Rebirth 04: Starting from Taking an Unconventional Approach

When Han Fei and Zhang Ruiyi left the used car market, it was nearly 2 p.m.

Han Fei received a bank card and pledge contract worth 50 yuan, as well as a dark gold business card. The business card had no title or company name, only a phone number and a name: Ma Yongxing.

Mr. Ma and Han Fei agreed that Mr. Ma would take Han Fei to inspect the venues under Mr. Ma's management within a week.

They drove to a small street near Xujiahui, where Zhang Ruiyi chose a small, unassuming local Shanghainese restaurant. Han Fei parked the car on the side of the road, glanced at the sign—"Lao Jishi"—and couldn't help but smile.

"What are you laughing at?" Zhang Ruiyi asked, opening the door and getting out of the car.

"I came to this restaurant when I was in high school," Han Fei said. "Back then, a classmate of mine said that the braised pork here was the best in all of Shanghai. I haven't been back since then."

Zhang Ruiyi chuckled: "How bad must it be? I'm curious now."

They walked up the steps and into the restaurant. A waiter greeted them at the entrance to the dining area and led them to a seat by the window.

The restaurant's interior was neatly arranged, and the sidewalk could be seen from their seats. Soft New Age music flowed from hidden speakers.

Zhang Ruiyi took the menu and ordered braised crucian carp with scallions, soft-boiled fish, pickled vegetables and edamame, a tomato and egg drop soup, and of course, braised pork belly. The dishes were served quickly.

"Hey, what did that person secretly tell you at the end?" Zhang Ruiyi asked.

Han Fei told him about Mr. Ma asking him to be his advisor.

"what?"

Han Fei took a sip of water from his cup: "What's wrong?"

"KTVs, bathhouses, nightclubs," Zhang Ruiyi picked up a piece of braised pork and put it in her mouth, "those places... do you know what I mean?"

"To be honest, I don't really understand it."

"Then why did you agree?" Zhang Ruiyi said, savoring the food in her mouth. "It's not bad, is it?"

"Agree to it first. It would be best if you could come up with a solution by then. If you can't, you'll just have to pay interest. Either way, you won't lose out." Han Fei tasted a piece of braised pork. "Besides, from what I see now, I think those places all have some common problems. As long as we solve these problems, things should improve."

They must have changed chefs.

"What common problem?" Zhang Ruiyi asked.

"To put it simply, it's too outdated."

"Too rustic?"

"Hmm." Han Fei nodded. "Take karaoke for example... Have you ever been to a karaoke bar?"

"Yes, I've been there. I used to go to class reunions all the time."

"Think about it, aren't all the KTVs you've been to pretty much the same? A grand lobby at the entrance, the kind that's glittering and opulent, with fake oil paintings on the walls, hard and shiny leather sofas, colorful lights flashing randomly, and waiters wearing uniform vests who talk like robots."

Zhang Ruiyi tilted her head and thought for a moment: "It seems...that's how it is."

"That's the problem," Han Fei said. "Everyone is the same, so there's no differentiation. Customers will go to whichever store they want, so why should they go to yours? This means they can only compete on price, location, and whose princess is the prettiest. For businesses that don't have an advantage in these areas, this kind of competition will ultimately lead to their demise."

"Then what do you suggest we do?"

Han Fei was silent for a few seconds: "Actually, the biggest problem with those places is that they treat the customers as a whole, rather than as individuals."

Zhang Ruiyi looked at Han Fei and blinked.

"Think about it," Han Fei continued, "a business owner hosting a banquet, a group of young people having a get-together with friends, and... a couple, do they all have the same needs when they go to a KTV? The business owner wants face, a private space to discuss business; the young people want to have fun, an atmosphere where they can let loose; the couple wants romance, a sweet and affectionate atmosphere. But now all KTVs offer the same thing to everyone."

Zhang Ruiyi, biting her chopsticks, asked, "So we should break up?"

"Hmm...it's not just about separating, it's about redefining," Han Fei said. "For example, for private rooms catering specifically to business clients, the rooms need to be large, the sofas comfortable, the lighting soft, the drinks high-end, the waiters composed, and you could even have a small tea set in the room so you can discuss business over tea. Are you full?"

Han Fei saw Zhang Ruiyi put down her chopsticks. Zhang Ruiyi nodded.

Han Fei pushed aside the tray, waved his hand, and indicated that it was time to pay the bill: "This place is specifically for young people, so it has to be trendy. The decor has to be new, the lighting has to be dazzling, the sound system has to be good, the drinks can be affordable but have a wide variety, and we can even have themed private rooms, anime-themed, electronic music-themed, retro-themed, so that young people feel that coming here is not just about singing, but about taking photos."

"What about couples?"

"It's even simpler for couples." Han Fei smiled slightly. "A small private room, good soundproofing, dim lighting, a sofa you can lie on, and plenty of love duet songs in the karaoke system. It would be best to also offer some private packages, red wine, candles, and fruit platters, to help them create the perfect atmosphere."

The waiter came to the table, and Han Fei handed him a banknote.

Zhang Ruiyi observed Han Fei intently, her expression very serious, like a dentist checking if braces were in the correct position.

"Han Fei, are you a monster?"

Why?

"You've never done this before, how did you come up with this idea?"

Han Fei picked up his teacup, concealing the smile that crept onto his lips. This was nothing more than a tactic that countless KTVs in later generations had already exhausted. And they certainly couldn't have imagined that in just over a decade, this kind of scene segmentation would become standard practice in all offline entertainment venues.

"It's all just theory," he said. "Anyway, Mr. Ma only asked me to be a consultant. I don't need to consider the costs; I'm only responsible for coming up with ideas. If he can't do it, that's his problem."

Zhang Ruiyi laughed loudly.

They left the restaurant and hadn't even gotten to their car when Wenjie called.

"Hey, you're alive! How are you feeling?"

"Brother Fei, I'll never drink that much again," Wen Jie said. "Right now, I feel like there are seven or eight construction teams working in my head at the same time, some wielding sledgehammers, some laying tiles, some painting, and none of them giving way to the others."

Han Fei chuckled lightly: "How did you get the phone? Did you go to the publishing house?"

"Of course. I'm on my way to the Innovation Building."

"What are you going there for?"

"Keep working and improve the system. Our current server is deployed on a single machine. If the number of users increases several times, it won't be able to handle it. I need to set up a load-balanced architecture in advance, otherwise the website will crash if there's a surge of users."

"So, what's your current state...?"

"No problem."

"Alright, don't go to the Innovation Building for now. You can work in my office for the time being."

"Are you afraid that people from NetEase will come after me? My sister told me everything that happened yesterday, so it's no use them coming after me."

"Just listen to me for now."

Han Fei hung up the phone, went to the car, and opened the car door.

"Where to now?" Zhang Ruiyi asked.

"Go to town and develop agents."