25. "Bodhi's" New Identity

Manyu sang "Rose, Rose, I Love You" with a gentle grace. Her light, upbeat style, combined with a voice that seemed a gift from the heavens, made for an exquisite performance.

As the song concluded, the room erupted in thunderous applause. Zhou Hongyi joined in, tapping his fingers lightly against the bar.

"Bravo! Truly wonderful! As expected of Miss Manyu!"
"I suspect that by tomorrow, Miss Manyu’s 'Rose, Rose, I Love You' will be echoing through every street and alley."
"Indeed! Tell me, Miss Manyu, will you be releasing a record? I must buy a copy to listen to every night at home."
"Listening to a record could never compare to the joy of hearing Miss Manyu in person. Brother Qisheng, you must show more support for Miss Manyu!"

As the men chatted, a waiter suddenly appeared at the front of the stage, cradling a massive bouquet of roses. He announced in a loud voice, "Mr. Shimazu sends nine hundred and ninety-nine roses to Miss Manyu!"

"Wow!"
"What? Shimazu himself doesn't show, but his flowers do."

The women in the room let out envious gasps at the sight of the massive bouquet, while the men began to debate heatedly.

"Mr. Shimazu is truly doting on Miss Manyu. He has sent nine hundred and ninety-nine roses every single day for a week now, though today, only the flowers arrived."
"Miss Manyu isn't so easily won. If sending flowers every day were enough to win a beauty’s heart, wouldn't all the girls at the Paramount Ballroom be taken by us by now?"
"True, you have a point."

Zhou Hongyi took a thoughtful sip of his drink. Once the performance ended and Manyu handed the stage over to the other dancers, she glided over to his side.

"Young Master Zhou, tell me, did you enjoy my new song?"

Zhou Hongyi offered a polite smile and raised his glass slightly. "It was pleasant, certainly. However..."

"However what?"

Zhou Hongyi laughed airily. "Oh, never mind. I am just a layman; it would be laughable for a layman to critique a professional."

Leaving the sentence hanging only made Manyu more curious. She snapped her fingers at the bar, ordered two more drinks, and placed one in front of Zhou Hongyi.

"This one is on me. Please, speak freely, Young Master Zhou. Sometimes, music is not necessarily better understood by those who know the technicalities. Perhaps your opinion is exactly what I need."

Zhou Hongyi had intended to use this opportunity to draw closer to Manyu. Her singing gave him the perfect opening, and he now used his words to steer the conversation exactly where he wanted it to go.

"Well... since you insist, Miss Manyu, I shall offer my humble thoughts. To be honest, I would only rate that song as above average. While the melody is light, bright, and exuberant, with a strong sense of rhythm and infectious charm that captures the audience's ears and leaves them humming along, the overall musical style remains relatively narrow. It lacks richness in its application of musical elements and innovation. Looking at the major dance halls in this 'Paris of the East,' while it is decent, it is by no means outstanding."

Zhou Hongyi rattled on with his critique, and Manyu tilted her head, listening intently.

"You are quite right, Young Master Zhou. That is exactly what I have been struggling with. You must know that entertainment venues in this city are numerous, and the competition is fierce. While we seem to have many guests, they are mostly regulars. Most of the men bring their own companions; they come here primarily for socializing or business, and their spending is quite limited. It is rather frustrating..."

Zhou Hongyi set down his glass. "Actually, I am somewhat versed in music. If you are interested, Miss Manyu, I could tailor a couple of new songs for you, along with some choreography. I’ve noticed that our ballroom is dominated by middle-aged men, lacking a fresh, vibrant energy. After all, the youth are the primary consumers; they are willing to spend and are quite generous. Furthermore, young people are the best walking advertisements. As long as we are fresh, avant-garde, and interesting, we won’t need to say a word—they will do the promoting for us."

Zhou Hongyi used the word "we," invisibly binding himself, Manyu, and the Paramount Ballroom together as one team.

Manyu seemed lost in thought for a moment before she beamed. "I never expected you to have such talent, Young Master Zhou. Manyu thanks you in advance. We have a deal, then—you will write two songs for me."

Zhou Hongyi chuckled and agreed immediately. He thought to himself that two songs were nothing; he used to be known as a walking jukebox of Chinese music. Picking out a few tracks would be enough to leave these unsophisticated types from the old society speechless.

As they were talking, a waiter walked up to Manyu and whispered, "Mr. Ruoshui has arrived."

Zhou Hongyi heard it too, but he pretended not to, turning his head to watch the other dancers on stage.

Manyu dismissed the waiter with a nod and smiled apologetically. "Young Master Zhou, a friend of mine has arrived. Please excuse me for a moment. Peter, another drink for this gentleman, put it on my tab."

Before leaving, Manyu instructed the bartender to serve him another drink. As she walked away, Zhou Hongyi activated his "Eye of Insight" and peered in her direction.

Manyu swayed her hips, greeting regulars as she made her way to a booth at the edge of the room.

"Mr. Ruoshui, you’ve arrived. You’re quite late today..."

She sat down with an exaggerated movement, draping herself across the sofa like a languid snake, crossing her legs, and casting a flirtatious glance at the man sitting opposite her.

The man slowly removed his hat, adjusted his glasses, and said softly, "Who was that young man you were speaking with at the bar, Miss Manyu?"

"Oh, is Mr. Ruoshui feeling jealous? That is Young Master Zhou, a good friend of one of my sisters. It’s his first time at the Paramount, but judging by his attire and manners, he must be a well-educated son of a wealthy family. Don't worry—you called, and I came straight to you, didn't I?"

While Manyu was talking to Mr. Ruoshui, Zhou Hongyi kept his "Eye of Insight" active. The guests and dancers in the room were suddenly bombarded with all sorts of tags floating above their heads. The deluge of information nearly stunned him.

"Good grief... what kind of people are these? The woman with that man is his stepmother, and the 'woman' next to that fellow is actually a man in disguise? The rich certainly have strange ways of playing..."

Zhou Hongyi closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. When he opened them again, he filtered out the useless garbage, focusing his gaze through the crowd until it landed on Manyu’s booth.

Although he couldn't see the face of Mr. Ruoshui, who was sitting with his back to him, the tags hovering above the man's head were perfectly clear.

"Bodhi... you rascal, when did you change your name?"

Though he hadn't encountered the Special Higher Police's Shimazu or the Nationalist secret agent with the thick beard, he had successfully found the former underground Red Party contact from the Florence Café, codenamed "Bodhi."