Chapter 22: A Thank-You Gift for a Meal

The next day, when Lin Yuan returned to the company, he noticed that more people in the department were greeting him.

"Good morning."

After exchanging pleasantries, Lin Yuan asked Wu Yong a question, "So, there are a total of fourteen ace composers on the tenth floor?"

"Yeah," Wu Yong replied with a smile, "Ace composers are true music experts. Your senior, Mr. Zheng, is one of them. He was the one sitting next to you in the meeting."

"Is there a higher salary for ace composers?"

This was the key point Lin Yuan wanted to know.

Wu Yong nodded, "Ace composers do receive a higher salary. Their basic monthly salary is at least 30,000 yuan. However, ace composers don't really care about their basic salary."

Lin Yuan asked, "They do care."

Wu Yong chuckled, "Well, you should aim to become an ace composer. But the real advantage of being an ace composer isn't the base salary. It's that they have the qualifications to negotiate with the company for higher shares of the song's earnings."

"Higher shares?"

Lin Yuan inquired, "What are the criteria for becoming an ace composer?"

Wu Yong explained, "We informally call them 'ace composers,' which might sound a bit juvenile, but it sounds cool. Officially, the company calls them 'senior composers.' The criteria for becoming a senior composer are to have at least five signature pieces with over a million downloads."

Lin Yuan nodded in understanding.

Wu Yong patted Lin Yuan's shoulder and said, "I checked the download count for 'Life Like Summer Flowers.' Today it's already approaching six hundred thousand, and reaching a million shouldn't be a problem in the future. I don't know if your customized song for Qi Prefecture has a chance to reach a million downloads... it's hard to predict. Genre-specific custom songs like that are usually limited by the original work's style, making them niche, so their download counts aren't usually high. But the revenue split for this project is good, so you'll definitely make a profit."

"Okay," Lin Yuan thought.

Wu Yong reflected, "Don't think too far ahead. After all, you've just joined the company, and you've already made a name for yourself twice in a row. In the future, you'll have a good chance to become a senior composer, which is the equivalent of being an 'ace.' When that happens, you'll be the fifteenth ace on our tenth floor."

"Okay," Lin Yuan replied, feeling motivated.

Wu Yong continued, "Keep in mind, this industry is highly competitive, not just within our company, but in the entire industry. There are a lot of people in the music business in Qin Prefecture, so it's essential to work hard and stay competitive. It's challenging, but if you keep at it, you'll make it."

Lin Yuan appreciated the advice.

Lin Yuan contemplated this and realized that he needed to speed up his song production. Only by becoming a senior composer, or what they casually referred to as an "ace composer," could he earn more money.

As they were about to part ways, Lin Yuan asked Wu Yong, "Is it possible for anyone on the tenth floor to take on the commissions like the one with Qi Prefecture, where everyone gets a chance?"

"No," Wu Yong clarified, "Commissions are assigned by our boss. Typically, ace composers are given priority. These commissions follow a sequential order, and it's not always the same ace composer who receives the next one. This system ensures that everyone gets a fair shot. Only when an ace composer can't take on a commission does it pass to the next in line. The 'Dance of the Fish Dragon' commission had particularly stringent requirements, causing all fourteen ace composers to be unsuccessful. This is why our boss, Old Zhou, decided to open it up to the entire department. Such situations are unusual. On average, for every five ace composers, one commission is passed down, as these ace composers usually have strong business skills."

"What about Music Dad?"

"In other floors, I won't mention that for now. Our tenth floor only has one Music Dad, and you haven't met him yet. Music Daddies are not here at the company most of the time. They might visit the company once or twice a year, but their commission's are always in high demand. The commission fees offered by song clients are often close to ten million yuan, and they don't even consider lower offers."

"I see."

Lin Yuan was gradually learning about the company's situation.

As a new employee, there were many things he needed guidance on, which was why his supervisor had asked Wu Yong to mentor him.

...

At lunchtime, everyone from the composition department gradually went to the cafeteria for lunch.

Lin Yuan, whose wallet had been emptied by the coffee order, decided to find someone to share a meal with. He had someone in mind: Sun Yaohuo.

Sun Yaohuo had gained fame through his success on the Newcomer Rankings, and Lin Yuan was very grateful to him. Sun Yaohuo had offered to treat Lin Yuan to a meal multiple times, but Lin Yuan had always been too busy. Today was a good opportunity to return the favor.

However, when Lin Yuan arrived at the eighth-floor vocal department, he learned that Sun Yaohuo was away from the company due to a scheduled performance.

As he was about to leave, a familiar voice called him, "Lin Yuan."

"Sister Zhao?"

Lin Yuan turned around and was surprised to see Zhao Jue.

Zhao Jue smiled and said, "I didn't expect to run into you. Are you looking for someone here?"

Lin Yuan nodded, "Yes, Sun Yaohuo is not in the office."

Zhao Jue replied, "He's not here today. You haven't had lunch, have you? If you're free, come have lunch with me. I'll show you the taste of the executive cafeteria."

Lin Yuan was concerned, "Is the executive cafeteria expensive?"

Zhao Jue chuckled, "When you're having a meal with Sister Zhao, do you think I'll let you pay? Let's go, I'll treat you."

"Thank you, Sister Zhao!"

Lin Yuan felt grateful.

The executive cafeteria was different from the employee cafeteria. It was quieter, had fewer people, and most of the dishes were prepared individually. The executives would pre-order their meals, and the chefs would prepare them when it was time to eat.

"I can't finish the food on my own," Zhao Jue said.

She pointed to the four dishes on the table, "You're helping me share them, so I won't have to order more at the last minute."

"It's enough," Lin Yuan replied, not being greedy.

After taking the first bite, Lin Yuan realized why this was called the executive cafeteria. The food was indeed better than the employee cafeteria, almost on par with the restaurant where he had the self-serve ice cream. The previously 'great' employee cafeteria had suddenly been overshadowed.

Zhao Jue ate slowly, taking occasional phone calls. She seemed quite busy, and her phone conversations were mostly urgent and assertive.

"Did that jewelry brand change our artists?" she said on the phone. "It's not our artists' fault? Okay, don't bother negotiating; release a notice. Our artists from Starlight are not allowed to endorse this brand in the future."

"Muse Clothing complained that our artist was late for their event? How many times have I told you, just because you're famous doesn't mean you can be late. No excuses about traffic. Fine them as much as necessary."

"Li Li's wardrobe malfunction was photographed? Get in touch with the PR department and find out who the photographer was. I'll have their supervisor explain this."

"..."

After several phone calls, she smiled apologetically at Lin Yuan, "I hope I didn't disturb you."

Lin Yuan said, "No, not at all."

He hadn't eaten breakfast, so he was hungry, and he focused on eating while Zhao Jue was on the phone.

"You," Zhao Jue said, looking at Lin Yuan, amused. She reached over to wipe some food off the corner of his mouth and said, "Your mother called me last time and asked about you. I didn't expect you to lie. Your earnings are less than 100,000 RMB, right? And your salary isn't even 20,000 RMB."

Lin Yuan replied, "Sorry for the trouble, Sister Zhao."

Zhao Jue shook her head, having a rough idea of the reasons, and she didn't blame Lin Yuan.

Just then, her phone rang again. It seemed to be an important call because Lin Yuan noticed Zhao Jue's expression change. She even stood up. This time, her tone on the phone was different from her previous assertive manner. She seemed somewhat restrained.

"Um... yes... I'm in touch... this girl is a bit... not easy to handle... I understand... Boss... please don't let those people force me to issue a pledge again... my heart can't take it..."

Lin Yuan suddenly understood.

It was the company's boss on the other end of the line, and everything made sense now. Who would dare disregard their superior?

After ending the call, Zhao Jue seemed to have lost her appetite and had only taken a few bites of her meal. She had a worried expression on her face.

"Is something bothering you?" Lin Yuan asked with concern.

Zhao Jue sighed, "What's the use of me telling you? Just eat your meal."

Lin Yuan took a sip of soup and wiped his mouth before saying, "I'm full now. Please tell me."

"..."

Zhao Jue put down her phone and asked, "You know about 'Rising Star,' right?"

Lin Yuan nodded.

"Rising Star" was an annual talent show in Qin Prefecture, and Xia Fan aspired to become an excellent female singer. However, she had been rejected for two consecutive years, as the competition was quite tough.

Zhao Jue continued, "Then you should be familiar with the show."

She sighed, "This year's 'Rising Star' has a remarkable champion named Zhao Yingge. She's beautiful, has a powerful voice talent comparable to yours before, and most importantly, she doesn't have a management agency behind her. Now, all the major entertainment companies in Qin Prefectures are trying to sign her. Unfortunately, she's very arrogant. She made it clear that to sign with her, a company must present a song that can be considered a signature piece. I've asked Old Zhou to get seven or eight ace composers to write songs for her, but she hasn't chosen any."

Lin Yuan commented, "She has high standards."

During his work in the morning, Lin Yuan had been curious about the ace composers, and he had listened to many of their signature pieces. He had come to appreciate the high level of talent that the ace composers possessed.

Zhao Jue then explained, "Well, she's not targeting Starlight particularly."

She continued, "It's a good thing that neither 'Dazzling Silverfire' nor 'Sahara' has impressed her. So far, the three companies are still in competition, and she hasn't considered any companies outside of the big three."

At this point, Zhao Jue shook her head and said, "It's not that she looks down on the songs composed by the ace composers. The main issue is that these composers have limited energy. Most of them have long-term collaborations with established artists and sometimes have to accept custom jobs from outside, so songs they compose on the spot might not meet her expectations..."

Just then, another call came in.

Zhao Jue didn't want to answer and simply dismissed the call. She continued talking to Lin Yuan, "As a composer, you should understand that even if we give our all, there's no guarantee that every song we create will be a signature piece. A signature piece often reflects a composer's highest level of achievement. Who would dare to say that every one of their works reaches that level?"

Lin Yuan agreed, "People often say that ace composers are amazing, and their work is extraordinary."

Zhao Jue nodded but said, "However, it depends on how you see it. They are undoubtedly skilled, and each of our ace composers has at least five classic songs. But when you average it out, you'll realize that the age of most of these ace composers is around thirty years old. Thirty years old is considered young for a genius in our field!"

"In other words, except for a very few geniuses, most of them need to spend more than ten years to create just a few signature pieces."

"Ten years! Just a few signature pieces!"

"The level of productivity here can't even be compared to giving birth. You carry a child for nine months, but these ace composers can't even stay with a single project for nine months. So, Zhao Yingge's request for a signature piece isn't as simple as getting an ace composer to write her a song. While it might seem easy, it's actually very demanding."

Lin Yuan suddenly understood and looked at the issue from a new perspective.

He had only seen the strength of the ace composers but hadn't considered the time and effort they invested in creating a signature piece, just like his own efforts in completing system missions to get treasure chests.

Zhao Jue continued, "Anyway, after talking to you for so long, you're probably tired of hearing me. Thank you for listening to all my rambling. You've had your fill, so you can go back to work. I'll continue to work on a few songs with Old Zhou. The other two companies can't do much to get Zhao Yingge for now, so we'll take our time to figure things out."

Lin Yuan asked, "Would she sign if she has a song?"

Zhao Jue was almost shocked by Lin Yuan's nonchalant tone. "Yes, she just needs a song. But it has to be a signature piece. Do you understand what that means? 'Life Like Summer Flowers' is your signature piece. Can you produce a 'Life Like Summer Flowers' every day?"

Lin Yuan expressed his regret, "She must have heard 'Life Like Summer Flowers' already.'"

Zhao Jue was taken aback, "..."

"Boy, are you serious?"

Lin Yuan was also a bit worried, "Is 'Flammable and Explosive' okay?"

Zhao Jue looked confused, "What explosion are you talking about?"

Lin Yuan took out his phone, performed a few actions in his email, and then said, "I've sent it to you."

Zhao Jue became even more baffled. "What did you send me?"

Lin Yuan got up and said, "Consider it a thank-you gift for this meal."