Chapter 22: Oh Emma, How Delicious!

"Membership... card?"

Lu Xiaobei's eyes brightened, clearly moved. "Could you elaborate on that?"

"Sure." I nodded gently and explained, "I've observed the operations of the various internet cafes around Creek City. None of them have launched any membership programs yet. A membership program is essentially about offering incentives to consumers, effectively binding them to your shop. For example, with our card, we could offer a bonus: charge 100 and get 20 free, charge 500 and get 120 free, and so on. The more they deposit, the greater the discount."

"But... wouldn't we lose money that way?" Lu Xiaobei asked, blinking her large eyes in concern.

"Not at all." I shook my head. "Look at the bigger picture. Think about it: our Feiyang Internet Cafe has an idle machine rate of over 30% during the 8:00 PM golden hour. Empty machines are just a waste. By offering incentives to members, we’re actually boosting the cafe's overall performance."

"That does make sense..." Lu Xiaobei nodded in agreement, then said wistfully, "If we could keep our idle rate below 10% during peak hours, how wonderful that would be..."

I glanced at her with a smile in my eyes.

The very next second, a chime echoed in my ears—a quest had triggered!

[Quest Triggered: Business Goal (Rank B)! Objective: Reduce the idle machine rate at Feiyang Internet Cafe during the 8:00 PM peak to below 10%. Rewards: A large amount of EXP, with a chance to obtain additional bonus items!]

A B-rank quest!

I was ecstatic. This was a win-win; not only could I help Lu Xiaobei, but I would also reap the rewards for myself.

"Ding Han..." Lu Xiaobei still looked worried. "It’s easier said than done. To implement these memberships, wouldn't we need to overhaul the entire internet cafe system?"

"Yes, that's true." I nodded. "There’s no such system in Creek City yet. I’d need to write a new program to set up our own member database on the server. It’s quite complicated, but if you’re truly determined to do this, I can try to write the program myself. I’m confident I can handle the database as well."

"What?" Lu Xiaobei’s beautiful eyes widened in shock. "You... you know how to program?"

"I know a thing or two," I said humbly, though in reality, I would have to rely on the game system to boost my programming proficiency.

"Alright!" Lu Xiaobei bit her red lip. "Since that's the case, I'll leave the system overhaul to you. If you can really pull this off, I’ll definitely give you a raise!"

"You promised! It’s a deal!"

"Yes!" Lu Xiaobei said. "Also, once the system is ready, come with me to visit the other cafes on Forward Street. We need to do some market research. To know your enemy is to win a hundred battles. We’ll make targeted adjustments afterwards. Let’s try to turn Feiyang Internet Cafe’s business around completely. What do you think?"

"Fine by me." I didn't object. But at this rate, do I even look like a tech support guy anymore? Running around and getting involved like this—what’s the difference between me and a shareholder?

"Ding Han!" Lu Xiaobei reached out and patted my shoulder. "Don't worry, if the cafe's business really starts to thrive, I’ll never treat you poorly. After all, you’re the primary contributor to this business reform. I’ll never forget your hard work!"

After feeding me this line, she headed upstairs before heading out to set up her street stall and earn some extra money.

I couldn't help but chuckle as I watched her youthful back disappear. She really lived such a carefree life.

***

"Hangzi, open a terminal for me. I need to do some work on the cafe's system."

"You got it, Brother Han!"

***

After opening a terminal, I began searching for basic programming tutorials online. While I had learned the basics in the real world—C++, Java, SQL, and the like—I had never put them into practice. Using that superficial knowledge to build a membership system would be unrealistic.

After watching for a while, a prompt appeared before my eyes.

[Would you like to learn the skill: Basic Programming (Rank C)?]

Confirmed. Learn!

I had used the skill points from hitting level 10 for Dragon Blade, level 12 for Burst Charge, and level 14 for Earth Spike Slash. Therefore, this skill point came from reaching level 16—the last one I currently possessed.

"Swish!"

Following a golden shimmer, a "keyboard typing" icon appeared in my skill menu. It was Basic Programming.

Immediately, I poured my skill EXP into it to level it up!

[Congratulations! Your skill Basic Programming (Rank C) has successfully reached Level 4. Programming ability significantly improved, and you have gained 1 additional Spirit stat point!]

[Congratulations! Your skill Basic Programming (Rank C) has successfully reached Level 7. Programming ability significantly improved, and you have gained 2 additional Spirit stat points!]

[Congratulations! Your skill Basic Programming (Rank C) has successfully reached Level 10. Programming ability significantly improved, and you have gained 3 additional Spirit stat points!]

...

In an instant, a flood of programming knowledge poured into my mind, offering the satisfying sensation of gaining something without the long toil!

The skill EXP I had accumulated over the past few days was spent, but I felt fulfilled. I now had a clear, concrete plan for building the membership system. I downloaded the necessary software and started coding.

Although 10th-level Basic Programming might sound complex, it wasn't actually that difficult—at least, it was more than enough for a membership system. After all, I wasn't designing high-end gear like power armor, power swords, or storm shields.

By the end of the morning, the Feiyang Internet Cafe membership database was successfully built.

Excited, I transferred the software to the management server and took the opportunity to overhaul the server's OS. By mapping the client machines, I streamlined the cafe's management. Now, I could complete connections and synchronization by simply operating from the client machines, saving us from having to spend time troubleshooting every single computer.

"Tsk, tsk..." Zhao Yihang watched from the sidelines, dumbfounded. "Ding Han, where did you learn this? That’s insane... I don't think our programming teacher at technical school even knows this stuff."

"..." I glanced at him without a word.

"Damn, what kind of look is that? Just say it..."

"I don't even want to start on the level of your technical school teachers..."

"Screw you!"

***

The next day, Feiyang Internet Cafe officially launched its membership system. A massive sign stood at the entrance: "Charge 50 get 8 free, 100 get 20 free, 500 get 120 free, 1000 get 300 free."

At first, customers were skeptical; it was something new, and people weren't quick to accept it.

I suggested that Lu Xiaobei use "shills." She immediately set her sights on Old K, who came in every day. With Old K leading a group of shills, they raved about how the membership card was convenient and saved money. Soon, more and more people were signing up!

Around 10:00 PM.

"Ding Han!" Lu Xiaobei exclaimed, her face radiant. She pulled open the drawer and pointed to rows of brand-new Star Coins. "Guess how much we made from membership sales today?"

"How much?" I asked, feeling a surge of excitement.

"Over seven thousand! That’s almost as much as we made in the entire previous month!" she said, clearly thrilled.

"Seven thousand is seven thousand; adding 'over' doesn't make it much more precise."

"Don't worry about the details!"

***

Lu Xiaobei said, "I'll take the night shift with you tonight. You get some more sleep. Tomorrow morning, after breakfast, we’ll start our market research and check out the other three cafes."

"Sure." I nodded.

***

The next morning.

After Zhao Yihang finished his shift, Lu Xiaobei returned with breakfast. Her outfit today was different—she was wearing a black trench coat, sunglasses, and a baseball cap.

With her perfect figure, anyone who didn't know her might have mistaken her for a celebrity hiding her identity.

We huddled behind the counter eating breakfast, slurping down spicy hot pot. I asked, "Do I need a disguise?"

"No need," Lu Xiaobei replied. "I’m the proud owner of Feiyang Internet Cafe; everyone in the Forward Street cafe scene knows who I am. You’re just a nobody, a mere tech support guy—no one will pay you any mind."

I looked up at her. "Don't you think that’s a bit arrogant?"

Lu Xiaobei smiled and brushed the topic aside. "Eat up, eat more. We're going to go surf at other cafes in a bit."

"Alright!"

After breakfast, we walked side by side down Forward Street.

The weather was slightly chilly. Lu Xiaobei pulled her coat tighter, and I buttoned up my jacket. Shortly after, we arrived at Fengyun Internet Cafe. It was a place dominated by *Legend of Mir*. Inside, we heard a chorus of shouting and swearing.

"Damn it! Hack him! A level 30 trash mage dares to act tough against my level 40 warrior with a Well-Polished Moon sword? You're looking for death!"

"Brothers, all together! If we don't kill this bastard, he won't know who rules the Telecom 66 server!"

"Hack him! If he tries to run, kill his girlfriend first!"

"F*** you! You dare act cocky with me? You clearly don't know the power of my Fire Blade!"

Lu Xiaobei and I kept a low profile as we grabbed a terminal, cowering in the corner.

"The hardware at Fengyun is indeed top-notch..." I checked the specs and whispered to Lu Xiaobei, "These machines cost at least 4,000 each. It’s the best setup on Forward Street. We definitely can't compete on hardware, so we need to think of other ways to improve our business."

"Agreed!" Lu Xiaobei nodded solemnly.

"Ding Han, do you know how to play *Crazy Arcade*?" she suddenly asked.

"Such a childish game? Even a dog wouldn't play it."

"Register an account and play a few rounds with me. If you win, I'll treat you to a boxed lunch at noon."

"You promised..."

For the sake of a meal, I registered an account and started facing off against Lu Xiaobei.

***

At noon, by the canal outside the Old District, Lu Xiaobei and I each held a boxed lunch—essentially rice topped with chicken legs, shredded pork with green peppers, and braised beans. I took a mouthful of rice and couldn't help but recall that classic meme. I grinned at her:

"Man, this is delicious!"