Chapter 236

"Mr. Yan, I'm Li Feier, truly honored to meet you…"

As the banquet reached its later stage, the individual toasting began; the newcomer Li Feier, who starred in *The Deer and the Cauldron*, voluntarily came to toast Yan Li.

Among mainland film company bosses today, Yan Li has the most notorious reputation; even Wang Zong from Huayi has to step aside.

This is mainly due to his youth, immense fame, and lack of pretense.

Many others play far more wildly behind closed doors, but they prefer to hide it, presenting themselves publicly as upright gentlemen and moral paragons.

By normal logic, female artists should avoid a boss like Yan Li, known for his dubious reputation.

Yet, aside from a few who genuinely remain wary and distant, most female artists secretly seek him out, even with considerable enthusiasm.

The reason is simple: you can call Mr. Yan a scoundrel, but you can't call him stingy.

Forget all the talk about personal advantages or strengths—Yan Li genuinely provides resources and genuinely promotes people.

The career trajectory of Xiao Yanzhi—those who understand, understand.

For many female artists in the industry, they fear not being slept with, but being discarded after the fact.

Reputation has always been a major pain point in the entertainment circle.

Yan Li has proven his credibility through one role after another, and through the rising careers of every actress linked to him.

Of course, it's not to say female actors approach Yan Li solely to sleep with him for resources.

For instance, Li Feier simply wants to get noticed by a big shot—newcomers like her rarely get the chance to meet such figures in private settings.

Not just Yan Li, but also Boss Yang, Director Feng, and Brother Cheng all must be toasted individually.

"No need to drink it all, just a symbolic sip."

At such banquets, whenever someone comes to toast him—regardless of gender—Yan Li is always courteous.

You don't hit someone with a smiling face; if they show him respect, he returns it—how much he drinks is another matter, but at least he won't make them feel ignored.

Seeing that Li Feier was young and female, and her glass of red wine was nearly full, Yan Li gently stopped her.

Realizing Yan Li wasn't just being polite, Li Feier took only one sip, then apologized awkwardly.

"Sorry, Mr. Yan, I'm not much of a drinker—I hope you'll forgive me."

"It's fine."

Yan Li raised his glass and clinked it with hers, took a sip, and smiled: "My own tolerance isn't great either. You drink less, I'll drink less."

After a few more words, Li Feier left her business card and returned to her seat; Yan Li turned back to see Huo Siyan eyeing him with a sour expression.

"Mr. Yan sure knows how to be chivalrous."

Yan Li was speechless: "What's it to you?"

He helped her out once, and now this little bitch is showing off again—flirting, then getting jealous.

Even if he had any interest in Li Feier—which he doesn't—it wouldn't be for Huo Siyan to meddle in.

Huo Siyan felt stifled and pulled her sister into it: "I'm standing up for my Lan-jie—how can you treat her like this?"

"Did what you just did treat your sister right?"

Yan Li retorted, patting her ass: "Stop talking nonsense. That bamboo shrimp looks good—peel me a few, use chopsticks, not your hands."

"..."

Huo Siyan muttered under her breath, then stood up, picked up the shrimp, and obediently peeled them for Yan Li.

As Yan Li had her peel shrimp, he took his glass and went to chat with Feng Xiaogang, Ge Da, and Cheng Long; they discussed the current film market.

This year's film market has actually been decent; the first-half data is not much worse than last year's.

But domestic films have been quiet, with imports carrying most of the box office.

This is the awkward reality of the mainland market: imports, with far fewer titles, account for nearly half the box office, which is why every company is copying Hollywood to make big-budget films—only big films can lure audiences back.

Films like *Crazy Stone*, which achieve disproportionate success, are too difficult, too improbable, and have too low a ceiling.

If any commercial blockbuster achieved the same critical acclaim as *Crazy Stone* and had proper promotion, it could easily break 100 million.

The sluggish first half has somewhat shaken everyone's confidence.

Cheng Long is fine—he has a solid foundation and doesn't rely solely on box office; *Baby Plan* is his forte—he won't make a fortune, but he won't lose much either.

Feng Xiaogang is under heavy pressure—*The Banquet* had a large budget and isn't his usual genre; how it performs remains uncertain.

More importantly, the rough cut of *The Banquet* is already done; Feng has invited some friends to watch it, and their feedback has been conservative.

Feng has also invited Yan Li to view it later and give his opinion.

Though young and not a creator by training, Yan Li's taste and commercial acumen are widely recognized in the industry.

His success in discovering and launching *Crazy Stone*, this year's dark horse, is the best proof.

Yan Li readily agreed—not only will he watch *The Banquet*, but he'll watch *Baby Plan* too.

Talking about "giving feedback" or "guiding" is exaggerated—whether the director even listens is another matter, and more importantly, the films are nearly finished; changes are hard to make.

His purpose in watching is mostly personal curiosity, and as a distributor, he needs to understand the film to craft a proper release strategy.

…

The banquet didn't last long, as the Wang brothers had arranged a second venue.

They went to a club, where everyone chatted, played cards, got massages, drank alcohol—red, white, or yellow, depending on preference—with a more relaxed and casual atmosphere than the dinner.

Of course, there were more Misses.

One of the Wang brothers' Huayi associates brought over several Misses—whether they were from Huayi was unclear, and Huo Siyan had never seen them before.

They might have been from the club, or perhaps models and minor actresses who loved to frequent such scenes.

These women were far more open than Huo Siyan or Li Feier—dressed lightly, they rushed in and immediately clung to the big shots, overflowing with enthusiasm.

Yan Li's appearance and aura stood out among them like a crane among chickens.

Aside from Cheng Long, whose fame was too immense, Yan Li was the most popular; two Misses were pushing through the crowd toward him.

Huo Siyan couldn't take it anymore!

With her as Yan Li's exclusive PR manager, why should those little sluts get a say?

She leaned directly against Yan Li's chest, shoving away anyone who came near.

She was at least a popular rising star, with some clout; plus, Yan Li said nothing, so the girls could only leave reluctantly.

Yan Li had no interest in these party-hopping girls; though Huo Siyan wasn't a saint either, she was far cleaner than this lot, and he knew her background—safer that way.

Still, there was one among them Yan Li felt slightly sorry for.

Huo Siyan noticed Yan Li glancing toward her and couldn't help but grumble: "All silicone, fake as hell."

Yan Li nodded; she had the right to say that.

Huo Siyan wasn't top-tier in looks or figure, but two things Yan Li still acknowledged.

One was the pure-yet-seductive aura her personality and appearance created; the other was her large and white.

Compared to the drinking party, there wasn't much real business to discuss at the second venue—everyone was already drunk enough.

Feng Xiaogang was flushed and shouting loudly, Cheng Long was acting wild, and even Ge Daye had started chatting about palm reading with the girls.

If the drinking party hadn't gone so well and everyone had invited them to the second venue, Yan Li would've made an excuse to leave long ago.

Now, watching the scene, Yan Li climbed the hill while eating fruit from Huo Siyan's hand, deciding he'd stay a little longer, then slip away.

Just as he was thinking, Hu Ke and Li Feier came over together to toast him.

Calling it a toast, it was really an excuse to escape the chaos.

They felt awkward here—too shy to join in, yet couldn't leave, forced to smile awkwardly and dodge drunken men making advances.

Compared to the others' mess, Yan Li's side was relatively calm.

Besides, Yan Li had treated them well at the drinking party; they naturally trusted him a bit.

Seeing them approach, Yan Li pulled his hand free to avoid awkwardness—he'd planned to make Huo Siyan stand up, but the moment Huo Siyan saw Hu Ke and Li Feier, she grew wary and pressed even closer.

Yan Li gave up trying; he never intended to play the upright gentleman anyway, he just wasn't used to this kind of overt flirtation.

Hu Ke and Li Feier acted as if they saw nothing—so long as Yan Li didn't target them, even if he kissed her, it was none of their business.

Besides, visually, Yan Li and Huo Siyan, a handsome man and beautiful woman, cuddling, was far more pleasing to the eye than those old men over there.

After chatting a bit and sensing Yan Li's attitude remained unchanged, they relaxed and decided to sit down here.

Huo Siyan was annoyed, feeling disturbed, and opened her mouth to shoo them away—but Yan Li slapped her ass to stop her.

Li Feier didn't care, but Hu Ke, Yan Li still had to treat with care.

Don't misunderstand—he didn't have any designs on her; Hu Ke was Nie Yuan's girlfriend, or rather, ex-girlfriend.

That's right, Nie Yuan was also a guy who juggled multiple women.

He was dating Liu Yun while constantly chasing after others.

But Hu Ke and Nie Yuan's relationship was from a drama set; Yan Li wasn't sure if they'd broken up yet.

Notably, Hu Ke had once been involved with Huang Xiaoming too; Yan Li had even suspected Nie Yuan pursued her to get revenge for Huang Xiaoming stealing his role in "The Legend of the Condor Heroes."

In short, the relationships among these people were messy, and Yan Li didn't fully understand them—but because of Nie Yuan, if she asked for help, he couldn't just stand by.

"If you don't mind, when I leave, come with me—once outside, each of you goes home."

Besides helping them escape the noise, Yan Li offered to help them get out—though whether they accepted was up to Hu Ke and Li Feier.

"No problem, thank you so much."

Li Feier agreed immediately—she had little fame and experience, felt overwhelmed in this setting, and desperately wanted to leave.

Hu Ke hesitated slightly, but decided Yan Li was trustworthy, so she agreed too.

"Thank you, Brother Yan."

Yan Li nodded, chatted idly for a while, felt the time was right, and bid farewell to everyone.

"It's only just past twelve—stay longer, why not? You can even sleep here tonight, rooms are available."

The Wang brothers tried to keep him, and Yan Li casually used Hu Ke and the others as a shield: "These girls are drunk—I'm supposed to take them home. Rare chance to be a knight in shining armor. Let me off easy this time, we'll get together again next time."

Holy shit, you got all three?

Yan Li was telling the truth, but no one believed he was just playing the gallant protector.

The Wang brothers were stunned—Huo Siyan was one thing, but Hu Ke hadn't even joined Huayi yet, and you're already poaching? Do you think we're your pimping crew?

Brother Cheng Long looked approving: "Kid's got potential—reminds me of my younger days."

Old Man Ge was kind-hearted and whispered a warning: "Young man, don't go too hard—three women are too much to handle."

"..."

Yan Li couldn't be bothered to explain—too clear an answer might make it harder to lead them away.

After a few teasing remarks, Yan Li successfully led them out.

Originally, they planned to split right at the entrance, but the Wang brothers wouldn't let Yan Li leave alone—Little Wang insisted on seeing him off.

Letting Hu Ke and Li Feier leave now would expose their intent and risk offending someone, so Yan Li had them get in his car first.

The car started, Hu Ke and Li Feier thanked him again, saying just drop them off somewhere was fine, but Yan Li waved it off.

"It's late, you're girls, and you've been drinking—it's too unsafe."

"I'll see you all the way home, or you can call a friend to pick you up—just give me an address."

If they'd split right at the hotel, fine—but now they were in his car, if he dropped them off halfway and let them leave alone, and something happened, he'd be held responsible.

Luckily, Hu Ke had an assistant and driver waiting nearby at the club—she could just call them.

Hu Ke wanted to drop Li Feier off too, to spare Yan Li trouble, but Li Feier dodged the topic and refused to go with Hu Ke.

Hu Ke saw right through it—she wouldn't ruin a good thing, so she said nothing—but Huo Siyan was still there, and she bluntly pushed, subtly urging, forcing Li Feier to get out with Hu Ke.

Yan Li closed his eyes, resting quietly.

He knew Li Feier had designs on him, but he wasn't the least bit interested—she had nothing about her that appealed to him.

With Huo Siyan playing the villain, he didn't have to say it himself—avoiding direct rejection from a man was entirely different from being sabotaged by other women.

Yan Li was still a gentleman who cherished beauty and didn't want to crush the confidence of this girl under twenty…

Hu Ke and Li Feier got out of the car; Yan Li opened his eyes and blocked Hu Siyen, who was trying to press against her again.

"Shall I drop you off at home, or should you have someone come pick you up?"

Hu Siyen: "…"

He didn't miss a single chance to take advantage just now, and now he's playing the upright man.

Yan Li remained calm; a little playful flirtation in a social setting was fine, but he wouldn't cross the line.

Unlike Dong Xuan, Jiang Xin, and Yang Xue, who were just ordinary good friends, there was plenty of self-interest mixed in.

Qin Lan and Hu Siyen also had their share of complications, but Qin genuinely regarded Hu Siyen as a sister, and Yan Li wasn't that gossipy—he'd better not stir up trouble for himself.

Moreover, Hu Siyen had other uses for him.

Hu Siyen saw that Yan Li's attitude didn't seem fake, but she still felt reluctant and continued in a pitifully sweet tone.

"My door lock is broken, and none of my relatives or friends are around—please, just let me stay the night."

Yan Li remained unmoved: "If you have nowhere to stay, Fuli City has guest rooms—I'll take you there."

Fuli City was Qin Lan's home; hearing this, Hu Siyen immediately deflated.

Yan Li dropped Hu Siyen off at her residence; just as she was about to get out, he suddenly spoke, his voice cold and sharp.

"I treat you as half my own person—I've never wronged you. Qin Lan has treated you well too, looking out for you in every way."

"Having a little ambition is fine, but if you try to sabotage Qin Lan behind her back, or pull any tricks on me, I'll bring you down the same way I lifted you up—maybe even harder."

Yan Li's cold, warning aura was still terrifying; Hu Siyen's face turned pale.

"Yan… Yan Zong, I truly see Lan-jie as my elder sister—I'm just… just drawn to you, I never meant anything bad to her."

"Better be."

Seeing Hu Siyen visibly shaken, Yan Li pulled out the Jin Xin he'd prepared in advance and slipped it into her hand.

Hit with a slap, then offer a sweet date.

Resources and backing were one thing, but material rewards mattered too; giving money directly via bank transfer lacked punch, and handing out cash was inconvenient.

Gold was a good thing—equivalent to money, compact, high-value, effective, and more like a gift, avoiding the crude feel of direct cash.

"Qin Lan's temperament is soft—you help her well. When she's upset with me, or runs into some annoying flirt, you know what to do. Do well, and I, as your brother-in-law, am no stingy man."

Yan Li had an intelligence network, but that didn't mean the system was all-powerful—so he still had to bribe the people around these women.

For Guan Yue, who was close to Dong Xuan, Yan Li never forgot to include her share of the good things.

Fan Xiaopang didn't even need to be mentioned—everyone around him was Yan Li's man.

Qin Lan's closest confidants now were Hu Siyen and Liu Yun; Yan Li hoped they'd "be sensible."

Women's weak ears were hard to correct, but you could control the voices they heard.

For Yan Li, Hu Siyen's usefulness far exceeded simply sleeping with him.

"Brother-in-law, rest assured—I know what to do."

After Yan Li's car drove off, Hu Siyen rubbed the Jin Xin in her hand, feeling a mix of envy and bitterness.

Yan Li spent lavishly, but he truly cared for Qin Lan—no wonder Qin Lan was utterly devoted to him. If she were in Qin Lan's place, she'd give him her whole heart and soul too.

In truth, she wasn't unwilling to give herself now—but Yan Li wouldn't take it…

…

Fuli City

When Yan Li returned, Qin Lan was already asleep; he changed his shoes and went to the bedroom to check on her, waking her up.

"You reek of alcohol."

Qin Lan pushed away the Yan Li who was kissing her, then suddenly flared her nostrils, leaning close to sniff him—Yan Li pinched her nose shut.

"Stop sniffing—it was a Hua Yi banquet. Your good little sister helped me dodge it."

Yan Li was clean, so he spoke confidently—and even brought up Hu Siyen himself.

A scoundrel knows: the more open and natural you are, the more you dispel suspicion; stammering, contradicting yourself, and being evasive only creates trouble out of nothing.

Indeed, seeing Yan Li's demeanor—and with Hu Siyen as a good sister—Qin Lan's attitude clearly relaxed, though she still asked one question.

"Didn't you take advantage of Siyen?"

"My little sister-in-law's butt is half mine—what's wrong with me touching and kissing her?"

Yan Li remained open, even self-incriminating—but the more he did, the less Qin Lan took it seriously; she just spat at him and called him a lecher.

"Enough. You stink of alcohol—go take a shower."

"Let's shower together."

Out of respect for Qin Lan, Yan Li hadn't touched Hu Siyen—but the fire he'd stirred needed Qin Lan herself to extinguish.

Qin Lan was being stubborn; after drinking, Yan Li was exhausting—he'd wear her out if he was in the mood, and sometimes she even wished he'd go to someone else's place after his banquets.

Yan Li had no patience for her nonsense—he just acted.

During renovation, the bathroom had been fitted with a large bathtub, ideal for Shuilan cultivation, saving a lot of bed sheets.

…

A clean, refreshing piano piece played in the bedroom; Yan Li pulled his hand from Qin Lan's embrace and reached for the phone on the nightstand.

"Hello?"

"Understood. I'll check it out—go trace the source. I suspect someone's trying to stir up hype."

Yan Li hung up, got up from bed. Qin Lan slept lightly and woke at his movement, murmuring drowsily.

"You going to work out?"

Yan Li worked out every morning—it was routine; she was long used to it.

"Mm."

"Bring me a jianbing guozi—I'm craving it."

Qin Lan ordered breakfast; if Yan Li went out to train, he'd pick up a portion for home as well.

"Mm, go back to sleep."

Yan Li patted Qin Lan, got dressed, left the bedroom, and didn't go train—he went to the study, turned on the computer, and searched the news.

"Yan Li Meets Three Women at Night: Hu Ke and Hu Siyan Accompany Him."

This was the headline on Sina. com; the photos showed Yan Li boarding a car with Hu Ke, Hu Siyan, and Li Feier, one after another.

"Thank goodness I came back yesterday."

Yan Li felt relieved—if he'd lost control last night and gotten involved with Hu Siyan, explaining it to Qin Lan would've been impossible.

Qin Lan could tolerate his flirtatious nature, but crossing the line with her best friend changed everything.

Yan Li browsed through it—only the photos of them boarding the car were there, no follow-up shots.

He didn't believe the paparazzi hadn't followed; they probably trailed them all night, saw Hu Ke and the others get out one by one, realized Yan Li was clean, saw no blackmail potential, and just twisted the facts into a scandal to grab clicks.

Yan Li's mind raced—he replayed the paparazzi's likely moves, then began suspecting their source.

Did the paparazzi come on their own?

Or were those two brothers from Huayi behind it, trying to cause trouble or catch something incriminating?

Or maybe Hu Ke and the other woman—even Hu Siyan—deliberately leaked the news to stir up hype?

None of these women were big stars; a scandal with Yan Li would give them massive exposure.

Especially Li Feier and Hu Siyan.

The former, a newcomer, could rise fastest through scandal; the latter was desperate for fame—she'd even considered shooting explicit scenes. A rumor with Yan Li meant nothing to her.

The daily intelligence report hadn't triggered this incident; Yan Li hadn't ruled it out—he planned to check again tonight for related intel.

Yan Li didn't take the scandal seriously.

Not only was he already immune to rumors like this, but just sharing a car proved nothing.

He'd have Yi'an's people monitor the situation, prevent false narratives, then issue a denial statement later.

Yan Li shut the computer, made two calls, changed into running shoes, and went out for a jog.

When he returned, having trained and bought breakfast, Qin Lan was already awake, on the phone. Seeing him, she mouthed something.

Yan Li understood—it was Hu Siyan calling, probably explaining the scandal to Qin Lan.

Sure enough, Qin Lan was soothing Hu Siyan: "How could I not believe you? Your brother-in-law told me everything when he got back last night. You did great—do the same next time. Any woman who tries to get close to your brother-in-law? Chase them all away."

"Don't worry about the scandal—I see Hu Ke already denied it. You should deny it too."

"Don't stress about your brother-in-law. When you've got enough lice, you don't feel the bites anymore. His face is thicker than a city wall."

"Ah… it's fine, a puppy bit me—go ahead, take care of things, we'll talk later."

Watching Qin Lan hang up, Yan Li clenched his teeth slightly: "Who called me a puppy?"

"You're not a puppy—you're a big dog, a big wolfhound… no no, I'm the dog, I'm the dog."

Qin Lan begged for mercy, and only then did Yan Li let her off. She rubbed her chest and punched him once.

"Aren't you afraid your son will starve?"

"As long as I don't starve, it's fine."

Yan Li handed her the jianbing guozi: "Did you read the news?"

"You knew?"

Qin Lan had assumed he didn't know—he'd gone jogging, after all. Yan Li was speechless.

"If I found out later than you, I'd be useless."

Not to mention the company—during his jog, Fan Xiaopang, Dong Xuan, and Wang Ou all called him.

Only because Qin Lan knew he was here was she so calm.

"Thank goodness I came here yesterday—otherwise I'd be so wronged. We've got to learn from this: stop believing gossip and scandals."

Yan Li seized the chance to brainwash her; she wasn't stupid: "This was a misunderstanding—it doesn't mean every time is. Do you think I don't know you?"

Just off the top of my head: Dong Xuan, Li Bingbing, Fan Bingbing, Wang Ou, and that Huang Shengyi before.

Just the ones Qin Lan knew about—how many more were there? Yan Li thought a single false rumor could clear his name? Pure fantasy.

But Qin Lan was genuinely curious about one thing: she knew Yan Li had been with her last night, so she understood this was a misunderstanding.

But how was he going to explain to Dong and Fan?

Yan Li spread his hands, looking utterly innocent: "I already explained—I told them I was here with you. If they don't believe me, they can call you."

Qin Lan: "..."

This bastard is openly doing this now, isn't he?!

Yan Li remained calm—he'd always been open about it. You three have done this more than once. We all know the score.

He wasn't deliberately provoking Dong Xuan and Fan Xiaopang—he'd weighed the priorities.

Admitting he was here with Qin Lan would upset Fan and Dong, but since the situation was already out in the open, they'd be annoyed—but they'd rather he stayed with Qin Lan than be involved with Hu Ke or Hu Siyan.

"Wait a minute."

Qin Lan felt something was off: "If you say it like that, they're both coming after me?"

Yan Li raised an eyebrow: "Are you afraid of them?"

"I'm not afraid of them!"

Qin Lan's fighting spirit flared—she even felt proud. Yesterday, Yan Li came to her and put those two women in their place.

Yan Li went to shower and change for work. Qin Lan happily ate her jianbing guozi when her phone rang—a stranger number. She answered—it was Fan Xiaopang's voice.

"You actually called to ask?"

Qin Lan was caught off guard. Fan Xiaopang's voice was impatient: "Cut the crap—was he really with you last night?"

So what if he's in? So what if he's out?

Hearing Fan Xiaopang's tone, Qin Lan felt annoyed and deliberately stalled.

You say what if he's out? Isn't that whore Hu Shiyan your own? Can't even satisfy your own man, so now you're looking for a concubine? Playing matchmaker for your own husband—no wonder Yan Li likes you.

Watch your mouth.

Qin Lan snapped. That seductive fox spoke too cruelly: "Don't project your filthy heart and rotten guts onto me—I'm not you."

Heh.

Fan Xiaopang sneered: "I'm busy with work, no time to argue with a housewife. Just tell me— is he in or not?"

Qin Lan answered half-explaining, half-showing off: "Then go ahead and be busy. A housewife has to tidy the bedroom now—stayed up half the night last night, too tired to move."

Fan Xiaopang wasn't one to be easily fooled—he knew Qin Lan's weak spot.

"You really should clean up. You waste too many sheets."

Qin Lan's face flushed red as she shot back: "I'll save it for you to wipe your face."

"Qin, you*******"

"You're the *******"

"…"

Yan Li stepped out of the bathroom to see Qin Lan on the phone, her lips slick with honey, trading barbs.

After a brief pause, Yan Li said nothing, grabbed his bag, and headed for the door: "I'm off to work."

Better run—slow down and they'll take it out on him…

"You wait."

"Scared of you?"

Qin Lan and Fan Xiaopang hurled threats at each other, then hung up, throat dry, heading to the kitchen for water.

But before she finished drinking, another call came in. As soon as she answered, Dong Xuan's irritated voice rang out.

"You're a housewife—how do you have so much business your phone's always busy?"

You're the housewife, your whole family's housewives!

Qin Lan had just been mocked by Fan Xiaopang over this very point, and now Dong Xuan struck again—she felt actual pain from the rage.

One's got a few more announcements, the other's just a damn university teacher—what's there to brag about?

She didn't want to take roles—if she wanted to, she'd work nonstop all year, believe me?!

"If you've got something to say, spit it out. I was up half the night last night and just want a nap—no time to waste on women like you who think they're so powerful."

Qin Lan had just fought a battle, still burning—her tone was brutally rude.

Dong Xuan found it grating, especially the boast about being up half the night.

"Can't you control that Hu Shiyan? If you can't, I will—keep her away from Yan Li."

Dong Xuan had no fondness for Hu Shiyan and targeted her directly; Qin Lan naturally defended her own.

"Let her come. What's it to you?"

Dong Xuan had seen the gossip that morning and knew Yan Li was at Qin Lan's—she was already upset. Qin Lan's barrage only made her temper flare.

"Can't you speak properly? Didn't your family teach you manners? No wonder you're fixated on other men."

"Sorry—my family taught me never to eat grass I've already chewed, and to curse mercilessly anyone shameless enough to steal another woman's man."

"Didn't your family also teach you to endure humiliation, to sacrifice yourself—hence why Hu Shiyan's gossip with Yan Li outnumbers yours?"

"At least I'm better than someone who calls me up demanding proof. If you're so capable, why didn't Yan Li come to you last night?"

"…"

Qin Lan had argued with Fan Xiaopang for over twenty minutes, dueled with Dong Xuan for nearly half an hour, and added last night's clash with Yan Li—her voice was hoarse, crackling with static.

"Huh~"

Qin Lan mixed herself some warm water, slowly soothing her throat, then took a deep breath, calming herself.

Just as her emotions began to ease, the phone rang again—Wang Ou's voice came through.

"Sister Lan, I just wanted to ask…"

Qin Lan's smoldering anger flared again—hoarse, she snapped: "Ask what? None of your damn business. Who the hell are you to ask?"

She hung up immediately. On the other end, Wang Ou stared blankly.

Is this bitch having a breakdown?!

Didn't we agree on a time to shoot the promotional photos for Great Qing Harem?

She'd said this call wasn't her job—but the assistant director forced her to contact Qin Lan, and now she got yelled at.

The more Wang Ou thought about it, the angrier she got. First she vented at the assistant director via text, then messaged Yang Rong, suspecting Qin Lan had cracked under the gossip about Yan Li.

She'd called Yan Li that morning too—mainly to inform him, show concern, and probe the situation.

Yan Li only told her the gossip was false, but didn't say where he'd been last night—couldn't say it anyway—so Wang Ou still thought Qin Lan was triggered by the scandal.

After all, Hu Shiyan and Qin Lan were inseparable in Great Qing Harem!

Wang Ou: 【This girl's just petty, Rong. If you ever got gossip with the boss, I wouldn't care.】

Yang Rong: 【Fuck off】

————

Yan Li's scandal stirred only minor ripples behind the scenes, but caused considerable noise outside.

Though evidence was lacking and all parties denied it, the gossip-loving netizens refused to believe the denials.

This was the flaw in Yan Li's image!

When you're a ruin, every passerby suspects you've stolen two bricks.

Not to mention, regardless of their true intentions, all three actresses, sensing the buzz, had begun riding the hype.

Especially Hu Ke, because of "Huan Tian Xi Di Qi Nüxian," she was already one of Yan Li's major gossip targets, and since she didn't care about damaging her reputation by getting too close to Yan Li, she released numerous press releases.

Although it didn't explicitly suggest a romantic relationship, it constantly hinted at her close ties with Yan Li.

At the same time, either to show loyalty to Qin Lan or to vent personal resentment, she also smeared Dong Xuan and Li Bingbing.

A post on Tianya exposed discord among the Seven Fairies.

It half-truthfully claimed Hu Ke was bullied and isolated by Dong Xuan and Li Bingbing out of jealousy over being cast as the female lead, suffering great injustice.

Also, Yan Li had originally highly favored her and even intended to sign her to Yi'an, but Fan Xiaopang got there first, then pulled the ladder away, forcing Hu Ke to go to Huayi, where she was then bullied by Li Bingbing and received little resources.

It was only when Yan Li couldn't bear to watch anymore that he stepped in to help, and eventually Hu Ke met true good friends like Qin Lan and Li Xiaolu, feeling the warmth of female friendship and so on.

This post had considerable influence, mainly because the Seven Fairies were genuinely popular right now.

Li Bingbing needs no explanation; aside from Li Lin, whose career had slightly stalled due to her child, Dong Xuan, Hu Ke, Yang Xue, and Jiang Xin's fame kept rising.

Each person's rise brought some exposure to the Seven Fairies, and the Seven Fairies in turn fed back onto each individual.

Thus, the Seven Fairies grew increasingly popular, even becoming the most important group of actresses at present.

Aside from Li Bingbing, who had broken free from the Seven Fairies' constraints through their mutual bond, one of the biggest labels on the others was still "Seven Fairies."

Although the Seven Fairies had once fractured due to the Li Bingbing conflict and the entanglement between Dong Xuan and Li Bingbing, the others still emphasized their sisterhood.

Even Hu Ke had previously leveraged her "good sister" status with Li Bingbing to ride their traffic and absorb the Seven Fairies' benefits.

And she was particularly enthusiastic, calling the other sisters "Second Sister, Third Sister, Fourth Sister, Fifth Sister, Sixth Sister" in the sweetest tone, though few were willing to interact with her.

Hu Ke probably still held grudges in her heart, and now that the Teddy Sisters Group had formed, she no longer bothered pretending—she directly cut ties with the Seven Fairies and turned around to showcase sisterly affection with Qin Lan, Li Xiaolu, and others.

Leveraging the Seven Fairies' popularity, Hu Ke successfully pushed Hu Ke and Li Feier out of the gossip narrative, redirecting attention to Yan Li and the Seven Fairies.

This was a smart move, and also a foolish one.

Since Hu Ke and Li Feier were absent, the other Seven Fairies smelled blood and moved in.

The first to join in was Jiang Xin, a woman famously blunt and outspoken.

"Seven Fairies discord? I don't think so—I get along well with Sister Dong, Sister Li Lin, Sister Yang Xue, and both Sister Li Bingbing."

"Hu Ke? We haven't had private contact for over a year—ask her why."

The second was Li Bingbing, whose response was brief: "We're just ordinary colleagues."

The kind-hearted Yang Xue and Li Lin stayed silent; Dong Xuan declined interviews but posted a photo on her blog: a group picture from "Huan Tian Xi Di Qi Nüxian."

The photo included only her, Li Lin, Yang Xue, and Jiang Xin, excluding Li Bingbing and Hu Ke.

Fan Xiaopang was the most blunt: "I've never heard Yi'an planned to sign any other female artist—please don't boast falsely."

Hu Ke wrote a long blog post, over three hundred words, which translated to one sentence.

【I'm wronged, but I won't hold a grudge anymore—we'll each go our own way】

The Seven Fairies' public breakup pushed Yan Li's unverified gossip into the corner.

It even overshadowed all other entertainment news, becoming the hottest topic of late July.

The Seven Fairies reaped massive traffic and exposure, especially Hu Ke—though attacked by the other Fairies, exposed for numerous scandals, and facing heavy controversy, she indeed stole the spotlight.

Simultaneously, her fierce break with Dong Xuan, Fan Xiaopang, Li Bingbing, and others won Qin Lan's admiration and trust.

Good sister!

No matter her motives, she really took on those foxes!

Thus, when Hu Ke faced heavy public pressure, Qin Lan brought the Teddy Sisters Group to support her, proving Hu Ke's good reputation and character.

Notably, to better support Hu Ke, Qin Lan pulled Ma Yili into the group, making her the "eldest sister" of the Teddy Sisters Group.

There was no choice—the younger sisters lacked fame, and Li Xiaolu, wary of Dong Xuan and Fan Xiaopang, remained cautious, so they needed heavyweight reinforcements.

With Qin Lan's strong backing, Li Xiaolu conceded, and Hu Ke even more so.

Ma Yili originally didn't want to get involved, but after her poor performance during Qin Lan's previous clash with Dong Xuan, she gritted her teeth and joined the Teddy Sisters Group to mend her relationship with Qin Lan.

However, like Li Xiaolu, she didn't want to offend anyone, so her statements were cautious—mainly praising Hu Ke and avoiding other matters.

But no matter what, Qin, Ma, Li, and Hu were all notable figures in the circle.

When these few banded together, they naturally drew attention.

Coupled with this scandal, the Teddy Sisters Group had briefly clashed with the Seven Fairies over Hu Ke, instantly entering the public eye.

————

ps: 10,000 characters, (2000/7000)

(End of Chapter)