"Come on, gentlemen, take a look at this place—our most luxurious private room. The fee is 888. I trust you're all wealthy enough not to make things difficult for us!"
Leading Jiang Hai and his group into the room, the middle-aged man spoke with a slightly odd accent, a smug grin plastered across his face.
"Damn, we haven't even entered yet, and it's already almost two thousand?" Wang Yong whispered to the group. Accustomed to paying nothing—or at most 600—on the street, they were taken aback.
"It's fine. We're out to have fun. I'm curious about this place too. I'll pay for the room," Jiang Hai said with a wave of his hand. Out for enjoyment, there was no reason to be stingy.
At Jiang Hai's words, the group fell silent, and the middle-aged man chuckled knowingly.
It was important to note that these establishments earned commissions both from the room fees and the professional women. Using a nickname straight out of old Hong Kong movies, this man was the legendary Mumu-san.
"Please, everyone, have a seat. Room 888 is perfect. We'll provide a complimentary fruit platter—eat as much as you like, we'll replenish it. Now, take a look and start ordering!"
The man handed over a long list of drinks. Jiang Hai glanced at it, noting both à la carte and set menu options. Even he raised an eyebrow at the prices.
The drinks were divided into beer, spirits, and wine. The cheapest Corona cost 400 yuan, while the best Remy Martin topped 20,000. Was this guy serious? Jiang Hai had drunk finer spirits abroad, where a bottle wouldn't even cost 200 USD; supermarkets priced it at 68–88 yuan. And here… 20,000? A tenfold markup?
Everyone turned to Fu Yuan with looks of disbelief. Had they not grown up together, they might have thought this was a scam.
"Ahem, the drinks aren't just for drinking—they cover the cost of the professional women. One order is for one night; a set meal is for the whole night," Fu Yuan explained patiently. Once they understood, the group realized that 400 for a beer wasn't unreasonable.
"This boss isn't a first-timer here. Set meals are reasonable lately. For National Day, my manager is running a promotion—set meals over 1,000 yuan include a small snack. They're all new, so skills might vary, but they're good," Fu Yuan continued.
Jiang Hai and the others laughed, giving him the finger. Promotions for National Day, even in this line of work—what a world!
"Sigh, you know the economy is bad. Something cheap is better than nothing. So, what will it be?" the middle-aged man asked helplessly.
Xiang Hua, with the least money, spoke first: "I'll have a beer in the cupboard. Let's see how it goes."
"I'll have the same," Xu Wei said.
"I'll try this six-hundred one. What's the difference between six hundred and four hundred?" Wu Ming asked.
"Two hundred less, not huge. The people are the same, but the work varies slightly. Don't worry, our beer is still good," the man replied with a smile.
"I'll go for the six hundred too," Wang Yong decided.
"I'll take the 1,500 one," Huang Yunfei said, gritting his teeth. The man chuckled; he made more money from the higher-priced orders, of course.
"I'll take the 1,000 one," Fu Yuan said, tallying his cash. In these situations, everyone paid individually, not treating others, and each made their own calculation.
Finally, the man approached Jiang Hai. "And the boss?"
"Give me the best—this one for 20,000," Jiang Hai said, pointing to the top row.
"Holy crap! 20,000? Jiang Hai, are you insane?" Everyone stared, stunned at his extravagance.
"It's just a game. I don't care about this small amount," Jiang Hai replied, smiling. With his wealth, 20,000—or even 200,000—wasn't significant.
Fu Yuan nodded seriously. "We don't understand the world of the rich. Go make the arrangements. No cheap imitations. I've been here before."
"Of course, boss. The 20,000 is a package deal. I'll prepare it immediately. Wait a moment," the man said, wrinkles deepening as he left.
"Oh, and call another 'princess' to pour drinks and take song requests," Fu Yuan added.
The man quickly made a 'K' sign and left. Soon, a girl in a women's suit entered. She was a 'princess,' not a professional woman—specializing in pouring drinks and handling song requests. She lived off tips, no commissions, and didn't engage physically with guests. The minimum tip was 300 yuan.
Shortly after, the drinks arrived. Four who ordered beer couldn't finish a can each, so Jiang Hai ordered two more; the girls would drink later.
Then, the middle-aged man returned with a group of professional women. Compared to the 'princess,' these women wore far simpler attire. Despite the private room being heated, the Harbin night was freezing. Fu Yuan and his group in jackets were comfortable, but the women were mostly in hot pants or extremely short skirts, exposing thighs and stomachs, paired with small tops or vests.
While not stunning at first glance, they were undeniably attractive.
"The quality is good!" Xiang Hua remarked.
"Comparable to those costing 800 elsewhere," Wu Ming whispered.
"Ladies and gentlemen, these are the beer-grade girls! Anyone interested?" The middle-aged man announced as nearly twenty girls lined up.
The group quickly chose four girls, who sweetly called them "boss" and sat beside them. Besides the beer commissions, each girl earned an extra 100–200 yuan from Jiang Hai's group ordering additional drinks.
Afterward, the perverted man left with the remaining women, while Fu Yuan and Huang Yunfei's excitement grew. If the beer girls were this good, what about the liquor girls? Hehehe…