Chapter 32: The Cabinet and the Kneeling Bench

Given the contract with Zhang Suxin, the income would surely be substantial.

Lu Anzhi did not ask for details. He said, "I wouldn't dare presume to offer guidance. Why don't you have him send over the track he’s recorded? We can listen to it and see if we have any suggestions."

Zhang Suxin nodded and spoke into her phone. Afterward, she brought up the terms of the contract.

After exchanging a few words with Zhou Bo on the line, she turned to Lu Anzhi and asked, "According to our original agreement, it’s fifty thousand yuan. Plus, you retain the copyright and performance rights to the song, and you get a thirty percent share of the revenue. How does that sound?"

In this era, fifty thousand yuan was a significant sum. Retaining the copyright and performance rights, along with a royalty split, was quite a favorable deal. If not for Zhang Suxin’s involvement, Lu Anzhi knew that parting with "The Sea" on his own would have been a loss.

A thought suddenly occurred to Lu Anzhi. He ventured, "Would it be a problem if I asked for a larger share of the online revenue?"

Zhang Suxin, recalling their earlier conversation, instantly understood his intent and relayed the request to Zhou Bo.

There seemed to be some deliberation on Zhou Bo’s end. After a short wait, a reply came through.

Zhang Suxin relayed the message to Lu Anzhi: "He says the online revenue is just a small perk and doesn't amount to much. Zhou Bo says he’d like to make a friend of you, so he’s happy to give it to you."

Lu Anzhi laughed. "Then please thank Mr. Zhou for me. I appreciate the gesture."

Zhang Suxin conveyed his thanks, chatted for a few more moments, and hung up.

Putting her phone away, Zhang Suxin couldn't help but ask, "Are you really that optimistic about online music?"

Lu Anzhi replied, "What, are you not?"

Zhang Suxin nodded, then shook her head. "I hadn't thought about it before, but after hearing you talk, I feel like it really does have a lot of potential."

She continued, "Zhou Bo says the filming is almost finished. Once they wrap up, he and his agent will come here in person. It’ll be a chance to sign the licensing agreement and also to seek your advice. By then, our studio should be up and running, which works out perfectly."

Lu Anzhi said, "Fine, we’ll talk when the time comes." He didn't have much of a fan’s attachment to the stars of this world, which was why he hadn't been particularly excited when he first met Zhang Suxin. Hearing that Zhou Bo was coming to see him, he remained equally calm.

Zhang Suxin remarked, "I think Zhou Bo has his sights set on you; he really wants to build a good relationship with you."

Lu Anzhi replied, "Isn't that a bit of an exaggeration? It’s just one song."

Zhang Suxin shook her head. "For someone in the industry, being able to write such an excellent song makes you worth investing in. And you didn't just write a song; you provided the complete arrangement.

"You should know that arranging and songwriting are two completely different things. The fact that you can handle both yourself, and at such a high quality—do you really think Zhou Bo wouldn't take note? Once he confirms you can produce more masterpieces like 'The Sea,' he’ll be falling over himself to send money your way."

That was thanks to the gifts from his past life.

Lu Anzhi laughed. "Is that so? In that case, I’d better prepare myself properly to entertain this god of wealth."

"Buzz..."

The sound of a carpenter’s saw starting up downstairs suddenly startled Xianxian.

The little one was taken aback and hurriedly asked, "What’s that sound?"

Lu Anzhi answered, "It’s a saw. The carpenter uncle is cutting wood."

The little one nodded. "Saw... cutting wood..."

To the surprise of both Lu Anzhi and Zhang Suxin, Xianxian’s pronunciation was perfectly clear this time; she didn't call the saw a "saw-thing."

The two exchanged a glance, and Zhang Suxin said to Xianxian, "Say it again, Xianxian: 'Saw'."

Xianxian blinked her large eyes and said to Zhang Suxin, "Saw-thing."

Zhang Suxin frowned slightly and said, enunciating clearly, "Saw! Saw!"

Xianxian, looking very serious, enunciated just as clearly: "Saw! Thing!"

"Saw! Saw!"

"Saw! Thing!"

"Saw! Saw!"

"Saw! Uh... thing!"

"It’s saw! Saw! Saw!"

"It’s saw! Thing! Saw! Thing!"

...

"Sigh..."

Zhang Suxin sighed. "Forget it, I give up."

Lu Anzhi had been watching the whole time and couldn't help but sigh as well. "Sigh..."

Seeing the defeated expressions on Lu Anzhi and Zhang Suxin’s faces, Xianxian seemed to find it amusing and let out a giggle.

Zhang Suxin couldn't help but gently pat Xianxian’s little head. "You’re laughing! You’re actually laughing!"

"Giggle, giggle!"

Xianxian laughed even harder.

"Buzz..."

The sound of the carpenter downstairs started up again, harsh and grating. Xianxian couldn't help but cover her ears, crying out, "The saw is so noisy!"

This time, the little girl’s pronunciation was perfect again. Hearing this, Lu Anzhi couldn't help but look at Zhang Suxin, who happened to be looking at him as well.

"It seems she only gets the pronunciation right when she’s speaking subconsciously," Lu Anzhi speculated.

Zhang Suxin said with annoyance, "I think she’s doing it on purpose! Just to get a rise out of me!" Compared to Lu Anzhi, who had only recently become a father, Zhang Suxin had been suffering through this for a while and was inclined to believe that Zhang Xianxian was being deliberate.

The carpenter downstairs wouldn't be stopping anytime soon, and the shrill sound of the saw biting into wood continued incessantly.

Lu Anzhi didn't dwell on the topic. He picked up Xianxian and said to Zhang Suxin, "The carpenter is going to be working for a long time. Let’s head out."

Zhang Suxin nodded. "Okay."

The three of them went downstairs. The sound of the saw grew louder, and Xianxian clutched her ears tightly. It wasn't until they were outside the shop and had walked a fair distance away that she finally took her little hands off her ears and let out a long breath.

Her sighing, like a little adult, made Lu Anzhi and Zhang Suxin laugh again.

Then, she started giggling along with them.

The sun was high in the sky by now, and the outdoor air was growing sweltering. The heat was becoming unbearable, so Lu Anzhi and Zhang Suxin took Xianxian to browse a nearby shopping mall.

The mall wasn't very crowded, and with the air conditioning running, it was much more comfortable than being outside. Lu Anzhi’s shop couldn't compare, as it wasn't set up yet and they couldn't turn on the AC.

The three of them had no specific destination, just wandering around. Xianxian seemed to treat the place like a playground, playing happily.

Or, to be more precise, she treated it like a skating rink. Holding Zhang Suxin’s finger with one hand and Lu Anzhi’s with the other, the little one slid across the smooth mall floor.

Zhang Suxin didn't want to indulge her and told her to walk properly, but the little one would just slump toward the ground, hanging off their hands and refusing to walk on her own.

Zhang Suxin had to compromise, agreeing to let her slide for a bit and then rest.

In the end, the little one had such a blast that Zhang Suxin eventually got caught up in the mood, letting go of her reservations and running forward with Lu Anzhi, pulling the little girl along as she "skated."

"Giggle, giggle! Giggle, giggle!"

Xianxian was having the time of her life, laughing non-stop.

The bored clerks in the nearby shops watched the family of three playing, and one of them remarked, "How wonderful!"

Whether they were envious of the family’s harmony or simply the sight of their carefree, innocent joy, it was a scene that was easy to be moved by.

Thank you all for your monthly tickets and recommendations! Please keep reading!