Entertainment Industry: I am a top-tier movie star

Chapter 108 Vogue's Invitation

In early August 2019, BJ.

The scorching summer sun beat down on every corner of the city, but inside Chen Nianbei's studio, the air conditioning was on full blast, keeping it cool and comfortable.

Old Zhao practically ran into Chen Nianbei's office, clutching a gold-embossed invitation.

His face was filled with undisguised excitement, and his eyes were shining.

"Nianbei! Nianbei! Look at this!"

Chen Nianbei was reading the script when she looked up and took the invitation.

The cover is a simple white with only one line of black text: "VOGUE China Edition".

He opened it and quickly skimmed through the contents. Then his eyebrows twitched slightly.

"The September issue?" he asked.

"Yes! The September issue!" Old Zhao's voice was trembling. "Nianbei, do you know what the September issue means?"

September and October are the peak season for fashion magazines, with the September issue being the most important issue of the year!

Countless artists would kill for this opportunity, but only a select few actually succeed!

Chen Nianbei certainly knew.

VOGUE is the benchmark of global fashion magazines, and being able to appear on its cover is a symbol of status.

The September issue is the most important issue of the year, with the highest budgets from major luxury brands, the thickest content, and the most prestigious cover figures.

Those who grace the cover of the September issue are either international supermodels or top celebrities.

Prior to this, very few Chinese male celebrities had graced the cover of the September issue of Vogue China.

Chen Nianbei was silent for a few seconds, then put the invitation down.

When will it be filmed?

"Next Wednesday, Shanghai. They've specially hired their personal photographer from France, along with a top-notch styling team. Nianbei, this is top-tier!"

The news caused an instant uproar online.

The first to break the news was a fashion blogger. He posted on Weibo: "According to reliable sources, the cover star of this year's September issue of 'VOGUE' is a talented actor. He's the star of that recently viral period drama; those who know, know."

The comments section immediately started guessing—

"Hugo?"

"Wang Kai?"

"Zhu Yilong?"

"Could it be Chen Nianbei?"

"If it's Chen Nianbei, that's awesome!"

"Chen Nianbei + September issue of VOGUE? ​​I'm ready to take off!"

"Don't speculate, wait for the official announcement."

Two days later, the official Weibo account of Vogue China released a teaser image.

The image is a blurry blur of light and shadow, with the outline of a person's profile vaguely discernible. The caption is a single line: "He's coming. September, stay tuned."

The comments section has completely gone crazy!

"That profile! It's Chen Nianbei!"

"Chen Nianbei!! It's definitely him!"

"Holy crap!! The September issue!! Is Chen Nianbei about to become a legend?!"

"A true top star graces the cover of Vogue's September issue!"

Some people have started explaining the significance of the September issue of Vogue—

"Let me give you a little background: the September issue of *VOGUE* is the fashion world's biggest annual event," "and only international supermodels and top celebrities grace its cover. You can count the number of domestic male celebrities who have appeared on it on one hand. Chen Nianbei has really pulled it off this time."

"Those popular celebrities used to only get a spot in a regular magazine in May or June. A September issue? Forget about it. Chen Nianbei has skipped all the hurdles and stood at the very top."

"From 'Joy of Life' to Weibo King, and then to the September issue of 'VOGUE', Chen Nianbei has been making history with every step he has taken in the past six months."

Of course, there were also some sour comments.

"Why would an actor be featured in a fashion magazine?"

"It's just taking a picture, what's the big deal?"

"VOGUE has fallen so low that anyone can get on the cover now."

But these voices were quickly drowned out by an overwhelming flood of anticipation and praise. One fan directly retorted, "If you're so capable, why don't you do it yourself? Did *VOGUE* invite you?"

Wednesday, Shanghai. A top-tier film studio.

Chen Nianbei arrived a day early and checked into a hotel on the Bund. The next morning, he appeared at the studio entrance on time.

The studio was huge, easily over a thousand square meters. Various lights, sets, and photography equipment were densely packed together, with dozens of staff members moving about busily but efficiently. A corner was filled with clothes—all the latest haute couture pieces of the season, some not even officially released yet.

A foreigner wearing a black T-shirt and sporting a beard approached and said in English with a French accent, "Hello, I'm Jean-Paul, today's photographer. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Chen Nianbei responded in fluent English: "Hello, I'm Chen Nianbei. It's a pleasure to work with you."

Jean-Pau's eyes lit up: "Your English is very good. We can communicate directly."

The styling team led Chen Nianbei to the dressing room. The makeup artist was a very professional-looking woman, her techniques gentle and precise. While applying makeup, she said, "Nianbei, your skin looks amazing. How do you take care of it?"

Chen Nianbei laughed: "Nothing special about skincare, just avoiding staying up late."

The makeup artist laughed, "You'll have a hard time getting enough sleep, won't you?"

The makeup session lasted two hours. When Chen Nianbei stood in front of the mirror again, he could hardly recognize himself.

His makeup was very light, but it perfectly highlighted his facial features: deep-set eyes, a high nose bridge, and a defined jawline.

Her hair was styled into a slightly messy slicked-back look, giving off a sense of untamed elegance.

The stylist handed him the first outfit—a dark blue velvet suit, a current season haute couture piece from a luxury brand.

After he put it on, his entire demeanor changed.

That was no longer Fan Xian, no longer Prince Jing, but a mysterious man belonging to the world of fashion.

"Perfect." Jean-Paul looked at him and nodded in satisfaction.

The first set of photos is a black and white light and shadow series.

Only one light was left on in the studio, and the light came from the side, creating a strong contrast of light and shadow on Chen Nianbei's face.

He stood against a pure black background, changing his posture and expression as instructed by Jean-Pau I.

"Yes, that's it. Colder eyes. Colder still. Good! Keep it up!"

The sound of camera shutters clicked rapidly. Every subtle change in Chen Nianbei's expression was captured by the lens.

That cool yet melancholic aura thrilled Jean-Pau I.

"You're amazing!"

As he filmed, he said, "Do you know how many celebrities don't know how to pose in front of the camera?"

But you're different; your eyes speak volumes. It's innate.

Chen Nianbei smiled slightly, a smile that flashed by in the light and shadow and was captured by the shutter.

The second shoot was for a colorful fashion series.

The background has been changed to a vibrant red.

Chen Nianbei changed into a white suit and held a red rose in her hand.

The stylist told him to place the rose to his lips and look into the distance.

At that moment, the entire studio fell silent.

Jean-Pau held his camera, but didn't press the shutter for a long time. Then he put the camera down and applauded.

"Beautiful," he said. "So beautiful. This one could be a cover."

The third shoot was the most difficult—motion capture.

Chen Nianbei needed to run, jump, and turn in a gust of artificial wind while maintaining a relaxed expression and focused gaze.

This is difficult because once a person starts moving, their facial expressions are easily out of control.

But Chen Nianbei did it.

He ran in the wind, his clothes fluttering, but his eyes remained fixed on the camera.

That feeling of freedom and control made Jean-Pau I unable to stop shooting.

"Okay! Okay! One more time! Faster! Yes!"

After taking more than a dozen shots, Jean-Pau I finally put down his camera with satisfaction.

"Perfect," he said. "Today's shoot was the smoothest I've had in years. Chen, you're one of the most photogenic actors I've ever met."

Chen Nianbei took the water handed to her by her assistant, took a sip, and smiled: "Thank you, Jean-Paul, you took a great photo."

Jean-PauI shook his head: "No, it's because you gave it to me that it was good."

After filming ended, Chen Nianbei removed her makeup in the dressing room.

My phone was flooded with messages. Old Zhao sent a bunch of behind-the-scenes photos, excitedly saying, "Nianbei, I just saw some of the original footage, it's amazing! This cover is definitely going to be a hit!"

Naza sent a message: "Are you done filming? Are you tired?"

He replied, "Just finished filming. It went well, pretty smoothly."

The news about Dilraba is as enthusiastic as ever: "Teacher Chen!! I saw the leaked photos!! That look!! I'm dying!! VOGUE September issue!! You're amazing!!"

He replied with a smile, "Thank you. I'll send you a copy when the magazine comes out."

Dilraba replied instantly: "It's a deal!! I want an autograph!!"

The media response was equally enthusiastic.

When interviewed, Zhang Yu, editor-in-chief of Vogue China, was asked why she chose Chen Nianbei as the cover star of the September issue.

Her answer was brief and powerful: "Chen Nianbei represents the highest level of contemporary Chinese actors. He not only has acting skills and works, but also a unique, oriental temperament. This kind of temperament is very rare in the international fashion world. We are honored to work with him."

Harper's Bazaar's official Weibo account reposted the cover image, with the caption: "Congratulations Nianbei! The September issue of VOGUE is well-deserved!"

Fashion magazines such as ELLE, Marie Claire, and GQ also reposted the congratulations.

This is rare in the fashion industry—it's not common for people in the same industry to have such high-profile interactions.

Twenty-four hours after the pre-sale began, the official Weibo account of Vogue China released a set of data: first-day sales of 473,000 copies.

This figure sets a new record for the highest single-day sales since the founding of Vogue China.

The previous record holder was an international supermodel's September issue in 2015, which sold 32 copies on its first day.

Chen Nianbei directly increased this record by 15 copies.

Even more alarming is that of these 47.3 copies, more than 30 were sold within the first hour after the pre-sale began.

This means that while most people were still hesitating about whether to buy, the first batch of "North Wind" cars had already demonstrated what "speed" really meant.

Vogue's e-commerce platform was temporarily paralyzed. The technical department worked overtime to expand capacity and barely stabilize the situation.

The customer service hotline was overwhelmed with calls asking "When will it be restocked?" and "Why does it show as out of stock even though I've paid?"

One netizen joked, "VOGUE's IT department won't be getting any sleep tonight."

Offline bookstores and newsstands in major cities have also gone into a frenzy.

At the PageOne bookstore in Sanlitun, Beijing, a long queue had already formed outside when it opened in the morning. A staff member later posted on WeChat Moments, "Within ten minutes of opening, the September issue of *VOGUE* was sold out. The customers at the back almost tore the door down."

At Zhongshuge Bookstore in Jing'an Temple, Shanghai, all 500 copies of its magazines were sold out within an hour.

Some readers who missed out burst into tears on the spot, and the store staff had no choice but to register hundreds of reservations, promising to notify them as soon as the stock was restocked.

At Fangsuo Bookstore in Guangzhou's Taikoo Hui, a scalper was caught buying 20 books at once. When other customers confronted him, the two sides almost came to blows. In the end, the staff had to limit purchases to a maximum of two books per person.

On secondhand platforms, the price of the September issue of VOGUE has skyrocketed.

Magazines originally priced at 30 yuan were being resold for 100 yuan, 200 yuan, or even 500 yuan.

Some scalpers stockpiled hundreds of copies at once, priced at 888 yuan per set (including related merchandise), and surprisingly, people actually bought them.

The "Chen Nianbei Fan Club" issued an urgent statement urging everyone to consume rationally and not to buy overpriced scalped magazines. "Wait for a reprint! Don't give money to scalpers! Nianbei will be heartbroken if she finds out!"

But the effect was limited. One fan said helplessly in the super topic: "I know I shouldn't buy from scalpers, but I just can't wait any longer. I just want to get his cover as soon as possible."

A week later, the first batch of 20 additional copies arrived.

This time, the fans were smarter. Some set alarms in advance, some mobilized their whole families to grab the tickets, and some even took half a day off to stay in front of their computers.

20 copies sold out again within three hours.

VOGUE's official Weibo account posted again: "Thank you for your support of Mr. Chen Nianbei. The second printing has begun and is expected to arrive next week. Please purchase rationally and do not give scalpers an opportunity."

The comments section was filled with lamentations and jokes.

"VOGUE, you've changed. You weren't like this before."

"What kind of amazing people are Chen Nianbei's fans? Are they trying to bankrupt Vogue?"

"I've already bought five copies: one to keep, one to read, one as a gift for my best friend, one for my mother, and one to keep as a family heirloom."

"Upstairs, you're missing a portable copy."

Ultimately, this "buying frenzy" lasted for a full month.

By the end of September, the total sales of the September issue of Vogue reached an astonishing 826,000 copies.

This figure not only broke the record set by Vogue China, but also set a new historical high for single-issue sales of domestic fashion magazines. Previously, the sales ceiling for domestic fashion magazines was around 50 copies; Chen Nianbei has directly shattered that ceiling.

The industry was shocked.

One media outlet did a special report on it, titled "The Chen Nianbei Effect: When Actors Become 'Sales Monsters'".

The article analyzes that "Chen Nianbei's fans are not traditional fangirls." They are older, have strong spending power, are rational, and loyal.

They don't participate in fan circles, don't manipulate data, and don't control comments, but they will buy movies starring Chen Nianbei, watch dramas starring him, and will not hesitate to spend money when he appears on the cover of "VOGUE".

This is the power of "passersby's opinions".

Over seven years, Chen Nianbei has built a loyal following that is devoted to both his work and himself.

These people usually keep a low profile, but they will step forward when he needs them.

82.6 copies sold—not through fan-driven hype, but through real money spent by viewers. That's true commercial value.

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Of course, there were also some sour comments.

Some people questioned whether Vogue magazine had inflated its sales figures, but fans immediately retorted: "Try inflating 82 sales yourself! Do you think the government doesn't care about data manipulation?"

Some people said that Chen Nianbei "only became famous because of 'Joy of Life,' what's so great about that?" to which a passerby replied: "Becoming famous through your work, isn't that the most remarkable thing?"

Some people made sarcastic remarks: "Actors don't focus on acting, they go and do magazine shoots." This comment was pushed to the top, and the rest were full of mockery: "So sour, if you're so good, why don't you do it yourself?"

But what moved Chen Nianbei the most were the messages from ordinary fans.

A girl posted a long article in the super topic titled "Why I Bought 20 Books". She wrote: "I am 28 years old this year and have liked Chen Nianbei since 2013."

At that time, he had just finished filming "Battle of Changsha" and was still relatively unknown.

No one around me knew him. I watched him quietly as he got to where he is today.

Seven years have passed.

From Xiaoman to Fan Xian, from being unknown to appearing on the cover of Vogue. I've watched him progress and break through every barrier.

I never voted for him or controlled the comments for him. I just watched every movie he starred in and bought every movie ticket for him.

I bought 20 copies of the September issue of Vogue. Not because I'm rich, but because I wanted to tell him—seven years have passed, and I'm still here. We're all still here.

This post was shared half a million times and liked two million times. Chen Nianbei saw it, shared it, and captioned it with only two words: "Thank you."

These two words brought tears to the eyes of countless people.

That evening, Chen Nianbei sat in his study, looking at the September issue of VOGUE on the bookshelf.

The image on the cover shows herself looking at him with a gaze that is both cool and gentle.

82.6 copies.

This is not just a number; it represents the sentiments of countless people.