Lin Feng leaned his elbows on the desk, fingers tapping the top of the laptop. The ThinkPad X1 Carbon was spotless. He had cleaned it, sanitized it, and restored the keyboard. Now, it was simply a question of selling it.
But this time, he wasn't going to be so quick.
The last sale had been relatively quick, but he had priced the laptop a bit lower for a rapid sale. This time, he had a better model and could afford to wait.
Crafting the Perfect Listing
He launched Xianyu, the used market, and proceeded to create his listing.
[Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon – Ultra-Slim Business Laptop]
✅ i7-8650U, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD – High-spec, perfect for work and learning.
✅ High-end Ultrabook – Light, long-lasting carbon-fiber construction.
✅ Good as New – Cleaned and checked.
???? ¥4,000 (Flexible price, serious buyers only)
Perfect for professionals, students, and remote employees.
Lin Feng re-read the ad.
Not too aggressive. Not too low-priced. He priced it as premium without fully closing off the door to bargaining.
He clicked Post.
Now, he could just wait.
A Surprising Message
Within less than an hour, his phone vibrated.
A text from an unknown number.
???: "Yo, Lin Feng, heard you've been selling laptops. Rich now?"
Lin Feng frowned. The number wasn't in his contacts.
Lin Feng: "Who is this?"
???: "Hah, forgot already? It's me, Liu Qiang."
Liu Qiang.
The name made Lin Feng's stomach twist.
During his first year, Liu Qiang was one of the "rich second-generation" braggarts. He wasn't the worst kind of bully—not the kind who beat people up—but he enjoyed making life miserable for the poor.
He would mock students wearing shabby clothes, taunt them for having no purchasing power, and never cease boasting about his own riches.
And Lin Feng had been one of his favorite targets.
Liu Qiang: "I saw your post. Didn't know you were doing business now. Thought you were just some poor countryside kid."
Lin Feng gritted his teeth.
He wasn't surprised.
People like Liu Qiang never changed.
Lin Feng: "Just doing what I can."
Liu Qiang: "Hah! Not bad, not bad. How about this? Sell me that laptop for ¥2,500. I'll be generous."
Lin Feng's face grew dark.
¥2,500?
That was insulting.
He had just bought it for ¥2,100. If he sold it at that price, he would barely break even.
But that was the way these kind of people operated.
They weren't looking for bargains. They were looking to prove themselves superior.
Lin Feng: "Sorry. Won't sell for less than ¥3,800."
Liu Qiang: "Tch. Trying to be tough now?"
Lin Feng didn't answer.
There was no use arguing.
Liu Qiang sent a final message.
Liu Qiang: "See how long you can survive in business."
Lin Feng let out a sigh, laying down his phone.
He wasn't nervous.
Liu Qiang could use all his tricks. Lin Feng had no intention of stooping so low.
Now, he just had to handle selling the laptop.
A Real Buyer Arises
It was evening, and Lin Feng received a new message from a new number.
Buyer: "Hi, I need the ThinkPad X1 Carbon. Is it in stock still?"
Lin Feng: "Yes, still in stock."
Buyer: "I can pay cash and have it tonight. Could you do ¥3,500?"
Lin Feng hesitated.
¥3,500.
Less than he expected, but it was a speedy sale.
Still, quick turnover meant that soon he would be able to reinvest.
He weighed his choice. Take the easy sale, or hold on for more?
After hesitation, he answered.
Lin Feng: "¥3,800 is my lowest price. If you're serious, I can meet you at the university library."
The buyer hesitated for a minute before he answered.
Buyer: "¥3,800? …Okay, deal."
Lin Feng sighed in relief.
Now, he just had to seal the deal.
Meeting the Buyer
At 9 PM, Lin Feng went to the entrance of the university library. The buyer, an office worker who appeared young but was dressed in business attire, was already waiting there.
"Lin Feng?"
Lin Feng nodded. "You're Zhang Lei?"
"Yeah." Zhang Lei smiled. "I've been looking for a good X1 Carbon for a while. Yours looked like the best deal."
They sat down on a nearby bench. Zhang Lei inspected the laptop, typing, checking the specs, and testing the trackpad.
After a few minutes, he nodded.
"Everything looks good. Here's the cash."
Lin Feng counted the thirty-eight ¥100 bills carefully before handing over the laptop.
"Thanks for the deal," Zhang Lei said, shaking his hand.
Lin Feng watched as Zhang Lei left, then checked his system.
[Quest Completed: The Snowball Effect]
Objective: Successfully reinvest your profits and make another sale (profit must be over ¥1,000).
✅ Completed – ¥1,700 profit gained.
Reward: ¥800 + System Upgrade.
Lin Feng's phone rang again.
[System Upgrade Processing…]
His eyes went blurry for a second.
Then—
A new interface appeared.
[New System Feature Unlocked: Market Insight]
- Obtain detailed information about second-hand market trends.
- Observe real-time price fluctuations for products.
- Identify undervalued listings with high margins.
Lin Feng's fingers tightened around his phone.
Market insight?
If this feature was as promised, he would no longer have to research himself on price comparisons and trends.
He could identify the best deals at a glance.
This… this was huge.
It wasn't an upgrade. It was a genuine advantage.
For the first time, Lin Feng truly felt it—
He wasn't just flipping things any more. He was playing with the market.
And he was going to win.