Business Closed Loop: Starting with Ringback Tones to Take Down Giants

A work report? Twenty minutes?

Two plans instantly popped into Wang Song's mind:

Option A: Bow, hand over materials, recite the report, thank the leader, and express commitment to work hard.

Option B: We made some products, and there was demand for them in the market, so we made some money.

If the school truly wants to support us, let's focus less on formalities and more on practical results.

For example... give us two more of those scrapped computers.

Or, donate a recording studio.

Clearly, the only option is A.

Not only do you have to choose A, but you also have to act convincingly.

Your expression should be sincere with a touch of naivety.

Your demeanor should be humble yet exuding confidence.

Speak in a way that is satisfactory but leaves room for maneuver.

How should I say it?

All I can tell you is: Like the Tathagata!

"Under the guidance of the school's policies" and "under Professor Ding's meticulous guidance," "we were able to seize the opportunity to upgrade the content of the ringback tones."

Believe it or not, it actually works!

What kind of startup incubator is this? What kind of 20,000 yuan subsidy is this?

That's the music branch office of Xianming Studio!! And the money for purchasing recording studio equipment!!

As Jiang Yilei walked out of the administration building, he said in a low voice.

"Boss, you're amazing! I was almost falling asleep listening to all that official platitudes, and you didn't even blush or get out of breath?"

Wang Song stuffed the approval document into his bag: "Stop talking nonsense, the people from SkyNet are coming again this afternoon."

2 PM, meeting room of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Office.

Six people arrived from SkyNet: legal, operations, and announcements staff, plus two people carrying cameras.

The scale of the operation was even larger than Wang Song had anticipated.

The other party's operations manager, surnamed Liu, was in his early thirties and shook his hand vigorously twice during the handshake.

"Wang Song, I've heard so much about you."

The camera clicks away.

With the court's legal department overseeing things, each clause of the contract was reviewed one by one.

The revenue sharing, advance payment, promotional resource list, and faxed commitments are consistent.

When he turned to the fourth page, Xiao Liu paused.

"We have a small suggestion regarding this authorship clause..."

Wang Song didn't respond, but nodded to signal the other person to continue.

Could you please change "co-produced" to "special thanks"?

Jiang Yilei stopped writing.

Xiao Liu continued to explain, his tone becoming even more polite: "It's not that we don't acknowledge it, it's just that... we don't have this precedent before."

"Once the cooperation stabilizes, it's the same to add your name to the list later."

Wang Song lowered his head and flipped through two pages of the contract.

It was translated very slowly.

When he looked up again, his tone was calm: "Mr. Liu, if this clause weren't in place, we wouldn't have sent out the sealed bid invitation, nor would we have chosen you."

"You guys want to see how the Super Girls perform, right?"

The meeting room was silent for two seconds.

Xiao Liu wanted to say something more, but Wang Song didn't give him a chance to speak.

"My confidant asked yesterday if they could step in if things don't go well on this side."

"I won't reveal the specific conditions they offered, as it involves a national competition."

Wang Song's words were brief and to the point.

Xiao Liu's smile faltered for a moment, and the legal counsel next to him whispered something.

After listening, Xiao Liu nodded and turned to Wang Song: "...A joint production, then it's a joint production."

He paused for a moment, then added:

"In the press release, we put the team photo on the cover."

Wang Song took the pen, signed his name on the contract, and pushed the school's registration certificate in front of the other party.

"We are a student team, but we follow the rules. We will not use your conditions to pressure Lingtong, and vice versa."

"The school will provide professional guidance for the subsequent promotion and preparation for the Super Girl competition, making the cooperation even more stable."

Both parties exchanged contracts stamped with both seals.

Wang Song took out a CD-R from his bag and a small USB flash drive, placing them both on the table.

"The CD contains the audio files for two songs, and the USB drive contains the same backup."

The copyright registration number is clearly printed on the accompanying information card.

Xiao Liu reached out and took it, then gave a signal to the photographer behind him, who immediately understood.

A snap.

Xiao Liu put the CD into his briefcase and stood up to shake hands.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, the SkyNet employees filed out, their footsteps gradually fading into the corridor.

The two walked quickly toward the bungalow, and as soon as they turned the corner, they saw that the door to the studio was open.

Li Ran and Zhou Tao peered through the door frame, while Ma Xiaojun leaned halfway out. As soon as they arrived, a group of people surrounded them.

"It's signed?!"

"Where's the contract? Where's the contract? Let us take a look!"

Jiang Yilei smiled and spread out the contract, "It's done!!"

She opened the contract, and the words "joint production" stood out.

Li Ran and Zhou Tao have already seen their names displayed on the operator's homepage, subjecting them to scrutiny from the entire nation.

Chang Sisi tugged at Zhang Zhen's sleeve and shook it hard twice.

Only Yao Beina remained standing in the same spot.

She glanced at Wang Song, and Wang Song nodded.

Yao Beina put down the cup in her hand, said congratulations, and then changed the subject.

"When will the boss pay us?"

There was a moment of silence in the room, then a burst of chaotic laughter erupted.

Wang Song took the thick envelope out of his bag and slapped it on the table.

"I'll personally fund this year-end bonus for everyone. It's not much, but it's a token of my appreciation."

"Jiang Yilei, two thousand. He's done all that running around; he deserves it."

"Yao Beina, three thousand, the music director can't be a nobody."

"Li Ran and Zhou Tao's group, 3,000 each, the arrangement work is hard."

"Chang Sisi and Zhang Zhen, 1500 each, you will sing the song."

"Ma Xiaojun, Liu Jianjun, and Chen Shu, 1200 each. You deserve the credit for how the song sold."

Ma Xiaojun picked up the money and examined it over and over.

He murmured, "Boss... is this really for me? My dad only makes two thousand a month..."

"If you think it's too little, you don't have to take it," Wang Song said, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, yes, yes!" Ma Xiaojun quickly stuffed the money into his pocket and grinned.

Liu Jianjun neatly folded the money in half, put it into his inner pocket, and buttoned it up.

"...Do we need to pay taxes?"

Wang Song laughed: "Dream on, it's not time to start paying taxes yet."

Chang Sisi lowered her head, staring at the stack of cash in her hand, and didn't move for a long time.

Zhang Zhen nudged her arm.

She raised her face, her eyes red-rimmed, and clutched the stack of money tightly.

"There's a little left, put it in the public account."

Wang Song pushed the money to Jiang Yilei, "for the future administrative expenses of the studio."

No one objected.

Yao Beina put the money away, flipped through the contract, and asked, "When is the ringback tone scheduled to go live? When are the next few songs due?"

Wang Song smiled and said, "It'll be on next Wednesday. We can talk about the rest of the songs after the New Year. The New Year is almost here, why are we talking about work?"

The day after the contract was signed, things changed.

First, the sound of typing on the keyboards of those three bulky CRT computers changed.

Before, it was a frantic rush to finish the work; now, every tap carries a sense of confidence.

Liu Jianjun looked at a comment in the book review section; it was from the person he had scolded and driven away from the book who had returned.

"Have you ever traveled through time? Some of this is just nonsense and assumptions."

He glanced at it, then slowly typed: "Thank you for your feedback. We are preparing for a new project. Please stay tuned."

Ma Xiaojun watched the whole thing in a daze.

Is this still Liu Jianjun?

In the past, he could argue with someone for three pages, refuting each point one by one, until he was red in the face and his neck was thick with anger.

Chen Shu bound the script of "The Vanished Lover" into a book and wrote in small red ink in the upper right corner of the cover: "Xianming Production No. 1".

Li Ran and Zhou Tao didn't take any exams or go home, but instead came to the studio carrying their instrument bags.

Wang Song asked them what they had come for.

Li Ran said calmly, "Since I'm free anyway, I'll first build out the framework for the arrangement of 'Damn Tenderness'."

"It's still early, don't rush!" Wang Song reminded him with a smile.

"It was bound to happen sooner or later," Zhou Tao replied, already opening his violin case. "Boss, didn't you say we still had to participate in Super Girl?"

He finally called out "Boss".

Chang Sisi is more direct.

She brought two female students from the vocal music department who were in the same dormitory to visit.

The implication was clear: "Since Senior Sister Yao is the music director here, we get credit for our recordings and also receive a share of the profits."

Before leaving, one of the girls whispered to Jiang Yilei, "Are you... still hiring?"

Outside the window, passing students peered out from the doorway.

They were whispering among themselves.

"This must be Xianming Studio, they've signed with a big company."

"I heard their song is about to hit the ringtone charts, I'm so envious."

Jiang Yilei glanced up and, unlike before, didn't greet him warmly, but just smiled faintly.

We already have the confidence.

No longer need to rely on others' approval to prove yourself.

The door to the bungalow opened, and Wang Song returned to his studio with the subsidy money.

"Who spread the word that I embezzled hundreds of thousands of yuan, bought a house off campus, and drove a Santana?!" Wang Song was furious.

The room erupted in laughter. Ma Xiaojun slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "A Santana? What kind of status does the boss have? It should be at least an Audi!"

"There are so many notes at the door, why didn't the first people scan them?"

He crumpled the note by the door into a ball, threw it in the trash can, and casually picked up a piece of white paper and wrote:

"Our studio is preparing for the Super Girl competition. Visits are not permitted. For collaborations, please send an email. Casual chat is not welcome."

After finishing writing, he paused, then added a line of smaller text:

Anyone who spreads rumors again will fail the final exam.