Chapter 35 - Thirty-Five Freelancers (1)

Xiao Jiangxia vigorously applauded her daughter. When she saw her son by her side remaining indifferent, she glared at him fiercely. Chen Zili rolled his eyes and clapped unwillingly. Xiao Jiangxia then looked over at her father-in-law and noticed Chen Gu clapping excitedly, his palms turning red, which warmed her heart. Gao Mengjiu had been lost in thought. When Chen Qingyu emerged from the recording studio, she noticed his expression was somewhat uneasy. "Hey, how about you give us an answer? What’s with the brooding act? You think you’re still seventeen?" Chen Gu barked impatiently. Ape shot him a glare. "Rush, rush, rush! Are you trying to rush me to death?" He ignored Chen Gu and, with a friendly smile, beckoned to Chen Qingyu. "Qingyu, your uncle..." Chen Gu chuckled. "Good nephew!" "Damn it!" Ape was greatly annoyed; a slip of the tongue had let that scoundrel get the better of him. Damn these generational titles! "Qingyu, Grandpa Gao has a contract here, exceptionally generous and lenient. Why don’t you take a look? We’re family; I definitely won’t let you down..." "Really?" Chen Qingyu exclaimed in surprise and, like a little rabbit, hopped over to him, hands clasped over her heart. "You... you’re planning to sign me?" Chen Gu reached out between them. "Hold on, let me see that first!" Ape retorted angrily, "What do you mean by that? Are you insulting our sixty years of friendship? Do you think I would swindle our own granddaughter?" "Yes!" Chen Gu didn’t mince his words, leaving Ape speechless and rolling his eyes while the little assistant behind him giggled, covering her mouth. Ape was fuming. "You—" Before he could continue, Chen Gu spoke softly, "Next time I organize a family gathering, I’ll have Old Sa bring his wife and daughter." See, you can discuss music and the horizon with your confidante, I can care for my niece’s studies and life, and Old Sa can relax on the boundless grasslands. How harmonious and wonderful. "Here." Ape immediately struck a dirty deal with him. Chen Gu examined the contract meticulously, then muttered to himself, When it comes to the laws of this era, I don’t understand a damn thing! He just had to put on an act, to show he took his granddaughter’s affairs seriously—indeed, the instincts of an award-winning actor run deep. Chen Gu’s haggling with Ape was just for show. From their very first reunion, Chen Gu had seen that Ape harbored no malicious intentions; he was merely a little fixated on past regrets and cherished the chance to see the woman of his dreams again. Standing behind Chen Gu, Chen Qingyu was enveloped in a feeling of unreality. Am I about to sign a contract? Have I become a singer for Heavenly Dog Records? Did Gao Mengjiu write a song for me? Before she came, it was supposed to be just an ordinary tour. How had her dream suddenly biu—come true in an instant! She couldn’t help but look at the back of the figure in front of her, this grandfather who had suddenly appeared... He looks quite handsome, seriously reviewing the contract for me. Chen Qingyu’s heart felt warm. Our family is practically three generations under one roof now, huh. It’s just a shame Great-grandpa already passed away. After scrutinizing for a good while, Chen Gu finally nodded in satisfaction. "Good, no problems here." He pulled Chen Qingyu toward him. "Girl, what about you? Do you want to be a singer? Don’t rush into a decision; think it over. After all, you’re still in school..." "I want to!" Chen Qingyu replied without hesitation. Chen Gu then looked at Xiao Jiangxia. His daughter-in-law smiled gently. "This girl has always loved singing. Her father and I have always supported her in this." Chen Gu suddenly remembered; the family had assets worth tens of billions. His own children had certainly been qualified to freely pursue their dreams back then. "Sign it," Chen Gu handed the contract to his granddaughter and said to Xiao Jiangxia, "Don’t worry, I’ll look after her and make sure she isn’t taken advantage of." "Thank you," Xiao Jiangxia said, her words truly heartfelt. It was impossible for Xiao Jiangxia to hold no grudge, as Chen Gu had hindered her husband’s career. However, her gentle and virtuous nature prevented her from showing it. This time, seeing Chen Gu busy himself with Chen Qingyu’s affairs, the resentment in her heart had dissipated a little. Signing a singer was no small matter. Heavenly Dog Records would subsequently formulate a series of training and promotional plans for Chen Qingyu, all requiring her cooperation. Gao Mengjiu specially assigned an agent to coordinate with Chen Qingyu. Chen Gu didn’t concern himself with these details. He waved goodbye to Ape. "Alright, if there’s nothing else, we’ll head off. We’ll get together when you’re back." "It doesn’t matter if we get together or not, as long as our Qingyu is willing to come to Heavenly Dog, that’s all that counts!" Ape immediately burned that bridge. After leaving the record company, Chen Qingyu walked all the way to the parking lot before she seemed to snap back to reality. Waving her small fists, she jumped up excitedly, yelling, "Mom, Mom, I’m a signed artist with Heavenly Dog Records now! AH AH AH—" Just like when she was little, she threw herself into Xiao Jiangxia’s arms, brimming with happiness. "It’s just a signing, not like you’re a superstar already," Chen Zili teased his sister, as was their usual banter. Once their excitement died down, Chen Gu said, "You all head back first. I still have some things to take care of." Chen Gu returned to Heavenly Dog Records with his bodyguards, who naturally waited outside. He took this opportunity to elude them, silently slipping out through a window of the record company. Below the window was a quiet alley. Following his earlier intuition, Chen Gu moved silently between the ancient, massive open-air machinery and the mottled walls of the factory buildings. The memories of Griffin Wester surfaced, and he became the Star Battle Instructor! 「」 Before long, Chen Gu entered a secluded courtyard. Several large native trees of Empire River Star grew there, their huge, bottle-shaped trunks and lush, reddish foliage particularly striking. The ground was covered in a thick layer of fallen leaves, clearly unswept for a long time. This place, with its many twists and turns, was hard to find, which was why it hadn’t been rented out. It was also unclear what it had been used for; every room was narrow, and there were two long, deep trenches in the courtyard. Chen Gu stood in the center of the courtyard, closed his eyes, and sensed the extremely faint residual energy fluctuations around him, like little sprites guiding him towards a door. After Milna Katerina’s memories merged with his, her Mind Belief skill seemed to have permanently heightened Chen Gu’s perception. The room was about seven or eight square meters, with a square manhole cover in the center. As Chen Gu pulled open the manhole cover, he darted to the side. However, all was calm below; there was no ambush. DRIP... DRIP... DRIP... The sound of dripping water came from below. Chen Gu cautiously peered down. The square basement’s interior was clear at a glance: two people lay unconscious. One lay face down on the floor; the other was slumped against the wall, head lolling, fresh blood dripping from their forehead. Now as the Star Battle Instructor, Chen Gu possessed exceptional battlefield insight. He could tell at a glance from the traces in the basement. A fight between professionals!