Chapter 58: He Doesn’t Deserve It

The next day, Sunday.

Jiang Ning was woken up by a series of phone vibrations.

She groggily opened her eyes.

“7:10…”

Damn.

Who is it?

Jiang Ning’s morning temper immediately flared up.

She grabbed her phone and buried herself under the blanket.

“Hello! Who is it?”

“It’s so early! Don’t you want to sleep anymore?”

As soon as the voice came through, it was soft and gentle.

“Sorry, Little Jiang Ning.”

“Sis really needs to talk to you. Can you come out for a bit?”

Sis?

Jiang Ning’s mind cleared up a little. She looked at the phone in her hand.

Liao Liao?

In the next second, she figured out what was going on.

“Oh, it’s Sis Liao Liao! So early to call me. Wait a minute, you came to Jiangzhou?”

“Yeah, I’m right outside your neighborhood.”

Liao Liao’s words stunned Jiang Ning.

Yesterday, when she made the call, it was just to let the other person listen to the song and give some feedback.

But she had forgotten about it when her phone ran out of credit.

She never expected Liao Liao to come over so early and even topped up her phone credit.

So…

Jiang Ning suddenly stretched her head out from under the blanket and listened carefully to the sounds outside.

When she heard the occasional footsteps outside, she pulled her head back under the covers.

“Sis Liao Liao, it’s really too early. I probably can’t go out now.”

“How about you go take a walk first? Let’s meet up around noon?”

——————

Two hours later.

At a coffee shop near Jiangzhou University.

Liao Liao quietly observed the bright, spring-like young girl across from her.

She was beautiful, youthful, and had such a unique temperament, like a freshly bloomed jasmine—fragrant and captivating.

And this jasmine could sing like a nightingale.

Liao Liao didn’t know what word to use to describe the girl in front of her.

Unintentionally, she even felt a slight sense of jealousy towards this high school girl.

“Sis Liao Liao, why do you keep staring at me? Do I have something on my face?”

The young girl put down her coffee cup and curiously touched her face.

Those clear, bright eyes made Liao Liao feel a sense of heart-fluttering attraction.

Such beautiful eyes, such an elegant face.

“Little Jiang Ning, you were born to be a star,” Liao Liao complimented sincerely.

However,

The young girl had no interest in this profession.

“I don’t like being a star. No, I don’t like the entertainment industry.”

As someone deeply involved in the entertainment industry, Liao Liao knew all too well about its dirty side.

But considering the purpose of her visit today, she still spoke diplomatically:

“Actually, the entertainment industry isn’t all like you think…”

“Professional singers and actors, as long as they focus on their work, it’ll only be a matter of time before they shine.”

Jiang Ning knew Liao Liao was speaking the truth.

But it didn’t change her aversion to the industry.

So she just smiled and didn’t respond.

However,

Liao Liao didn’t give up.

She directly took out a contract, placed it on the table, and pushed it toward Jiang Ning.

“This is the new contract. If you have any requests, feel free to bring them up.”

So direct?

Jiang Ning took the contract, lowered her head, and started reading.

After a short while, her brows furrowed tightly.

There weren’t many changes in other areas.

The main change was the addition of an option.

One was for Jiang Ning to sing this song, and she would receive 40% of the benefits, while the entertainment company would take 60%.

It’s worth noting that a normal song release would generate far more than the 150,000 yuan offered before.

Copyrights, albums, tapes—if the song made it onto the charts, the singer’s share could be five to ten times more than the previous amount.

The other option was still 150,000 for the song, along with the naming rights and a subsequent royalty of no more than 1%.

When placed side by side, Jiang Ning was a bit tempted by the first option.

But considering her current situation, after thinking it over, she still chose the 150,000 yuan option.

Just as she was about to sign,

Liao Liao suggested another deal.

“50,000 yuan in cash, the original song rights, and 20% of the song’s subsequent earnings.”

“In exchange, you’ll write 10 songs of at least the quality of ‘Passing Through the World’ over three years.”

“Of course, the contract for these 10 songs will not be less than the usual split given to regular singers.”

A regular singer’s split was at least 30% of the subsequent earnings.

To be honest,

This offer was quite good.

Ten songs wouldn’t take Jiang Ning much time.

But since they were negotiating, Jiang Ning couldn’t just accept whatever price Liao Liao offered.

“How are you so sure I can write ten more songs?”

“I believe in your talent,” Liao Liao said with confidence.

This level of trust surprised Jiang Ning.

“Ten is too many, Sis Liao Liao. You know, I’m still in my first year of high school, and my main focus is studying…”

Upon hearing this, Liao Liao’s gaze seemed to drift into a moment of daze.

Right.

First year of high school.

In the end, after a series of negotiations, Jiang Ning managed to reduce the number of songs to eight.

Eight songs in three years.

Two of them had to be of album-quality.

Jiang Ning agreed.

She smiled as she signed her name on the contract.

As they exchanged contracts, Liao Liao looked at the charming girl in front of her and couldn’t help but sigh.

“I have a younger brother, he’s in his second year of high school.”

“I was thinking of introducing you to him.”

“Now?” Jiang Ning blinked her big eyes and asked curiously.

“He doesn’t deserve it.”

Later,

The two of them left the coffee shop.

Looking at the time, it was already 11:15.

“Little Jiang Ning, anything you want to eat? Sis will treat you.”

Having settled the contract matter, Liao Liao was in a good mood and warmly invited Jiang Ning to lunch.

However, Jiang Ning had other plans.

“Sis Liao Liao, let’s save the meal for next time. I have something to do now.”

“What’s that? Do you need Sis’s help?”

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning turned her head, looked at the beautiful white-collar worker in front of her, and suddenly had an idea.

“Alright, then I’ll trouble Sis Liao Liao.”

Ten minutes later.

The two of them arrived at the entrance of ‘Shi Ning Ji.’

At the door of the restaurant,

Three or four young people in uniform were busy coming in and out.

Based on the number of takeaway bags they were carrying, the delivery orders seemed pretty good.

“Is this a fried chicken shop?”

Liao Liao didn’t quite understand why Jiang Ning had brought her to such a place.

To be honest,

She was the type who wouldn’t even eat KFC or McDonald’s in Haicheng.

“This is my family’s shop. I asked Sis Liao Liao to come because there’s something I want to ask you about.”

“Oh, I see.”

That made sense.

Liao Liao nodded and followed Jiang Ning into the restaurant.

As soon as she entered, the smell of fried food made Liao Liao wrinkle her brows instinctively.

As someone who enjoyed minimalist living, she wasn’t accustomed to this heavy oil smell.

However,

Despite her discomfort, the food still smelled quite good.

At this moment, Jiang Ning didn’t know what the urban beauty beside her was thinking. She scanned the restaurant, and among the customers coming and going, she found a familiar face.

She walked over.

“Xia Ling Jie, where’s my cousin?”

“He’s in the changing room, not sure what he’s doing.”

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning didn’t immediately go to find Tian Wenhao. Instead, she casually asked a few questions about the restaurant.

After getting the answers she wanted, she smiled and waved to Xia Ling, then took Liao Liao to the changing room.

Once inside,

She saw Tian Wenhao hunched over a table, writing something.

There was a large stack of papers beside him.

Each sheet had some writing on it.

“Cousin, what are you so busy with?”

Hearing the voice, Tian Wenhao raised his head in confusion.

“Ning Ning, you’re here.”

As he spoke, he noticed Liao Liao behind Jiang Ning and asked in confusion.

“Who is this…?”

“This is your teacher, she’s here to teach you some management experience.”

Management experience?

Liao Liao was first stunned, then helplessly shook her head.

So, this was what the girl was planning.

As a mid-level manager in one of the top entertainment companies, Liao Liao certainly had invaluable experience in personnel and company management.

These were things you couldn’t learn from books.

So, under Jiang Ning’s coaxing, Liao Liao started teaching Tian Wenhao some management tips.

Without realizing it,

When Jiang Ning and Liao Liao walked out of ‘Shi Ning Ji’ again, an hour had passed.

Looking back at the restaurant sign, then recalling the attitude of the boy inside towards Jiang Ning,

Liao Liao seemed to have guessed something.

She looked at the charming girl beside her with a complicated expression, stared at her for a moment, and bluntly said:

“Little Jiang Ning, do you remember the younger brother I said I wanted to introduce you to?”

“Mm? What about him?” Jiang Ning replied, puzzled.

“I’m planning to strangle him the moment I go back.”