Chapter 41: Signing the Contract

  "Kawashima, how's this house?" Sakai Izumi asked.

  "It's not bad, big sister. The price, location, size and so on are all good. The only requirement is that the demand for stable income is relatively strict, but in this regard, since you, big sister, will be guaranteeing it, then there won't be a problem!" Kawashima said.

  As they spoke, the three people walked into the apartment.

  The quality of this apartment is quite good. Although the size can't be compared to his previous residence in his home country, at least it's much better than the room he lived in before.

  "In this apartment building, a large number of residents are actually entertainers, so Mr. Zhou living here is relatively safe," said Kawashima Michiru.

  "Little brother, how is it here?" Sakai Izumi asked.

  After the three people walked into a room, Zhou Xiao looked at the bright indoor lighting inside the room and said, "Of course it's great, much better than where I live, and finally there is a bed. I haven't slept on a bed for ages."

  "But there's no quilt on this bed, let me give you a quilt as a gift." said Sakai Izumi.

  "Then thank you, sister!" This kind of small matter is something that Zhou Xiao didn't need to refuse.

  "Then sign the contract quickly!" Sakai Izumi said with some urgency, she even hoped that Zhou Xiao could move in today and not return to that cramped little room.

  With the intervention and help of Sakai Izumi, things went quite smoothly. A small room with a monthly rent of 120,000 yuan is considered to be a high cost-performance ratio. Such a good room, originally the landlord thought it was impossible to allow Zhou Xiao to pay only one month's rent for one month's rent, but after Sakai Izumi showed her name and guaranteed, things became much simpler. The landlord did not insist on a few more times, and signed his own name on the contract.

  But Zhou Xiao didn't know that the landlord agreed so easily, Sakai Izumi had actually done more. This woman, who hadn't cared much about others in her thirty-something years of life, had already secretly talked to Kawashima when she called Zhou Xiao's home, and even if Zhou Xiao couldn't pay the remaining rent, she would at least cover half a year's worth of expenses, with the only condition being that the landlord wouldn't mention this matter.

  After finishing things on this side, Sakai Izumi wanted to urge Zhou Xiao to hurry up and move house, but after thinking about it, Zhou Xiao still refused her suggestion. After all, he had lived there for half a year, and many things needed to be arranged. The things that were not needed here also had to be sold, and contact with the landlord on that side had to be made. Moreover, there was another thing - he wanted to settle his contract as soon as possible. If the contract wasn't settled, when could his song be released?

  After lunch with Quan Shui sister, Zhou Xiao sent his reluctant sister to the car, and before taking the subway home, he called Uncle Inoue. Uncle Inoue's work must be very busy, so Zhou Xiao didn't want to bother him running around. He just wanted to report the good news while asking Uncle Inoue to help contact an agent or lawyer who is more familiar with contracts.

  Inoue uncle was very happy after knowing that Zhou Xiao had signed with the music company, and he said "I knew I didn't misjudge you kid", he also quickly helped Zhou Xiao contact a lawyer.

  "This lawyer friend of mine is an old friend I've known for decades, and he's trustworthy," said Uncle Inoue.

  After hanging up Uncle's phone, Zhou Xiao took the subway and went to the law firm recommended by Uncle.

  The lawyer recommended by Uncle Inoue carefully reviewed Zhou Xiao's contract for a while and did not directly say whether there was a problem or not. Instead, he meticulously explained the contents to him one by one, apparently thinking that this was more suitable for someone of Zhou Xiao's age.

  "This contract is just a music publishing contract signed with the music company. Generally speaking, in our industry, such contracts are signed together with another brokerage contract, but you don't have one here, which means this is just a contract within the music category."

  Zhou Xiao nodded, this was something he and Being had discussed a long time ago.

  "There's no loophole in the details of the contract. During the period when the contract takes effect, all your music releases need to go through Being and cannot be released by yourself or other companies. Being will arrange promotions for you, and once you agree to attend, you are not allowed to easily refuse without special circumstances. It can be said that this contract is very lenient in terms of the company's control over you."

  "It sounds like it's true. Then what if I want to write songs for others?" Zhou Xiao asked.

  "When writing songs for others, if it's for other singers within the company, then the royalties will be split normally. But if it's for singers from other companies, the payment you receive for providing the song, the company will take a portion of it. Similarly, for TV usage and so on, the company will also take a cut. Of course, for CD sales, the company won't take any share of the royalties."

  "On the other hand, when your obligations are not that many, your benefits are also not that much, and can even be said to be almost none. The company will not pay you any fixed salary, and during the promotional period of a song, the various promotional activities arranged by the company for you also do not come with any notification fees. In terms of commercial performances, the company's share is also very low, and for commercial performances arranged by the company, in the end you only get 10% of all performance fees. Of course, all transportation costs during the promotional period are borne by the company, but apart from that, you also have to find your own notifications with great effort. Even if it's a notification you found yourself, the company still takes a 65% cut. So relatively speaking, when a company signs you, they haven't taken on much risk, and won't pay out anything."

  Zhou Xiao nodded silently, with such a great degree of freedom, it is inevitable that he would have to pay the price for these things, and this was something he had long been prepared for.

  "Additionally, there are some provisions in the contract regarding music courses. The company can send a music teacher to give you lessons, but these lessons are not free of charge. Although you don't have to pay directly, once your song royalties and other income are received, the company will deduct the course fees before giving you the remaining royalties."

  This is also understandable, Zhou Xiao nodded, after all, this side did not pay out much, no reason to let the company take too much risk.

  "Then... can I sign this contract?" Zhou Xiao asked.

  "It's okay if both parties' conditions are what you initially agreed upon, then there won't be any problem." The lawyer nodded and said.

  "Alright! Then let's sign it!" Zhou Xiao said with a slap of his hand.

  The next morning, Zhou Xiao arrived at Being's building, and Zhang Yuxin was already waiting at the door. The two didn't exchange many words, and after Zhou Xiao took the pen, he signed the three-year contract.

  "So, what's next?" asked Zhou Xiao.

  "Well... nothing else to do now."

  "Nothing needs to be done? No need to go to work or anything?"

  "Of course not, what do you think our company is, a 9-to-5 job? Although there's nothing going on now, it doesn't mean there won't be in the future. Next, we'll be entering the preparation period for promoting and releasing your single. As for promotion, our company won't be doing too much, but as for preparing the single, one song can't make a single, so we hope you can prepare another one, or we can also provide one for you."

  "I'll prepare myself, to be honest with you, I didn't just write one song, there were some leftovers before, but as for choosing songs, I can have the final say?" Zhou Xiao asked.

  "Of course we will listen to it, but since the main song has already been decided, as a second song C/W song, it's not that important, can be chosen at will."

  "Alright, when will you listen?"

  "Let's do it tomorrow, I still need to contact a few people today. Tomorrow morning you come to the company and then we'll go to the recording studio. After listening to your second song, we can finalize the tunes for both songs and then find someone to arrange them."

  "Well, in that case, Mr. Zhang, I'll take my leave first?"

  "You go ahead with your business, I heard from Kawashima yesterday that you're moving today? Hurry up and find a stable place, then your creative enthusiasm will be higher!" said Osamu Nagatsuka.

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