Chinese Entertainment Intelligence King

Chapter 225 Qin Dong planted spies within each other to steal the rights to "Invisible Wings"

Beijing, Fuli City
Qin Lan opened the door for Huo Siyan, who flashed her car keys and said, "Sis, I've given you a parking spot."

"Ah."

Taking the key and placing it in the key box in the entryway, Qin Lan pointed to the dining area: "Make yourself whatever you want to drink."

The two have a good relationship, and this isn't Huo Siyan's first visit, so there's no need to be too polite in private.

Huo Siyan went to the refrigerator, took a bottle of beverage, drank a few sips, and asked curiously.

"I didn't know how things were going on your end last night, and I didn't call. Is your brother-in-law angry?"

Why is he angry?

Qin Lan said in a nonchalant tone, "Yesterday, because we were out and about, I didn't want to embarrass him, so we had a fight when we got home. He's been much more obedient since then."

Regardless of the truth, Qin Lan still had to maintain her dignity in front of her younger sister.

"..."

Yesterday, they counted to three and dragged me into the car. I didn't dare utter a word. Who knows where I went to last night? And I'm still bragging.

Huo Siyan was secretly pleased, but she continued to flatter her, saying, "Sister Lan is skilled at managing her husband."

"Cough cough."

Qin Lan couldn't take it anymore and quickly changed the subject, expressing her gratitude and concern for Huo Siyan.

"You worked hard yesterday, are you alright anywhere?"

"That's not how you talk. We're like sisters. I was swinging my bag and only got hit two or three times. I didn't even get a scratch."

Yesterday's fight looked exciting, but it was all just a lot of bluffing. Not much was actually done, and Tong Dawei even took the lion's share of the blows.

It's not that a few people are afraid to take action, but rather that they are worried about others resorting to ruthless methods.

Most of them are female celebrities who make a living based on their looks. If they get scratched on their faces, it will be a real problem.

So it's all about hitting once and dodging three times. It doesn't matter if you can hit the other person or not, the key is not to get hit by them.

The two reviewed yesterday's "battle against Dong Zhuo." Huo Siyan boasted about her own righteousness and bravery, and then criticized Ma Yili.

"Sister, this person is no good. He's slick and doesn't treat us like family."

"You can't say that. Old Ma also had his reasons. Besides, if she hadn't stopped him yesterday, things might have gotten out of control."

Qin Lan was somewhat understanding of Ma Yili's behavior and spoke up for her.

But in her heart, Huo Siyan's status unconsciously began to rise above that of Ma Yili.

I treat you as a close friend and sister, not as someone to lecture me or defend the greater good.

Huo Siyan may be a bit impulsive and sometimes a bit useless, but we stand firmly by her side, never back down in crucial moments, and never hesitate to step up when it's time to act.

Of the two, Huo and Ma, Ma Yili held a more significant place in Qin Lan's heart.

After all, the two have known each other for a longer time, from filming "My Fair Princess 3" to now, which is three or four years. Even if their relationship was not very good in the early stages, they have been friends for much longer than Huo Siyan.

Therefore, even if Qin Lan and Huo Siyan get along better, the latter cannot catch up with her in a short time.

However, while emotions are important over time, certain events and moments can also rapidly elevate a person, even surpassing the effects of time.

However, compared to Huo and Ma, Qin Lan actually felt that Guan Yue was the best friend yesterday.

Although they were not on the same side and Qin Lan did not have a good impression of him, it did not prevent her from expressing her appreciation for his "righteousness".

She dared to argue and fight, and always stood up for Dong Xuan. Even when facing Yan Li, while everyone else was hesitant, she was the only one who dared to speak up for Dong Xuan.

Qin Lan even felt a little envious of Dong Xuan.

She thought about it and realized that if she ever had a conflict with Yan Li and suffered some injustice, which of her close friends would stand up for her?

Ma Yili is out of the question. Huo Siyan dares to argue and fight with other women on her behalf, but when it comes to Yan Li, she'll probably be as docile as a rabbit.

As for Liu Yun... considering his volatile temper, Qin Lan had some confidence, but wasn't entirely sure.

Qin Lan never felt that she was inferior to Dong Xuan in any way, except in terms of luck, she now felt that Dong had the upper hand.

Luckily, she ran into Yan Li earlier than her and snatched the first soup.

I was lucky enough to meet a true best friend who would be completely loyal to me.

Huo Siyan was unaware of Qin Lan's thoughts and was still criticizing Ma Yili.

While this move may have stemmed from genuine dissatisfaction, it was more about sowing discord between Qin Lan and Ma Yili, and vying for Qin Lan's position as her best friend.

Qin Lan only has a few close friends. Those who are closest to her will likely benefit the most in the future.
Huo Siyan didn't take Liu Yun seriously at all, thinking she was too insignificant. However, she considered Ma Yili, who was more famous and had known Qin Lan for a longer time, to be her biggest enemy.

Originally, she planned to proceed gradually, but unexpectedly, the other party stabbed herself in the back. Huo Siyan would not be herself if she didn't add fuel to the fire.

That's how it is. Seeing Qin Lan speak up for Ma Yili, she still felt uneasy and planned to continue to bring people close to her into the group, and then isolate Ma Yili.

"Sis, do you remember Li Xiaolu? I'm telling you, she secretly helped us yesterday..."

Huo Siyan and Li Xiaolu already had a good relationship, and because of what happened yesterday, Huo Siyan's feelings for Li Xiaolu improved even more.

As for Li Xiaolu, who loves excitement, it's unclear whether she's genuinely interested in Qin Lan or simply prefers to follow the parties involved for easier gossip.

Last night, while drinking with Huo Siyan, we talked about how Huo Siyan and Qin Lan were forming cliques and sticking together for mutual support. I also took the initiative to express my desire to join them to Huo Siyan.

Li Xiaolu is a rising star, and in terms of fame, she would easily be in the top three if Qin and Ma were added. Her addition to the sisterhood would definitely greatly enhance the group's influence.

Therefore, Huo Siyan began to strongly recommend Li Xiaolu to Qin Lan.

Although Huo Siyan usually organizes all the events with her girlfriends, the core of this little circle is Qin Lan. If the latter doesn't agree, Huo Siyan can't do anything about it.

Qin Lan's impression of Li Xiaolu wasn't bad, but...

"She seems to know someone surnamed Dong, doesn't she?"

"The more this is the case, the more we need to bring her over here, otherwise she'll be dragged over by that Dong guy. Besides, sis, don't you want to find someone to find out what's going on over there?"

Huo Siyan herself acted as an undercover agent for Yan Li at Huayi Brothers, and now she's starting to think about arranging an undercover agent for Dong Xuan as well.

She has a personal grudge against Dong Xuan and is even more proactive in dealing with her than Qin Lan!
Qin Lan was somewhat tempted by Huo Siyan's words, but she didn't immediately agree. Instead, she suggested that they get to know each other first.

...

While Qin Lan and Huo Siyan were actively discussing things, on the other side of the Beijing Film Academy campus, Dong Xuan and Guan Yue, having finished their business, also found a secluded spot to begin their debriefing.

"You didn't explain clearly what happened when you got home last night?"

Guan Yue pulled Dong Xuan aside to ask questions. Compared to Qin Lan, who showed Huo Siyan some respect as an elder sister, Dong Xuan and Guan Yue had been friends for many years and could talk about almost anything.

So Dong Xuan didn't hide anything and told Guan Yue about what happened yesterday.

"Is this the end?"

Guan Yue was speechless: "They've already fought, and this is just going to be swept under the rug like this?"

"What can we do if we can't finish this? We can't keep fighting, and we can't be harmonious either. So let's just make a big deal out of it and let it go without saying a word."

The relationship between the three is a mess, and many things can only be handled in a muddled manner.

The words were too clear, the attitude too explicit—it was forcing Yan Li to make a choice.

What if Yan Li chooses someone else?

Who dares to bet?
Yesterday, when Yan Li turned around and got into the car, it was unclear whether Qin Lan panicked or not, but Dong Xuan was definitely panicked.

If the two separate again, and Yan Li returns to the sea like a dragon returning to the ocean, what will she do?
As I said before, she endured the hardships with Yan Li back then, and now that it's time to enjoy the fruits of victory, it's gone to another woman. That would be worse than death for her.

No matter what, Yan Li didn't let any other woman surpass her, which means she holds the most important place in his heart, so let's just make do for now.

Guan Yue moved her lips, but said nothing.

Regardless of whether Yan Li and Dong Xuan were willing to give or receive, no matter how good their relationship was, she was still an outsider and had no right to interfere in their affairs.

The problem is, she didn't know what to say.

Advising Dong Xuan to be patient is pointless. If she refuses to be patient, then she and Yan Li have fallen out. Where will she find a super eligible bachelor like Yan Li in the future?

Men are all the same. She used to think her husband, Tong Dawei, was honest, but she still found out he was up to no good.

If Dong Xuan breaks up with Yan Li and then finds another man who is inferior to Yan Li in every way, and he is still unfaithful, she'll be disgusted to death.

After a moment of silence, Guan Yue took the initiative to change the subject. Since they couldn't be separated, they should fight for it.

"Hey, have you noticed that Qin guy has more and more people around him?"

"Humph."

Dong Xuan scoffed, "A poor imitation."

Despite Qin Lan and Huo Siyan's elaborate efforts to recruit people and their impressive display of influence, it was actually Dong Xuan who started doing this first.

University classmates Guan Yue and Yin Xu, as well as Yang Xue and Jiang Xin from "Happy Seven Fairies", and other friends I met through various channels.

Dong Xuan's forces, when revealed, are definitely more numerous than Qin Lan's.

It's just that she and Guan Yue usually get too close, making their relationship too prominent for others to notice.

"Whether she's a Dong Shi or not, I think we need to pay more attention."

Guan Yue, however, felt that Qin Lan was not to be underestimated. After this encounter, she was indeed no pushover. Moreover, she had Ma Yili and Huo Siyan by her side. If Qin Lan had more people, and a conflict broke out, the one with fewer people would definitely suffer.

For example, yesterday, it was fortunate that Ma Yili was wholeheartedly trying to break up the fight. If she had been with Qin Huo, and Tong Dawei was not in a position to intervene, it would have been a three-on-two situation, and who knows what might have happened.

Dong Xuan listened to Guan Yue's words and seemed to be deep in thought.

She didn't take fighting or arguing too seriously; the chances of it happening were too low. She was after Yan Li, not trying to seize territory or start a brawl.

However, the reason why she and Qin Lan unconsciously formed cliques was largely due to their own limited strength and influence, so they used gathering crowds to make up for it.

Fan Xiaopang's strong performance, in particular, made both sides even more eager for this point.

Going it alone, he's no match for Fan. If he doesn't pull others together to build momentum, is he just going to sit here and wait to die?

After a moment of silent consideration, Dong Xuan said to Guan Yue, "Finding help is no problem, but we can't just ask anyone. What do you think of Li Xiaolu from yesterday?"

"She looks slick and cunning, but when we were breaking up the fight yesterday, I always felt that she was biased towards the guy surnamed Huo."

Dong Xuan frowned, then relaxed: "Perfect, I was just having a headache because I don't know much about Qin Lan's side. I can have her go and find out what's going on."

Guan Yue questioned, "Is this reliable? Don't throw good money after bad."

"I know her fairly well, I'll talk to her later."

Dong Xuan was confident about this, as the two already had a relationship, and what Qin Lan could give, she could give too.

He didn't expect Li Xiaolu to side with him; he just wanted to provide her with what she needed.

Seeing this, Guan Yue did not object further, but recommended another candidate.

What do you think of Yang Mi?

"she?"

Dong Xuan pursed her lips. Ever since she learned the truth about Yang Mi from Yan Li, her opinion of the latter had declined, and she was no longer as friendly and cordial as before.

Whether Yang Mi noticed or not, no matter what Dong Xuan's attitude was, it remained the same as before.

Guan Yue knew what Dong Xuan was thinking, but this time she had a different opinion.

"This young girl became quite popular after 'The Return of the Condor Heroes' and then starred in 'Wang Zhaojun,' so her future looks promising. She's also our student, and we're close. Although she has a few ulterior motives, it's precisely this kind of person who's more likely to succeed, and sometimes we have to rely on her."

If you consider Yang Mi as a close confidante, she might disappoint you.

But if you consider her as a tool for charging into battle, she's definitely a good choice.

Dong Xuan thought for a moment, but didn't say whether she agreed or not. She just said, "I'll think about it."

...

While Qin Lan and Dong Xuan were discussing recruitment, Fan Xiaopang was leisurely recording songs in the recording studio.

Because Yan Li kept quiet about what happened yesterday, no one else revealed it, and no outsiders witnessed it, so Fan Xiaopang was unaware of it.

"...

I know I've always had a pair of invisible wings.
Take me flying, give me hope
I finally saw all my dreams blossom.

The youthful voices that are chasing after us are so bright and clear.

... "

After singing twice and receiving a signal from the recording engineer, Fan Xiaopang came out of the recording studio and greeted Wang Jing, who had come to visit the set.

"Sister Hua, what do you think of this song?"

"Great song, great lyrics, and a very pleasant melody."

Wang Jinghua isn't just praising it; the song really does sound good, and she even asked the lyricist and composer about it.

"Wang Yajun is a singer from Taiwan Province. Do you know Zhang Shaohan? Many of her songs were written by her. Yan Li specifically sought her out to buy the songs."

"It is said that this song was originally intended for Zhang Shaohan, but Yan Li paid extra to snatch it away."

The song "Invisible Wings" was information Yan Li obtained from the system. It was said to be one of the most popular songs in 2006, so he got it for Fan Xiaopang as the title track of his album.

In fact, Fan Xiaopang's statement was somewhat restrained.

This song was not only written by Wang Yajun for Zhang Shaohan, but it can even be said that it was tailor-made for her.

Of course, it's hard to say whether this is just publicity stunt, but anyway, Yan Li paid extra and used connections, so he got the song without much difficulty.

Anyway, inspirational songs like this, with a slight change in the lyrics, can be applied to Zhang Shaohan, or to other artists.

Fan Xiaopang debuted at a young age and went through many ups and downs, as well as times when he was embroiled in controversy. He climbed up the ladder with sheer determination.

So she also has a pair of invisible wings in her heart, carrying her and bringing her hope.

That's the literal meaning. In Fan Xiaopang's own understanding, it's still a "love song".

Yan Li is implying that he is her "invisible wings," carrying her and making her dreams blossom.

But in any case, this song now belongs to Fan Xiaopang, and it sounds right and rhythmic. Because Fan's voice is sweet but confident, it sounds positive, uplifting and healing.

Besides "Invisible Wings", Fan Xiaopang's album also includes a song called "Cherry Blossom Grass".

It was also through the system that Yan Li intercepted the song, which originally belonged to a group called Sweety. One of the members of this group was Liu Pinyan, who played Anu in "Chinese Paladin".

Once Yan Li learned who the lyricist and composer were, he simply used his connections and spent money to buy them. "Cherry Blossom Grass" has a relatively fresh and sweet style, which matches "Invisible Wings" well.

Based on these two songs, the other songs on Fan Xiaopang's album are mostly inspirational, growth-oriented, and positive, all of which were carefully selected and purchased or custom-produced by professional musicians.

Leaving aside the arrangement, recording, and production, the cost of buying/writing these songs alone exceeded 200 million.

"Judging from this, Yan Li is actually quite good to you."

After listening to Fan Xiaopang's slightly boastful description of the album, Wang Jinghua couldn't help but feel a little emotional.

"That's right, he's not good to me, but I can't bear to leave you, Sister Hua."

Fan Xiaopang put his arm around Wang Jinghua and said that her job-hopping incident still left a lingering resentment in Wang Jinghua's heart.

However, thanks to Yan Li's good mediation and the shared interests, the two sides maintained a good relationship and occasionally met up in private.

In this respect, she is even better than Li Bingbing. Because of Huayi Brothers, she rarely interacts with Wang Jinghua in private these days.

After chatting in the recording studio for a while, Fan Xiaopang, having finished his work, took the initiative to invite Wang Jinghua to dinner.

After chatting about their recent situations and exchanging pleasantries at the dinner table, Fan Xiaopang took the initiative to speak.

"Sister Hua, is there something you need this time?"

Fan Xiaopang has been working with Wong Jing-hua since 2000, and the two are very familiar with each other. Seeing Wong Jing-hua suddenly visit the set today, Fan Xiaopang knew that this former agent would not come without a reason.

"I knew I couldn't hide it from you. Well, how should I put it? I was just doing this for someone else."

Wang Jinghua first stepped aside, then explained her purpose. The matter was not complicated: Boss Wu of Orange Sky wanted to talk to Yan Li and asked Wang Jinghua to act as a go-between.

As a senior executive at Orange Sky, Wang Jinghua knew some of the situation and was afraid that she wouldn't be able to handle it alone, so she approached Fan Xiaopang.

"That's it."

Fan Xiaopang wasn't very clear about Orange Sky's affairs, but she knew that Yan Li and Huayi were exchanging favors, so she didn't agree rashly and said she would ask Yan Li first.

Wang Jinghua had no problem with it; she had relayed the message, and it was through Fan Xiaopang. Whether Yan Li responded or not, she had given instructions.

After finishing his meal, Fan Xiaopang went straight back to Yi'an, found Yan Li in his office, and told him about the matter.

Yan Li was slightly surprised: "Goodness, he's been turned down twice, but he still won't give up. He's even dragged you into this."

Fan Xiaopang then realized that Cheng Tian had previously contacted Yan Li.

Come to think of it, the two sides aren't mortal enemies; they're both prominent figures in the industry. If they were to make a direct appointment, Yan Li wouldn't easily refuse.

The fact that they specifically asked Wang Jinghua to act as an intermediary and even got her involved shows that they couldn't make the appointment through normal channels.

Why is that guy from Orange Sky so eager to contact you?

Fan Xiaopang was a little curious, and Yan Li lit a cigarette: "They also want to enter the cinema market, but they can't get a license, and the acquisition isn't going smoothly, so they're thinking about whether they can cooperate with me..."

Yan Li had already figured out Cheng Tian's purpose through the system.

These people have big ambitions. While they were trying to win over Jiahe, they also had their eyes on him, planning to take down Jiahe, Yi'an, and Chengtian all at once.

At that time, they will simultaneously go public through a reverse merger with Golden Harvest and leverage Yi An's connections in the mainland and Yan Li's network to become China's number one private cinema chain, making a fortune in the stock market.

This plan sounds good; if Yan Li didn't have the system, he might even be tempted.

But now he knows that poison is hidden beneath the sweet candy.

Behind Orange Sky and Golden Harvest are Japanese and Hong Kong investors, respectively, both much larger than Yan Li. If the merger is successful, Yan Li will definitely not be able to gain control.

To maintain stability and because Yan Li was needed to expand the territory, he would definitely be given some initial incentives.

But as the company grows larger and its layout matures, Yan Li's role diminishes, controlling stake is in someone else's hands, and funding is insufficient to compete. Even if he isn't ousted, he will gradually become marginalized.

Discarding a tool after it has served its purpose, and destroying a bridge after it has been used – these are the tricks of capital.

Knowing full well that these people were up to no good, Yan Li naturally didn't bother with them and even refused their invitations.

"Damn it, how can these people be so vicious!"

After hearing Yan Li's "guess," Fan Xiaopang was so angry that he cursed loudly. Luckily, Yan Li was shrewd, otherwise he would have been eaten alive by these people.

"This is actually not bad. At least you can still taste some sweetness. The crueler ones won't let you eat any sweetness, or they'll make you spit it out after you eat it. You might even be pushed out to take the blame at a critical moment and end up in jail or jumping off the roof."

Yan Li was used to it. Everyone said the entertainment industry was dirty, but those celebrities were all greenhorns in front of the capital circle.

Orange Sky's strategy, to some extent, actually shows "sincerity".

Otherwise, they wouldn't be so proactive. Moreover, Yan Li started from scratch and is not easy to fool. If they act too greedily, they won't be able to achieve cooperation.

In Orange Sky's view, Yan Li's creation of this cinema chain is nothing more than an attempt to enhance his industry influence or raise funds through an IPO.

As for laying out the industrial chain, Orange Sky believes that the possibility is very low. It's very simple: where would Yan Li get his funds?
Relying solely on stock speculation and a bunch of coal bosses is just wishful thinking!
This line of thinking is flawless; no normal person would know that Yan Li could use cheat codes.

Given the current development trend, once Yian burns through its initial investment, it certainly won't reach the size required for an IPO. In that case, it will have to find investors again to raise funds, and the difficulties and complexities involved are self-evident.

However, if Yan Li merges Yi An with Orange Sky and Jiahe, he will not need to worry about funding issues in the short term.

As one of the core executives of the new company, Yan Li can leverage a lot of resources, and he can also cash out his shares.

Even if he gets kicked out in the future, his good performance in the early stages will be enough to make him very rich.

So Cheng Tian was confident he could persuade Yan Li, but Yan Li was stubborn and preferred to do it himself rather than rely on someone else.

Fan Xiaopang was a little confused. How could Orange Sky be good one minute and bad the next? In the end, he could only ask.

"Then how should I reply to Sister Hua?"

"Let's cancel it. Just say I don't have time. I'm going to Hong Kong in the next couple of days anyway."

"If you go to Hong Kong, I'll go too."

Fan Xiaopang's eyes lit up, and she wrapped her arms around Yan Li's neck and started to act coquettishly. Yan Li pushed her away.

“It wouldn’t be right for someone to see us at the company.”

"What are you afraid of? We didn't do anything else. It's normal for couples to kiss and hug each other. Besides, Hu Ya and Xiao Yi are both outside."

As she spoke, instead of letting go, Fan Xiaopang started to squeeze into Yan Li's arms, and Yan Li subconsciously pinched her flesh.

"Huh, you've gained weight again?"

One sentence almost made Fan Xiaopang jump up: "Where am I fat? I just weighed myself, 106 pounds, not a penny off."

Yan Li pinched it again: "Don't get excited, so what if you're chubby? You're chubby, and it feels good to touch."

Actually, he quite liked Fan Xiaopang when he was a bit plump; it felt comfortable to hug and touch him.

However, she has a large frame, and if she doesn't control her weight well, she can look a bit bulky. In reality, she looks fine, but it's easily magnified on camera. If she's next to a slim and petite actress, the contrast becomes even more obvious.

Therefore, Fan Xiaopang prefers to be thin rather than gain weight, lest he become "fat".

"I've been busy recording songs these days, and I haven't had any other public appearances, so I'm feeling a bit more relaxed."

After deceiving himself for a while, Fan Xiaopang faced reality and decided to lose weight after returning from Hong Kong.

"Hey, I never said I'd take you."

Yan Li almost got caught up in her trap and quickly corrected her. Fan Xiaopang looked at him with a dangerous expression.

"If you're not taking me, then who do you want to take? Someone surnamed Dong? Someone surnamed Qin? Or that little bitch Wang Ou?"

"I don't bring anyone with me. It's just a business trip to discuss work. I'll be back in two or three days."

Yan Li wasn't trying to fool Fan Xiaopang. His business trip to Hong Kong was very busy. Besides discussing investment and overseas exports, he was also planning to bet on the World Cup.

This year is the World Cup in Germany. The sweet taste of the last European Championship was too sweet. Yan Li kept saying he would abstain from greed, but when the time came, he was still a little itchy.

However, compared to the high-stakes gamble he made last time, where he wagered most of his cash, Yan Li isn't betting as much this time.

If you make a profit, you'll receive a windfall; if you lose, it won't affect anything.

With less capital required and Yan Li now possessing greater resources and connections than before, he didn't go to Europe and instead settled things directly in Hong Kong.

Yan Li even planned out how the money would be used in the future, leaving it in Hong Kong for investments or property purchases.

In the future, Hong Kong will be hit harder by the financial crisis than the mainland, making it a great place to buy at the bottom.

Needless to say, the investment is a given. As for buying property, Yan Li is optimistic about the steady rise in Hong Kong's property market. In addition, he is considering having children in Hong Kong in the future, so he is making preparations in advance.

Many celebrities and wealthy people like to give birth in Hong Kong, not only to avoid the one-child policy, but also to give their children a Hong Kong household registration.

Having a Hong Kong household registration offers many preferential policies and provides numerous conveniences in areas such as further education and going abroad.

Yan Li hasn't figured out what to do yet, and hasn't even considered when to have children, but buying a house is still buying one anyway, so it's always better to be prepared than to scramble at the last minute.

There was no need to tell Fan Xiaopang about these things. He just emphasized that he would be there and back quickly, without any people or any ulterior motives.

Fan Xiaopang was a little disappointed. She had finally had some free time and was thinking of going out with Yan Li.

Yan Li also felt that he had been too busy lately. He needed to balance work and rest, and planned to take a vacation and travel to relax when he had time.

However, he still didn't tell Fan Xiaopang this. It was still uncertain who he would bring. It was best to act first and inform later, otherwise, there would be endless arguments.

...

Since he was already at the company, Fan Xiaopang didn't leave. He waited until Yan Li got off work and asked him to take him out for barbecue.

"Didn't you say you wanted to lose weight?"

"I'll start dieting after this meal."

Yan Li nodded. "As expected of you. You knew that you couldn't eat barbecue without drinking, so you asked your driver, Wu Maowen, to drive you to a well-known barbecue restaurant in Beijing."

The restaurant doesn't have private rooms, but it does have simply partitioned seating. Yan Li isn't picky; he just wants to have a meal, and he doesn't care if paparazzi take pictures of him.

Fan Xiaopang is no longer afraid. She now wishes the paparazzi would photograph her and Yan Li every day to make their relationship a reality.

If Yan Li hadn't been holding her back, she would have publicly acknowledged the relationship long ago, willing to risk her career to keep their relationship out in the open.

"...Give me some enoki mushrooms, some eggplant, and a few skewers of shrimp, and some kidneys, both inner and outer kidneys..."

Before he could finish speaking, Fan Xiaopang interrupted, "Order fewer."

"Alright, two skewers each, please."

Yan Li was speechless. Other women were giving their men all sorts of nourishing foods, but he was different. He wanted to eat something more stimulating, but several women were trying to stop him.

"Oysters are fine, you can eat those too."

Yan Li continued ordering food, and Fan Xiaopang nodded. Yan Li couldn't take the extra food, but Fan Xiaopang could, otherwise she wouldn't be able to handle it.

After ordering, the two chatted and talked about the promotion of "Investiture of the Gods".

The show is scheduled to air in June, but Hunan TV has no shortage of good shows, which is why it missed out on the summer slot.

However, it's good that it airs early. If the ratings are good, the various reruns will coincide with the summer season, allowing it to capture teenage viewers during the daytime.

Fan Xiaopang is quite invested in this drama.

Although "The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng" was a hit, she was only one of the female leads in one of the episodes, so her gains were limited. However, in "Investiture of the Gods," she was undoubtedly the female lead, and a good performance would bring her many benefits.

"I asked Brother Cheng, and the promotion might involve appearing on a variety show on Hunan TV. Do you have time?"

Although Yan Li was involved in a lot of the production of "Investiture of the Gods" and was in charge of distribution, the main controller was Cheng Lidong of Yongle, and Cheng handled many of the production matters.

"talk later."

Yan Lizhen wasn't quite sure. After all, he was just a supporting character in "Investiture of the Gods." Attending a press conference and doing a few interviews wouldn't be a problem.

He might not have the time to film variety shows in other places, and he's not a big fan of the overly playful variety shows on Hunan TV.

Fan Xiaopang really wanted Yan Li to go. As his business grew bigger and bigger, Yan Li became more and more composed and profound, and his aura became more and more powerful.

She wanted to see how Yan Li would react when he was humiliated by those prank games.

As they were talking, someone suddenly patted Yan Li on the back. He turned around and looked.

Li Xiaolu greeted him cheerfully: "Brother Yan, what a coincidence, we meet again."

As he spoke, he quickly glanced at Fan Xiaopang. Goodness, two women had just fought over him yesterday, and today he was out for barbecue with another one.

What a scoundrel!

Yan Li was also a little surprised. Wasn't the crew of "Struggle" supposed to be strictly managed, with set visits restricted? How come this little girl was running around everywhere?

Li Xiaolu seemed to understand Yan Li's meaning and blinked: "I took sick leave."

You're taking sick leave to get treatment at a barbecue restaurant, huh?
Yan Li glanced again at the tall young man behind Li Xiaolu.

Well, he wasn't actually that tall, but next to the petite and slender Li Xiaolu, he looked both tall and strong.

"This is?"

"Li Chen, my boyfriend, is also an actor."

As she spoke, she patted Yan Li as if they were old friends: "Chen'er, you must know this. Yan Li, my good brother, Boss Yi An, an absolute big shot."

Li Chen politely extended both hands: "Hello, President Yan, I am Li Chen. I often hear Xiao Lu mention you, and I rely on your care in the meantime."

Actually, we weren't close at all; we only met yesterday!

Yan Li didn't expose them, and said a few words in response, and even introduced Fan Xiaopang, who had a lukewarm reaction to the two of them.

Although Li Xiaolu is a popular young actress, she is still far behind Fan Xiaopang, and as for Li Chen, I've never even heard of him.

Normally, given Fan Xiaopang's emotional intelligence, they would chat for a bit, but today, she finally had some alone time with Yan Li, and the two of them came over to bother her. No wonder she wasn't going to give them a friendly look.

Li Xiaolu noticed Fan Xiaopang's indifference and rolled her eyes, saying, "Brother Yan, we won't disturb you any longer. You and your wife can eat slowly."

The words "sister-in-law" instantly made Fan Xiaopang feel better, and a smile appeared on his face. He even got up to see her off and praised her afterwards.

"This little girl is quite sensible."

What little girl? If Yan Li remembers correctly, this girl debuted a long time ago. She just looks young. Maybe Fan Xiaopang is even younger than her.

And then there's Li Chen, he seems to remember him a bit, he seems to have acted in "Seventeen Years Old Don't Cry", he debuted quite early.

"Who cares if it's early or not? They're all irrelevant outsiders, why bother with them?"

Fan Xiaopang forbade Yan Li from mentioning anyone else and devoted himself to spending time alone with her.

-

P.S.: Sorry, I forgot to set it.
(End of this chapter)