Global Film Emperor

Chapter 46 Signing the Contract (Part 1)
At 8:30 in the morning, I washed up, got dressed, went downstairs to check out, and because I drank a bottle of water, I got my deposit back in four coins, which I put in my pocket before leaving the hotel.

"Give me a pancake, two eggs, a pork tenderloin, no bean curd skin, just shredded potatoes, no scallions, and less cilantro."

Lu Ze was quite picky about the eight-yuan egg pancake. After the woman selling the pancake handed it to him, he didn't leave immediately. Instead, he sat on the small stool she had brought and ate it, chatting with her for a while.

Watching the office workers rushing to work because they were about to be late, I saw a girl in high heels trip and fall.

He stuffed the last bite of the biscuit into his mouth, threw the plastic bag into the trash can, and quickly went over to help the girl up. In return, he received a WeChat message with his own profile picture.

……

He found a reasonably priced hotel yesterday using navigation. He took the bus to get there, and he was bound to take the bus back as well.

"Clang, clang..."

He tossed in the coins he'd received change from this morning, and the bus was still quite crowded. Lu Ze, clinging to the metal railing, looked out at the road through the bus's windshield.

He likes to see everything through the car window, just like he always liked to sit by the window when he was a child on the train.

After riding for three stops, I got off the bus with a group of elderly men and women. I lifted my left foot to pat my shoe that had been stepped on twice, and then headed towards Qian Shijia.

"Good morning, Mr. Lu. Minister Gao wants you to go directly to the Artist Management Department to find her."

The receptionist's voice was as pleasant as ever. Lu Ze smiled back and turned to walk toward the artist management department, which he already knew where to find.

After knocking three times, an employee let him in. The interior design was more aesthetically pleasing than other company offices, but not by much.

He was led to the office inside, and after knocking on the door, Gao Wanzhi's voice came from inside.

"Please come in."

"Sister Gao, I'm here."

Lu Ze didn't need to address Gao Wanzhi as Minister Gao, because Gao Wanzhi had said yesterday that they should look after each other.

Of course, this doesn't mean Lu Ze should shamelessly fawn over her; it's just a signal to Lu Ze that she hopes their relationship can become closer.

"Sit down, Lu Ze. Xiao Ye, go and notify the legal department to bring the contract over. Also, find someone to explain the relevant legal provisions to Lu Ze."

Xiao Ye nodded to indicate that she understood, quietly closed the door, and quickly ran out.

There are many beautiful women in life, but Gao Wanzhi is definitely not one of them. She is just an ordinary-looking woman who is not ugly, but has a strong temperament and looks very shrewd.

So there was no awkwardness or ambiguity between the two of them when they were alone in a room; instead, it felt like a brother and sister chatting casually.

"Where did you sleep last night? You should still be staying in Hengdian, right? At a hotel nearby?"

"Yes, I'm still staying in Hengdian. I stayed at a budget hotel last night."

"If you live in Hengdian, it might be difficult to communicate with the company in the future. It would be better to live in Shanghai. That way, you can go directly to the company to discuss anything. If your financial situation doesn't allow it, you can also live in the dormitory provided by the company for trainees."

Lu Ze had already thought it through. After signing with the company, he definitely couldn't take on any more minor roles, otherwise the company wouldn't allow it. So, since the company provided free accommodation, why not stay there? The living conditions were certainly much better than his dilapidated bungalow.

"Okay, I'll move here from Hengdian in a few days. Our dorm is..."

Gao Wanzhi smiled, realizing what Lu Ze was thinking.

"Alright, alright, the company doesn't need your rent money. If trainees have to pay their own rent, then no one will want to come. When you move in, go to the Human Resources and Administration Department and find Minister Sun. Just tell him they're coming, so get ready."

No sooner had she finished speaking than someone knocked on the door again. After Gao Wanzhi agreed, a staff member from the legal department came in and gently placed two thick contracts on the table.

Gao Wanzhi took a sip of lemon honey water, picked up a pen and handed it to Lu Ze: "We can talk about anything you're not satisfied with. I have the right to change minor things. Let's begin."

The legal staff sat next to Lu Ze, just like the lawyers Lu Ze had hired when he went to Tiancheng to sign contracts before, patiently explaining things to him. However, this contract was as thick as the four that Lu Ze had signed before.

As Lu Ze gradually understood the terms, he could only sigh that being an artist was truly not easy.

Not only should you restrain your behavior in various situations, but you should also restrain your words and actions in daily life to give the public the impression that you are very well-mannered...

Each rule or regulation has some binding force, but it seems that every celebrity has to endure it, so Lu Ze nodded in agreement and did not refuse.

Then they talked about profit sharing. The income was not split equally, but rather 70% to 30%, with the company receiving 70%.

This was quite unexpected for Lu Ze, and he was even a little surprised, not because the share was too small, but because it was too large.

Don't be fooled by the fact that celebrities earn tens or hundreds of millions in salary; it's all split between them and the company. Moreover, Lu Ze has learned that most newcomers' contracts are extremely shady, with ratios like 9:1 or 8:2 being commonplace.

Therefore, some people say that artists are just tools for companies to make money, and there's not much wrong with that statement.

The ratio of seven newcomers to three was indeed beyond Lu Ze's expectations...

This made him a little puzzled. Does this company... offer such good benefits?
Lu Ze had already prepared for an 8-2 split, so of course he wouldn't accept a 9-1 split; it was blatant exploitation of the artists.

Lu Ze could still agree to an 8-2 score, but now that it's 7-3, he truly feels how much Qian Shijia values ​​him.

But the subsequent terms poured cold water on Lu Ze's heartfelt emotions, with the contract term...ten years.

To reap rewards, one must inevitably make sacrifices, but isn't this ten-year contract a bit too much? Once you sign this contract, you'll be a member of Qian Shijia for the next ten years. What if the company sides withholds your services...? Lu Ze suddenly became very stiff.

"Sister Gao, isn't this timeframe a bit too long? Ten years..."

Gao Wanzhi had anticipated that Lu Ze would be dissatisfied with the time limit, and explained, "I don't think there's a problem. If you develop according to the company's plan, it doesn't really matter how many years you spend; you're just making money all the time. Besides, you can see the company's attitude towards you over ten years."

"I don't believe you for a second, you old woman are really wicked."

Lu Ze didn't show it, but he was already cursing in his heart. For the first time, he realized that this woman, who was not good-looking, was also quite wicked.

(End of this chapter)