As Ye Zhi had predicted, major brand merchants were eager to send money to Tao Xun.
Even though they had stated that the special edition was exclusive to Jinshi Home Furnishings and currently only featured in-game brands, these merchants still happily provided funding.
The game was already generating a huge buzz before its launch, which made Feng Jie's negotiations exceptionally smooth.
The executives of those few gaming websites had initially been hesitant to cooperate with Tao Xun. While Tao Xun was a large and established company, that didn't guarantee the success of their single-player game.
However, seeing that the game, even before its release, had already brought a new and younger customer base to Jinshi Home Furnishings, and that Jinshi Home Furnishings had cleverly seized this opportunity, they wondered why they shouldn't follow suit and also use this chance to transition.
Soon, the executives from those websites changed their minds and readily agreed to cooperate with Tao Xun.
However, with so many brands wanting to be featured, they faced a dilemma in selecting which ones.
Ultimately, Shi Fan and Feng Jie compiled a list of those brand merchants and went to Ye Zhi for a decision.
Ye Zhi casually flipped through the densely packed tables and asked in surprise, "There are so many?"
"Yes," Shi Fan replied, both happy and troubled. "And this is after filtering out unreliable brands according to your instructions. President Ye, how should we choose?"
"Indeed, these brands want to list almost all their products. With the game launching in a few months, such a massive workload is going to exhaust the game department's employees," Feng Jie said with a wry smile. "Shi Fan and I were joking earlier, I think we should just hold an auction, first come, first served."
"Then Tao Xun's reputation would be ruined," Ye Zhi said calmly. Knowing Feng Jie wasn't serious, she merely made a remark and didn't dwell on it.
She glanced at the list again. The tables were dense, but she already had an idea.
"How about this," Ye Zhi said, putting down the tables, her voice deep. "Contact those brand merchants and ask them to select their most representative products, a maximum of two.
Have them send the selected products to the game department, and let them categorize them according to their suitability for the main game and subsequent DLC. The order of featured brands should also follow this.
Afterward, have the brand merchants send over samples. The game department should then create models based on the actual products, doing their best to replicate these brand products in the game so they feel their money was well spent."
"Understood, President Ye," the two replied.
In the afternoon, Qi Xuan arrived punctually to pick Ye Zhi up from work.
The two returned to the villa on the mountainside. As Qi Xuan had just escorted Ye Zhi to her door, the doorbell rang.
"Xiao Zhi, hurry and open the door! I'm here to see you!"
From outside the door, Cheng Yi's voice could be heard.
The two went to open the door together, and Cheng Yi walked in directly, carrying a gift box.
"Xiao Zhi, this is for you." Cheng Yi handed the gift box directly into Ye Zhi's arms.
Ye Zhi accepted it somewhat blankly. She felt its weight; the item wasn't large or heavy, and it was tightly wrapped, so she couldn't guess what was inside.
"Thank you, Auntie. Please, come in," Ye Zhi said, hugging the gift and stepping aside.
Afterward, the three went to the living room together.
"Mom," Qi Xuan frowned slightly, asking in a low voice with some concern, "Is there a reason you're here today?"
"Can't I just miss Xiao Zhi?" Cheng Yi asked with a playful smile. "Don't worry, I won't pressure Ye Zhi."
Their voices were quiet, and Ye Zhi could hear them whispering, but she couldn't make out the details. However, it was normal for mother and son to have private conversations, so she didn't focus on listening.
Upon reaching the living room, Ye Zhi looked at the gift box in her hand. "Auntie, please sit down first. I'll put this gift away..."
"Why put it away? Open it and take a look," Cheng Yi said expectantly.
Seeing that Cheng Yi had said so, Ye Zhi tore off the wrapping paper, and to her slight surprise.
The gift was a jewelry box.
Ye Zhi opened the jewelry box, and inside were six pairs of beautiful earrings. There was another layer beneath the jewelry box, which Ye Zhi opened to reveal six necklaces.
"I came into a little money a couple of days ago. When I went to buy necklaces, I saw these earrings and necklaces that were particularly beautiful and would suit you very well. I couldn't decide which one to pick, so I bought them all for you!" Cheng Yi said with a smile, then cast a triumphant glance at Qi Xuan.
Qi Xuan suddenly realized. Had she used the money he gave her to buy necklaces to buy gifts for Ye Zhi?
Looking at the jewelry she brought, Cheng Yi had probably added quite a bit of her own money.
"This..." Ye Zhi was momentarily stunned. "Isn't this too valuable?"
"Not valuable, not valuable at all," Cheng Yi waved her hand. "Whether it's you or me, we can afford these things. For us, it's like an ordinary family giving a box of milk as a gift. Would anyone say a box of milk is too valuable when they receive it?"
Ye Zhi: ...
Cheng Yi's words made perfect sense, and she couldn't refute them!
"Come, come, quickly try them on. I want to see how they look!" Cheng Yi said contentedly.
Ye Zhi couldn't refuse such a kind invitation, so she put on the earrings and necklace. However, Cheng Yi was still a little unsatisfied, feeling like something was missing.
So, after getting Ye Zhi's consent, she took Ye Zhi to her room. She personally helped Ye Zhi pick out clothes, applied her makeup, and even curled her hair, styling it.
Ye Zhi hadn't expected Cheng Yi to have this skill, and she cooperated fully throughout the process.
"Alright!" Cheng Yi sighed in relief. "You can open your eyes now."
Ye Zhi slowly opened her eyes and looked at her reflection in the mirror, momentarily stunned.
Although she wouldn't say that the person in the mirror wasn't her, there was indeed a significant change in style!
In the past, her outfits were always oriented towards being intellectual and capable. Combined with her aura, even without speaking, others could immediately tell she was a powerful figure, a boss.
However, now, the clothes, jewelry, and makeup Cheng Yi had chosen for her were geared towards a wild beauty.
She now possessed an alluring charm that captivated the heart, bright and unrestrained, incomparable. Yet, she felt something was slightly off.
Suddenly, Ye Zhi had an epiphany. Wasn't she now dressed exactly like the beautiful, rich, and visually impaired villainess from an idol drama?
A rich young lady, radiant and beautiful, sharp and dazzling. If there were a gentle and weak innocent girl standing beside her, the effect would be even more pronounced!
Ye Zhi found it somewhat amusing. Was she heading irrecoverably down the path of a villain?
"Do you like it?" Cheng Yi asked, a little apprehensively.
"I love it! I'm practically mesmerized by myself~" Ye Zhi said obligingly.