Restart life

Chapter 100 0097 [Isn't it a bit too fast?]

Guo Feng quickly finished showering and returned. He probably didn't go to the public bathroom; he just took a cold shower in the washroom.

Her hair wasn't even dry.

Guo Fengzi completely ignored Bian Guanyue's presence and immediately got to work: "I really can't do what you're talking about, automatically aggregating friends' statuses, photos, relationship changes, and other information. That's why I called Senior Brother Dong here today to discuss solutions with him."

"Have you come to any conclusions?" Chen Guiliang asked.

Dong Qianqiu continued, "Dynamic streams require a complete set of three chains: storage, computation, and algorithms. Current technology is insufficient; Memcached can only assist in improving performance to some extent. Last year's Google GFS paper and this year's MapReduce paper both discuss distributed storage solutions. We may be on the eve of a technological breakthrough."

This is a problem that small companies cannot solve.

We can only wait for Silicon Valley's technology to upgrade; it should only take about two more years, at which point Hadoop 1.0 will be open source.

Two years later, Facebook launched its first modern live stream.

Chen Guiliang asked, "Given our current capabilities, what kind of dynamic interactive functions can we create?"

Guo Feng explained:
"Content can only consist of personal profiles, logs, and photo albums, with interaction relying on users actively clicking to access each other. We can add SMS notification functionality to inform users' friends that the user has updated messages, photos, etc."

"Features such as setting up blogs, forwarding friends' blog posts, recommending alumni in the same city, and recommending friends of friends can be implemented."

Chen Guiliang asked, "Can't we import content from other blog platforms?"

At that time, blogging was the most fashionable and trendy way to play, making it very difficult to compete with Sina Blog for users.

Guo Feng shook his head: "Let's not even talk about technical issues. Other blogging platforms simply won't open their data interfaces."

"Let's work on the features you mentioned first," Chen Guiliang was forced to abandon his outdated demands. "Once our campus network is built, it will definitely crush ChinaRen Alumni Directory!"

As early as 1999, ChinaRen launched its alumni directory, which quickly attracted over 400 million registered users and more than 20 daily active users, covering 80% of universities across the country.

In 2000, Sohu acquired ChinaRen in a stock swap deal worth $3000 million.

Until last year, alumni directories held 90% of the Chinese campus social networking market share, with daily page views exceeding 5000 million.

Why did Guo Feng believe Chen Guiliang's claim of a market gap?

Because alumni directories are no longer viable.

Which of the companies acquired by Sohu can escape the fate of decline?

Three years ago, the founder of ChinaRen was forced to leave Sohu, and the founding team was disbanded.

Sohu defined its alumni directory as a traffic tool and did not allow it to operate independently. After the founding team disbanded, it was treated like an unwanted stepchild, with no updates or maintenance for a long time, resulting in an extremely poor user experience and various functions remaining outdated for several years.

In an era of rapid advancements in internet technology, it's as if time has stood still for a social networking platform that hasn't added any new features for several years.

It's just a lifeless behemoth!

"You guys are busy first."

Chen Guiliang, carrying Bian Guanyue, quickly rode to the south gate and said to the barbecue stall owner, "Give me 30 skewers of pork kidneys, 100 skewers of lamb, and whatever else you like."

After saying that, he bought two dozen cans of beer from a nearby store.

"Did you buy these for them?" Bian Guanyue asked.

Chen Guiliang said, "They've worked very hard, so let's give them a treat and have a drink together."

Bian Guanyue said, "You must be very tired too, with so many courses and running a company."

"I'm not tired yet. It's the promotion phase that's when I should step up my efforts," Chen Guiliang asked with a smile. "How about we take a few more days off during the National Day holiday, and I'll show you around all the nearby schools?"

"Mm," Bian Guanyue replied, bowing her head.

The two chatted while waiting for the barbecue to finish. Chen Guiliang got on his bicycle and hung the plastic bags of beer on both ends of the handlebars. Bian Guanyue remained on the back of the bicycle, helping to carry the barbecue.

"Jingle Bell……"

As Chen Guiliang rode his bicycle along the street, he would occasionally ring his bell to remind pedestrians ahead to be careful.

The surrounding area was brightly lit, and the streets were bustling with activity.

Bian Guanyue pressed her cheek against Chen Guiliang's vest, admiring the beautiful street scene at night, thinking that it would be perfect if she could live like this forever.

“I’ll sing for you,” Bian Guanyue said.

Chen Guiliang smiled and said, "Okay."

"The amber sunset is like sugar in a beautiful distance, your face is without makeup yet I fall madly in love, longing and shadow are stretched together at dusk..."

It's different from Jay Chou's singing style.

Bian Guanyue's voice was clearer and her pronunciation was more articulate, carrying with it a girl's longing for love.

The sweet, clear singing gave Chen Guiliang even more strength as he pedaled his bicycle. He only knew a part of the song, but when he arrived, he joined in the chorus: "I'm under the blazing sun, just wanting to hold an umbrella for you; you lean on my shoulder, afraid you'll forget to breathe..."

The bicycle sped along the roadside, passing by an elderly professor couple.

The elderly professors were taking a walk when they saw them approaching from afar, singing sweet love songs together. Their wrinkled faces immediately broke into smiles.

The elderly couple stopped and watched as the bicycles rode away into the distance.

"It's so good to be young," the old lady said.

The old man said, "Yes."

……

"Stop busy, let's have a midnight snack first."

Chen Guiliang put two dozen beers on the table, and Bian Guanyue also brought over some barbecue.

"Oh, so you know to come back and report for duty. Old Dong, come on over and have some fun together," Guo Feng said, swallowing hard.

Dong Qianqiu cheered up: "I'll only drink one can of beer; I still have to work tonight."

Chen Guiliang said, "Work my ass, we'll talk about it tomorrow."

Dong Qianqiu smiled and didn't insist. He thought Chen Guiliang was a good person. Chen Guiliang opened a can of beer for Bian Guanyue as well, raised his beer, and said, "Come on, let's have a toast. I won't go into any of that Silicon Valley startup spree story here, Brother Dong. You're a computer science student, you've probably heard those kinds of stories a millionaire. Whether you join the company or not, we're friends now that we're here!"

"it is good."

Dong Qianqiu opened the can, clinked glasses, took a small sip, and then started eating the lamb skewers.

Guo Feng grabbed a skewer of large kidneys and started eating.

Bian Guanyue used to be indifferent to social interactions and never cared about anyone's feelings.

At this moment, she carefully recalled her father and stepmother's usual words and actions. Seeing Guo Feng take a few bites and go to get a beer, she said somewhat awkwardly, "Senior Brother Guo, I'd like to toast you. It's a pleasure to meet you. I wish you and Chen Guiliang's company great success and prosperity."

"Thank you."

Guo Feng only had eyes for his senior sister, but Bian Guanyue still amazed him. After clinking glasses and drinking, he said to Chen Guiliang, "Your girlfriend is very beautiful."

Chen Guiliang laughed and said, "Your senior sister must be even prettier."

Guo Feng shook his head: "In terms of looks alone, she's definitely not as good as your girlfriend. But how should I put it, Senior Sister? That feeling... well, it's indescribable."

Dong Qianqiu, who had been mostly silent, couldn't help but burst out laughing while eating his skewers.

"What are you laughing at?" Guo Feng said irritably.

Dong Qianqiu said, "I remember last year on your senior sister's birthday, you gave her a bouquet of carnations. You didn't dare to say a word, you just threw down the flowers and ran away, and you even tripped and fell downstairs."

Bian Guanyue asked in confusion, "Aren't carnations for mothers?"

Guo Feng emphasized, "I gave her white carnations. They represent eternal love, the purest love, and can also bring good luck to women."

Bian Guanyue said, "But if you like your senior, you can give her roses."

“You don’t understand. Roses are too vulgar and don’t deserve your senior,” Guo Feng said.

Dong Qianqiu suppressed a laugh and remained silent.

Chen Guiliang winked at the moon over the border.

Bian Guanyue immediately ended the topic, raised his beer and said, "Brother Dong, I'd also like to toast you. I'm glad you could come and help."

"You're welcome," Dong Qianqiu quickly clinked glasses with him.

The four of them started drinking, eating skewers, and chatting. By the time they finished the barbecue, it was almost 11 p.m.

Chen Guiliang urged them to go back to their dorm: "Go back and get some sleep. You'll be much more alert when you wake up tomorrow. Don't ruin your health before you've even finished building the website."

"Why are you just like my mom?" Guo Feng complained as he listened to Chen Guiliang's instructions.

Perhaps because of the alcohol, Dong Qianqiu became more talkative, patting Chen Guiliang on the shoulder and saying, "Junior brother, I think making websites is quite interesting, and you're a very good person too. But I've already applied for an internship at Microsoft Research Asia. If Microsoft approves my application, I'll start in December. I can come here to help out until December. If Microsoft doesn't want me... well, I'll seriously consider your suggestion."

“Then I wish you success in getting into Microsoft, Senior Brother Dong. My door is always open,” Chen Guiliang said.

These words surprised Dong Qianqiu, but he didn't say anything more and patted Chen Guiliang on the shoulder again.

Chen Guiliang pushed his bicycle and, together with Bian Guanyue, escorted them back to school, locking the bicycle downstairs in the dormitory building.

He and Bian Guanyue strolled hand in hand on campus, and then they walked slowly along the road outside the school.

Only when he saw a Tongrentang chain pharmacy ahead did Chen Guiliang say, "Wait for me."

Buy a small umbrella.

Bian Guanyue could roughly guess what he was going to buy, and her cheeks flushed. She lowered her head and remained silent, blushing.

After booking the room, Chen Guiliang escorted her inside, pretending to check the time on his phone: "The dormitory usually closes at 11 p.m., and 11:30 p.m. is considered late. I wonder if it will be different during the National Day holiday."

Bian Guanyue chuckled: "How about we get another room, and you can sleep in the next one?"

Chen Guiliang said, "This bed is quite big, enough for three people. It would be a waste of money to open another room. How about this, we'll put a pillow as the boundary, and I definitely won't cross that line."

"What if we cross the line?" Bian Guanyue asked.

"I am a little dog!" Chen Guiliang swore.

Bian Guanyue remembered that broken stone and drew a rascal dog on it, thinking to herself: You were a little dog to begin with.

The two sat on the edge of the bed, chatting absentmindedly for a while.

The atmosphere grew increasingly ambiguous.

"I sweated a lot today, I'm going to take a shower," Chen Guiliang said.

Listening to the sound of water running in the bathroom, Bian Guanyue held her cheeks in her hands, feeling her face getting hotter and hotter.

Isn't this a bit too fast?
Bian Guanyue realized that she and Chen Guiliang had never kissed, or even hugged like lovers. Were they going straight to the final step?

No!

That's such a shame.

But if I refuse, won't he get very angry?

Bian Guanyue became increasingly conflicted as she thought about it.

How about telling a lie? Say you've started your period.

That's not good either; I shouldn't have lied to him.

Bian Guanyue took out her phone and texted her cousin: Sis, how should I refuse...?

After typing a few words, Bian Guanyue canceled the message; she was too embarrassed to ask about such things.

What should I do?

-

(Thanks to Chang'an Xiaocaizi for the generous donation.)
(Please give me a monthly ticket.)
(End of this chapter)