I met my whole family through Baidu Tieba.

Twenty minutes later

On Xiaodong Street, a girl walked into the street.

The girl is around twenty years old. She's not the type to be immediately strikingly beautiful, but rather the kind that grows on you the more you look at her. Her clothing and style aren't flashy, but they complement each other perfectly.

The girl's name is Lu Tinglan.

Following what the man on the phone, who claimed to be the founder of Beiming Community, had said, Lu Tinglan walked to the entrance of the coffee shop and immediately saw a boy squatting at the entrance.

The boy was somewhat handsome, with a lazy air about him, and was yawning listlessly.

"...Shen Kang?"

Lu Tinglan stepped forward and asked.

Shen Kang glanced at her, then stood up. "Lu Tinglan?"

"it's me."

"Come in and let's talk."

Shen Kang led the way into the coffee shop, and Lu Tinglan followed.

As they passed the bar, Shen Kang casually said, "Two classic lattes." Then he led Lu Tinglan to the only private room in the coffee shop.

In other places, Lu Tinglan might have hesitated before entering a private space with a stranger. But this was a café on Xiaodong Street, with several students sitting inside. It was a relatively safe and public space, so she didn't hesitate much and went in.

After the two entered the private room, closed the door, and sat down facing each other, Shen Kang did not speak first. Instead, he looked the girl named Lu Tinglan sitting opposite him up and down.

He found the other person on the Beiming Community.

Besides being a loyal user of Yangbei Forum, Shen Kang can also be considered a loyal user of Beiming Community. He often chats and jokes on Beiming Community and pays attention to various developments there.

This includes some potential KL players, or newcomers who have already become KL players.

This Lu Tinglan was discovered by Shen Kang during this process.

Lu Tinglan's online name on the Beiming Community is "Mo Shang Wei Liang".

The style of the name seems to be somewhat similar to that of Ji Feiyan's "Qingxiao Biehan".

The content that Lu Tinglan usually posts is somewhat similar in style to Ji Feiyan's posts.

Shen Kang had also seen some of Lu Tinglan's posts:

Those are usually everyday photos: by the window of the study room, water droplets on a milk tea cup, an English original book spread out in the library with an iced Americano, and succulents growing on the balcony.

The accompanying text is also concise and restrained, like short sentences copied from a fashion magazine.

"The sunlight is just right, the pages of the book are just right, my mood is just right, everything is just right, not too much and not too little."

"The time it takes to drink an iced Americano is enough to read two PAP articles."

"What autumn should be like."...

Lu Tinglan's posts have varying degrees of popularity.

Among the commenters, some called her a "goddess," some said "this is what college life should be like," and some asked "where did you buy your cup?"

Overall, this is a follower who imitates Ji Feiyan.

This phenomenon is not uncommon in the Beiming community. Just like after Li Su, several Nan Pusa started showing off their muscles, and after Zhong Lin, two exceptionally talented Da Lei Mei started teaching fashion.

Lu Tinglan is just a follower of Ji Feiyan.

Judging from the data, Ji Feiyan is still the absolute queen in this field.

Lu Tinglan's current data is somewhat mediocre, not as high as Ji Feiyan's, but she still has a certain level of popularity and has also been involved in two dating scandals.

After reviewing all of this in his mind, Shen Kang looked at Lu Tinglan in front of him and said, "What I'm about to tell you is related to an event in the Beiming Community. Do I need to prove my identity as the founder of the Beiming Community first?"

Lu Tinglan shook her head. "No proof is needed."

As a new KL in the Beiming Community, she had a certain understanding of the Beiming Community system. She had heard that this coffee shop had a deep relationship with the two other shops in the Beiming Community next door, and when Shen Kang ordered coffee at the bar earlier, the staff inside even called Shen Kang "boss." There should be no doubt about Shen Kang's identity as the founder of the Beiming Community.

"Alright, then I'll get straight to the point."

Shen Kang said, "I've seen some of your posts on the Beiming Community. You and 'Qingxiao Biehan' are on the same track."

track?

Although it was the first time Lu Tinglan had heard someone use this term to describe someone, she understood it immediately and liked the term Shen Kang used—it wasn't imitation, but rather being on the same track.

Lu Tinglan readily nodded in agreement, "Yes."

Shen Kang continued, "But you can never reach the same level of intensity as 'Qingxiao Biehan'."

Lu Tinglan remained silent.

Shen Kang was telling the truth, and she knew it too, and felt it was normal: after all, Qingxiao Biehan was the pioneer of this track, and she was a latecomer to this track. It was normal that she couldn't compete with him.

Shen Kang then asked, "So, have you ever considered switching tracks?"

Should we switch tracks?

Lu Tinglan raised her eyes and looked at Shen Kang.

Shen Kang said, "Qingxiao Biehan and the path you're on now, to sum it up, is actually 'My life is very refined.' Everyone yearns for a better life, which is why we're watching you."

"And what is the price behind this kind of refined life? It's money. All your refined lives are built with money, but the difference is that Qingxiao Biehan was a pioneer, which is her first advantage over you. Moreover, Qingxiao Biehan is richer than you, which is her second advantage over you."

Lu Tinglan nodded silently.

When she encountered a bottleneck in her popularity and was unable to break through to new heights, she reflected and analyzed the situation many times. The result of her analysis was the two points mentioned by Shen Kang.

Shen Kang continued, "These two advantages of hers are currently unsurpassable for you. So, why not switch tracks?"

"She takes the route of 'I am rich, I am expensive, and I live a very refined life,' while you take the route of 'I am not that rich, but I can still live a very refined life,' and you differentiate yourself from the competition."

Lu Tinglan was taken aback. "'I'm not that rich, but I can still live a very refined life'? What does that mean?"

"The meaning is very simple."

Shen Kang said, "Let me give you an example."

"Let's say Qingxiao Biehan posts a thread showcasing her MP3 player, saying, 'This MP3 player has warmed my heart for three winters.' If you were to follow the same path, you might also post a similar thread showcasing your MP3 player. Of course, there would be differences. For example, your caption might be 'Hearing the sounds of winter.' And your MP3 player might not be a P, but a Newman, or perhaps a Meizu?"

Lu Tinglan remained silent.

If such a thing really happens, then she might indeed do what Shen Kang said, after all, it's not the first time she's done something like this.

It seems that Shen Kang has indeed read quite a few of her and Qingxiao Biehan's posts.

Lu Tinglan thought to herself.

Shen Kang continued, "The difference is immediately apparent. She released hers first, so hers is still P; you released yours later, so yours is still Meizu. Of course, it's not that Meizu is bad. I personally like Meizu; it's cost-effective. If it were me, I would prefer to buy Meizu over P. But it's not that P is bad, or that we should force consumers to buy Meizu. P is also a good product. Everyone should consider their own financial situation and buy what they want. Both are good products..."

Lu Tinglan felt something was off. "Why are you saying all this?"

Shen Kang paused for a moment, slapped his forehead, and chuckled dryly, "It's just a habitual overlay of my armor."

Then, after a dry cough, she got back to the point: "Anyway, from the general public's perspective, P is more prestigious than Meizu. She launched first and has a higher profile than you, showcasing both advantages, making it very difficult for you."

Lu Tinglan nodded silently.

This is indeed the predicament she encountered.

Shen Kang then changed the subject, "But what if you change your playing style at this point?"

"You probably know Xianyu.com, it's a second-hand trading website I created, but recently I created a new second-hand website called Huanhuan.com..."

He briefly explained Huanhuan.com's positioning and features to Lu Tinglan.

"...On Huanhuan.com, there are similar MP3 players, 90% new. They've passed our quality inspection and function perfectly, plus we offer a warranty. The price is only a little over 400 yuan, basically the same price as a Meizu MP3 player. In other words, the money you'd spend on a Meizu can buy you a MP3 player on Huanhuan.com!"

"..."

Lu Tinglan was speechless. "Are you trying to promote your new website?"

Yes and no.

Shen Kang said, "I'm just stating a fact. Qingxiao Biehan spent 1200 to buy a P, and you spent 400 to buy the same P. In this way, her economic advantage over you has been leveled."

Lu Tinglan's heart stirred.

Shen Kang glanced at her and asked, "But if I told you that you bought this P online, would you tell people that it was a second-hand item?"

"Of course not," Lu Tinglan replied instinctively. "Wouldn't it be embarrassing to bring out a secondhand item that costs over four hundred?"

Shen Kang suddenly asked, "Then do you think that Qingxiao Biehan's 'p' was definitely a new one?"

Lu Tinglan was taken aback, and opened her mouth, "So she also bought it secondhand?"

Shen Kang suddenly smiled. "I don't know either. I only know that as long as she doesn't admit it, then that piece of paper she bought was brand new—who can make her produce the original invoice to prove it? The same applies to you."

Lu Tinglan was greatly moved.

Yeah, unless you admit it, how can anyone know whether you bought that thing brand new or used?

Lu Tinglan spoke up: "So, you mean I should buy secondhand items from now on and pretend they're brand new? Is this what you mean by 'I'm not that rich, but I can still live a very refined life'?"

If there are enough items available online, and you can ensure they are fully functional and in good condition at a low price, then this seems like a pretty good solution!

Lu Tinglan's eyes lit up.

Shen Kang, to her surprise, shook his head again, "You're half right. The other half is, don't pretend it's brand new, but admit that it was bought secondhand."

Lu Tinglan was taken aback again, then said, "No way. Wouldn't that ruin my public image?"

She disagreed with Shen Kang's idea. Not only did she admit that buying secondhand items would be shameful, but it also didn't fit the nature of her account.

Of course, she still agreed with everything else Shen Kang had said before—Lu Tinglan was too caught up in the situation to notice one thing: without realizing it, she had already accepted all the other things Shen Kang had mentioned, including buying secondhand items.

In the end, there was only one thing she still held onto: she refused to admit that she had bought a second-hand item.

Shen Kang looked at her and knew this was the final offensive.

So, she explained in detail: "That's why I said you're changing tracks. If your persona is ruined on this track, you'll build one on the other."

"You have to understand that college students from families with financial means like Qingxiao Biehan are a minority. Most of them can only look at her and admire her, but they can't live a life like Qingxiao Biehan's. It's something that's 'desirable but unattainable'."

"But it's different when they look at you."

"By buying secondhand items on Huanhuan.com, you demonstrated that you can enjoy a lifestyle comparable to Qingxiao Biehan's with a small amount of money. You showed them that this kind of life they admire is no longer unattainable, but rather something they can actually achieve!"

"You're no longer just someone they can envy; you're leading them to a life they could only ever dream of before! If Qingxiao Biehan is a god they look up to in the heavens, then you, Moshang Weiliang, on this new track, are the king of humanity guiding them forward!..."

Shen Kang spoke with great passion and eloquence.

Lu Tinglan's mouth opened slightly, and as Shen Kang spoke little by little, she began to waver.

She was initially stunned, then thoughtful, and finally excited.

The one who stays away from the cold on a clear night is a god from heaven.

The cool breeze on the path is the king of the human world!

The scene Shen Kang described to her thrilled her. Most importantly, Shen Kang didn't just start by spouting empty words; instead, he used examples and logic to make everything clear before finally stating his conclusion.

This gradually convinced Lu Tinglan, making her truly believe that the future Shen Kang described was indeed very feasible!

Changing the track is a good idea.

On the original track, she could never surpass Qingxiao Biehan, but on this new track described by Shen Kang, it seems that she might be able to surpass Qingxiao Biehan!

This matter is also recorded in Chinese history:

The Duke of Zhou severed the connection between heaven and earth, decreeing that matters of the gods were to be governed by the gods, while matters of the human world were to be governed by the king, and that the gods were not to interfere.

Therefore, for those of Chinese descent, in this world, being a king might very well be more powerful than being a god!

After Shen Kang finished his tirade, he thought he would be met with Lu Tinglan's eager affirmation and her asking him what the next step should be.

Unexpectedly, he saw Lu Tinglan sitting opposite him, his eyes vacant, chuckling foolishly, seemingly lost in thought.

"..."

Shen Kang remained silent.

No, sis, when I first met you, didn't you have the air of a bohemian artsy young woman? Judging from your posts, you were definitely on the artsy path. How come you look like a complete idiot now?

Shen Kang couldn't help but ask, "What are you thinking about?"

Lu Tinglan was still thinking about what was on her mind when she subconsciously replied to Shen Kang, saying what she was thinking.

"I feel like I'm Zhou Gongdan right now, preparing to sever the connection between heaven and earth and imprison Qingxiao Biehan, this god, in the heavens!..."

"..."

Shen Kang fell silent again.

Then, unable to contain himself, he said, "Wait, I thought you were quite the artsy type before, how come you've become so childish now?"

He couldn't help but want to wail. Besides He Qiuzhu, was there anyone else around him who wasn't a normal person who wasn't abstractly irrational?

Lu Tinglan was startled, and only then did she finally come to her senses. She quickly composed herself, regained her previous intellectual and artistic demeanor, and sat there quietly with a calm expression.

There seems to be something dirty in this room.

I'm usually a pretty proper person, so why did I say something like that just now?

There's definitely something dirty in there.

"Cough cough."

Lu Tinglan coughed lightly and said, "I think the new track you mentioned is pretty good. So, my next step is to post the same thing as hers, and tell everyone that what I bought was actually secondhand, right?"

She felt she had completely understood Shen Kang's plan.

Shen Kang shook his head again, "No."

Since Lu Tinglan had already agreed to the plan, Shen Kang told her the complete plan.

"After Huanhuan.com went online, there was a 'public opinion scandal' feature. Specifically, just like you said, you post the same thing as her, but it's just a regular post. You don't need to do anything special, and you don't need to actively say that the item is second-hand. Other people will post and expose you, saying that you bought it second-hand."

"At that time, your public image was still the same as Qingxiao Biehan's, so this kind of exposure was conflicting. If I pushed it further, it could escalate into a major public opinion event."

"At this point, just play dead and don't respond for now. Wait until I give you instructions, then come out and admit you bought a second-hand one, start transitioning, and go down a different track. During this period of playing dead, you'll face a lot of public pressure; you might be criticized for several days. But afterwards, everything will be fine. You need to be mentally prepared..."

As Lu Tinglan listened, she couldn't help but think to herself, "This Shen Kang really has a lot of tricks up his sleeve, and he's got a lot on his mind. No wonder he can cause so much trouble. Someone as simple-minded as myself is better off staying in KL."

"...That's roughly the whole plan."

After Shen Kang finished explaining the entire plan, he asked, "How's it going? Are you mentally prepared to handle it?"

Lu Tinglan nodded slightly, "Don't worry, I'm stronger than you think."

"walk slowly."……

Shen Kang was discussing plans with Lu Tinglan.

The other end

Lan Qin, dressed in equestrian attire, was riding a tall horse at a leisurely trot around the arena with great enthusiasm. Behind her, several other people on horseback were chasing after her; they were Meng Chengjiao, Tong Enkang, and a few others.

On the sidelines, several of their female companions were watching leisurely.

After running a lap, the group rode their horses to the edge of the field, dismounted, and their movements ranged from clumsy to skillful, with Lan Qin being the most skilled.

"How come I can't catch up with you no matter what?" Tong Enkang took off his helmet, looked at Lan Qin, and said with a bit of frustration.

Lan Qin smiled reservedly, but her words were blunt: "The better you are, the more you practice."

The crowd immediately erupted in a commotion.

Over the past few days, Lan Qin has integrated into the circle quite well and gotten to know everyone pretty well.

As everyone was chatting, a staff member from the horse farm came over and informed Lan Qin that her phone had rung three times.

"I'm going to return a call."

Lan Qin said something to everyone and then followed the staff to the luggage storage area. She was in a good mood along the way, looking around.

Although the city wasn't very prosperous, she could openly skip school and spend her days hanging out with friends and having fun, which was quite enjoyable.

Of course, it would be even more fun if I weren't on a mission and was just here to have fun. Fortunately, the mission details are currently being handled by others.

According to Zheng Changhao's report, everything is proceeding smoothly and according to plan: the offline store is being renovated and is ready to open as planned, and online, there are even more good news. The replication of the third-party GG has only been going on for a few days and has already yielded results, winning over several GG customers from the Beiming community.

The situation is very promising.

Just like the surrounding environment, it is full of vitality and everything is thriving.

Lan Qin looked at the mountain scenery on her left and was very satisfied.

It's only a matter of time before Shen Kang's schemes on campus fall apart.

Thinking of this, Lan Qin recalled what her mother had said when she called her yesterday to report the latest progress.

"...There are plenty of smart people in the world; a little cleverness isn't enough. In this world, connections and capital are still the most important. Keep doing well, and keep striving..."

Both her mother and father had said these words, and Lan Qin had heard them many times.

But it wasn't until she came to Yangcheng this time and experienced it firsthand that she truly understood the correctness of this statement.

Without a doubt, Shen Kang is a very intelligent person.

But so what?

His schemes and tricks in offline stores were easily exposed and thwarted by my connections; in online business, he was helpless against my investment in replicating his operating model; now, even if I steal GG's customers, he is still powerless.

With connections and funds, Lan Qin felt somewhat invincible.

Their steps became lighter and more brisk.

And so, looking, thinking, and walking, Lan Qin arrived at the baggage storage area and retrieved her phone. Upon checking, she saw three missed calls, all from Zheng Changhao.

Lan Qin picked up the phone and returned the call.

The call was answered quickly.

Before Lan Qin could even ask Zheng Changhao what was going on, Zheng Changhao's voice came impatiently from the other end of the phone.

"Miss Lan, Shen Kang has a new trick up his sleeve! That guy's cheating! I'm so pissed off!..."

Zheng Changhao unleashed a string of C language output, his tone filled with anger and resentment, sounding just like a grumbling woman.