Qin Xiaojun frowned as Chen Mo snatched the configuration sheet back.
"What do you mean? Is there a problem with the spec sheet?"
"Yes, there is indeed a problem—and a major one at that."
Hearing Chen Mo’s confident reply, Qin Xiaojun was taken aback. Having been burned when he first opened his internet café, Qin had learned not to trust so-called friends easily. He had only chosen this specific computer shop through the recommendation of his most trusted buddy. They had spent the entire morning discussing the specs, eventually settling on a configuration everyone agreed upon. While the price was a bit high, he believed it wouldn't become obsolete anytime soon. Having gained some experience, Qin had been quite satisfied with the proposal. How could it be problematic just because Chen Mo glanced at it?
He wondered if the kid was just trying to sound mysterious, though he couldn't think of any reason why Chen Mo would joke about this.
Luo Botao also thought Chen Mo was talking nonsense. He knew Chen Mo well; the guy was fine for playing games and chatting, but he had never heard of him knowing anything about computer hardware.
"Xiao Mo, stop messing around with my uncle. Do you even know what you're talking about? Hurry up and come play games with me; quit meddling in adult business. If my uncle gets angry, we won’t even have dinner!"
Chen Mo rolled his eyes at his childhood friend, who was only thinking about food, and turned to Qin Xiaojun.
"Uncle, don't be so quick to dismiss my judgment. If you aren't too busy, let’s go upstairs to a quiet place and talk. I’ll show you exactly where the problems in this spec sheet are. If I’m wrong, you can just treat it as me spouting nonsense. But if I’m right..."
Sometimes, leaving a sentence unfinished is the best way to pique someone’s curiosity. Any person with half a brain could guess what Chen Mo was implying.
After a moment of hesitation, Qin Xiaojun said, "Fine, come upstairs with me."
He headed straight for the stairs, with Chen Mo following closely. Luo Botao glanced at Chen Mo, then back at the game that hadn't started yet, and followed them up.
***
The three reached the second-floor office. Chen Mo didn't beat around the bush; he placed the configuration sheet on the table and pointed to the text.
"Uncle, at first glance, this spec sheet doesn't look like there’s any problem, and in terms of price, it does seem like the optimal choice."
"Exactly. My friend told me that this configuration is the best value for money available right now," Qin Xiaojun agreed.
"Yes, in terms of sheer price-to-performance ratio, it could indeed be called the best."
Luo Botao, growing impatient, interrupted, "Then what’s the problem you were talking about? You said it was a huge issue!"
Chen Mo ignored him and spoke only to Qin Xiaojun. "Uncle, if you only look at the hardware specs and the price, you’re right. But you’ve overlooked the most important issue."
"Get straight to the point," Qin Xiaojun urged, wanting to understand what was wrong with the plan he and his friend had spent all morning perfecting.
"Compatibility!" Chen Mo declared.
Luo Botao didn't react, but Qin Xiaojun froze. Anyone who had dabbled in DIY computers knew that the quality of an assembly didn't depend on how expensive the parts were or how good the parameters looked on paper. The most critical factor was the compatibility of the components.
Chen Mo hadn't known how Qin Xiaojun’s internet café had failed in his previous life, but now, looking at this spec sheet, he could likely guess the reason. Seeing that Qin realized the severity of the situation, Chen Mo struck while the iron was hot.
"Uncle, look closely. This Intel Pentium D 820 2.8GHz CPU paired with this ECS 775 motherboard might look like a perfect match, but if you knew the northbridge chipset on that motherboard, you wouldn't think so. That chipset uses technology from 2004; it can’t handle... and look at the graphics card pairing..."
Chen Mo delivered a long, detailed explanation, laying out the pros and cons of the entire hardware configuration. Luo Botao listened as if it were a foreign language, scratching his head in confusion. But Qin Xiaojun, who had run an internet café for two years and had some basic hardware knowledge, understood exactly how professional Chen Mo’s points were.
The more he listened, the more terrified he became. He had been counting on these new computers to save his failing business. If he had actually purchased this configuration, it would have been a miracle if he *hadn't* gone bankrupt.
Qin Xiaojun looked at Chen Mo with a new intensity. He swallowed hard and asked eagerly, "Chen Mo, do you know of a better configuration?" Since Chen Mo could identify the problems, Qin assumed he must know the best current solution.
Chen Mo didn't hesitate. He grabbed a pen and paper and began to write. "Uncle, I wouldn't recommend using an Intel CPU. The Pentium D 820 is a rushed product. You might not see the flaws now, but within six months, the problems will emerge. I suggest the AMD Athlon 3800+. It has the same dual-core, L2 cache setup, it's cheaper, and its stability is top-notch. Also, for RAM, I think Kingston is the most reliable brand..."
Within ten minutes, Chen Mo placed a brand-new configuration sheet in front of Qin Xiaojun. The models and parameters were listed in detail, though the prices were left as rough estimates. Being in the North rather than Yangcheng, the supply chains differed, which would affect hardware costs. Chen Mo didn't want to make an arrogant claim about the final price, so he only wrote a general range—though it was already significantly cheaper than the previous proposal.
Qin Xiaojun held the paper like a precious treasure, his eyes fixed on it. Regardless of performance, even a half-expert like him could see that the price was much better than the previous plan. Still, he decided he would find a professional to verify the performance specs.
Luo Botao wasn't entirely oblivious; he noticed his uncle’s expression and asked in confusion, "Xiao Mo, when did you learn all this stuff?"
Chen Mo smiled and said with deliberate smugness, "Heaven’s secrets cannot be revealed."
"Whatever," Luo Botao scoffed.
Chen Mo felt the timing was right and took the initiative to say to Qin Xiaojun, "Uncle, if you really trust your friend, give him a call and ask about these changes. If it doesn't work out, you can come back to me. Now, Botao and I are going back down to play."
"Yes, yes, yes," Qin Xiaojun replied, already planning to do just that.
Chen Mo knew clearly that the bait had to be scattered bit by bit, and the medicine had to be administered in small doses. If he were too eager for results, it would be counterproductive. It was better to let Qin Xiaojun verify the information himself; the credibility would be much higher that way.