Chapter 029: Guard Against Pride and Impatience, Do Not Rush or Covet (Bonus Chapter for the Cat-Cat Alliance Leader—Please!)

[Daily Intelligence ①: Qin Lan topped up Yan Li’s phone with 100 yuan, vowing that if he doesn’t call her again, she will come to Beijing after the film wraps and bite that bastard Yan Li to death.]

"Hey, why the name-calling?" Yan Li muttered. He found it even more absurd that Qin Lan had actually gone through with the top-up. It wasn't as if he hadn't called her; he had checked in when he arrived in Beijing, and it had only been two or three days since then. Was she really that impatient?

[Daily Intelligence ②: Dong Xuan and her best friend Guan Yue spent the whole night cursing Yan Li for being a heartless, fickle man. Despite declaring that they would break up with him for good, she still secretly hopes Yan Li will come to find her. It’s been over a month, and she misses him dearly.]

*Cough, cough.* Yan Li glanced at the fan by his bed. He should find some time in the next couple of days to pay her back the money he owes.

[...]

[Daily Intelligence ⑤: Guan Yue has been having trouble with her romantic interest, Tong Dawei. Yesterday, when Tong Dawei tried to smooth things over, he witnessed Guan Yue entering the apartment Yan Li is renting. She didn't come out for a long time, leading to a misunderstanding...]

Seeing the final piece of intelligence, Yan Li couldn't help but laugh. He knew Guan Yue was seeing someone—some student from the Shanghai Theatre Academy, presumably this Tong Dawei. They had even planned a dinner together once Guan Yue made things official with him, along with Dong Xuan. But before that could happen, he and Dong Xuan had broken up. It had been quite a while since he and Dong Xuan parted ways, yet this guy was still in the pursuit phase. What was even more ridiculous was that they hadn't managed to get anywhere, yet they had dragged him into the mess.

Deciding to remind Guan Yue later, Yan Li set the matter aside and called Zhou Yiwei to go meet director Gao Qunshu.

Director Gao wasn't entirely satisfied with Zhou Yiwei; he looked a bit too soft. After all, he wasn't even twenty yet, and he lacked the rugged, upright features and steady temperament that Yan Li possessed—he looked like a naive, green rookie. However, since he was a graduate of the Beijing Film Academy and his acting skills were passable, plus Yan Li had put in a good word for him, he eventually cast Zhou in the role of a young police officer.

This character actually had quite a lot of screen time, even more than Yan Li’s character, Wu Tian. But the role lacked any real substance; it was mostly just background work or responding to others, offering very little presence. It was the kind of role any extra could play—hardly nutritious. But since Zhou Yiwei was currently out of work and had Yan Li to keep him company on set, he happily took the part.

Compared to Yan Li, Zhou Yiwei’s pay was even lower—only around 1,000 yuan. If the production hadn't covered food and lodging, he might have ended up losing money over the course of the shoot. Now that he had earned a bit, Zhou Yiwei insisted on treating Yan Li to a meal, but the latter stopped him. He had his reasons for treating Gao Qunshu to dinner—it was a networking necessity—but there was no need for such formalities between brothers. Besides, they hadn't made much, so eating at home was more economical. Zhou Yiwei readily agreed; he wasn't being stingy, but after tasting Yan Li’s braised meat, he had become a total convert to his culinary skills.

Slicing two plates of braised meat and stir-frying a couple of vegetable dishes, Yan Li’s home-cooked meal was, in Zhou Yiwei’s eyes, far more satisfying and enjoyable than dining at most of the big restaurants in Beijing.

As they ate and drank, the two brothers discussed their next steps. The filming for *Conquest* wasn't expected to start until August, leaving a gap of less than a month. It wasn't convenient to join other crews during that time, as schedules might clash. Odd jobs weren't always available, and they were often messy and troublesome—the biggest issue being that they often didn't pay out. Small-time actors getting stiffed was all too common. Many actors drifting in Beijing struggled not because there was no work, but because the employers wouldn't pay them after the work was done. Even established stars often had to sue for unpaid fees and endorsement money.

Still, sitting idle at home for half a month wasn't an option. Yan Li was a planner; without a full wallet, he didn't feel secure. So, he decided to split his time between memorizing lines for *Conquest* at home and selling braised meat with Zhou Yiwei. It would bring in a little income and allow them to test the market. They divided the labor: Yan Li would do the braising, and Zhou Yiwei would handle the sales at the market. Since this wasn't their primary career, Yan Li didn't plan to produce too much—he figured if sales were steady, selling every few days would be enough.

This was a side project agreed upon with Zhou Yiwei. Furthermore, Yan Li was planning to study the stock market. Having had the intelligence system for a few months, he had been thinking about how to leverage it to make money. The system used him as an anchor, and its potential was high; theoretically, it could touch upon many industries. However, for the current Yan Li, even with the system's help, he lacked the capital and capacity to enter many fields.

After some research, he concluded that trading stocks was a viable path. Stocks required a strong flow of information, which played directly to the system's strengths. The returns were high and quick, which would allow him to accumulate capital rapidly, and the flexible nature of trading wouldn't interfere with his other endeavors. It was a multifaceted solution.

However, the stock market was volatile; high returns came with high risks. Yan Li had already learned a lesson from the lottery—the intelligence system wasn't omnipotent. If he became too impatient or arrogant, he would eventually suffer a major setback. Moreover, he had no prior experience with stocks. Therefore, he decided to study thoroughly, test the waters with small amounts, and gradually increase his investment once he started making a profit. With the system as his ultimate weapon, he believed he wouldn't lack opportunities to get rich. He was young and had a long future ahead. Thus, he reminded himself repeatedly: curb pride and impatience, avoid greed, and stay steady to remain invincible.

***

In the evening, Yan Li left Zhou Yiwei to watch the house and strolled over to the residential complex where Guan Yue and Dong Xuan were staying. Neither of them had told him the address, but besides the fact that he had his system, Yan Li wasn't the only one who knew how to plant spies.

As he arrived at the building, he hesitated between heading straight up or calling Dong Xuan. Suddenly, he heard the sound of a man and a woman arguing near a flower bed. Driven by curiosity, he crept closer and realized they were acquaintances. Guan Yue was angrily debating with a sunny-looking young man.

"...I've told you a dozen times, I have nothing to do with him!"

The young man was also highly agitated. "...I saw with my own eyes that you went through that door..."

After listening for a few moments, Yan Li figured out who the guy was. Good grief, he was incredibly slow at pursuing girls, yet when a misunderstanding arose, he was quick to start a fight. No wonder he couldn't win over Guan Yue.

"Ahem."

Yan Li coughed, startling the pair. Upon seeing him, a frustrated and angry Guan Yue was overjoyed.

"Yan Li, come and tell him! We're just friends, he won't listen to a word I say!"

Yan Li nodded, stepped forward, and looked at the hostile Tong Dawei with an earnest expression.

"Buddy, Yueyue and I are truly in love. Please, just let us be..."

Before he could finish, Yan Li dodged a furious kick from Guan Yue, a wicked grin on his face. "If you’re allowed to stir the pot to make me break up with Dong Xuan, why can't I play a trick on you?"

Just then, Dong Xuan, who had been watching from upstairs, ran down and pulled at Yan Li, patting him reproachfully. "Stop kicking them while they're down."

Turning to Tong Dawei, she explained, "Yan Li is my boyfriend..."

Yan Li cut in, "Ex-boyfriend."

Dong Xuan stopped, biting her lip. Her beautiful eyes shimmered slightly as she looked at Yan Li with a mixture of reproach and grievance. The latter looked away awkwardly.

"You continue."