Chapter 45: Dong Xuan

"Yan Li actually got you the female lead?!"

In the North Film female dormitory, Guan Yue and two other roommates, along with friends like Yin Xu, stared in shock at Dong Xuan, who nodded happily.

"We start shooting in two days—I already called our homeroom teacher; I came back to pack my things."

"Wait, I'm a bit confused."

Guan Yue dramatically mimicked fainting to express her astonishment at this news.

Everyone in Dong Xuan's dorm and friends like Yin Xu knew Yan Li had tried to secure the role for her, but all thought it was nonsense.

Even when seeing Dong Xuan deeply moved, some harbored malicious thoughts.

This is Yan Li's trap!

Maybe Yan Li just got a junior producer job and casually recommended Dong Xuan, then took all the credit to manipulate her.

This theory gained broad acceptance among those who knew the situation, as it seemed more realistic.

Only Guan Yue, out of gratitude for all the braised pork Yan Li had given her, spoke up in his defense, believing he wasn't that low, at least genuinely helping Dong Xuan.

But regardless, everyone unanimously thought this was implausible.

How could anyone easily land the female lead?

Take our class as an example—many hadn't even played a substantial role, let alone a minor supporting part, much less the lead.

Across the entire North Film student body, the number who've landed a lead role in a proper production might be countable on one hand.

Otherwise, that junior who played Wang Yuyan in *Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils* wouldn't have caused a sensation the moment she entered campus—these North Film students truly envied her.

Yet, somehow, Dong Xuan actually got the female lead.

Yin Xu looked at Dong Xuan hesitantly and proposed a new theory: "Could it be the production team noticed you first, and Yan Li stole the credit?"

Otherwise it makes no sense—Yan Li's just a lowly actor with no power or money, hasn't even landed a lead himself—how could he make Dong Xuan the female lead?

"Impossible!"

Dong Xuan was slightly annoyed by her roommates' and friends' distrust of Yan Li, and began counting off on her fingers.

"Look—the production team was found by Yan Li, the producer was contacted by him, he took me to the audition, even got me the original novel to help shape the character—how is that stealing credit?"

"Later, Yan Li ran around with the producer, built connections, spoke up for me, and finally won over the producer."

"Director Li himself said there were other qualified candidates, but he chose me because of Yan Li—yet you still slander him."

Guan Yue and the others exchanged glances, their expressions uncertain.

If Dong Xuan's account was true, Yan Li had indeed done everything from start to finish—truly deserving of immense credit.

This guy really has some skills!

Guan Yue sighed in admiration, Yin Xu sighed in wonder, and most others expressed envy toward Dong Xuan.

Men are hateful when fickle, but even more hateful when powerless.

Most women admire strength—if a man stands by you in a crisis, shields you from storms, helps you climb peaks, your mind naturally overlooks his flaws.

Watching their perception of Yan Li shift, Dong Xuan gave a restrained smile, her eyes gleaming with quiet triumph.

She knew many had disapproved when she first dated Yan Li.

There was a vast chasm between North Film's undergraduate and vocational classes—many undergrads looked down on vocational students.

Yan Li might have had money, but his family was average; aside from good looks, a sweet tongue, and a big… thing, he had no advantages—Dong Xuan had practically sunk to the bottom.

Later, their breakup and subsequent reconciliation made some laugh, calling her foolish and worthless, a pawn in Yan Li's hands.

Now? She's "foolish"—but her foolishness won her the female lead!

Today, Dong Xuan returned to show off, to make them understand what true wisdom disguised as foolishness looked like, what sharp insight meant.

And also to clear Yan Li's name!

He wasn't some heartless traitor—he was a supremely good boyfriend: capable, responsible, devoted to his woman, willing to give silently…

"By the way."

Guan Yue suddenly remembered: "Hu Yan said that little fox named Huang Shengyi also auditioned—let's spread the news that we've got Dong Xuan as the lead, and make her furious."

Yin Xu agreed: "Great idea—let that little bitch know who Yan Li truly cares about."

Others chimed in: "Yes, really put her in her place, make her realize her limits, stop bothering him."

"That's not right—it makes it seem like I care about her."

Dong Xuan refused verbally, but her eyes sparkled with eagerness; thus, half-heartedly, she went along.

The news that third-year student Dong Xuan, with her boyfriend Yan Li's help, had landed the female lead in the Wu Xia drama that had come to campus spread rapidly through North Film.

————

North Film, a small grove

Jia Nailiang stared at his girlfriend Huang Shengyi in confusion: "Why have you been ignoring me these past few days?"

Huang Shengyi replied dismissively: "I'm not feeling well."

"Where's it hurting? I'll take you to the hospital."

Hearing this, Jia Nailiang grew anxious; Huang Shengyi felt a faint warmth inside.

Though Jia Nailiang didn't understand her like Yan Li did, didn't feel like he'd entered her heart, and wasn't as good-looking or physically fit, and was softer in character—he truly cared for her, always indulged her.

Thinking it over, this wasn't so bad—no need to go back and eat the grass again.

Yan Li had just graduated; in the production team, he was probably just a runner-up, couldn't make any decisions…

As she thought this, Huang Shengyi's phone rang. She pulled it out and answered: "Hello?"

"What?!"

As if hearing some shocking news, Huang Shengyi raised her voice involuntarily, startling Jia Nailiang.

"Shengyi, what's wrong?"

Huang Shengyi shook her head and continued talking on the phone, her pale face shifting between light and shadow; after hanging up, she remained dazed for a moment.

Jia Nailiang, still uneasy, asked again: "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

Huang Shengyi forced a faint smile, but Jia Nailiang remained unconvinced, telling her to tell him if anything was wrong, that he would help share her burden.

If this had been minutes earlier, hearing Jia Nailiang's warm words might have moved Huang Shengyi—but now, she simply had no heart for it.

"I'm tired. I'm going back to the dorm."

"Let me walk you there."

"No need."

Huang Shengyi hurried away, leaving Jia Nailiang bewildered and uneasy, wondering if he had somehow upset her without realizing it.

On the other side, away from Jia Nailiang's sight, Huang Shengyi remembered the news she had just heard, clenched her teeth, and pulled out her phone to make a call.

Jimenli, bedroom

Yan Li glanced at the caller ID, hung up immediately, then resumed browsing stock information on his laptop.

Since returning to Jingcheng, he hadn't just been running errands for Li Peng—he'd kept studying the stock market in his spare time.

As he grew more familiar with the stock market, his intelligence network gradually began to show its power.

For instance, the Dell laptop before him, worth over six thousand yuan, was one of the spoils of his stock market exploits.

With this laptop, Yan Li could access news anytime, anywhere, giving him an even greater edge in navigating the stock market.

Right now, Yan Li's short-term goal was simple.

With a solid base of capital secured, he wanted to buy a car to take home for the New Year, and prepare some good gifts for his parents.

If things went even better, he wanted to stockpile internet cafe permits, and once he smoothed out the connections, invest in a few internet cafes just for fun.

Yan Li had often visited internet cafes while trading stocks, so he'd triggered plenty of intel on them.

This business truly made money—turn on a machine, and it's a printing press!

The key was not needing to worry too much: once connections were secured, or a partner with some background found, and a couple of reliable people put in charge, all he had to do was check accounts and count money—without interfering with his other activities.

Yan Li's family came from small business roots; by habit, he always felt stocks were too abstract—actual physical businesses felt more solid.

He didn't aim to make huge profits, just enough to cover his base—if stocks crashed and acting became too hard to survive in, he'd still have something to fall back on.

As always, stability came first…

(End of Chapter)