174: Chapter 174 My Sister's Choice

The server of the Imperial Capital University forum was on the brink of collapse several times because of the name "Chen Muyang."

While the eldest son, within the ivory tower, used the sharpest spear of capital to carve out his own territory, inside the independent art studio in the eastern wing of the Courtyard House, there was a secluded peace.

Huge floor-to-ceiling windows crushed the gentlest afternoon sunlight, scattering it across the polished wooden floor.

Chen Nianyao was wearing a loose white cotton dress, its hem casually stained with a few splashes of bright oil paint. She stood with her delicate bare feet on the slightly cool floor, her entire mind poured into the half-person-tall easel in front of her.

On the easel was a burning nebula.

Magnificent purple and deep blue collided and blended intensely on the canvas, with countless fine points of starlight flickering in the center of the vortex. Her gaze was focused to the extreme, as if her entire soul had been sucked into the depths of that universe, completely oblivious to everything in the outside world.

The title of Chairman of Xingyao Entertainment, those financial reports worth hundreds of millions at every turn, and those contract renewals for A-list artists were all in another world that had nothing to do with her right now.

Chen Fan's figure appeared at the studio door; he made no sound, just stood there quietly and watched for a long time.

He watched his daughter immersed in what she loved, that purity and radiance emanating from her bones, which she had never shown in any business meeting.

He walked in slowly, picked up a document on the table regarding Xingyao Entertainment's strategic plan for the next quarter, and asked casually, "Any thoughts on this project?"

"Hmm?"

Chen Nianyao woke up as if from a dream, pulling herself away from that nebula. She took the document and scanned it quickly; the artist's blurred gaze instantly faded, replaced by the precision and conciseness of a decision-maker.

"Two of the overseas distribution channels can be cut; the resources are redundant. Increase the budget for the newcomer training program by thirty percent, focusing on adaptability training for holographic technology. As for the betting agreement for Director Zhang's movie, the risk is too high; change it directly to a pure investment."

Her answer was professional and on point, without a hint of hesitation.

Yet, there wasn't a trace of passion.

It was like completing a mandatory assignment with fixed standard answers.

She put down the document, her gaze uncontrollably drifting back to the easel, and her voice was very soft: "Dad, Brother understands company matters better than I do, and he's more interested in them."

There was no complaint in her words, just a calm statement.

However, it was precisely this calmness that allowed Chen Fan to detect a deeply hidden sense of detachment. He finally confirmed that the hundred-billion entertainment empire he had personally built for his daughter was, perhaps, just an overly magnificent burden to her.

Chen Fan was silent for a moment.

He casually set aside the strategic plan worth ten billion as if throwing away a piece of irrelevant scrap paper. Then, he picked up a brush stained with cobalt blue pigment from the brush bucket and twirled it gently between his fingers.

"You like painting more than being a chairman."

He used a statement, not a question.

Chen Nianyao's body stiffened slightly.

She thought her father would be like all the heads of great families in the world, starting a conversation about responsibility, duty, and family glory. She had even prepared a set of arguments to respond to the coming "lecture."

However, what Chen Fan said next was like a meteorite falling into a still lake, completely overturning her expectations.

"Then don't do it."

Chen Fan put the brush back in the bucket, his tone as relaxed as if he were discussing how nice the weather was today.

"For Xingyao Entertainment, I will arrange for a top-tier team of professional managers to handle it. Your brother will manage the entire group in the future, and he also needs a trustworthy right-hand man to keep an eye on things."

Chen Nianyao suddenly looked up at her father, her beautiful eyes filled with disbelief.

All the reasons and explanations she had prepared were stuck in her throat; she couldn't say a single word.

She never thought that giving up a hundred-billion entertainment empire at its peak would be such a trivial matter in her father's mouth.

"Dad, I..."

"Our family doesn't need you to use your own unhappiness to contribute to the family business."

Chen Fan walked to his daughter's side and reached out, gently patting her shoulder. His gaze was gentle, yet it carried an unquestionable firmness.

"Your task is to happily do whatever you want to do. Whether it's painting or something else, as long as you like it."

He looked at the magnificent nebula painting nearing completion and changed the subject.

"Your paintings are very good; they should be seen by more people."

Chen Fan didn't give his daughter much time to react.

He took out his phone and, right in front of her, dialed Chen Haoyu's number.

The call connected, and he issued a series of instructions in an unquestionable tone.

"Contact the director of the National Art Museum of China; I want to book the best exhibition hall for next month, Central Exhibition Hall No. 1."

"Then contact the chief curators of Christie's and Sotheby's auction houses and have them each set up a top-tier team. I want to plan a solo exhibition for Nianyao. Tell them the budget is unlimited."

"Regarding promotion, coordinate directly with the Group PR Department. I want the news of this exhibition to appear on the covers of all the world's top art magazines within a month. VOGUE, Artforum, Frieze—not a single one can be missing."

Every instruction was like a giant boulder thrown into a calm lake, stirring up massive waves in Chen Nianyao's heart.

She stared blankly at her father, watching this man use the tone of arranging group strategy to roll out a red carpet made of gold and power for her personal dream, leading straight to the top of the world.

Hanging up the phone, Chen Fan looked at his daughter's shocked, speechless face and smiled.

"Go paint, paint everything you want to paint."

"Leave the rest to Dad."

Silence returned to the studio, with only the bamboo leaves outside rustling in the breeze.

Chen Nianyao looked at her unfinished painting, then at her father's profile, which was as calm as if he had only done a small thing, and her eyes, without warning, slowly turned red.

At this moment, she finally understood.

The glorious business empire was the territory her father had conquered.

And the happiness and dreams of his children were the treasures he was willing to use that entire territory to protect.

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