Top Chinese celebrity: Debuted from Running Man

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Paris Fashion Week, one of the world's four major fashion weeks organized by the French Federation of Haute Couture and Fashion, originated in 1910 and aims to solidify Paris's status as the world's fashion capital.

Its predecessor can be traced back to the establishment of the Fashion Association at the end of the 19th century, and it has a history of more than 100 years.

This is the industry that the French value most, without exception.

The profit margins of luxury goods are considerable.

In preparation for the Bali Autumn/Winter Fashion Week in August, even the surrounding security has been strictly controlled – there are many more police officers patrolling the streets, checkpoints have been set up at various important intersections, and it is said that there are also plainclothes officers mixed in with the crowd.

after all,

This is not just about fashion, it's about real money.

As one of the world's most prestigious fashion events, Gu Qing was not the only Chinese artist invited to the event.

International star Zhang Ziyi, Liu Jialing, Zhou Xun, supermodel Liu Wen, Tang Wei, Huang Xuan, Gwei Lun-mei, Hu Ge...

And there's also Da Bingbing, whom we haven't seen in a long time.

These people generally arrived a day earlier than Gu Qing and stayed in high-end hotels arranged by LV.

During the evening dinner,
The outgoing and generous leader, Liu Jialing, with her chivalrous spirit, took the initiative to invite the artists to a meal together to strengthen their bonds, emphasizing the importance of mutual support when traveling.

An elegant and quiet restaurant, decorated in a typical French retro style, with Impressionist paintings hanging on the walls and soothing classical music playing from a gramophone.

The warm yellow light shone on the white tablecloth, and the silver candlesticks reflected tiny specks of light.

Most of the invited Chinese artists had already gathered around a round table.

Besides supermodel Liu Wen, who needs to participate in runway rehearsals, there's also... Bingbing.

Liu Jialing sat in the main seat, wearing a dark green velvet dress that accentuated her powerful aura.

She gently swirled the wine in her glass, glanced around, and frowned slightly.

"Isn't Bingbing coming?"

Her tone was devoid of emotion, as if it were a casual question.

Zhang Ziyi took a sip of red wine, a half-smile playing on her lips.

"Sister Jialing, some people probably won't dare to come."

Her voice wasn't loud, but in the quiet restaurant, every word was clear.

Zhou Xun picked up her wine glass, her hoarse voice carrying a hint of disdain: "They're too ashamed to come."

The air seemed to freeze for a moment after those words were spoken.

The expressions of the others at the table subtly changed.

Everyone present was aware of the grudges from back then.

That was the peak era for the leading actresses—Zhang Ziyi, Zhou Xun, Xiao Yanzi, Xu Jinglei, and Li Binbin, known as the "Four Dan and Two Bing".

At that time, Bingbing was beautiful and radiant, enjoying unparalleled popularity. She was the darling of countless directors, a frequent face on magazine covers, and a guest of honor for luxury brands.

But precisely because she was too famous, too dazzling, and too... adept at getting things done, she suffered the cold treatment from the combined efforts of Si Dan and Li Binbin.

They openly feuded in front of the media, subtly attacking each other with various veiled and overt attacks, making it as dramatic as a palace intrigue drama.

The battles between the big flowers were exceptionally intense and exciting.

now,

Da Bingbing is struggling to survive, suffering setbacks in both love and career.

Zhang Ziyi and Zhou Xun, these former "rivals," were naturally gloating and feeling extremely pleased.

That vixen deserved it!

The two least prominent men, Huang Xuan and Brother Hu, were looking down at the steak in front of them, staring intently without saying a word, as if the steak were some kind of rare delicacy worthy of their full attention.

The two of them were cutting the beef with such seriousness that they wanted to cut it into molecules.

Shivering.

I was genuinely trembling with fear.

In a battleground of this magnitude, how dare those two juniors interrupt?
Tang Wei and Gwei Lun-mei are just juniors in front of these three big sisters.

They can liven things up and say a few words, no problem. But they would never dare to join in criticizing Bingbing, who is also a top-tier actress.

The two could only maintain an awkward but polite smile, occasionally helping each other with food and pouring drinks, trying their best to minimize their presence.

Liu Jialing could hear the gloating in Zhang Ziyi and Zhou Xun's words.

She frowned slightly and didn't respond to the question.

Although she is a big sister in the industry, she has never liked gossiping behind people's backs.

Besides, she and Da Bingbing didn't have any deep-seated hatred, so there was no need for her to kick Da Bingbing when she was down.

She put down her wine glass and changed the subject.

"Oh right, isn't there one handsome young man who hasn't arrived yet?"

She looked around and thought for a moment, "I think his name is... Gu Qing, right? He seems to be quite popular in mainland China, isn't he?"

“Even in Hong Kong, they broadcast his drama ‘Nirvana in Fire.’ His acting was quite good, and it was quite interesting. Many of my girlfriends also really like him and have asked me for his autograph.”

Those wealthy Hong Kong and Guangdong women who lost their husbands in their early thirties have an unparalleled drive to idolize celebrities.

Back then, they spent a lot of money to hire many South Korean celebrities who were very popular in China to accompany them for drinking and entertainment.

……

When Gu Qing was mentioned, Zhang Ziyi's expression shifted slightly, but she remained silent.

Young Master Zhou's eyes lit up, and his previously aloof and indifferent expression softened instantly.

"Sister Jialing, you mean your younger brother? He'll be arriving tomorrow."

Zhou Xun smiled and put down her wine glass, resting her chin on her hand, and said enviously, "My younger brother is really successful. The organizers sent a private jet to pick him up, and the president even accompanied him personally. Let alone back then, even now, who gets that kind of treatment?"

"Send a private jet?"

"Sister Xun, you're not kidding, are you?"

Upon hearing this, Tang Wei and Gui Lunmei turned their heads almost simultaneously, their beautiful eyes widening and their mouths slightly agape, their shock undisguised.

It's not uncommon for LV to personally send private jets to pick up celebrities.

There are even examples like this every year—those truly internationally renowned superstars, those top figures who are regarded as "honored guests" by brands, do indeed receive such treatment.

But across the entire Asian region, there is only one artist who can achieve this level of success—

Kwon Ji-ryong.

The leader of the South Korean boy band BigBang, he was a favorite of Karl Lagerfeld and has always been a darling of the fashion world.

His group enjoys considerable popularity throughout Asia and even Europe and America, making them true "international top idols".

But now...

Gu Qing? Has it really come to this?

I've never heard of Gu Qing becoming popular overseas!

"Sister Xun, you're not kidding, are you?"

Gui Lunmei couldn't help but ask.

Why would I lie to you?

Zhou Xun smiled even more triumphantly, "Since my brother became the spokesperson for Bulgari, sales in the entire Asia-Pacific region have increased by a full 145% compared to the same period in previous years!"

She paused, then repeated herself with emphasis:
"That's 145%! That breaks Bulgari's sales record."

"I heard that even the jewelry series endorsed by Liu Yifei only saw a 12% increase in the same period, which is not even a fraction of my brother's growth."

"Do you think it's excessive for LV to send a private jet to pick him up, with the CEO personally accompanying him?"

She shook her head, her tone tinged with a hint of regret:
“In the past, we went to great lengths to break into Hollywood, make art films, win international awards, and try our best to get into that circle.”

But what about others?

Just by acting in idol dramas and period films domestically, they can attract the attention of these major brands and make those arrogant luxury brands bow their heads.

She picked up her wine glass, swirled it gently, and watched the red liquid slowly slide down the glass.

"If we had known it would turn out like this, why would we have bothered trying?"

No one spoke for a moment at the table.

Zhou Xun's words struck a chord with many people present.

Breaking into Hollywood, winning international awards, and becoming an "international superstar"—this was once the ultimate dream of countless Chinese artists.

But the reality is that that circle has never been friendly to Asians.

You have to play stereotypical roles, speak broken English, and bow and scrape in all sorts of situations in order to get a few insignificant shots.

And what about Gu Qing?

He never even stepped out of the house; he just stayed in China, acting and singing peacefully. And what happened?
Major luxury brands are vying to offer them endorsements, with private jets providing transportation and CEOs personally accompanying them.

Isn't this much more glamorous than any "international superstar"?
"Actually... Gu Qing is quite popular in South Korea as well."

Tang Wei suddenly spoke, breaking the silence.

All eyes turned to her.

Tang Wei's classically beautiful face held a serious expression.

She possesses a unique bone structure and an inner charm that blends fragility and resilience, gentleness and stubbornness—the kind of appearance that is unforgettable at first glance.

Since filming a certain explicit movie, she has been effectively blacklisted in the Chinese entertainment industry.

After many twists and turns, he finally made a name for himself in the local entertainment industry after meeting a South Korean director.

She won the Blue Dragon Award for Best Actress—one of the most prestigious awards in the South Korean film industry.

Having debuted as an actress and won such a prestigious award, her status and position in South Korea are already among the top.

In South Korea,
Many wildly popular girl idol groups even promote themselves under the name "Little Tangwei"—first make a name for themselves, and then slowly forge their own path.

When she mentioned that Gu Qing was popular in South Korea, no one in the room doubted it.

“Recently, I’ve often seen him and Liu Shishi doing finger dances together on those social media platforms.”

Tang Wei continued, "Many young people in South Korea like him very much."

That TV series, *The Imperial Doctress*, was also very popular; even when I appeared on television programs, the hosts asked me about it several times.

"South Korea is notorious for its xenophobia, so it's really not easy to win over young people there."

These words caused the expressions of the people at the table to become even more subtle.

Zhang Ziyi's brows furrowed slightly, as if she were lost in thought.

Zhou Xun was also considering whether she should invest more money someday and have Gu Qing take good care of her Jingyi.

I wonder if that brat has actually done as I wished, showing Gu Qing more care and concern, and building a good relationship with her.

"No, I need to remind Jingyi again when I get back."

Young Master Zhou muttered to himself. As for the two gentlemen at the dinner table,

Huang Xuan and Brother Hu...

The feelings of these two people at this moment can be described as quite complicated.

Especially Huang Xuan.

His body stiffened slightly when he heard the name "Gu Qing".

The knife and fork used to cut the steak visibly paused, and the head drooped even lower.

His Bai Juyi.

It was stolen by this young master!
To prepare for the role, he studied more than two thousand of Bai Juyi's poems, especially focusing on the more than eight hundred poems related to wine.

He locked himself in his room, reading and pondering the text over and over again, trying to understand the poet from over a thousand years ago using the most extreme experiential approach.

He felt he was about to touch Bai Juyi's soul.

But the result?

He was chosen.

Then they were told that the role had been changed.

On the phone, Director Chen spoke as gently as if comforting a naive child: "Xuan, I'll look for you again next time there's a good role."

next time?

When is the next time?
One can imagine the resentment Huang Xuan felt.

He went to his "good sister" Jiang Wenli, hoping she could help him get a fair chance to compete.

The results of it?
"younger brother,"

“Gu Qing is different. Si Chun really likes him; they're good friends. How can I, as his aunt, be the bad guy?”

"Sweetie, I'll help you find a good resource next time, don't be angry."

Then, the call was disconnected.

Huang Xuan held his phone, stunned for a long time.

What's the point of even comparing these?

The entertainment industry is a place where connections matter.

He can get a lot of resources because of his good sister, and so can others.

But the problem is—

He felt like he was just someone else's "good younger brother".

And what about Gu Qing?

He effortlessly charmed the other person's most beloved niece, and they may become family.

You can't win even if you try.

Huang Xuan bit into his steak dejectedly, a sense of humiliation welling up inside him.

"when--"

The soft sound of a wine glass hitting the table interrupted Huang Xuan's thoughts.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that Brother Hu, who had initially looked optimistic, was now looking extremely depressed, holding up his wine glass and drinking one sip after another.

Huang Xuan was slightly taken aback.

He carefully recalled the topic they had just discussed, and suddenly his eyes lit up, a smug smile flashing across his lips.

It seems I'm not the only one who's pathetic.

Old Hu is suffering.

Gu Qing... is he the one my dear sister likes?

Old Hu muttered to himself, then took another swig of red wine.

No, it seems it's not just Shishi.

Even Sister Cai looks at him differently, right?
The more Hu thought about it, the angrier and more depressed he became.

Will our own Tang people one day change their surname to Gu?

Don't you like mature and stable older men?
Where does Gu Qing's maturity lie? Where does his composure lie?
That kid is clearly a handsome young man with delicate features. How is he any different from me when I was young?
So—

Did you fall in love with older men when you were young, but now you love younger men when you're older?

Old Hu broke down.

He wished he could call Liu Shishi right then and there and confront her.

But then I thought about it again—

The phone is in the agent's hands.

He chickened out again.

Can't be bothered.

Old Hu sighed and took another swig of wine.

the other side,
"Young Master Zhou,"

Zhang Ziyi suddenly spoke up, her tone carrying a hint of sarcasm, "You keep talking about your younger brother, are you really that close to Gu Qing?"

The corners of her mouth turned up slightly, and her eyes held a hint of mischief.

"And what kind of 'younger brother' are you talking about?"

She drew out her words, her tone meaningful.

"The kind of younger brother you eat?"

The atmosphere at the table changed instantly after those words were spoken.

Zhang Ziyi's husband, who is considered "half the family's leader," has complained about Gu Qing to her quite a bit.

Like, "It's really weird, how come every time I post about a concert, he steals the trending topics?"

"This has happened so many times already! Is this brat cursed to bring me bad luck?!"

Every time Zhang Ziyi heard Wang Feng complain, she felt both annoyed and amused.

She didn't actually have any problem with Gu Qing. It was just that seeing Zhou Xun's smug look made her want to tease her.

Huang Xuan and Brother Hu both perked up their ears almost simultaneously.

Holy crap, there's some juicy gossip!!

Their eyes lit up instantly. While pretending to continue eating as if nothing had happened, they focused all their attention on their ears.

Tang Wei and Gui Lunmei also became interested, their beautiful eyes sparkling with gossip.

Even the eldest sister, Liu Jialing, raised her glass, took a small sip, and looked ready to watch the show.

Who doesn't love hearing gossip about top celebrities?
Upon hearing this, Zhou Xun slightly tugged at the corner of her mouth.

She glanced at Zhang Ziyi, picked up her wine glass, and slowly swirled it.

That hoarse voice, with its unique enunciation, spoke slowly and deliberately:
"I'd like to eat some, but they won't let me."

Upon hearing this, everyone at the table couldn't help but laugh.

But immediately,
Young Master Zhou abruptly changed the subject, his gaze sharpening as he stared at Zhang Ziyi:
"But you, I heard from Bingbing that at the Bulgari dinner last time, you wouldn't let my little brother leave, and you wouldn't let him go."

She took a sip of her drink, her tone becoming increasingly relaxed:
"What? Is your partner not satisfying you? Has he made you... like an old tree blossoming again?"

Young Master Zhou's counterattack was also quite aggressive.

The phrase "an old tree blossoms in spring" sounds light and airy, yet it's like a small knife, piercing precisely into Zhang Ziyi's heart.

Zhang Ziyi's expression visibly froze for a moment.

She opened her mouth as if to say something, but then swallowed it back.

He picked up his wine glass and took a big gulp of red wine.

His face was dark, and he didn't say a word.

The atmosphere at the dinner table suddenly turned cold.

Huang Xuan and Brother Hu lowered their heads, desperately trying to suppress their laughter, their shoulders shaking.

That was brilliant, absolutely brilliant.

This is the true fighting power of top-tier actresses!
Tang Wei and Gui Lunmei looked at each other, not daring to say a word. They could only silently pick up their wine glasses and pretend to be tasting the wine.

Seeing this, Liu Jialing smiled and shook her head.

Since she's the eldest sister, she had to step in and smooth things over.

"Alright, alright, let's eat."

She raised her glass and casually changed the subject, "Who doesn't like a handsome young man?"

She glanced at Zhou Xun, then at Zhang Ziyi, and said with a smile:
"Even Sister Qingxia praised him highly, saying he is my brother's successor. I'd like to meet him tomorrow to see if he's really that outstanding."

"Sister Qingxia?"

Tang Wei was slightly taken aback.

Lin Qingxia?
She was a legendary figure in the Chinese film industry, the true "Invincible East," a goddess in the hearts of a generation.

No one understands the true value of Brigitte Lin better than she, an artist who made her way in the Hong Kong entertainment industry in her youth.

"Sister Qingxia also praised Gu Qing highly?"

"Correct."

Liu Jialing nodded. "Sister Qingxia said it herself. She said that Gu Qing's temperament is very similar to my brother's. They are both the clean, pure, and spirited type."

She said Gu Qing was 'her brother's heir.'

The moment the word "brother" was uttered, the atmosphere at the table changed again.

This Asian superstar is truly a woman of unparalleled beauty and talent.

To be compared to Gu Qing by Brigitte Lin...

Who exactly is Gu Qing?

Tang Wei held up the wine glass with her slender, fair fingers. Her long, arched phoenix eyes swept over the expressions of the actresses, a hint of curiosity flashing in them.

Zhou Xun, Zhang Ziyi, Brigitte Lin, Li Binbin... so many big names have shown great favor to Gu Qing.

Even young people in South Korea, who are known for their xenophobia, like him.

It’s weird.

She couldn't help but look forward to their meeting tomorrow.

We'll see.

What does Gu Qing actually look like? Could she be even more beautiful than she appears in the video?
……

...(End of this chapter)