Luo Yuchen shrugged and said, "You guys go ahead and get busy. I need to prepare a few things myself!"
Yuen Mui and the others were currently brimming with enthusiasm, so they paid no mind to Luo Yuchen, letting him go off to handle his own tasks.
Returning quickly to Jinbi Bar, Luo Yuchen summoned Tian Yangyi, Tony, and the others, instructing them, "Take some men and head immediately to 34 Fuhua Street. Meet up with A Zha and his crew, then secure our goods. Today, this performance must be an absolute smash hit—do you understand?"
"Finally back, are we?!" Tian Yangyi rubbed his palms together, saying excitedly, "Understood, we'll get right on it!"
"After that, gather everyone," Luo Yuchen commanded further. "Have them congregate at Jinbi Bar, Metropolitan Bar, and the other locations. Make sure they’re ready—we’re going to strike hard when the time comes!"
"Understood!" Tony nodded. "I’ll see to this personally."
"Good, all of you get to work! Soon, it’ll be time for you to count money until your hands go numb," Luo Yuchen said with a flamboyant wave.
"Haha, we've been waiting for this day!" Tony and his men laughed.
An hour later, A Zha and the others returned, accompanied by more than three hundred pairs of bell-bottom trousers in various sizes. After such a long build-up of promotion, it was finally time to show their hand.
Luo Yuchen immediately ordered the two hundred or so subordinates to put on the bell-bottoms. The higher-ups—the leaders—set the example, changing into the trousers themselves. In an instant, Jinbi Bar and the other locations were filled with a bizarre, eye-catching sight.
Over three hundred men had all changed into bell-bottoms. From Luo Yuchen, Tian Yangyi, Tony, and A Zha, down to every brother in the Dragon Gate, no one was an exception. Everyone had chosen a size that fit them. Since the bell-bottoms were standardized, they fit quite well, with no issues of being too big or too small.
However, this sudden uniformity—well, it wasn't *completely* uniform, as only the trousers were the same. Their shirts and shoes varied, leading to a strange aesthetic: bell-bottoms paired with leather shoes, bell-bottoms with sneakers, and even bell-bottoms with flip-flops.
Yet, as long as they weren't moving or sitting down, the wide, flapping cuffs of the trousers hid the varied footwear entirely. The trouser legs were so wide that they naturally caught the wind as they walked.
Initially, many were unused to them. Even though they were free—a benefit from the Dragon Gate—people needed time to adapt. But after testing how they felt walking, sitting, kicking, and exercising, they realized these bell-bottoms were actually quite impressive. The material was comfortable, the style was unique, and the loose fit provided relief from the oppressive summer heat.
One only gains the right to judge something after trying it themselves. As the Dragon Gate brothers began to warm up to the idea, they chatted incessantly, the atmosphere light and joyous. Some joked that a whole person could fit inside one pant leg, while others countered that it was perfect for hiding things.
Inside Jinbi Bar, Tian Yangyi asked, "What do you think?"
Tian Yangzhi flicked his pant leg and laughed, "It feels a bit strange, but once you put them on, they're really comfortable. Not stuffy at all, and the style is unique..."
"Exactly," agreed Tin Yeung-ho. "Even if a fight breaks out, they don't hinder movement at all. You can move freely. They're much better than those jeans we used to wear; those old jeans really held us back."
Luo Yuchen, seeing that everyone had adapted to the new attire, waved for silence. "Since everyone is settled in, let's get to work! My goal is to make sure the reputation of these bell-bottoms is firmly established by the end of today!"
"Yes!" the crowd roared in response.
Shortly after, Tony and the others received orders from Lok Yu-chen. Soon, scenes like this began appearing on the streets of Sham Shui Po:
A Dragon Gate brother wearing bell-bottoms would walk into a shop and ask, "Boss, do you have bell-bottoms for sale?"
The shopkeeper would look confused. "What’s a bell-bottom?"
The brother would point to his own pants. "These! You don't have them? Damn, you don't even have bell-bottoms and you’re trying to run a business? Forget it, let's go to the next place. Need to buy a few more, or I won't have anything to show off!"
After the brother left, the shopkeeper would stand there bewildered. *Bell-bottoms? What kind of thing is that?* Then, remembering the rumors he’d heard from countless people, he’d have a sudden epiphany. *Is that what those are? Are they really that popular? But would anyone actually buy such weird-looking pants?*
Before he could react, another Dragon Gate member would rush in: "Boss, do you have bell-bottoms for sale?"
Again, the shopkeeper would shake his head. "No..."
"Damn! How can you do business without bell-bottoms?" the man would scoff, walking off to the next shop.
The shopkeeper would hurriedly stop him. "Little brother, let me ask you—are these really that popular? Why is everyone looking for them? They look so strange!"
"You don't know anything! This style isn't strange; it's unique! Look at the street—can you find anyone else wearing pants like mine? You've only seen me once, but if I were standing out there, wouldn't you recognize me immediately?"
"I guess... you're right..."
"Boss, I’m giving you a friendly tip: if you don't stock the trendiest, most fashionable item right now, your business won't go far. Anyway, no more talking, I’ve got to buy a few more. If I only have one pair, I can't rotate them. If I don't look sharp, what happens if my girlfriend leaves me?"
The shopkeeper was left speechless.
One after another, more than a dozen people came to ask for bell-bottoms, all within a short span of time. The shopkeeper grew indecisive. *Could they really be that hot?* He had heard the talk before but dismissed it as idle gossip. Now, it seemed there was no smoke without fire. If he went to get stock now, would it be too late? And where would he get it?
This scene repeated throughout every street and alley in Sham Shui Po. The only variables were the locations and the people. Bell-bottoms had become the hottest buzzword in the district, period. With so many people wearing them, it created an unprecedented trend. Retailers and wholesalers alike were tempted.
Action followed temptation. Through the constant showing off and clever promotional tactics of the Dragon Gate brothers, even ordinary people realized that bell-bottoms were the latest, most fashionable, and most individualistic trend.
"Hey, did you see the Dragon Gate guys wearing those weird pants?"
"I'm not blind, of course I saw them."
"What do you think? Do they look good?"
"A bit strange."
"Strange? No way, I think they have character. The style is unique..."
"Should we buy a pair and try them out?"
"I was thinking the same thing."
"Forget it, you guys buy them, I won't..."
"But where can we even buy them?"
"Any shop should have them, right?"
"Let's go ask!"
Under the subtle influence of the Dragon Gate brothers, countless people unknowingly "fell into the trap," actively seeking out retailers. This only served to make the name of the bell-bottoms ring louder. Merchants began frantically inquiring where to wholesale them.
Just then, the Dragon Gate brothers played their trump card.
"Hey, brother, looking to buy bell-bottoms?"
"Yeah! Damn, are those them? Where did you get them?"
"I wouldn't tell just anyone. You know Fuhua Street? Shop 34, Tang Zhen Wholesale. Just look for the lady boss. Tell her you're with Dragon Gate, and she’ll definitely give you the wholesale price. If you just walk in cold, you won't get a deal..."
"No way, for real?"
"As real as pearls!"
"Alright, I'll go check it out. If it's true, I owe you one!"
Soon, this scene echoed throughout the streets. The shopkeepers now knew where to go. Fuhua Street, Shop 34, Tang Zhen Wholesale. *Right, let's go.*
At Shop 34, Fuhua Street, the scene was like a bustling fair, packed wall-to-wall with people. The owner, Tang Zhen—a common name—was stunned, and then so happy she nearly lost her teeth.
This was a gamble. It was the biggest and most important decision of her life. When Yuen Mui and So Ah-sai had first approached her, she had hesitated for a long time. Her capital wasn't huge, and she couldn't easily digest an order of two hundred thousand pairs. But Yuen Mui and So Ah-sai painted a grand future for her, and she had done her own market research, confirming the name "bell-bottoms" was on everyone's lips.
After much deliberation, and seeing that Yuen Mui and So Ah-sai didn't seem like scammers, she had taken the plunge. Since her capital was insufficient, Luo Yuchen had promised to let her pay after the goods were sold, provided she covered the first thirty percent, requiring no upfront payment for the rest.