[UNEDITED] Chapter 14 – Deeply Hidden Arrogance/Pride

TLN: Erm managed to complete this chapter while I was doing my part-time job! Do enjoy~

Following Chen Jianhao, Lu Chen arrived at the bar’s second floor reserved area.

Forget Grass bar was built upon an old warehouse with a height of six meters near seven meters. Therefore, after reconstructing into a two-story building, the middle area was left out for a stage. The structure of it was an ingenious idea, fully utilizing the whole space.

Similar to the numerous bars in Back Sea, Forget Grass bar has a reserved area with three tables that would be empty regardless of how good the business was, to cater for guests who may not even appear.

Personal relationships are significant to a bar that does business. Chen Jianhao has a wide range of friends and if a good friend or someone he was unable to offend, had suddenly appeared at a time whereby the bar is full without a place to sit, then no doubt it would be a very embarrassing incident.

Thus, the reserve seat area exists.

To be sitting in the reserved area, the person looking for Lu Chen to purchase his song would probably not be an average joe.

Perhaps he noticed Lu Chen’s nervousness, Chen Jianhao whispered to him on their way up. “Don’t worry, To sell or not to sell depends on you. With me around, no one would deliberately make things difficult for you.”

Lu Chen relaxed with a sigh of relief. “Thank you, boss.”

Although Chen Jianhao was usually strict to the employees, he was ultimately a good boss.

Two out of the three tables in the reserved area was empty while a man and a lady were sitting on the table near the iron fence. The male looked about 30 years old donning a suit with gold-framed glasses resting on his face, and his hair was styled neatly. A glance was enough to know he’s an elite.

While the female was much younger, with a petite build and 8/10 for looks and wearing casual wear. She was currently holding the wine glass and curiously looking around as if it had been her first time in a bar.

“Manager Song, I have brought the person you’re looking for…”

Chen Jianhao brought Lu Chen over and smilingly said, ” This is Lu Chen, Xiao Lu!”

The man in the suit stood up when Chen Jianhao walked towards him, and his face revealing a faint smile while nodded reservedly towards Lu Chen.

The lady beside him hurriedly stood up but had forgotten to put down her wine glass, causing the beverage to spill out.

Chen Jianhao introduced. ” Xiao Lu, this is the finance department deputy general manager of Rain Media, Song Xinwei and this is his secretary, Miss Dongxuan.

Rain Media? That arrogant lady Suqing has yet to give up?

Lu Chen thought internally while simultaneously extending his hand towards the suit guy. “Manager Song, nice to meet you.”

Song Xinwei held out his hand gave shook hands with him. “Nice to meet you.”

Lu Chen then turns towards the lady and went for a handshake. “Hello, Miss Dongxuan.”

Dongxuan hurriedly held his extended hands and replied, “Yes. Hello Lu Chen…” while stuttering.

Lu Chen smiled afterward.

This deputy GM’s secretary was too inexperienced and entirely looked like fresh graduate that had just entered the workforce.

Of course, it was not for his business if the lady could assume the role of a deputy GM secretary. After all the courtesy talk, they sat down at the reserved table.

Song Xinwei immediately got to the point of the visit. “Xiao Lu, the matter is such. The visit today is entrusted by Rain Media’s Director Su Qingmei to express our interest to purchase the copyrights for one of your songs.”

While speaking, he nodded towards Dongxuan and the latter immediately retrieved a few documents from her briefcase.

Song Xinwei continued. “Our company’s legal department has verified that the copyrights of the song named <<You Who Sat Next to Me>> belonging to you and thus we are willing to offer a high price to purchase the rights. Please do look through this contract.”

Lu Chen remained calm and collected while taking the contract.

For Rain Media to verify the copyrights of songs is a simple process. They only had to search via the <<China Music Bank>> to know the song name, lyrics or score.

This is the authoritative and convenience of <<China Music Bank>>. Although the registration fees are on the high side, it can prevent possible copyright disputes while eliminating a lot of trouble.

As long as Lu Chen was willing, he could also complete the copyrights transaction through <<China Music Bank>>.

However, these are all not the main points.

He quickly skimmed through the clauses in the contract and focused on the main point shortly after.

That would be the price for the copyrights and it was written clearly on the contract: 20000.00

Twenty thousand yuan!

He was tempted the moment he saw the figure.

While he had worked desperately hard and even juggled two jobs while clocking over 15 hours per day and the money he could save per month after deducting his daily expenses was only 4-5 thousand yuan.

Whereas if he were to sign his name on this contract, he would easily obtain 20 thousand dollars.

More importantly, within his memories, there were other numerous good songs, and even if he were to sell one, it was not of importance.

Song Xinwei who was sitting opposite Lu Chen looked through his golden thin-framed lens and keenly noticed the latter’s change in expression while his eyes revealed a trace of undetectable disdain.

If it weren’t due to Su Qingmei’s request, him as the deputy manager of Rain Media would have never personally come over to discuss a small contract worth 20 thousand dollars with a youngster who was still wet behind his ears.

Of course, 20 thousand would definitely be a considerable sum of money to the youngster, and he estimated him to be bewildered.

However Lu Chen was not bewildered nor did he faint, and after he saw the figure, he instead started to cautiously check the other clauses and the more he read, the uglier his face was.

To sell out the copyrights other than the name for <<You Who Sat Next to Me>> was normal and Lu Chen was agreeable with it. Whereas not allowing him to continue singing the song in public places… What sort of rubbish bullshit was that?

That is to say, after he sells the song, he would not even be able to sing the song at Forget Grass bar?

Another clause was that Rain Media has priority on all his future productions and before the former has confirmed to give up those rights, he would be unable to sell his work to other third parties!

This is really bullshit!

If Lu Chen hadn’t carefully scanned the contract and signed, it was equivalent to tying himself on Rain Media’s boat and losing the rights to his own productions.

Behind the high amount temptation indeed exists a trap.

Lu Chen then understood and resolutely returned the contract. “I’m sorry, I will not be signing this contract.”

He had said the same words to Su Qingmei yesterday.

Song Xinwei was waiting for Lu Chen to sign and totally did not expect his rejection and can’t help but be stunned. “What?”

Lu Chen repeated his words again.

This time Song Xinwei finally understood. He felt as if he was humiliated and immediately changed his face. “May I know the reason? Is it a problem of the offered price? I’m sure you should know that no other places can offer such an amount!”

To be honest Lu Chen had understood this.

It was currently not the eighty-nineties era. With the pirated works commonly found on the web, and causing a decline in sales of albums, singers nowadays are all aiming for fans and viewership, getting themselves involved with tabloids and appearing on variety programs to get popular. It was no longer the period of earning from the sales of albums.

Thus the status of current popular music songwriters was a big contrast compared to the past.

Along with the technological advancement, even an ordinary person could make use of [Master Singer] software to do composing while the threshold and difficulty of composing have significantly been reduced. Resulting in third-rate songs flooding the market.

For amateur composers who manage to produce a passable work, there was no need to pay and register their work under <<China Music Bank>>. All they had to do was to upload to any music website as a proof of their copyrights, and they will be willing to sell it for 300-500 yuan.

Whereas professional composers prices are much higher, although newcomers or third-rate levels writers can only sell their work for around 3000 yuan or so, provided that someone were to be interested in their work but more often it would them giving rebates or discounts but not having any buyers.

For Rain Media to offer 20 thousand yuan to purchase <<You Who Sat Next to Me>>, it would be considered a renowned composer’s treatment!

Furthermore, this was Lu Chen’s first work and has yet to undergo the market response.

This made Song Xinwei aggravated — Why are newcomers nowadays so unknowingly arrogant?

However what bothered Lu Chen wasn’t the amount.

“The price isn’t a problem…”

He replied in all seriousness. “I’m willing to sell the copyrights for 20 thousand yuan. However, I cannot agree to the other clauses.”

The market value of <<You Who Sat Next to Me>> was definitely more than 20 thousand dollars. However Lu Chen had considered Chen Jianhao and Su Qingmei’s relationship, and furthermore, he did not want to offend a media company. Therefore it didn’t matter if he were to make a loss.

Just that, his precondition was, the right’s only limited to this specific song!

Song Xinwei understood Lu Chen’s mindset but there was not the slightest change in his attitude, and he even sneered. “Xiao Lu, you have to think about it. If it weren’t due to this clauses, would our company even offer such a high amount? Who do you think you are? Also, your name would still exist, and this is an opportunity for you to be famous. You should know how to cherish it!”

He had almost wanted to point towards Lu Chen and say, “Don’t be too cocky you newb!”

Lu Chen’s eyebrows twitched, and he replied. “Manager Song. I am just a nameless soldier. For a large company like the Rain Media, I am not worth it. It would be better if you were to look elsewhere!”

If Su Qingmei were to hear his last two sentences, she would probably be seething with anger

Lu Chen was someone with a temperament, with pride hidden deep in his bones. Although he had bent down lowered his head due to life’s pressure, his knees were still firm and upright! [1]

After speaking, he stood up and nodded towards Dongxuan while faced Chen Jianhao and added. “Boss, I shall head down first. I have another performance in a moment.”

While Lu Chen was having a discussion with Song Xinwei earlier on, Chen Jianhao had stayed silent

“Thank you, Boss!”

Lu Chen directly left the reserved seat without looking at Song Xinwei

Song Xinwei was so angry that he had almost wanted to smash the wine glasses. He turned his attention towards Chen Jianhao and coldly spoke. “Boss Chen, your staff sure has an unyielding character… I have managed to witness it today!”

“Haha, that’s youngsters for you…”

Chen Jianhao laughingly replied. “They are all like that. Who hasn’t been young once? Come on, let us drink!”

However, how would Song Xinwei still be able to continue drinking? He had currently felt an unprecedented setback.

[1] Chinese men are unwilling to kneel down other than for their parents, marriage. To them, kneeling down is a disgrace and big hit with their pride.