Chapter 256

The first day of the first lunar month, morning

When Fan Xiaopang woke up in the morning, she saw Yan Li practicing a set of martial arts with rigid precision—somewhat like the tai chi old men do in the park, movements slow, but not that slow, occasionally punctuated by bursts of speed.

Without warning, Fan Xiaopang pulled out a small stool and sat on it to watch Yan Li practice.

She knew Yan Li stuck to practicing martial arts, but she'd only seen him do it a few times.

Mainly because Yan Li was used to rising early to exercise, and he disliked the cramped space at home—he preferred going outside where he could move freely, and the morning air was better.

Every time Fan Xiaopang was with him, either work demanded his urgent departure, or she was worn out from being dragged up late at night, and the next day she'd sleep in—how could she spare the time or energy to watch him practice?

Today Yan Li had also taken a lazy day—he didn't rise especially early, and with the New Year, the streets were packed with people, the sihe academy had enough room to move around, so he simply practiced at home.

After finishing his routine, Yan Li adopted a standing posture and wiped his sweat with a towel laid nearby.

Fan Xiaopang asked curiously: "Is this the qigong you mentioned?"

"Hunyuan Wuji Zhan Gong. I obtained it from a master (the system)—carefully refined, absorbing the finest elements from all martial styles, nourishing the body, invigorating the spirit, strengthening blood and activating qi."

Hearing Yan Li's explanation, Fan Xiaopang became interested: "Can I practice it too?"

"Yes."

This zhan gong might have been tailored by the system specifically for Yan Li; others could practice it and gain some benefit, but not nearly as effectively—only slightly better than ordinary health cultivation methods.

And because this zhan gong leans more toward men, its effects on women are relatively weaker.

Yan Li had once considered triggering a health cultivation method suited for women or the elderly for his family to practice.

But he never encountered anything suitable—mostly generic stuff you could find online with a bit of effort.

"Then I'll give it a try."

No one wishes for poor health, and Fan Xiaopang especially didn't—she was beautiful and wealthy; dying early would be a terrible waste.

She exercised regularly; nearly every female celebrity in her circle trained, though their focus, volume, and results varied.

"Come on, follow me."

Yan Li broke down the movements himself, demonstrating once, then corrected her hand-over-hand.

As Fan Xiaopang learned and practiced, she was already gasping for breath before finishing the first round, her face flushed, sweat glistening.

Don't misunderstand—Yan Li was teaching the form properly, nothing else; Fan Xiaopang's condition was purely from exhaustion.

"You made it look so easy, why am I so worn out?"

Fan Xiaopang was baffled; Yan Li smiled and explained: "It looks easy, but many movements engage over half your body, even the whole body. As a beginner, you're bound to be unaccustomed."

After all, this was a zhan gong triggered annually by the system and suspected to be custom-made for Yan Li, with proven results—how could it possibly be like the tai chi old men do in the park? There were far more subtleties inside.

Yan Li received this zhan gong in early 2006 and spent several months just barely entering the threshold.

Now, after more than a year of practice, he could barely call himself proficient; to reach mastery, he'd need at least three to five more years, by which time the zhan gong's effects would be even stronger.

Of course, by then Yan Li would be over thirty, his physical functions certainly not as sharp as now.

Yan Li didn't demand much—he'd be satisfied if he could just maintain his current level, and even better if he could slightly surpass it.

"I'm done. Too tiring."

Fan Xiaopang didn't persist—she sometimes gained weight, partly due to her naturally easy-to-gain-weight physique, partly because she couldn't control her eating and was a bit lazy about exercise.

Of course, that was compared to the hyper-driven female celebrities; compared to ordinary people, her physique management was still quite good.

Yan Li shook his head—he'd taught Qin Lan and Dong Xuan before.

Dong Xuan performed best, perhaps because of her childhood dance training—she had stronger stamina, explosive power, and core strength, and her movements looked quite proper, though she had little interest in it.

He'd expected Fan Xiaopang to do better, but unexpectedly, she was slightly worse than Qin Lan.

Thinking about it, endurance and dance or martial arts training were two different things—physical traits and talent points varied…

…

After showering, Yan Li boiled the frozen dumplings from the fridge, prepared a cold platter with household ingredients, reheated last night's leftovers, and the two ate their New Year's Day brunch.

After eating, they watched a replay of the Spring Festival Gala; refreshed, Fan Xiaopang dragged Yan Li to the temple fair.

During the Spring Festival in Jingcheng, there were temple fairs of all sizes, offering every kind of folk game, food, drink, and entertainment—extremely lively.

Yan Li had come to Jingcheng in 2000 and lived there for many years, but had never once visited a temple fair during the New Year.

During university winter breaks, he returned home for the holiday; these past two years, either work was too busy or he was on set—no time to visit temple fairs. Today was his first time.

Fan Xiaopang had arrived in Jingcheng even earlier than Yan Li, but had only been once.

Because she returned home for the holiday and was busy with work, when she occasionally happened to spend New Year in Jingcheng, she had no one to accompany her, felt it was pointless to go alone, and gave up.

This year she didn't return to her hometown, had time, and with Yan Li as her companion—so Fan Xiaopang was highly enthusiastic about visiting the temple fair.

Yan Li hesitated slightly, but didn't dampen her spirits.

Speaking of "dating," Dong Xuan and he had the most normal relationship—they did everything a real couple should do during university, properly in love.

When he was with Qin Lan, neither had fame yet, and they were also a normal couple for a while.

But because Yan Li was busy with entrepreneurship then, Qin Lan had her own work, and later rumors with Shuang Bing surfaced—so the time and frequency paled compared to Dong Xuan.

As for Fan Xiaopang, because their relationship was unusual, and because both were already famous and busy, this kind of "dating routine" was clearly rarer, leaning more toward "special moments."

But then again, while Fan Xiaopang and Yan Li's "dating routine" was sparse, their unique experiences were more numerous.

Things like multi-day European trips, spending New Year together for consecutive years, grand signing ceremonies "wedding" her—none of these were ever granted to Dong or Qin.

Yan Li always said he kept the water level even, but when he actually poured, he knew: this water was hard to keep perfectly level—there were always reasons it tilted unevenly.

But he didn't obsess over it—if it couldn't be perfectly even, there was no need to force it.

Sometimes it was fine to tilt—so long as the water didn't spill.

Everyone had their own special memories and treatment; he found it easier to maneuver flexibly, and if all else failed, he had the double-compensation method as a last resort.

The two prepared disguises—coats, hats, sunglasses, masks—all fully equipped.

The temple fair was packed, crowds surging; couples and pairs of lovers were everywhere—it was hard for anyone to single out one pair and recognize them through the disguise.

Even if someone suspected, they wouldn't be certain; a casual dismissal sufficed—after all, it was the New Year, everyone had their own business, and few cared whether a couple they passed were celebrities.

Fan Xiaopang rarely let loose, dragging Yan Li around several temple fairs.

They watched flower parades, dragon and lion dances, bought dart games, ring tosses, and shooting games, plus sugar figures, clay figurines, ornaments, and a whole mess of other random stuff.

Yan Li also found some good picks at the Changdian Temple Fair near Liuli Chang.

Two Ru ware pieces, one Xuande incense burner, one painting each by Tang Bohu and Qi Baishi, and two ancient jade artifacts from the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods.

Whether real or fake didn't matter much—they'd spent only a few thousand yuan total; Yan Li bought them purely because they looked nice.

He used the Xuande incense burner as an incense burner, the Ru ware to store things, the paintings as decorations, and the ancient jades to roll in his palms—a whole collection of "national treasures" serving him, regardless of authenticity, all arranged with grandeur.

And sometimes, with antiques and curios, authenticity is only one aspect; who owns them is another.

An old man in tattered clothes shouted at the top of his lungs that his Ru ware was genuine.

Even if it was truly authentic in every detail, few of those experts dared give a definitive verdict.

Yan Li's net worth exceeded one billion yuan; even if he held a street stall fake and claimed it was a genuine piece bought overseas for a fortune,

even if it was obviously fake, many experts still wouldn't dare give a clear opinion.

Many big shots collected antiques, some even ran private museums—how much of it was real or fake, only they themselves knew.

This was still antiques, at least with some standard of authenticity and historical value; the real depths lay in cultural curios, ornamental stones, flowers and birds, and various artworks.

Authenticity and value couldn't be clearly defined—they were assigned and determined by the market, but who controlled the market?

Yan Li had once considered collecting antiques to pose as a great collector, but after learning many insider secrets, his interest faded considerably.

He might still collect, but only pieces he personally liked or that held strong appreciation and investment value, as a private hobby and financial asset.

He'd also learned the insider truths behind jade mining and gambling stones—he realized how shallow his earlier thinking had been.

He could still find bargains; no matter how deep the industry's waters, his system's precision gave him an edge, always letting him net a few overlooked gems.

But these gems were just for fun; higher-value returns came from making women happy—he didn't even think about getting rich or making side money; it was too troublesome and unnecessary.

After buying a pile of stuff, Fan Xiaopang drove Yan Li to Xinghewan in Chaoyang, showing him their future new home.

Xinghewan was a top-tier residential complex with huge fame in Jingcheng over the past two years, claiming to build China's number one luxury mansion.

Such boasts weren't unique—Yan Li had heard several "China's/Asia's Number One Luxury Mansion" projects in Jingcheng alone.

But whether Xinghewan was truly number one, its facilities were undeniably distinctive among Jingcheng's high-end complexes, and its pricing was compelling.

The opening price was 18,000 yuan per square meter; actual transaction prices were higher, with some building kings, ultra-large units, premium floors, and special views reaching over 30,000 yuan per square meter—larger penthouses and duplexes were outright multi-million-yuan mansions.

Fan Xiaopang bought one duplex of about 450 square meters.

Including parking and other miscellaneous expenses, she spent nearly fifteen million yuan total.

The idea of buying property came from Yan Li—he'd bought homes for Dong Xuan and Qin Lan, even promised to sponsor Wang Ou's, so he couldn't leave Fan Xiaopang out.

So earlier, he'd mentioned to Fan Xiaopang that her apartment was too small and she should buy another place to live in.

Yan Li recommended two properties, both expensive, but Fan Xiaopang wasn't impressed.

Unlike Dong, Qin, and Wang, Fan Xiaopang was genuinely a wealthy woman.

With a net worth in the tens of millions, strong earning power, and already owning a home, her next purchase would aim for improvement and enjoyment—especially since Yan Li had brought it up; in her eyes, that meant "wedding home," and she also believed in Jingcheng's real estate market.

With a firm jaw and a stomp of her foot, Fan Xiaopang went straight for Jingcheng's top luxury mansion.

After choosing the house, she didn't ask Yan Li to pay—she planned to cover the down payment herself, showing the power and wealth of a top actress.

By the time Yan Li found out, Fan Xiaopang was already processing the paperwork; he couldn't stop her.

He thought it over—her reasoning was solid; she had the means and ability to live in a luxury mansion; why should she compromise and live in a "small house" just to match Qin and Dong?

So Yan Li didn't interfere, only told her not to take a loan—he'd cover any shortfall.

He'd already paid for the others; he didn't mind spending a bit more for Fan.

After all, the homes for Dong and Qin were only temporary; once he had more funds, they'd upgrade—there was no shortage of good homes in Jingcheng if you had money.

Although Xinghewan was purchased, it hadn't been delivered yet, and renovation was still needed—getting in this year would be a good outcome.

Fan Xiaopang, taking advantage of free time, brought Yan Li by to take a look and dream aloud about their beautiful future in the new home.

This wasn't the first time Yan Li had experienced this.

When Qin Lan bought Fuli City, she'd regularly shared renovation progress with him; Dong Xuan had also frequently whispered to him about her new home.

So Yan Li knew exactly how to act—be a good listener, follow along with the woman's words, occasionally mention small flaws or his own minor needs, increasing involvement and shared feeling—it worked wonders.

How wonderful?

That night, Fan Xiaopang, swept up in emotion, declared she wanted to give Yan Li a child, not waste the children's room in their new home; Yan Li talked and pleaded for hours until he finally calmed her down, only relaxing after checking intelligence reports at dawn.

…

The next day, they didn't idle around—Yan Li had to handle company matters and visit a few close families to pay New Year's respects.

Fan Xiaopang had work too, including interviews after the Spring Festival Gala.

Though she couldn't outshine the comedy and language acts, her breakout song "Invisible Wings," combined with her popularity as a top actress and stunning stage appearance, gave her a moment in the spotlight thanks to the Spring Festival Gala's massive platform.

The title "Most Beautiful Singer" had somehow landed on Fan Xiaopang's head.

This term originally carried a slightly derogatory tone.

At first glance it sounded flattering, but it subtly implied that beyond her looks, her singing ability, stage performance, and creative skills fell short of other female singers.

It wasn't entirely wrong—"Invisible Wings" went viral, and many believed its success had a strong element of chance.

Fan had lucked into a great song, already had high popularity, and benefited from Yi'an's powerful marketing, which together created this momentum.

Many voices called it a "marketing-driven hit" and said, "This song was wasted on her."

Even the Gala received many compliments, but also plenty of sour remarks—some mocked that others sang with their voices, while Fan Xiaopang sang with her face, and the show succeeded purely because she was beautiful.

Fan Xiaopang's team studied it and decided they might as well embrace it, cementing the "Most Beautiful Singer" title for her.

Some singers have great technique, others have high achievements, others have refined temperament—why shouldn't beauty be a singer's advantage too?

If she couldn't be the most popular, the most successful, or the best singer, she could at least be the most beautiful—one that everyone remembered, while further leveraging her strengths and minimizing her weaknesses.

Honestly, praising her singing ability made even her and her team a little embarrassed—but praising her beauty? Her team was confident, and Fan Xiaopang had no qualms about it.

Thus, taking advantage of their strong performance on the Spring Festival Gala, Fan Xiaopang's team launched targeted marketing campaigns, gradually transforming the originally derogatory label into a positive one.

This is standard practice in the entertainment industry—reverse or counter PR.

Actively embrace, amplify, and redefine a negative label, turning it into an advantage, even an essential persona.

For example, "Goddess Sister"—this nickname originally carried mockery, a black term, but after various reinterpretations and reshaping, it became her biggest trademark.

There's also "International Zhang," which started as a black term but gradually turned positive, at least neutral.

The most famous recent example is "Spring Brother" from Super Girl—had she not had this "persona" and been discussed nationwide, she might never have become as popular as she is today.

Besides reverse PR, Fan Xiaopang's team also routinely engaged in smear campaigns.

Although few singers are known primarily for their beauty, they aren't nonexistent.

The older generation doesn't need mentioning—like Deng Lijun, Zhou Huimin—either deceased or faded; smearing them yields no effect and risks backlash due to their high national recognition.

Avoid provoking powerful singers with large fanbases—they're likely to retaliate and cause trouble.

So they target idols and crossover singers who rely solely on looks, lack real talent, have poor records, and possess fewer fans and lower popularity—easier to bully.

Besides these, another primary target for smear campaigns is the Four Dan and Two Bing.

Aside from Xiao Yanzi and Zhou Young Master, who have some achievements, the other three have made almost no mark in music.

Fan Xiaopang started late; her film and TV achievements barely caught up, and her official honors were thoroughly outclassed, so whenever she leads in any other area, she must loudly boast and viciously smear.

Not just musical achievements—even the number of Spring Festival Gala appearances is compared.

The Four Dan all appeared on the Spring Festival Gala: Xiao Yanzi the most, totaling two (2000, 2004); Zhou Young Master (2002) and Zhang Ziyi (2000) each once.

Both Bing appeared on the Gala: Fan Xiaopang twice, including this year and previously in 2005 during the Seven Fairies performance with Li Bingbing.

Hmm, the Two Beauties of Dream of the Red Chamber lead, while Xu Cai'nv remains at the bottom.

Over the past two years, the Two Bing have relentlessly targeted and smeared the Four Dan; the impact on the other three is unclear, but Xu Cai'nv has been subjected to constant "humiliations," and she likely hates the Two Bing with fury.

Although she had work, since it was the second day of the New Year, her schedule wasn't heavy; Fan Xiaopang wrapped up and returned home within a few hours.

Yan Li returned earlier and was now studying the promotional schedule for The Legend of Xue Rengui.

Seeing Fan Xiaopang return, he greeted her: "Get ready, we're going out for dinner soon."

"Who?"

Fan Xiaopang asked curiously; Yan Li pointed to a name on the schedule, and Fan Xiaopang immediately exploded.

"Why eat with that old woman? I've endured two days—what new scheme are you cooking up now?"

Yan Li was speechless: "You accuse me of having a bad heart? Your heart isn't dirty? It's a normal New Year social obligation—just dinner, not just her, but her sister too. I'm bringing both of you—do you expect me to leave her sister out?"

"That's hard to say."

Fan Xiaopang didn't trust Yan Li's morals and couldn't understand why he insisted on inviting them both to dinner.

"Sister, we still need them for The Painted Skin—they're actively trying to build ties, inviting us to dinner; how can I turn them down?"

"Enough, stop overthinking. Just understand one thing: as long as she helps you and our family make money, that's all that matters."

"You don't like her, but you like money, right? For the sake of money, aren't you willing to give her a smile?"

"..."

Fan Xiaopang was convinced—Yan Li had already explained to her that The Painted Skin relied on the Two Bing's hype.

A commercial blockbuster centered on a female lead isn't easy to secure; the Two Bing's collaboration is indeed a clear path.

Fan Xiaopang understood this, and so did Li Bingbing—that's one major reason they agreed to cooperate.

Resources for commercial blockbusters are too hard to compete for!

Although they're famous, ahead of them stand the Four Dan and various Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japanese, and Korean leading ladies; even if they land one or two roles, most are supporting parts, not core, spotlight roles like in The Painted Skin.

Yan Li proposed the project, invested over a hundred million (claimed), leveraged the Two Bing's bond, guaranteed both would shine and gain exposure, and ensured equal status—identical treatment, no one overshadowing the other.

This scenario was highly tempting for the Two Bing today, and combined with their personal relationship with Yan Li, it ultimately led to this collaboration.

Sihe Academy had no suitable clothes; Fan Xiaopang planned to return to her apartment, rummage through her wardrobe, and pick out a battle outfit to outshine Li Bingbing.

Yan Li shook his head: "It's just dinner—why treat it like such a grand occasion? That makes it seem like you take her seriously, and you'll lose face."

Fan Xiaopang thought about it—he was right—but still felt insecure: "But if I don't dress up, what if that old woman ambushes me?"

Yan Li rubbed her head: "With your face? Even bare-faced, with a few pimples, wrapped in a burlap sack—you'd still outshine everyone."

"You're the one wrapped in a burlap sack!"

Fan Xiaopang pouted, then happily kissed Yan Li, and went to her room to apply makeup.

Not too formal, not truly bare-faced—just light makeup, a neat and elegant outfit, neither extravagant nor shabby; relying on her natural beauty, she'd outshine those two sisters.

When she was nearly ready, Yan Li drove Fan Xiaopang to a hotpot restaurant and pointed at the entrance.

"Familiar?"

Fan Xiaopang thought for a moment, then nodded in realization: "Isn't this the place where you once told Hua Jie and us about the Two Bing's marketing strategy?"

"Exactly. Returning to the old place brings a different feeling—and proves I wasn't just talking nonsense back then; the Two Bing rivalry truly succeeded."

Fan Xiaopang understood: "You're thoughtful."

Yan Li chose this place to reminisce, strengthen bonds, and further emphasize the symbiosis of the Two Bing, reinforcing their collaboration.

It has to be said, Yan Li's move worked well.

Fan Xiaopang thought of the past and the changes of the past two years; even knowing Yan Li's intent, she felt deeply moved—and she imagined Li Bingbing felt the same.

The Two Bing rivalry was crucial to both their careers—it was a milestone and a catalyst.

Yan Li and his team arrived early, entering the private room; less than fifteen minutes later, Li Bingbing and her sister arrived.

As soon as she entered the room, Li Bingbing took off her coat, revealing her figure-hugging sweater and its sculpted curves, smiling brightly at Yan Li.

"Good choice of place—let's drink more tonight."

Fan Xiaopang looked at Li Bingbing's outfit, muttered under her breath, then wore a smug smile.

"Someone once complained I was too obscure—now look, the wheel of fortune has turned."

Li Xue wasn't gentle with Fan Xiaopang: "You made it this far—weren't you originally trying to extort my sister?"

"That's right."

Fan Xiaopang didn't deny it, but immediately added: "Back then I rode on your sister's coattails, but now it's your sister riding mine—and she'll keep riding for many years to come. Either way, you two are the ones getting the advantage."

Li Bingbing sneered: "You published two press releases to puff yourself up, got so drunk on your own hype you think you can yell at me now?"

She admitted that Fan Xiaopang's momentum over the past two years had been strong, especially last year—her performance was powerful, and together they officially launched the "Four Dan, Two Bing" brand.

Given Fan Xiaopang's momentum and age, it's possible Li Bingbing might one day ride on her coattails.

That's the future, not now!

Although Li Bingbing's rise hasn't been as explosive as Fan Xiaopang's, she's still Hua Yi's steady top actress, squarely in her career's high-growth phase—right now, it's unclear who's truly gaining the upper hand.

"Heh."

Fan Xiaopang curled her lip: "Still got the nerve to put on airs? 'The King of Kung Fu' gave a little girl the lead—Liu Tianxian is over a full cycle younger than you, huh? How'd you end up like this?"

At these words, Li Bingbing and her sister turned livid. As the saying goes: don't strike someone on the face—Fan Xiaopang's words cut too deep.

But Li Bingbing wasn't one to back down; she instantly fired back.

"You're so capable, huh? Then why did 'Red Cliff' pair you with some model from Taiwan? Liu Tianxian's at least a current darling—what's that model done? Are you really not ashamed?"

Fan Xiaopang was also angered: "At least I never got pushed aside by outsiders on my own company's project! How dare you call yourself 'Top Sister'? Pfft—just step down and give the spot to Young Master Zhou."

Li Xue wouldn't let her sister fight alone—she stepped forward: "You've got no shame! Lucky streak and you're showing off? Without Yan Li promoting you, what are you?"

"I'm happy to show off—I've got a man who cares for me, I'm content, I don't have to stress about anything. I don't need you two to huddle together and get bullied."

Fan Xiaopang wasn't ashamed—she flaunted her closeness to Yan Li, goading the Li sisters.

Yan Li's relationship with Li Bingbing needed no explanation; Li Xue always sensed hostility toward her, and her gaze toward Yan Li had always been complicated.

Fan Xiaopang wasn't sure about their relationship, but that didn't stop her from throwing it in too.

The blow still stung—Li Xue's face flushed crimson, nearly rising to scream.

Li Bingbing also clenched her Qi, but her composure was stronger than her sister's; at the critical moment, she suppressed her rage and struck back hard.

She looked at Fan Xiaopang and suddenly laughed softly: "In 'Painted Skin,' I played the wife—you played the concubine."

Fan Xiaopang: "..."

Before she could react, Li Bingbing delivered another blow: "He doesn't love you—he loves me."

"He chose to die with me, not you."

"Hey, why do you think Yan Li always lets you play the concubine?"

"..."

Fan Xiaopang gritted her teeth: "Because you're old. Because you're ugly."

Li Xue slammed the table: "Who are you talking about?!"

Fan Xiaopang slammed the table too: "I'm talking about you two—both you and your sister."

Boom!

Crash!

First Li Bingbing slammed the table—but before she could speak, Yan Li dropped a bowl and plate. When all three turned to look, he spoke coldly:

"Enough. You're getting wilder by the second. We met here to reflect on the past and look to the future—not to dig up each other's dirt and point fingers."

Conflict between the Two Bing was inevitable—Yan Li had expected it.

Not only were their relationship and mutual dislike intense, but there was also a struggle over influence and initiative.

Whoever held the upper hand would gain the advantage in this 'Painted Skin' collaboration and rivalry.

Yan Li understood this perfectly. He didn't stop their quarrel—he wanted to test the limits and resilience of their partnership.

The result was worse than he imagined—they were firecrackers. Three sentences out of place and they'd start fighting.

Yan Li was growing more inclined to play Wang Sheng himself—not for any other reason, but no one else could truly control these two madams.

Under Yan Li's forceful intervention, the Two Bing finally quieted—but they still seethed.

Yan Li had no interest in forcing them to reconcile; unless it was in bed, they'd never truly unite.

Better to lay out the interests plainly—no amount of talk could match the power of tied interests.

Fan Xiaopang needed no explanation—she couldn't carry a commercial blockbuster alone; she relied on the Two Bing bond, and as Yan Li said, 'Painted Skin' was making money for her family.

Li Bingbing's position wasn't any better—internal competition at Hua Yi was fierce.

Young Master Zhou was watching closely, along with Lin Xinru, Huo Siyan, and now Hua Yi was cozying up to Liu Tianxian.

With years of emotional foundation and the Two Bing bond, Yan Li was the Li sisters' most trusted ally and external support—maintaining her top position forced Hua Yi to give her resources.

Yan Li needed the Two Bing to drive 'Painted Skin'; the Two Bing needed 'Painted Skin' and each other to boost themselves.

This project was mutually needed and mutually beneficial. As long as Yan Li could hold the Two Bing in check—fighting without breaking—they'd keep cooperating, even with rifts between them.

After Yan Li's earnest persuasion, whether the Two Bing had calmed down was uncertain—but 'Painted Skin' was unaffected.

The meal wasn't joyful, but it yielded results.

They confirmed shared goals and aligned interests, laying groundwork for 'Painted Skin' and future Two Bing rivalries.

After dinner, Yan Li checked the time—it was still early. He asked Li Bingbing and her sister if they'd like to come home for a while.

It was polite small talk—but also a chance to see if he could ease tensions between them. Though rigid relations didn't hurt filming, harmony helped cooperation.

But the moment he spoke, Fan Xiaopang and Li Bingbing both shot him strange looks—even Li Xue's gaze turned peculiar.

Come home to sit? Who's doing what?!

Yan Li: "..."

What image did he have in these women's minds? He felt like a lustful demon—every word, every phrase now tied to that one thing...

PS: Daily acupuncture and IV drips take about three hours, often requiring queues, and I can't stay up late.

So update times are limited—these days might be late. Please understand.

(End of chapter)