Maxing Out Charisma, Inheriting Game Assets Chapter 551: The Path to Branding

October 16, 2023, Monday.

8:35 a.m., a cool morning breeze still lingered over Rong City’s sky.

The subway Line 1 came to a slow stop at the Financial City Station.

Zhang Yunjing exited the station and walked toward her office tower.

At 29 years old, she was a product manager at an internet company. She loved clothes, good food, and limited-edition mugs.

A heavy user of Xiaohongshu, she enjoyed recording life’s little details and sharing outfit tips.

With two Su Yu songs playing in her earphones, she scrolled through her WeChat Moments as the Yintai Center office building came into view.

She took the elevator up, clocked in, and settled into her workstation.

“Yunjing, a new café just opened downstairs last week. People say it looks great and the coffee’s legit. It’s been blowing up on Douyin lately—super photogenic! Wanna go check it out?”

Yunjing immediately perked up. “Sure, let’s go.”

Store-hopping and check-in photos were among her favorite hobbies—especially if it was a well-designed boutique café.

They packed up and took the elevator straight down to the first floor.

Past the atrium and several storefronts, a visually stunning café came into view.

[Glimmer Coffee]

Located at the corner of the first floor, it featured large floor-to-ceiling windows with bright natural lighting. Inside, warm wood tones and soft lights hinted at a stylish, cozy interior.

Pushing open the brown glass door, a gentle stream of jazz music flowed out, mingling with the rich scent of coffee and a faint whiff of caramelized desserts.

Open bar, prep area, express pickup zone, workspace area, seating area...

Wooden tables with a soft sheen, plush sofas, a modern grey-white theme offset with warm yellow lights—it exuded sophistication and high-end flair.

Her first impression: fantastic.

With a quick scan, Zhang Yunjing guessed the space was at least 200 square meters—standard for a boutique business café. It ticked all her boxes.

Being a new store, the crowd was still light. They chose a window seat without hassle.

She ordered the signature "Glimmer Special," gently blew on it, and took a sip.

Smooth and flavorful.

“So good!”

She couldn’t help but sigh in delight, then pulled out her phone and launched her camera app to start taking check-in photos.

As she immersed herself in the ritual, a crisp sound of heels echoed from the entrance.

Click, click, click—

Then a warm yet commanding voice rang out, “Good morning, ladies. We’re running a promotion: if you take photos and share them on social media, you’ll receive a free croissant. You’re very welcome to join.”

They looked up to see a tall, elegant woman approaching.

Well-dressed and poised, with bright features, sleek black hair cascading over her shoulders, flawless makeup, and a composed air—

She looked like a CEO straight out of a drama.

Zhang Yunjing blinked and quickly responded, “Sure! Can I post it on Xiaohongshu?”

“Absolutely.” The woman smiled gracefully and nodded.

Soon, a staff member hurried over.

Yunjing overheard them respectfully calling her “President Xie”—clearly, the owner.

And indeed, her appearance perfectly matched the café’s refined image.

She showed her post and received the croissant with no trouble.

As she ate, her curiosity got the better of her, and she searched the place online.

Turned out, it was part of a national chain.

Headquartered in Yan City, it had already launched stores in several tier-one cities, and this Rong City location was their third flagship store—with top-tier décor.

No wonder it was so particular.

After chatting with her coworker for a bit, Yunjing refreshed her Xiaohongshu homepage.

A post immediately caught her eye.

Title: “HEYISTUDIO—You Decide Our Chinese Name! Shareholders, Come Vote!”

The featured image showed a sleek and eye-catching logo—beautiful and well-designed.

At first, she wasn’t that interested and was about to scroll past. But then—something froze her in place.

The author’s name.

“April?”

A very familiar ID.

She’d been one of his earliest followers—had even commented on his first post: “You won’t see any change unless you lose weight first.”

Over time, she became April’s fan, cyber mentor, and frequent commenter.

She had personally witnessed this “digital pet” undergo a total glow-up and become a heartthrob—rising from single-digit followers to over 30,000. A truly shocking transformation.

It gave her immense satisfaction and a sense of achievement.

Mainly because the change had been so dramatic and so successful—it felt like playing a cheat-coded game and reaching the final level.

As a product person, she was highly sensitive to operational logic.

By conventional strategy, April should’ve pivoted to product placement or influencer sponsorships by now—becoming a steady micro-influencer.

With income over 10k per month, he could’ve easily made it his main gig.

But surprisingly, just as he peaked, he slowed his posting—and stopped entirely early last month.

She, like many others, sent private messages and left comments urging him to return—but nothing.

Eventually, he faded from sight.

So seeing that name suddenly pop up again today made her extremely curious.

She quickly tapped on the post.

Content:

“HEYISTUDIO is a mid-to-high-end women’s brand, focused on minimalism, elegance, and affordable luxury. We’re looking for a Chinese name. If your suggestion is chosen, you’ll receive free samples from our first clothing line, plus a co-creation badge and commemorative card...”

Attached were several images showcasing the logo from various angles.

The post had just gone live that morning—already with 1,000+ likes and over 400 comments.

Netizens were highly engaged, offering suggestions from every angle.

[Lina]: “I think He Yi Zhi Yi (合意制衣) is great. It means a blend of our advisors' ideas! Slogan: ‘Chosen by strategists, refunds guaranteed!’ (#trollface)”

[Designer Wang]: “This logo is incredible. Clearly cost a fortune. April’s serious about this.”

The top-liked comment stood out:

[Su Yu’s April]: “As a pro, I vote for He Yi (合衣)! It’s a homophone for HEYI and suggests perfect fit. Also implies co-creation with users—way better than those forced high-end names. Matches the character-growth concept.”

The comment included a hand-drawn sketch of the characters 合衣, incorporating some design flair—very eye-catching.

Zhang Yunjing recognized the ID.

She remembered clearly that early on, this commenter had shown up under nearly every post.

From hairstyle suggestions to outfit coordination, skincare tips to fitness plans—they were always the first to offer thoughtful replies, often tagging other fans for discussion.

Even when April went inactive, this user was the most persistent in demanding updates—like chasing a serialized web novel.

Opening April’s profile page, Yunjing quickly found his post from two days ago.

6,000+ likes, 2,000+ comments, nearly 1,200 saves.

No doubt—a viral hit.

Curious, she scrolled through his content, eyes widening in disbelief.

Her coworker, fresh off posting her own Moments, noticed her expression. “What’s up, Yunjing?”

Yunjing looked up, inhaled deeply, and said with barely contained excitement, “Remember the Xiaohongshu blogger I told you about?”

“Oh, April! That abs guy! I still have his pics saved, hehe.” Zhang Wenwen giggled. “What about him? Back to posting again? Any spicy pics?”

“Shut up, you’re so inappropriate.” Yunjing laughed and shook her head. “We all thought he was just a regular programmer and maybe a self-improvement blogger. But turns out, he’s started his own brand—and it looks legit. He’s even crowdsourcing ideas for it now, inviting fans to participate and witness the brand’s journey.”

Zhang Wenwen raised an eyebrow at the screen. “Wait, you sure this isn’t just marketing fluff? So many ‘inspirational stories’ turn out to be scripted. A programmer who vanishes for half a year and suddenly says he launched a fashion label that’s already doing well? Kinda sus.”

As someone immersed in internet operations, she was naturally wary of such “glow-up” narratives.

Hearing that, Yunjing wavered. “Hmm…”

Wenwen added, “Could be some small brand partnering with him, using his ‘character-growth’ persona to gain traction. High engagement makes it easy to build momentum. I bet next he’ll announce he’s the brand director—playing the elite founder role.”

Yunjing didn’t reply right away. Instead, she scrolled back through April’s past posts. Her fingers gently slid down the screen, revisiting his journey.

Fat loss, fitness, styling, skincare, posture correction…

Every piece of advice from fans, he had earnestly tried, responded to—never once brushing anyone off.

His content never screamed “show-off” or “flex”—it was always honest documentation of personal growth.

That sincerity gave fans like her an incredible sense of participation and achievement.

After a few seconds of silence, Yunjing shook her head. “No—I think he’s for real.”

Wenwen teased, “Someone’s emotionally invested, huh? You’ve really raised him like a digital pet—and now you’re upgrading to ‘cyber shareholder’?”

Yunjing grinned, her eyes sparkling with a mix of excitement and satisfaction. “Exactly—and an early investor at that.”

She put down her coffee and started typing.

Under the post about HEYISTUDIO’s name search, she left her suggestion:

“I think you could call it ‘He Yi’ (赫衣)—meaning distinguished clothing. It conveys a sense of prestige and aligns with a high-end designer brand’s tone. Fits the image perfectly.”

The “digital pet” she raised online had actually launched a women’s fashion label—and invited them to build it together.

This wasn’t just interaction. It was a whole new character-raising game.

Her fashion taste and spending habits perfectly aligned with HEYISTUDIO’s target market.

And when she wore its clothes in the future—it would bring her immense pride and joy.

The very thought of it stirred a surge of excitement and anticipation in her heart.

Meanwhile—

In a high-end restaurant in the Magic City,

In an office tower in Hangzhou,

In the crowded subways of Shenzhen,

In university dormitories...

Across every corner of the city,

“Cyber strategists” were quietly joining in, pitching their ideas.

Among them were office workers, students, content creators, freelancers—

Even celebrity entertainers.

In a small, close-knit circle,

[HEYISTUDIO] was beginning to spread.

5:37 a.m., Yanjing Tiancheng.

Outside, the sky was still pitch black, the city not yet awake.

Fine rain tapped against the glass, a faint "da-da" sound.

Tang Song slowly opened his eyes.

A familiar and intoxicating scent lingered at the tip of his nose,

Mingling the autumn chill with the unique warmth of a young woman’s skin.

It snapped him awake instantly.

Zhao Yaqian was still asleep in his arms, her silhouette soft and quiet in the dim light.

Tang Song couldn’t help leaning down to kiss her on the cheek,

Then leaned into her neck and took a deep breath.

Thanks to the [Phantom Glamour] enhancement,

Her scent was indeed addictive.

Carefully slipping out of bed,

Tang Song glanced at the rainy window, then walked into the dressing room.

He changed clothes and went into the study.

First, he pulled out the treasured guitar gifted by Su Yu.

Turned on the lights, adjusted the warmth and angle.

Then set up a sports camera, angling it toward the floor-to-ceiling balcony windows.

With the guitar in hand, he walked to the camera and sat down.

Framed by the rainy cityscape, warm lighting, and early morning darkness,

He became a silhouette—

Facial features hidden, but the upright, handsome lines unmistakable.

His long, pale fingers glowed faintly as they danced across the dark guitar.

A gentle melody flowed from his fingertips.

The rain outside grew louder—its rhythmic tapping became a natural backing track.

His voice was deep and magnetic,

Paired with the guitar’s soft chords, the entire room was wrapped in a cozy, melancholic ambiance.

Four and a half minutes later—"Rainy Night in Manchester" came to an end.

Tang Song picked up the camera, reviewed the footage, and nodded in satisfaction.

He exported the video, edited it on his laptop, applied a filter, and uploaded the entire performance to Douyin.

He hadn’t posted in a while—so he started from the content he knew best, reactivating the account.

Next would be the Lamborghini and Xiaoxue segments.

He also planned to buy a premium motorcycle—

Partly for personal interest,

And partly for better account content.

After finishing up,

Tang Song returned to the main room and picked up his phone.

Two unread messages popped up:

【Lingling: “**o Today’s Tuesday, Oct 17, light rain, 14–23°C. Outfit recommendation below...”】

【Lingling: “Senior, the pattern draft for your design is ready. I’m heading to Huashang Garments today to make the sample.”】

Tang Song smiled and replied, “Thanks for the hard work, Lingling.”

【Lingling: “No worries! You’re a paying customer, after all—VIP service guaranteed! Your junior will fulfill all requests! (#wink)”】

Chuckling, Tang Song teased, “So good to me? Then send a photo—the sexiest one.”

【Lingling: bonk emoji】

A moment later—

【Lingling: photo.jpg】

Tang Song tapped to open it—

Sure enough, another fitness photo from his junior.

This time, it was noticeably more seductive—

Top slightly lifted, revealing a slender waist sharply contrasting with her curvaceous hips.

They exchanged stickers for a bit.

Outside, dawn was slowly breaking,

And the rain had thinned to a gentle drizzle.

Tang Song stood by the balcony, gazing at the rain-tinted morning,

His mind contemplating the details of his Phase 3 Growth Plan Tasks.

HEYISTUDIO was founded,

A design team assembled,

Supply chains and OEM partners in place.

The first batch of clothes would take at least half a month from design to production.

Songmei Fashion, as a business, couldn’t do a full-scale launch without finalized products.

His Xiaohongshu pre-promotion and co-creation campaign

Was also a key step in building brand recognition—

A mutually reinforcing process.

[① Branding] would soon be completed.

As for [③ Capital Hunter],

Shen Yuyan would accompany the team to Hangzhou today.

Yimai Tech’s investment due diligence should go off without a hitch.

Once his current tasks were done,

He could accompany Wen Ruan on a trip to Yangcheng.

Thinking of Yangcheng inevitably brought up Zhang Yan.

He exhaled deeply.

Putting away his phone, Tang Song walked toward the master bedroom.

The room was still dark—Zhao Yaqian hadn't woken up.

He stepped lightly into the bathroom—

And was suddenly startled by a playful, crisp “Ha!”

It wasn’t loud—but definitely enough to scare someone!

Startled, Tang Song turned sharply—

And saw a figure hiding in the corner.

Long burgundy hair draped over her shoulders, messy yet alluring.

Her eyes gleamed mischievously.

And notably—she was only wearing a long sheer robe.

Nothing underneath.

Her fair, smooth legs shimmered under the light—

Flowing curves, enchanting lines.

Tang Song patted his chest dramatically. “Are you trying to scare me to death?”

Zhao Yaqian giggled behind her hand and said smugly, “Hehe, gotcha, Song-ge! That’s payback for scaring me last night!”

Tang Song raised an eyebrow, sliding his hand up her thigh.

Zhao Yaqian blushed, then threw herself into his arms,

Arms around his neck, legs wrapped around his waist.

Their eyes met—hers full of affection, like morning stars—

Warm and blazing.

They fooled around a bit—

Then stood side by side at the mirror to brush their teeth and wash up.

Zhao Yaqian kept playing tricks—

Hugging him from behind while he brushed his teeth,

Whipping her towel at his face on purpose...

Laughter filled the room.

After washing up, they made breakfast together in the kitchen, ate,

And she saw Tang Song off to work.

Around 9:00 a.m.

Yunxi Tower, Songmei Fashion.

“Morning, Qiuqiu.”

“Morning.”

“Good morning!”

Colleagues’ cheerful greetings echoed through the office.

Cheng Qiuqiu responded to each greeting. She was gradually adapting to this environment and had learned to express kindness in the simplest way possible.

Once seated at her desk, she turned on her computer and logged into the internal collaboration platform.

A new message popped up: “Initial requirements for [HEYISTUDIO] express packaging design.”

Attached were reference images from competitor packaging, a logistics cost analysis sheet, and user survey data.

Cheng Qiuqiu studied them carefully for a good while.

Her fingers glided lightly across the tablet as her thoughts quickly transformed into sketches.

Thanks to the complete “Visual Identity System” already in place, designing the express packaging would be a lot easier.

She already had some ideas in mind.

10:30 a.m.

Ding-dong—

A WeChat notification sounded.

[Brother Junfeng: “Qiuqiu, are you free this weekend?”]

Cheng Qiuqiu pursed her lips and replied, “If there’s no overtime, I should be. Why