novellhall Chapter 11 New Song, One Step Higher
Chapter 11 New Song, One Step Higher
"Teacher, there's something else. After the competition yesterday, Ge Yanping, the director from CCTV's program team, also approached Hanjiang, mentioning that the station's leaders really liked 'The Story of Spring' and wanted to discuss the copyright usage. I suggested that Hanjiang not try to negotiate on his own, but rather ask you for advice. We don't have much experience in this area and are afraid of being taken advantage of."
Upon hearing this, Jin Tielin nodded, a look of relief on his face.
Without delay, he reached for the old-fashioned rotary phone on the coffee table and dialed a number.
"Hello, is this Xiao Ge? This is Jin Tielin."
When the call connected, Jin Tielin's voice regained its usual calm and powerful tone.
"Yes, it's about that song by my student Lin Hanjiang..."
Ge Yanping's polite and warm voice came from the other end of the phone. Jin Tielin listened with "uh-huh" sounds, occasionally interjecting a word or two, his fingers lightly tapping on the armrest of the sofa.
After about five or six minutes, Jin Tielin said, "Okay, Xiao Ge, let's leave it at that for now. We'll talk about the details after the children's finals. Goodbye."
Jin Tielin hung up the phone.
Then, he looked at the two students who were staring at him expectantly.
"Regarding the copyright, Ge Yanping has officially communicated with us. Several leaders from relevant departments at the station really appreciate this song, feeling that it is excellent in terms of its ideological content, artistry, and singability, and they want to use it in some important special programs and galas at the station."
He paused, then calmly analyzed the situation: "However, the cost... their initial offer is a one-time purchase of the permanent broadcasting rights within the CCTV system, priced at only two thousand."
"two thousand?"
Zhang couldn't help but exclaim again, this time his voice filled not only with surprise but also with resentment.
"Teacher, this is far too little compared to the value of the song 'Han Jiang.' That song has permanent broadcast rights on CCTV!"
Jin Tielin glanced at her, signaling her to calm down.
"I know you think it's too little. In Hong Kong, Taiwan, or some market-oriented record companies in the south, a song like this, let alone a permanent copyright, could easily sell for tens of thousands or even more with just a few years of exclusive usage rights. But this is CCTV, and Xiao Ge and his team have their own internal standards."
He turned to Lin Hanjiang: "Two thousand yuan, in their eyes, is probably already a preferential price given considering your status as a student and the positive value of the song. They might even think that being able to appear frequently on CCTV is the greatest reward for you, helping you to quickly become famous."
Silence fell over the living room for a moment.
Lin Hanjiang listened silently, while also making his own calculations.
Two thousand yuan is a huge sum of money in an era where the average monthly income is only one or two hundred yuan, enough to solve an immediate problem.
But they traded it for the permanent television broadcast rights to the song "The Story of Spring".
In the long run, it seems there is some resentment.
Especially given that he clearly knows that the value of intellectual property rights will rise rapidly in the future.
But in mainland China now, CCTV is indeed the best channel for broadcasting.
"What do you think, teacher?"
Jin Tielin did not answer immediately. He leaned back against the sofa and placed his hands on his abdomen.
After a moment's hesitation, he slowly said, "I didn't agree to him immediately, nor did I make any definitive statements. I told Xiao Ge that we can sit down and discuss the specific details after the children's final competition."
He looked at Lin Hanjiang with high hopes: "Hanjiang, what you need to do most right now isn't to worry about those two thousand yuan, but to focus all your energy on the finals. If you can win the gold medal in the CCTV Young Singers Competition, then we'll have a crucial trump card in our hands. When we talk about it then, whether it's price or licensing terms, we'll have much more leverage, and our bargaining power will be completely different. But if…"
Jin Tielin changed the subject, his tone becoming serious.
"If you don't perform well in the finals, or your ranking is just average, then this 2,000 yuan buyout price is probably the best the station can offer. Because at that time, your popularity and potential will be greatly reduced in their evaluation system."
These words were straightforward and realistic, laying bare the relationship between art and academic achievement in front of Lin Hanjiang.
Lin Hanjiang's eyes narrowed, and a fierce, unyielding spirit rose from the bottom of his heart.
He said firmly, "Teacher, I understand. Don't worry, I will definitely win the gold medal in the finals!"
"Good! That's the spirit we need!"
Jin Tielin's face showed an approving expression.
"Do you have a plan for the final piece? Is it going to be an original composition?"
"It's an original work, teacher. I'm ready."
As Lin Hanjiang spoke, he took out a folded sheet of musical notation from his pocket and handed it over with both hands.
Jin Tielin took the score and began to read it carefully.
At first, his gaze was merely a habitual review, carrying the strictness of a teacher towards their students' studies.
But soon, his gaze fixed on something else.
His lips moved silently, as if he were reciting lyrics and humming a melody.
The living room fell silent.
Zhang was so curious that he couldn't resist joining in, standing behind the teacher and tiptoeing to look at the sheet music.
When her gaze swept over the title and the first few lines of the melody, her eyes widened instantly, and her mouth unconsciously opened slightly.
Time passed second by second.
Sudden.
Jin Tielin suddenly raised his head, looked at Lin Hanjiang, and said three times in a row, "Good! Good! Good!"
He hadn't been this excited in front of his students for many years.
At that moment, only one thought was churning in his mind.
There are countless talented young people in the world, but his student Lin Hanjiang is beyond the simple description of genius; he is a genius among geniuses!
No, he's a genius!
The song "The Story of Spring" performed in the semi-finals was already stunning, and this song prepared for the finals seems to have reached an even higher level in terms of scope, spirit, and accurate grasp of the pulse of the times.
Standing behind him, Zhang Ye finally recovered from the huge shock when Jin Tielin praised Lin Hanjiang.
This Hunanese hot girl, who usually presents a gentle image, is completely disregarding her image at this moment.
He blurted out, "Holy shit!"
……
I had a simple lunch at Teacher Jin's house.
After returning home at noon, Ma Qiuhua, the teacher's wife, personally cooked fried noodles with soybean paste, served with cucumber shreds and bean sprouts. The aroma was so enticing that Lin Hanjiang almost swallowed his tongue.
The food at school is terrible.
After eating and drinking to their hearts' content, they left the family dormitory building.
Zhang also needs to go back for his lunch break.
Lin Hanjiang needs to go to the CCTV building to submit the official score of the final competition piece to the organizing committee.
The interviews that Ge Yanping had originally agreed to were also canceled.
It's estimated that Professor Jin said they would discuss the copyright issue later, so Ge Yanping cancelled the proposal.
This also saves him the trouble of dealing with the media.
It just means we missed an opportunity for early exposure.
That's good, I can practice my singing these days and aim for the finals.
If he's not allowed to have his image exposed, he'll create it himself.
We'll have to wait and see how "The Story of Spring" is received after the CCTV Young Singers Competition airs on Sunday.
"Excuse me, are you Lin Hanjiang?"