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

Early morning of September 6, an apartment in Chaoyang District, Beijing.

Bai Mengyan was awakened by the excessively bright sunlight. Her first reaction was not to get out of bed, but to fumble for her phone next to her pillow, unlock it skillfully, and open Weibo.

The anxiety I felt last night before bed, caused by the work standstill, fermented in my sleep. Now I desperately need something else to fill the void, even if it's just the empty smoke of online battles.

On her homepage timeline, several popular forest fans and combat accounts she followed were flooding her feed with a familiar, excited buzz.

The focus of the discussion was Gucci's private dinner at The Opposite House last night.

The trigger was a nine-grid photo collage posted by a fashion blogger at the scene.

In one of the photos, Lin Shen, dressed in a velvet suit, is raising a glass and conversing with Gucci's global president, Di Marco, and creative director, Frida Giannini. He appears relaxed and has a proper smile.

The blogger captioned the post: "Lin Shen's influence as a new generation has been recognized by senior executives of international brands. He made a brilliant appearance at the Gucci dinner last night."

The comments section of this Weibo post has become a battlefield.

The top-rated comment was dominated by fans using Kris Wu's cartoon avatar:

"Oh, a brand ambassador, congratulations! But when it comes to real titles and overseas exposure, some people still have a long way to go. Our Kris Wu is officially recognized as an overseas promoter by Burberry, which is much more prestigious than being a generic brand ambassador (smiley face)."

Forest immediately retorted, full of confidence:

"How dare these runaway artists talk? What about their overseas resources? If they're going back to China to make money, just say so. Who are you trying to fool with the assembly-line facial expressions trained by SM Entertainment?"

Our Su Su is a genuine graduate of the Beijing Film Academy, and her drama "Swords of Legends" achieved a viewership rating of over 2 on two channels. Her achievements far surpass all the overseas PowerPoint presentations of that certain electronic music vase!

"Electronic Music Bodhisattva" is one of the most hated derogatory terms among Wu Yifan's fans. This statement immediately stirred up a hornet's nest, with Wu Yifan's fans swarming in, seizing on every little detail to hurl insults:

"Is being a brand ambassador really that high-class? To put it bluntly, it's just high-end sales, someone who specifically tries to make wealthy women happy and buy bags. [smirk]"

The photos from the event show them practically plastered on her, beaming like a flower. They're really going all out for resources! No wonder they're so dedicated!

"The Legend of the Ancient Sword was popular, but it's just a domestic TV series. What do you mean by achievements? When Kris Wu was in EXO, his albums sold over a million copies, and he held concerts all over the world—that's what you call international achievements!"

His first film after returning to China was directed by Xu Jinglei—top-tier resources indeed. Some people can only manage to make domestic web dramas, right?

"One show to hype for a lifetime? Hilarious! Has he even reached five million Weibo followers? Has he made it into the top twenty of the celebrity trending topics? Are the data even inflated before jumping around like this?"

When Bai Mengyan saw this, she frowned, and her anger flared up instantly.

Although she was a huge fan of XO in her early years and even impulsively went to participate in SM's audition in Shanghai, and was eliminated in the first round of interviews, this "glorious" experience has always been a topic of conversation in her history of chasing stars.

At that time, Lu Han and Wu Yifan were both her crushes.

Now that I'm older, I've passed the stage of obsessively chasing idols, and my aesthetic has changed. I now prefer local male actors with substantial works, high-quality acting skills, and a more classically Eastern appearance and demeanor.

Lin Shen's portrayal of Baili Tusu, with his cool yet fragile youthful chivalry, almost perfectly captured her aesthetic sensibilities.

In addition, Lin Shen's low-key personality and occasional moments of clarity and insight made Bai Mengyan feel that he was more real and attractive than the perfectly packaged idol groups.

But now, seeing her former ex-husband's fans using her little bit of fame in the K-pop scene to try and take advantage of her current idol, who is now a rising star in the Chinese entertainment industry who is becoming popular because of her work, she is deeply saddened.

Bai Mengyan's inner turmoil lasted for less than three seconds before being replaced by a burning desire to fight.

Especially when she saw the other party insult Lin Shen with words that were clearly derogatory and speculative, such as "smiling with a rich woman," her anger flared up.

Her fingers flew across the screen as she joined the battle.

Bai Mengyan first retweeted the Weibo post mocking Lin Shen for his obsequious behavior, adding the following text:

"If you don't need your eyes anymore, you can donate them; that's normal business etiquette. Unlike some people who, besides flaunting their shoes and cars on Weibo, can't produce a single decent work. When they return to China, they rely on scandals and fighting over billing order to maintain their popularity. Where's their shame?"

Not satisfied with just posting, Bai Mengyan clicked into Wu Yifan's fan page and commented on her latest Weibo post featuring Wu Yifan's Burberry overseas promotional photos:

"Is this international pretty face working its magic again? Too bad, all he ever does is look like a wooden statue. His acting is even less impressive than the wrinkles on his trench coat. His fans are nothing but boosting overseas data; they're practically useless when it comes to his domestic popularity. What else can they do?"

Her accurate and somewhat sarcastic comment quickly attracted a barrage of attacks from several Ninis, but Bai Mengyan remained calm and even a little excited.

This surge of adrenaline temporarily overshadowed her anxiety about her future job.

Bai Mengyan recalled what several veteran fans had taught her when she was in the core combat group of the forest:

"When you're arguing with those who came back from the K-pop fandom, don't just get angry; find the right points to attack."

Wu Yifan's fans insist that he ran away without fulfilling his contractual obligations and has no achievements in domestic film and television after returning to China; Lu Han's fans point out that he has no independent works, relies entirely on his team's popularity, and has zero local audience.

Our SuSu's works are currently at their peak in popularity, her acting skills are undeniable, and her viewership ratings speak for themselves. This is our solid foundation. If they can't compete, they can't smear us in other ways. We'll defend our core audience and fight back swiftly and decisively!

Bai Mengyan wholeheartedly agreed.

As a former XO family fan, although she later mainly followed Team M, she was still very clear about Wu Yifan and Lu Han's affairs. Now that she had switched to the forest camp, she was even more adept at attacking, specifically targeting the opponent's most sensitive spots.

Sure enough, the battlefield quickly spread.

Someone shared a link to Gucci's Weibo post in the core fan discussion area of ​​#LuHan#, and some of LuHan's followers joined in, but only dared to focus on the number of followers:

"What's all the commotion so early in the morning? It's just a brand event. Everyone does it. Haven't we been recognized by foreign media more often?"

Is it possible for some people to try and piggyback on a record of over a million comments on a single Weibo post? They should first think about how to increase the active engagement of their own fanbase. With such poor data, how dare the celebrity even show their face?

"It's hilarious. An actor who's only been popular for two months, and his fans dare to act so arrogantly? Look at the celebrity trending topics list, okay?"

Look at your Weibo follower count, okay? Our Lu Han has almost five million followers, and yours only has so many? Let the data speak for itself, you're trash!

"Still bragging about achievements? It's just one terrible drama. Our Lu Han is about to release her first solo album. Music is king! What else can some people do besides act in period dramas?"

The three groups of fans were actually Lin Shen's fans unilaterally attacking Wu's fans and Lu's fans. The latter two groups also disliked each other and were causing a ruckus, dredging up old grievances.

Derogatory nicknames are flying around everywhere: "Liu Zhuangshi," "Bingbing," "Ni Jie," "Lin Shen," "Data Waste," "Thunder Drama Star"...

The battle quickly escalated, ranging from fashion resources and commercial value to achievements and even personal attacks.

But it's obvious to anyone with eyes that Wu and Lu's fans have no real local achievements to rival Lin Shen's; they can only make a fuss about the empty reputation and nominal number of fans in the baseball industry.

Meanwhile, the Forest faction relentlessly attacked the other party, accusing them of "breaching their contract and running away, lacking any sense of contractual responsibility," "having a sissy-and-stick aesthetic that corrupts the social atmosphere," and "being utterly useless in the local market except for inflating overseas data," with each statement hitting the nail on the head.

The so-called data disadvantage is just a small difference in the number of followers on the account.

Lin Shen's rise to fame was short-lived, and although his fan base is not as large as Lu Han's, who had already built up a foundation during the XO era, his real local active fans, interaction volume, and casual audience are already overwhelmingly superior.

"Liu Zhuangshi's family is at it again! Besides bringing up that lousy overseas commentary record, what else can they do? Are they just relying on their looks and a carefully crafted persona to stay in the Korean music scene and then come back to China to make money?"

"What's the use of a high ranking on the trending topics list? Don't they know how many bots they bought? Our Forest team, with each member using a separate account, generates real, hard-earned drama views and V-list indexes that crush everything else!"

Bai Mengyan's fingers flew across the keyboard as she switched between different accounts, charging into battle on different battlefields and dominating the opponent throughout.

She first attacked Wu Yifan's fans:

"How dare fans of celebrities who have run away from their idols brag about it? Have they lost all professional ethics?"

How dare you even mention XO? In XO's trophies and records, does his little bit of screen time even deserve a mention?

"They're hyping it up like crazy before it's even released. If it flops, let's see how you save face!"

Then, he retaliated against Lu Han's fans:

"What's the use of having a lot of Weibo followers? They're all dead fans from the K-pop fandom, and the number of active local fans is less than a fraction!"

Can trending topics feed you? Our Brother Shen is an actor who lets his local works speak for themselves!

The viewership ratings for "Swords of Legends" exploded, and Baili Tusu became a breakout star – that's a real achievement!

Besides dancing in the Korean boy band, what local achievements has your brother made that are worth mentioning after returning to Korea, besides boosting his stats?

Movies? TV series? Singing? I don't think so, do I?

"Liu Zhuangshi isn't a name we gave him; it's a fact that everyone in the area recognizes!"

Bai Mengyan used the negative information and counter-argument techniques with masterful skill, while also having to keep an eye on her Forest Sisters to like, control comments, and fight back against negative publicity, leaving the other side completely powerless to fight back.

The room was filled with her angry mutterings and occasional relieved chuckles.

"Yes, yes, that's how we should criticize them! Comparing them to us in terms of local achievements is just asking for trouble!"

"Wow, this sister's criticism is really sharp! I've learned something! She directly hit their sore spot of not having any local works!"

"I'm so angry! How dare they say our Brother Shen's brand is low-end? The global president of Gucci personally raised a toast, and your brother probably hasn't even met any of the brand's top executives!"

Occasionally, a passerby will click in and leave a comment:

"These two baseball fan groups are really trying to stir up trouble. Lin Shen's achievements speak for themselves, what's there to argue about?"

It will immediately be liked and pushed to the top by Forest fans, while Wu and Lu fans can only remain silent and turn around to continue splashing dirty water on people.

Bai Mengyan was completely immersed in the atmosphere of this overwhelming battle. The confusion and anxiety she felt a few days ago due to the changes at the reunion shop had long been forgotten. Crushing battles are so much more enjoyable!

Then the phone rang suddenly, and an unfamiliar landline number from Beijing appeared on the screen.

The battle was in full swing, and Bai Mengyan instinctively wanted to hang up, but when she glanced at the number's location, a thought struck her, and her thumb slid to answer.

"Hello, is this Ms. Bai Mengyan?"

"Yes, who are you?"

"Hello Ms. Bai, this is Imperial Capital Track Apparel Co., Ltd. We are here to formally inform you..."

"Trajectory?!"

Bai Mengyan blurted out the words the moment she heard them, her eyes widening in surprise.

As a die-hard fan of Lin Shen, how could she not know that "Trajectory" is the personal brand that Brother Shen is preparing! The nine-grid outfit photos that went viral a few days ago were actually a teaser for the brand!

The staff member on the other end of the phone seemed slightly surprised by her reaction, but their tone remained unchanged:

"Yes, since the store you previously signed a contract with has been acquired and integrated by our company, the rights and interests of the original cooperation agreement will be inherited by our company."

Please arrive at our company at 10:00 AM tomorrow for initial contact and information registration. Your address will be sent via SMS later. Please wear comfortable casual clothing.

It really is Lin Shen's company!

Bai Mengyan was a little dizzy listening to what was said next, and could only mechanically reply with "Okay", "Understood", and "I will be on time".

Even after hanging up the phone, she still held it up, maintaining the posture of answering the call. The expression on her face slowly changed from the fierceness of the battle to astonishment and ecstasy.

On the screen, Weibo notifications kept popping up, reminding her that the battle was far from over.

But at this moment, the powerless provocations of Bingbing and Luwei suddenly seemed incredibly distant and... naive.

The call... really came from Lin Shen's company? Am I going to become a contracted model for one of Lin Shen's brands?

A sense of unreality and immense surprise surged up, overwhelming the fighting spirit they had just been immersed in.

Confusion and anxiety? I don't even know where I threw them away. Right now, all I feel is pounding excitement.

"Aaaaaaahh ...

Bai Mengyan suddenly jumped up from her chair, bouncing several times on the spot. The anger she felt during the previous confrontation had been completely burned away by this sudden and huge surprise.

She hurriedly switched back to QQ, and sure enough, the "Reminiscing Fairy's Mortal Office" group, which had been quiet for several days, now had 99+ messages.

When I clicked in, I saw a bunch of women discussing the same phone call notification in shock, and the collective uproar after someone discovered that the contact information was from the Lin Shen brand.

"My God! It really is Lin Shen's company! We've been taken over by Brother Shen?"

"Will I even be able to see him in person at the company tomorrow?! I'm suffocating!"

"What should I wear, ladies?! Urgent help needed! I need to look stunning enough for Shen Ge to remember me!"

"Have we just become employees of Lin Shen Company? This incredible wealth has been dumped on my face!"

At this moment, Qiqi, a model she was on good terms with, sent her a private message:

"Saltbao! Stop fucking arguing! Those sour chickens who try to scam you don't deserve your time! If you see them in person tomorrow, stand up straight! Stun them! Take them down! Got it?!"

Bai Mengyan held her phone, her eyes crinkling with laughter, and quickly replied:

"Got it!!! I'm not arguing with those Korean trolls anymore! They're not even worthy of carrying Brother Shen's shoes! I'm going to see my husband!!!"

She tossed her phone aside, leaped onto the soft bed, and rolled around in her blankets twice.

Forget about confusion, anxiety, and the sarcastic remarks from rival fans—to hell with it.

Only one thought remained in my mind, accompanied by the rapid pounding of my heart:

Will I really be able to see Lin Shen tomorrow?