Chinese Entertainment Intelligence King

Chapter 278 A Woman's Perfect Match: Yang Rong Finally Called Back

Yang Mi is very happy lately.

The TV series "Wang Zhaojun" will be released in a few months. If the series is well-received, it will greatly benefit her career.

Meanwhile, through tireless efforts, Dong Xuan finally changed her attitude towards her, accepted her again, and even valued her, introducing her to Yi An.

Under Dong Xuan's care, Yi An made a significant move, directly arranging for her to play the female lead in a drama.

Although this drama has a low budget, an ordinary cast, and is not produced by Yi An, it still features a legitimate female lead.

In addition to this drama, a movie called "Contract Lover" has also been arranged.

Of course, she wasn't the female lead in the movie, but the second female lead.

This movie stars Julian Cheung and Wang Ou. She plays the second female lead, who is there to cause trouble for the male and female leads and add twists and turns to their relationship.

A leading lady in a TV series and a second leading lady in a movie—gifts indeed, given Rongxinda's significantly lower production volume in the past two years.

Moreover, Dong Xuan also hinted to her that this was just an opportunity for Yi An to show her abilities. If she performed well, she would definitely receive resources if she truly joined Yi An.

Now, Fan Xiaopang, the leading actress of Yi'an, directs her own TV series projects and focuses on high-quality film projects, so she cannot compete with others.

Wang Ou may have some competition, but Yi An produces or participates in at least double digits of film and television projects every year, and the number of projects she distributes and can influence is even greater.

This only includes film and television resources; artist management and business opportunities are also among Yi'an's strengths.

As long as you become famous and can make money for the company, you'll have no shortage of resources and jobs.

In Yan's words, Yi An aims to ensure that only the artists complain about being overworked, and that the company never fails to keep up with the artists' development and drag them down.

For some artists, Yi'an's approach can actually create pressure, but for Yang Mi, she feels that Yi'an is a good company that can help artists develop their careers.

In contrast, Rong Xinda only gets two or three roles a year after signing the contract, and some of those are even outside of China.

Of course, this is partly due to her need to go to school and her relatively low profile.

However, Rongxinda's various actions still caused Yang Mi some anxiety.

Well, last year's "The Return of the Condor Heroes" made her a little famous, but apart from "Wang Zhaojun", the company didn't continue her popularity.

Everyone knows that the earlier you become famous, the better, but becoming famous early doesn't last long, which is practically the same as not becoming famous at all.

It's no wonder Yang Mi had some thoughts as she watched her early advantage over her peers being gradually eroded.

In fact, Yang Mi wasn't the only one with such ideas within Rongxinda.

Since the departure of its top executive, Zhou Gongzi, Rongxinda's development has been put on pause, or even regressed.

The self-produced dramas produced in the past two years have performed poorly, failing to replicate the popularity of "Palace of Desire" and "Orange is Red". Director Li Shaohong's film productions have also received lukewarm reception.

Regardless of whether these projects are profitable or not, or whether they affect the company's finances.

TV stations and distributors also play favorites; if a company's drama is popular, other projects will benefit as well, and if a company's drama flops, other projects will also suffer.

Rongxinda's dramas performed poorly, impacting investment, distribution, and sales.

With Zhou Xun leaving the top female lead and Chen Kun's limited ability to carry a drama series, and his ambition to develop in the film industry, Li Shaohong's decision to make a film was also influenced by Chen Kun.

In this situation, Chen Kun cannot be forced to provide financial support to the company, otherwise it may drive him away.

The only option is to develop projects around Chen Kun, but whether these projects will be successful or able to reverse the decline is another matter.

This also led Rongxinda to reduce production, forcing the company's artists to compete for outside roles. People who didn't know better might think it was a pure talent agency.

However, Rongxinda did not sit idly by and wait for its demise.

Rumors circulate that due to irreconcilable conflicts between Hu Mei, the director of "The Dream of Red Mansions 2020," and the investors, Li Shaohong is likely to take over the project with Rong Xinda.

Making money is one aspect, but more importantly, it's about rebuilding the company's reputation and cultivating new artists.

Honestly, these are Yang Mi's only two remaining thoughts about Rong Xinda.

One reason is that he started out at Rong Xinda and stayed there for many years, so he still has some feelings for the company. The other reason is "The Dream of Red Mansions".

Let alone Baochai and Daiyu, even Wang Xifeng would be suitable.

If Rongxinda offers Yang Mi the same treatment and strong support as a top female celebrity, she might still leave, since Yi'an has a higher potential. However, she might delay for a while, fulfilling the contract for a longer period, as she would have more confidence joining Yi'an.

We want both!
Yang Mi may not be unaware of the risks involved, but compared to the benefits, she was still willing to take the risk and try it.

Similarly, although Yang Mi was introduced to Yi An by Dong Xuan, after unexpectedly meeting Qin Lan, she began to have the desire to have both.

Yang Mi doesn't really know much about the relationship between Qin Lan and Yan Li.

After all, compared to others, Qin Lan and Yan Li had less overt contact.

Although Dong Xuan had taken her in, it was still a short time, and she was also embarrassed to say that she and Qin Lan were competing for the same man. Since the main purpose was to get Yang Mi to join Yi An, she could only give a few hints to Fan Xiaopang.

But just because she doesn't know much about it doesn't mean Yang Mi knows nothing.

In this respect, Yang Mi possesses a maturity and shrewdness that her peers lack.

Although Qin Lan's relationship with Yan Li wasn't as prominent as Fan and Dong's, she was close to Yi An and had also created the Teddy Sisters group. And since not everyone in the circle is deaf and blind, there were still some similar rumors.

However, rumors are a mix of truth and falsehood, and those who lack the necessary status and connections may not be able to accurately grasp the specifics.

It's not like sleeping with Boss Yan will make you a powerful figure in Yi'an.

Having an affair with Yan Li and being half a boss lady with Yi An are completely different concepts.

At present, there are at least twenty or thirty female celebrities who have been rumored to be dating Yan, and the only one who is generally recognized by the outside world as having enough strength in Yi An is Fan Xiaopang.

Dong Xuan and Qin Lan are known only to a small circle of people or a few people who have had contact with each other.

For example, if Yang Mi hadn't unexpectedly gotten involved with Dong Xuan, learned about the situation, and personally experienced Dong Xuan's capabilities, she wouldn't have been able to do so.

She couldn't believe that Dong Xuan, an ordinary teacher at the Beijing Film Academy, could have such great influence.

Yang Mi wasn't very familiar with Qin Lan, but according to her personal analysis, Qin Lan and Yan Li were related, and their relationship was quite deep.

The events that occurred during his encounter with Qin Lan in Yi'an, in particular, prove this point.

Wang, the head of Yi'an Film and Television Department and a well-known producer in the industry, clearly showed closeness and even a little bit of respect towards Qin Lan.

When Qin Lan chatted with her afterwards, she also expressed confidence in Yi An's connections and influence.

She had seen this confidence in Dong Xuan before.

Therefore, Yang Mi deduced that even if Qin Lan was not as good as Fan Xiaopang and Dong Xuan, her strength should not be underestimated, otherwise she would not have been able to gather a group of Teddy Sisters.

This discovery made Yang Mi consider whether she should get closer to Qin Lan and seek some benefits.

However, she was unsure of the true nature of Dong Xuan and Qin Lan's relationship and dared not probe further. What if the two were enemies? How would she proceed?

So Yang Mi decided to pretend to be stupid for now!
When talking to Qin Lan, I didn't mention Dong Xuan. I was simply attracted by Sister Lan's personal charm and wanted to make friends with her.

Dong Xuan didn't mention Qin Lan either. In any case, Dong Xuan didn't tell her about Qin Lan. She just warned her to be careful of Fan Xiaopang and Wang Ou. Ignorance is no excuse, right?

If she were to be exposed one day, it would be because Qin Lan had taken the initiative to contact her and she had received benefits. At worst, she could find a way to repay the favor. As long as she didn't betray either side, there would be room for maneuver.

Yang Mi considered it in her mind; the risks were considerable, but there was room for maneuver.

Most importantly, if Dong Xuan and Qin Lan both support her, it will be of great benefit to her. Fan Xiaopang and Wang Ou are not to be trifled with. Without strong backing, she will feel insecure.

...

"Tsk tsk, playing both sides, that's really bold."

Looking at the daily intelligence report that had been triggered, Yan Li couldn't help but marvel at the courage of today's young people as they strive to climb the social ladder.

This little vixen's scheme could fool everyone, even herself, but it couldn't fool Yan Li.

However, Yan Li did not expose him this time.

Firstly, he wanted to see how far Yang Mi could go with her antics, just for fun.

Secondly, if things go well, the talent will benefit the company; if things go wrong, Yan Li will be playing both sides, using her to draw attention away from the company and clear his name.

Thirdly, Yang Mi is not the only two-faced person.

Apart from a few people like Guan Yue, Huo Siyan, and Liu Yun, who were close associates of their respective factions, the others held back.

Let's not even talk about the internal workings of Yi'an Company. Most of them are seasoned veterans who might show some bias, but they are all very shrewd and diplomatic with everyone else.

Even those who clearly take sides often don't easily offend the other side; some even maintain contact or have a good relationship with them.

Li Xiaolu of the Teddy Sisters actually has connections with Dong Xuan, but because she leans more towards the Teddy Sisters, she keeps a low profile and the interactions are less frequent.

Li Lin and Yang Xue, two of the Seven Fairies, have been mentioned many times before. Although they are on good terms with Fan Xiaopang and Dong Xuan, they are also good in other aspects.

And then there's Sun Li and Deng Chao, who clearly got close to Fan Xiaopang this time. Even though they've taken sides, the couple would never be foolish enough to offend Dong and Qin unless absolutely necessary.

This is also a normal mindset; how the parties involved fight is their own business.

It's fine to chat with crickets privately or occasionally join in the cheering, but there's no need to be so deeply involved.

To put it bluntly, Dong Xuan's people are going after Fan Xiaopang to the death. Dong Xuan may be happy about it, but what does Yan Li think?

No matter what, she's Yan Li's woman, so he's very protective of her.

Dong Xuan has a past relationship, so Yan Li might not be willing to go all out, but he still needs to vent his anger and give an explanation. Who do you think will be the scapegoat?

Therefore, apart from lone wolves like Huo Siyan and die-hard loyalists like Guan Yue and Liu Yun, most people are just ordinary folks. Taking sides doesn't mean they stop interacting with each other, or even becoming mortal enemies with the other side.

The world is not black and white, and interpersonal relationships are even more so. We are all interconnected, so how can we distinguish between them so clearly?

If Yang Mi is truly capable, she might be able to get Dong and Qin to support her.

Yan Li didn't have much free time to focus on Yang Mi; he was too busy with a ton of things to do at the company.

In early June, Yan Lifei flew to Shanghai to attend Tudou.com's Series B financing meeting.

As mentioned before, since Google spent $16.5 billion to acquire YouTube, video websites have become a new hot topic on the internet.

According to incomplete statistics, there are currently hundreds of video websites fiercely competing with each other, and this number is still rising.

Numerous investors and venture capitalists have shown great enthusiasm and made huge bets on this industry.

In the first half of 2007 alone, it was reported that the entire industry raised nearly $100 million in funding. Such a large amount of capital was also the driving force behind the activity of many video websites.

In this context, the market value of several leading websites in the industry has also increased rapidly.

Taking Tudou.com as an example, its valuation in this Series B funding round is likely to reach $2-3 million, according to internal and some external estimates.

Even though Yan Li had repeatedly complained about the internet bubble, he still couldn't help but criticize it after seeing the information from Tudou.com.

No wonder capital loves the internet; those bastards really know how to make money.

He invested in Tudou.com only a few years ago, and its valuation has increased dozens of times.

Based on a valuation of $2.5 million, Yan Li's current stake of approximately 30% is worth 5.7 million RMB at the current exchange rate.

With just his shares in Tudou.com, Yan Li is guaranteed to continue appearing on the Forbes list.

Of course, valuation is one thing, and whether the market can accept it depends on the Series B financing, which will take some time, and some shares will be diluted after the financing.

Even so, this investment in Tudou.com was definitely a huge win for Yan Li.

However, Yan Li's investment in Tudou.com wasn't simply about making money; he had other ideas as well.

This can be seen from his active participation in the Tudou.com Series B financing discussion.

...

Tudou.com, Meeting Room

Yan Li frowned slightly after reading some of the reports from Tudou.com.

Tudou.com has big ambitions; its Series B funding target is at least $5000 million.

If we consider the valuation of Tudou.com at $2-3 million, then Tudou.com would only be giving up about 20-30% of its shares in this round of financing.

But the key question is whether the valuation of the capital that actually invests can reach this level.

They're definitely trying to lower the price. If they reduce Tudou.com's valuation to $2 million or even lower, then Tudou.com's equity stake will exceed 30%.

The entry of shareholders at this level, even multiple shareholders, has a significant impact on Tudou.com.

Besides Tudou.com itself, Yan Li, as a shareholder, also pays close attention to his personal interests.

For example, his shares, his profits, and his influence within Tudou.com.

Yan Li couldn't help but exchange a glance with IDG's boss, Mr. Xiong.

In Tudou.com's several rounds of financing, Yan Ye Capital, under Yan Li's name, was Tudou.com's angel round investor and followed up in the Series A round, while IDG was the lead investor in the Series A round.

Currently, the management team led by Wang Wei holds the largest stake in Tudou.com, followed by Yanye Capital, then IDG, and then other minority shareholders.

It's worth mentioning that the combined shares of Yanye and IDG exceed those of Wang Wei and the management team.

Therefore, given the large scale of this Series B funding round, Yan Li has reason to suspect that Wang Wei and his team are trying to bring in new, friendly capital to balance his relationship with IDG shareholders.

After the discussion concluded that day, Yan Li and other shareholders attended a welcome dinner hosted by Tudou.com.

After finishing their meal, Yan Li left first. Not long after, Boss Xiong arrived at a private club in Shanghai.

"Mr. Xiong, it's really inconvenient to invite you over so late."

"Don't mention it. I've been wanting to chat with President Yan for a long time. Today is a rare opportunity, and I'm so happy to have it."

Mr. Xiong, the founder of IDG, is an absolute heavyweight in the investment and internet industries. He has invested in companies such as Sohu, Tencent, and Baidu, boasting an impressive resume and remarkable influence.

It is said that Mr. Xiong noticed Tudou.com quite early on, but before he could make a move, Yan Li intercepted it, causing him to suffer a heavy loss in the Series A funding round.

However, he didn't have any opinion about Yan Li.

In investing, one must be willing to accept the consequences of their gambles. If you lack the courage and determination of others and fail to make a fortune, you can't blame anyone else.

In some ways, even Boss Xiong should thank Yan Li.

Tudou.com's rise to prominence, even surpassing Youku to become the industry leader, owes much to Yan Li's various resources and support. Yan Li was also very polite to Boss Xiong.

After all, his strength and connections are undeniable. Furthermore, when Weibo raises funds in the future, it might collaborate with this investment tycoon. Even if it's just for the sake of that, he's willing to befriend him.

After exchanging pleasantries and some mutual flattery, Yan Li and Boss Xiong started talking about business.

The evening appointments were not only intended to make friends, but more importantly, they were for Tudou.com.

Yan Li suspected that Tudou.com wanted to introduce new capital to balance its operations, and Boss Xiong naturally shared this concern.

As shareholders of Tudou.com, both parties share the same interests in this matter.

The purpose of today's meeting is to form an alliance and safeguard the interests of both parties on Tudou.com.

"What are your thoughts, Mr. Yan?"

Boss Xiong tentatively inquired, and Yan Li took a sip of water: "We definitely need to raise funds. Video websites are burning through cash these days, and the competition is fierce. Without raising funds, it's hard for a website to develop."

"But how to raise funds? Who should raise funds? Whose shares should be raised? I think there are still some issues to consider."

Boss Xiong understood perfectly; in fact, he had realized this before even coming to the appointment.

The two of them together become the largest shareholders on the board of directors, making it impossible to avoid financing matters.

From the perspective of shareholder interests, he supports Yan Li, but he has a concern.

"Will this cause the management team to become hostile towards us, undermine internal unity, and affect the development of Tudou.com?"

It's one thing if it's just hostility, but conflicts between investors and management, and infighting among shareholders are all too common.

Boss Xiong himself has experienced it. He doesn't care about being envied and hated. He can't just be a sucker and hand over the benefits to others.

He's a capitalist, not a philanthropist!

However, he was worried about the impact on Tudou.com, which was in a period of rapid development and was eager to raise funds. He feared that if the shareholders were to hold back the company, the overall interests of the shareholders would also be harmed.

As a seasoned investor, Mr. Xiong possesses a broad perspective, valuing both shareholder interests and overall interests.

"Don't worry, I still understand the importance of the big picture. Actually, my demands are not high. The shares raised should be split equally among everyone. The management team should not play any tricks on us, and the new shareholders should be more sensible."

"In my personal opinion, these two requirements are very reasonable and far from being unreasonable."

Boss Xiong smiled and nodded. Yan Li wasn't exaggerating; he really wasn't harsh, and was even better than he had expected.

He thought Yan Li would take the opportunity to cut the management team's losses or kick out the minority shareholders, and then introduce new shareholders himself.

With this in mind, Boss Xiong also expressed his opinion that Yan Li's request was in line with the overall interests and the interests of all parties, and IDG would support him.

After reaching an agreement, the atmosphere between the two sides became more harmonious, and Yan Li even had a bottle of red wine served as a small celebration.

After clinking glasses, Yan Li couldn't help but ask Boss Xiong, "Are you familiar with Mr. Xu of Today Capital?"

"Today? You mean Xu Xin?"

"It's her."

Boss Xiong suddenly realized: "Of course I'm familiar with it."

She's a veteran in the investment world, but she only recently started her own business. Everyone knows her personally, but her newly founded company still needs results and time to prove itself.

"Why did you suddenly think of her...? She probably won't be involved in Tudou.com's Series B funding round, will she?"

Boss Xiong realized what was happening and looked at Yan Li with some surprise. Tudou.com's Series B financing was currently in the preparation stage, and there was limited information disclosed to shareholders.

Only a few people, including Wang Wei, knew exactly who they had contacted and to what extent.

Yan Li's inexplicable mention of Xu Xin clearly indicated that it wasn't just a simple inquiry about a person.

Yan Li didn't hide anything from him: "From what I've heard, Wang Wei has been communicating quite a bit with this Mr. Xu. In addition, they've been in active contact with an American investment institution and a South Korean investment institution, the former of which has some experience in listing."

"President Yan is quite capable."

Boss Xiong's eyes widened in surprise. He had his own sources on Tudou, but the information he gathered was nowhere near as valuable as Yan Li's.

He boldly speculated that Yan Li's people were among the core executives of Tudou.com or Wang Wei's secretaries and assistants; otherwise, it would be difficult to explain how Yan Li knew.

If the information was intended for shareholders, it's impossible that IDG wouldn't have been informed. Furthermore, the personal relationship between Yan Li and Wang Wei shouldn't have reached that level.

Judging from the current situation, there are certain contradictions and conflicts between the two sides.

Wang Wei wanted to introduce new shareholders to balance the situation, and Yan Li was trying to win him over to protect the interests of the shareholders. At this point, how could the two possibly share such crucial information?

After considering various options, Boss Xiong asked, "Mr. Yan, what do you want..."

He was unsure whether Yan Li wanted to sabotage or win him over.

"I would like to have a talk with Mr. Xu."

Yan Li did not give a direct answer, but Xu Xin still had some influence and was beneficial to Tudou.com, so he supported this cooperation.

But Yan Li needed to find out Xu Xin's background and see what her attitude was towards Tudou.com and Wang Wei.

If he is someone who can be won over, like Mr. Xiong from IDG, then Yan Li will try to get closer to him.

Conversely, they firmly stand by Wang Wei's side, and even if they don't ruin this cooperation, they will weaken Today Capital's shares and influence.

Yan Li's idea was simple: to attract as many shareholders as possible, increase his strength and influence on the board of directors, and prepare for certain things.

Thinking of Madam Wang Wei, whom he had just met at the welcoming banquet, Yan Li couldn't help but shake his head.

Every time Yan Li saw that future intelligence report, he felt a little sad. It was surprising that Tudou.com, which was now at its peak, would be ruined by a divorce certificate.

However, this might not be a bad thing for Yan Li.

When investors wrest power from the founders, it is a significant blow to their reputation and business credibility.

However, if the founder makes a fatal mistake that could cause the company to suffer a major blow, then seizing power would be seen as setting things right. If handled well afterward, it would minimize negative publicity.

Whether it's increasing the personal ties with Tudou.com or winning over shareholders, Yan Li is waiting for a logical opportunity to take over Tudou.com.

Of course, Yan Li, who was prudent in his work, would not rely on others for everything.

What if they're not divorced? What if they divide the assets well? What if they soften their hearts and don't file a lawsuit?

Therefore, Yan Li had several other plans.

There are milder options, such as reinvesting in and taking control of a video website, but this is riskier and more costly.

Some were more despicable, setting traps for Wang Wei or using the intelligence system to discredit him and then seize power. However, these methods left many traces and were easily detected.

Another more direct approach is to find an excuse to break ties with Wang Wei and directly confront her for the money. This would not only damage their reputation but could also lead to internal strife, causing Tudou.com to suffer as a mere spectator.

Yan Li personally desires a good reputation, but if absolutely necessary, he will still have to show his fangs.

...

After parting ways with Boss Xiong, Yan Li didn't return to the hotel, but instead went to an old residential area in Shanghai.

Yan Li took out his key, opened the door, took off his clothes, and then rushed into the bathroom to take a shower.

Hearing the noise, Yang Rong came out of the bedroom and asked the bathroom, "Have you eaten? Do you want me to make you a bowl of noodles?"

"Just heat up a cup of milk."

"Oh."

Yang Rong took a glass of milk, heated it in the microwave, thought for a moment, and then took some fruit and nuts from the refrigerator and cupboard to make a fruit platter.

When Yan Li came out after taking a shower, he took a few peeled pistachios from Yang Rong's hand, shirtless, and popped them into his mouth.

"Yeah, he's getting a bit cheeky."

"I ate a few just now and they were fine, but maybe they've been sitting for too long, so some of them aren't good anymore."

Yang Rong has been filming "The Difficult Love of a Diamond Bachelor" and only returned last night. The fruit and milk were all freshly prepared today.

After drinking the milk in one gulp, Yan Li showed no interest in fruit or anything else, and reached out to hug Yang Rong.

Yang Rong couldn't help but struggle: "You're covered in water."

"Perfect, you can wipe me down."

Yan Li loved holding Yang Rong; she was chubby, small, and had great proportions and a wonderful feel.

Yang Rong had no choice but to let Yan Li take liberties with her, and asked him with a slightly flushed face.

How many days are you staying in Shanghai this time?

"I don't know. It's rare for me to spend your birthday with you, so I'll try to stay a few more days."

Yan Li's arrival was quite opportune, as June 3rd happened to be Yang Rong's birthday. He claimed that he had specially moved his work in Shanghai to early June to spend the birthday with Yang Rong.

This big baby may say "who cares," but actually he does care quite a bit.

According to Yan Li, in order to return to Shanghai in early June, Yang Rong had to pull a lot of strings and rush the schedule for "The Difficult Love of a Diamond Bachelor". Otherwise, under normal circumstances, she would not have been able to finish filming until the end of early June.

They may not be honest with their words, but they are honest with their hearts!

Yan Li didn't expose Yang Rong's hypocrisy; sometimes it's precisely this kind of playful refusal that makes things interesting.

"Oh, by the way, Wang Ou also asked me to bring you a birthday present."

Yan Li stood up and handed her a box that he had brought with him when he entered. Yang Rong hesitated for a moment.

Why did she ask you to deliver it? Did you tell her you were coming to see me?

Yan Li smiled and said, "What do you think?"

By now, he has made countless phone calls. Although he doesn't know much about his relationship with Yang Rong, he certainly can't hide it from Wang Ou and Wu Jiani.

Yang Rong herself was not unaware of this, but she was just burying her head in the sand and deceiving herself.

When Wang Ou tried to change the subject, she either pretended not to understand or made an excuse to hang up, basically insisting that if she didn't admit it, then she didn't do it.

Yang Rong didn't know how to answer Yan Li, so she decisively changed the subject: "Let me see what she gave me?"

After saying that, she opened the box with some anticipation. There were two layers, and it seemed to contain several sets of clothes. When Yang Rong opened it, her face turned bright red, and she hurriedly tried to stuff the clothes back in.

Having already seen it, Yan Li wouldn't allow her to back out. Without saying a word, she snatched the clothes, unfolded them, and looked at them with satisfaction.

"Wang Ou understands me best."

"Pooh."

Yang Rong couldn't help but spit at Yan Li: "Did you send this or did she send it?"

“It really was a gift from her. I didn’t even look at it. If you don’t believe me, call her. If I wanted to give you a gift, I wouldn’t wait for your birthday; I would have bought it anytime.”

Yang Rong had no right to call and question Wang Ou; she'd be laughed at to death by that guy.

And after thinking about it for a moment, she believed Yan Li's words, because he wouldn't be so perverse.

On the other hand, if Wang Ou's gift not only tricked her, leaving her with unspeakable suffering, but also pleased Yan Li, it was definitely something that shameless slut would do.

Seeing Yan Li's mischievous grin, Yang Rong gritted her teeth: "Where's your gift?"

Yan Li patted his chest: "I am the gift."

Yang Rong couldn't help but roll her eyes again: "You're even better at saving money than Wang Ou."

"One who stays near vermilion gets stained red, and one who stays near ink gets stained black."

After making a joke, Yan Li took a box out of his bag. Regardless of whether it counted as a gift or not, he wouldn't come empty-handed.

"Na."

Yang Rong took the box, opened it, and was dumbfounded: "Isn't this Wang Ou's Golden Heart?"

“Wang Ou told me that you admired her golden heart, so I made one for you.”

Yan Li wasn't lying. He specifically asked Wang Ou what kind of gift she liked, and Wang Ou recommended the Golden Heart to him.

"..."

Yang Rong didn't know what to say.

Be happy, he has some things that others have now.

I'm a little unhappy, too. The birthday gift was a mass-produced item, so it always feels a bit awkward.

Yan Li could tell what was going on from her expression, and shook his head: "I knew she was unreliable. Luckily, I didn't listen to her completely."

After saying that, he took out a box from his bag, inside which were a pair of adorable little golden figures, each the size of a duck egg.

Yang Rong took it in her hand and looked at it: "This is... Xue Rengui and Liu Yinhuan?"

"Well, this is also a way to commemorate our time as husband and wife."

"Who's your husband?"

Yang Rong muttered something, but she couldn't put down the pair of little gold figures. She even handled them very gently, because pure gold is soft and she was afraid of bumping or knocking them.

After Yan Li had waited until she had enjoyed the gifts enough, he finally spoke: "Alright, now that you've received all the gifts, it's time to get down to business."

"What's the matter?"

Yang Rong was a little confused. Yan Li pulled out Wang Ou's gift box and said, "We can't let Wang Ou's good intentions go to waste."

"I don't wear them."

Yang Rong shook her head vigorously, but Yan Li ignored her completely and picked one out himself: "This school uniform is nice."

He remembered that Wang Ou had played the role of a teacher before. If one day they were to play the teacher and the student, the classroom would explode.

Yang Rong looked at the clothes and wanted to run to the bedroom to hide, but ended up being caught in the act.

Not only did I relive my youth, but I also called my best friend Wang Ou to personally express my gratitude…

(End of this chapter)