Lu Ning’s assertiveness completely terrified Xinquan Entertainment. In Xinquan Entertainment’s eyes, the delicate figure of Lu Ning was overshadowed by the imposing presence of the Fu family, like a lion glaring down, making everyone around tremble.

As a result, Xinquan Entertainment quickly issued an apology on their official blog: 【Due to a work error by our agent Zhang Rui, which caused some harm to artist Lu Ning, we deeply apologize. The company has decided to dismiss Zhang Rui from his position and address the contract issue with artist Lu Ning…】

Upon this announcement, Fu Yunshen, who was working at the Fu family, received a system notification: 【Plot reversal value: 15%.】

Fu Yunshen: 【??? Can this reversal value go back?】

The system replied: 【I don’t know what happened either…】

Fu Yunshen had no choice but to check on Lu Ning’s news—Lu Ning was in a lawsuit with Xinquan, and Xinquan had immediately issued an apology.

However, in the original plot, Lu Ning’s contract termination with Xinquan ended in failure for him, but Xinquan’s attitude was now completely different. Clearly, it was due to himself, and Lu Ning had inadvertently leveraged his influence this time.

Fu Yunshen smiled slightly, thinking it wasn’t Lu Ning’s fault; it was already commendable for an eighteen-year-old to handle a lawsuit. He said, “It’s fine; the kid has some spirit.” The hundred thousand yuan he gave was essentially for Lu Ning’s lawyer fees.

Lu Ning knew he had borrowed some prestige, but he still decided to pursue legal action and seek justice from Xinquan. He looked at the hundred thousand yuan check in his hand and understood Mr. Fu’s intention—Mr. Fu had already paid for his lawyer, hadn’t he?

However, such a contract termination lawsuit was time-consuming and labor-intensive. Lu Ning had only taken a month off from school due to the art exam and engagements, so he fully entrusted a lawyer to handle the case. With February approaching, Lu Ning needed to quickly wrap up his current matters and return to school for his studies.

Lu Ning still wanted to develop in the entertainment industry, but with his fallout with Xinquan, his immediate priority was finding a new management company. He worried that his confrontation with his former employer might have breached some industry norms, making other companies reluctant to take him on.

He meticulously prepared his resume, screened various companies in the industry, and sent his introduction to one after another, only to have his resume disappear without a trace, with no response.

Meanwhile, Lu Ning’s resume landed on Fu Yunshen’s desk.

F

Fu Yunshen signed a document, closed it, handed it to his secretary, and, without haste, asked, “What about this resume?”

The general manager of Huanyu Media, a company under the Fu family, was reporting to Fu Yunshen and brought along Lu Ning’s resume.

In the original plot, Lu Ning went through many twists and turns before eventually signing with Huanyu, but the storyline didn’t reveal this to Fu Yunshen until after significant upheaval and the revelation that Lu Ning had a child with him.

Was the plot advancing early now? It seemed somewhat different; Fu Yunshen hadn’t instructed anyone to specifically monitor Lu Ning, so the general manager of Huanyu bringing this resume…

The general manager said, “Sir, we’ve reviewed Mr. Lu Ning’s resume and assessed his various aspects. Objectively, he is indeed worth signing.”

“So?” Fu Yunshen raised an eyebrow slightly. “Do you need me to make this decision?”

“Given your past dealings with Mr. Lu Ning,” the general manager said, “most companies are hesitant to sign him, but we…,” feeling the pressure, wondered if Fu Yunshen had truly ended things with Lu Ning.

Fu Yunshen understood the general manager’s implication: his past with Lu Ning was public knowledge, leading others to assume Lu Ning was connected to him. This made other entertainment companies reluctant to sign him, leaving Huanyu as his only option.

“Since you asked,” Fu Yunshen said, “my position is not to sign.”

The general manager nodded, acknowledging, “Understood.” While Lu Ning had some potential, he wasn’t indispensable.

However, Fu Yunshen’s statement didn’t trigger a system alert.

Furrowing his brow, Fu Yunshen considered that if Huanyu didn’t sign Lu Ning now, his career in the entertainment industry would essentially be over, resembling his pitiable state in the original plot. If some coincidence led to a relationship between them, the story might circle back to its original point. Was this the implication?

After a moment of thought, Fu Yunshen seemed to understand something and changed his tone: “Forget my opinion. Handle this matter according to your own judgment.”

System: 【Plot reversal value: 10%.】

【Ah, Fifth Master, it’s reversed again! Why?】

Fu Yunshen, however, was not too concerned about the reversal value. He said, 【Have you heard of the Tower of Hanoi problem?】

【Is that the puzzle from ancient Greece?” The system, as a system, knew about all concepts, but it still didn’t quite understand what Fu Yunshen was aiming for. “Fifth Master, are you trying to achieve a sub-goal first and then proceed to the next step, solving the problem indirectly? But what’s the sub-goal in signing Lu Ning?】

【Ah! Could it be that Fifth Master you plan to follow the original plot and dote on Lu Ning, this little imp?!】

Fu Yunshen’s intelligence was on a different wavelength from the system, so he didn’t respond.

Seeing Fu Yunshen suddenly change his mind, the general manager of Huanyu Media didn’t say much: “Alright, sir, I understand. I’ll get back to work now.”

“Wait a moment.” Fu Yunshen suddenly remembered Lu Ning’s ability to get pregnant.

“Add a clause to the contract: Lu Ning cannot be involved in any romantic relationships or have any intimate encounters with anyone for the next five years.” Fu Yunshen spoke in a completely businesslike tone, without any hint of ambiguity.

The general manager was struck with realization. It seemed that Fu Yunshen still had lingering feelings for Lu Ning! Even specifying that Lu Ning couldn’t have relations with anyone else had to be included in the contract.

Fu Yunshen, recalling the plot, added, “Also, have Yu Nuo take care of him.”

In the original storyline, Yu Nuo was Lu Ning’s agent and would likely be able to maximize Lu Ning’s potential.

The general manager was even more surprised. Although Yu Nuo was a top agent in the company, Huanyu was just a relatively minor entertainment company under the Fu family. How could Fu Yunshen possibly know the name of such a minor agent? He must have looked into it personally for Lu Ning.

It was unexpected that someone as cool and rational as Fu Yunshen would care so much about an individual, especially while maintaining such a serious tone. Fu Yunshen was quite prideful.

For the first time, the general manager thought that the usually intimidating Fu Yunshen was somewhat endearing. He assured, “Understood, sir. I will make sure Lu Ning adheres strictly to the contract terms.”

…

Lu Ning wasn’t aware of the ownership structure behind Huanyu Media, but he was thrilled that such a top entertainment company was willing to sign him. He had envied Huanyu while at Xinquan for not forcing their artists into messy social events, and now his wish had come true.

Moreover, the contract Huanyu offered him was quite generous. Apart from the repeatedly emphasized clause about “no romantic relationships or intimate encounters for five years,” the rest of the terms were comparable to those offered to top stars.

When he saw Yu Nuo, the top agent, discussing future plans with him, he was even more stunned.

Despite being only eighteen, Lu Ning, who had handled his contract termination with Xinquan on his own, had grown quickly. When it came to discussing his future, he didn’t relinquish control to Yu Nuo.

“Yu Nuo, I’m sorry, but from now until June 8th, I don’t want to take any work. I want to focus on preparing for the college entrance exams,” Lu Ning stated clearly.

Lu Ning understood that being an artist meant sacrificing youth for money. Four months without exposure would surely affect his popularity, and Huanyu’s intention in signing him was likely for him to generate income. He felt he might be letting down Huanyu with such a good contract.

“You can reduce the terms of the contract or even cancel it. It’s fine with me.”

Yu Nuo, puzzled, responded, “Aren’t you already participating in the art exams? As long as your academic results are acceptable, why…?”

Many artists juggle filming and exam preparation, and with proper scheduling, issues can be avoided.

“It’s not like that, Yu Nuo,” Lu Ning explained. “The art exam results aren’t out yet, and I might not pass. Plus, I also want to try the general college entrance exams.”

Although Lu Ning had always been a top student, his grades had slipped to a middle level since entering the entertainment industry. With the college entrance exam being a once-in-a-lifetime event, he wanted to focus entirely and give it his best shot, without regrets.

Yu Nuo had reviewed Lu Ning’s film and television materials and found him to be exceptionally talented, with a certain charisma in his performances. Her initial plan was to focus on Lu Ning’s acting career. However, she was well aware of the relationship between Lu Ning and Mr. Fu and was committed to respecting Lu Ning’s wishes.

After discussing with Lu Ning in detail, Yu Nuo fully understood his intentions and said, “There’s no need to modify the contract. Focus on preparing for the college entrance exams. Also, your current living situation is unsafe and noisy, so the company has arranged an apartment for you. Please move in as soon as possible.”

“But,” she added, “after your exams, you must achieve great success. I believe in your potential.”

With Mr. Fu personally endorsing her, this was a recognition of her abilities, and she needed to deliver results to maintain his appreciation.

“Thank you so much, Yu Nuo!”

As a top agent, Yu Nuo’s goal was to make Lu Ning a star. While she couldn’t help with Lu Ning’s exam preparations, she didn’t want Lu Ning’s four-month hiatus to reflect poorly on her performance in Mr. Fu’s eyes. Thus, she sent an email to Fu Yunshen explaining the situation.

The next day, while Fu Yunshen was processing emails, Lu Ning’s name appeared in his inbox again. He recalled that in the original plot, Lu Ning’s results were quite good, although his progress was delayed by the pregnancy and contract termination issues.

【Yes, Fifth Master, in the original plot, Lu Ning, despite being pregnant and dealing with the contract termination, scored 608 on the college entrance exam.】

Fu Yunshen, who had never taken the college entrance exam himself, had some idea of what constituted a high score due to his high school-aged younger sibling.

He summoned his secretary and said, “Get me Lu Ning’s high school transcript.”

The secretary, who already filtered important emails for Fu Yunshen, knew about the email regarding Lu Ning’s college entrance exam.

“Yes, sir, I’ll get it right away.”

The secretary thought, It’s not easy to have a high school lover under the Fifth Master’s care. Not only does he provide a presidential suite for studying, but now he’s concerned about his college entrance exam choices.

Fu Yunshen, contemplating, decided to conduct an experiment. If Lu Ning, without the pregnancy, focused solely on his studies, where would his fate lead in just four months?

Then Fu Yunshen instructed, “Immediately find a top-notch college entrance exam tutoring team for Lu Ning. Tailor a study plan based on his current learning situation and help him improve his score as much as possible.”

As expected, the system alerted: 【Plot reversal value: 15%.】

The secretary was stunned: “…” The Fifth Master, who had previously arranged boxes of exam materials in a presidential suite, was now providing a top-tier tutoring team? This was madness. Was the Fifth Master’s lover going to become reclusive?

Adjusting their expression, the secretary quickly returned to professional mode, “Yes, sir. What is the budget for this? Such tutoring teams range from thousands to tens of thousands, and you’ll likely need a team dedicated to just one person.”

“Start with one million, to be drawn from my personal account.”

The system buzzed with excitement: 【Finally, Fifth Master, the usually indifferent and reserved Fu Yunshen is spending a million on his favored little star…】

Fu Yunshen coolly interrupted, 【So you’re saying that spending a million on a tutoring team increased the reversal value by 5%? Does this suggest that a good tutoring team is more effective?】

The system responded, 【Got it! Fifth Master, if Lu Ning signs under Fu’s company, doesn’t that mean you can have things your way?】

【Something like that,】 Fu Yunshen said, lightly tapping Lu Ning’s resume. 【I prefer things not to be too out of my control.】

The secretary was once again stunned: “One… one million?”

Isn’t it typical to buy a car, a house, or luxury goods for a kept lover? Why spend a million on tutoring and studying???

The Fifth Master truly goes against the norm! I wonder if the little lover will cry upon seeing his million-dollar tutor?