Pei Qian happily pocketed the hundred thousand yuan and placed the trophy and certificate in his office cabinet, feeling much better.
Finally, he had gotten his revenge!
Of course, Pei Qian also remembered to have Assistant Xin follow up with reimbursing the return flight tickets for the other party. Though it wasn’t much money, as the saying goes, even a mosquito is meat, no matter how small it is. This expense absolutely couldn’t be saved.
After seeing off the official interview team, he could finally settle down and focus on spending money properly.
Today was October 24th, and the week-long 1024 Digital Festival officially began!
There had already been a period of promotional warm-up, so once the event started, it received extremely high attention!
First was Slackin’ Takeout.
During the event period, Slackin’ Takeout dishes were discounted with free delivery fees. It could be said that the more they sold, the more they lost.
Early in the morning, various new and old users started ordering through the Slackin’ Takeout APP. The chefs from several Slackin’ Internet Cafés had never been busier, quickly preparing one dish after another.
These dishes were promptly packed in exquisite tableware, placed in thermal boxes, and the delivery riders who had been waiting for a long time immediately mounted their electric bikes, delivering food to customers like industrious bees.
Of course, the staff responsible for receiving returned containers or cleaning and disinfecting tableware were equally busy.
Pei Qian had anticipated the shortage of manpower in advance, so he had Slackin’ Takeout recruit many temporary workers with daily wages, ensuring sufficient staff and no delivery delays.
If there were delivery delays, there was nothing they could do but directly arrange for customers to receive red packets as compensation. For excessive delays, they would double the price of the dishes.
In short, let the already unprofitable Slackin’ Takeout lose even more money!
In addition, preparing uniform-style uniforms, thermal boxes, and electric bikes for these temporary delivery riders had cost a significant amount.
Walking on the streets of Jingzhou, one could often see delivery riders wearing Slackin’ Takeout’s yellow and blue uniforms riding electric bikes to deliver food, becoming a striking scene.
Completely different from those delivery riders who recklessly rode electric bikes in Pei Qian’s memory, Slackin’ Takeout delivery riders weren’t so impulsive. They strictly obeyed traffic rules, didn’t squeeze through crowds or rush ahead, and were quite polite.
After all, riders weren’t fined for delayed orders, and all compensation to customers was borne by the Slackin’ Takeout platform.
Moreover, Slackin’ Takeout gave more generous delivery fees compared to other platforms. Delivery riders could earn a decent income by taking and completing orders, so there was no need to take risks for the sake of earning a few more orders.
Of course, basic performance still needed to be guaranteed. If any delivery rider was too slow to complete Mr. Pei’s goal of rapid losses, or had a poor service attitude that dissatisfied customers, they would still be fined or even dismissed.
At Headwind Logistics, the scene was equally busy. Arrangements had already been made with other courier companies, and Headwind Logistics wouldn’t charge any delivery fees during the event, so many courier companies were happy to drop off packages at Headwind stations.
Mailing through Headwind stations offered certain postage discounts, and some users with such needs also began using Headwind stations to mail goods.
All Headwind stations across Jingzhou began to bustle with activity. Couriers continuously delivered and collected packages, and with each package received or sent, the funds in Mr. Pei’s system account decreased a bit more.
The number of players at Slackin’ Internet Café hadn’t significantly increased, but the number of people purchasing ROF computers had surged!
Before Slackin’ Internet Café opened its doors, many players were already queuing outside. Shortly after opening, the first 100 computers were sold out, barely lasting any time.
Because they were too good a deal!
Originally, these three tiers of computers were sold at cost price, with assembly fees, logistics fees, and after-sales service given away for free. Add to that the upgrade promotion, and prices dropped by over four thousand yuan, making them extremely attractive to players!
Even though the first 100 spots were gone, people’s enthusiasm for purchasing remained undiminished.
Pei Qian had Zhang Yuan spend big money on stocking up, which proved useful now. Components from the warehouse were continuously sent to several storage rooms, where staff quickly assembled the machines. After powering them up, they were immediately arranged for home delivery via Headwind Logistics, with extremely fast speed.
Many people who had just finished their rush purchases in the morning had their computers delivered by noon, their delight simply overflowing.
……
At noon, Slackin’ Internet Café.
Yu Hang was intently staring at the screen, his index finger lightly tapping the left mouse button. The gun on screen immediately spewed blue fire, making the zombies in front stagger backward.
Undeniably, Slackin’ Internet Café’s ultra-high computer configuration and high refresh rate gaming monitor gave him an unprecedented gaming experience.
As the game ended, Yu Hang leaned back in his chair, took a couple of sips of coffee, and his excitement had not yet fully subsided.
At this moment, the café attendant standing nearby approached and whispered in his ear: “Sir, congratulations, you’ve won a prize.”
Yu Hang was stunned. He abruptly turned his head to look at the smiling attendant, momentarily speechless.
A scam?
That couldn’t be right—this attendant had been working at this internet café for a while and was quite familiar.
Such a large internet café couldn’t openly deceive people, right?
Could it be that today he was truly blessed by luck?
Yu Hang looked at the attendant skeptically: “What prize? Are you giving me free internet time?”
The attendant smiled: “Sir, please leave your delivery address and contact information. You’re our café’s first lucky player selected today. We’ll give you a computer host identical to the ones in our café.”
Yu Hang almost thought he’d misheard: “Huh? Giving away a computer? For free?”
The attendant nodded with a smile and said softly, “Yes, giving you a free ROF custom host.”
Yu Hang felt a bit dizzy and somewhat creeped out.
This whole thing felt weird!
He had participated in activities at other internet cafés before, but those cafés would always promote their events with great fanfare.
There would be notice boards at the entrance, promotional banners, and posters on the walls. If someone won a prize, they’d practically broadcast it for three days throughout the café, letting all customers know.
But why was Slackin’ Internet Café being so low-key about this?
Drawing a computer as a prize—shouldn’t they promote this vigorously? Why did it seem like they were doing something shady, having to whisper it in the customer’s ear?
Yu Hang wasn’t sure what was happening. If he hadn’t already been a regular customer at Slackin’ Internet Café, he might have fled screaming “scam!”
But hearing it was an ROF computer, Yu Hang couldn’t help feeling tempted.
He knew about ROF. The café had been promoting similar activities recently, and the specifications of these computers looked quite enticing, especially with the upgrade activity that directly saved 4,000 yuan, practically like getting it for free.
But Yu Hang didn’t have money; he couldn’t even afford the lowest-tier ROF computer.
Now, such a good computer would be given away for free? Was that possible?
Taking paper and pen from the attendant, Yu Hang skeptically wrote down his address: Handong University of Technology, Main Campus, Building 14, Room 403, then added his name and phone number.
The attendant nodded: “Alright, we’ll arrange delivery immediately. Please watch for it.”
The attendant took back the paper and pen, then left.
Yu Hang scratched the back of his head, somewhat confused.
What just happened?
The attendant came, the attendant asked for an address, and the attendant left.
That’s it?
Yu Hang even doubted whether he had won a prize, wondering if the previous scene was just an illusion, a side effect of drinking too much coffee.
“Whatever, at least they didn’t ask me for money. I’ll just wait and see.”
Yu Hang didn’t think much about it and continued his struggle in “Sea Fortress.”
He’d wait. If something was delivered to his door in a few days, then they’d see.
Playing until 1 PM, the young man felt his stomach growling with hunger.
It was about time to head back.
He ordered a Slackin’ Takeout meal on his way, so by the time he reached the dormitory, the takeout would be delivered just right. Eat, take a nap—life was good.
Just as he reached the school gate, his phone rang.
“Hello, is this Mr. Yu Hang? Your express delivery has arrived downstairs.”
Yu Hang quickly replied: “Oh, okay, I’ll be right there.”
Hanging up the phone, Yu Hang muttered: “How did today’s takeout get delivered so quickly?”
He had ordered from Slackin’ Takeout many times before, so his timing was usually good—roughly when he reached the dormitory building, the food would arrive.
But today, he had just entered the school gate and had already received a call.
Yu Hang hurriedly quickened his pace toward the dormitory.
When he was almost at the dormitory, the phone rang again.
“Hello? Is this Mr. Yu Hang? Your takeout has arrived downstairs.”
Yu Hang was somewhat speechless: “Don’t rush, don’t rush, I’m coming right away.”
The delivery rider on the other end was confused: “Huh?”
Yu Hang was startled for a moment, suddenly realizing that this rider’s voice seemed different.
Thinking carefully, it seemed the previous person had said, “Express delivery has arrived.”?
Yu Hang hurriedly said, “Ah, sorry, I got confused. Please wait, I’ll be downstairs right away.”
Hanging up the phone, Yu Hang was puzzled.
Express delivery?
He hadn’t bought anything recently, so where did this delivery come from?
Moreover, deliveries generally wouldn’t be sent to the dormitory; they would all be lined up in the plaza waiting to be claimed. How was this delivery being sent right to the dormitory? This treatment was too good!
Yu Hang quickly walked downstairs and saw the blue and white uniform of the Slackin’ Takeout rider from afar.
But besides this takeout rider, there was also an electric tricycle, with a courier standing in front of a huge box.
Yu Hang became even more confused. He quickly went forward, took the takeout from the delivery rider, and then approached the courier.
“What’s this?” Yu Hang looked at the large box in front of him, his face full of bewilderment.
The courier smiled: “Your computer host has been delivered. Do you need help carrying it upstairs?”
Yu Hang was stunned for a moment, then exclaimed in astonishment: “What the hell!”
Win a prize in the morning, delivered in the afternoon???
Even traveling by rocket wouldn’t be this fast!
Previously, Yu Hang hadn’t thought about this at all. He figured that even if the prize was real, based on typical courier service, it would take three to five days to deliver!
He had heard that ROF was a computer assembly brand with components purchased online. He never imagined it would be delivered so quickly, with speed comparable to or even faster than offline stores responsible for home delivery!
“Thank you, please help me carry it up!”
Yu Hang was instantly excited. Was this a dream?
Arriving at the dormitory, several roommates were each busy with their things. Some were sleeping on beds, others were watching dramas on laptops.
The courier was very skilled, placing the large box on the ground, unpacking it, and putting the host on Yu Hang’s desk.
The living conditions at Handong University of Technology were much better than at Handong University—not bunk beds but desk-under-bed arrangements, so there was enough space for this computer.
Yu Hang shouted to a nearby classmate: “Old Li, lend me your monitor quick!”
The “Old Li” in the bed opposite Yu Hang was the only one in the dorm with a desktop computer.
Yu Hang himself used a laptop, so he didn’t have a monitor. And this computer host didn’t come with a monitor.
To test the performance of the host, he could only borrow someone else’s monitor.
Old Li was playing a game when he turned his head and saw the cool host on Yu Hang’s desk. His eyes widened: “Holy shit! Old Yu, did you win the lottery?”