Chapter 60: Expectations for Royalties

That afternoon.

Wanwan.

Xinchang Publishing House headquarters.

President Lan Tianhu saw the email sent by Changqingshu; upon seeing the three characters "Changqingshu," a smile appeared at the corner of Lan Tianhu's mouth.

He was very satisfied with Changqingshu's work over the past half-year, especially that Changqingshu had submitted the manuscript of "I Wish to Become an Immortal" to the publishing house; this book not only increased the publishing house's revenue but also greatly boosted the reputation of Xinchang Publishing House over the past six months.

So, seeing the email sent by Changqingshu, Lan Tianhu was in a good mood.

Until he began reading the content of the email Changqingshu sent; the more he read, the more surprised his expression became; after comparing the manuscript of Volume Nine of "I Wish to Become an Immortal" with Volume One of "I Wish to Become an Immortal 2," Lan Tianhu fell silent.

After a long silence, he let out a helpless laugh and shook his head slightly.

With a complex look in his eyes, he replied to Changqingshu: "Tell him, the beginning of 'I Wish to Become an Immortal 2' has passed our publication review; we agree to publish it. Ask him how much manuscript fee he wants, and report to me promptly afterwards."

September 2.

Huizhou.

That morning, Cao Sheng went to the school, completed the registration procedures for the new academic year, and paid the tuition fees.

During registration, he met Pang Yunhai and Zhai Jun from the same dormitory; seeing Cao Sheng, both were very happy; Pang Yunhai suggested gathering for lunch, and very generously patted his chest, saying he would treat today, displaying the air of a dormitory leader.

Cao Sheng, who hadn't seen many acquaintances during the summer vacation, was also quite happy to see these two roommates today, so he did not refuse.

Around 10 a. m., the three arrived at a large food stall outside the school.

In these days, when students treated others to meals, most were either in the school cafeteria or at food stalls; only those from wealthy families would go to small restaurants, and only those from particularly wealthy families might go to places like hotels.

Entering the food stall, Pang Yunhai actively ordered a dish of catfish with tofu, a dish of stir-fried eggs with chives, and a dish of twice-cooked pork, then enthusiastically asked Cao Sheng and Zhai Jun to order two dishes as well.

Cao Sheng did not order; Zhai Jun ordered a dish of braised hairy tofu.

In this area of Huizhou, many people like to eat braised hairy tofu; the taste is quite good.

Pang Yunhai added a portion of fried peanuts and ordered three bottles of iced beer.

As the dishes were served one by one, the three had already started drinking.

Zhai Jun asked curiously: "Big Brother, why are you so generous today, treating us to a meal on your own? Is there some happy news?"

Pang Yunhai chuckled with a smile on his face: "There is indeed some happy news; during this summer vacation, I found a girlfriend! She is an old high school classmate of mine, very beautiful. I have agreed with her that she will come to our school to visit during the National Day holiday; at that time, I will introduce her to you so you can see how beautiful she is! Hehe."

Cao Sheng was somewhat surprised.

Suddenly he remembered that in the original timeline, this indeed happened; Pang Yunhai indeed found a girlfriend during the summer vacation that had just passed.

But before one semester was over, they broke up.

After the breakup, Pang Yunhai was depressed for a few days, then found a junior female student at the same school; this time, before one month was over, he was broken up with again.

Both times, he was dumped by women.

After that, for seven or eight years, Pang Yunhai seemed to have found no girlfriend again, focusing entirely on his career; until he had his own business, opening three tea shops and two dried goods shops in Huizhou, he suddenly notified everyone that he was getting married and invited everyone to drink his wedding wine.

The Pang Yunhai in Cao Sheng's memory had always had a relatively domineering personality.

Perhaps it was this domineering personality that made him, when young, break up with every girlfriend he dated; no girl could stand him.

Only after Pang Yunhai had achieved some success and had money did a woman finally endure his domineering nature and agree to marry him.

"Congratulations! Big Brother! You are the second one in our dormitory to find a girlfriend, right? Amazing!"

Zhai Jun, with a surprised expression, raised his thumb in praise.

Pang Yunhai laughed heartily with joy but still remembered to be humble, quickly waving his hands and saying: "Average, average! Mainly because the third brother doesn't want to date; otherwise, given the third brother's conditions, he would definitely have a girlfriend long ago!"

The third brother refers to Cao Sheng.

Cao Sheng smiled.

Having remembered Pang Yunhai's bumpy romantic path in the original timeline, seeing Pang Yunhai's joyful appearance now, he couldn't help but feel a bit of sympathy in his heart.

A life without dating for seven or eight years, focusing solely on one's career, must have been very bitter.

Cao Sheng raised his wine glass as a gesture: "Congratulations! Come! I toast you a glass, wishing you a hundred years of harmony and an early birth of a noble son!"

"Pfft..." Zhai Jun spat out his drink laughing.

Pang Yunhai looked at Cao Sheng sideways with a mix of laughter and helplessness, but still raised his wine glass and clinked it with Cao Sheng's: "Don't curse me! I'm only in my second year; what early birth of a noble son? Don't talk nonsense!"

After the meal ended, the three walked together.

Arriving at the school gate, Cao Sheng stopped: "I won't go back to the dormitory with you; let's part ways here."

Pang Yunhai and Zhai Jun stopped in surprise.

Pang Yunhai: "Do you have something to go out and do?"

Cao Sheng smiled: "No! I recently rented a house outside the school; I won't be living in the dormitory this semester."

He still wanted to keep a low profile and not say the house was his own purchase.

Pang Yunhai: "???"

Zhai Jun: "???"

Zhai Jun: "Did you rent the house specifically to write novels?"

Cao Sheng nodded.

Pang Yunhai nodded, patted Cao Sheng's shoulder, and said: "Now that you say that, I understand; there are many people in the dormitory, usually messy, indeed not suitable for you to write manuscripts. Alright! Then let's part ways here! Come back to the dormitory to visit often when you have free time later; we will also go to see the place you rented. Alright, you go first!"

Zhai Jun: "Bye!"

Cao Sheng returned to the courtyard on Binjiang Road.

He brewed a cup of Qimen black tea, went to the second-floor study, and turned on the computer.

The computer started successfully.

He logged into his email account, wanting to see if there was a reply from Xinchang.

It actually worked.

Evergreen Tree: "Given our pleasant cooperation previously, for your new book 'I Wish to Become an Immortal 2', our editorial team has accelerated the review process. Congratulations! This book has passed our final review and can be published. We will increase your remuneration appropriately according to industry norms. What is your intended remuneration?"

After reading this email, Cao Sheng's lips curled up slightly.

He felt he had won the gamble.

Xinchang Publishing House indeed did not choose to part ways with him; instead, they chose to accept the manuscript of the tenth installment as his new book.

He copied the clauses regarding remuneration from the electronic contract sent previously by Changjiang Literature and Art Publishing House and sent them to Evergreen Tree.

And in the reply email, he wrote: "Hello! These are the conditions offered to me by Changjiang Literature and Art Publishing House. This publisher signed with me for the simplified Chinese publishing rights to the first part of 'I Wish to Become an Immortal'. Given the pleasant cooperation between your publishing house and me, the remuneration for 'I Wish to Become an Immortal 2' only needs to be consistent with this."

Around 3 PM that afternoon.

Evergreen Tree replied: "Sorry! Royalty sharing is the standard practice for mainland publishers. Our standard practice is fixed remuneration. We cannot change the rules of the entire industry for a single book of yours. Please understand. You may state a specific expected remuneration, such as 5,000 per installment."

5,000 per installment?

At dusk, when Cao Sheng saw this price, Tang Weiwei shook his head slightly.

After a moment of slight contemplation, he replied to Evergreen Tree: "Alright! Since you say it is standard practice, then I respect your standard practice. For the remuneration of 'I Wish to Become an Immortal 2', I hope for 10,000 RMB per installment."