Chapter 257: 《Hua Pi》 Sparks Outrage, Huayi Brothers Left Reeling

I am a wanderer forever marching toward the horizon

You are my woman amid the sea of humanity

…

Yan Li was woken by his phone ringing, pulled his hand from Fan Xiaopang's embrace, and picked up the phone to listen for a few moments, his voice calm.

"Understood. Send me the news via email and wait for my instructions."

After hanging up, he opened the intelligence system and glanced at it, frowning slightly.

No trigger?!

At that moment, Fan Xiaopang also woke up from the noise, nuzzling against Yan Li's chest: "What's wrong?"

"We were photographed at dinner yesterday."

Fan Xiaopang reacted quickly: "Accidental encounter, or did those two sisters plot this against us?"

The dinner yesterday wasn't a secret meeting, but it was private—she and Yan Li had no reason to stage anything like this; so it wasn't coincidence, or the Li sisters were behind it.

"Most likely coincidence—they have no reason to pull this kind of stunt, and besides, a normal dinner being photographed doesn't serve any purpose."

Though no intelligence trigger occurred, Yan Li did not suspect Li Bingbing or her sister.

Yan Li believed some people in this world acted stupidly for no reason, but based on his understanding of the Li sisters, they weren't this foolish.

Plainly put, they were on the same boat; leaked paparazzi photos harmed them more than they helped anyone—logically, it made no sense.

"I'll check the details first."

Yan Li got dressed to check the news; Fan Xiaopang lost all desire to sleep and followed along.

He opened his computer, reviewed the leaked reports sent by the company: photos taken outside the restaurant yesterday showed him, Fan Xiaopang, and Li Bingbing clearly, while Li Xue was either ignored or deliberately obscured.

The entire news narrative steered toward the salacious rumor of Yan Li meeting the two Bings at night.

Looking at this scene, even Fan Xiaopang didn't believe it had anything to do with the Li sisters.

No female star could bear the stigma of "meeting two Bings at night."

Li Bingbing not only had no grudge against Yan Li—she was close to him—but even if she did, she wouldn't resort to a tactic that harmed herself a thousandfold to damage others eight hundredfold.

"Either it's coincidence, or it's my enemy—or yours."

Yan Li voiced his suspicion, leaning toward the former.

If someone had deliberately plotted this, and had deep ties to him, the system's trigger probability would be far higher; since the system didn't trigger any paparazzi intelligence today, it was most likely coincidence.

As previously noted, Yan Li's operations had grown larger and larger; his daily intelligence reports were already insufficient, and non-critical or shallowly connected intel often failed to trigger.

"What do we do now?"

Fan Xiaopang couldn't help asking; "Two Bings competing for Yan" was an old topic, capable of being trivial or serious.

Trivially, it was gossip over tea; seriously, it could damage the images and reputations of the two Bings and Yan Li—Yan Li might not care, but the two Bings were still vying with the Four Dan.

So being photographed wasn't the issue; Fan Xiaopang feared someone would exploit it to steer the narrative and smear them.

"No problem. We had dinner—no incriminating evidence. Use this chance to spread the word about 'Hua Pi,' build momentum."

Yan Li's plan to make a grand film wasn't a secret; many had heard rumors, and even the specific project "Hua Pi" had been uncovered by some.

But the fact that Yan Li intended to shoot "Hua Pi" with the two Bings together was known only to company executives, the "Hua Pi" crew, and a few members of the two Bings' teams—outsiders knew little.

Even the two brothers from Huayi had only vague suspicions, no certainty.

Since "Hua Pi" was built around the bond between the two Bings, promotion and hype were inevitable.

Now that the two Bings were in agreement, why not leverage the moment to leak rumors, amplify the buzz—boost the two Bings' popularity, expand "Hua Pi"'s fame, and make it easier for Yan Li to attract investment?

Thinking this through, Yan Li called Li Bingbing and instructed her team to coordinate with Fan's team on the Yi'an operation.

"Don't make an official announcement. Leak hints indirectly. Stretch it out. Stir up buzz and curiosity. Remember—I want a serial, not a one-off. Drip-feed the rumors."

Yan Li gave clear instructions, then held his phone and suddenly chuckled, glancing at Fan Xiaopang.

"Does this scene feel familiar?"

Fan Xiaopang thought for a moment: "Back when 'Huan Tian Xi Di Qi Nüxian' was promoted, it was done exactly like this."

Yan Li nodded. Back then, the rivalry between the two Bings, then their competition over Yan, the tangled grudges and emotions, had rapidly turned them from superficially friendly friends and fellow disciples into each other's greatest enemies.

This promotion for "Hua Pi," centered on the two Bings and him, was essentially just an extension of that same old formula—unchanged in essence.

But times were different now.

Li Bingbing, once just newly famous, and Fan Xiaopang, then still unknown, had now become two of the most popular female leads on the mainland, renowned far and wide.

Yan Li, once a minor upstart barely making his way, was now a recognized entertainment tycoon, a commercial benchmark for the younger generation.

And "Hua Pi," a commercial blockbuster with over a hundred million in investment, was incomparable to a TV drama like "Huan Tian Xi Di Qi Nüxian."

In short, though the old tactics remained, everything had been upgraded—attention and influence would far surpass the last time.

Of course, greater gains meant greater risks.

If it sparked negative social trends or led to widespread condemnation, it would be troublesome.

So this time, they couldn't be as reckless as before; many guiding phrases and word choices had to be conservative, lest things spiral out of control.

Even when acting like a thug, you had to know how to do it right.

Publicly keeping two women at once, like the Eastern and Western Palaces, would look terrible—but reframe it as "soulmates" and "right-hand men," or "white moonlight" and "cinnabar spot," and suddenly it became elegant; thuggishness turned into true romance.

Yan Li had learned this from Xu Caonü.

That woman didn't play small: she bought a house for Wang Shuo, her soulmate, while on-again-off-again with her semi-public boyfriend Zhang Yadong; her blog was constantly flooded with people pairing her with Han Han, and she had another "best friend," Huang Jue.

This was the importance of packaging—many might not buy it, but sometimes you needed a "veil" for public and private consumption.

Plainly put: aestheticize, blur, whitewash.

You wanted to ride the heat of a borderline love triangle, but couldn't confirm a real one—otherwise you'd trigger widespread public revulsion.

Ideally, people should come to accept, even grow accustomed to, or perhaps like, this twisted state.

It wasn't fantasy—when enough people gather, they'll ship anything; Yan Li had personally witnessed fans shipping the two Bings, and the "two Bings competing for Yan."

Business elites, tall and rugged men, cold and heroic beauties, and gorgeous, haughty fox spirits—tieba had related fanfics, which made Yan Li both baffled and intrigued.

…

Soon, insiders clarified through reporters that the so-called "night meeting of the two Bings" was false.

【Yan Li invited Li and Fan to dinner to discuss a project; Li's younger sister was also present, making it more of a business matter】

【The specific project is hard to say—it seemed to be a movie, yes, with both Bings starring together】

【...】

Once this leak surfaced, and with deliberate amplification by interested parties, the topic immediately shifted to the two Bings starring together in a movie.

After all, the original leak was merely a photo of the three having dinner—nothing explosive—and their relationship wasn't new; outsiders couldn't make sense of their breakups and reconciliations.

Compared to having dinner together, the two Bings co-starring in a movie was the real novelty.

They usually tear each other apart when apart; now that they're forced to act together, with Yan Li in the mix, it's bound to be entertainment every day.

The internet is full of hidden talents; even if Yan Li deliberately stretched things out and released information slowly, some capable netizens still dug up details.

First, the movie "Painted Skin" couldn't be hidden; combined with the original "Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio," certain connections became clear.

Though it's uncertain whether the plot follows the original, if both Bings appear—one as the beautiful demon who harms, the other as the wife who saves her husband—they are undeniably the two essential female roles in "Painted Skin."

One righteous, one evil; with minor script adjustments, their screen time could be nearly equal, and even their characters subtly mirror the two Bings' public personas.

Li Bingbing is resilient and heroic, poised and graceful—perfect for the image of Wang Fu, the extraordinary woman who saves her husband.

Fan Xiaopang needs no elaboration—exquisitely beautiful, captivating, a genuine living demon, a matchless seductress.

Not only do their appearances and temperaments fit, but their real-life stories align too.

Originally, when the two Bings competed for Yan Li, Fan Xiaopang stole him away from Li Bingbing—but she didn't fully win, as she still keeps flirting with Yan Li to this day.

In the "Painted Skin" story, Wang Sheng and his wife are deeply affectionate, then a beautiful demon arrives to steal the man, and the wife saves her husband by battling the demon.

The two aren't identical, but they're at least seven or eight percent similar.

Some sharp-tongued netizens said: Why adapt "Painted Skin" at all—it's half-baked. Just make "The Two Bings Battle," based on real events; the appeal would be higher, and you'd earn copyright adaptation fees too.

Even more sensationalist netizens declared: Others don't matter, but the two Bings can't be replaced—and Wang Sheng must be played by Yan Li.

As long as all three appear together, even if they just follow the original "Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio" plot, the box office would be worth at least 100 million.

Amid the swirling rumors about "Painted Skin," Yan Li received many probing calls.

The first was Yu Xiaopang, a close friend of Yan Li's: "Yan Er, did you really assemble the two Bings for 'Painted Skin'?"

"Mm."

"Impressive."

Yu Xiaopang genuinely admired it; once an artist reaches a certain level of fame, they naturally avoid each other—getting them together again is no small feat.

Not to mention a duo like the two Bings, with such intense rivalry and symbiotic ties.

Getting them together is hard; keeping them under control is hard; even harder is making them trust the crew to be impartial.

The first two might be achievable by someone else, but the last—even Wang Jinghua, who discovered the two Bings herself, would struggle.

Only Yan Li, who orchestrated the two Bings' rivalry, bound them through years of mutually beneficial cooperation, and forged personal bonds and affection, could earn their trust.

"You've found a brilliant hook—'Painted Skin' already has some influence. I think it's worth pursuing. How about letting me in as a partner?"

Yu Xiaopang proactively sought collaboration; Bona's main business is distribution—they habitually cast wide nets; even small profits are fine as long as there's profit.

"No problem."

Yan Li agreed readily; aside from their personal friendship, "Painted Skin" truly needed Bona's help to grow big.

The number-one distribution company in mainland China isn't just talk—Yi'an's film distribution has developed well, but it's lopsided and lacks depth.

For low-budget films, it might be fine, but for large-scale commercial blockbusters, you absolutely need strong partners.

Besides Bona, China Film Group was also a partner Yan Li hoped for; he called Old Man Han directly.

For Yan Li, China Film Group didn't even need to invest money—just lending its name would help him avoid trouble and coordinate theater resources.

Old Man Han didn't immediately agree; he said they'd talk later.

Though no deal was reached yet, Yan Li still felt confident—Old Man Han was a die-hard blockbuster fan; people had been urging him to make big films for years.

Now that Yan Li had finally "pulled a feather from a miser," Old Man Han, who was close to him, couldn't possibly refuse support—publicly or privately.

But this year, China Film Group was undergoing leadership transition, making things sensitive; Old Man Han naturally played it safe.

He'd probably wait until he understood the specifics of "Painted Skin," got a clear sense of it, and then Yan Li could visit again to negotiate—everything would fall into place.

After Bona and China Film Group were aligned, Yan Li responded indifferently to other potential partners.

He didn't lack money—he himself didn't lack it, nor did he lack investors eager to fund him.

If "Painted Skin" had low momentum, he might worry—but now, with this momentum, raising funds shouldn't be a problem. Since he didn't lack money, anyone wanting to join had to offer more than just capital—they had to bring resources.

This was standard in the industry: many projects, once they didn't lack funding, raised their thresholds—money alone wasn't enough to invest.

Wang Brothers from Huayi naturally called Yan Li too; he didn't refuse, since Li Bingbing was still Huayi's top actress.

But Huayi's resources overlapped heavily with Bona, Yi'an, and China Film Group, offering little added value—so Yan Li offered them a small share, which annoyed the Wang Brothers.

"Are you treating us like beggars?!"

Wang Zhonglei was unhappy; one of "Painted Skin"'s selling points was their Huayi top actress—give them so little equity, and he'd make Li Bingbing's participation fall apart.

"Go ahead and sabotage it—he'd probably be glad you did."

Wang Zhongjun sneered at his brother: "Don't forget, Li Bingbing's contract is almost expiring. If you cut off her future, that Yan guy will just whisper in her ear and push her straight into his arms."

Because of Yan Li's interference, although Li Bingbing held firm as Huayi's top actress, her relationship with the two Wangs was complicated.

The two Wangs suspected she had divided loyalties—using her while keeping guard; and she indeed had divided loyalties, and, confident Yan Li had her back, leveraged the situation to gain advantages.

Thus, their cooperation was never very tight.

The Wang Brothers frantically signed up female stars, partly to guard against the possibility that Li Bingbing might betray them and defect.

But this only heightened Li Bingbing's vigilance—fearing she'd be discarded after being used—and she drifted further from the Wang Brothers.

So up until now, although Li Bingbing is Hua Yi's top actress, there are many things the Wang brothers can't stop.

For example, with a project like "Painted Skin," if you don't let Li Bingbing act in it, you must at least offer an equivalent or even better resource to convince her to betray Yan Li and quit "Painted Skin"—otherwise, why should Li Bingbing sacrifice her own interests?

Even strong pressure won't work, because Li Bingbing's contract expires this year; if she doesn't renew, Hua Yi can't hurt Yan Li and will lose their top actress anyway.

"That bastard planned this all along—if the 'Painted Skin' contract isn't signed, Li Bingbing's renewal will definitely go badly."

If Li Bingbing's renewal fails, not only does it mean aiding the enemy, but Hua Yi also loses a major asset, which seriously harms their IPO plans. At this critical juncture, Hua Yi must do everything possible to retain and sign current popular stars to boost their momentum and deliver strong stock performance.

Otherwise, if their top actress runs off before the IPO, what's the point?!

"Talk to that kid again—ask for the moon, settle for the stars; if necessary, offer him other resources. This project has potential, and with Li Bingbing involved, it's easy to make waves."

Wang Zhongjun ordered his younger brother to keep pushing, and Wang Zhonglei understood his elder brother's meaning.

For Hua Yi, making money isn't important right now—what matters is reputation and momentum.

A project like "Painted Skin," destined for high discussion and tied to their top actress, becomes a powerful, impressive credential for Hua Yi's IPO if they join.

To secure this credential, Hua Yi can concede some actual benefits; though they take a loss now, they'll recover everything once they go public.

"Think long-term. Don't dwell on short-term losses."

Seeing his brother still resentful, Wang Zhongjun spoke to soothe him; Wang Zhonglei snorted.

He wasn't blind to the logic, but after several collaborations and clashes, Hua Yi had always been subtly outmaneuvered—every time Yan Li, that little bastard, got the upper hand. How could he feel satisfied?

He'd tolerated it before, hoping to turn the tables later, but now that little bastard's growth rate was terrifying—his Forbes ranking at the start of the year was even higher than the Wang brothers'.

If things continued like this, Wang Zhonglei truly feared that if he kept holding back, he'd just keep holding back forever.

Wang Zhongjun ignored his brother and gave another instruction: "Keep a close eye on the female artists in the company—try to minimize their contact with Yan Li."

"Didn't you say this kid is lustful? If you work on that angle, don't try to fool him with mediocre, common girls."

Wang Zhonglei got angry just hearing this—Hua Yi had become a talent show for Yan Li's selection.

The worst part? That bastard didn't even pretend to be polite.

He's been cozying up to Li Bingbing, and Hu Siyan is practically his personal PR officer; last time he had rumors with Hu Ke, Xiong Naijin and Liu Yun were also members of the "Teddy Sisterhood"—who knows if they've fallen into his clutches?

Hua Yi hasn't even properly deployed its beauty trap yet, and he's already claimed a whole roster; if we really use it, Hua Yi might end up as Yan Li's harem.

Hearing his brother's resentment, Wang Zhongjun felt slightly embarrassed: "I knew this kid was lustful, but I didn't expect him to be this good at seducing women."

The beauty trap is a tactic to use beautiful women to manipulate an opponent or gain advantage.

But Yan Li? He fell for the trap—but turned the women against us, and pulled off a "lost wife and broken soldiers" move.

Li Bingbing's attitude is ambiguous, and Hu Siyan practically shouts through a megaphone that she's Yan Li's person—she's building factions within Hua Yi and working hard for Yan Li.

So Wang Zhongjun was starting to crack!

If they used the beauty trap again, he feared Hua Yi's female stars would become meat buns thrown to dogs—gone forever.

It's one thing if minor stars like Xiong Naijin and Liu Yun get taken, but Wang Zhongjun feared most that Zhou Young Master, Fan Wenfang, Lin Xinru, and even Liu Tianxian—who might join later—would all be lured by Yan Li.

With just Li Bingbing and Hu Siyan, that bastard has already turned this into a spectacle.

If two more popular actresses get pulled in by Yan Li, Hua Yi will be led by the nose every day.

"Is it really that bad?"

Wang Zhonglei was skeptical, thinking his brother exaggerated Yan Li's seduction skills—those top actresses weren't easy to charm.

"You think he's like you? You've got both Bingbing and Bingyan under your thumb—of course he has his own unique methods. Young, rich, handsome, and with a brilliant future—if he truly sets his mind on them, who dares bet those women won't be swayed?"

Wang Zhongjun trusted Yan Li's seduction ability, yet distrusted the female stars' restraint.

Take Zhou Young Master—famous for her romantic history. With Yan Li's conditions, abilities, and legendary reputation, Wang Zhongjun was genuinely nervous.

Wang Zhonglei fell silent. This Yan Li was truly his nemesis—outclassing him in every way, even in seducing female stars, he remained under Yan Li's shadow.

…

"Hua Yi's female stars have been ordered to stay away from me."

When Yan Li heard Hu Siyan's report, he was initially confused, but after thinking about Li Bingbing's situation, he vaguely guessed the Wang brothers' fears.

They're afraid he'll steal their talent!

He shook his head and didn't take it seriously—he had no real interest in Hua Yi's female stars to begin with.

From the start, it was the Wang brothers who had ill intentions; now they acted like he was the aggressor.

What the hell, is my charm a crime?!

In comparison, Yan Li was more curious about Hu Siyan's actions: "They've all been told to stay away from me—why are you still calling me?"

"They're them, I'm me. I may work at Hua Yi, but I've always been yours."

Hu Siyan firmly declared—she was too outspoken at Hua Yi to be trusted by the Wang brothers, and given her ties to Yan Li and Qin Lan, no matter what Hua Yi did, she'd keep clinging to Yan Li's leg.

Yan Li smiled and said: "Don't get too reckless—if you push those brothers too far, even I can't protect you."

Hu Siyan at Hua Yi could drag them down as much as possible—even if it was just annoying those brothers, Yan Li supported it.

But she needed to keep some restraint—she wasn't Li Bingbing, who made the Wang brothers hesitate.

If one day the Wang brothers finally snapped and took her down, how much leverage Yan Li's face had was uncertain—after all, Hu Siyan was a Hua Yi artist, and there was still a layer of separation between her and Yan Li.

"I understand."

Hu Siyan wasn't stupid, and she wasn't that bold—she was flashy, but only in small ways; her faction-building involved only minor artists, and officially, they had nothing to do with either company.

The Wang brothers might be annoyed, but when it came to Yan Li, they'd just turn a blind eye.

"Good. You know your limits."

Yan Li said a few more things and was about to hang up, when Hu Siyan hesitated and said she wanted to wish him a happy new year.

"..."

Yan Li's mind turned: "You're not thinking about the movie 'Painted Skin,' are you?"

With Li Bingbing and Gong Nanyan as leads and investment expected to exceed 100 million, besides curious netizens and investing companies, many actors were watching closely.

Male actors would all want the male lead, and while female actors had Li Bingbing locked in, if there was a decent supporting female role—like a minor actress such as Hu Siyan who hadn't done many films—they'd still jump at the chance to appear on the big screen.

Huo Siyan seemed to tacitly agree, but Yan Li outright rejected it.

"The script isn't finalized yet; whether there's a third female role is uncertain, but even if there is, I don't recommend you take it."

"Why?"

"You ask why? If those two clash and use you as a pawn, can you handle it?"

When two soldiers clash, if you just stay out of the way, you won't necessarily get dragged in—but you must consider who that outsider is.

Huo Siyan's reputation among the two soldiers isn't good, especially with Fan Xiaopang, who'd crush her mercilessly after catching her near Qin Lan's key general.

"..."

Huo Siyan fell silent for a moment, blinded by the flood of resources and forgetting her own "good reputation."

Choosing a side isn't without cost; unless Qin Lan's faction initiates the move, facing either Fan Xiaopang or Dong Xuan's camp means you'll have to fight her.

Although Huo Siyan gave up on starring in "Painted Skin," she still considered visiting Yan Li to offer New Year greetings.

Yan Li was unimpressed: "I'm busy these days—no time."

He said that, but the next day, Yan Li still saw Huo Siyan—

The premiere of "Love Transfer"

Although Huo Siyan didn't act in it, several members of the Teddy Sisters Group did, and she came as Li Xiaolu's personal support group.

Because it was the Spring Festival and most roles were cameos, the number of female stars attending was limited.

Huo Siyan and Li Xiaolu, both in Jingcheng, came directly; along with Che Xiao, Yan Li's old classmate also living in Jingcheng, and Wang Ou and her friend Bai Bing, who had just returned to Jingcheng.

Yan Li was busy speaking with the China Film Corporation's representative, exchanged a greeting, and paid them little attention.

Yet these people, whom he thought had no grudges against each other, secretly clashed.

More precisely, Wang Ou and Huo Siyan clashed.

They had old grievances; Yan Li hadn't paid much attention, but during the filming of "Great Qing Imperial Harem," Huo Siyan had helped Qin Lan suppress Wang Ou repeatedly, and the latter had kept a careful tally.

Wang Ou couldn't touch Qin Lan, but that didn't mean she'd tolerate Huo Siyan; Huo Siyan, having gained the upper hand in past confrontations, held a superior posture.

Now they met, mutual dislike flared, compounded by old grudges, and within moments they were trading barbs.

Neither came alone!

Once they started, Li Xiaolu couldn't let her best friend fight alone; Bai Bing, though nervous as a newcomer, couldn't just watch her good sister be bullied.

Che Xiao initially watched the spectacle, but eventually couldn't help but try to mediate and alert Yan Li.

By the time he arrived, Huo and Wang were already shouting challenges to duel.

"Tenth day of the New Year, XX Nightclub—dare you show up?"

"I'll meet you there."

The former relied on the Teddy Sisters Group's numbers and Qin Lan's backing.

The latter boasted the Phoenix Sisters weren't pushovers, and now she was aligned with Fan Xiaopang—even if mutually exploitative—so she might seek his aid against Qin Lan.

Yan Li watched coldly: "The tenth day of the New Year is too troublesome—I'll book a venue right now, you two can fight it out."

Hearing Yan Li's voice, Huo and Wang, who had been squawking like roosters, froze.

Wang Ou reacted faster, immediately putting on a wounded expression: "Director Yan, I was just sitting quietly—she came looking for trouble, I endured and endured, and was forced to retaliate."

Huo Siyan wasn't far behind, eyes slightly red: "Director Yan, don't listen to her lies—it's her, using Yi'an's influence to bully people, sneering at me as if we don't even belong here."

Both transformed from tigresses into meek kittens, yet still snarling at each other, slinging mud—truly an eye-opener for Che Xiao and the others.

Yan Li gave a faint cold smile—he knew their personalities well.

Who started it? Unclear, but neither was innocent; when there are no tigers in the mountains, monkeys rule—and these are the most defiant monkeys.

"Today is for business—don't disrupt it. No one is allowed to cause trouble, or I'll deal with both of you."

Yan Li had no interest in adjudicating their feud or forcing reconciliation between two people who detested each other; he merely warned them sternly not to cause trouble—if they truly couldn't stand it, he'd arrange a one-on-one after the premiere.

He knew well: to others, this warning might not hold, but Wang and Huo were both blusterers.

If they had real guts, they'd have already fought—no need to issue challenges; they were all talk.

Moreover, both were too dependent on or bound to him to dare defy his orders.

True to form, after Yan Li's reprimand, Huo and Wang fell silent, no more talk of duels—but they wouldn't lose face: their eyes remained sharp, and even after Yan Li left, they still hurled threats.

"Shorty, you got lucky this time—I'll let you off. Next time, I'll kill you."

"Scheming hen, don't get cocky—forgot how you were crushed before? Once happened, it'll happen again."

"..."

After hurling threats, they parted. Li Xiaolu poked Huo Siyan: "That's the scheming hen you told me about."

Suppressing Wang Ou during "Great Qing Imperial Harem" was the very beginning of Huo Siyan's alliance with Qin Lan—and her key moment of proving herself; naturally, she'd boasted about it endlessly to the Teddy Sisters Group.

"That's her. Haven't seen her in a while—she's gotten uppity."

Huo Siyan was resentful, but had to admit: Wang Ou's progress last year had been impressive—she'd turned from a soft target into a hard one, otherwise she wouldn't dare challenge someone backed by Qin Lan.

"I advise you not to rush in too hard—her relationship with Director Yan isn't ordinary. We have Sister Lan behind us, but it's one layer removed."

Li Xiaolu warned gently: if Qin Lan were present, she'd back her big sister, but when Qin Lan wasn't around, no need to overplay it—pillow talk was dangerous.

"Pfft, am I afraid of her?"

Huo Siyan's dismissive expression Ma Deli Xiaolu thoughtful.

She'd felt earlier that Huo and Wang's clash didn't look like Huo defending Qin Lan—it looked more like Huo Siyan's resentment and envy toward Wang Ou.

And as she'd said, Huo was one layer removed from Qin Lan—yet she didn't seem worried about that at all.

Unless…

Li Xiaolu cast a meaningful glance at Huo Siyan. She'd long suspected something, but wasn't certain—now, every sign further confirmed her suspicion.

But she had no proof, and Huo Siyan would never admit to something so deadly.

Moreover, Li Xiaolu had no intention of exposing it.

First, she had a good personal relationship with Huo; second, if the truth came out, the Teddy Sisterhood might fall apart, and Li Xiaolu, who loved to play around, crave attention, and be adored, certainly didn't want such a celebrity group to dissolve.

So she not only had to pretend she didn't know, but also help Huo Siyan hide it, to prevent her from exposing herself.

As she thought this, Li Xiaolu turned her thoughts to Yan Li.

That bastard was truly despicable—not only was he juggling multiple women, but he was also chasing his girlfriend's best friend.

Then again, with such reckless behavior, how did this dog-man manage to completely control Qin Lan and Huo Siyan… what magic did he have…

(End of Chapter)