Chapter 8: The Argument
Yin Chengjue had been reborn into the present, but he hadn’t gone to see Feng Chengda because he was afraid he wouldn’t be able to hold back and would just bury Feng Chengda in the ground—that would be more trouble than it was worth.
However, while Yin Chengjue wasn’t looking for trouble with Feng Chengda, Feng Chengda would never miss an opportunity to berate his son. So, on this day, Feng Chengda called him up, scolding him for sitting in the position of general manager at Huansheng Entertainment without learning how to manage things or striving to improve.
The call lasted a full hour, and Yin Chengjue had to admire the man’s lung capacity.
Looking back now, Feng Chengda had never spoken to him kindly since childhood, fully embodying the image of a strict father.
No matter whether Yin Chengjue did right or wrong, Feng Chengda always found a reason to criticize him.
"Feng Chengda, are those gossiping guys your sons, or am I? You don’t even listen to my explanation, just blindly believe the complaints others bring to you? You’re really playing the imposing father well," Yin Chengjue cut Feng Chengda off.
At this age, Yin Chengjue might have been unreliable, but he still respected his father. It was only later, after being berated too harshly at work, that he gradually became rebellious and started opposing Feng Chengda.
So this was the first time Feng Chengda had heard Yin Chengjue talk back to him, and he immediately flew into a rage: "Oh! So your wings have hardened, huh? You dare talk back to me now?"
[翅膀硬了 (chì bǎng yìng le): lit. wings have hardened; fig. someone has grown independent or defiant, often used for rebellious children].
Yin Chengjue: "You scold me for no reason, and I can’t even argue back? Huansheng is under the Yin Group, but I also hold shares in Yin Group. I’ll manage it however I want, and whether it makes or loses money has nothing to do with you."
"You!" Feng Chengda’s voice trembled with anger. "Yin Chengjue! Do you know who you’re talking to?!"
Yin Chengjue scoffed. "I do. But you’re talking about business, not personal matters. Keep them separate. I said Huansheng is under my management now, so you should stay out of it. What’s wrong with that?"
"And," Yin Chengjue’s eyes darkened, "you’ve reminded me, there seem to be a lot of troublemakers in Huansheng right now, people who can’t tell where their loyalties lie. Don’t worry, I’ll get to work and manage things properly, kicking out all those who don’t know their place."
"Yin Chengjue! You—"
Yin Chengjue decisively hung up and punched the wall.
He had held back for a long time to keep from cursing Feng Chengda out.
If it weren’t for Yin He not having finalized the divorce yet, if it weren’t for Feng Chengda still needing to break up the illegitimate child and Ming Qian, if it weren’t for Feng Chengda still having many connections in Yin Group—Yin Chengjue really wanted to cut ties with him right then and there.
Yin Chengjue had Assistant Guan bring him a full list of all the staff at Huansheng Entertainment under his management, including the names of all signed artists. Then, relying on his memories, he marked some names.
These were the people who, in his past life, had resigned and defected to Feng Chengda as soon as he left Yin Group.
Among them were several popular artists whom Huansheng had poured resources into promoting—they had all paid hefty breach-of-contract fees and happily jumped ship to the entertainment company founded by the illegitimate child, including Ming Qian.
Or rather, it was Ming Qian who had persuaded those artists to follow him.
It could be said Yin Chengjue had misjudged him—Ming Qian was no innocent little white flower, but a venomous snake who bit the hand that fed him.
[小白花 (xiǎo bái huā): lit. little white flower; fig. an innocent, pure-hearted person (often used sarcastically)].
Ming Qian had calculated it well: if he alone breached his contract to join another company, he’d be met with backlash. But if a whole group did it, people would start wondering if Huansheng had done something shady to make them all willing to pay huge penalties to break their contracts.
Though none of that had happened yet—some of the top artists from ten years later were still just obscure nobodies now—Yin Chengjue decided to note them down on a blacklist. That way, when allocating company resources in the future, he could make informed choices.
Knock knock knock.
The sound interrupted Yin Chengjue’s thoughts. He stuffed the marked list into a folder before saying, "Come in."
Assistant Guan entered, carrying a stack of documents. "President Yin, these are the files that need your signature."
Yin Chengjue flipped through them casually, pulling out a few. "Don’t sign this artist, or this one, or this one either. Don’t ask me why—go dig up their scandals yourself. Huansheng may have been handed to me, but it hasn’t turned into a scrap heap. Who’s the one vetting these people? Tell them to come see me."
Hmm…
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