Chapter Eleven: The Tyrant's Contract

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Entertainment is All Around You (no pop-ups)

Story occurred: November 2004
Recommended song: Nelly Furtado—"Try"

Disclaimer: This work is purely fictional. Any resemblance to real persons or events is purely coincidental.

“Brother, do you really not want to be an entertainer?” Jiang Ziyi, who had run home again after hearing about the events of the afternoon, pestered Jiang Yihan with her question.

“What about you? Do you want me to or not?” Jiang Yihan gently pinched his little sister’s nose with affection.

“Brother, if I say I want you to, would you do it?” Lying on her brother’s lap, Ziyi stroked his face. “But I’m afraid you’ll be taken away by someone else. I worry that you’ll stop loving me.”

“Heh, that’s a contradiction you’ve created for yourself.” Jiang Yihan laughed as he looked at the sister he loved most. “Looks like it’s better if I don’t do it, then. This way, I’ll always belong to our family, to my dear Yiyi. How about that?”

Ziyi stared at her brother, touching his smooth skin and exquisite features. Her brow furrowed as she thought for a long time before finally making a decision. “Brother, if you want to, just go.”

“Yiyi, to be honest, my desire to go isn’t that strong, it’s just...” Jiang Yihan held Ziyi’s hand in his palm, gently patting it with his own.

“It’s just that you still yearn for the stage, isn’t it?” Li Ran appeared at the door to the room. “Kitten, I’ve always known. Ever since you were in fourth grade and stepped onto our school’s stage for the first time as a host, I knew you belonged there.” Li Ran’s words drew all three of them into memories. “The charm you exuded on stage was blinding, like moths drawn to a flame, people were captivated by you.”

“Hosting, singing, dancing, public speaking, debating—you were the most vibrant and magnetic in those moments.” Li Ran ran a hand through Jiang Yihan’s black hair, not too long, just covering his ears, with soft bangs falling over his forehead, faintly hiding his brows. “So when you told me you were interested in the entertainment industry, they were all valid reasons. But your hesitation and your refusal only had one cause.”

“Jin, I...” Jiang Yihan sighed. “Right now, I only belong to my mom, to Yiyi, and to you. As for the stage, maybe I’ll just watch from afar.”

“Brother, don’t use me as an excuse, and don’t use Mom as one, either.” Ziyi sat up, holding her brother’s face so he had to look at her. “You know Mom has always loved seeing you on stage; she’s always said you make her proud. And you know your dear Yiyi always hopes to see the brightest smile on your face. So...”

Yihan looked at Li Ran’s resolute eyes and then at his sister before him. “But... Mom works so hard abroad, and we need so much money to study overseas—I...”

At that moment, the phone rang. It was their mother. Yihan glanced at Li Ran and Ziyi. “I made Mom call. I knew you’d hesitate, that you’d waver because of me and Mom. So you talk to her yourself.”

“Mom.” After a moment’s hesitation, Yihan pressed the call button.

“Xiaohan, your sister already told me everything.” His mother’s voice was tinged with exhaustion. “Don’t you know your own mother by now? As long as you’re happy, that’s all that matters. You’re still in school, you can’t earn much anyway. Go do what you love. Go on.”

“But, Mom...” Yihan’s eyes grew moist.

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“Xiaohan, do you remember?” His mother’s voice was warm and soothing, a comfort he hadn’t felt in a long time. “Your father left us when you were just six, leaving the three of us behind. I still remember, back then, you told me, ‘Mom, I’ll protect you and my sister. I’ll make you both laugh and be happy.’ All these years, I’ve been happy, because you’ve been so thoughtful and you’ve taken care of your sister so well. Did you know? All my friends envy me for having such a good son, so considerate and dutiful. I’ve always been happy, and seeing you smile, seeing you pursue what you love—that’s my happiness too. So go ahead.”

Suddenly, there was a burst of Hungarian on the other end of the line. “Xiaohan, someone’s here to buy something. We’ll talk next time. I hope one day I can see you on TV—see our handsome son, all right?”

“Mom...” Yihan was at a loss for words as the call ended abruptly. The call had come and gone suddenly, but those few minutes made the family’s stance clear.

Li Ran paused before speaking again. “Kim Jaejoong’s situation made you lose heart, but that’s just one part of the entertainment industry. It’s like our society—there will always be robberies, murders, darkness. The industry has its problems, but that shouldn’t be your main concern. Besides, that company has already been eliminated, hasn’t it?”

Yihan lowered his head to think, then looked at Li Ran and Ziyi for a long time before finally nodding.

November 21st. Clear weather. 8:00 a.m. Something happened.

“Is anyone here? Jiang Yihan, I’m back again.” Li Tong appeared once more.

“Oh, President Li, please have a seat.” Li Ran was preparing to leave for work at nine, so he was already up. Ziyi had returned to her dorm the night before. “Wait here, I’ll go wake up Yihan—he’s still sleeping.”

After a noisy commotion inside, Yihan was dragged out by Li Ran ten minutes later, still in his pajamas. “Sorry about this; his biggest flaw is that he loves to sleep and is impossible to wake. He’s only half-awake now. I’ll help him freshen up.”

Li Ran offered an apologetic smile to Li Tong, who couldn’t help but smile as well at the sight of the adorable, sleepy Yihan. Another five minutes passed before Yihan, still groggy, shuffled into the living room, rubbing his eyes as he sat down. “Mr. Li, you’re really early.”

“Heh, there’s no choice—talent like you is in high demand right now, and our company has fallen behind over the past two years. Since we’re not the strongest, we have to strike first.” Li Tong was clearly determined today. “Jiang Yihan, may I call you Yihan? We discussed your proposed contract terms last night and have decided to agree to your requirements and sign you.”

A bombshell. Yihan woke up instantly, and even Li Ran, just bringing out the tea, was startled. “Could you repeat that?”

“Your conditions—we accept them all.” Li Tong took the belated tea and sipped.

“Jin, I just woke up, I’m not thinking clearly. Did I hear that right? What did Uncle Li just say?” Yihan turned to Li Ran for confirmation.

“Mr. Li said he wants to sign you and agrees to your terms.” Li Ran quickly regained the composure of a manager, calculating quickly in her mind.

Yihan scrutinized Li Tong, left and right, making sure it was indeed the same man from yesterday, before saying, “Uncle Li, maybe you’re the one who isn’t awake yet.” The formal ‘Mr. Li’ had become ‘Uncle Li’—impolite, perhaps, but it put Li Tong at ease.

“Haha, Yihan, after I returned to the company yesterday, we discussed it for a long time and realized your points made sense. Your concerns were valid, even if they’re a bit unorthodox in our industry. Still, we agreed.” After finishing his tea, Li Tong grew serious. “To be honest with you, our company is making an all-or-nothing bet—we’re putting everything on you. Right now, though we have over a hundred trainees, none are ready to debut soon, and their potential is average at best. The real talent is with the other companies. Our influence has waned, and we can’t attract the best people. We’re worried another company might snatch you first, so we made the tough decision to sign you.”

“Wait, wait...” Yihan’s sleepy mind took a moment to process Li Tong’s words. “If your trainees aren’t ready, won’t I be in the same boat? Besides, I don’t think I have the power to save a whole company. That’s terrifying.”

Li Ran, understanding Yihan’s performance was just a negotiating tactic, let him continue.

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“It’s like this,” Li Tong explained immediately. “There’s no fixed length of time for trainees. Here’s our plan: maybe you’re not ready to debut as a singer or dancer right away, but after you sign, we’ll test you to determine the training you need. But you can start with commercials, music videos, even TV dramas—these just require a few months of training, and you’ll learn and improve on set. As for whether you’ll become popular, I think our professional judgment is more reliable than yours.”

“And my visa? I’m a university student, still in undergrad. Aren’t the regulations for foreign artists performing in Korea very strict?” Yihan suddenly thought of this.

“After we left yesterday, we contacted your school. To our surprise, your department head, Professor Shin, gave us great support. Plus, we have some connections in the Ministry of Justice. Your student visa is valid for four years, so during that period, there’s no problem with you participating in any performance—the Ministry has approved it.” Li Tong was visibly pleased with how the tricky issue had been resolved.

“Our department head? Professor Shin?” Yihan and Li Ran exchanged glances after Li Tong nodded in confirmation. Clearly, Professor Shin had really gone out of his way for Yihan; such a major problem was solved just like that.

Silence fell.

Yihan propped his chin in his hand, looking troubled.

“All right.” It was the third minute of silence when Yihan finally spoke. “So when do we sign?”

Li Tong didn’t answer; instead, he pulled a contract out of his bag. “What? You brought it with you?” Yihan was startled again. “How did you know I’d agree?”

“Because we made the most thorough preparations. And with the president coming in person, how could we not succeed?” For once, Li Tong allowed himself a small smile of triumph.

Li Ran took the contract and leafed through it, Yihan leaning over to read as well. Aside from the standard clauses, there were no errors. The terms Yihan had raised yesterday were listed separately (Party A: Jiang Yihan; Party B: ABC Entertainment Co., Ltd.): the schedule of Party A’s activities would not conflict with his university classes, and any unexpected need to miss class must be approved by Party A; contract term of two years, with Party B as first choice for renewal; and the signing bonus took both Li Ran and Yihan by surprise—500 million won (about 4 million RMB) for two years. Though not quite first-tier, it was an extraordinary sum for a newcomer, more than some second-tier contracts. Even more impressive was the 20% royalty for albums—a top-tier policy that spoke volumes about Li Tong’s sincerity, since a rookie would be lucky to get over 10%. Both Li Ran and Yihan looked up at Li Tong, who simply smiled and nodded his affirmation.

Li Ran and Yihan exchanged glances. Li Ran’s look said there were no issues, but Yihan spoke up: “I have a few more conditions, Uncle Li. Would you consider them?”

Li Tong nearly dropped his teacup, startled, and Li Ran was equally shocked.

Yihan continued, “First, I want Li Ran to be my manager. That shouldn’t be too difficult; I know nothing about the entertainment industry, and she’s the person I trust most. Having her with me will help me adapt quickly, right? Second, I want annual leave, since I want to go home for the New Year. We can negotiate the length. Third, the schedule must be communicated to both me and Li Ran, and we both have the right to participate in discussions and veto certain activities. If I’m overworked, it’s not just me who loses out, but your company too, right?”

After another pause, Li Tong spoke up a minute later. “Li Ran can be your manager, but she’ll need professional training. The two of you can negotiate her commission, and we can help with the contract if you need. You’ll have annual leave for New Year, two weeks as a rule, adjustable by seven days either way each year—so a minimum of one week, maximum three. Lastly, you and Li Ran will have veto rights—if you have objections, we’ll discuss them. As president, I’ll exercise my authority to agree to these terms on behalf of the company.”

After exchanging glances, Li Ran and Yihan nodded, knowing this was the limit.

The contract was finally signed!

A word from the author: First, the procedures for a foreigner to perform legally in Korea are extremely complicated and not as simple as described here. For the sake of the novel, I used a previous plot device—Professor Shin—to simplify the process, so please understand. Second, as for the signing bonus, 500 million won over two years is a huge sum. I based it on Rain’s standard—a starting price of 10 billion (the offers he received when his contract ended last year)—and wrote this sum to reflect the president’s high regard for the protagonist. In reality, such a figure is virtually impossible.

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