Signing Contract(2)

"Sister Gao. I...can't accept the duration of the contract. My guts are quite small, so…"

Lu Ze's thought process was quite simple He didn't dare sign such a long contract. He didn't dare hand over his entire youth to Qianshijia. If, by any chance, something really happened in future, by the time the contract ended, he would be thirty-five years old. And how difficult it would be to succeed at that age compared to now?

He wanted to leave a way out for himself. No matter how narrow it was, it would still be a way.

Holding the ball point pen in her hand, Gao Wanzhi poked her chin. Her unchanging expression and faint smile caused Lu Ze to feel a bit panicky,'This woman was really troublesome."

"You don't believe in yourself? Then you've caused us a little disappointment? After all… you're the only person Qianshijia had offered a C grade contract. Moreover, you'll be starting with C grade agreement as a newcomer. Can't you see how much company is valuing you?"

Gao Wanzhi easily rebuked the words Lu Ze wanted to say, as if his words were annoying along the lines of 'It's for your own good', which everybody hated to hear.

"I can feel the company's importance on me. However, ten years...I've to leave some leeway for myself. It's not like my family circumstances are hidden from you, Sister Gao. I have to take care of my family."

"Then you tell me how long the contract should be?"

The ball was again passed in Lu Ze's court. At this moment, her authority was too strong. Lu Ze couldn't help but be extremely cautious. After pondering for a while, he gave a definite duration.

"I feel..somewhere around six year is appropriate."

"Then I'm sorry, that's not possible."

Lu Ze stared blankly for a moment. He didn't expect that Gao Wanzhi would so bluntly reject this time. He could only silently hear her follow up response.

"Let me out it this way. Qianshijia is different from these companies who are only after a quick buck. Our programs for producing stars are carried out methodically and step-by-step. We're not like other companies who only produce superficial stars without any real skill to squeeze out some money. We'll design a four-five year long program for you, or even longer. You can imagine, you sign a six-year-contract with us, and if the company enables you to become a superstar, your contract with us would expire right at the peak of your career. Wouldn't that mean that all the promotion company did for you and all the resources the company expended on you would go to waste? This is not in the interest of any company. All the other companies in the business are the same too."

"Big sister Gao, that's the case for an ideal situation. At this point, I've not become an artist under the banner of Qianjiashi. Whether I become a star or not couldn't be precisely computed by me or the company. After all, that would depend on the market's demand, no? If the situation doesn't remain ideal..Big Sister Gao, wouldn't I already be thirty five years old at that time."

Lu Ze's tone didn't change but Gao Wanzhi could clearly understand the meaning of the line 'I've not become an artist under the banner of Qianjianshi. Lu Ze's thinking was very simple. If this condition was non-negotiable, there was no point in further discussion.

His implication made her crease her brows. She knew that Lu Ze's temperament was quite mature, unlike those idiot girls and boys whose brain was completely occupied by becoming famous, even at the cost of not caring if they were earning anything.

However, she didn't expect that Lu Ze's attitude would be so unmovable. If you can't negotiate the number of years, I don't want it! It was at this moment she discovered that Lu Ze's nature was fundamentally vastly different from the other people who came to audition.

 Others came to interviews with only one thought- to earn a name, to become famous, to become a big celebrity.

However, his mentality was the complete opposite. I don't care if I become a celebrity or not; I, your father, only want money.

It was because of this fundamental difference such a big conflict appeared in the thought process of Lu Ze and Gao Wanzhi. Or in other words, he was not easy to fool.

This made Gao Wanzhi feel annoyed but she could only curse him in her mind. Qianshijia lacked person, and based on his performance yesterday, he was clearly a good seedling.

Their expectation towards Lu Ze's future growth was not small. The profits he would generate for the company would likely be quite high as well. Thus, she could not just lay him off. Thus, she could only make concessions and try to win him over by gradual persuasion and persistence instead of force.

"Lu Ze, the duration can be discussed. But directly changing it from ten years to six years is impossible. Try to think from our side. If you're raising an artist for five years, would you agree to contract him for six years? The profit division, duration, and penalty have all been determined by President Hu. As his subordinate, do you suppose I would be able to make such drastic changes?"

"Big sister Gao, in that case, how many years do you suggest is appropriate?"

Neither of the two was easily manipulated. Lu Ze again kicked the ball back in Gao Wanzhi's court. Since you say that six years is impossible, then why don't you tell me how many years is possible? Come on, tell me?

Gao Wanzhi somewhat failed to control her emotions. She had really turned angry! This peasant bastard was cunning indeed! This cunning, stubborn, and hateful guy was smoothly kicking the ball back-and-forth as if he was a football athlete.

This time, it was Gao Wanzhi's turn to contemplate in silence. She indeed didn't have the ability to make big changes in the duration. However, she had the authority to make small adjustments without consulting Han Zhiyan.

"If you really want to know what I feel is the appropriate duration, in my opinion, eight-nine years is quite fitting. Trust me, the companies requirements towards the artists can't be considered too severe. Moreover, once you become a star, you'll surely be able to get a better contract. You'd even be able to start your own studio outside the company. Think carefully about the popular trend amongst the big celebrities in the recent years. Haven't all of them opened their own studio? In the future, you yourself might become a founder. In that case, how many years would you sign an artist that you place heavy importance on? Put yourself in other people's shoes, alright?"

Lu Ze didn't accept these words. The two were talking on completely different frequencies. Lu Ze feared that his career would take a serious hit in the development phase. At that time, who would return him his youth?

On the other hand, Gao Wanzhi had directly skipped the development phase and was singing about a bright future, laying down the beautiful blueprints of his life after achieving success.

Neither of the two were stupid. It wasn't that they didn't understand each other, instead they couldn't admit. How could Gao Wanzhi dare to guarantee that she would be able to provide Lu Ze with a stable income? She couldn't, nor she did dare to claim anything like that. Therefore, she skipped the problem of development phase and directly began preaching about an imaginary future.

Time flew by. The two discussed for three hours. It was already twelve o'clock. The two never saw eye-to-eye. Gao Wanzhi had more than a decade's experience in this industry and had worked in many companies. She had seen eight hundred newcomers if not thousands, but this was the first time, she'd come across such an obstinate newcomer.

"Then...let me think about the eight year contract for a moment."

Lu Ze was also tired. His mind was tired. He drank the coffee the assistant had brought not too long ago. He didn't wish to pick a different company. Qianshijia was indeed the most suitable for him. Therefore, eight years...he was willing to gamble.

Gao Wanzhi let out a sigh of relief and called the employee from the legal department, who was about to sleep, asking him to remake the contract and change the duration to eight years while increasing the penalty to ten million.

The previous penalty was eight million. Lu Ze hadn't shown any objection on this number. You wouldn't find any company with a penalty numbering less than seven digits. He was apathetic as far as the increase in penalty was concerned. He was even signing an eight-year contract, would he still care about two million?

Taking this opportunity, Gao Wanzhi invited him to go to the dinning hall and have lunch. Lu Ze didn't decline and headed out. He didn't eat anything during his last visit. However, at this moment, he wanted nothing more than to sign in the dining hall.

Like a free-of-cost, unlimited buffet- steak, prawns, seafood, crabs, all kinds of dishes were lined up. The food here was too good. As long as one didn't waste any, they could have as much they liked.

He took out a glass mug- the kind with a wide mouth- from the disinfectant cabinet, dropped some ice cubes, and poured himself some iced coffee. He then began grabbing prawns. 

He didn't gorge himself and ate quite elegantly. However, table manners didn't equate to the quantity of the food. He was afraid to lose face, afraid of being seen by people as he devoured a table full of crab shells. Without any better option, he could only fill a big bowl and make do with it.

Letting out a burp of satisfaction, drinking the final bit of iced coffee, and cleaning out his plate, he again returned to the artist management department's office. 

The contract was already done. Since it was freshly printed out, it was still somewhat warm to touch. Lu Ze again checked all the clauses. After confirming the revision of duration and penalty as well as making sure that everything else was the same, he took a deep breath in, calmed his madly pounding heart, and raised the pen with a somewhat shaking hand.

"Milord, I'll be seeking you from hereon. I hope you'll help me. Whether these eight years turn to be a blessing or a disaster will depend on you."

Asking for blessing from the audible yet non-intelligent system, he unplugged the cap and signed his full name..

The contract was in immediate effect.

"..."