msmithbooks Is Chapter 21 promising?
Is Chapter 21 promising?
The office was shrouded in darkness, and outside the window it was completely black. The dim streetlights shone alone, casting dappled shadows on the ground through the glass.
Lin Zhe held the sheet music in his hands, engrossed in studying it for over forty minutes without moving. Xie Anran's hot tea beside her had long since gone cold, losing all its warmth.
"I really want to drink a Coke..." Xie Anran muttered under her breath, unable to bear the boredom. She then secretly complained that this body was too young and she couldn't even enjoy a Coke. It was really frustrating.
"What would you like to drink?" Sisi, who was standing nearby, had exceptionally sharp ears. Even though his voice was very soft, she accurately caught his muttering to himself and turned her head to ask softly.
Xie Anran was startled, blinked, and immediately put on an innocent and harmless expression: "Huh? Did I say anything?"
Sisi raised her eyebrows slightly, her face scrutinized, and stared at him suspiciously for several seconds before finally deciding not to ask any more questions. She said dejectedly, "Okay, maybe I misheard."
Xie Anran secretly breathed a sigh of relief, smiled, and continued to stare blankly, inwardly grumbling. This Teacher Lin is too indecisive. He could just give a critique of the piece, decide on the next steps, and that would be enough. Why is he so slow to act?
The monotonous sitting was especially tedious, and children were even more impatient. Bored, Sisi leaned closer and whispered, "Anran, are you hungry?"
"I'm fine, are you hungry?" Xie Anran replied casually.
Sisi nodded vigorously, looking exceptionally well-behaved.
Xie Anran didn't say much, but casually took out a bottle of AD calcium milk from her bag and stuffed it into the little girl's hand.
Sisi's eyes lit up with surprise: "Oh, why do you carry this with you all the time?"
"Just drink yours, don't ask any more questions." Xie Anran was too lazy to explain; she couldn't very well tell her that this was a little reward she had prepared long ago.
The two little ones huddled together and whispered to each other. Just then, Lin Zhe, who had been silent for a long time, finally made a move.
Lin Zhe slowly put down the sheet music, his expression complex, with a hint of undisguised amazement in his eyes. He said in a deep voice, "The song is very good." He paused, then added, "An Ran, you're such a thoughtful girl."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Yun and Liu Xiaoli, who were sitting to the side, immediately looked over with inquisitive expressions.
"These two pieces aren't particularly difficult, but they're exceptionally well-made, and the creativity is truly unique." Lin Zhe picked up the sheet music for "Little Chicken Beep Beep" and "Learn to Meow" and commented carefully, "An Ran added a nested spiral structure to the arrangement."
He spoke with certainty and absolute certainty: "This kind of creative structure has never been seen in the domestic music scene before, and even looking abroad, I can't find a precedent in my knowledge."
"Moreover, these two songs have a huge advantage: simple arrangement, low performance threshold, guaranteed to be widely sung, and very easy to become popular."
Xie Anran was genuinely surprised by this professional critique. She hadn't expected Mr. Lin to be so knowledgeable; he must have had extensive experience in the music industry, and his talent was undeniable.
Zhang Yun and Liu Xiaoli understood the core meaning: the song's artistic achievement may not be top-notch, but it is down-to-earth, easy to spread, and has great potential to become popular.
Seizing the opportunity, Xie Anran directly asked the ultimate purpose of her trip: "Teacher Lin, if I want to release these songs as an album, what procedures do I need to follow?"
Lin Zhe paused for a moment, then turned to look at Xie Anran. The young boy in front of him looked serious and spoke solemnly, not at all like a casual joke, leaving Lin Zhe somewhat speechless.
"Making an album is no cheap," Lin Zhe earnestly reminded him. "Arrangement, recording, post-production, and promotion—everything costs money, and the expenses are considerable."
Xie Anran silently turned to look at his mother. He had long known that making an album would be very expensive, which was why he had deliberately showcased his talent and gained professional recognition first. Now, it was time to get the crucial money. He secretly calculated that his mother probably wouldn't refuse him.
Zhang Yun felt a sudden tightness in her scalp and immense pressure as her son stared intently at her. She coughed lightly and politely asked Lin Zhe, "Mr. Lin, how much does it typically cost to produce an album?"
"It depends on what level of promotion you want." Lin Zhe picked up a pen and paper and quickly scribbled, dividing it into three levels. "The first level is production by an independent small studio. The recording cost is around 10,000, and the promotion cost is 15,000 to 25,000. The total cost is just over 30,000."
"This level of quality can only be promoted locally in Jiangcheng City, but with the quality of An Ran's songs, breaking even is definitely not a problem."
"The second tier involves a legitimate music company handling the production and promotion, costing between 50,000 and 100,000 yuan, covering the entire province. Whether it can break even depends on the subsequent operation."
"The third tier involves collaborations with top-tier companies, such as PolyGram and Warner Music, which are industry leaders. Even conservatively, the production and promotion budget starts at 250,000 NTD," Lin Zhe stated frankly. "But this tier allows for nationwide promotion and distribution, with the first batch of albums starting at 10,000 copies. Based on the quality of these songs, it's a sure thing that we won't lose money."
After being shocked, Zhang Yun breathed a sigh of relief. She had originally thought that making music would cost millions, but she didn't expect that she could do nationwide promotion for just a few hundred thousand. The pressure instantly dissipated.
Xie Anran's heart pounded with anxiety. He didn't know his family's exact financial situation, but the cost of making the album was simply outrageous. It was 1994, and many rural towns still valued households with 10,000 yuan in savings. The average person's monthly salary was only a few hundred yuan, and the cheapest album cost over 30,000 yuan, which was an astronomical price.
"Anran, don't be afraid! I have New Year's money!" Qianqian quickly grabbed Xie Anran's hand and whispered to comfort her.
Xie Anran looked at the little girl with a puzzled expression. Considering her good intentions, she coughed lightly and said, "Thank you, Qianqian, but your New Year's money probably won't be enough."
"That's enough! Absolutely enough!" Sisi's little face was stubborn and she looked very confident.
Xie Anran immediately became interested: "How much have you saved?"
"That's tens of thousands!" Sisi tilted her head up, her face full of pride. "I've saved up for years and never been willing to spend it."
Xie Anran gasped, never expecting this little girl to be a hidden little rich girl. He then wondered to himself that although his family wasn't poor, he had never received any New Year's money. After thinking about it, he could only attribute it to the family's tradition of raising boys frugally, and he was speechless for a moment.
"Stop fooling around." Liu Xiaoli couldn't help but laugh at the two little ones' conversation, and gently patted Qianqian's head. "Your Aunt Yun doesn't need your little bit of New Year's money."
Sisi, however, was unusually serious and said with a stubborn look, "This album must include a copy for me! Anran said it's an album just for the two of us."
Liu Xiaoli turned to look at Xie Anran in surprise, her eyes wide with astonishment, clearly not expecting this to happen.
Xie Anran was instantly embarrassed and stammered, "Um... I think Qianqian sings really well, so it would be suitable to bring her along."
Liu Xiaoli chuckled and shook her head, then went along with it: "Alright, let's add one for Qianqian then. What do you think, Ayun?"
Zhang Yun hadn't considered the amount of money at all, but she was surprised by her son's thoughtfulness. She immediately smiled and made the decision: "No need to be so particular. Teacher Lin, could you please connect me with top-tier music companies, like Warner or Sony?"
Lin Zhe was shocked and secretly clicked his tongue. Choosing the top-of-the-line model right off the bat was too extravagant.
He cleared his throat lightly: "We can connect, it's just a matter of funding..."
"Money is negotiable," Zhang Yun said generously. "As long as you can promote my son's album nationwide, no amount of money is a problem."
Lin Zhe instantly understood that the person in front of him was definitely not short of money and was a major client.