Cheng Zhaorui was over forty and had achieved some success in his personal career. But every time he was summoned back to the old residence by his father, he would still feel an inexplicable tension and unease throughout his body.

For instance, today.

As a marginalized son like him, in previous years, he was generally not required to return to the old residence except for holidays and the old man’s birthday. But today, for some reason, as if the sun had risen from the west, his father had specifically requested his return!

What happened?

Cheng Zhaorui didn’t know.

…Something about his son?

It had to be! Besides matters related to Huanzhen, what else would his father talk to him about?

Cheng Zhaorui stepped into the old residence, apprehensive yet calm. He followed the old butler for about ten minutes and finally arrived at the door of his father’s study. The old butler knocked, and after receiving permission, opened the door and invited him in. The door was then closed.

Cheng Zhaorui bowed stiffly. “Father.”

Old Master Cheng was only 68, yet he was still hale and hearty, his eyes bright and full of spirit. He finished writing the last character with his brush, concentrating intently, then passed the brush to the side. The old butler took it. He gestured with his fingers and said to Cheng Zhaorui, “Sit.”

Cheng Zhaorui sat down, his back tense.

Old Master Cheng said slowly, “Huanzhen’s performance last year was somewhat average.”

Cheng Zhaorui said calmly, “Father, Huanzhen created a net profit of twenty million for the company’s capital city branch last summer.”

“His academic performance was also good. He entered the top five percent of his grade, won a silver medal in an international competition, and his social life is very stable, without any…”

Old Master Cheng interrupted him lightly, “These are things that little Lian from the Fang family next door can do. If Huanzhen is only like this, how is that enough?”

Cheng Zhaorui’s voice weakened slightly. “Father, Fang Lian is also very outstanding…”

Old Master Cheng glared at him. “How is outstanding enough? What we want is more outstanding, the most outstanding!”

Cheng Zhaorui: “…”

Old Master Cheng, disappointed that his grandson wasn’t living up to his potential, said, “Huanzhen is just not proactive enough right now. If he were just a bit more proactive, how could his achievements be comparable to little Lian next door?”

He changed the subject, aiming his words directly at Cheng Zhaorui. “Look at you. You’ve had Huanzhen living with you for a year, yet he hasn’t changed at all. Don’t tell me Huanzhen has been following you around, not engaging in proper work, just singing and acting all day?”

Cheng Zhaorui felt extremely wronged.

What singing and acting? He was an actor, not a singer. Besides… being an actor was a proper profession, okay!

Old Master Cheng snorted lightly. “In my opinion, it would be better to have Huanzhen come back and live with me. I’ll take charge of him.”

Cheng Zhaorui’s eyes shot up, anxious. “Father, didn’t we agree to give me two years to solve Huanzhen’s problem?”

Old Master Cheng glanced at him. “How have you solved it this past year? Has it been of any use?”

Cheng Zhaorui was speechless. “I…”

Old Master Cheng waited patiently for a while and found that his son couldn’t argue his way out of it. He snorted again in dissatisfaction.

Old Master Cheng: “Forget it. I wasn’t really counting on you anyway. Recently, Old Brother Fang recommended an interesting method to me.”

As Old Master Cheng spoke, the old butler cooperatively took out a piece of paper from the side and handed it to Cheng Zhaorui.

Old Master Cheng waved his hand. “Go and look into it. If the price is right, hand this problem over to them to handle.”

Cheng Zhaorui gripped the paper in his hand tightly.

He didn’t know where the contact information on it led, but he knew it must be to a place that would make his son even less of a “human.”

He was silent for a long while, then swallowed his resistance and said, “Yes, Father.”

---

Lin Chen calmly watched the performance of the middle-aged man in front of him.

Cheng Zhaorui was very serious, his hand gestures matching his words. “To solve this problem of my son’s, I have hired 13 internationally renowned education experts and consulted with 18 of the world’s top psychologists.”

“But none of them could change my son one bit!”

“I know your previous methods—your last client, Fang Chengyu, had a good background. And the personality of the Fang family’s younger son was indeed easy for you to satisfy and change.”

“But, my son is different!”

“The Fang family’s younger son lacks love. My son lacks nothing.”

“Not only does he not lack anything, he doesn’t want anything. He has no desires. You can’t possibly use your old methods to solve these problems my son has!”

“Of course, since I called you and am sitting here with you, I certainly hope you can accept the Cheng family’s commission.”

“But I must warn you in advance. The Cheng family is not an easy family to fool. Whatever effect is stated in the contract, we want to see exactly that effect. If there is even the slightest deviation in the effect, we will not accept it!”

“So, you must think carefully about whether you have the confidence and certainty to change my son, and then decide whether to accept the commission.”

Lin Chen listened patiently for nearly ten minutes.

From beginning to end, this father had been arguing from various angles about the difficulty and impossibility of this transformation task.

He especially emphasized “what kind of repercussions from the Cheng family would befall them if they failed to deliver what was promised in the contract.”

The words were exaggerated, the “threats” severe.

It was as if—

“You don’t wish for us to accept the Cheng family’s commission, do you, Mr. Zhaorui?” Lin Chen interrupted Cheng Zhaorui’s words with a gentle smile.

Cheng Zhaorui’s voice came to an abrupt halt, his expression instantly becoming absurd and angry.

His face flushed red, he slammed the table heavily, knocking over his chair as he stood up. “What did you say? Are you questioning a father’s concern for his son?”

He rolled up his sleeves and pointed a finger to some unknown place in the sky.

His expression was mournful, his voice choked with emotion, every word hitting the ground. “You have no idea how much my heart aches as a father, seeing Zhen’er with this kind of problem! I remember back then…”

Lin Chen once again calmly interrupted the performance and words of this father, whose profession was indeed an actor. “Was it your father, Old Master Cheng, who asked you to contact me, Mr. Zhaorui?”

Cheng Zhaorui’s voice once again came to an abrupt halt. “…”

He lowered his eyes to look at Lin Chen, his tone suddenly becoming very cold.

Cheng Zhaorui: “Mr. Lin, let’s not discuss other issues. At the very least, you should respect the old and cherish the young, and let me finish explaining the situation first.”

The system muttered softly, “What he clearly didn’t finish were his lines.”

Lin Chen smiled. “Your son’s desires are extremely low, his subjective initiative is almost zero, and he lacks hobbies and personality, as if he’s a ‘puppet’—I have already understood all these situations.”

He paused. “And your main request: ‘to stimulate Cheng Huanzhen’s subjective initiative, allowing him to continue to break through his current achievements and become even more outstanding,’ I am also very clear about.”

Cheng Zhaorui was a bit agitated. “No, you’re not clear at all!”

Lin Chen calmly continued, “We are confident we can solve this request. We can accept it. The base price is thirty million, and the service period is one full year.”

Cheng Zhaorui tried his best to remain calm, but the ugly look on his face was hard to hide.

Cheng Zhaorui said wearily, “Do you know what the consequences will be if you sign the contract but fail to deliver? I sincerely advise you to go back and have a good discussion about this issue with all the employees in your studio. Make sure you are ab-so-lute-ly sure before you come back!”

Lin Chen steepled his fingers, leaned his body forward slightly, and looked at Cheng Zhaorui with a smile.

Lin Chen: “Of course, at the same time, I am also very clear that this request is actually Old Master Cheng’s request, not yours.”

Cheng Zhaorui was taken aback.

Cheng Zhaorui: “You…”

Lin Chen said, “Mr. Zhaorui, please be clear about one thing—”

Lin Chen: “The ‘Professional True Young Master Actor’ studio is the Top 1 acting studio globally, gathering the world’s most outstanding professional actors and the most professional support teams, including intelligence, psychological analysis, and action planning teams.”

“So, you can feel free to estimate our capabilities.”

“There is a lot we can do.”

“As long as the payment is in place, the ‘Professional True Young Master Actor’ studio can solve all the difficult and miscellaneous problems of the young masters in your family.”

“In other words—”

“If you wish to add your own request on top of Old Master Cheng’s, that is also not impossible.”

Cheng Zhaorui’s pupils constricted.

The deep pupils were entwined with a bewitching blackness. The young man revealed a faint smile. His age didn’t seem great, but the feeling he gave was that of a mature elder who had been through countless trials and tribulations.

Lin Chen extended a hand towards him and asked with a smile, “Now, please sit down. Then tell me, what is your request?”

Cheng Zhaorun subconsciously bent down, righted his chair, and sat down again opposite Lin Chen.

His request?

He was silent for a moment, then said slowly, “My request… is just that I hope he can be more like a person, not a family’s string puppet—”

His voice paused as he suddenly realized his slip of the tongue.

His face was calm, his speech quickening. “Of course, this request is only out of my selfish desire as a ‘father.’ It doesn’t take into account the development of the Cheng family’s heir, nor can it coexist with my father’s request. So, you don’t have to…”

Lin Chen said gently, “I said, Mr. Zhaorui, please trust our studio’s professional capabilities.”

Lin Chen: “Your father hopes that Cheng Huanzhen will develop motivation and use that motivation for what he considers ‘proper channels.’ And you hope that your son can find himself—perhaps a hobby, perhaps a dream, but in short, to find his desire. Is my understanding correct, Mr. Zhaorui?”

Cheng Zhaorui was silent again, his words finally calm. “But he has no desires. How will you find them? And if his desires conflict with my father’s expectations… what will you do then?”

Lin Chen said softly, “If there are no desires, then we will help him create them.”

Lin Chen: “As long as this desire points in the right direction, I think—you won’t care how this desire is created.”

“As for the issue of his desires possibly conflicting with the older generation’s expectations—please don’t worry, this issue has already been factored into the contract amount.”

Cheng Zhaorui: “…”

Cheng Zhaorui asked calmly, “How much more will it cost?”

Lin Chen: “Thirty million for Old Master Cheng’s request, thirty million for your request, and thirty million to reconcile the conflict between your and the Old Master’s requests, as well as any possible conflicts between the two of you.”

Lin Chen smiled brightly. “A total of ninety million. Thank you for your patronage.”