The dinner gathering that evening had been arranged by Sister Li, at the Regent Grand Restaurant in Capital City.
She had reserved a private room and invited only Lu Chen and Lu Xi. Accompanying her was her son, Zhang Junzhi.
Compared to the last time they had met, Zhang Junzhi was noticeably more mature and sensible.
The entertainment industry was a very realistic place, but it was also one that tempered and polished people quickly. Although he had debuted only recently, the young man was already beginning to display the bearing and charisma of a star.
As the leader of Little Tiger Group, Zhang Junzhi had become one of the most popular new artists in the entertainment industry. After making their debut on Singing China, he and his two teammates immediately attracted enormous attention. Their Wave Blog follower counts rose steadily, and they became idols in the hearts of countless teenagers.
More importantly, Zhang Junzhi was not an overnight success.
Back when he had played the young Yin Junxi in Autumn in My Heart, he had already accumulated a considerable fan base. The success of Little Tiger Group had simply allowed him to complete a magnificent transformation.
The song "Butterflies Fly," specially written by Lu Chen for Little Tiger Group, had by now become widely popular. It was especially common in elementary and secondary schools across the country, where it had become a regular part of campus broadcast playlists.
From Wandering Band to MSN and now Little Tiger Group, Lu Chen seemed to possess an almost magical ability to make people successful. That was why the nickname "Golden Hand" had become so widespread within the entertainment industry that it had even reached Hong Kong.
When Zhang Junzhi saw Lu Chen, he was clearly delighted.
He repeatedly addressed him as "Teacher Lu," poured tea for him, and attended to him with courtesy and respect.
Lu Chen smiled.
"There's no need to be so formal. Competing in a talent show must have been pretty exhausting, right?"
The 2016 season of Capital City Television's Singing China had concluded not long ago.
Little Tiger Group had stood out among countless contestants and achieved an impressive third-place finish in the highly anticipated live singing competition.
Although they had ultimately lost in the finals to two exceptionally strong opponents, the three boys had performed admirably. It was a case of losing with honor. Lu Chen himself had watched the live broadcast of the final.
After taking his seat, Zhang Junzhi replied,
"It wasn't too bad. Not especially exhausting. My mom stayed with me the whole time. She was the one who worked the hardest."
Lu Xi smiled and said, "Then you must be very filial to your mother in the future."
Zhang Junzhi nodded seriously.
"I definitely will, Sister Lu Xi."
As Sister Li looked at her handsome and well-behaved son, her eyes were filled with pride and affection.
What she was most proud of was not the business she had built after years of struggling in the entertainment industry, nor the wealth and status she now possessed.
It was the fact that she had raised Zhang Junzhi.
For her son, Sister Li would willingly give up everything.
The first topic Sister Li discussed after inviting Lu Chen and Lu Xi over concerned the affairs of the Chen Fei Charity Foundation.
The foundation had been jointly established and registered earlier that year by Lu Chen and Chen Fei'er. Its mission was to help leukemia patients from impoverished families obtain treatment and medical assistance.
During the six-plus months since its launch, the foundation had already helped hundreds of leukemia patients, earning both Lu Chen and Chen Fei'er widespread praise and goodwill from the public.
At present, the foundation was operating smoothly. Its finances were being effectively supervised and managed, and Sister Li, as the foundation's chairperson, undoubtedly deserved much of the credit.
Then Sister Li revealed a surprising decision.
"I've already decided to sell off most of my shares in my talent agency."
She continued:
"From now on, I'm going to focus entirely on managing the foundation and taking care of Junzhi. I don't want to concern myself with anything else anymore."
Lu Chen and Lu Xi were both stunned.
The Rainbow Agency, founded by Sister Li, was considered one of Capital City's established talent agencies. Over the years, it had produced numerous popular stars.
Although its standing in the entertainment industry could not compare with the top-tier giants, it was unquestionably among the industry's first-class agencies.
Rainbow Agency was a company that embodied Sister Li's life's work.
For twenty years, she had managed it diligently and conscientiously. The agency had built an excellent reputation and extensive industry connections. Even its competitors spoke of it with respect and admiration.
Now Sister Li was saying that she intended to sell Rainbow Agency.
How could Lu Chen and Lu Xi not be shocked?
Lu Chen immediately said,
"Sister Li, actually…"
Sister Li smiled and interrupted him.
"You don't need to try to persuade me. The truth is, I've been very tired these past years. I've wanted to put everything down and enjoy life for a long time now."
She continued,
"Managing the charity foundation is the most suitable thing for me at this stage. It's not as exhausting or stressful, but it also keeps me busy so I won't feel empty or bored. And doing good deeds and helping others gives me a much greater sense of fulfillment."
"As for money, I've already earned enough. Any more is just a number."
"Besides, I still have Junzhi."
Lu Chen and Lu Xi exchanged glances.
Both could tell that Sister Li had truly made up her mind this time. It was a decision she had reached only after careful consideration.
Lu Chen said sincerely,
"Being able to know someone like you, Sister Li, is my good fortune."
Sister Li laughed awkwardly.
"Oh, stop it. Meeting you and Fei'er, that's what I call good fortune!"
Lu Xi pursed her lips in a smile.
"We're all fortunate, then. Let's have a toast together."
"Cheers!"
Everyone raised their glasses.
For a moment, the small private dining room was filled with a warm and pleasant atmosphere.
Tap. Tap.
At that moment, someone lightly knocked on the door.
The next instant, a hotel attendant pushed it open, and a middle-aged man walked inside.
His gaze quickly swept around the room. It lingered briefly on Lu Chen before he nodded politely. Then his eyes settled on Sister Li, and a gentle smile appeared on his face.
"I just heard from a friend that you were having dinner here tonight, so I thought I'd come by and say hello. I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"
The man was tall and elegant in bearing.
In his younger days, he had undoubtedly been a very handsome man. Although time had left traces on his face, it had brought maturity rather than old age. His manner of speaking was refined, and he carried himself with considerable confidence.
A man like this would certainly be very popular with women, the sort who rarely encountered failure in matters of romance.
However, the moment he appeared, Zhang Junzhi's face darkened.
He turned his head away, picked up some food with his chopsticks, and stuffed it into his mouth, chewing with obvious irritation.
Sister Li looked surprised at first, but quickly stood up with a smile.
"It's not an interruption. Come to think of it, we haven't seen each other in quite a long time."
Then she tugged gently at her son.
"Junzhi, don't be so rude."
Reluctantly, Zhang Junzhi put down his chopsticks and stood up.
"Dad."
The greeting sounded forced and unwilling.
As he spoke, his eyes drifted toward a corner of the room instead of looking at the man directly.
This middle-aged man was none other than Zhang Shaoqiu, Sister Li's ex-husband and Zhang Junzhi's biological father.
Zhang Shaoqiu stepped forward with a smile.
"Junzhi has really grown up. I watched Singing China. Your performance was outstanding. In my opinion, the championship should have been yours..."
He tried very hard to praise his son.
What he received in return, however, was only indifference and disregard.
The awkward response left Zhang Shaoqiu somewhat embarrassed, forcing him to change the subject.
"This must be Teacher Lu Chen, right?"
Lu Chen smiled politely.
"Hello, Mr. Zhang."
Lu Chen himself had not expected that he would meet, in person, the man who was famously known throughout the entertainment industry as a modern-day Chen Shimei.
(Chen Shimei is a notorious figure from Chinese opera and folklore, remembered for abandoning his wife and family after achieving success. Calling someone a "Chen Shimei" is a harsh criticism implying that they are unfaithful, ungrateful, or have abandoned their spouse and family for personal gain.)
(End of Chapter)
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