Huayu: You were supposed to be a top star, but you've become capital?

Chapter 96: March issue of GQ China

Monday morning, Jinling Deji Plaza.

At exactly 10 o'clock, the mall's revolving door had just opened when a cool breeze blew in, only to be blocked by the crowd that had been waiting at the entrance.

Yang Chaoyue followed Lin Shen and entered the first floor of Phase II through the dedicated passage, his steps involuntarily pausing.

There are so many people.

The Gucci store was already surrounded by people, but not in the kind of massive, crowded mass.

Security personnel in black suits set up a standardized cordon, and fans spontaneously lined up in several rows behind the cordon, holding up light boards and banners, waiting quietly.

There were quite a few fans standing nearby holding telephoto cameras, already setting up their equipment.

"Brother Shen, as expected of Deji," Yang Chaoyue muttered under his breath. "This is a much bigger operation than I expected."

Lin Shen smiled. Deji Plaza ranks first among all shopping malls in the country.

This place, even on weekends, doesn't see much foot traffic, let alone on weekdays. After all, wealthy women don't bother shopping in person; they prefer sales staff to deliver the goods directly to their homes.

But today is different.

Gucci announced the event a week in advance, and all reservations were filled on the day of the event.

It wasn't just local Nanjing guests who came; VIPs from the surrounding Suzhou, Wuxi, Changzhou, and even Hangzhou, Jiaxing, and Huzhou were accompanied by personal staff. The VIP parking area at Deji Plaza was packed from morning until now.

As soon as Lin Shen reached the shop entrance, a cheer erupted from the crowd.

"The forest is deep!!!"

"Brother Shen!!!"

The light signs were held high, and people started to push forward, only to be stopped by security. The flashes of cameras went off in a flurry, the sound of shutters clicking so densely it was like rain.

"The forest is deep!"

A familiar figure quickly approached – Vivian, Public Relations Director for Gucci Greater China.

Today she wore a well-tailored dark gray suit, her short hair was meticulously styled, and her smile was very warm.

"I've been waiting for you!" Vivian walked up to Lin Shen and took his arm. "Was your journey safe?"

"Smooth sailing, the driver arranged by Sister Vivian is very reliable." Lin Shen smiled and shook hands with her.

"That's good, that's good." Vivian stepped aside to lead the way. "Let's go through the procedures first, store manager,..."

The regional manager is waiting inside, along with several VIP guests who have been eager to see you.

Yang Chaoyue silently took notes: store manager, regional manager, VIP guests—this level of prestige is far superior to that of ordinary booths.

Upon entering the store, a woman in her early forties with exquisite makeup greeted us.

"Hello, Ms. Lin, I'm Zhou Min, the store manager of Deji Plaza." Zhou Min extended her hand with a polite smile. "I'm so glad to finally meet you in person today. The girls in our store have been talking about you since last week."

Lin Shen said politely, "Manager Zhou, you've worked hard. I'm sorry to have troubled you."

"No trouble at all, it's our pleasure." Zhou Min stepped aside to lead the way. "This way, please. Let us show you some of today's featured pieces—"

'

Before he could finish speaking, a middle-aged man in a dark blue suit walked over with a smile: "Manager Zhou, you're going to show Teacher Lin the goods right away? At least let us say hello first."

Zhou Min rolled her eyes at him with a smile: "Manager Ma, are you here to snatch someone away?"

Lin Shen looked at the newcomer, and Vivian introduced him from the side: "Teacher Lin, this is Ma Mingyu, the operations manager of Deji Plaza. Deji has put in a lot of effort for today's event."

Ma Mingyu waved his hand: "Vivian, you're too kind. It's my pleasure."

He looked at Lin Shen and smiled sincerely, "Teacher Lin, welcome to Deji Plaza. Many of our VIP guests are your fans. Someone called yesterday to ask about the event time."

Lin Shen shook hands with him: "Manager Ma, thank you for your trouble."

"No trouble at all." Ma Mingyu lowered his voice, his smile a little mysterious. "Teacher Lin, let me give you a heads-up, those shops next door have all sent people over today. Cartier and Armani both have people keeping an eye on things over there."

Lin Shen glanced across the street and, sure enough, several uniformed people were standing in front of each shop, looking in their direction.

He looked away, smiled, and said nothing.

The process has officially begun.

First, the store manager, Zhou Min, personally led the tour, introducing Gucci's latest early spring collection, the classic GG Marmont series, and several limited-edition items. Lin Shen listened attentively, nodding occasionally and asking questions about fabrics or design details. The VIP guests accompanying him kept their eyes glued to him the entire time.

"Ms. Lin, what do you think of this bag?" a woman wearing a Chanel jacket asked with a smile.

Lin Shen looked at the Dionysus bag she was pointing to—a classic design with double tiger head clasps and dark green suede.

"This one suits you very well," Lin Shen said. "The dark green color is sophisticated but not dull, and the suede texture is also high-end, making it suitable for autumn and winter."

The woman's eyes lit up: "Really? Then I'll take it!"

Zhou Min chimed in with a smile, "Mrs. Wang, you have excellent taste. This one just arrived three days ago, and it's the only one of its kind in all of East China."

"

Lin Shen continued walking forward without showing any emotion, while Yang Chaoyue suppressed a laugh beside him.

They're already open for business before they've even started selling?

Next was the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

A simple ribbon-cutting area was temporarily set up at the store entrance, with a red ribbon stretched in the middle and several hostesses carrying champagne trays standing on both sides. The crowd had already lined up behind the barriers, and the telephoto lenses of the fans were all pointed at the store entrance.

Vivian, Ma Mingyu, Zhou Min, and a local fashion media editor from Nanjing stood in front of the ribbon with Lin Shen.

"Come on, everyone, look at the camera."

The photographer raised his camera, and the flash went off in a flurry.

"Three, two,

'

As the ribbon fell, applause and cheers erupted simultaneously.

"The forest is deep!!!"

"Brother Shen!!!"

The fans behind the cordon finally couldn't contain themselves any longer. They held up their light sticks high, and some started to push forward, only to be politely stopped by security.

Lin Shen waved to them, and another scream erupted from the crowd.

After the ribbon-cutting ceremony, the media interview session began.

Several fashion media outlets had already set up their equipment, and reporters lined up with microphones. Vivian personally oversaw the pace—after all, it was a Gucci event, and the questions couldn't be too outrageous.

"Ms. Lin, is there anything special about the design of your outfit today?" the first reporter asked.

Lin Shen looked down at himself—a dark gray plaid suit from Gucci's early autumn collection, paired with a black turtleneck sweater, and a Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Collection watch on his wrist.

"Today's outfit is mainly meant to convey a relaxed feel for autumn and winter," Lin Shen said. "The plaid suit is a classic element, but the fit is loose, so it's not too formal. Paired with a turtleneck sweater, the overall color scheme is unified and looks comfortable."

The second reporter followed up: "Professor Lin, what are your impressions of Nanjing?"

"Nanjing is a city I really like." Lin Shen smiled. "It's an ancient capital of six dynasties, with a rich history, but it's not as heavy as some other ancient cities. The Qinhuai River, Confucius Temple, and Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum—every time I come here, I have a new feeling."

The third reporter: "Mr. Lin, do you have any plans for the end of the year that you could share?"

"I'll mainly be filming at the end of the year; filming for 'The Lost Tomb' is still in progress," Lin Shen said. "There might also be some brand collaborations, but I can't reveal too much at the moment."

Before the reporters could ask further questions, Vivian stepped forward and said, "Dear teachers, the interview is almost over. Professor Lin has other commitments. Thank you all for your hard work today."

3

She smiled and saw the reporters out, then turned back and winked at Lin Shen.

Lin Shen understood and followed Zhou Min deeper into the shop—there were several VIP customers waiting to take photos with her.

A middle-aged woman in a white suit was flipping through a picture book. When she saw Lin Shen coming over, she looked up and smiled.

"Teacher Lin, my daughter loves you so much," she said. "I wanted to bring her today, but she had class and asked me to take lots of pictures to take back with her."

Lin Shen smiled and took a photo with her, and then signed a personal autograph for her.

Another younger woman nearby chimed in, "Teacher Lin, I want one too!"

"How old is your daughter?" Lin Shen asked as he signed the document.

"I don't have a daughter," the woman blinked. "I chose her myself."

Lin Shen paused for a moment, then smiled and signed his name.

After a round of group photos and autographed lists, Yang Chaoyue had already accumulated a thick stack in his hand.

She leaned close to Lin Shen's ear and said, "Brother Shen, Sister Vivian said you should go to the VIP room to rest for a bit. She'll be here in a little while."

Lin Shen nodded and followed the staff to the VIP room deep inside the shop.

As soon as the door to the VIP room opened, Yang Chaoyue couldn't help but exclaim "Whoa!"

The room wasn't large, but it was exquisitely furnished—a genuine leather sofa, a crystal chandelier, classic Gucci posters on the walls, and several of the latest fashion magazines and an elegant tea set on the coffee table. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, you could see the mall atrium; the queue hadn't dispersed yet, and some people were taking pictures with their phones.

Lin Shen sat down on the sofa, while Yang Chaoyue sat on a small chair next to him, scrolling through his phone.

"Brother Shen, look—" she handed over her phone.

The screen displayed a fashion blogger's Weibo post, featuring a nine-grid photo collage of photos from the event, captioned: "The Lin Shen Jinling Deji event was incredibly popular. I just asked a sales assistant, and this morning's sales already equaled a week's worth of normal business."

The comments section has exploded: "Holy crap, a top star is a top star!"

"Where do you usually find so many people at Deji Plaza?"

"I was there, and it was absolutely packed with people."

"The sales assistant said that all the VIPs who came today came specifically for Lin Shen."

Lin Shen smiled and handed the phone back to her.

As they were talking, the door to the VIP room was gently pushed open.

Vivian walked in, followed by two people—an Italian man in his forties, wearing a well-tailored dark blue suit, his hair neatly combed back; and a Chinese woman in her early thirties, with short, capable hair, holding a folder in her hand.

"Ms. Lin, thank you for waiting." Vivian introduced with a smile, "This is Andrea, General Manager of Gucci Greater China. This is Chen Fei, our Marketing Communications Director."

Lin Shen stood up and shook hands with Andrea. Andrea's Chinese was surprisingly good: "Mr. Lin, it's an honor to meet you. The scene today was truly breathtaking."

"Andrea, you're too kind," Lin Shen said with a smile.

Several people sat down on the sofa. Yang Chaoyue tactfully stepped aside, took out his phone and pretended to scroll through it, but his ears were perked up.

Chen Fei spoke first, opening the folder in her hand: "Teacher Lin, let me first report to you the data from this morning."

She paused for a moment, then continued, "In the hour and a half since you entered the store, our sales have already exceeded 1.2 million. Among them, three VIP customers have already placed orders for several of the items you just tried on."

Andrea nodded beside him, her gaze towards Lin Shen now filled with admiration.

Chen Fei continued, "Furthermore, online, the search volume for the same outfit you wore today on the official website has increased by 470% compared to the same time yesterday. Several items are now showing as 'out of stock'."

Vivian laughed and replied, "Teacher Lin, we've discussed your sales ability internally several times already."

"

Lin Shen waved his hand: "It's the brand's products that are good; I'm just there to showcase them."

Upon hearing this, Andrea smiled and shook her head: "Mr. Lin, you are too modest. Gucci collaborates with many artists, but there aren't many who can achieve such a high level of both sales performance and public image as you."

He paused, looked at Vivian, and gestured for her to continue.

Vivian took out an exquisite envelope from the side and pushed it in front of Lin Shen.

The envelope had the Gucci logo printed on it, along with a line of French text.

"Ms. Lin, this is an invitation to Paris Fashion Week next March," Vivian said. "It's not for being a guest at the show, but an official front-row invitation."

Lin Shen took the envelope. It wasn't heavy, but he understood its meaning.

Vivian continued, "Also, there's one more thing." She looked at Chen Fei, who pulled another document out of the folder.

"The cover of GQ China next March," Chen Fei said. "We've already spoken with their editor-in-chief, and they're willing to put you on a solo cover. Not a group cover, not a spread, just you alone."

Lin Shen's eyebrows twitched slightly.

GQ China, one of the top men's magazines in China, has its March issue as its most important "opening issue" of the year.

The significance of being able to promote him is self-evident.

Andrea spoke up from the side, her tone more formal than before: "Mr. Lin, our headquarters is expediting your evaluation."

He paused, then smiled apologetically, "To be honest, these past three months as a brand ambassador have been incredibly unfair to you. But you know the headquarters' procedures—for an Italian, everything requires a meeting."

Lin Shen smiled. He could imagine the scene—a group of Italian old men sitting around a long table, discussing the title of a Chinese artist, arguing for a long time, and finally saying, "Let's observe it further."

"I understand," Lin Shen said.

Andrea looked at him, her eyes filled with undisguised admiration: "Mr. Lin, you are very composed. That's what we value most."

He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and continued, "In the past month or two, how much have you been through? With all that online commotion, anyone else would have panicked. But what about you? You continued filming, continued building your brand, and in the end, the authorities directly promoted it. The Ministry of Public Security, the State Administration of Radio and Television, and the People's Daily—five in a row."

He put down his teacup and looked at Lin Shen: "Mr. Lin, what are we in the luxury goods business most afraid of? We're most afraid of celebrities getting into trouble. We sign an endorsement deal today, and tomorrow we're trending on social media with negative news about us. Our PR department is working all night writing a statement, and headquarters is asking us how we initially assessed the deal. These kinds of things happen far too often."

“But you’re different,” Andrea said. “You’re someone the higher-ups have put forward. When doing business in China, we can be arrogant and put on airs, but one thing we’re very clear about is that someone approved by the higher-ups is never wrong.”

Vivian added from the side, "Teacher Lin, to be honest, your current stability is more valuable than any amount of traffic."

After listening, Lin Shen picked up his teacup, took a sip, and smiled: "Andrea, Sister Vivian, Director Chen, you've been too harsh."

"It's not heavy, not heavy at all." Vivian waved her hand. "Teacher Lin, we're telling you this because the evaluation at headquarters is being expedited. If all goes well, we should have official news before next year's Fashion Week."

Andrea nodded: "I hope that you will be invited to Paris with a new title."

Lin Shen looked at them and nodded: "Okay, I'll wait for your news."

Vivian smiled, then remembered something: "Oh, right, Teacher Lin, the Jaeger-LeCoultre store next door also sent someone over today."

Lin Shen raised an eyebrow.

Vivian smiled meaningfully: "They hadn't planned any events this month, but when they heard you were coming to Deji Plaza, they temporarily transferred someone from Shanghai. They said it was for training, but really they just wanted to see how popular you are. Just now, their store manager even asked someone to pass on a message saying they'd like to invite you to collaborate again next time."

Lin Shen smiled but didn't reply.

Chen Fei casually chimed in, "They're probably regretting it terribly now—when they first invited Gucci to participate, they hesitated about budgeting for the joint event. But seeing this level of popularity today, they'll probably have to write a self-criticism when they get back."

Everyone laughed.

After chatting for a few more minutes, Lin Shen glanced at the time, stood up, and said, "Andrea, Sister Vivian, Director Chen, thank you for your hard work today. I have some personal matters to attend to later, so I must take my leave."

Several people stood up and saw him to the VIP room door. Andrea shook Lin Shen's hand: "Mr. Lin, see you in Paris."

O

Vivian smiled and replied, "Teacher Lin, let's keep in touch. I'll let you know as soon as I have any good news."

Lin Shen nodded and led Yang Chaoyue outside.

As he walked out of the Gucci store, the crowd outside hadn't dispersed yet. A few fans saw him come out and excitedly raised their light sticks.

Lin Shen waved to them, and a scream erupted from the crowd.

Across the street, in front of the Jaeger-LeCoultre store, a man in a suit was looking this way. When he saw Lin Shen's gaze sweep over, he quickly gave a polite smile.

Lin Shen nodded to him and continued walking out.

Yang Chaoyue followed behind, muttering to himself as he walked, "Brother Shen, that guy from the Jacques family has been loitering over there, wanting to come over but too embarrassed to."

Lin Shen smiled but didn't say anything.

Stepping out of Deji Plaza, the early winter sun in Nanjing was just right, warming me comfortably.

Yang Chaoyue suddenly spoke up: "Brother Shen, what are the arrangements for this afternoon—"

Lin Shen glanced at her: "What?"

Yang Chaoyue grinned and said, "It's nothing, it's nothing. I just wanted to confirm if there's enough time for my 8 PM flight."

Lin Shen ignored her and walked straight to the parking lot.

Behind me, the glass curtain wall of Deji Plaza reflected the afternoon sun, and the Gucci logo shimmered in the sunlight. Inside the mall, social media was already flooded with posts about the "Deji Plaza in Jinling," a sure sign of it being a trending topic today.

Lin Shen glanced at Yang Chaoyue.

Yang Chaoyue immediately understood, handed over the keys to the minivan, and walked in another direction where a low-key Audi was parked, which was there to pick her up.

Lin Shen didn't go through the main entrance. He walked through the mall's internal passageways and went down to the underground parking garage through another exit. After several twists and turns, a black Mercedes came into view, quietly parked in a corner.

The car windows were tinted dark, making it impossible to see inside.

Lin Shen walked over and opened the passenger door.

Chen Duling sat inside, bundled up in a black down jacket, hood pulled up over her head, and a scarf covering the lower half of her face, leaving only her eyes visible. Those eyes were fixed on him, with a hint of a smile.

"Your outfit—" Lin Shen sat down, closed the door, "is more professional than mine."

Chen Du pulled her scarf down a bit, revealing her mouth, and her first words were: "Your fans are crazy."