Chapter 99: Let’s Sing

"Zhou Ming, come to the bar on East Gate. I'll buy you a drink!"

In the evening, after Zhou Ming finished dining with Tang Ran, he received a call from Du Peng. Zhou Ming drove with Tang Ran to the bar Du Peng mentioned. Zhou Ming's car was an Audi, the same model as Du Peng's, both procured through channels for opening doors into the domestic market. However, officials were reluctant to use them, so Du Peng managed to get one out.

As for Du Peng suddenly inviting him to a bar, Zhou Ming guessed it was because Du Peng had hooked up with a girl from Nanjiang University and wanted to show off.

Arriving at the place Du Peng had described, Zhou Ming looked at the plain building and asked in surprise, "Is this really the bar you mentioned?"

Du Peng hesitated and nodded, "Yes, it's a bar, and it's newly opened."

"You don't think this place looks less sophisticated than the stalls over by Sanyuan?" Zhou Ming pointed at the sign made of paper stuck on the door and said, "At least the stalls have a proper sign. This place just has a few pieces of paper on the door and calls itself a bar? And look inside—just a few tables and chairs. It's more like a street vendor. Where did you find this black bar?"

Du Peng looked over the shabby exterior and said, "It does look a bit simple, but what can we do? We can't just go shopping all the time. We need a place to hang out, or we'd be bored."

A girl named Xiao Xue, who was sitting in the passenger seat with Du Peng, asked Zhou Ming, "Brother, I heard you've been to the bars in Port City. What are real bars like?"

Zhou Ming glanced at Xiao Xue, noting that Du Peng had good taste. She was not only pretty but also carried an elegant, cultured demeanor that stirred a man's sense of conquest. He wondered how Du Peng had managed to attract her.

"Real bars, huh? Well, first, you need a decent place with a proper facade, neon lights, a memorable name. Inside, there should be atmospheric decorations, lighting and color coordination, a professional bartender, a band or bar singers, and a dance floor for dancing," Zhou Ming explained.

"Wow! Real bars must be so much fun!" Xiao Xue said with excitement. "Can you take us to a bar in Port City?"

"Going to Port City is troublesome, and you don't necessarily need to go there to get this kind of atmosphere," Zhou Ming replied.

Du Peng suddenly had an idea, "Zhou Ming, are you suggesting South Lake Hotel?"

"I think since South Lake Hotel is built to international top standards, it should have these things," Zhou Ming said. They then drove to South Lake Hotel. Before arriving, Zhou Ming had called the hotel manager, Kong Xiaolin, so she personally came to greet them at the entrance.

"Consultant Zhou, as requested, I can prepare a private room for you and decorate it, but we don't have a bartender at the hotel," Kong Xiaolin said.

Zhou Ming waved his hand, "Actually, having a bartender isn't crucial. I'm not here just to drink. I was thinking there might be other entertainment activities you could offer."

Kong Xiaolin's eyes widened, "Consultant Zhou, tell me what you need, and I will do my best to accommodate."

"It's not difficult. We just need equipment from your conference room, like microphones, speakers, and a CD player or tape recorder. It should be able to connect to the microphone and switch channels," Zhou Ming explained.

Kong Xiaolin thought for a moment and said, "We have all that equipment. I'm curious, what are you planning to do?"

Not only Kong Xiaolin but also Tang Ran, Du Peng, and Xiao Xue all had the same curiosity.

"We're going to sing," Zhou Ming said.

"Sing?" Everyone's eyes widened in surprise.

Zhou Ming nodded, "Yes. You might not know this, but regular CDs or tapes are split into two channels: one for accompaniment and one for vocals. By using a CD player or tape recorder to cancel one channel and leave the accompaniment, and then using a microphone, we can sing."

"Really? That means we can all be like stars singing!" Tang Ran said excitedly.

Zhou Ming affectionately tapped Tang Ran's nose and said, "Nobody says singing is only for stars. We can sing whenever we want."

He then turned to Kong Xiaolin, "Manager Kong, is that alright?"

Kong Xiaolin quickly nodded in agreement.

Zhou Ming and the others followed Kong Xiaolin to the hotel's conference room. Kong Xiaolin arranged the microphone and CD player and brought some original CDs.

Zhou Ming took the microphone from Kong Xiaolin, intending to let the ladies sing first. But he noticed Tang Ran and Xiao Xue both staring at him with curiosity, realizing that in this era, with bars being as rudimentary as street stalls and no karaoke lounges yet, it was understandable that they were new to this.

So, Zhou Ming decided to be the first to demonstrate. He searched through the CDs, and after finding a familiar song, he started playing it. Despite not having much talent in singing, Zhou Ming managed to perform "A Cut Plum" fairly well, as the song's melody was simple and well-known.

After Zhou Ming finished, Tang Ran and Xiao Xue cheered, "Brother Ming, you sing so well! Better than those music majors at our school!"

"Why don't you two try singing a song?" Zhou Ming suggested.

Hesitant, Tang Ran and Xiao Xue exchanged glances. They shyly said, "Brother Ming, how about you sing another song? I'm too scared to sing… I'm not as good as you. I'd rather not embarrass myself."

Zhou Ming understood their hesitation, especially considering that even two decades later, many people in karaoke lounges were shy about singing. In 1987, with karaoke lounges not even existing yet, it was even more daunting for them.

Since the girls were reluctant to sing, Zhou Ming handed the microphone to Kong Xiaolin, "Manager Kong, as the hotel manager, you should sing a song with us."

Kong Xiaolin initially wanted to refuse but took the microphone after seeing Zhou Ming's look. She chose a song called "Olive Tree," which, while similar in melody to the previous song, was more challenging. Kong Xiaolin's performance, evoking a sense of wandering in the Sahara Desert, impressed Zhou Ming. Despite it being her first time with a microphone, her talent in the arts was apparent.

After Kong Xiaolin finished, Du Peng encouraged Xiao Xue, "Xiao Xue, go up and sing a song! Don't you like Port City's stars? Show us what you've got."

Xiao Xue, excited after hearing Zhou Ming and Kong Xiaolin, eagerly picked a CD and went up to sing.

Watching Xiao Xue enthusiastically sing, Tang Ran shyly asked Zhou Ming, "Brother Ming, I'd like to sing too. Can I sing 'Only Care About You'?"

"Of course," Zhou Ming said. "Find the CD, and you can sing after Xiao Xue is done."

"Okay! Thank you, Brother Ming!" Tang Ran cheered and skipped off to find the CD.

As the two girls sang, Zhou Ming turned to Du Peng, "How do you think this is? Isn't it better than being fleeced for hundreds or thousands at that black bar?"

Du Peng gave Zhou Ming a thumbs-up, "You really have a great idea, Zhou Ming. Bringing this setup to South Lake Hotel is brilliant."

"This wasn't entirely my idea," Zhou Ming said. "This kind of setup has been popular abroad for a long time. In Taiwan, it's called karaoke, a trendy form of entertainment. I've seen it in Port City."

"I see," Du Peng pondered and suddenly said, "What if we set up a karaoke place in Nanjiang?"

Zhou Ming wasn't surprised by this suggestion. Given that domestic nightlife was underdeveloped, even a simple bar could earn thousands a night. A proper karaoke lounge with dance halls and bars would certainly be profitable.

"Your idea is excellent. In fact, I brought you here today partly with that in mind. Our domestic nightlife is too lacking. We need something more formal," Zhou Ming said. "Just ensure it's done properly, and avoid any unsavory elements."

"Don't worry, Zhou Ming. Even if you asked me to get involved with shady stuff, I wouldn't do it," Du Peng said, then paused. "But we've never done this before and lack experience. We can't manage it ourselves!"

Zhou Ming pointed at Kong Xiaolin, who was still singing with Tang Ran and Xiao Xue, "There's a ready-made manager right there."

Du Peng's eyes widened, "My boss Zhou Ming, you're amazing! You've planned all this out!"

"I'm not that clever. I just thought of it on the way here," Zhou Ming said.