As an experienced self-media content creator, Old Tang was deeply versed in the ways of generating traffic.
When he released that viral video, he not only put great effort into the title and content.
He also deliberately tagged the "Boss Lu of the Hardware Store" account in the video description and comments section.
This small action was like opening the floodgates of a dam.
It precisely and torrentially channeled his massive following of millions of fans towards Lu You.
This fortune too vast for words was now up to Lu You to see if he could handle it.
Countless new fans attracted by Old Tang's video clicked through the link to Lu You's homepage.
They initially expected to see a niche blogger focused on "Hardware Store Cuisine."
But upon clicking, everyone was dumbfounded.
They discovered this Hardware Store was actually an all-rounder!
"Holy crap? This store doesn't just sell food?"
"Quick, look at his old videos! Sanitary pads, pet cats, discontinued parts... He really sells everything!"
It truly lived up to its claim of having everything!
There was nothing you could think of that he couldn't produce.
No matter what you asked, the boss's response was always just one word—"Got it!"
At that moment, the new fans finally understood.
No wonder Old Tang went to explore a Hardware Store—the root of it was right here!
They began frantically digging through Lu You's past videos.
From the earliest "Internet-wide Challenge," to the later "Debunking Livestreams," and the recent "Nationwide Shipping."
Every video was filled with an absurd, fantastical flavor.
Originally, they were just curious about the food in Old Tang's video, suspecting there might be some scripted elements.
But judging from the past videos on the "Boss Lu of the Hardware Store" account, this matter was actually quite interesting.
Thus, these netizens' thoughts quietly began to change.
Going to Old Lu Hardware Store couldn't just be about checking in for the food anymore!
They had to personally test it out, to see if this store was truly as omnipotent as the legend said!
Old Lu Hardware Store's successful breakout into the food industry was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, stirring thoughts among influencers in other niches.
Beauty bloggers wanted to see if he really had those discontinued lipstick shades.
Automotive bloggers were even more eager, wanting to ask if he had original factory parts for certain classic vintage cars.
However, they didn't yet know how to approach it, to neither seem abrupt nor miss out on riding this massive wave of popularity.
But regardless, "Go take a look at Wutong Alley in Yangcheng" had been added to the schedules of many influencer teams.
All of this made business at Lu You's little Hardware Store better and better.
Lu You himself, however, was caught in a state of "joy mixed with pain."
The pain came from the endless stream of customers from morning till night, each request weirder than the last.
He was like an emotionless machine, constantly communicating with the system, quoting prices, retrieving goods, and accepting payments.
By the end of the day, he was exhausted, aching all over, and didn't even want to speak.
The joy came from the balance in his bank card and the business points in the system, which were rising at a damn fast speed!
He opened his mobile banking app, looked at the balance that had steadily surpassed six figures, and felt his heart uncontrollably race.
One hundred and sixty thousand! He had never seen so much money in his life!
"Hahaha! I'm rich! With money, I can travel, live in a big house, eat lavish meals!"
Lu You lay on the small bed in the back storeroom, foolishly grinning as he planned his wonderful future life.
His goals were just that simple and unadorned.
As for spending business points to exchange for something good for himself in the System Shop, he was actually a bit reluctant.
Because in his view, business points were the means of production used to upgrade the store, the goose that laid the golden eggs.
The cash earned from selling goods was the real gold and silver that could grant him financial freedom and line his own pockets.
He glanced at the system panel; the business point balance had already broken through the ninety thousand mark.
It was just one step away from the hundred thousand points needed to reach Level 2!
With just a few more big clients like Old Tang, he might be able to level up tomorrow!
However, Lu You didn't know that compared to the scene that would arrive in a few days,
The customer flow he was dealing with now was just a drizzle, as relaxing as a vacation.
Sensing the storm approaching, Lu You decided to take preventive measures first.
He recorded a new video, formally launching his "hunger marketing" strategy.
In the video, he announced with a serious expression:
"Dear friends, first of all, thank you for your great affection for my little store."
"However, since I am the only one running this store, my energy is truly limited. To ensure service quality, starting tomorrow, the store will implement purchase limits."
"Each day, for all non-hardware category goods, such as food and beverage, beauty products, electronics, etc., each major category will only serve the first twenty customers. Once the limit is exceeded, that item will not be sold for the rest of the day."
At the end of the video, he thoughtfully reminded his fans: "This is just a small store with limited capacity. I sincerely do not recommend everyone traveling thousands of miles, crossing mountains and rivers to come here."
"If items sell out or you can't get a spot in line, I won't break the rules just because you came from far away. So please consume rationally, check in rationally."
He thought his words were flawless, able to control customer flow while making him seem principled.
However, he ultimately still underestimated the enthusiasm of Dragon Country people who love to join in the excitement.
That day had finally arrived!
After fermenting over a weekend, the influence of Old Tang's video reached its peak.
On Monday morning, Lu You got up early as usual.
After washing up, he prepared to open for business.
Humming a tune, he walked to the store entrance, gripped the rolling shutter door with both hands, and forcefully lifted it upward.
"Clatter—"
The morning sunlight, accompanied by a roaring tide of human voices, surged in.
The moment Lu You saw the scene before him, he was completely dumbstruck.
The smile on his face instantly froze, his mouth unconsciously fell open, his eyes widened like copper bells, and his mind went completely blank.
"How... how... how can there be so many people?!"
The once quiet Wutong Alley, where you couldn't even see a dog, was now completely submerged in a sea of people.
Starting from his storefront, the crowd stretched all the way to the alley entrance.
It then turned the corner and extended for several hundred meters more—a dense, black mass of heads as far as the eye could see!
Everywhere his eyes landed, every spot where a person could stand was filled with people!
Among them were influencers holding selfie sticks, media reporters carrying professional equipment, students with backpacks, curious tourists, and even more local citizens who had heard the news.
They were all craning their necks in anticipation, completely clogging the small Wutong Alley.
The scene was even more exaggerated than a tourist attraction during Golden Week!
At the alley entrance, traffic police were already maintaining order and directing traffic.
Lu You was utterly stunned!
He had anticipated popularity, but not to this extent!
This wasn't doing business; this was a Spring Festival travel rush scene!
The moment the crowd saw the rolling shutter door lift and Lu You appear, they instantly erupted into massive cheers and commotion.
"The boss is out!"
"It's really him! Exactly like in the videos!"
"Boss! Give me a portion of buddha jumps over the wall!"
"Boss! I'm first in line! I want to buy lipstick!"
Countless shouts, camera flashes, and phone lenses instantly enveloped Lu You.
He stood at the entrance, rooted to the spot like a wooden chicken, feeling the world spin around him.
The fortune too vast for words had truly arrived.
But his only thought now was—how the hell... am I supposed to handle this?!