Chapter 80: Help Li Bingbing Secure the Female Lead in Mobile Phone (Request First Subscription)

[... I’m not a petty person. The past grievances with the Ju Bao Pen production team are hereby buried. From now on, we go our separate ways.]

In the taxi, Yan Li looked at the text message from Fan Xiaopang, tapped his fingers lightly, and replied with one word.

{Good}

Afterward, Yan Li put away his phone and looked at Li Bingbing: “Go on.”

Li Bingbing leaving with Yan Li was certainly not some melodramatic love story.

Yan Li’s eloquence and charm weren’t powerful enough to win over a popular young actress in a few hours.

Li Bingbing’s real goal was to test his mettle, to feel out his capabilities.

Her younger sister, Li Xue, was also an agent under Wang Jinghua, though currently only an executive agent.

Wang Jinghua had immediately offered Yan Li the terms of a full agent, wanting to know what he was capable of—and if he was worthy, to learn from him for her sister’s sake.

To comprehensively assess Yan Li’s abilities, Li Bingbing even revealed she was vying for the female lead in Mobile Phone, using it as an excuse to seek his advice.

Of course, Li Bingbing wouldn’t casually reveal the actual backstage details of the competition.

She only mentioned surface-level information, just to gauge his judgment.

But Li Bingbing didn’t know that Yan Li had a system.

As it neared midnight, Li Bingbing’s words triggered the daily intelligence update, so Yan Li immediately uncovered the casting secrets of Mobile Phone.

Hmph, Li Bingbing isn’t as valued as I thought!

In terms of fame, Li Bingbing is a popular young actress, no worse than the so-called Four Little Goddesses.

In terms of connections, she’s had a long-standing relationship with Wang Jinghua and gets along well with the Wang brothers—even helping facilitate Wang Jinghua’s collaboration with Huayi Brothers, making her one of the few Huayi artists who can navigate both sides smoothly.

Yet Wang Jinghua favors promoting Fan Xiaopang, and the Wang brothers are even considering using outside artists.

Li Bingbing fully expected to be among the final candidates; in reality, she barely ranked in the top ten.

Sensing Yan Li’s mood, Li Bingbing paused her story, frowning slightly.

“What’s wrong? Something not right?”

“Uh...”

They weren’t close enough for deep talk; Yan Li didn’t want to offend Wang Jinghua or the Wang brothers.

But since their conversation had gone well, he still gave Li Bingbing a clear path forward.

“Who the movie casts—Feng Dao is the final decision-maker. If he agrees, everyone else will fall in line.”

Li Bingbing had her own unique advantages.

Although Wang Jinghua and the Wang brothers didn’t see her as their top choice, they wouldn’t reject her either—after all, Li Bingbing starring in Mobile Phone aligned with Wang Jinghua’s and Huayi’s interests.

If that’s the case, don’t rely on either side. Focus your efforts on Feng Xiaogang.

If Feng Xiaogang supports you, you can use that leverage to persuade Wang Jinghua and the Wang brothers, greatly increasing your chances.

Yan Li’s words referred to the importance of sequence, but Li Bingbing didn’t understand—she even thought his advice was nonsense.

Of course she needed Feng Xiaogang’s approval to be the female lead in his film—his words were as empty as saying nothing at all.

Li Bingbing felt disappointed, thinking Wang Jinghua might have misjudged him.

Yan Li noticed Li Bingbing’s condescension but didn’t care much.

With this little connection, a single warning was enough. If she didn’t get it, fine—it had nothing to do with him anyway.

After dropping Li Bingbing off at her residential complex, Yan Li left in the car; Li Bingbing went upstairs to her home.

Her sister Li Xue was watching TV, and upon seeing her return, asked: “How was it?”

“Fine.”

Li Bingbing changed her shoes, sank onto the sofa, chatted idly with her sister, then brought up Yan Li, recounting the evening, and sighed:

“This guy’s good at talking. I bet Hua-jie was fooled by him.”

After speaking, she noticed her sister remained silent, head bowed, and nudged her foot.

“What are you thinking about?”

“I’m thinking about what Yan Li said.”

“What’s there to think about? It’s just nonsense.”

Li Bingbing was speechless, but Li Xue shook her head: “No, something’s off. He seemed to mean more than he said.”

“Meant more?”

Li Bingbing repeated Yan Li’s words, found nothing unusual: “You’re overthinking it.”

“No, sister, repeat the whole conversation again—don’t miss any details.”

Li Xue urged Li Bingbing to recount every detail of her talk with Yan Li. Li Bingbing, unable to refuse, strained to remember. As she spoke, Li Xue’s eyes grew brighter.

“Yes! You felt his reaction was off—he must have seen something. When you asked him what was wrong, he suddenly mentioned Feng Dao—he was hinting at you, just indirectly.”

Hearing her sister’s analysis, Li Bingbing also sensed something strange—but still didn’t grasp the hidden meaning in Yan Li’s words.

Li Xue, however, caught the implication: “If Feng Dao agrees, everyone else will fall in line—who exactly is ‘everyone else’?”

The more she thought, the more she murmured to herself. Li Xue looked at Li Bingbing: “Sister, what’s Yan Li’s phone number?”

Li Bingbing was glad she’d saved his number—she pulled out her phone and dialed. Li Xue took the call herself.

“Mr. Yan Li? This is Li Xue, Li Bingbing’s sister. We have a favor to ask...”

Jimen Li

Yan Li hung up the phone after entering his home, silently marveling: a beautiful sister, a clever younger sister—Li family’s fortune is indeed deep.

After tidying up his home, about half an hour later, the doorbell rang. Li Bingbing and Li Xue stood outside.

“Sorry to disturb you so late.”

“No problem. Come in.”

Yan Li let them in, poured them both hot water. It was late, he was tired, and they’d already exchanged some words on the phone—so he cut straight to the point.

“I can help—but what’s in it for me?”

Though younger and less famous than Li Bingbing, Li Xue was now the lead negotiator.

“We don’t yet know how much you can help us.”

Yan Li smiled: “Then how will you judge how much effort I put in, how great my contribution?”

The two circled around each other in cautious exchange. Li Bingbing grew impatient and interrupted.

“If I land the role, I owe you a favor.”

“Favors are hard to price.”

Yan Li shook his head. Li Bingbing held back her sister, who was about to speak, and asked directly:

“Then what do you want?”

Yan Li took a sip of water, sized up Li Bingbing from head to toe: “I want you...”

Before the sisters could turn pale, Yan Li finished: “...to act in one of my films later, at a friend’s discount.”

A popular young actress—if she landed the role in Mobile Phone, Li Bingbing’s career would climb another rung.

Later, when Yan Li invested in film and television projects, bringing her on board could raise the selling price of the drama.

“Act in one of your films? Are you switching to behind the scenes?”

Li Bingbing was confused—wasn’t Yan Li just a minor actor? How could he speak so confidently?

“Just say yes or no.”

Yan Li gave no explanation. Li Bingbing held back her sister, nodded, and replied bluntly: “Fine.”

In intelligence, she was no match for her sister.

In boldness, at under twenty, Li Bingbing had decisively quit her elementary school teaching job and moved to Shanghai to audition for the Shanghai Theatre Academy.

Later, when her mother fell seriously ill and the family went into debt, Li Bingbing, still young, shouldered the entire household burden—paying off debts, covering living expenses, and funding her sister’s tuition. She was, at heart, a woman who dared to gamble and bear responsibility.

Though unsure how much help Yan Li could offer, since her sister believed in him and he himself seemed confident, she was willing to take the risk.

Worst case, she’d take a low-paying role in a bad film later—what actor hadn’t done that?

“Good character.”

Yan Li praised her, his eyes filled with appreciation. He realized he’d misjudged her earlier.

Intelligence doesn’t guarantee success. Though it was Li Xue who led the strategy and devised plans, the one truly willing to make bold decisions and stand up was Li Bingbing.

Li Xue couldn’t retract her sister’s words, so she patched it up.

“You can owe us one film—but it must be a legitimate role in a legitimate production.”

If Yan Li offered her a pornographic film or some degrading part, Li Bingbing would never accept it.

“Of course.”

Yan Li agreed readily—he was after Li Bingbing making him money, so he’d never sink to such nonsense.

In fact, if possible, he’d even secure her a good script and a strong role—he’d earn more, Li Bingbing would benefit, and they’d both win.

Perhaps inspired by Li Bingbing’s decisiveness, and to show sincerity to the Li sisters, Yan Li let his personality show.

“If you don’t land the role, consider it my wasted effort—the deal is void.”

“Alright, it’s settled.”

Li Bingbing and Yan Li slapped hands, sealing their agreement.

(End of Chapter)