Chinese Entertainment Intelligence King

Chapter 201 Investing in Tudou.com, Xue Rengui Starts Filming, Fan Xiaopang "Catches the Adulterer" [Long Chapter of 10,000 Words]

In early October, the final episode of "Bright Sword" aired, with an average viewership rating of over 10%, a peak rating of 13.7%, and a market share of approximately 30%.

The characters, including Li Yunlong, became wildly popular throughout China, making the second and third runs of "Bright Sword" and local TV channels more popular than ever before.

The show is a huge hit, so there's no worry about selling it.

TV stations, including satellite channels, were vying for it. Even Yi An, who was a dominant force in the distribution industry, experienced the feeling of being "carried away".

Even though Yan Li always regarded the TV series "Bright Sword" as a way to boost the company's brand and did not emphasize profits.

However, with the 400 million yuan investment that secured a 45% stake in "Bright Sword" and the distribution rights, Yi An made a huge profit, ranking among the top in terms of revenue among all the projects produced by the company.

Meanwhile, what many people didn't notice was that "Bright Sword" not only sold its DVD rights but also its online rights.

Not only "Bright Sword", but also most of the works produced and co-produced by Yi An and distributed by her, had their online copyrights sold to a video website called Tudou.com.

More accurately, it wasn't sold to Tudou.com, but to a company called [Yi'an Media].

The company bought out the permanent online rights to these shows and then granted them to Tudou.com for a specified period.

The reason why Yi'an Media is so generous is related to the fact that its parent company, Yanye Capital, has just invested in Tudou.com.

In early October, Yanye Capital acquired a 30% stake in Tudou.com for $1 million (approximately RMB 8 million), along with the right to use the official copyrights of several hit dramas held by Yi'an, and the attraction of traffic from the presence of several celebrities.

This negotiation was not well-known to the outside world, nor did anyone pay attention to it, but it was actually quite intense.

The founding team of Tudou.com never intended to sell so many shares.

Their plan is to keep it below 20%, preferably below 15%. Of course, selling fewer shares and raising less money is acceptable; $50 would be enough to keep them running for a while.

If we hold on for a while longer, we can try to secure Series A funding.

Wang Wei, the founder of Tudou.com, is no ordinary person. He once worked for a well-known overseas media group and rose to the position of head of the Greater China region. He was a high-level executive and knew people in all walks of life.

As long as Tudou.com achieves some success, Wang Wei can use his network to secure funding.

Therefore, during the angel round, he did not want to give up too many shares, as this would affect the founding team's say and subsequent financing.

But Yan Li wasn't stupid; he had thoroughly investigated Tudou.com, including some monthly intelligence related to the future.

The angel round is when you can get the largest share with the least amount of capital. If you don't take a big cut at this stage and get a few percent of the shares, the subsequent rounds of financing will dilute the value, leaving you with only a small fraction and greatly reducing the project's returns.

He would rather spend more money and resources to acquire enough shares in the angel round, so that he can maintain a relatively small shareholding in the future.

Therefore, Yan Li offered the incentive of copyright.

Although we are currently in a copyright wasteland with rampant piracy, owning legitimate copyrights still has many advantages, allowing you to get the biggest slice of the pie.

Many hit dramas, such as "Bright Sword" and "Chinese Paladin", could benefit from a certain degree of exclusive broadcasting.

What this means for a new video website is self-evident.

Not to mention Yan Li also used celebrity resources to lure users, with many celebrities joining under their own names, and there were also some traffic-driving collaborations that helped Tudou.com make a name for itself and attract users at a very low cost.

Tudou.com might have channels to attract funding, but film and television copyrights and celebrity resources are not easy to obtain.

Many people in the entertainment industry don't even know how to use a blog, and they have absolutely no concept of internet investment and cooperation.

Even if Tudou could handle some of it himself, the cost, scale, and level of cooperation would be far less impressive than Yan Li's.

Most importantly, Yan Liming said that if Tudou.com wouldn't cooperate, he would find someone else.

I heard that LeTV is also trying to attract investment, and a senior executive at Sohu has gathered a group of people to research video websites.

Yan Li has money and resources. If Tudou.com won't cooperate, he'll just find someone else.

Under duress and inducement, Tudou.com chose to compromise, but tried its best to reduce Yan Li's proposed 45% stake to 30%. Of course, in doing so, it also made certain concessions to Yan Li in terms of influence and financing.

Tudou.com isn't an insider and doesn't know the true value of the "King of Cereals," but they certainly experienced firsthand how difficult Yan Li was to deal with.

No wonder he built his fortune so quickly at such a young age!

With a keen eye and ruthless methods, they are adept at understanding people's hearts and can strike at the heart of the matter. It would be an injustice if such a person didn't become rich.

However, with Yan Li's help, Tudou.com is also gearing up for a big push, striving to achieve even more outstanding results and attract subsequent financing.

Yan Li, through his successful investment in Tudou.com and based on details from future intelligence reports, keenly perceived the importance and appreciation potential of copyright.

Currently, very few film and television companies value online copyrights for movies and TV series, and the prices are pitifully low.

A single episode usually costs a few hundred or a thousand yuan, while an ordinary drama costs tens of thousands of yuan, and very few popular dramas can reach six figures.

The key issue is that nobody buys them. Pirated resources are everywhere, and few TV stations or production teams investigate. Websites and media players are free to use, and very few people are willing to spend money on them.

Even Tudou.com initially focused on using celebrities to attract traffic, and only after Yan Li reminded them did they begin to pay more attention to copyright.

However, Tudou.com has limited funds, and even if it attaches importance to it, it cannot afford to spend much money to buy copyrights.

But Yan Li is rich!
He still has a lot of idle funds on hand; with tens of thousands of yuan per film, Yan Li could easily buy out several hundred films.

Of course, this method of acquisition will definitely drive up the market and prices to some extent, but it's worth it.

Holding a copyright library allows for collaborations with video websites. It can also serve as an asset, potentially allowing for pledging or sale as its value increases.

The price of such cultural assets can vary greatly, and if they are placed in a listed company, there are many ways to manipulate the market.

That's why Yan Li specifically established [Yi An Media] to operate and acquire copyrights.

Besides Tudou.com, Yan Li also wanted to invest in LeEco and Youku, which was in the process of being established.

However, compared to Wang Wei, the latter two have stronger backgrounds and capabilities.

LeEco is another story; Yan Li only investigated it briefly before giving up because the waters were too deep.

Youku isn't that complicated, but its head, Gu Yongjiang, was originally a senior executive at Sohu. He started his career at an investment company and later worked at Sohu specifically in charge of financing. With that kind of resume, he certainly wouldn't lack investment opportunities.

With insufficient financial appeal, Yan Li's only leverage is the resources he possesses.

However, given Gu Yong's extensive experience at Sohu, it's hard to say how much of an effect he can have.

Yan Li decided to send someone to make contact. There was no loss involved, so they could chat and see if it worked out or not.

Tudou.com is a major investment for Yanye Capital, which has also invested in several other internet projects to varying degrees.

Currently, the project that Yan Li is most optimistic about is Ganji.com.

However, the person in charge of this project is very cautious about investing. In addition, the project is currently mainly focused on local information classification and is not expanding to other areas for the time being. It also profits through advertising. Therefore, Yanye's shareholding is very limited.

Yan Li didn't care. He still said that investing in the internet industry is about casting a wide net.

More than 95% of projects result in losses, with very few breaking even or making a small profit. However, if you manage to gamble on a winning project, you can recoup all the previous losses and make a huge profit.

If you're afraid of losing money or being forced out of the game, it's best to switch to another industry as soon as possible. The internet industry is all about high risk and high reward.

Of course, Yan Li didn't just focus on the internet; he was also willing to try out suitable projects in other fields.

Among the companies that have already secured investment are a food factory in my hometown of Shandong Province and an electric vehicle brand. In addition to investing, they also arranged for Julian Cheung to film an advertisement for them.

Since it's all money earned from the stock market, it's easy to come by, so it's not so hard to spend it.

Rather than putting money in the stock market, where it could evaporate with a sudden drop in numbers, Yan Li felt it was better to gamble by investing in a few companies, at least he could see where the money went.

...

On October 10th, Yan Li appeared at Hengdian World Studios to participate in and host the start of filming for "The Legend of Xue Rengui".

Li Bingbing, the most popular actress in the entire group and the female lead, has not yet joined the crew, and several popular stars who are making guest appearances have also not arrived.

The opening ceremony only featured Yan Li and a few veteran actors, with the only female actress being Yang Rong, who plays Liu Yinhuan.

I thought the scene would be rather quiet, but there were more media people who came to show their support than I expected.

Yan Li underestimated his current influence.

While he may not be particularly famous as an entertainer, he is undoubtedly one of the most popular figures right now as a producer or film company owner.

This is a list of celebrities and public figures compiled by Sina.com in September 2005.

Li Youbin, who played Li Yunlong in "Bright Sword", ranked first, surpassing Fan Xiaopang, Li Yuchun who became popular in "Super Girl", and a number of big-name stars to rank second.

Managing the distribution of "Phoenix Carving," producing the hugely successful "Bright Sword," and signing the popular actress Fan Xiaopang... Yan Li's recent performances have made him a frequent presence in entertainment news.

Coupled with her various accolades, she naturally became a media darling.

This time, "The Legend of Xue Rengui" marks Yan Li's first time playing the male lead, and the female lead is Li Bingbing. With such a good gimmick, it would be strange if there weren't many media outlets.

"Mr. Yan, this is your first time playing the male lead. Are you feeling any pressure? Are you able to balance filming and work?"

Why was Li Bingbing cast in this drama instead of Fan Bingbing? Is the rumor of the two "Bingbings" vying for the role true?

There are rumors that you weren't originally cast as Xue Rengui, but rather that you, as an investor, snatched the role. Is this true?

"In the past year, you've been filming more and more, with increasingly more roles, and your performances have been well-received by many viewers. Have you considered focusing more on your identity as an actor in the future?"

"Do you prefer Fan Bingbing or Li Bingbing?"

"With the huge success of 'Bright Sword,' could you please tell me how much Mr. Yan profited? Is it the 2000 million that's been widely rumored?"

"There have been several love triangles in the entertainment industry. In just one year, there were the two soldiers vying for Yan's affections and the Zhou-Cai-Hou dispute. Not long ago, news broke that two actresses who played Xiao Yanzi, Zhao and Huang, were fighting for the rich young man Wang Yu. What do you think about this? Do you think you bear some responsibility for promoting this kind of unhealthy social trend?"

"..."

Even though some media outlets received travel expenses, the questions they asked were still very sharp, especially those involving two pawns; they all seemed to enjoy the drama.

Even though Yan Li wasn't afraid of controversy, he still felt a bit uneasy under the reporters' questions and answered cautiously.

"It's my first time playing the male lead, so I'm definitely under pressure. I can only say that I'll do my best to live up to the trust of the crew and the audience."

"I don't know where the rumor about 'stealing the role' came from. We discussed cooperation before the script was even finished. The casting was done even before the project was officially launched. As the producer, I have never heard of any other actor besides myself being contacted by the production team to play Xue Rengui."

"My personal career still leans towards the company, and I only act when it's appropriate and convenient."

"As for the two soldiers vying for face, I think the rumors from the outside world are too exaggerated. I have clarified many times before that we are all good friends."

"Bingbing (Li Bingbing) is very loyal. Since it was my first time playing the male lead, I wanted to find an experienced and famous actor to help me. I called her and she readily agreed. It was that simple."

"I cannot disclose the specific amount of profit made from 'Bright Sword,' but I can say that I am very satisfied."

"I don't know much about other people's private lives, nor do I care. Everyone has their own destiny."

"However, I don't like being falsely accused. If we're really going to talk about corrupting morals, then shouldn't the many gossip media outlets that report on it extensively, and even spread rumors and hype it up to attract attention, also bear some responsibility?"

"..."

Yan Li's last sentence was very impolite, even tinged with accusation.

Whether it's hype or reality, celebrities get exposure, the media makes money, and netizens enjoy the entertainment—it's a win-win situation for everyone.

But it's pointless to label people randomly!

Anyone can nitpick and make a big deal out of nothing, but if things really get out of hand, the people involved in the entertainment industry will suffer, and those who make a living from celebrity gossip will also be in deep trouble.

It's no wonder that Wang Zhiwen and Zhou Jielun have been involved in news reports of fighting with reporters and paparazzi; sometimes these people are really annoying.

However, putting aside this incident, the opening ceremony went smoothly, and the first scene was filmed in the afternoon, in which Li Shimin inquired about "the wise minister who appeared in the dream" in the court.

The plot of "The Legend of Xue Rengui" is adapted from the classic novel "Xue Rengui's Expedition to the East".

Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, continues the "Tales of Tang" series' portrayal of a pretty boy and a useless emperor, only this time he's an old, pale-faced man.

The story begins with General Tie Shiwen of Bo Liao preparing to rebel, and Emperor Li Shimin of the Tang Dynasty preparing to personally lead the expedition. He then dreams of a young general in white robes rescuing him, a premonition that the emperor is saved.

After the strategist Xu Maogong deciphered the story, he determined that the young general in white robes was named Xue Rengui, a native of Longmen in Jin. He believed that if they went to this place to recruit soldiers, they would surely be able to find this wise minister who appeared in the dream.

Among them was Zhang Shigui, who harbored ulterior motives and conspired with his son-in-law, Prince Cheng, Li Daozong, to impersonate Yingmeng Xianchen. Although they failed, they managed to secure a mission to recruit soldiers in Jin, intending to use this as a pretext for their scheme.

The first half of the story of "The Legend of Xue Rengui" also revolves around the "wise minister who appears in a dream".

Xue Rengui, disguised as a pig to catch a tiger, repeatedly performed extraordinary feats as a cook. When will Li Shimin discover his true nature and bring him back to power? This is the biggest point of interest in the early stages of the story.

That evening, Yan Li began filming his first scene.

In the story, he plays Xue Rengui, whose father had once served under other rebel kings who fought against the Tang army in his early years, and later died due to internal strife.

After his father's death, Xue Rengui was still young and was sent up the mountain to learn martial arts from an unknown master. However, he was always unsure whether his identity would pose a threat, so he was thinking about "earning merit to escape punishment." This was also a way to conceal his identity when he joined the army and to prepare for being deceived by Zhang Shigui.

This is a newly added plot. In the original script, Zhang Shigui directly turned the virtuous minister who appeared in the dream into a treacherous minister who appeared in the dream, completely fooling Xue Rengui.

This setting somewhat lowers the protagonist's intelligence, after all, Xue Rengui in the drama is a military genius who is well-versed in military strategy, not just a simple fierce general.

After the script was changed, Xue Rengui felt guilty, and the rumor of a traitor appearing in a dream made him even more afraid.

At the same time, the original script portrayed Zhang Shigui as too harsh on Xue Rengui, making Xue Rengui seem like a masochist, which made the audience feel frustrated.

In the revised script, Zhang Shigui's methods are much more sophisticated. He is extremely ruthless and vicious in private, but on the surface, he treats Xue Rengui very well, keeping him hanging on by the promise of acquittal while occasionally giving him some sweet treats.

From Xue Rengui's perspective, Zhang Shigui was his mentor and benefactor.

Sometimes when he was targeted, it was because his son-in-law, He Zongxian, was jealous of him. Zhang Shigui would sometimes defend him out of family ties, but he would also apologize and comfort him.

In this scenario, the audience wouldn't perceive Xue as addicted to masochism, but rather as Zhang being despicable and clever, leading Xue to be deceived. They would then eagerly await the moment when Xue Rengui discovers something amiss, exposes the conspiracy, and seeks revenge.

Today's scene depicts Xue Rengui's journey after descending the mountain, where he pays respects to his father and seeks refuge with his uncle.

As it turned out, his uncle knew his background and, fearing that being discovered would implicate him, had Xue Rengui driven away, which made Xue Rengui realize that his identity was in danger.

Because he was learning his skills on the mountain and had little money, and no one would take him in, Xue Rengui found himself in dire straits.

Fortunately, he encountered the kind-hearted Mr. and Mrs. Wang. Seeing that Xue Rengui was a man of great bearing and extraordinary character, and that he was now in distress, they couldn't bear to see him suffer and offered him a helping hand.

However, because Xue Rengui was born with superhuman strength and had an enormous appetite, the Wang couple, who made a living selling tofu, simply could not afford to support him.

Xue Rengui considered himself a dignified man and felt embarrassed to be supported by others, so he decided to find a job to support himself first, and then make plans later.

These scenes were easy for Yan Li. Although his co-stars were not famous, they were not newcomers, and the filming was completed quickly.

Yan Li and Lin Jiachuan went to the horse farm to practice riding.

There are quite a few action scenes in "The Legend of Xue Rengui", and there are also a lot of horse riding scenes and horse battles. Although Yan Li's riding skills are good, he would definitely be better if he practiced more.

In addition to horsemanship, Yan Li also had to practice archery.

Yan Li had also learned archery before; there was a scene in the TV series "The Emperor Wu of Han" where Huo Qubing was riding a horse and drawing a bow.

However, Yan Li was not very satisfied with this scene because he hadn't learned it much at the time; he had only roughly mimed the action of sitting on a horse and drawing a bow.

Fortunately, it was just one scene, and it was a hunting scene. The performances of the other actors were also about the same.

However, "The Legend of Xue Rengui" features many archery scenes, including a highlight like the three arrows that subdue the Tianshan Mountains, so it cannot be easily dismissed.

Whether it's accurate or not is another matter, after all, it's filming a movie or TV series, not a competition, but the posture must be in place, giving people a sense of the style of a sharpshooter, rather than just weakly "throwing" the arrow out.

To this end, Yan Li even asked the production team to arrange an archery coach for him. He practiced a few times before joining the crew and would review whenever he had time after joining.

For example, when I was riding a horse tonight, after riding a few laps, I started to take out a bow and gesture on the horse, making archery poses.

Yan Li practiced with great enthusiasm. He had always enjoyed horseback riding, and although he hadn't practiced archery much, he found it quite interesting, especially drawing a bow on horseback, which he found particularly enjoyable.

"Xu..."

Yan Li held the bow in his left hand, slowed down his horsemanship, came to a stop, and then interacted affectionately with the horse.

This horse played the role of Bailong, Xue Rengui's mount, in the drama.

Bailong was a divine steed from Bohai and Liaodong. It was originally Princess Zhaoyang's mount. She rode it to the Tang Dynasty, but was captured by bandits on the way. Xue Rengui rescued her, and the beauty fell in love with her. She later gave him the precious horse.

As an adaptation of a classic novel, Xue Rengui in the drama is incredibly overpowered, receiving the best treatment a male lead can get.

He saved his wife and got a BMW. Later, during a mission, he also obtained the divine weapon Fangtian Huaji and the white robe armor.

Later, when Li Daozong rebelled, Xue saved the emperor and rendered meritorious service. Before the expedition against the Uyghurs, Li Zhi gathered all the skilled craftsmen in the Tang Dynasty to forge a divine bow for him.

Combined with Xue's divine strength, the range exceeded five hundred paces and the force penetrated ten layers of armor, making it a veritable Xue-style sniper rifle. It was with this divine bow that Xue Rengui pacified the Tianshan Mountains with three arrows and single-handedly frightened nine tribes of the Uyghurs.

The horse in the drama is named Bailong, and Yan Li also named the horse Bailong in real life.

Besides Bailong, Yan Li also had a beloved horse named Sailong.

That's right, this Sailong is the same horse that Yan Li often rode when filming "Heroes of Sui and Tang Dynasties" (appearing in Chapter 13).

The producers of "Heroes of Sui and Tang Dynasties" and "The Legend of Xue Rengui" are the same, as are some of the teams they collaborate with. As a result, the horse team and the dragon boat team, who had previously dealt with Yan Li, also came.

The first thing Yan Li did upon arriving at the film set this time wasn't to meet the actors or do a makeup test, but to go to the horse team and buy Sai Long's caravan. "Old Xu."

Yan Li led Sailong over to feed him carrots, then handed a cigarette to Old Xu, the head of the horse team, and said with a hint of pride.

"I kept my word, didn't I?"

He had a strong connection with Sailong and even considered buying the horse, but he was short of money and eventually gave up.

Thinking back on this, I simply spent money to buy it. Besides liking horses, it was also to make up for a regret.

"President Yan is awesome."

Old Xu, with a cigarette dangling from his mouth, gave a thumbs-up. He had actually forgotten about it until Yan Li reminded him.

A few years ago, a clueless young actor said he wanted to buy horses, and I think he was ridiculed for it. But not long after, the actor actually did what he said he would, and now even I have to make a living from it.

"Haha."

Yan Li smiled happily. During the filming of "The Legend of Xue Rengui," he met many "old friends," which allowed him to experience the joy of success.

Not only him, but also Wang Decai, Wang Xiu and other people who had participated in "Heroes of Sui and Tang Dynasties" joined the group with Yan Li this time, and they were proud to do so.

Wang Decai went from assistant director to producer, wielding great power, and even the former producer Li Silin had to give him some leeway.

Wang Xiu went from being a makeup artist to a styling consultant. The makeup team leader who used to be able to take him out and reprimand him is now his apprentice.

This led many familiar faces in the crew to curse their incredible luck while secretly resenting their own bad luck.

If I had befriended Yan Li, this promising talent, and latched onto him, I would be the one enjoying great success now.

Regret!
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Hengdian, a costume construction site
Four men, their faces contorted with difficulty, slowly carried a pillar to the side, while the butler urged them on.

"Hurry up, hurry up, haven't you eaten yet?"

After a great effort, the four of them finally managed to put the pillar down. Two of them collapsed onto the ground, while the older man wiped his sweat.

“We also want to hurry, but this pillar is made of ebony and probably weighs several hundred pounds. It’s really hard to lift.”

Another chimed in, "Don't even mention fast, we're all exhausted. Could you please add two more people to help?"

The butler shook his head helplessly: "Alright."

I looked around and saw a young man dressed in coarse cloth who was helping to saw wood.

“You tall guy, the one who’s tall and strong, come and lift the log.”

"it is good."

The young man turned around, and it was Xue Rengui, played by Yan Li. The director yelled "Cut!" and then moved on to the next scene.

This scene further highlights Xue Rengui's extraordinary abilities, including immense strength and exceptional martial prowess.

He carried three pillars that would have taken four people to lift, and he did so with incredible speed. It was only because the pillars were so thick and difficult to lift that he could have carried even more.

The pillars that the extras carried earlier were real, but they weren't ebony; they were ordinary wood and not nearly as heavy as they appeared.

Yan Li was carrying a special prop. There was no other way; to create a sense of awe, the wooden prop was as thick as a washbasin. It took Yan Li more than ten minutes just to demonstrate how to carry it.

The wood that would have taken four people at least a day to move, Xue Rengui finished in a few trips, and then the steward assigned him to fetch water.

While others carried water in one or two buckets, Xue Rengui found two thick bamboo poles, each carrying more than ten buckets, and quickly filled up all the water for tomorrow.

Just as the workers were cursing the slackers and the steward was overjoyed to have found a naturally gifted person, Xue Rengui showed him the law of conservation of energy during a meal.

He can indeed do the work of a dozen people, but he also eats the equivalent of a dozen people.

Others eat by the bowl, but he eats by the basin!

The steward hesitated for a long time, but felt that doing it this way would be more efficient, and since Xue Rengui would only be paid for one person, it wouldn't be a loss.

Meanwhile, Xue Rengui's amazing performance attracted the attention of the women in the household, and the eldest daughter, Liu Yinhuan, followed her sister-in-law to see what was going on.

They were stunned to witness Xue Rengui carrying the pillar.

Just then, an unexpected event occurred: several wooden beams standing together collapsed, heading straight for Liu Yinhuan. Xue Rengui reacted quickly, catching one of the beams with one hand. Then another beam rolled in, and he scooped up Liu Yinhuan to avoid it.

This scene is where Liu Yinhuan and Xue Rengui fall in love, so it's quite important and was meticulously crafted and filmed.

Especially in the later scenes, when he hugged Liu Yinhuan to avoid Mu Tou, several plans were designed, but the director was not satisfied with any of them.

Yan Li could only hold Yang Rong, who played Liu Yinhuan, and film her again and again.

Fortunately, Yang Rong is only 1.6 meters tall, which is relatively petite. Based on Yan Li's experience, she should weigh less than 100 pounds. For Yan Li, who is strong and healthy, it is not too strenuous, and the feel of her is also good.

However, Yan Li was worried that the actresses might misunderstand his filming style and think he was taking advantage of them.

After another pause, he put Yang Rong down and said, "Wait a moment, I'll go talk to the director."

After saying that, she went to talk to the director aggressively, and Yang Rong's assistant handed her water.

"Sis, he didn't do anything to you, did he?"

Clearly, the assistant also suspected that Yan Li was deliberately trying to take advantage of the situation, a situation that is not uncommon in the industry.

In some intimate scenes such as kissing and bed scenes, big-name male actors take the opportunity to take advantage.

For example, adding extra actions or deliberately filming multiple takes might be unacceptable to actresses who are not well-known and are concerned about their reputation. They would rather suffer in silence.

There was a post on Tianya (a Chinese online forum) that during the filming of "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber," a veteran British actor stuck out his tongue during a kissing scene, and the actress reportedly got angry and wouldn't stop even when she yelled "cut."

Yan Li is a notorious womanizer in the industry, so this kind of thing doesn't seem out of place at all for him.

"No, you are overthinking."

Yang Rong shook her head. When Yan Li hugged her just now, his hands were always very proper. Even when there was a rolling motion, he would protect her. He didn't do anything to take advantage of her.

Besides, given Yan Li's status in the crew, he wouldn't need to take advantage of her with such scenes; adding a few kissing scenes would be hard for her to refuse.

"really?"

The assistant was somewhat skeptical. Judging from Yang Rong's words, Yan Li was almost a true gentleman, which was quite different from the rumors.

"It's probably just hearsay or hype."

Yang Rong guessed that she had indeed worried about similar things before coming to this film crew, but after two days of getting to know them, she realized that she was overthinking things.

Aside from filming, Yan Li had almost no interaction with her. In private, he would either train or go back to the hotel or work at Yi An's base.

She even felt that Yan Li was more interested in horses than she was!
Yang Rong breathed a sigh of relief, but she was also somewhat discouraged and annoyed. After all, she was a beauty, and to be ignored like this was to disregard her.

As they were talking, Yan Li returned from exchanging ideas with the director, checked the blocking with him, and then picked up Yang Rong like he was holding a doll.

Yang Rong nestled in Yan Li's arms. The temperature had risen today, and it was quite hot. After filming action scenes continuously, Yan Li inevitably sweated, which gave him a slightly unpleasant odor, but also a unique kind of stimulating smell.

During previous shoots, Yang Rong was quite surprised by Yan Li's easy and powerful hugs.

This upstart in the industry, known for his shrewdness, wealth, and womanizing, has so many accolades that his robust physical condition is often overlooked.

Or rather, many people define Yan Li as a tough guy because of his film and television roles and personal image.

Yang Rong felt this was somewhat one-sided; a more accurate description would be "macho man."

A tough guy is likely a macho man, but a macho man is not necessarily a macho man; there is a fundamental difference between the two.

With her mind a jumbled mess, Yang Rong suddenly felt her feet touch the ground and snapped back to reality.

"Did you finish filming?"

"Ah."

Yan Li gave her a strange look. This girl was really carefree. She could get distracted while filming action scenes like this. Wasn't she afraid he would throw her off?

Yang Rong felt a little embarrassed by Yan Li's gaze.

Normally one would be careful, but after taking so many photos and being constantly protected by Yan Li, I unconsciously started to trust him and let my guard down.

The two thought they had to reshoot, but the director said it was over. They checked the playback on the monitor and found that Yang Rong's face hadn't been filmed much, and they hadn't even realized she was distracted.

"..."

Yan Li didn't expose her, and after finishing the next scene with Yang Rong, they moved on to the next scene.

After rescuing people, Xue Rengui studied a new book at night, where Liu Yinhuan discovered that he was skilled in both literature and martial arts, and the two had further exchanges.

Liu Yinhuan learned more about Xue Rengui, and after being rescued, her heart began to flutter. Xue Rengui also developed feelings for this gentle and refined young lady who did not look down on his poverty and encouraged and comforted her.

Filming didn't wrap up until almost 11 p.m. When Yang Rong was removing her makeup in the dressing room, she was so tired that she didn't want to talk and almost fell asleep.

Yan Li had more scenes and a tougher workload than her today, so she should have been more exhausted. But she was full of energy, making phone calls while removing her makeup. She arranged four tasks in less than half an hour and kept sending text messages, chatting with whoever she was talking to.

After removing his makeup, Yan Li asked Yang Rong if she wanted a late-night snack. The latter couldn't resist anymore, but he didn't mind and called on the group of people who were willing to go for a late-night snack.

Yang Rong vaguely heard Yan Li mention that it was too late, otherwise they could ride a horse for a couple of laps to relax.

Is this guy Xue Rengui reincarnated?!
Yang Rong truly admired Yan Li, this freak with boundless physical strength and energy, and at one point felt that she and Yan Li were not even the same species.

But wasn't he supposed to be surrounded by beautiful women? Where are they? He's been riding horses all the time.
Fan Xiaopang shared similar doubts!

In the same Hengdian film crew of "The White-Haired Witch", Fan Xiaopang waited for several days, only to find that Yan Li, that scoundrel, had not come to see him.

Too busy with filming?

Or has he been bewitched by some vixen again?!
Thinking of this, Fan Xiaopang, who was getting restless, took half a day off and went to visit the set of "The Legend of Xue Rengui" when the crew's equipment broke down.

In order to catch someone off guard, Fan Xiaopang didn't give any prior notice, only brought an assistant, and quietly stormed into the film set.

It was quite a coincidence that today's filming was of the scene where Liu Yinhuan, disregarding her family's objections, ran to the cold cave to marry Xue Rengui.

The newlyweds were deeply in love. Xue Rengui was making bows to shoot geese and earn money to support his wife. Facing his beautiful wife, he showed off his goose-shooting skills.

"The moment a goose opens its beak, shoot it with an arrow so that its feathers are undamaged, so that it can be sold at a high price."

Yang Rong squatted down, holding Yan Li's thighs with both hands, and listened with great surprise.

"That requires a very high level of archery skill."

"of course."

Yang Rong raised her head and smiled, her face blooming like a flower: "Then, my husband, are you up to the task?"

Yan Li glanced down at her, then turned and hoisted her onto his shoulder, spinning her around twice: "I'll show you whether I'm capable or not."

Yang Rong smiled and asked Yan Li to put her down. The two of them laughed and joked as they moved toward the bed. The camera then turned to the flames burning in the cold cave.

"Pass."

The director called out, and Yang Rong got up from the bed. Yan Li also got up, but was stopped by Yang Rong because his wig got stuck with straw from the prop bed.

Reaching out to remove the thatch and dusting off his hood, Yang Rong smiled as he spoke, having grown somewhat familiar with Yan Li over the past few days.

"This prop bed is too short. Mr. Yan is tall, so he can't lie down comfortably."

Yan Li didn't take it to heart: "Anyway, I'm not really sleeping."

"Sleep what?"

A woman's voice asked curiously. Yang Rong thought it was a makeup artist and casually replied, "Of course it's for sleeping. I said this bed is too small and there's not enough room to sleep."

"Oh, it's okay, the hotel has a king-size bed."

Sensing something was off about what was being said, Yang Rong turned around and was immediately dumbfounded.

Fan Xiaopang had a bright and flamboyant oval face with a warm and polite smile, but his eyes were filled with murderous intent.

"No, it's a misunderstanding."

Yang Rongzhen panicked. Now, it's widely acknowledged that Fan Xiaopang is Yan Li's girlfriend. If she were caught joking by his girlfriend, and then accused of being a mistress, that would be incredibly unfair.

Just as he was about to explain, he saw Yan Li looking at Fan Xiaopang with some confusion: "Why are you here?"

The system said she wouldn't have time until the day after tomorrow. He was planning to visit the set of "The White-Haired Witch" tomorrow, but he arrived early.

You changed your mind at the last minute?!
Fan Xiaopang didn't know what Yan Li was thinking, but upon hearing his words, he immediately misunderstood and bristled.

"What do you mean? Shouldn't I have come?"

She now somewhat understood how Qin Lan felt when she saw her in "Investiture of the Gods"—seeing a fox spirit. That anger was truly uncontrollable.

"Sister Bingbing, it's a real misunderstanding. Mr. Yan and I have nothing going on..."

Seeing that things were not going well, Yang Rong quickly explained that she hadn't been on set for very long, and if she angered the "boss's wife," she might be kicked out.

Seeing that others had already observed them, Yang Rong pulled Fan Xiaopang aside and tried her best to explain.

Fan Xiaopang was somewhat skeptical: "You mean President Yan has had time these days to go horseback riding and archery practice?"

Yang Rong asked in confusion, "Didn't he tell you?"

I said it!

But Fan Xiaopang didn't believe it. However, Yang Rong explained it herself and said that she could find other people in the crew to testify.

Given Yang Rong's status, it's not enough for the hundreds of people in the crew to lie for her. Yan Li does have that power, but it's unnecessary. Fan Xiaopang can just spend some money to cover it up; it would be a waste of effort.

For a moment, Fan Xiaopang didn't know whether to be happy that Yan Li was virtuous or angry that this scoundrel wouldn't even come to see her while riding a horse.

"I'm sorry."

Fan Xiaopang knew he had misunderstood, but he was straightforward and apologized to Yang Rong, who said it was no problem.

She had originally intended to give Yang Rong a warning, but then she thought that Yan Li would rather ride a horse than pay attention to her, so it seemed unnecessary. After a few brief words, she turned and left.

Yang Rong breathed a long sigh of relief after resolving the trouble, but then couldn't help but feel conflicted again.

"What did her last look mean? Was it disdain, contempt, or indifference?"

On the other side, Fan Xiaopang found Yan Li smoking, but the latter glanced at her and ignored her.

Fan Xiaopang knew that this scoundrel was up to his old tricks again, so he lightly brushed aside his own wrongdoing and pointed the finger at Yan Li, who had been in Hengdian for several days but hadn't gone to see her.

"busy."

"Busy my ass. You have time to ride horses, but if you don't... cough, come find me."

Yan Li sighed helplessly, "You've changed."

"what?"

Fan Xiaopang was stunned. Isn't this usually a question a woman asks a man? But she still couldn't help but ask.

"How have I changed?"

"You never used to ask me about my personal matters."

Yan Li sighed a little. In the past, when he didn't look for Fan Xiaopang, she didn't care either. She thought it was up to him whether he looked for her or not, and she would just do her own thing.

Now look what's happened, she's become a clingy pest, starting to cause trouble if he doesn't show up for a few days, and even catching him cheating. He's finding it a bit hard to get used to.

"..."

Fan Xiaopang was somewhat embarrassed and annoyed. They had agreed to be friends and only talk about romance, not love. Now, she was being slapped in the face, but she wouldn't take it back.

After stammering for a while, she finally managed to squeeze out, "I'm happy to."

Yan Li complained, "I'm not happy about it."

"You have to be happy whether you like it or not. Others might want to be happy, but they don't even have a chance. Go ahead and enjoy it secretly."

Fan Xiaopang started to act unreasonably. The two had been hanging out for so long, and after breaking the ice after the last "Investiture of the Gods" project, the signing ceremony, and their birthday celebration, they had become even closer.

She has changed, and Yan Li hasn't remained unchanged either. Fan Xiaopang doesn't believe Yan Li could say anything heartless.

Sure enough, Yan Li glanced at her, muttered a few complaints, but didn't say anything harsh.

Fan Xiaopang snorted triumphantly, as if he had won a great victory. Seeing that no one was paying attention, he lowered his head and gave Yan Li a quick kiss.

So what if I get slapped in the face? I might lose face once, but I'll gain a man in return. It's not a bad deal...

(End of this chapter)