Chapter 8

New book seeking support

***

Unlike internet cafes, these computer rooms do not need to be connected to the internet, do not have a local area network, and do not even need to obtain a business license, so the capital required to start a business is much lower than the still relatively rare internet cafes of today!

Song Chen deeply understood that among the methods he could think of to accumulate starting capital, only this underground industry of "computer rooms" was feasible. Song Chen, who came from over a decade later, knew that opening an internet cafe could also bring huge profits and was even more legitimate!

So why not an internet cafe?

There are many reasons. First: It is naturally a matter of capital. Unlike over a decade later, the telecommunications fees now are very expensive, even calculated by the hour! It can be said that although internet cafes today do not have to face the management of over a dozen "relevant" departments as they did over a decade later, and there are no levies, they still have to face the obstacle of telecommunications fees—although this cost can be passed on to consumers! Additionally, opening an internet cafe requires renting a not-so-small storefront and at least some basic renovation, which are extra costs that Song Chen cannot ignore.

Second, based on Song Chen's limited information, the initial internet cafes, due to the lack of a clear supervisory authority, faced complex approval procedures due to multiple management bodies and conflicting policies, leading to the emergence of a large number of "black internet cafes." It could even be said that "black internet cafes" were the predecessors of computer rooms, with many black internet cafes evolving from computer rooms. The approval time was something Song Chen found hard to tolerate, as for a person who had traveled through time, his foresight was his greatest weapon—every minute and second was passing by at a pace that made him restless!

Finally, in just these two years, internet cafes will no longer be able to install single-player games until over a decade later, when overly strict management led to a backlash from internet cafe owners, and single-player games began to be installed in computers. Before that, internet users could only find chat rooms, browsers, and online games in internet cafes. It was only 1997, and although there were ICQ, chat rooms, and WINNAP, they were not yet enough to attract people to the point of neglecting meals and sleep, and lingering in internet cafes! The true spring of internet cafes is not now, not next year, and not even in 1999 when the little penguin (QQ) first appeared! It was in 2001 when the Korean online game "Legend" instantly ignited China, ushering in a crazy era where friends would gather at internet cafes and stay online for 24 hours without wanting to log off!—From "Legend" onwards, this new form of entertainment, online games, rapidly gained acceptance among a vast number of young people, marking an important milestone in the development of internet cafes and online games in China!

"What is a computer room? It sounds like a game arcade on the street!"

Zhang Ruoxi was puzzled by this unfamiliar term. If Song Chen had mentioned an internet cafe, she might have had some idea!

Song Chen shrugged and smiled bitterly, "It's similar, one plays games on arcade machines, the other on computers!"

Resting his elbow on his thigh, Song Chen played with his girlfriend's delicate hand and said thoughtfully, "Ruoxi, since you already have a computer, you must be familiar with games, right?"

"Games? If you mean Minesweeper, Solitaire, and such, I am indeed very familiar with them!" Zhang Ruoxi, displeased, pinched Song Chen again, "Just say what you want to say, don't keep me in suspense!"

The young girl's slightly angry and pouting expression left Song Chen momentarily stunned. After his girlfriend shyly lowered her head and pushed him, he smiled bitterly, placed his elbow on his thigh, bent his body, and looked up at the starry night sky, saying softly, "I don't know how to explain my plan. I intended to show you, but I found that no one around the school has noticed this money-making opportunity!"

After a moment of silence, Song Chen smiled bitterly again, "Perhaps they have noticed, but are hesitant due to the initial investment!"

Seeing that Song Chen was still beating around the bush, Zhang Ruoxi became impatient.

Fortunately, Song Chen noticed and smiled, "To put it simply, I want to open a computer room near the school, with a scale of about 8 to 10 computers, more if the capital is sufficient!"

Zhang Ruoxi's brows furrowed as she whispered, "That would require at least 80,000 to 90,000 yuan in capital, right? Since you don't want to ask your father for help, where will you get the capital? And why do you want to open such a place? Can it make money?"

Bending one leg, Song Chen hugged his single leg and pondered, "If my memory serves, the internet cafe fees now are around 10 to 20 yuan, right?"

Zhang Ruoxi nodded, "That's right, I and Linlin tried it, 20 yuan per hour!"

Who is Linlin? A series of questions flashed through Song Chen's mind, but he quickly dismissed them.

"Let me do some calculations for you!" Song Chen extended his finger and began to calculate for his girlfriend, "Since the computer room doesn't need to be connected to the internet, the price can be cheaper. Suppose I have a computer room with ten computers, and the hourly rate is 10 yuan! If each computer is used for an average of 10 hours a day, then the daily income per computer is 100 yuan, and with ten computers, the total daily income is 1,000 yuan, and 30,000 yuan a month!"

Zhang Ruoxi pouted, "That's too optimistic. If there's no internet, who would come to your computer room for 10 yuan an hour? And an average daily income of 1,000 yuan! But even if we deduct business taxes, rent, electricity, and other fees, there would still be a good profit!"

Song Chen shook his head and smiled at Zhang Ruoxi, "You're wrong, Ruoxi, you're wrong! Indeed, it's the second half of 1997, and the hourly rate might not be that high, but the average 10 hours of usage per computer is a very conservative estimate! If possible, it could even be 18 or 20 hours!"

Zhang Ruoxi sneered, "You don't plan to rest?"

"I can hire someone!"

Song Chen's words left Zhang Ruoxi momentarily stunned. She soon shook her head in disbelief, "20 hours, how can there be such a high usage rate and occupancy rate? What's so fun about computer games?"

"That's your feeling!" Song Chen gently hugged Zhang Ruoxi, placing his hand on her slender waist, feeling the surprising warmth in his palm, but his mind was focused on his business plan, "In reality, teenagers are not only fascinated by computers but are also unable to resist the magic of computer games! 'Chinese Paladin,' 'Command & Conquer,' 'Red Alert'... there are so many excellent games that will make them addicted! Making back 100,000 yuan in three months is not a pipe dream!"

Leaning softly on Song Chen's shoulder, Zhang Ruoxi pondered for a moment and whispered, "If there are really such high profits, why hasn't anyone opened such a place around here?"

"I don't know!" Song Chen was very honest, "Perhaps it's a capital issue. Even though computers now cost less than 10,000 yuan, around 6,000 to 7,000 yuan, it's still a huge burden for ordinary people! Of course, the state and schools might also prohibit computer rooms near schools, just as they prohibited game arcades!"

Zhang Ruoxi was taken aback and asked, "Then why do you still have this idea?"

Song Chen smiled, "If it's a state prohibition, it's not a big problem because even strict laws need people to manage and enforce them. Before computer rooms (and later black internet cafes and legal internet cafes) cause public outrage... opening a computer room near the school is quite safe! But if it's explicitly prohibited by the school... then there's no way, I can only look for a place far from the school! Otherwise, if the school complains, the business administration will soon come knocking!"

"Alright, you've convinced me! But you still haven't answered me..." Zhang Ruoxi gently bit her luscious lips, glanced at Song Chen's gradually darkening face, and whispered, "Where will the capital come from? Didn't your father say that apart from the house and your tuition, he wouldn't give you anything else? Could it be..."

Song Chen was silent for a while, then nodded and said softly, "My mother and I, the only valuable thing we have is this house. It's close to the city center, just a few steps away. It should be around 2,000 yuan per square meter, and if everything goes smoothly, we can get a loan of over 100,000 yuan."

"But I remember..." Zhang Ruoxi hesitated about whether to dampen her boyfriend's confidence, "My father said that the housing market is lukewarm now, and it's hard to get a loan. The bank might not lend you the money..."

"..." Song Chen's gaze froze, and he remained expressionless for a long time before exhaling a heavy breath, murmuring bitterly, "It's too late to seek help at the last minute. The real estate market won't recover this year, and the policy to encourage mortgage loans hasn't been implemented yet. If it's not this year, it will definitely be next year! What should I do..."

Zhang Ruoxi looked at her boyfriend with pity, seeing his worried expression. She sighed softly, "Your parents' divorce is a matter of the older generation. Why do you hold a grudge? If you really want to start a business, you need to gain the support and encouragement of your biological parents!"

Song Chen smiled bitterly and sighed deeply, "You don't understand!... I have my reasons!"

How could he hate his biological father because of the divorce? If he had to say he resented anyone, it would be his father's current wife, Huang Zhen! Indeed, after the birth of his half-brother, his father's affection shifted, causing him a lot of resentment. But it was his father's cold-heartedness that truly left him unable to let go.

He still remembered the time he secretly went to his father's company to beg him to see his mother one last time, and his father's cold-hearted side! He even knelt down, the first and only time he knelt to a living person.

Similarly, it was also the last time!

Li Wan once happily told her young son about her happiness, the sweetness of love, and the significance of love to a person. Her bitter experiences and her father's cold-heartedness made Song Chen understand what love was—if this was love!

This was also the main reason why he remained unmoved after breaking up with Zhang Ruoxi in his previous life, and one of the reasons why his first thought upon returning was to break up with Zhang Ruoxi again. The reason he didn't break up now was that the loneliness of the previous generation, Zhang Ruoxi's beauty, and his greed for her body had subtly changed his character...

"Try the bank and your father, okay? Don't be so sad! Don't be so resolute, so you won't regret it in the future!" Zhang Ruoxi gently held Song Chen's hand and comforted him.

Forcing a smile, Song Chen hugged Zhang Ruoxi's slender waist without saying a word.

Placing her hand on her boyfriend's chest, Zhang Ruoxi, like a gentle and soft kitten, leaned into Song Chen's arms. Her beautiful eyes flickered as she stroked his smooth chin and asked softly, "Chen, will your mother agree to this? I mean, using the house as collateral?"

Song Chen sighed and answered indirectly, "My mother is a woman without a strong will and is very weak, especially mentally... I am her only support now!"

Zhang Ruoxi nodded silently, understanding her boyfriend's meaning.

It might be difficult, but she would eventually agree.

{Piaotian Literature www.PiaoTian.com Thank you for the support of all the readers, your support is our greatest motivation}

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