Chapter 26

Cheng Tianguang looked at Zhu Jianxin. Zhu Jianxin hurriedly opened his briefcase, pulled out two contracts, and respectfully handed them to Cheng Yu.

Cheng Yu read the contracts carefully from beginning to end, then suddenly raised an eyebrow. "Why is it a fifty-fifty split?"

Cheng Tianguang smiled. "This is Tianguang Entertainment's sincerity. I want you to know that when Tianguang Entertainment signs you, we value your potential and long-term development. So we won't haggle over such petty profits."

Of course, the most important reason was that Cheng Yu, as the second young master of C&C Jewelry, would not be overly concerned with money. If he could lower his profit share in exchange for more freedom, then one day in the future, he might terminate his contract and move to another company. A wealthy young man treating this as a pastime would naturally have no sense of belonging or reverence toward the company. After thinking it over, Cheng Tianguang felt that compared with that twenty percent profit, showing Cheng Yu goodwill and leaving him with a good impression was far more important.

Who knew? He might even use this opportunity to establish ties with C&C Jewelry. Then the company would have one more potential sponsor for its concerts.

Cheng Yu neither agreed nor disagreed. He placed the contract before Chen Simiao. "Grandpa, I'm grown up now. I can take responsibility for my own decisions. Please sign it for me."

"I said you can't sign it." Chen Lingyun was practically bursting with rage. "Cheng Yu, do you have any respect for me as your mother?"

Cheng Yu looked at his nose, his nose at his heart, and completely ignored Chen Lingyun's furious outburst.

Consumed by anger, Chen Lingyun blurted out, "Cheng Yu, if you dare sign this contract today, I'll sever our mother-son relationship."

"Then publish it in the papers." Cheng Yu refused to back down, his voice icy. "Don't think you can threaten me with that. Do you think I enjoy being your son that much?"

If he had a choice, Cheng Yu would rather never have been born.

"Enough!" Seeing the mother and son argue more and more fiercely, Chen Simiao scolded them with a headache. "Are you two done yet? Is something this trivial really worth fighting over like this?"

"This is trivial?" Chen Lingyun looked at Chen Simiao with a hurt expression. "Look at how spoiled you've made him!"

"Why are you blaming Grandpa? Wasn't severing ties with me your own idea? You stated what you wanted, and I agreed. Isn't that something everyone should be happy about?" Cheng Yu looked at Chen Lingyun. "We're both adults. Why can't you ever take responsibility for the decisions you make?"

Cheng Yu had wanted to say those words for a long time. Ever since the day he learned why Chen Lingyun had rejected him, after more than twenty years of twists and turns, he had somehow ended up asking it in a dream.

Perhaps Cheng Yu's expression was too bleak and world-weary. Chen Lingyun, who had been enraged with embarrassment, suddenly fell silent. It was as though a basin of cold water had been dumped over her head. She froze for a moment, then her anger flared even higher. "What right do you have to criticize me? Do you really think I wouldn't publish a statement in the papers?"

Cheng Yu could not be bothered to deal with Chen Lingyun. He sat beside his grandfather and said gently, "Grandpa, please sign it for me."

Chen Simiao glanced at his grandson and asked meaningfully, "Have you truly made up your mind?"

Cheng Yu nodded.

Cheng Tianguang and Zhu Jianxin stood awkwardly in the room, never expecting things to turn out this way. Cheng Tianguang was even more worried that Chen Lingyun would take out her anger on Tianguang Entertainment. Although Tianguang Entertainment was well known in the industry, the company's total net assets did not even amount to two hundred million, not even a fraction of C&C Jewelry's worth.

Cheng Tianguang was so afraid Chen Lingyun would target Tianguang Entertainment because he had lured Cheng Yu away that he no longer wanted to sign the contract. Unfortunately, things had reached a point where it was no longer his call. Cheng Yu insisted on signing, and Chen Simiao stood on Cheng Yu's side. Chen Lingyun clearly had no way to overrule the grandfather and grandson. She could only watch helplessly as Chen Simiao fulfilled his duty as guardian and signed his name on the contract.

Chen Lingyun was so angry she nearly fainted. "Dad, how can you do this? Do you really want the two of us to sever our mother-son relationship?"

"You wouldn't dare!" Chen Simiao snorted and patted his grandson's hand. "I believe in Yu. He's a sensible child. He must have his reasons for doing this. As his mother, since you don't have the energy to discipline him, then support him in doing what he likes. Don't lose your temper and threaten people at every turn. That isn't how problems are solved."

"But he's about to start his second year of high school!" Chen Lingyun said furiously. "At such a critical time, instead of making him settle down and study, you're supporting him in entering the entertainment industry. Do you want to watch him drop out and become some performer?"

"As long as Yu is happy, there's nothing wrong with being a singer." Chen Simiao changed the subject. "Besides, Yu has already promised me that after graduating from high school, he'll apply to a jewelry academy in F Country. I believe Yu won't lie to me."

Cheng Yu nodded and said solemnly, "Anything I promise Grandpa, I will definitely do."

Chen Lingyun looked at the harmonious grandfather and grandson, so angry that her eyes rolled back.

During the mother-son confrontation, Cheng Shao and Lin Sufen, who had been keeping themselves out of sight, exchanged a smile when they saw this.

Chapter 26

Tianguang Entertainment, Yanjing Headquarters—

Inside the practice room, a group of trainee boys and girls under twenty huddled together, gossiping.

"Did you hear? President Cheng brought back a boy today. He seems to be a newly signed artist at our company. They say he's especially handsome."

"I heard from the receptionist that President Cheng was especially attentive to that boy. He personally drove him here this morning. And that boy's surname is Cheng too. Do you think he might be a relative of President Cheng?"

"That's nothing. When I came into the company this morning, I heard someone from Finance say that President Cheng actually withdrew five million yuan as a signing bonus just to sign this newcomer."

"Five million?" The others widened their eyes in shock. "Isn't that the price for a second-tier artist? Isn't that a bit excessive?"

"That's not even the most shocking part!" said a round-faced girl. "I ran into people from HR and Legal in the elevator this morning. I heard them complaining that HR and Legal had worked overnight revising the contract yesterday. They added a whole bunch of clauses on top of the B-level contract, and every single one was changed according to that person's demands."