DAEYTT Chapter 039: A Thousand Spectators, A Song for You All
After shouting out, Sufei'er froze, feeling the strange looks from those around her, wishing she could disappear. Her phone screen was flooded with various comments.
"Shocking! A big streamer calls someone dad in public?"
"Sufei'er, no! If you're looking for a sugar daddy, choose me..."
"How much did the boss pay you? I'll double it..."
"Sigh..."
"Sigh, good girl..."
...
Sufei'er hurriedly buried her head, pretending to be busy eating, wishing she could sink her head into the hotpot.
Others in the restaurant gave her a curious glance, but since Sufei'er just kept her head down eating, many didn't recognize her and soon shifted their attention to Wang Qian who had come out.
After all, most people were there for Wang Qian.
"Boss!"
"Boss, bring out the food..."
"Boss, can I get a bottle of water?"
...
Greetings came from all directions as everyone vied for Wang Qian's attention. Wang Qian laughed, opened the refrigerator at the bar, and grabbed a bottle of water, shouting, "Who wanted water?"
"Me!" came a response.
Wang Qian tossed the bottle over. The person caught it with a smile, shook it happily, and shouted, "Thanks, boss."
"I want one too!"
"Me too..."
Wang Qian distributed water to every table, personally delivering to those farther away. The restaurant buzzed with excitement, bringing everyone closer together.
Qin Xuerong followed Wang Qian, wearing an apron like a waitress, helping him deliver items and serve dishes with a bright smile, looking very happy.
"Boss, I want to request a song!"
"Yeah, boss, sing us my favorite 'Not That Simple.'"
"'Not That Simple!'"
"Boss, sing a song."
"Boss, sing one..."
"Boss, sing one..."
The crowd's voices grew more in unison, egged on by the excitement. Even the hundreds waiting outside heard and joined in.
"Boss, sing one!"
"Boss, sing us a song!"
"Boss, sing 'Alive.'"
"Boss, sing 'Ordinary Road.'"
"Boss, sing..."
The chants grew louder. Tang Feifei had already moved a prepared guitar and microphone to the center of the hall, connecting the mic to the speakers inside and outside, then went back to her work as if she had done something trivial, ignoring Wang Qian’s glare filled with mock anger.
Sufei'er, relieved that no one noticed her, quickly joined in shouting, "Boss, we want to hear 'Not That Simple.'"
Her comment section was full of jokes.
"Daughter begging father..."
"Sufei'er: Dad, sing a song."
"Sufei'er: Daddy, please."
"Shocking! A big streamer tearfully begs her father..."
Sufei'er leaned into her phone, addressing her viewers, "Dear viewers, please forget my earlier slip."
The comments kept coming. Sufei'er gave up, knowing it was futile. These viewers loved stirring things up.
It was this constant excitement from the viewers that made her streams interesting, adding fun to the live sessions.
Wang Qian had announced his visit on Weibo, so he was prepared, knowing he’d be asked to sing. Without being coy, he sat in the center, adjusting the microphone.
The crowd gradually quieted down. Many took out their phones to record or take photos, while others like Sufei'er started live streaming.
Wang Qian spoke into the mic, "Don’t stare at me like that. It's a bit of pressure. You're here to eat, right? Don't let me keep you from your meals. There are many friends waiting outside. Plus, it affects my business, you know?"
His straightforwardness made most of the crowd laugh, finding him relatable, unlike many celebrities who seemed distant even face-to-face.
But everyone continued to eat while watching Wang Qian, not putting down their chopsticks.
The waiting customers outside applauded, agreeing with the boss’s sentiments about those inside hogging the tables.
Wang Qian smiled, "Alright, I’ll sing 'Not That Simple.'"
A round of applause erupted.
Everyone loved this song. It resonated with many, reflecting their own lives. The song's popularity soared quickly, surpassing his other three songs. Its organic growth was now on par with heavily promoted new songs, showing its strong appeal.
It perfectly captured the current state of many young people's lives.
Qin Xuerong, helping Tang Feifei serve dishes, never took her eyes off Wang Qian. At this moment, Wang Qian seemed to shine, captivating her completely, making her willing to do anything for him. Smiling sweetly, she felt energized, running back and forth.
Wang Qian's guitar strummed through the restaurant, followed by his singing.
"It's not that simple to find a good companion,
Especially after seeing so much betrayal..."
Sufei'er aimed her phone at Wang Qian, and her livestream viewership soared, along with the number of gifts from viewers, making her very happy, knowing she made the right decision.
She said to her viewers, "I love this song too. I'll buy the rights from the boss and sing it for you all tomorrow."
Her viewers enthusiastically agreed.
Outside, many people also started live streaming, wanting to capture Wang Qian's performance.
News of Wang Qian's appearance spread quickly, drawing more and more people to the scene.
Many passersby also stopped at the entrance, listening to Wang Qian's song. They downloaded the song themselves, and upon hearing from others that this was the original singer, they were all stunned.
When Wang Qian finished the song, there were already hundreds, if not thousands, of people gathered at the entrance of Haidilao! The shops adjacent to Haidilao didn't complain this time. Instead, they cleverly obtained the audio feed of Wang Qian's performance from Tang Feifei and filled their own stores with customers eager to listen to him sing.
After all, getting a seat at Haidilao was out of the question, so they opted to dine at the neighboring shops, where they could still enjoy the boss's singing.
Applause echoed down the entire street. Inside Haidilao, the clapping was like thunder. Wang Qian waved his hand, feeling that he had finished his job for the day, and stood up to leave.
Sufei'er immediately shouted, "Boss, do you have any new songs? Sing a new one!"
The crowd quickly followed suit, reveling in the excitement.
"Boss, a new song!"
"Boss, a new song!"
"Boss, a new song!"
"Boss, a new song!"
The chants grew louder, and even more people outside joined in.
Wang Qian waved his hand, "Not today, next time. Everyone, enjoy your meal!"
The noise died down a bit.
Tang Feifei stepped up to the microphone and shouted, "Don't let our boss fool you..."
Wang Qian grabbed Tang Feifei by the neck, ruffling her hair, and then pushed her away, "Get back to work, you troublemaker."
Tang Feifei quickly escaped, heading to the restroom to fix her hair.
But the chanting only grew louder.
"Boss, a new song!"
"Boss, a new song!"
"Boss, a new song!"
The crowd outside also increased in volume. Wang Qian was speechless, feeling like Tang Feifei had set him up. Thinking quickly, Wang Qian sat back down and spoke into the microphone, "Alright, stop shouting. I'll sing a new song I recently wrote."
The crowd quieted down, everyone excited and expectant. Most of those dining were Wang Qian's fans. Even those who weren't fans had heard his songs and liked them. Each person eagerly anticipated Wang Qian's new song. They were about to be the first to hear it—how could they not be excited?
Seeing everyone stop and stare, Wang Qian exclaimed, "Keep eating, don't just watch me!"
"Oh!"
"Eat, eat, eat..."
The crowd resumed eating while keeping their eyes on Wang Qian. Tang Feifei, after fixing her hair, resumed her work. Qin Xuerong whispered something to her, and the two laughed together.
Wang Qian continued, "When I started this hotpot restaurant, all my employees were young girls. Most of them started working right after middle or high school, very young, very innocent, kind, and hardworking. They treated this place like their home, and I tried to give them as much as I could. Fortunately, I kept all the promises I made to them. I really appreciate their efforts..."
Wang Qian spoke earnestly. These were heartfelt words. When he first started, funds were limited, and wages were low. The only people willing to work for him were these young girls just entering society. They were hardworking and willing to follow Wang Qian's direction and his business philosophy.
Haidilao aimed to provide the best service, treating customers like royalty. This was easy to say but hard to achieve. Many young employees couldn't handle the demanding customers and couldn't bear the humility required to serve others. Many left soon after joining, leaving only the earliest employees like Tang Feifei and Li Yan.
Fortunately, the business gradually improved, gaining a good reputation and many returning customers, eventually leading to packed days. With better business came better pay, attracting more employees eager to work. But Wang Qian was especially grateful to those early employees who supported him from the start, working hard for minimal pay. He rewarded them with promotions, high salaries, and employee housing.
Tang Feifei, Li Yan, and other early employees smiled, their eyes moist but feeling more motivated in their work. Qin Xuerong wanted to clap but, seeing no one else doing so, held back her excitement and continued working.
The restaurant was quiet, but the chopsticks kept moving.
Wang Qian said, "This song is called 'Those Flowers.' It's not just for them but for every beautiful lady here. You are all as beautiful as flowers."
He felt this song was perfect for the hardworking young girls in his team, who were in the prime of their youth.
NEXT