Chapter 161: No, Really, That Won’t Be Necessary!
Chapter 161: No, Really, That Won’t Be Necessary!
After finishing another song, Chen Lei didn’t move on to the next one. Instead, he cleared his throat and spoke into the microphone, his tone a little somber.
“I want to tell everyone something. Starting tomorrow, I won’t be singing here anymore.”
The audience immediately stirred in surprise.
“It’s not what you think. I really love this place, and I love singing for all of you. Manager Ma at Moyu Internet Café has also been very eager for me to stay. And everyone here has been so warm, always giving me gifts… I’m really touched.”
“The reason I’m leaving is because the big boss behind Moyu Internet Café told me that he really likes my singing and wants to send me to Shanghai to chase my musical dreams. He’ll cover my food and housing during that time.”
“I truly love singing for you all, but I also value this opportunity. I want to leave Jingzhou and take a look at the world outside…”
“Because this… this is my dream.”
As Chen Lei spoke, tears welled up in his eyes.
“So that’s what it is—it’s actually a good thing!”
“Even though I’ll miss you, I fully support your dream!”
“If things don’t go well in Shanghai, you have to come back, okay? This will always be your home!”
“Waaah, I’m so sad—ten more glasses of Aurora Borealis, let’s send him off in style—”
A wave of melancholy swept through the room.
Many people went to the bar to buy drinks for Chen Lei as a farewell gesture, and more than a few girls were crying, wiping their eyes with tissues.
Pei Qian stood silently in a corner, sighing deeply in his heart.
‘I really am a professional bad guy…’
Upstairs in a quiet corner, Ma Yang looked like he was about to cry.
“My… my money tree…”
Zhang Yuan, standing next to him, handed him some tissues while trying to console him. “Boss Ma, this is Chen Lei’s dream. We should support him… Don’t worry, we can always find another resident singer.”
But Ma Yang didn’t look comforted at all. His face was full of grievance.
“I… of course I support Chen Lei’s dream…”
“But I also really wanted the internet café to finally turn a profit…”
“Forget it. I should respect his decision…”
Even though Ma Yang didn’t have an ear for music, after the past few days, he’d at least figured that Chen Lei’s singing wasn’t something an ordinary singer could match. They could hire someone new, but there was no way they’d have the same popularity.
The truth was, any sign of profitability in Moyu Internet Café came almost entirely from Chen Lei alone. His beautiful singing and the loyal audience he attracted brought a steady stream of customers and drink sales every night, giving the café a huge boost in revenue.
If Chen Lei really left, any replacement would likely be at best on par with Zhang Yuan—which meant the future performance was pretty much predictable.
Pei Qian quietly came upstairs and handed Ma Yang a pack of tissues. “Old Ma, it’s alright. Chen Lei is a talented guy—working in Moyu Internet Café is a waste of his potential. If you really see yourself as his talent scout, then you should be happy for him.”
Ma Yang blew his nose. “Brother Qian, it’s not that I’m upset about that… I just feel bad that the café finally had a shot at making money, and now it’s gone. I feel bad for you, man…”
Pei Qian was touched.
Look at that. My bro truly cares about me!
Although… Ma Yang’s sense of responsibility might be a bit too strong. That’s not necessarily a good thing.
Still, this seemed like a one-off incident. Ma Yang had simply gotten lucky and stumbled upon Chen Lei. It wasn’t like it would happen every time.
So in the end, this brother of his was still trustworthy!
Pei Qian patted Ma Yang on the shoulder. “Old Ma, how many times have I told you: you’re in charge of Moyu Internet Café, but don’t always focus on making money!”
“What matters most is maintaining this place as a showcase for Tengda’s image, got it?”
“Come on, let’s go send Chen Lei off together.”
On the first floor of the Moyu Internet Café, Chen Lei’s performance was drawing to a close, but most of the audience was still reluctant to leave. He had already sung two or three encores.
Finally, the crowd escorted Chen Lei to the café’s entrance. Many of the female fans were crying so hard that their makeup was a mess, as if they were seeing him off for a final farewell.
Pei Qian quietly muttered to himself, When will I ever get this kind of send-off treatment…
Ma Yang was also bawling uncontrollably. He walked up to Chen Lei to say goodbye and wished him a safe journey.
Chen Lei had only been a little teary-eyed at first, but seeing Ma Yang in that state broke his composure completely. He was overwhelmed with emotion.
Pei Qian felt a bit awkward about it all, since he knew Ma Yang was crying mainly because his money tree was gone—not because of any deep emotional bond with Chen Lei…
But Chen Lei didn’t know that. In his mind, Manager Ma was someone who had shown him immense kindness and belief, a mentor figure who had changed his life.
Eventually, after all the emotional send-offs, the crowd finally dispersed around 11 p.m.
Pei Qian called Chen Lei aside and handed him a phone number.
“When you get to Shanghai, contact this person. His name is Huang Sibo, and he’s the head of Feihuang Studio. You won’t need to worry about a thing—he’ll arrange everything.”
Pei Qian had already spoken with Huang Sibo. In short, all of Chen Lei’s food and housing in Shanghai would be taken care of. He could do whatever he wanted. Pei Qian figured the most that might come of it was a theme song for a documentary—not much of a risk.
Besides, even if Huang Sibo’s documentaries made money because of Chen Lei, that would still be within Pei Qian’s acceptable losses. It was far better than keeping him at the internet café where the profits were spiraling out of control.
“Thank you, President Pei, for nurturing me.”
“I’ll never forget the support from you and Manager Ma. If I ever get the chance in the future, I will repay this favor!” Chen Lei clutched Pei Qian’s hand tightly, eyes brimming with emotion.
“…Really, don’t bother,” Pei Qian said sincerely, with a look of heartfelt honesty.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Back inside the café, Ma Yang was still sitting in a funk.
Pei Qian came over to him and said, “Old Ma, you should be happy that Chen Lei is chasing his dream. Don’t be so down.”
“Besides, your efforts weren’t in vain!”
Ma Yang, face long and gloomy, blinked: “You… mean that?”
Pei Qian nodded vigorously. “Of course not in vain! You’ve given me some very important inspiration!”
Ma Yang glanced at him skeptically, but Pei Qian didn’t look like he was lying, so he temporarily forgot his sorrow and listened carefully.
“Old Ma, you have no idea how much potential is in this idea of yours!”
“Unfortunately, it’s just… ahead of its time.”
“Musicians performing while customers tip them—this model has incredible potential. It’s just that Moyu Internet Café is too small of a stage to bring it to life!”
“Keeping it confined here would be a waste of your talent. It would restrict your creativity—do you understand?”
Ma Yang looked bewildered. “So… what now?”
Pei Qian patted his shoulder. “This concept of yours should go to a livestreaming platform! In three months—six at the latest—you’ll be the CEO of Moyu Live!”
“So you have to believe in the value of your work. You’ve made a huge contribution to Tengda. Please, store up your strength and wait for the right moment to shine again!”
Ma Yang instantly shifted from sorrow to joy, so moved that his hands trembled. “Brother Qian… I…”
Pei Qian grasped his hands tightly. “Old Ma, say no more. I understand! Just remember—gather your strength, and one day you’ll light up an even bigger stage!”
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