A top star in the Chinese entertainment industry, but also a Taoist priest.

The following afternoon, at the Huace Croton headquarters, south tower of Xiangjiang Plaza.

Liang Yin wore a professional smile, yet she didn't appear distant.

Standing opposite her was a mother and daughter; the mother was in her early forties, but well-maintained. Her gaze swept around the hall, pausing for a moment on the row of movie posters on the wall.

The girl next to him was sixteen years old, already over 1.7 meters tall, with bright and beautiful features. She had a natural air of arrogance about her, and was quietly looking in the direction of the office area.

"Ms. Wang, this way please." Liang Yin stepped aside to lead the way.

Liang Yin went through the contract terms one by one in the conference room, demonstrating professionalism and efficiency.

Ms. Wang listened attentively, occasionally asking a few questions about details—the specific scope of portrait rights, how to coordinate the conflict between studies and work, and how to allocate training resources.

The questions were sharp and incisive, clearly indicating that this wasn't the first time they'd encountered this type of contract.

Liang Yin answered them one by one, nodding to herself: This mother is extraordinary, much more reliable than the average celebrity mother.

After reviewing the terms, Wang's mother put down her pen, looked at Liang Yin, and smiled.

"Director Liang, to be honest, I originally wanted Chu Ran to take another look. She's only in her first year of high school, there's still plenty of time."

But since you guys are into dramas, I'm relieved. I've followed Gu Man's trilogy from "Shan Shan" to "Why," so I'm a long-time viewer.

Liang Yin smiled and closed the folder: "Ms. Wang, you flatter me. Shall we sign first?"

Ms. Wang nodded, signed the document, and then pushed the contract to her daughter.

Wang Churan took the pen and carefully signed his name on the last page. His handwriting was neat and precise, each stroke deliberate, making it look more like he was handing in homework than signing a signature.

After she finished signing, she looked up and, finally unable to contain her curiosity, asked in a low voice:

"Sister Liang, is that Mr. Chen you mentioned also an artist under Huace Media?"

Liang Yin was about to say "yes" when she realized something was off. It seemed that this Teacher Chen's main profession wasn't that of an entertainer.

She thought for a moment and chose the most accurate wording: "Yes and no. The Taoist priest was the first artist signed by the incubation center, but his main profession is actually a Taoist priest."

Wang Churan was stunned for a moment, and so was Wang's mother next to her.

"A Taoist priest?" The mother and daughter blurted out almost simultaneously.

"Yes." Liang Yin's smile was completely natural, though she was already inwardly lamenting how many times she would have to explain herself in the future.

"The Taoist priest is the leader of the Wenshi School. He usually cultivates in seclusion at the Zifu Temple in the capital. This time, he has come down the mountain to enter the world of cultivation."

Wang Churan opened her mouth, then closed it again.

She tried to combine the concepts of Taoist sect leader and contracted artist, but obviously failed.

She turned her head and found that her mother's expression was similar to hers.

Liang Yin smiled and stood up: "Let me take you two to meet the Taoist priest. The incubation center has just been established, and the office is right next door. From now on, we're all family."

The office door was pushed open.

Wang Churan followed her mother inside and immediately saw the person standing by the window.

Chen Shouyi stood there quietly, but the light and shadow from the window fell on him, as if automatically illuminating him.

Wang Churan thought to herself, "Wow!"

It looks so good!

She instinctively straightened up a bit, then realized that her reaction was a bit silly and quickly relaxed.

"Master," Liang Yin introduced, stepping aside, "this is Wang Churan, our newly signed promising artist, majoring in drama performance at the Shanghai Theatre Academy Affiliated School of Drama. This is Ms. Wang."

Chen Shouyi turned around, his gaze lingering on Wang Churan for a moment before landing on Wang's mother. He nodded slightly and bowed with his hands clasped in a respectful greeting.

"May the Heavenly Venerable grant you boundless blessings, benefactors."

With her greater experience, Mrs. Wang was the first to recover, and nodded with a smile:

"Master Daoist, I have long admired you. I will need your guidance in the future."

"It's not a matter of giving guidance," Chen Shouyi said. "Since we're from the same sect, it's fate that brings us together."

Wang Churan stood behind her mother, secretly observing this "Taoist senior brother".

She had initially assumed the Taoist sect leader would be a white-bearded old man, but it turned out to be a young man in his early twenties, and quite something—

She swallowed the word "handsome" back in her heart and replaced it with a more dignified word: dignified appearance.

Before she came, Sister Liang told her that the incubation center currently has another signed artist, and she thought that she would have to fight for her own filming opportunities in the future.

Now that she has seen this person in person, she suddenly feels that it might not be a bad idea after all.

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, the two men smiled and took their leave.

When Liang Yin saw Wang Churan and her mother out of the office, all three of them had smiles on their faces.

Holding Liang Yin's hand, Wang's mother's voice was filled with barely suppressed satisfaction:

"Director Liang, we're entrusting Chu Ran to you from now on. Chu Ran has been on this path since he was a child, and we are very familiar with Huace Croton's strength. Being able to sign with your company will fulfill our long-held wish."

Liang Yin smiled and nodded: "Ms. Wang, please rest assured, Chu Ran is very talented, and the company will train him well."

Wang Churan stood next to her mother and bowed respectfully: "Thank you, Director Liang."

When Liang Yin returned after seeing the person off, Fang Xu glanced at her and said with a smile, "Sister Liang, you're finally done talking. It must have been tiring talking to such knowledgeable parents."

Chen Shouyi sat beside him, holding a teacup, but didn't say anything.

Liang Yin chuckled and said, "President Fang, the parents are just asking normal questions."

Wang Churan used to be a child star, and her mother has known about this industry for a long time. They inquired about our company's background before coming here; that's called being cautious.

"I know, I know," Fang Xu waved his hand, "It's this kind of caution that's tiring. But then again, she seems to approve of our incubation center's model."

"That's normal," Liang Yin put the folder on the table. "She herself came from the path of a child star model, so she knows the difference between small companies and big companies."

"We have the backing of Huace Croton, with copyrights, projects, and broadcasting channels, so newcomers don't need to try their luck elsewhere. These kinds of parents value the starting point most."

Fang Xu chuckled twice, just about to reply, when the office door was pushed open from the outside.

When Fang Ying walked in, Fang Xu almost reflexively jumped up from the sofa, and Liang Yin also stood up straight.

"Sis? Aren't you in a meeting?" Fang Xu asked, looking surprised.

"It's over." Fang Ying replied briefly, his gaze sweeping around the office before finally settling on Chen Shouyi.

"Daoist Master, it's good that you're here." She smiled at Chen Shouyi first, automatically switching from the concise mode she used with her younger brother to a polite mode.

"How have you been in Shanghai these past few days? I've been too busy lately, so Fang Xu has been showing you around. Please don't mind."

Chen Shouyi smiled and put down his teacup: "You're too kind, Benefactor Fang. Benefactor Fang Xu made very thoughtful arrangements, and we went to several interesting places."

Hearing himself being praised, Fang Xu immediately straightened his back a bit.

Fang Ying ignored him, walked behind the desk and sat down, then took a wet wipe from the desk and wiped her hands.

"I just heard that the young girl signed the contract?"

"Signed," Liang Yin nodded, "An eight-year contract, with phased training."

"That's good." Fang Ying didn't say much and went straight to the point, "Daoist Master, I've thought about the plan I told you about last time carefully over this period of time."

Chen Shouyi's eyebrows twitched slightly, waiting for her to continue.

Fang Ying took out a schedule, spread it on the table, and pointed to each cell along the timeline.

"Master, let me be frank. You finished filming 'Qingqiu Fox' in mid-May, and started filming 'Love O2O' in June. You are the second male lead, and it will take about a month and a half to finish filming."

She looked up at Chen Shouyi and said, "The preparation period for 'Three Lives Three Worlds' is longer than expected. The art direction, costumes, props and sets are still being refined. The official start of filming will not be until at least the end of the year."

"So during those months, Master, you had no time to do anything except return to the temple to cultivate."

Chen Shouyi took the schedule and glanced at it. Fang Ying had calculated it very clearly. From late July to the end of the year, there was indeed still about half a year in between.

He nodded: "Does Master Fang mean to film another movie in between?"

"Yes." Fang Ying took out a folder, placed it on the table, and pushed it over. "I've screened the company's existing IPs and script reserves and picked a few projects suitable for the Taoist priest."