Chapter 255: Commercial Films and Artistic Films, Spring Festival Gala and New Year

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

The film《Painted Skin》needs no explanation—it's Yi'an's flagship 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《Fengshenbang 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.

Keep in mind, beyond filming dramas and movies, Fan Xiaopang must also handle numerous advertisements, 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 Fan Xiaopang isn't made of iron—she needs rest and time with Yan Li.

If she only chases work, and the man gets snatched away by other foxes, she'll suffer a great loss.

So with this allocation, Fan Xiaopang's own available slots are limited, and films matching her schedule are even scarcer—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 doesn't lack commercial films or exposure.

For the remaining film, Fan Xiaopang's team leans toward artistic material.

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《Li Mi's Guess》，from the moment investment was sought, Yan Li had his eye on it.

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

Cao Baoping is somewhat renowned in the industry, and the film's cost isn't high—he can simply switch investors if needed.

As an artistic filmmaker, he doesn't care if Yan Li threatens to block theater screenings.

Yan Li couldn't threaten with theater screenings 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 all livelihood—what about your industry reputation? Who else would dare collaborate with Yi'an afterward?

This is why artistic directors can more easily hold their ground than commercial directors.

Less investment, fewer leverage points, barefoot don't fear shod men—they can simply walk away.

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

Currently, 《Li Mi's Guess》is still under negotiation, not finalized, but Yan Li isn't optimistic about Fan Xiaopang.

Cao Baoping's internal choice is known to him—it's Young Master Zhou.

This isn't surprising; among the Four Dan and Two Bing, Zhang and Zhou are the most admired by directors.

Zhang Ziyi has the quintessential movie face—highly recognizable, blending classical beauty with modern female resilience, capable of both softness and strength.

Young Master Zhou has eyes full of stories, a unique aura, and, if directed well, is famously spirited.

Add to that their acting skill, influence, and professionalism, ranking among the top in their category, and directors naturally consider them first for both blockbusters and artistic films.

Since Zhang Ziyi is currently focused on international markets and commands high fees, domestically she primarily takes blockbuster roles, making Young Master Zhou the top choice for artistic directors.

Though Yan Li is protective and has a certain bias toward Fan Xiaopang as "one of his own," he dares not claim her acting surpasses Zhou's.

Moreover, Young Master Zhou is currently valued at Huayi Brothers; if Cao Baoping considers casting her, securing investment from Huayi wouldn't be difficult for an artistic film.

Besides Zhang and Zhou, other artistic actresses or Qingyi such as Yu Nan, Zhang Jingchu, Hao Lei, Xiao Songjia, and Qin Hailu are also competing fiercely in the artistic film arena.

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

So while everyone says commercial films are cutthroat, the artistic film sector is even more so.

In commercial films, only a handful have the qualifications to compete; in artistic films, every rising star, newcomer, young flower, middle-aged flower, and veteran actress is theoretically a rival.

But because there are more projects, less exposure, and a preference for familiar faces, this competition isn't as obvious or widely understood by the public.

Therefore, acting in artistic films isn't hard for Yi'an and Fan Xiaopang—but making an award-winning artistic film is far from easy.

"Take your time looking."

Yan Li said this aloud, but internally he was considering backing a few artistic directors.

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

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

He could chip in a few million, then bring in China Film Group or other state-owned entities or related agencies, securing policy support without spending money, and find a few other companies or wealthy patrons passionate about cinematic art.

With a fund of twenty to thirty million, they could produce several low-budget films and artistic movies, and even more short films—perhaps even unearth a few talents.

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

If artistic films don't work, consider low-budget genre films, or those supporting female roles.

Though the benefit to Fan Xiaopang might be limited, at least it gets her seen—without visibility, promotion is impossible.

Previously, Yan Li didn't support 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 stopped Fan Xiaopang and her agent Jia Qian.

"A film has come our way—the company wants you to take it, but after thinking it over, I felt I should tell you personally."

Fan Xiaopang frowned: "If they want me to take it, just tell me to take it—why tell me personally? Is it something like《Lust, Caution》?"

Last year, Li An, director of《Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon》，was preparing his new film—the buzz wasn't ordinary; the Four Dan and Two Bing, along with many actresses from Hong Kong and Taiwan, all vied for the female lead.

But later, due to《Lust, Caution》's extreme nudity, many actresses were deterred.

Many female actors can accept explicit sex scenes—earlier we noted that blockbusters these days can't do without such sequences.

But《Lust, Caution》's nudity was extreme, and it required actors to perform nude themselves—no body doubles allowed—making the sacrifice too great.

And it wasn't just artistic or personal sacrifice—it involved potential commercial and even political consequences!

Clothes are easy to take off but hard to put back on; if branded as a sex symbol or similar stigma, it could devastate a female actor's career—or even her life.

Thus, 《Lust, Caution》later became something of a taboo in the industry.

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

Yet those few willing to devote themselves to art were rejected by Li An for various reasons, and in the end, they chose a newcomer surnamed Tang.

During this time, an overly clever agent also suggested Fan Xiaopang audition for " Lust, Caution " to break into the international market, but Yan Li shut it down.

Don't hit the hardworking, don't hit the lazy—only hit those who can't see!

Being slow isn't a problem; what matters is not being foolish without realizing it, and worse still, believing oneself to be clever and capable.

Leaving this kind of liability in the company, Yan Li feared he might get dragged down one day.

Precisely because of this incident, plus the earlier fuss over "Apple," everyone in the company understood Yan Li's stance—so when Fan Xiaopang heard something similar, her first thought was always: another risqué film targeting her.

The title "National Fox Spirit" isn't just a joke; many similar roles have indeed been offered to her.

"Not like 'Lust, Caution'—it's an action movie. A big action movie."

Yan Li added: "It's not even a formal offer—just an idea, and they want to chat with us about it."

Fan Xiaopang immediately caught on: "Is it that one with Cheng Long and Li Lianjie?"

Only a film starring these two martial arts legends could prompt Yan Li to formally notify her after declining it; otherwise, given their relationship, he'd have mentioned it privately.

Formal notification wasn't just for Fan Xiaopang's sake—it was also to explain things to her team.

"It's 'Kung Fu Hustle.'"

Before Fan Xiaopang or Jia Qian could speak, Yan Li explained: "The film's behind-the-scenes is complicated. Officially, Huayi is the liaison, but the actual lead producer is Hollywood. Cheng and Li have significant input—otherwise, they wouldn't have collaborated."

"I read the script. It's pretty average. The reason they're approaching you is because Li Bingbing is almost certain to join. The crew wants to create a 'Double Li' gimmick alongside the two martial arts legends."

Yan Li's objection was the same: if the 'Double Li' gimmick goes to 'Kung Fu Hustle,' what about 'Painted Skin'?

Moreover, the production team was internally uncertain about whether to hire Fan Xiaopang.

The main opposition came from Huayi, because Fan Xiaopang is Yan Li's talent; Huayi didn't want to benefit Yi'an for free, and instead wanted to use this opportunity to sign another popular female star.

Additionally, Li Bingbing's side, already nearly confirmed for the role, was also trying to sabotage it.

'Kung Fu Hustle' isn't like 'Painted Skin.' The latter had two Ice Queens equally matched in status, firmly set as dual leads—Li Bingbing gained no advantage, but neither was disadvantaged.

But in the former, Li's role is the female second villain. If Fan Xiaopang plays the lead, she'll overshadow Li Bingbing—worse than killing her.

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

Added to that, the shooting schedule conflicts slightly with 'Red Cliff,' leaving only a minuscule chance.

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

After all, it was a film starring Cheng Long and Li Lianjie, potentially breaking into Hollywood—but now that she knew the odds were low, and it involved her own interests, the choice was easy.

She even asked curiously who they were considering for the female lead.

It couldn't be her—Zhou Young Master was already fighting for Huayi's top actress, and even Li Bingbing would barely tolerate it.

The same applied to the other members of the Four Beauties and Two Lis—most likely a foreign actress from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, or Korea.

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—I heard Fan Wenfang, An Yixuan, Hu Jing, and Yuan Li are also in talks—if they sign Liu Tianxian too, the internal fighting will never stop."

As previously mentioned, having too many stars isn't necessarily a good thing.

All of them are big names in the industry—either seasoned, rising, or backed by powerful connections—each unwilling to yield. With limited company resources, one person eating more means another eats less. Power struggles and infighting are inevitable.

If the Wang brothers could treat everyone equally, they might still hold things together.

But these two not only fail to balance things—they also love feeding outsiders, pouring oil on the fire.

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

Zhang Zhilin, Qiao Zhenyu, Zhou Yi, and even Deng Chao, who's about to be signed, tread carefully to avoid internal conflict.

Huayi's tactics were simply beyond Jia Qian's understanding!

Jia Qian didn't get it, and Yan Li didn't either—until now, he understood a little.

The Wang brothers were desperate to take Huayi public, so they frantically piled on stars and projects to boost Huayi's profile, expand its influence, and make all financial reports look good—to pass listing requirements and gain capital market trust.

As for hidden risks? Those were problems for after the listing. They'd adjust gradually based on stock prices then.

If adjustments worked out, great. If not, the market and shareholders would foot the bill…

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

Jia Qian nodded with a smile and walked out. Fan Xiaopang followed to the door and locked it.

Since the last time she'd hugged and kissed Yan Li in his office and nearly got caught, 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: knock and wait for permission before entering.

Seeing Fan Xiaopang's posture, Yan Li was speechless: "You hide from me at home, but as soon as you come to the office, you get energetic—do you just love this thrill?"

Whether Fan Xiaopang or Wang Ou, both inexplicably loved this office dynamic.

Yan Li actually liked it too—but he was the company boss, so he had to consider the broader impact.

If he led the company in doing… things, he'd be setting a bad example, corrupting internal morale. Later, when dealing with other misconduct, it'd be hard to punish or criticize fairly.

"Can you stop thinking about this 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 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, destructive pleasure in dragging the elite CEO down.

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

"My parents are still returning to Daoshan 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 previously mentioned, in past years, whenever Fan Xiaopang had time during Spring Festival, she'd return to Daoshan with her parents to celebrate with her grandmother.

This year, after Fan Xiaopang's Spring Festival Gala appearance, her parents originally planned to stay in Jingcheng and celebrate with their daughter.

But Fan Xiaopang wanted a quiet New Year with Yan Li, so she urged her parents to stick to the original plan.

Her parents couldn't refuse their daughter, but they decided to have an early family reunion dinner—still a way to celebrate together.

It was originally just for Fan Xiaopang's family—but someone suggested inviting Yan Li too.

「……」

Yan Li fell silent for a moment, and seeing this, Fan Xiaopang immediately said: "If you're busy, forget it."

"Being busy doesn't mean you skip a meal."

Yan Li glanced at Fan Xiaopang: "But it's rare to share a meal—there's no rule that elders invite juniors. I'll arrange it."

"……Alright then."

Fan Xiaopang nodded, said a few more words, and left the office. Yan Li watched the closed door and shook his head. Every holiday season was full of hidden agendas.

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

Dong Xuan had also, through the affairs of Guan Yue and Tong Dawei, dropped plenty of hints to Yan Li.

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

Going to the bride's home for a meal—especially a New Year's Eve meal—the implications are obvious to anyone who understands.

Yan Li couldn't easily accept, couldn't easily refuse, so he chose to host the meal himself, emphasizing the gathering while downplaying the implications, to avoid being put on the defensive.

The higher one's wealth, the older one's age, the more such tests multiply!

Not even the bride's parents—Yan Li's own parents had asked him several times who he was spending the New Year with and how.

Yan Li had grown weary of it all and had clearly expressed his stance.

But such matters rarely hinge on his attitude; everyone has their own agenda, let alone competition, and all are influenced by various parties and circumstances.

Yan Li once loved the New Year; now he felt a growing resistance and irritation toward it.

…

Yan Li's gathering with the Fan family was quickly arranged.

It was mainly because the New Year was approaching, the elderly couple planned to travel, and Fan Xiaopang had been busy with Spring Festival Gala rehearsals, while Yan Li had his own social obligations—time was limited, so better to settle it early.

The meal was held at a private Sihe Academy restaurant—quiet, discreet, the food excellent, spacious, and comfortable.

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

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

Not extraordinarily expensive, but not cheap either—especially Fan Mu's jade bracelets, worth as much as a house in a small city, truly a substantial gift.

Fan Mu didn't understand jade, but from the look of the bracelets, she knew they weren't cheap; her eyes lit up with delight as she looked at Yan Li, praising him endlessly.

For this son-in-law, aside from his lifestyle habits, Fan Mu was truly satisfied in every way.

Even Fan's father, who had been more critical of Yan Li, had to admit that his daughter's career, mood, and appearance had all noticeably improved since being with Yan Li.

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

No matter what, he called Uncle and Auntie with genuine warmth, interacted harmoniously, gave the impression that he deeply respected the elderly couple, and with all his halo, it was nearly impossible to dislike him.

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

One reason was to give his daughter face; the other was that Yan Li never gave him the chance to be cold or sour—making it hard for Fan's father himself to treat Yan Li harshly.

Fan's father had once been a singer in a cultural troupe, later went into business, but the true head of the household was Fan Mu.

A small businessman with an arts background, facing Yan Li—a super-sophisticated man who dealt daily with master manipulators—Yan Li could easily take control if he chose to.

Before the meal was even over, Fan's father and Fan Mu, charmed and well-fed, got up on stage and performed a duet.

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

"Thank goodness you don't carry the Fan surname—if you did, would there even be room for me and my brother? Not a single cent of inheritance."

Yan Li smiled: "You're underestimating me. As a son-in-law, I can still talk the whole inheritance right into my hands."

Fan Xiaopang thought for a moment, didn't refute him, and instead leaned forward eagerly: "That works too—since it's all ours anyway, no share for my brother."

Yan Li was speechless, patted the chubby boy beside him, Fan Chengcheng, 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 chubby boy, the latter had 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, who disliked her personality and thus had a negative overall impression, or who nitpicked and found some aspect of her imperfect.

But only Fan Chengcheng, this fake little brother-in-law, thought Fan Xiaopang was ugly.

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

The chubby boy, small but bold, wasn't intimidated at all; he kept retorting, and when pushed too far, he 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 chubby boy: "……"

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

"Don't act up."

If you clash with Fan Xiaopang, you might 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 Spring Festival Gala rehearsals daily, while Yan Li was busy with social obligations and arranging work during the Spring Festival.

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 various other miscellaneous tasks.

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

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

This was the second time Yan Li and Fan Xiaopang had participated in the Spring Festival Gala—their treatment was vastly different from two years ago when she was one of the Seven Fairies.

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

But the greatest change was Yan Li: back then, Boss Yan was an unknown, but now he's a rising big shot in the circle.

Yan Li had no intention of revisiting old ground to show off or humiliate anyone.

To be honest, the backstage of the Spring Festival Gala really teemed with hidden dragons and tigers; just seeing a few names combined with certain intel made his scalp tingle—he couldn't afford to be arrogant.

He came today purely to join the buzz and to cheer up Fan Xiaopang, who might be nervous.

"Invisible Wings" was indeed wildly popular, but its fame didn't last long enough, and its influence still fell short.

Moreover, since Yan Li handled the PR, it had a whiff of cutting in line, generating some resistance.

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

Speaking of Zhang Shaohan, there was a bit of awkwardness, since "Invisible Wings" was essentially taken by Fan Xiaopang from her.

Fighting over songs and roles in the circle wasn't rare!

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

But according to Fan Xiaopang, their relationship during rehearsals was decent; Fan Xiaopang even asked her for singing advice and later invited her to dinner, which she gladly accepted.

As for Rong Zuer, whom she'd known and collaborated with before, their relationship was merely casual—neither good nor bad.

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

No need to mention those old faces; there was also Cai Yilin, with whom he'd shared a dressing room last year, Shuimu Nianhua, and—oh—he ran into Han Xue.

This actress, rumored to have the most mysterious background in the entertainment circle, had previously tried to latch onto the real-life inspiration of "Bright Sword."

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 Su Shi Funa, the producer of "Fortune Blesses Zhu Bajie."

But over the past two years, Han Xue had connected with a powerful patron, her resources surged, and she even made it onto the Spring Festival Gala, fueling more rumors about her background.

Han Xue played along—neither confirming nor denying—blending truth and fiction, which not only boosted her publicity but also earned her deep respect—and fear—from many insiders.

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

Fan Xiaopang followed instructions: don't offend, don't expect closeness, keep distance while staying near.

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

They knew their own standing; seeing Yan Li's attitude, they wouldn't intrude further.

Occasional collaborations were limited strictly to project-based work, nothing else.

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

Aside from a very few, most were still humble and reasonable; those loud, obnoxious types who constantly thought they were the greatest and acted without restraint, even if they hadn't crashed yet, couldn't last long in Jingcheng.

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

Perhaps because she was used to big stages, or perhaps because this wasn't her first Spring Festival Gala, or maybe just because Yan Li was here and she felt at ease, Fan Xiaopang was by far the most composed among Zhang, Rong, and the others, even having time to discuss the New Year's Eve dinner menu they'd ordered from the restaurant with Yan Li.

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

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

The Spring Festival Gala broadcast always used pre-recorded audio tracks, ensuring quality.

If the vocal differences weren't obvious, then in appearance and stage presence, Fan Xiaopang could outshine Zhang and Rong combined, with one hand tied behind her back.

Yan Li even felt it was unfair to Zhang and Rong to put all three in one act; placing Fan Xiaopang in the middle was downright "disgusting to the core."

Petite Zhang Shaohan was made to look like a yellow-haired girl next to Fan Xiaopang's entrance; Rong Zuer, with her slightly dark skin and ordinary looks, was completely overshadowed, reduced to a background figure.

No wonder this one 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 stroked his chin: "Beautiful girl, hot song—I'll get you some press releases; your performance fee can go up."

These days, the Spring Festival Gala's name still carried its old weight; the same song, with or without the Gala, was worth two entirely different prices.

With Fan Xiaopang + the song's popularity + the Spring Festival Gala, after the New Year, riding the hype, she could dare to charge 800,000 to 1,000,000 RMB for a few gullible gigs.

"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 do I support you? Let's go home for the New Year."

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

Some backstage staff saw it and weren't surprised; everyone knew their relationship.

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

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

If someone tried to make a fuss later, holding hands or linking arms meant nothing—some male and female actors on red carpets were far more intimate, and some even exchanged polite kisses.

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

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

The New Year's Eve dinner was set, dumplings were made; Yan Li had earlier sent his trusted staff who hadn't left Jingcheng ahead of time to deliver everything, so they only needed to reheat the dishes and boil the dumplings.

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 held the duster but didn't tell the truth; she wasn't searching for anything else—she was checking whether Yan Li had hidden a mistress.

Two years ago, "Double Ice on the Wall"; last year, "Ice Orchid in Full Bloom"—Fan Xiaopang feared Yan Li was stacking another one, so she was scouting, ready to strike first if anything looked off.

Yan Li was too sharp—he immediately guessed Fan Xiaopang's thoughts, and couldn't help but laugh and sigh.

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

"Call a big-headed ghost."

Fan Xiaopang poked Yan Li with the duster: "How can you be so reckless? 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 stepping on multiple boats, but most others practiced "eat in the east, sleep in the west"—everyone kept to their own business, no interference.

It's not like Yan Li—he juggles multiple people and likes to push them together; he's truly no good.

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

Not only must he emotionally command the situation, but he must also keep up physically—otherwise, it's just inviting humiliation.

Fan Xiaopang was at a loss for words; this beast really was a beast—from this perspective, his preference for stacking made sense…

(End of Chapter)