Chinese Entertainment Intelligence King

Chapter 258, "Painted Skin," sparks heated discussion; Huayi Brothers' defenses crumble.
"I am a wanderer who will always travel alone towards the distance."

You are my woman in the vast sea of ​​people
... "

Yan Li was awakened by the ringing of his phone. He pulled his hand away from Fan Xiaopang's arms, took out his phone, and listened to a few words. The voice was calm and steady.

"Okay, send the news to my email and wait for my reply."

After saying that, he hung up the phone, opened the intelligence system and glanced at it, frowning slightly.

No trigger?!
At this moment, Fan Xiaopang was also woken up by the noise and snuggled into Yan Li's arms: "What's wrong?"

"I was photographed by paparazzi while I was eating yesterday."

Fan Xiaopang reacted quickly: "Was it an accident, or were those two sisters plotting against us?"

Yesterday's dinner invitation, though not a secret meeting, was still a private gathering. She and Yan Li had no reason to do such things, so it was either a coincidence or the Li sisters were up to something.

"It's probably just a coincidence. The two sisters have no reason to do this. Besides, it's just a normal dinner date. Even if they get photographed, it won't do any good."

Although no intelligence was triggered, Yan Li did not suspect Li Bingbing and the others.

Yan Li believed that some people in this world would do stupid things for no reason, but based on his understanding of the Li sisters, they weren't that stupid.

To put it bluntly, we're all in the same boat. The paparazzi's paparazzi photos and revelations do more harm than good to the two of them, and the logic doesn't hold up.

"Let me see the specifics first before I say anything."

Yan Li got dressed to watch the news, and Fan Xiaopang, who was also unable to sleep, followed along.

I turned on my computer and looked at some leaked information sent by the company. The photos taken yesterday at the restaurant entrance showed him, Fan Xiaopang, and Li Bingbing in relatively clear images, while Li Xue was either ignored or deliberately hidden.

The entire news story was steered towards a scandalous tale of Yan Li's secret rendezvous with two soldiers.

Looking at this scene, not only Yan Li, but even Fan Xiaopang doesn't think it has anything to do with Li Bingbing and her sister.

No female celebrity would accept a story like "meeting two soldiers at night."

Li Bingbing had no enmity with Yan Li, and they were even close. Even if they did have a grudge, he wouldn't resort to such a suicidal tactic of killing eight hundred enemies while losing a thousand of his own.

"Either it's a coincidence, or it's me or one of your rivals."

Yan Li expressed his guess and leaned towards the former.

If someone is deliberately plotting against you, and if you have a close relationship with them, the system's trigger probability is much higher. The fact that the system didn't trigger the paparazzi's spying information today is most likely just a coincidence.

As mentioned before, Yan Li's operations are growing larger and larger, and the daily intelligence reports are not enough. Non-important or unrelated intelligence reports often fail to trigger.

"What should we do now?"

Fan Xiaopang couldn't help but ask, "The rivalry between two soldiers is an old topic, and it can be a big deal or a small one."

Minor gossip is just entertainment, but major issues could affect the image and reputation of Shuangbing and Yanli. Yanli might not care, but Shuangbing still has to compete with Sidan.

So being photographed isn't a problem; what Fan Xiaopang is worried about is someone taking the opportunity to stir up trouble and smear him.

"It's nothing, just a meal. There's nothing to hide. We can take this opportunity to spread the word about 'Painted Skin' and create some buzz."

It's no secret that Yan Li is planning a big-budget film; many people have heard rumors, and even the specific project, "Painted Skin," has been heard about.

However, apart from company executives, the "Painted Skin" crew, and some members of Shuangbing's team, not many people outside the company knew that Yan Li wanted to work with Shuangbing on "Painted Skin".

Even the two brothers from Huayi Brothers only had some vague guesses, but were not certain.

Since the movie "Painted Skin" focuses on the bond between two soldiers, it will inevitably involve a lot of marketing and promotion.

Now that the two sides have reached an agreement, they might as well take advantage of the situation to release the news to the public and create momentum. This would not only generate buzz for the two sides but also expand the fame of "Painted Skin" and make it easier for Yan Li to attract investment.

With this in mind, Yan Li called Li Bingbing and asked him and Fan's team to cooperate with Operation Yi'an.

"Don't make an official announcement directly. Release information indirectly, drag it out, and pique my interest and curiosity. Remember, I want a series of events, so hold back on the juicy details."

After explaining everything, Yan Li held his phone and suddenly couldn't help but laugh, looking at Fan Xiaopang.

Does this scene look familiar?

Fan Xiaopang thought for a moment: "Back when 'Happy Seven Fairies' was made, it seems like they used the same hype."

Yan Li nodded. The initial rivalry between the two soldiers, and then their rivalry for Yan Li's favor, was filled with various grudges and affections. This caused the two soldiers, who were good friends and fellow disciples on the surface, to quickly become each other's biggest enemies and mortal adversaries.

The marketing and promotion for "Painted Skin" this time revolves around the two soldiers and him, which is essentially an extension of the same old formula, with no change in essence.

However, things are different now.

Li Bingbing, who had just become a sensation back then, and Fan Xiaopang, who had not yet emerged, had by now become two of the most popular actresses in mainland China, with great fame.

Yan Li was just a young man who had just made a name for himself, but now he is a well-known entertainment tycoon and a business role model for the younger generation.

The commercial blockbuster "Painted Skin," with a marketing budget exceeding 100 million yuan, is incomparable to TV dramas like "Happy Seven Fairies."

It can be said that although it is still the same old routine, all aspects have been upgraded, and the attention and influence will be greatly improved compared to the last time.

Of course, great rewards come with great risks.

It has indeed caused some negative social trends, and being labeled with various accusations is also troublesome.

Therefore, we cannot be as unrestrained as before this time. We need to be more conservative in our guidance and wording to avoid being taken advantage of.

Even when it comes to being a hooligan, it depends on how you do it.

Publicly embracing two women, one on the left and one on the right, has a very bad influence. But if you change the name, such as confidante and right-hand woman, or white moonlight and cinnabar mole, it becomes elegant. Acting like a hooligan becomes true romance.

Yan Li learned this from Xu Cai Nu.

This woman is really something else. She bought a house for her soulmate Wang Shuo while having an on-again, off-again relationship with her semi-public boyfriend Zhang Yadong. Her blog has been the subject of much speculation, with people trying to pair her up with Han Han. She also has a "good friend" named Huang Jue.

This is the importance of packaging. Perhaps many people won't buy into it, but sometimes, a "fig leaf" is needed to cover up one's shortcomings.

To put it bluntly, it's about romanticizing, blurring, and whitewashing.

They want to capitalize on the hype surrounding the alleged love triangle without actually confirming it, thus escalating widespread public resentment.

Ideally, people should be able to accept, get used to, and even like this abnormal state to some extent.

This is not just wishful thinking. With enough people, all sorts of things can happen. Yan Li himself has witnessed people fighting with two weapons and two weapons vying for Yan's favor.

Business elite/tall and tough guy + cold and elegant older sister + beautiful and arrogant fox spirit, there are related fanfictions on Tieba, which Yan Li read with inexplicable yet great interest.

...

Soon, an insider clarified the so-called "night meeting with two soldiers" through a reporter.

Yan Li invited Li and Fan to dinner to discuss a project. Li's sister was also present, but the discussion leaned more towards business.

It's hard to say exactly which project, but it seems to be a movie, yes, it stars two soldiers.

【…】

Once this revelation was made, and with the help of some people, the topic immediately shifted to the two soldiers acting in a movie together.

After all, the original leak was just a photo of the three of them having dinner together, nothing sensational. Their relationship wasn't anything new either; their ups and downs are hard for outsiders to understand.

Compared to eating together, the two soldiers making movies together is the new fun.

They're always tearing each other apart when they're not even together, so if they get together to film a movie, plus there's Yan Li in there, wouldn't it be a constant source of amusement?

The internet is full of hidden talents. Even though Yan Li tried to delay and release information slowly, some capable people still managed to uncover some of the information.

First, the movie "Painted Skin" couldn't be kept secret, and when combined with the original novel "Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio," some things can be seen.

Although it's uncertain whether the plot will follow the original story, if both actors are involved, one is a beautiful ghost who harms people with her painted skin, and the other is Madam Wang who saves her husband. They are definitely two female characters that cannot be ignored in "Painted Skin".

One is righteous, the other is evil. With a few script changes, their roles are roughly equal, and even their characters subtly fit the style of the two soldiers.

Li Bingbing is resilient, heroic, and poised, fitting the image of Lady Wang as a remarkable woman who saves her husband.

Fan Xiaopang needs no further introduction; she is stunningly beautiful, captivating, and a true enchantress.

Not only do their images and temperaments fit perfectly, but they also fit into real-life stories.

Back when the two soldiers were vying for Yan Li's affections, Fan Xiaopang intercepted Li Bingbing and snatched Yan Li away from her. But she didn't lose completely; she's still hooking up with Yan Li to this day.

In the story of "Painted Skin", Wang Sheng and his wife are deeply in love. Then a beautiful ghost comes and tries to steal the man. Wang Sheng's wife then saves her husband and fights the ghost.

The two are not exactly the same, but they are at least seven or eight parts similar.

Some netizens with sharp tongues said that there's no point in adapting "Painted Skin," it's a hodgepodge. They suggested making "Double Soldiers Fight," which is based on a true story and would be more entertaining, plus they could earn a copyright adaptation fee.

Some netizens, eager for drama, commented that everything else was irrelevant, as long as the two soldiers couldn't be replaced, and Wang Sheng absolutely had to be played by Yan Li.

If all three of them act together, even if it's just following the plot of the original "Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio," it would still be worth at least 1 million yuan at the box office.

Amidst the rumors surrounding "Painted Skin," Yan Li received numerous probing phone calls.

The first one was the chubby Bona, who was quite close to Yan Li: "Yan'er, did you really gather both weapons for 'Painted Skin'?"

"Ah."

"Brilliant."

Fatty Yu truly admires this. When celebrities become famous to a certain extent, they tend to avoid each other, making it extremely difficult to bring them together again.

Not to mention the combination of two soldiers, which clearly involves strong competition and symbiosis.

It's not easy to get them together, it's not easy to keep them in line, and it's even more difficult to get them to trust that the production team is impartial.

The first two might be achievable by some, but even Wang Jinghua, who single-handedly discovered the dual-pronged attack, would have a hard time achieving the latter.

Only Yan Li, who single-handedly orchestrates the battle between the two soldiers, and has been bound by years of various cooperative interests, as well as personal connections and friendships, can gain the trust of the two soldiers.

"You've come up with a really good gimmick. 'Painted Skin' itself has a certain influence. I think it has potential. How about it, let me have a stake?"

Fatty Yu took the initiative to seek cooperation. Bona's main business is still distribution. They habitually cast a wide net, and it doesn't matter if they earn little, as long as they can make some money.

"no problem."

Yan Li was very straightforward. Putting aside his personal relationship with Fatty Yu, Bona Film Group's help was indeed indispensable for the "Painted Skin" project to become a big success.

It's no exaggeration to say that Yi'an is the number one film distribution company in mainland China. Although Yi'an's film distribution has developed well, it is somewhat unbalanced and its foundation is too shallow.

Producing low-budget films may not be a big problem, but large-scale commercial blockbusters inevitably require bringing in strong backers.

Besides Bona Film Group, China Film Group is also a collaborator that Yan Li is looking forward to, and he took the initiative to call Han Sanye.

For Yan Li, China Film Group could even waive his financial burden by simply lending its name to him, relieving him of some trouble, and coordinating some cinema resources.

Third Master Han did not agree immediately, saying he would talk about it later.

Although no direct collaboration was reached, Yan Li was still confident. Master Han was a die-hard fan of blockbusters and had urged him to make blockbusters more than once or twice.

Since Yan Li had finally become so stingy, it was impossible for Third Master Han, who had a good relationship with him, not to support him, both for public and private reasons.

However, this year coincides with the leadership change at China Film Group, which is a sensitive time, so Han Sanye inevitably has to play it safe.

It's estimated that once he understands the specifics of "Painted Skin" and has a clear idea of ​​what's going on, Yan Li will come over to negotiate again, and things will be pretty much settled.

After Bona and China Film Group communicated, Yan Li's response to the remaining companies that wanted to cooperate was lukewarm.

He is not short of money; he has no shortage of money himself, nor is he short of investors willing to invest.

He might have been worried for a while because "Painted Skin" wasn't doing well, but judging from the current situation, raising funds shouldn't be a big problem. Since he doesn't lack money, if he wants to cooperate, he needs to invest resources in addition to money.

This is common practice in the industry. Many projects raise the bar if they have enough money; you can't just invest money.

The Wang brothers from Huayi Brothers naturally called Yan Li, and Yan Li didn't refuse, after all, Li Bingbing was still Huayi's top female star.

However, Huayi Brothers' resources largely overlapped with those of Bona Film Group, Yi'an Film Group, and China Film Group, which did not greatly benefit the film. As a result, Yan Li offered a low share, which displeased the Wang brothers.

"Are you trying to fetch a beggar?!"

Wang Zhonglei was somewhat dissatisfied. One of the selling points of "Painted Skin" was that it featured their top female star, Li Bingbing. If they were given such a small share, he would definitely sabotage Li Bingbing's participation.

"Go ahead and stir things up; he'd probably be more than happy for you to do it."

Wang Zhongjun looked at his younger brother and sneered, "Don't forget, Li Bingbing's contract is about to expire. If you ruin his future, that guy surnamed Yan can stir things up and force Li Bingbing to go and seek refuge with Yan Li."

Because of Yan Li, a variable, Li Bingbing has secured her position as Huayi Brothers' top female star, but her relationship with the two Wangs of Huayi Brothers is rather intriguing.

The two kings suspected Li of having ulterior motives, so they both used him and guarded against him. Li did indeed have ulterior motives and, relying on Yan Li's protection, used this to gain benefits for himself.

Therefore, the cooperation between the two sides is not very close.

The Wang brothers were frantically recruiting female celebrities to the company, partly to prevent Li Bingbing from betraying them and switching companies one day.

But this also heightened Li Bingbing's vigilance, fearing that he would be discarded after being used, and caused him to drift further and further away from the Wang brothers.

So far, although Li Bingbing is Huayi Brothers' top female star, there are many things the Wang brothers cannot stop.

For example, in a project like "Painted Skin," if you don't want Li Bingbing to act in it, you have to offer at least an equal or even better resource to convince Li Bingbing to offend Yan Li and give up acting in "Painted Skin." Otherwise, why should Li Bingbing sacrifice his own interests?

Even strong pressure won't work, because Li Bingbing's contract expires this year and she won't renew it. Huayi can't hurt Yan Li, and they've even lost a top female star.

"That bastard planned it all out long ago. If he didn't sign the 'Painted Skin' contract, Li Bingbing's contract renewal would definitely not go smoothly."

Li Bingbing's contract renewal went poorly, not only potentially benefiting competitors but also resulting in the loss of a key figure, which is also detrimental to Huayi Brothers' IPO plans. At this juncture, Huayi Brothers needs to retain and sign as many popular stars as possible to strengthen its brand image and improve its stock market performance.

Otherwise, if the company's top female executive runs away before the IPO, what's the point of even going public?!

“Talk to that kid again. Ask for the moon, but negotiate the price down. If necessary, offer him some other resources. This project has potential, and with Li Bingbing involved, it's easy to make a fuss.”

Wang Zhongjun solemnly urged his younger brother to continue trying, and Wang Zhonglei understood what his elder brother meant.

For Huayi Brothers, making money is not important at this time; what matters is fame and influence.

For projects like "Painted Skin," which are destined to generate a lot of discussion and are related to their leading lady, Huayi Brothers' involvement would be a very strong and impressive resume when they go public.

For this resume, Huayi Brothers is willing to relinquish some tangible benefits. Although they may suffer some losses at this stage, they can recoup all of them once the company goes public.

"We should have a long-term perspective and not dwell on temporary setbacks."

Seeing that his younger brother was still unconvinced, Wang Zhongjun tried to appease him, but Wang Zhonglei just pursed his lips.

He wasn't unaware of the principles, but after several collaborations and clashes, Huayi Brothers had suffered setbacks, with that little bastard Yan Li always getting the better of them. No wonder he couldn't feel satisfied.

He had tolerated it before, thinking he could get back at them later. But now that little bastard's growth rate is frightening; at the beginning of the year, he ranked higher than the two of them on the Forbes rich list.

If this continues, Wang Zhonglei is afraid that if he keeps enduring it, he will have no choice but to keep putting up with it.

Wang Zhongjun ignored his younger brother and instead gave him a task: "Keep a close eye on the female artists in the company and try to minimize their involvement with Yan Li."

"Didn't you say this kid is a womanizer? He should put in some effort here, and we can't just fool him with some ordinary-looking girls."

Wang Zhonglei gets angry whenever this is mentioned. Huayi Brothers, which was doing just fine, has turned this into a talent show for someone surnamed Yan.

What's most infuriating is that this bastard is completely impolite.

While flirting with Li Bingbing, Huo Siyan has almost become his exclusive PR persona. Last time, she had a scandal with Hu Ke. Xiong Naijin and Liu Yun are also members of the Teddy Sisters group. Who knew they would fall into his clutches?

Huayi Brothers hasn't even really used its honey trap yet, and this kid has already pulled off a whole bunch of schemes. If they actually use it, Huayi Brothers might really become Yan's harem.

Hearing his younger brother's complaints, Wang Zhongjun was a little embarrassed: "I only knew that this kid was a womanizer, but I didn't expect him to be so good at picking up girls."

The "honey trap" is a scheme that uses a beautiful woman to manipulate someone into doing its bidding or gaining benefits.

As a result, Yan Li succeeded in his honey trap, but he also managed to turn the beauty against him, ending up losing both his wife and his army.

Li Bingbing's attitude was ambiguous, while Huo Siyan practically declared herself Yan Li's person with a megaphone, forming cliques within Huayi Brothers and working diligently for Yan Li.

So Wang Zhongjun couldn't hold back anymore!

If he were to use his charms again, he feared that all the actresses from Huayi Brothers would be like throwing meat buns to a dog—gone and never to return.

Minor stars like Xiong Naijin and Liu Yun are one thing, but what Wang Zhongjun fears most are Zhou Xun, Fan Wenfang, and Ruby Lin. Even Liu Yifei, who might join later, has been seduced by someone surnamed Yan.

With Li Bingbing and Huo Siyan, that bastard Yan Li has really gone all out.

If two more popular actresses are exploited by Yan Li, Huayi Brothers will be led by the neck every day.

"As for it?"

Wang Zhonglei was somewhat unconvinced, feeling that his older brother had exaggerated Yan Li's ability to pick up girls; those popular actresses were not easy to woo.

"Do you think he's like you? He can handle both soldiers so well, he must have his own unique skills. He's young, rich, and handsome, and most importantly, he has a bright future. If he really sets his mind on something, who dares to bet that those women won't be tempted?"

Wang Zhongjun trusted Yan Li's ability to woo women, but he also distrusted the female celebrities' reserve.

For example, Zhou Gongzi is known for his rich romantic history. Given Yan Li's qualifications, abilities, and illustrious reputation, Wang Zhongjun is genuinely a little flustered.

Wang Zhonglei fell silent upon hearing this. This Yan guy was truly his nemesis, superior to him in every way, even when it came to dating female celebrities, he was always overshadowed by him.

...

"Female celebrities under Huayi Brothers were asked to stay away from me."

When Yan Li heard Huo Siyan's report, he was initially puzzled. But after thinking about Li Bingbing's matter, he vaguely guessed the Wang brothers' apprehension.

I'm afraid he'll poach my employees!

Shaking his head, Yan Li didn't take the matter too seriously. He didn't have any particular interest in those female celebrities from Huayi Brothers anyway.

From beginning to end, it was the Wang brothers who had ill intentions, but now it seems like he has become the perpetrator.

What?! It's a mistake for a guy to be charming?!
In contrast, Yan Li was more curious about Huo Siyan's actions: "I told you all to stay away from me, why did you still call me?"

"They are them, and I am me. Although I am with Huayi Brothers, I have always been one of yours."

Huo Siyan firmly stated that she was too arrogant at Huayi Brothers and it would be difficult for the Wang brothers to trust her. In addition, given her relationship with Yan Li and Qin Lan, no matter what happens at Huayi Brothers, she will definitely continue to cling to Yan Li.

Yan Li smiled and then said, "Don't be too arrogant. If you really piss those two off, I can't protect you either."

It's hard to say how much Huo Siyan can drag down Huayi Brothers, but even if she's just there to annoy those two brothers, Yan Li would still support her.

However, she still needs to be careful. She's not like Li Bingbing, who can make the Wang brothers hesitate to act against her.

If one day the Wang brothers, unable to tolerate her any longer, were to deal with her, it's hard to say how much influence Yan Li's reputation would have. After all, Huo Siyan is an artist under Huayi Brothers, and there's a distance between her and Yan Li.

"I understand."

Huo Siyan isn't stupid, nor is she that daring. She may have made some moves, but they were all small-scale. The people she formed cliques with were all minor artists, and nominally, they had nothing to do with the two companies.

The Wang brothers might be unhappy, but since it involved Yan Li, they turned a blind eye.

"As long as you know what's going on."

Yan Li said a few words and was about to hang up when Huo Siyan hesitantly expressed that she wanted to wish him a Happy New Year.

"..."

Yan Li's mind raced: "You wouldn't be thinking about the movie 'Painted Skin,' would you?"

With two actors starring and an investment expected to exceed 100 million yuan, the show has attracted attention not only from netizens enjoying the spectacle and companies interested in investing, but also from many actors themselves.

Male actors definitely want to play the male lead, and female actors, although they have two female leads, would still be willing to show their faces on the big screen if there is a good third female lead, such as Huo Siyan, a young actress who has not acted in many movies.

Huo Siyan seemed to agree, but Yan Li directly denied it.

"The script isn't finalized yet, so it's hard to say whether there will be a third female lead, but even if there is, I wouldn't recommend you take the role."

"why?"

"Why do you think that is? If the two of them have a falling out and use you as a scapegoat, can you handle it?"

When two soldiers clash, as long as you stay out of the way, you might not involve outsiders, but you have to see who those outsiders are.

Huo Siyan didn't have a good impression on Shuang Bing, especially Fan Xiaopang. She caught one of Qin Lan's capable generals and was sure to make him suffer.

"..."

Huo Siyan remained silent for a moment upon hearing this, dazzled by the abundance of resources and forgetting her "good interpersonal relationships".

Choosing sides comes at a price. Unless Qin Lan's faction organizes a campaign, they'll have to deal with either Fan Xiaopang or Dong Xuan's faction.

Although Huo Siyan gave up the idea of ​​participating in "Painted Skin", she still thought about coming to pay her respects to Yan Zhou on his birthday.

Yan Li was somewhat speechless: "I don't have time. I've been busy with work these past two days."

That's what they said, but the next day, Yan Li still saw Huo Siyan—

Premiere of "Love Transfer"
Although Huo Siyan did not participate in the film, several members of the Teddy Sisters group did. She was there to support Li Xiaolu as a member of her friends and family.

Because it was during the Spring Festival and most of the roles were guest appearances, there weren't many actresses who came to support the event.

Huo Siyan and Li Xiaolu came directly from Beijing, along with Yan Li's old classmate Che Xiao, who also lives in Beijing, and Wang Ou and her friend Bai Bing, who had just returned to Beijing.

Yan Li was busy talking to the person in charge of China Film Group and greeted them briefly, without paying much attention to these people.

Unexpectedly, these people, whom he had no grudge against, secretly started a feud.

More accurately, it was Wang Ou and Huo Siyan who were at odds.

The two actually had a past grudge, but Yan Li didn't care too much. Back when they were filming "The Imperial Palace of the Qing Dynasty", Huo Siyan helped Qin Lan suppress Wang Ou quite a bit, and the latter kept it in his little notebook.

Wang Ou couldn't do anything to Qin Lan, but that didn't mean he would tolerate Huo Siyan in the same way. Huo Siyan, on the other hand, was more assertive because she had the upper hand in their previous confrontations.

When they met, they didn't like each other and, coupled with old grudges, they started arguing after only a few words.

The two of them didn't come alone!

After this exchange, Li Xiaolu certainly couldn't let her good friend fight alone. As a newcomer, Bai Bing was nervous, but she couldn't just watch her good older sister Wang Ou suffer a loss.

Che Xiao initially watched the commotion, but later couldn't help but try to mediate and inform Yan Li.

By the time the latter arrived, Huo and Wang had already started clamoring for a fight.

"On the tenth day of the Lunar New Year, would you dare to go to XX Nightclub?"

"Stay with me to the end."

The former relied on the large number of Teddy Sisters and the support of Qin Lan.

The latter boasted that the Phoenix Sisters were not pushovers either, and that she was now working with Fan Xiaopang. Although it was a mutual exploitation, she might be able to ask Fan Xiaopang for help when facing Qin Lan.

Yan Li watched coldly: "The tenth day of the Lunar New Year is too much trouble. I'll arrange a venue now, and you two can just fight it out."

Upon hearing Yan Li's voice, Huo and Wang, who were shouting like fighting cocks, suddenly changed their expressions.

Wang Ou reacted faster, immediately showing a wronged expression: "President Yan, I was just sitting normally, and she was just looking for trouble. I endured it as much as I could, but I was forced to fight back."

Huo Siyan reacted almost as quickly, her eyes slightly red: "President Yan, don't listen to her nonsense. She's the one who's bullying people by taking advantage of Yi An's influence, and she's even making sarcastic remarks about me, as if we're not worthy of being here."

The two transformed from tigresses into docile kittens, baring their teeth at each other and throwing mud at one another, which truly opened the eyes of Che Xiao and the others.

Yan Li gave a slight cold laugh; he was well aware of the personalities of these two.

It's hard to say who started the trouble, but they're certainly not innocent. When the tiger's away, the monkeys are king, let alone the troublemakers among the monkeys.

"This is important business, don't mess it up. Nobody is allowed to cause trouble, or I'll deal with both of you."

Yan Li was too lazy to adjudicate their case, nor did he intend to reconcile the two who were at odds. He simply warned them not to cause trouble, and if they were really dissatisfied, he would arrange for them to have a one-on-one fight after the premiere.

He knew in his heart that he might not be able to control anyone else with just one sentence, but Wang and Huo were both the kind of people who just made empty threats.

If the two of them were truly capable, they would have already engaged in combat; they wouldn't have bothered with arguing and challenging each other to a fight. They're just good at talking.

At the same time, the two of them were so dependent on or bound to him that they dared not disobey his orders.

Sure enough, after Yan Li's reprimand, Huo and Wang became obedient and stopped talking about challenging each other to a fight. However, they didn't lose face, their eyes were sharp, and they didn't forget to make some tough remarks after Yan Li left.

"You shorty, you're lucky I'll let you go this time, but I'll definitely kill you next time."

"You slut, don't be so smug. Have you forgotten how you got beaten up before? Once you've been beaten up, you'll be beaten up again."

"..."

After exchanging harsh words, they went their separate ways. Li Xiaolu nudged Huo Siyan and said, "This guy is the slutty jerk you mentioned before."

In "The Imperial Palace of the Qing Dynasty," Huo Siyan's suppression of Wang Ou was the beginning of her relationship with Qin Lan and a key moment in her meritorious service, which was naturally highlighted in the Teddy Sisters group.

"That's her. Haven't seen her in a while. She's shaking."

Huo Siyan was somewhat unconvinced, but she had to admit that Wang Ou's development last year was indeed quite good. He had become a tough opponent, otherwise he wouldn't have dared to go against her, who had Qin Lan backing him up.

"I advise you not to rush things. Her relationship with President Yan is not ordinary. Although we have Sister Lan behind us, there is still a layer between us."

Li Xiaolu offered a word of advice: if Qin Lan is present, she will definitely support her eldest sister; if Qin Lan isn't there, there's no need to get so into it—pillow talk is not something to be trifled with.

"Pshaw, you think I'm afraid of her?"

Huo Siyan's nonchalant attitude made Li Xiaolu thoughtful.

She had just felt that the rivalry between Huo and Wang didn't seem like Huo was standing up for Qin Lan, but rather like Huo Siyan was dissatisfied and jealous of Wang Ou.

And just as she said, Hobbit King is a layer away, and it seems that Hobbit isn't worried about that.

unless……

Li Xiaolu glanced at Huo Siyan with a meaningful look. She had long suspected Huo Siyan, but was not sure. However, now all the signs further proved her suspicions.

However, she had no evidence, and Huo Siyan would certainly not admit to something so serious.

Moreover, Li Xiaolu had no intention of exposing this matter.

Firstly, she and Huo have a good personal relationship. Secondly, if the truth comes out, the Teddy Sisters group might fall apart. Li Xiaolu, who loves to play around, show off, and be pampered, is unwilling to see such a celebrity group disband.

Therefore, she not only had to pretend not to know, but also had to help Huo Siyan cover it up, lest she herself be exposed.

With that thought in mind, Li Xiaolu began to ponder Yan Li again.

That bastard is a real piece of work. Not only does he have multiple girlfriends, but he also sleeps with his own woman's best friend.

But then again, how can he be so wild and still manage to have Qin Lan and Huo Siyan completely under his thumb? What kind of magic does this scoundrel possess...?

(End of this chapter)