Chinese Entertainment Intelligence King

Chapter 256 Commercial Films and Art Films, Spring Festival Gala and New Year's Eve Dinner
After discussing TV series, it's time to talk about movies.

The movie "Painted Skin" needs no introduction. It was a major project led by Yi An this year, with its cost, resources, and cast all comparable to "blockbusters".

Besides this movie, Yi An plans for Fan Xiaopang to star in 1-2 more movies.

Moreover, one of them has already been taken over by "Red Cliff".

After the Spring Festival, Fan Bingbing will first film "The Legend of the Gods 2", and then he will join the cast of "Red Cliff".

The latter is a large production team, and they don't compromise on actors' schedules as much, so they have to allow enough time. By the time filming is finished, it will be around the middle of the year.

After that, with period dramas set in the Republican era and "Painted Skin," Fan Bingbing's remaining schedule is running out.
It's worth noting that besides filming TV dramas and movies, Fan Xiaopang also has to do various advertisements, endorsements, commercial performances, and industry events. Moreover, with the huge success of "Invisible Wings," the artist management department is considering releasing another album for her while the iron is hot.

He was already incredibly busy, and Fan Xiaopang wasn't made of iron; he needed rest and time with Yan Li.

If she focuses solely on her work and her man is snatched away by other vixens, she'll be at a huge loss.

Therefore, with this allocation, Fan Xiaopang herself doesn't have many available slots, and even fewer movies that fit her schedule. Often, Yi An's side needs to invest or take the lead and then coordinate the time.

With two blockbuster films in quick succession, "Painted Skin" and "Red Cliff," Fan Bingbing has no shortage of commercial films and exposure.

For the remaining film, Fan Xiaopang's team preferred an art-house theme.

To put it bluntly, I want to win a prize.

But these kinds of scripts are actually harder to find than commercial films, and even if you do find one, the director might not use it.

For example, director Cao Baoping's "The Equation of Love and Death" was targeted by Yan Li from the very beginning when he was seeking investment.

However, after meeting him, Director Cao had his own ideas about the female lead and was determined not to be controlled by the investors.

Cao Baoping has a certain reputation in the industry, and the film's cost is not high; at worst, they can find another investor.

As someone who makes art films, he doesn't care about Yan Li's threats from theaters.

Yan Li couldn't possibly use the theater chain to blackmail them. You could say that the two sides have a grudge or conflict, but that's one thing.

If someone doesn't listen to you when using actors, and then you withdraw your investment and then try to suppress them, that's just leaving them no way to survive. What about the reputation of the industry? Which director would dare to work with Yi An in the future?

This is why directors of art-house films are more likely to uphold ethical standards than directors of commercial films.

With little investment and few weaknesses, we have nothing to lose and are not afraid of those in shoes. At worst, we simply stop playing with you.

Commercial film directors are often too reliant on investors' funds, resources, and various channels, so they often have to compromise.

Currently, "The Equation of Love and Death" is still under discussion and not yet finalized, but Yan Li is not very optimistic about Fan Xiaopang.

Cao Baoping already knew who he had chosen—Young Master Zhou.

This is not surprising; among the four actresses and two actors, Zhang and Zhou are the most appreciated and favored by directors.

Zhang Ziyi has a distinctly cinematic face with a high degree of recognizability. She possesses both classical beauty and the resilience, gentleness, and strength of a modern woman.

Zhou Xun's eyes tell a story, she has a unique temperament, and as long as the director can keep her in check, she is known for her talent.

In addition, both actresses are among the best in terms of acting skills, influence, and professionalism, so directors always consider them first, whether it's a blockbuster or an art film.

Because Zhang Ziyi is currently targeting the international market and earns high salaries, while domestic films are mostly blockbusters, Zhou Xun has become the first choice for directors of art-house films.

Although Yan Li is protective of his own and has some bias towards Fan Xiaopang (Fan Xiaopang), he wouldn't dare say that Fan's acting skills are better than Zhou's.

Moreover, Zhou Xun is now highly regarded at Huayi Brothers. If Cao Baoping considers using Zhou Xun to attract investment from Huayi Brothers, it wouldn't be too difficult to make an art film.

Besides Zhang Ziyi and Zhou Hongyi, there are other art-house actresses or leading ladies such as Yu Nan, Zhang Jingchu, Hao Lei, Song Jia, and Qin Hailu competing fiercely in the field of art-house films.

In addition, the presence of directors like Jia Zhangke, Jiang Wen, and Gu Changwei, who are known for praising their wives, has further shrunk the market.

So while everyone talks about commercial films being lucrative, the art-house film sector is actually even more so.

There are only a handful of commercial films that are qualified to compete, while in the realm of art films, popular actresses, newcomers, and established stars are theoretically all competitors.

It's just that because there are many projects, little exposure, and they tend to be familiar with certain things, they are not very obvious and not well known to the general public.

Therefore, acting in art films is not difficult for Yi An and Fan Xiaopang, but acting in an art film that wins an award is not so easy.

"Look for it slowly."

Yan Li said this, but what he was really thinking about was supporting a few art-house film directors.

Directors who succeed usually have their own teams and connections, and many are willing to invest in their companies. It would be better to support and recruit some newcomers.

The film industry often has various new director programs or film awards to discover new talent, and Yan Li could also take the lead in organizing one.

They could spend a few million of their own money, then get involved with state-owned companies like China Film Group or related organizations, and even without spending any money, they could still secure some policy support. They could also find other companies or investors who love film art.

With a budget of ten or twenty million, you could make several low-budget films and art films, and even more short films. You might even discover some talented individuals.

Many young, grassroots directors like Ning Hao started their careers through film support programs, film festivals, and competitions.

If art films don't work, you could consider low-budget genre films, or those with supporting actresses.

Although it may not be of much help to Fan Xiaopang, at least he gets some exposure. Without exposure, it's hard to create hype.

Yan Li used to be less supportive of Fan Xiaopang's "volume-driven" films, but now the competition among the four leading actresses and two leading men is more intense than he imagined, and Fan Xiaopang has serious shortcomings, so sometimes he has to compromise.

As the meeting drew to a close and everyone else dispersed, Yan Li called out to Fan Xiaopang and her agent, Jia Qian.

“A movie came in, and the company wanted you to turn it down, but after thinking about it, I decided to let you know.”

Fan Xiaopang asked in confusion, "If you're going to push it away, why tell me? It's not like 'Lust, Caution,' is it?"

Last year, when Ang Lee, the director of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," was preparing to film his new movie, the buzz was enormous, with four leading actresses and two female actors from Hong Kong and Taiwan vying for the lead role.

However, the explicit content of "Lust, Caution" deterred many actresses from participating.

Many actresses are willing to accept explicit sex scenes, and as mentioned before, these days blockbusters often feature similar scenes.

However, "Lust, Caution" was too explicit and required the actors to perform the nude scenes themselves without using body doubles, which was quite a sacrifice.

And it involves not only artistic and personal sacrifices, but also potential sacrifices on a commercial and even political level!
Clothes are easy to take off but hard to put on. If an actress is labeled as a porn star or something similar, it can be a major blow to her career and even her life.

Therefore, "Lust, Caution" was later almost avoided by people in the industry.

Many female celebrities, especially those who follow a pure, innocent, sweet, and elegant image, immediately come out to deny and clarify any association with "Lust, Caution".

Those few who were willing to dedicate themselves to art were scrutinized by Ang Lee, who ultimately chose a newcomer surnamed Tang.

During this period, a clever person in the artist management business also suggested that Fan Bingbing audition for "Lust, Caution" to enter the international market, but Yan Li later fired him.

We don't punish the diligent or the lazy, we only punish the blind!

It's okay to be a little slow, but it's terrible to be stupid without realizing it, and even worse to think you're clever and capable.

With such a terrible teammate in the company, Yan Li is afraid he'll get screwed over someday.

Because of this incident, and the fact that Apple Daily had also caused a stir, the company knew what Yan Li meant. Even when Fan Xiaopang heard about something similar, his first reaction was that it was another film with explicit content coming to her.

The title "National Vixen" is no joke; there have been quite a few similar dramas that have approached people who like her.

"Not like 'Lust, Caution,' it's an action movie, a big-budget action movie."

Yan Li explained, "It's not exactly a film contract, they just said they had this idea and wanted to talk to us about it."

Fan Xiaopang, quick-witted, immediately remarked upon hearing Yan Li's words, "It's not the one with Jackie Chan and Jet Li, is it?"

Only this movie starring two kung fu superstars could make Yan Li intentionally decline it and then inform her of it as official business; otherwise, given their relationship, they could have just discussed it privately.

This is not only about giving Fan Xiaopang an explanation, but also about giving her team an explanation.

"It's 'The Forbidden Kingdom'."

Before Fan Xiaopang and Jia Qian could speak, Yan Li explained, "There's a bit of a complicated story behind this movie. It's nominally Huayi Brothers that brought it together, but in reality, the main production company is Hollywood. Cheng and Li also have a certain say in it, otherwise they wouldn't have collaborated."

"I've read the script. Hmm, it's a bit ordinary. The reason I approached you is because Li Bingbing is very likely to be involved. The production team wants to create a 'double soldier' ​​gimmick in addition to the two kung fu superstars."

Yan Li disagreed for the same reason: the gimmick of the two soldiers was given to "The Forbidden Kingdom", so what about "Painted Skin"?
In addition, the production team also had internal doubts about whether or not to invite Fan Xiaopang.

The main obstacle was Huayi Brothers, because Fan Xiaopang was Yan Li's man, and Huayi Brothers didn't want to let Yi An benefit for nothing. Instead, they wanted to take this opportunity to sign another popular actress.

In addition, Li Bingbing's side, which had already been essentially decided internally, was also trying to sabotage the deal.

"The Forbidden Kingdom" is not like "Painted Skin," which features two actresses, Bingbing and Fan Bingbing, with no distinction in star power. It was a foregone conclusion that there would be two female leads, so Li Bingbing might not have an advantage, but she didn't suffer any losses either.

Li's character is a villainous second female lead. If Fan Bingbing plays the female lead, she would overshadow Li Bingbing, which would be more painful than killing Li Bingbing.

Therefore, Fan Xiaopang faces significant internal and external obstacles in securing this role.

Furthermore, given that its filming schedule clashed with that of "Red Cliff," there was practically only a very slim possibility left.

Fan Xiaopang originally had some ideas about "The Forbidden Kingdom".

After all, it was a movie starring Jackie Chan and Jet Li, which had a good chance of making it to Hollywood. But now that we know the chances are slim, and since it involves our own business, the choice is easy.

She even inquired with great interest about who they wanted to cast as the female lead in "The Forbidden Kingdom".

It's impossible for her. Zhou Xun, who is currently vying for Huayi Brothers' top female star, is someone Li Bingbing would find hard to tolerate.

The other actresses in the "Four Dan and Two Bing" group are similar; most are likely actresses from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, or South Korea.

Upon hearing this, Yan Li's expression turned slightly strange, and he uttered a name that Fan Xiaopang had not expected.

Liu Tianxian!
Jia Qian couldn't help but complain: "Has Huayi Brothers gone mad? They're talking about Li Bingbing, Zhou Xun, Ruby Lin, and I heard they're also in talks with Fann Wong, Ady An, Hu Jing, and Yuan Li. If they sign Liu Yifei too, there will be constant internal conflicts."

As I've said before, having too many celebrities isn't necessarily a good thing.

They're all big names in the industry, either with deep experience, on the rise, or with powerful connections. None of them are willing to concede to each other. Plus, the company's resources are limited. If someone gets a bigger slice, someone else gets a smaller slice. It's no wonder there's so much competition for fame and fortune.

If the Wang brothers could treat everyone equally, they might be able to keep things under control.

But these two brothers not only couldn't balance things out, they also liked to feed outsiders the water in their own home, which only added fuel to the fire.

As the head of artist management at Yi An, Jia Qian had to keep both Fan Xiaopang and Wang Ou, one big and one small, in check.

Julian Cheung, Qiao Zhenyu, Zhou Yiwei, and Deng Chao, who was to be signed later, were all carefully maintaining a balance, fearing that it would cause internal conflict.

She simply couldn't understand Huayi Brothers' business model!
Jia Qian didn't understand, and Yan Li didn't understand before either, but now he understands a little.

The Wang brothers were eager for Huayi Brothers to go public, so they went to great lengths to bring in celebrities and projects in order to generate buzz, expand Huayi's influence, and make their financial statements look good, thereby gaining access to the listing process and the trust of the capital market.

As for any potential risks, those will be issues after the listing; adjustments will be made gradually based on the stock price at that time.

If things go well, great; if they don't, the market and shareholders will foot the bill...

After finishing their business, Fan Xiaopang still didn't leave: "I have something to report to President Yan."

Jia Qian smiled and nodded, then turned and left. Fan Xiaopang followed her to the door and locked it.

Ever since they were almost caught kissing in Yan Li's office, her first habit when she and Yan Li are alone in the office is to lock the door, and Hu Ya and other staff members also insist on the standard procedure of knocking on the door and waiting for permission before entering.

Yan Li was speechless at Fan Xiaopang's attitude: "You hide from me at home, but you get all excited as soon as you come to the company. You just like looking for this kind of thrill, don't you?"

Both Fan Xiaopang and Wang Ou inexplicably like this office vibe.

Yan Li actually liked it too, but as the company boss, he still had to consider the impact on all parties.

Leading by example in engaging in inappropriate behavior within the company corrupts the internal atmosphere, making it difficult to punish or criticize such individuals later when other undesirable practices are discovered.

"Can you please stop thinking about these things?"

Fan Xiaopang couldn't help but roll her eyes at Yan Li. Sometimes she liked to chat with Yan Li at the company.

On the one hand, it is indeed stimulating and enhances the pleasure.

On the other hand, Yan Li, when working at the company, exudes a powerful aura, a serious attitude, and great personal charm. She cannot resist the "temptation" and also has a sense of satisfaction and destructive desire to drag the elite CEO "down" with her.

However, Fan Xiaopang doesn't always act like this; at least today, she has serious business to discuss.

"My parents are still going back to Qingdao for the Spring Festival this year, but knowing that we are both in Beijing, they want us to come to their house for a meal before they go back."

As mentioned earlier, in previous years, if Fan Xiaopang had time during the Spring Festival, he would accompany his parents back to the city and spend the New Year with his grandmother.

Fan Xiaopang was on the Spring Festival Gala this year, and her parents originally planned to stay in Beijing to celebrate the New Year with their daughter.

However, Fan Xiaopang was eager to spend some time alone with Yan Li, so he asked his parents to proceed with the original plan.

Mr. and Mrs. Fan couldn't persuade their daughter otherwise, but they figured that having an early New Year's Eve dinner would be a way for the family to celebrate the New Year together.

Originally, it was just Fan Xiaopang's idea, but someone suggested that Yan Li be invited along.

"..."

Yan Li hesitated for a moment without speaking. Seeing this, Fan Xiaopang immediately said, "If you're busy, then forget it."

"Even when I'm busy, I don't mind having a meal."

Yan Li glanced at Fan Xiaopang: "But since it's a rare treat to eat, there's no reason for elders to treat juniors. I'll make the arrangements."

"...That's fine."

Fan Xiaopang nodded, said a few more words, and left the office. Yan Li watched the door close and shook his head. During holidays, everyone's scheming and plotting.

Previously, Qin Lan's father was in poor health and considered coming to the capital for treatment. However, as far as Yan Li knew, his father's condition was not serious enough to warrant treatment in the capital. His real purpose was to see the "son-in-law" that Qin Lan had mentioned.

Dong Xuan also used the matter of Guan Yue and Tong Dawei to subtly hint at something to Yan Li.

Similarly, Fan Xiaopang's so-called "New Year's Eve dinner" also had a slightly tentative nature.

Visiting the woman's family home for a meal, especially a "New Year's Eve dinner," carries a deeper meaning that those who understand the context know.

Yan Li was caught in a dilemma, unable to refuse or decline, so he could only host a dinner himself, emphasizing the gathering while downplaying the implied meaning, to avoid being put in a passive position.

The higher one's net worth and the older one gets, the more frequent these kinds of tests become!
Not to mention the woman and her parents, even Yan Li's parents asked him who he was spending the New Year with and how he was spending it.

Yan Li was extremely annoyed and had clearly expressed his attitude.

However, such matters are often not determined by his attitude; everyone has their own thoughts, not to mention the competitive relationship, and are influenced by various parties and events.

Yan Li used to enjoy the Chinese New Year, but now he feels a bit resistant and annoyed by it.

...

The gathering between Yan Li and the Fan family was quickly arranged.

The main reason is that the Chinese New Year is approaching, and the elderly couple are preparing to set off. In addition, Fan Xiaopang has been busy with the Spring Festival Gala rehearsals these days, and Yan Li also has social engagements. Time is limited, so they want to make arrangements as soon as possible.

The dinner venue was a private restaurant in a courtyard house, which was quiet and secluded. The food was quite good, and the place was spacious enough to accommodate everyone.

"Auntie, it's Chinese New Year, and I haven't prepared anything. This is just a small token, please wear it for fun."

Yan Li gave gifts to Fan's father and mother. For Fan's father, it was fine tea and wine, and for Fan's mother, it was a pair of jade bracelets.

It wasn't particularly expensive, but it wasn't cheap either, especially the jade bracelet worn by Fan's mother. It was equivalent to a house in a small city, so it was considered a substantial gift.

Mother Fan didn't know much about jade, but she could tell from the appearance of the jade bracelet that it wouldn't be cheap. She looked at Yan Li with great delight and kept praising him.

Apart from his lifestyle, Fan's mother was truly satisfied with Yan Li as her son-in-law in every other way.

Even Fan's father, who had more reservations about Yan Li, had to admit that his daughter's career, mood, appearance, and other aspects had all improved significantly since she married Yan Li.

More importantly, Yan Li is good at sweet-talking and knows how to get along with people.

Regardless of the circumstances, they addressed each other very affectionately as uncle and aunt, and got along harmoniously. He seemed to respect the elderly couple very much. Coupled with his many positive qualities, it was hard for anyone to feel any ill will towards him.

Even though Fan's mother didn't mention it, Fan's father often muttered complaints about Yan Li in private, but whenever he encountered Yan Li, he almost never gave him a cold or sour face.

One reason was to save face for his daughter, and the other was that Yan Li didn't give him a chance to be cold or rude, making him feel embarrassed to make things difficult for Yan Li.

Fan's father was a singer in a cultural troupe in his early years, and later went into business, but Fan's mother was the one who really made the decisions.

A small businessman with an artistic background, Yan Li, a super shrewd person who deals with shrewd people every day, could be easily manipulated by Yan Li if he wanted to.

Before long, Fan's parents, who had been coaxed and drunk to their heart's content by Yan Li, were in high spirits and went on stage to perform a song and dance together.

Fan Xiaopang had seen Yan Li interact with his parents before and knew his abilities, but every time he witnessed Yan Li's actions, he couldn't help but sigh in admiration.

"It's a good thing you're not surnamed Fan, otherwise my brother and I wouldn't have a chance to survive in this family, and we wouldn't have gotten a single penny of the family property."

Yan Li smiled and said, "You underestimate me. Even as a son-in-law, I can still swindle the family fortune from you."

Fan Xiaopang thought for a moment and surprisingly did not object. Instead, he said eagerly, "That works too. Anyway, it's all for the two of us. Don't leave any for my brother."

Yan Li was speechless. He patted the chubby boy Fan Chengcheng next to him who was eating alone and asked, "Is she your biological sister?"

"Certainly not."

The chubby boy glanced at Fan Xiaopang, then decisively shook his head, while Yan Li burst into laughter.

He is an only child and quite likes the love-hate relationship between the siblings.

Last time he teased this chubby boy, the latter actually said that Fan Xiaopang was ugly.

Honestly, Yan Li has known Fan Xiaopang for so long, and there are people who don't like her because of their aesthetic sense, people who are annoyed by her as a person and therefore have a bad impression of her overall, and people who nitpick and think that Fan Xiaopang is not perfect in certain aspects.

But the only person who thought Fan Xiaopang was ugly was his brother-in-law, Fan Chengcheng.

Fan Xiaopang gritted his teeth and pinched the little fat boy's face: "That's right, we're not related by blood, you were adopted. I'll kick you out of the house as soon as possible."

The chubby boy was small but bold, not afraid at all, and continued to argue with Fan Xiaopang. When he got angry, he would hide next to Yan Li.

Yan Li was puzzled: "She's my girlfriend, we're on the same side, why do you think I should help you instead of her?"

Little Fatty: “…”

After being caught and beaten by Fan Xiaopang, he ran to Fan's mother to complain, and was then reprimanded.

"No nonsense allowed."

If he had a conflict with Fan Xiaopang, he could still take advantage of his young age. But with Yan Li involved, he would only suffer a setback.

...

After this meal, the countdown to New Year's Eve began.

Fan Xiaopang attends Spring Festival Gala rehearsals every day, while Yan Li is busy with various social engagements and work arrangements during the Spring Festival.

During the Spring Festival, two of Yi An's works were released online.

One is the Lunar New Year film "Love Transfer", another is "The Legend of Xue Rengui" starring Yan Li, as well as some follow-up work after Fan Xiaopang's Spring Festival Gala, and other miscellaneous businesses.

While other companies can give employees a holiday during the Spring Festival, film and entertainment companies like Yi'an are often busiest during this time.

On New Year's Eve, Yan Li didn't wait at home. Instead, he sneaked into the backstage of the Spring Festival Gala as Fan Xiaopang's staff member.

This is the second time Yan Li and Fan Xiaopang have participated in the Spring Festival Gala, and their treatment is completely different from that of the Seven Fairies two years ago.

Fan Xiaopang has gone from a popular young actress to one of the most popular actresses in mainland China. You are already considered one of the hottest highlights of this year's Spring Festival Gala.

The biggest change is in Yan Li. Back then, Boss Yan was just an unknown figure, but now he is a well-known upstart in the industry.

Yan Li had no intention of revisiting the place to show off or embarrass himself.

To be honest, the backstage area of ​​the Spring Festival Gala is truly full of hidden talents. Some of the names combined with some information made him shudder, so he couldn't really show off.

I came here today purely to join in the fun and to cheer Fan Xiaopang up, in case she gets nervous.

"Invisible Wings" was indeed very popular, but its popularity was short-lived and its influence was still somewhat lacking.

In addition, because it was Yan Li's public relations, it was somewhat of a queue-jumping operation, which created some resistance.

Therefore, Fan Xiaopang did not get a solo performance and instead had to compete with Zhang Shaohan and Joey Yung in a medley of popular songs from Mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.

Speaking of Zhang Shaohan, there's a little bit of an awkwardness, because Fan Xiaopang practically snatched this song, "Invisible Wings," from her.

It's not uncommon for people in the industry to compete for songs and roles!

Some people don't care, while others will become enemies. If the song and the character are popular, the chances of becoming enemies are much higher.

However, judging from Fan Xiaopang's words, the two got along quite well during rehearsals. Fan Xiaopang even asked Zhang for singing tips and treated him to dinner afterwards, which Zhang gladly accepted.

As for Joey Yung, whom I had known and worked with before, we could only say we were casual acquaintances, neither particularly close nor distant.

Besides these two, there were quite a few familiar faces at this year's Spring Festival Gala.

There's no need to say more about the familiar faces, but there's also Cai Yilin, who shared a dressing room with us last Spring Festival Gala, Shui Mu Nian Hua, and oh yeah, I also ran into Han Xue.

This actress, who claims to have the most mysterious background in the entertainment industry and even tried to piggyback on the inspiration for the character in "Bright Sword," is...

Yan Li had figured out her background early on. Her family had influence in Jiangsu Province and paved some way for her. One of them was Fan Xiaotian, the boss of Suzhou Funa, the producer of "Lucky Star Pigsy".

However, in the past two years, Han Xue has connected with a powerful figure, her resources have increased dramatically, and she has even appeared on the Spring Festival Gala, which has led to more and more rumors about her background.

Han also went along with the flow, neither admitting nor denying, mixing truth and falsehood, which not only increased her exposure but also earned her the respect of many people in the industry.

During the Spring Festival Gala rehearsals, Han Xue was quite happy to hang out with Fan Xiaopang. Knowing that Yan Li was there today, she even came over to say hello.

Following the instructions, Fan Xiaopang neither offended nor hoped to get too close to them, and tried to keep his distance.

This is also Yan Li's common attitude towards many "people with connections" in the industry.

People know what's going on, and seeing Yan Li's attitude, they won't bother him too much.

Occasionally, there may be one or two collaborations, but these are limited to project collaborations and do not involve anything else.

Living in the capital, Yan Li had actually come into contact with some such people and learned some information, and it was not nearly as bizarre as the outside world made it out to be.

Apart from a very few, most people are quite low-key and sensible. Those who are loud and boastful, who think they are the best and act recklessly, won't last long in Beijing, even if they don't make a big mistake.

Fan Xiaopang's show airs at a moderate time, around 10 PM.

Perhaps it was because he was used to big occasions, or perhaps it was because it wasn't his first time on the Spring Festival Gala, giving him confidence, or perhaps it was because Yan Li was there that he felt at ease. Fan Xiaopang was arguably the most composed among Zhang, Rong, and the others, and he even had the mood to discuss the New Year's Eve dinner menu ordered from the restaurant with Yan Li.

Finally, it was time for the show to start, and Yan Li watched the live broadcast on the TV in the hallway.

The order of the three singers is Zhang Qianrong after Fan Xiaopang in the middle. Zhang's singing skills sound the best, but the difference isn't that big, since the Spring Festival Gala is all lip-synced.

The Spring Festival Gala broadcasts pre-recorded audio, ensuring high quality.

If we're not too concerned about the difference in singing ability, then in terms of appearance, Fan Xiaopang could easily surpass Zhang and Rong by combining their talents, and she could even surpass them by one hand.

Yan Li even felt that having three people on one show was a bit unfair to Zhang and Rong, and putting Fan Xiaopang in the middle was "utterly disgusting".

Zhang Shaohan, who is petite, was overshadowed by Fan Xiaopang's appearance and looked like a young girl with dark skin and an ordinary appearance. Joey Yung was completely overshadowed and became just another passerby.

No wonder he was so indifferent to Fan Xiaopang; the fact that he didn't cause any trouble or resentment is probably because of Yan Li.

After finishing the song, Fan Xiaopang visibly breathed a sigh of relief, showing that he had been on edge.

She didn't forget to ask Yan Li's opinion, and the latter stroked his chin: "She's beautiful and her songs are popular. I'll send you some press releases, and you can even raise your performance fee."

These days, the Spring Festival Gala title still holds value; the same song can command completely different prices depending on whether it's on the Gala or not.

Fan Xiaopang + song hit + Spring Festival Gala, after the New Year, take advantage of the popularity, catch a few innocent people, and dare to ask for appearance fees of 80 to 100 million.

"Why are you only thinking about money?"

Fan Xiaopang was speechless. Although she also loved money, she wasn't as habitually money-oriented as Yan Li.

"I don't care about how to support you financially. Let's go home for the New Year."

Yan Li called Fan Xiaopang home. Upon seeing this, Fan Xiaopang took two steps forward and openly took Yan Li's hand in front of many people backstage. Yan Li glanced at her but did not pull away, letting her hold his hand.

People backstage saw it, but they weren't surprised, since everyone knew about the relationship between the two.

A few familiar faces teased Yan Li, who just smiled politely. Fan Xiaopang held Yan Li's arm even tighter in a competitive manner, and simply walked with his arm around Yan Li's from behind. When they encountered some cameras backstage, they didn't shy away and even waved at the cameras.

Yan Li didn't care. Not to mention that the two of them were practically open about their relationship, they had been photographed traveling and staying together more than once.

Some people might make a fuss about it later, saying that holding hands or linking arms doesn't prove anything. Some male and female actors walk the red carpet in much more intimate ways, and some even kiss politely.

After changing clothes in the dressing room, Yan Li drove Fan Xiaopang home.

This year, Fan Xiaopang suggested spending the Spring Festival in Yangjiaodeng Hutong, simply because she felt the place was special. Qin and Dong weren't there, so she wanted to experience being the lady of the house.

The New Year's Eve dinner was arranged, and the dumplings were made. Yan Li had his trusted confidants who hadn't left the capital deliver them in advance, so all he had to do was heat up and cook them.

Yan Li washed his hands and was about to go to the kitchen when he saw Fan Xiaopang carrying a feather duster, searching around in the east and west wing rooms.

"What are you looking for?"

"I just saw something pass by, and I chased it away."

Fan Xiaopang, holding the duster, didn't tell the truth. She wasn't looking for anyone else, but for Yan Lizang or some other woman he might be hiding.

Two years ago, the two ice flowers were on the same wall, and last year the ice orchid was in full bloom. Fan Xiaopang was afraid that Yan Li would steal her again, so he investigated the situation and, finding something amiss, took action first.

Yan Li is so shrewd; he immediately guessed Fan Xiaopang's thoughts, leaving him both amused and exasperated.

"Don't worry, it's just the two of us. If you feel lonely, I'll call someone to come."

"Looking for you is a big idiot."

Fan Xiaopang poked Yan Li with a duster: "How can you do this? I think you should name yourself Yan Diedie instead."

As Yan Diedie's biggest victim, Fan Xiaopang harbors a great deal of resentment.

Yan Li wasn't the only man who juggled multiple relationships, but most of them lived separate lives, each busy with their own affairs and not bothering each other.

Unlike Yan Li, who not only juggles multiple relationships but also enjoys bringing people together, he's a real scoundrel.

Yan Li curled his lip: "Do you think they don't want to contribute? They just don't have the ability."

Not only do you need to be emotionally commanding, but you also need to be physically fit, otherwise you'll just be humiliating yourself.

Fan Xiaopang was speechless. This beast was indeed too beastly. From this perspective, it was understandable that he liked Die…

(End of this chapter)