Chapter 023: The Value of Copyright

When Liang Renbo saw the message confirming the original authorship of “Smiling Eyes,” he finally believed that Lin Feng was indeed the songwriter. There was a newfound incredulity in his gaze as he looked at Lin Feng. It was one thing to be talented at basketball, but to also be able to write songs—and not just songs, but songs of such caliber—was truly astonishing.

Only now did Liang Renbo have to admit that “geniuses” really did exist in this world. Those so-called “creative geniuses” hyped up in the entertainment industry were nothing compared to Lin Feng; they didn’t even merit a mention.

Liang Renbo had a strong premonition that he was witnessing the rise of a legend.

“Once the copyright registration is complete, you can safely use this song for the show’s recording. I’m sure at least one mentor will turn their chair for you,” Liang Renbo said sincerely.

“I believe so too,” Lin Feng replied with a confident smile.

“Let’s see if you can get all four mentors to turn! Up to now, only three contestants have managed that this season. I hope you’ll be the fourth,” Liang Renbo chuckled, then continued, “By the way, are you planning to keep this song for yourself, sell the copyright, or authorize it to another singer? Whichever you choose, I can help you handle it.”

“I haven’t decided yet, but I definitely won’t sell the copyright,” Lin Feng responded.

“That’s wise. For such a promising piece, selling the copyright would be a shame. Authorization, though, is a different matter. I think this song would actually shine even brighter if sung by a female vocalist,” Liang Renbo said, lighting a cigarette and sinking into thought.

“If I authorize the song, how much could I get for it?” Lin Feng asked. He was currently worried about paying the basketball association's fine.

“A novice’s work usually starts at a thousand, rarely exceeding thirty thousand. In most cases, it doesn’t go past ten thousand; anything above that is for truly outstanding works. Thirty thousand is the highest price a newcomer’s song has ever fetched on the copyright market,” Liang Renbo explained, taking a drag on his cigarette. “Your song is exceptional, no doubt about it. If you put it up for open bidding online, you’d easily get twenty thousand, but more than that would be tough. As a newcomer with no track record or reputation, no one would pay a premium.”

“That’s all?” Lin Feng shook his head in disappointment. “I remember seeing on Weibo yesterday that Li Sheng sold a song for half a million!”

“Well, that’s Li Sheng we’re talking about. His songs don’t stop at five hundred thousand—people scramble to pay a million for his best ones,” Liang Renbo replied enviously. “At this point, songwriting is just a hobby for him. With the royalties from his classic hits, he’ll never run out of money.”

“I see.” Lin Feng nodded and asked, “So, no matter how good a newcomer’s work is, it’s impossible to sell for a hundred thousand?”

“It’s possible if you sell the copyright outright, but the work would have to be truly outstanding. After all, before a song is released, no one can guarantee it’ll become a hit, so buying exclusive rights is a big risk,” Liang Renbo said, glancing at Lin Feng with a slight smile. “However, if you’re willing to sell the copyright for ‘Smiling Eyes,’ I could offer a hundred thousand, maybe even a bit more.”

“No, I won’t sell the copyright,” Lin Feng said, shaking his head. He had already made up his mind: the copyright would never be for sale, though he might consider authorizing it, especially since the song was written from a female perspective and would suit a female singer.

“I can offer you the highest authorization fee for a newcomer—thirty thousand!” Liang Renbo offered.

“Thank you for your generosity, Mr. Liang, but I haven’t decided yet whether to sell the song,” Lin Feng shrugged.

“All right, come to me if you decide to sell.” Seeing that Lin Feng wasn’t in a hurry, Liang Renbo didn’t press further, even though he had high hopes for “Smiling Eyes.”

Still, it was a song untested by the public, and Liang Renbo wasn’t about to risk offering a high price before it had proven itself.

...

With the demo copied from Lin Feng’s computer, Liang Renbo returned to the production team of “Original Good Songs.”

“Old Liang, what took you so long?” As soon as he arrived backstage, Wu Daren approached him.

“Don’t get me started. Lin Feng, that kid, is really something...”

“He brought a lousy song, didn’t he?” Wu Daren interrupted. “He’s just a basketball player—what good songs could you expect from him? The way he plays is already impressive enough! Listen, Old Liang, the producer Qian already knows Lin Feng is joining our show and is taking it very seriously. Lin Feng is the hottest new star in basketball right now. His participation is sure to create a buzz. So the producer just told us to get him a decent song, one that could earn him a mentor’s endorsement.”

“I’ve been thinking, the song you brought wasn’t strong enough. Do you have anything better on hand?” Wu Daren asked.

Liang Renbo smiled. “No need to swap songs.”

“What? Don’t tell me Lin Feng can’t carry a tune and couldn’t learn the song you brought?” Wu Daren rubbed his hands, worried. “That’d be tricky. We can’t exactly get a stand-in singer, can we?”

“You’re overthinking it!” Liang Renbo shot Wu Daren a look. “You cut me off before I finished. The situation is the opposite of what you think—Lin Feng is extraordinary!”

“I’ve never truly admired anyone before, but from today forward, I do—Lin Feng has my respect!” Liang Renbo declared.

“What’s going on, Old Liang?” Wu Daren was stunned. He’d known Liang Renbo for over twenty years and knew him to be proud and hard to impress. For him to speak so highly of Lin Feng was no small matter.

“It’s a sin not to admire the great!” Liang Renbo exclaimed. “You’d think Lin Feng was already a phenomenon on the basketball court, breaking records yesterday—who would believe he could write songs, and not just decent ones, but truly outstanding pieces? The song he brought is first-rate, the kind that even established masters might struggle to match.”

“Is that for real? Are you sure you’re not exaggerating?” Wu Daren was skeptical; he couldn’t believe a basketball player could write such a good song.

“See for yourself.” Liang Renbo inserted the USB drive with the “Smiling Eyes” demo and hit play.

Wu Daren listened intently...

The intro...

The verse...

The chorus...

His eyes widened with each moment. At the end of the first section, he slapped his thigh hard: “This Lin Feng really is something! This song is absolutely fantastic!”

...