Chinese Entertainment Intelligence King

Chapter 390: The Birth of Young Master Yan: The Battle of the Rich and Powerful Begins?

As April approaches, the two most important things for Yan Li are the listing of Yi An and the production of Qin Lan.

That's right, Qin Lan is about to give birth; her due date is at the end of March or the beginning of April.

Before becoming the owner of a listed company, Yan Li had to be a father first.

Starting in mid-March, Qin Lan checked into a high-end private hospital in Beijing. The hospital was luxurious and extremely private. Of course, the medical level might not be as good as top hospitals like Peking Union Medical College Hospital, but Yan Li had arranged for experts to be on-site through his connections.

Because it involved Yi'an's listing, Yan Li took various measures to control Qin Lan's pregnancy in order to avoid any impact.

Of course, nothing stays hidden forever.

Because Qin Lan had not appeared in public for a long time, and some insiders were gossiping, some small news items also surfaced in the public and online, but they were not large-scale and did not cause much discussion.

This surprised Yan Li somewhat.

Paparazzi are one thing, but they know who they can and can't mess with.

However, Yan Li is not without enemies and competitors. Not to mention Weibo's rivals Tencent and Sina, and Yi An's competitors Huayi Brothers and Orange Sky, none of them have resorted to underhanded tactics, rendering many of Yan Li's methods ineffective.

Later, Yan Li learned more about it and roughly understood what these people were thinking.

Some people think this matter won't make much difference. Everyone knows what kind of reputation Yan has, and Qin Lan's blog scandal is also infamous. Their relationship is no secret.

Having a child out of wedlock might cause a minor stir and provide some gossip, but it won't seriously damage Yan Li's reputation.

Fan Xiaopang's pregnancy may have a greater impact, at least it will be a significant blow to her career.

Well, the news of Qin Lan's pregnancy will probably have an impact on her. She might be heavily ridiculed by the fans of the "Four Dan Shuang Bing" (a group of actresses known for their roles in the drama "Four Dan Shuang Bing"), who might say that she is raising someone else's child, etc.

It is certain that the private lives of listed company founders can affect the company's stock price, but mainly in terms of property disputes and legal risks.

If the founder breaks the law or gets involved in some family property dispute, it could cause drastic fluctuations in the company's operations and control, potentially shaking the very foundation of the company.

As for personal conduct and ethical risks, that's a matter of opinion.

Some people may feel that such a person lacks self-discipline, is careless, and is high-risk, and that their integrity and focus are questionable, thus reducing their recognition and confidence in the company.

Some people don't care, especially those who are capable. People trust them to make the company bigger and stronger, and their private life is just a minor ailment.

To put it bluntly, most people invest and buy stocks based on how much money you can make for others, not how many women you sleep with or how many children you have.

Of course, there is also a crucial issue of character design here.

If you cultivate a positive image as a man, a moral exemplar, etc., your corporate culture and brand promotion will also be full of positive energy.

These personas and promotions will undoubtedly bring a lot of help to individuals and companies.

However, similarly, once a chaotic private life is exposed, it is a major character flaw and a public opinion crisis, a major crisis for both the individual and the company, which can cause irreparable or even devastating damage to the company.

Conversely, Yan Li openly admits to being a scumbag from the beginning, rarely making grand pronouncements, and his persona leans more towards realism and competence, with a lower moral compass.

This came at a cost to the company's development, but Yan Li withstood it and demonstrated his attitude.

That's just his temperament and style. You either don't buy his stocks, or you accept the losses he causes to the company, and he's confident he can make up for them even more.

Everything has been proven that there was no fraud. Investors and stock buyers knew what kind of person he was and had considered all the relevant risks.

Therefore, as long as he doesn't go too far, the negative impact on the company from his personal life will be very limited, and it might even be able to advertise for the stock.

In this way, Qin Lan's pregnancy will neither expose Yan Li nor have a serious impact on Yi An's listing—it cannot prevent its listing, at most it will cause a small fluctuation in the stock price.

It lacked lethality, but its intentions were extremely malicious, and it offended both Yan Li and Yi An to the point of no return.

Once he calms down, given Yan Li's petty nature, he shouldn't fight to the death with the troublemakers; it's not worth it.

Some people have reservations, as this is a bit unethical. Of course, there are many unscrupulous businessmen, so if they don't care about principles, they don't care.

But the key point is that Yan Li will retaliate!

Today, Sina Weibo and Tencent Weibo revealed Qin Lan's pregnancy; tomorrow, the top trending topic on Weibo will be the family tree of Little Ma's ancestors for eighteen generations.

Yan Li has a wife and children, and so do they. They may fight, but they won't break apart. On certain matters, they need to maintain a certain level of tacit understanding.

In addition, there are those who are eager for Yi'an's stock price to soar.

The two kings of Huayi Brothers may have a lower level of understanding than Yan Li, but at least they still know what's what.

The higher Yi An's stock price rises, the better the market for entertainment companies will be, and Huayi Brothers will also benefit. At this time, messing with Yi An is just messing with themselves.

Yan Li helped Huayi back then, and now that Huayi can't help Yi An much, it won't easily cause trouble either.

So, after looking around, the incident that Yan Li originally thought was a minor crisis never actually happened. He had wasted his time outsmarting thin air.

...

Hospital, ward

Qin Lan's ward was top-of-the-line, comparable to a presidential suite in a five-star hotel, complete with a bedroom, living room, balcony, bathroom, and study.

These past few days, Yan Li has basically been staying here whenever he's not busy. The Teddy Sisters have also been taking turns coming over to keep Qin Lan company, helping her relieve her emotions and banish her loneliness.

"Sister, we're here."

Huo Siyan and Li Xiaolu stepped into the ward and saw Qin Lan sunbathing on the balcony, with Yan Li feeding her fruit.

"Ouch."

Huo Siyan looked at Yan Li, unable to hide her surprise: "Brother-in-law, you can serve people too?"

Yan Li ignored her, picked up a small fork, stuck a piece of fruit on it, and offered it to Qin Lan's lips. The latter waved her hand, indicating that she wanted water, so Yan Li obediently went to pour her some.

"Sister Lan, you're amazing!"

Li Xiaolu winked and gave a thumbs-up, while Qin Lan, slightly smug, also chimed in to help Yan Li.

"The good days of using the child to control his father are only for a couple of days. If we don't seize the opportunity, we'll miss our chance."

In reality, Yan Li isn't that arrogant in private. At least with Fan, Qin, and Dong, his life is pretty much routine, and it's normal for him to be bossed around by his wife a couple of times.

Even with Wang Ou and the others, he would occasionally be attentive and try to build a closer relationship, but it was only a few times.

Huo and Li were hardly treated like this by Yan Li.

It wasn't that Yan Li was deliberately mistreating the two of them, but rather that neither of them were easy to deal with. They would take advantage of any kindness shown to them and easily become arrogant and overbearing.

As for Yang Rong, she is a person who doesn't argue or make trouble. If Yan Li pampers her, she will not only not cause trouble for Yan Li, but will also be more inclined to support him. Naturally, Yan Li will soften his stance.

As I said before, each monkey needs a different way of being chained, and each person needs to be treated individually.

In addition, Yan Li had another purpose: sometimes, appropriately expressing his regard for Qin Lan in front of them could also benefit Qin Lan's leadership and prevent the two from turning against each other.

Qin Lan has always been the core of the Teddy Sisters group. Li and Huo both have affairs with Yan Li but still obediently listen to her. This is all thanks to Yan Li's hard work behind the scenes.

"Alright, you guys chat, I'm going to check my emails."

Yan Li was quite supportive of the Teddy Sisters visiting Qin Lan, as their company would allow her to get away from her own affairs.

"Go on, go on, and work hard."

Li Xiaolu waved her hand. In the past, when she followed Yan Li, she was a bit reserved for various reasons.

Now that they've broken up, she's even bolder and more casual than before when they weren't together.

After all, when things weren't going well, Yan Li was still the big boss, and Li Xiaolu still had reservations. Now, with their past relationship as a foundation, and having even gone to the hospital for Yan Li, she doesn't need to worry that Yan Li will easily punish her over a small matter.

Li Xiaolu was relatively wealthy, but she didn't have much ambition. She didn't ask anything of Yan Li, so she wasn't afraid of him and didn't need his help, and naturally she let go.

Huo Siyan gently kicked her. Li Xiaolu was alright; she herself was still with Yan Li.
Li Xiaolu glanced at the other party lightly. In the past, Huo Siyan used Yan Li to control her. Without Huo's approval, she could not get close to Yan Li and could only be Huo's little sister.

Now that she's "innocent," Huo, who has a guilty conscience, is now being manipulated by her.

Of course, she didn't dare to go too far. Yan Li wouldn't bother with her over small things, but if things got out of hand, he would still deal with her. Huo Siyan herself was not someone to be trifled with, so she only made a small move to get back at her for what happened before.

Qin Lan watched their little antics without paying much attention, only saying helplessly, "You two are almost 30, yet you still act like children."

“I’m just a kid in front of my sister.”

Huo Siyan flattered Qin Lan, then touched her belly and murmured softly.

“Good son, come out quickly, your godmother has prepared the gold lock.”

"Shameless! You're the godmother, but do you think I'll accept you?"

It's no secret that Qin Lan is pregnant with a boy. The gender isn't hard to determine at this stage of pregnancy, and the hospital wouldn't hide it from a client like Yan Li; they could find out with just a question.

That's why this child is so remarkable—a true Prince Yi'an.

The Teddy Sisters all wanted to be godmothers, but having too many godmothers makes them less valuable. Qin Lan wasn't too keen on having too many godmothers for her child, so she said she would only need one or two, and the rest would be aunts.

But it's not decided who it will be yet. Huo Siyan has forcibly taken a position, which naturally makes Li Xiaolu somewhat dissatisfied.

"There's no need to decide, it's definitely me."

Huo Siyan was absolutely confident that the two people who were closest to Qin Lan were Liu Yun and her. Back then, when people talked about godmothers, they would basically say the two of them.

Moreover, she not only has a good relationship with the child's mother, but also with the child's father. From that perspective, she deserves the title of "mother."

As she spoke, Huo Siyan looked at Qin Lan's belly and said with a smile, "Your fourth aunt is jealous, but jealousy is useless. Even if she's jealous, she's still your godmother."

Huo Siyan really likes children, but she doesn't know what her future holds, so she can only place her affection on Qin Lan's children.

Li Xiaolu pursed her lips, unwilling to argue with Huo Siyan, and directly asked Qin Lan.

"Sister, have you chosen a name for the baby yet?"

"Yan Xin, Yan Yi, Yan Xiao, choose one of the three."

Qin Lan explained, "Xin was given by the old man, Yi is the Yi from Yi'an, and Xiao is the character I chose from the one your brother-in-law picked."

Li Xiaolu muttered a few words: "I don't think these names sound as good as Jiye or Chengsi. Yan Jiye and Yan Chengsi have such good meanings."

Huo Siyan complained, "You're naming your child something like this, aren't you just setting yourself up for a fight?" Qin Lan also rolled her eyes, which was rare for her. Putting aside Dong Xuan's situation, if she dared to name her child that, Fan Xiaopang would immediately come knocking on her door, or he would give his child a similar name.

Yan Lixin wanted the children to be as united as possible, so naming them this name was just adding fuel to the fire, deliberately inciting conflict between the different branches of the family.

"I think Yan Yi is good. The Yi in Yi An sounds nice and also has a metaphorical meaning."

Although Huo Siyan refuted Li Xiaolu, the name she chose also had a bit of a hidden agenda.

Yi An is about to go public, and Qin Lan's child is named Yan Yi. This implication and connection are thought-provoking.

Qin Lan shook her head. She understood Huo Siyan's meaning, but she knew very well that Yan Li would most likely not allow her to use this name.

Originally, the name Yi An on Weibo was from a company founded by Yan Li. It's understandable that they would name their child, but it's not like they would just give the name to whichever company they chose.

But at this crucial moment for Yi'an's listing, whether it's called Yan Yi or Yan Wei, it's a bit sensitive, and Yan Li won't create trouble for himself.

As for the remaining two, Qin Lan likes Yan Xiao, but Yan Xin also has a chance, because several older generations support him.

Old Yan was in charge of naming the children, so there's not much to say. Grandma Yan felt that the five elements (metal, wood, water, fire, and earth) could reflect the connection and order of the Yan family children. It would be good if the names of their fathers and grandfathers were related, and it would also be good if the names of their grandchildren were related. Ideally, all five elements would be present, signifying a prosperous and auspicious family.

Moreover, "Xin" signifies wealth, prosperity, and a thriving career, which is good for Yan Li and her child.

Qin Lan's parents also supported this; they couldn't stop the birth of other children.

If ordered according to the Five Elements, the character "金" (metal) at the beginning indicates that the eldest son has a more prominent status and there is no need to worry about other children having better names that would overshadow him.

Qin Lan was somewhat persuaded by her parents, who believed that maintaining the advantage of being the eldest son was more beneficial to the child than having a nice-sounding name.

Yan Li, who initially disliked the rustic style, began to hesitate and even went against his original intention, considering adding a character to make it a three-character name that he didn't particularly like, in order to neutralize the rustic feel.

For example, Zixin Zisen means gentle and refined, versatile and reliable; Jingxin Jingsen means natural and grand, with a broad perspective; Zhixin Zhisen means clear and gentle; and Anxin Ansen means stable and healthy.

In Qin Lan's words, "Your brother-in-law has flipped through the dictionary more times these past two days than he has read Yi'an's IPO report."

"This just shows how much my brother-in-law values ​​the child!"

Huo Siyan was still somewhat envious. Although Yan Li didn't exactly dote on Qin Lan during her pregnancy, he clearly valued her.

During Dong Xuan's pregnancy, coupled with Yan Li's occasional outings and philandering, Qin Lan maintained a good mood throughout her pregnancy, which was also inseparable from Yan Li's attitude.

"Your brother-in-law has decided on the formal name, but has the nickname been decided yet?"

When Li Xiaolu asked, Qin Lan nodded, looking as if she had already planned it out.

"Call me Junjun."

Huo and Li asked in confusion, "Why?"

Qin Lan asked, "What's my name?"

"Qin Lan."

"The orchid is considered a noble flower, so isn't it perfectly reasonable for him to follow his mother's name and be called Junjun?"

"It sounds nice, even better than my real name."

Huo Siyan immediately flattered Qin Lan, who looked pleased that Qin Lan understood her; she also thought the name sounded nice.

Unfortunately, the name Yan Jun sounds like "severe" or "Yan Jun," which is considered unlucky, so it can only be used as a nickname.

As they were chatting happily, Qin Lan even considered taking her mother to play mahjong when suddenly her stomach cramped and she felt a sharp pain in her abdomen. Her expression changed.

"Quickly call him brother-in-law, I'm about to give birth."

...

On March 30, 2010, just as she was approaching her due date, Qin Lan gave birth to the eldest son of the Yan family. The baby weighed 3 pounds and everything was normal.

Yan Li coaxed Qin Lan to sleep and went to the nursery where the baby was. Zhang Hong and Qin's mother were looking at their beloved grandson/grandson with smiles. When they saw Yan Li coming over, they quickly showed him their son.

Bending down to look at the wrinkled baby in the crib, Yan Li couldn't quite describe her feelings. There was happiness and excitement, but more than anything, she felt confused and unreal.

I'm a dad?!
This fact, which she had known for a long time, still shocked Yan Li when she saw the child.

That night, Yan Li slept restlessly, and the next day when he saw Qin Lan breastfeeding the baby, he was still somewhat dazed.

Seeing this, Qin Lan misunderstood, glanced at her mother-in-law and mother talking not far away, and gently pinched him.

"You even fight with your son for food."

"I……"

Yan Li choked. He actually really wanted to try it, but for now, he had to prioritize this little brat.

Yan Li stayed at the hospital until the afternoon before reluctantly going to the company. He wanted to spend more time with his wife and son, but with the IPO imminent, he was too busy to leave.

As soon as I arrived at the company, after just two meetings and while I was signing documents in the office, Fan Xiaopang slipped in.

"Qin Lan gave birth?"

Yan Li looked up: "How did you know?"

"My grandma told me."

Fan Xiaopang couldn't reach Qin Lan, but Grandma Yan couldn't possibly be unaware of the news. Dong Xuan probably knows by now, after all, Zhang Hong and she have a good relationship.

"What's it like to be a father?"

Fan Xiaopang's tone was casual, but there was a hint of sourness in his words, and Yan Li knew that this woman was upset again.

Fan Xiaopang glanced at the door and came over. The people in the board office knew the situation; without Yan Li's approval, outsiders couldn't come in.

So he reached out and pulled Fan Xiaopang onto his lap, smiling gently.

"You've been jealous for almost a year now, why is your sourness still so strong?"

“Your family of three is living a comfortable life, while I’m busy taking care of things outside every day. I’m not jealous. Do you think I’m living a sweet life?”

Yan Li remained silent. Yi An went public, and Fan Xiaopang had indeed worked very hard, especially in the last two months, constantly promoting Yi An, but he hadn't filmed any dramas.

She did all the work, but Mr. Qin enjoyed all the benefits. Anyone would feel uncomfortable in that situation.

Yan Li patted Fan Xiaopang's waist, paused for a moment, and then asked, "Have you thought about the issue of staying or leaving that we discussed last time?"

After Yi'an goes public, although it is still controlled by Yan Li, it is not Yan Li's private property; many things need to be accounted for separately.
For example, Fan Xiaopang got the initial shares and made a lot of money. When the contract ends, she can stay in Yi'an or leave and develop independently through cooperation.

From an artist's perspective, given Fan Xiaopang's fame and Yi An's resources, she might have better opportunities for development and greater personal gains if she left.

But staying in Yi'an also has its advantages. It's good to have a powerful backer, and Fan Xiaopang grew up with Yi'an. She is deeply rooted in Yi'an and has a wide influence. Leaving would mean giving up her base.

Moreover, while one might earn more by going out to work, it would also be more arduous. By staying in Yi'an, Fan Xiaopang could easily transition to a new role or move behind the scenes. He might earn less personally, but he would have a higher status and access to more resources.

"I plan to stay in Yi'an for the time being."

Fan Xiaopang weighed the pros and cons for a long time, but still refused to give up Yi'an, her base. Since she could be the boss's wife, why bother with the hardship of starting a business?

Even if she stays in Yi'an, it won't prevent her from making some investments and starting businesses. As long as it doesn't affect the company's interests, everything is negotiable.

Yan Li nodded. He supported Fan Xiaopang whether he stayed or left, but overall, it would be better for him to stay.

Because it's more stable and she can take care of the family more, she's already a workaholic. If she starts a business, let alone the children, he'll have a hard time finding someone to help.

"Okay, the company will be relatively stable for the next year or two. You can take this opportunity to finish up your current tasks and then take a break."

Fan Xiaopang is not like Dong Xuan and Qin Lan, who can get pregnant just like that. Especially since she just received a lot of original shares, she has to be more responsible for the company.

Her own career, unless she has to give it up, must be properly arranged.

Fan Xiaopang nodded. She had been reluctant to part with Qin Lan because her career was growing rapidly, but now that Qin Lan had given birth, she had to let go no matter how reluctant she was.

"However, before I take a break, you have to help me film 'My Love from the Star.' This is my only wish to film an idol drama with you, so please grant my wish."

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Fan Xiaopang made some demands. She had been pestering Yan Li about this for a long time. Although Yan Li did not refuse, he never fully agreed.

Yan Li looked at Fan Xiaopang, who was pleading with him with his hands clasped together. Feeling somewhat guilty, he finally softened and nodded, considering it compensation for Fan Xiaopang.

"Just this once?"

"And the character design has to be approved by me. Don't add any melodramatic scenes, or I can't film it."

Fan Xiaopang was speechless: "You wrote this script yourself, don't you know what the characters are supposed to be like?"

Yan Li explained, "I only gave a general outline and a plot summary, and a direction. I didn't write the specific details."

"Understood. I will instruct the screenwriter not to embarrass you, Chairman Yan."

Fan Xiaopang clapped his hands, chatted for a few more minutes, hummed a little tune, and left.

Yan Li looked at the closed door and shook his head. Fan Xiaopang had been pestering him to act in idol dramas for many reasons, but the most important one was that he wanted to show off his love.

That's right, Xiu Yanli "wrote" the script for her, Xiu Yanli filmed the idol drama for her, and Xiu Yanli and she played on-screen couples many times.

Regardless of whether she would be ridiculed by all sides, Fan Xiaopang was determined to be as harmonious as Yan Lixiu to the end, becoming the recognized first wife, thus firmly suppressing Qin Dong and all sorts of scoundrels who dared not take the plunge.

When everyone thinks she's the first wife, then she is, and Chairman Qin's first-mover advantage can be compensated for by this.

Yan Li understood Fan Xiaopang's idea, but still supported it. It wasn't to encourage Fan to become the first wife, but to put pressure on Chairman Qin and make them more united.

If Chairman Qin is united, their children will also be united, which in turn will put pressure on Fan Xiaopang.

Fan Xiaopang can outmaneuver Chairman Qin, but children are a different story.

A strong mother doesn't necessarily mean a strong son, and a weak mother doesn't necessarily mean a weak son, especially when it's two against one.

With Yan Li, the father, mediating and seeking a balance, there is a chance that a relatively harmonious situation can be achieved.

Three children and three mothers, and this is already so worrying. Yan Li really doesn't know what it's like for those princes vying for the throne...

　(4000/281000)

　　
　
(End of this chapter)