Lu You sat on the creaking chair, his fingers swiftly sliding across his phone screen.
He was editing a video.
Since activating the[Everything You Need]system and successfully completing his first "high value" transaction, Lu You's worldview had been shaken up.
But more importantly, his heart, which had long been beaten into a placid stillness by society, began to ripple once more.
Level up! Make money! Turn this shabby shop into the number one store in the universe!
The system's grand blueprint sounded like a fantasy.
But those tangible "Business Points" that actually appeared in his account made Lu You realize that this might be his only chance to break free from his fate.
The goal was clear, but the path was winding.
To earn high Business Points, he needed to sell rare items.
To sell rare items, he needed to let potential customers who needed them know about him.
And in this information age, what could be better than short videos for precisely hooking these customers?
Thus began his grand creation plan.
He fixed his phone to a stand in the corner of the counter, the lens aimed at the shop's core area.
Whenever a customer came in, he would quietly press the record button.
After three days, his footage library had finally accumulated a few decent clips.
"First, I need a shocking opening," Lu You muttered, selecting the first clip.
On screen, a middle-aged man in a work vest, with a clear tan line on his arm, stood boldly in front of the counter, his voice booming: "Boss, you got any of them Fire Extinguishers?"
In the video, Lu You lazily lifted his eyelids and uttered one word: "Got it!"
Crisp and clean, without any hesitation.
The man seemed quite satisfied with this efficiency.
Lu You then asked, "How many kilograms?"
"Dammit, that thing's just for inspections, good enough is fine!"
The man wore an expression that said, "You know what I mean."
Lu You nodded in understanding, didn't waste another word, and got up to head towards the shelves.
He still had some stock of these common, ordinary items in his shop, no need to bother the system.
He deftly pulled a brand new Portable Dry Powder Fire Extinguisher from the bottom shelf, placed it on the counter with a dull thud.
"Sixty."
"Deal!"
Accompanied by the crisp sound of the phone notification [Payment Received 60 Yuan].
The man left contentedly, carrying the red Fire Extinguisher.
"Take care, big bro!" Lu You shouted in the video, almost mechanically.
"Good, the pacing in this one is nice," Lu You nodded with satisfaction.
His finger swiped across the screen, and after a slick transition effect, the second clip seamlessly connected.
To boost the internet vibe, he specifically paired the next video with a hot DJ track trending online.
"Life~ can't you~ let me off~ just this once~"
"Next life~ I wanna be~ a kid who never grows up~"
The intense, slightly tacky drumbeat instantly filled the entire video.
It formed a stark contrast with the old-fashioned, simple aesthetic of the Hardware Store, sounding incredibly motivating!
On screen, an elderly woman with a slightly nervous expression peeked her head in, looking around.
Gesturing, she described her need: "Boss, do you have... that... the two-hole, three-hole... the one on the wall..."
The woman clearly didn't know the proper name for the thing and was getting flustered, her face turning red.
Before she could finish, Lu You in the video instantly understood.
He didn't even fully lift his head, just straightened up slightly from the wicker chair, and confidently responded, "Got it! Got it!"
Then, he darted out like a nimble cat.
Precisely pulling and rummaging through the towering shelves.
The whole process was smooth as silk, without a hint of hesitation.
Just a few seconds later, he returned to the counter with a white panel.
"Here, Five-Hole Socket!" Lu You slapped the Socket Panel onto the counter.
Announcing the product name in his unique, slightly deadpan-humorous tone.
The woman looked as if she'd found a treasure: "Yes, yes! That's it! How much?"
"Thirteen."
[Payment Received 13 Yuan]
The payment notification sounded again, perfectly syncing with a beat of the catchy DJ music.
Next, the video's pace quickened.
"Boss, clear Silicone Sealant, mold-resistant," said a bespectacled, scholarly-looking young man.
"Got it!"
[Payment Received 15 Yuan]
"Boss, do you... have a Hammer?" asked a girl who looked like a student, timidly.
"Got it!"
[Payment Received 20 Yuan]
The entire video was composed of rapid-fire clips of these "question and answer" exchanges, with wildly varied questions.
But Lu You's answer was always that resolute, impactful word: "Got it!"
Paired with that addictive BGM and the crisp payment notification after each successful transaction, it created a strangely satisfying, stress-relieving viewing experience.
Especially Lu You's calm demeanor of "Don't ask, just assume I have it."
Combined with the environment of his small, shabby shop, it created a strong chemical reaction, making viewers smile knowingly after watching.
Of course, behind this six-minute video lay a rather pitiful reality.
These were almost all the customers he had served in the past three days.
The state of his business was truly dismal.
"Alright, all done!" Lu You let out a long sigh of relief.
He gave the video a title he thought was awesome: "The Internet's 'Got-It-All' Hardware Store, He's Got Whatever You Ask For!"
Then clicked publish.
"Hope more people come, whether real customers or just viewers..." Lu You clasped his hands together and bowed slightly towards his phone.
After finishing all this, he stood up and looked around his little shop.
The goods on the shelves were arranged haphazardly.
Before, he'd turned a blind eye, thinking it gave the old shop character—in short, he was lazy.
But now his mindset had changed.
This was no longer a harbor where he could just drift along waiting to die.
It was the starting point of his journey, the embryo of his future "Number One Store in the Universe."
"Gotta work on the image a bit," Lu You said to himself.
He found a dusty rag from a corner, filled a basin with water, and began earnestly wiping down the shelves.
He sorted the scattered screws and nails by type into small compartments.
Re-hung the wrenches and pliers by size, swept the floor clean.
Sunlight shone through the clean glass door, illuminating the revitalized shop.
He couldn't remember the last time he had put such earnest effort into doing something.
University courses were just something to get through, job hunting after graduation was half-hearted, even inheriting this shop was initially just a choice made out of helplessness.
But now, with a goal, everything felt different.
Make money! Level up!
See what earth-shattering things the highest-level store in this [Everything You Need] system could actually sell!
He was working away with great enthusiasm.
Completely unaware that the video he had just published was starting to create a small ripple in the vast ocean of short videos.