I met my whole family through Baidu Tieba.

Although he was curious about how expensive the GG fee on that website was, the noodle shop owner didn't rush to ask the young man who ran the bookstore. Instead, he first looked at the students coming out of the bookstore and went up to ask them why they came to the bookstore.

The results of the inquiries were all consistent: they all found the information on a website called Beiming Forum, so they came to take a look.

The noodle shop owner thought to himself, "It seems that the customers were indeed attracted by the GG on that website."

Zhang Hongwei had been squatting at the convenience store entrance watching. When the noodle shop owner returned after questioning him again, he finally spoke up: "What did you find out?"

The noodle shop owner didn't hide it, "These students all came here after seeing GG on that website."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Hongwei couldn't hold back any longer and stood up.

The two understood each other without saying anything, but simply went to the Green Vine Bookstore together.

Upon entering the store, I saw several students standing in front of the bookshelves, browsing books. The owner of Qing Teng Bookstore, the young Tang Yongming, was sitting at the counter, seemingly doing nothing.

"Boss Tang."

The noodle shop owner put on a smile, habitually took out a pack of cigarettes, pulled one out and handed it to him, "Have a cigarette."

Tang Yongming stood up and declined, saying, "Thank you, but no."

The noodle shop owner then pulled his hand back, gesturing with his chin towards the students in the shop: "Boss Tang, business is good today..."

The noodle shop owner steered the conversation toward that guy on some website.

They lived on the same street, and Tang Yongming knew both of them. He knew one ran a convenience store and the other a noodle shop, so they weren't competitors. Plus, business was good and he was in a good mood today, so Tang Yongming didn't deliberately hide anything and told them the whole story.

"...At first, I just noticed that students at Yangon University of Science and Technology were all using the Beiming Forum, so I decided to give it a try. I didn't expect it to be so effective; it worked immediately!"

As he spoke, Tang Yongming couldn't suppress the smile on his face.

To be honest, the effect of this "GG" was immediate and beyond Tang Yongming's expectations, which explains why he can't contain his joy.

Upon hearing this, the noodle shop owner and Zhang Hongwei's already restless minds became even more active.

The noodle shop owner finally asked the question he most wanted to know, "Boss Tang, how much did you pay for this?"

Tang Yongming hesitated for a moment, but still said, "Four hundred and fifty."

Four hundred and fifty? The noodle shop owner and Zhang Hongwei were both shocked when they heard this number: their previous impressions of "GG" were all from TV shows and newspapers. Although they didn't know the specific prices of those "GG", they had seen in the news and heard rumors that they were often in the tens of thousands.

Of course, this website's GG (Golden Link) could bring down Tang Yongming's bookstore, so the price probably wasn't that high. But in their minds, it was estimated to be over a thousand, but they didn't expect it to only cost four hundred and fifty.

The price was much lower than the two of them had expected.

The noodle shop owner immediately started doing mental calculations. The final result was that, based on Tang Yongming's price, as long as this guy from some website could bring 90 customers to his noodle shop, the investment in this guy would be recouped.

Based on what they observed at Qing Teng Bookstore today, GG can bring in far more customers than just this. Every extra customer translates into profit!

This made the noodle shop owner even more excited, and he couldn't wait to find that website to play games. So he immediately asked, "Boss Tang, how do I find that website to play games?"

Tang Yongming didn't hide anything. He not only told them where he found the Beiming Forum to play games, but also explained the three-way game model of the Beiming Forum to the two of them.

After understanding the whole situation, the noodle shop owner and Zhang Hongwei said goodbye and left Qing Teng Bookstore.

Tang Yongming was quite enthusiastic and even gave the two of them Shen Kang's phone number—Tang Yongming was also trying to reciprocate. Since Shen Kang's "male god" (a euphemism for a male friend) was so effective, he wanted to help Shen Kang get more male god clients.

The noodle shop owner and Zhang Hongwei returned to the convenience store and squatted down to smoke again.

After taking a couple of puffs, Zhang Hongwei bluntly asked, "So you're planning to go to this Beiming website to play games, huh?"

The noodle shop owner didn't answer for a moment. After taking another puff of his cigarette, he asked instead of replying, "And you?"

Zhang Hongwei smiled. "I'm not planning to go."

The noodle shop owner was somewhat surprised, and glanced at Zhang Hongwei a few more times. "You really aren't going?"

Zhang Hongwei declared resolutely: "If I go, I'd be a coward!"

Seeing how decisive Zhang Hongwei was, the noodle shop owner was somewhat convinced, but even more puzzled: Zhang Hongwei had personally witnessed how effective that website's "GG" was, and he wasn't tempted? Or had this kid also realized that even if "GG" worked for his convenience store, it wouldn't be of much use, so he wasn't planning on going?

Zhang Hongwei glanced at the noodle shop owner, said nothing, and just silently smoked, sneering inwardly: This noodle shop owner next to him is a typical old-fashioned person who doesn't understand what the Internet is all about.

According to Tang Yongming, BeiMing.com is just an intermediary; the ones actually doing the "GG" (game-breaking) are not BeiMing.com, but its users! So why should he share the profits with this intermediary, BeiMing.com? Wouldn't it be better to just find the users directly? Without the intermediary fee, he'd pay less in "GG" fees!

In particular, judging from Tang Yongming's words, those users were just college students who had hardly ever seen money. He figured he might not even need to spend any money himself; he could just give them some goods from the store to offset the "GG fee" and that would be enough to get them to "GG".

Zhang Hongwei felt increasingly clever as he thought about it, and he squinted his eyes with a smug look, taking a satisfying last puff of his cigarette.

After the noodle shop owner left the convenience store, Zhang Hongwei returned to the store and sat down at the counter.

There was a computer in his cabinet, but Zhang Hongwei used it as a game console. He had someone install Red Alert on it, and he would turn it on and play Red Alert whenever he had nothing to do. He basically didn't use any of the other functions.

However, for the sake of his shop's business, he stepped out of his comfort zone and started learning how to use the Beiming website. After struggling and figuring it out for a while, he finally managed to get on the site.

The simple, user-friendly operating logic of the Beiming Community was quite suitable for someone like Zhang Hongwei. After exploring for a while, Zhang Hongwei had basically figured out a few basic concepts in the Beiming Community. For example, Zhang Hongwei understood what Tang Yongming meant by "following." He also identified several users with a particularly large number of followers.

According to Tang Yongming, you need to find users with a lot of followers to get a good "GG" effect.

Next, Zhang Hongwei used a single finger to send messages to two of the users, expressing his intention to "GG" (give up).

"Isn't that enough? Why do we need to pay a brokerage fee?"

Zhang Hongwei thought to himself with satisfaction, "Only an old-fashioned person like him who doesn't understand the Internet would get ripped off by this Beiming.com intermediary."

Next, Zhang Hongwei prepared to wait for the two users to reply to him...

On the other end, the Yangko University of Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Base 211

Shen Kang had already shared his new ideas about the public welfare section with Ye Jintong. He then asked the two single men in Class 211 if they wanted to change their job positions, from content creation to business liaison.

Now that the GG business of Beiming Community has been launched, the corresponding departments and personnel naturally need to be established.

"Uh, what exactly do you mean by 'doing'?" The two boys didn't immediately express their thoughts, but asked first.

Shen Kang then told them the truth: "Beiming Community may have some GG business in the future. After transferring to this new position, my job will be to go out and connect with merchants, let them know about the details of our website's GG business, and handle reception and negotiations when GG merchants come to our store..."

After listening, both boys looked hesitant.

They joined the Singles Association because of their love for literature. Now, working on content creation at the Beiming Community is also within their interests, so that's fine with them. However, the sudden shift to visiting offline merchants and negotiating business with men is too big a leap, and they're unwilling to do that.

They didn't know if Shen Kang would get angry after they refused, or even stop them from continuing to produce content for the Beiming Community, so they didn't refuse immediately.

Shen Kang saw through their thoughts and smiled, "It's nothing, I was just asking. Since you're not interested in this new position, just continue doing what you're doing before, and I'll find someone else."

Hearing Shen Kang say this, the two of them finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Seeing that the two were unwilling, Shen Kang made another call and asked everyone in the Singles Association.

In Shen Kang's view, the staff in this new position should ideally have a certain understanding of the content of Beiming Community. After all, if you don't even understand the content of Beiming Community, how can you select suitable users to match with suitable GG merchants?

The members of the Singles Association work on content from the Beiming Community, so they are most familiar with its content. If one of them were to switch roles to take on this new "male" position, that would be ideal.

But after making the call, Shen Kang discovered that none of the people in the Singles Association seemed to be interested in creating content, and none of them were interested in the new position.

He had no choice but to leave the startup base and go check out the laundry room and study room 302, which served as his talent pool...

At Jiahe Laundry, customers come and go in a constant stream. Basins of clothes are continuously being packed into laundry bags, which are then pushed into the work area by sorting workers.

Since it was already past 4 p.m., during the afternoon shift, there were two sorting workers on duty, one of whom was sorting worker Lin Mian.

Lin Mian pushed a small cart full of laundry bags, preparing to push it to the work area at the back.

Cashier Li Chunxia had just finished serving two customers and was currently idle. Looking around, she saw only Lin Mian and did not see the other sorting worker.

Ugh.

Li Chunxia watched Lin Mian push the cart into the back work area, sighed inwardly, feeling sorry for Lin Mian, but there was nothing she could do.

Another sorting worker in this shift is Qi Wei, a third-year student at Yangko University of Science and Technology. He came to the laundry room through a work-study program.

There were two students like Qi Wei before: one was Qian Jun, who is now the assistant manager of the laundry room, and the other was Yang Yunhan, who is now the manager of the study room 302 next door.

Manager Shen genuinely likes to promote employees like this, a fact that has become a consensus among the laundry staff.

Therefore, Qi Wei's status has been subtly special since the first day he entered the store—it seems that Manager Shen is doing more and more things now, who knows if Qi Wei will leave the laundry room and be promoted to a higher position tomorrow? Alternatively, there is another possibility, that is, Qian Jun will continue to be promoted, and Qi Wei will take Qian Jun's place?

These are all very possible.

Therefore, in the eyes of the laundry room employees, Qi Wei was not an ordinary employee.

Even if Qi Wei sometimes deliberately slacks off, no one dares to say anything or won't say anything.

Lin Mian pushed the cart into the work area.

He spotted Qi Wei sitting in the corner of the work area, holding a phone and typing away, seemingly chatting with someone via text message.

Hearing someone come in, Qi Wei showed no sign of panic, simply looking up at the person.

Upon seeing that it was Lin Mian, Qi Wei lowered his head again and continued sending messages.

Lin Mian didn't say anything, he just worked silently, taking the washed laundry bags from the industrial washing machine, sorting them, and putting new laundry bags in...

After a flurry of activity, Lin Mian finished up the work and prepared to leave, pushing the washed laundry bags he had brought out.

Without looking up, Qi Wei asked, "Brother Lin, are you busy outside right now?"

"It's alright," Lin Mian replied.

Qi Wei said "Oh" and then fell silent, continuing to text the girl on the other end of the line, thinking to himself that this part-time job was really quite good.

Qi Wei's family is not well-off, otherwise he would not have applied to the school for a work-study position.

He was brought to the house and laundry room by the school.

When Qi Wei first entered the house and laundry room, he was actually quite serious about his work. He completed all the tasks assigned to him diligently and never slacked off.

But gradually, Qi Wei learned about Qian Jun and Yang Yunhan from the employees, and also about Shen Kang's fondness for promoting employees like them. He realized how bright his future was as a "work-study" and "laundry worker," and that he might just be promoted to another position like his two predecessors tomorrow.

Realizing this and noticing the special treatment he received from other employees, especially the fact that the deputy store manager, Qian Jun, was always very polite to him, Qi Wei gradually changed.

He started to work less seriously, content with just getting by, and began to slack off more and more, just waiting for the day he would "ascend to the top".

Where will I "ascend" to?

Qi Wei was happily lost in thought when he finished sending the message. He looked up, twisted his neck, and saw Lin Mian pushing the cart forward.

Qi Wei gave a disdainful laugh.

Lin Mian is a very hardworking employee in the store. He is always serious and hardworking, just like an old ox. Moreover, he has been working there since the day the store opened.

But no matter how hard he tries, he will only ever be a sorting worker.

As Qi Wei was thinking this, he suddenly heard a greeting from outside: "Manager Shen"...

Shen Kang walked into the laundry room and saw Lin Mian pushing a cart out of the back workshop.

When cashier Li Chunxia saw him arrive, she greeted him and called him Manager Shen.

"Where's Qi Wei?" Shen Kang asked, glancing at the schedule on the wall.

Upon hearing this, Li Chunxia hesitated for a moment, wondering whether she should take the opportunity to accuse Qi Wei and vent Lin Mian's anger.

Lin Mian spoke first: "He works inside."

Shen Kang glanced at Li Chunxia, ​​then at Lin Mian, said "Oh," and went inside without saying anything else. He then walked towards the work area at the back.

Upon entering the work area, Shen Kang saw Qi Wei pushing a cart and busily working among the industrial washing machines.

"Qi Wei, are you very busy right now?" Shen Kang asked.

Qi Wei quickly stopped what he was doing and said, "It's alright."

Shen Kang nodded. "Alright, come with me. I have something to discuss with you."

Qi Wei was taken aback, then overjoyed: he had heard before that Qian Jun and Yang Yunhan had also been in the same situation, one day Shen Kang suddenly approached them and then they "ascended to immortality"!

And now, it's finally my turn!

Qi Wei immediately let go of the cart in his hand and hurriedly followed, unconsciously straightening his clothes and smoothing his hair.

Shen Kang did not call Qi Wei outside to talk, but went directly to the clothing pick-up area and stood there. Seeing this, Qi Wei also came over.

Shen Kang asked, "Qi Wei, you've been working here for about a month now, haven't you?"

"It's been over a month."

"Do you find the work here tough?"

"It's alright, not too tiring, quite interesting."...

While the two were chatting, Shen Kang kept observing the boy in front of him. After asking enough questions, Shen Kang asked again, "Do you usually use the Beiming Community?"

Qi Wei thought for a moment and said, "I'll play. But you don't know, shop manager, I don't have a computer, so I don't play much."

Shen Kang smiled. "No wonder you said you usually go to internet cafes when you're free; turns out you don't have a computer."

Li Chunxia was working at the cashier's desk and had just finished serving two customers. She glanced around and saw Shen Kang still talking to Qi Wei, and she became sullen.

Shen Kang's manner of conversation was all too familiar to her, a long-time employee; she guessed he was about to promote Qi Wei.

Qian Jun was one thing, though he wasn't particularly proactive at work, he at least always finished what he was supposed to do; Yang Yunhan was even better, her earnestness and enthusiasm were unmatched by these working adults; but this Qi Wei, Li Chunxia just couldn't stand him.

If someone like Qi Wei can be promoted, Li Chunxia will be the first to object!

Just as Li Chunxia was sulking, Shen Kang turned his head to look at Lin Mian, who was working and putting laundry bags into the corresponding cubicles.

"Lin Mian".

Hearing Shen Kang's shout, Lin Mian turned around.

"You've been a regular at our shop for a while now," Shen Kang said, looking at Lin Mian. "I've noticed you usually get along well with everyone. Do you know who in our shop regularly uses the Beiming Community?"

Lin Mian hesitated for a moment, and before he could speak, Li Chunxia, ​​who was not far away, couldn't wait to speak first: "Manager Shen, I don't know about the others, but Lin Mian always looks at your Beiming Community!"

Li Chunxia also noticed something amiss. It seemed that the promotion wasn't finalized yet, and they were looking for someone who frequented the Beiming Community! — Although she didn't know why this requirement was so strange, she didn't care; Lin Mian just happened to fit the bill!

Shen Kang looked at Li Chunxia and asked with interest, "How did you know?"

Since Li Chunxia had already spoken, she didn't hold back and told everything directly: "Sometimes after get off work, I go to the internet cafe with Lin Mian."

To be precise, it was Li Chunxia who invited Lin Mian to go online. Among the male employees at home and the laundry room, Lin Mian was quite good-looking, had a good personality, and was emotionally stable. Li Chunxia had a strong liking for Lin Mian, and would often find excuses to go online or go ice skating with him.

"When we were online together, Lin Mian often visited your Beiming Community."

Mentioning this, Li Chunxia became somewhat depressed again, "Manager Shen, your website seems a bit inappropriate. I've seen girls posting... those kinds of photos on it."

Because Lin Mian went to the Beiming Community, Li Chunxia was influenced and also visited the website a few times, whereupon she saw some photos that she found embarrassing.

It's fine for her to see it herself, but she doesn't want Lin Mian to see it too.

"What do you mean by 'that kind of photo'?" Shen Kang was both amused and exasperated. "My website is legitimate, but you're making it sound like it's something improper."

After saying that, he ignored Li Chunxia and looked at Lin Mian, "Are you very interested in the content of the Beiming Community?"

Since Li Chunxia had already said it, Lin Mian replied, "Hmm, I'm quite interested..."

Shen Kang then chatted with Lin Mian again, asking him a few questions. He eventually deduced from their conversation that Lin Mian wasn't interested in the Beiming Community, but rather in all of Lin Mian's businesses.

Lin Mian was familiar with the 302 Study Room, even to the extent of understanding social models. However, his theoretical knowledge about social interaction was clearly all from online searches, and he himself didn't fully grasp it, as if he had memorized it by rote. The same was true for Yanyu Tea Girl, the milk tea industry, and Xianyu.com.

This situation brought a thought to Shen Kang's mind: opportunities are reserved for those who are prepared. Lin Mian, it seemed, was fully prepared and just waiting for an opportunity to be "assigned" to another post.

Having learned this, Shen Kang stopped asking questions.

"Qi Wei, you can go back to work. Lin Mian, come out with me for a moment."

After saying that, Shen Kang led Lin Mian out.

Qi Wei continued working, but seemed somewhat distracted.

Li Chunxia was extremely pleased and in a good mood: it seemed that Manager Shen wasn't just eyeing his seniors for promotions. Lin Mian looked like he was about to be promoted too.

Then Li Chunxia thought of something else: if Lin Mian could be promoted, wouldn't that mean that the shop assistants who were not students of Yangke University could also be promoted?

Manager Shen is brilliant!