Huayu: From the Era of Ringtones to Becoming a Legend

The page refreshed, and the ringback tone download count was displayed: 1876423 downloads!

Upon seeing this number, Lu Jiuge was also unsettled.

1.87 million downloads.

Based on a 40-cent share, his pre-tax income has reached 750,000.

After a long pause, Liu Sixi finally spoke:

"Over 1.3 million more downloads in one night, Xiao Lu, you've broken a record!"

Taking a deep breath, Liu Sixi tried to calm himself down and sat down next to Lu Jiuge:

"I called you here today mainly to discuss something!"

"I know a SP (Service Provider) ringback tone service owner who wants to sign a cooperation agreement with you!"

"cooperate?"

Lu Jiuge did not give an answer immediately, her mind racing as she sorted out her thoughts.

Now that he has 750,000 yuan in cash, he is no longer willing to be a tool for others to make money, and his focus has shifted to controlling the discourse.

After thinking for a while, Lu Jiuge turned to look at Liu Sixi, her eyes resolute:

"Thank you for making the connection, Ms. Liu. But I don't want to be controlled by others anymore!"

Back at the computer, Lu Jiuge pointed to the still-growing ringtone download data:

"When I sign a cooperation agreement with a service provider, I'm always just a passive recipient of revenue. It's like fishing in someone else's river; no matter how big the fish is, the river isn't my own!"

Seeing the ambitious look in Lu Jiuge's eyes, Liu Sixi had already guessed some of his thoughts and asked:

"you mean?"

"I want to own a river of my own!"

Lu Jiuge didn't elaborate, but instead asked:

"Teacher Liu, what's the name of the company that boss you know?"

"Wanfa Ringtone Service Company is located in the city, not far away. Could you do us the favor of meeting up?"

In response, Liu Sixi added:

"Don't worry, with me here, you'll definitely not be at a disadvantage when it comes to profit sharing!"

"Is the owner of Wanfa Lingyin a friend of Teacher Liu?"

Lu Jiuge was also somewhat surprised:

"Teacher Liu, I specifically looked into this company yesterday. Didn't they announce their bankruptcy last month?"

"His company is indeed operating at a loss. He announced last month that he wanted to sell it, but no one has taken over yet!"

After standing up and walking around the room a few times, Lu Jiuge shared her thoughts:

"I previously followed Wanfa Lingyin Company; their strategy wasn't cooperation, but acquisition!"

"Acquisition? You really want to operate a licensed SP (Service Provider) ringback tone service provider yourself?"

Lu Jiuge nodded without saying anything.

"Xiao Lu, running your own company is no joke. As a ringback tone service provider, the most important thing is to have quality products to back it up!"

"You're already trending towards becoming public enemy number one in the music industry. Acquiring a service provider at this time is simply...very risky!"

Liu Sixi stopped mid-sentence, forcibly swallowing back the words "looking for death."

"Isn't that just asking for death?"

Lu Jiuge smiled calmly:

"Teacher Liu, if I were to say, I have at least ten other songs that are of higher quality than 'Walking In The Sun'!"

"If you acquire a ringback tone service provider and no longer need to rely on buying copyrights from outside, would you still think that way?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Sixi clearly did not believe it and continued to persuade him:

"Xiao Lu, I've been in this industry for decades and have seen too many incredibly talented newcomers. Many of them have the same ideas as you, but in the end, very few of them achieve good results!"

"Most importantly, as a ringback tone service provider, copyright purchases are a money pit; your current amount of money won't last long!"

Lu Jiuge listened calmly until he finished speaking before she spoke:

"Teacher Liu, as I've already said, the company doesn't need to purchase copyrights from outside sources. My own songs are enough to support the company perfectly well!"

"Furthermore, you've overlooked one point!"

"What?"

"model!"

Lu Jiuge's eyes were burning:

"The reason these companies you mentioned went bankrupt is because their business models were outdated; they only knew how to collect rent by holding onto copyrights!"

"What I want to do is to make the copyright freely available, completely overturning the traditional model, and making money by building personal brands, rather than by producing content itself!"

Listening to Lu Jiuge's constantly emerging new ideas, Liu Sixi couldn't even understand them, and couldn't find the words to refute or ask questions.

Seeing that Liu Sixi remained silent, Lu Jiuge extended an olive branch directly:

"Mr. Liu, how about we start a company together and give it a try? You contribute your technology, and I'll give you 10% of the shares!"

"I?"

Liu Sixi was puzzled, but even more shocked. He stared at Lu Jiuge without saying a word.

After a long silence, he stubbed out his cigarette and tentatively asked:

"Do you really have that many hit songs?"

Lu Jiuge nodded:

"Teacher Liu, if we're really going to cooperate, these are all things we need to deliver on. Are we just bragging?"

For now, let's believe Lu Jiuge's words. Liu Sixi raised some questions:

"With my old face and this little bit of skill, am I really worth this price?"

"Without your oversight, my song wouldn't have become a finished product!"

Lu Jiuge's tone was resolute.

The reason Liu Sixi was chosen was partly because he was indeed capable.

Another point is that Lu Jiuge's plan is not to stop at being a singer, but to build an entertainment behemoth company!

With Liu Sixi's education and abilities, he is more than capable of controlling the quality of the company's content output.

This will allow him to dedicate more time and energy to expanding the company's business scope!

Liu Sixi lit another cigarette, coughed a few times, and finally a raging fire ignited in his eyes:

"Damn it, let's do it!"

"Haha, Teacher Liu, then this handshake means we've reached an agreement!"

Lu Jiuge grasped Liu Sixi's hand and made a promise:

"Teacher Liu, I can guarantee you that every single musical piece you release will be a smash hit!"

"All you need to do is ensure quality; leave the content creation to me!"

Liu Sixi nodded, instantly getting into character:

"Although you have a representative work like 'Walking In The Sun' as a foundation, this type of song ultimately cannot support you to reach the level of a top-tier singer!"

"Next, we should plan your career path carefully. You can't become a mediocre singer; you need to..."

Lu Jiuge waved her hand to interrupt:

"Teacher Liu, you don't need to worry about that. My current focus is on siding with the non-mainstream groups, creating conflict and contradiction with mainstream music, and building up my popularity!"

"As for future development, the company plans to pursue a decentralized approach, cultivating three to five top stars. Then, who would dare to challenge us!"

Liu Sixi's face was filled with disbelief:

"Three or five superstars? Do you know how difficult that is?"

"Teacher Liu, I'll give you a few more songs later. After you hear them, you won't doubt their quality anymore!"

Lu Jiuge didn't elaborate, but instead changed the subject:

"Our top priority right now is to acquire a ringback tone service provider and obtain the license as soon as possible. This is the only way to accumulate capital quickly!"

When this was mentioned, Liu Sixi analyzed it clearly:

"Xiao Lu, when it comes to acquiring companies, Wanfa Lingyin Company is indeed the best choice!"

"They're insolvent now, and my friend is continuing to sell. Even though they no longer have an operating team, that's not important. What we urgently need now is a license, not a team!"

As he spoke, Liu Sixi grew increasingly excited, waving his hand and making a bold promise:

"As for the acquisition funds, hmph! My limit is 500,000! I know perfectly well how big a hole Old Chen's finances are!"

"When are you free? Let's talk about it as soon as possible!"