Chapter 280: Teddy Sisters, the Coven of Bad Women

If Hu Siyan's personality resembled Wang Ou's, her physique and aura were more like Yang Rong's.

A delicate flower with a hint of seduction, both pure and tempting, her acting range overlapped somewhat with Yang Rong's doll-like features.

The two had even competed for roles in *The Difficult Love of a Diamond Old Man*, and the drama *The Last Princess*, which ultimately cast Hu Siyan, was originally conceived by screenwriter Yu Zheng with Yang Rong—his old classmate—in mind.

In terms of build, both were petite, yet both possessed ample curves.

Yan Li, who had personally experienced this more than once, held absolute authority on the matter.

Yang Rong's proportions were superior; hugging her felt exquisite.

Hu Siyan fell short here—when thin, she looked head-heavy and body-light; when fuller, she appeared slightly bulky—but she had one advantage: her skin was pale, giving her strong visual appeal.

As for facial features, the two had different styles; Yan Li personally found Yang Rong more beautiful and preferred her, a preference shaped by his own aesthetic bias as well as her personality and life experiences.

At the very least, Yan Li had never intended any long-term relationship with Hu Siyan.

If the latter entered a romance, things between them would immediately return to normal.

Yet this woman showed no signs of ever entering a relationship, for various reasons.

Yan Li, considering her personality, combining available intelligence, and factoring in the psychology of the women around him, made a reasonable inference.

Hu Siyan wanted to cling to him both for protection and to gain resources and benefits.

Qin Lan could deliver these too, but the effect paled compared to having a direct connection with Yan Li.

Among the Teddy Sisters, she had secured the most resources—clearly not merely due to Qin Lan's favoritism.

Moreover, this woman was highly vain; being linked to Yan Li, even if it couldn't be made public, gave her secret thrills, mixed with certain peculiar psychological satisfactions.

Furthermore, Boss Yan's charm and ability represented absolute top-tier masculinity.

Having tasted the finest delicacies, ordinary home-cooked dishes held no appeal; the average person couldn't bear the contrast, let alone someone like Hu Siyan, whose nature was to climb high and crush low.

Hu Siyan was still young, so why not just play along for now—until the day she couldn't anymore.

When she couldn't play anymore, or got dumped, someone else would gladly take over…

Leaning back against the bed, Yan Li lit a cigarette and watched Hu Siyan cleaning with satisfaction.

Though her talent was mediocre, she was flexible, willing to go all out, and did whatever he asked—there was a certain unique flavor to it.

"What's been happening at Huayi lately?"

Yan Li was swamped with affairs; his daily intelligence intake couldn't keep up. Unless he initiated contact or Huayi targeted him directly, trivial rumors were better obtained from Li's sisters and Hu Siyan.

Hu Siyan looked up, licked her lips: "Hmm, nothing much—just recently there was widespread rumor that Liu Yifei was going to sign with the company, but now it's gone silent."

Originally, Huayi insiders had said Liu Tianxian's arrival might warrant a separate artist group to challenge Li and Zhou for top female status.

Even when Li Bingbing's contract renewal hit trouble, rumors swirled that she might jump to Orange Sky, with some claiming it was due to dissatisfaction over *Kung Fu Hustle*.

At the time, Hu Siyan had considered cultivating a relationship with her—if she could pull Liu Tianxian into the Teddy Sisters, that would be huge.

Now, Li Bingbing successfully renewed her contract, and the rumors linking Liu Tianxian to Huayi had vanished.

"I suspect the Li sisters might have sabotaged this?"

Hu Siyan, judging by her own motives and old grudges, pointed the finger squarely at the Li sisters.

Yan Li, however, shook his head; to Hu Siyan, the Li sisters wielded immense power at Huayi, bullying Liu Tianxian was child's play.

But Yan Li knew that if those sisters truly had such influence, they wouldn't have been outmaneuvered in *Kung Fu Hustle*.

Artists, especially before major companies, were always the weaker party.

If an artist was popular enough and profitable, they might gain some autonomy, even negotiate with the company to force concessions in certain areas.

But that didn't mean they could interfere with the company's overall strategy or key initiatives.

Even if Liu Tianxian wasn't as big as Li Bingbing, she was red-hot, and crucially, young with massive potential.

If the Wang brothers, because of their resentment toward the Li sisters, abandoned signing Liu Tianxian—especially after promising her a major resource—they might as well pack up and quit the industry immediately.

"There's something fishy going on here."

With too little information, Yan Li couldn't judge exactly what had happened—but whatever it was, if it hurt Huayi, he was pleased.

Yan Li even considered whether to swoop in and poach Liu Tianxian for Yi'an.

But he quickly dismissed the idea.

Not only would Liu Tianxian's fame and status create resource conflicts with Fan Xiaopang, but he'd also heard whispers about her background and complicated rules.

You couldn't say it was wrong—she had the capital, and if she chose to play that way, who could stop her? Yan Li himself had done similar things.

But it would inevitably bring management and cultivation complications to the company.

Yan Li wanted artists who could fight, hustle, and make money—not half a deity.

"Oh, by the way."

Hu Siyan remembered something else: "Isn't *Soldier's Assault* hot now? Wang Baoqiang is leading it, and Li Chen, plus the actor who played Cheng Cai—what's his name again? they all signed with Huayi."

Yan Li nodded slightly, unsurprised.

*Soldier's Assault* aired at the end of last year, but its initial ratings were mediocre; it only began gaining momentum after multiple regional broadcasts and online word-of-mouth.

Now, its momentum kept growing, bordering on breakout status.

Rumors say it might air on national TV this summer—if it does and takes off, the drama's influence will be even greater.

Yan Li had watched it, albeit briefly, and understood that ensemble dramas like this were excellent for boosting actors; every performer had moments to shine and would reap some benefits.

Especially the male lead, Wang Baoqiang.

His name had appeared early in Yan Li's intelligence reports—he'd been impossible to track down then, and now he was heading straight for stardom.

Too bad he was Huayi's talent; Yan Li's mind raced. This kind of unique artist, with massive public goodwill after *Soldier's Assault*, was perfect for building projects around.

Hmm, he wasn't unusable.

Yan Li had promoted Li Bingbing, Hu Siyan—adding Wang Baoqiang wouldn't hurt.

Even if Huayi got a little benefit, his own projects could earn far more.

Business and the industry weren't black-and-white; you could oppose Huayi, but never oppose money.

Besides, that Chen guy—he was unfamiliar—but Li Chen…

Yan Li patted Hu Siyan's head: "Now that Li Chen's fame has risen, will Li Xiaoran get back together with him?"

He'd occasionally heard Qin Lan mention that after their breakup, Li Xiaoran and Li Chen hadn't completely cut ties, though they weren't lingering either.

Li Chen had never stood up to Li Xiaoran before—partly due to his career—but now, with *Soldier's Assault* elevating him further, he might have a chance.

"You forgot—Xiaoran still has *Struggle*."

Hu Siyan mumbled half-heartedly; Yan Li suddenly remembered.

It was hard to say which was hotter: *Soldier's Assault* or *Struggle*.

Li Chen was merely a supporting role in the drama; several other characters had more standout moments.

Li Xiaoran, however, was a solid female second or third lead, with a sharply defined character and a more appealing romantic arc with Wen Zhang—audience reception of her storyline was far better than the male lead Tong Dawei's melodramatic love triangle.

Among the *Struggle* leads, Tong Dawei reaped the most benefits.

For the others, it was hard to say who gained more—but Li and Wen were definitely near the top.

Li Xiaoran, already a rising star, was now at her peak, a major name among second-tier actresses; Li Chen simply couldn't compete.

"Female strong, male weak—hard to make it work."

Yan Li sighed, then warned Hu Siyan to keep a close eye on Li Xiaoran.

That little vixen was wild, reckless, and bold; after the breakup, she'd gone completely off the rails. What she did to herself didn't matter—but she mustn't corrupt Qin Lan.

Hu Siyan felt a pang of guilt; she still hadn't carried out the things Li Xiaoran had coaxed and threatened her into doing.

Recently, both had been busy with work, and she'd been preoccupied with *Painted Skin*, so she'd temporarily put it off.

But Li Xiaoran hadn't forgotten—she'd already pressed her twice.

Hu Siyan wanted to ignore it, but feared the crazy girl might, one day, recklessly expose her.

Yet if she complied, what would Yan Li think?

Earlier, Hu Siyan had been confident: a hot actress offering herself up—how could anyone refuse? Especially with Yan Li's famously voracious appetite.

But after several attempts and trials, nothing had worked; she was starting to doubt.

Yan Li had a big appetite, but he wasn't short of options. She herself was on shaky ground—who knew what he really thought? What if he believed she'd betrayed him? That would be the end.

Torn between options, Hu Siyan went to the bathroom to brush her teeth, then soaked in the bathtub, slowly forming a plan.

Wrong!

She'd been thinking about it all wrong!

This could be done—but her target was wrong.

Conspiring with Li Xiaoran against Yan Li offered little gain, high risk, and if Yan Li found out and misunderstood, she was finished.

But if she flipped the perspective—became Yan Li's co-conspirator, offering her best friend and rising star to him—the entire dynamic changed.

She went from plotting against Yan Li to plotting with him; her position instantly corrected itself.

Then, if Yan Li refused, she could explain to Li Xiaoran; if Li Xiaoran truly wanted to burn everything down, she could get Yan Li to intervene.

After all, Yan Li certainly didn't want Qin Lan to find out.

Li Xiaoran could be wild with Hu Siyan, but she'd never dare be wild with Yan Li; her family had connections, but they weren't powerful enough to crush him—she'd be lucky to escape unscathed.

Conversely, if Yan Li agreed, she fulfilled her promise to Li Xiaoran, gained a new ally, and earned favor with Yan Li.

Even Qin Lan, as good as she was, wouldn't go around pimping out friends for Yan Li.

Hu Siyan knew her image with Yan Li was poor—hard to change. So if that was the case, she might as well double down.

If she couldn't be a virtuous wife, she'd be a wicked woman who aided evil.

Good and evil exist together!

She couldn't match Qin Lan in many ways—but Qin Lan couldn't do many things either, otherwise Yan Li wouldn't have called on her today.

The thrill of being a wicked woman was greater; even if she couldn't rise to the top, she could still extract more benefits.

Hu Siyan also thought of Wang Ou.

That slutty chicken was just a self-taught model who climbed up step by step thanks to Yan Li's promotion.

In terms of sentiment and seniority, she couldn't match Qin Dong; in beauty and ability, she was utterly crushed by Fan Xiaopang.

Is it just because she got close to Yan Li earlier?

But when I filmed "Seven Fairies Bring Joy," I wasn't late either?!

Hu Siyan had long suspected that the slutty chicken had gathered several others, all of whom had been linked to Yan Li in gossip—most likely doing exactly what "selling friends for favor" entails.

Especially Yang Rong, who even edged her out to land the female lead in a TV drama—something that reeked of foul play.

If that little slut Wang Ou can pull it off, why can't I?!

Of course, given Qin Lan's presence, she needed to be cautious, avoid big moves—but there was still room to maneuver.

Hu Siyan had always feared being caught red-handed by Qin Lan, acting with extreme care—but this time, perhaps spurred by Li Xiao's actions, she finally saw things clearly.

No matter what, if Qin Lan caught her, she was finished; either way, she was dead—so why not go big? If she made it big enough, maybe she'd still have a chance to survive.

The more Hu Siyan thought, the brighter her eyes grew; she hadn't even dried off, and already she was pressing close to Yan Li, dropping a bombshell the moment she spoke.

"Boss Yan, let me find you another woman."

Yan Li: "???"

Did this bitch wash her brain clean in the shower?!

Since the so-called Teddy Sisterhood formed, Yan Li had only approached Hu Siyan once—normally, she'd cling to him desperately, never push him away.

Yan Li glanced at her skeptically: "Are you dating someone?"

Strictly speaking, Hu Siyan wasn't even his lover; they exchanged what needed exchanging, she received her fair share of benefits, and Yan Li never imposed rules on her.

He'd merely mentioned once: if she started dating someone, she should notify him first, so they could part amicably without awkwardness.

Though she gained plenty from Yan Li, she had no official status, was treated capriciously, and was the type who always chased after someone who barely acknowledged her.

If she met a decent guy and wanted to cut ties and date properly, Yan Li could understand.

Yan Li pulled out his phone, pondering how much money to give her to settle it.

Though they weren't breaking up and no compensation was owed, they'd had some history, Hu Siyan had always been obedient to him, and he'd still need her for Qin Lan and Huayi later.

Two million in cash should be enough—after all, he'd already given her plenty of resources; if not, he could always arrange a few ad deals later.

"No no no."

Seeing Yan Li's expression, Hu Siyan didn't know what he was thinking, but she knew he'd misunderstood—she quickly explained.

"..."

Yan Li's confusion didn't fade—it deepened.

What the hell, these women really know how to play—pulling one after another, trying to turn him into a pyramid scheme?!

They never showed any real sisterly bond before—how did they turn his harem into a cult?

In their eyes, was he salvation or damnation?!

Yan Li was stunned, yet Hu Siyan kept chattering away.

At first she'd been shy and embarrassed, but as she got past the initial awkwardness, she grew more fluent by the moment.

Hu Siyan couldn't reveal her true psychological shifts or the full backstory—her story had been polished and beautified.

One key reason was that she couldn't handle Yan Li alone, so for his sake, she was willing to sacrifice and devote herself—blah blah blah.

Yan Li slowly caught on—he'd already seen this once before, and Wang Ou had gone even further earlier.

No wonder he'd thought she and Wang Ou shared similar personalities; their thoughts aligned perfectly.

Hmm, maybe she'd just copied Wang Ou.

Wang Ou's actions couldn't be hidden from others—Dong Xuan, Qin Lan, and others had all sensed something, making Wang Ou, already unpopular, even more despised.

But Wang Ou didn't really care—she only cared about Yan Li's opinion.

To be blunt, even before she did this, Dong and Qin and Fan hadn't held her in high regard—they'd bullied her constantly.

But now that she'd pulled in a few others, she'd gained some status and clout, no longer as pitiful as before; even Yan Li had begun offering her subtle protection.