The Sickly Beauty Gives Up Struggling [Rebirth] Chapter 211

Two weeks after joining the production, Lin Zhen finally had a chance to get out and do something different.

Before filming began, he had already committed to attending an exhibition hosted by a world-renowned designer studio. This studio was responsible for creating custom haute couture for many celebrities, so the event naturally drew significant attention from the industry.

Lin Zhen sat under the shade of a canopy, peeling a mandarin orange. Splitting it in half, he handed one piece to Jian Fu. “Want to come with me? Or do you want to take the chance to visit home? It’s been a while since you’ve gone back.”

Jian Fu accepted the orange, pausing to mischievously lick the spot where Lin Zhen’s fingers had touched before chewing it whole. “I’ll go with you, of course. My parents are off enjoying their alone time anyway.”

Lin Zhen was secretly glad Jian Fu decided to join him. Leisurely, he swallowed his piece of orange and said, “Alright, I’ll have them arrange a suit for you too.”

Jian Fu waved him off. “No need. I’ll just go as your assistant. I’m not a celebrity anyway.”

Celebrities attending the exhibition were expected to wear the studio’s designs and participate in photoshoots. Borrowing clothes from the studio was a formal process, with priority typically given to top-tier stars. Those further down the pecking order often had to settle for less impressive designs.

Fortunately, Lin Zhen had been making waves lately. His talent and the support of his agency, coupled with Whale Sea’s recent endorsement, had earned him a spot among the first batch of invitees to select their outfits.

News of this spread quickly within the industry. Details like who received priority and who didn’t often served as subtle indicators of a star’s current standing.

Some were shocked that Lin Zhen was treated like a top-tier celebrity by the studio, while others grew envious of his rapid ascent in the fashion world. Such comparisons were particularly glaring among male stars aged 20 to 30. In an industry where competitors spanned a decade in either direction, only a select few managed to gain the favor of haute couture brands.

By the time Lin Zhen wrapped up filming and boarded a flight to A City that afternoon, whispers and jabs were already circulating:

“Lin Zhen took time off to attend that haute couture exhibit? Seriously?”

 “It’s not time off. He’s squeezing it into his schedule and flying back to the set at midnight.”

 “Ugh, that brand’s pretty prestigious. Why are they inviting an influencer? It cheapens their image.”

 “And Whale Sea, too. It used to be such an exclusive brand. Guess even they can’t resist money anymore.”

 “Clothes are meant to be worn, aren’t they? What makes it low-class to invite someone? Isn’t everyone human?”

 “Young people with good skin and figures wear clothes better. It’s normal to invite them.”

 “Don’t be salty, Furui. Your boy Cheng Zerui didn’t get an invite, and Lin Zhen got first pick. That’s all.”

 “Lin Zhen doesn’t even suit this brand. He’s not commanding enough to pull it off.”

 “Whatever. He’ll just embarrass himself. When the photos come out, other stars will overshadow him anyway.”

 “Yeah, I can’t wait to see him ruin haute couture. After that, no one will want to work with him.”

….

When Lin Zhen landed and saw the comments online, he only rolled his eyes. “So boring.”

Jian Fu, on the other hand, was fuming. “Do these people have nothing better to do?”

Lin Zhen smirked. “They just want to trash me. Who knows what imaginary sense of satisfaction they get from it.”

He had long accepted that everyone had flaws, himself included. Back in high school, he had been an invisible nobody in his class. He didn’t think of himself as perfect, even though he maintained a disciplined physique. But the internet amplified everything, attracting nitpicking critics.

In the past, such criticism might have affected him—insults always sting more than praise soothes. But after accompanying Li Rong through countless struggles, Lin Zhen had grown indifferent to such noise.

He had a role model—someone who had risen from the abyss of insults and curses, reborn stronger than ever. That was the kind of resilience Lin Zhen aspired to.

Sister Mei, his manager, scoffed, “They’re not just bored. Sometimes it’s fans of other celebrities getting salty and throwing shade. More often, it’s rival agencies paying for smear campaigns and hiring gossip accounts to brand you as ‘unfit,’ ‘tacky,’ or ‘low-class.’ It’s all about creating a first impression. If that impression sticks, people will start associating you with being unfashionable, and public opinion could eventually influence the brand’s decisions. That’s what they call cutting off your resources. It’s vicious, not just idle chatter.”

Jian Fu frowned. “That’s disgusting.”

Having witnessed similar dirty tactics during the Li Qingli and Gu Nong incident, Jian Fu was no stranger to such underhandedness. But it seemed every industry had its share of the same schemes.

Sister Mei continued, “It’s all about the pie—everyone’s fighting for a slice. Take Whale Sea, for example. Everyone knows they’re notoriously selective, with a long evaluation period and high standards. Many celebrities failed to secure a satisfactory title with them, but Lin Zhen managed to land a direct collaboration. Of course people are jealous.”

Jian Fu shrugged. “It’s not that Whale Sea is truly that exclusive. It’s mainly because our big boss doesn’t watch dramas or know any celebrities. He’s into antiques. If it were up to him, he’d have blue-and-white porcelain as the spokesperson for Whale Sea.”

Sister Mei: “…”

Lin Zhen put on his mask and handed another one to Jian Fu. “Alright, I have enough fans to drown out the mocking voices. It won’t spread far.”

He carefully hooked the mask over Jian Fu’s ears and adjusted it, securing it in place over his nose.

Facing Lin Zhen, Jian Fu felt his fingers brush over the cartilage of his ear and accidentally graze his earlobe before adjusting the mask with focused attention. Lin Zhen’s lashes fluttered right in front of him, mesmerizing.

Feeling a little dazed, Jian Fu murmured, “Why am I even wearing a mask?”

Lin Zhen paused his movements and looked up. “There’ll be fans waiting at arrivals. Do you want to get photographed?”

Jian Fu shrugged nonchalantly. “I don’t mind. I’m not a celebrity.”

Lin Zhen thought about it and agreed, letting Jian Fu go without the mask.

The three of them exited the terminal, where a swarm of fans immediately surrounded them.

It wasn’t just fans; professional paparazzi who camp out for sellable shots were also present. The crowd pressed closer, shrinking the space around Lin Zhen. To avoid any accidents, he slowed his pace.

Sister Mei called out repeatedly, “Please don’t push! Step back a bit! Lin Zhen is in a hurry to get to the venue, thank you!”

Lin Zhen grabbed Jian Fu’s arm and, through his mask, called his name, “Jian Fu.”

The noise was overwhelming, and his voice got drowned out. Jian Fu had to lean in close to hear him. “What?”

Lin Zhen wrapped an arm around Jian Fu’s neck and leaned in to speak directly into his ear. “Call the driver. We’re almost at the exit.”

The intimate gesture made them look unusually close. Some fans who didn’t recognize Jian Fu started asking the more seasoned ones nearby:

“Who’s that guy with Lin Zhen? Is he staff? I’ve never seen him before.”

 “He’s not staff. He’s Lin Zhen’s old classmate. Back when Lin Zhen was in the competition, he even served as the head of his fan club for a while.”

 “Really? That’s adorable! Is the classmate here to help out? So sweet!”

 “Let’s keep this low-key. From what I’ve heard, this classmate comes from a pretty influential family.”

 “As long as the people around Lin Zhen are decent, I can relax. Honestly, I was worried after that drama during the finals when Lin Zhen clashed with the mentor. I thought he’d offend the entire industry.”

 “Well, he probably did, but what else could he do? Keep quiet and let everyone’s efforts go to waste? No way.”

 “Ugh, I’ve seen so many gossip accounts slandering him over this exhibit. He hasn’t even attended yet, and the snark is already pouring in.”

 “I believe Lin Zhen will do great. Even if he doesn’t, it’s fine. We’ll support him no matter what.”

 “I’m holding my breath, hoping the photos turn out amazing. A good shoot might mean more haute couture collaborations in the future.”

….

Finally breaking free from the crowd, Lin Zhen got into the car, which immediately sped toward the venue.

The exhibition was held on the first and second floors of a five-star hotel. The haute couture studio had booked rooms for all the attending celebrities, where they could do their makeup and change outfits.

Sister Mei briefed him, “Lin Zhen, I’ve already arranged for a makeup artist. Once we reach the hotel, we’ll start with makeup and get you dressed. If anything doesn’t fit, we’ll have time for alterations. The hotel and exhibition venue are essentially where everyone gets their photos taken, so we should aim to finish early and secure a prime spot. Otherwise, we might get stuck in line, and with your midnight flight, we’ll be cutting it close.”

This wasn’t the hotel’s first time hosting such an event. Sister Mei knew the best photo spots by heart: the rooftop garden and pool, the crystal spiral staircase on the third floor, and the glass curtain wall on the tenth floor.

Although these spots were stunning, they’d been overused, and the hotel’s regular guests often had to vacate temporarily for the shoots. Negotiating with them wasn’t always smooth, as the clientele here was far from ordinary.

Lin Zhen nodded. “Got it.”

Jian Fu patted his shoulder. “Want to take a nap? You didn’t get much sleep on the plane.”

He had no qualms about offering his shoulder for Lin Zhen to rest on.

Sister Mei interjected, “No sleeping! If you sleep, your eyes and face will get puffy. If you’re really tired, drink some coffee—coffee helps with swelling.”

Lin Zhen reassured her, “Don’t worry, I won’t sleep.”

Jian Fu felt a pang of sympathy. He sighed and lightly touched Lin Zhen’s face with his fingers. “Why is being a celebrity so complicated?”

Lin Zhen responded calmly, “It’s part of the job.”

Jian Fu scrutinized Lin Zhen’s face again. “But you’re so slim, with great skin. Even if you get puffy, it’d still look good.”

Lin Zhen tried to hold back but couldn’t help himself. He turned his head away to stifle a laugh. “That’s …”

He thought about saying “beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” but something about it didn’t feel quite right, so he left it unsaid.

Finally, the car arrived at the hotel entrance. Sister Mei stepped out first, showing the invitation to the staff at the door. Lin Zhen quickly got out and headed straight for the elevator.

Jian Fu followed closely behind, jogging to keep up.

Inside the elevator, Sister Mei gave instructions. “Lin Zhen will need about two hours to get his makeup done and try on the outfit. In the meantime, you can check out the rooftop garden or the bar. Hmm… I’ll give you a room key; those areas require card access.”

As Lin Zhen stepped out of the elevator and opened the door to the room, he said over his shoulder, “No need.”

Sister Mei was puzzled. “Hmm?”

Lin Zhen explained, “His info is already in the hotel system. With his ID, someone will probably invite him for a wine tasting.”

Sister Mei sighed. “….Ah, I see. I was overthinking it.”

She knew luxury hotels often shared information about their VIP guests to ensure they received special treatment.

Jian Fu, however, had no interest in exploring the hotel. “I’m not going anywhere. I want to watch him try on the outfit.”

Lin Zhen turned to look at him. “You’re skipping the garden and the wine just to watch me change?”

After all, it would take two hours—a pretty dull way to pass the time.

Jian Fu blinked, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “I like watching you change.”

Lin Zhen raised an eyebrow. “Don’t you see me change every day?”

Jian Fu replied without hesitation, “Every day, and I still like it.”

Sister Mei, at a loss for words, waved them off. “….Fine, if you enjoy watching, then watch. I’ll go stroll through the garden.”

The manager hadn’t expected that tagging along to an event would grant her a rare moment of freedom.