"You gave me something so expensive?" He was genuinely shocked, hence the loud voice. People around looked over, curious as to why Xing Baohua gave the speaker to the girl, just because she was beautiful.
"Dream on! It'll only be around three thousand." Xing Baohua continued to smear him.
Xing Baohua continued, "I originally wanted to take you to the recording studio, but the recording equipment is still lacking. We can only go the day after tomorrow, which happens to be Saturday. You can dedicate the whole day to it, and we can record a few clips to try it out."
"Oh, does signing the contract mean you'll give me a stereo system? What if, what if I want one like this? Can I skip the money from selling songs?" Zou Wenjuan said. She really loved this stereo system! The price of this stereo system was astronomical for her.
She thought signing a contract wouldn't cost her anything, and if the tapes sold well, she might be able to make a profit.
Xing Baohua didn't speak, but looked her up and down. Zou Wenjuan sensitively caught the other's gaze and hurriedly said, "Don't think nonsense."
“Let’s both think about it. Come on, I’ll take you to eat first, then I’ll take you home.” After saying that, Xing Baohua went to say hello to a few people at the factory and explain a few things before hurriedly leaving with Zou Wenjuan.
Zou Wenjuan ate a little something casually. Her mind had been a bit foggy the whole way, and it was only during the meal that she remembered something.
Isn't Xing Baohua the director of the machinery factory? How could he be connected to the audio equipment factory? Everyone there seems to listen to him; did he sell his invention to the audio equipment factory? And what does the recording studio have to do with Xing Baohua?
Xing Baohua was also happy, marveling at how good this era was, how simple people were, and how this girl was so confused that she was almost completely bewildered by him; all she had to do was take the bait.
In the 1990s, countless dreamers were fooled. Record companies, with a little persuasion, would say, "I can help you achieve your dreams, come with me!" And sure enough, they'd be swindled out of their money and left holding the bag.
Xing Baohua also gave himself a pat on the back. If it weren't for development, would he have fooled a girl like you like this?
With a little effort in persuasion, I bet you'll have my eye on you.
After dinner, Xing Baohua took Zou Wenjuan home. They agreed that Xing Baohua would pick her up at eight o'clock the day after tomorrow.
Xing Baohua sighed inwardly. He still had to go back to prepare the contract tonight. How about selling her a stereo system and signing her to a ten-year unpaid contract, with all profits going to the company? Wasn't that a bit too exploitative? Forget it, three years it would be fine. He could make a lot by squeezing her for three years.
Xing Baohua was scheming in his mind, while the little girl was also thinking about how to deal with Xing Baohua. The way this kid was looking at her was weird. At worst, she could just give up the stereo.
But that stereo sounded so good. That night, Xing Baohua made another girl lose sleep over him.
When Xing Baohua got home, his parents asked him, "How was it?"
What can you do? It's definitely not appropriate. She's the future top star of her agency; they need to support her and make money from her.
Furthermore, Xing Baohua told her mother, "Mom, please don't introduce me to anyone anymore. I'm too busy to date, and even if I do, it might fall apart. I've been busy with work these past two years and travel a lot for business. Let's talk about this again once I've settled down. If you suddenly set me up on a blind date again, I'll just leave and not come back to live here. It's really annoying that I have to go on blind dates as soon as I come back!"
“You silly child, how can you not find a partner? Okay, okay, I can’t persuade you otherwise. Let’s not go on blind dates for now. That girl is really nice, and I think she’s great too,” said Xing’s mother.
"It's just a vase! It looks nice but isn't practical. Alright, I'm going back inside now." With that, Xing Baohua went back inside and started drafting the contract.
The draft contract included a clause stating that all of the artist's earnings for the first three years would belong to the company, with the company only covering living expenses, etc. The earnings for the first three years would be used for training fees, packaging fees, equipment fees, etc.
They are prohibited from joining other record labels or management companies for twenty years, and the penalty for breach of contract is 100 million RMB.
Why set such a high price? In a few years, once the business takes off, this amount of money won't matter. Once Zou Wenjuan's records become a hit, those big, wealthy record companies won't care about the money.
Xing Baohua felt it was a loss to sign a ten-year contract, considering that the real golden age for talent development only began in the 1990s. With a lower penalty for breach of contract, he couldn't withstand the big players poaching him with cash in hand.
Looking at this treaty now, it's not just exploitative, it's downright bloodsucking!
It seems like a very unfair contract, but actually, if Zou Wenjuan doesn't become famous, nothing will happen; the company will be the one to suffer losses. If she does become famous, it's still fine. She'll receive three years' worth of living expenses upfront, followed by a 30/70 or 50/50 split. The company will take 70%. Don't underestimate Zou Wenjuan's initial 30% share; if she sells a few platinum-quality products, she'll be a wealthy woman.
Of course, this contract will have to be changed later. It's only good for bullying newcomers. If someone becomes a star, they will definitely fight to the death and sue you to destroy this contract.
Xing Baohua was confident she could make Zou Wenjuan a star. A superstar, no less.
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