The meeting with the head of the GW brand management department was scheduled at a boutique coffee shop. Mike had sent someone in advance to book the entire venue, ensuring that no noisy distractions would affect the brand’s evaluation of their artist.

The person in charge was a fashionable woman in her late twenties. Sitting in such a high position within the core department of a luxury brand at such a young age made it clear she was a standard “white-collar elite.” Based on Mike’s experience working with these brand representatives, international luxury brands often placed significant importance on the artist’s demeanor, and the women in the marketing departments of these foreign companies typically exuded an “elite” aura; in other words, they loved to show off.

The most straightforward manifestation of this was their fondness for speaking English.

For example, Mike once encountered a particularly exaggerated brand representative who said something that left him both amused and appalled: “Our brand basically wants to talk to you and see if our quality matches; if it matches, we can consider using you, but if not, we’ll just have to consider other people.”

To be honest, even foreigners would want to throw up after hearing such things.

He remembered the first time he accompanied Dai Jue to secure a two-year endorsement contract with GW. During their initial meeting, the brand representative directly posed questions to Dai Jue in English. Although the advertisements would undoubtedly include English lines, they were typically dubbed over; even if not, the actors would practice their lines countless times before recording. There was no need for the actors to possess high levels of English proficiency.

At that time, Mike felt the representative was excessively demanding. If Dai Jue hadn’t had experience walking the red carpet in America, she might have been completely tongue-tied.

Thus, before this meeting with the brand representatives, Mike specifically warned Baili Xiao that they might ask him to introduce himself in English or discuss his understanding of the brand.

However, Baili Xiao’s performance still amazed everyone present.

As soon as they sat down, Baili Xiao confidently delivered a brief self-introduction in fluent English, clearly stating, “I know your working language is English. If you feel more comfortable discussing business matters in English, I’m happy to accommodate.”

After Baili Xiao finished speaking, the brand representative visibly expressed surprise and appreciation. However, she smiled and said, “There’s no need. In fact, luxury brands don’t require artists to be fluent in spoken English. What we assess is the overall quality of the artist. If an artist is hesitant even about basic English communication, then even if they have an outstanding appearance, it wouldn’t align with our brand’s core image. I can already see the qualities we are looking for in you, so let’s continue in Chinese from here.”

Baili Xiao nodded in agreement, and out of the corner of his eye, he caught Mike’s complex expression, interpreting it as a subtle acknowledgment of “I have to admit, you’re really impressive.”

The subsequent discussion was very routine. The brand representatives first asked Baili Xiao to share his understanding of the brand before directly posing the question, “Why should we choose you as our spokesperson? Although you have been gaining momentum recently, you lack a portfolio, while Dai Jue is clearly a more stable choice.”

After thinking for a moment, Baili Xiao responded, “I’ve been following GW’s new products over the past six months and noticed a significant trend towards market segmentation. The brand has launched more unique styles in the Chinese market that incorporate Chinese elements, such as embroidery and auspicious clouds. GW has always been known for its quirky and fashionable image, but with the addition of these Chinese elements, I believe the spokesperson should not only have a fashionable appearance but also embody some Eastern impressions to better assist the brand in its transformation.”

The brand representatives looked at him with increasing approval: “So you believe you have a stronger Eastern impression than Dai Jue?”

“Indeed,” Baili Xiao nodded. “Dai Jue is my senior and one of the most popular male artists in China today. However, due to this, he has developed very close relationships with the Western world in recent years, and his image has increasingly leaned towards an international style, which might not be conducive to highlighting the newly added Eastern elements in the brand. As for me, I currently don’t have any works, and the public’s only impression of me is that I will portray Shen Ziting in ‘Chang An,’ a character with a very classical and ethereal image.”

The representative nodded with a smile but then turned to pull out a few sheets of paper from her bag, revealing several design sketches. Baili Xiao had done his homework on the GW brand recently and recognized at a glance that these were new styles that hadn’t yet hit the market.

“What’s this?” he asked.

The brand representative smiled, “These are some potential new styles we might release. Last year, GW’s Little Monster series was very popular among young people in China, and this year, our new series hasn’t been named yet. While we’ve added Chinese elements, we still hope to cater to young people’s tastes. Do you have any opinions?”

Mike was taken aback for a moment upon hearing this. Were they looking for a spokesperson or a marketing director? This question was clearly beyond the scope of what he expected. He couldn’t help but think that GW’s representatives were becoming increasingly unpredictable. However, he wore a worried expression as he looked at Baili Xiao, fearing that this aloof yet somewhat whimsical artist might give an astonishing answer.

Meanwhile, Baili Xiao was attentively studying the design sketches. The new handbag designs for GW’s upcoming season were stunning and innovative, truly eye-catching. They retained the brand’s traditional bright colors and geometric patterns while incorporating Chinese elements such as auspicious clouds, vines, and embroidery. The blend of Eastern and Western styles complemented each other beautifully, creating a sophisticated and elegant aesthetic that was hard to look away from.

Even so, coming up with a name for such a series that captured the essence of both cultures would still be a challenge. Mike pondered several names on the side but found them all lacking, feeling increasingly anxious that Baili Xiao might jeopardize this almost-secured endorsement.

However, after looking for a moment, Baili Xiao smiled and said, “Little Immortal.”

Say what?!

Mike felt as if his head was about to explode. “Little Immortal? Li Xiao, what are you treating this interview as? ‘Little Immortal’? Why not call it ‘Little Buddha’ while you’re at it?”

Just as Mike was seething with frustration, he looked up to find the brand representative’s initial surprise was quickly replaced by contemplation.

Baili Xiao’s smile was captivating. He rarely smiled, so when he did, it was striking against the sunlight, his bright black eyes even more mesmerizing.

“Perhaps the name sounds a bit absurd at first,” he continued, “but you mentioned that last year’s GW Little Monster series was very well-received in the Chinese market. GW’s transformation this year is not meant to completely dismantle its brand image, but rather to enhance and blend it. I believe a name that connects with the previous series is far superior to some of the adjectives used by other brands. That’s the first point.”

Mike’s left eyelid twitched. He couldn’t believe he was actually seeing acknowledgment in the eyes of that female executive.

Baili Xiao paused briefly before continuing, “Secondly, while it’s a bold move to integrate classical Chinese elements into a trendy, youthful brand, merging these two styles can easily create dissonance. I see that these sketches cleverly use GW’s signature quirky designs to blur the lines of the Chinese elements. Therefore, I want to propose a relatively lighthearted term that holds high recognition in China.”

The brand representative nodded repeatedly. “You’re absolutely right. When we first suggested the name ‘Little Monster’ last year, there were also doubts about its rashness, but it turned out to have great market results. Consumers really bought into it.”

“Exactly. Moreover, while the designs incorporate various forms such as tassels and embroidery, the patterns are almost exclusively auspicious clouds and green vines. Both of these elements have strong auspicious meanings in ancient China. I think ‘Little Immortal’ is a very fitting name for this series.”

After delivering this whole speech, Baili Xiao calmly took a sip of the bottled water on the table. He slightly turned his head to observe his manager and the brand representative lost in thought. He didn’t say anything more, merely lowered his gaze and smiled gently, blowing gently at the layer of bubbles on the surface of the water, producing faint popping sounds in the quiet café.

——“Ziwei Constellation continues to shift, everything is under control.”

…

The brand representative did not provide direct feedback on Baili Xiao’s proposal, but based on her demeanor, it seemed that things were looking promising.

That evening, when Baili Xiao returned home, he received a message from Mike: “GW is very pleased with you; a preliminary cooperation intention has been reached, and the endorsement fee is under negotiation.”

Baili Xiao felt a sense of relief wash over him. Just as he was about to reply to Mike, another message from Yu Jinghao popped up on his screen: “I heard the discussion went smoothly, congratulations.”

This man seemed to always be well-informed about his progress.

Baili Xiao found himself smiling at the phone screen, replying, “Thanks to you for sending me the naming proposal for last year’s Little Monster series in advance.”

“Your insight is commendable,” Yu Jinghao replied.

Baili Xiao sent a smiling emoji back, secretly admiring Yu Jinghao’s meticulousness and thoroughness. The night before his meeting, Yu Jinghao had unexpectedly faxed him the internal naming strategy for the Little Monster series from GW, urging him to familiarize himself with the brand’s planning ideas. At first, Baili Xiao thought it was a long shot, but he was quick to grasp things and had prepared accordingly. When the brand representative handed him those design sketches during the meeting, he had already anticipated their intention.

He couldn’t help but feel a sense of gratitude for Yu Jinghao’s wisdom and foresight.

Since his debut, while Baili Xiao had worked hard and encountered good fortune, Yu Jinghao had indeed played a significant role in his success. This man, who seemed to be blessed with a unique destiny, had undoubtedly bolstered his fortunes.

Unconsciously, Baili Xiao had grown accustomed to discussing his ideas with Yu Jinghao, seemingly forgetting that the latter was the company president, who had no obligation to involve himself in the minutiae of a small artist’s affairs. And yet, he had never regarded Yu Jinghao as merely his boss.

Baili Xiao only knew that in recent nights, the light of the Northern Seven Stars had grown ever brighter and more dazzling. This symbolized a period of smooth sailing ahead for him. He didn’t know how much of this good fortune was attributable to Yu Jinghao, but he was increasingly convinced that this man, whose fate mirrored his own, could never be a nemesis but was undoubtedly his benefactor.

And since he was destined to be a benefactor, it was only natural to draw closer.

So this time, Baili Xiao didn’t wait passively; he took the initiative to text Yu Jinghao: “When can I meet your friend you mentioned last time? I’ll be entering the filming crew soon.”

Yu Jinghao replied promptly: “I’ll pick you up tomorrow night.”