Chapter Twenty-Four: For the Sake of the Children

There were many more youths like those in the internet cafés. With hundreds of thousands of cafés and millions of netizens, at least a third were students in their adolescence. Some were in middle school, others in high school, and still others in university. Some excelled academically, treating the internet as a dispensable amusement. Others fared poorly, finding in the online world their sole spiritual refuge, the best way to expend their youth. And there were others still…

From what Lin Lang had learned in his previous life, he knew all too well that nine out of ten children had no clear dream of their own. To get into a prestigious university? Could that truly be called a dream? For those from impoverished families, striving for success in the college entrance exam to change their fate was no fault. These diligent students from humble backgrounds deserved respect; it was the best way to escape poverty and provide their parents a better life. Naturally, at this stage, they would not appear in internet cafés, nor would they visit the “Teacher’s Discourse” website.

As for the rest? As an educator, Lin Lang understood why so many children in later generations developed early nearsightedness, why so many were addicted to phones and computers. The path to pursuing dreams was hazy and uncertain, unstable, and beyond the reach of most ordinary families, who lacked both the means and the inclination to support their children’s aspirations. For example, learning piano—how much would that cost? Few families could afford a piano; even hiring a teacher was expensive. Or, take something as simple as playing football—it’s not as easy as buying a ball. Coaches, fields, joining teams, competing—all of these come with significant expenses.

Compared to these “unrealistic” dreams, parents preferred to spend money on tutoring classes. Studying was tangible, visible; everyone knew that after graduation, when entering society, the first thing employers looked at was your diploma. Parents hoped their children could obtain this key, so that in the future, they would not blame themselves. Chasing dreams required not only money but also time and energy. Every football or piano master achieved success through daily, relentless practice. Ordinary parents lacked the resolve and courage to support their children’s journey, and school curriculums were already tight.

So for children, what could they do with their scarce leisure time? Phones and computers, which could be played or put down at will, and offered instant “happiness,” naturally became their only means to pass the time. Therefore, when Lin Lang saw the “Teacher’s Discourse” backend data skyrocketing, it was entirely within his expectations.

Saturday, three in the morning. Inside an office building in SZ City.

“Report to President Lin and Young Master Wan: In just three hours, ‘Teacher’s Discourse’ has received over one million visits! More than ninety percent have registered as ‘Disciple Accounts.’ This is the greatest miracle I’ve ever witnessed in my internet career!” Li Zecheng said excitedly.

Despite the endless surprises over these three hours, he couldn’t help but share the achievement of breaking the million mark in just three hours. Since midnight, everyone’s nerves had been taut, plucked again and again. Wang Lin, Zhang Jianxin, Su Ling, Chen Ming, Ye Zifan, Zhang Lin, Fang Xiao, and Cao Cheng—all felt this was the most thrilling night of their lives. Joining “The Three” was the best decision they had ever made.

First, visits broke a thousand in ten minutes. In half an hour, visits broke ten thousand, and “Disciple Accounts” reached ten thousand. After an hour, visits broke one hundred thousand, as did “Disciple Accounts.” And now, after three hours, visits broke a million, and “Disciple Accounts” were about to reach a million. What did this mean? It meant an almost perfect retention rate! Li Zecheng, a veteran in the internet industry, had never seen a website achieve such a feat. Even a fifty percent retention rate was considered outstanding—one hundred percent meant absolute approval.

Lin Lang was not surprised. This time, the target audience desperately needed “Teacher’s Discourse,” a platform for pursuing dreams; naturally, they’d be eager to become disciples.

What is a master? A master is your second parent. Once a teacher, forever a father. A master is, after your parents, the person who cares most about you in the world. He asks nothing of you, only hopes you learn his skills well. A teacher is one who imparts knowledge and resolves doubts.

Lin Lang knew his own strength was limited. He needed the power of many to selflessly guide those lost children. And tonight’s results suggested that goal was not far off.

At that moment, Wan Cong’s words broke his reverie. “Lin Lang, why do I see only a few dozen ‘Master Accounts’ registered on the site?”

“Are we expecting one master to teach ten thousand disciples?” Wan Cong joked.

Lin Lang laughed in return. “Tonight, the site’s visitors are mostly kids. Surely you don’t expect them to teach others—they haven’t figured out their own lives yet!”

Then Lin Lang added, “Don’t worry. Tomorrow, ‘Teacher’s Discourse’ will catch fire, and masters will naturally come forward.”

Wan Cong replied with a smile, “I know. Seeing how tense you all were, I just wanted to lighten the mood.”

Tonight, Wan Cong was genuinely pleased. This night wasn’t wasted; based on the numbers, “Teacher’s Discourse” was a rising star in the industry. Could his first investment really become a smashing success? And someone else had sought him out, not the other way around.

Wan Cong marvelled, glancing at the ever-calm Lin Lang, and the more he looked, the more he felt this man resembled a wolf. Since their acquaintance, over a month now, Lin Lang’s emotions had never fluctuated wildly—always steady.

Wan Cong looked at the data on the conference hall’s big screen; he now fully grasped the meaning of the “Teacher’s Discourse” website. After staring for a while, he suddenly said, “Doesn’t our site clash with all those training institutions across various industries?”

Everyone nodded slightly; it seemed reasonable. Li Zecheng realized the same: one is free, the other charges—it was indeed a major conflict. Unsure what to say, he looked to Lin Lang.

Seeing everyone’s gaze, Lin Lang answered unhurriedly, “Wasn’t Taobao’s creation in conflict with brick-and-mortar stores? Taobao allows people to buy goods from all over the country without leaving home. Our ‘Teacher’s Discourse’ allows people to seek out masters from the four corners of the world, and masters to receive disciples from everywhere!”

Lin Lang’s firm tone was like a shot of reassurance. Everyone knew Taobao was a rising star in the internet world, its future limitless. If “Teacher’s Discourse” could reach that level, wouldn’t they be founding pioneers?

Wan Cong nodded slightly; the ambition was immense, the meaning profound. Yet he couldn’t help but ask again, “Will we always remain free?”

Indeed, although “Teacher’s Discourse” and Taobao shared similarities, Taobao was a platform hosting numerous shops, charging fees so they could sell goods. But what about “Teacher’s Discourse”? Could it host training institutions? Clearly not. That would undermine the true “master-disciple” relationship.

Lin Lang answered firmly, “Whether there will be paid features in the future is another matter. For now, ‘Teacher’s Discourse’ cannot, like Taobao, widely accept others. Taobao hosts shops, brands, and products; ‘Teacher’s Discourse’ hosts people! How can people be charged for as if they were products?”

His tone grew even more resolute. “You must understand, the original purpose of ‘Teacher’s Discourse’ is education, for the children, to help every child find a master and a guide on their journey of growth. There are still countless ordinary and impoverished children in the world. Therefore, the act of ‘seeking masters and accepting disciples’ must never be charged for!”

As Lin Lang spoke, Wan Cong realized this was the most emotional he had ever seen him. Clearly, Lin Lang’s intention as the company’s leader was not to make money; he wanted to create something truly epoch-making.

Wan Cong understood and supported him. He himself cared little for wealth. He knew many of his father’s friends, and his own, had made more money than they could spend in several lifetimes. Their goal was always to grow their businesses, not for more money—money was mere numbers now. Their aim was to leave a glorious mark in their era, to be remembered by those who came after, admired by those who went before.

Now that Lin Lang had such aspirations, Wan Cong would fully support him.

However, Wan Cong also knew that society was harsh and competition fierce. Others would not refrain from obstructing or competing simply because of noble ideals. In business, there were endless rivals, but never helpers.

The “Teacher’s Discourse” website was destined to face inevitable conflict with training institutions and even other social networking sites.

The “founders” in the conference hall understood this as well. The excitement of the night had made them believe success was within reach; now, it was clear that everything was only just beginning. How would they handle the challenges to come?

On the big screen, disciple registrations had broken the million mark, but no one was thrilled anymore. What lay before them was a problem they couldn’t avoid.

Lin Lang looked at the dispirited crowd and spoke in an encouraging tone, “The path to success is never smooth sailing. Besides, haven’t we taken the first step beautifully? Does no one have confidence to defeat our opponents and make ‘Teacher’s Discourse’ flourish, to become true founders of the company? Does no one want to help these one million disciples find a master?”

Lin Lang’s impassioned words gradually dispelled the worries on their faces. They were no longer children; they understood the competitiveness of society and that only the strong could reach the end.

For “Teacher’s Discourse,” for the million disciples, for the one million loyal users gained in three hours, they would fear no challenge!