Because Editor Huang requested exclusive agency rights for the copyright, and as soon as she opened her mouth, she was asking for ten years. So Zhen Yu instinctively felt that it wasn’t quite right! The word ’exclusive’ suggested a hint of monopoly!
Therefore, without fully understanding the specifics of the publishing industry, she didn’t rashly agree to the terms but instead asked for a business card from the other party and said she would consider it, before respectfully seeing them out.
As soon as Editor Huang left, Zhen Yan imdiately grabbed his sister’s arm excitedly and questioned, "Why didn’t you agree?! If it wasn’t for her saying my calligraphy is not as good as yours, I would like to be published too!"
Zhen Yu gently pulled away her brother’s hand, seriously instructing him, "Don’t panic in the face of issues; important decisions especially need to be cautious! Because I am not familiar with the field, I must verify the information before making a decision! Do you understand?"
Seeing her brother’s look of confusion, Zhen Yu had no choice but to say, "It’s okay if you don’t understand, let’s go to an internet café now! We’ll look up the information before discussing further."
"Right! We need to first understand what the other party ans!" Han Ming Yue actually quite agreed with this and wasn’t like Zhen Yan, who was quick to jump at any seeming bargain.
With that said, they set off! After Zhen Yu had put away the Four Treasures of the Study, the three of them left the guesthouse together to look for an internet café on the streets.
Perhaps because many literati from the late ’90s pursued publishing, there really were so relevant materials online that could serve as references! However, after checking, Zhen Yu’s expression was not too good.
Editor Huang was obviously asking for too much...
"How is it, little sister?" Zhen Yan asked expectantly. In his heart, simply writing so Chinese characters and getting paid was like a pie falling from the sky - such good fortune! What was there to even verify!
This isn’t like those painstakingly written articles; it’s just calligraphy model papers for others to copy!
Before Zhen Yu had a chance to speak, Han Ming Yue said, "We can’t agree! Their demands are too excessive."
"Huh? What’s excessive about it? They’re willing to publish Xiao Yu’s book without charging us a penny, how can that be called excessive?!" Zhen Yan felt that Han Ming Yue’s way of thinking was sowhat peculiar.
Just as Han Ming Yue was about to argue, Zhen Yu finally spoke up.
"Brother! Exclusivity is absolutely not okay, and ten years is too long! I’ve entered the national calligraphy competition and the results will be announced in February. Let’s wait and see!"
"Oh..." Zhen Yan genuinely wished the best for his sister, so upon hearing this, he imdiately cald down and stopped persuading her to agree quickly.
But, although his excitent was doused, he didn’t give up! He soon rallied his spirits and said, "After the results co out, we’ll properly negotiate the price with that Editor Huang! No exclusivity! We’ll cut ten years down to five! Is that how it should be?"
Zhen Yu stretched the corners of her mouth, changing the subject, "Let’s go! We’ll continue distributing leaflets."
She didn’t tell her brother that according to the internet, normal agency rights typically only sign for five years! And there were terms like a one-ti buyout, as well as three-year and one-year options...
——
In the remaining ti of the morning, Zhen Yan and Han Ming Yue distributed leaflets in all the nearby places they could.
As the three sat together eating lunch, Zhen Yan suddenly said to his sister, "It seems we wrote too many..."
"Heh!" Unable to hold it in, Zhen Yu laughed out loud! Imdiately following with a cough, she said, "Cough! Just distribute enough, no need to hand out all of them. I’ll save the rest for when I buy a shop next ti."
"Then haven’t you wasted the effort of writing several dozen brush-written versions?"
"I’ll just consider it calligraphy practice." Zhen Yu didn’t mind it at all.
Just at this mont! Han Mingyue suddenly lifted her head and complained with a wronged expression: "Xiao Yu! You promised to teach calligraphy..."
"Ah!" Zhen Yu only rembered at this mont! Half the sester had gone by, and yet she had not fulfilled her ’promise’. So she quickly offered a redy: "When we go back to the northeast, I’ll teach you! During the winter break, co over every day to practice writing with !"
"Teach this afternoon!" Han Mingyue suddenly threw a tantrum like a child!
Zhen Yu obviously hadn’t expected Han Mingyue to suddenly beco willful, and at first was taken aback. But then she thought that there really wasn’t much to do in the afternoon, so she went along and agreed.
——
Therefore, right after lunch, Zhen Yan was forced to endure another serving of afternoon tea (dog food). Luckily, when it was almost dark, a call from an agent ca! Otherwise, Zhen Yan was afraid he wouldn’t be able to eat dinner.
The call wasn’t from the Public Security University’s agent, but one from Beijing University.
They ntioned that there was a listing that was ’100% suitable for her needs’ and wanted Zhen Yu to take a look!
It was a sudden listing that appeared today! The seller was in urgent need of a sale! And the property could only be viewed at night!
Hearing that, the trio of Zhen Yu of course quickly got ready and rushed over.
An hour later, the three were led by an agent into a residential building that was only five stories tall.
"Isn’t this too far from Beijing University?" Zhen Yan whispered to his sister from behind.
Zhen Yu shook her head, "It’s fairly close! Didn’t the agent just say it’s about a ten-minute walk from the west gate."
——
After knocking on the door, the only one to greet everyone was a man obviously over forty years old.
He looked like he was in poor shape! His beard was unkempt, and his eyes were full of red blood vessels, as if he had stayed up for several nights without sleeping.
"Are they the ones buying the house?" As soon as the door closed, the man couldn’t wait to ask the agent!
Zhen Yu also realized that this person either had urgent matters to attend to or was in dire need of money right now! So she quickly took the initiative to speak up: "I’m the one buying! Please tell about the condition of the house! If it’s suitable, I’ll take it."
The uncle’s eyes brightened up imdiately as he hurriedly said: "This apartnt is small in size and low in total price! Perfect for young people like you! Have a look around yourselves! It’s really a nice location and a good house! Oh, right! It has gone through property reform, and the title is all mine!"
When she heard the last sentence, Zhen Yuxin was actually almost set on buying. But to be safe, she still said: "Uncle, can you show the property title?"
"Sure! Just a mont, I’ll go get it right now!" Hearing this, the man turned and went into the bedroom.
The agent quickly stepped forward to help make a pitch: "Little sister! You’re really lucky! Otherwise, where else could you find a 40-so square-ter apartnt! Though it’s three hos per floor, the floor level is great! Not too high, not too low, right in the middle! And look at this south-facing master bedroom with a southern balcony! What a view! The living room may face north, but it has windows! The kitchen is not small at all..."
Zhen Yu responded noncommittally once or twice, with Zhen Yan and Han Mingyue not saying much either.
For a while, all three were internally assessing this apartnt...
"It’s fairly decent! A lifesaver in troubled tis... let’s go with this one!" Zhen Yu finally ca to such a conclusion.
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