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

6:30 p.m., The Opposite House Hotel, Beijing.

The hotel's ground floor ballroom, renowned for its contemporary art collection, is now adorned with the Gucci logo and a giant image of the Fall/Winter 2014 collection.

The air was filled with a blend of fine fragrances, wine, and the faint sound of a piano; elegant attire, swaying hair, and hushed conversation created a luxurious background ambiance.

Gucci presented a navy blue velvet evening suit today, with an exceptionally well-tailored fit.

The stylist sprayed some hairspray on his hair and exclaimed, "Mr. Lin, with your figure, everything you wear looks tailor-made for you."

Lin Shen glanced at himself in the mirror and thought: If the price is right, it will naturally feel like it was tailor-made.

After thanking the staff, I entered the main banquet hall accompanied by Xiao Yang.

The lighting is warm and dim, which not only enhances the atmosphere but also ensures that every guest feels as if they are bathed in their own soft light.

Lin Shen glanced around and immediately understood. In this setting, celebrities were not the main characters, but rather embellishments, serving as a backdrop to highlight the true VIPs. He quickly spotted several familiar faces.

Not far away, Zhang Ziyi, wearing a white lace-trimmed long dress from Gucci's early autumn collection, was having a pleasant conversation with the brand's president for Greater China and an Italian man with an extraordinary air.

Lin Shen recognized him as Lapo Elkann, the heir to the Fiat family and a long-time friend and partner of Gucci. Zhang Ziyi was clearly at the top of the guest pyramid tonight, receiving the privilege of private conversations with the inner circle.

On the other side, several artists from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and mainland China were scattered around. A little further away was Yang Youning, who had just walked the runway for Gucci in Taipei, surrounded by a small group of people. They appeared more like invited guests, wearing professional social smiles.

Lin Shen also caught a glimpse of an unexpected figure: Jun Ji-hyun, the actress who rose to fame across Asia with "My Love from the Star," was wearing a black embroidered Gucci dress and was being accompanied by several high-ranking executives from the Asia-Pacific region. They were talking in hushed tones, clearly enjoying the same level of attention as Zhang Ziyi.

"This lineup... Gucci is really investing heavily in the Asia-Pacific market," Lin Shen thought to himself, a flawless smile already on his face.

"Lin Shen! Over here!" Vivian, the public relations director of Gucci Greater China, greeted him with a smile, took his arm affectionately, and led Lin Shen to the small circle of the brand's senior executives.

"Patrizio, Frida, this is our newest brand ambassador, Lin Shen. You must have felt his recent momentum."

Before me stood a composed Italian man, Patrizio di Marco, the global president of Gucci, and Frida Giannini, the creative director, dressed in a sharp trouser suit and with a polite smile.

Lin Shen greeted him in Italian, which he had practiced beforehand: "Buonasera, sono Lin Shen. Piacere di conoscerla. (Good evening, I am Lin Shen, it's nice to meet you.)"

This indeed made the two executives smile even wider. DiMarco shook hands with him and said in English, "Your sense of style is very unique, young man. We've seen the data, it's outstanding."

Frida focused more on the visual aspect: "I saw some of the finished photos you took this afternoon, and the interplay of light and shadow with your facial features is wonderful."

A simple greeting, Lin Shen's tactful understanding—this is the standard attitude a brand should have towards its close friends who are in the observation and value verification period.

He responded tactfully, thanking the brand for its recognition and subtly mentioning that his own brand, Trajectory, was also deeply inspired by Gucci's aesthetic of blending classic and modern styles.

Yang Youning, who was not far away, happened to look over and saw Lin Shen being briefly surrounded and talked to by two core global executives, while he himself was just chatting with media people. His eyes were complicated.

He quickly looked away, his smile flawless as he turned to the other side. In this circle, a mere step can make all the difference in treatment.

Lin Shen glanced at it out of the corner of his eye, but his heart remained unmoved. Envy or sourness were the most useless emotions.

At this point, the emcee invited all the guests to come on stage for a group photo.

The order of their positions was subtly suggestive: Di Marco and Frida Kahlo were in the center, Zhang Ziyi and Lapo Elkann were on either side, and then Jun Ji-hyun was on the left.

Vivian pulled Lin Shen to her side very naturally, right next to Jun Ji-hyun, almost the first among the celebrities.

The flashbulbs went off, capturing the moment of his fame. Lin Shen wore a standard smile, but he knew very well what was going on in his mind.

This photo will appear on the front page of major fashion media outlets tomorrow, with headlines like "Gucci Night: Stars Gather, Rising Star Lin Shen's Position Receives Attention."

After the photos are taken, the real social time is just beginning.

The brand's executives and VVIP clients dispersed like a tide, forming new small whirlpools, and Lin Shen immediately became the center of several of them.

The first person to arrive was a well-maintained woman in her forties, known as Mrs. Li, whose husband was a famous real estate developer.

Holding a glass of champagne, she was almost too enthusiastic: "Lin Shen, right? Oh my, he's handsome enough on TV, but he's even more amazing in person! My daughter loves you so much, she watches your shows every day."

"Mrs. Li, you flatter me." Lin Shen smiled and raised his glass in acknowledgment, maintaining a polite half-step distance.

"Don't call me Mrs. Li, why are you being so formal! Just call me 'sister'." Mrs. Li moved closer, her hand casually brushing against Lin Shen's arm.

"I heard you started your own clothing brand? Good eye! Let me know when it launches, and I'll support you with 10,000 pieces as a perk for your company employees!"

The voice was neither too loud nor too soft, and several ladies who were listening intently immediately followed.

"Yes, yes, Lin Shen has such good taste, the clothes he makes must be amazing! I'm ordering some too!"

"Count me in, and let's put these on all the girls at our club."

"Ten thousand pieces? What's that enough? I have many distribution channels in the mall; I'll help you expand!"

Amidst the chatter, Lin Shen's brand seemed to have already become a bestseller even before it was officially launched.

Lin Shen's smile remained unchanged. This wasn't about liking the brand; it was about throwing money at him. They were just buying something to talk about. As for whether the clothes were good or not, they didn't really care.

Lin Shen thanked them gently, saying, "Sisters, you've all been so supportive. I feel so much pressure. I will definitely make the best product and live up to your expectations."

He was dealing with all sorts of things coming from all directions, such as patting his shoulder, "adjusting" his collar, or "accidentally" touching him when trying to clink glasses.

Okay, the mascot is confirmed, and it even features physical interaction.

Lin Shen inwardly complained, but his body reacted naturally, always managing to subtly avoid overly deliberate contact by raising his glass, turning to the side, or handing a snack to another lady.

Although their attitude was friendly, their defenses were relatively solid.

At this moment, a girl who looked younger, around twenty-six or twenty-seven years old, came over carrying a glass of juice, her smile more refreshing:

"Hello Mr. Lin Shen, I really enjoyed your performance in 'Swords of Legends'. My name is Su Wan, and I work in investment."

The business card she handed me listed her title as a partner at a well-known VC firm, which seemed more reasonable.

Lin Shen breathed a sigh of relief, took the business card and looked at it carefully. "Hello, Ms. Su. Just call me Lin Shen. You are very good at investing."

Su Wan blinked: "I'm more interested in you as a person than in investing. You seem... a bit different."

Her gaze swept over the overly enthusiastic women around her, making a pointed remark.

Lin Shen smiled. This girl was interesting. Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly felt a gaze fixed on his back. It wasn't from these women, but from his side and behind.

Using the angle from which he was talking to Su Wan, Lin Shen glanced at the man out of the corner of his eye and saw him talking to two friends. The man's eyes were blatantly scanning Lin Shen, which sent a chill down Lin Shen's spine.

Damn, there are people like this.

Lin Shen's mind went on high alert. He could handle the rich women with ease, and everyone tacitly agreed to play games within the safe zone.

But such blatant scrutiny is physically uncomfortable and also implies potential trouble.

They must extricate themselves gracefully and give these enthusiastic supporters a way to divert their attention.

In a flash, an idea popped into his head. Lin Shen smiled brightly and said to the core "sisters" surrounding him and Su Wan:

"Thank you all so much for your support. I've recently had a rather immature idea: I'd like to talk to some insightful and resourceful seniors like you ladies."

Mrs. Li was indeed attracted: "Oh? What's your idea? Tell me." Several of the older women next to her also looked over.

"Don't you guys think there are actually quite a few guys on the market who have potential, know how to dress, and are good at taking photos, but what's lacking is a systematic platform to discover and promote them?"

"I'm thinking, if we could create a company that specializes in training male internet celebrities, recruiting ordinary people and teaching them how to dress, take photos, manage themselves, and build personal brands, the market would be almost entirely untapped right now."

Lin Shen's gaze swept over the ladies in front of him, a hint of mischief creeping in:

"And this whole thing has both commercial rewards and... quite a lot of fun involved. When it comes to aesthetics and taste, you ladies are professionals."

Instead of simply consuming, wouldn't it be more interesting to participate in 'creation' and 'discovery' yourself, and see the visually appealing 'results'?

These words hit the nail on the head for these wealthy, leisurely, and enthusiastic women, and their eyes visibly lit up.

Mrs. Li immediately chimed in, "That's interesting! Like... creating stars?"

"Similar, but more internet-oriented, closer to the youth market, and with a more flexible incubation cycle," Lin Shen affirmed. "I think the market window is right here, but it requires professional insight and initial impetus."

Su Wan said thoughtfully, "From an investment perspective, this sector does indeed have potential."

"Lin Shen, you're really something! This is even more fun than buying clothes! Count me in!"

"I'm interested too! How exactly does it work?"

"Need investment? I can!"

"I know quite a few guys who are pretty good catches!"

As the topic was successfully steered toward a more "proper" and safer career path, the uncomfortable stares seemed to be temporarily diverted by the heated discussion.

Lin Shen gave an apologetic look and held up his phone:

"Oh my, after my sisters mentioned it, I got a flash of inspiration and I can't wait to go back and work out this idea into an outline."

So, could all the ladies and Ms. Su leave your contact information? Let's create a group chat, and I'll prepare a preliminary project proposal and share it there for everyone's feedback. This really requires everyone's collective wisdom and effort.

This suggestion satisfied everyone's desire to participate and gave Lin Shen a reason to withdraw. Several of the sisters took out their phones and added each other on WeChat, and the atmosphere instantly turned into a business preparation meeting.

Taking advantage of the lively and chaotic moment, Lin Shen winked at Xiao Yang, who had been following nearby. Then he said, "Ladies, please continue chatting. I'll excuse myself for a moment to say hello to the brand representatives," and calmly withdrew from the inner circle of people.

Lin Shen walked straight to Vivian, who was talking to a foreign guest. As the brand's public relations manager, she was the safest beacon at that moment.

"Sister Vivian, excuse me," Lin Shen interjected at the opportune moment, his smile perfect. "I just had a great chat with some of the guests about brand crossover inspiration, and I benefited greatly from it. Thank you again for the invitation tonight."

Vivian was very satisfied with Lin Shen's initiative in engaging in brand networking. She chatted with the foreign guest for a few more minutes, and by the time Lin Shen was able to leave again, the banquet was nearing its end, and the crowd began to move on naturally to say goodbye.

That unsettling man in the shirt has long since disappeared without a trace.

Fifteen minutes later, the black Mercedes drove away from The Opposite House. Inside the car, Lin Shen loosened his collar, let out a long sigh, and rubbed his cheeks, which were stiff from smiling.

Xiao Yang, still shaken, said, "Brother Shen, that guy kept staring at you with weird eyes... Luckily you got away quickly."

"Okay. Have the team keep an eye on the photos and press releases from the dinner, make sure there aren't any odd combinations. Also, go back and write down the ideas I just mentioned and send them to me."

Xiao Yang was taken aback: "Huh? Brother Shen, you're really going to do it? Wasn't that... something you said you'd slip away at the last minute?"

Lin Shen smiled and said, "As we talked, I felt... this might be a good idea. Besides, they are quite wealthy and would be good investors."

Tonight, I unexpectedly gained a group of "angel investors" who are also potential clients. Although their backgrounds and purposes are complicated, I don't need to provide the initial funding for this project myself.

On my phone, the group I just created is still buzzing with excitement:

Looking forward to the solution~ [cute]

"Kolin, remember to find more information on handsome guys! Good looks are the most important asset [smirk]"

"Just let me know if you need any venue or promotional resources. I'll support you."

After replying with "Don't worry, I'll do it as soon as possible," Lin Shen temporarily ignored the WeChat messages from his sisters and went straight to the chat window with the person in charge of the Track brand.

"Notify all the models who have already signed contracts with the stores that they should all gather at the company at 10:00 AM the day after tomorrow. Arrange a large conference room and prepare some refreshments. Tell them that this is just a preliminary meeting to get to know each other, so there's no need to be nervous. Also, have the administration prepare a simple sign-in sheet and information registration form."

"Understood, Mr. Lin! I'll notify everyone immediately. Do you need to arrange a filming team or prepare for the interview process?"

Lin Shen thought for a moment and replied:

"No need for a formal interview, just get to know them and have a brief chat. Have our visual director also be there to give them a professional look. Focus on their camera presence, expressiveness, and personal qualities. Remember to tell them to wear casual clothes that reflect their personal style."

"Understood! I'll make sure everything is arranged!"