Chapter 79

"Oh, I see."

Li Bingbing sized up Yan Li and Fan Xiaopang, then smiled with understanding.

Earlier, she had been puzzled why Tong Dawei had brought an outsider to their internal gathering.

Now it was clear: Yan Li was almost certainly here for Fan Xiaopang; Tong Dawei had played matchmaker.

"You two chat, I'll go talk to Quan'er."

Li Bingbing kindly chose to leave; Yan Li didn't hesitate—he plopped down beside Fan Xiaopang, who instinctively shifted away.

"What are you up to?!"

He'd tricked her a few times during The Treasure Basin; she had conditioned reflexes.

"You're such a suspicious person—too loud. Lean closer, we'll talk clearer."

Yan Li, aiming to ease tensions, spoke up: "During the shoot, we might've had a small misunderstanding. Looking back, it was inappropriate for a grown man like me to feud with a young girl like you. Since we've run into each other today, I'd like to apologize."

"..."

With Yan Li's apology, Fan Xiaopang grew even more uneasy, shifting further away.

"Be honest—what dirty trick are you planning? Listen, Yan, this is Jingcheng, these are all my friends and colleagues. Don't even think about pulling anything shady."

Yan Li was speechless; he raised his voice slightly: "I'm sincerely trying to make peace, clear up the misunderstanding. Can you stop thinking the worst of me?"

"You're not just bad—you're petty. Now you suddenly change your attitude—who knows what trap you're setting?"

Fan Xiaopang was blunt: her three biggest impressions of Yan Li.

Petty, sycophantic, scheming man.

A petty, scheming man suddenly switching to charm? Of course she was wary.

"I offered my heart to the bright moon, but the moon lit only the ditch."

Seeing Fan Xiaopang's suspicion, Yan Li had no options—he couldn't throw a tantrum begging to be friends; he wasn't that desperate.

Nine hundred million in wealth was impressive, but he wasn't without his own leverage—the earth turned without any one person.

So Yan Li stopped pressing. He raised his cup and declared loudly: "Whether you believe me or not, what I just said was sincere. If I ever wronged you, I apologize."

Saying that, he downed the drink, stood, and left. Fan Xiaopang watched his retreating back, uncertain.

Was he really here to make peace?

Fan Xiaopang thought calmly—it wasn't impossible.

After all, they'd never had any real conflict—just minor friction from mutual dislike.

On set, they'd stubbornly clashed out of pride, but once off set, calm reflection might've made it all seem pointless.

Though Fan Xiaopang thought Yan Li petty and scheming, she had to admit he was a polished, worldly man.

If he was a man of the world, choosing to turn enemy into ally made sense—benefits outweighed risks.

"This..."

Realizing her mistake, Fan Xiaopang felt awkward—he'd taken the first step to reconcile, yet she'd been suspicious and sarcastic, making her seem petty.

She hesitated whether to go after him, take the easy way out, and bury the hatchet.

Then she looked up—and saw Yan Li already chatting with Li Bingbing. Whatever he'd said, Li Bingbing was laughing uncontrollably.

Seeing this, Fan Xiaopang sat back down.

Though she'd been sitting beside Li Bingbing, chatting warmly, their relationship wasn't as harmonious as it seemed.

Years ago, they'd been close—Fan Xiaopang's signing with Wang Jinghua had been arranged by Ren Quan and Li Bingbing.

But over the past two years, as Fan Xiaopang's career soared, two rising female artists under the same agency, same manager, inevitably clashed over resources.

Plus, both shared the name "Bingbing." Media loved comparing them; their fanbases gradually grew hostile.

Now, on the surface they were cordial, but in truth, they'd entered a low-level rivalry.

Earlier, during the casting controversy for Young Bao Qingtian 2, Fan Xiaopang had edged ahead. Now both were vying for the female lead in Feng Xiaogang's new film, Mobile.

So when Fan Xiaopang saw Yan Li and Li Bingbing hitting it off, she immediately lost interest in joining them.

She and this scheming man were truly incompatible!

Forget it. After the party ends, I'll find a chance to tell him to bury the past—we'll each take our own path.

On the other side, Yan Li had no idea what Fan Xiaopang was thinking—he was chatting with Li Bingbing about industry gossip.

In this area, Yan Li was a genuine expert.

Being in the industry meant even the system's occasional bursts of intel, accumulated over time, gave him plenty of inside knowledge.

But Yan Li was a gentleman—he never leaked private scandals. He stuck to harmless tidbits or amusing anecdotes, things that wouldn't upset the subjects even if they heard them.

These little gossip pieces and anecdotes livened up conversation, and with Yan Li's sharp tongue, the effect was even better.

Li Bingbing clearly enjoyed talking to him—especially after learning Yan Li and Fan Xiaopang had no real connection, her attitude grew warmer and more affectionate.

"I only just learned from Dawei—you're Jinghua's manager now?"

"I'll have to tell Jinghua—you're this handsome, wasting your talent behind the scenes."

Li Bingbing meant it sincerely: Yan Li had a strong, handsome face, a solid build and bearing, excellent outward qualities, and a formal education—she'd never choose to work behind the scenes either.

"That's a narrow view."

But Yan Li disagreed: "Though I declined Jinghua's offer, I've always felt she truly understands me."

Li Bingbing asked curiously: "How so?"

"Handsome? That's my least important advantage. I play for substance—I earn with ability."

"Eeeeh—"

Li Bingbing scoffed: "Your shameless personality? Perfect for acting."

Yan Li took a sip of wine: "I'll take that as a compliment."

The two chatted well and exchanged phone numbers; Yan Li was quite satisfied—he had met and made friends with a popular young actress, so this outing was worth it.

They played until nearly eleven-thirty, when two people gradually left, signaling that today's gathering was about to end.

Those who wanted to keep playing could stay; those who wanted to go home could return to their own homes and find their own mothers.

Yan Li found the bar too noisy and had no intention of staying; seeing others leave, he bid farewell to Xia Yu and the others, preparing to go home, with Tong Dawei seeing him out.

Fan Xiaopang saw Yan Li leave and prepared to rise and follow him to settle things.

But Li Bingbing picked up her bag and said she would walk out with Yan Li.

With the area's poor security, no one felt comfortable letting a girl return home alone, so it was common for a man to see her home or wait for someone to pick her up.

Yet no one expected Li Bingbing to abandon Ren Quan, with whom she had always been close, and instead choose Yan Li, whom she had just met today.

Many secretly watched Ren Quan's reaction—rumors in the streets claimed Li and Ren were a couple.

Ren Quan's reaction was calm; he smiled and wished them both safe travels, then continued drinking with Xia Yu and the others.

Fan Xiaopang glanced at Yan Li leaving with Li Bingbing, her delicate eyebrows slightly furrowed; after hesitating, she pulled out her phone and sent a text to Tong Dawei.

【... Send me Yan Li's phone number.】

(End of Chapter)