In a city not far from Yinhai, inside a messy room, a figure lay sprawled across the bed.
Du Ruoxiang lay there, listlessly mashing buttons on her handheld game console, continuing her shut-in lifestyle. Ever since her failed attempt at being a fan girl, she had lost interest in both studying and working. Everything felt meaningless, even gaming couldn't lift her spirits.
"Du Xiangxiang's Treasure Box" had been running quite well before, but after she became preoccupied with following celebrities, she neglected it. Lately, she hadn't even felt like going online. She knew wallowing in depression wasn't right, but she couldn't bring herself to get up, even entertaining thoughts of "maybe I'll just lie here for a hundred years and let life pass by."
Life remained as monotonous as ever, with even game screens losing their appeal. But life needs contrast - you only realize what's precious after losing it.
Du Ruoxiang was lying at home, still listless and spiritless, until she was suddenly called out by name!
[Du Ruoxiang.]
The ethereal voice was neither male nor female, or perhaps the heavens themselves were genderless. This mysterious voice made Du Ruoxiang turn pale with fright.
As everyone knows, supernatural beings' names hold power, and calling their names allows them to hear you, but only if they're actively listening. It's like making a phone call - you can dial out, but communication only happens when the other party picks up. Many supernatural beings are busy and can't constantly listen for their names, which is why they prefer using phones nowadays.
However, there was one exception - being directly called out by name. Any supernatural being whose name was called this way would definitely hear it. This often happened when the Observation Bureau issued arrest warrants after learning someone's name. The first step for supernatural beings imprisoned by the Bureau was having their names confiscated.
Therefore, Du Ruoxiang panicked when her name was called. Was the Observation Bureau settling scores for her fan girl activities? But wasn't that reaction a bit delayed?
Or was it because she had been lying around too long, and the supernatural realm didn't support this "lying flat" culture, so they were making an example of her?
[Du Ruoxiang.]
Du Ruoxiang was called again, frightening her so much she dropped her game console. She couldn't lie still anymore.
However, the distant voice suddenly changed, as if another person had squeezed into the conversation.
[If I speak like this, can she hear me? But there's no response.]
[She can hear us, but she's not answering.]
[Hello, can you hear me? I'm Chu Zhishui from the Huaijiang Bureau. We met briefly at the Bureau before. I heard you're running a social media account, something beauty-related. Would you be interested in helping us with some product reviews and providing valuable feedback? If you're willing, could you share an address where I can send some products?]
Though the name-calling voice was ethereal and mechanical, Du Ruoxiang could distinguish between the supernatural lord's terse, emotionless speech and the polite, lengthy words of the human lady who had helped her before. She stammered, "Does... does the Bureau handle this kind of business?"
[Yes, I thought you might have heard about our work when you were chatting with Jin Yu last time.]
"Alright then, add me on WeChat and we can talk there, let's end this call..." Du Ruoxiang suggested this communication method, suspecting she might either be imprisoned immediately or lose her life at any moment, "I'll give you my WeChat ID."
[Okay, I've added you.]
Switching to human communication methods instantly made the atmosphere more harmonious and pleasant, at least it no longer felt like interrogating a criminal.
Chu Zhishui introduced the Bureau's products to Du Ruoxiang, explained why they were collecting reviews, and finally clarified: "You don't need to praise them unnecessarily, just give honest reviews. We're currently collaborating with the platform, and they want some authentic reviews, preferably from major KOL bloggers. I came across your content online, saw your previous videos were quite good, and wanted to hear your opinions after using the products. You can point out any shortcomings too."
"Alright, I'll thoroughly test the products once I receive them and try to produce videos quickly," Du Ruoxiang replied obediently, afraid of being called out by name again if she wasn't efficient enough. She had been unmotivated to work for so long, but being called out by the supernatural lord finally shocked her into action, making her jump out of bed to work.
"That's good. Also, given our organization's special nature, we can't really offer any concrete compensation..." Chu Zhishui said apologetically, "We'll send you some gifts during the New Year. Should we use the same address?"
"Yes, yes, that's fine." Hearing her gentle tone, Du Ruoxiang felt less tense and quietly suggested, "How about I fly to Huaijiang now to do the review?"
After all, she could record videos anywhere, and getting promoted by the platform wouldn't be a loss. Why not visit the Huaijiang Observation Bureau?
"What would you come here for?" Xin Yunmao emerged from behind Chu Zhishui, his face appearing on screen with an icy gaze sharp as a blade. He warned, "Have you forgotten what I said?"
Du Ruoxiang: "..."
Finally, Du Ruoxiang reluctantly ended the video call, remembering she was banned from appearing in Huaijiang, or she'd be burned into fertilizer by supernatural fire.
The supernatural lord's threat proved to be the ultimate motivator. As soon as Du Ruoxiang received the Bureau's products, she immediately began testing and editing videos.
Chu Zhishui expanded on the idea from Du Ruoxiang's case, not only asking flower spirits to find familiar bloggers but also contacting other supernatural beings whose attributes matched the products.
Before long, product reviews flooded various platforms. Chu Zhishui filtered through them, selecting several to show Wang Yiwen for potential promotion.
The account "Du Xiangxiang's Treasure Box" mainly focused on beauty and skincare. Du Ruoxiang had accumulated quite a few products recently, so she decided to make a special hair care video, introducing products from various price points.
The Bureau's products were always good value for money, and the scalp nourishing cream was no exception, priced at just a few dozen yuan for a large jar. The packaging wasn't fancy, and the jar felt quite heavy when held.
In the video, Du Ruoxiang's hair was wet as she diligently applied the nourishing cream, demonstrating while explaining: "Sisters, as I mentioned before, this is really about personal preference. Wealthy sisters can choose the luxury brands I discussed earlier, but I also review affordable products to show you the real user experience..."
"This scalp nourishing cream is quite good, affordable with safe ingredients. Don't use it if you're allergic to ginger, as it does contain ginger. When applied to the scalp, there's a slight warming sensation, but it's not burning hot - quite gentle actually, and the scent is acceptable."
Du Ruoxiang continued applying while talking, then suddenly put down her hands. With her wet hair, she looked around frustratedly for tools: "The only downside is that it's tiring to apply this to long hair. I'm looking for a brush to speed things up. It just comes in a plain jar, no brushes or tools included, but at this price point, that's understandable. You can buy a small brush online, they're not expensive."
"Okay, now after some time has passed, let's wash the hair and see the results. Once cleaned, the ginger smell is gone, leaving everything fresh and clean, and the scalp feels very relaxed - like a face mask for your scalp?" Du Ruoxiang explained, "This isn't conditioner, it's applied to the scalp, so you still need to use regular shampoo and conditioner when washing."
[Finally seeing a blogger promote my treasure product! I've been using it for a long time, even got new baby hairs growing, but don't know why nobody recommends it online!!]
[Yes, when I mention this brand, people think of ginger candy, don't understand why their ginger candy has the highest sales.]
[No spokesperson, no advertising, seems like it's some organization's side business, similar to agricultural universities making snacks - it's not their main business.]
[That explains why the online store is so basic, only three products, and they're not even the same type, selling a bit of everything.]
[It's good that not many people know about it, good that there's no advertising, good that the packaging is simple - shows the money is spent in the right places. Hope they don't raise prices once they become famous.]
[This really works well, luxury brands are all overpriced with similar effects, as long as you remember to use it.]
[The 'remembering to use it' part is too real - use it once after buying, then get tired and toss it aside. Not the product's fault, I'm just too lazy.]
[Was planning to buy a luxury brand, but now I'm hesitating after hearing about this. Might as well buy an affordable one first, won't feel too bad if I forget about it and it expires.]
Meanwhile, "Yu Jingzi's Ginseng Talk" also released a video. This was the social media account of an established ginseng shop with a physical store in Danshan, considered a reliable ginseng merchant who had been in the business for a long time.
In the video, Yu Jingzi wore a Zhongshan suit, appearing sage-like, with traditional Chinese music playing in the background. He sat at a wooden long table with precious ginseng displayed before him, speaking eloquently: "Many friends often tell me, 'Hey, Yu Jingzi, I see ginseng isn't expensive, why does it cost thousands or tens of thousands?' Today, I'll briefly explain. We mainly sell ginseng as medicinal herbs. The high-priced ones are wild mountain ginseng and forest ginseng, while garden ginseng is generally used in various products..."
"If you want to make soup or wine, garden ginseng is sufficient. There's no need to buy expensive ginseng. Some people ask me if ginseng health products or foot-soaking powder are effective. I can only answer that genuine ingredients work. If you really want results, buy some garden ginseng yourself, look up some recipes, and you'll get the same effects."
[But we can't buy it, and making it ourselves is troublesome, plus we don't know the recipe.]
[Does the shop owner have an online store? Do you have these items?]
"We don't have these; we only sell more expensive ginseng. The recipe usually just combines ginseng with astragalus and ginger. There's nothing special about the ingredients. If you don't want the hassle, just buy from reliable sources," Yu Jingzi said. "I'll recommend a few places for you to choose from. The most reassuring option is to visit offline stores. Everyone's welcome to come to our Danshan physical store."
Among Yu Jingzi's recommended products was the Observation Bureau's ginseng foot-soaking powder. Netizens discovered that this company's ginseng had won the "Ginseng King" title at the Third Danshan Ginseng Auction, which explained why Danshan ginseng merchants recommended it. Although the company's award-winning "Ginseng King" was wild mountain ginseng, it at least proved they had genuine ginseng farms, suggesting their garden ginseng was likely of good quality and authentic.
With product reviews released and New Perspective Video's traffic boost, even the Observation Bureau's online store saw rising sales.
But this was just the warm-up. The Economic Development Department couldn't relax lately, with even contract worker Chen Zhuhui frequently joining remote meetings. They wouldn't get a breather until after the New Perspective promotional festival.
This promotional festival was New Perspective Video's first major event since its launch. They needed to prove their capabilities through brand exposure and sales figures. The app's data had to look good that day, and they might even put up big-character posters to show off later. To achieve their goals, Qi Chang, Wang Yiwen, and others would offer discounts to brands and clients, and coordinate with various logistics providers.
Of course, these matters weren't the Economic Development Department's concern; they just needed to focus on maximizing sales that day.
Chu Zhishui also took Du Ruoxiang's video advice and contacted a small brush manufacturer in Huaijiang to provide scalp massage tools for the nourishing scalp cream.
On the day of the New Perspective promotional festival, three Observation Bureau brand products were listed: spiced ginger candy, scalp nourishing cream, and ginseng foot-soaking powder. Everyone nervously waited for the event to begin, finally counting down to the last second.
When the time came, Jin Yu couldn't sit still. She anxiously checked the backend: "Let me see how the sales are doing!"
"How is it?"
"There's nothing."
"What?" Chu Zhishui sat up straight, looking bewildered. "That can't be right. It's a promotional event; we should at least have tens of thousands in sales."
She had seen such events on Dragon Knowledge Video before; even the bureau's company shouldn't perform this poorly.
Jin Yu stared at the webpage on her computer, repeatedly clicking her mouse, saying in confusion: "No, I mean there's nothing in the backend. The webpage is completely blank; it won't refresh at all."
"...That's good. If it's crashed, it means we're doing well."
Moments later, the backend data finally updated. In the first second of the event, all three products had achieved high sales, far exceeding the Economic Development Department's expectations!
New Perspective Video's traffic impact was indeed impressive: spiced ginger candy sold 90,000 units, scalp nourishing cream 150,000 units, and ginseng foot-soaking powder 90,000 units. Apparently, hair problems remained humanity's ultimate challenge.
Jin Yu stared at the backend data in a daze, counting on her fingers and mumbling, "Last time the ginger candy sold over 30,000 units, and we made about 300,000..."
Chu Zhishui stood beside Jin Yu, leaning on her chair and quickly calculating: "This event will bring in about 6 million in net profit from all products."
And the day wasn't over yet; there might be small increases later.
"Brother Niu! Brother Niu!" After hearing the figures, Jin Yu suddenly jumped from her chair and ran to the neighboring Logistics Department, exclaiming excitedly, "Can we still modify the blueprints? I want to build an aquarium villa!"
Chu Zhishui: "?"
She hadn't expected Jin Yu to have such a wish. Perhaps all water-related creatures had an obsession with water - if not the ocean, then an aquarium - showing some attachment to their homeland.
As the New Perspective promotional festival concluded, the Observation Bureau's scalp nourishing cream even made it onto the day's star product rankings. Although not near the top, it was still an impressive achievement. After all, the top spots were occupied by well-known brand products, and it was quite remarkable for a small company to have even one product make the list.
After the intense promotional activity, the Economic Development Department was equally exhausted. Chu Zhishui hadn't experienced such chaos since joining the bureau, as she had been taking it easy. Finally, following Wang Yiwen's lead, she had another exciting experience, though she hadn't properly rested during this period.
Wang Yiwen would often call Chu Zhishui late at night, maintaining the intense rhythm of urban office workers, completely forgetting that her friend now lived in an eighteenth-tier city and had long disconnected from the life of sudden death from overwork.
Fortunately, everything was over, and they could now focus on routine shipping without staying up late discussing work, returning to peaceful and leisurely days.
In the office, Jin Yu glanced at the calendar in the lower left corner and exclaimed, "How is it November already? Time flies so fast."
Jin Yu suspected she had amnesia again, as her memories from the New Perspective promotional festival until now had vanished, probably due to being too busy with shipping.
Chu Zhishui remained composed: "Yes, fortunately we'll be able to pay year-end bonuses."
"That's not what I meant - your birthday is coming up!" Jin Yu said joyfully. "How do you plan to celebrate?"
On Jin Yu's birthday, Chu Zhishui had brought cake to the bureau, and everyone had shared it, enjoying a rare moment of happiness.
"How to celebrate?" Chu Zhishui raised an eyebrow. "Skip it."
"???"
Jin Yu hurriedly asked, "How can you do that? Isn't there anything you want to do?"
"No, and there's probably no time anyway," Chu Zhishui sighed. "It's a workday, not a weekend, so we can't do anything."
Adult birthdays are all unremarkable, still requiring one to work dutifully. She had long stopped pursuing any sense of ceremony.
Xin Yunmao, sitting behind her, blinked upon hearing this, turning his gaze to the sky outside the window, lost in thought.
Jin Yu cheerfully suggested, "Then I'll have Brother Niu bring cake, and we can share it together, have a simple celebration."
"That works. No rush, it's next week's business."
The night before the start of winter, Chu Zhishui had dinner with her parents and sat chatting in the living room for a while. The temperature hadn't completely dropped yet, and the heating wasn't on - it was the beginning of early winter.
"Tomorrow is baby's birthday," Xie Yan smiled. "What would you like to eat? Your father can cook in the evening."
Chu Zhishui casually replied, "Anything is fine. No need for special trouble; otherwise, dad will be rushing around after getting home from work."
Chu Xiaohe, sitting nearby scrolling through his phone, suddenly received a notification: "My workplace says tomorrow is a holiday."
"?"
"The provincial weather bureau forecasts heavy snow and hail tomorrow. Huaijiang City is enforcing a mandatory day off."
Chu Zhishui, wearing thin pajamas at home, still not feeling any winter temperatures: "???"
