Chapter 0010: The Wolf from the North
Song Zhichao noticed her in a daze and understood that she was reluctant to accept money. He glanced at her nameplate and then pointed to the karaoke equipment placed in the private room, saying: "Xiao Qian, if you feel embarrassed, just help me adjust this. I would like to sing a song"
Song Zhichao wore a smile, tapping his fingers on the table as if he were deeply engrossed in the rhythm he was creating; however, when he lifted his teacup to drink, a hint of distraction flickered in his eyes
A man and a woman. The man is approximately in his thirties, holding a large mobile phone, dressed in a popular gray-black trench coat from Hong Kong, similar to the one worn by the character Xiao Ma in "A Better Tomorrow." His hairstyle is slicked back, and he has a bright mustache. If it weren't for the absence of sunglasses and a toothpick in his mouth, one might truly think that Xiao Ma had smuggled himself into Pan Yu.
Song Zhichao smiled and said nothing further. Hong Kong does not produce tobacco at all; it is primarily imported.
The girl appeared somewhat dazed. All along, the clients she served were mostly from Hong Kong. Although these Hong Kong individuals seemed polite and cultured, deep down, they looked down on her and others from the mainland. Even when someone tipped, it was only one or two dollars at most. The wealthier they were, the more stingy they became, unlike Song Zhichao, who was so generous.
I am a wolf from the north, walking in the boundless wilderness, the piercing north wind blows, and the endless yellow sand sweeps by
This pure and understated beauty made Song Zhichao feel very comfortable. Therefore, when one of the girls, acting as the lead, brought them to the private room, poured tea, and provided enthusiastic service, Song Zhichao generously rewarded her with five yuan and expressed his gratitude.
Chen Jianjun is the same
As soon as the man entered, he spoke in Cantonese, saying: "Sorry, we are late"
The two little sisters beside him began to applaud him.
Song Zhichao invited him to sit down and said: "I just made this today. If Brother Mark likes it, I will introduce you to him"
Song Zhichao smiled and instead struck a match to help him light his cigarette, "Among the Hong Kong cigarettes, the Jian brand, Marlboro, and Three Five are all quite good"
In fact, Chen Jianjun had quietly informed Song Zhichao that this woman was actually a well-known socialite in Pan Yu County, whose Chinese name was "Xu Zhaodi," and she changed her name only after being with Mark
The waitress promptly went out
Before the alluring woman could pass by to take a cigarette, Song Zhichao had already taken out his colorful butterfly cigarettes and handed them to Brother Mark
Mark laughed heartily and pointed at Song Zhichao, saying, "Xingmuzi, you are so perceptive. Leave your address later, and I will also get one done another day." He touched his own pompadour and added, "I thought this hairstyle was cool enough, but it can't compare to yours!"
There were two little sisters cheering for themselves, which lifted their spirits; moreover, the person they were waiting for had not yet arrived, and sitting idly was not an option. Furthermore, since they had paid for this upscale private room, they might as well make the most of it.
Recognizing value! This is to say that products made in Hong Kong are indeed good. Mark feels he has found a kindred spirit
With a calculation in mind, Song Zhichao turned to the side, beckoned the waitress with a finger, and whispered a few words in her ear
That is called being full of confidence—beautiful woman, please play a song by Qi Qin titled "Wolf" for this big brother
Song Zhichao is not randomly selecting songs for Chen Jianjun. It is important to note that in this era, especially for someone of Chen Jianjun's age, nine out of ten people enjoy listening to Qi Qin's songs, and most men particularly like the song "Wolf." Even if they cannot sing it, they can still shout it out loud. There is no shame in this; after all, a wolf is just howling like a wolf.
In Pan Yu, many people are quite adept at enjoying themselves, especially those from Hong Kong who particularly favor dining in such fashionable restaurants
Chen Jianjun shook his head and said, "Don't tease me, I can't sing, it sounds like slaughtering a pig."
As the hosts, Song Zhichao and Chen Jianjun arrived early at the restaurant. Looking around, the restaurant was designed to resemble a vast ship, and the parking lot was also styled like a dock.
Mark is fond of joking; for someone like you, it is enough to wear any clothes and have any hairstyle to exude an impressive presence
Song Zhichao noticed that the alluring woman sitting beside him had been very quiet, yet her gaze inadvertently drifted towards the earrings of the waitress serving them.
Mark glanced at it but did not take it. He turned his hand to accept the cigarette offered by the alluring woman, holding it between his fingers as he said to Song Zhichao: "Sorry, I am used to smoking Hong Kong cigarettes"
Song Zhichao listened attentively and kept it in his heart
Chen Jianjun, encouraged by Song Zhichao, hesitantly took the microphone and began to sing along with the music
The "Deep Sea Fishing Port" seafood restaurant is a chain dining establishment that has been imported from Hong Kong
This store was initially opened in the bustling commercial area of Causeway Bay in Wan Chai, Hong Kong. Later, the owner, Mr. Cha, established chain stores in all 18 districts of Hong Kong, and the business has always been thriving. However, with land in Hong Kong being extremely valuable, most of the profits from the restaurant industry went towards paying high rents for commercial properties. With the reform and opening up of the mainland and strong support for overseas investment, Mr. Cha decisively closed many of his chain stores in Hong Kong and began investing in opening stores along the coastal areas of the mainland. The Pan Yu seafood restaurant is one of them.
Sometimes it is much easier to persuade a woman than to persuade a man
Panyu is a remarkable place, home to over one hundred thousand migrant workers from the north, speaking a variety of dialects from regions such as Ludong, Yunnan, Shuzhong, as well as Xiangchu and Qianzhou. However, the most developed catering industry here is not the northern cuisines like Sichuan, Shandong, or Henan, but rather the southern Cantonese cuisine, particularly the seafood imported from Hong Kong, which is the most renowned and fashionable.
Mark and Song Zhichao shook hands, placed the mobile phone imposing on the table, then took off his trench coat and handed it to the alluring woman beside him. He glanced at Song Zhichao with a peculiar expression and after a long pause finally spoke: "I really like your hairstyle, where did you get it done?"
Song Zhichao stood up without waiting for Chen Jianjun to greet him, proactively offering his seat to the man, and said, "Brother Mark, my name is Song Zhichao, I look forward to your guidance!"
Here, Mark introduced the alluring woman next to him to Song Zhichao and the other person, stating that the woman's name is "Anna," pronounced as "Ānnà" in Chinese, and that she is his girlfriend
It turns out that the private rooms in this restaurant are designed very stylishly, especially the one called "Fugui Hall," which is equipped with trendy karaoke facilities, allowing guests to enjoy the pleasure of singing while dining. Of course, reserving such a private room also requires a significant additional expense
The woman is quite attractive, dressed in a flamboyant manner, her style comparable to that of Sister Xia, the owner of the "Red Rose Hair Salon". She also has dark circles under her eyes, bright red lips, and wavy hair, complemented by large plastic earrings. However, instead of wearing a batwing top, she is dressed in a low-cut short skirt, which makes her appear even more seductive and charming
Just as the atmosphere in the private room was lively, the door was knocked and pushed open, and a waiter led two individuals inside
To be fair, he claims that he is not good at singing, but once he opens his mouth, there is quite a wild flavor to it
At the entrance, two girls dressed in red qipaos are welcoming guests. Both girls are very beautiful. In this era, women's makeup techniques are not yet so exquisite; generally, girls adorn themselves in a very pure manner, at most applying a bit of blush on their cheeks and a touch of lipstick on their lips
Men are easily inspired by women
Zhang Tiezhu, oh no, Brother Mark, since he wants to fully embrace Hong Kong culture, the places where he dines must also align with those of the Hong Kong people, thus this restaurant has become his essential dining choice
In this era, the karaoke used for accompaniment relied on old-fashioned cassette tapes. Each time a song was selected, it was necessary to rewind the tape to the desired part, which was quite cumbersome. However, Xiao Qian's movements were quite nimble, and she quickly found Qi Qin's "Wolf".
Chen Jianjun called the waiter to serve the dishes and specified some special requirements for certain dishes, which were basically tailored to Mark's tastes and preferences. As an intermediary, he fulfilled his role adequately. When Song Zhichao was conversing with Mark, he remained silent. Once the conversation reached a lull, he hurriedly spoke up to lighten the atmosphere
While Xiao Qian was busy preparing for karaoke, Song Zhichao had already loosened his tie and taken off the bright red suit he had worn for nearly a day. Another female server, who was responsible for taking orders, had already witnessed Song Zhichao's generous display earlier and proactively stepped forward to help him hang up his clothes. Song Zhichao nodded to her in appreciation, then calmly sat down. The female server then handed him a warm towel using a towel clip. Song Zhichao took it, wiped his hands, returned it, and then smiled at Chen Jianjun, saying, "Brother Jun, the karaoke is ready, would you like to sing a song?"
"Hahaha, you can talk, I am increasingly fond of you." Mark patted his pocket, wanting to find a cigarette, but the cigarettes were placed in his trench coat.
Chen Jianjun became increasingly enthusiastic in his singing, to the point where he almost forgot why he had come here
Those earrings are clearly handmade, not available for sale in the market, and it is uncertain what materials they are made of. They appear to be very colorful and beautiful