This dinner ended with everyone thoroughly enjoying themselves.
Dong Yu and Su Qingmei not only got what they wanted but also took the opportunity to reestablish a good working relationship with Lu Chen.
The three newcomers under Qingyu Media were even more ecstatic. They had more or less secured roles in Lu Chen's upcoming TV drama, even if just ordinary supporting roles, these were still incredibly valuable opportunities.
Qin Hanyang had fulfilled his task and saved face.
And Lu Chen didn't lose out either; he earned a big favor from two beautiful women.
If they were just ordinary women, such a favor wouldn't be worth much. But though Dong Yu and Su Qingmei were only just beginning to gain a foothold in the entertainment industry, their backgrounds were anything but ordinary.
Just like Li Mubai and Li Mushi, who represented the powerful Li family, Lu Chen had given up most of his shares in the Crowdfunding website in exchange for their friendship and support.
With this kind of connection, the petty nobodies from outside the entertainment circle wouldn't dare to casually pick a fight with Lu Chen.
In the entertainment industry, if you want to do well, lacking any background will only get you trampled on.
But Lu Chen couldn't rely on the Li family forever; favors eventually run out, and his friendship with Li Mubai wasn't something he could exploit recklessly. Continuously building a wider and stronger network of connections was the right path forward.
That's why Lu Chen was more than willing to let Dong Yu and Su Qingmei owe him a favor. He hadn't paid much of a price for it, after all.
A win-win situation.
By the time they finished dinner, it was already 10 p.m.
Qin Hanyang, his face flushed from drinking, patted Lu Chen hard on the shoulder as they exited the restaurant and said, "Lu Chen, I'm taking you to a really interesting place. You got time tonight?"
He had clearly had quite a bit to drink and was slightly tipsy.
Lu Chen smiled and replied, "Sure. If Brother Qin says it's interesting, then it definitely is."
Qin Hanyang burst out laughing and waved his hand. "Let's go!"
Lu Chen bid farewell to the people from Qingyu Media, then left with Li Feiyu and followed Qin Hanyang into a taxi.
The place Qin Hanyang took Lu Chen to was called 1912 District, the bar street of Jinling.
It was just a wall away from the Presidential Palace, and the surrounding architecture carried a strong historical charm. At night, the neon lights and lively atmosphere made it feel like stepping into a dream from the past, giving people a surreal, time-traveling sensation.
Clearly, this wasn't Qin Hanyang's first time in 1912. He was very familiar with the area. After getting out of the cab, he led Lu Chen and the others another hundred meters or so, then turned into a rather quiet alleyway.
The alley was short, only a few dozen meters long, and it was a dead end.
At the far end stood an LED lightbox. The sign had a very unique, alternative design, four hollow-lit English letters "Crow" were especially eye-catching, visible even from afar.
Along the way, the alcohol had sobered Qin Hanyang up a bit. He pointed at the sign and said, "This is Black Crow Bar. Back in the day, the Black Crow Band used to perform here regularly. In fact, the bar was renamed after they started playing here, and it's kept that name ever since."
"A few of my buddies are already inside. Lots of like-minded friends. All rockers!"
Lu Chen immediately understood.
This Black Crow Bar was clearly one of the gathering spots for musicians in Jinling, similar bars existed in the Capital as well.
Such bars were usually tucked away and not very welcoming to casual customers. The regulars tended to be people from the entertainment circle or hardcore music fans. The commercial atmosphere was light, but the artistic aura was heavy, more like a bohemian salon.
Lu Chen thought of something and asked, "Jinling Faction?"
Qin Hanyang nodded. "Exactly!"
Lu Chen suddenly realized.
The so-called Jinling Faction was one of the three major schools in China's rock scene back in the day. The other two were the Cantonese-Hong Kong Faction and the Capital City Faction. All were part of the national rock movement, but each had distinct styles.
The formation of these three schools was closely tied to their regional environments.
The Capital City Faction's rock was often filled with political and societal themes, brimming with anger and frustration.
The Cantonese-Hong Kong Faction was heavily influenced by Western rock and tended to explore human nature under social upheaval, decadent and nihilistic.
As for the Jinling Faction, it had a strong artistic atmosphere, less extreme and frenzied, leaning toward light rock.
After entering the new millennium, Chinese rock declined rapidly. Many of the old rock stars either passed away, retired, or changed professions. The three major factions gradually withered, and today they barely have any influence on the mainstream music scene.
Most young people don't even know about them anymore.
Because of its stylistic traits, the Jinling Faction managed to maintain a slightly stronger presence compared to the other two. Several local bands were still active in the music scene.
The Black Crow Bar was clearly a base for the Jinling Faction, no wonder Qin Hanyang said it was an interesting place.
Lu Chen was intrigued.
The bar itself was housed in an old building, which looked to be over a hundred years old. Without the glowing sign, you wouldn't even recognize it as a music bar, it looked more like a traditional mansion.
There weren't any doormen or security guards at the entrance. You just pushed the door open and walked in, and a wave of that familiar bar scent washed over you, accompanied by the sound of music.
This Bar Was Bigger Than Lu Chen Had Imagined
The bar was larger than Lu Chen had expected, and packed with guests, men and women gathered around uniquely designed tables, chatting, drinking, laughing, and listening to music. It was noisier than the bars in Houhai, but without the chaos of Sanlitun.
On stage, a five-person rock band was performing "Old Clock Tower", originally by Black Crow Band.
The lead singer, hugging his bass guitar, had long, messy hair and growled hoarsely into the mic as if pouring his entire soul into the scream, hysterical and wild.
Ironically, "Old Clock Tower" was one of Black Crow's few nostalgic pieces. Its melody wasn't aggressive or impassioned; it carried a folk-like gentleness.
This band had clearly rearranged the song in their own style, a reinterpretation of a classic.
As for whether it worked or not? That was a matter of taste.
Most of the audience had their attention captured by the performance, so barely anyone noticed the arrival of Qin Hanyang and Lu Chen's group of three.
Qin Hanyang led Lu Chen to a corner table.
The four members of Wandering Band were already there, along with a man and a woman whom Lu Chen didn't recognize. They were all seated behind two tables pushed together, the surface cluttered with snacks and empty beer bottles, a complete mess.
"Brother Qin!" "Brother Chen!"
The members of Wandering Band were drinking happily, and when they saw Qin Hanyang and Lu Chen, they quickly stood up to greet them.
Lu Chen smiled. "Long time no see."
It had been several months since he last saw Wandering Band, everyone had been busy, and they weren't often on the same path.
Qin Hanyang introduced them, "This is the owner of Black Crow Bar, Big Jiang, 'Jiang' as in Jiang Ziya."
Big Jiang was a lean, weathered middle-aged man. Dressed in jeans and a long-sleeve T-shirt, his rough, rugged look made him seem more like a construction worker than a bar owner, honest and unpretentious.
Lu Chen smiled. "Brother Big Jiang, nice to meet you."
Qin Hanyang then added, "And this is Lu Chen, no introduction needed, right?"
"Nice to meet you!" Big Jiang extended his hand with obvious excitement in his eyes. "I've been wanting to meet you for a long time, but never had the chance. I missed you when I was in the Capital last time. Glad I finally got to meet you today!"
Qin Hanyang laughed, "Big Jiang used to be a rock singer too, honestly, his singing's better than his bar management!"
Lu Chen chuckled and shook his hand. "Nice to meet you."
"Come on, sit, sit!" Big Jiang invited everyone to sit down. The woman next to him efficiently started clearing empty bottles and plates.
Big Jiang also called over a waiter to help, and the table was soon cleaned. Fresh beer was brought in.
Lu Chen took one bottle, took a small sip, but didn't drink much; he had already had plenty of alcohol tonight.
Big Jiang was quite excited. After sharing a few drinks and chatting with everyone, once the band on stage finished their set, he excitedly ran up to the stage and asked for the mic.
"Good evening, friends!"
The bar owner smiled as he spoke, "I'm very happy to announce something tonight, we have the famous Wandering Band and Qin Hanyang, our very own Big Qing, visiting Black Crow Bar. Let's give them a big welcome!"
Applause and whistles erupted as the crowd looked around, trying to spot Qin Hanyang.
Qin Hanyang quickly stood up and waved to the crowd in gratitude.
The applause grew louder.
Big Jiang continued, "And also, we have someone else who came along with Big Qing, someone you probably wouldn't expect."
"He's the original singer-songwriter of 'In Spring', 'Blue Lotus Flower', and 'Follow the Dream of the Red Heart', Lu Chen!"
Lu Chen?
The room stirred. Applause dropped noticeably, replaced by a wave of murmurs, along with a few sharp screams.
Screams from female fans.
Lu Chen stood up and waved politely.
Now that people had spotted him, the murmurs grew louder.
Most of them were things like:
"That's Lu Chen?"
"Why would he come to Black Crow?"
"Heh…"
Black Crow Bar was a niche venue, catering to a narrow audience, mainly industry insiders and hardcore rock fans, along with a small number of casual music lovers or curious visitors dragged in by friends.
In this tight-knit circle, Qin Hanyang and Wandering Band were unquestionably more well-known than Lu Chen. The patrons here had a stronger connection to them.
But even so, there wasn't a single person who didn't know Lu Chen's name. Even the ones who looked down on his style or creative direction had definitely heard of "In Spring", "Blue Lotus Flower", "Follow the Dream of the Red Heart", and "Flying Higher".
These songs were still frequently covered on stages around the country.
Under normal circumstances, Lu Chen would never have crossed paths with a place like Black Crow Bar. His presence here was surprising, whether it stirred joy, shock, curiosity, or even scorn, reactions were mixed.
Not everyone welcomed him.
Lu Chen clearly sensed the strange atmosphere in the bar. Without batting an eye, he quietly sat back down.
He felt a bit out of place here.
Qin Hanyang furrowed his brows, suddenly realizing that bringing Lu Chen to Black Crow Bar might have been a mistake.
There weren't many Lu Chen fans here, even with masterpieces like "In Spring."
(End of Chapter)
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