45: Chapter 45 King-Level Contract

Outside Rehearsal Room 3, Li Cheng leaned against the wall, holding his phone.

"Li Cheng, let's not beat around the bush," said Manager Zhang Lei, head of the exclusive copyright department at Tencent Music, speaking very quickly. "The free-to-listen data for 'lonely warrior' came out last night. In twelve hours, the single-platform view count broke fifteen million."

"And that's without giving it any featured placement."

Li Cheng shifted his standing position. "Manager Zhang, are you reporting these numbers because you want to praise Jiang Fan for his effective charity work?"

"Stop joking. Don't forget that you're still with Tencent Music." Manager Zhang Lei sighed. "The upper management held a meeting overnight, and state media has weighed in to set the tone. The social value of this song is already immeasurable."

"You have a good relationship with Jiang Fan. Can you talk to him and ask him to grant exclusive rights for all his future works to Tencent Music?"

Manager Zhang Lei paused for two seconds before throwing out his trump card. "The terms will be based on what Jiang Fan proposed earlier. A seventy-thirty split, with the platform taking thirty percent and him keeping all the copyrights. This is an S-level contract that only superstar-level artists get."

A few days ago, Manager Zhang Lei was still acting like a high-level executive at a big company, throwing out a ten-million buyout fee to bully a newcomer.

Today, he was practically kneeling, offering the superstar-level contract on a silver platter.

"Send the contract to my email. I'll decide after I look it over." Li Cheng didn't rush to agree and hung up the phone directly.

He pushed open the door to the rehearsal room.

Seven people were standing in front of Jiang Fan—the same team from last time for "blue and white porcelain".

"Old Li, what's the word?" Jiang Fan didn't even look up.

"Tencent Music has caved." Li Cheng walked over and lowered his voice. "Seventy-thirty split, copyrights belong to you. Manager Zhang Lei is so anxious his throat is smoking; he's terrified you'll grant rights to another platform."

Jiang Fan picked up several music scores from the music stand.

"Wait until the grand finale is over before signing. After tonight, the terms will need to be changed again."

Li Cheng's eyelids twitched twice.

A seventy-thirty split was already the industry ceiling.

Change it again? Did this kid want to flip the table on Tencent Music?

Before Li Cheng could respond, Jiang Fan had already handed the individual parts to the musicians in front of him.

Principal Cellist took the score and saw the instrument markings on it.

"Cello?" Principal Cellist looked up, sizing up Jiang Fan.

"The principal of the National Centre for the Performing Arts, and you can't play the cello well?" Jiang Fan countered.

Principal Cellist didn't answer and looked down at the score.

Her gaze swept across the first line of the staff.

Principal Cellist's fingers tapped out the rhythm on her leg, the tapping becoming heavier and heavier.

This was the prelude.

The guitar arpeggios cut in, followed immediately by the cello, pulling out a descending scale filled with immense pressure.

Classical piano interjected in the middle, but the rhythm carried a distinct hip-hop groove.

Classical and street.

Two completely unrelated styles, forcibly kneaded together on this A4 sheet of paper.

"Who did this Arrangement?" Principal Cellist stood up.

"Me." Jiang Fan took a bottle of mineral water from the side and twisted it open.

Principal Cellist stared at him for half a minute, then turned and walked toward the cello case in the corner.

She opened the latches, took out the instrument, and sat back in her original spot. Her right hand gripped the bow, her left hand pressed the strings.

The bow pressed against the strings. A deep, mellow tone rippled through the rehearsal room.

Following the fingering on the score, Principal Cellist played the melody of the prelude.

Desolate, magnificent, and extremely catchy.

After just four bars, the musicians standing nearby who were still chatting all stopped what they were doing.

The drummer's sticks hung in mid-air, forgotten.

"This melody..." the guitarist stared at the score, "It's too wicked; you hear it once and it's branded into your brain, impossible to wash away."

Principal Cellist put down the bow.

During their previous collaboration on "blue and white porcelain", she had admired Jiang Fan's use of the pentatonic scale.

Today, this score completely shattered the boundaries of her perception of pop music.

"I'll play the piano part myself." Jiang Fan walked over to the Yamaha grand piano and sat down, lifting the lid. "Drummer, pay attention. The kick drum tone should be a bit muffled, not too bright."

Jiang Fan placed his hands on the black and white keys, his gaze sweeping over everyone.

"Bass, stay in the low frequencies; leave space for the cello."

The rehearsal officially began. Jiang Fan pressed his fingers down.

Crisp piano notes flowed out, carrying a sense of classical pathos.

Immediately after, Principal Cellist's cello cut in.

The moment the music started, Li Cheng, standing by the door, straightened his back.

There were no heart-wrenching high notes, no deliberately sentimental lyrics.

Jiang Fan sat at the piano, playing while chanting in a tone that was almost indifferent.

The enunciation was extremely fast, yet every word was clear.

"A swarm of bloodthirsty ants is attracted to rotting flesh."

"I watch the lonely scenery with an expressionless face."

"Losing you, love and hate begin to become clear."

"Losing you, what else is there to care about?"

The unique phrasing, combined with the heavy drum beats, hammered against everyone's eardrums.

The chorus cut in.

The cello's lament intertwined with the crispness of the piano.

"Playing Chopin's nocturne for you, to commemorate my dead love."

"The sound is like the night wind, heartbreak sounds so beautiful."

"My hands tap the keyboard very lightly, the longing I give is very careful."

"The place where you are buried is called the netherworld."

Li Cheng leaned against the wall, fishing a cigarette out of his pocket.

Once this song was released on the grand finale stage, the other contestants could pack their bags and go home.

The song ended.

Principal Cellist's fingers holding the bow were flushed red; she stared at Jiang Fan.

Jiang Fan closed the piano lid. "One more time."

"Guitar, ease up on the strumming intensity by two notches. This isn't rock; it's dark gothic." Jiang Fan pointed at the guitarist.

"Drums, don't rush the beat, stay on the rhythm, I want that sense of dragging."

For the next two hours, the melody of "nocturne" was repeated continuously in the rehearsal room.

Jiang Fan's demands for every single note were extreme.

Sweat beaded on Principal Cellist's forehead.

Even rehearsals at the National Centre for the Performing Arts didn't have this kind of pressure.

Until the fifth take ended, Jiang Fan nodded.

"That's it. Keep this state." He stood up and covered the piano lid.

Principal Cellist put down the cello and rubbed her aching wrist.

The rehearsal room door was pushed open.

The scent of rose perfume flooded in.

Su Yuyan stood at the doorway, followed by two assistants.

She tilted her head, her gaze sweeping over the musicians, the piano, and the cello in the rehearsal room, finally landing on Jiang Fan.

Su Yuyan crossed her arms and leaned against the doorframe.

"Piano and cello? Quite the lineup."

Jiang Fan picked up the mineral water and took a sip.

Diva Su came to visit the rehearsal?

He turned around, his gaze falling on Su Yuyan.

The system panel floated silently, the SS-level compatibility indicator flickering with a faint halo.

[Host's Charisma Aura has been automatically activated. Target: Su Yuyan]

The sarcastic lines Su Yuyan had prepared stuck in her throat.

She looked into Jiang Fan's eyes, her breathing rhythm disrupted.

This young man in front of her exuded a highly aggressive attraction.

It wasn't just his handsome appearance, but a mix of confidence and an unfathomable aura.

She had debuted for so many years and seen countless male stars; no one had ever been able to make her have this kind of physical reaction with just a single look.

"Does Teacher Su have any advice?" Jiang Fan put down the water bottle.

Su Yuyan turned her head, avoiding Jiang Fan's gaze.

She walked two steps closer, the sound of her high heels exceptionally clear in the quiet rehearsal room.

"I wouldn't call it advice." Su Yuyan stared at Jiang Fan's face, her voice tone unconsciously dropping. "I just came to see what weapon the biggest variable tonight is planning to use to rock the stage."

"I wouldn't call it a weapon." Jiang Fan's tone was flat. "Just an ordinary song."

Su Yuyan let out a soft laugh and leaned in a little closer.

The scent of rose perfume rushed straight into Jiang Fan's nostrils.

"Jiang Fan, online voting is about connections and capital. Times Media has prepared a thirty-million vote pool for Zhao Tianyu, plus this mouth of mine." Su Yuyan lowered her voice, audible only to the two of them. "What are you going to use to win?"

"I'll use music that you don't understand." Jiang Fan looked at her.

Su Yuyan didn't respond.

She couldn't see any awkwardness or panic in Jiang Fan's eyes.

The system's Charisma Aura continued to radiate.

Su Yuyan felt her cheeks burning; she subconsciously took half a step back, widening the distance.

"Alright then." Su Yuyan smoothed her hair. "Then tonight, from the judge's seat, I'll listen carefully to your music."

She turned to walk out, stopped when she reached the door, and looked back at Jiang Fan.

"Don't disappoint me."

The rehearsal room door closed.

The scent of perfume gradually dissipated.