After Cao Zhiqiang came out of the bathroom, he suddenly saw a stranger and was startled.
Just when Cao Zhiqiang was in shock, the young man in a suit and leather shoes had already stood up, bowed to Cao Zhiqiang politely, and then said sincerely: "Hi, Teacher Cao, do you still remember me? I’m Yuno Watanabe from Kodansha.”
Only then did Cao Zhiqiang react: "Oh, yes, yes, you are the young editor of Kodansha. Hello, hello."
"Hi, that's right." Yuno Watanabe smiled and bowed again, "It's really intrusive to take the liberty of visiting."
"It's okay, it's okay." Cao Zhiqiang waved his hand with a smile, "I just suddenly saw someone else at home, and I was a little surprised. Please sit down."
After Watanabe Yuno sat down, Cao Zhiqiang also sat down opposite him.
At this moment, Akina Nakamori suddenly trotted over and said urgently: "Ah, I'm really sorry, look at me, I'm so busy. I just arranged flowers here and there was a bit of a mess on the table. Why don't you go to the sofa?" Let’s talk there, I’ll clean up first.”
Watanabe Yuno looked at the pile of flower branches and tools on the table, and smiled bitterly in his heart, thinking that you just realized that something was wrong when I sat down just now.
Although he thought so, as a guest, Watanabe Yuno naturally couldn't say that, so he smiled and said: "It doesn't matter, it's very good here."
"No, no." Nakamori Akina shook her head, "You guys go sit over there on the sofa. I'll clean up a little. I'll be fine in a while."
Cao Zhiqiang chuckled at this time, stood up and said: "Okay, Watanabe-san, let's listen to Akina-san. Let's go and chat over there. This can be regarded as a form of respect, what do you think?"
"Hi." Yuno Watanabe stood up, "That would be disrespectful."
When Yuno Watanabe and Cao Zhiqiang arrived at the sofa and sat down, Akina Nakamori brought over a tea tray.
On the tea tray were two steaming cups of freshly ground black coffee, plus a small plate of sugar cubes and a small pot of milk.
In fact, if there was only Cao Zhiqiang, these would not be on the tea tray, because Cao Zhiqiang likes to drink black coffee, which means only coffee and nothing else.
Nakamori Akina didn't drink black coffee in the past, but because Cao Zhiqiang likes to drink black coffee, and the coffee beans prepared by Cao Zhiqiang are of the highest quality, they are very fragrant without adding other ingredients. In addition, Cao Zhiqiang also said that drinking black coffee will help you lose weight. , adding milk and sugar will make you gain weight, so she also fell in love with pure black coffee.
But now because there is an extra Yuno Watanabe, there are more sugar cubes and milk in the tea tray.
Akina Nakamori put down the tea tray and smiled at Yuno Watanabe and said: "Mr. Watanabe, please use coffee."
"Ah, thank you." Watanabe Yuno was flattered, "Akina-chan, no, Akina-san, thank you for your hospitality."
"Haha, you're welcome." Nakamori Akina covered her mouth and smiled softly, showing her gentleness, just like what people expected of a Japanese wife.
In fact, the legend of Japanese wives has spread all over the world at this time. Not only in China, it is said that Japanese wives are the most virtuous and the most caring. This legend also exists in Europe and the United States.
But in fact, it is not always like this, at least in Japan in the 1980s, it was no longer like this.
Because in the 1980s, Japan's economy had been booming for a long time, and the Japanese government had introduced a series of protection policies for women, and a large number of female jobs had emerged, which led to a large number of Japanese women entering the workforce. Therefore, in the 1980s By that time, the status of Japanese women had been greatly improved.
As the status of Japanese women improves, especially as a large number of Japanese women enter the workforce, Japanese women naturally begin to pursue more power.
Although there has not yet been a saying that a Japanese woman should have four boyfriends during this period, the number of traditional Japanese wives has actually been greatly reduced.
The reason is also very simple. The legendary Japanese wives do not work at all, and they are completely dependent on their husbands for life.
But if a Japanese woman can work and have her own income, why should she have to serve her husband like an uncle after her work is over? That doesn't make sense.
Of course, tradition is still very important, especially women who are in love, usually pick up Japanese traditions to please their men.
For example, the current Akina Nakamori, her gentleness, consideration and virtuousness were mostly learned by herself later on, and she was only like this towards Cao Zhiqiang.
To put it bluntly, Akina Nakamori doesn't really like to serve others. She is actually very lazy and doesn't like to clean up the house. This was known from the last time Cao Zhiqiang went to her house.
Cao Zhiqiang had been to Nakamori Akina's house last night and knew that her house was full of messes. Although it couldn't be said to be a garbage dump, she was obviously not a girl who liked to clean up her house.
But for such a woman who didn't like to clean up the house and was even a bit lazy, after she came to Cao Zhiqiang's house, she suddenly seemed like a different person. Not only could she do housework, but she also learned how to arrange flowers, no, do ikebana.
So, love can really change a person.
As long as you like someone and want to win their favor, you can really change anything and do anything for them.
Obviously, Akina Nakamori is such a love brain. As long as the person she likes likes her, she can do anything, even in various shy positions, she will not refuse anyone who comes.
Ahem, of course, Cao Zhiqiang is not that perverted, and he did not force Akina Nakamori to do anything.
In fact, the so-called various postures were secretly learned by Nakamori Akina from others in order to please Cao Zhiqiang and tie Cao Zhiqiang's heart.
As for who she learned it from, I don't know, but it seems that she learned it from her senior female colleague.
Well, I can only say that people in the Japanese entertainment industry are really messed up!
But Cao Zhiqiang also really likes this kind of chaos, after all, he really enjoys it.
It's too far off topic.
In short, no one is born to be a Japanese wife. The emergence of this type of Japanese wife is ultimately caused by the general environment.
Japan has gradually lost the environment for producing Japanese wives, so the current Japanese wives are more of a Japanese label and culture.
Of course, it’s not impossible to have a real Japanese wife, but unless you are extremely rich, extremely powerful, or a love brain like Akina Nakamori, and meet a man you particularly like, and take the initiative to be a Japanese wife to please him, Otherwise, few women would be happy to be Japanese wives.
After Akina Nakamori left with a smile, Yuno Watanabe looked at Cao Zhiqiang who was drinking coffee by himself. He did not go to get his own coffee, but first sighed: "Cao Sang, you are such a happy person. I’m so jealous of you.”
"Huh?" Cao Zhiqiang was stunned, put down his coffee cup, and looked at Yuno Watanabe in surprise, "Jealous of me? What do you mean?"
Watanabe Yuno made an exaggerated expression: "Wow, you still ask me why? You still have such a puzzled face? You didn't mean it, right?"
"What's intentional?" Cao Zhiqiang frowned, "I really don't understand what you're talking about."
Watanabe Yuno then shook his head: "Akina-san, that's Akina-san, the popular idol Akina-san, right?"
Cao Zhiqiang blinked: "Ah, her current occupation is indeed an idol singer, so what?"
Watanabe Yuno once again exaggerated: "So what? Do you know how many people like Akina-chan? Even I am a fan of Akina-chan!
We all thought that Akina-chan was still a single girl, but we didn't expect that she already had a boyfriend, and they were living together, and he was also someone I knew?
How can it be repaired! Oh, you are going to be so jealous of me!
If it weren't for modern society, I would really want to duel with you! "
Cao Zhiqiang was speechless for a while, but he didn't expect that this editor was actually a funny guy.
But yes, Japanese young people in the 1980s do seem to be a bit funny, and they do have a nonsensical culture.
In fact, when Eastern civilization reaches a certain stage of economic development, most cities will experience some nonsensical cultures, such as Japan and Hong Kong at this time, and South Korea and the mainland two thousand years later.
Especially in Japan, because it is a big country of comics, this kind of funny and nonsensical culture developed earlier.
The so-called two-dimensional literature and subculture actually originated in Japan in 1979.
It's just that this kind of culture really took off only after the 1990s. In fact, not many people were so funny in the early 1980s.
Well, but considering that Yuno Watanabe is a top student at Tokyo University, oh, that doesn't matter.
In Japanese legend, the tyrant of Tohoku University is somewhat mentally disturbed.
Thinking of this, Cao Zhiqiang laughed: "I understand, but Mr. Duan Bian, there is no need to be jealous or not.
You have to know that idols are also human beings, not machines, let alone characters in comics.
Everything an idol performs on stage is just a pre-set personality. Just like an actor's acting, it is a job and should not be taken seriously.
But in private life, idols also need their own lives and their own joys and sorrows.
So, this kind of thing is like drinking water and knowing whether it is warm or cold.
If you really like Akina, then you should bless her and keep her secret strictly so as not to cause trouble to her.
Otherwise, you are just a selfish dark desire, and there is no real love at all. Are you right? "
Cao Zhiqiang’s chicken soup for the soul output, if you replace it with someone from 2023, it will not work, and you will be automatically immune.
But facing the 1983 Dong University domination Yuno Watanabe, this chicken soup routine still works well.
Sure enough, he immediately nodded with concern: "That's right, I think so too, so don't worry, no matter what the reason is, for Akina-chan's happiness, I will definitely keep it secret and never tell anyone. , please believe me."
"Well, I believe you." Cao Zhiqiang nodded, and then said, "So, you didn't come here just to follow Mingcai when you found this place, right?"
"Ah, of course not!" Yuno Watanabe waved his hand quickly, "No, no, absolutely not, I'm not that kind of person!"
"Then why are you here..." Cao Zhiqiang deliberately frowned.
"I'm here to see you, Teacher Cao!" Watanabe Yuno said quickly.
Immediately afterwards, Yuno Watanabe said quickly: "That's it. I thought the "Norwegian Wood" you submitted to me was very good, and then I gave it to our editor for review. He also thought it was okay, so I have decided to officially publish your manuscript. Yes.
By the way, because you submitted this manuscript to me, our editor-in-chief said that I will be solely responsible for the publication of this manuscript. "
Having said this, Watanabe Yuno picked up the briefcase, took out a document and a pen, handed it over together and said: "This, Teacher Cao, this is the contract document, please see if there is anything inappropriate.
If you feel it is appropriate, you only need to sign it, stamp it or press your fingerprint, and then you can wait for your official publication.
Don't worry, I will personally investigate this case and publish it as soon as possible. I won't keep you waiting. "
"Etc., etc."
Cao Zhiqiang waved his hand and asked Watanabe Yuno directly without looking at the contract: "Everything else is fine. How is the royalties calculated?"
Watanabe Yuno said: "That's right, you are a newcomer. As usual, we will pay you royalties on a share basis. The share rate is 8% of the selling price.
To put it simply, because you are a newcomer, although I think your book is really good, you are not famous after all, so according to the rules, our first printing quantity is 30,000 copies, and the retail price is tentatively set at 1,000 yen. One.
In other words, as long as you sign this contract, regardless of how well the book sells, you will immediately receive a royalties of 2.4 million yen. "
Upon hearing what the other party said, Cao Zhiqiang nodded and thought it was pretty good.
In fact, Cao Zhiqiang had already expected the other party's share ratio, which was similar to the price in his mind.
Because Japan’s traditional publication sales model is to print first and sell later, the royalties paid to the author are paid after the publication is printed, regardless of whether it can be sold later.
Because of this model of paying money for printing, it is also called "stamp tax" in Japan, which means money for printing.
As a pure newcomer, Cao Zhiqiang can offer a royalty rate of 8%, which is actually very reasonable, and the first edition printing of 30,000 copies is also a standard.
After all, Cao Zhiqiang knew that the book "Norwegian Wood" would be a hit, but before it was officially published, no one knew how it would be, so he could only test the water and print 30,000 copies, and then decide whether to reprint based on sales. .
Generally speaking, the eight percent share ratio is only the first version of the contract.
If it is a second edition contract, it will need to be re-signed, so for the second edition, the royalties to the author will often be higher. The exact amount depends on market performance.
As for how to look at market performance, the Japanese publishing industry has its own methods and standards, so Cao Zhiqiang doesn't need to worry too much.
"Wait!" Cao Zhiqiang suddenly said, "Does the copyright still belong to me?"
"Of course." Watanabe Yuno nodded, "Of course the copyright is still yours, unless you intend to sell it and we have the desire to buy it, but for the time being, um, haha..."
Upon hearing what the other party said, Cao Zhiqiang nodded, knowing that the other party's subtext was that the other party did not want to buy his copyright at the moment.
That's right, only for best-selling books will the publishing house try to negotiate copyright acquisition. For those who are new to the book, usually they will not discuss copyright acquisition during the first edition.
According to Japanese law, as long as the copyright issue is not specifically discussed and the contract is written, the publisher only has the right to publish and does not automatically own the copyright.
Cao Zhiqiang looked at the contract carefully and found no copyright-related provisions in it.
After thinking about it, Cao Zhiqiang asked again: "Is this 2.4 million yen after tax?"
Watanabe Yuno was stunned for a moment, then smiled: "Of course it's before tax. You have to pay the tax yourself."
Cao Zhiqiang nodded and immediately understood what the other party meant.
What the other party means is very simple. The publisher is not responsible for paying taxes. The author has to pay them himself.
Of course, you don’t have to hand it over, as long as you don’t get caught.
In fact, most Japanese writers in the 1980s evaded taxes, unless they were well-known writers.
However, Cao Zhiqiang had no intention of evading tax, so he simply asked: "Then if I have to pay tax, how much will I have to pay?"
Watanabe Yuno blinked, then smiled and said: "Well, you are the author, you only need to pay personal income tax.
The payment of personal income tax is graded.
As far as I know, your current income requires you to pay 10% of your income, which is 240,000 yen in personal tax. "
Cao Zhiqiang nodded: "Then can you pay the tax on my behalf?"
Watanabe Yuno was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said: "This is of course possible, but you have to write me an authorization."
"No problem." Cao Zhiqiang nodded, "I will write authorization for you right away."
Speaking of this, Cao Zhiqiang shouted to Nakamori Akina: "Akina, bring me a pen and paper, and then bring me my seal."
Yes, after being here for so long, Cao Zhiqiang also followed the local customs and made his own seal.
"Hey, here you go!" Akina Nakamori responded with a smile.
Soon, Akina Nakamori brought what Cao Zhiqiang wanted. Cao Zhiqiang immediately followed Yuno Watanabe's request and wrote an authorization to pay personal income tax, and signed and stamped it.
After that, Cao Zhiqiang carefully looked at the first version of the contract in his hand, and carefully asked transitional Xiongye some detailed questions. After making sure that there were no pitfalls and no problems, he signed and stamped it.
(End of chapter)
