Chapter 257: “Painted Skin

I am a wanderer forever marching toward the horizon

You are my woman amidst the vast sea of humanity

…

Yan Li woke to his phone ringing, pulled his hand from Fan Xiaopang's embrace, and picked up the phone, listening for a few moments before speaking calmly.

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

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

No trigger?!

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

"We got photographed at dinner yesterday."

Fan Xiaopang reacted quickly: "Accidental encounter, or did those two sisters set us up?"

The dinner yesterday wasn't a secret meeting, but it was private—neither she nor Yan Li had reason to stage anything, so it wasn't coincidence, or else the Li sisters were behind it.

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

Though no intelligence trigger occurred, Yan Li didn't 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 that foolish.

Plainly put, they were on the same boat; leaked paparazzi photos harmed them more than they helped, and the logic didn't hold.

"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 leaks 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 Lis at night.

Looking at this scene, even Fan Xiaopang didn't think the Li sisters were involved.

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

Li Bingbing had no grudge against Yan Li—on the contrary, they were close. Even if they did have a feud, she wouldn't resort to a tactic that harmed herself a thousandfold to damage him eight hundredfold.

"Either it's coincidence, or it's someone from my side—or yours."

Yan Li voiced his theory, leaning toward the former.

If someone had deliberately plotted against him, and had deep ties to him, the system's trigger probability would've been much higher; since the system didn't trigger any paparazzi intel today, it was most likely coincidence.

As previously noted, Yan Li's operations had grown larger, and his daily intel was no longer sufficient—non-critical or shallow connections often failed to trigger.

"What do we do now?"

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

Minor: gossip over tea and meals. Major: it could damage the image and public perception of both the Lis and Yan Li. Yan Li might not care, but the Lis still had to compete 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 real evidence. Perfect chance to spread the word about 'Painted Skin' and build momentum."

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

But that Yan Li intended to bring the two Lis together for "Painted Skin"—outside the company's top brass, the "Painted Skin" crew, and a few members of the Lis' teams—few outside knew.

Even Hua Yi's two brothers had only vague suspicions, no certainty.

Since "Painted Skin" was built around the bond between the two Lis, marketing and hype were inevitable.

Now that the two Lis had reached consensus, why not leverage the moment to leak rumors, amplify the buzz, boost the Lis' popularity, expand "Painted Skin"'s fame, and help Yan Li attract investors?

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

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

Yan Li gave clear instructions, then held his phone and couldn't help smiling as he looked at Fan Xiaopang.

"Does this scene feel familiar?"

Fan Xiaopang thought for a moment: "Back when 'The Seven Fairies' was promoted, it was done exactly like this."

Yan Li nodded. Back then, the rivalry between the two Lis, then their competition over Yan Li—layer upon layer of grudges, romances, and betrayals—turned them from superficially friendly friends and fellow disciples into each other's fiercest enemies.

This marketing campaign for "Painted Skin," centered on the two Lis and him, was essentially just an extension of that old formula—change the surface, never the core.

But times had changed.

Back then, Li Bingbing was newly risen to fame, Fan Xiaopang still unknown—now, they were two of the most popular leading actresses on the mainland, household names.

Yan Li had once been just a minor playboy barely making his mark; now he was a recognized entertainment tycoon, the commercial benchmark of his generation.

And "Painted Skin," a billion-yuan commercial blockbuster, was no match for a TV drama like "The Seven Fairies."

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

Of course, greater rewards meant greater risks.

If it sparked negative social trends or drew accusations from all sides, it could become a headache.

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 playing dirty required finesse.

Publicly flaunting a harem, keeping two concubines, would look terrible—but reframe it as "soulmate and right-hand man," or "white moonlight and crimson birthmark," and suddenly it became elegant, and playing dirty turned into true romance.

Yan Li had learned this from Xu Cai'nu.

That woman didn't play small: she bought a house for Wang Shuo, her soulmate, while cycling in and out of a semi-public relationship with 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 power of packaging. Maybe many didn't buy it, but sometimes you needed a "veil" for public and private consumption.

Plainly put: artistic, ambiguous, whitewashed.

You wanted the heat of a borderline love triangle, but couldn't confirm a real one—otherwise, public revulsion would follow.

Ideally, people should come to accept, even grow fond of, this twisted dynamic.

It wasn't fantasy—once you have enough people, they'll ship anything. Yan Li had personally seen fans shipping the two Lis, and the "two Lis competing for Yan."

Business elite/handsome tough guy + cold, heroic beauty + gorgeous, haughty fox spirit—there were even fanfics on the forums. Yan Li found them baffling yet oddly fascinating.

…

Soon, insiders clarified through reporters that the "night meeting with the two Lis" was false.

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

【The exact project is hard to specify, but it was a movie—yes, the two Lis will star together】

【…】

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

After all, the original leak was just a photo of three people dining—no real shock value—and their relationships weren't new; outsiders couldn't make sense of their ups and downs.

Compared to dining together, the two Lis co-starring in a film was the real novelty.

They usually tore each other apart so viciously—now they'd be filming together, with Yan Li thrown in? Every day would be pure entertainment.

The internet was full of hidden talents; even though Yan Li deliberately stretched out the leaks, some insiders still dug up information.

First, "Painted Skin" couldn't be hidden anymore. Combined with the original "Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio," certain patterns emerged.

Though the plot's fidelity to the source was uncertain, if the two Lis both starred—one as the painted-skin demon, the other as the wife who saves her husband—they were the two indispensable female roles in "Painted Skin."

One righteous, one evil; with minor script tweaks, their screen time could be nearly equal, and their characters subtly mirrored the Lis' real personas.

Li Bingbing was resilient, heroic, poised and dignified—perfect for the wife who saves her husband, a remarkable woman.

Fan Xiaopang needed no further explanation: breathtakingly beautiful, seductive, a true living demon, a matchless fox spirit.

Not only did their appearances and temperaments fit, but their real-life stories aligned too.

Back when the two Lis competed for Yan Li, Fan Xiaopang had stolen him from Li Bingbing—but she hadn't lost entirely; she still kept tangled ties with Yan Li.

In "Painted Skin," Wang Sheng and his wife were deeply devoted—until a beautiful demon came to steal him, and the wife fought the demon to save her husband.

The parallels weren't identical, but they matched seven or eight out of ten.

Some sharp-tongued netizens joked: Why adapt "Painted Skin" at all? It's incoherent. Just make "Two Lis Fight," based on real events—higher stakes, and you could even profit from adaptation rights.

Others, eager for chaos, declared: No one else can play the two Lis—and Wang Sheng must be played by Yan Li.

As long as all three starred together, even if they followed the original "Strange Tales" plot exactly, they'd earn at least 100 million at the box office.

Outside, rumors about "Painted Skin" swirled wildly; Yan Li received many probing calls.

First was Yu Pangzi, a close friend of Yan Li's: "Yan, you really got the two Lis for 'Painted Skin'?"

"Yeah."

"Impressive."

Yu Pangzi genuinely admired it; once an artist reached a certain level of fame, they naturally avoided each other—getting them together was no small feat.

Especially the two Lis, whose relationship was marked by fierce rivalry and symbiosis.

Getting them together was hard; controlling them was harder; making them trust the crew to be impartial? Nearly impossible.

The first two might be achievable by someone else, but the last? Even Wang Jing, who discovered the two Lis, would struggle.

Only Yan Li, who had orchestrated their rivalry for years, bound them through countless business deals, and forged personal ties and affection, could earn their trust.

"You've found a brilliant hook—'Painted Skin' already has some clout. I think it's viable. How about I join as a partner?"

Yu Pangzi proactively sought collaboration; Bona's core business was distribution—they liked casting wide nets; small profits were fine, as long as there was profit.

"No problem."

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

"China's top distributor" wasn't empty praise; Yi'an's distribution had grown well, but it was lopsided and lacked depth.

For low-budget films, it might suffice—but for large-scale commercial blockbusters, you needed strong allies.

Besides Bona, China Film was another partner Yan Li hoped to secure—he called Han Sanye directly.

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

Han Sanye didn't immediately agree, saying he'd discuss it later.

Although no direct cooperation was reached, Yan Li still felt confident—Han Sanye was a die-hard blockbuster enthusiast, and Yan Li had urged him to make big films more than once.

After Yan Li finally "pulled a hair from his iron rooster," Han Sanye, who had a decent relationship with him, couldn't possibly refuse support—whether for business or personal reasons.

But with China Film Group's leadership change happening this year, matters were sensitive; Han Sanye naturally had to play it safe.

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

After Bona communicated with China Film Group, Yan Li showed little interest in other potential partners.

He wasn't short of money—not personally, nor were there a lack of investors willing to fund him.

If "Painted Skin" had struggled for attention, he might've worried—but now, with this momentum, raising funds shouldn't be a problem. Since he wasn't short on cash, anyone wanting to join had to offer more than just money—they needed to bring resources.

This was standard in the industry: if a project wasn't short on funding, the bar rose—money alone wasn't enough to invest.

Wang Jia's brothers from Huayi also called Yan Li; 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 dissatisfied—"Painted Skin"'s biggest selling point was their top actress; giving them so little equity, he'd make Li Bingbing's involvement fall apart if he wanted to.

"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 about to expire. If you ruin her career, that Yan Li guy will just whisper in her ear and push her straight into his arms."

Because of Yan Li's interference, Li Bingbing had held onto her position as Huayi's top actress, but her relationship with the Wang brothers was complicated.

The Wangs suspected she had divided loyalties—using her while keeping her at arm's length; and she, in turn, truly did have divided loyalties, confident Yan Li had her back, using the leverage to push for better terms.

So their cooperation was never particularly close.

The Wang brothers frantically signed up female stars partly out of fear Li Bingbing might one day betray them and defect.

But this only made Li Bingbing more wary—afraid of being discarded after being used—and she drifted further from the Wang brothers.

So now, even though Li Bingbing was Huayi's top actress, the Wang brothers couldn't stop many of her moves.

For example, with a project like "Painted Skin," if you don't let her act, you must offer an equivalent—or even better—resource to convince her to betray Yan Li and drop the film. Otherwise, why should she sacrifice her own interests?

Even strong-arm tactics won't work—her contract expires this year; if she refuses to renew, Huayi can't hurt Yan Li, and they'll lose their top actress.

"That bastard planned this all along—unless she signs the 'Painted Skin' contract, Li Bingbing won't renew with Huayi."

If Li Bingbing's renewal fails, Huayi won't just lose a major asset—they'll also damage their IPO prospects. At this critical juncture, Huayi must retain and sign as many popular stars as possible to boost its image and stock performance.

Otherwise, if their top actress leaves right before the IPO, what's the point?

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

Wang Zhongjun ordered his brother to keep pushing; Wang Zhonglei understood his brother's meaning.

For Huayi, making money wasn't the priority now—what mattered was reputation and momentum.

A project like "Painted Skin," destined for high discussion and tied to their top actress, would serve as a powerful, impressive credential for Huayi's IPO.

To secure that credential, Huayi could sacrifice some real gains—even if they took a loss now, they'd recoup everything after the IPO.

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

Seeing his brother still resentful, Wang Zhongjun soothed him; Wang Zhonglei rolled his eyes.

He understood the logic—but after repeated collaborations and clashes, Huayi had always been outmaneuvered, always let that little bastard Yan Li gain the upper hand. How could he be happy?

He'd tolerated it before, thinking he'd get his revenge later—but now, Yan Li's growth was terrifying; his Forbes ranking at the start of the year was higher than both brothers combined.

If things kept going like this, Wang Zhonglei feared he'd just keep enduring—forever.

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

"Aren't you saying this kid's a womanizer? Use that—don't waste time with mediocre actresses."

Wang Zhonglei bristled at the thought—Huayi had become a talent show for Yan Li.

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

He was cozying up to Li Bingbing; Hu Siyan was practically his official PR rep. He'd already sparked rumors with Hu Ke; Xiong Naijin and Liu Yun were part of his "Teddy Sisterhood"—who knew how many others he'd already claimed?

Huayi hadn't even fully deployed its beauty trap yet, and he'd already lined up a whole harem. If they really went all out, Huayi might end up as his harem.

Hearing his brother's frustration, Wang Zhongjun felt awkward: "I knew he was a womanizer, but I didn't think he was this good at it."

The beauty trap was meant to make someone serve your interests or gain leverage.

But Yan Li? He fell for the trap—and turned the beauties against Huayi, losing both the women and the advantage.

Li Bingbing's attitude was ambiguous; Hu Siyan practically shouted from the rooftops that she belonged to Yan Li, forming factions within Huayi and working hard for him.

So Wang Zhongjun was starting to crack.

If they kept using the beauty trap, he feared Huayi's actresses would vanish like meat buns thrown to dogs—gone forever.

It was bad enough with minor stars like Xiong Naijin and Liu Yun—but Wang Zhongjun feared most the likes of Zhou Young Master, Fan Wenfang, Lin Xinru, and even the rumored future addition Liu Tianxian falling under Yan Li's spell.

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

If two more top actresses got pulled in by Yan Li, Huayi would be led by the nose every day.

"Is it really that serious?"

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

"Do you think he's like you? You can't even handle two women properly—he's got his own unique methods. Young, rich, handsome, and with a brilliant future. If he truly sets his sights on them, who dares bet they won't be swayed?"

Wang Zhongjun trusted Yan Li's seduction skills—and didn't trust the actresses' restraint.

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

Wang Zhonglei fell silent. This Yan Li was truly his nemesis—in every way, he was superior, even in seducing actresses, he overshadowed him completely.

…

"Huayi's female artists 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 were afraid he'd poach their talent!

He shook his head and didn't take it seriously—he'd never had any interest in Huayi's actresses to begin with.

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

What the hell, is my charm a crime?!

More interesting to Yan Li was Hu Siyan's behavior: "They've all been told to keep away from me—why are you still calling?"

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

Hu Siyan declared firmly—she was too bold to be trusted by the Wang brothers, and with her ties to Yan Li and Qin Lan, no matter what Huayi did, she'd stick to Yan Li's side.

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

Hu Siyan at Huayi could drag them down as much as she wanted—even if she just annoyed them, Yan Li supported it.

But she needed limits—she wasn't Li Bingbing, who made the Wang brothers hesitate.

If the Wang brothers finally snapped and took her down, how much leverage Yan Li had was uncertain—after all, Hu Siyan was still a Huayi artist, and there was a layer of distance between her and Yan Li.

"I understand."

Hu Siyan wasn't stupid, nor was she that reckless. She was bold, but only in small ways—forming factions only with minor artists, and always keeping it officially unrelated to either company.

The Wang brothers might be annoyed, but when it came to Yan Li, they'd 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 pay him New Year's respects.

"…."

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

With two top stars and potential investment over 100 million, besides curious netizens and investing companies, many actors were watching closely.

Male actors all wanted the male lead; female actors, though Li Bingbing was already cast, might still jump at a decent supporting role—especially someone like Hu Siyan, a little-known actress with little film experience, eager for a chance on the big screen.

Hu Siyan gave a half-acknowledging silence; Yan Li outright rejected it.

"The script isn't finalized yet—we don't even know if there's a female third lead. But even if there is, I don't recommend you take it."

"Why?"

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

When the two top stars feud, if you stay out of it, you won't get dragged in—but it depends on who you are.

Hu Siyan wasn't well-liked by either of them, especially Fan Xiaopang—she'd caught Qin Lan's top lieutenant in a compromising situation; if she got caught, Fan Xiaopang would crush her.

"…."

Hu Siyan fell silent for a moment—she'd been blinded by the blockbuster opportunity and forgotten her "good reputation."

Choosing sides isn't free—unless Qin Lan's faction is organizing, any clash with Fan Xiaopang or Dong Xuan's group will target her.

Hu Siyan had abandoned the idea of joining "Painted Skin," but still wanted to come pay Yan Li New Year's respects.

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

He said that—but the next day, Yan Li still met Hu Siyan—

The premiere of "Love Is a Migraine"

Hu Siyan hadn't acted in it, but several members of the Teddy Sisterhood had; she came as Li Xiaowan's guest to support the film.

Since it was the Spring Festival and most roles were cameos, few actresses showed up to support.

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

Yan Li was busy talking with China Film Group's staff, exchanged greetings, and didn't pay them much attention.

But these people, whom he thought had no grudges against him, secretly clashed.

More precisely, Wang Ou and Hu Siyan clashed.

They had old grievances—Yan Li hadn't paid much attention, but during the filming of "The Qing Dynasty's Harem," Hu Siyan had helped Qin Lan suppress Wang Ou repeatedly; the latter had kept a grudge ever since.

Wang Ou had no way with Qin Lan, but that didn't mean she'd tolerate Hu Siyan either; Hu Siyan, having gained the upper hand in their previous clash, held a superior posture.

When they met this time, they disliked each other at once, and with old grudges added, they exchanged sharp words within moments.

Neither of them came alone!

Seeing this, Li Xiao couldn't let her good friend fight alone; Bai Bing, though new and nervous, couldn't just stand by and watch Wang Ou, her good sister, suffer.

Che Xiaogang started by watching the show, but eventually couldn't help but try to mediate—and notified Yan Li.

By the time Yan Li arrived, Hu and Wang were already shouting challenges to a fight.

"Tenth day of the New Year, XX Nightclub. Dares you show up?"

"I'll meet you there."

The former relied on the sheer numbers of the Teddy Sisterhood and Qin Lan's backing.

The latter boasted that the Phoenix Sisters weren't pushovers, and she was currently aligned with Fan Xiaopang—even if it was mutual exploitation, against Qin Lan, she might still seek Fan Xiaopang's aid.

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

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

Wang Ou reacted faster, immediately putting on a wounded expression: "Boss Yan, I was just sitting quietly when she came looking for trouble— I held back and held back, until I was forced to fight back."

Hu Siyan wasn't far behind, her eyes slightly red: "Boss Yan, don't believe her. It's her, using Yi'an's influence to bully people, sneering at me as if we weren't even worthy to be here."

Both transformed from tigresses into meek kittens, still snarling at each other and throwing mud, leaving Che Xiaogang and the others stunned.

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

Who started it? Hard to say, but neither was innocent. In a mountain without tigers, monkeys rule—and these were the most troublesome monkeys of all.

"Today's about business. Don't mess it up. No one dares cause trouble—or I'll deal with both of you together."

Yan Li had no interest in adjudicating their feud or forcing these two enemies to reconcile; he merely warned them sternly not to cause trouble. If they truly couldn't stand each other, he'd arrange a one-on-one after the premiere.

He knew well: to others, this warning might not hold, but Wang and Hu were both all bluster.

If they had real guts, they'd have already fought right then—no need to shout challenges. They were all mouth, no muscle.

Moreover, both were too dependent on him, too entangled with him, to dare defy his orders.

True to form, after Yan Li's warning, Hu 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."

"Slut chicken, don't get cocky. Forgot how you got beaten before? Once happens, it happens again."

"..."

After hurling their threats, they parted ways. Li Xiao poked Hu Siyan: "That's the slut chicken you told me about."

"The Great Qing Imperial Harem" crushed Wang Ou—that was the very beginning of Hu Siyan's bond with Qin Lan, the key moment she proved her worth, and something she'd endlessly boasted about in the Teddy Sisterhood.

"That's her. Haven't seen her in a while—she's gotten full of herself."

Hu Siyan was resentful, but had to admit: Wang Ou had indeed progressed well last year—soft tofu had turned into hard tofu. Otherwise, she wouldn't dare stand up to Hu, who had Qin Lan's backing.

"I advise you not to rush too hard. Her relationship with Boss Yan isn't ordinary. Though we have Sister Lan behind us, it's still one layer removed."

Li Xiao gave a warning: Qin Lan would back her big sister if present; if Qin Lan wasn't there, no need to play so hard—the pillow talk wasn't something to take lightly.

"Pfft, I'm scared of her?"

Hu Siyan's dismissive expression made Li Xiao thoughtful.

She'd already sensed that Hu and Wang's clash wasn't Hu defending Qin Lan—it was Hu's resentment and envy toward Wang Ou.

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

Unless...

Li Xiao gave Hu Siyan a meaningful glance. She'd long suspected Hu, though uncertain—now, every sign further confirmed her suspicion.

But she had no proof, and Hu Siyan would never admit such a deadly secret.

Moreover, Li Xiao had no intention of exposing it.

First, she and Hu were close friends; second, if it blew open, the Teddy Sisterhood might shatter—and Li Xiao, who loved playing around, chasing attention, and being pampered, didn't want to see such a star group dissolve.

So she not only had to pretend ignorance, but also help Hu Siyan hide it—so Hu wouldn't collapse on her own.

As she thought this, Li Xiao turned her mind to Yan Li.

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

But then again, with such wild antics, how could he keep Qin Lan and Hu Siyan so tightly under his thumb? What magic did this dog-man possess...?

(End of Chapter)