Chapter 255: Commercial Films and Art Films, Spring Gala and New Year

After discussing TV dramas, it's time for movies.

The film *Painted Skin* needs no introduction—it's Yi'an's key project this year, with budget, resources, and cast all matched to blockbuster standards.

Besides this film, Yi'an plans for Fan Xiaopang to appear in one or two more movies.

And one of them has already been taken by *Red Cliff*.

After the Spring Festival, Fan Xiaopang will first shoot *The Investiture of the Gods 2*, then move on to *Red Cliff*.

The latter is a large-scale production with little flexibility on actor scheduling, so sufficient time must be reserved—completion won't happen before midyear at the earliest.

Add to that the period drama and *Painted Skin*, and Fan Xiaopang's remaining availability is already slim.

Remember, besides acting in dramas and films, Fan Xiaopang also has commercials, endorsements, commercial performances, and industry events—and with *Invisible Wings* a huge hit, the talent agency is considering releasing another album while the momentum lasts.

She's already swamped, and she's not made of iron—she needs rest and time with Yan Li.

If she only chases work, her man might get snatched away by other foxes—that'd be a terrible loss.

So with this allocation, Fan Xiaopang's available slots are limited, and films matching her schedule are even rarer—often requiring Yi'an to invest or take control and coordinate timing.

Considering *Painted Skin* and *Red Cliff* are back-to-back blockbusters, Fan Xiaopang isn't short on commercial films or exposure.

For this remaining film, Fan Xiaopang's team leans toward an artistic subject.

In plain terms, they want to compete for awards.

But such screenplays are harder to find than commercial ones, and even if found, the director may not choose her.

For example, Cao Baoping's *The Mystery of Li Mi* caught Yan Li's eye from the moment funding was being pitched.

But after contact, Director Cao had his own vision for the female lead and refused to be controlled by investors.

Cao Baoping has some reputation in the industry, and the film's budget isn't high—he can simply switch investors if needed.

He's an art-house director; he doesn't care if Yan Li threatens to block theater releases.

Yan Li wouldn't threaten theater releases anyway—only if there were personal grudges or conflicts would that make sense.

If you pull funding because an actor won't obey you, then go on to suppress them, you're cutting off their livelihood—what about your industry reputation? Who else would dare collaborate with Yi'an after that?

This is why art-house directors hold their ground more easily than commercial directors.

Less funding, fewer leverage points, barefoot men fear no one in shoes—they can just walk away.

Commercial directors can't afford that—they're too dependent on investors' money, resources, and channels, so compromise is often unavoidable.

Currently, *The Mystery of Li Mi* is still under negotiation, not finalized, but Yan Li doesn't have high hopes for Fan Xiaopang.

Cao Baoping's internal choice is already known—he's set on Zhou Young Master.

That's no surprise; among the Four Dan and Two Bing, Zhang and Zhou are the most admired by directors.

Zhang Ziyi has the perfect movie face—highly recognizable, blending classical beauty with modern female resilience, both tender and fierce.

Zhou Young Master's eyes tell stories, her aura is unique, and if a director can control her, she's famously full of spirit.

Add to that their acting skill, influence, and professionalism—both rank among the top in their generation—so directors always consider them first for blockbusters or art films.

Since Zhang Ziyi is currently focused on international markets and commands high fees, she mostly does blockbusters domestically, making Zhou Young Master the top choice for art-house directors.

Yan Li may be partial to Fan Xiaopang, seeing her through the lens of someone close, but he won't claim her acting surpasses Zhou's.

Besides, Zhou Young Master is also valued at Huayi—if Cao Baoping considers her, securing funding from Huayi for an art film wouldn't be hard.

Besides Zhang and Zhou, other art-house actresses like Yu Nan, Zhang Jingchu, Hao Lei, Xiao Songjia, and Qin Hailu are also competing fiercely in the field.

Also, directors like Jia Zhangke, Jiang Wen, and Gu Changwei—who favor casting their wives—further shrink the market.

So everyone says commercial films are cutthroat, but the art-house sector is even more brutal.

Only a few have the qualification to compete in commercial films, but in art-house cinema, every rising star, newcomer, and veteran actress is a potential rival.

It's just less obvious because there are more projects, less exposure, and a preference for familiar faces—so the public doesn't notice as much.

Therefore, acting in art films isn't hard for Yi'an or Fan Xiaopang—but landing an award-winning one? That's far from easy.

"Take your time looking."

Yan Li said that aloud, but internally he was thinking of backing a few art-house directors.

Directors who've made it already have their own teams and networks; many are willing to accept company investment—better to nurture and attract newcomers.

The film industry always has new-director programs or film awards to discover talent—Yan Li could launch one himself.

He could chip in a few million, bring in state-owned companies like China Film Group or related agencies for non-monetary policy support, and find other investors who love cinema.

With ten to twenty million yuan, they could produce several low-budget films and art-house projects, plus many shorts—perhaps even unearth a few talents.

Young grassroots directors like Ning Hao often got their start through such support programs, film festivals, and contests.

If art films don't work, consider low-budget genre films, or supporting roles for leading ladies.

Though it may offer limited benefit to Fan Xiaopang, at least it gets her seen—without visibility, there's nothing to hype.

Yan Li used to oppose Fan Xiaopang's "quantity-driven" films, but now the competition among the Four Dan and Two Bing is fiercer than he imagined, and Fan Xiaopang has serious weaknesses—sometimes compromise is unavoidable.

The meeting was nearly over; others dispersed, but Yan Li called Fan Xiaopang and her agent Jia Qian back.

"A film has approached us; the company wants you to take it, but after thinking it over, I felt I should tell you directly."

Fan Xiaopang frowned: "Just take it then—why tell me? Not another * Lust, Caution*, right?"

Last year, Ang Lee's new film after *Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon* stirred huge buzz; the Four Dan and Two Bing, plus many Hong Kong and Taiwan actresses, all vied for the female lead.

But later, due to *Lust, Caution*'s extreme nudity, many actresses backed out.

Many actresses can accept explicit sex scenes—already mentioned, blockbusters these days can't do without such moments.

But *Lust, Caution*'s demands were extreme, requiring actors to perform nude without stand-ins—such a sacrifice is too great.

And it's not just artistic or personal sacrifice—it carries potential commercial and even political risks!

Clothes are easy to take off, hard to put back on—if branded a "sex symbol" or similar, it's a devastating blow to a female actor's career and even life.

So *Lust, Caution* later became almost avoided in the industry.

Many female stars, especially those on clean, innocent, sweet, or elegant paths, immediately issued denials if linked to *Lust, Caution*.

The few willing to sacrifice for art were rejected by Ang Lee's picky standards—he ultimately chose a newcomer surnamed Tang.

During this time, a brilliant idiot in the talent agency even suggested Fan Xiaopang audition for *Lust, Caution* to break into international markets—Yan Li shut that down immediately.

Don't hit the hardworking, don't hit the lazy—only hit the clueless!

Being dumb isn't fatal, but being stupid and unaware is dangerous—worse still is thinking you're clever.

Keeping such a liability in the company, Yan Li fears he'll get dragged down someday.

Because of this incident, plus the earlier *Apple* controversy, everyone in the company understands Yan Li's stance—so when Fan Xiaopang hears of something similar, her first thought is always: "Another explicit film targeting me?"

The nickname 【National Fox Spirit】 isn't just a joke—many similar roles genuinely want her.

"It's not like *Lust, Caution*—it's an action film. A big action film."

Yan Li explained: "It's not even a formal offer—just an idea, and they want to talk to us."

Fan Xiaopang perked up: "Not the one with Cheng Long and Li Lianjie, right?"

Only that film, starring two martial arts legends, would prompt Yan Li to formally notify her after considering promotion—otherwise, with their relationship, he'd just mention it privately.

Formal notification isn't just for Fan Xiaopang—it's also for her team.

"It's *Kung Fu Hustle*."

Before Fan Xiaopang or Jia Qian could respond, Yan Li continued: "The film's behind-the-scenes is complicated. Officially, Huayi is the liaison, but the actual production lead is Hollywood; Cheng and Li also have significant influence—otherwise they wouldn't have teamed up."

"I read the script—it's mediocre. They're approaching you because Li Bingbing is likely to join, and the crew wants to add a 'Two Bing' gimmick alongside the two martial arts legends."

Yan Li opposes this for the same reason: if the 'Two Bing' gimmick goes to *Kung Fu Hustle*, what about *Painted Skin*?

Also, the crew is internally uncertain about casting Fan Xiaopang.

The main obstacle is Huayi—since Fan Xiaopang is Yan Li's talent, Huayi doesn't want to benefit Yi'an; instead, they want to use this chance to sign another popular actress.

Additionally, Li Bingbing's camp is also trying to sabotage it.

*Kung Fu Hustle* isn't like *Painted Skin*—the latter had two Ice Queens with equal status, clearly dual leads, so Li Bingbing neither gained nor lost.

But here, Li's role is the villainous second female lead—if Fan Xiaopang plays the heroine, she'll overshadow Li Bingbing, which would hurt more than killing her.

So Fan Xiaopang faces heavy internal and external resistance to land this role.

Add to that the scheduling conflict with *Red Cliff*, and her chances are virtually nonexistent.

Fan Xiaopang originally had some interest in *Kung Fu Hustle*.

After all, it's Cheng Long and Li Lianjie's joint film—potentially capable of breaking into Hollywood—but now that she knows the odds are slim and it involves company politics, the choice is obvious.

She even asked curiously who else they're considering for the female lead.

She can't get it—the one competing for Huayi's top actress is Zhou Young Master; even Li Bingbing would struggle to accept that.

The same applies to the other Four Dan and Two Bing—it's likely a Hong Kong, Taiwan, or Japanese/Korean actress.

Hearing this, Yan Li's expression turned slightly odd as he uttered a name Fan Xiaopang never expected.

Liu Tianxian!

Jia Qian couldn't help scoffing: "Huayi's gone mad? Li Bingbing, Zhou Young Master, Lin Xinru—rumor says Fan Wenfang, An Yixuan, Hu Jing, Yuan Li are all in talks too. If they sign Liu Tianxian too, the internal fighting will never stop."

As previously noted, too many stars isn't always good.

All are big names in the industry—either seasoned, rising, or backed by powerful forces—each refuses to yield, and with limited company resources, one person eating more means another eats less; competition for fame and profit inevitably sparks chaos.

If the Wang brothers could treat everyone equally, they might keep things under control.

But these two don't just fail to balance—they love feeding outsiders, adding fuel to the fire.

As head of Yi'an's talent agency, Jia Qian must constantly soothe both Fan Xiaopang and Wang Ou, big and small.

Zhang Zhilin, Qiao Zhenyu, Zhou Yiwei, and even the upcoming Deng Chao are handled with extreme care to avoid internal conflict.

Huayi's tactics? She simply can't understand them.

Jia Qian didn't understand, and Yan Li didn't either—until now, he's starting to get it.

The Wang brothers are desperate to take Huayi public, so they're frantically stacking stars and projects to boost hype, expand influence, and make financial reports look good—to meet listing requirements and gain capital market trust.

As for potential risks, those are matters for after the listing; we can adjust gradually based on stock performance then.

If adjustments go well, that's best; if not, the market and shareholders will still buy in…

After finishing business talk, Fan Xiaopang didn't leave: "I have something to report to Director Yan."

Jia Qian nodded with a smile and turned to leave; Fan Xiaopang followed her to the door and locked it.

Since the last time she nearly got caught kissing Director Yan in his office, her first habit whenever alone with him in the office was to lock the door, and Hu Ya and other staff strictly followed the standard procedure of knocking and waiting for permission before entering.

Yan Li looked at Fan Xiaopang's posture and was speechless: "You hide from me at home, but as soon as you come to the company, you get energetic—do you just like this kind of thrill?"

Both Fan Xiaopang and Wang Ou inexplicably enjoy this office dynamic.

Yan Li actually enjoys it too, but as company boss, he must consider the broader impact.

If the boss starts fooling around in the office, it sets a bad example, corrupts internal morale, and makes it harder to punish or criticize other misconduct later.

"Can you stop thinking about these things all the time?"

Fan Xiaopang couldn't help rolling her eyes at Yan Li—sometimes she did enjoy interacting with him at the office.

On one hand, it was genuinely thrilling, adding spice.

On the other, the Yan Li who worked at the office had a powerful aura, a serious attitude, and immense personal charm; she couldn't resist the "temptation," and felt a satisfying sense of corruption and destruction in pulling down this elite CEO.

But Fan Xiaopang wasn't always like this—at least today, she had real business to discuss.

"My parents are still returning to Daosh City for the New Year, but since they know we're both in Jingcheng, they want us to come over for dinner before they go."

As mentioned earlier, in previous years, whenever she had time, Fan Xiaopang would return to Daosh City with her parents to spend the Spring Festival with her grandmother.

This year, after Fan Xiaopang was selected for the CMG Gala, her parents originally planned to stay in Jingcheng and celebrate with their daughter.

But Fan Xiaopang was eager to spend the holiday alone with Yan Li, so she urged her parents to stick to their original plan.

Her parents couldn't argue with their daughter, but they figured having an early family reunion dinner would still count as celebrating together.

It was originally just for Fan Xiaopang's family, but someone—no one knew who—suggested inviting Yan Li too.

"… "

Yan Li fell silent for a moment; seeing this, Fan Xiaopang quickly added: "If you're busy, forget it."

"Busy doesn't mean you can skip one meal."

Yan Li glanced at Fan Xiaopang: "But when it's rare to eat together, it's not right for elders to host juniors—I'll arrange it."

"... Alright then."

Fan Xiaopang nodded, said a few more things, and left the office. Yan Li watched the door close and shook his head. Holidays always brought out hidden agendas.

Previously, when Qin Lan's father was unwell, they considered coming to Jingcheng for treatment, but as Yan Li knew, his condition wasn't serious enough to warrant the trip—his real goal was to see Qin Lan's "son-in-law."

Dong Xuan also subtly hinted at things to Yan Li, using Guan Yue and Tong Dawei's affairs as cover.

Similarly, Fan Xiaopang's so-called "New Year's Eve dinner" carried a hint of testing.

Going to the girlfriend's home for a New Year's Eve dinner? The implications are obvious to anyone who understands.

Yan Li couldn't easily accept, couldn't easily refuse—he could only host the meal himself, emphasize it as a gathering, and downplay the implications to avoid being put on the defensive.

The higher your wealth and the older you get, the more such tests multiply!

Even Yan Li's own parents had asked him who he was spending the New Year with and how.

Yan Li was thoroughly annoyed and had clearly expressed his stance.

But such matters rarely hinge on his attitude alone—everyone has their own agenda, let alone competition and external influences.

Yan Li used to enjoy the New Year; now he found himself resisting and irritated by it.

…

The gathering with Fan's family was quickly arranged.

With the New Year approaching, the elderly couple were preparing to depart, and with Fan Xiaopang busy with CMG rehearsals and Yan Li occupied with social obligations, time was tight—better to settle it early.

The dinner was held at a private sihe courtyard restaurant—quiet, discreet, with excellent food, ample space, and room to move around.

"Auntie, it's the New Year, I didn't bring much—just a small token, please wear it for fun."

Yan Li gave gifts to Fan's parents: fine tea and wine for Fan's father, a pair of jade bangles for Fan's mother.

Not extraordinarily expensive, but far from cheap—especially the jade bangles for Fan's mother, worth as much as a small-city apartment, a truly substantial gift.

Fan's mother didn't understand jade, but from the bangles' appearance, she knew they weren't cheap; she looked at Yan Li with delight, praising him endlessly.

Regarding Yan Li as a son-in-law, aside from his lifestyle, Fan's mother was genuinely satisfied in every way.

Even Fan's father, who held stronger reservations about Yan Li, had to admit his daughter's career, mood, and appearance had all noticeably improved since being with him.

More importantly, Yan Li was sweet-talking and skilled at handling people.

Regardless of the situation, he addressed them as "Uncle" and "Auntie" with genuine warmth, interacted harmoniously, and gave the clear impression that he deeply respected them; combined with his many accolades, it was hard not to like him.

Fan's mother said nothing, but Fan's father had privately grumbled about Yan Li many times—yet whenever they met, he never gave him a cold or sour look.

One reason was to give his daughter face; the other was that Yan Li never gave him any opening to be cold or hostile, making it hard for Fan's father to even feel justified in making things difficult.

Fan's father had once been a singer in a cultural troupe, later went into business, but his wife was truly the one in charge.

A small businessman with an arts background, facing Yan Li—a super-savant who dealt daily with master manipulators—was no match if Yan Li chose to play his cards.

Before the meal was even over, Fan's parents, charmed and well-fed, were inspired to take the stage and perform a duet.

Fan Xiaopang had seen Yan Li interact with her parents before and knew his skill—but each time she witnessed his maneuvers, she couldn't help marveling.

"Thank goodness you don't share our surname—if you did, would there even be room for me and my brother? Not a single cent of the family fortune would be left for us."

Yan Li smiled: "You're underestimating me—I can still talk you out of your entire fortune as a son-in-law."

Fan Xiaopang thought for a moment and didn't argue; instead, she perked up: "That works too—since it's all ours anyway, no need to leave anything for my brother."

Yan Li was speechless, ruffled the hair of the chubby little boy eating beside him, and asked: "Is she your real sister?"

"Definitely not."

The chubby boy glanced at Fan Xiaopang and shook his head decisively; Yan Li burst out laughing.

He was an only child and quite liked this kind of sibling rivalry.

Last time he teased the little boy, the kid had actually said Fan Xiaopang was ugly.

Honestly, in all the time Yan Li had known Fan Xiaopang, he'd met people who disliked her style due to aesthetics, disliked her personality and thus her overall impression, or found minor flaws he thought made her imperfect.

But only Fan Chengcheng, this cheap little brother-in-law, thought she was ugly.

Fan Xiaopang clenched her teeth and pinched the little boy's cheek: "That's right—we're not related. You were adopted. I'll kick you out of the house later."

The little boy, small but fearless, didn't back down, continued bickering with Fan Xiaopang, and when pushed too far, ducked behind Yan Li.

Yan Li was puzzled: "She's my girlfriend—we're on the same side. Why do you think I'd help you instead of her?"

The little boy: "..."

After being caught and beaten by Fan Xiaopang, he ran to his grandmother to complain—and got scolded.

"Don't act up."

If you clash with Fan Xiaopang, you might still get away with it by being young—but with Yan Li involved, you're only going to lose.

…

After this meal, the countdown to New Year's Eve began.

Fan Xiaopang attended daily CMG rehearsals, while Yan Li was busy with social obligations and Spring Festival work arrangements.

During the Spring Festival, Yi'an had two works launching.

One was the New Year film "Love Transfer," the other was Yan Li's starring role in "The Legend of Xue Rengui," plus Fan Xiaopang's post-Gala follow-ups and other miscellaneous business.

While other companies could take a holiday, film and entertainment firms like Yi'an were often busiest during the Spring Festival.

On New Year's Eve, Yan Li didn't wait at home—he slipped backstage as Fan Xiaopang's staff member.

This was Yan Li and Fan Xiaopang's second CMG Gala appearance; their treatment was vastly different from two years ago when she was one of the Seven Fairies.

Fan Xiaopang had gone from a rising star to one of the most popular actresses on the mainland—you're now one of this year's CMG highlights.

The biggest change, however, was Yan Li: back then, he was an unknown; now, he was a rising powerhouse in the industry.

Yan Li had no intention of revisiting the past to show off or humiliate anyone.

Honestly, the CMG backstage was full of hidden dragons and tigers—some names, combined with the intelligence he'd gathered, made him shudder; he couldn't possibly boast.

He came today purely for the atmosphere and to reassure Fan Xiaopang, to cheer her on.

"Invisible Wings" was indeed wildly popular, but its popularity had been too brief, its impact still lacking.

Plus, since it was Yan Li's PR push, it had a certain "cutting in line" quality and faced some resistance.

So Fan Xiaopang didn't secure a solo performance; instead, she shared a cross-strait pop medley with Zhang Shaohan and Coco Lee.

Speaking of Zhang Shaohan, there was a bit of awkwardness—"Invisible Wings" was essentially taken from her.

Fighting over songs and roles wasn't uncommon in the industry!

Some didn't matter; others led to grudges—if the song or role became a hit, the chance of enmity increased greatly.

But according to Fan Xiaopang, their rehearsal relationship had been fine; she even asked Zhang for vocal advice and later treated her to dinner, which Zhang happily accepted.

As for Coco Lee, whom she'd known and worked with before, their relationship was merely polite—not bad, not good.

Besides these two, there were quite a few familiar faces at this year's CMG.

The old faces need no mention; there was also Cai Yilin, whom she'd shared a dressing room with last year, Shuimu Nianhua—and, oh, they ran into Han Xue.

This woman, rumored to have the most mysterious background in the entertainment circle, had previously tried to claim ties to the real-life inspiration of "Sword of the Brave."

Yan Li had long uncovered her roots: her family held influence in Jiangsu Province and had paved some paths for her, one of which was Fan Xiaotian, the boss of Suzhou Funa, the producer of "The Lucky Pig."

But over the past two years, Han Xue had connected with powerful patrons, her resources surged, and she even made it to the CMG—sparking more rumors about her background.

Han Xue played along, neither confirming nor denying—blending truth and fiction—not only boosting her own publicity but also earning deep respect—and fear—from many in the industry.

During CMG rehearsals, Han Xue was quite willing to hang out with Fan Xiaopang; knowing Yan Li was present today, she even came over to greet him.

Fan Xiaopang followed instructions: don't offend, don't seek closeness—keep distance.

This was also Yan Li's usual attitude toward many 【background figures】 in the industry.

They knew their place; seeing Yan Li's demeanor, they wouldn't intrude further.

Occasionally, a few collaborations occurred, but only within project bounds, never extending elsewhere.

Living in Jingcheng, Yan Li had actually encountered some of these people and gathered some intelligence—he knew they weren't nearly as sinister as outsiders claimed.

Aside from a very few, most were still low-key and reasonable; those who loudly proclaimed themselves the greatest and acted without restraint, even if they hadn't fallen yet, couldn't last long in Jingcheng.

Fan Xiaopang's segment wasn't early or late—it was around ten o'clock.

Perhaps accustomed to grand stages, perhaps not new to the Spring Festival Gala, perhaps simply feeling secure with Yan Li present, Fan Xiaopang was by far the most composed among Zhang, Rong, and herself, even having the leisure to discuss the New Year's Eve dinner menu ordered from the restaurant with Yan Li.

When it was finally their turn, Yan Li watched the live broadcast on a TV in the hallway.

The order was Zhang first, Rong last, Fan Xiaopang in the middle; Zhang's vocal skill sounded the best, but the difference wasn't great—after all, the Gala used pre-recorded tracks.

The Spring Festival Gala broadcast only pre-recorded audio, ensuring quality.

If vocal skill wasn't noticeably different, Fan Xiaopang's appearance and stage presence could outshine Zhang and Rong combined, even with one hand tied behind her back.

Yan Li even felt it was unfair to Zhang and Rong to put all three in one segment; placing Fan Xiaopang in the center was downright nauseating.

Petite Zhang Shaohan was made to look like a scruffy girl beside Fan Xiaopang; Rong Zuer, with her slightly dark skin and ordinary looks, was completely overshadowed, reduced to a background figure.

No wonder this person treated Fan Xiaopang with indifference—she probably hadn't caused trouble out of resentment only because Yan Li was involved.

After the song ended, Fan Xiaopang visibly relaxed, clearly having been tense inside.

She still asked Yan Li for his opinion; he rubbed his chin: "Beautiful face, hit song—I'll get you some press releases. Your performance fee can go up."

These days, the Spring Festival Gala's prestige still carried its old weight; the same song was worth two different prices depending on whether it had been performed there.

With Fan Xiaopang + the song going viral + the Spring Festival Gala, after the holiday she could easily demand 800, 00 to 1, 00, 00 yuan from a few gullible clients.

"Why are you always thinking about money?"

Fan Xiaopang was speechless. Though she loved money too, she didn't have Yan Li's habit of tying everything to money.

"If I don't think about money, how am I supposed to support you? Let's go home for the New Year."

Yan Li called for Fan Xiaopang to head home; seeing this, she stepped forward and, right in front of many backstage staff, confidently took his hand. Yan Li glanced at her but didn't pull away, letting her hold on.

Some backstage staff saw this and weren't surprised—they all knew their relationship.

A few close acquaintances teased them, but Yan Li merely smiled politely; Fan Xiaopang gripped his hand tighter, even looping her arm through his as they walked, ignoring backstage cameras and even waving at them.

Yan Li didn't care—first, their relationship was half-open knowledge; second, they'd been photographed together in public and even sharing accommodations more than once.

If someone tried to make a story out of it, holding hands or linking arms meant nothing—some male and female actors on red carpets were far more intimate, even exchanging polite kisses.

After changing clothes in the dressing room, Yan Li drove Fan Xiaopang home.

This year's New Year was at Yangjiao Lantern Alley, suggested by Fan Xiaopang—she simply thought the place was special, and since Qin and Dong weren't around, she wanted to play hostess for once.

The New Year's Eve dinner was set, dumplings already made; Yan Li had earlier instructed his loyal subordinates who hadn't left Jingcheng to deliver them ahead of time, so all that remained was reheating and boiling.

Yan Li washed his hands and was about to head to the kitchen when he saw Fan Xiaopang holding a feather duster, rummaging through the east and west wing rooms.

"What are you looking for?"

"I saw something pass by just now—I chased it out."

Fan Xiaopang clutched the duster, not telling the truth—she wasn't searching for anything else; she was checking whether Yan Li had hidden a mistress.

Two years ago, Shuang Bing shared a wall; last year, Bing Lan bloomed. Fan Xiaopang feared Yan Li was stacking again, so she was scouting the situation—if anything seemed off, she'd strike first.

Yan Li was sharp—he immediately guessed her thoughts, amused and exasperated.

"Relax. It's just the two of us. If you feel lonely, I'll call someone."

"Call your damn head."

Fan Xiaopang poked Yan Li with the duster: "Who does this? I think you should just change your name to Yan Die-Die."

As the biggest victim of Yan Die-Die, Fan Xiaopang held deep resentment.

Yan Li wasn't the only man juggling multiple women, but most kept them separate—each busy with their own, no interference.

Not Yan Li—he juggles multiple women and still likes to bring them together. He's truly despicable.

Yan Li sneered: "You think they don't want to bring them together? They just lack the ability."

It's not enough to emotionally dominate them—you also need the stamina, or you'll just humiliate yourself.

Fan Xiaopang had no reply. That beast really was a beast—from this angle, his preference for stacking made sense…

(End of Chapter)