yournovel Chapter 423 It really is a case of using gold to buy a horse's bones.
Chapter 423 It really is a case of using gold to buy a horse's bones.
Chapter 423 It really is a case of spending a fortune to buy a horse's bones.
The little BMW cruised smoothly through the bustling streets.
Outside the car window, colorful neon signs flashed incessantly, casting vibrant light and shadow freely into the car.
Amidst the shifting light and shadows inside the carriage, the group exchanged a few brief and casual words before falling into silence.
At this moment, only the steady, deep roar of the engine became the only background sound breaking the silence.
Shang Wenjie sat in the back seat, unconsciously pursing her lips slightly.
Although the radiator vents continuously blew out warm air, making her feel cozy all over, a subtle chill inexplicably rose in her heart that she couldn't shake off.
She glanced at Lin Yourong in the driver's seat through the rearview mirror.
She stared intently at the road ahead, her focused expression seemingly shielding her from everything around her except driving. She exuded a chilling aura that kept strangers at bay.
Shang Wenjie unconsciously fiddled with the hem of her clothes.
With the thought of Lin Su joining the recording of "I Am a Singer" tomorrow in mind, I was trying to find a suitable topic to break the somewhat awkward silence, but I really didn't know where to start.
The feeling of restraint grew stronger, making her inexplicably restless.
Yu Huan, on the other hand, seemed to have lost all her strength, slumping lazily in the chair.
Suddenly, she raised her hand to cover her mouth and let out a big yawn. A few drops of physiological tears welled up in the corners of her eyes. Sleepiness surged in like a tidal wave, and for a moment, she felt that her eyelids were so heavy that she could hardly lift them.
The BMW slowly drove into the bustling May Day commercial district.
The bustling crowds under the neon lights and the dazzling array of shop signs all seem to proclaim the vibrant nightlife of this city.
We're getting closer and closer to our destination...
Yu Huan perked up, her voice still carrying a hint of lingering drowsiness, with a lazy and casual tone, as if speaking nonchalantly: "Sister Shang, I'm actually quite curious, how much do you usually pay songwriters when you collect songs?"
This sudden question instantly broke the long-standing silence inside the car.
Upon hearing this, Shang Wenjie subconsciously sat up slightly, hesitated for a moment, and then glanced at Lin Su in the driver's seat.
Without mincing words, he answered frankly, "These days, the common practice in the industry for acquiring songs is to buy them outright. As for the price, it depends on factors such as the fame of the lyricist and composer, and the quality of the work. I would probably offer anywhere from a few thousand to tens of thousands, depending on the specific circumstances."
She paused slightly as she spoke.
As if worried that Yu Huan might not understand the meaning of a buyout, he slowed down his speech and explained, "A buyout, simply put, means that the royalties for the lyrics and music are paid in a lump sum, and the copyright holder will no longer participate in the operation and distribution of the song."
Yu Huan's lips curled into a bright smile, and she joked in a lighthearted tone, "So, you're saying that you give a few thousand to Kalami, but if you choose a work by a well-known musician, you'll be more generous and give tens of thousands, right?"
Although it's rumored that Vincent Fang buys out 8,000 yuan per word, he is indeed a top-tier lyricist, and only Jay Chou could afford such a high price; the two complement each other.
Shang Wenjie also laughed, nodded slightly, and said without a doubt, "That's right, that's roughly the market rate, and that's basically how it works in the industry."
After laughing, perhaps because the conversation had gotten going, he casually asked, "Teacher Yu, I'd really like to know, how much do you get paid for writing a song these days?"
As soon as she asked the question, Shang Wenjie glanced quickly at the rearview mirror inside the car and saw Lin Su in the driver's seat, who was focused on driving. She quickly added, "Teacher Yu, please don't misunderstand. I just asked casually. It's okay if it's inconvenient to say."
Yu Huan waved his hand dismissively, his smile undiminished, still maintaining his bright and cheerful demeanor.
"To be honest, Sister Shang, when I wrote songs for Susu, I didn't really think about the price. First of all, we've been friends for a long time, and secondly, when I was creating the songs, I was only thinking about how to match her style so that she could sing them. The payment was secondary."
talking.
He turned slightly to the side, his movements casual and natural, and looked at Shang Wenjie in the back seat.
Her clear eyes revealed undisguised sincerity and candor as she frankly confessed, "To be honest, back when I was still a little Kalami, the first song I wrote for her was 'It's You,' which became somewhat popular after its release. I just handed her an A4 sheet of paper, and Susu transferred 100,000 yuan to me without hesitation. Moreover, that was the only song for which I bought out the full copyright. As for her later works, although she didn't directly transfer money, she gave me a share of the royalties."
Yu Huan spoke frankly and openly, and it was all the truth.
Sister Ru also owns shares in the studio, and everything is done properly. It's not some husband-and-wife business; all of this is done transparently.
Upon hearing this, Shang Wenjie lowered her eyes slightly and nodded thoughtfully a few times: "That Lin Su really is spending a fortune to buy a horse's bones."
Lin Yourong lightly turned the steering wheel to the right, her lips twitching imperceptibly beneath her mask. She thought to herself, "This jerk is lying to me again, even though I did give him 100,000 yuan..."
There was a brief moment of silence inside the car.
Yu Huan lazily slumped back into her seat, gazing through the windshield at the bustling street outside.
He suddenly asked, "Sister Shang, is it alright to just drop you off by the square?"
Shang Wenjie, who was lost in her own thoughts and slightly absent-minded, was startled by these words and subconsciously glanced quickly out the window.
The towering twin towers come into view, their clear glass curtain walls resembling a giant mirror, reflecting all the dazzling lights of the surrounding neon lights, creating a dreamlike scene.
Shang Wenjie immediately snapped out of her daze, deftly slung her shoulder bag over her shoulder, straightened her slightly disheveled clothes, and nodded in response: "Okay, the square is fine. Thank you for your help today—Lin Su, you've had a long journey!"
"Sister Shang, it's nothing, just a small favor. We were going that way anyway." Lin Yourong replied softly, her hands busy as she skillfully turned the steering wheel, guiding the BMW slowly and smoothly toward the curb.
Shang Wenjie leaned forward slightly, her upper body tilting towards the middle of the seat. Through the rearview mirror in the car, she carefully looked at Yu Huan, who looked tired.
With a smile in her voice, she said earnestly and expectantly, "Teacher Yu, if you have any masterpieces that fit my style, please think of me! If you can help me solve my urgent need for movie OSTs, that would be even better. As for the price or details such as royalty sharing, we can discuss them."
Yu Huan rubbed her sleepy eyes, grinned, and replied politely, "Sister Shang, don't worry, if there's anything suitable, I'll definitely have Sister Ru send it to you as soon as possible."
Hearing his polite words, Shang Wenjie nodded solemnly and said, "Thank you, Teacher Yu. I sincerely hope to have the opportunity to cooperate with you."
During their conversation, the BMW came to a smooth stop at the edge of the square.
After Shang Wenjie finished speaking, she reached for the door handle and pushed the car door open with a little force. In an instant, a biting cold wind rushed into the car.
She flinched slightly, quickly wrapped her coat tighter around herself, and stepped out with her right foot onto the curb.
However, she didn't rush to get out of the car. Instead, she stopped, turned around, and thanked the two people in the car again with sincere eyes: "Thank you so much for today. I'm so grateful to Lin Su for driving me home. It's windy outside, so please be careful on your way back."
Yu Huan sat up a little straighter, her voice filled with polite concern: "Okay, Sister Shang, take care and get some rest when you get back."
Shang Wenjie nodded slightly and made a short "hmm" sound through her nose in response. She then got out of the car steadily and gently touched the door shut.
She stood quietly by the roadside, looking up to see the BMW slowly start and gradually merge into the endless stream of cars.
After flashing its red taillights a few times, it disappeared into the bustling traffic in an instant.
Shang Wenjie's thoughts were still on the conversation in the car earlier. The music producer 'Mr. Y', who was praised by Liang Qiaobo and Hu Jiyan, had established Lin Su's status as the most popular female singer of the new generation with two hit songs in a row.
Although she finally met him in person today, Shang Wenjie felt inexplicably melancholy.
She sighed softly, the sigh dissipating like smoke in the cold wind. She pulled her coat collar tighter, then walked towards the hotel with slightly heavy steps...
The reason why the BMW's brake lights flashed a few times, disrupting the smooth driving rhythm, was because Yu Huan, who was originally slumped in the passenger seat, suddenly leaned close to Lin Yourong's shoulder, his nose almost touching her neck, and took several deep breaths.
This sudden action caused Lin Yourong to subconsciously lightly apply the brakes, and the brief friction between the wheels and the ground caused the BMW to lurch.
Realizing that Yu Huan was just sniffing her, Lin Yourong was both amused and exasperated. She quickly freed one hand from the steering wheel, bent her fingers slightly, and gently pushed Yu Huan's head, scolding, "What are you doing? We're on the main road, sit properly."
"Wife, you smell so good!" Yu Huan sighed, completely ignoring Lin Yourong's scolding, and rested his head on her finger.
Lin Yourong chuckled, her eyes crinkling into crescents.
Yu Huan took another deep breath, as if to lock the rich fragrance into her lungs, and then slumped back into her seat with satisfaction.
He clicked his tongue and explained, "Honey, you have no idea, that little sapling guy was like a leech, always sticking to me. The worst part was that his perfume was so strong it was pungent, it gave me a headache! Shang Wenjie's perfume wasn't as overpowering, but the car was small and stuffy, so the smell was just as strong, it really suffocated me!"
Lin Yourong gripped the steering wheel firmly with both hands, her almond-shaped eyes beneath the brim of her hat sparkling with a smile: "I also wore perfume."
"That's different. Your scent is so comforting and refreshing. No one else can compare." As she spoke, Yu Huan turned slightly to the side, bringing her head closer to Lin Yourong again. She took another deep breath.
Seeing this, Lin Yourong shook her head helplessly, focused on the road ahead, and let him go.
Yu Huan straightened his crooked body and suddenly asked, "Wife, what do you think?"
"What do you mean, how do you see it?" Lin Yourong quickly turned her head and glanced at Yu Huan.
After a brief moment of thought, a knowing look appeared on her face, and she said, "Darling, I think it's the right thing for you not to make any promises to Shang Wenjie. Think about it, writing lyrics and composing music is different from other things; it tests your inspiration. If you don't have suitable lyrics and music for her, wouldn't that be a waste of time and energy, and you might even offend someone for no reason... Besides, you've been focusing all your energy on my new album lately, and you've already worked very hard."
Yu Huan listened quietly, a faint smile unconsciously appearing on her lips.
My wife's statement isn't entirely true.
Take, for example, the theme song that Shang Wenjie requested that matched the theme of "A Wedding Invitation." It was originally a formulaic and clichéd romance film, and there were quite a few songs that met the requirements.
The reason he didn't agree immediately was ultimately because he wasn't very keen on dealing with people in the entertainment industry.
Even when exchanging contact information with Liang Qiaobo, they secretly saved each other's phone numbers to avoid unnecessary small talk and formalities if others saw them.
Although Yu Huan knew in his heart that he couldn't indiscriminately condemn all people, those talented or virtuous veteran artists were certainly worthy of respect, but there was no need for them to wade into this mess.
Furthermore, the industry standard is what it is.
As Shang Wenjie previously stated, a well-known music creator only earns tens of thousands of yuan for a song, and the copyright of the lyrics and music is transferred in one go, with all copyrights bought out.
Right now, unless Lin Yourong's new album is released to great acclaim and causes a stir in the music industry, thus solidifying the "Mr. Y" brand, the price Shang Wenjie can offer certainly won't be very high.
Outside the car window, the city's neon lights flickered and dappled, passing through Lin Yourong's eyes and illuminating Yu Huan's thoughtful face.
The traffic light suddenly turned red, and Lin Yourong steadily stepped on the brake. Taking advantage of the moment while waiting for the light to turn red, she turned her head and glanced at her husband beside her.
She freed one hand and placed it on the back of his hand, stroking it with her fingertips, saying, "Don't think too much. Just focus on what's in front of you right now. You've been working so hard on my new song lately, it's almost Chinese New Year, you should take a break."
Yu Huan felt a warmth in his heart, and took her hand in return, the warmth flowing from his palm straight to his heart.
He nodded slightly and replied, "You too, you're going to join the recording of the show tomorrow. Although you're very capable, recording a show is not the same as a regular performance. There are a lot of things that are mentally and physically demanding. Don't put too much pressure on yourself, just relax."
"Yes!" Lin Yourong nodded emphatically.
(End of this chapter)