Chapter 247: One Night, Xuan Orchid Blooms—Team Up to Beat Little Fat Fan?

"Soup's up!"

Yan Li carried in a clay pot—the final dish, spinach and egg soup—and said to Qin Lan and Dong Xuan.

"Try some, see if my cooking's gone downhill."

Yan Li had been cooking less and less himself, and even when he did, it was mostly noodles, soups, or simple home-style stir-fries—simple, quick, and easy to eat.

He only prepared a full spread like this when he was in a cooking mood or for special occasions.

Still, though he'd cooked less over the past two years, he'd grown up in the kitchen, so his fundamentals were solid.

Plus, with money to spare, he'd eaten every luxury ingredient under the sun, broadening his palate, which subtly improved his cooking; occasionally, the system even triggered a secret recipe, so Yan Li still had some confidence in his culinary skills.

Eight dishes and one soup—mostly home-style, but spanning the four major Chinese cuisines: Sichuan, Shandong, Guangdong, and Huaiyang, plus two Northeastern dishes, catering to Qin and Dong's tastes.

One was from Mudanjiang in Heilongjiang, the other from Shen Yang in Liaoning; by Northeastern standards, they were practically hometown folks.

But clearly, neither saw it that way.

Not having punched each other into tears was already thanks to the Songhua River's goodwill.

Qin Lan picked up a piece of guobao rou, chewed it slowly, then her eyes lit up.

"Hmm, Shen Yang style?"

Guobao rou, a famed Northeastern dish, had spread nationwide and been endlessly reinvented, so while all were called guobao rou, their methods and flavors varied wildly.

Flavors ranged from sweet-sour to tomato-based to salty; textures from thin to thick, soft to crisp; and there were distinctions between old and new, regional variations too.

Many Northeasterners abroad refused to order it, because there were too many versions—they might accidentally pick an "heretical" one they couldn't stand.

Dong Xuan heard Qin Lan's remark, glanced at her, and thought: this little bitch had an agenda.

What do you mean "Shen Yang style"? We eat guobao rou in Mudanjiang too, you know?!

Yan Li knew Dong Xuan's jealous nature all too well.

Before she could speak, he pointed to the chicken stewed with mushrooms and said he'd gone to a Northeastern restaurant, sourcing everything—chicken, hazelnut mushrooms, dried potatoes, and vermicelli—straight from Heilongjiang's native soil.

Dong Xuan picked up her chopsticks, took a bite, and nodded solemnly.

"Definitely my hometown's."

In truth, she couldn't tell the difference—chicken stewed with mushrooms didn't have flavor or method distinctions like guobao rou; as long as the ingredients were similar, most people couldn't tell them apart.

But whether she tasted it or not didn't matter—the key was Yan Li said it, showing he valued her, and with Qin Lan watching, Dong Xuan would accept it.

Even if the chicken had come alive, spoken human speech, and claimed it was registered in Shen Yang, Dong Xuan would still swear it was Heilongjiang's chicken.

"Enough, stop bickering over dinner. Today's happy—have a drink with me."

Yan Li pulled them both to sit, opened a bottle of Maotai, and poured them both full glasses.

Qin Lan glanced at Dong Xuan, who gave a slight nod; both raised their glasses in unison but drank very sparingly.

Both were Northeasterners, so they had decent alcohol tolerance—better than most girls who couldn't hold their liquor—but not by much; just decent.

Any decent drinker could take on both of them alone, let alone Yan Li, who could drink like a bottomless pit—he could get them drunk just warming up.

Once drunk, they'd be "confused" and vulnerable to some bastard taking advantage.

So Qin Lan and Dong Xuan, already in silent agreement, moved in perfect sync.

Drink little, eat more—both drank minimally and even blocked Yan Li from drinking too much, preventing him from using alcohol as an excuse to misbehave.

Honestly, Qin and Dong truly understood Yan Li.

Yan Li had expected them to be cautious and drink little, so he'd planned to "get drunk" himself and act lewdly afterward.

But he hadn't expected them to block this tactic outright.

They knew his limit—he'd get drunk and rowdy after half a jin or so; pretending to be drunk now was too fake.

"Eat, eat."

Seeing his drinking strategy failed, Yan Li wasn't discouraged—he urged them to eat.

His demeanor made Qin and Dong hesitate, exchanging glances.

【This bastard isn't even urging us to drink—could he have drugged the food?】

【Probably not that insane】

Yan Li might be shameless, immoral, and sometimes untrustworthy.

But in other aspects, his character was decent—he wasn't nearly that vile as to drug them.

They finished the meal with tense caution, cleaned up quickly, and Yan Li suggested watching a movie.

Qin Lan immediately reacted: "I'll pick the disc."

Dong Xuan gave her a look of approval—this woman had some brains.

If Yan Li picked the disc, he might play something lewd; even if they held their ground, they'd still be subjected to his groping and advances.

Yan Li let them do as they wished—he knew Qin Lan was overthinking.

This was Yangjiao Lantern Alley, where his parents and grandmother had lived—how could there be any trashy stuff here? The discs were all TV dramas, classic films, operas, or folk tunes—purely positive content.

"Folk tune: 'Sister-in-Law and Sister-in-Law Climb Over the Wall.'"

Qin Lan somehow pulled out a disc—the massive title made both her and Dong Xuan stare at Yan Li.

"Cough, cough."

Yan Li felt awkward—he'd spoken too soon; folk tunes did sometimes include risqué material, and no one knew who'd bought this one—probably hadn't checked.

"Why are you staring at me? Even if I wanted something unhealthy, I wouldn't watch something like this."

That was true—his age and status made him utterly disconnected from such discs.

Dong Xuan stepped forward to help and picked a compressed DVD of the "Huang Feihong" series.

An action movie—surely this bastard wouldn't get any perverted ideas from this.

…

Early winter, cold wind blowing outside, but the sihe academy's heating kept the indoor temperature comfortable.

On his left and right, two beloved beauties sat with him at home, watching a classic old film—it was his birthday too, the atmosphere warm and lovely, and Yan Li felt utterly content.

The only pity was that both women remained on guard, allowing him to look but not touch; not even hugging one on each arm was possible, and merely brushing a hand earned a sharp swat away.

Yan Li saw their bodies tense, even as if they intended to move away and sit apart, and realized they were in a highly sensitive phase.

At this moment, he couldn't press further.

Otherwise, it would backfire, forcing them to unite and flee together—he couldn't truly force them, or else everything would fall apart, and that would be no fun at all.

Yan Li tested the waters, then settled down quietly; throughout the entire film, he made no move at all.

Constant vigilance was mentally exhausting; as Yan Li remained still, Dong and Qin gradually began to relax, turning their attention to the movie.

Yet, just as the second film reached its most thrilling moment, Qin Lan suddenly felt a sneaky finger hook around hers.

That damn man still hadn't given up!

Qin Lan was about to pinch him, when she caught Yan Li winking at her, then nudging his chin toward Dong Xuan, making a shushing gesture—her hand froze mid-motion.

Seeing this, Yan Li gently took Qin Lan's hand, affectionately intertwining their fingers, his occasional glances filled with tenderness.

Qin Lan: "..."

She still pinched Yan Li, but softly; the side-eye she threw him held less mockery and disdain, and more of a helpless, indulgent resignation.

Yan Li relaxed, continuing his subtle maneuvers with Qin Lan.

Dealing with temporary allies like Qin Lan and Dong Xuan—who were united by circumstance yet kept apart by tension—

Direct assault was a poor strategy, for it would only force them to grow closer and stand united.

The best approach was to sow discord, then pick them off one by one.

Even if Qin Lan faintly sensed Yan Li was scheming, faced with his blatant flirtation behind Dong Xuan's back, she still broke her promise.

They were temporary allies, but eternal enemies!

Sharing no advantage, sharing no loss was acceptable—but if I gain while you lose, that might just be too much to bear.

As Yan Li kept pulling her closer, their movements grew bolder, their bodies nearly entwined; Dong Xuan wasn't blind—she noticed something was wrong.

"What are you doing?!"

Dong Xuan's expression changed drastically—she first glared at Yan Li, then turned a cold, furious gaze toward Qin Lan.

You shameless wretch—you swore to stand together, yet you're sneaking off to enjoy the feast alone.

Dong Xuan even began to suspect this was a trap set by Qin Lan.

First, she frightened me with talk of "Dong-Qin Twin Lotus," then pretended to join me in rejecting and ignoring Yan Li, while secretly buttering him up—then she made me look like the jealous shrew, while she appeared sweet and understanding, winning Yan Li's favor.

So cunning!

She'd forgotten how this little vixen once played Zhihua—master of pretending to be virtuous while secretly stabbing others in the back.

Seeing Dong Xuan's fury, Qin Lan felt a pang of guilt—after all, she had broken her word, and it was indeed unbecoming.

She shoved Yan Li aside and moved farther away, to show she was innocent.

But the dam of trust had already broken; worse still, they'd never gotten along to begin with—the slight thaw had instantly frozen again, compounding the frost.

Watching Dong and Qin, who had slipped back into cold hostility, Yan Li wondered if he'd made a mistake.

If they weren't harmonious, they caused trouble; if they were too harmonious, he gained nothing.

Holding two beauties at once—so hard!

Night fell. Yan Li didn't move to leave, and neither did Dong and Qin.

Why would they leave?

Unless Yan Li left with me, if I left, wouldn't I be letting that little vixen win?

But staying put wasn't a solution, so Yan Li suggested: "How about we all squeeze together?"

Dong Xuan spat out a dialect curse: "Get lost."

"I knew you had no good intentions."

Qin Lan also sneered—she'd finally realized she'd been tricked. Too late now; Dong Xuan no longer trusted her.

Fortunately, both rejected the situation equally, so they still maintained a certain unspoken understanding.

"Then here's the plan: the east and west chambers are both cleaned and ready—you each take one room, I'll take the main one. No disturbances."

Qin Lan and Dong Xuan exchanged glances, their eyes filled with unreadable emotion, then slowly nodded.

"Agreed."

Afterward, Qin Lan went out to buy things; Yan Li seized the chance to cuddle Dong Xuan.

"Don't touch me."

Dong Xuan was still furious over what had happened—she was jealous by nature, and seeing Yan Li cozying up to another woman made her ache.

"I'm sorry. Here's what I'll do: give me a chance to prove myself. Leave your door open tonight—I'll make it up to you, properly."

Dong Xuan stomped on his foot: "Still thinking about that crap?"

"It's my birthday—can you really leave me sleeping alone all night? Aren't you my good wife?"

Dong Xuan pouted: "Nope. Go find whoever you want."

Yan Li raised an eyebrow: "So I really will? Don't get upset?"

"You dare!"

Dong Xuan panicked, scratching and grabbing at him, warning: "Don't you dare go to her."

"Then I'll go to you."

Dong Xuan said nothing. After a long silence, she gave the tiniest nod. Yan Li happily kissed her.

Of the two women, Qin Lan had a soft temperament, easy to persuade—she could pout, beg, and cling relentlessly, and it often worked; relatively easy to handle.

Dong Xuan appeared gentle but was inwardly stubborn, harder to win over—but if you found her weakness and treated it precisely, the results could be miraculous.

And her weakness? She was jealous.

The vinegar pot reflects Yan Li's importance to her, and her possessiveness; exploiting this, provoking and goading her, Dong Xuan would leap in even if she knew Yan Li was setting a trap.

What if she doesn't leap, but Qin Lan does?

After a while, Qin Lan returned, holding two large locks, handing one to Dong Xuan.

"Lock the door at night to prevent ambushes."

Yan Li was speechless: "Is this really necessary? What do you think I am?"

Qin Lan glanced at him, said nothing, but her meaning was unmistakable—even Yan Li's thick skin couldn't bear it.

"It's overcast today, hot water might run out—I'll go to the kitchen and boil some more."

Dong Xuan didn't want to deal with Qin Lan, and felt a bit guilty besides; she took one lock and returned to her room.

Qin Lan snorted, wandered around the main bedroom, and slipped a key to her own room onto the nightstand.

Since we're already not caring about propriety, let's not care at all!

…

Time passed slowly; lights went out in every room. Yan Li lay in bed, staring toward Dong Xuan's room, fingering the key Qin Lan had left, feeling a pang of regret.

The timing still isn't right!

Last time the Ice Orchid bloomed, it was during a New Year quarrel—I forcibly suppressed it, plus Qin Lan was soft and Fan Xiaopang was easygoing, so I coaxed and scared them into it, half-pushing, half-dragging them along.

But today, although Qin Dong had tension, it wasn't intense enough; Yan Li found it hard to exploit this.

Besides, Dong Xuan strongly resists this, and Qin Lan, having been burned before, is on high guard.

Moreover, the fact that both came to celebrate my birthday today is already more than generous.

Thinking of this, Yan Li checked the time and sent Dong Xuan a text; she hadn't slept and replied immediately.

So Yan Li stepped out, deliberately making noise in the courtyard, then went to the east wing.

"…"

In the west wing, Qin Lan, awake, heard the noise and assumed it was Yan Li coming—yet she only heard movement, no door opening; her heart sank bit by bit.

Furious, she flung open the door, glaring at the east wing, slowly approaching, hearing faint, scattered sounds.

You dirty pair!!

Qin Lan's fury exploded; she paced the courtyard, returned to her room, grabbed a stool, and planned to storm the east wing and catch them in the act—but feared she couldn't win.

Finally, after circling the courtyard once more and unable to bear it any longer, she smashed the stool into the yard and stormed back inside.

In the east wing, perhaps spurred by the special occasion and the thrill of illicitness, the two were in exceptional form.

When the storm subsided, Yan Li held Dong Xuan for a while, then got dressed to get up; Dong Xuan stopped him.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm sticky with sweat—I'll get some water and wash up."

Dong Xuan, drenched in sweat, agreed; Yan Li stepped out, washed up in the bathroom, then went to the west wing.

Qin Lan hadn't slept—she was too furious to sleep.

Hearing the door open, she guessed who it was, closed her eyes, turned her back, and refused to acknowledge that bastard.

But the bastard's thick skin wouldn't quit; seeing her "asleep," he stripped off his clothes and squeezed into her bedcovers.

Qin Lan couldn't pretend anymore and kicked him hard: "Get out!"

Yan Li complained bitterly: "How can you blame me? You were the one arranging locks, acting so righteous, leaving a key without telling me—how was I supposed to know it was yours?"

"Only when I went to unlock it did I realize I'd gone to the wrong room—she heard the noise and caught me. What was I supposed to do?"

"You think I'm going to believe you? Burning paper money at a grave to fool ghosts?"

Qin Lan didn't believe a word—she was certain the two had conspired, and used the key to trick her.

Seeing his lie wouldn't hold, Yan Li dropped pretense and admitted outright: "Fine, we conspired. Who's to blame for being late? I'm following the order of arrival."

"You shameless bastard."

Qin Lan bit him; Yan Li didn't mind the pain—wherever she bit, he bit back; soon they were biting each other.

Seeing Qin Lan still resisting, Yan Li whispered his devil's voice: "I've already been with her—if you don't take me, you're the one losing out."

Qin Lan: "…"

Her resistance visibly weakened: "Go wash first—I find you dirty."

"I already washed."

"No… mmm…"

In the east wing, Dong Xuan, waiting too long for Yan Li's return, sensed something was wrong; she stepped out and saw the west wing's light was on.

You dirty pair!!

Dong Xuan trembled with rage, spotted a stool in the courtyard, couldn't hold back, lifted it, and smashed it against the east wing's door.

With a loud bang, faint rustling came from inside, then Qin Lan's previously suppressed voice suddenly rose, continuous and unbroken.

Dong Xuan: "…"

She wanted to grab a knife from the kitchen and chop that slut to pieces!

She kicked the door once, hesitated long, then didn't storm in—furious, she stormed back to the east wing.

Inside the west wing, Yan Li stared at Qin Lan, dumbfounded—this was just spite.

Qin Lan ignored him—she was furious at that Dong woman!

Who let her strike first without honor? And she dared smash my door—she hadn't even smashed the east wing yet.

Afterward, Qin Lan clung to Yan Li, afraid he'd slip away; Yan Li patiently soothed her.

"I'll go check—maybe something's wrong. I'll be right back."

Qin Lan was still kindhearted; though reluctant, she cuddled a while longer and let him go.

Yan Li washed up again, then returned to the east wing; Dong Xuan's gaze at him was like daggers.

"You go get water to find her? Is Qin Dong some water baby?"

How do you know?!

Yan Li nearly thought Dong Xuan had been spying, then stepped forward to hug and explain: "She heard the noise—I went out and she blocked me, dragged me into her room against my will—not my fault."

Dong Xuan explained: "If you didn't want to go, she couldn't have dragged you."

"Uh, I'm weak."

Dong Xuan was defeated by Yan Li's brazenness—he had all the strength when tormenting her, yet turned limp as water when dragged in by that Qin.

"Don't touch me."

Fuming inside, Dong Xuan, seeing Yan Li still pawing at her, pinched and kicked him.

Though he'd eaten two meals, it still wasn't enough to satisfy Yan Li—it only stoked his craving. Separated by one courtyard, east and west rooms, both in good condition, still competing fiercely, driving him wild—how could he possibly stop at a taste, let alone give up easily?

He reached out and embraced Dong Xuan: "Just now she provoked you like that—and you just took it?"

Dong Xuan pinched him: "Don't think I don't know your tricks—I won't fall for them again."

"But you've already fallen once—falling once is falling, falling twice is still falling. The key is we gotta vent this anger. If I were you, I couldn't take it—I'd never let it go without reclaiming my dignity."

Yan Li wheedled endlessly; Dong Xuan was partly swayed, and unable to resist Yan Li's dominance, finally gave up and let go.

Thus, Qin Lan in the west wing heard Dong Xuan's taunting challenge.

"So shameless."

She cursed, covered her ears, got into bed, then half-asleep felt that damn man start tormenting her again.

"I'm tired—don't bother me."

"She's done—help me out."

"…"

That night, Yan Li shuttled back and forth between the east and west wings multiple times—the specially boiled hot water ran out.

At first, Qin and Dong each wanted to keep him to themselves, unwilling to share; then they competed, staging a duet of female voices; finally, unable to withstand Yan Li's growing vigor, they began shoving him toward the other.

Yan Li took a bite from the east, a bite from the west—troublesome, but barely full, and above all, delicious.

The only pity was, later, when he wanted to take advantage of their drastically lowered resistance and individual exhaustion, to bring them together—he suspected that after their courtyard rivalry, they were too embarrassed, and refused outright.

Qin Lan feared she couldn't hold out, that Yan Li would forcibly drag her into Dong Xuan's room, even locking her door to hide from him.

Yan Li, helpless, could only beg for truce—Dong Xuan, exhausted, stayed in the east wing. Before sleeping, he still pondered.

These two still fell short—if Fan Xiaopang were here too, three rounds in a row, he'd have been completely satisfied.

…

The next morning, Qin Lan woke, aching, went to the toilet, and returned to find Dong Xuan up as well.

"Hmph."

Dong Xuan, seeing Qin Lan, bristled, voice hoarse: "You broke your word."

Qin Lan's voice was even hoarser, but her spirit didn't yield: "You kept your word? Who started it?"

Dong Xuan seized the point and mocked: "You're the type who licks the bottom of the bowl—likes eating others' leftovers."

Qin Lan glared: "At least I'm better than you—you like eating reheated food, mixed with someone else's flavor?"

She'd held back all day yesterday, then been tormented half the night by that damn man—Dong Xuan's anger boiled over, rolled up her sleeves.

"You wanna fight?"

Dong Xuan seethed; Qin Lan wasn't happy either: "Come on—I've wanted to slap you for ages."

"…"

Though Yan Li had exerted himself yesterday, his energy was boundless—he rose early, went for a jog and practiced boxing around Shichahai, nearby.

After exercising, he bought breakfast and returned to Yangjiao Deng Hutong.

But upon entering, he saw Qin Lan and Dong Xuan lying on the floor, disheveled, pulling each other's hair, kicking and clawing, hurling insults at each other's relatives.

Yan Li rushed to stop them, but neither let go—helpless, he pulled out his phone.

"If you two don't get up, I'll take a photo and send it to Fan Bingbing."

"Are you even human?"

"Monster!"

Qin Lan and Dong Xuan cracked—they could fight in private, even if Yan Li saw, but if Fan Xiaopang saw and laughed, it would be worse than death.

Yan Li urged them again; they finally let go and stood up, still hurling threats.

"Enough—talk more and you'll get even more fired up."

Seeing they still resisted, Yan Li grew stern and scolded them to behave.

This tactic usually worked, but last night he'd been too vile—Qin and Dong were hostile toward each other, and their resentment toward Yan Li ran deep—they began firing back at him.

"Did you pick the wrong key? You've got the nerve to make that up—'who slept first, who slept later'—you're quite the scheduler."

"Lying through your teeth—you claimed she dragged me into her room, and goaded her to help me reclaim my dignity—you're clearly just here to stir up trouble."

"When did I ever say the Teddy Sisters were trash? Who are you spreading rumors to?"

"How dare you say I'm jealous she's whiter than me? Speak—what exactly have you been saying behind my back?"

"………"

Yan Li was stunned—they were fighting, so why were they now settling accounts?

"Cough—I ever say any of that?"

Yan Li feigned ignorance, but seeing their piercing stares, he tried to salvage himself.

"Hmm… maybe I did. You know me—I sometimes exaggerate, maybe added a little artistic flair, but my original intent was good."

"Good my ass."

Qin Lan and Dong Xuan took turns denouncing him—and scolding them for fighting—who was it that caused this?

Seeing the argument shift to accounting, fearing it would only turn against him, Yan Li swiftly called a halt.

"Eat."

Dong Qin and Qin refused to comply; Yan Li threatened: "If you don't listen, I'll strip you both naked and throw you together."

With a mix of soft and hard tactics, he quelled the scene, offering face-saving exits, and finally calmed down the two goddesses.

Though surprised they'd come to blows directly, Yan Li had expected it—last night's fury, their hostility the next day, all within his predictions.

If you want a feast, don't fear the trouble.

Preparing vegetables, chopping, washing dishes, cleaning up afterward—he'd done this before, plenty of experience.

Since they didn't walk out in anger, it means they haven't hit bottom—just take it slow, soothe them…

After eating, Yan Li didn't go to work, fearing they'd start fighting again.

Sometimes you fear them being alone together—one says something, the other retorts, neither backs down, the argument escalates, and then they start hitting.

With someone in between pulling them apart and offering face-saving exits, they might shout even louder, but they won't actually fight.

Indeed, though they exchanged plenty of barbs during and after the meal, they didn't strike again—and even, out of respect for Yan Li, softened their insults.

After a brief verbal sparring, Qin Lan went to pack; her flight back to France was that night.

Dong Xuan wasn't in a hurry; Xinjiang was far closer than France, and it was her own production crew—plenty of room to maneuver.

Yan Li planned to take Qin Lan to the airport that night, soothe her on the way, lay groundwork, then return to soothe Dong Xuan—sweet talk, quick hands, plenty of effort; resentment would slowly fade.

As he was formulating his plan, Dong Xuan took a call and suddenly came to find Yan Li.

"Come with me quickly."

"Where to?"

"Catch them cheating."

"?"

Yan Li was stunned—he was right here; what kind of cheating were they catching?

Dong Xuan realized: "Not me—I mean Guan Yue. Tong Dawei's been keeping a mistress outside."

"Huh?"

"Really?!"

Yan Li grew interested; Qin Lan was even more interested—she dropped her luggage entirely and raised her hand.

"Can I come help too?"

Dong Xuan gave her a cold look: "If you want to watch a show, you're not invited."

"No."

Qin Lan, desperate for gossip, lowered her head to Dong Xuan for once: "I'm afraid you two aren't enough. Add me—you need more hands. I hate mistresses more than anyone."

This reminded Yan Li: "If the three of us go to catch them cheating, isn't that… kind of lacking in credibility?"

Dong Xuan knew this too.

But she couldn't leave Guan Yue alone—no matter what, her best friend was in this mess, and she had to help.

She brought Yan Li along to hold the line, so they wouldn't storm in and get overpowered by the other side.

As for Qin Lan, Dong Xuan didn't want her there—but Qin Lan was determined to watch the spectacle.

Guan Yue was emotionally unstable; Dong Xuan was too worried to argue with Qin Lan, so she ignored her.

The three got in the car; Yan Li asked for the address and said he'd call someone for backup—his phone was snatched by Qin Lan.

"You, Boss Yan? Who doesn't know you? No need to call anyone."

Seeing Dong Xuan glance at him, fearing misunderstanding, Qin Lan added: "I suspect he wants to tip off that Tong guy. Last time with Nie Yuan and Liu Yun, he kept trying to bring them together—he always sides with men."

Yan Li: "..."

Dong Xuan watched Yan Li warily: "I know you're close with Tong Dawei, but stay out of this."

"They've been together a long time, their bond is strong—don't make it too ugly. What if things spiral out of control? As a friend, you should mend, not break."

Yan Li had seen the future where Tong and Guan married, so he hoped to minimize the damage.

Dong Xuan hesitated—she'd watched them fall in love; she didn't want them to split either.

But Guan Yue had come to her to catch the cheater—she couldn't tip off Tong Dawei, or how could she face Guan Yue?

At that moment, Qin Lan spoke: "They might not break up—we can still talk them out of it later. The key is to scare Tong Dawei, make him behave. He won't learn unless he's hurt."

"If you let him off this time without a lesson, he'll do it again—and worse next time."

"So we must make a scene. Make him feel the pain, so he'll mend his ways. The more you tolerate, the worse it gets."

"..."

Yan Li felt Qin Lan's words carried a veiled jab—but Dong Xuan studied Qin Lan carefully.

"If you understand this so well, why are you fighting me for a man?"

Qin Lan was speechless, then gave Yan Li a wounded look: "Understanding is easy. Doing is hard."

Knowing the truth doesn't mean you can live it.

Qin Lan knew Yan Li was greedy, growing ever more demanding—but she was completely under his spell. No matter how clearly she saw it, she couldn't resist his tricks.

Dong Xuan sighed at this—Qin Lan was like this, and wasn't she the same?

Giving others perfect advice, yet bound by ropes herself.

Yan Li sensed the atmosphere turning sour—how had the blame landed on him? What if Tong and Guan stayed together, got married, had kids, and his own house burned down in chaos?

Better the other guy die than me—Yan Li swiftly shifted blame to Tong Dawei.

"I've long suspected this kid had something going on—he's always complained behind closed doors that Guan Yue controls him too tightly. Obviously unfaithful. He deserves to be punished."

Dong and Qin both sneered—Tong Dawei deserves punishment, but you, dog, deserve it more.

…

The car stopped at the entrance of a residential complex, where Guan Yue waited alone by the roadside.

Yan Li pulled up beside her; Guan Yue opened the door and got in, ignoring Qin Lan entirely, hugging Dong Xuan and wiping away tears.

Dong Xuan felt heartbroken—Guan Yue was a typical Northeastern girl, blunt and tough, rarely showing such vulnerability.

Qin Lan, who had come just to watch the spectacle, was moved by the scene and said nothing, silently handing over tissues.

After Guan Yue cried for a while, she finally told the general story under Dong Xuan's questioning.

Tong Dawei had previously taken a role in Shen Yan's drama, *Our Unplaceable Youth*, with a strong cast led by Chen Daoming and several artists from Hai Run and Wang Jinghua's agency.

While on set, Guan Yue noticed something off during their phone calls.

After Tong Dawei returned to Jingcheng, the oddities multiplied, and his outings became more frequent.

Unable to bear it anymore, Guan Yue began investigating and learned he had grown close to a female actress named Jiang Yiyan on the set of *Our Unplaceable Youth*.

After checking his phone and tailing him using various tactics, she finally tracked him to his hideout today.

Tsk tsk~

That's some skill!

Yan Li looked at Guan Yue in surprise—thank goodness Dong Xuan hadn't learned from her, or he'd have been exposed long ago.

Now that he's acting openly, it's useless for Dong Xuan to try learning from her.

Dong Xuan hugged Guan Yue: "Are you sure he's upstairs? Don't make a mistake."

"I called him—he said he was going to the set for an audition, but his car's parked right here in this complex. Today I confirmed: Jiang Yiyan lives here."

"Do you know which building, floor, and apartment?"

"I do."

Even Qin Lan was impressed: "You actually found that out?"

Guan Yue gritted her teeth: "That fox is from Beijing Film Academy, Class of 2002 undergrad. Finding her address isn't hard."

Yan Li understood—Guan Yue was a teacher at Beijing Film Academy; even without checking records, just asking around would've been easy.

Now that they knew the location and confirmed he was there, the rest was simple.

Guan Yue and Dong Xuan led the way, with Qin Lan helping enthusiastically, Yan Li bringing up the rear; they tricked the door open and burst in with a crash and clatter.

Yan Li didn't dare join in, standing still in the living room; Tong Dawei went limp the moment he saw Guan Yue, getting scratched, slapped, and cursed at.

Dong Xuan and Qin Lan didn't dare attack Tong Dawei—they might run into him again someday.

But they didn't hold back with Jiang Yiyan.

Jiang Yiyan was just unlucky—Dong Xuan and Qin Lan had been holding in rage since yesterday, had fought again that morning, and been shut down by Yan Li.

They couldn't fight each other, couldn't get back at Yan Li, and now they finally had a target.

Worse still, both of them deeply despised mistresses, hating them with a passion; they'd never had a chance before, so today they treated Jiang Yiyan as if she were Jiang Yiyan and Fan Xiaopang combined, going all out.

Even Yan Li couldn't watch anymore—he stepped forward and pulled them back.

Letting them vent was good for them, but if they got addicted to the thrill, he'd be the one stuck dealing with them later when they went after Wang Ou, Yang Rong, and others.

After calming Dong Qin down, Yan Li told Jiang Yiyan to put on her clothes and brought her into the living room.

"Do you know who I am?"

Jiang Yiyan, hair disheveled, nodded. Yan Li glanced at her: "You're in the industry too. Making this public won't help you. You brought this on yourself—you've got to accept it. If you want revenge, I'll take it."

Then he pulled out a stack of bills: "This covers your medical expenses. Leave now. Stay away from married people in the future."

Jiang Yiyan took the money and left. Dong Xuan was unhappy: "Why did you give her money?"

Qin Lan agreed: "Exactly! She's a mistress—she deserves to be beaten. Why give her money?"

"Being a mistress isn't illegal. You assaulting her is. If she calls the police, I'll have to bail you out."

Yan Li was cautious; as an actress, Jiang Yiyan would likely swallow this humiliation quietly—but there was no guarantee she wouldn't go mad for fame and blow it all up.

After all, just recently there was that female star who publicly exposed the casting couch and sold recordings.

These days, there are too many monsters and demons!

Yan Li wasn't afraid, but he preferred to avoid trouble when possible. Giving her medical pay meant it was settled privately; if she called the police later, he could easily distance himself.

As someone who ran a business, Yan Li understood certain gray-area tricks.

Qin Dong was still upset. Yan Li said: "Enough already. He didn't cheat on you—don't take it so personally."

"..."

They cursed him a few times, then fell silent. To be fair, fighting and catching an adulterer together had brought them slightly closer.

Dong Xuan even indirectly expressed gratitude; Qin Lan didn't take it seriously, but she still felt unsatisfied—and even volunteered.

"This teamwork was good. Next time, I'll invite Fan Xiao to meet up, and we'll beat her up."

Dong Xuan's eyes lit up: "Not a bad idea."

Both disliked each other, but what they hated most was Fan Xiaopang—beating that flirt up was a tempting prospect.

Beside them, Yan Li shook his head: "You two won't be able to beat her."

In terms of fighting ability, Qin Lan was decent; Dong Xuan, trained in dance and taller, had a slight edge.

In a straight brawl, two-on-one, Fan Xiaopang wouldn't stand a chance.

But fighting isn't decided just by numbers or strength.

Fan Xiaopang might be weaker than Qin Dong combined, but she's ruthless. Don't underestimate that ruthlessness—sometimes fighting comes down to sheer ferocity.

Yan Li had been fighting since childhood, seen plenty of one person chasing after several.

It wasn't that he was stronger—he was just ruthless. Those seven or eight people lost their nerve, and even if they could've won, they couldn't.

So Yan Li had high regard for Fan Xiaopang.

In a playful fight, Qin Dong would dominate; if things got serious, Fan Xiaopang had the best chance of winning.

But no matter who won or lost, Yan Li didn't want to see any of them fight—any injury, any bruise, would still hurt him in the end.

"If you really want to fight, you can fight me—take all three of you on at once."

Yan Li issued the challenge; Dong Qin exchanged a glance with him, and each spat at him.

"Spit x2!"

————

ps: Sorry, I wrote the ten-thousand-character chapter a bit slowly, (2000/7000)

For the next two days I'll do ten-thousand-character updates; the timing might be inconsistent—I'll try to keep it at 8 p. m., but if it's slightly late, please forgive me.

(End of Chapter)