Chapter One: Unfulfilled Ambition

  The next day, Lin Xiao was summoned to the company.

  Cami took him directly to the photography studio, where several stylists were already reading books.

  "Next month, you have a lot of promotion, Kangxi's promotional photos need to be provided by us, and also your personal homepage, all require a large number of promotional photos. For the next few days, come over during the day to cooperate."

  Lin Xiao nodded and suddenly asked "Were all my looks designed by these stylists?"

  "Of course." A short-haired makeup artist spoke up "Don't worry, we're all professionals."

  "Although they don't have experience in making up superstars, they've worked on big screens and TVs, so you don't need to worry at all. Moreover, among them, there's only one makeup artist, the others are stylists." CAMI explained.

  Lin Xiao hesitated for a moment "Can I design it myself?"

  "Did you design it yourself?" A freckled female makeup artist spoke up, her tone extremely dissatisfied. "You're only 20, what do you know about fashion? You need to understand that these photos are related to which brands will be willing to sponsor you in the future! If the photos happen to make it into Hong Kong and Taiwan, overseas, that's the best opportunity to break into the fashion circle!"

  "Are you kidding? Don't you believe we are professionals?" The short-haired makeup artist also said with some dissatisfaction, "How can an amateur like you possibly design a style that satisfies everyone? Isn't this going to affect your own future?"

  "Lin Xiao, listen to me, you can design your own makeup in the future, but not now. Every star has a fixed makeup team, just like our relationship, inseparable. You have to trust them." CAMI also advised.

  Lin Xiao thought for a moment and said, "Alright, let me try first. If it really doesn't work out, then I'll do exactly as you say, how about that?"

  "Bang!" A man in his 30s couldn't help but slam the compact powder box on the table. "Lingzi, we know what price range we're talking about. It's not that we don't respect you, but would we come to Huaxia to give a new person a makeover?"

  "Yes, we're all here because of you, and then you give us such a difficult newcomer?!"

  "Fei Zi, say something, can we still do it or not? If he thinks we're not good enough, we won't say another word and leave immediately."

  Cami is also furious, how can she be so unreasonable? She said that mobilizing these makeup artists was because she owed them a favor, but now Lin Xiao is actually doing this to her?!

  "Lin Xiao, after this is over, you can draw again next time." She explained patiently.

  However, Lin Xiao's persistence was beyond her expectation. "Sister CAMI, teachers, I'll just take up twenty minutes of everyone's time. At that time, no matter what, I will definitely style according to your requirements."

  "Newbie, do you know how important a good set of photos is for an artist?" A big-bearded man spoke up, and Lin Xiao noticed that the other makeup artists all fell silent when he talked.

  Seeing Lin Xiao's suspicious gaze, Da Hu Zi smiled and said "Lin Fan, they are a few years older than you, so it's better for them to call me 'Older Brother Lin'."

  It seems that this group of makeup artists has a leader, Lin Xiao nodded "I know, a set of stunning art photos is the best tool to quickly enter the fashion circle."

  Lin Fan asked, "So you also want to insist on trying yourself?"

  Lin Xiao nodded solemnly.

  "Alright, I'll give you twenty minutes. Let's see what happens then." To his surprise, Lin Fan smiled and agreed.

  "Old Lin......" Several stylists shouted out in unison, but Lin Fan simply waved his hand.

  "Thanks, Fan Ge." After saying that, Lin Xiao pulled CAMI away, and was fiercely stared at by CAMI.

  In the makeup room, it quieted down. Lin Fan took a look at the stylist whose complexion wasn't very good and suddenly smiled "Everyone must think I'm messing around, right? How can something like this be handed over to a young person who's just 20?"

  Everyone was silent, some moved their lips, but still didn't make a sound.

  "What's everyone's relationship with Lingzi?" Lin Fan suddenly asked.

  "What's there to say?" "Can a bad relationship help newcomers with styling for free?" "If it were someone else, I wouldn't even bother with him."

  Lin Fan smiled and said, "Since the relationship is so good now, everyone remembers that when she invited us, she specifically mentioned that this person is the new talent that the company will support in the next step. You're still like this, making her a sandwich cookie in the middle, it's hard for her to do."

  They fell into silence again, and after a while, someone said "I just can't stand that new guy. 20 years old, completely inexperienced, just graduated from college, he thinks he can create his own style? Even if he studied color art, film styling and ordinary photography are two different levels."

  "Right, even Fei Zi told him to shut up, he didn't give him any face. And this is still a newcomer, just wait until he becomes really famous, won't he be arrogant?"

  "So, we have to give in to her." Lin Fan sighed and said "You all promised, but since the child doesn't understand, then so be it. We're all grown up, yet we're still following a child's lead? Let's give Lingzi some face and let him finish what he started."

  Another period of silence, and finally someone spoke up.

  "Alright, alright, I'm afraid of you, Old Lin. You can even turn black into white. Let's just consider that a trivial matter and not bother with him."

  "Just wait and see what kind of mess he makes, we'll just scold him a couple of times. Old Lin said the same thing, how old are you now, still arguing with someone younger than you?"

  "What a mess! You're overestimating him, it's already good if he doesn't become a laughing stock."

  In another room, CAMI pulled open the closet with a cold face.

  "Sister Cami, your complexion is a bit better. I'm not doing anything traitorous to the company." Lin Xiao joked.

  "I don't expect you to come up with anything impressive." CAMI said irritably, "Anyway, satisfy your curiosity quickly and then let others finish the styling."

  "How can you have no confidence in me at all?" Lin Xiao smiled and looked at the clothes, he knew this was an important part, so he did it himself.

  Fashion in 2000 was much worse than it is now, although he didn't experience the grooming of a top stylist, dressing up and making up is a compulsory course for every artist, and under the influence of his surroundings and personal practice, he has confidence that he can do better than now.

  Armani, LV, Versace... His eyes scanned the rows of clothes, and he sighed silently, what a lavish lifestyle, these seemed to be Chu Yimeng's own clothes.

  What he wants is certainly not this.

  The nameplate on the first row was quickly pulled over by him.

  "Can't afford it?" If CAMI still had a glimmer of hope just now, even that last shred of hope has been shattered. "You didn't look at their style, you just looked at the brand and pulled them down?"

  "What I want is not this kind." Lin Xiao furrowed his brow, and suddenly realized a serious problem - the clothes in this closet were all too expensive, he needed some that he could make himself, these clothes he couldn't afford to lose.

  "Then I'll see which one you can match." CAMI hummed and stood aside with her arms around herself.

  Row after row of clothes were pulled over, all priced from high to low. Finally, he found a row of clothes that had no reputation at all.

  "It's settled then." He finally broke into a satisfied smile.

  "No way!" CAMI almost spat out a mouthful of blood "As a popular artist, how can you wear such low-taste clothes! The style is even more outrageous! I was wrong, I really was wrong! I was wrong to agree to your absurd request!"

  Lin Xiao laughed and asked "Cami sister, at Hollywood award ceremonies, where do the stars' clothes come from?"

  "What else? First is brand sponsorship, second is customization..."

  Suddenly, she stopped and stared at Lin Xiao in disbelief "You want to modify it yourself?!"

  "Of course!"

  "Are you crazy!?" CAMI exclaimed in surprise. "Do you know how much risk you're taking by modifying it?! Once it doesn't follow the trend, you'll be immediately cast aside and labeled as an artist who doesn't understand fashion. The price to pay for reversing this impression later is too great! You should know that good brands are extremely particular about their reputation when it comes to sponsored clothing! No one will give good clothes to someone who's been deemed as not understanding fashion!"

  "Give it a try. After all, this clothes is not expensive." Lin Xiao pulled out a few pieces, what he had to do was not difficult, just bring in that "demon" style later on, choose these few pieces, just because they were similar to the mysterious style of a certain future superstar, and modify them very easily.

  Cami glared at him with almost anger and exchanged a glance with Lin Xiao before saying "Just this once! Don't think it's going to be the norm!"

  After she finished speaking, she turned around and left the room.

  "Sister Cami, help me get a box of eyeliner."

  Cami, who was about to leave, suddenly stopped in her tracks and glared at Lin Xiao with a fierce gaze, slamming the door shut behind her.

  Not long after, she came back with things in hand, while Lin Xiao had already started cutting and trimming on the clothes.

  "There's still fifteen minutes." She said coldly and left.

  Lin Xiao didn't respond, he was already racking his brains thinking of a similar artist's style for the next day.

  He looked at himself in the mirror, made a few gestures on his body, and smiled, "Nowadays, even Hong Kong and Taiwan artists don't have this cold and handsome style. It's actually Korean artists who are leading the trend. My own appearance isn't that of a traditional pretty boy, which creates an interesting contrast with this style."

  As soon as he knew he had to style it, he immediately thought of this style. The clothes were also easy to find, and even temporary processing was very easy.

  Cami stormed back into the dressing room with a belly full of anger, her face looking terrible.

  Lin Fan broke the awkwardness first, "Lingzi, don't mind him, he's new and curious about everything. He's also at the tail end of his rebellious phase, let him try it out."

  CAMI let out a sigh, trying to calm down his anger, and said with a bitter smile to the people in the room, "Everyone, sorry about this. I asked for your help, but he's not cooperating at all. After this is over, I'll make sure to discipline him properly."

  Everyone nodded with a smile. New artists naturally need agents to teach them. Such an inexperienced newcomer should be properly disciplined.

  "What clothes did he pick?" a stylist asked casually.