That evening, Su Qianqian had already taken a bath and was now wearing a lotus-pink dress, which made her skin appear even more fair and delicate.
She was eating fruit in small bites when she heard the door open. Immediately putting down her fork, she ran to the foyer like a cheerful little bird.
Gu Chengyu had just taken off his suit jacket when he saw her waiting there eagerly. Her watery almond-shaped eyes were sparkling, and her soft, gentle look made his heart melt.
"What's got you so well-behaved today?" He casually tossed his jacket aside and ruffled the top of her head.
Su Qianqian let him wrap an arm around her slender waist, taking the chance to be close, as they walked towards the sofa.
Her voice was sweet and soft: "Chengyu, there's something I want to tell you."
"Hmm?" Gu Chengyu sat down on the sofa, his long arm naturally pulling her to sit beside him. "What is it?"
Su Qianqian snuggled into his embrace, tilting her face up. The corners of her lips curved, carrying a hint of pride and a desire for praise:
"I signed a contract today! I'm now officially a signed artist with Shenshi Media!"
Gu Chengyu raised an eyebrow, genuinely a bit surprised.
He looked down at the young girl in his arms, her eyes shining brightly. He found her little expression utterly adorable and couldn't help but lower his head to kiss the tip of her nose:
"Oh? My Qianqian is so capable?"
"Sister Shu helped." Su Qianqian added quietly, her gaze pure and innocent.
Hearing Lin Shu's name, Gu Chengyu's eyes darkened slightly, but seeing the innocent look on the face of the person in his arms, he ultimately said nothing.
He pinched her cheek. "The contract? Let me see it."
Obediently, Su Qianqian took the thin contract from her bag nearby and handed it to him.
Gu Chengyu held her encircled in his arms, his chin lightly brushing against the top of her head as he casually flipped through the contract with one hand.
At first, his expression remained languid, but after turning a few pages, his brows gradually furrowed and his eyes turned cold.
The contract terms were harsh, with an extremely low profit split, yet the penalty for breach was absurdly high. It even contained some vague additional clauses aimed at controlling the artist's freedom.
These underhanded tactics were nothing new to him; he'd seen plenty.
In the past, he wouldn't have bothered asking how Lin Shu manipulated the people under her.
But now, seeing these tactics used on the young girl he was currently doting on and protecting filled him with particular disgust.
"This is the contract she got you to sign?" His voice deepened, carrying clear displeasure.
Su Qianqian seemed startled by his suddenly cold tone. Her body stiffened slightly as she turned in his embrace, her small arms wrapping around his waist, her big eyes blinking.
"What's wrong? Why are you suddenly upset? Is there a problem with the contract? Sister Shu said all newcomers get contracts like this..."
Seeing her look so naive and utterly dependent on him, the anger in Gu Chengyu's heart subsided for the most part, replaced largely by a sense of protectiveness towards her.
He closed the contract and tossed it aside casually, his large hand moving to cup the back of her neck in a soothing gesture. "It's fine. I'm here."
He lowered his head, resting his forehead against hers. "This contract is void."
"Tomorrow, I'll have Shen Que arrange for another agent to come and have you sign a new one."
Su Qianqian blinked, her long eyelashes brushing against his skin like tiny brushes. She pouted her lips slightly, her voice soft and velvety:
"But wouldn't that be too much trouble for you? And what if Sister Shu gets upset?"
Gu Chengyu cut her off, his tone mild. "Don't worry about her."
"You just need to be a good girl and listen to my arrangements."
He liked this feeling of handling everything for her while she simply needed to trust him.
Since she had come to him pure and untainted, he would protect that innocence.
Su Qianqian looked up at him, her eyes glistening. She leaned in actively, rubbing her soft cheek against his chin like a cat seeking affection.
"Okay, I'll listen to you."
"Young Master Chengyu~ You're so good to me."
Her demeanor—obedient, soft, and subtly alluring—greatly pleased Gu Chengyu.
He chuckled lowly, tightening his arm around her waist and pulling her completely into his embrace.
"That little mouth, that little voice... calling me 'Young Master' sounds nice too." He kissed the top of her head, his tone doting.
"Cooperate tonight and let me dote on you a few more times, call me that a few more times, hmm?"
Su Qianqian nestled docilely in his arms, letting him hold her. From an angle he couldn't see, the corners of her lips curved into a faint, subtle smile.
