Chinese Entertainment Intelligence King

Chapter 348 Master Huang, Master Yan? "The New Dream of the Red Chamber," The Drunken Fairy
Huairou, outpost
Yan Li, carrying a gun and wearing a loosely draped helmet, casually took a cigarette from Chen Daoming and took a puff.

Where are we going?

Chen Daoming spoke casually, his voice rising and falling: "It's official business at the bureau, but I'm also handling both public and private matters. The old man is in the car too."

"Oh."

Yan Li stepped forward and looked into the car. Chen Daoming retreated to advance, saying, "Ahua, don't make things difficult for us. Investigate if necessary."

He took another puff, exhaled smoke, and, to match the tense atmosphere, Yan Li said, "No need."

"Oh?"

Chen Daoming feigned surprise, then casually greeted the driver, got into the car, and started the engine.

Yan Li waved his hand: "Brothers, let them through."

"pass."

The executive director called out, and Yan Li took off his helmet. A staff member next to him said something as usual.

"Thank you for your hard work, Mr. Yan."

"This is nothing compared to the hard work I've done since my debut. It's the simplest role I've ever played."

Yan Li looked at Chen Daoming getting out of the car and said, "Teacher Chen, I've finished filming, I'll head out now."

Chen Daoming had a final scene where, upon hearing this, he shook hands with Yan Li, exchanged pleasantries, and said goodbye.

This is their first collaboration, but not their first meeting. They've met a few times, not just at industry events, but also at private gatherings.

Among the popular veteran artists in mainland China, he and Zhang Guoli are the most successful.

Zhang Guoli is somewhat biased towards Huayi Brothers, while Chen is well-connected within the Beijing entertainment circle, maintaining good relationships with various factions and capital groups. Crucially, he is also supported by officials, the media, and the audience.

Yi An had relatively little interaction with him, but she had invested in one of his films, and given her connection with Wong Jing-hua, their relationship was fairly good.

After saying goodbye to Chen Daoming, Yan Li did not leave the crew immediately, but went to another film set.

This film set is shooting a movie starring Zhang Guoli. I have to say, Han Sanye is quite shrewd; he actually got him to play Chiang Kai-shek.

Zhang Guoli has a wide range of acting skills, capable of playing emperors and generals, ordinary people, intellectuals, and elites with ease.

However, Yan Li personally believes that his acting skills are best showcased in villainous roles. His portrayal of Cheng Kun in "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber" was truly amazing, bringing to life the hypocritical yet ruthless and ambitious character from the original novel.

However, for various reasons, Zhang Guoli has played very few villainous roles.

As far as I can remember, besides Cheng Kun, he only played a villain once for his son, and then Chiang Kai-shek in "The Founding of a Republic".

In recent years, Chang's acting has been relatively stable for various reasons, but Zhang's performance is gloomy, cunning, and ruthless, which is quite oppressive and outstanding.

However, Yan Li wasn't looking for Zhang this time; he was after a burly man dressed as a lieutenant general in the Kuomintang army behind the monitor—Jiang Wen.

"Okay, that's enough. Take a break."

Jiang Wen, who usually scrambles for the director's seat, called out, but when he noticed it was quiet around him, he instinctively turned around and immediately felt embarrassed.

"Mr. Yan... Mr. Yan."

Yan Li sat down behind him with a smile: "Old Jiang, that's not fair, are you avoiding me?"

He came to Huairou yesterday for costume fittings and filming. He tried to find Jiang Wen twice, but "coincidentally" missed him both times, forcing Yan Li to come to the set to catch him in person.

"Can I avoid you? What bad luck."

Jiang Wen explained, but Yan Li shook his head: "I don't care, you're treating me to lunch today."

Hearing the commotion, Zhang Guoli strolled over and, upon hearing the commotion, happily joined in the fun.

"Jiang Wen is paying for the meal? Count me in then."

Zhang and Jiang haven't collaborated much, but they're both in the industry and both work in Beijing, so they have a decent personal relationship.

Jiang Wen was known for being difficult to deal with. He was usually the one bullying people, and it was rare for him to suffer a setback. Zhang Guoli was so happy to watch that he wanted to sit on a stool and watch.

Caught red-handed by Yan Li, what could Jiang Wen do? He made a phone call to order food, then thought for a moment and made another call.

Let me introduce you to a new friend.

Zhang Guoli was confused, but Yan Li had a sudden realization. He had heard that after "The Sun Also Rises," Jiang Wen had found a new partner, and this must be it.

The filming wasn't finished yet; they planned to eat after filming was over. At that moment, Master Han, having somehow heard the news, also rushed over.

Finally, the four of them found a restaurant in Huairou. They sat down and chatted for a short while when Jiang Wen received a phone call and led in a bespectacled man carrying a case of liquor.

“Ma Ke, my brother, is also the producer of my new film.”

Then he introduced Yan Li and the other two to Ma Ke. Actually, there was no need for an introduction. If you don't know Han Sanye, you don't need to be in this circle. Yan Li and Zhang Guoli are very famous. There are few people in the whole country who don't know them.

After exchanging pleasantries, everyone sat down, ate and drank, and started talking. Yan Li began to criticize Jiang Wen.

"Old Jiang, do you think you're being fair?"

"Third Master told me the other day that you were filming a new movie, so I started waiting for you. I waited and waited but didn't hear from you. Fine, I came to find you myself, and you're actually avoiding me?"

"Putting aside our brotherly relationship, as far as I, Yan Li, am concerned, how have I ever wronged you in my conduct and dealings? Why do you, Jiang Wen, look down on me so much?"

These words left Jiang Wen at a loss for words. In the end, he stood up, poured wine for Yan Li himself, and then complained.

"No, that's not what I meant at all."

Ma Ke also stepped in to smooth things over: "President Yan, I've been with Lao Jiang these past few days and I know what he's been thinking. He's not avoiding you; he's avoiding you not for any other reason than because he feels he's let you down..."

Jiang Wen's reason for avoiding Yan Li is not complicated. Yan Li had helped him a lot in the previous film "The Sun Also Rises," but ended up losing money and reputation, which made Jiang Wen feel very embarrassed.

This time, he was making a new film, "Let the Bullets Fly," which required a significant investment, and he thought of Yan Li again.

The two had a good relationship, and Jiang Wen felt that he could make money this time.

But he thought the same way when he wrote "The Sun Also Rises," so Jiang Wen was still a little nervous and worried that he might have tricked Yan Li again.

Jiang Wen was already somewhat anxious, and not long ago, Yi An executives announced that Yi An was profitable, and he also learned that "The Sun Also Rises" was Yi An's only loss-making project.

Now, while Jiang Wen was on the verge of losing his temper, he was even more worried that "Let the Bullets Fly" would lose money and cheat Yan Li.

Yan Li was a good person to him. If Jiang Wen were to cheat him twice, he would never dare to see Yan Li again.

Moreover, Yi'an lost money twice because of him, and he really couldn't bear the shame.

"This affectation is not Jiang Wen at all."

Yan Li said with some disdain, "I've said this so many times. It's normal to make and lose money in business. I haven't taken it seriously, but you keep bringing it up."

Jiang Wen said seriously, "If you don't take it seriously, I have to."

"Okay, then we'll take it seriously."

Yan Li nodded, not refuting Jiang Wen, but looked at him and said, "Let's not talk about anything else. Regardless of our relationship or anything else, I've been burned by you and lost money on you. I want you to make that money back for me."

"I'll provide the money, you provide the labor. We'll not only make money, but we'll also regain our dignity."

Jiang Wen listened in silence for a while, and Ma Ke nudged him: "What's wrong? Say something."

"picture."

Jiang Wen uttered a single word that left everyone else bewildered, but he himself became quite animated.

"Yes, they don't want the money from the two major families, they only want Huang Silang's money. Money is not important, what's important is the money I earn, haha, so similar."

Yan Li was a little flustered. What the hell was going on?!
He knew the movie "Let the Bullets Fly" was profitable, but he didn't know the specific plot or lines. Listening to Jiang Wen's rambling manner, he couldn't help but wonder if he had provoked Jiang Wen.

But it shouldn't be that bad. He felt his words were quite inspiring, at least everyone else seemed quite encouraged.

Fortunately, Jiang Wen came to his senses after a while and said to Yan Li, "You're right. We should get up from where we fall. If others laugh at us, we should slap them in the face and make money while standing up."

"Don't rush to make money. Why don't you go see a mental hospital?"

Yan Li made a sarcastic remark, and Jiang Wen laughed heartily. He then started talking about some plot points from "Let the Bullets Fly," and everyone finally understood what was going on.

"This pockmarked face is quite interesting, Lao Jiang. You should learn a lot from him and broaden your horizons."

Yan Li joked, but Jiang Wen said, "I'm just playing Zhang Mazi. You're the real Zhang Mazi, my brother. Your courage, your skills, your vision are impeccable."

Who says Jiang Wen can't flatter? This old guy has an exceptionally sweet tongue.

Yan Li was in a good mood and laughed, "If you say I look like Zhang Mazi, then I can play this role, and I might even play it better than you."

"Okay, I..."

Jiang Wen continued chatting, then suddenly paused, and began to scrutinize Yan Li, making Yan Li uncomfortable.

He really thought Jiang Wen should see a doctor; she was acting strangely and seemed mentally unstable.

Jiang Wen ignored all that and instead asked directly, "Are you available in September?"

Yan Li exclaimed in surprise, "You really want me to play Zhang Mazi?"

"It's not Zhang Mazi, it's Master Huang."

"what?"

……

On the way back, Yan Li recalled Jiang Wen's earnest words of persuasion, and his expression became somewhat dazed.

Jiang Wen is known for his fondness for using acquaintances.

His wife appeared in both "The Sun Also Rises" and "Let the Bullets Fly," and it's said that she's also going to bring his younger brother, Jiang Wu, into the cast this time.

As for the three core roles in the entire film, Jiang Wen, who directs and stars in the film, is the male lead; Ge You is the preferred choice for the advisor; and Ma Ke suggests Chow Yun-fat for Huang Silang.

The reason for casting Chow Yun-fat and Ge You is simple: they are good actors and very famous.

Whether from a promotional perspective or in terms of box office appeal, these two are among the best in the current Chinese-language film market.

In the past, Jiang Wen's films either used newcomers or he took the lead role. This time, "Let the Bullets Fly" has a stronger commercial element. In order to make a good impression at the box office, Ma Ke felt that he had to invite big names and use a star-studded cast to attract the audience.

Chow Yun-fat's acting is flawless, but I'm not familiar with Jiang Wen, so I'm worried about a bad collaboration. Also, he's too expensive.

Currently, Jackie Chan has the highest salary among Chinese-language stars, but he doesn't take on many outside projects and mostly organizes his own projects to earn a share of the profits. Next is Jet Li, who commanded a sky-high salary of hundreds of millions for "The Warlords." Then there's Chow Yun-fat.

Rumors circulate that Chow Yun-fat received 4000 million yuan for both "Curse of the Golden Flower" and "Confucius".

Moreover, it's a Hollywood work system where you get extra pay after 8 hours, and the daily treatment is extravagant, including presidential suites, luxury RVs, and fine dining, which adds up to a considerable expense.

The production team of "Let the Bullets Fly" calculated that if they hired Chow Yun-fat, the cost, including his salary and other expenses, would approach 5000 million yuan.

This is almost half of the entire project's budget!

Therefore, when "Let the Bullets Fly" considered hiring other actors, the cast was generally not big enough to form a "three-way standoff" with Jiang Wen and Ge You.

Master Huang is strong!

His strength forced Jiang Wen, that Zhang Mazi, to scheme and suffer heavy losses, and made Ge Daye waver and act unpredictably.

This isn't just a matter of plot and characters; the actors also need to be able to command the stage, otherwise it will reduce the audience's sense of immersion.

It wasn't until this time that Jiang Wen suddenly realized that Yan Li was also a suitable candidate.

In terms of presence and status, Yan Li is a big shot with enough fame and even box office appeal, as exemplified by his representative work, "Painted Skin".

Although "Painted Skin" largely relied on the rivalry between the two soldiers, and Yan Li himself might have been less appealing, "Let the Bullets Fly" still had Jiang Wen and Ge You.

In addition, Yan Li's acting skills are also quite good.

Of the characters in "Let the Bullets Fly," Master Huang is actually the easiest to play. He's a typical villain, and the key is to have presence and be able to withstand the pressure from Jiang Wen and Uncle Ge.

Yan Li has no shortage of presence, and he doesn't need to worry about being pressured by Jiang and Ge. Just now, Jiang was scolded by him.

At most, the age can be slightly changed, but it's not a big problem. A thirty-year-old man is still a man.

More importantly, Yan Li's salary is much more cost-effective than Chow Yun-fat's.

Yan Li himself doesn't know exactly how much he's paid, because no one dares to hire him. He was paid a friendly price for his previous roles in "Painted Skin" and "Three Kingdoms".

Unfortunately, it's Yan Li's own project, so he can't ask for too much pay.

Moreover, even if his salary is at its maximum, it still can't compare to those top stars. He wouldn't earn much, and it would seem like he'd be greedy. It would be better for him to take a friendly price and use it as leverage in negotiations for more screen time.

Therefore, although Yan Li's salary is uncertain, it is definitely not as high as Chow Yun-fat's.

Moreover, Yan Li is an investor who brings his own capital, so he can negotiate the price, or even directly receive dividends, saving money for filming.

As a result, Jiang Wen thought more and more that Yan Li was suitable, and later even Ma Ke joined in to persuade him.

The two are truly partners; they think alike, and as the producer, Ma Ke thinks even further ahead.

Inviting Chow Yun-fat means you can only promote him using the usual methods for superstars, but inviting Yan Li opens up many more possibilities.

Putting aside other things, joining forces to wash away the "shame" of "The Sun Also Rises" can generate a lot of buzz.

Moreover, Yan Li's name is beneficial not only for publicity, but also for attracting investment, business development, and even for issuance and review.

Jiang and Ma pleaded vehemently, and even Han Sanye and Zhang Guoli chimed in, but Yan Li only said he would consider it and didn't budge.

After "New Three Kingdoms", Yi An wanted him to act in many projects, but Yan Li turned them all down.

One is that he's busy; he has a lot on his plate, including Weibo, Yi'an Development, and preparations for its IPO.

Another concern is that he used to be indifferent and acted whatever he wanted, doing whatever he pleased.

However, the company is currently planning to go public, and Yan Li, as a key figure in the company, is closely connected with the company personally.

His lifestyle was one thing, but the main problem was that Yan Li had laid the groundwork well; with everything in ruins, everyone knew what kind of person he was, and it was difficult for them to do anything about it.
However, if he were to film a bad movie or play a bad role, it could cause public pressure. It might not affect the company, but Yan Li couldn't ignore this risk.

Don't think it's an exaggeration; Yan Li's current popularity, reputation, and aura partly come from the film and television roles he has portrayed.

Just as actors and these roles can bring benefits, they can also backfire.

"we'll see."

Filming for "Let the Bullets Fly" won't start until September. Yan Li plans to go back and review the script, consider his schedule, and then make a decision.

Besides "Let the Bullets Fly," Fan Xiaopang's idol drama "My Love from the Star" has also been urging him to participate.

Yan Li was convinced. Back when he was an actor, he didn't get many good film offers, so he had to go into business.

Now that businesses have grown big, they've become highly sought after, so these days you have to diversify your business; exporting and then selling domestically is even more valuable.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Back on Weibo, I met with an investor, but after 20 minutes I made an excuse to back out. The other party had no sincerity whatsoever and treated me like a fool.

I stopped by Yi'an on the way, and as soon as I entered the office, the director of the distribution department came to knock on the door.

"President Yan, let me give you a briefing on the progress of 'New Three Kingdoms'."

The filming of "New Three Kingdoms" has just wrapped up, which also indicates that the series has entered the post-production and distribution stage.

There are too many episodes in the TV series. It's already March, so it definitely won't make it into this year's summer season. It will either be released at the beginning of the year or next summer.

These two release dates are also the best release dates of the year, as only they can best support the new Three Kingdoms.

After all, this show is bound to fetch a sky-high price; the TV station has spent the money, and they can't afford not to recoup their investment.

Therefore, the release cycle will definitely be quite long, requiring a lot of negotiation and preparation work. The distribution department is now in place.

"The company has set a target of 200 million per episode. Are you confident?"

Yan Li listened to some reports, then asked with a smile, and the director of the distribution department chuckled.

"If it were just me, I definitely wouldn't have the confidence, but with you helping us steer the ship, to be honest, the brothers are all ready to collect their bonuses."

"Your flattery skills have improved."

Yan Li joked for a moment, then said seriously, "Don't be careless. Originally, I set a target of 200 million per episode. One reason is that our show is indeed in high demand, and another is that I wanted to collaborate with the Four Great Classical Novels for joint distribution."

“You’re a veteran in distribution, so you know how much negotiating support it would give us if we had these shows in our hands.”

"But things didn't go as planned. The Yongle version of Journey to the West was a collaboration with Zhejiang TV, and its release was dispensable. Zhang Dahuzi's side was too slow to create a synergy. The new Dream of the Red Chamber was also abandoned for some reason. The four classic novels were not played well together, so we could only rely on the new Three Kingdoms and half of the new Water Margin."

"In that case, this nut will be harder to crack. Those people at the TV station are not easy to deal with, so we must do our preparations thoroughly."

"..."

The distribution director nodded in agreement, his previously somewhat confident and frivolous expression softening considerably, as he prepared to do more research.

Yan Li was slightly pleased. Yi'an had developed rapidly in the past two years. Its already strong distribution department had become even more invincible with the help of the company's momentum.

This has instilled a sense of pride in everyone in the department!
This isn't necessarily a bad thing. Negotiations are sometimes all about momentum and mindset. When the people in the distribution department have a strong sense of confidence, their work becomes easier.

Yan Li personally believes that only a team with spirit can get things done; a rigid, lifeless team is incapable of fighting tough battles. However, everything must be done in moderation. Pride is fine, but arrogance and domineering behavior are not good; it's necessary to give them a good talking-to.

After a while, the director of the distribution department left. Yan Li thought about the Four Great Classical Novels and his mood became slightly low.

He previously boasted that he would release a new set of four classic novels, with each volume selling over 200 million copies, achieving a publishing miracle.

However, it turned out that he was indeed too optimistic!

The new Three Kingdoms and the new Water Margin are fine, they just have scheduling issues. Zhang Dahuzi and Huayi's new Journey to the West are just slow to move, but reaching a cooperation agreement is not a big problem.

The key is that TV series "The Dream of Red Mansions".

Rongxinda, including its parent company Hualu Baina, was willing to cooperate with Yi'an on distribution, and the TV station was also quite enthusiastic about the series.

Logically, this should have been a good deal, but just as they were making contact, someone approached Yi An, hoping she could do him a small favor.

Yan Li used the system to investigate, and then Yi An withdrew due to technical reasons.

There's some money you can earn, some people you can chat with, but there's some money and people you'd better not mix together.

Yan Li has a bright future ahead of him and is not short of money, so he doesn't want to take this risk.

Because of this incident, Yan Li not only stopped paying attention to "The New Dream of the Red Chamber," but also distanced himself from Hualu Baina and Rong Xinda. If something were to happen to him one day, he might get bloodshed.

Shaking his head, Yan Li thought of Bai Bing again and sent her a call to ask how she was doing on the set of "The Dream of Red Mansions".

Filming for this drama started last year and is still ongoing. Bai Bing plays the adult Baochai, who only appears later in the series, so he has only recently joined the cast.

Before joining the crew, Yan Li had already given instructions to Bai Bing of "The New Dream of the Red Chamber" not to ask or pay attention to her, and to just give her name if anyone came looking for her.

Yan Li's name still carries weight, especially within the circle, and most people don't need to offend him.

But it's hard to guarantee that someone might be dissatisfied with him because of the distribution, and if they can't find fault with him, they might resort to violence.

Therefore, Yan Li would ask whenever he had free time, so that he could deal with any issues or trigger any intelligence in a timely manner.

"I'm doing well on set; everyone is very polite."

Bai Bing starred in the TV series "Painted Skin" and also appeared in Jackie Chan's "Shinjuku Incident," which can be considered a meteoric rise to fame.

Normally, given Yan Li's style, there would be plenty of talk about how the cavalry Yan has gained another soldier or something.

Yes, in fact, many people had been saying before that Company Commander Yan was recruiting soldiers.

However, Stormtroopers are not famous enough, and apart from their public appearance together at the premiere of "The Forbidden Kingdom," they don't have much contact, so this claim is not mainstream.

Her agency, Yinghuang, also felt that simply creating scandals was a bit too monotonous.

There's no way around it; Yan Li has just too many rumored lovers. If Bai Bing didn't have the word "Bing" in his name, and couldn't possibly gain any attention or popularity from Shuang Bing, he wouldn't stand out at all.

"That's fine."

Yan Li was relieved to learn that Bai Bing had not been implicated because of him. He wanted to hang up the phone, but Bai Bing was reluctant to let him go and kept whining that he missed him.

Yan Li has been busy since before the Spring Festival. She was filming outside, and I haven't seen her for a while.

"Call me when you get back to Huairou."

Filming locations for the new Dream of the Red Chamber include Huairou, Wuzhen, Yangzhou, and other places. Yan Li is unlikely to be able to visit the set, but Bai Bing is not far from the capital in Huairou, so he can ask for leave to visit him.

Yes, Yan Li also wants to see Xue Baochai.

Bai Bing immediately agreed. Yan Li was too busy and had many women. If she wanted to see Yan Li, she often had to go through Wang Ou.

Of course, there was also a reason why Wang Ou did this on purpose, so that the soldiers would obey her obediently and would not pose a threat to her.

Wang Ou is not heartless. Apart from her close friend Yang Rong, who helped her during her low point, she is wary of everyone else.

Wu Jiani has become somewhat distant from her in the past two years, which has only strengthened her resolve.

Finding women for Yan Li was to gain more favor for himself. He didn't want to end up losing out and being used as a stepping stone to rise to power. He had to be careful.

As it turned out, this approach was correct. Bai Bing seized the opportunity to ditch Wang Ou and start trying to impress Yan Li.

Princes and generals, I would rather be kind!
Especially in the entertainment industry, very few people don't want to climb the ladder. If they can climb in their careers, they can climb in their relationships too.

It's no wonder that Fan Xiaopang and Qin Dong sometimes choose to join forces; everyone has read the Romance of the Three Kingdoms and has long been wary of Sima Yi.

The crew of "The Dream of Red Mansions" on set
Bai Bing reluctantly hung up the phone, humming a little tune as she returned to the rest area to sit down. Yao Di, who played Wang Xifeng, looked at her with some curiosity.

"Whose phone call made you so happy?"

"Boy friend."

The soldier made no attempt to hide his joy, his tone sweet.

Normal female celebrities, regardless of whether they are in a relationship or not, except for those who are openly dating, prefer to claim that they are single.

On the one hand, it is easier to gain fans, which is good for one's career; on the other hand, it also avoids missing out on some opportunities for advancement.

With Yan Li as his backer, Bai Bing didn't care about these things, and driven by vanity, he claimed to have a boyfriend.

Yinghuang Entertainment didn't interfere; they just told her not to talk about these things in interviews and on social media, and then left it to her.

Bai Bing even showed off to the actors of "The Dream of Red Mansions" that Yan Li gave her... or rather, Wang Ou gave her bags and jewelry, which were quite valuable.

Therefore, many people know that Bai Bing has a rich boyfriend in the new Dream of the Red Chamber.

Some people speculated that it might be Yan Li, but there was no evidence. Bai Bing also did not reveal any details about her boyfriend, only saying that he was a businessman, handsome, and good to her.

Yao Di looked somewhat envious; she was one of the people who guessed that Bai Bing's "boyfriend" was Yan Li.

After all, she knew Bai Bing when the auditions for "The Dream of Red Mansions" were held, and she had a general understanding of his situation.

The White Soldiers at that time didn't seem to have any powerful backgrounds, and their families didn't appear to be particularly wealthy.

Later, she somehow got together with Yan Li and appeared in public together. Then she received a constant stream of resources and her economic situation improved significantly. Bai Bing gained another wealthy "boyfriend." It's not hard to imagine what happened in between.

Yao Di felt a pang of jealousy that Bai Bing, who was the mistress of some unknown person, had the audacity to call himself Yan Li's boyfriend, but she couldn't help but feel envious.

Yan Li really provided resources and money!
The female lead is too far removed from the main character to be truly relatable, but the daily necessities of the Stormtroopers are enough to make these young actresses green with envy. Their extraordinary status on set is also something to aspire to.

If she hadn't known it was impossible, she would have asked Bai Bing to introduce her to someone.

She wants to improve too!
She also wanted to live a life of luxury and be able to do whatever she wanted on set!
Bai Bing felt a sense of pleasure seeing Yao Di's sour and envious gaze.

Yan Li was alright. Although she was obedient and sensible, Yan Li treated her well. Moreover, being with this man, who was the dream lover of many women, was not only comfortable, but also gave her a subtle sense of accomplishment and happiness.

But when facing Wang Ou and his group, she was young, inexperienced, and had little experience, so she often had to be humble and subservient.

Therefore, Stormtroopers sometimes deliberately show off in public to gain emotional value, balance their inner feelings, and satisfy their sense of superiority.

"My birthday is coming up soon. Last year he gave me a two-pound gold heart. I wonder what he will give me this year."

Yao Di's eyes widened slightly: "Multi-layered gold heart?"

"Two pounds, pure gold, the size of a palm, isn't that a bit tacky?"

Bai Bing seemed a little embarrassed. Yao Di couldn't help but grit his teeth. The current price of gold is almost 300 per gram. Two kilograms would cost 20 yuan, which is more expensive than many cars.

Money is one thing, but the key point is that I've never seen gold given away like this before.

Most people buy bracelets and necklaces, which weigh around a hundred grams at most, maybe a few hundred grams, but this person is buying them by the kilogram.

"It is a bit tacky."

Yao Di couldn't help but make a sarcastic remark, but Bai Bing was not angry but pleased, and said in a tone that sought recognition.

"Right, that's what I said too. It's not only tacky, but also insincere. It's obviously a lazy idea..."

Before she could finish speaking, Yao Di couldn't stand it any longer. She made an excuse about having a stomachache and left with a sullen face. Bai Bing's mood became even better, and the melody of the tune became even more cheerful.

...

Because she made a phone call to Bai Bing, Yan Li thought of Wang Ou, but unfortunately, she was away on a business trip in Beijing.

Yan Li followed the trail, looking for Huo Siyan, only to find her and Qin Lan busy packing their luggage; they were about to join the cast of "Beauty's Rival in Palace."

After thinking for a moment, Yan Li dialed Jiang Xin's number. As soon as the call connected, Jiang Xin's resentment almost burst out through the phone.

"Oh, you're so busy with your affairs, you've finally remembered me, the one living in the cold palace."

Yan Li felt slightly embarrassed. Thinking back, he realized that he had only met Jiang Xin once since returning last year, and had not contacted her since.

It's been about two or three months since then, and anyone would be resentful.

"I was wrong, I'll treat you to hot pot to make amends."

Yan Li didn't just talk the talk; he walked the walk. Jiang Xin was resentful, but he didn't ignore him either; he directly arranged a meeting place.

After hanging up the phone, Yan Li told Ding Feng to prepare an apology gift and handle some cleanup work before heading to the agreed location.

Yan Li arrived early, before Jiang Xin. She called to say there was a traffic jam and she would be there in ten minutes.

Nearly twenty minutes later, Jiang Xin sent a text message saying that he had arrived and was parking his car. However, Yan Li waited for a while longer and still did not see him. Worried that something might have happened, he went out to look for him.

As soon as he stepped out of the restaurant, he saw Jiang Xin wearing a trench coat, talking to a woman whose back was to him.

He stepped forward, and as soon as he got closer, he saw Jiang Xin give him a wink. Yan Li realized something was wrong and was about to leave when the other person turned around.

Li Lin!

Yan Li understood why Jiang Xin had given her a meaningful look; it was indeed a bit awkward to run into an old acquaintance in this situation.

Not to mention, Li Lin has a good relationship with Fan Xiaopang and Dong Xuan, which makes the situation even more awkward.

"Hey, what a coincidence, what are you doing here?"

Yan Li quickly calmed down and asked with a composed expression. Li Lin was also a little flustered, but forced a smile and replied.

"I was talking to a friend here, and we had just finished when we ran into Jiang Xin..."

Jiang Xin didn't know what they had been talking about, so she tried to cover it up: "I was just saying that it was Yan Li. He invested in the TV series 'Lurking' that I starred in, and it's about to be released. I was going to meet up with him to ask about the distribution."

Yan Li: "..."

Actually, this reason is barely acceptable, but the key is that Jiang Xin's condition is not right today.

He now understood why this woman had arrived so late. The traffic jam was just an excuse; Jiang Xin had probably been holding back for a while and had dressed up extra nicely today.

She wore full makeup, a purple suit, a black dress and black stockings underneath, and pointed-toe buckled high heels, exuding elegance and sexiness.

This outfit is fine for attending events, but it would be a bit too formal and...flirtatious for casual gatherings.

Considering Yan Li's reputation, and the fact that it was a gathering of a man and a woman alone, it didn't seem like they were discussing serious matters.

It would have been fine if Jiang Xin hadn't mentioned "Lurking" or the two of them, but mentioning "Lurking" indirectly provided evidence, making people feel that this was a deal or an unspoken rule.

Yan Li was helpless, Li Lin looked strange, and Jiang Xin realized that there was something wrong with what she said, so she resigned herself to shut her mouth.

Actually, she wasn't worried about Li Lin telling Fan Xiaopang and the others on her behalf. Everyone knew what was going on, but they all tacitly kept quiet about it.

Jiang Xin behaved himself and didn't cause any trouble, so Fan and the others turned a blind eye, tacitly understanding each other's actions.

However, apart from a few parties involved and relevant insiders, Jiang Xin has kept things well hidden from the outside world, and even her scandals with Yan Li are relatively few, not as many as Yang Xue who joined Yi An.

This time, when Li Lin bumped into her, Jiang Xin felt more embarrassed and ashamed of being found out for "betraying" her sister.

Li Lin didn't know what to do either, and subconsciously thought of leaving: "Well, you guys chat, I'm going home first."

"Sister Lin, don't go."

Jiang Xin grabbed Li Lin, knowing that if she let the other party leave, she wouldn't be able to explain herself.

Whether it's clearing her name or just deceiving herself, she wants to talk to the other party so that Li Lin can "understand" her and keep it a secret.

Seeing this, Yan Li simply said, "Let's eat something together, it's been a long time."

Seeing this, Li Lin misunderstood that the two were afraid she would go back and talk nonsense, and felt that she couldn't leave easily, so she thought she would stay for a while and find an opportunity to talk about it later, promising to keep it a secret.

Once inside the private room, they ordered dishes and meat, and Jiang Xin also ordered wine. She has a high alcohol tolerance and sometimes enjoys a drink when dining with Yan Li.

However, with Li Lin around today, I guess they want to have a drink and play the emotional card.

Li Lin had already drunk some, and it wasn't obvious when she was outside, but her face turned a little red when she came inside. She didn't want to drink, but she couldn't resist Jiang Xin's persuasion, so she drank some more with him.

Jiang Xin wanted to get closer to Li Lin and reminisced about the past: "Sister Lin, when we filmed 'Happy Seven Fairies,' we were all little girls. Several years have passed in the blink of an eye. Your daughter is almost in kindergarten now, isn't she?"

"It's been on for a while now."

Li Lin smiled and said, "In Wushi, my mother is looking after me now, and it's not very convenient for me to work alone."

Yan Li remained silent. He knew that Li Lin and Fan Xiaopang had a good relationship and he knew a little about Fan Xiaopang's situation.

Last year, Li Lin divorced her husband for several reasons, the most crucial being that she was more successful than him, which he couldn't accept.

After the divorce, her daughter lived with Li Lin, but was mostly left to her parents. She was busy filming, but getting married and having a child at the peak of her career had a huge impact. Even with Fan Xiaopang's help, her career did not go very smoothly.

More importantly, Li Lin's family business ran into trouble, her parents went bankrupt and were burdened with debt, which made her even more overwhelmed.

Therefore, Li Lin's condition has not been good in the past two years, and she looks visibly haggard.

Jiang Xin had limited knowledge of Li Lin's current situation. The Seven Fairies were now only in name, and she rarely contacted anyone except those she was close to.

Aside from exchanging greetings during holidays, the two haven't seen each other or spoken alone in at least a year.

So all Jiang Xin knew was that Li Lin had been divorced and wasn't doing very well; she didn't know anything else.

In addition, Jiang Xin is known for speaking without thinking, so much so that some of her remarks were quite offensive, forcing Yan Li to step in and smooth things over.

Li Lin glanced at Yan Li with slight gratitude, then looked at Jiang Xin, who was radiant and in excellent condition, and felt a pang of sadness.

"Among our seven fairies, except for me who is disappointing, the rest are all doing quite well."

"Oh, you're so lucky, big sister...we all envy you for having such a beautiful daughter."

Jiang Xin offered a dry compliment, and Yan Li sighed, thinking, "If you can't comfort people, just shut up."

Li Lin shook her head, raised her glass, and downed it in one gulp. Her expression was filled with bitterness. She wasn't being modest; of the seven fairies, she was the worst off.

The two soldiers are nothing to speak of; they're enjoying immense prestige.

Although Dong Xuan has been keeping a low profile lately, she has a good husband and releases works from time to time, maintaining a good level of popularity and influence, making her a popular figure.

Huo Siyan, Yang Xue, and Jiang Xin have all had successful careers and have risen to prominence, and are now considered prominent figures in the industry.

She, the "eldest sister," has no career prospects, her husband is divorced, her parents are in debt, and her children are not around. She is almost 30 years old this year. Looking back, she has accomplished nothing and suffered a complete failure.

Li Lin became increasingly upset and started drinking heavily, drinking more and more, which Jiang Xin and Yan Li couldn't stop her from drinking.

She wasn't a big drinker, and since she had already drunk some, she soon got drunk and started crying loudly while hugging Yan Li.

Jiang Xin was so upset by what she saw that she wanted to slap herself for being so rude. Why did she keep her around?

Yan Li finally managed to find her, but a drunkard ruined the whole thing.

After Li Lin finally cried herself out and lay on the table whimpering, Jiang Xin and Yan Li lost their appetite and prepared to go back.

But now there's a problem: what about Li Lin?
Li Lin was drunk and unable to speak clearly. When asked where she was, she mumbled incoherently. Yan Li, after some questioning and guessing, deduced that she had sold her original house and was now renting.
But neither Yan Li nor Jiang Xin knew where the house was. Fan Xiaopang probably knew, but neither of them dared to ask or could ask.

"Book her a hotel and just leave her there."

Jiang Xin came up with a terrible idea, and Yan Li looked at her with annoyance: "With her like this, you really feel comfortable leaving a woman alone in a hotel? If something happens, will you take responsibility?"

"What should we do? The phone is password protected, and we can't tell acquaintances. We can't just take it home."

"Well, it's not impossible."

Yan Li pondered for a moment: "I'll find a bigger house, put her in the guest room, and let her leave tomorrow when she's sober."

"Is it reliable?"

"Then can you give me an idea?"

Jiang Xin was somewhat unwilling, but she couldn't ignore it, so she could only agree. She even helped to lift the drunken Li Lin onto Yan Li's back, feeling incredibly aggrieved.

Yan Li has never carried her on his back!

Jiang Xin paid the bill, and Yan Li carried her to find a car first. After finding the car, he put her down and then helped her inside. However, the posture was awkward and he couldn't exert any strength, so he simply carried Li Lin into the car.

After getting into the car and adjusting his position, Yan Li tried to put her down, but Li Lin clung to him and wouldn't let go, murmuring with a slight sob in her voice.

"husband……"

　Yesterday's missed update is now complete.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)