Chapter 235: Sign Huang Bao, Huayi

After finishing the charity event, it was already evening.

Yan Li had a dinner engagement that night, inevitably involving food, drink, and business talk—everyone knew such occasions rarely let you eat properly.

Hungry, Yan Li simply pulled Ning Hao and Huang Bo into a small restaurant to grab something quick.

"This garlic-stirred fish is great, and this hui guo rou too—plus your two signature dishes."

Yan Li ordered a few dishes, then told Ning Hao and Huang Bo to order theirs; Huang Bo, with his low status, kept refusing, Ning Hao politely picked one, and Yan Li added another.

The three of them plus the driver and assistant made five people total; judging by the portion sizes on the next table, six dishes would be enough.

"How was the roadshow?"

Yan Li, while rinsing chopsticks and bowls with tea, asked Ning Hao; though they'd stayed in touch over the past weeks, their conversations had mostly revolved around movie data and promotional plans—this was their first real casual chat.

"Tired."

Ning Hao voiced his feeling—roadshows weren't just showing up in any city and leaving.

The schedule was packed, almost one city per day, sometimes even two.

In each city, they didn't just visit one cinema; in box-office strongholds, four or five were perfectly normal.

Every day was either on a roadshow or en route to one—not only exhausting, but they couldn't show it; they had to maintain enthusiastic energy for audiences and media.

During this roadshow, most of Ning Hao's team hadn't had a single proper night's sleep.

"But it was fulfilling."

Ning Hao sighed, then added: though physically drained, everyone felt happy inside.

The box office of "Crazy Stone" kept climbing, and their collective fame as the core creators rose steadily—everywhere they went, local audiences showed passionate admiration.

That constant flood of fame and fortune was more energizing than any stimulant.

Ning Hao was fine—he was a director with talent and insight, his temperament stronger than most, so he could still hold it together.

Some creators who'd never experienced this before didn't even feel tired—they were ecstatic.

Yan Li smiled and turned to Huang Bo: "Bo'er, you've stolen quite a bit of the spotlight this time."

Though Guo Tao was the male lead in "Crazy Stone," due to his character and plot role, his likability fell far short of the trio of bumbling thieves.

Of the three bumbling thieves, the most standout were Dao Ge and Hei Pi—Liu Hua and Huang Bo.

Even without considering the plot, the two brothers delivered plenty of memorable lines.

Lines like "Brand, Benetton," "I'm in my career upswing," "You insulted my dignity and my intelligence," "Call your daddy," and more.

As the movie went viral, these lines became pop phrases, boosting both men's popularity further.

Huang Bo now wasn't quite a star—that'd be an exaggeration—but he was no longer an unknown; if lucky, he could be recognized on the street, and more productions were willing to hire him.

This is the power of a breakout film or defining role—it can directly alter an actor's career, even their entire life.

Huang Bo flashed his signature toothy grin and raised his cup to toast Yan Li and Ning Hao.

"I'm where I am today thanks to Director Ning and Manager Yan's support and promotion."

What a smooth talker!

Huang Bo's role in "Crazy Stone" had nothing to do with Yan Li—but now he was calling him his "patron."

Yan Li smiled and clinked his cup with Huang Bo's, then asked: "I remember you're from Dao City, right?"

Huang Bo nodded, then quickly forged another connection: "Yes, same province as you—Shandong."

"Then we truly have fate—alumni and fellow provincials."

Yan Li was full of nonsense—Shandong had countless alumni from Beijing Film Academy; Huang Xiaoming was one too, and they'd even "competed" over Qin Lan, yet he never told Huang Xiaoming they had fate.

The circle was so small; twist and turn, you'd always find some "fate."

Born in 1974, Huang Bo was now thirty, with an extremely rich life experience.

His parents were government officials, family well-off; he loved singing and dancing since childhood, entered singing competitions, formed a band and toured, ran a factory, worked as a dance instructor, then became an actor, passed the entrance exam for Beijing Film Academy's dubbing class, and has been acting ever since.

These experiences gave Huang Bo exceptional social skills and worldly experience.

So when he heard Yan Li's words, he immediately sensed Yan Li was sending him a friendly signal.

Huang Bo didn't yet know Yan Li's intent, but for a big boss like Yan Li to want to get closer to him—he couldn't ask for more.

After all, he was just a minor actor with nothing worth coveting—surely not his person.

Even if Yan Li liked men—which he didn't—Huang Bo felt perfectly safe.

So he actively responded to Yan Li's signals, steadily drawing closer.

After chatting a while, Yan Li felt it was time—he finally got to the point: "Interested in joining Yi'an?"

Yi'an had Zhang Zhilin and Zhou Yiwei, and future signees Qiao Zhenyu and Deng Chao—no shortage of young male leads—but lacked powerhouse actors.

Zhang Songwen and Lin Jiachuan were still too inexperienced; Huang Bo, with his innate charm and potential for a Best Actor award, seemed more promising—and he excelled at comedy, filling a gap in Yi'an's roster.

Huang Bo froze; beside him, Ning Hao couldn't help kicking him under the table, frantically signaling him.

They were close friends; Ning Hao genuinely wanted Huang Bo to succeed.

Though Huang Bo had some minor fame, he was still unknown in the industry; Yi'an was a renowned company with abundant resources.

More importantly, Yan Li himself had personally invited him—clearly he saw potential; missing this chance would be a tragedy.

Huang Bo snapped back and quickly apologized: "Sorry, Manager Yan, I was just stunned."

"No problem. Say what's on your mind—this isn't a small matter. You can go home and think about it."

Yan Li smiled; this idea had come on a whim—if he hadn't run into Huang Bo, he might never have thought of it.

Honestly, in this industry, popular, profitable stars weren't easy to find or cultivate—but real talent was everywhere.

Yan Li himself preferred profitable artists; signing powerhouses was just to diversify the roster and boost the company's prestige.

So if Huang Bo accepted, great; if not, no big deal.

"No no no, no need to think—I've always wanted to join Yi'an! I was even planning to ask Director Ning to speak for me, but you personally invited me? Thank you so much—I'll definitely perform well."

Huang Bo wasn't lying—he'd truly considered joining Yi'an, but only in his dreams.

Everyone knew it was better to lean on a big tree—but his fame was low, his looks unremarkable; why would any major film company want him?

Yan Li's invitation stunned him so much he'd been speechless, even a bit tongue-tied.

"Glad you're willing."

After a brief reassurance, learning Huang Bo had been freelance with no contract disputes, Yan Li told him to go directly to Yi'an's Artist Agency to negotiate the contract—how far he got depended on his own ability.

As for welcome gifts or a signing ceremony—forget it.

Huang Bo's fame and status weren't enough.

Especially signing ceremonies—Yi'an had only ever held one for Fan Xiaopang, and maybe one for Ning Hao later.

A debut (theatrical film) with over 50 million in box office—a brilliant new director—deserved Yi'an's promotion.

As for Qiao Zhenyu and Deng Chao, including Zhang Zhilin's renewal, the company had discussed it, but nothing was confirmed—it depended on scheduling and whether they delivered.

A signing ceremony and its promotional campaign cost a fortune; to earn that treatment, you needed the capital to justify it.

Yan Li had spent a lot on Fan Xiaopang, but Fan had repaid the company many times over.

Yi'an's top female star title wasn't given for free.

60–70% of the company's artist agency revenue came from Fan Xiaopang; the rest came from Zhang Zhilin, who rose with "The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng," and Wang Ou and Zhou Yiwei.

…

After dinner, everyone went their separate ways; Yan Li returned to the company to sign a few documents, changed clothes, and drove to a high-end restaurant.

"Manager Yan, come in, come in—I'll introduce you: this is Mr. Yang from Yinghuang, and this one needs no introduction, right?"

Yan Li was the guest and arrived late; by the time he got there, most people were already there. Wang Zhongjun, the host from Huayi, helped with introductions.

No need for introductions—Yan Li recognized nearly everyone in the private room.

The Wang brothers, Feng Xiaogang, Ge Daye, Mr. Yang from Yinghuang, and the big-nosed Chinese icon—Cheng Long.

He'd dealt with the first few before—no need to elaborate.

Wang Zhongjun assumed Yan Li didn't know Mr. Yang or Cheng Long, since they'd said so.

But actually, Yan Li had never met Mr. Yang—yet he had met Cheng Long: "Big brother, don't you remember? We met backstage during the 2005 Spring Festival Gala."

On that "Seven Fairies" gala, Cheng Long and his son were there too; they'd exchanged glances backstage.

Back then, Yan Li wasn't well-known in the industry, and Cheng Long probably didn't pay attention.

Hu Siyan, who was also at the banquet, was present and reminded them.

"We were the Seven Fairies on the Gala—two of us were Bingbing's sisters. Manager Yan took us to take photos with Big Brother, and your son shared a makeup room with us."

"Oh, now I remember."

Cheng Long didn't recall Yan Li, but he remembered Bingbing and the seven pretty girls—he smacked his forehead in frustration.

"Getting old, memory's terrible—I already knew Manager Yan."

Yan Li understood perfectly—when your status rises and fame grows, everyone wants to meet you, take photos, get autographs; no one could remember them all.

Bringing this up wasn't about proving "the river shifts east and west"—it was just a way to quickly break the ice.

In social interactions, strangers are naturally cautious and guarded.

But if you're connected—even vaguely—it's always better than a first meeting; you have something to talk about.

Even if the topic's slightly awkward, using that awkwardness to "laugh off past grievances" creates empathy and mutual recognition, accelerating rapport faster than normal small talk.

Especially for someone like Cheng Long, with his big-brother, Jianghu -style personality, this approach would make him see Yan Li as straightforward and principled.

His information-analysis ability was a system boost—but his social skills? Pure natural talent.

Of course, the system mattered too: constant feedback helped him read people more precisely, and through countless negotiations and banquets, Yan Li's social skills kept improving, growing stronger.

After some small talk, everyone sat down; besides the big bosses, there were several female companions accompanying them.

Hu Siyan needed no explanation—she leveraged Huayi's influence, and given her close ties to Yan Li, the Wang brothers accepted her as his person.

This invitation to Yan Li naturally included his exclusive public relations manager.

Besides Hu Siyan, Hua Yi brought two other female artists; one was Hu Ke, whom Yan Li had briefly met while working on "Fortune Star Blesses Zhu Bajie."

She is rumored to be cast in Hua Yi and Zhang Jizhong's "The Deer and the Cauldron," likely already brought under their wing.

The other was probably a newcomer Yan Li didn't recognize.

After Wang Jing gave Hua Yi a lesson, they signed many minor actors and newcomers—Xiong Naijin was one of them.

But when Yan Li asked Hu Siyan, she said the girl wasn't a Hua Yi artist, though she was one of the cast of "The Deer and the Cauldron," apparently named Li Feier.

Speaking of "The Deer and the Cauldron," Yan Li was genuinely curious about one thing.

This drama is produced by Hua Yi, so they'd naturally promote their own people—like Hu Ke here today, and the widely rumored Huang Xiaoming, both clearly flirting with Hua Yi.

Li Bingbing and Zhou Young Master have high status; it's understandable they don't want to play minor wives to Huang Xiaoming or other young male leads.

Don't compare it to "The Legend of Xue Rengui"—Li Bingbing was the female lead there, and the male lead was Yan Li himself; not only was her status high, but the two had a "bond."

Whether to repay a personal favor or simply show public friendship, it made sense.

But Li and Zhou declined, and while Hu Siyan's name was fairly prominent at Hua Yi, she wasn't big enough to carry a lead role—she should've been willing to take a part in this popular Jin Yong drama, yet no word came.

Hearing this, Hu Siyan looked slightly wounded and resentful: "I want to act, but Producer Zhang won't agree."

Yan Li raised an eyebrow: "Is it because of me?"

Hu Siyan bore plenty of Yan Li's marks—after all, she was the female lead in his first drama, and many saw her as someone Yan Li had promoted.

"I'm not sure. Maybe he just doesn't think I'm good enough."

After playing the victim, Hu Siyan tried to backtrack—Yan Li knew her little tricks inside out.

Still, he was quite willing to give Zhang Dahu and Hua Yi some trouble.

"Do you want the role? I'll speak up for you."

"Really?"

Hu Siyan's eyes lit up with surprise. Yan Li nodded—he wasn't involved in the drama, so he loved using others' resources to build his own favors.

The more Zhang Dahu stubbornly refused Hu Siyan the role, the better.

An "outsider" like him stepping in to help, while Hua Yi refused to give her resources—Hu Siyan would hate whom more, need I say?

This girl still had some connections inside Hua Yi; she might even stir up some discord.

Meanwhile, Yan Li could also test Hua Yi's limits. Now that he held more leverage, he'd naturally take every advantage.

"But I warn you—I'll speak up for you, but watch out: Hua Yi might treat you as a spy."

Yan Li voiced the risk upfront, to prevent regret—but instead, this girl reached out with her small hand and lightly brushed his thigh.

"Aren't I already your person?"

Even without this, the Wang brothers distrusted her; if so, she might as well ride his coattails as long as she could.

Worst case, she'd just be ignored—with Yan Li around, they wouldn't blacklist or bury her.

Yan Li slapped her hand away: "You call me 'Big Brother-in-Law' so sweetly—does a little sister ever touch like this?"

Hu Siyan replied confidently: "I'm not your real little sister, and anyway, a little sister's butt is half her brother-in-law's."

Good heavens—if that's true, Qin Lan had given him no shortage of half-butt claims…

…

Yan Li didn't just whisper to Hu Siyan—he kept chatting and toasting at the banquet, even accepting drinks from the female companion brought by Ying Huang's Boss Yang.

He knew her—ASa from Twins, Cai Zhuoyan, also one of the female leads in "Beastly Plan."

Yan Li had no interest in her, politely responded, then turned to chat with Feng Xiaogang and Cheng Long.

Of the entire dinner, he was most interested in these two.

But Feng Xiaogang was heavily guarded by the Wang brothers, and Cheng Long occasionally blocked conversations too—understandable; each company's cash cow deserved caution.

As the wine flowed and the mood warmed, the Wang brothers finally brought up the real matter.

First they praised "Crazy Stone," then invited Yan Li to join the distribution of "The Banquet" and "Beastly Plan."

Yan Li didn't refuse—he'd come, meaning he was open to cooperation.

But willingness to cooperate was one thing; how to cooperate was another.

Yan Li didn't immediately state terms—these were respected figures; shouting prices wasn't appropriate. First reach consensus, then negotiate privately.

The Wang brothers understood this. Their invitation wasn't just about cooperation—it was mainly to resolve old grudges and draw closer.

Last time's clash was undignified; now that the knot was untied, cooperation would naturally follow.

After all, who wouldn't welcome a chance to make money?

With cooperation settled, the atmosphere grew livelier, and Yan Li casually brought up Hu Siyan's matter.

"Siyan is very eager for the role in 'The Deer and the Cauldron.' She came to me begging—I see her as a little sister, so I'm shamelessly asking you two."

"You know I've had some disputes with Director Zhang, and Siyan is your Hua Yi artist—this is your own business, naturally easier for you than for me, an outsider."

The Wang brothers hadn't expected this.

And the timing was perfect: just after sealing cooperation—as if Yan Li was forgiving past grievances and giving face—how could Hua Yi not return the favor?

Remember, the deal was just sealed—no terms discussed, no contract signed; it could still be called off anytime.

The brothers exchanged glances; the elder stayed silent, the younger stood up to say he'd speak with Zhang Dahu.

Yan Li's face had to be honored, but Zhang Dahu's couldn't be ignored—the younger brother went first; if he succeeded, everyone won; if not, the elder could still mediate.

No wonder brothers are best for fighting tigers—their coordination was excellent.

Yan Li didn't care whether Hu Siyan got the role—he quietly observed the Wang brothers' attitudes and their unspoken understanding.

With Yi'an's rapid rise, it was inevitable they'd eventually clash with Hua Yi.

The brothers had studied Yan Li privately; Yan Li, too, was using his system and rare encounters to study them.

Hu Siyan knew nothing of this.

Seeing Wang Zhonglei take charge, she assumed the role was hers—her gaze toward Yan Li practically dripped with longing, and under the table, her hands kept fidgeting…

————

PS: Something came up suddenly—tomorrow's update: 7000 words (0/7000)

(End of Chapter)