Huayu, my cheat code is a bit strange.

Chapter 12 New Investment
A bright spring day at the entrance of the Central Academy of Drama.

The bookish young man enthusiastically promoted the product.

Her delicate features and gentle demeanor attracted many middle-aged men and women.

Holding up a copy of "College Entrance Examination Preparation: Core English Vocabulary," he called out in a clear, steady voice:
"Dear uncles and aunts, please understand that this is not just a learning resource, but also a tool for efficiency."

He spoke earnestly:

"Every second counts in the art exam preparation. We've sifted through five years of past exam papers to find the 2,000 most frequently tested words, eliminating irrelevant content and focusing only on those most likely to be tested!"

He opened the inner pages, showing the clear layout and key points marked inside.

"For each word, only the core definition is marked, along with a classic example sentence. Our goal is singular—to get the most points in the shortest amount of time!"

"Young man, what you said makes sense, but isn't 25 yuan a bit too expensive?"

A middle-aged man wearing glasses hesitated before speaking.

"Uncle, our education system is essentially a selection process, and art students are no exception. It would be a real loss if all the hard work and tens of thousands of yuan spent cultivating their artistic talent were stopped by a few academic questions."

Gu Xiao was eloquent, fully utilizing her talent for witty banter. She could spout internet jokes off the cuff and quote various classical texts, completely captivating the middle-aged man and the group of parents.

It's not that these people are stupid, but that Gu Xiao has spoken out about what they are most worried about.

After seeing the middle-aged man buy a serving, several parents who were initially observing immediately stepped forward.

"Give me one."

"I want one too."

While collecting the money and handing over the book, Gu Xiao added:
"Each set of materials comes with follow-up Q&A service. You can contact me via the QQ number at the end of the book if you have any learning questions."

Not far away, Qiu Yuanyuan leaned against the wall with her arms crossed, watching Gu Xiao sell out her goods in just ten minutes, and couldn't help but mutter to herself:
"That mouth of hers can really talk a dead man back to life."

Next, the two repeated the same routine, moving between copy shops and various art colleges.

To prevent unsold copies and to reduce the burden, Gu Xiao only makes a maximum of 15 copies each time.

Supply falling short of demand has become the norm.

Afternoon, at the main gate of Beijing Dance Academy.

Gu Xiao struggled to break free from the group of parents who were still surrounding him and asking questions. A thin layer of sweat appeared on his forehead, and his once neat clothes became quite disheveled.

He instinctively protected his inner breast pocket—where he held a thick wad of banknotes he had just received, the solid feel of which gave him peace of mind.

Parents' money is indeed easy to make. Perhaps we should expand our target group. Art students are ultimately a minority. Gu Xiao muttered to himself, touching the banknotes in his pocket.

"Are you going to other colleges next?" Qiu Yuanyuan's voice interrupted his thoughts.

She stood with her arms crossed under the shade of a tree not far away, completely immune to Gu Xiao's sales efficiency, which was almost like robbery.

"No, we've completed this phase of the mission, let's go get a good meal!"

Gu Xiao waved his hand and announced with a touch of extravagance, "Now that we've made money, we should enjoy it while we can. How about some hot pot?"

Qiu Yuanyuan stared at Gu Xiao for a long time, then turned her head away and said:
"casual."

……

……

It was still early, and most shops on Guijie Street had not yet opened, so Gu Xiao and Qiu Yuanyuan had no choice but to go to Wangfujing instead.

Donglaishun hot pot, Quanjude roast duck, international cuisine, snacks and fast food—you name it, they have it.

They wandered around for a long time, buying stinky tofu, lamb skewers, pea flour cakes, and donkey rolls, before finally stopping at a Sichuan-Chongqing hot pot restaurant.

Gu Xiao ate two more plates of crispy pork, and several plates of hot pot lamb, meatballs, shrimp paste, and tripe.
Qiu Yuanyuan's lips twitched as she watched.

"Don't look at me like that. I don't usually eat that much," Gu Xiao explained.

This is not a lie.

Previously, his appetite was normal, but ever since his "three-nothing golden finger" (a cheat code for having no food or energy) awakened, he has been experiencing a sense of deprivation from time to time.

Because she had no money and it didn't affect her physical mobility, Gu Xiao just kept enduring it.

Now that I have a bit more money, I naturally want to treat myself.

Qiu Yuanyuan glanced at Gu Xiao's still flat stomach and fell silent.

Just because she doesn't ask about many things doesn't mean she doesn't think about them.

I thought that getting up close would clear up some of my doubts, but instead, I found myself having more and more questions.

The steaming hot pot blurred Gu Xiao's slightly tired but satisfied face.

"What are you planning to do next?" Qiu Yuanyuan asked casually.

"I haven't decided yet." Gu Xiao leaned back in her chair, feeling the comforting warmth in her stomach, her thoughts wandering.

So far, a total of 40 copies of the materials have been sold, and after deducting costs and transportation expenses, the net profit is 650 yuan.

In those days, the average monthly income of ordinary wage earners was only 1000 to 2000 yuan, so he earned in one morning what others earned in more than half a month.

However, this is still quite a distance from achieving upward social mobility.

Without strong sales channels and the ability to monopolize, the lifespan of learning materials is extremely limited.

Once someone copies and distributes it, or a similar product appears, this business is over.

He needs to find a more stable and scalable source of income.

Gu Xiao suddenly thought of something, looked at Qiu Yuanyuan, and asked:

Do you know how to assemble a computer?

Qiu Yuanyuan didn't understand why the topic had jumped so abruptly, but she still nodded.

Gu Xiao said, "Help me configure a computer. The configuration doesn't need to be too high, just enough to access the internet normally."

Qiu Yuanyuan bluntly stated, "Computers are evolving very quickly. If that's all you're looking for, I suggest you go to an internet cafe."

"It's too noisy, and besides, I need to use it frequently," Gu Xiao said.

Upon hearing this, Qiu Yuanyuan said nothing more, and instead asked, "When do you want it?"

"The sooner the better."

"400."

"make a deal."

……

……

Speedy Internet Cafe.

"so."

Qiu Xu glared at his sister with a grim expression, almost stubbing out his cigarette. "You went out with him all day today?"

His sharp gaze swept over Gu Xiao beside him, his eyes cold.

Qiu Yuanyuan crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "What? You're not happy?"

Qiu Xu was speechless, a nameless anger rising within him, but he had nowhere to vent it.

Gu Xiao sensed the oppressive low pressure that was almost solidifying, and wisely remained silent.

"Ignore him, come with me."

Qiu Yuanyuan called out to Gu Xiao and continued walking.

Gu Xiao followed, and as she passed the bar, she gave Qiu Xu a helpless look.

Qiu Xu felt a lump in his throat, and his already gloomy face became even more unpleasant.

The two walked through the internet cafe lobby and arrived at the private rooms area. They continued forward along the corridor and soon came to a locked room.

Gu Xiaoyuan thought Qiu Yuanyuan would take out the key from her pocket.

The female warrior, however, stepped to the side and raised her foot, kicking the door solidly with a dull thud!
The old latch groaned under its strain, and the door swung open with a thud.

Gu Xiao's forehead was covered in cold sweat.

"Wait here," Qiu Yuanyuan said before walking into the room alone.

A few minutes later, she had a black laptop bag in her hand.

"The IBM ThinkPad 600 is more than capable of typing."

Gu Xiao's eyes widened in astonishment. "I don't have that much money," she said.

Laptops were considered high-end luxury items at that time, costing tens of thousands of yuan!

Qiu Yuanyuan said calmly, "The rent is 400 a year."

After saying that, she added, "This was originally a second-hand item that my dad bought. It's no longer used, and it'll just collect dust if I keep it."

Gu Xiao paused for a moment, then said, "I don't understand."

Qiu Yuanyuan is very smart and knows what Gu Xiao is talking about.

She thought for a moment and replied, "The hot pot was delicious today."

(End of this chapter)