Lu You hung the last adjustable wrench back on the wall in order from smallest to largest and let out a long, deep sigh of relief.
He wiped the sweat from his brow and looked at the shop he had tidied up so meticulously.
A long-lost sense of accomplishment welled up within him.
Was this still the lifeless 'Old Lu Hardware Store'?
It was practically ready to enter the 'Yangcheng City's Cleanest Small Business' competition.
Satisfied, he returned behind the counter.
He picked up his phone, ready to see how his 'painstakingly crafted' video was doing.
Not looking was fine, but one look gave him quite a shock.
He opened the short video app.
The bright red '99+' notification in the top right corner nearly blinded him.
His six-minute video, posted a mere two hours ago, had already surpassed five thousand likes, with the comment count reaching over a thousand!
To think, all the likes on his previous videos combined couldn't even match a fraction of that number.
'It's... it's viral?' Lu You's heart rate suddenly accelerated.
He rubbed his eyes in disbelief and tapped into the comments section.
A wave of comments instantly hit him.
[Hahahaha, this shop owner is too hilarious, it's just one word—'Got it!']
[As everyone knows, the success rate at Hardware Stores is terrifyingly high, almost 100%]
[This is the original spirit of TikTok, where anyone can share their life, including Doraemon]
[The description from the comment above is spot on! I suspect the owner's back storeroom connects to a fourth-dimensional pocket!]
[I'm dying of laughter, what on earth is that DJ background music? It filled me with the strength to tighten screws!]
[Customer: Boss... Boss: Got it!]
[The blogger's professional skills are on point! He knows what the customer wants before they even finish speaking, much better than the guy downstairs who just plays on his phone!]
Lu You scrolled through the comments one by one, the smile on his face growing wider and wider.
Finally, he couldn't hold back a 'hehe' chuckle.
It had to be said, the netizens' comments were truly entertaining; reading them was even more fun than watching the video itself.
'It seems everyone really likes this style of video!' Lu You rubbed his hands together excitedly.
He made a snap decision and returned to his profile page.
He set all his previous blurry, boring 'cringe-worthy' videos to private.
Only the video where he gave a GG to the camera was left public.
Because he felt the caption 'The shop may be run-down, but the boss is handsome' now seemed like a stroke of genius.
The unexpected popularity of the video brought more than just online metrics.
After all, Yangcheng City wasn't that big, and local users had a high chance of seeing videos from their own city.
Some local netizens who previously had no impression of 'Old Lu Hardware Store', having their interest piqued by the video, discovered this magical shop was actually right near them.
'Ding-ling—'
The wind chime rang as a delivery rider in uniform walked in.
He looked at the video on his phone, then glanced up to compare it with the shop's interior.
'Holy crap, it really is this place!' the rider exclaimed in pleasant surprise.
'Boss, your video is hilarious! My electric scooter's rearview mirror is broken, do you have one?'
'Got it!' Lu You's DNA activated, and he replied reflexively.
Simultaneously, the system's voice sounded in his mind.
[Customer demand detected: 'Xiaodao' brand universal electric scooter rearview mirror.]
[Shop Level (Lv1) permissions: Sufficient.]
[Item generated on back storeroom shelf.]
'Just a moment.' Lu You calmly walked into the back storeroom.
He retrieved a brand new rearview mirror and handed it over.
The rider took the mirror, looked at Lu You again, and clicked his tongue in admiration. 'Not bad, boss! Just like in the video, you've got whatever's asked for. Professional skills on point!'
Just like that, Lu You's business visibly picked up.
The customers coming through the door were no longer limited to the neighbors on the street.
Many young people who came specifically after seeing the video arrived with all sorts of varied and strange demands, challenging the internet's most 'Got it!' boss.
'Boss, do you have a submersible pump for an aquarium?'
'Got it!'
'Boss, do you have a laptop cooling stand?'
'Got it!'
'Boss, my cat broke its teaser wand, do you have a sturdier one?'
'Got it! Titanium alloy rod, the kind even a dog can't bite through. Want it?'
With each completed transaction, his business points steadily grew.
After these busy days, he had gained a deeper understanding of this [Everything You Need] system.
That evening, after seeing off the last customer, Lu You locked the shop door. While tallying the day's earnings, he studied the system interface in his mind.
'System, I have a question.'
[Host, please proceed.]
'Last time, that 'Flying Person' brand screw, you said it was a newbie gift. In the future, if I encounter goods the shop doesn't have, can I also have you directly materialize them?'
[Yes. But not for free.]
The system's answer poured cold water on Lu You's enthusiasm.
[All items in the system store require 'Business Points' for exchange.]
[The business points the Host earns through daily sales are partially used for shop upgrades, with the remainder serving as currency for shopping in the system store.]
A clear virtual interface unfolded in Lu You's mind, resembling an online shopping app.
He saw the rearview mirror he just sold to the delivery rider listed in the system store for [50 Business Points].
The price he sold it to the rider for was 30 Dragon country currency, and the business points he earned were [60 points].
'So, I sell goods provided by the system for Dragon country currency, but the 'wholesale cost' is in business points. I not only make money but also earn the difference in business points?' Lu You instantly understood.
[The system automatically generates the business points required for exchange based on an item's rarity and value.]
[Typically, the business points the Host earns after completing a transaction will be higher than the points needed to exchange for that item from the store, thus achieving 'profit.']
Lu You suddenly saw the light.
This was equivalent to a business with zero startup capital.
He would use the business points accumulated from daily sales to 'stock up' on those rare, high-value goods.
Then sell them to customers with special demands.
Earning dragon country currency while also gaining a large amount of business points, creating a virtuous cycle.
'So if I encounter a customer with a particularly high-value demand, like something they'd pay ten thousand for, wouldn't I make a killing?'
[Theoretically correct. The urgency of the customer's need and the rarity of the item will greatly influence the final business points earned. The Host's first customer was a typical example.]
Lu You's heart began racing uncontrollably again.
It was as if a golden, shining path was unfolding before his eyes.
He continued browsing the system store and discovered that besides physical goods, there were also special 'skill' categories.
[Life Skills Section]
'Advanced Drain Unclogging Techniques': Requires 500 Business Points to exchange.
'Universal Appliance Repair Skills': Requires 2000 Business Points to exchange.
'A Locksmith's Self-Cultivation: Mastering A/B Grade Lock Cores': Requires 5000 Business Points to exchange.
[Industrial Skills Section]
'Intermediate Welder Technology Detailed Explanation': Requires 10,000 Business Points to exchange (Unlocks at Lv2).
'Car Repair from Beginner to Expert': Requires 50,000 Business Points to exchange (Unlocks at Lv2).
Lu You was practically drooling.
This wasn't a Hardware Store system; this was clearly an all-around talent cultivation system!
With these skills, forget just running a Hardware Store.
He could even start a company with plenty to spare.
However, when he saw his business point balance of only a few thousand points, he instantly sobered up.
These lofty skills were still far beyond his reach.
[Ding! Detected Host's business point balance exceeds 2000. Exchange for 'Universal Appliance Repair Skills'?]
Lu You hesitated for a moment but ultimately chose 'No.'
The immediate priority was to save up points to upgrade the shop and unlock more impressive product catalogs.
That was the true path to rapid development.
However, he could start by learning some cheaper, smaller skills first.
He spent a few dozen points to exchange for small tricks like 'Perfect Wiring' and 'Rapid Faucet Replacement.'
Instantly, a flood of knowledge about wires and pipe threads rushed into his brain.
As if he was born to do this.
After understanding this entire operational process, Lu You's mind was completely at ease.