Traffic Star Development Program

Chapter 49 Familiar Posture

After reading it, Zeng Hao typed: "I directly request the production team to delete this clause because the definition of the clause is unclear and cannot be enforced. If the production team insists on keeping it, I will change it to 'Singers' attire on the recording site must comply with the program production guidelines, which shall be attached to the agreement in writing and signed by both parties.' Replacing the vague statement with a specific document will not be insisted upon by them because they do not have such a document themselves and will back down as soon as they give in."

He sent these two comments back to Xu Wen, adding: "Compile the complete response terms into a document this afternoon and send it to the program team tomorrow morning. The title should be 'Written Confirmation of the Supplementary Agreement Terms.' Do not send it in the email body; send it as an attachment so they can feel that we are taking the legal process seriously."

Xu Wen replied: Received, will organize it this afternoon.

He closed the email, opened today's memo, and wrote: "The supplementary agreement response terms are being prepared and will be sent out tomorrow morning."

On the other side of "Diamond Lover," Peng Bing sent a message at noon, which was a daily report on the filming progress. Today, they filmed part of the 38th and 39th scenes. In the 39th scene, there was a chase scene in a corridor. Peng Bing said that the two actors ran six times before they got the shot right, but they got it right and didn't go over time. Today's filming was within budget.

Thirteen days to go.

Zeng Hao went through the number in his mind. The third batch of advance payments of 238 million yuan would be triggered 15 working days after filming wrapped up, and would arrive in the account around early March.

"Xu Wen," Zeng Hao said, holding his phone between his ear and shoulder, freeing his hand to flip through the documents on the table, "the production team called?"

"I just hung up," Xu Wen's voice was a little tense. "They said that regarding the seventh rule, their legal department felt that two times was too few and wanted to change it back to four times. I didn't agree and said I needed to consult you. They told me to call back."

Zeng Hao flipped to the seventh line of the reply document to the supplementary agreement and glanced at the line he had approved yesterday.

"You should call them back now," he said. "Just say that twice is our bottom line, because the singers have tight schedules, and exceeding that twice will affect the recording process and thus the quality of the show. This reason is also not good for the production team, and they understand."

What if they continue to insist?

"No," Zeng Hao closed the document. "What they fear most right now isn't the number of times we withdraw, but our withdrawal. If you give them a way out, they'll accept it."

There was a two-second pause on the other end of the phone.

"Okay, I'll start now."

Zeng Hao put his phone back on the table, stood up, and took two steps toward the window. The street below was the most ordinary street in Qianhu City in the morning. Delivery vehicles turned the corner from downstairs and stopped in front of the convenience store across the street.

Less than five minutes later, Xu Wen called again.

"It's settled," he said, his voice softening slightly this time. "Two sessions, limited to live recordings, excluding original content from personal accounts. They agreed. The legal department said they need a written confirmation, but I said no problem. They sent over the confirmation letter, and we'll sign it and send it back."

"And Article 11?"

"They just deleted it," Xu Wen said. "They didn't say a word more. I guess their legal department knew that clause couldn't be enforced."

Zeng Hao walked back to his chair and sat down. "Okay, before the confirmation letter arrives, make a written memo of today's conversation, including the time, content, and the name of the person in charge on the other end, and keep it on file."

"Understood. There's one more thing," Xu Wen paused, as if searching for the right words, "The production manager who was in contact with the program team said something before hanging up: they have some ideas about our appearance order in the scheduling department, and they told us to wait for official notification. Their tone was completely different from last time. Last time they were being evasive, but this time it felt like they were giving us a heads-up."

Zeng Hao twirled the pen on the table once, then put it down.

"Okay," he said, "You know that's good. No need to respond. Wait for the official notification."

"it is good."

After hanging up the phone, Zeng Hao pushed the document aside completely.

The supplementary agreement has now reached a preliminary stage, and all that's left is to wait for the confirmation letter to complete the process. He didn't put too much thought into this matter because the outcome was already decided the moment he set his bottom line for Xu Wen. The production team's logic is simple: they need a singer with a built-in buzz to achieve a dark horse comeback on the show. This requirement is far more important than two or four brand appearances, and taking a slight loss on the terms is worthwhile for them.

He picked up the script for "Three Lives Three Worlds" from the table again and turned to scene twenty-one.

He figured out the problem with this scene last night. The reason for the fast pace was that the scene transition point was chosen too early. The male lead's line should have been placed in the next shot, not this one. Fang Qing cut to that scene because she was used to following the dialogue, but the core of this scene is not the dialogue, but the pause after the dialogue ends.

He put a parenthesis before that line and wrote next to it: Move half a group back.

After finishing writing, I put down my pen and heard footsteps in the corridor outside. It wasn't Xu Wen's pace; it was slower and had a slight sound of heels.

The door opened without knocking.

Zhang Tianai came in, placed a paper bag on the low cabinet by the door, and without taking off his coat, loosened his scarf and draped it over his shoulders. "Why isn't there heating in your office?"

"Yes," Zeng Hao said without looking up, "If you're cold, go adjust it yourself."

She sat down in the chair opposite her, didn't adjust it, but wrapped the scarf around herself again, placed her hands on her knees, and said, "I waited all night for your message yesterday."

"He's here today."

"I came by myself," she said, her tone carrying an ambiguous undertone, not a complaint, "Your message disappeared right after you sent it, I thought you were going to call."

Zeng Hao turned to the next page of the script, his eyes still on the paper. "Diamond Lover will wrap up filming in twelve days. After that, I'll have more free time. We can discuss the big screen project in person then. I can't give you any specific directions now that you're asking me."

Zhang Tianai repeated those words to himself without pressing the matter further.

She glanced down at her hands. "If that project really goes ahead, what kind of role do you plan to play with me?"

"It's not decided yet."

"Urban setting or period drama?"

"I said it's not decided yet."

She looked up, her lips twitching slightly. "You always do this."

Zeng Hao closed the script, pushed it onto the table, looked up at her, and said, "You came all this way just to ask about this?"

She didn't say anything, but simply took the scarf off her shoulders and draped it over the back of the chair.

Next up is the coat.

It's that familiar pose again, that familiar taste.

The light from the window was the white of a winter afternoon, shining obliquely and falling on a line along the floor and wall; it wasn't bright, but it was clear.