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As they were talking, Jian Yu suddenly heard her phone ring. She picked it up and saw that the caller was Lin Beichen.
As soon as the call connected, Lin Beichen's voice came through, "The film and television rights to my novel have been bought, and they say they're going to make it into a TV series!"
"Wow, that's great!"
Jian Yu thought it was fine, but felt that Lin Beichen's tone seemed to lack some of the joy that should have been there, and instead carried a hint of sadness.
So she asked curiously, "Then why do you seem a little down?"
Lin Beichen sighed and explained, "When signing the contract, I requested to retain the adaptation rights, which they agreed to at the time, and we signed the contract smoothly. However, when I asked to see their adapted script, they refused outright."
Upon hearing this, Jian Yu's first reaction was that the production company's so-called adaptation rights to Lin Beichen were merely nominal; in reality, they didn't intend to actually use his adapted content.
Lin Beichen clearly shared the same concerns, which explained his sullen demeanor.
Jian Yu asked, "If they won't give it to you, they should at least give an explanation, right?"
Lin Beichen nodded.
Then, she continued, "Because of this, I've already had a falling out with them, and even mentioned wanting to take back the copyright. But the problem now is that the penalty for breach of contract in the contract was too high, and I..."
"How high is 'too high'?"
"ten times!"
Lin Beichen's voice was filled with frustration.
Jian Yu was shocked and asked in bewilderment, "How could it be so high? One time the penalty for breach of contract is already high enough, at most a few times, why would you sign a contract for ten times?"
Faced with such a huge penalty for breach of contract, Lin Beichen was completely deflated and said weakly, "I was so naive back then. I was fooled by their sweet talk. It's too late to say anything now. The situation is set and can't be changed."
Seeing his distress, Jian Yu quickly comforted him and offered advice, "Don't be discouraged, why don't you consult a professional lawyer first? Maybe there's still a chance."
Lin Beichen shook his head, his eyes becoming much more dull. "It's no use. I've tried everything. My lawyer told me that the contract is legal and compliant in terms of its content, and if we really go to court, my chances of winning are extremely slim. So, I only have two paths in front of me: either grit my teeth and agree to their proposed adaptation, or obediently pay a large sum of money to get the copyright back as stipulated in the contract."
Jian Yu frowned. "So what are your plans now?"
Lin Beichen sighed deeply, as if all his strength had been drained away. "What else can I think? It's come to this, I can only accept my fate."
Jian Yu pressed further, "Do you really agree with their adaptation plan?"
Lin Beichen hesitated for a moment, then slowly nodded, his tone becoming somewhat heavy, "Yes."
If you don't want to lose ten times the amount, this is probably your only option.
Jian Yu said, "Forget it, I'll learn from this experience. Next time I sign a contract, I'll be very careful and make sure I understand every single clause."
Lin Beichen nodded, "That's the only way."
Jian Yu comforted him, "Okay, don't be too discouraged. Now that the decision has been made, don't dwell on it anymore. Put these worries aside and come out to relax, okay?"
Lin Beichen hesitated for a moment before nodding and suggesting, "Hmm... okay, where should we go? How about we go to a karaoke bar and sing some songs? Let's vent our frustrations."
Jian Yu turned to look at Huo Tingzhen beside him and said silently, "So? Are you going or not?"
Huo Tingzhen nodded without hesitation and gave an "OK" sign to indicate his agreement.
So their bodyguards acted quickly and soon arranged a luxury private room for them.
Jian Yu sent the specific address to Lin Beichen, saying, "See you later."
Putting away her phone, Jian Yu couldn't help but laugh out loud. "Haha, now even if Bao Yanbai wants to find you, he'll have to wait until after dark at the earliest."
After saying that, Jian Yu gently approached Huo Tingzhen, a sly glint in her bright eyes, and whispered mysteriously, "By the way, do you still have the energy to sing? Karaoke is really tiring, hmm?"
As she spoke, she playfully raised her eyebrows.
It's obvious that he was deliberately making fun of Huo Tingzhen.
Huo Tingzhen pinched Jian Yu and said, "Of course, I can sing while sitting on a high chair."
Lin Beichen arrived a few minutes earlier than Jian Yu and the other person.
Just as Jian Yu and Huo Tingzhen reached the door, they heard a heart-wrenching high-pitched sound suddenly coming from inside the house.
The high notes surged in like a tidal wave, having a tremendous impact on their eardrums.
Jian Yu and Huo Tingzhen exchanged a glance and rubbed their ears at the same time, only to realize that the door was not closed properly.
No wonder the sound was so loud.
Huo Tingzhen couldn't help but laugh out loud, teasing, "I really didn't expect Lin Beichen to have such a large lung capacity! He shouted such a high note, it almost lifted the roof off."
Jian Yu hadn't expected it to be so high, and nodded in agreement, "Luckily we weren't indoors, otherwise our ears would have been shattered by the sound."
So the two of them stood quietly outside the door, waiting for Lin Beichen to finish his earth-shattering, soul-stirring high-pitched roar.
Finally, after the loud noise subsided, Jian Yu and Huo Tingzhen pushed open the door and went inside.
Upon entering the room, the two were slightly taken aback, because a young girl was standing next to Lin Beichen.
This young girl looks to be only in her early twenties, and she is very cute and charming.
With a round, rosy face, big eyes like clear lake water, and a sweet smile on her lips, the little girl immediately ran over to Jian Yu and Huo Tingzhen when she saw them come in, greeting them warmly, "Hello! My name is Lin Ningning."
Jian Yu and Huo Tingzhen quickly responded with smiles, while simultaneously casting questioning glances at Lin Beichen, waiting for him to introduce them.
Seeing this, Lin Beichen quickly put down the microphone and explained to the two, "This is my aunt's child. She's been staying at my house for the past few days. I just went out and she saw me, and then she insisted on coming with me. Just pretend she doesn't exist and don't mind her."
After saying that, he affectionately patted Lin Ningning's head.
Jian Yu smiled and said, "Welcome! My name is Jian Yu."
Standing to the side, Lin Ningning responded obediently, "Hello, Sister Jianyu."
Hello! This is...
Just as Jian Yu was about to introduce Huo Tingzhen to Lin Ningning, Lin Beichen interrupted him.
"Wait a moment!"
Lin Beichen said to Lin Ningning with a displeased look, "Why are you calling Jian Yu 'sister'? You're eleven months older than Jian Yu!"
Lin Ningning was slightly taken aback, a hint of surprise and embarrassment flashing across her face.
She knew perfectly well that Jian Yu always called her cousin Lin Beichen by his name, and would never address her as "Sister Ningning".
Thinking of this, she quickly waved her hand, "Oh dear, I'm sorry, then I won't call you 'sister' anymore."
"puff----"
Huo Tingzhen couldn't help but laugh out loud. While laughing, she covered her stomach with her hand and said, "Ouch, I can't take it anymore. My stomach hurts from laughing. I need to find a place to sit down and rest for a while."
Huo Tingzhen walked quickly to the sofa and sat down. He glanced at the various drinks on the table, frowned slightly, and seemed to be dissatisfied with them.
He turned to the bodyguard behind him and said, "Get me a few bottles of water."
Not long after, a waiter came over with a bunch of high-end purified water, placed the bottles on the table, and quietly left, closing the door behind him.
Huo Tingzhen casually picked up a bottle of water, unscrewed the cap, tilted his head back, and drank it all in one gulp.
After finishing her drink, she casually placed the empty bottle aside, then stood up and took over the microphone standing in the center of the stage.
Huo Tingzhen grasped the microphone, cleared her throat, and as soon as she sang the first note, her clear and melodious voice immediately captivated Lin Ningning's heart.
Lin Ningning's eyes lit up, and she cupped her face in her hands, completely captivated by Huo Tingzhen's singing.
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