Later on, Jiang Xia sent the bidding information to Lin Yanwan, and he heard from his wife that his father-in-law had secretly made the call.
He smiled faintly and immediately contacted Li Weiya to exchange information. Now that his father-in-law had taken the bait, it was just a matter of seeing how she would play her part.
After hanging up, Lin Gaoyuan walked into the house in high spirits, scooping Xiao Man onto his lap to watch Cat and Mouse at seven o’clock.
Cat and Mouse was already in its second round of reruns, but that didn’t stop Xiao Man from watching with great relish. The comical slapstick of that rivalrous pair, Tom and Jerry, could easily capture any child’s heart.
After finishing an episode before he knew it, Lin Gaoyuan couldn’t help but marvel. ’There’s always a reason for something’s popularity.’ Even a forty-year-old adult like him was captivated by the amusing stories of Cat and Mouse. One could only imagine how large an audience this cartoon had across all age groups, and that its related merchandise would surely sell easily.
He silently made up his mind. No matter what demands the producers made, he would do everything in his power to meet them. Securing the merchandise licensing contract for Cat and Mouse was the key to whether his toy factory could turn things around during this crisis!
"How did the call go?" Ji Wanqiu asked softly, sitting down beside him.
He shook his head. "They haven’t revealed anything yet, but I can confirm they’re looking for partners for merchandise sales. After learning I’m a toy manufacturer, they seemed very interested and scheduled a face-to-face meeting for the day after tomorrow."
"Are you confident?"
"It’s hard to say," Lin Gaoyuan sighed. "Compared to those big factories, we don’t have many advantages. From the sound of her voice, it seems like she’s meeting with other manufacturers tomorrow too. I suppose they’ll sign the contract with whoever offers a reasonable price."
Ji Wanqiu nodded. That was just how the industry worked, so it wasn’t surprising at all.
"What’s our bottom line?"
"Around eight hundred thousand. I’m just worried they’ll ask for too much, like a licensing contract for several million," he said, fraught with worry.
"Cat and Mouse is incredibly popular right now. The online buzz has already surpassed five million hits, and from the official announcements, it’s clear there’s going to be a second season. For at least the next six months, the show’s popularity will remain high. Gao Yuan, you need to be mentally prepared," said Ji Wanqiu.
"I’ve already thought it through. Even if I have to mortgage the factory for a bank loan, I have to seize this opportunity. With a nationwide exclusive license, as long as sales aren’t terrible, we can break even in about half a year at the latest," Lin Gaoyuan said grimly.
Ji Wanqiu hesitated for a few seconds. "If it really comes to it, the car is still worth some money. If we pool everything together, we’ll have a little over a million."
"Let’s just see what demands they make the day after tomorrow," Lin Gaoyuan said, taking a deep breath and slowly exhaling. "Worrying too much about it now is just borrowing trouble."
"Mm."
Ji Wanqiu nodded slightly. "You have to tell me if anything comes up. Don’t try to shoulder it all by yourself."
"Don’t worry."
Lin Yanwan had been secretly listening to her parents’ entire conversation from the side. Even though she knew full well their worries would never come to pass, she was still deeply moved.
She remembered in her past life, the family’s toy factory had been doing poorly, losing money month after month. Her dad had struggled to keep it afloat for over a year, first selling their car, then the house. He not only exhausted all their savings but also ended up saddled with a mountain of debt.
In this life, thankfully, there was Jiang Xia.
None of that would happen again.
She returned to her room, locked the door, and took out her phone to call him. Jiang Xia picked up after only a second.
"I’m not bothering you, am I?" she asked in a small voice.
"Not at all. What’s up?" Jiang Xia said with a laugh, his voice sounding like he had just yawned.
She hesitated, the words on the tip of her tongue. She had wanted to tell Jiang Xia what she’d just overheard, but she worried he would think she was pressuring him. ’Since he said he would handle it, he’ll definitely handle it.’
’It’s better to stick to business,’ she thought.
"The voice-over for episode 13 will be done by tomorrow," she said.
"That’s pretty fast. But don’t wear yourself out. Just stick to your usual pace."
"Compared to you, my workload is already pretty light."
Jiang Xia let out a silent laugh. "You get used to it. Once we get through this busy period, everyone can take a good, long rest."
"Mm. How far have you gotten with the drawing?"
"The storyboards for episode seventeen. The progress feels fast, but I still have to find time for filming and editing. We’ll barely be able to finish the 12 animated episodes on schedule." Jiang Xia sighed. He really wished he had someone to share this part of the workload.
Unfortunately, he was the only one who could do it right now, not even Li Weiya.
"Come over tomorrow, and I’ll give you a massage to help you relax," Lin Yanwan said, her face flushing slightly. ’The techniques I learned from that masseuse last time will come in handy.’
’Other than this kind of reward, it seemed there was nothing else she could give him.’
’Anyway, this body will be his sooner or later.’
"You’re seducing me!" Jiang Xia grinned.
She bared her pearly whites but didn’t deny it. "So, are you coming or not!"
"I’m coming! Only an idiot wouldn’t!"
Jiang Xia snickered, his mind already starting to fantasize about how intimate he and his wife would get, and whether he needed to prepare a 001 beforehand.
"Are your parents going to be home tomorrow?" he suddenly asked, on guard.
After getting punched twice last time, he had learned his lesson. As long as her parents were home, he’d be on his best behavior. Otherwise, he couldn’t guarantee he wouldn’t get another beating.
"They’ll be out."
Jiang Xia understood instantly. ’It must be about the licensing contract. My father-in-law and mother-in-law definitely have to prepare for it.’
"Babe, don’t worry about signing the contract. I’ve already arranged everything with Aunt Li. Your dad won’t even have to take on any risk."
’In any case, the toy factory is a family business. My father-in-law making money is the same as me making money. Besides, I happen to need a company just like it, which will indirectly save me a lot of trouble.’
’As Qitian Animation Company grows, the toy factory can also receive the lion’s share of resources. In the future, it’s not impossible for it to become an industry giant like Bandai or Lego.’
’In my grand blueprint, the animation IP is the foundation of everything. The resulting branches—games and toys—are the real money-making machines.’
’I will conquer the entire ACG field and make all the money in the world!’
’But it all has to be done slowly. I’m still young, and my career is just getting started.’
’Stepmother Li was right. You have to take business one step at a time. If you take too big a stride, you have to be careful not to pull something.’
"I know," Lin Yanwan said softly.
"By the way, Aunt Li said we should go to her place for a meal when we have time. She wants to meet you."
"Okay."
Lin Yanwan gazed out the window. The sky was clear tonight, and she could see the swath of the Milky Way hanging above.
"Hubby."
"Hm?"
"I love you."