Chapter Fifteen: Lonely Souls in the City

At eight o’clock sharp, the LED lights outside the “Tang Dynasty” bar flickered on, as if someone had pressed a hidden switch. One after another, the streetlights along the avenue lit up in succession, transforming the street into a dazzling ribbon of color that danced gracefully through the night. In an instant, the whole area was aglow. The locals all knew what this meant: nightlife in Yanjing had officially begun. Groups of people, whether white-collar workers, corporate executives, ordinary construction workers, or university students, began making their way toward this lively district, all with the same goal in mind—to find a seat at one of the bars, unwind with a drink, and let the music and alcohol wash away the fatigue of the day.

He Yanlin walked into the bar with a few of her close girlfriends, settling into a table near the center. She glanced around; people were already arriving in a steady stream, and it looked as if tonight would be another full house.

“Hey, did you guys notice?” Chang Yan, one of her friends, leaned in after ordering their drinks and dismissing the waiter. “The ‘Help Wanted’ sign at the entrance has been taken down.”

“That’s right,” added Li Zixuan, habitually pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose. “It’s really gone. Maybe they’ve found a new lead singer? The old one, whatever his name was, got into a drunken brawl at another venue, ended up in the hospital with his head split open. Hilarious. I heard the boss was furious.”

“Hmph, only two possibilities,” said Ying Mei, her face set in a tough expression. “Either they found a suitable new lead, or, since no one applied, they’re just letting the backup singer fill in. Honestly, they might as well just get a new band.”

“You think it’s that easy?” He Yanlin gave her a look of disdain. “There are plenty of bands in Yanjing, but not many are willing to play regular gigs at a bar. Look at how many bars are around here—any decent band has already been snatched up.”

“Fair enough. Let’s hope for good news, then. A new lead. That backup singer is pure torture—hard to listen to,” Ying Mei pouted. For all her bravado, He Yanlin always had her number.

“Say what you will, but the owner of this bar is quite something. So many rules and restrictions, yet it’s packed every single night.”

“That’s the strength of their model. The boss really nailed the positioning,” Li Zixuan analyzed coolly. “He’s made this place stand out from the others. We come here precisely because of those differences. He’s driven out the riffraff, strictly controls troublemakers, refuses all sorts of shady people and messy situations, and instead creates a musical, private, and clean atmosphere. That’s exactly what white-collar types and other high-end customers want. It ensures a certain quality of clientele, and those are the people with the strongest spending power. Once you’re used to gathering here at night, you have no desire to put up with the chaos and noise of other places. I know I certainly don’t.”

“That’s why the owner is said to have quite a background—ordinary folks would do well not to cross him.”

“Enough talk, the drinks are here!” Ying Mei was impatient.

“To a hard day’s work,” He Yanlin said with a smile, raising her glass.

“To us, forging ahead on our own in this city,” Chang Yan added.

“To loneliness and solitude,” Li Zixuan chimed in, her tone a touch poetic.

“To a life where we don’t have to put up with men’s nonsense,” Ying Mei finished, curling her lip.

The four of them clinked glasses and took a sip, slowly relaxing.

“It’s starting,” Chang Yan exclaimed, noticing the instruments being set up on the small stage. “But it doesn’t look like Hellfire. Has someone else taken the opening slot?”

“Yes, look at that woman—it’s the ‘Rose’ band. Seems like things aren’t going well for Hellfire. They usually open the night and get everyone in the mood.”

“Well, whoever it is, let’s just drink.”

Out front, Lin Qihua stepped through the entrance and was taken aback by the sight of the packed house. There were over a hundred tables, each one occupied—easily four or five hundred people, the size of a small concert. What stood out was how everyone sat quietly, chatting and sipping their drinks. Not a single person was being loud or unruly. The atmosphere was calm, never rowdy.

“That’s our bar’s signature,” Ah Hui said quietly beside him. “We’ve got a high-quality clientele. But it’s a double-edged sword—most nights, they just sit and listen politely. Unless you’re really good, or you manage to fire them up, it’s hard to get a reaction out of them.”

“I like that challenge,” Lin Qihua replied with a smile.

On stage, the “Rose” band had finished setting up and began their performance. Their style was a far cry from Hellfire’s usual intensity—a languid groove, led by their vocalist, Sister Yu. She gripped the mic stand with languorous grace, her voice oozing with sultry charm, slipping lazily under your skin and making you itch in the most comfortable way. As her hips swayed in time with the music, desire was instantly sparked in more than a few hearts.

Midway through the song, as the music grew more passionate, she let go of the stand, raising both arms and dancing wildly to the beat. Her shifting figure and endless allure swept over the audience.

“What a show, what presence,” Lin Qihua thought, his eyes opened to a new experience. Unlike the distant polish of a star on a grand stage, Sister Yu’s performance was raw and immediate, completely unrestrained and masterful at playing to her strengths. The crowd’s surging cheers said it all—she had already won over a loyal following. No wonder she was so proud; as a newcomer, Lin Qihua had to admit he was no match for her just yet.

Ah Hui cast Lin Qihua a sidelong glance. “You watch her and feel nothing else?”

“Huh? What do you mean?” Lin Qihua replied, puzzled. “Her vocals are average, but she really knows how to work a crowd, play to her strengths and hide her weaknesses. On a big stage, this would be a top-tier performance—something a lot of artists today can’t achieve.”

“Ah…” Ah Hui looked at him, then swallowed dryly and said nothing more.

“All right, back to practice. Now I’ve got a sense of the competition, but in the end, it’s down to my own ability.”

“You’re really something. I give up. Seriously, I do,” Ah Hui said, conceding.

Lin Qihua paid little attention to the performances that followed, focusing instead on his rehearsal. Big companies had all sorts of training and methods for preparing artists before shows and competitions; being unable to control your nerves meant you’d never give your best. Onstage improvisation is crucial at the highest levels. Some performers thrive on adrenaline, coming alive before a crowd, but Lin Qihua wasn’t sure if he was that type. After more than three years of training and a year since his debut, he was used to quietly adjusting his state before going up—a habit that ensured he felt no nerves before tonight’s show.

Half an hour flew by. The Rose band returned to the green room, flushed with excitement—their set had clearly gone well. Sister Yu, wrapped in a thick coat, still left the air scented with her perfume.

“Well, well, isn’t this Hellfire’s new lead singer?” joked a man named Ah Yang, spotting Lin Qihua in the corner. “Hey, buddy, you’re up soon—don’t wet yourself out there!”

Lin Qihua looked up at him, waved a hand in front of his nose, and pulled a face of exaggerated disgust. “Who let in the smell of stale piss? Awful.”

“You—!” Ah Yang bristled.

“Enough,” Sister Yu cut him off, stepping in front of Lin Qihua. “Good luck out there. I’ll be watching and learning.”

“Thanks for the encouragement. Tonight’s a solo for me—Hellfire’s official return is tomorrow. So tonight’s your best chance to have a laugh at our expense. Enjoy it while you can—it won’t matter. Tomorrow, you’ll see a whole new Hellfire reclaiming the opening slot.”

“Excellent.” At some point, Ah Hui and the others had come over, ready to go on stage. Hearing Lin Qihua’s words, they cheered enthusiastically.

“Hmph, we’ll just have to wait and see,” Sister Yu said with a cold snort, leading her band back to their dressing room. There was nothing more to say—talent would speak for itself.

“Our turn,” Ah Hui said, delighting in Sister Yu’s minor defeat and glancing at Lin Qihua. Clearly, he wasn’t one to back down. With a calm demeanor, Lin Qihua had both unsettled the competition and rallied his own band, establishing himself as Hellfire’s leader—a win on all fronts. If this was intentional, it was impressive indeed.

But it was clear Ah Hui was overthinking things. Lin Qihua had no such schemes in mind, but by chance had achieved just that result—a happy accident.

Next up was Hellfire’s performance. As the four band members took the stage, the audience groaned in disappointment. Their faces darkened; they knew it was their own shortcomings that had brought this on, and blaming the crowd would be unfair. Still, they felt a quiet relief—tonight was the last night they’d have to endure this. Tomorrow, Hellfire would make a dazzling comeback. The memory of rehearsing “Raging Tide” with Lin Qihua earlier in the day filled them with anticipation for their next collaboration—a strange but exciting feeling.

Perhaps because of this state of mind, Hellfire’s performance tonight was unexpectedly strong. Most notably, Ah Hui gave it his all, roaring with abandon. Whether he was venting his own emotions or not, his energy clearly caught on with the audience. The boos faded, giving way to applause. The crowd saw how hard they were trying and understood their recent slump wasn’t entirely their fault. Their attitude tonight deserved encouragement.

After half an hour of passionate playing, Ah Hui signaled to the others to pause, then took up the microphone and addressed the crowd earnestly: “Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your support. Now, please allow me to introduce our newest member—Hellfire’s new lead singer! Tomorrow night, Hellfire will make its grand return. Stay tuned!”

A ripple of excitement ran through the crowd. So that’s what was happening!

Lin Qihua silently cheered himself on, put on a winning smile, and, under the coordinated lights, stepped onto the stage.