Huayu: Starting from the top talent show

Chapter 591: A Non-Stop Event, Ambassadors and Powerful Families Show Goodwill (8k)

For Shen Juan, the recording of the French talk show "Cà vous" was simply about praising Paris and France to gain the support and recognition of the French people, and then promoting the movie "A Little Red Flower" which had been released globally for more than half a month and AS4's first single "Easy On Me".

Although the former cannot achieve high box office and popularity due to cultural differences and rampant sentimentality, it can subtly eliminate some foreigners' stereotypes about China in a gentle and pervasive way, letting them know that modern Chinese society is no different from theirs.

To some extent, it can refute media rumors.

The latter is the foundation upon which Shen Juan established himself in his global conquests.

Compared to film and television works, music production is simpler and dissemination is more convenient, giving it an inherent advantage. Therefore, singers are more likely to break out of their niche with their works than actors, touching global audiences with more direct melodic emotions and gaining wider attention and influence in a short period of time.

Therefore, no matter how much Shen Juan expands his horizons and shines in other fields, he will never forget where his roots are.

He will never forget who brought him to where he is now.

After getting up the next morning, I continued working.

First up is the March issue of Vogue Paris, the opening cover shoot for the season.

As the most influential and prestigious fashion magazine in the world, Vogue's four most prestigious editions in the UK, France, the US, and Italy have always been the top trendsetters in the fashion industry. The monthly cover and inside pages are highly sought-after by supermodels and have historically been dominated by top supermodels, rarely opening their doors to idols and celebrities who are looked down upon by the fashion world.

Therefore, Shen Juan's return to the cover of Vogue Paris after two years (his first appearance was in March 2019) is undoubtedly a groundbreaking surprise, making fans proud and demonstrating his top-tier recognition across the fashion and entertainment industries.

Considering that Shen Juan had only been able to travel to France for a magazine shoot in the past two years due to loyalty, in order to make the most of this opportunity to further expand the magazine's global influence, VP specially organized a team to conduct a rapid-fire Q&A challenge for him, modeled after the American version, during the shoot.

What's the best thing about Paris?

"The romantic core hidden in famous historical sites."

What's the worst thing that could happen?

"Perhaps it's the security situation in certain areas? Maybe I haven't told anyone before, but I've actually had my wallet stolen here before."

Of course, Shen Juan had to have a relaxed smile on his face when he said this; this sense of ease was crucial.

It can both bridge the gap through harmless and insignificant banter and avoid turning jokes into serious accusations.

Otherwise, it could very well anger the patriotic masses in France, triggering unnecessary indignation and boycotts, resulting in a loss instead of a gain.

"Describe your impression of Paris in three words."

"Classical, romantic, and fireworks."

Off-camera, Wang Chuan, who was listening in, was instantly charmed and couldn't help but smile, inwardly letting out a roar of joy.

The last word was clearly meant for her!
After all, they watched fireworks together when they first met in Paris, and later in Sydney, she even earned the nickname "Fireworks Girl"!
Unfortunately, this romance is only known to her for the time being.

I really hope that foul-mouthed delinquent girl will break down!
"The things you must do after you get up."

Turn off the alarm.

"On behalf of all the fans, I'm asking this question: When can we expect to see your next live performance or concert?"

"Maybe tomorrow? Maybe the day after?"

In fact, since the cruise ship could only accommodate a maximum of fifty spectators, Shen Juan did not promote the cruise ship concert in advance at all. He planned to announce everything suddenly on the day of the concert, and the number of people who could watch the performance would be randomly drawn at 12 noon on the same day. There was no competition of speed or money.

How did you realize you had a talent for being a singer?

"The praise from classmates and friends when I was a child."

What's the best movie you've seen recently?

"On the plane to Paris, I watched a boxing movie called Creed II. You know, I'm a fighting fan."

What's the movie you're most looking forward to that hasn't been released yet?

"Maybe it's Dune. I've read the original book. It's cool and grand. I really like Paul Atreides."

"."

"OK, Alex, let's make the most of this last bit and start with question 88: What's the name of the new album?"

"I've said it before, FAME, honor."

What is the biggest risk you've taken?

Shen Juan answered almost without hesitation: "When I first started out and hadn't yet established myself, I went to the United States to work."

"What would you do if you didn't work in the entertainment industry?"

"Maybe I could become a primary school teacher or open a pet shop? I prefer spending time with children and cats and dogs."

What's your favorite song?

"In my new album."

What is your most prized possession?

"Love, love from all Alovers."

Shen Juan answered with a smile, then asked in a light tone, "By the way, how many questions have we asked so far?"

"92 questions, and we are about to move on to the 93rd question."

"Great, how about we call it a day for now?" Someone had invited him to lunch, and Shen Juan decided to go.

"Okay, that concludes our Q&A session for today." The interviewer, understanding the situation, immediately announced the end of the interview.

"It's a pleasure to be interviewed by you."

"It's my honor as well!"

After seeing off the interview team, before moving on to the next location to begin the afternoon's filming, Shen Juan had a private engagement involving politics to attend to—the Chinese ambassador to France had invited him to dinner, saying he wanted to discuss topics related to Sino-French cultural exchange in person, and to create more possibilities for cultural interaction between the two countries and for fostering friendship between their people.

As mentioned before.

At his current level, every trip he takes is a major event that relevant departments need to continuously monitor and follow up on.

On the one hand, they feared that Shen Juan was colluding with the Jingwai forces and that his announcement on the live stream that he would bring his talent to other Guo Jia was rare.

If he really does that, the confidence that the country has painstakingly cultivated over many years will collapse. If this shining star, regarded as the pride of Asia and the nation, betrays, the blow and harm to ordinary people will be so great that even the launch of ten aircraft carriers cannot make up for it.

This knife wound inflicts permanent damage on the Chinese people.

This destined Shen Juan to possess extraordinary value and significance.

On the other hand, they also urgently need the influence generated by Shen Juan's activities overseas to help the country improve its international image, win the favor of ordinary people in overseas countries, and incidentally alleviate the multi-dimensional public opinion pressure caused by the Western media's rampant smear campaign during this special period.

Therefore, it was impossible for ambassadors from various countries not to contact Shen Juan after he landed in their countries.

This was not only to demonstrate the substantial support to Shen Juan, but also to pave the way for his overseas activities and to project authority.

Furthermore, this positive interaction with influential international figures is intended to become a shining achievement in their work.

In short, in this special period of ever-changing international environment and increasing emphasis on the power of public opinion and cultural output, he is both a live volcano that could explode at any time, attracting the attention and various inducements of foreign governments, and a coveted prize in the eyes of officials, subject to close monitoring and protection domestically.

His existence is unique and unprecedented.

The values ​​he represents are unparalleled.

This is both his fortune and his shackle.

As for its impact on his entire career?
Is it more beneficial than harmful? Or is it more harmful than beneficial?

Then we'll have to let time tell.

in the afternoon.

After finishing the remaining content of the magazine photoshoot, they went to the Champs-Élysées to attend an all-star party hosted by Adidas.

However, despite being called an All-Star team, it was really just Shen Juan and Kendall Jenner, plus a bunch of nameless nobodies.

After the party ended, and after completing the superficial and meaningless social interactions and meeting a few friends whose names I would forget in the blink of an eye, I went to the live interview venue set up by the organizers to chat with the host and dozens of Adidas VIP customers about fashion trends and artistic creation.

"For me, great art usually comes from releasing personal enjoyment. There are things that artists may not have experienced, but they still want to fantasize and create. This is probably the main reason why artists are usually highly sensitive and empathetic. Well, I have to admit that I am one of them."

“In fact, I used to think that artists could only create great art when they were in difficult circumstances and suffered. A comfortable life would stifle your creativity and imagination. Throughout history, the image of a tormented artist is both alluring and romantic. We all yearn for the drama of genius.”

"But as I've gotten older, I've gradually come to realize that this isn't the case, at least not for me personally."

“Many people say that suffering is beneficial to art. Okay, let’s look at Van Gogh. Van Gogh rarely went out to paint because he hated the outside world or he was suffering. So the only time he was happy was when he was painting. He painted because he liked painting, not for any other reason.”

"So I think if Van Gogh hadn't suffered these things, perhaps his works would have been even greater."

"His art did not come from his suffering; in fact, this great talent originated from him."

"If art doesn't need suffering and pain to inspire it, then what does it need? It's simple: a buffer zone."

"Yes, the best art is often the most personal. You should create from what is your own. You are the raw material, but you should keep a certain distance. If you write directly about your wounds and mundane life experiences, it is difficult for you to really get anything out of it because it is too ordinary and too boring."

"So sometimes you just need to find an area to fully unleash your boundless imagination, so you don't have to painfully bleed on paper. Indeed, we do see some great artists who, after suffering, suddenly create a masterpiece that shocks the world."

“For example, after experiencing the brutal and bloody Second World War, American writer J.D. Salinger wrote The Catcher in the Rye. He could have depicted the real war, but he didn’t. He didn’t directly describe the horrors he saw, but instead found a buffer.”

“He transformed his experience into something else, something far enough away that he could easily process it and make it meaningful, like when we go home and lie in bed after an incredibly bad day and use TikTok to soothe and buffer this painful experience.”

"So even though the artistic value of the creations cannot be compared, modern people in the 21st century enjoy watching videos on TikTok just as much as Van Gogh paints. Everyone is looking for their own buffer zone, and that's why I believe that a stable life is essential for better artistic creation."

As soon as the words were spoken, not only the host and the invited audience members on site seemed to be deep in thought, but also the fans around the world who were watching the live broadcast simultaneously through different channels were touched by this seemingly reasonable sharing. They typed and sent bullet comments to express their agreement and insights in various languages.

[A great philosopher; even though I don't particularly like his music, I still find his words full of profound insights.]

When a musician's second album achieves near-Grammy sweep and their first world tour breaks box office records, you know this person is destined for stardom.

[A truly insightful individual, a genuine adventurer and artist.]

Every time I watch interviews with celebrities, what they say seems so empty and meaningless, as if they've never read a book. Then, watching Alex's interviews makes me realize how vast the difference is between celebrities. Some people are destined to be stars among stars!

He was already a great artist.

At first, I just thought Alex had a good business sense and was good at packaging and marketing himself. But after watching these interviews, I realized he's much more than that; his inner qualities are far more attractive than his outward appearance.

[I love this man so much! I've really learned so much from him; this is the power of an idol, giving encouragement to fans!] [I remember Alex saying before that newly debuted artists and those facing difficulties need to gain audience favor first to secure a place on stage, so they can't use extreme language to protect their rights. That's why he came along; he's become an icon step by step, and he's now an undisputed icon!]

While watching the lively and cheerful comments from netizens, listening to Shen Juan's insightful remarks, and looking at Shen Juan's beautiful face that even she, an American, couldn't help but highly praise, Kendall Jenner's smile gradually faded, and she unconsciously fell into quiet contemplation.

The way he speaks so confidently to the camera, sharing his philosophical and artistic ideas, is just like the Kanye West of the past.
But Alex is clearly more handsome, has a better physique, is richer, more talented, younger, and has more personal charm.
He has almost completely surrounded Kanye!
Thinking about it this way, it's a real shame that we can only remain friends. I wish we could establish a romantic relationship!
In that case, I will definitely be able to surpass Kim and, by leveraging his explosive global influence, become the new face of the family!
(Devin Booker: Wait! What?)
After the live interview, Shen Juan declined Adi and Jenner's dinner invitation, agreeing to meet again in the United States in the future.

Because he is really busy.

His dinner time was still being taken up by someone else.

Alexander, the second son of the LVMH Group, who is about to take over Tiffany's company from Rimowa, took the initiative to invite him to dinner.

"haven't seen you for a long time."

"haven't seen you for a long time."

“Alex, this is my fiancée Geraldine.”

"It's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am."

Faced with Alexander and his fiancée who took the initiative to stand up and greet him, Shen Juan quickly stepped forward and exchanged pleasantries with them for a while.

"I heard you're about to take over Tiffany's?"

"Yes."

Wow! Congratulations!

"It was mainly because your endorsement doubled Rimowa's popularity among young people that I was qualified for the promotion."

"That only shows that you have a good eye and chose me as Rimowa's spokesperson from among so many candidates."

"The real key is actually your name."

Shen Juan raised an eyebrow slightly: "My name?"

“Because we’re both called Alex!” Alexander explained in a lighthearted tone, “that’s why I noticed you the moment I saw you.”

"Okay. This reason actually makes sense."

Speaking of which, the succession battle among the five heirs of LVMH is a highly anticipated family drama in the fashion industry.

Eldest daughter Delphine takes the helm of Dior, the group's second-largest brand, and has gained her father's public approval, firmly placing it in the top tier of competitors.

The eldest son, Antoine, focuses on the image management of the group's brand, but his abilities are slightly inferior to those of his eldest daughter, and he is relatively far removed from the core competitive circle.

The second son, Alexander, born in 93, made a three-stage leap from Rimowa to Tiffany to Moët Hennessy in the original timeline. All three brands happened to be endorsed by Shen Juan. This deep bond of interests gave the two a natural affinity and made it easy for them to get closer.

The third son, Frederick, born in 95, is Lisa's boyfriend from the original timeline and is in charge of the watch department.

It appears to be developing the best.

The brands they operate are very popular among young people.

The youngest son, born in 99, is still in the business accumulation stage and, limited by age and experience, has not yet had the opportunity to sit at the table.

In summary, these five heirs cover core sectors such as fashion, beverage, watches, and communications. Some have established themselves with solid performance, while others have expanded their influence by leveraging traffic (the third son's girlfriend, Lisa, appeared on Crazy Horse Show). In addition, the support of their respective executives will also be an important bargaining chip for them.

However, the second young master is not as good as his younger brother in this area, and the third young master has already gained the support of some high-level officials.

So for Alexander, who is about to get married to his girlfriend and has no chance to gain attention by dating a celebrity, the only way to gain popularity among young people and the approval of Generation Z is to befriend Shen Juan, the leading pop star of our time, who is called the new era's king of pop by the media!
Then, by leveraging Shen Juan's high appeal and influence among young people, we will penetrate the Generation Z circle as much as possible, promote the rejuvenation of the group's brand, not only secure the group's long-term development potential, but also prove our strength to the group's core management team and win more recognition and voice.

In the process of this succession competition, Shen Juan also gained many resources that he would not have been able to obtain otherwise.

Alexander contributed to the LV global advertising campaign last month, in which Shen Juan declared "I am fashion".

So let's just let each get what they need.

Shen Juan used Alexander's connections to obtain the best fashion resources and a constant stream of exposure and promotion from LVMH.

Alexander, on the other hand, used Shen Juan's star power to package himself as a wealthy young man who was popular among young people.

Whether this can lead to a long-term win-win situation remains to be seen.

At least in the short term, they can get what they want and the leverage they desperately need.

And that's enough.

Perhaps because the city lights are not overly flamboyant, the Parisian night is always shrouded in a gentle and romantic hazy glow. As the dazzling lights of the Champs-Élysées gradually illuminate, the Robert de Blaise University Hospital in the 19th arrondissement is unusually quieter than during the day.

In the activity room of the inpatient department, several children in hospital gowns were hunched over a small table, writing and drawing. Head nurse Mary held the hand of a little girl with pigtails, gently teaching her how to draw Hakimi. The tranquility was finally broken by the soft footsteps coming from the corridor.

After dinner, and after hugging and saying goodbye to the Alexanders in front of the paparazzi who had arranged it, Shen Juan immediately rejoined his team. With gifts and two timid personal spirit pets, he went to the children's hospital, which had a good reputation in the area, to meet the children who were receiving treatment there.

"Mr. Shen, the children in the activity room have been waiting for you for a long time! So how about we start in the activity room tonight?"

Hearing the commotion, head nurse Mary quickly stepped forward to greet Shen Juan, her eyes filled with laughter: "They were so excited to hear you were coming tonight! They almost didn't want to eat!"

Shen Juan gently apologized, "I'm sorry, I was held up by work and social engagements. I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."

"it does not matter!"

A cheerful voice immediately responded.

Shen Juan turned his head to look in the direction of the sound.

The nurse's eyes were sparkling, and her face was flushed with excitement at seeing her idol; she was clearly too excited to do anything.

He then handed over the gift box he was holding.

After the nurses carefully accepted the gift boxes, he added with a gentle smile, "Just call me Alex, no need for such formality. Because honestly, I have always had the utmost respect for you all! Your dedication to your work and your patient care for sick children are truly admirable!"

The nurse who spoke first gripped the gift box tightly in her hand, feeling both surprised and touched: "Take care, Alex!"

She had thought that a top superstar like Shen Juan, who was dazzling on stage and praised by fans as having "God in his eyes," would be distant. However, she was surprised to find that he was so gentle and approachable in private. He even made a point of mentioning and praising their work, so the tension she felt earlier was instantly replaced by warmth.

Several nurses nearby couldn't help but exchange glances, their eyes full of smiles. One of the nurses, who wasn't very familiar with Shen Juan, secretly breathed a sigh of relief. She had been worried that the baby's noise would disturb Shen Juan, but now that she saw how gentle he was and how respectful he was to the medical staff, she immediately felt that the wait tonight was worthwhile.

Head Nurse Mary's gaze towards Shen Juan held a newfound approval. She had initially worried that Shen Juan was just another celebrity putting on a show, but after observing him closely for a while, she felt a sense of warmth and comfort.
No wonder she's won the favor of so many young people!
No wonder the children at the hospital are so excited!

Then the formal visit to the ward began.

Let's start with the activity room.

Surrounded by a crowd, Shen Juan pushed open the door to the activity room and was immediately recognized by the children, instantly igniting the atmosphere in the room.

He first knelt down to pick up the crayons for the excited little boy who didn't even realize he had dropped them, and helped him complete the heartwarming painting with mountains, water, sunshine, family, and friends. Then he knelt down in front of the blonde little girl in the wheelchair who looked only seven or eight years old and took the initiative to chat with her about topics she was interested in.

For example, food from around the world, favorite cities, and the most memorable fan support during his tour.
"So, Alex, which type of fan do you prefer? An energetic fan? Or an understanding fan?"

"That depends on the circumstances of our meeting."

"I don't quite understand."

"If I'm performing on stage, I certainly hope that energetic fans will scream for me from below the stage. But if it's my private time, I would prefer understanding fans. I would be very annoyed if fans shouted excitedly and attracted all the passersby around."

"Did my noise bother you just now?" The little girl's voice was soft, and she seemed a little nervous.

"of course not!"

Shen Juan gently pinched her cute little face, his eyes filled with tender and doting smiles, and his tone was particularly serious: "With such a cute little fan like you screaming for me from the bottom of my heart, I am happy every minute and every second as if I am receiving cheers from everyone on stage, so how could I feel troubled?"

Afterwards, he led Wang Churan and Shen Yujie to distribute gifts and play games with the children, creating a warm and joyful atmosphere.

Then they went to visit each patient in a regular ward.

He saw Jasmine, a Black girl, staring blankly out the window, clutching the physical copy of "Sisyphus" tightly in her arms.

He knocked lightly on the door and waved the pen in his hand: "I heard there's a pretty girl named Jasmine who really likes Alex Shen and has been hoping to meet him in person. So, would you mind if I wrote my name on that thing you're holding and then we took a nice photo together?"

Jasmine's eyes lit up instantly. She quickly got up and rummaged through the cabinet to find the letters she had accumulated over the years, all of which contained what she wanted to say to Shen Juan. Then, with red eyes, she threw herself into Shen Juan's arms, which were already open, and earnestly felt the warmth she had longed for, trying her best to remember this moment firmly in her heart!
Emily, a white girl, had just heard from her best friend, a nurse, that Shen Juan would be coming to the hospital tonight. She was so excited that she almost jumped for joy. But now, she was leaning against the headboard, feeling dejected and sulking. Because she was sick and needed to have IV drips regularly, she couldn't get out of bed and could only watch helplessly as she missed the chance to see her idol.

To her surprise, Shen Juan took the initiative to find her, bringing not only a lot of cute plush toys and small toys, but also sitting by her bedside to film a TikTok video with her, using her favorite song "Cruel Summer" as the background music—the song played during the French National Day fireworks display last year.

After saying goodbye to Emily with a hug, Shen Juan encountered a 16-year-old white girl who was hospitalized due to a broken leg.

Although she wasn't an Alovers, perhaps because it was a rare opportunity to meet a celebrity, she confided a lot to Shen Juan.

From the unique sensitivities and anxieties of adolescence, to the meticulous control and expectations of parents, and then to the confusion about the future.
She has so many questions that need to be answered.

But ultimately, she was somewhat insecure.

She lacks confidence in her figure and appearance.

"The moment a person thinks they understand everything, their growth stops. So as long as you don't give up the idea that 'I still have many shortcomings, I am not mature enough,' you can grow throughout your life. Therefore, never hate yourself for not being good enough, because it is precisely because you are not good enough that you can become better."

Shen Juan gave his reply.

Although it's not practical.

However, when faced with vague and abstract issues related to adolescence, it is precisely this kind of unrealistic platitudes that can have a comforting effect.

Because often, they don't actually need outside help; they can help themselves out of their predicaments.

All Shen Juan did was give them a gentle push, providing them with the courage and opportunity to take the first step.

The head of surgery at the children's hospital said in a media interview: "Alex spent nearly three hours with the children and their families tonight without taking a break. He perfectly embodies all the expectations you have for an idol. He has changed the lives of countless people with his words and deeds and does his best to make the world a better place."

“Yes, his French is excellent. We communicated with him very smoothly, and most of the time we didn’t need a translator. So what I mean is that it was truly amazing to have the opportunity to meet Mr. Alex Shen today and witness his genuine kindness, gratitude, generosity, and down-to-earth humility. It was truly amazing to see him bring life and hope to all of our patients, their families, and all our staff! I can say with 100% certainty that he is exactly what you would expect from an idol!”

“He would bend down his tall frame to talk to everyone kindly, no matter what the child’s condition was at the time; he was gentle, considerate and full of compassion. He would FaceTime with relatives who couldn’t be there. He accepted handmade bracelets and letters from little girls. He patiently answered every question and fulfilled every request. He would thank every hospital staff member he met, regardless of their position. He signed clothes and physical albums for fans and took photos with them. He traveled between several floors of wards for nearly three hours, during which he only drank one cup of water, which I almost begged him to drink!”

"But most importantly, he always did all of this with elegance, sincerity, compassion, and fervent love."

"Robert Debray Mother & Son University Hospital will always be grateful to Alex for choosing to give us the precious rest time he deserves."

"He truly changed countless lives!"

Robert Debray's University Hospital later updated their Twitter account, posting all the photos they took that evening, with the caption: "You have made this day an eternal mark on our hearts."

(Replace the moldy face with a tile)
(End of this chapter)