Chapter 171, page 170: Be careful not to tear the egg.
After an afternoon of discussion, all the details of the Tom and Jerry merchandise copyright contract, as well as the specific procedures for signing the contract with Lin Gaoyuan, were settled one by one during their conversation.
It has to be said that the coffee shop is indeed a great place. Not only is the environment quiet, but you can also enjoy the air conditioning for free all afternoon with just a latte.
“Aunt Li, I estimate my father-in-law will contact you tonight. Even though our intention is to sell you off halfway, we still have to put on an act,” Jiang Xia said.
"I know that, I'll make sure he doesn't notice anything amiss." Li Weiya nodded with a smile. "Then shall we call it a day?"
She lazily stretched out her arms, revealing her graceful curves. After doing this all afternoon, her neck was sore.
"If Aunt Li wants to invite me to dinner again, that's fine too," Jiang Xia said with a grin.
"Isn't coffee enough for you?"
She rolled her eyes: "Forget about dinner. I have to go back and cook for A-Ming. He's completely absorbed in Tom and Jerry right now, staying up all night every day. Once this busy period is over, you'll have to give him a break and let him rest properly."
Li Weiya couldn't help but reveal a hint of resentment. She was heartbroken for her son every day. Not only was he dumped a while ago, but now he's busier than her every day.
Jiang Xia felt inexplicably embarrassed. He had indeed been quite ruthless in exploiting Wang Ming, mainly because there wasn't enough manpower and time was tight, which meant that he was either working overtime or on his way to work overtime every day. Even he, as the boss, had to divide his time in half.
“Aunt Li, although he’s a bit tired now, these experiences are essential for A-Ming. I plan to hand over the Tom and Jerry project to him from now on, so he has to grow up quickly.” He said very seriously.
For Lao Wang, it was a friendship spanning two lifetimes; he truly regarded Lao Wang as a good brother in life and a right-hand man in business.
Li Weiya was stunned. Tom and Jerry had the potential to be a cash cow and was the foundation of Qitian Animation Company. Was it too frivolous to hand it over to a newcomer in the industry?
"Ah Xia, although I know you two brothers have a good relationship, but... it really won't work."
Li Weiya shook her head and said, "In all my years in the industry, I've seen many terrible directors ruin a good film. Amin's current abilities are not up to the task. Don't let him ruin Tom and Jerry."
Jiang Xia smiled. He knew Wang Ming's talent very well. This was a genius who independently created excellent short animations in college and won the Best Animation Award. Give him some time, and he would definitely be able to stand on his own.
After all, as an episodic series, Tom and Jerry is not complicated in essence; its core is just a series of interesting little conflicts.
"That's why I want him to study hard. Tom and Jerry is the foundation of my initial wealth. I don't have the extra time and energy to spend on a children's work in the future, but I don't trust others to take over, so I have to let him take the lead. Besides, don't you have to assist him?"
Upon hearing this, Li Weiya felt a little complicated. She knew Jiang Xia's personality very well. This wasn't just empty promises; it was a genuine revelation. Even the closest people would find it difficult to be so open and honest with each other.
Suddenly, she became determined to resign.
"I will teach him well, don't worry," Li Weiya said.
Jiang Xia chuckled. He saw the affirmation in Li Weiya's eyes, and figured that his resignation could be brought forward by a few days.
The two left the coffee shop. The sun was already setting, and the occasional breeze carried a slight chill.
The car started slowly, and Jiang Xia rolled down the window, rested his elbow on the windowsill, closed his eyes, and felt the gentle breeze.
One by one, the problems around him were resolved, and now he had persuaded Li Weiya to join him. She was like a pillar of strength, giving Jiang Xia an infinite sense of security.
With over ten years of experience in the industry, he not only has a wealth of expertise but also abundant resources and connections, making him an indispensable leader in the team.
"Xia, I'd like to hear your development plan for the company. Is it convenient for you to tell me?" Li Weiya asked, glancing at him as she drove.
He nodded. Li Weiya was not an outsider, and the general plan was not a trade secret.
"At present, we will definitely focus on stability, and develop TV, online and related toy sales around Tom and Jerry, and strive to create the most popular children's animation IP. We will consider producing new projects after the studio has grown and expanded."
For example?
Li Weiya suddenly became interested. The production cycle of a new project is not short. Sometimes, just the project initiation can take one or two months of repeated discussions. Yet he could say these words so casually, which clearly meant that he already had new ideas.
"It could be an action-packed story, or it could be a sports story, but it's hard to say for sure," Jiang Xia said after thinking for a moment.
"Not for children?"
Li Weiya was slightly surprised. In her opinion, since Qitian Animation Company started with children's animation and had accumulated a certain audience, it should continue to delve into new projects. Wouldn't changing tracks at this time be a waste of Tom and Jerry's popularity?
Not for now.
He gently shook his head and said, "The Tom and Jerry theme can be done for a very long time, and can even continue indefinitely. If my second animation is also aimed at children, it will give Qitian Animation Company a fixed label that only makes children's animation, which will be very detrimental to the company's future development."
In fact, he does have quite a few classic children's works in his head, such as SpongeBob SquarePants, Crayon Shin-chan, or Woody the Woodpecker and Bugs Bunny. Any one of them could earn him a lot of money, but his ambition is much greater.
“If someone else said that to me, I would definitely think he was all talk and no action, and that he was just a big talker.”
Li Weiya's tone was somewhat helpless, perhaps because Jiang Xia had created Tom and Jerry at the age of eighteen, she had a kind of blind trust.
“Aunt Li, you should know very well that children’s works only account for a small part of the audience, and my dream is to make sure that people of any age can find animations they like to watch in my company,” Jiang Xia said with a smile.
Li Weiya was shocked. This was no ordinary boast. Could someone really accomplish this?
She took a few deep breaths, completely ignoring the fresh pancake; this kid had almost fooled her.
“Those things are too far away for you and me. Today, your Aunt Li will teach you another lesson: be practical, take things one step at a time, and focus on the present. Do you understand? If you take too big a step, you might tear your balls.”
After saying that, she blushed slightly, realizing that her analogy was somewhat inappropriate.
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