My Lord, you need to stand up!

Chapter 809 On the Formation of a Tyrant
According to Wei Dong's understanding, gamblers will not have a good end.

Getting involved with this stuff is no different from drug use.

Previously, some members of the security team became addicted to online gambling, completely lost their moral compass, borrowed money from everyone around them, and eventually disappeared, which made Wei Dong realize how serious the situation was.

Now, facing his brother-in-law who owes HK$12 million, he actually thinks he can still save the situation.

That's HK$12 million in 1987! You could buy an entire luxury apartment at 15 Deep Water Bay Road. It would definitely be worth over HK$100 million in 30 or 40 years.

Qin Yuye, following the agreement they had discussed on the plane, pursed his lips and looked as serious as a couple returning from a parent-teacher conference.

Poor Qin Zhiming, who had been a prominent figure in Hong Kong for two or three decades, still had to chuckle and shamelessly twist the IOU: "Playing around, playing around, I was playing around back then, but I'm definitely not playing around now!"

Then, with a serious expression, he said, "I've decided to start a new business in Shanghai."

Wei Dong felt an urge to give a good lecture, but he was helpless against the old fox. Even Fa Ge was speechless when faced with Uncle Da's gambling addiction.

In the end, all I could say was, "I took over a hundred men and used rifles to steal this IOU. It's not that I can't afford to pay you, it's that I can't cover your gambling debts."

Qin Zhiming was immediately shocked and quickly looked at his sister.

Qin Yuye nodded with a straight expression: "The leader of Hesheng has also stepped in. You must not go to Makan again. This feud runs very deep."

The seasoned veteran breathed a sigh of relief and said, "No problem, no problem..."

She then straightened her expression and said to her brother-in-law, "I want to open a karaoke bar in Shanghai, and I need your support."

It's a pity that Wei Dong became the lord, and even with a yacht and mansion, he doesn't have much leisure time to enjoy himself. It's just that he was idle for forty years in his previous life.

He immediately thought it was a great idea and had no time to pay attention to such small projects.

Besides, he'd never been to a karaoke bar: "Hmm, specifically?"

Qin Zhiming is the real business genius: "Back when you suggested that I sign karaoke music video contracts with various celebrities, didn't we all think that DVD players were the future of karaoke?"

Wei Dong understood this perfectly: "Absolutely. You can't select songs on a videotape; only a DVD player can precisely select which song you want."

Qin Yuye recalled the night they first met, when she chose to sing the song from her own music video, leaning sweetly against her husband.

He was almost knocked away by Wei Dong's elbow when he suddenly remembered something important!
Qin Zhiming could help him figure it out: "But back then, there were only Pioneer DVD players, which cost three thousand US dollars each. Based on my experience with Japanese electronics, they could quickly spread several brands, make their products cheaper and better, and then rush to sell them to the world at the second-highest price that others couldn't do."

Wei Dong was a little embarrassed and had to admit the Japanese electronics company's tactical capabilities in this area. Later, the mainland engaged in price wars, driving everyone down until no one made a profit and everyone was wiped out.

"So last year I saw Sony start making DVD players for $2,000. This year Panasonic has brought the price down to $1,500, and they can automatically flip the disc. I think it's time to buy one. If I wait any longer, someone else will snatch the opportunity away."

It seems that Qin Zhiming, with his sharp mind, can stay in Shanghai, which allows him to avoid the glitz and glamour he experienced in Hong Kong and Makan, and instead focus on analyzing information and taking control of the situation.

Wei Dong squinted, unsure how to express himself. The DVD player Qin Zhiming was referring to was an LD disc as big as a gong—enormous!
He knew very clearly that this thing would be replaced by VCD, then by DVD, and finally by computer storage and network transmission.

As an outsider, he always wanted to take shortcuts and overtake others.

So they don't care much about film cameras, and they even ignore digital cameras. Aren't cameras going to be replaced by mobile phones in the end?

That's all the knowledge he has.

But Qin Zhiming thinks otherwise: "I have seen the international community and electronic industrial park commercial buildings you have built in Shanghai. There are quite a few vacant commercial shops. I think they are perfect for this project. Even the elevator apartment buildings you have built in Jiangzhou and Pingjing can be used for this project."

This made Wei Dong squint even more, subconsciously trying to hide his genuine interest.

Perhaps it's just an instinctive way to cover things up when you become a lord.

He didn't want anyone to know his true thoughts, not even his brother-in-law.

Qin Zhiming didn't hide anything from him: "I've observed that there are very few public entertainment options for Shanghai residents, and the government has regulations that prohibit all kinds of illegal and pornographic activities, so gathering to sing karaoke must be a very healthy business."

Wei Dong chuckled inwardly, thinking, "That's not necessarily true." But what really came to mind was a certain figure: "Is it just a music cafe? A DVD player. Before, only singers could sing, but now anyone can sing? What's the difference?"

Hong Kong has been ahead of the curve for a long time. Qin Zhiming chuckled, "Private rooms, huh? Hong Kong has many lounges with private rooms. We want to integrate the karaoke system into every private room. Only in private rooms can the singing not interfere with each other. Add in the sales of drinks, and the business will take off!"

Wei Dong finally couldn't hold back: "What about paid companionship?"

As a security guard, he knew all too well about this. Although he had never been assigned to participate in the inspections, his colleagues all enthusiastically joined in.

He often went on voluntary missions with Ding Haifeng and his group, showing a level of enthusiasm comparable to the later online volunteer efforts to catch adulterers.

When he came back and talked about it, he was so enthusiastic, spittle flying everywhere.

Moreover, around the 1990s, it was Hong Kong and Taiwan businessmen, especially those from the right bank, who brought this "new thing" to the mainland, which sparked ridicule about laid-off female workers returning to work in various places. Wei Dong certainly didn't want this to be attributed to him.

Karaoke is clearly not the root cause of this social phenomenon, so Wei Dong has no leisure to play around with it. He just wants to do his best to change even the slightest bit.

Just saying those words made him a little restless.

Damn it, I've already brought forward a lot of things, do you expect me to bring forward this one too?
The Qin siblings were about to ask what paid companionship meant, then they both drawled out, "Oh...you mean singers and dancers, you've been to those places?"

Qin Yuye was both amused and annoyed: "You men are all the same. Lawson knows this best. Last time you went to Feilubin, he took you to see it."

Wei Dong spat, "Can't I investigate and learn? This is how social morality is being corrupted!"

Qin Zhiming's attitude was more mature and open-minded: "Adong, this matter is not as simple and innocent as you think. This is human nature. Men and even women with a little money will have more ulterior motives. I'm talking about ordinary people, not ambitious and enterprising guys like you. Success in your career is enough to bring you excitement and a sense of accomplishment time and time again. Most people can only seek excitement at this level. But there are always some people who take advantage of their youth and beauty to make quick money. This is a market that inevitably emerges when the economy develops to a certain level."

The old security guard stubbornly shook his head: "No, at least not here. I can't cross my own moral bottom line. You can do it, but it has to be... the walls of this bakery are all transparent glass, so it can only be a healthy place for friends and colleagues to gather and sing!"

The brother and sister were already laughing uncontrollably: "You're just trying to cover it up!"

"Don't even mention hanging a curtain to cover it up. Someone as shameless as me doesn't care whether people outside can see or not. In fact, it's even more exciting!"

Wei Dong's thinking was completely different from theirs: "Do you think I'm doing this for public scrutiny? This is for the police to see. Even though I know there will definitely be people who collude with me, at least this has to become a standard, a clear standard. And then it's mass-market... This karaoke bar makes money by selling all kinds of snacks, drinks, and beverages in a small supermarket. Um, you can also get foot massages, watch DVDs and movies, etc. I don't care what others do, but what we do must be completely clean."

Qin Yuye wanted to ask what the foot bath was all about: "Oh, it's just a simplified version of a massage. I've noticed you've done a lot of research. Did your third sister go with you?"

Qin Zhiming was lost in thought: "Your idea has suddenly broadened my horizons. Yes, introducing DVD players and karaoke into the lounge and private rooms is indeed a pioneering move, but others can follow suit immediately. Your karaoke center, which is completely geared towards ordinary consumers, has a different profit logic. I need to think about it carefully, but this might lead to being completely defeated by the color-coded ones."

Wei Dong reminded him: "I can't control Hong Kong, but this is the only way to do things in the mainland right now. If you dare to bring sex, you'll be arrested and shot tomorrow. So take advantage of this period of strict management, your unique business will definitely be very successful for the next few years. Don't invest too much in the renovation. What you need to do is to open up the business as soon as possible and make quick money in the next few years."

A single LD player costs $1,500, which is nearly ten thousand dollars, and import tariffs must also be considered.

Therefore, no one can compete with this business in the short term.

But Qin Zhiming could keenly sense: "You have deeper thoughts?"

After some hesitation, Wei Dong admitted, "LD players are definitely not suitable for all households, but we can cultivate this market, strive to seize the core technology of the next type of DVD player, and then develop and produce DVD players ourselves, selling them all over the country and even the world. This... may be the key to solving the problems of film companies."

The Qin siblings could not help but be shocked.

This is what they witnessed firsthand.

It was Qin Zhiming who proposed to leverage the development of LD players and karaoke technology to create a new business.

In this era, this is already an incredibly brilliant business mindset.

However, after a few words from Wei Dong, he supported and promoted the idea, quickly "identifying" and "deriving" the possible social phenomena involved, and deliberately portrayed himself as an impeccable industry leader to avoid such problems.

On the surface, it appears to have lost a significant portion of its market competitiveness.

In reality, this guy is thinking three steps ahead for every one step he takes, planning seven, eight, nine, or even ten steps ahead. In the end, he not only wants to seize the entire DVD player market, but also wants to drag the film industry into it.

What is this guy if not a ruthless and cunning villain who claims to be a gentleman but is incredibly cruel in his actions?
(End of this chapter)