Afterwards, Yan Li returned to Jingcheng, and his first stop was Yangjia Deng Hutong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few days ago, while Yan Li was away, Zhang Hong and Old Yan, without informing him, had asked his cousin Yan Xin to secretly send them back to their hometown, planning to do it first and tell him later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Yan Xin betrayed them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan’s grandmother was old and couldn’t handle train travel; Old Yan and Zhang Hong didn’t know how to book flights. Yan Xin refused to escort them or allow a private car—they could only wait for Yan Li to return and handle it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I told you not to let them come in pairs. Why are you going back to the countryside again?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li knew his parents and grandmother were under pressure from their daughter-in-law and granddaughter-in-law, and he’d already made concessions—yet these elders still wouldn’t give up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even one at a time is unbearable.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Yan complained: while Yan Li was away, Dong Xuan, Qin Lan, and Fan Xiaopang took turns coming over to flatter them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Somehow, they’d managed not to meet each other—but one came each day, creating immense pressure, always fearing they’d mistake someone or say the wrong thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Add to that Old Yan’s discomfort around his daughter-in-laws, and Zhang Hong and Yan’s grandmother, each favoring different ones, frequently clashed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, they decided to return to the countryside and live their own peaceful lives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if Yan Li came, they’d stick to this stance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li still didn’t want his family to leave—his feelings about staying with his parents were entirely different from being surrounded by several women.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he didn’t return often, every time he came to Yangjia Deng Hutong, he felt deeply grounded and comfortable—listening to his family’s nagging, eating familiar home-cooked meals, he knew this was truly home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Here’s what we’ll do: if you’re leaving, don’t all go—leave one or two to stay with me in Jingcheng. Don’t you feel sorry for me, all alone?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re not alone at all—your girlfriends outnumber our whole family!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Yan continued his precise teasing, then added: “I don’t trust your grandma to stay—I’d rather your mom stay. I can see she’s enjoying being fawned over.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among them, Old Yan most wanted to return to the countryside; Yan’s grandmother and Zhang Hong mainly couldn’t stand each other—if one left, the other would gladly stay to keep their son and grandson company.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially Zhang Hong—she was popular among neighbors in the hutong and thoroughly enjoyed being pampered as a daughter-in-law; her desire to return home wasn’t strong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mom, what do you think?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li looked at Zhang Hong; she hesitated, then finally shook her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I can’t leave your dad.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t worry about me—I’m in great shape and won’t starve.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Yan insisted he wasn’t as fragile as his son and didn’t need care. Zhang Hong gave him a glare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is that what I’m worried about? I’m worried that if I’m gone, you’ll gossip with those old women.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Old Yan was fat, his features weren’t bad—he looked quite presentable when cleaned up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And he had skills; his son was successful. It wasn’t just old women—even younger women or girls might have thoughts of becoming Yan Li’s stepmother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Yan felt wronged: “Am I that kind of man?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Like father, like son!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li froze—how had this come back to him? Old Yan shot his son a furious glare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d just praised this little rascal, yet failed to realize this one boy had ruined the family’s reputation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, Yan Li lived freely, surrounded by women, while he, his two brothers, and the next generation were all under strict watch by their wives, on high alert.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li enjoys the fortune of beauty; they bear the punishment. If he had only one son, Old Yan would really swing a wok and kill this little bastard…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",4713,"2026-06-19T16:16:54.562Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","18b9e8a2280bc61e141765df58150c4ac486e80f38fa08e0c1da5e57bac3f6bf","the-intelligence-king-of-chinese-entertainment-chapter-231","the-intelligence-king-of-chinese-entertainment-chapter-229",405,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-intelligence-king-of-chinese-entertainment-cover.jpg"]