C6 6

Wang Qi could easily sense Zhang Wantine's little mood swings, but he chose to ignore them. Even though he knew he would make a lot of money in his lifetime, potentially altering both their destinies, he had lost all feelings for her after recalling her decisive stance back then. Besides, having a second chance at life, Wang Qi was determined not to be a pushover. Sitting in his spot, Wang Qi picked up a pen and began to strategize. In just a year, a new district would be planned on the east side of Yuandu, a prime opportunity. Currently, the east side was just a rundown area with poor living conditions and incomplete facilities. It was no exaggeration to say that the people there dreamed of moving away. Wang Qi vaguely remembered that Qu Menghan and her grandparents lived in one of the villages on the east side. Families with money had already moved west, leaving many houses vacant. Selling them? Someone would have to want to buy them first. In the future, buying even a bare-bones bathroom on the east side would be a pipe dream for $10,000. But right now, you could buy two sets of four-room houses for the same amount. Still, considering his current assets, even with the low prices, acquiring a large area would be a stretch, and Wang Qi was not content with just getting the scraps. The pace of making money was still too slow. It could not keep up with his ever-growing ambitions. "Dude. Guess what I scored last night. Three Holy Wars and a War God. The guys at the gaming cafe were green with envy." Wang Qi was tapping his forehead with a pen when Liu Chao's sudden shout nearly made him fall off his chair. "What's your problem? Jumping out of nowhere like that in the morning." Wang Qi clutched his chest and looked up, only to be startled again by Liu Chao's appearance. He blurted out, "Whoa. What happened to you?" Liu Chao's eyes were bloodshot but gleaming with excitement, and he had dark circles that rivaled a panda's. At that moment, he looked like one of those meme faces with a panda head and the caption, "I want to ascend to happiness." "Did you not go home last night?" Wang Qi asked, a bit speechless at Liu Chao's state. "I told my mom I was crashing at your place. Man, do you know what level I'm at now?" Liu Chao clenched his fists and waved them around, his face full of excitement as he gave a thumbs-up. "No one at the gaming cafe can beat me."

"Oh... haha... congrats, I guess." As a game admin, Wang Qi rolled his eyes, finding it hard to relate. "Hey, meet me after school! I made a little extra cash yesterday selling some duplicate gear, so I'm treating you to a hot pot dinner!" Liu Chao was so excited that he didn't notice Wang Qi's lack of enthusiasm. He patted Wang Qi on the shoulder and left. He would never know how much his casual words impacted Wang Qi. No competition in the whole internet cafe? Hot pot? This friend of his might not seem all that bright, but he always managed to surprise people in unexpected ways. The core gameplay of legendary online games is player-versus-player combat. When you look past the surface, it's all about vanity. It's like the early days of live streaming, where streamers would stir up drama with wealthy viewers to rake in money. They'd have both sides compete by sending gifts. Does being the top supporter really mean anything? But for the sake of pride and the thrill, those with the means would still spend a fortune, fully aware of the game being played. In the end, it's all about the satisfaction of stepping over others and feeding one's vanity. Thinking about this, Wang Qi couldn't help but chuckle bitterly. He thought to himself that something always felt missing from his private server game. How could he forget the most crucial element of future games, the leaderboard? In today's official servers, there's no leaderboard, just a few so-called "number one in the world" statues and the statue of the Sabak City Lord. This approach is effective but limited, unable to fully ignite players' competitive spirit and desire to spend. Take a simple example: the person who spends the most isn't necessarily the Sabak City Lord. The City Lord might just be the leader of a guild with a lot of members. Similarly, this theory applies to the restaurant industry, much like a famous hot pot chain. Is the food there amazing? It's decent, but not extraordinary. Yet why do people line up from morning until late at night? Because it maximizes customer satisfaction, making them feel like royalty through systematic training. Wang Qi was jotting down ideas in his notebook, quickly catching the attention of Zhang Wantine beside him. As she tried to sneak a peek, Wang Qi suddenly closed his notebook and rested his head on the desk. "Hmph! If you don't want to share, then don't. Who cares?" Zhang Wantine fumed, her face flushed with frustration, wishing she could give Wang Qi a piece of her mind.

Wang Qi was oblivious to her reaction, having simply finished his outline and been ready for a break. He slowly lifted his head, still groggy from sleep. As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw Liu Chao giving him a thumbs-up. "Man, you've got guts, Wang. You really didn't care about the teacher's feelings," Liu Chao said, looking at Wang Qi with admiration. "I'm so tired I could sleep like a dog, but I wouldn't dare doze off in her class. Look at you, though. You almost started snoring." "What time is it?" Wang Qi asked, rubbing his eyes and feeling a stiff neck. "School's out. Come on, I'll treat you to Auntie's hot pot," Liu Chao said, patting his pocket with a generous grin. "Same as usual. You go ahead and order. I'll be there soon," Wang Qi said. With that, he got up and headed to the front of the classroom. Just like the day before, only three people were left in the room after school: Wang Qi, Liu Chao, and Qu Menghan. Approaching Qu Menghan, Wang Qi pulled her up from her seat and started leading her out, startling her into a soft yelp. "What are you doing?" Qu Menghan asked, blushing as she tried to free her hand from Wang Qi's grip. "Why didn't you wake me up for lunch?" Wang Qi asked, ignoring her question and turning back to fix her with an intense stare. "I brought my own lunch," Menghan replied softly, avoiding Wang Qi's gaze. "Is it veggies and bread again? You think you can grow strong on that stuff? What if you don't grow tall enough? Are you trying to starve me or my future son?" Wang Qi said with a chuckle. "Stop talking nonsense," Menghan said, shivering slightly before playfully punching Wang Qi, her face turning a bright shade of red. The joys of youth were sweet.

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