Chapter 89

April 1st, the entertainment circle was rocked by a massive scandal: Hong Kong superstar Zhang Guorong jumped to his death.

This news dominated every news outlet; even SARS and the Iraq War had to yield their front pages.

The internet was flooded with the incident; several forums exploded, spawning numerous conspiracy theories and turning into chaotic debates.

Yan Li was also deeply shocked by the event and briefly paid his respects, as he had grown up watching Zhang's films and listening to his songs.

After that, he returned to his own affairs.

At the same time, Beijing's sub-channel rebroadcasted "Conquest" again, with still-strong ratings; once, Yan Li was even recognized while out in public.

A woman in her forties or fifties stared at him for half a minute, then declared firmly.

"You're the little thug who beat up Du Mei."

Although the woman couldn't remember Wu Tian's name, confused Jiang Shan's character Li Li from "Conquest" with Du Mei from "Guoba Yan," and recalled a convoluted plot point, the scene nearly drew a crowd around Yan Li.

But being recognized as an actor for the first time still left Yan Li with a satisfying sense of nostalgia.

Not only offline, but as "Conquest" gradually aired on multiple local channels, its influence expanded, and a few netizens began noticing his portrayal of Wu Tian.

The most common comment was that Yan Li looked good—especially compared to the tough guys in "Conquest," he stood out like a crane among chickens.

Another frequent remark was his line to Jiang Shan: "Do you know what you look like right now? Like a chicken."

Actually, this line originally came from "Guoba Yan," where Jiang Shan's female lead, dressed seductively for a date, provoked her boyfriend Wang Zhiwen's displeasure—"You look like a chicken."

This line was an intentional inside joke by Lao Gao, who cast Jiang Shan in the role.

Many viewers who had seen "Guoba Yan" understood the reference and began mocking it.

The popularity on local channels helped accelerate "Conquest"'s satellite broadcast schedule.

Satellite channel time slots aren't something you can just book on demand.

The prime time slot from 7:30 to 10:00 PM typically allows only two to three episodes, usually two, totaling about sixty episodes per month—equivalent to one or two TV dramas.

Even including the secondary prime time after ten PM, an average month only sees three or four TV dramas aired, not counting repeats.

So not only is it hard to sell a drama to a satellite channel, but even after selling it, you still have to wait in line.

Normally, if a drama airs within one or two months after sale, it's considered smooth; waiting several months is common, and delays of over half a year are not rare.

To move up the queue or jump ahead, you need strong viewership ratings from local channels and significant influence from the drama itself.

If a TV station sees potential in a drama, it may give it preferential treatment—even placing it in a premium slot and treating it as a key annual project.

"Conquest" performed well, but not well enough to be classified as a key project, so it was moved up slightly—but not placed in the summer vacation slot.

Tianjin Satellite TV had already internally decided to premiere it in May; Hebei Province hadn't confirmed yet, but likely also in May or June.

Yan Li was pleased, as this timing coincided with SARS, when everyone stayed home watching TV—perfect for boosting ratings.

More importantly, the earlier it aired, the sooner he could receive the TV station's final payment.

TV stations typically don't pay the full amount upfront; payments are split into three stages: signing, delivery, and broadcast.

【Signing】 is the initial payment or deposit after signing the contract, usually 20–30%.

【Delivery】 is the mid-payment after the TV station receives the finished drama, ranging from 30% to 50%.

【Broadcast】 is the final payment, settled shortly after the drama ends, typically 20–40%.

The exact percentages and timelines depend on the contract; each purchase agreement has unique clauses, and both parties can negotiate modifications.

But a contract is just a contract—it may not hold up when it matters most!

Aside from CCTV and a few well-funded first-tier satellite channels, no TV station pays on time.

Getting paid within six months is considered respectable; some delay for one or two years, and others never pay at all, turning into bad debts.

Some film and television companies have been literally dragged to death by this!

Whenever this happens, Yan Li is deeply grateful for his intelligence network, which helps him assess the character and commercial reliability of TV stations or their responsible personnel.

He can't guarantee zero risk, but it reduces danger and helps avoid being cheated.

For "Conquest," his partners were Tianjin Satellite TV and Hebei Satellite TV.

The former, as a municipality-affiliated station, isn't a first-tier satellite channel, but has ample funds and pays promptly.

Hebei Satellite TV is poorer and often delays payments, but never for too long, and in recent years has never defaulted or left debts unpaid.

Such partners, despite flaws, still fall within Yan Li's acceptable range.

As for satellite channels that delay final payments for two or three years—or worse, default entirely—no matter how high their offer, Yan Li refuses to work with them; he simply can't bear the stress.

…

"Conquest"'s satellite scheduling went smoothly, and good news also came from Li Bingbing.

She successfully landed the female lead in "Cell Phone"!

The Li sisters excitedly invited Yan Li to dinner to celebrate, and he gladly accepted.

When he arrived, he discovered Wang Jinghua was also there, enthusiastically pulling him into conversation.

After a while, Wang Jinghua took a call and stepped out of the private room; Li Xue seized the chance to apologize to Yan Li.

"Sorry, my sister let slip that you were here, and Hua-jie insisted on coming over—we couldn't stop her."

"I understand."

Yan Li nodded, then teased: "I actually enjoy dining with Hua-jie—she compliments people so beautifully, it makes the food taste better."

Li Xue laughed: "What do you think of Hua-jie?"

"My life mentor, a respected senior I deeply admire—I love when she praises me. No one else's praise feels the same."

Li Xue blinked: "What about when I praise you?"

Yan Li paused: "Compared to Hua-jie, you still need practice—you're not hitting the right spot."

"Cheeky."

Li Xue laughed and slapped him lightly; Yan Li didn't mind. Nearby, Li Bingbing had been watching their banter, growing restless, and cleared his throat to call out to his sister.

"Xue'er, sit over here with me."

Li Xue was reluctant: "I'm sitting here to greet guests."

"No need to be so formal—we're all family."

Seeing Li Bingbing about to shoot daggers with her eyes, Yan Li took the initiative to pull Li Xue over and make her sit beside Li Bingbing.

Li Bingbing still wasn't satisfied; she Ma Deli Xue switch seats with her, sat in the middle to separate Yan Li from her sister, gave Yan Li a warning glance, then pulled out her phone and sent him a text.

【Don't even think about my sister】

Yan Li felt wronged—he was the one Li Xue came to talk to, and he hadn't done a thing.

【I'm innocent】

Although Yan Li explained himself, Li Bingbing remained wary; her sister Li Xue might be smart, but that didn't mean she understood men.

And though she was only two years older than her sister, she'd spent years in the entertainment industry, seen countless types of men, and sharpened her judgment.

This Yan Li guy was clearly a womanizer!

Being a womanizer was bad enough, but he was also good-looking, eloquent, had excellent speaking skills, a sharp mind, and outstanding abilities.

Men like this were most appealing to women—and most likely to break their hearts.

Li Bingbing knew exactly how inexperienced her sister was; facing someone like Yan Li, she'd be completely devoured and then kicked aside.

So she had to warn and protect her sister, keep her from falling for Yan Li's tricks, and avoid being tricked into giving away both body and heart.

Thus, during the rest of the meal, Li Bingbing did everything she could to keep her sister and Yan Li apart, avoiding any contact between them.

Yan Li didn't care, but Li Xue was angry, thinking her sister was being excessive.

Regardless of anything else, Yan Li had helped them both so much—Li Bingbing acting like he was a thief was heartless.

Wang Jinghua had noticed all this; her gaze shifted between the two Li sisters, thoughtful.

Is Li Bingbing guarding against Yan Li—or against her sister Li Xue?

After the meal ended, Li Bingbing forcibly sent Li Xue to see Wang Jinghua off, while she personally saw Yan Li off.

She also apologized for her earlier behavior and reiterated her request: don't get too close to her sister.

Yan Li nodded: "Relax—I'm not into your sister's type."

Hearing that, Li Bingbing grew curious: "Then what type do you like?"

"Someone a bit older, cheerful, with a strong, spirited appearance—and preferably has a sister…"

Before Yan Li finished, Li Bingbing kicked him in annoyance: "You've been flirting with my sister, and now you're teasing me?"

"I wasn't flirting with your sister."

Yan Li denied it. Li Bingbing paused, then realized: "So you're just teasing me, then?"

"If you don't like it, bring your sister along too."

"Get lost."

Watching Yan Li leave, Li Bingbing touched her cheek and muttered softly: "Strong, spirited…"

————

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(End of chapter)