Chapter 42: The Website Taking Shape
TL: Etude
On Saturday, a sudden rainstorm hit Linchuan University, washing away the sultriness that had lingered for many days.
The auto-reply system Su Nai had developed was already up and running on the website. The test results were quite satisfactory; the keyword triggers were very accurate, and the rate of flattery repetition wasnt high, making it almost seem like real people were responding.
Jiang Qin specially shared the website link with Cao Guangyu but didnt tell him about the bot. He just asked him to try posting to experience it. This damn fool became more and more convinced that he was the crme de la crme.
Old Jiang, this website you gave me is so interesting, damn fun!
At this moment, Cao Guangyu was sitting in front of his newly purchased computer, typing away on the keyboard with great pleasure.
Jiang Qin turned around nonchalantly, Whats so interesting about it?
This is my first time showing off online, and the first time Ive met so many people who agree with me. Theres even a girl who says she admires me. A true gem always shines, right? But they have no idea that Im just putting on a light show, not even trying hard yet!
????
Jiang Qin sneakily logged into the admin panel and saw that this guy had created a series of continuous posts titled My Unpretentious Life as a Rich Second Generation, boasting in various ways.
He posted about his Nokia 5230, commenting how trash it was and no wonder it was so cheap at 3000 yuan, not even comparable to the Vertu he had used before.
Then he posted a picture of a BMW 5 Series, saying that he was going to buy a car after military training, hesitating between BMW, Benz, and Cadillac. His family suggested he go all out and get a Porsche, but he thought that would be too high-profile and not very relatable.
These posts triggered a bunch of keywords, causing the reply bots to continually dish out flattery.
All sorts of praises like Brother, youre so cool, I envy your life, You have an extraordinary literary talent, must be a descendant of a literary giant. Cao Guangyu was so taken by these compliments that he kept replying to the bots, triggering more keywords, and receiving another round of flattery.
In this loop, Cao Guangyu felt like he had found the meaning of life.
Ren Ziqiang, watching from behind, was envious. Unfortunately, the website only had a PC version, so he couldnt join in, feeling a bit regretful.
People here speak so nicely, Old Jiang, when will the WAP version be launched? I want to play too.
Soon, maybe the day after tomorrow.
Jiang Qin looked at these two and sighed internally, thinking how this small dorm room happened to house two talents like Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong, able to have such fun with automated replies, unbeatable, truly fucking unbeatable.
However, this also proved that his approach was right. Automatic replies could indeed create a certain degree of false prosperity, producing excellent effects in the early stages when there were very few users.
At ten in the morning, the rain continued, and the temperature at Linchuan University dropped sharply, feeling refreshingly cool.
Jiang Qin was washing his socks when he suddenly received an email from Yao Yanling of the Literature Club. It was a novel titled Lonely City, about a girl with autism who gets into a key university with the encouragement of her entire class.
In the first ten thousand words, Yao Yanling, the senior sister, used an all-narrative writing style to delicately depict the girls loneliness, even writing a line about how her eyelashes seemed to exude a sense of solitude.
At ten yuan per thousand words, that meant a hundred yuan for ten thousand words.
Want to dig a hundred yuan from me?
Maybe I should just call the police?!
This is fucking fraud!
Senior sister, the writing is indeed not bad, even an outsider like me can feel a sense of loneliness.
Thank you for the praise, junior brother. Lets settle at ten yuan per thousand words then, Im giving you a discount.
But, senior sister, mine is a vulgar and low-level website, not suitable for such high-end works.
What do you mean?
Could you switch to a different genre? Dont write inspirational literature. Write some vulgar, melodramatic stuff, like love triangles, affairs, things we love to read.
Junior brother, you just dont understand literature. I guess I misjudged you!
Yao Yanling replied with that, then her avatar turned grey, obviously going offline.
Jiang Qin didnt care much; his website, like Weibo, was focused on fragmentary reading. Having novels to read was just a bonus, not essential.
But he was a bit worried. After all, Yao Yanling was the president of the Literature Club. If this affected the contributions from the Literature Club, what would happen to the content of his website? It couldnt just rely on Cao Guangyus boastful posts, could it?
Unexpectedly, half an hour later, Dong Wenhao called Jiang Qin, saying the first batch of manuscripts was ready for review. So, Jiang Qin changed his clothes and headed to the East Campus.
Among the submissions from the Literature Club were titles like:
Accidentally Crossed the Line with My Female Best Friend, What Should I Do?
My Boyfriend Graduated Before Me, Documenting My Journey from Long-Distance Relationship to Breakup
First Time Going to a Hotel with My Girlfriend, I Have Some Things Im Unsure If I Should Say
I Cared for My Ex-Boyfriend When He Caught a Cold, and Now My Current Boyfriend Wants to Break Up?
Whats It Like Dating the Campus Belle? Absolutely Real!
Out of the twenty manuscripts submitted by the Literature Club, only eight passed Jiang Qins careful review.
Dong Wenhao, feeling a bit embarrassed, explained that this was everyones first time taking on such a writing task and they were not yet familiar with it, promising that the pass rate would improve in the future.
Jiang Qin waved it off and took out one hundred and fifty yuan from his wallet to give to Dong Wenhao.
Shouldnt it just be forty-eight yuan for the eight qualified pieces at six yuan each?
The first submission, good or bad, I want all of them to motivate them. Seeing money at hand will make them think Im a generous boss, and your influence in the club will grow stronger, making things easier in the future.
Dong Wenhao accepted the money with a complex expression, Brother, your family does business, right?
Jiang Qin pocketed his wallet, No, Im just an extraordinarily handsome guy with a humble background.
Dong Wenhao hesitated before asking, Senior Yao has been looking gloomy today, saying you dont understand literature. Is there a problem with the novels?
No big issue. The novels are written well, all beautiful Chinese characters, but when put together, theyre just not appealing. Strange, isnt it? Jiang Qin shrugged.
Are you still accepting novels for your website?
I want to, but there are too few good ones. Im in business, not charity.
Dong Wenhao hesitated, then took out another manuscript, Then what about this one, You are the Color of Fireworks in the World? Would you accept it?
Jiang Qin skeptically took it and read a few lines, frowning slightly, This is decent, engaging and compelling. Who wrote this? Why did you hide it?
A former club member, Shi Miaomiao.
Former?
She was criticized by Senior Yao and left the club. Yao said her writing lacked spirit and told her not to waste time here.
Ill offer seven yuan per thousand words. If she agrees to update daily and the novels rights belong to me, Ill take it.
While they were speaking, the door of the Literature Clubs activity room suddenly opened, and Yao Yanling walked in. She paused briefly upon seeing Jiang Qin, then ignored him with a dark expression.
Her impression of Jiang Qin had been positive before, but not anymore. In her eyes, he was just a common man who didnt understand literature.
Yao Yanling picked up a pair of colorful flags from the right side of the room and left without looking back.
Dont mind her; thats just how the senior is. She never allows anyone to criticize her work, Dong Wenhao couldnt help but explain.
Jiang Qin waved it off, People with dreams like the senior are admirable, unlike me, who only has a little bit of money.
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