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

At 9:50 a.m. on September 7, outside the conference room of an office building in Beijing.

Twenty or thirty young girls had gathered in the corridor. Most of them were between eighteen and twenty-five years old, tall and with long legs, exquisite makeup, and wearing their own clothes that best reflected their personal style.

Some styles lean towards a minimalist and sophisticated look, others towards a sweet and cool trend, and still others towards a fresh Korean style or a sexy European and American style.

At this moment, they gathered in twos and threes, talking in hushed tones, their eyes subtly scanning their competitors around them.

Bai Mengyan and Qiqi stood by the window. Today, she was wearing a beige knitted cardigan, a light blue shirt, and a denim overalls. Her hair was tied into a loose bun, revealing her smooth forehead. She was going for a fresh and cute look.

Among the group of faces around her, some bright and beautiful, some aloof and some slender, her round face with a touch of baby fat and her eyes crinkling when she smiled looked particularly harmless, and also seemed... not so much like a model.

These dozens of young and beautiful girls huddled together, like clusters of flowers forced to move, waiting to be sorted and categorized.

They all come from several original design shops acquired by Track, and their fates are now intertwined, creating a subtle atmosphere.

After catching up, Bai Mengyan and Qiqi sat together, whispering to each other.

"Hey, Yanbao, do you think Brother Shen will come today?" Qiqi asked expectantly.

"The notice said it was just the company's initial assessment, and Brother Shen is so busy..." Bai Mengyan said, but her eyes couldn't help glancing towards the door. "But what if he comes? If we could take a photo together, or get an autograph or something..."

Although they lowered their voices, the corridor was quiet, and their words still reached the ears of the girls nearby.

A girl in a black bodycon dress with slightly mature makeup scoffed softly upon hearing this, and openly sized Bai Mengyan up and down.

He lingered a little longer on her slightly chubby face, a sense of superiority welling up inside him. Turning to his companion, he said in a voice that was neither too loud nor too soft:

"Some people still don't understand the situation and think they're here to chase after celebrities. How wishful thinking! Big stars are so busy, do they really have time to come and see us little fish and shrimps?"

She really thinks she's something special. A model just for reminiscing? That's all the taste she's got. And she wants a signed autograph? She should probably lose some of that baby fat first.

Her companion chimed in, "Exactly! This is a big star. He probably doesn't even know our names. We're lucky to even meet a director today. And he wants a photo and an autograph? He's got some nerve."

These words were harsh, and several girls around cast glances at her, some scrutinizing and others watching the spectacle unfold. Competition is everywhere in the modeling world; even at their first meeting, the invisible comparisons and belittling had already begun. To her colleagues, who were used to seeing models who were either sharp or alluring, Bai Mengyan's face was indeed not particularly outstanding, even somewhat "not high-class enough."

Qiqi raised an eyebrow, about to retort, but Bai Mengyan tugged at her, shook her head, her smile fading slightly, and said to Qiqi:

"It's okay, let's talk." But inwardly, he rolled his eyes. What's with the arrogance? Aren't we all just here to make a living?

Bai Mengyan ignored the two people, pulled Qiqi to a slightly farther spot, and continued to whisper their fantasies to each other:

"If they really come, I'll hand them this notebook and make sure it's signed by them! I'll write 'To the most beautiful dream researcher!'"

"You're so beautiful!" Kiki laughed at her, wrinkling her nose at her.

At 10:00 AM sharp, the conference room door opened, and out came Xu Wei, the visual director of the Trajectory brand, a woman in her thirties dressed neatly and capablely, followed by two assistants.

"Hello everyone, please sign in in order and then take your seats in the conference room. Today, we're mainly getting to know each other and to understand each other's situations. Please relax." Xu Wei was businesslike and didn't offer any extra enthusiasm.

The girls filed in, and as Bai Mengyan had predicted, the most eye-catching figure did not appear until everyone was seated and Xu Wei began to explain the company's background, brand philosophy, and expectations for content partners.

The light of expectation in the eyes of many girls dimmed, but they quickly perked up, listened attentively to Xu Wei's words, and began to quietly observe this director who clearly held the power of life and death over them in the early stages.

The evaluation process proceeded step by step.

First came brief self-introductions, then Xu Wei and her assistants, using tablets and notebooks, observed each girl's posture, facial features, and immediate reactions in front of the camera.

Occasionally, a girl would be asked to stand up and walk a few steps, or turn to the side, turn her head, and make a few simple gestures.

Bai Mengyan tried her best to show her most natural and lively side, but she could also sense the length of time Xu Wei's gaze lingered on her.

It's clearly not as good as the other girls who are tall, have deep features, or have a unique temperament.

She felt a little uncertain, but she still maintained a smile on her face.

As the evaluation drew to a close, Xu Wei was already quickly marking and grading the forms in her hand with A, B, and C. Most of the girls received a B or C rating, with only a few being marked with an A.

Bai Mengyan glanced at a corner of her form; it seemed to be a B.

Just then, the conference room door was gently pushed open.

A figure walked in.

Lin Shen was dressed casually today, wearing a soft light gray crew neck sweatshirt and black casual pants. His hair was unstyled and simply fell softly over his forehead.

But this face, which has recently been frequently appearing on trending topics, GG logos, and television screens, quickly attracted everyone's attention.

"Director Xu, are you busy?"

"President Lin!" Xu Wei immediately stood up, and the others also seemed to wake up from a dream, standing up one after another, the chairs making a slight rubbing sound.

The girls' eyes lit up instantly, their previous weariness and apprehension vanished, replaced by uncontrollable excitement and nervousness.

"Sit down, please sit down, don't be shy."

Lin Shen smiled and gestured for his hand to be lowered, his gaze casually sweeping over the youthful faces filling the room.

That glance stirred a strange mix of emotions within him.

In 2014, mobile beauty filters had not yet dominated the world, and the idolization movement of live streaming and short videos had not yet begun.

These girls may not have sophisticated makeup or stylish clothes, but they are authentic, vibrant, and unique.

Some were bright and beautiful, some were aloof and elegant, some were charming and innocent...

Their faces are all original, their figures are real, and they each have their own unique temperament, some youthful and some flamboyant, all brimming with vibrant life.

In a few years, with the bombardment of level-ten beauty filters and uniform internet celebrity aesthetics, it will probably be difficult to see so many original and promising talents all at once.

Moreover, once the live streaming filter is turned on, internet celebrity faces are everywhere, old ladies become young girls, and tanks become snake spirits, causing the big shots who were scammed to run away overnight.

They are all unpolished potential stocks, Lin Shen thought with a sense of nostalgia, feeling a little nostalgic for this kind of raw beauty.

The monotonous, exquisite content of the live-streaming era becomes boring after a while.

"Thank you all for making this trip today," Lin Shen said gently.

"Trajectory is a new brand, and we need energetic and expressive partners like you. Today is just for us to get to know each other, so please don't feel pressured."

The company will then arrange different directions for you to try based on your strengths and interests. This could be still photography, short video content, or other forms.

In short, now that you're here, you're one of us, and the company will do its best to provide suitable opportunities for everyone.

A few short words, like a reassuring pill; a big star's personal promise carries a different weight.

The girls' faces lit up again, and even the girl who had made the sarcastic remark earlier showed an expectant smile.