Chapter 94: A Single Tear from Qin Lan, a Star in the Sky

Late April and early May saw the SARS outbreak grow increasingly severe, affecting the entire country.

Yan Li temporarily abandoned his idea of going out soon, settling down at home with Qin Lan to enjoy their private world.

Every day, he woke up, ate, ate until full, then slept again!

Over time, perhaps due to adequate nutrition, Qin Lan gained several pounds and became radiant all over.

Although Yan Li exerted more effort, he was young, physically strong, and resilient, constantly inventing new ways to tease Qin Lan.

On the balcony, a washed bedsheet was always drying, sometimes accompanied by sofa cushions, quilt covers, tablecloths, and mops…

…

"Mmmh."

Qin Lan lay limp on the sofa, gasping for breath, while Yan Li slowly kissed the corners of her eyes and the lingering tears on her face.

This was Yan Li's recent discovery: when he teased her too harshly, Qin Lan cried not just in her eyes but all over her face, tears streaming endlessly.

It was then that Yan Li realized Qin Lan looked especially beautiful when she cried.

Dong Xuan also cried—like a pitiful little wife—with great emotional pull; she often used this tactic on Yan Li, and even though he knew it was fake, he still struggled to resist.

Qin Lan cried better than Dong Xuan—heartbreaking, delicate, with a sense of fragility that made him ache to comfort her.

Moreover, because she cried at unusual moments, it created a strong contrast and stimulation, leaving Yan Li both pained and intensely tempted to crush her in his arms.

As a result, Yan Li sometimes deliberately held back, determined to make Qin Lan cry—then gently soothe her.

At first, Qin Lan didn't realize it; after being made to cry a few times, she understood he was doing it on purpose.

Though she always pinched and scratched him afterward, she still indulged his antics.

Whether she truly enjoyed it herself was known only to her and Yan Li, who had his own intelligence network.

After a while of doting, Qin Lan went to the bathroom to clean up; Yan Li wiped himself casually, threw on any clothes, and sat down to watch TV.

Today was the premiere of "Conquest" on Jinmen Television.

Qin Lan, who hadn't watched "Conquest" in full, insisted on seeing the scene where Yan Li's character Wu Tian got shot dead; in response, the petty Yan Li punished her again.

Soon after, Qin Lan returned, frowning as she found an old, unworn shirt to cover the sofa, then snuggled into Yan Li's arms, waiting for the news to end while chatting.

"I told my agent to drop 'Dragon Ticket.'"

"Why drop it?"

Yan Li paused his playful stroking of Qin Lan's small hand: "That company produced 'Little Li Feidao' and also funded 'Golden Powder Family'—their production quality is still decent."

"Playing dumb, are you?"

Qin Lan gave him a amused look: "Don't think I don't know—you got upset the moment you heard Huang Xiaoming was playing the male lead in 'Dragon Ticket.' Your jealousy could be used as dumpling dip."

"Nonsense."

Yan Li gave her an expression of disdain: "He's just a former opponent. You should take the role—I'll visit the set and make out with you right in front of him. My senior brother's face will be priceless."

"How mean you are."

Qin Lan couldn't take it anymore: "He only chased me for a while, and I never paid him any attention. I already dropped 'Dragon Ticket.' There'll be no more contact—stop competing with him."

Yan Li sounded jealous: "You're defending him?"

"I don't care about him—I'm doing this for you."

Qin Lan kissed Yan Li, making her stance clear: "Huang Xiaoming is popular right now. Don't provoke him—you'll just make yourself a needless enemy."

Yan Li was considerably satisfied; his gaze softened as he looked at Qin Lan, and he returned the kiss.

With SARS raging outside and them confined at home, some psychological pressure was inevitable; behind their wild, reckless behavior these days lay a need for release.

At the same time, just as Qin Lan had hoped.

Under these circumstances, with only each other to rely on, spending every day entwined, their feelings deepened rapidly.

Yan Li never said it aloud, but inside, his feelings for Qin Lan had already changed.

If Huang Shengyi had any contact with her ex-boyfriend, he might feel annoyed, but he wouldn't be furious—he'd simply let go cleanly.

But the moment Qin Lan was offered a role with Huang Xiaoming, who had once pursued her, he grew jealous—even deliberately letting her know, testing her reaction.

"By the way, didn't your agent say anything about you not taking roles?"

Yan Li suddenly remembered and asked: your agent had fought hard to get you the female second lead in 'Dragon Ticket'—you turned it down. Wouldn't she have opinions?

"Of course she did—she scolded me thoroughly."

Qin Lan pouted slightly, then added proudly: "But now 'Huanzhu Gege 3' is about to air, and she's counting on me becoming famous so she can get promoted and receive a raise—she has no other options."

Yan Li shook his head: "I'll take responsibility—I'll compensate you with a new drama, female lead role."

"Fine, I'll wait."

Qin Lan didn't take it seriously; she knew little about "Conquest," only that she'd done some behind-the-scenes work, held the title of producer, made some money, and was doing well—nothing more.

To her, Yan Li's greatest impression remained the young actor who once practiced lines with her in a small grove in Hengdian.

"It's starting, it's starting."

After chatting a while, the news ended. The commercials finished, and finally, the first episode of "Conquest" began.

As the opening credits rolled, Qin Lan finally got her wish—she saw the scene where Yan Li's character Wu Tian was shot dead, bang-bang-bang.

"Satisfying!"

Qin Lan waved her tiny fists; she was constantly teased by Yan Li, and her petty revenge was harmless—she could only "avenge" herself through this drama.

Yan Li ignored her, watching his own "corpse" on screen, and suddenly thought of his other two dramas.

He'd heard from Cheng Lidong that "The Treasure Basin" was nearly finished and preparing to contact local channels.

But the earliest completed drama, "Heroes of Sui and Tang," had remained silent.

Logically, with so many stars and its adaptation from a famous storytelling classic, it should have sold easily—likely delayed by post-production or other issues.

But for Yan Li, it was better if "Heroes of Sui and Tang" aired later.

After all, he couldn't imagine the expressions on his family and friends' faces if they saw Yuwen Chengdu lining up to be Li Rongrong's love interest.

Even Yan Li had often harbored malicious hopes that this drama would never air, so his black history could forever gather dust in storage.

Yan Li had watched bits and pieces of "Conquest" countless times already, long losing interest, but Qin Lan watched it with great delight.

She had seen a few segments before, but never the beginning, so the plot felt somewhat incoherent.

Now watching from the start, she found the quality truly excellent—no wonder it had swept across multiple cities and succeeded in broadcasting nationwide.

Qin Lan watched while constantly offering commentary.

One moment she complained that Sun Honglei looked menacing, the next that the police chief looked even more terrifying; all the male actors, in her eyes, were monstrous fiends.

Yet she praised the female actors highly, finding Liu Weiwei fair-skinned and elegant, and Jiang Shan especially she lauded for her lingering charm and outstanding acting.

"Did you have any scenes with Jiang Shan? What's she like?"

As the only well-known artist in "Conquest," Jiang Shan received Qin Lan's gossip treatment.

Yan Li's eyes flickered with a strange expression: "She's fine, very considerate toward younger actors."

"See?"

Qin Lan clapped her hands: "I always thought Teacher Jiang Shan looked kind, like a warm and friendly older sister."

Yan Li: "..."

(End of Chapter)