…Looking at the advertising language of this Weibo post, Li Shuoxing was in a trance, the gentle incitement of a female voiceover ringing out in his mind.
It was so real that it caused slight discomfort.
He hurriedly shook his head, shaking out the voice in his mind, and then looked at the Weibo post in front of him.
70,000 forwards, 30,000 comments.
It was worthy of the first hot search, very hot indeed.
He opened the specific content and saw the top few hot forwards.
“There’s nothing wrong. With a paper person, what do you expect.”
“Under normal circumstances, there are more heterosexuals. On Weibo, there are more homosexuals… Until today, when I found that actually everyone is paper sexual!”
“Haidilao, it’s you, the place where my paper person and I pledged love!”
There were all kinds of hot forwards, with no shortage of flirtatious ones. But under the first hot forward with 30,000 forwards, they all had to bow down.
The first hot forward:
“It’s me.”
It’s me in the Weibo post.
It’s me in the photo.
Isn’t that what I look like?
One world, one me, we’re all good friends today!
Even Li Shuoxing, who had come in search of the truth, had a slight impulse when he saw this forward.
But he woke up in time, and while waking up, he became acutely aware of the doubtful points.
In fact, seriously speaking, the photo was really as the waiter had promised last night. It was blurred and the screen was unreadable. His side face also wasn’t exposed much; apart from his lips and one side of his jaw, the rest couldn’t be seen clearly.
Moreover, there was no one standing in for him under this Weibo post, and his backend was just as quiet, proving that no one had linked the hot search with him since last night.
His identity was saved.
It didn’t really make the front page of the social news.
After breathing a sigh of relief, Li Shuoxing suddenly woke up.
Wait a minute. Since no one on Weibo linked me to this incident, how did those guys in the group identify it was me based on this photo?
Now that I think about it.
Just now, wasn’t that herd of animals acting a little too eager? One person using the summoning technique is fine, but a group of people lining up to use it together, in a neat line, without a single interruption in the middle, as if it was rehearsed in advance…
…
…
They weren’t even sure it was me!
It was a trick!
I’ve been fooled!
Li Shuoxing was frustrated. He immediately opened the QQ group and tried to salvage the situation. “This cheap photo. Haidilao’s advertising is getting better and better, I was even touched by them.”
But it was too late.
His defence was met with louder ridicule from the group.
Soren: “Grow up, don’t explain.”
Ten Zero Ling: “You’ve just been completely exposed.”
Calm Egg: “I’m dying from laughter seeing you like that just now.”
Interfinger Storm: “Ximu, it’s a waste for you to write such high-end intellectual battles in your novels, but in reality… tsk.”
Li Shuoxing: “…”
Fortunately, the screens separated them from each other.
Otherwise, it would’ve most likely led to a group brawl no one wanted to see.
Li Shuoxing calmed down, steadied himself, and typed, “Well, how did you find out? That photo has obviously been photoshopped to the extent that mum wouldn’t even recognise it.”
Calm Egg was smug. “Your face may be about covered, but Eunuch, I can smell your foulness even across the screen.”
Li Shuoxing sent a [vomit] expression.
Soren, Ten Zero Ling and Interfinger Storm followed suit.
Everyone couldn’t stand Calm Egg’s description.
Calm Egg accepted it with an open mind and actively corrected himself, saying seriously, “It’s nothing really. I just felt that the figure and feeling were quite similar. Anyway, I had nothing to do, so I just casually asked you.”
Li Shuoxing emphasised with single quotation marks: “…You really are ‘casual’.”
Calm Egg showed modesty. “It’s so-so, ordinary. I just took a minute to casually think of an idea. After all, I’m a political novel writer. If my writing was bad, would my books be banned one after another? The higher-ups are just trying to screw me. Even if I change my pen name countless times, they can still see the essence through the appearance and find my interesting soul.”
What he said really made sense.
Everyone was speechless for a moment.
They just saw that Calm Egg wasn’t finished, continuing to express, “Eunuch, this photo has reached the first hot search. Why don’t you take the opportunity to reveal your identity and admit this? Your new book has just started and needs some publicity anyway.”
Li Shuoxing: “Forget it, it’s meaningless.”
Everyone made a suggestion. Li Shuoxing was unwilling, and no one said much.
The topic changed and the conversation went on to something else.
Li Shuoxing closed the group chat and opened another chat box.
Five minutes ago, Panda had messaged him.
Panda: “Ximu, have you seen the Weibo hot search?”
Sure enough, it’s about this.
Li Shuoxing: “I’ve seen it.”
Panda: “We just went to Haidilao yesterday…”
Li Shuoxing’s lips twitched.
Yes, if it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have had dinner with Cady, wouldn’t have taken out my phone, more so wouldn’t have made the hot search, and even more so wouldn’t have fallen into a pit and gotten buried by those guys in the group.
You’re the real culprit behind the scenes!
Panda lamented, “Haidilao’s plan is genius. As soon as their blade came out, it won the hot search. Why couldn’t I think of such a perfect promotional plan?”
…Huh?
Li Shuoxing suddenly felt something wrong with Panda’s words.
He instinctively deleted the long string of words he’d typed and returned an ellipsis.
Li Shuoxing: “…”
Panda continued to lament and analysed with Li Shuoxing what was good about this. “You see, with this hot search, Haidilao grasped the fundamental advantages and expanded its target group, accurately sniping the hearts of otaku youths and becoming a hotpot holy land for them. And all the expenses were just an idea and a photo. With an incredibly small effort to achieve incredibly great results, it’s nothing more than a huge profit.”
Li Shuoxing: “…”
He was confused.
Calm Egg, who he hadn’t seen for half a year, made an accurate guess based on a blurry photo alone.
And Panda, who had sat face-to-face with him yesterday, actually chatted to him about that photo as if he’d lost his memory.
Was it too much.
Even if he couldn’t remember his face, he should remember what he was wearing!
Panda complained, “Ah, every time I talk to you about promotion and publicity, you’re not very concerned.”
Li Shuoxing’s great ellipses method returned: “…”
He was so speechless at the blind man on the other side of the computer that he could only type ellipses.
But on second thought…
Well, I don’t remember what Panda wore yesterday either.
After all, who cares what a man wears? He’s not my cub.
Panda didn’t know what was fluctuating in Li Shuoxing’s mind, so he continued, “While it’s not the author’s job to publicise, you’re the one who knows the novel best, so let’s communicate more to spark inspiration! Well, enough said, let’s get to work here. Ximu, feel free to message me if you have any ideas.”
Li Shuoxing, who was lonely as snow: “…”
Although I tried not to communicate with you.
It feels like you’ve already smoothly ended your communication with me.
After he finished chatting on the internet, Li Shuoxing immediately closed QQ.
He sat on the bed and let out a long sigh. He felt like the day hadn’t even started yet and he’d already used more than half the strength in his body.
In order to build up some energy, Li Shuoxing opened the game while getting up from bed and went online to watch his cub.
When he entered the game, before he could see anything, the screen flashed and a letter flew across the screen like a paper plane into the mailbox.
Li Shuoxing froze, and happened to see that the little person had gotten up and was sitting at the table doing something. He simply typed to ask, “Cub, did you write to me?”
Su Mingqian was startled by the sudden appearance of the light screen. He covered the paper in his hands and answered, “No. You came over very early today too.”
Li Shuoxing briskly replied, “I woke up missing you, so I came over to have a look.”
Su Mingqian quietly asked, “Have you done your work today?”
Li Shuoxing: “…”
Su Mingqian: “What about the ten o’clock update?”
Li Shuoxing: “…”
Su Mingqian: “How much stock do you have left?”
Li Shuoxing: “…”
Su Mingqian: “Your next—”
Li Shuoxing couldn’t stay silent any longer!
If he kept silent, he’d be a shame to all the readers who followed his novel!
He got a headache, and with his head full of bumps from poking, he cautiously answered, “Cub, I actually just got up and I don’t usually write in the morning. Mm… I always start writing from noon and write until I go to bed at night.”
Su Mingqian looked on quietly and didn’t speak.
Li Shuoxing got a little bolder and continued to speak. Since the schedule might be late but wouldn’t disappear, it was better to do it sooner. “I’ll get up in the morning, meet you, wait until about noon, then go home to write until I go to bed at night. It’s about 6000 words of progress in a day.”
Su Mingqian still didn’t speak.
But the numbers +1+1+1+1 tore through the surface of silence and began to jump above his head.
He was a little happy inside.
If he could, he also wanted to see Ximu first thing in the morning when he got up.
It was just that work was important.
Of course, if it didn’t interfere with work, then it was still possible to get up and meet first…
Su Mingqian confirmed, “6,000 words a day?”
Li Shuoxing had already figured out Su Mingqian’s thoughts from the favourability.  He forgot his handicapped hands for a moment and was sure without the slightest hesitation. “6,000 words a day!”
A smiling little expression appeared above the little person’s head.
Then, a paper folded in half was taken out by the little person.
Su Mingqian: “This is a flyer I picked up at the door this morning. You should take a look too. It seems that there’ll be a shopping event called 11.11 <sup>1</sup> 11.11 refers to November 11th. Singles Day is a Chinese shopping holiday as a holiday for single people, since the number “1” is Chinese slang for a single person. Singles Day is also a day to celebrate relationships since single people are paired up. here in a couple of days.”
Li Shuoxing: “…”
He opened it and saw four huge blood-red numbers on the flyer.
11.11
Then he saw the slogan immediately below the title.
Explosive Double Eleven, activities are waiting for you!
Red envelope rain, you can take all the red envelopes you want!
The Double Eleven event will officially open in three days. When the time comes, red envelope rain hidden with rich prizes will be sprinkled in the courtyard at 9:00am, 3:00pm and 8:00pm.
The more you pick up, the more you gain.
Players and lovers are invited to actively prepare and work together~
Li Shuoxing took one glance at the flyer and closed his eyes in pain. He couldn’t even look forward to the upcoming collaborative red envelope catching mini-activity.
Why do I have to relive this dreadful day of difficult choices in the game when I’ve clearly escaped the Double Eleven bombardment in reality? So many things, I really don’t know what to buy…
Li Shuoxing was just about to throw away the flyer when a thought came to him.
No, wait.
It’s fine if I don’t look at the Double Eleven in reality. There’s really nothing I want to buy anyway.
But I should still look at the Double Eleven in the game. With this game’s tendency to come out with something new every now and then, it may directly release valuable and important items in this Double Eleven, such as plane tickets…
With that in mind, Li Shuoxing was in no hurry to throw the thing away.
He looked at the flyer again and saw a brief introduction for Double Eleven.
After the content of the event, there was the venue introduction.
This Double Eleven event will open three venues.
The first venue has fresh food and general merchandise, and will be open 10:00am–12:00pm.
The second venue has clothing and furniture, and will be open 3:00pm–5:00pm.
The third venue has ???, and will be open 8:00pm–10:00pm.
Li Shuoxing’s eyes were fixed on the three question marks.
A very simple logical reasoning was established now.
If there was no idea of doing something, why would it code the venue classification?
Obviously, it had an idea of doing something. Only then would the venue classification be coded.
You have a good plan, but I have a countermeasure.
Li Shuoxing skillfully opened the chat box and rubbed the little person as an Aladdin lamp. “Cub, make a wish for a list of popular items sold in the three major venues of Double Eleven.”
Su Mingqian was stunned. “This… can also be wished for?”
Li Shuoxing believed in the power of the magic lamp and replied with certainty, “Definitely.”
It was just a wish.
Su Mingqian had no objection and did as Li Shuoxing said.
Li Shuoxing synchronously opened the store interface and began to wait for the store to refresh.
But a minute passed, two minutes passed, and the store was still unmoving like a mountain, with no intention of updating at all.
What’s going on…
Li Shuoxing was confused at first, then suddenly remembered the letter he’d seen flying across the screen when he went on the game.
Could it be?
He closed the store and opened the mailbox.
Sure enough, he saw an unread email lying in the system mailbox.
From: System
Subject: Love Bar 1.03 version update
[New Content]
(1) A large 11.11 series of activities go online, red envelopes, full discounts, coupons, we have it all!
[More Optimisation]
(1) Optimised system mail function
(2) Fixed new program bugs on store goods
(3) Solved the issue of abusing the lover’s requests
[Update Explanation]
Recently, the system has detected several instances of the player exploiting the system’s built-in program for taking care of the lover’s life to persuade their lover to request supplies from the system and successfully obtain the program bug.
In order to protect the physical and mental health of the lover and the numerical balance of the game, the system has changed the built-in program logic to detect the real needs of the lover and then realise them, so as to solve the situation of the player manipulating and cheating their lover.
Example 1: The player coaxes their lover into asking for [Item A] and the good lover is forced to make a wish. The system will not give [Item A].
Example 2: The good lover, of their own accord, wants to study [Item B] for physiological needs or academic research. The system mall will open the corresponding [Item B] option.
[Warm Reminder]
Please cherish your lover, love your lover, and, in compliance with the rules of the game, build a better tomorrow with your lover.
1
11.11 refers to November 11th. Singles Day is a Chinese shopping holiday as a holiday for single people, since the number “1” is Chinese slang for a single person. Singles Day is also a day to celebrate relationships since single people are paired up.