Water Strike Three Thousand

No surprises—Kong Xi made the call on the spot. Even if the production company didn't want it, she had to secure this song.

Though it wasn't exactly folk, the song, like its name, was quiet and gentle. She could perform it.

And even without having been in love herself, she could feel the rich emotions hidden in the lyrics.

She immediately wanted to drag Yan Yu and Song Dao upstairs to record.

Yan Yu was a bit helpless, thinking, What's the rush?

She specifically explained to Song Dao: "Don't worry. She might be a little scatterbrained, but she's reliable. She's made some money lately, so buying this song won't be a problem."

Song Dao smiled. "It's fine."

After all, it was already registered. The copyright was his.

Good songs would keep coming one after another. Getting to know Senior Sister Yan Yu and a rising big-name influencer like Kong Xi wasn't a bad thing for him.

Of course, the premise was that the money had to be right—otherwise, no deal!

Yan Yu then reminded Kong Xi.

Even if she was buying it herself, she'd better discuss it with her agent first.

Only then did Somersault Cat Girl, after asking Song Dao's opinion, call her agent.

Following Song Dao's wishes, she didn't mention his name. He might be trending now, but there was still some controversy around him.

He didn't want to use that buzz to score points.

Yan Yu agreed with that.

Once the heat of this matter died down, if people later discovered that Song Dao had written it, there might be an extra pleasant surprise.

So Kong Xi told her agent that Sister Yu had helped connect her with a songwriter who'd created a song for her. She'd record a demo today and then come back to report.

Kong Xi's agent knew Yan Yu's influence and was immediately thrilled. She kept saying "great," asked Kong Xi to pass on her thanks, and even scolded Kong Xi for keeping it from her.

From her perspective, Kong Xi must have reached out to Yan Yu long ago.

Otherwise, how could a song appear so fast?

In truth, as long as Kong Xi said yes, this matter was basically settled.

The production company only required her to sing it. As long as it wasn't a cover of an old song but an original new track made specifically for their drama, there was no issue.

Kong Xi's voice wasn't like A-Sang's.

From the original host's memories, she'd heard Kong Xi sing before.

She always sang folk, but her vocal range was wide. From a professional perspective, there was still a lot of untapped potential.

Songs were like that—different people brought completely different styles.

Riding that vague, inexplicable wave of melancholy, Kong Xi insisted on recording a version first before discussing the contract.

Song Dao didn't refuse.

During the recording, Kong Xi indeed delivered a flavor distinct from both A-Sang and Song Dao.

Her tone was bright and gentle.

Carrying a hint of a maiden's unrequited love, a longing that couldn't be attained.

Though there was sadness and helplessness, it wasn't bone-deep. Instead, it quietly held a glimmer of hope and anticipation for the future.

Coincidentally, that fit the drama's plot!

Her vocal range really was good. The same soft humming and singing came out clean, clear, and transparent.

Still, during the process, Song Dao offered suggestions on Kong Xi's singing style and some subtle handling of certain parts.

When she re-recorded, it felt much better.

During the subsequent arrangement and production, Song Dao made Yan Yu see him in a new light.

Especially his guitar accompaniment—it really caught her eye.

People who didn't understand would only watch for flashy technique. Those who knew understood how hard it was to play guitar well.

A master and a show-off were like the difference between real martial arts and fancy moves in a Wuxia novel.

An expert could tell at a glance.

This Junior Brother was pretty impressive. Not only could he write and sing, but his skill at coaching singers was no joke. This seemed like a basic skill for a good producer, yet most musicians didn't have it.

She'd thought he was just a talented young man.

Heartbroken, riding a wave of emotion, he'd created that one song.

Now, with two heartbreak songs of completely different styles, it was clear that Song Dao's ability went far beyond a single song that suddenly blew up online.

As long as that drive in him didn't fade, he was very likely to produce even higher-quality songs next.

Maybe even a golden classic that hadn't graced the scene in ages—not impossible!

More importantly, he could lift others up!

Xiao Xi was really lucky!

She felt a bit emotional.

Not to mention that My Cat Can Do Backflips had shot her to internet fame overnight, but the sheer desperation of grasping at straws—actually managing to unearth a song like this in the current era, and meeting a creator so brilliant yet just starting to make a name—was something else.

Calling her the chosen one might be a stretch, but this kind of luck was truly unmatched by ordinary people!

There was something almost mystical about this industry.

Countless singers with solid stage presence and outstanding vocal skills remained lukewarm simply because they never got good enough material.

If Kong Xi deepened her chemistry with Song Dao and he crafted a few songs tailored to her, she might actually make it big.

By then, no one would dare call her just an internet singer anymore.

She pulled Kong Xi aside and whispered for a while.

Kong Xi nodded repeatedly.

Then Yan Yu took the initiative to draft a contract for the two of them.

Song Dao took it, glanced over it, and a hint of surprise showed on his face.

As the copyright holder and creator, Song Dao could receive a lump sum of two hundred thousand in cash.

That was the money the film company had put up, split fifty-fifty between him and Kong Xi.

But it wasn't a buyout—just like with the production company, it only purchased usage rights.

These usage rights naturally included the film production company that paid for the custom work; they could also use the song for various promotions.

If anyone else wanted to perform it commercially, they'd have to pay.

And that money wouldn't go to Kong Xi—it would go directly to Song Dao!

The figure of two hundred thousand was Kong Xi's "own decision" after Yan Yu gave her advice.

Regardless of what the company thought, she intended to split half of her four hundred thousand with Song Dao.

It wasn't that she didn't care about profit, but both she and Yan Yu agreed this song would be a hit!

Just like Yan Yu said, Always Been Quiet would definitely have a broader audience than See Through Love, See Through You.

With the backing of a TV drama, it could even blow up big!

For the song's own earnings, the fame it brought to the singer was clearly more important!

Sometimes a song is carried by the artist, but more often, it's the song that lifts the artist!

The contract also stipulated that if the song was uploaded to music platforms or released as an album, and Kong Xi's version was picked up by KTVs or other music venues, the net revenue from Kong Xi's share would be split fifty-fifty between them.

For example, with Tencent Music, if the split was 60-40, out of a million in revenue, the platform took four hundred thousand, leaving six hundred thousand. Kong Xi's company would take three hundred sixty thousand, and each of them would get one hundred twenty thousand before tax.

There was also a precondition: the company couldn't just take a cut for nothing—they had to use their own resources and channels to promote the song and generate greater returns.

In the long run, this was far better than going it alone.

So it was really a win-win situation.

As for other singers covering the song, or future TV dramas wanting to use it, if Kong Xi was involved, they'd split fifty-fifty. If she wasn't, all revenue went to Song Dao as the copyright owner.

The contract also set a usage term.

Fifteen years!

After that, if Kong Xi still wanted to perform the song publicly, they'd need to renegotiate.

The leverage was entirely in Song Dao's hands.

Honestly, this contract was so favorable it surprised Song Dao.

He'd thought those two beautiful women were whispering just to use Kong Xi's fame to drive down the price.

Instead, they handed him a deal that was extremely advantageous.

Even with See Through Love, See Through You exploding online overnight, he was still a newcomer in the field of lyricists and composers.

To the mainstream music scene, he was barely on the radar.

In the golden age of music in the nineties, aside from a few godfather-level figures, even top-tier lyricists and composers rarely got revenue shares.

It was usually a flat buyout of a few thousand to tens of thousands.

Adjusted for inflation, that would be at most a million today.

As for second- or third-tier creators, or unknown newcomers, then and now, selling songs for a few hundred or thousand was common.

By current market rates, somewhat famous lyricists and composers could get a share for greater profit.

But that was usually around ten to twenty percent of the singer's portion.

A fifty-fifty split was basically reserved for well-known music talents.

Song Dao didn't know much about this, but the original owner knew it inside out!

The reason Miao Xiu thought the original owner had no future was that he couldn't even sell a song for a few thousand!

So Song Dao was very satisfied with this contract.

Once the film production company's payment came through, he'd happily pocket two hundred thousand before tax.

Of course, the system would deduct half of the after-tax income.

But that was still great!

It could solve the immediate crisis.

Once uploaded to music platforms, there would be a steady stream of subsequent income.

It might not be less than what he earned from singing himself.

Later, when his reputation grew and he held the copyrights, he could find suitable tools to sing the system-approved songs that weren't just catchy tunes, making even more money.

By then, it wouldn't be a fifty-fifty split.

It's the same in any industry—whoever's better holds the leverage.

The two quickly signed the agreement, both parties delighted.

When asking Song Dao what name to use as the lyricist and composer, Song Dao thought for a moment and said, "Water Strike Three Thousand."

"A pen name?" Yan Yu asked.

Song Dao nodded.

Public opinion—it could make things happen, but it could also ruin them.

A few classmates whispering behind your back, relatives nagging during holidays—all of it was hard to bear.

As a newcomer, a music conservatory graduate who went viral because his girlfriend cheated on him, what did it feel like to have the whole internet chirping about you?

A pen name could give the impression of a mysterious big shot's alt account, steering outside speculation in another direction.

Separate from his real self for now.

Let each develop on its own.

Once he made a name for himself, it wouldn't matter anymore.

Back in the day, Senior Xiao Gang had done the same.

Yan Yu smiled. "'When the peng moves to the Southern Abyss, it strikes the water for three thousand li, soaring on the whirlwind to a height of ninety thousand li, leaving on the breath of June'... Your pen name, is it from 'Free and Easy Wandering'?"

Song Dao was taken aback for a moment, then said, "Senior Sister has a good memory!"

Knowing it wasn't hard; remembering it was.

"Hey, we studied it in class!" Yan Yu chuckled, lifting her gaze to look at Song Dao. "Junior Brother is someone with ambition! It's hard to imagine that a talented and driven young man like you would end up..."

She didn't finish, but Song Dao understood instantly. "I was pretty dumb before, taking that much money to support someone who didn't love me. Now that the money's gone, I've finally woken up, right?"

Besides, he had nothing to do with the original owner, but in others' eyes, he was still the same person, so this couldn't be avoided.

The mess the original owner left behind—he had to clean it up.

Fortunately, there weren't too many problems left.

Yan Yu nodded. "Waking up is good, but you don't need to thank her. You should thank this experience for giving you creative inspiration. Using a pen name to write songs for others really cuts down on a lot of unnecessary trouble."

Song Dao laughed heartily. "Senior Sister is right!"

With things going smoothly, Yan Yu simply suggested that they re-record "See Through Love, See Through You" later, and then have a meal here at noon, with some drinks to celebrate.

The talk about winning clients was just a joke.

Life is Messy Studio—students like the original owner might not know it, but everyone in the Beijing music scene did.

Plenty of people had their eyes on Yan Yu, the beautiful boss lady.

So business wasn't lacking.

She mainly wanted to make friends with this young junior brother.

Talented without being arrogant, and handsome to boot—who wouldn't like him?

Only his ex-girlfriend was blind.

Song Dao agreed. Since crossing over, he hadn't had a proper meal yet.

He'd just been ordering takeout to get by.

To show sincerity, Yan Yu ordered a lot of high-end ingredients on the Sea Cow Fresh app.

They were going to have hotpot.

Then the three went upstairs again to re-record Song Dao's song.