Upon receiving He Yi's message indicating her return, Ji Nian's phone rang immediately.
She was stunned for a moment, seeing an unfamiliar number. Could it be someone calling to buy her song? Feeling somewhat nervous, she slid to answer, "Hello?"
"This is Eighth Older Brother," said Eighth Older Brother on the other end, still struggling with how to ask her for the song.
"Who are you?" Ji Nian asked blankly upon hearing just a name, not understanding.
Eighth Older Brother was taken aback. What was she doing? She actually asked who he was? He replied, "Ji Xiaonian, you don't recognize me anymore?"
Still stunned, Ji Nian felt somewhat awkward. Could this person be someone the original owner knew? But she didn't have any impression of him...
Thinking the woman was throwing a temper tantrum, Eighth Older Brother said, "I know, with your temperament, you must be angry now. But you should also consider us—two of Cheng Liran’s most valuable endorsements fell through because of your outburst."
Cheng Liran? Upon hearing the key name, an acute pain struck Ji Nian's chest. Tears instantly fell as her heart was suddenly filled with anguish.
"I understand suing you and making you pay such a large sum is causing you some difficulties," Eighth Older Brother conceded, his tone patient.
Ji Nian didn't speak. She could barely breathe from the intense pain. She knew this was the original owner's emotions resurfacing. Though long absent, hearing that name had stirred everything up again.
Hearing silence on the phone, Eighth Older Brother looked at his phone in confusion. She hadn't hung up. Why was there no sound?
"Hello? Ji Xiaonian, can you hear me?"
Ji Nian took several deep breaths, trying hard to regain control of her emotions. She didn't know why Cheng Liran’s people were calling her, but she suppressed her thoughts and squeezed out one word with great difficulty— "Yes."
Hearing the sob in her voice, Eighth Older Brother froze. He hadn't misheard. She must have cried; that would explain the continued silence on her end.
"You cried?" Eighth Older Brother asked.
To be honest, he was a famous broker in the industry. He had been genuinely shocked when Cheng Liran suddenly revealed having an underground relationship with a contractual girlfriend.
But he didn't think much of it. Clearly, his artist didn't like this woman. They could have parted amicably.
But instead she threw a fit, the whole matter exposed and Cheng Liran’s relationship immediately made public.
Strangely though, despite being sued, having her contracts cancelled, and owing astronomical damages, this woman made no moves at all.
Even as she remained a hot search topic, she never once commented on the relationship, quietly paying off debts instead.
As his agent during the exposed relationship period, he had worried whether she would provide reporters proof of the contractual affair. Yet she never did.
"Why did you call me?" Ji Nian's tone was still choked up but detached. She didn't want to cry; her body was just wracked with pain, heart clenched tight.
The original owner had slit her wrists and committed suicide because of Cheng Liran. She was dead because of him. If not for her sudden transmigration into this world, perhaps Ji Xiaonian would no longer exist.
Eighth Older Brother was startled by the detachment and aloofness in the woman's tone. Raising his eyebrows, he said, "I saw your song ‘Ordinary Road’ online. Give us the rights and we'll call everything in the past even. What do you think?"
Hearing this, Ji Nian was still owed 2.77 million by Cheng Liran. In her personal opinion, that seemed like good money for one song. But something about it irritated her.
"I'll repay the money, but not through that method," Ji Nian answered coldly.
Shocked, Eighth Older Brother couldn't believe she had rejected him. The song was truly excellent and he felt they must acquire it. "Ji Xiaonian, 2.77 million for one song and all grievances wiped away, isn't that a good deal?"
"Even if I can't sell this song elsewhere, you still can't have it," Ji Nian gritted out before hanging up.
Her heart continued aching but upon rejecting him, she oddly felt much more relaxed, lightly pounding her chest and breathing deeply to settle her emotions.
Just then, her phone rang again. Seeing another unfamiliar number, she picked up angrily, "Haven't you pestered me enough? I said I will repay the money, but you can't have the rights."
"Ms. Ji, this is Peng He, Yu Luobai's agent."
The moment Peng He answered the call, he heard the woman's annoyed voice and instantly grasped the gist of things, having researched the news around celebrity Cheng Liran.
Ji Nian froze. Assuming it was Cheng Liran's people again, she had been rude. Somewhat awkwardly she asked, "Excuse me, may I ask why you are calling?"
"Ms. Ji, I saw your song ‘Ordinary Road’ published online. Our company would like to discuss purchasing the rights with you. May I ask what terms you propose?" Peng He inquired.
Who was Yu Luobai? Ji Nian racked her brains until her eyes suddenly went wide. Wasn't he...the one mentioned in a news article she saw on Weibo yesterday? A huge deal!
"This isn't a scam call, is it?" Ji Nian still couldn't believe it. Yu Luobai wasn't heavily featured in the novel but his character settings were at the level of a heavenly king.
A child star debut, zero scandals, explosive acting skills. Only 28 but a box office record holder. His status in the entertainment industry was practically godlike. The female protagonist had even co-starred with him in a movie later on.
Hearing the woman's words, Peng He laughed and said, "Rest assured Ms. Ji, this isn't a scam. ‘Ordinary Road’ is an excellent song. And as you said in the video, it would sound even better sung by a man. So we have sincere intentions to discuss a collaboration with you."
Ji Nian was stunned speechless. This song was exceptional! Even the heavenly king himself had stepped up. She had to make a killing! The king had endless money so she should raise the price with no worries, right...?
"Um..." Ji Nian struggled to name a number. Eighth Older Brother had said 2.77 million to buy the song earlier. So how much should she quote?
Should she daringly open with 3.5 million? Or would that be too steep? Back when her monthly salary was only 4,000 yuan, millions was unimaginable.
Just as Ji Nian agonized over how much to ask for, the other party spoke up.
"Ms. Ji, our company would like to offer 5 million to purchase the rights to ‘Ordinary Road’ and provide you appropriate additional benefits—namely, permission to cover the song and upload it to music platforms."
"What?!" Ji Nian exclaimed in shock, unable to restrain her surprise. 5 million? Had she heard that right?!
Thinking the woman was unhappy with the price, Peng He frowned. To be honest, even 5 million was rather high on their end.
The company had considered the mystery composer behind Ji Xiaonian and was simply trying to build goodwill by quoting generously. If she still wasn't satisfied at this price, it was somewhat greedy.
"Ms. Ji, does our company's offer have any issues? We can negotiate," Peng He asked.
"No, no issues at all!" Ji Nian swiftly replied. 5 million was an astronomical windfall. Selling this one song could nearly clear half her debts!
Just now, she had agonized over whether to ask for 3.5 million, struggling to name a price she worried was too steep.
She never expected them to open with 5 million...
Apologies, her aspirations had been too small...
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