Chapter Twenty-Seven: Development Plan

Sunday, 1:00 a.m.

On the computer screen, the faces of the four heads of the major training institutions were etched with worry, a far cry from their ease and confidence of the previous day.

No one could have anticipated this! Truly, no one could have foreseen it!

Who would have thought that Master’s Way would possess such genuine, substantial material?

A complete and extraordinarily detailed basketball training plan, made available to the public for free by Master’s Way.

All four, now businessmen and former teachers themselves, recognized the true value of this plan.

Knowledge is power.

If that power were wielded by them, they could certainly build a vast and comprehensive basketball training institution—one that might even rival their current establishments.

Basketball holds immense appeal among the youth; Master’s Way was already beginning to impact their institutions.

After all, among those who play basketball, there are surely some who also love the arts, taekwondo, English, or computer science.

And those crossover users, having witnessed Master’s Way’s expertise in basketball, would inevitably wonder if the next upgrade would bring detailed plans for taekwondo or computer science.

Providing you with free and thorough methods of study, giving you motivation through the achievement of apprenticeship standards, and even offering the possibility of learning under true masters of the field.

How could they possibly compete with such a Master’s Way?

Now, they felt utterly helpless, forced to watch as their rival surged forward.

On the matter of “free,” they had already lost half the battle, and their backgrounds paled in comparison.

Their only hope now was that Master’s Way would not produce a “computer training plan,” “English training plan,” “taekwondo training plan,” or the like, or else their institutions would be finished for good.

Of course, they were not the only ones troubled. There was also Penguin.

On Friday, Master’s Way officially launched.

Twenty-four hours later, President Ma received reports from the heads of several major online games.

Compared to Friday, each game saw a near quarter drop in both user logins and playtime on Saturday.

A quarter drop in just one day! What did that mean?

These games were the company’s golden geese, providing the majority of its cash flow.

And yet, just one day had caused such a dramatic impact. If things continued this way, what would happen next?

Penguin had never been on the defensive before.

Ever since it became the nation’s largest social platform, with hundreds of millions of stable users, everything had gone smoothly.

For the first time, President Ma felt powerless. Most crucially, there was nothing he could borrow from Master’s Way!

Both were social platforms, but there was no way he could implement a master-apprentice system among Penguin’s hundreds of millions of users.

Wouldn’t that just be shooting himself in the foot? Doing so would only turn Penguin into a confused mess and hasten its demise.

President Ma browsed through Master’s Way and, being a tech expert himself, had to admit that the site was excellently made.

Its layout and color scheme exuded a sense of freshness and vitality.

While browsing, President Ma suddenly thought: what if Master’s Way borrowed Penguin’s model and allowed officially certified masters to have personal pages and spaces where they could post updates and showcase their skills?

Surely, many of their fans would eagerly follow them!

Even disciples’ accounts could use the platform to display their daily training progress.

In this way, Master’s Way would easily retain users, becoming a vast exchange platform—far more direct and popular than any forum.

Because those “public figures” didn’t use forums or Penguin; at most, they posted occasional updates on Weibo.

But Master’s Way was different. Under the banner of masters and apprentices from all walks of life, it seemed to encompass everything.

It must be said, President Ma’s analysis outlined the ideal growth model for a social platform rising to its peak.

Likewise, forums and Weibo, as he mentioned, were feeling the pressure.

This upgrade from Master’s Way had forced every company involved in China’s internet and social sectors to reevaluate the platform.

A formidable opponent that demanded absolute attention.

However, most of their worries were unnecessary, for in Lin Lang’s mind, Master’s Way was destined to remain a pure learning and education platform.

It would never become cluttered, but instead would simply and directly help every child.

This was Lin Lang’s ultimate vision for Master’s Way.

The essence: master and apprentice, the inheritance of knowledge, ensuring that every child, at the age when they should be learning, could find a good mentor and learn what they truly wished to learn. This was the core philosophy of Master’s Way.

Saturday morning, 9:00 a.m.

SZ City, a certain office building.

Last night, everyone at the Three Travelers Company had enjoyed a sound sleep. Now, energized, they checked information on their computers, assigning “official certification” badges to eligible “master accounts.”

This was one of their tasks.

At eight in the morning, Lin Lang, Wan Cong, and Li Zecheng held a small meeting to determine the company’s development plan for the near and even distant future.

1. Aggressively recruit new staff.

Primarily targeting two types: computer technicians—to guarantee the site’s stable and secure operation, and to ensure the quality and efficiency of every update—and veterans from all major industries, to write guides on the basic skills and industry knowledge needed for newcomers, as well as insight into the field’s future. The goal was for every child joining Master’s Way to find a path suited to them and start laying a solid foundation in their chosen field.

2. Official certification.

Invite grandmasters and top figures from various fields to become officially certified masters on Master’s Way, thereby promoting the site and increasing its reach and influence.

3. Appoint a spokesperson.

Jay Chou—undoubtedly, the most suitable choice for Master’s Way’s current publicity needs.

First, though not highly educated, as he himself once said, one must have at least one true skill. This aligns perfectly with Master’s Way’s philosophy: to define one’s future dream path while still in school.

Jay Chou started learning piano at four, practicing at least two hours every day under his mother’s watchful eye, rattan stick in hand.

It was this early training that enabled Jay Chou to travel so far on his musical journey, to create a new era in music, and to bring the Chinese style to new heights.

In terms of character, Jay Chou is kind and generous, always impeccable in his care for his mother and friends.

When the great Sichuan earthquake struck China, Jay Chou, then in the mainland, immediately donated 500,000 yuan; upon returning to Taiwan, he donated another 2 million, plus 500,000 through the Red Cross.

Later, he donated another 7.5 million from his Chongqing concert income, and with the proceeds from benefit concerts, his total donations exceeded 40 million yuan—more than many top stars of the time.

Often, Jay Chou would bring his mother to his concerts. When friends needed help with films or restaurants, he always did his utmost.

Such a friendly, grounded, and supremely accomplished star was surely the best fit for Master’s Way.

Moreover, he and Wan Cong both loved basketball and shared a close friendship.

Wan Cong learned that Jay Chou was currently in Taiwan, so he booked tickets and planned to take his assistant and a sincere invitation to ask Jay Chou to become the spokesperson for Master’s Way within the next few days.

Their aim was to make Master’s Way famous nationwide by this summer, right after the college entrance exams!

Lin Lang had also booked a ticket back to Lingnan City. He hadn’t seen his wife and son in over a month, and now that Master’s Way was on the right track, it was time to return.

For Lin Lang, family always came first; his career was second.

Seated by the window in his office, Lin Lang gazed out at the people on the street below.

Why did so many people, year after year, feel lost looking for work after graduation?

Aside from those with truly valuable degrees or certificates, which made it relatively easy for young people in their twenties or thirties to find satisfying jobs, most still had to adapt to society and endure rejection time and again.

But why was this the case?

It came down to one thing: ability. They lacked the real skills to give themselves a smooth start in society.

Lin Lang’s dream was to help every child gain such ability through Master’s Way.

He could say with absolute confidence:

If a child from a normal family began at age ten to devote their spare time each day to one thing, and did it with earnestness and attention, then ten years later, at age twenty, they would have no trouble making a living from that skill.

Take something simple, like watching movies.

If you watch a film every day, sometimes rewatching those you find exceptional, writing reviews and reflections along the way, after ten years—over three thousand films—you would surely have developed your own unique insights.

Then, when applying to a film company or related studio, that experience would be your best resume.

Alternatively, you could write reviews, run a public account, and so on.

In today’s information-rich and diversified society, there are countless ways to earn a living, and that three-thousand-film pedigree would be your strongest foundation—an ability entirely your own, and one no one can take away.

Or, suppose you’re a bit more gifted than most, with a quick mind since childhood. If you began learning a subject you loved at age ten, what could you achieve in ten years?

Just ask those beleaguered coders or struggling writers: if they could go back to age ten and start learning their trade then, how would they fare by age twenty?

With a bit of talent and perseverance, becoming a master would hardly be difficult.

Some say, “Seize fame while you’re young.”

But Lin Lang believes you should seize the opportunity to learn, to chase your dreams early, while your heart is pure, sheltered by your parents, carefree—it is then, above all, when you should and can learn best.

During your school years, not everyone excels academically, but compared to life after entering society, it is the easiest and quickest time to pick up something you truly love.