Chinese Entertainment Intelligence King

Chapter 358 Best Luxury Car Spokesperson, Magnolia Award-winning Actress, One of the Four Young Masters of Beijing
"Even changing to a Maybach can make it to the trending topics."

Yan Li shook his head as he watched the hashtag #YanLi, Maybach# rapidly climb to the top of the trending topics list. High attention has both advantages and disadvantages.

Other wealthy people can buy private jets and throw parties without anyone caring, and even changing their cars makes headlines. But if this guy were to go shopping with a girl, he'd be making headlines right away.

Yan Li didn't remove the trending topic, but he did ask Weibo to blur out the license plate number, though the effect was minimal.

There are only a handful of Maybach 62s left in Beijing these days. The car has distinctive features that any car enthusiast can recognize at a glance.

Yan Li thought about it for a moment, then decided to just let things be.

You can't just spend tens of millions to buy a car and then lock it in the garage. At most, you can be discreet on certain occasions and change cars for other outings, but it doesn't matter when you're working normally.

Moreover, he doesn't drive his car out of town; it's mostly in Beijing. It's well-equipped with safety features, even including bulletproof armor and a satellite emergency phone. Unless a 100-ton truck or a raiding squad comes, they can't kill him in a short time.

This also led some Beijing users on Weibo to create a small, trendy way to check in.

Go to Zhichun Road, where Weibo is located, or East Third Ring Road, where Yi An is located, and see if you can "bump into" Yan Li's car, then take a picture and post it on Weibo.

Yan Li had always known that many people were idle, but he never expected them to be this idle.

Meanwhile, Yan Li's trending topic also brought Maybach into the public eye to some extent, making the name known to many people who don't know much about cars.

The moment it's mentioned that Yan Li's style is worth tens of millions, everyone immediately understands its value.

Netizens joked that the best car commercials and lines this year were from the TV series "Dwelling Narrowness" and Song Siming's line, "A man with blood in his veins wants to own a Land Rover."

The best spokesperson is Yan Li, who single-handedly made Maybach a synonym for top luxury cars in the minds of countless people.

These words made Yan Li want to ask Maybach for advertising fees, or even give them two new cars for free.

But Yan Li really didn't dare to ask, because he was afraid that if he did, the Maybach would really be given away.

It's no exaggeration to say that Fan Xiaopang even called him.

It was said that the car brand that did product placement in "Du Lala's Promotion Diary" approached her to discuss having Yan Li make a cameo appearance driving their car, with a base salary of 200 million, an additional 100 million for close-ups, and an extra 200 million for Yan Li talking about related lines.

This is because the brand is positioned in the mid-range market. If it were a luxury car brand, they would probably be willing to spend tens of millions on product placement.

Most of the time, luxury goods are valued by people, but Yan Li's status and influence are what give luxury goods their value.

...

In June, the Magnolia Awards were held in Shanghai.
"Lurking" was a great success, with lead actor Sun Honglei and lead actress Jiang Xin both winning Best Actor and Best Actress awards, as well as the Gold Award for Best Television Series.

Deng Chao, who starred in "The Road to Awakening," won the Most Popular Actor award, and screenwriter Jiang Qitao won the Best Screenplay award.

However, "My Chief and My Regiment," which was also a big hit, only won the Most Popular Award.

The stark contrast in the gains of both sides has been described as Yi An severely damaging Huayi Brothers and further seizing control of the discourse in the Chinese film and television industry.

That's a bit of an overstatement, considering it's just a Magnolia Award.

More importantly, Huayi Brothers has never had a say in Chinese-language awards; otherwise, Feng Xiaogang wouldn't have been so furious a couple of years ago.

There are reasons why "My Chief and My Regiment" failed to win.

While its style itself is not appealing, it has a high reputation but has not received enough public support.

"Lurking" and "The Road to Awakening" were not only popular, but also highly praised by the public, and had almost no obvious shortcomings.

"My Chief and My Regiment" has been somewhat controversial.

People who like it really like it, while those who don't find it preachy, dragging on, and overly sentimental like a stage play.

Furthermore, although "My Chief and My Regiment" is not biased, it certainly doesn't have the same appeal as a drama centered on the Communist Party, given that it was made to commemorate this special year.

Finally, there was Yi'an's support and encouragement.

In terms of awards, Yi An didn't pay much attention to them before, and her film and television productions were also more commercial. Now, her goal is to become an industry leader, so she naturally needs to increase her efforts in this area.

Yi An even established a special public relations team this year, aiming to make her shine at various awards ceremonies by leveraging the many excellent films and television series produced this year.

The Magnolia Award is just one of them; they also have plans for the Flying Apsaras and Golden Eagle Awards, and have already won the Hundred Flowers Award for film. Now they are aiming for the Huabiao and Golden Horse Awards.

These are just the prestigious awards; there's no need to mention the lower-level awards. Just take all the ones you can.

Sun Honglei was alright; he had won the Magnolia Award once before, which excited Jiang Xin.

She won the Magnolia Award for Best Actress!

Although it is not as prestigious as the Golden Eagle and Flying Apsaras Awards now, it is still the highest honor for TV actresses and a dream for countless actresses.

Honestly, ever since "Lurking" started airing, Jiang Xinzhen feels like she's living a blissful, intoxicating dream.

The TV series became a huge hit, and his popularity exploded, making him a star on par with top-tier celebrities. He then signed a contract with Yi An, and within a little over a month, he signed endorsement, commercial, and advertising deals that quickly exceeded double digits, raking in a fortune.

Before she could even satisfy her craving for fame and fortune, she was suddenly thrust into a Magnolia Award for Best Actress.

Weibo has been buzzing with hype, crowning her as the first post-80s actress to win the Magnolia Award for Best Actress, and also the youngest.

If Sun Li hadn't won the Golden Eagle Award for Best Actress in 2004 for her role in "Jade Goddess of Mercy," Jiang Xin's accolades would have been even more impressive.

Even so, Jiang Xin's Best Actress win this time is still worth mentioning. Both Hairun and Yi An seem to have the intention of developing her into a powerful leading actress.

After several years in the industry, Jiang Xin has finally experienced what it means to become a super-popular celebrity.

It even caused the other members of the Seven Fairies to get some attention. Some people noticed that when Jiang Xin won the Magnolia Award for Best Actress, only Yang Xue among the Seven Fairies interacted with her to congratulate her.

The already widely acknowledged falling out between the Seven Fairies has yet another piece of solid evidence to prove it.

Even after the incident became a trending topic, only Li Bingbing and Li Lin spoke out, while Fan Xiaopang, Dong Xuan, and Huo Siyan remained silent.

Coincidentally, a reporter visited the set of "Beauty's Rival in Palace" and interviewed Huo Siyan about the matter. Huo Siyan said that she had sent a text message to inquire about the matter.

However, Jiang Xin later revealed in a Weibo interview that Fan Xiaopang and Dong Xuan had both sent congratulatory text messages, but she had not received Huo Siyan's text message.

Huo Siyan was almost furious. "Don't expose my flaws. We're all decent people. Don't you know the rules?"

Therefore, she had to post another Weibo message to congratulate Jiang Xin and try to save face in the comments section, suggesting that she might have sent the message to the wrong number.

As a result, netizens believed that if the message wasn't sent, the two must not have a good relationship; if it was sent to the wrong person, it meant that the two didn't contact each other privately and didn't even save each other's phone numbers.

Huo Siyan: "..."

Yan Li was quite curious about this matter, and after meeting Jiang Xin in Beijing, he specifically asked her about it.

"Did Dong Xuan and Bingbing really send you congratulatory text messages?"

The two of them now basically know that Jiang Xin has a relationship with him, and given his personality, he probably won't be that open about it.

Sure enough, Jiang Xin shook her head: "I didn't send any, I just made it up."

"Then why was only Huo Siyan mentioned?"

Jiang Xin blinked: "I can't afford to offend those two, but I can afford to offend this one."

Yan Li: "..."

You could say this woman is shrewd, she started causing trouble as soon as she became famous, but you could also say she's not shrewd, she knows how to pick on the weak.

Jiang Xin was still being argumentative: "Did someone surnamed Huo complain to you? You can't be biased."

Yan Licai was too lazy to get involved in the battle of wits between the two women, but he still gave them a reminder.

"You're all alone, but they have a team."

Huo Siyan is easy to mess with, but the Teddy Sisters are not. Don't be fooled by their internal conflicts; they are very united in the face of outsiders.

If Huo Siyan hadn't contradicted herself this time, the Teddy Sisters might have already launched an attack. Even though Jiang Xin's popularity has soared, a tiger can't fight a pack of wolves.

“If she dares to gang up on me, I’ll surrender to Sister Xuan. I don’t believe Sister Xuan won’t help me.”

Although their relationship has cooled considerably in the past two years, their friendship remains. If Jiang Xinzhen were to swallow her pride and ask for help, Dong Xuanzhen might not stand idly by.

"That's ancient history. Dong Xuan used to help you because of Qin Lan, but now she might be cleaning house."

Yan Li's group of women were all in contact with each other to some extent. After Jiang Xin and Dong Xuan became distant, Jiang Xin was one of the few who remained completely detached.

Wang Ou and others had a vague understanding of the Qin-Dong alliance, but Jiang Xin still thought the two were at odds.

Compared to Qin Lan, who fought alongside her, Dong Xuan might not help Jiang Xin, who was essentially a traitor to her, and might even join in to vent her anger.

"Then I'll go find Sister Bingbing."

Jiang Xin also realized something was wrong, and unusually, she added "sister" to her address for Fan Xiaopang.

Yan Li immediately and cruelly exposed the truth: "Have you forgotten how you were dealt with when you were filming 'The Legend of Yang Yuhuan'? No wonder she wouldn't pay any attention to you."

Fan Xiaopang would never take a woman with a bad reputation as his little sister. If he wanted to, he would have done so long ago, not to mention that the two of them didn't get along well before.

"..."

After Jiang Xin made this calculation, well, she had offended all three major figures, and there was almost nowhere left for her to stay.

"Um... is Wang Ou from your company easy to get along with?"

Jiang Xin started thinking about Wang Ou again. Although Yan Li had never admitted it, it was generally acknowledged in the industry that she was his woman. Jiang Xin had even heard rumors that Wang Ou held a prominent position in Yi'an and was highly regarded.

She and Wang Ou had no interaction or conflict, so she might as well contact each other and form an alliance to protect themselves.

Yan Li's eyes were strange. One of them had a bad temper, and the other was no pushover either. If these two got together, a fight was inevitable.

"What kind of skill is it to rely on others? Now that you're famous and have the confidence, building your own team and going it alone is the right path."

Yan Li felt that Jiang Xin and Wang Ou definitely wouldn't get along. Neither of them were the type to be second-in-command. Wang Ou was the leader of their little group, and Jiang Xin could never be second-in-command. So the best solution was for them to start their own group.

"Pooh!"

Jiang Xin couldn't help but spit, pointing at Yan Li and questioning, "Are you still thinking about that Li Lin? You don't dare let that Fan guy know, so you've arranged for her to stay with me. And Yang Xue, you didn't get the Seven Fairies, so she's probably the only one left. You want me to help you achieve your goal?"

Yan Li: "..."

What kind of logic is this? Is he really that kind of person?!

"What I meant was that you make some friends, form a small team or something, what are you thinking? And..."

Yan Li suddenly narrowed his eyes and looked at Jiang Xin: "I was saying that when Yang Xue came to me last time, what she said was inexplicable and incoherent. I was busy at the time and didn't think much of it. Now that you've mentioned it, it reminds me. Did you say something to her?"

"Uh……"

Jiang Xin, who was just furious, immediately shut up. How could this bastard be so perceptive, able to react to even a single sentence?

It wasn't that Yan Li reacted quickly, but rather that the intelligence system had informed him. At the time, Yan Li didn't think it was a big deal, so he planned to settle scores later, and this time it just happened to come up with a new topic.

"To be honest, if I feel something is wrong, I'll call Yang Xue right away. If it doesn't match up, you're in big trouble."

Seeing Jiang Xin stammering and her eyes darting around, Yan Li knew she was making up something in her head, so he immediately put pressure on her.

Hearing this, Jiang Xin became honest: "I was just curious about your relationship, so I asked her. I didn't mean anything else."

"That's it?"

"That's it."

"You didn't mention Li Lin either? Yang Xue brought her up when she talked to me the other day. If you didn't tell me, what's the point of her bringing up Li Lin to me for no reason?"

Yan Li continued to ask, and Jiang Xin hesitated for a moment, feeling somewhat guilty as she answered.

"I only mentioned it briefly, without revealing much. Did she guess it?"

"Your mouth... don't call yourself Jiang Xin, call yourself Jiang the Loudmouth."

Yang Xue did indeed guess it. Jiang Xin asked her if Yang Xue was the only one of the Seven Fairies who had no relation to Yan Li, so it would be strange if Yang Xue didn't guess it.

However, Yang Xue was not like Jiang Xin; she kept her mouth shut and didn't tell anyone, including Yan Li. Yan Li's words just now were a trick to scare Jiang Xin.

Casting Jiang Xin as Cui Ping in "Lurking" was a perfect fit for her; in fact, Cui Ping was even more secretive than Jiang Xin.

Jiang Xin knew she had caused trouble, so she came over to appease Yan Li by massaging his shoulders and back.

"I will tell Yang Xue that she won't talk nonsense."

"I'm not worried about Yang Xue, I'm worried about you telling others."

Yan Li grumbled, then said seriously, "My reputation is bad, so it doesn't matter. Anyway, she's divorced and single. Even if it gets out, it'll just be another scandal for me. At most, Bingbing will give me a bit of a hard time."

“I’m not afraid, but Li Lin might not be able to handle the criticism. She’s trying to start a new life, and it’s not easy for her to raise a child alone. Don’t make things worse for her.”

Upon hearing this, Jiang Xin couldn't help but mutter, "You know she's taking care of the child, yet you still won't let it go."

Hey!
Yan Li laughed. This woman had only been famous for a few days and had gotten a little arrogant. She was taking advantage of the good treatment and needed to be taught a lesson.

Without further ado, Yan Li carried the person inside, determined to teach her a lesson in keeping her mouth shut…

...

The next day, Yan Li was kicked out by Jiang Xin. She could accept being punished, but this bastard had dirtied her Magnolia Award trophy.

Yan Li felt wronged, because it was Jiang Xin who had taken it as a prop on her own initiative.

However, after chatting with the newly crowned Magnolia Award-winning actress, Yan Li was in a very good mood.

Li Bingbing has won the Hundred Flowers Award for Best Actress twice and the Huabiao Award for Best Actress once. Jiang Xin has now added the Magnolia Award for Best Actress. Hopefully, other women will work harder and Yan Laoban will also achieve a grand slam of Chinese-language film and television awards.

Yan Li figured he wouldn't win many Best Actor awards in his lifetime, so he'd use Best Actress and Best Actress awards to soothe his wounded heart.

Yan Li's good mood lasted until the afternoon. During the signing ceremony between Sun Li, Hu Ge, and Yi An (film and commercial contracts), Yan Li was asked a question by a reporter.

How do you feel about being called one of the "Four Young Masters of Beijing"?

"what?!"

Yan Li was completely bewildered: "Am I in there?"

Starting this year, some media outlets began promoting the so-called "Four Young Masters of Beijing," with Weibo being one of the driving forces behind it.

The combination of a rich second-generation heir and a female celebrity is the most eye-catching and thus the subject of much media hype.

However, the current version of the "Four Young Masters of Beijing" is not entirely fixed, and there are various versions.

The most mainstream version is the Weibo version, which refers to the four people Yan Li intended to promote from the beginning: Wang Dashao, Wang Ke, Wang Le, and Wang Xiaofei.

Young Master Wang is certainly a big shot with a brilliant track record. He has won the attention of two generations of actresses who played Little Swallow. This year, when his current girlfriend passed away, he even attended her funeral as her boyfriend, perfectly embodying his public image.

Wang Leqiang is willing to spend money. He not only has a celebrity stepmother, but also has been rumored to be dating female celebrities such as Niu Mengmeng. He also often interacts with Jaycee Chan, the son of Jackie Chan. In April of this year, he was even exposed to be living with Zhou Xun, which greatly increased his fame.

In comparison, Wang Ke and Wang Xiaofei are not as high-profile, but one of them has Liu Tao as his wife, and the other is dating Zhang Yuqi, a "Star Girl".

More importantly, the two were very active on Weibo, and Weibo, considering traffic, gave them some exposure, making them part of the "Four Young Masters of Beijing" alongside the other two.

Besides this most famous one, there are some other candidates.

The connections are still mainly with the entertainment industry, but not limited to Beijing. For example, there's the Huo family in Hong Kong, the boastful Yang Dashao, the Malaysian tycoon whom Hu Jing married, and Little S's husband, etc.

Unexpectedly, even Yan Li has been dragged into this, leaving Yan Li both amused and exasperated.

"Well, my parents run a small restaurant in a rural town, and our family is classified as a poor peasant family, so we can't be called a poor family."

Yan Li's words were not exactly polite; he was indeed somewhat displeased.

Most of the people mentioned above relied on their fathers or brothers, but he truly built his fortune from scratch.

Even their fathers, who were probably on the same level as Yan Li, or perhaps even a little lower in status, were to equate Yan Li with these people, turning him from an entrepreneur into a playboy, which was tantamount to insulting him.

After replying to the media, Yan Li ignored them and went to talk to Sun Li and Hu Ge.

After the hit TV series "Lurking", Yi An signed two popular stars, Sun Honglei and Jiang Xin, with a contract system, and is now looking to expand her business.

Several celebrities were contacted, with mixed results.

Some artists declined, such as Nie Yuan. He felt comfortable at Ciwen Media and wasn't very interested in entering the film industry. He was too lazy to make the effort, so he politely declined.

Others are employees that the company refuses to release, such as Tong Dawei. Unlike Hairun, which has already somewhat given up, Orange Sky, which has been deeply involved in the television industry, still has some ambitions after acquiring Jiahe.

Under these circumstances, Orange Sky would never accept its top star signing with Yi An.

In addition, Orange Sky, as a leading company in the industry, has some film and commercial resources, which can meet some of the artist's needs, and ultimately managed to retain Tong Dawei.

Yan Li could understand this. Everyone has their own ambitions and difficulties. He was prepared for this and would not force anyone.

While some refused, others were willing to cooperate, with Sun Li and Hu Ge being prime examples.

Hairun has already released Jiang Xin, so it doesn't matter if they release Sun Li as well.

Not letting them go is not an option either. Sun Li and Deng Chao are family, and they know all too well Yi An's strength; Hairun is no match for them at all.

If Hairun doesn't release her, Sun Li might really leave, and Yi An might sign her.

Because Sun Li and Fan Xiaopang have a good relationship, the latter was able to accept her signing with Yi'an, which resolved some internal issues.

At the same time, Sun Li also has Deng Chao, who not only provides internal support but can also form a husband-and-wife team, which can bring more benefits to Yi An and can be considered a key advantage.

Hairun is now also aiming for an IPO, so naturally they are reluctant to let go of a pillar like Sun Li.

Allowing her and Jiang Xin to sign separate contracts with Yi An was a compromise and concession in order to retain them.

If Hairun is in such a state, then Tangren is even more so. Although Hu Ge hasn't yet reached the point of being a household name, he has still attracted a lot of attention.

Tangren's TV drama production is limited, and its film business is even more ineffective. Such performance cannot keep up with the rapid development of Hu Ge. Taking advantage of Yi An is not a bad choice. Although it will require giving up some benefits, it is better than Hu Ge running away.

During the signing ceremony, Yan Li also made promises to Mr. Cai, who had accompanied him, to put his mind at ease.

Yi An will not poach Hu Ge, and Tangren will definitely benefit from this choice.

Yi An and Tangren Media have been collaborating since the days of "Chinese Paladin" and "Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio". They have never stopped working together over the years and their relationship has been quite pleasant. Tangren Media's CEO, Mr. Cai, still trusts Yan Li's reputation.

"President Yan, then please take good care of our Hu Ge."

"You're welcome, one of our own."

Yan Li exchanged a few pleasantries, then told the two to go do their interviews first and they would talk later. Then he looked at Deng Chao.

"not worried?"

Now he is the heart of An Caizong and also the heart of An Dengchao. Hu Ge's momentum is not weak, and Dengchao is also worried that he will join Yi An and take the top spot.

"I told you, Mr. Yan values ​​you the most. Mr. Yan, don't overthink it, he's just a little insecure."

Sun Li tried to smooth things over for her boyfriend, but Yan Li didn't seem to mind; he just patted Deng Chao on the shoulder.

"You really need to adjust your mindset. I don't expect you to show the domineering presence of the number one player, but you still need to have confidence and self-assurance."

Deng Chao is good in every way, except that he lacks presence and confidence, and sometimes he can't control the situation.

It's probably also related to personality and environment.

Deng Chao is somewhat carefree and playful, and a bit heartless. In addition, his family was quite special when he was young, and he received a lot of care from his family. Therefore, his personality is actually more gentle and not so assertive.

This can also be seen from his girlfriends, Hao Lei and Sun Li, both of whom are independent and strong-willed.

This has resulted in Deng Chao being controlled by Sun Li at home, unable to offend Fan Xiaopang, who is nominally his peer, within the company, and being suppressed by Huang Xiaoming in his career.

Facing setbacks both at home and outside, Deng Chao, who was already cheerful and easy-going, found it even harder to stand up for himself.

However, this is not a bad thing for Yi An.

Fan Xiaopang is too domineering and fears no one except Yan Li. Coupled with a number one guy who is not willing to be second to anyone, it is easy for them to fight.

At this point, it would be better for everyone if Deng Chao took a step back and played the role of the second-in-command in the artist group.

But perhaps because it has been the second-in-command for so long, its development has been relatively "stagnant".

Deng Chao always felt he would be replaced, and was somewhat sensitive to the progress of other male artists in the company or to Yi An's closeness with a certain male artist.

Yan Li thought for a moment and suggested, "If you really have concerns, why not bring more people from the company with you when filming or attending events? This will help maintain good relationships and cultivate a leader's mentality. If you have good relationships, everyone will support you, and who can take away your number one spot?"

Fan Xiaopang's personality isn't suited to be a caring older sister, but Deng Chao, who is naturally popular and good at socializing, could be a great older brother.

It's normal for popular artists in a company to mentor less famous or newcomers; this not only benefits the artists but also promotes unity within the company.

Yan Li isn't worried about them forming cliques. If one day an artist's internal group can force the company to shut down, he might as well quit.

Previously, Deng Chao had another concern he hadn't mentioned: Yan Li and Yi An were too strong, to the point that they were completely outmatched by the artists.

This made him feel insecure in his position as the top leader.

For example, Sun Li, the top executive at Hairun Media, can exert pressure in various ways to force Hairun to compromise and make concessions. Tangren Media was also worried about Hu Ge leaving, so they had to bring in Yi An for cooperation.

But if Deng Chao tries to play this game with Yan Li, and they can't reach an agreement, he'll be sidelined the next day, and the top leader of Yi'an will have to be replaced on the third day.

In the entire Yi'an, only Fan Xiaopang could barely rival Yan Li, and even then, it was only in private.

Other people, including Ning Hao, are not irreplaceable to Yi An.

Even after Yan Li built up his Weibo account and began eyeing Tudou.com with predatory intent.

Even Yi An herself, in Yan Li's eyes, was not irreplaceable.

With Weibo and Tudou.com as a foundation, plus the network of contacts he has accumulated over the years, Yan Li is fully confident that he can create a new Yi An.

All these factors suggest that Deng Chao, as the top leader, is important, but also not so much so that his absence would be devastating.

Once Deng Chao understood this, it was no wonder he was puzzled, and he even felt a little envious of the carefree Fan Xiaopang.

Why can't President Yan be a woman?!

After chatting with the couple for a while, Yan Li went to talk to President Cai and Hu Ge.

The four artists that Yi An signed this time are all quite famous, but they are also different.

Sun Li and Sun Honglei are clearly of higher status.

Aside from the four generations of double-wielding actresses, the former can be considered part of the top tier of actresses, though they are more prominent in television dramas.

Although the latter is a talented actor, he is less popular, but he is among the top middle-generation actors in mainland China, has strong national recognition, and can carry projects.

These two are after Yi An's film and business resources; it's a mutually beneficial arrangement between them and Yi An.

However, whether the two can successfully transform their careers and break through the bottleneck period remains to be seen.

This is not just a matter of resources, but also a matter of market and style.

Sun Li faces a formidable challenge, with four leading actresses above her and a group of rapidly rising young actresses below her. Breaking through will be difficult for her.

Sun Honglei's acting career is limited due to his physical attributes, and he is surrounded by big names from Hong Kong and Taiwan as well as young actors from mainland China.

Yi An is not a god. Signing Yi An doesn't mean you can dominate the market. If that were the case, Yi An wouldn't need these sub-contract artists to fill the void.

In comparison, Jiang Xingang is already very popular and still in a period of rapid development, while Hu Ge has high popularity, good conditions, and most importantly, both are still young.

In terms of potential, Yi An is more optimistic about the latter two, especially Hu Ge.

In the entertainment industry, it all comes down to one thing: looks.

Yi An, who has worked on the rise of many artists, understands all too well the importance of appearance, and Hu Ge's fan base, which is mainly composed of teenagers and young people, also proves that he has great potential for development.

Deng Chao is the youngest of the four top leaders, and he's already thirty years old, starting to enter his middle age.
As an industry giant, Yi An must focus its attention on the new generation of male stars.

One of the main focuses of Yi An's artist management department is to discover male stars born in the 80s, preferably those with high potential like Yang Mi who are expected to succeed the top male and female stars.

At the same time, while searching for talent themselves, they also cultivated relationships with emerging male stars born in the 80s, such as recruiting Wen Zhang and signing Hu Ge.

Yan Li promised Tangren he wouldn't poach their talent, and he wouldn't break his promise. But Hu Ge was also half Yi'an's man, and was also used by Yi'an.

"President Yan, I also want to thank you for speaking up for Hu Ge before, otherwise the film 'The Myth' wouldn't have gone so smoothly."

Since the photo scandal, Yinghuang has accelerated its expansion into the north, investing in numerous projects, including the television adaptation of "The Myth".

Yi An also collaborated on this drama, participating in some of the investment and being responsible for its distribution.

Since Yinghuang moved north, it has collaborated with Huayi Brothers, Yi'an Film Group, China Film Group, Shanghai Film Group, and others, benefiting from their support.

However, while this approach avoids offending anyone and allows for faster integration into the mainland market, sometimes not taking sides is also a form of taking sides.

To avoid conflict and getting involved in fights as much as possible, Yinghuang was very sensible and took the initiative to make concessions, treating it as paying protection money to the local bullies.

While this approach didn't solve the fundamental problem, it somewhat eased the attitudes of all parties. Coupled with the concerns of each side, it allowed Yinghuang to barely pass the test.

"Myth" is the "protection fee" project that Yinghuang paid to Yi'an.

Although the drama is said to be controlled by Yinghuang, Yi'an actually has a lot of say. Director Jiang Jiajun and female lead Bai Bing were both recommended by Yan Li.

Of course, one of them is from Hong Kong and the other is an artist signed with Yinghuang Entertainment, so Yinghuang Entertainment highly approves of them.

Apart from that, the two sides did have a slight power struggle over the male lead.

Yinghuang wanted to use Hong Kong actors, but Yi'an felt that since the drama was mainly targeting the mainland market, it would be better to use mainland actors.

Later, Yinghuang took a step back and chose mainland actors. Hu Ge was one of those who competed at that time and won with Yi An's support.

Hu Ge's quick agreement to sign a split contract with Yi An was also influenced by the casting of "The Myth".

"Don't just thank me, Brother Cheng Long also spoke up for you, and most importantly, it's your own reputation."

At the time, there were many male stars competing with Hu Ge for the male lead role, including Li Chen from Huayi Brothers, Yu Xiaowei who was dating Gao Yuanyuan, Zhang Junning from Hairun Media, Du Chun who has been doing well recently, and a key member of Cheng's troupe.

Hu Ge is the most famous among them, and is also known for his period dramas. Even without Yan Li, his chances of rising to the top are not low.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Yan Li told Hu Ge about his gift—two movies.

In the movie "Ip Man 2", he played Huang Liang, Ip Man's disciple, which was considered the third male lead. Originally, Deng Chao was the intended actor.

Later, Yan Li took a role from Deng Chao in "Let the Bullets Fly". After comparing the roles, Deng Chao chose to participate in "Let the Bullets Fly", and the role was then given to Hu Ge.

After all, the purpose of this role is to attract audiences by having popular mainland stars join the cast, and Deng Chao can do that, and Hu Ge is not much different.

The other film is an original screenplay by Yi An, a romantic comedy with a low budget, and will most likely star Hu Ge and Yang Mi.

To put it bluntly, they're aiming to capitalize on the success of "The Legend of Sword and Fairy 3," and they'll consider having some of the characters from the series make supporting or cameo appearances.

Mr. Cai sensed something was amiss: "In that case, aren't the two of them tied a little too tightly together?"

Yan Li frowned slightly and looked at Hu Ge: "Didn't you talk to Yang Mi?"

"what?"

Hu Ge was taken aback. When President Cai glared at him angrily, he quickly waved his hand and said, "No, no, we're just friends."

Ha ha!

Yan Li didn't care whether he was unwilling to admit it or it was a misunderstanding: "Whether we talk about it or not doesn't matter. The key is that you two are a popular young actor and actress. Your scandals are interesting. Creating some hype will benefit both the project and the two of you."

Whether the rumors are true or false doesn't matter; what matters is whether the rumors can bring benefits to the project and Weibo.

If all else fails, they can create hype while simultaneously clarifying the situation, just like he and Shuangbing did back then.

Mr. Cai was somewhat reluctant, as creating a scandal would definitely affect Hu Ge's career.

Yan Li almost laughed. Hu Ge had already publicly had a girlfriend before, so what impact could it have?

If we're talking about the impact, Yang Mi, being a female celebrity, is more likely to be affected.

Yan Li's decision not to include Liu Shishi and create a melodramatic love triangle is already a good thing for Tangren.

It's no wonder that Hu Ge has fallen far behind Liu Yifei since "Chinese Paladin"; Tangren Media's thinking hasn't really taken off.

President Cai was terrified by Yan Li's idea.

Hu Ge is not like Yan Li. Boss Yan may not care about his reputation, but Hu Ge still cares about his image and fans.

"I think rumors are something to consider, but love triangles are out of the question."

President Cai cut his losses in time, and Yan Li shook his head with some regret: "You guys meet with Jia Qian and the others, and then lay the groundwork for the release of 'The Legend of Sword and Fairy 3' during the summer."

"Yes, if you have any good designs, you can collaborate with Weibo."

After saying that, they chatted for a few more minutes before Yan Li left. President Cai breathed a sigh of relief and couldn't help but mutter something under his breath.

“Too domineering.”

Hu Ge touched his nose: "Why didn't you say that to President Yan earlier?"

"Do I dare?"

Mr. Cai sighed, "Back when Yi An hadn't risen to prominence yet, he would greet me with such sweet words, calling me 'Mr. Cai,' but now, only a few years later, I have to be at his beck and call.

As she spoke, she looked at Hu Ge and began to scold him: "Stop trying to do those crooked things and work properly, or in two years I won't even be able to see my chin anymore."

Hu Ge didn't say anything, he just made a few remarks and then scolded her, but she couldn't do anything about it anyway.

Sometimes he thinks that working at Tangren isn't so bad, at least he can become friends with the boss. If he were at Yi'an, he wouldn't even dare to easily voice his dissenting opinions to the boss.

...

Xinghewan, going home at night
Yan Li looked at Fan Xiaopang, who was eating grass... no, vegetable salad with a blank expression, while tasting his own four dishes and one soup, and asked him questions.

"Have you noticed that I've changed?"

Fan Xiaopang glanced at the sweet and sour pork ribs without showing any emotion, and asked perfunctorily, "What's changed?"

"For example, I've become scary. I feel like a lot of people are getting more and more afraid of me lately."

In the past, Deng Chao would sometimes joke around with him in private, and other artists or executives would also tease him.

But at some point, this situation became less and less frequent, and the topics he discussed with some of his subordinates and partners became increasingly business-like.

"Well, I discovered it too."

Fan Xiaopang nodded and then said, "I don't think it's entirely out of fear, but rather because you're currently in a position that's too far removed from everyone else. People will be more reserved and under a lot of psychological pressure when they're around you."

It wasn't just her subordinates; she sometimes had the same thoughts.

However, because we see each other often and have a lot of contact, I understand Yan Li better, which weakens this feeling a lot.

Those who see Yan Li less often, seeing his wealth increasing, will unconsciously amplify his authority due to external influences and their own inner feelings.

"Yes, that's a good point. I have become a bit out of touch with the masses. I need to get back to the ground."

Yan Li suddenly realized that this was just how those in high positions used so-called mystique to create and deify themselves.

Fan Xiaopang didn't understand: "Isn't this a good thing? Everyone is afraid of you and listens to you."

"Then I lost myself in the praise and glorification, and was eventually alienated by capitalism, turning from a human into a vampire. Would you want your man to be a vampire?"

Fan Xiaopang shook her head. She didn't understand what "capital alienation" meant. Yan Li loved to come up with these new terms, but they didn't sound like they had any good connotations.

Yan Li had always instilled in her the idea that the higher you are praised, the harder you fall, reminding her and himself as well.

It's definitely a good thing that Yan Li's career is on the rise and he can still remain relatively calm and reflect on himself.

Yan Li began to think about how he could make himself float down from the sky.

Not daring to watch him eat, Fan Xiaopang picked up his phone to browse Weibo and then asked him.

"Your statement about coming from a poor peasant background is trending again."

"Everything is trending on Weibo. Is there nothing else trending on Weibo? Or are they just trying to curry favor with their boss?"

Yan Li made a comment without even looking at his phone, and asked Fan Xiaopang for feedback from netizens.

"Some praised you for being inspiring, some took the opportunity to ridicule the Four Young Masters of Beijing, and some criticized you for being pretentious. Overall, there were more positive comments."

Yan Li was not surprised at all; the current trend is to both admire and look down on the rich second generation.

They are envied by many, but also resented by many, and even regarded as having "original sin," all because they were born into a good family.

In this situation, let alone Yan Li, the hexagonal king, any first-generation entrepreneur with a bit of ability would have the right to "look down on" them.

Yan Li's words were not very polite, and even revealed a disdainful attitude. They were unpleasant to hear, but they were also an indisputable fact.

"Hey, Wang Le's lackey insulted you."

Fan Xiaopang continued scrolling through his phone when he suddenly exclaimed. Yan Li paused in his soup-drinking, slightly surprised.

He didn't expect anyone to respond to him!

But thinking about it, it makes sense. Young Master Wang is too busy keeping a low profile to get involved in these kinds of troubles. Wang Ke wouldn't dare, and Wang Xiaofei can't afford to offend him. It's really not good for these three to say anything publicly.

Wang Le comes from a well-off family. He is said to be arrogant and spoiled, and he has also become involved with Zhou Gongzi, one of the "Four Dan Actresses". It is understandable that he dares to show his teeth when he is doing well in life.

He reached out and took the phone, only to discover that the lackey Fan Xiaopang was referring to was Cheng Long's son.

Yes, I heard that the two have a good relationship.

Whether out of fear or otherwise, the other party did not mention his name or surname, but instead wrote a passage that subtly mocked him, essentially saying that he was insecure, appeared to be independent and hardworking but was actually narrow-minded and stingy, and still had a peasant mentality.

Ha, Yan Li knew this guy was doomed as soon as he saw the words "peasant flavor." Even ordinary rebels wouldn't dare use that word; they're really not afraid of being drowned in spittle.

Fan Xiaopang was eager to try: "Since I have nothing better to do, I might as well tease him."

Yan Li felt bored, but thinking about the down-to-earth idea he had just come up with, well, it could be considered a viable approach.

Picking up his phone, Yan Li commented on the Weibo post with a single sentence—

I'll call your dad and have a chat.

Fan Xiaopang nudged him, laughing heartily: "You're really nasty."

The rich kids are most reluctant to be associated with their parents, and they are also most afraid of their own parents.

Yan Li's words really hit home.

At the same time, contacting the parents revealed that they were not on the same level, or even of the same generation, and that the other party's actions were just children playing house and not worth taking seriously.

　（7000+2000/220000+8000+1000）

　　(9000/229000)(0/220000)

　　After doing the math, I still owe 22 yuan.
　　
　
(End of this chapter)