Chinese Entertainment Intelligence King

Chapter 209 A Remarkable Young Man Arrives in the Film Industry

On the second day of the Lunar New Year, various film crews in Hengdian resumed work, and Qin Lan and Fan Xiaopang both appeared on their respective film sets.

However, Yan Li never showed up.

Based on the previous dispute on New Year's Eve, the crew had a lot of rumors circulating privately, but they were all unfounded speculations.

Yan Li's departure from Hengdian was not due to any relationship issues, but rather to sign a contract.

We've secured the theater chain!

In Beijing, Yan Li and the former head of the cinema chain jointly signed their names and affixed their seals.

Yi'an Cinemas became the de facto owner of the cinema chain for 4200 million yuan.

Once the subsequent procedures and name change are completed, Yi'an will become one of the thirty-six cinema chains in the Chinese film market.

"Congratulations, Mr. Yan."

"Thanks to Director Zhang and Director Wang for their help."

Yan Li exchanged pleasantries with the leaders from relevant units who came to witness and help. He was able to acquire the cinema chain and operate it smoothly afterward, which was inseparable from his dealings with these people.

After dinner, Yan Li arranged for a driver to take everyone home, and also delivered some New Year's gifts from his hometown to thank them for their hard work.

For the next two days, Yan Li also stayed in the capital to offer New Year's greetings.

Although cinemas are closely related to the film and television industry, Yan Li previously focused on the production and distribution of TV dramas, which are quite different from each other, and many relationships need to be gradually smoothed out.

Yan Li had made many preparations beforehand, and now that he has actually secured the theater chain, he can further solidify and expand his position.

A residential community in Beijing
College student Han Jianu opened her front door. Although she was used to many people visiting her home, she was still a little stunned when she saw the young man in front of her.

Compared to the other business owners who came to my house, this one was far too young.

"Hello, I'm Yan Li. I've arranged to visit Chairman Han."

"Please come in."

The woman from the Han family let the person in. Hearing the commotion, Han Sanping stepped over, looked at the box in Yan Li's hand, frowned slightly, and spoke with a slight Sichuan accent.

"I already told you not to bring anything."

"Mr. Han, it's nothing expensive, just a local specialty from my hometown. I'm just offering it to you for a taste. I'm really sorry to come empty-handed during the New Year."

Yan Li had already done his research and understood some aspects of Han's personality. Since they weren't familiar with each other yet, he didn't want to be too rash, so he brought some local specialties as a prelude.

Once everyone gets to know each other better, and Han likes to eat it, he'll keep sending it over...

Han Sanping took a closer look and confirmed that it was indeed a local specialty. His expression softened, and he asked his daughter to pour water before going to the study with Yan Li to talk.

In the study, Han's daughter brought water and then left. Han Sanping offered her a cigarette and watched Yan Li with great interest.

"Xiao Yan, you did a great job keeping this a secret. I only heard the commotion a short while ago, and you've already taken it down. You caught me completely off guard."

"You're blaming me."

Yan Li explained with a wry smile, "It's not that I'm hiding it from you, but the acquisition was supposed to be a secret one. At the time, several companies were competing, and we planned to launch a surprise attack. If word got out, our competitors would be prepared, and things could change unexpectedly."

This is a pretext; there are indeed some related reasons, but the main reason is to prevent others from interfering.

None of them are fools.

Yi'an is doing well; if they were to launch another Yi'an Cinema Line, creating a powerful alliance, many people would be restless.

It's hard to say whether someone will try to smear him or sabotage him. Although Yan Li isn't afraid, he can avoid trouble if he can, so there's no need for him to cause trouble for himself.

Including Han Sanping, he wouldn't go so far as to target Yan Li.

However, it involves too many companies and has connections in all aspects, so they all kept it a secret.

"No matter what, it was my fault. I should have asked Chairman Han to help me take the helm beforehand. I'm still young and don't think things through."

Yan Li is very good at using the label "young people".

When it comes to securing benefits, young people are seen as having high potential, drive, and flexible thinking, with a bright future ahead.

When people try to shift blame, it's because young people are impulsive and don't think things through. They need to be given opportunities to grow and learn, and they'll be better next time.

He's a young man in his early twenties who started from scratch, with no one to teach him or help him, so it's inevitable that he'll make mistakes.

Now that he's lowered himself so much and sincerely admitted his mistake, how can you possibly hold a grudge against him?
Even if Han Sanping didn't intend to do anything, at most he would give him a warning. Even if he was angry, he was mindful of his status and couldn't be too forceful in front of Yan Li.

"Tsk..."

Han Sanping looked at Yan Li with some admiration. It was no wonder that he had achieved so much at such a young age. Some of his old friends also praised him highly.

There's a remarkable young man in the film industry this time!

Yan Li was unsure of Han Sanping's intentions, but being invited to his home this time was a good opportunity to get closer to him.

He hoped to cultivate a good relationship with this renowned figure in the circle, Master Han.

Despite Yan Li's massive investment of hundreds of millions in cinema chains, with potential for even more in the future, he is still a junior compared to China Film Group, where Han Sanping works.

In some ways, he even has to rely on China Film Group for his livelihood.

Many people only know that China Film Group has cinema chains, and the cinema chains it controls or invests in account for 10% or even more of the entire market. China Film Group invests heavily in films and has a strong distribution channel. Many commercial films have China Film Group behind them.

But in reality, China Film Group's greatest strength lies in its official backing.

A significant proportion of film-related policies and standards are formulated and implemented through China Film Group Corporation (CFGC), which also has the power to review, approve, and make recommendations in many aspects.

The theater chains are powerful, and all the major film companies have to support them, but they also have to consider the attitude of China Film Group.

For example, China Film Group has considerable influence over the screening rights of most domestic and imported films.

Both "The Promise" and "Harry Potter" are profitable films, and a certain cinema chain wanted them. China Film Group found an excuse not to give them to the cinema chain, so the cinema chain could only watch helplessly.

In addition to other miscellaneous aspects, China Film Group has a considerable influence.

Not to mention that Yan Li owns more than just Yi'an Cinema.

While the cinema chain is relatively independent and less affected by China Film Group, Yi An, which is involved in film production and distribution, will definitely not be able to bypass China Film Group.

At present, Han Sanping is still the vice chairman of China Film Group, but he is already the de facto leader. Rumors suggest that he may be promoted to the top position next year and rightfully assume the role of the leader.

Previously, Yan Li had also learned about this future head of China Film Group through the system and various channels.

Well, this guy does have some flaws, and Yan Li doesn't quite agree with some of his ideas about the film market.

Overall, however, Han is quite impartial and genuinely promotes the development of Chinese films.

Despite the onslaught of Hollywood, the mainland Chinese film market did not completely succumb to the dominance of some other countries. Meanwhile, domestic commercial films continued to develop steadily, and South Korea deserves significant credit for this.

At the same time, he is also known for mentoring newcomers and companies.

Yan Li deals with all sorts of people in his business dealings, and compared to him, Han Sanping is considered to be a more refined and sophisticated individual.

...

"Chairman Han, our Yi'an Cinema plans to invest approximately 3-5 million RMB over the next two to three years to build 4-6 large-scale high-end cinemas, 8-15 standard cinemas, and about 120-150 screens, all of which will be high-quality cinemas..."

Yan Li talked to Han Sanping about Yi'an's follow-up plans, which were basically the plans that would be made public soon.

The plan is generally sound, but there are some discrepancies in the data.

Since this is the official statement, some exaggeration and publicity are inevitable.

However, Yan Li didn't exaggerate too much. After all, the cinema is in the open, and boasting too much would easily backfire and affect the perception of some investors and related parties. So, he had to be relatively pragmatic.

Even so, Han Sanping was still somewhat surprised.

He knew that Yan Li dared to get involved in the cinema chain, so he must have something to rely on, and it couldn't be a small-scale operation. But the fact that he spent hundreds of millions of yuan and even brought in China Resources was still beyond his expectations.

Don't underestimate the significance of Yi'an's 10+ cinemas and 100+ screens.

It's worth noting that in 2005, only 55 new cinemas were added to the mainland cinema chain, with fewer than 300 screens.

Yi An Yi Family's scale accounts for nearly one-third of the total number of newly added cinemas and screens throughout the year.

More importantly, apart from the original cinemas of Yi'an Cinema, all of them are standardized modern cinemas, and even those few old cinemas will be renovated in the future.

Moreover, most of them are located in first- and second-tier cities, and many of them are major contributors to the box office of the film market.

This is quite rare in the current mainland cinema market.

Although there are now about 2700 cinemas in mainland China, many of them are old cinemas left over from the last century, and their facilities, equipment, and services are not satisfactory.

Furthermore, a significant proportion of cinemas are located in third- and fourth-tier cities, resulting in limited box office revenue.

According to a report from the Film Bureau at the end of last year, there were 40 cinemas with box office revenue exceeding 1 million yuan, 27 cinemas with box office revenue exceeding 10 million yuan, and only 4 cinemas with box office revenue exceeding 30 million yuan.

Therefore, don't be fooled by the fact that the statistics report shows both cinema and screen data as [1].

However, the box office difference between high-end cinemas in first-tier cities and old cinemas in small towns can be tens or even hundreds of times.

Therefore, Yi'an has a limited number of cinemas and screens, and its profitability and market share cannot be easily determined by simply applying screen data.

Han Sanping was an expert. After listening to Yan Li's explanation, he immediately made a general judgment on the scale and potential of Yi'an Cinema Line.

If this cinema chain is successfully established, even if it can't compare to the top-tier chains, it will definitely be a mid-to-upper-tier chain that shouldn't be underestimated.

"What an extraordinary young man."

Han Sanping said that the previous "remarkable young man" was just an exclamation, but now it was a real description.

Not to mention his strong abilities, his vision and courage are also unmatched by ordinary people.

In recent years, the film market has been booming, and many film and television companies, along with the influx of capital, have increased their investments.

However, people are more willing to invest in the film itself, chase stars and famous directors, and focus on the glamour in front of the camera, while ignoring the cinema chain, which is the downstream terminal that determines the overall market.

Well, it might not be due to neglect, but rather a lack of ability and capital, or concerns about large investments and slow returns, among other factors.

But if you don't invest and I don't invest, all the money will go into making movies, and the cinemas' infrastructure won't keep up, so the market still won't take off.

At such a young age, Yan Li's heavy investment in cinema chains is truly commendable, especially considering that most private film companies focus on upstream production and rarely participate in midstream distribution.

While reflecting on his feelings, Han Sanping also shared some of his thoughts with Yan Li: "At this stage, we do lack good movies, but what we lack even more is theaters."

The rise of the film market certainly relies on good movies to cultivate the market and open up new opportunities, but the slow development of cinemas will also slow down and hinder the rise of the film market.

The film market will only become more prosperous when upstream and downstream industries develop together, and software and hardware advance together.

Currently, there are many companies and capital willing to invest in films, but few are willing to invest in cinemas.

The major cinema chains in mainland China are almost all state-owned or have state-owned enterprises involved, while very few private cinema chains have achieved significant scale and influence.

Deep down, Han Sanping supports the growth and expansion of Yan Li's Yi'an Cinema Line, which is beneficial to the entire film market.

"I remember there were some preferential policies for private cinema chains?"

"That's right. There are subsidies from the local government, as well as some special support funds and tax reductions, but they are not easy to obtain. I have to beg and plead with everyone I know."

Yan Li was well aware of these things and had even secured some preferential treatment and benefits, but he understood that Han Sanping must have had a purpose in suddenly bringing this up, and he immediately complained.

Sure enough, Han Sanping slammed his hand on the table and said, "I'll take care of this for you. I can't promise much, but the benefits from China Film Group will definitely be taken care of."

"Oh, thank you so much, Chairman Han."

Yan Li was overjoyed. The so-called welfare policies were not that important; the key was the attitude revealed by Han Sanping, which was friendly and enthusiastic.

This shows that he had a good impression of Yan Li and Yi An. His trip today was worthwhile, as he made contact with China Film Group.

"..."

As they were chatting animatedly, the woman from the Han family knocked on the door to inquire about dinner, and the two realized that it was getting dark.

"Xiao Yan, we're having dinner at home today."

Han Sanping was in a good mood and invited Yan Li to stay for dinner, which Yan Li gladly accepted. Then he sent a text message.

About half an hour later, just before dinner, Yan Li received a phone call, went out for a while, and came back with two bottles of unpackaged wine.

"It was a gift from a friend. I don't know much about it, but it tastes good, so I brought it here for Chairman Han to try."

Han Sanping gave Yan Li a deep look, but did not refuse. When it was time to eat, he took a sip of the wine that Yan Li had brought and his eyes lit up.

"This wine... isn't it from a long time ago?"

Yan Li smiled and said, "I'm fine with whatever you like."

Over drinks, the two also talked about some movies that are expected to be released this year.

Leading the pack are Feng Xiaogang's "The Banquet," Zhang Yimou's "Curse of the Golden Flower," and Andy Lau's "A Battle of Wits."

Although China Film Group suffered a setback with "The Promise," Han Sanping still has high expectations for these blockbusters.

Especially Zhang Yimou's "Curse of the Golden Flower".

Although the previous film, "House of Flying Daggers," was criticized, the entire project was profitable. Currently, Zhang Yimou is the only director in mainland China who consistently makes big-budget films that generate stable profits.

This time, "Curse of the Golden Flower" not only invited Chow Yun-fat, but also Zhang Yimou's ex-girlfriend Gong Li, and Taiwanese superstar Chou Chieh-lun also joined the film. The star-studded cast has attracted attention from the industry.

The woman from the Han family, who was eating with them, couldn't help but gossip: "President Yan, I saw in the news that Zhou Jielun was approached to play that role before."

"I'm a few years older than you, you can call me 'brother' if you don't mind."

Yan Li smiled gently, and the Han family girl immediately started calling him Brother Li. Han Sanping put down the wine glass he had picked up after drinking half of it.

"Director Zhang did call me, but later they notified me to audition. I was too busy at the time and couldn't find the time, so it didn't happen."

"Are you being asked to go for an audition?"

After hearing Yan Li's words, Han's daughter's expression was quite interesting.

To be fair, Yan Li isn't exactly a famous actor, but given his status and position, and the fact that he doesn't rely on acting for a living, he still deserves some extra respect.

She didn't know if there was some misunderstanding or if Yan Li's statement was incorrect.

Anyway, it seems that "Curse of the Golden Flower" didn't take Yan Li too seriously.

Han Sanping remarked, "It doesn't seem like something Zhang Yimou would do; it's probably his boss who did it."

Yan Li paused, realizing from this remark that Han Sanping didn't have a good impression of Zhang Weiping of New Pictures.

However, Han Sanping was not wrong; Zhang Weiping did indeed instigate this.

Yan Li later learned through the intelligence system that Zhang Yimou thought highly of him because of his roles in films such as "The Emperor Wu of Han," otherwise he wouldn't have called him personally.

They did consider letting him audition, but their attitude was very sincere, including Zhang Yimou contacting him personally, and the timing being set by Yan Li, etc.

It wasn't officially an audition, but rather a chance to meet and have a meal together, so that even if we didn't end up working together, it wouldn't hurt anyone's feelings.

However, Zhang Weiping later recognized Zhou Jielun's popularity and persuaded Zhang Yimou to abandon several potential candidates, including Yan Li.

Because Yan Li had spoken with Zhang Yimou on the phone, and since he wasn't a minor actor, Zhang Weiping couldn't just ignore him. So, Zhang Weiping came up with a crooked idea: he deliberately treated Yan Li poorly and gave him a cold invitation to audition.

If Yan Li had any temper at all, he wouldn't have tried to be nice to someone who was completely ignored in this situation.

As for whether he would offend Yan Li, Boss Zhang didn't care much. What difference would it make if he offended a junior actor in a TV series?

"Mr. Zhang is indeed an honest man. I am grateful for his help this time and I have always wanted to repay him in some way."

Sensing that Han Sanping was unhappy with Zhang Weiping, Yan Li, who had also taken notes, decisively expressed his opinion.

I'll count as one of those guys!
Han Sanping clinked glasses with Yan Li, then said, "Good food is worth the wait, the Olympics are the most important thing right now."

Yan Li understood that the two Zhangs were too closely tied together. Zhang Yimou was currently busy with the opening ceremony of the Olympics and was under immense influence, so it was indeed best not to disturb him. They should wait until the Olympics were over before making any further moves.

Zhang Weiping's biggest asset is Zhang Yimou, so he himself is not a threat.

If Yan Li hadn't had some other motives, I would have exposed two scandals to make him happy.

Compared to "Curse of the Golden Flower," which has little to do with China Film Group, Han Sanping and Yan Li talked more about "The Warlords" and "Red Cliff," in which China Film Group had a significant role.

Especially for "Red Cliff," the project is still in the preparation stage, and the funding and actors have not all been secured.

Han Sanping hinted that Yan Li's Yi'an could also participate.

Yan Li did not refuse on the spot, but said he would look into it when he got back, though he was not really interested in the suggestion.

Han Sanping is a die-hard big-budget film enthusiast, firmly believing that only by making big-budget films can the film market be revitalized, and he advocates high investment and high returns.

This perspective isn't actually wrong. The rise of the mainland film market in recent years has indeed owed much to those controversial blockbusters.

Beyond box office revenue, it also contributes to many positive aspects, such as training behind-the-scenes teams, enhancing the film's social impact, and driving the industry chain.

However, China Film Group is a state-owned enterprise, and it can push the market at any cost, even if it loses money, it is acceptable as long as other objectives are achieved.

But Yan Lihua was spending his own money and that of his investors.

It wasn't easy for him to earn money, and the trust of investors was hard-won.

Projects like "Red Cliff," which far exceed the capacity of the mainland market and are intended to be gambled on the international market, are too risky and do not align with Yan Li's business and investment philosophy.

Moreover, he had triggered several intelligence reports related to "Red Cliff," indicating that the project was quite complex.

Filming has been talked about since 2004, and the production team is still in preparation. The main controlling party has changed from Poly Huayi to China Film Group, and it is said that they are also in contact with Orange Sky. There are more than a dozen other investors, large and small, coming and going.

Yan Li, who knew the inside story, was fine, but many outsiders simply thought the movie was canceled.

In addition, Han Sanping also talked with Yan Li about "Crazy Stone" and Ning Hao.

“I know this young man. I was thinking of helping him out, but I didn’t expect you to snatch him away.”

"It seems I've really struck gold with the talent and projects that Chairman Han has his eye on." Yan Li praised Han Sanping and then chatted more about the movie "Crazy Stone".

Yi'an Cinemas still has a construction period of some time. Even after it is completed, it is not enough to shake or affect the overall market.
Therefore, the release of "Crazy Stone" relied heavily on a group of cinema chains led by China Film Group.

"..."

After finishing their meal, the two went to the study and chatted for more than half an hour before Yan Li took his leave.

Hearing the noise, Han's daughter, who was still awake, came out of her room and asked curiously.

"Dad, you value Yan Li very much."

Given Han Sanping's status, there are many people willing to curry favor with him, but not many who would invite him to their home, and even fewer who would have long private chats with him and invite him to stay for a meal.

In Han's memory, those who receive this treatment are either Han's old friends and close relatives, or prominent figures in the industry.

"Talent, especially young people."

Han Sanping sighed, "Youth is so important. Years from now, the older generation will either be dead or retired, while we'll still be in our prime."

As the saying goes, one shouldn't bully the young, even if one is old. Han Sanping himself might not care, but he still has a daughter.

For the sake of their descendants, people tend to cultivate good relationships with these young elites, hoping they might be able to help them in the future.

but……

Han Sanping glanced at his daughter and said, "Don't get too close to him."

"Why? Don't you think it might be useful to get along with him in the future?"

The woman from the Han family was puzzled, but Han Sanping snorted coldly: "I said I don't want it, and that's final. I'll do the favor myself; you don't need to worry about it."

Yan Li is a good kid in every way, except for his bad conduct.

Of course, there are many similar cases in the industry, and Han Sanping is used to it. But Yan Li is handsome, sweet-talking, capable, and young, and most young girls are easily captivated by him.

She knows her own daughter well enough to know that she has little chance of keeping this boy in check. Rather than making things ugly for everyone, it's better to minimize contact from the start.

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.

The next day, in the restroom of the Beijing Film Academy residential area
[Daily News X: Han Sanping is worried that his daughter, Han Jia Nu, has been deceived in her feelings by Yan Li...]

Yan Li was speechless. Old Han was blind to beauty, and no matter how good the relationship was with the Han family girl, he would only treat her as a younger sister, and there was absolutely no other possibility.
After reviewing the intelligence and relieving himself, Yan Li returned to the bedroom, snuggled into bed, and hugged Dong Xuan for warmth.

Dong Xuan wasn't uncomfortable. Yan Li was strong and healthy, like a giant furnace. His skin was a little cool after being outside for a while, but it warmed up again after rubbing against her.

Do you have any social engagements today?

Winter break isn't over yet, but knowing that Yan Li was going back to the capital for business, Dong Xuan, who was spending the Lunar New Year in her hometown, came back early and has been keeping Yan Li company these past few days.

"Yes, but there's no rush."

It was the dead of winter in the first month of the lunar calendar, and it even snowed a little today. Holding a soft, white, and fragrant beauty in his arms, Yan Li stayed in bed for once, which was quite rare for him.

As Dong Xuan nestled in Yan Li's arms, enjoying the warmth, her phone rang.

"What are you doing so early in the morning?"

Dong Xuan was a little angry. Although Yan Li had been in the capital recently, he was busy with social engagements and usually left early and returned late. It was rare for them to have some time alone together, and now someone was disturbing them.

"It's getting late, almost nine o'clock."

Yan Li reached for the phone, slightly surprised: "Yang Mi?"

“My student, I told you about him before.”

Dong Xuan thought Yan Li didn't remember, so she explained, little did she know that Yan Li had a much deeper impression of the name than she thought.

The monthly intelligence report revealed that she was one of the four most promising young actresses. Yan Li inquired about her background and later learned that she had become Dong Xuan's student, which made him realize how small the world is.

When the call connected, a soft, slightly Beijing-accented voice came through: "Teacher Dong, I saw on your blog that you've returned to Beijing. 'Wang Zhaojun' is on a break due to a location change, and I'm going home for a few days. I'm going back to the crew tomorrow, and I wanted to wish you a Happy New Year before I leave. Is that convenient for you?"

"Oh, that's how it is."

Dong Xuan glanced at Yan Li and mouthed a question: should she agree? Yan Li shrugged indifferently, indicating that it was up to him.

Anyway, he'll be leaving soon and won't be home, so it's up to him whether he comes to see Dong Xuan or not.

"I'll be home at noon. Call me before you come, and I'll send you the address."

Dong Xuan and Yang Mi had known each other for half a year and had communicated quite a bit, so they had a good relationship.

Since he joined the cast of "Wang Zhaojun", the two haven't seen each other for a while. Now that he's been home for a few days, he still made time to visit her for the New Year, and Dong Xuan couldn't refuse.

"Okay, Teacher Dong, see you there."

After hanging up the phone, Dong Xuan boasted to Yan Li that Yang Mi was able to get a role in "Wang Zhaojun" thanks to her help.

The child was very grateful and even publicly expressed his thanks in media interviews.

Yan Li was very astute; he sensed something was amiss after just a few words: "Are you sure she's just being grateful, or is she trying to curry favor with us after learning about our relationship?"

"Of course I'm grateful. You've only shown up a few times in the past six months. I'm more of an ex-girlfriend than an ex-girlfriend. How would she know?"

Dong Xuan's words carried a hint of resentment, and Yan Li, too lazy to dwell on Yang Mi, kissed her.

"Look at you, you're so busy. Besides, I even left the film crew to come back and celebrate our birthdays together."

Last year, Qin Lan and Fan Xiaopang were quite jealous because he went back to Beijing to celebrate Dong Xuan's birthday. Because of this, he'll make Dong Xuan jealous for a year.

"No matter what, you're always right."

Dong Xuan angrily bit Yan Li a few times, and Yan Li chuckled mischievously as he pushed her into the quilt.

“You are also polite, more polite than any reason. Come, help me explain the etiquette.”

There was none of the previous agonizing over "this is the last time" or "this is the last time." After a few reluctant struggles, Dong Xuan obediently behaved herself.

"..."

Around noon, Yang Mi, carrying two boxes, knocked on Dong Xuan's door, following the address sent in a text message by Dong Xuan.

When guests arrived, Dong Xuan, who had changed her clothes, invited them in.

After the usual pleasantries and gift-giving, Yang Mi, having changed her shoes, sat on the sofa and asked a question, seemingly out of curiosity.

"Teacher, do you live here alone?"

"Ah."

Dong Xuan gave a vague reply, and Yang Mi pursed her lips, somewhat speechless.

Leaving aside the men's leather shoes and slippers in the shoe cabinet, there's a brightly lit ashtray on the coffee table with cigarette butts inside. Surely you didn't smoke those yourself.

Dong Xuan also noticed the ashtray that hadn't been put away, but didn't say anything. It was her ashtray, so what?

The teacher and student tacitly skipped the details and began chatting about Yang Mi's role in "Wang Zhaojun" and interesting stories from inside the Beijing Film Academy.

They started chatting happily, but as evening approached and Yang Mi showed no signs of leaving, Dong Xuan became a little anxious.

"It's getting late, and it's not safe to go home today because of the snow."

Yang Mi was reluctant to leave. She sensed that Yan Li might be home today and wanted to see if she could run into him.

In this way, he could both save face in front of Yan Li and bring up the matter, thus becoming Dong Xuan's true ally, and also legitimately seek help from his master's father-in-law later.

"Teacher, you must be lonely living alone. I have nothing else to do anyway, so why don't I stay here with you tonight?"

"No need, I'm used to living alone. It's a rare holiday, I'll go back and spend more time with my parents."

Dong Xuan had no intention of keeping Yang Mi. She made an excuse to send her away, and Yang Mi didn't dare to insist. She could only leave somewhat dejectedly, planning to find another opportunity later.

When the two went downstairs, they found that the snow that had stopped at noon had started falling again, and it was falling heavily.

Each step left a snowdrift, and snowflakes fell densely, making it difficult to even see the road in the distance.

Dong Xuan's first reaction was that Yan Li was probably back, and her second reaction was that Yang Mi was missing.

She took a taxi at noon, but it's not easy to get a taxi in this weather.

Dong Xuan went back to get her umbrella and accompanied Yang Mi to the entrance of the residential area. Sure enough, they couldn't get a taxi at all.

Dong Xuan's car was parked in the residential area, but given the weather and road conditions, neither she nor Yang Mi dared to drive it.

"Call your dad and see if it's convenient for him to come pick you up."

Dong Xuan came up with another idea, but Yang Mi shook her head: "My parents went to visit relatives today. With such heavy snow, they might not even be able to get home themselves, let alone pick me up."

Left with no other option, Dong Xuan could only take Yang Mi home to see if the snow would stop before figuring out a solution.

As a result, the snow showed no signs of stopping even when it got dark.

At this point, Dong Xuan no longer cared about Yang Mi's fate, but was worried about Yan Li's safety on the road.

If all else fails, she'll have Yan Li find a hotel to stay in, both to prevent any accidents on the road and to resolve Yang Mi's issue.

Dong Xuan called Yan Li, but he was out socializing. He said a few words to her not to worry and then hung up.

Left with no other option, Dong Xuan could only send her a text message, and then wait for Xue Xiao with Yang Mi.

Two hours later, the snow had lessened, but it was dark and the roads were slippery. Local television stations reported on multiple traffic collisions and road blockages, causing inconvenience to traffic.

"Call home and tell them not to leave today."

Seeing this, Dong Xuan was also worried about Yang Mi taking the risk, so she went to prepare a guest room for her to stay in.

It wasn't until after 10 p.m. that Dong Xuan called Yan Li again; the party was still going on.

"You should rest first, I'll wait for a call."

Dong Xuan told Yang Mi to go and rest. As for herself, she definitely wouldn't be able to sleep until she heard that Yan Li had finished his social engagements and returned to his hotel safely.

"I'm not sleepy either, let me keep you company and talk to you."

Yang Mi isn't stupid. Instead of leaving the conflicted and worried Dong Xuan there to go to sleep, she stayed by her side, comforting her with words of comfort.

Another half hour passed, and Dong Xuan still hadn't received a call, but she heard the door open. She got up and looked through the peephole, and there was Yan Li outside.

He hurriedly opened the door, and Yan Li came in, rubbed his hands together, and exhaled a puff of white breath.

"This snow is really heavy."

"Why did you go home? Didn't I tell you to find a hotel? It's too dangerous in this snowy weather."

Dong Xuan was puzzled, and Yan Li explained, "The place where I'm entertaining myself is close to home, but there aren't any decent hotels nearby, and it seems like it would cause traffic congestion, so I might as well go home."

“Do we still have a key to Jimen? Give it to Maowen. It's not safe for him to go back. I'll let him stay there.”

Yan Li was drinking at a social event and couldn't drive, so his driver, Wu Maowen, accompanied him.

In this situation, it would have been fine to just let them stay at home for the night, but Yang Mi is here today and is occupying the guest room, and the living room is too cold, so they will stay at Jimenli, which is not far away.

Although Yan Li no longer lives in that house, Lin Jiachuan and his brothers left him a key, so arranging someone for him temporarily wouldn't be a problem.

Having dealt with Wu Maowen, Yan Li and Dong Xuan finally had time to pay attention to Yang Mi. At this point, Dong Xuan no longer needed to hide it from them.

"This is Yan Li, you probably know him, he's my boyfriend, you can just call him Teacher Yan."

Yang Mi had thought about meeting Yan Li more than once, and had even practiced her lines in private, but when she actually saw Yan Li, she still couldn't hide her nervousness and restraint.

"No... I'm sorry, Ms. Yan, I've caused you and Ms. Dong trouble."

Yan Li gave this future "Four Little Flowers" and Dong Xuan's prized disciple a quick look. He had seen her photos and information before, but this was the first time he had met her in person.

Hmm, your face is a bit square!

Her hairstyle was also a bit ugly; she had thick bangs that looked rather dowdy.

Overall, she looks quite good, with a fresh, natural, lively, and sweet feel. No wonder Zhang Dahu chose her to play Guo Xiang in "The Return of the Condor Heroes".

"It's okay, stay put, you guys chat, I'm going to change my clothes. I smell of alcohol and have snow on me, it's uncomfortable."

Yan Li and Yang Mi weren't familiar with each other, and he didn't plan to chat for long. After a few words, he wanted to go take a shower and change his clothes.

Dong Xuan suggested, "I'll make you a bowl of ginger soup to warm you up."

"Get the ginger and pot ready, I'll cook it myself."

Dong Xuan was used to Yan Li not believing in her skills, so she went to find Jiang herself. Yang Mi was eager to help and took the opportunity to ask the question that had been hidden in her heart.

"Teacher Dong, you and Teacher Yan haven't broken up."

Dong Xuan nodded: "Yes, it's just what they're saying to the media, it's just for publicity."

"So that's it."

Yang Mi suddenly realized, but there were still many questions, such as whether Fan Xiaopang and Yan Li were real.

However, she wouldn't dare ask that question even if you killed her; she just kept showering him with compliments.

"That's wonderful! I saw the news about your past relationship with Teacher Yan on campus, and I was so sorry for you. Turns out the breakup was fake. I always said you and Teacher Yan were a perfect match, destined for each other, and you would definitely end up together..."

Even though she knew Yang Mi was just flattering her, Dong Xuan was still very happy and casually reminded her.

"I don't plan to make this public for now, please keep it a secret for me."

"no problem."

Yang Mi made a zipper-like gesture near her mouth: "My mouth is the tightest."

It's hard to say whether it's the strictest measure, but since she can benefit from this, she'll definitely keep it a secret.

A short while later, Yan Li changed into his pajamas and came out. After making ginger soup, he also made himself a bowl of noodles.

Some social engagements don't allow for eating and drinking, but Yan Li is physically strong and naturally has a large appetite, so he often has a late-night snack after these engagements.

Yang Mi wanted to chat with Yan Li for a bit, but after finishing his noodles, Yan Li said he was tired, said a few polite words, and went back to his room.

Not long after Yan Li returned to his room, Dong Xuan also said that it was getting late and told Yang Mi to wash up and rest.

Since she was a guest, Yang Mi had no choice but to return to her room. Perhaps it was Yan Li's cold attitude that made her feel conflicted, as she couldn't fall asleep no matter what.

Lying in bed, I recalled the layout of the entire house. The guest room was opposite the master bedroom, not directly opposite, but not far away.

Quietly getting out of bed, Yang Mi opened the door and peeked inside. The master bedroom light was still on, so Yan Li and the others probably weren't asleep.

Not daring to go into the hallway, Yang Mi pressed her face against the guest room door, trying to see if she could hear any sounds from the master bedroom.

She felt that Yan Li and Dong Xuan would definitely talk about her, wanting to know Yan Li's impression of her.

However, whether it was due to good soundproofing or the two rooms being a bit far apart, Yang Mi didn't hear any conversation, but she could vaguely sense some small movements.

After hesitating for a long time, Yang Mi quietly opened the door, pretending to go to the bathroom, and then approached the master bedroom door.

Now I heard it!
Although it wasn't very clear, snippets of conversation could be heard from time to time.

I didn't hear her name mentioned; it seemed to be something about cinema chains, film bureaus, Hengdian, blah blah blah.

Ok?
Teacher Dong's voice suddenly grew louder, as if she was angry. She thought she heard her say the name "Qin Lan".

Qin Lan?

Yang Mi recognized the name, but wasn't sure if it was the same person.

Could it be that this person is also related to Yan Li?

Wow, that's really fancy!
Yang Mi used to envy Dong Xuan for finding such a wealthy and eligible bachelor, but now it seems that every family has its own problems, and Teacher Dong also has her own difficulties.

Wait, why is there no sound?

What started as Dong Xuan's angry questioning, interspersed with Yan Li's coaxing and explanation, suddenly stopped for some reason.

Yang Mi broke out in a cold sweat, thinking she had been discovered. She quickly pretended to go to the bathroom, but when she came out a few minutes later, she found that no one had come out of the master bedroom.

Mustering her courage, Yang Mi approached the door again, and a moment later, her cheeks were flushed.

Based on my knowledge, I imagined that the sudden silence must have meant that Teacher Dong had been gagged.

There shouldn't be any more meaningful conversations, so Yang Mi is going back to sleep.

But despite thinking this, her feet remained motionless. Yang Mi tried to console herself, thinking that maybe they would talk about her later and she wouldn't be able to go back, what if she missed it?

As a result, we stood at this station for more than an hour.

Yang Mi's expression gradually changed from initial excitement and gossip to surprise and curiosity, then to longing and envy, then to disbelief, and finally to a hint of fear and admiration.

The object of his admiration was not Yan Li, but Dong Xuan.

She had been standing outside for so long that her legs were aching, but Teacher Dong was still able to endure it.

After a while, things finally quieted down in the room. Yang Mi heard Teacher Dong scolding Yan Li, who was talking about something related to alcohol.

Fearing they would come out to clean up, Yang Mi didn't dare linger and quickly retreated to her guest room.

Lying in bed, Yang Mi couldn't fall asleep at all.

The same nagging voice kept echoing in her ears. Biting her lip, Yang Mi opened her phone. There was a mini-game called "Gold Miner" that consumed stamina...

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.

PS: 10,000 words update, 2000 words in debt (8000 words)

(End of this chapter)