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

September 3, 2014, 8:00 PM.

A Weibo post appeared out of nowhere on the account of Lin Shen, the rising star who became famous for playing Baili Tusu, accompanied by nine pictures.

These aren't stills from a movie or promotional posters, but rather nine outfits, each with a distinct style but clearly carefully coordinated.

"Acting is a dream, but life has more than one path. How about trying other paths, like... sharing some nice clothes with you guys? [Sun] #LinShen'sWardrobe#"

Within three minutes of being posted, it was forwarded over 10,000 times.

Within five minutes, the comments section exploded.

"Ahhh, my brother posted on Weibo! Wait... what's this content???"

"Holy crap? Lin Shen? Baili Tusu? What's he up to? Selling clothes???"

"Heh, getting cocky as soon as you become famous? Neglecting your duties, just waiting for you to flop completely [eating melon emoji]"

"Brother, wake up! You're only 21! You're an actor! A top star! Focus on acting!!! Why are you selling clothes!!! [frustrated][frustrated]"

Breaking News! Rising Star Lin Shen Seems to be Transitioning? A Deep Dive into His Business Empire and Network of Connections... (See Long Article for Detailed Analysis)

The comment section has completely split into several major camps.

Die-hard fans were simultaneously wailing, "Brother, what are you doing?", while frantically saving pictures and studying the same items.

Passersby, enjoying the spectacle, speculated whether the young actor who rose to fame with "Swords of Legends" had been cursed.

Haters and marketing accounts, like sharks smelling blood, began weaving all sorts of stories about "inflated egos," "shortsightedness," and "making quick money."

What's even more exciting is the interaction within the entertainment industry.

Having just finished working with Lin Shen on "Swords of Legends," Yang Mi, who is currently in the rising phase of her career, was the first to repost and comment:

"@Lin Shen, my Su Su has great taste! [smirk] I support her trying new possibilities!"

Following closely behind, Zheng Shuang, who also collaborated with him on "Swords of Legends," also commented:

"Senior Brother Lin Shen always has great ideas, keep it up! [Cute]"

Chen Weiting, Ma Tianyu... a string of names from the "Ancient Sword" production team appeared in the comments section, some joking and some supporting, directly pushing the Weibo post to the top of the trending search list.

#Lin Shen Shows Off Clothes# followed by a bright red "Explosion" character.

Some people dug up his past interviews and found that this seemed to have been foreshadowed. In a magazine interview, when asked what he would like to try besides acting, this young top star casually replied:

"Maybe we could start a brand? Who knows?"

At the time, everyone thought it was a joke, but now it seems that this young man, born in 93, who rose to fame at a meteoric pace, is... serious?

"Isn't this something only has-been celebrities do?" one highly-rated comment hit the nail on the head. "Brother, how long have you been famous? Wake up!"

While the online world was in turmoil, the protagonist at the center of the incident was leisurely sitting in an office in a high-end office building on the East Third Ring Road of Beijing.

Outside the window is the dazzling night view of the capital city in early autumn, while inside is a simple and modern decor.

Lin sank into the soft sofa, the light from his phone screen reflecting on his face, which was exceptionally handsome.

It's not the currently popular effeminate and delicate look, but rather a youthful and handsome appearance, with sharp and distinct lines in his brow bone and nose. Especially his eyes, which always seem to have a nonchalant and relaxed look when he looks at people, yet can instantly unleash a highly impactful emotion in front of the camera.

At this moment, Lin Shen was scrolling through Weibo comments, a smile on his lips.

"You're still laughing?" A helpless voice came from behind the desk.

Jia Shikai, the former vice president of Huanrui and now the head of the newly established Lucky Media, is also Lin Shen's nominal guardian and business partner. He was rubbing his temples as he looked at him.

The relationship between the two is very special. Lin Shen was 18 years old when he transmigrated, and the inheritance left by his parents was managed by this friend of his father.

At first, Lao Jia was just doing his duty, until he discovered that although the child had memory impairment, he had an amazing keen insight and foresight into the industry and business.

From Lin Shen's successful betting on seemingly unwinnable games in 2012, which resulted in him earning tens of millions, to his proposal in 2013 to create his own apparel brand and personally navigating the supply chain in the south, and then to the joint establishment of Lucky Media by the two at the beginning of this year, proactively positioning themselves for future trending projects...

Jia Shikai increasingly felt that he was not supervising a teenager, but cooperating with an extremely mature partner.

"Look at this," Lin Shen read aloud, "Is Lin Shen under some kind of spell? He's predicted to be popular for no more than three months. That's quite creative."

"Do you know how many reporters want to interview you right now? How many brands are calling to ask about the situation?" Jia Shikai said irritably. "Gu Jian has only been airing for a short time, and Baili Tusu's popularity is still at its peak, and you suddenly pull this stunt..."

"It's just a warm-up." Lin Shen put down his phone, picked up a glass of water from the coffee table and took a sip. "Trajectory will officially launch next month, so we need to let the market prepare itself first."

"Then you can discuss the copywriting with me first!"

"It was a spur-of-the-moment decision," Lin Shen shrugged, a sly smile on his face.

"I felt the timing was right, so I posted it. Lao Jia, relax. Look, Yang Mi and Shuangzi both helped share it, right? And that's how the buzz started, isn't it?"

Jia Shikai glared at him for a long time, then finally sighed, took a stack of documents from the drawer, and pushed them over.

"Alright, let's get down to business. This is your schedule for the next two weeks."

Lin Shen took it and looked through it.

The schedule was packed with activities, from magazine shoots and interviews to commercial events and variety show recordings, leaving almost no gaps.

"The Esquire cover shoot is scheduled for Friday. They're the first top-tier men's magazine to give you a solo cover this year, so pay attention to it." Jia Shikai pointed to one of the items. "I've already booked the stylist; it's the one you were very satisfied with when you worked with him last time."

"Hmm." Lin Shen nodded and continued reading.

"And these too," Jia Shikai said, bringing over an even thicker stack from the side and placing it on the coffee table.

"I've sifted through all the scripts; they're all projects that are currently in development and have potential. Although you have your own plans, you can't neglect your primary role as an actor. Now is your golden period for choosing scripts, so you need to proceed cautiously and steadily."

Lin Shen glanced at the pile of scripts, his gaze shifting slightly.

Three years.

Having just transmigrated, he failed in his attempt to plagiarize and had to accept the fact that he was just an ordinary transmigrator.

He started with the role of the 19th Prince in "Palace 2" (a minor but memorable role), then gained popularity as the second male lead in "Legend of Lu Zhen," and finally rose to the top overnight with his role as Baili Tusu in "Swords of Legends."

The journey went more smoothly than expected, but it was still inseparable from the trajectory deliberately set by Lin Shen.

The initial capital accumulation he achieved through information traversal gave him the confidence to refuse purely consuming work. The brand and investments he planned ahead of time were Lin Shen's backup plan and his true interests.

Acting is my dream, and it's the foundation for my place in this industry.

But life does indeed have more than one path.

"I know." Lin Shen raised his head, his casual expression softening as he became serious. "I have no intention of giving up on my acting career halfway through."