Chapter 90

Ding-ding-ding—

The phone rang; Yan Li glanced at Dong Xuan heating milk in the kitchen, paused briefly, then answered.

"Hello?"

A slightly anxious voice came through the phone: "Check Sina. com—paparazzi took photos of you and my sister."

"Huh?"

Yan Li was baffled—this system was useless; it didn't even notify him when paparazzi snapped him.

He opened his computer and, following Li Xue's instructions, quickly found the article.

"Li Bingbing Meets Mysterious Man at Night, Affectionate Posture Suggests New Romance"

The article's content was simple—roughly matching the headline—with average detail but supported by photos.

About four or five photos: Li Bingbing and Yan Li leaving a restaurant together, walking side by side, talking—most striking and crucial was one photo—

Li Bingbing feigned hitting him, but without any anger; Yan Li smiled, as if playfully teasing like a couple.

"Tsk, the shot's pretty good."

Yan Li commented, then specifically checked the byline.

The report was a Sina reprint, sourced from the Jingcheng Entertainment News, reporter named Cao Xuan.

"What are you looking at?"

Dong Xuan had suddenly appeared behind Yan Li, staring at the screen, her expression subtly odd.

"Rumors."

Yan Li took the milk from her hand, dismissed it carelessly, and urged her to browse thoroughly while grumbling aloud.

"No fame means pity—get caught in a rumor and you're called 'mysterious man.' Didn't this reporter ever watch 'Conquest'?"

"How did you meet her?"

Dong Xuan carefully studied the photos; aside from the last playful shot, which stung a bit, nothing seemed amiss, and she quietly relaxed, then cautiously probed about Yan Li's relationship with Li Bingbing.

Li Bingbing was a top-tier rising star, ranked among the industry's elite—normally, they shouldn't have any connection.

Yan Li sipped the milk: "Interrogating me?"

Dong Xuan was about to nod, then remembered something, forced a smile, and softened her tone: "I'm just curious—is it wrong to ask?"

"I don't want to say."

"Come on, tell me."

Dong Xuan circled behind Yan Li, massaging his shoulders and pounding his back, her voice sweet and soft as she coaxed him.

After their last breakup, Dong Xuan had replayed it repeatedly, consulted several girlfriends for analysis, and gradually developed a new strategy to handle Yan Li.

Yan Li was soft-hearted, not hard-nosed—gentle tactics worked better than force.

For instance, if you suspect he's involved with someone else, unless you have clear proof, never start with aggressive accusations—it triggers his resistance, and if it's a misunderstanding, it's hard to fix.

Use your feminine advantage: pout, whine, hint subtly, dismantle his defenses and vigilance, and circle around to find out what you want to know.

The effect was excellent—and if you guessed wrong, it wouldn't damage your relationship.

Their last breakup had a reason, and feelings still lingered, leaving room for reconciliation—but it still affected their bond.

Even now, they'd never clarified whether they were officially back together—their status was vague.

Dong Xuan sometimes introduced Yan Li as her boyfriend; he never denied it, but never confirmed it either.

Under these conditions, if they quarreled again or broke up, it would be snow on ice, rain through a leaky roof.

Also, don't forget one thing: Yan Li is no longer who he was.

Though Yan Li never revealed his exact wealth, fragments of conversation with Lin Jiachuan and his increasingly generous spending confirmed he was now wealthy.

When Yan Li was a penniless student, junior girls still tried to steal him away.

Now that he's doing well, women will flock to him even more.

As long as Dong Xuan and Yan Li stayed stable, she could handle each threat as it came and keep the other women at bay.

But if they had a conflict, those vixens would strike, sow discord—and by then, even if Dong Xuan wanted to win him back, it'd be hard, maybe even impossible.

So Dong Xuan suppressed her emotions, lowered her stance, and patiently coaxed him, inch by inch, probing for intelligence.

…

To be fair, the tactic actually worked.

If Dong Xuan had stormed over an unproven rumor, the self-righteous Yan Li might have explained—but he might also have resented her.

But now, Dong Xuan didn't cry or rage—she just coaxed and teased—and Yan Li, in good spirits, not only explained, but also reassured her himself.

"I helped her out, she invited me to dinner—her sister and her agent Wang Jinghua were there too."

As he spoke, Yan Li told Dong Xuan to wait, then called Wang Jinghua right in front of her.

"Hello, Sister Wang, Li Xue just called me—said the paparazzi caught us last night when Bingbing saw me off. Is it a problem? Do you need me to cooperate?"

Wang Jinghua's calm voice replied: "No problem—we're already preparing a clarification."

"It's probably because of the 'Cellphone' role—Bingbing got the part, someone's unhappy. If reporters approach you, ignore them."

"Understood."

Yan Li exchanged a few pleasantries, hung up, and turned to Dong Xuan: "Believe me now?"

"When did I say I didn't believe you? I was just curious, asking casually."

Dong Xuan knew it was a misunderstanding—the gloom lifted, her face brightened with a sunny smile—but as she tried to slip away, Yan Li grabbed her back.

"You accuse me falsely and think you can run off? It's not that easy."

Dong Xuan had her tactics; Yan Li was equally skilled at seizing opportunities.

If you don't give a proper scolding when he's clean, to remind her of his power, what will you use as a shield if something real ever happens?

Dong Xuan, seeing Yan Li's mischievous grin, quickly covered her mouth and mumbled.

I haven't eaten yet?

Yan Li patiently unbuttoned her blouse: "This time let's try something new—have you heard of latex?"

Dong Xuan was stunned: "Huh?"

"Translated, it's a colloidal emulsion formed by polymer particles dispersed in water. Come on, I'll teach you."

"…"

About half an hour later, Dong Xuan pinched Yan Li hard, firmly rejecting his offer to apply the face mask, then stormed into the bathroom to wash her face and hair.

Yan Li tidied up, ate breakfast slowly, then sent a message to Li Bingbing.

【Is that article okay?】

Li Bingbing, presumably not busy, replied quickly, saying it was no big deal.

Which popular star hasn't had some gossip or scandal? It's not like they were caught in any intimate contact—no need to take it too seriously.

【But you be careful—someone might dig up your dirt.】

Li Bingbing met a mysterious man at night—but Li Bingbing isn't the focus; the focus is who the mysterious man is and what their relationship is.

Although Li Bingbing's side is preparing a clarification, a clarification alone won't make this go away.

There are plenty of people with nothing better to do who are curious about gossip, and reporters and paparazzi will use this to chase clicks and grab attention.

【Let them dig—it's not like I have anything to hide. Maybe it'll even make me famous.】

Yan Li remained utterly calm. Barefoot, he fears no one in shoes—he's an actor so obscure he doesn't even make it to the eighteenth tier. If news breaks about him, it's actually good.

If I didn't become famous from acting, becoming embroiled in gossip with a popular female star counts as fame too…

(End of Chapter)