The meeting lasted until five o'clock, and everyone left work.

Simon took Jennifer's record label materials and walked to the parking lot through the side door of the office building, only to see the female assistant standing in front of her car, the hood turned open, and Neil Bennett leaning over to help her check something.

Simon walked over, glanced at the car's engine, and asked, "What's wrong?"

Neil Bennett withdrew his hand from the engine and said to Simon, "It can't be started, it should be a problem with the electronic control system." ”

Simon listened to Neil Bennett's explanation, glanced at the engine again, felt Jennifer looking at him expectantly, and smiled at the female assistant, "You don't think I can still fix cars, do you?"

Jennifer felt Simon looking at her up close, and slightly shrunk her neck a little shyly, but said, "You should know everything." ”

Simon nodded sympathetically and said, "It seems to be a little." However, if I fix your car at this time, the EQ will not be too low. ”

Jennifer was puzzled: "Huh?"

Simon pointed to his car and said, "Let's go, I'll send you home, and your car will be sent to the repair shop tomorrow." ”

Jennifer's fair cheeks immediately turned red, and she couldn't help but glance outside the parking lot, where there were already paparazzi holding cameras to take pictures in this direction. Feeling dizzy in his head, he unconsciously got into his SUV, and it wasn't until he heard the voice of him asking where he lived that he came to his senses, and hurriedly said, "I'm still staying at my uncle's house for the time being." ”

Simon smiled and said, "George's house, I really haven't been there yet." ”

So he told him the address of his uncle's house, reacted, and quickly explained to Neil Bennett in the front row.

Like a restless fawn that has only fallen into a trap.

Noticing the smile on the corner of the man next to him, obviously enjoying her hateful appearance in such a panicked state, he suddenly felt a little shallow shame, and wanted to reach over and pinch him.

After being embarrassed for a moment, or just for a moment of embarrassment, she saw him look down and open the document in his hand, and then found a topic randomly: "How is Miss Johnston?"

As soon as he said that, he felt that he was really stupid.

Obviously, I know.

And that's a stupid question.

Simon didn't turn his head, his eyes still fell on the document in front of him, and said, "She's still in New York, and I'll go there next week to spend Christmas with her." By the way, we can go over together, and you'll probably be back to New York, right?"

She nodded, quickly changed the topic, looked at the record company documents she had sorted out in his hand in the past few days, and asked, "Are you going to open a record company?"

Simon shook his head and said, "Let's take a look first, but it's better to buy one, it's too troublesome to do it from scratch." ”

When I think about it, it's actually because of the song I wrote for Madonna.

Although it is an additional condition for lobbying Madonna to participate in "Vulgar", this song naturally cannot be written in vain.

The specific contract was negotiated between Jonathan and Madonna's production company, and the base salary of $100,000 is nothing to Simon. However, when the album became a hit, Simon's personal income suddenly multiplied.

Due to the popularity of "Celebration", Madonna's album is now expected to sell more than 10 million copies worldwide.

As the songwriter for Celebration, Simon's personal positioning is similar to that of a screenwriter for a Hollywood movie. According to the Recording Association of America, songwriters receive a percentage of revenue from each album sold, a rule that has been in place since the early twentieth century, long before the Writers Guild's videotape sharing clause. The songwriter's initial split was 2 cents per record, but after more than half a century of repeated negotiations, it has now risen to 7.5 cents.

Thereupon.

Based on the 10 million copies sold worldwide of "You-Can-Dance," Simon expects to earn $750,000.

In the same way that film screenwriters receive a share of the TV broadcast rights in addition to the revenue from the videotapes, Simon can continue to earn from the TV and radio broadcasts of "Celebration", concert performances, film and television episode licensing, etc., in addition to the pure share of album sales.

According to past statistics in the industry, this part of the income can at least be on par with the album sales share.

Taken together, just one song on an album could bring Simon about $1.6 million in revenue over the next few years.

$1.6 million is a drop in the bucket for Simon's current net worth, but it makes Simon realize what a huge fortune the countless songs in his mind will be in the memories of all thirteen people for more than 30 years to come.

Take "You-Can-Dance" as an example, just a simple record sale, based on an average price of $20, 10 million copies sold worldwide means a total revenue of $200 million.

Simon may only get $750,000 in album sales as a songwriter, but if he turns into a record label owner, as he is now from a screenwriter to a Daenerys Pictures owner, the corresponding income as an album producer is much more than $750,000.

Of course, a record that has sold more than 10 million copies worldwide is definitely not so easy to build, otherwise Madonna would not be Madonna.

In fact, less than 5% of all the records released by major record labels in North America have reached million-dollar sales, and more than 95% of the other have failed. However, for Simon, who is not lacking in fame and strength, but also knows the trend of the record industry in Europe and the United States in the next three decades, it is definitely not too difficult to build a few top pop singers to release some hot albums with countless hit singles in his head.

Simon flipped through the papers in his hand while chatting casually with Jennifer.

The SUV unconsciously turned into the Bel Air community mountain road, and seeing that she was about to arrive home, Jennifer paused and said, "Simon, there is one more thing." ”

Simon felt Jennifer suddenly become cautious, looked up and said, "What?"

After hesitating, Jennifer took out a newspaper from her satchel, unfolded it, handed it over, and said, "I think you should read it." ”

Simon looked at the newspaper that Jennifer handed over, and most of the page in front of him was a confession.

A couple in San Diego, southern California, lost a four-year-old boy in 1972, and the newspaper published a photo, name, date of birth, case records, missing person notices and other information about a little boy that year.

Just a brief glance at the contents of the newspaper, Simon shook his head and said, "Fake." ”

Jennifer whispered, "This little boy in the newspaper is very similar to the photo published by the welfare home where you are located." ”

"Perhaps, but they certainly aren't my parents," Simon closed the newspaper, feeling Jennifer's concerned gaze, frowning slightly and thinking for a while, a certain emotion hit again, until he felt a little dizzy, and then gave up and continued to relive the memories of that year. However, in a year and a half, some vague fragments have also accumulated: "Jenny, you know, I was 5 years old at the time, and I already have some memories. It's a bit vague now, but I probably remember that my parents, well, weren't Americans. Therefore, these people who recognize their relatives, as long as they are native to North America, must be fake. ”

Jennifer listened to Simon speak intermittently, but suddenly she felt a strong pity, because she was surprised to see that when Simon said these words, tears flowed out of his eyes unconsciously.

It turns out that he will cry too.

He's so powerful that he seems to be able to conquer the world.

It's just that.

Seeing him crying, why did he feel so uncomfortable.

She subconsciously raised her hand, wanting to help him wipe away the tears, but Simon himself had already noticed it, reached out and wiped it on his face, and found that he had just shed tears again, but smiled awkwardly at Jennifer and said, "I'm sorry, I don't know what's going on." ”

She took out a tissue from her satchel and handed it to him, and said in a guilty tone, "It's me who is wrong, Simon, I shouldn't have shown you this newspaper." ”

Seeing him wipe the tears on his face, I couldn't help but think of the things mentioned in the newspaper.

He preferred to be self-reliant from the age of thirteen rather than accept adoption, apparently with an instinctive fear of his family. Then, his biological parents may not have left him even a trace of warm memory. In that case, there seems to be no need to look for those two people anymore.

I secretly made up my mind that I would never talk about it in front of him in the future.

Entering the Bel-Air community, the SUV quickly stopped in front of a villa, Simon glanced out the car window, and said to the female assistant: "I won't go down, see you tomorrow, say hello to me and George." ”

Neil Bennett got out of the car, turned to the other side and opened the door.

I wanted to hug him, but looking at the paparazzi who had already come over to take pictures of the front window of the SUV, she had to nod and say, "See you tomorrow." ”