I can understand the reason why Webnovel goes with the membership option, because authors and translators are also humans in need of a paycheck. So this too me is a good step forward.
But then again, there is the need to understand the targeted audience. I 'believe' the greatest audience is younger people, followed by slightly older generations.
Most younger people can afford the cost without their parents help. So shouldn't their be some kind of price regulations depending on the age?
For example:
Younger than 18 = 9,99 $
Older than 18 = 24,99 $
If one think about the greater picture, Webnovel may seem greedy, but they are also providing a great platform for us to use.
Of course this are my personal opinion, and I know there are people who thinks that times was better before Qidian came into the calculation.