In the studio, Wang Yinzhen reported Li Xiang's work in the past few days on a business trip, and Gu Qijing knocked on the door and came in, saying that a reporter had come and asked for an interview.

Li Xiang said: "Didn't you say that? I will not accept interviews for the time being. ”

There were too many reporters, and it was impossible for Li Xiang to receive them one by one, let alone accept interviews one by one. He could only pick a few of them. This work was already being done by Gu Qijing and Wang Yinzhen yesterday.

Gu Qijing said: "It's a CCTV column, "Let's Talk". ”

Li Xiang said, "Invite him to the office." ”

Gu Qijing quickly invited someone to come, Li Xiang took a look, and hey, it turned out to be Bei Shangyuan, the host of "Let's Talk", and thought it was an ordinary staff. He got up and shook hands with Béchanhara, welcomed the man in, and sat down on the couch. Wang Yinzhen made tea and sent it to the other party.

Li Xiang actually doesn't know Bei Shangyuan, but this person is very famous, and in the circle of Chinese hosts, he belongs to the best of the new generation. The talk show "Let's Talk" hosted by him has a good response and is very popular with young people.

Bei Shangyuan said: "Although it is the first time to meet, Li Xiang, I admire you very much, I have always wanted to find an opportunity to visit, and I came suddenly today, didn't disturb you, right?"

Li Xiang said, "Where, I welcome you here. ”

Bechamp originally explained his intention and wanted to invite Li Xiang to participate in the recording of "Let's Talk", which issue is up to Li Xiang to decide, and he can participate when he has time, and the theme can also be set by himself.

Bechampen said: "You are a role model for young people, you have made great achievements in literature and music, and everyone is very eager to understand you and listen to your views, which will definitely give a lot of inspiration to the majority of young people, which is a very meaningful thing." ”

Li Xiang only thought about it for a moment and agreed. This show does not drop the grade, and the guests invited to participate are all very famous.

After completing the purpose of the trip, Bei Shangyuan and Li Xiang stayed for a while, and only when they saw that a new guest had arrived, did they say goodbye and leave. This is the head of the United States Hill Publishing Group's Huaxia Elton Cisse, the last time he came to the studio to find Li Xiang, asked to act as an agent for the publishing and sales business of "The Old Man and the Sea" in the Americas, the royalty is 5% for 10 years, Li Xiang did not agree, the other party put down the cruel words, saying that if Li Xiang regretted it, he could find him.

Li Xiang didn't go to the other party, and the other party took the initiative to come to the door again.

Gu Qijing brought people in, and Elton saw Li Xiang, shook hands with him warmly, and even came to a brotherly hug, congratulating his book on winning the Goncourt Literary Prize, and complimenting him on his talent.

Li Xiang smiled and said, "Thank you, Mr. Elton, please take a seat, do you want tea or coffee?"

Elton sat down, his big belly like a big water bag, standing heavily, and said, "I think I've integrated into Huaxia, and I'm more interested in tea now." ”

Wang Yinzhen made him a cup of tea, and Li Xiang asked, "Are you here today?"

"Well, I thought, I've already expressed that Hill Publishing Group is very interested in representing The Old Man and the Sea, and now that the book has won a literary award, we should expedite the consensus to get the book published in the Americas as soon as possible, and you may not know it, but readers over there are already looking forward to it, and hundreds of calls are coming in every day asking why we haven't published the book yet, so the market is pushing me." ”

Li Xiang pouted secretly.

"You've said this before, and the reason why we didn't reach a consensus is because the royalty conditions you offered didn't meet my requirements. ”

Elton said: "I understand, I understand, so I'm here again. Think, I won't go around the bush with you, the % royalty ratio, this is the most sincere condition we can come up with, and it should be a gift to congratulate you on winning the award. ”

Li Xiang said: "I think you should know the conditions of the Laroux Publishing House. ”

Elton asked, "Is it 10 percent for three years?" I said, I think, three years is not a good condition for you, because it will prevent us from making a long-term, more comprehensive plan for the promotion and publication of your book, which will be harmful to both of us. ”

Li Xiang said: "The number of years is one of the problems, but it can be discussed, the most important thing is the royalty ratio, which is now 15% for Larousse Press. ”

Elton exclaimed, "They're crazy!"

Li Xiang waited for him to calm down and said, "Of course they are not crazy, this book deserves such conditions." ”

Elton said: "I think, believe me, Larousse didn't believe you could win the award at first, I talked to them, and they told me that at most, you can be nominated for 10% for three years, which is also acceptable." They had to give you such a high percentage of royalties because they lost a bet with you, and now they regret it immensely, because the more they sell, the more they lose. ”

This crooked nut is good at sowing discord, and if it weren't for the in-depth communication with the Laroux publishing house in Paris, Li Xiang might have been skeptical.

"I've looked at their publicity and publication plans, and I don't see that they are slacking off, and the agreement stipulates the number of new books to be printed in the first three batches. ”

Elton asked, "How much?"

Li Xiang said: "This is a secret, I can't tell you." Mr. Elton, if you really came with sincerity, then you should raise your offer. ”

Elton said, "You want to be on par with Larousse Press? 15 percent for three years?"

Li Xiang said, "Can you provide it?"

Elton began to complain, telling all kinds of suffering, seeing that Li wanted not to talk, and finally knew that these tricks were useless, he said after a moment of silence: "Give me half a day, I need to discuss with the headquarters." ”

Li Xiang nodded and said, "Okay, then I'll wait for your good news, but I want to remind you that time is running out, please hurry." ”

Elton got up and said, "No, you must wait for me. ”

He left in a hurry, and Gucci said that someone from McGraw would be there in half an hour.

Li Xiang smiled and said to her and Wang Yinzhen: "Watch the show." ”

Wang Yinzhen said with a smile: "At the beginning, these two publishing houses advanced and retreated together, but now I don't know if they can maintain this tacit understanding." ”

At three o'clock in the afternoon, Li Xiang received a call from Elton, saying that the headquarters had promised a 15% royalty rate, but the term must be at least five years, and if he could, he would come to the studio with the agreement now to sign.

Li Xiang said: "5 years is no problem. ”

Elton breathed a sigh of relief, and said with a smile: "Think, I finally breathed a sigh of relief when I heard you say it's okay, I thought you were made of stone, and you didn't relax when you bite anything." ”

Li Xiang smiled: "However, 15% has a problem. ”

Elton paused, possibly choked, and asked, "I didn't understand what you meant." ”

Li Xiang said, "After you left in the morning, Mr. Tom from McGraw Publishing came. ”

Elton said angrily, "What the hell!

Li Xiang said: "What else can we do, of course, to discuss the publication of "The Old Man and the Sea" in the Americas, and we have reached a consensus. ”

Elton: "No, no, no, no, I think you can't sign with him, I found you first, and under all the same conditions, you should choose me first." ”

Li Xiang: "Don't get excited, sir, you also heard it, I said consensus, not signing." ”

Elton said happily, "Yes, you're going to get a lot of money for your wit." ”

Li Xiang smiled and said, "Do you want to reward me with the signing fee?"

Elton coughed and said, "Yes, there will be a signing fee, but I'm afraid it won't be a huge amount, I mean, Hill Publishing Group will be able to bring you more royalty income, which will be a lot of money, much more than McGraw." ”

Li Xiang said: "I may not see it that way, sir, for the time being, according to the royalty ratio given by both of you, McGraw Publishing will undoubtedly bring me more income." ”

Elton hurriedly introduced the advantages of Hill Publishing Group to Li Xiang, and Li Xiang interrupted him: "Of course I believe in the energy of Hill Publishing Group, but McGraw is not bad, and they are higher than you in terms of royalty ratio, Mr. Elton, let's put it bluntly, they gave me 16% royalty percentage." ”

Elton was really angry this time, and after confirming with Li Xiang repeatedly, he finally believed his words. Li Xiang couldn't lie to him, and he could ask the dead Tom of Hill Publishing Group if he hung up the phone.

Finally, Elton gritted his teeth and said, "Yes, you wait for me for another two hours, and I will ask the headquarters for instructions, you must not rush to sign a contract with Tom." ”

Li Xiang said: "Then I will wait for your good news, but, sir, you must give a ratio higher than 16%, because I promised Mr. Tom that under the same conditions, I will give him priority, so I will give you a reminder." ”

Li Xiang was unhappy with Elton's attitude last time, so he didn't give face this time, and he wouldn't choose him unless they gave a higher royalty percentage.