When the animated clip of Zoe's walk at the VX show was posted on the brand's official Weibo account that evening, it quickly gained traction. Numerous fashion bloggers shared and praised it.
As expected, under VX's PR efforts, the hashtag #ZoeVXRunway climbed the trending list. But what really caught people's attention was how genuinely stunning Zoe looked.
Many female celebrities have legendary glamour shots that circulate online for years, resurfacing again and again to capture hearts. Zoe's animated runway clip proved equally dazzling.
Some netizens even compared it with her recent fresh-faced photos from the "pure beauty" campaign. Side by side, the contrast left people marveling at how one person could embody such different types of beauty, each equally captivating.
"The public opinion about you online is shifting for the better," Lan informed Zoe as soon as the news broke. "Everyone's raving about your god-tier looks."
"Haha, god-tier looks?" Zoe quipped. "Credit goes to the filters. Someone should buy the graphic designer a drumstick."
Lan smirked. "The company is pushing this 'goddess beauty' label for you because they want you to break into the fashion industry."
"Me?"
"Yes, you! You were the one who landed the VX show gig yourself. If it weren't for your own connections, the company wouldn't have been able to secure something of this caliber for you at this stage," Lan pointed out. "But your performance was phenomenal, earning recognition from top fashion bloggers. Don't forget, in our agency, we have award-winning actors, singers, and influencers, but not a single artist has successfully entered the fashion world. Fashion is such a lucrative sector—you know how much it can elevate an artist's profile. If you break into it, luxury endorsements will follow. And with that, your domestic standing will skyrocket."
"I don't know..." Zoe shook her head. "The fashion world isn't easy to infiltrate. So many people are vying for a spot."
"Your face and figure are your biggest advantages," Lan said firmly. "Starting today, you're hitting the gym at least twice a week."
"What?!" Zoe's face was a picture of shock.
"Your body isn't toned enough. Shoulder and waist reveals don't look their best," Lan critiqued.
"Who says? I look great!" Zoe protested, refusing to accept the assessment.
Lan shut her down without hesitation. "You don't get to decide."
Zoe pouted, visibly upset. She was diligent and hardworking in many areas, but exercise wasn't one of them. She'd rather starve herself than endure the sweat and grind of the gym.
Lan continued, ignoring her dismay. "Also, I think you should consider going for the VX ambassador role."
"What?!"
"You have a good relationship with Zheng, and your collaboration this time was outstanding. Their brand is trying to establish a presence in the domestic market," Lan explained.
Zoe shook her head. "Stop trying to hype me up. They'll definitely choose an A-list actress for their ambassador. VX isn't a budget brand. They're not going to pick someone like me."
Lan thought about it and reluctantly agreed. Zoe was right; her ambition had momentarily clouded her judgment, so she dropped the topic.
The VX show had been a resounding success, and their first offline store in Shanghai was being expedited for launch.
A week later, Zheng reached out to Zoe, inviting her to attend the opening ceremony of the Shanghai store on the morning of May 1.
Zoe initially had a magazine shoot scheduled for that day, but Lan insisted she attend the opening, promptly rescheduling the shoot.
"I've thought about it. You may not be able to secure the VX ambassador role right now, but with your connection to VX, you could at least aim for a brand friend status," Lan said. "By the way, VX was recently featured on the cover of a major British fashion magazine. Their momentum is insane."
Zoe was surprised Lan hadn't given up. "Don't get your hopes up too much. If they were interested in me, they would've reached out by now. They're entering the Chinese market and must already be in talks with their ambassador. It's been so long, and we haven't heard anything—it's not happening."
"Don't be so sure," Lan countered. "If they weren't interested, why would they invite you to the opening ceremony?"
Zoe chuckled. "Because I'm popular right now."
Lan was speechless.
Zoe was self-aware—she knew her current commercial value lay in her popularity and nothing else.
Two days later, Lan received the guest list for the opening ceremony and froze.
Among the names was none other than Ruoxue.
Zoe's reaction mirrored Lan's. "Why would they invite Ruoxue?"
Lan, who had been with Zoe long enough to know about her tense rivalry with Ruoxue, couldn't hide her irritation. "Why her, of all people?"
"It's understandable," Lan said cautiously. "She's A-list and has been in the spotlight recently for her lead role in Spring Chill."
She glanced nervously at Zoe, who frowned but quickly composed herself. "It doesn't matter who they invite. We've already agreed to go, and we can't back out now."
Lan sighed internally. Outsiders had no idea just how strained Zoe and Ruoxue's relationship was.
The next day, VX sent over a selection of outfits for Zoe to choose from for the event.
After careful consideration, Zoe chose a stunning ocean-blue gown. She didn't want to repeat the impression left by the gold-embroidered white dress from the runway, which had already gone viral online.
However, a few days later, VX representatives reached out apologetically, asking if Zoe could choose a different dress.
Lan found this odd—what kind of brand asked someone to change their outfit after it had already been confirmed?
Suspicious, Lan pressed for an explanation. After much hesitation, the VX team admitted, "The blue gown was initially sent to Ms. Ruoxue, and she chose it. According to our policy, once a dress is selected, it's no longer available to others. Unfortunately, the staff responsible for delivery overlooked this and sent it to you as well. We didn't expect you to choose it too."
Lan took a deep breath. Of all people, it just had to be Ruoxue.
"Have you spoken to Ms. Ruoxue yet? Would she be willing to change?" Lan asked.
"Not yet. We reached out to you first," they admitted.
Lan's voice turned sharp. "If we hadn't seen the dress, fine. But we saw it, chose it, and now you're telling us to give it up? Just because Zoe is newer to the scene? This would make us look like pushovers if word got out!"