Chapter 239: Fan Xiaopang Shows Off Affection, Faces Off Against Twin Beauties, South Korea

As a jerk, Yan Li, though repelled by the very nature of jerks, wasn't particularly fond of other jerks.

He even held double standards and looked down on them from every angle.

But he had to admit that having a few more jerks around—especially when his woman's best friend got tangled with one—was actually beneficial to him.

People always love to compare, and women especially so.

They compare looks, figures, handbags, who's living better, who's got the better man.

Even if they don't show it openly, they silently tally it all in their minds.

If Qin Lan, Dong Xuan, and their friends all had happy relationships, loyal men, and sweet, cozy lives, Yan Li would still feel some pressure.

Most people are greedy; they're never satisfied with what they have, only craving what they don't.

Yan Li could meet most of Qin Lan and Dong Xuan's needs, but he couldn't honestly stick to just one woman and live a quiet life.

So even if those friends' men were inferior to Yan Li in every way—even utterly crushed by him—just having loyalty was still an advantage.

But if most of those friends' men also failed at loyalty,

then Yan Li's disadvantage would vanish, even reverse.

After all, jerks being jerks is natural; it's unnatural for a decent man to turn into one—the nature and perception are completely different.

Moreover, since they're all jerks, Yan Li's other advantages would be greatly amplified, leading them to think he's still the best, easing their resentment and rationalizing their choice.

Previously, Tong Dawei and Guan Yue had helped Yan Li teach Dong Xuan a lesson; now Liu Yun and Nie Yuan were giving him another boost.

Listening to Qin Lan vent about Nie Yuan, Yan Li even harbored a dark hope that her circle of friends would keep running into more jerks.

The worse other men were, the better he looked; Qin Lan would grow even more devoted to him.

The next day, Yan Li called Nie Yuan, briefly explained the situation, and advised him to pay to make it go away.

How much to pay, how to handle Liu Yun—that was their own business.

As a friend, Yan Li had learned of the trouble, stopped the conflict, offered advice, and helped make connections—he'd done his duty.

After that, no matter what happened, he'd done right by his friend; they couldn't blame him, and he himself felt no guilt.

He stayed busy until nightfall, then went home and finally asked Qin Lan for details.

She wasn't as busy as he was; she'd been helping the Teddy Sisterhood give Liu Yun all kinds of advice.

Out of consideration for Yan Li, Qin Lan didn't show up; Hu Siyan and Li Xiao had accompanied Liu Yun to meet Nie Yuan today.

Qin Lan only knew the general outline of what happened, but she knew the talks had ultimately collapsed.

"Twenty thousand—he's treating her like a beggar. Just the stuff Liu Yun bought him was worth tens of thousands."

Was Nie Yuan really never the one who bought Liu Yun anything?

Yan Li muttered to himself, but he had to admit, twenty thousand was indeed too low.

In 2006, for an ordinary person, three years of dating ending in twenty thousand as breakup money was a massive windfall.

But the key was, they weren't ordinary people. Liu Yun didn't earn much, but she'd been acting consistently and had some fame—she couldn't be brushed off with twenty thousand.

Not to mention she was determined to ruin Nie Yuan's reputation; his career could suffer serious damage. For that alone, twenty thousand wouldn't cut it.

Yan Li asked about Liu Yun's asking price and couldn't help rolling his eyes.

"She's asking for diamonds… three million cash plus a house in Beijing—you guys really dare to name that price."

Qin Lan probably thought the price was outrageous too, but Hu Siyan and Li Xiao had pushed it; Nie Yuan, as a rising star, earned plenty.

His fee for "The Legend of the Condor Heroes" was two million RMB!

"Don't you see what kind of drama that was? Normal dramas don't pay that much, and he still has to split with the company."

Yan Li complained—he'd said this countless times before: actors weren't especially rich these days.

Stars like Nie Yuan, focused mainly on TV dramas, hadn't fully tapped their commercial value and hadn't broken into film—they made at most a few million a year.

Sounds good, but expenses were high too, and Nie Yuan had only been famous for a few years; his income came in steps—he wasn't earning that much two years ago.

Clearly, Nie Yuan's savings couldn't possibly meet Liu Yun's demands.

Even if he could afford it, he wouldn't pay—it'd make him a sucker.

The rest didn't need Qin Lan to explain; Yan Li could imagine it himself: one side offered too little, the other demanded too much, both had tempers, maybe even got into a fight, then stormed off in anger.

Qin Lan wanted to tell Yan Li how Liu Yun planned to retaliate, but he put his hand over her mouth.

"I don't want to hear it. I don't know anything. Do whatever you want—don't tell me."

"Don't get involved either. If you do, don't show it publicly. We've done what we could—let them handle it themselves."

Yan Li felt he'd done his part; he had no interest in meddling further in this bitter couple's drama—he'd just be a bystander.

Qin Lan nodded; she knew Yan Li was close to Nie Yuan, so she'd always been careful.

Still, she resented Nie Yuan.

Not because of the money, but because of his attitude. According to Hu and Li, he'd shown no trace of old affection and had spoken harshly.

It was clear he looked down on Liu Yun, even seemed pleased about the breakup.

After all, a rising star didn't lack women; if Liu Yun didn't hurt his career, breaking up actually opened up more space for him.

That's precisely why Liu Yun's hatred ran deeper.

No woman could tolerate a man she'd loved and sacrificed for treating her like trash—especially one with such a fiery temper.

Qin Lan gripped Yan Li's hand and suddenly blurted: "If we ever broke up, what would you do?"

"I wouldn't do anything—we won't break up."

Yan Li didn't fall for the trap. Qin Lan was slightly satisfied, but still said:

"That's what you say—if you ever betray me, I'll, I'll…"

Qin Lan couldn't finish. She really had no way to hurt him, and even if she did, she might not have the heart.

She wasn't Liu Yun—Liu Yun loved fiercely and hated fiercely, settling scores quickly; Qin Lan, even when hurt, would only lick her wounds in silence.

"Enough, stop imagining nonsense."

Yan Li hugged Qin Lan, soothed her a bit, then said: "There's a drama called 'Magic Sword, Life and Death Chess.' I got the female lead role. If you want to try it, go ahead."

Fan Xiaopang had "The Legend of Yang Yuhuan," Dong Xuan had "The Legend of Chu Liuxiang."

Qin Lan had never actually played the female lead in any Yian Investment production.

The female lead in this drama had decent screen time and character depth—if she wanted to act, fine; if not, Yan Li would give it to someone else.

Qin Lan hesitated: "Qiongyao's daughter-in-law called me—she wants Qiongyao to personally recommend me for the remake of 'A Curtain of Dreams.'"

Yan Li recalled—he'd watched the original.

That famous line, "You only lost a leg, Zi Ling lost her love," came from this drama.

"So they want you to play the one who lost a leg, or the one who lost love?"

Qin Lan clearly knew the line; she rolled her eyes: "They want me to play the older sister—the one who lost the leg. It's a dual female lead; I'm one of them."

"Qiongyao was kind to me back then, and this invitation feels sincere."

Honestly, Qin Lan wasn't super famous, but she was a known name in the industry and didn't lack resources.

She was only moderately interested in this drama—what mattered most was Qiongyao's past mentorship and kindness.

Fan Xiaopang was hard to judge, but Qin Lan, despite being scolded for playing Zhihua, had always remembered Qiongyao's favor, especially since she'd met Yan Li through "The Return of the Pearl Princess 3"—that debt weighed heavier.

Besides, Qin Lan had become famous playing the mistress Zhihua; now playing the betrayed wife would be a kind of "redemption."

Lü Ping wasn't a particularly virtuous character, but Qin Lan found her compelling, especially the revenge scenes against the "dog couple"—it gave her a thrill.

"Qiongyao dramas are still worth doing."

Yan Li wasn't fond of Qiongyao dramas, but he had to admit that at this stage, their viewership and influence were still strong.

A trashy romance like "A Curtain of Dreams" being remade after so many years proved it still had staying power—it might not explode, but it would definitely draw serious attention within its target audience.

Besides, doing "A Curtain of Dreams" wouldn't interfere with "Magic Sword, Life and Death Chess"—as long as the schedules didn't clash.

"Forget it."

Qin Lan shook her head; she wasn't a career addict, no need to overbook herself and risk losing Yan Li's opportunities.

Besides, the role was a dancer—she'd have to practice dancing privately, and she didn't have the energy to juggle both.

"Alright then."

Yan Li didn't push it; if she didn't want it, someone else could take it—he'd decide who later.

He dropped the subject and became more interested in Qin Lan dancing.

Since she wasn't formally trained, her talents were limited—she could sing, but he'd never seen her dance.

"Have you practiced? Let me give you some feedback."

When it came to appreciating dance, Yan Li was at least half an expert—Wang Ou, Wu Jiani, and Dong Xuan were all dance-trained; even Shuang Bing, who'd grown up with artistic talent, could put on a show—he'd studied and watched plenty in private.

Qin Lan thought of this too; she knew Dong Xuan's resume well—her rival's background was etched in her memory.

Before attending Beijing Film Academy, Dong Xuan had been in the Dance Department of Shenyang Conservatory and had even been accepted into the General Political Department Song and Dance Troupe—a bona fide professional dancer.

"My amateur moves can't compare to your ex-girlfriend's."

Qin Lan spoke sarcastically. Yan Li shook his head: "That was years ago—she's long since lost her edge."

That was a bit of a lie; Dong Xuan didn't practice much anymore, but her fundamentals and skill were still top-notch.

When she applied to the General Political Department Song and Dance Troupe, she was the only one accepted from the entire Shenyang Conservatory Dance Department—her ability was obvious.

Among Yan Li's women, Wu Jiani loved dance most, but in terms of professional level, Dong Xuan might not claim first place, but she was by far the most quietly skilled.

Qin Lan snorted, didn't press it, told Yan Li to play a track, then began to dance.

After a short routine, she stopped and asked Yan Li what he thought. He stroked his chin.

"You'd better just do 'Magic Sword, Life and Death Chess.'"

Qin Lan: "..."

Just because of that remark, she was now determined to do "A Curtain of Dreams."

…

Starting that night, Qin Lan threw herself into it, declining many engagements and spending most of each day practicing dance at home.

Her toes swelled from dancing; Yu Yanli massaged and applied ointment for her, deeply disapproving of her behavior.

Dancing is dancing—she can't risk his benefits like this!

During Qin Lan's dance training, Liu Yun and Nie Yuan completely broke up, publicly accusing Nie Yuan in the media of being fickle, cheating, and pursuing new lovers.

A Jiao was the public face, but Liu Yun herself exposed Xie Na; they had a decent relationship, so she was especially furious about this, and Hu Ke was dragged in too, having recently been linked to rumors during this period.

For a time, Nie Yuan's five-way love scandal drew considerable attention.

Others dug up Nie Yuan's other romantic histories, including Huang Yi and Shen Aojun (the "West Beauty" from *The Legendary Doctor Xi Lai Le*).

Holy crap—didn't realize until I checked, but wow, he's practically a mini Yu Yanli. No wonder they got along so well.

Yu Yanli:???

Just like Huang Xiaoming's downfall, rivals were surely stoking the flames.

As a rising star, Nie Yuan had no shortage of rivals, enemies, and people eager to knock him down and take his place.

Originally, Yu Yanli had advised him to pay off trouble for exactly this reason.

Yu Yanli's main job isn't acting, and he doesn't rely on fans for income; no matter how messy his private life gets, it won't hurt his foundation.

Nie Yuan is a rising star with countless fans and needs a decent public image—he can't withstand such heavy negative press.

Fortunately, the current public opinion climate is relaxed, and Nie Yuan isn't married; if he plays dead for a while, he'll suffer setbacks but won't be destroyed.

Nie Yuan's career took a hit, and Liu Yun's self-exposure didn't benefit her either.

Perhaps her fame increased slightly after this, but such a volatile temper clearly won't earn her much respect from industry insiders.

Today she's feuding with her ex-boyfriend; tomorrow she might drag another issue into the public eye.

There are too many things in the entertainment industry that can't be spoken of openly; someone without "unspoken rules" and "etiquette" will inevitably be ostracized.

Even within the Teddy Sisterhood, some felt Liu Yun's reaction was too extreme.

As a result, those who claimed to support Liu Yun only offered lukewarm comfort to her on blogs and in the media.

Finally, Qin Lan couldn't bear it anymore; ignoring Yu Yanli's warnings, she publicly defended Liu Yun on her blog, claiming she was overwhelmed by grief and implying Nie Yuan was heartless.

Once Qin Lan spoke, the Teddy Sisterhood immediately rallied behind her.

For certain reasons, they didn't openly condemn the scumbag, but they firmly stood by Liu Yun—best friends for life.

Last time the Seven Fairies defended Hu Siyan; now they're backing Liu Yun. In a short span, the Teddy Sisterhood appeared frequently, gaining major momentum.

This put immense pressure on Dong Xuan; upon arriving at Hengdian, she invited Yang Xue from *The Legend of Chu Liuxiang*, as well as Jiang Xin and Li Lin, who were also filming there, for dinner and photos.

Although three of the Seven Fairies had split, the remaining four together still carried considerable weight.

Add Guan Yue and Yuan Shanshan, who tagged along for the meal, and six beautiful women lined up side by side—quite intimidating.

As for Qin Lan's side, Fan Xiaopang pretended not to care, but upon hearing the news, she specifically checked Dong Xuan's blog.

"Pfft. Trash."

In her view, Dong Xuan's group was nowhere near Qin Lan's Teddy Sisterhood.

Sure, the Teddy Sisterhood was full of trash, but at least they were Qin Lan's people—reliable in a crisis.

But Dong Xuan's crew? Li Lin was close to her, Yang Xue got along well with her, and Jiang Xin was barely acceptable.

If she and Dong Xuan clashed, who knows which side these three would pick.

The remaining two—Tong Dawei's girlfriend and that unknown woman—were Dong Xuan's loyalists, but both were pathetic; in fame, they couldn't even compare to the Teddy Sisterhood's background extras.

Fan Xiaopang sneered, about to close her blog, then paused and pulled up a photo from her computer—

Holding a pure gold rose!

Then she captioned it: 【Complain about the courier—my gift from July 31st only just arrived in Hengdian】

July 31, 2006—Qixi Festival.

This pure gold rose wasn't something Fan Xiaopang just received now; she'd had it before coming to Hengdian, but that didn't stop her from using it as an excuse to post it now.

What's the point of showing off sisterhood? If you're going to show off, show off romance!

Fan Xiaopang wasn't sure if others had received one, but knowing Yu Yanli's style, they probably had. But even if they did, they were either an "ex-girlfriend" or nobody—daring to post it? Not a chance.

Fan Xiaopang went to apply her face mask in high spirits, while Yu Yanli's phone was ringing nonstop.

The pure gold rose was Yu Yanli's new gimmick this year!

For Yu Yanli, the only women he truly valued each year were those on their birthdays; he didn't bother celebrating other holidays, but since this trend was popular, he couldn't ignore it—so he mass-produced "small gifts."

He'd already given gold hearts; some even got more than one. Giving more now felt stale and tiresome.

He'd already given gold zodiac gifts too, and those were better suited for festivals like the Lunar New Year—not ideal for Qixi or Valentine's Day.

So he thought: everyone gives flowers on Valentine's Day—why not me?

But just giving flowers was too simple. He commissioned a goldsmith to craft a few pure gold roses—symbolic, elegant, and impressive.

To Yu Yanli, these pure gold roses, despite higher labor costs, weighed far less than a 1000-gram gold heart—even if solid—and looked better while being cheaper.

This year: gold roses. Next year: gold lilies. Then: gold roses. The year after: gold butterfly orchids.

There are plenty of flowers symbolizing love; Yu Yanli wouldn't have to worry about Valentine's Day gifts for years.

Unexpectedly, Fan Xiaopang posted it on her blog.

Qin Lan and Dong Xuan, both holding identical gold roses, came to confront him; those who didn't get one whined and pouted indirectly.

Yu Yanli spent the whole day calming everyone down before finally calling Fan Xiaopang.

"Sis, you hoping I die, right?"

Fan Xiaopang, expecting his wrath, replied confidently: "My boyfriend gives me a gift—can't I post it? If you're so mad, make them post theirs too."

Yu Yanli: …

Fan Xiaopang's point was painfully accurate. Qin Lan and Dong Xuan weren't most angry that Yu Yanli was "cheating" them with identical gifts—they were furious that Fan Xiaopang could post it while they couldn't.

One was an "ex-girlfriend," the other had no official status—they hated most that Fan Xiaopang held the position of Yu Yanli's public girlfriend.

Fan Xiaopang clearly understood this—and stabbed right at their hearts.

But while Fan Xiaopang could manipulate Dong Qin, Yu Yanli could manipulate her too.

"You'd better not provoke them so much—if they really snap, I might not be able to stop them."

Fan Xiaopang shouted: "Let them come together—I won't even flinch."

"What if they show up pregnant and force you to marry them?"

Yu Yanli's line silenced Fan Xiaopang. Dong and Qin didn't care much about their careers—they were even willing to quit to bear Yu Yanli's child—but Fan Xiaopang, still ascending, couldn't afford to abandon her current momentum.

In this matter, Yu Yanli, still young and not wanting to be a father, actually sided with Fan Xiaopang.

But if Fan Xiaopang pushed too hard and provoked Qin and Dong into pulling the pregnancy card, and Yu Yanli got caught, he couldn't just abort the baby.

Fan Xiaopang fell silent.

She couldn't gamble—and couldn't afford to lose. Her greed for her career and her attachment to Yu Yanli made this threat unbearable.

"Should I delete the blog post?"

"It's already posted—why delete? Leave it as is."

Covering your ears won't help—it'll only spark more speculation. His main goal was to intimidate Fan Xiaopang.

Yu Yanli wasn't bluffing; his intelligence network revealed Dong Xuan, repeatedly provoked by Qin Lan and Fan Xiaopang, had intensified her crisis and was seriously considering this move—even drafting two plans.

Qin Lan wasn't that extreme, but if Dong Xuan got pregnant, who knew what she'd do.

Yu Yanli planned to have a serious talk with Dong Xuan later.

You're still young—enjoy this blooming phase of life. Don't keep obsessing over becoming a mother—it's terrifying.

…

Fan Xiaopang's blog post was simple and direct, sparking widespread discussion.

Giving gold on Qixi wasn't unheard of, and giving flowers was common—but pure gold roses? Few had ever done it.

Yu Yanli's flair and generosity received broad acclaim.

Women envied Fan Xiaopang; men mostly cursed.

You have money to buy gold roses—what about us!?

One netizen even posted on Tianya: Yu Yanli ruined people—he gave his girlfriend a gold rose, she asked her boyfriend for one too, so he went to a gold shop to check.

A single gold rose, excluding labor, weighed more than his annual salary.

Some couldn't afford it, but others copied the idea.

Soon, people began posting identical gold roses on blogs and other platforms, further fueling the trend.

Gold roses quietly became a new fashion symbol of love; many gold shops even jumped on the bandwagon, launching various "Gold Flower Packages."

If you couldn't afford the original, you could buy hollow or smaller versions, or buds and micro-sized ones—choose according to need.

There were also upgraded versions: instead of a single gold rose, you got a bouquet so heavy with gold flowers you couldn't hold it.

This thoughtful design met many needs; buyers surged, and gold prices even fluctuated slightly.

Neither Yu Yanli nor Fan Xiaopang expected a small gift and a single blog post could spark a mini-trend.

In fact, both had underestimated their own influence—especially their combined influence.

One a new business tycoon, the other a top female star—handsome man, beautiful woman, endless topics.

Though their union and certain aspects stirred controversy, they'd already become one of the country's most famous and influential couples.

Many stars liked forming couples or husband-wife teams precisely because together they achieved 1+1>2.

Fan Xiaopang's constant buzz over the past two years owed at least 50% to Yu Yanli.

Likewise, Yu Yanli's rise to prominence as one of the public's most recognizable businessmen was aided significantly by numerous female stars—Fan Xiaopang stood at the very top, deserving the greatest credit.

Given this, their relationship inevitably drew intense attention and admiration.

But for various reasons, the two rarely showed affection and had no specific medium for it, so their bond didn't feel especially deep.

This time, with the golden rose—a naturally attention-grabbing object—the public finally saw the influence of Yan Li and Fan Xiaopang.

Fan Xiaopang was delighted; Qin Lan and Dong Xuan were seething.

A single blog post stole all the spotlight from the Teddy Sisters' reunion and the Four Fairies' gathering, flaunted their affection, and drew widespread praise and envy from outsiders.

Qin Lan in Beijing was even sketching little figures in her notebook; Dong Xuan was so furious she nearly stormed onto the set of *The Legend of Yang Yuhuan* to challenge that seductive fox.

Sensing the weight of resentment, Yan Li, who had originally planned to attend the launch of *The Legend of Chu Liuxiang*, suddenly went on a business trip out of town.

Only after several days, when he sensed Dong Xuan's mood had improved, did Yan Li visit the set in Hengdian.

Upon entering the crew, he saw Dong Xuan chatting warmly with a girl whose facial features bore some resemblance to hers in the rest area.

Had the girl not been wearing costume, Yan Li might have thought Dong Xuan's relative had come to visit.

Dong Xuan spotted Yan Li and was about to wave, but suddenly remembered something and stayed seated; however, the girl beside her noticed the tension, turned, saw Yan Li, and immediately stood up to greet him.

Yan Li glanced at her: "You're that kid…"

"Tong Yaya."

She reminded him; he nodded—he still had some memory of her, vaguely recalling she was from an ethnic minority and currently studying at the Central Academy of Drama.

He looked from Tong Yaya's face to Dong Xuan's, and felt they weren't particularly alike.

Their eyes and features looked similar at a glance, but their facial contours differed—Dong Xuan's was rounder, Tong Yaya's was oval, and many finer details varied too.

In temperament, Dong Xuan was colder, more majestic, yet still gentle; Tong Yaya was warmer and sweeter.

More importantly, Dong Xuan had fair skin; this Tong Yaya was slightly darker.

From certain angles or if not observed closely, one might think they resembled each other, but upon careful inspection, they were easy to distinguish.

Face collision!

This kind of thing was still common in the entertainment industry—sometimes coincidence, sometimes deliberate.

When a male or female star became popular, producers would hunt for new talents matching their traits, copying the successful template and leveraging the original star for publicity by association.

Back then, rumors claimed that Zhang Ziyi was cast in Zhang Yimou's films because the crew had specifically sought someone resembling Gong Li; early on, Zhang Ziyi was even nicknamed "Little Gong Li."

Now, with Zhang Ziyi at the peak of her career, "Little Gong Li" had vanished, but a "Little Zhang Ziyi" emerged—Yan Li remembered her name was something like Tong Yao, who had previously been entangled with Zhang Guoli's son.

Also, when Sun Li first debuted, she was called "Little Jiang Qinqin," and Li Xiao was often compared to Zhou Young Master.

According to Yan Li, Cai Zong of Tangren had recently been promoting a newcomer called "Little Liu Tianxian."

Dong Xuan wasn't especially famous, and Tong Yaya was just a newcomer who hadn't acted much before—likely just a coincidence.

Yan Li glanced at Tong Yaya again, then plopped down beside Dong Xuan and teased with a smile.

"So, you've found me another little sister-in-law?"

Dong Xuan snorted: "I'm your ex-girlfriend—why would I find you a sister-in-law? If you want a sister-in-law, go find your own handsome-and-beautiful fox."

"That's what you said."

Yan Li half-rose, pretending to leave: "I just came to Hengdian to see you, and if you're kicking me out, I'll go find her."

"Come back."

Dong Xuan wanted to play hard to get, but feared he'd actually leave—the set of *The Legend of Yang Yuhuan* wasn't far away. After hesitation, she reached out and pulled him back down.

Glancing at the awkward Tong Yaya beside her, Dong Xuan pursed her lips and gave a proper introduction, then added to Tong Yaya:

"We're used to teasing each other—don't mind it."

Officially, she was Yan Li's "ex-girlfriend," but after their breakup, their relationship remained good—they were close friends. Of course, everyone understood.

Neither Yan Li nor Dong Xuan tried too hard to hide it—mainly because it couldn't be hidden anyway.

Tong Yaya was sensible: "Sister Xuan, you two chat—I've got something to do."

Dong Xuan waved her off; Tong Yaya left, and Yan Li watched her curiously.

"You two get along really well."

Normally, when two actresses look alike, comparisons are inevitable, so their relationship usually turns sour, and they avoid meeting or appearing together.

But with Dong Xuan and Tong Yaya, he saw none of that tension—otherwise, he wouldn't have joked about the sister-in-law just now.

"Yaya's great—we really hit it off, like we've known each other forever."

Dong Xuan and Tong Yaya looked alike, and their life paths were similar too.

Both started dancing as children, entered professional dance troupes, then felt uncertain about dance careers, switched to acting schools, and eventually debuted as actresses.

Similar looks, similar experiences, shared topics, compatible personalities—they clicked instantly, and within days, they were like sisters; even Guan Yue was a bit jealous.

"Wow, filming a drama and you've picked up a new general."

Saying they got along well didn't convey much to Yan Li—but when he heard Guan Yue was jealous too, he finally understood just how deeply connected Tong Yaya and Dong Xuan were.

Yan Li had assumed Dong Xuan would focus on nurturing her student Yuan Shanshan, or court Mu Tingting from Beidian, or leverage someone with connections like Han Xue or the popular Shu Chang.

He never expected a newcomer like Tong Yaya to win Dong Xuan's favor.

Fate is truly mysterious!

"Listen to me—don't you dare lay a hand on her, or I'll make you regret it."

Dong Xuan warned Yan Li not to pursue Tong Yaya; Yan Li was speechless.

"I've got the real thing—why would I bother with a knockoff? Besides, you know I like fair-skinned girls."

Yan Li wasn't lying—Tong Yaya's skin was slightly dark, she had no money or fame, and she carried a slightly rustic air—she didn't meet Yan Li's increasingly picky standards.

The only thing worth his attention was her resemblance to Dong Xuan—roughly speaking, she was like a half-twin.

If they were layered together… hmm…

Yan Li dared not imagine it—Qin Lan was soft-natured, Fan Xiaopang was open-minded, but Dong Xuan? She wasn't someone to mess with. If he dared layer her, she'd literally bite his head off.

Dong Xuan felt slightly relieved, but kept a cautious eye out, deciding to minimize Tong Yaya's appearances around Yan Li from now on, just in case.

After a brief chat, seeing Dong Xuan's mood was stable, Yan Li took the chance to meet the rest of the crew.

The boss arrived—the entire crew couldn't afford to be careless; those free came over to greet him, and Yan Li responded warmly to each one, until a beautiful woman with thickly accented Mandarin spoke up.

"Yan Shezhang ni hao, wo xi Qiu Cixuan…"

After the initial two greetings, she switched entirely to Korean; a translator beside her helped communicate.

Yan Li smiled and asked: "Isn't it inconvenient to film with a language barrier?"

An assistant director explained: communication was handled by a translator; during filming, she spoke Korean, and dubbing would be done later.

"Oh, I see."

Yan Li exchanged polite small talk, waited until Qiu Cixuan bowed and left with the translator, finished greeting everyone else, then turned directly to the producer:

"Replace that Korean actress."

He'd previously thought foreign actors would be inconvenient, but hadn't imagined it would be this bad.

With translators, Korean lines, and mismatched lip movements—it was more trouble than it was worth.

Though she was attractive, the entertainment industry had no shortage of beauties.

The boss gave the order; the producer complied immediately. Thus, Qiu Cixuan, still asking the translator why the boss was so young, learned the bad news from her agent.

"Why? Didn't that Yan Shezhang seem to like me?"

Qiu Cixuan was confused—the young boss had smiled warmly, spoken gently, and she'd just praised him to the translator for being nothing like those furious Korean producers—yet now he'd fired her.

The translator was equally baffled—he'd been brought in by Qiu Cixuan; if she was fired, so was he.

After thinking it over, he told her: "From what I know, Yan Li—the Yan Shezhang—is quite… friendly toward women. Why don't you go beg him?"

"Beg him?"

Qiu Cixuan looked uneasy.

What the translator meant was Yan Li was lecherous—he'd surely be soft with women. If she begged him privately, or sacrificed a little of her charm, it might work.

But Qiu Cixuan, raised in the Korean entertainment industry, was sensitive to such things and thought deeper, more complicated thoughts…

(End of Chapter)