Chapter 85: The Young Girl in the Bar

If you visit Taipei, you cannot miss the city's night markets, for they are among Taipei's most distinctive features.

When it comes to Taipei's night markets, the Shilin Night Market must be mentioned. Shilin is the crown jewel of Taiwan's night markets, renowned for its vibrant atmosphere and accessibility. It is divided into two sections: the array of snacks opposite the Cicheng Temple, and the area centered around the Yangming Theater, bordered by Anping Street, Dadong Road, and Wenlin Road.

Unlike the old, established shops of the Huaxi Street Night Market, Shilin is a paradise for the young.

Yan Xu and Zhou Huimin stepped out of the taxi and, joining the throng of people, entered the night market. The dazzling array of delicacies nearly blinded them, and the cravings in their stomachs grew louder with each step.

Tempura, oyster omelets, fried chicken, giant sausages, stuffed flatbreads, Cantonese porridge, pan-fried buns, teppanyaki—their bellies were already full, yet they kept sampling every delicious treat they saw.

"I'm stuffed to death," Zhou Huimin moaned, clutching her stomach with one hand and, with the other, spearing a piece of stinky tofu from Yan Xu's paper packet to pop into her mouth.

"Why don't we find a place to sit?" Yan Xu suggested, holding stinky tofu in one hand and gnawing on a Mongolian kebab with the other.

Huimin nodded. Shilin Night Market was enormous, and they had only explored a small part in two or three hours. Their legs were sore and fatigued.

Beside the night market stood numerous schools and bars. At this time in Taiwan, bars were particularly popular, and many singers performed in them.

It was just the hour when patrons began to arrive, so there were still some empty seats. The lighting inside was dim, so Zhou Huimin took off her sunglasses. They chose a discreet spot and ordered drinks, settling in comfortably.

The bar they entered was not large, lacking the lavish decor and ambiance of a dance hall, but it had its own charm. The modest stage was the best-lit spot in the place; even so, the light was soft and only those in the front rows could clearly see the singer's face. Further back, features blurred into shadow.

On the wooden stage, a singer cradled a guitar, strumming and singing. Several band members, with nothing immediate to do, sat to the side, sipping beer and chatting.

Most patrons were students from nearby schools, couples, and, of course, the occasional eccentric, youthful crowd. After a few songs, the singer left the stage, and a petite young girl took his place. The music from the sound system drew the attention of Yan Xu and Zhou Huimin, who had been cozying up together.

The melody was unmistakably familiar—it was Zhou Huimin's song "Girl With Wings." The song was becoming a hit in Taiwan. Her album sales had surpassed sixty thousand copies in the past week—a modest figure for Taiwan's population, yet impressive for just seven days. With continued exposure, sales would surely soar.

The girl on stage was young, her age apparent from her appearance, but her rendition was endearing, her voice tinged with the innocence of childhood, lending the song a new character.

"She's actually pretty good," Zhou Huimin remarked. She had heard others sing her songs before, but this was her first time hearing a singer perform her song in a bar. She was clearly enjoying herself, tapping her hand to the rhythm, swaying her head, and even humming along softly.

"Yes, quite good," Yan Xu agreed. The girl's voice was not as powerful as the more seasoned singers, but she was better than many of the talent show contestants he'd known in later years. Though the dim lights obscured her features, her attire and silhouette suggested she was a pretty girl.

"With some training, she could be a real talent." Although Yan Xu had already discovered Wang Jie—a future superstar—on this trip to Taiwan, he didn’t want to miss any other promising newcomers.

For his record company to thrive, he needed to cultivate his own artists, much like TVB's artist training classes. While his company lacked the resources for something so grand, short-term training for talented prospects was certainly possible.

Especially for singers of Mandarin songs—Yan Xu knew the mainland market was gradually opening up, and soon, music would flood in.

In the coming years, a recognized singer could easily sell a million copies of an album, and that would be an essential market for Dragon Records' future. But now, most of their artists were from Hong Kong, with a common drawback: poor Mandarin. Their albums might sell well in Guangdong, but outside that region, they were less accepted. Yan Xu knew that in the coming years, Hong Kong singers performing in Cantonese would meet a cold reception on the mainland.

In contrast, many Taiwanese singers would become immensely popular. Though regulations prevented them from performing on the mainland, it did not hinder their album sales.

After meeting Wang Jie, Yan Xu had already decided: upon returning to Hong Kong, he would have Alan Lo establish a Taiwan branch of Dragon Records, scouting for singers and discovering new talent.

He had countless Mandarin songs in mind; soon, Dragon Records might have its own Little Dragon Team, Little Leopard Team, Little Wolf Team, and more.

"Miss, you sing well. Why not come down and have a drink with us?"

After the girl finished "Girl With Wings," Yan Xu and Zhou Huimin were eager to hear her next song. At that moment, a young man with a bushy afro, clad in flared trousers and holding a beer bottle, approached the stage, suddenly grabbing the girl's arm and attempting to pull her offstage.

"What are you doing?"

The girl clearly had never encountered such a scene. More experienced bar performers could deftly sidestep such situations without offending the patrons, but she was nearly petrified, desperately struggling and screaming as she tried to wrench free.

"Damn it, won't accept my offer, huh?"

Having been shrugged off so forcefully, the young man's pride was wounded, especially with his friends egging him on. If he'd merely been drunk and seeking amusement before, now it was a matter of saving face.

"You'd better drink this bottle with me, or forget about singing here," he said, opening a nearby beer and thrusting it toward her.