Henry answered the phone.
"Hello, who is this?"
"Hello, is this Mr. Henry Storm? this is Sarah Sterling from Silver Records speaking. Do you have a moment? I'd like to discuss something with you."
The woman's voice was gentle and pleasant, carrying the confidence of someone accustomed to speaking with artists.
Silver Records?
Henry's eyebrows rose slightly.Of course he had heard of the company.
Founded in the early 1980s by two college friends who shared an impossible dream of changing the music industry, Silver Records had grown from a tiny independent label into one of the nation's top five entertainment companies.
Over the decades, they had discovered and nurtured countless legendary singers, many of whom had gone on to dominate the music charts for years.
As the company continued expanding, it gradually entered the film and television industry, investing in blockbuster movies, hit television dramas, and talent agencies. Under the leadership of its visionary CEO, Mr. Richard Silver, the company had become a true entertainment empire whose influence extended throughout the country.
Henry narrowed his eyes.Silver Records?She could be telling the truth or she could be lying.
After all, "Never Gonna Give You Up" had gone viral overnight.
It wouldn't be strange if a giant like Silver Records had noticed him.
On the other hand scammers existed everywhere.Without confirming her identity, he wasn't about to trust her so easily.
"I'm sorry," Henry replied calmly. "I'm not interested in signing with any company at the moment."
In his opinion, that was obviously why she was calling.Why else would a major entertainment company suddenly contact a complete newcomer?
He was already preparing to end the call.Although he desperately needed money, he wasn't in a hurry to sell himself.
His popularity was still rising rapidly.If he continued building his reputation for another few weeks, the value of any future contract would be significantly higher.
On the other end of the phone, Sarah was visibly surprised.
However, she quickly recovered."Please don't misunderstand," she said with a small laugh. "I'm not calling to pressure you into signing with us."
"This time, I mainly wanted to discuss a possible collaboration."
"I truly admire your song, 'Never Gonna Give You Up.'"
"A collaboration?"Henry frowned.
His first thought was that this was simply another tactic.
Hook him with a collaboration first,then slowly persuade him to sign an exclusive contract later.
Keeping the woman on the line, Henry quickly searched her name online.Within seconds, numerous articles appeared.
Sarah Sterling.
Content Director of Silver Records.One of the company's youngest senior executives.
She had planned promotional campaigns for several platinum-selling albums and was well known within the entertainment industry.
Henry's vigilance eased slightly.
At least...
The name was real.
Of course, that still didn't prove the person on the phone was actually Sarah Sterling as someone could easily pretend to be her.
Still...
He decided to hear her out.After all, ROC wouldn't pay his appearance fee until next week and right now he genuinely needed money.
After weighing the pros and cons, Henry finally nodded.
"Alright.I'm free today."
"Send me the location."
"We can meet and discuss it."
After receiving the address of a nearby coffee shop, Henry hung up.He quickly changed into a clean set of clothes, washed his face, tidied his hair, and headed downstairs.
The hallway outside was dimly lit.
Just as he locked his apartment door, another door nearby opened.
Wendy stepped into the corridor.The soft yellow light illuminated her graceful figure.Even in the dim hallway, it couldn't hide her natural beauty.
She was wearing a light beige knitted dress that hugged her elegant curves without appearing flashy. The soft fabric accentuated her slender waist while giving her an effortlessly mature charm.
Judging from the way she was dressed, she was probably heading out for dinner or some evening shopping.
Wendy noticed Henry staring for a brief second before asking casually,"Where are you going so late instead of staying home?Aren't you afraid of getting yourself into trouble?"
Henry rolled his eyes internally.Look who's talking.A beautiful woman walking around alone at night should be far more worried than me.
Then he remembered...
She had a black belt.
"...Never mind."
He wisely swallowed those words.
"Someone wants to discuss a collaboration with me," Henry answered honestly. "I'm going to see if I can make a little money."
Wendy nodded lightly, folding her arms across her chest.
"Good."
"Young people should work hard while they still have the energy.The sooner you make money, the sooner you can pay the overdue rent."
A faint smile appeared on her lips before her tone became slightly more serious.
"But don't let success make you careless.Make sure you read any contract before signing it.Don't trust sweet words from strangers and if something feels wrong.Leave immediately."
"Money can always be earned another day."
"Understand?"
Henry blinked.For some reason.She sounded exactly like an overprotective mother lecturing her son before he left home.
Just as he opened his mouth to complain...
She had already disappeared.
"..."
Henry could only shake his head helplessly before heading toward the coffee shop.
About thirty minutes later...
He arrived.
"This way."
A pleasant female voice called out.Not far away, a graceful woman stood and waved toward him.She appeared to be around twenty-eight years old.
Her long chestnut hair rested neatly over her shoulders, while subtle makeup enhanced her already refined features without making them appear artificial.
She wore a tailored purple women's business suit that highlighted her professional temperament, paired with elegant gold rimless glasses that gave her an intellectual aura.
Everything about her—from her posture to her smile—radiated confidence.As Henry approached, she smiled warmly.
"Mr. Henry?"
Henry nodded before taking the seat opposite her.Sarah immediately handed him a business card.
"Hello."
"Allow me to formally introduce myself
I'm Sarah Sterling, Content Director of Silver Records.I've admired your performance since yesterday and to be honest I also admire you as a person."
She paused before asking curiously,
"You mentioned on the phone that you have no intention of signing with any entertainment company."
"May I ask why?"I find that rather surprising.These days, countless people dream of joining a major entertainment company."
"After all, becoming a celebrity means earning enormous amounts of money, receiving endless resources, and gaining millions of fans."
"So..."
"What made you choose a different path?"
Henry almost felt a little embarrassed from being bombarded with so much praise.
He wasn't used to people looking at him as though he were some extraordinary talent.
What different path is she talking about?Miss, I just want to increase the value of my stocks and cash in big later.
Who doesn't like money?
Henry took the business card from her, glanced at it briefly, then placed it on the table.
"I'm simply not very interested in being in the spotlight," he said frankly. "I prefer having the freedom to do whatever I want without constantly worrying about cameras, reporters, and people watching my every move."
He spoke without blinking.It was a complete lie.
Henry had absolutely no problem with attention.If anything, the more people knew his name, the more popularity points he could potentially earn.But there was no reason to tell Sarah that.
Sarah nodded, a faint trace of regret appearing in her eyes.Over the years, she had encountered plenty of talented people who weren't interested in becoming celebrities. Some hated attention, others valued their privacy, and a few simply didn't enjoy performing in front of thousands of people.
She had learned that forcing such people into the spotlight rarely ended well.
"I understand," Sarah said with a small smile. "Everyone has their own ambitions, and I respect your decision."
She leaned forward slightly.
"Then let's get straight to the point."
"I really like this song, and I'd like to acquire the rights to it."
Henry's fingers lightly tapped against the table.
"I'm not selling the copyright."
He looked at her calmly.
"But I can grant you a license."
Sarah paused.She had genuinely hoped to purchase the copyright outright.
Considering the song's current popularity, she knew Silver Records could potentially turn it into a major commercial success. Owning the copyright would give the company much greater control over future exploitation, licensing, and distribution.
But Henry's expression made it clear that he wasn't going to budge.After thinking for a moment, Sarah finally nodded.
"Alright. A license works too."
Henry leaned back slightly.
Selling the copyright? What a joke.He might be short on cash now, but that didn't mean he was stupid.The song had already begun exploding in popularity.
If it continued growing, the copyright could become an extremely valuable asset.Why would he sell a golden goose just because he was hungry today?
Besides, the system had given him the song.He had no idea how many other opportunities might come from it in the future.
Keeping ownership while allowing companies to commercialize the song was obviously the better choice.
"Originally, given the song's current popularity and quality, its value certainly wouldn't be low," Sarah explained. "However, you're still a newcomer, and the song has only recently gone viral. That naturally affects what we can offer."
Henry picked up his glass of water and took a slow sip.He wasn't particularly anxious.
"Give me a price."
Sarah studied him for a moment before becoming serious.
"There are two licensing options."
She raised one finger.
"First, a full buyout license. Silver Records would pay you three hundred thousand dollars upfront for the commercial rights we're negotiating. You receive the money immediately, and any revenue generated through our subsequent commercialization would belong to the company under the terms of the buyout."
She raised a second finger.
"Second, we can offer a guaranteed minimum licensing fee of fifty thousand dollars, plus fifty percent of the net licensing revenue generated from the song afterward."
Henry's eyes narrowed slightly.
The second option was clearly more attractive.
If the song continued growing—and Henry knew it would—fifty percent of the revenue could eventually be worth far more than the three-hundred-thousand-dollar buyout.
He didn't need to think for long.
"The second option."
Sarah nodded.
"Then the guaranteed minimum will be fifty thousand?"
"Make it one hundred thousand."
Sarah's eyebrows rose.
She hadn't expected Henry to counter so quickly. For several seconds, she studied his expression, apparently trying to determine whether he was bluffing.
Henry simply looked back at her calmly.
There was no hesitation in his eyes.
After a moment, Sarah smiled.
"All right. One hundred thousand."
Henry's eyebrows lifted slightly.
That was easier than he'd expected.
Sarah leaned back in her chair, looking almost amused.
"Don't look so surprised. An extra fifty thousand isn't going to break the deal."
That wasn't the real reason, of course.
She was already thinking beyond this particular contract.
Henry had proven that he possessed something Silver Records couldn't simply manufacture: songs with genuine commercial potential. If she could establish a good relationship with him now, there would likely be plenty of opportunities for future contracts.
And Sarah had every intention of being the person sitting across from him when those negotiations happened.
She smiled inwardly.
It's better to give him a little more now and build the relationship.
When the next contract comes around, I'll make sure I know exactly where to strangle him.
Henry suddenly felt a strange chill run down his spine.He couldn't explain why, but Sarah's smile had suddenly become rather frightening.
"Alright."
"It's our first collaboration. I hope we can establish a pleasant working relationship."
Henry smiled.
"A pleasant collaboration."
The two shook hands.Sarah immediately pulled a prepared contract from her bag and placed it in front of him.
Henry picked it up and began reading.His eyes moved carefully across every clause.As he read, he suddenly remembered Wendy's lecture.
Read any contract before signing it.
Don't trust sweet words from strangers.
If something feels wrong, leave.
Henry's mouth twitched.
That woman was annoying.
But...
She wasn't completely useless.
He continued reading.
Although Henry wasn't a lawyer, his years as an office worker had taught him something important: never sign anything simply because someone placed a contract in front of you.
He carefully examined the payment terms, licensing period, revenue distribution, territorial rights, and renewal clauses.
After a while, he pointed at several sections.
"I'd like this clause changed."
"And this one."
"This licensing period is too broad. I'd prefer a fixed term with renewal requiring mutual agreement."
Sarah looked at him with mild surprise.
"Anything else?"
"Yes. The revenue calculation needs to be clearly defined. I don't want 'net revenue' interpreted however the company wants."
Sarah's expression became increasingly serious.She hadn't expected a young newcomer to pay such close attention to the contract.
"Fair enough."
She took out her laptop.The two went through the contract clause by clause.
Sarah was surprisingly decisive. Whenever Henry raised a reasonable concern, she either explained why the clause existed or modified it immediately when there was no real reason to keep it.
After several revisions, they finally reached an agreement.
Sarah closed her laptop.
"Our finance department will transfer the 100,000 dollars guaranteed minimum licensing fee to your account before 10:00 am tomorrow morning."
"At the same time, we'll immediately begin commercializing the song."
"You can also contact me at any time if you'd like to see the relevant sales and licensing data."
She paused before adding,
"There's one more thing. Because your current performance was recorded during a live television program, we'll need you to record a proper studio version of the song. The studio master will be much easier to use for future commercial distribution."
Henry nodded.
"That's fine."
He had nothing to object to.
A song could become popular because of its quality, but popularity alone didn't necessarily translate into money.
Promotion was equally important.
After all, many celebrities made far more money from appearances, endorsements, concerts, events, and commercial opportunities than they did from simply releasing songs.
Henry, however, had absolutely no interest in running around attending meaningless events.
In his previous life, he'd already been treated like a donkey at his office job.
Meeting after meeting.
Conference after conference.
Endless discussions that could have been solved with a five-line email.
He had no intention of replacing that life with another version where he spent every day attending unnecessary promotional events and smiling for cameras.
So why not let professionals handle it?
He could make money.
The song could gain exposure.
And he could avoid the hassle.
It was practically a perfect arrangement.
"Then I'll leave the commercial arrangements to you."
Sarah smiled.
"Of course."
She gathered the papers before suddenly remembering something.
"Oh, there's something else."
She glanced at Henry.
"Mr. Henry, would you be interested in joining Silver Records?"
Henry shook his head slightly.
"At the moment, I'm still figuring things out."
He paused before giving her a polite smile.
"But if I ever decide that I want to join an entertainment company, you'll be the first person I contact."
Sarah nodded.
Although she knew it wasn't a commitment, at least he hadn't completely closed the door and that was enough for now.
"I understand."
She adjusted her glasses.
"And if you really don't like being in the spotlight, there's another option."
"You can work behind the scenes."
Henry raised an eyebrow.
Sarah continued.
"You already have creative talent. And you should understand that a song isn't created by a singer alone."
"At the very least, you have the lyricist, the composer, the producer, and the performer. Sometimes one person handles several of those roles, but they are still different parts of the creative process."
"A great singer can bring a song to life, but the person who writes the melody and lyrics creates the foundation. A great producer can then shape that material into a finished recording."
She leaned slightly closer.
"So you don't necessarily have to become a famous singer."
"You could write lyrics."
"Compose melodies."
"Produce songs."
"And earn royalties from every successful work you create."
Henry listened carefully.
Sarah's expression became more serious.
"You've worked in an entertainment company before, so you should understand this."
"Singers are important, but they aren't the only people who determine the success of a song."
"Sometimes, the most influential person in the room is the one whose name the audience never knows."
"The songwriter creates the story."
"The composer creates the melody."
"The producer turns those ideas into a finished record."
"And the singer gives the song a voice."
She smiled faintly.
"So there isn't really one undisputed king of the music industry."
"But if you're talented enough to write and produce hit after hit while remaining behind the scenes..."
"You can become the person everyone in the industry wants to work with."
"The kind of person whose name may not appear on the stage, but whose music is everywhere."
"The uncrowned king behind the curtain."
The uncrowned king?
Henry fell silent.
Then a smile slowly appeared on his face.
"That sounds pretty good."
He had never considered that possibility seriously before.
There was no way he would perform every song he obtained from the system.
Some songs might be masterpieces, but they simply wouldn't suit his voice or image.
Instead of wasting them...
Why not give them to other artists?
If he could work as a songwriter or producer, he could remain relatively free while still making money from the songs.
More importantly...
Popularity points.
The system didn't necessarily require him to be the one singing.
If his songs became famous through other artists, there was a good chance he could still benefit from the resulting popularity.
It was another path worth exploring.
Henry extended his hand.
"Then perhaps we can give it a try."
Sarah smiled and shook his hand.
"Welcome to the world behind the curtain."
Henry smiled.
Today's conversation had gone far better than he'd expected.
He had earned 100,000 dollars, secured the licensing arrangement for his song, and discovered another possible path for his future.
Not bad.
Not bad at all.
Sarah picked up her handbag.
"Regarding the specific details, I'd like you to come to our company tomorrow so we can discuss everything properly."
"I'll send the address to your phone later."
"Alright."
The business was finished.The two left the café together.The two exchanged a few final words before going their separate ways.
---
Back home, Henry tidied up briefly before opening his computer.
He casually browsed the internet.
Sure enough,the discussion surrounding ROC's performance hadn't died down.
If anything, it had become even more intense.Henry's name was still appearing across the trending topics.
Thousands of people were praising his performance while expressing their anger toward RockMedia.
@MusicFan88:
"That song, 'Never Gonna Give You Up,' was absolutely amazing! I haven't heard such a beautiful song in a long time! But I never expected a singer like Henry to be treated like this!"
@AngryFan:
"Me too! I'm seriously pissed off! It's such a great song! I don't understand what those company executives were thinking. They have a genius sitting right in front of them, yet they chose to push someone else instead?"
@AnneHater:
"I used to like Anne, but after watching everything that happened, I'm done. She treated Henry like a stepping stone. Absolutely disgusting. I'll support Henry from now on!"
@ROCViewer:
"I thought this year's ROC would be amazing. Then 'Never Gonna Give You Up' ended, and I realized none of the remaining performances could compare. 😂"
Henry scrolled through the comments for a while.
A satisfied smile appeared on his face.
At least people were recognizing his talent.
After browsing for a while longer, Henry finally shut down the computer.
He cooked himself a simple dinner, ate until he was satisfied, washed up, and collapsed onto his bed.
Tomorrow was going to be busy.
There was the meeting at Silver Records.Whatever happened next.He would deal with it tomorrow.
For now, sleep came first.