Chapter 155 - 153: She Is the Woman I Must Marry in This Life

Chapter 155: Chapter 153: She Is the Woman I Must Marry in This Life

"There are two parts that could be problematic and easily lead to financial disputes. I’ve marked them in red for you, so go ahead and take a look."

His old deskmate’s reply came quickly. Jiang Xia opened the Word file she sent. Not only had she marked the original text in red, but she had also provided suggested revisions below.

The issues were mainly with the rights and obligations of both parties. According to the contract, the party bearing almost all the risk was Qitian Animation Company, while the TV station had absolved itself of any and all liability.

Luckily, he had his own personal lawyer to point out the convoluted parts; otherwise, he almost would have been taken for a ride.

"Thanks a lot, old deskmate."

"My legal fee is 100 yuan. Time to pay up, Boss Jiang."

Chen Yao smiled and stretched lazily. She was only just beginning to delve into contract law.

Although her textbooks covered many contract dispute cases, real-world situations were often vastly different.

’Reading a hundred books is no substitute for handling a single case firsthand.’ That’s how it was.

And this television broadcast contract Jiang Xia had just sent over was an excellent opportunity for her to get some hands-on practice.

"Let’s talk about legal fees when you’re actually a legal intern," Jiang Xia typed back. "For now, I’ll owe you one. I’ll treat you to a meal when I get the chance."

"If you’re saying just the two of us, I might consider it."

"Nope. My wife has to come too."

"Tch, no fun. Never mind then. I’m not interested in henpecked men. If you have any actual cases, though, feel free to tell me about them."

Jiang Xia chuckled to himself. He knew Chen Yao was just messing with him and that the so-called legal fee was a joke.

This career woman was completely absorbed in her studies, taking a completely different path from the one in his past life. ’Whether she’ll ever get married is anyone’s guess.’

Trusting his old deskmate, he sent the revised contract over to Zhou Lu. After two or three rounds of back-and-forth, they finally finalized the terms.

◇

Two days later, Zhou Lu came to Wanzhou on a business trip, also taking the opportunity to sign the renewal contract for *Cat and Mouse* with Qitian Animation Company.

This time, Jiang Xia didn’t bring Li Weiya, taking his wife instead. He felt more confident going into battle with her by his side.

The three arranged to meet at a coffee shop where the atmosphere was more serene and upscale, making it a good place to discuss business.

"Boss Jiang, getting a chance to see you isn’t easy," Zhou Lu said with a smile, setting down her coffee cup and rising to her feet.

She wasn’t wearing her usual professional-looking blazer today. Instead, she had on high heels, an asymmetrical fishtail skirt, and a white blouse, giving her a very feminine look.

"If Chief Zhou hadn’t scheduled the contract signing for today, I probably wouldn’t have left the house. I’m just that busy."

Jiang Xia smiled and gestured towards his companion. "This is Lin Yanwan, the voice artist for *Cat and Mouse*. All of the sound effects you hear are her work. She’s the indispensable soul of our team. It’s safe to say that she deserves a huge amount of credit for the show’s current popularity."

At his words, Zhou Lu raised an eyebrow, looking in surprise at the young woman who seemed to be about the same age as Jiang Xia. She couldn’t believe that all of those classic sound effects were created by her.

’She knows that many instruments all by herself? She must have been studying music since she was in the womb!’

’I never thought a small startup company like this would be full of so much hidden talent.’

"It’s a pleasure to meet you, Teacher Lin. My name is Zhou Lu, an editor for the children’s channel at Yu Du TV Station." Ever the professional, Zhou Lu quickly composed herself and shook Lin Yanwan’s hand with a smile.

"Hello, Chief Zhou. Jiang Xia mentions you often. Thank you so much for your early support of *Cat and Mouse*."

Lin Yanwan extended her hand as well, her grip firm and natural, her bearing poised and graceful.

Knowing she would be meeting someone important today, she had secretly borrowed her mother’s dark green blazer, put on lipstick, and swapped into high heels. The resulting look was a mix of youthful charm and mature elegance.

Jiang Xia had been completely captivated when he first saw her.

"*Cat and Mouse* is so well-loved primarily because of its excellent quality. I believe that even without me, a high-quality animation like this would have found its way into the public eye one way or another," Zhou Lu said with a laugh.

"You’re too kind, but it really isn’t the same. I and *Cat and Mouse* both owe you a debt of gratitude for discovering us," Jiang Xia said, waving his hand dismissively.

Once the round of business pleasantries concluded, the three of them finally got down to business.

Zhou Lu took the contracts from her bag. They were prepared in duplicate, and all the sections requiring Yu Du TV Station’s input—including the price and renewal period—were already filled in.

Jiang Xia carefully reviewed the sections they had discussed in detail and, finding no issues, confirmed that it was ready to be signed.

"Director Jiang, when I was your age, I didn’t even know how to sign a contract. Not like you—you’re on top of everything. I have to ask, are you really only eighteen?"

There was a note of resignation in Zhou Lu’s voice. He was clearly a recent high school graduate, yet he gave off the air of a seasoned professional who had been navigating the corporate world for years.

’Don’t be fooled by his fresh-faced, innocent looks. He’s an old fox, through and through!’

Jiang Xia and Lin Yanwan exchanged a knowing smile. For them, the memories of their past lives were indeed like having a cheat code.

He took out his ID card and placed it on the table. "Guaranteed authentic."

With all the preparatory work done, the actual signing of the contract was the simplest part of the entire process. Once the review was complete and everything was in order, all that remained was to sign, add their thumbprints, and affix the company seal.

The contract, in duplicate, was now officially in effect, with each party holding one copy from the moment they were signed.

"Director Jiang, it’s been a pleasure." Zhou Lu stood up and shook Jiang Xia’s hand again.

The smile in her eyes was deep; she had successfully completed the mission her station had given her. For a TV station, a few tens of thousands of yuan was nothing—viewership ratings were everything.

"There will be plenty more collaborations like this in the future," Jiang Xia said, handing their copy of the contract to his wife to put away.

According to the contract, the second broadcast run of *Cat and Mouse* would begin immediately after the first one ended, restarting with the first episode at 7 PM on the evening of July 6th.

It all came down to the fact that he currently had too few episodes; an entire season was aired in just six days. The next renewal would likely be a major, long-term contract measured in years.

By that time, however, Jiang Xia would have already squeezed every last drop of value out of the first season, ready to cash in one final time with the long-term contract.

"Director Jiang, if you don’t mind my asking," Zhou Lu said, changing the subject, "how many episodes of *Cat and Mouse*’s second season are finished?"

"It’s not that fast."

Jiang Xia smiled and shook his head. "It should be mostly done by the end of summer vacation, but I can’t give you a specific date. If I’m not feeling inspired, I might not even finish a few storyboard panels all day."

"In that case, I will eagerly await good news before the school year begins."

About ten minutes later, the three of them left the coffee shop. Lin Yanwan subconsciously linked her arm with Jiang Xia’s. Seeing this, Zhou Lu blinked, her expression intrigued by their unusual relationship.

"So, um... can I be nosy for a second? What exactly is the relationship between Director Jiang and Teacher Lin?"

"That... Well, there’s nothing to hide."

Jiang Xia smiled, then turned to look his wife in the eyes and said with utter seriousness.

"She’s the woman I’m going to marry in this life."

...