Boss Zhang in town, Uncle Li's agritainment business in Yamaguchi… these people close to his family all met with misfortune one after another. The timing was so coincidental.
This was no coincidence.
It was a warning. From Xingyao, or from that Mr. Liu whom he had humiliated? It didn't matter. What mattered was that they were clearly telling him in this way: disobedience would cost not only his future, but also the peace of his family and those around him.
They had the ability and the will to extend their tentacles into his once peaceful mountain forest.
Fear, like cold vines, instantly tightened around his heart, almost suffocating him. He leaned against the cold wall, slowly sliding to the ground. All his previous hesitation and weighing of options seemed so ridiculous and pale in the face of the potential threat to his family.
The persistence of personal dreams seemed utterly vulnerable under the cruel crushing reality.
He didn't know how long he sat in the stairwell, until his legs went numb, before stiffly standing up. He returned to his room, locked the door, and dialed Mr. Wang's number.
"Mr. Wang," his voice was eerily calm, devoid of any emotion, "the contract, I'll sign it."
Mr. Wang on the other end of the line seemed unsurprised, his tone carrying a triumphant pleasure: "A wise choice, Lin Chen. Congratulations, you've made the right decision. The company won't treat you unfairly. When is a convenient time for us to sign the formal contract?"
"Tomorrow then." Lin Chen closed his eyes, feeling something shatter in his chest, emitting a silent groan.
The next day, Lin Chen took a day off and returned to Xingyao Entertainment. This time, not in the meeting room, but in Mr. Wang's office. A large desk, a leather chair, and floor-to-ceiling windows offering views of the bustling city—all spoke volumes about the power and capital at play.
Mr. Wang, beaming, placed a thick, formal contract in front of Lin Chen, next to an expensive pen.
"This is the official version, revised based on our previous discussions. Take a look, and if there are no problems, sign here." Mr. Wang's tone was more friendly than ever before, as if Lin Chen were already one of his closest "family."
Lin Chen picked up the contract. The paper was thick and beautifully printed. He flipped through it; the terms seemed largely the same as the draft, but there were subtle adjustments to several key figures and wording that were disadvantageous to him. For example, the profit-sharing ratio had changed from the verbally promised "40% for you, 60% for the company" to the vague "settlement based on the specific project"; the promised "one original EP per year" had been changed to the precondition "depending on the company's overall planning and market feedback."
Wordplay. He realized this again with a profound clarity.
But he didn't object. He knew that any questioning at this moment would be futile. The other party had already bared their fangs; he had no choice but to bow his head.
He picked up the heavy fountain pen, the nib trembling slightly as he hovered over the signature area. At that moment, he seemed to see Chen Kai's disappointed eyes, and he saw his own free self, singing aloud on the boulder in the mountain stream.
"Lin Chen?" Mr. Wang urged gently, but beneath that gentleness lay undeniable pressure.
Lin Chen took a deep breath, no longer hesitating, and forcefully, stroke by stroke, wrote his name in the signature field for the second party.
The instant the pen touched the paper, he felt a part of his soul being ripped away and sealed within this thick contract.