With The Backing Of A Powerful Figure: He's Gone Wild In The Modeling World - Chapter 2

As soon as Zhan Zhiqing sat down in his seat, a flight attendant informed him that he had been selected by the airline as a lucky user for a complimentary upgrade to first class.

He was a bit confused. In his daily life, he had never experienced such a stroke of luck. Seeing his skepticism, the flight attendant patiently explained the promotion. Once he received a definitive answer, Zhan Zhiqing took his luggage and followed her to the first class cabin.

The first class section on this aircraft was not overly extravagant and featured two seats per row. Upon entering, Zhan Zhiqing immediately spotted a familiar face. It was the same man from the previous flight, now intensely focused on his laptop. Surprised but unwilling to disturb him, Zhan Zhiqing stowed his luggage and took his seat.

It was currently 11:00 PM. The plane was scheduled to arrive at Yi City Airport at 5:00 PM the following day. The day after next happened to be the interview day for China’s Next Top Model, leaving him exactly one day to wander around the city.

To double check the timing, Zhan Zhiqing opened the official social media page for the show. He carefully scrolled through the schedule and breathed a quiet sigh of relief when he confirmed he had not misremembered the date.

China’s Next Top Model was a program organized by the legendary Chinese supermodel He Yu. Its goal was to select the next generation of top models through a reality TV format, presenting a spectacular and vibrant competition to a nationwide audience.

China had become a global fashion hub and the birthplace of countless luxury brands, which created fertile ground for supermodels to thrive. However, model selection had traditionally relied on scouts, self referrals, or dull and conventional competitions. These methods were often monotonous and lacked promotional reach, leaving many talented individuals undiscovered.

He Yu, now in her thirties, was technically at retirement age for a model. Unwilling to leave the fashion world, she collaborated with major video platforms and the MA Group to create this reality show. Upon its announcement, it shocked the nation.

The open call lasted thirty days. Aspiring models uploaded videos showcasing their faces, physiques, and heights to the production team. Professional judges then screened these submissions to select 32 outstanding candidates to invite to Yi City for an in person interview. After the interview, half of them would be eliminated, leaving only 16 models, eight men and eight women, to officially begin filming the show and compete for the title of China’s Top Model.

The fact that men and women would compete against each other for a single honor was enough to set social media ablaze. Furthermore, since the modeling industry favors the young, the hormonal collisions among 16 teenagers and young adults promised endless entertainment. On the first day of the official announcement, the promotional trailer garnered hundreds of millions of views and tens of thousands of comments. It was without a doubt the most anticipated show of the year.

Zhan Zhiqing’s mother was a designer and his father was an artist, providing a rich fashion atmosphere that had made him long for the industry since childhood. After his mother passed away from illness last year and his father followed shortly after, he finally decided to return to China to pursue modeling. Changing his nationality had taken a long time, but he had managed to make it just in time for the show.

Even if he did not win, appearing on the show would give him exposure to hundreds of millions of viewers, helping him build a reputation and a fan base. Settling his thoughts, he put away his laptop and covered himself with a blanket. He planned to fall asleep as soon as the plane reached cruising altitude. For now, he closed his eyes to rest.

The service in first class was attentive and the seat could be reclined into a flat bed. By the time they landed in Yi City, Zhan Zhiqing felt refreshed and full of energy.

The man in the same row was still wearing sunglasses. Zhan Zhiqing suspected he was Chinese, though he still had not seen the man’s full face. Zhan Zhiqing had only visited China once before, but he had heard of its beauty from his mother. Facing his second homeland now, he felt a touch of homesickness for a place he barely knew.

Strangely, the man lying in the seat next to him had provided a sense of stability throughout the long flight. He took one last glance toward the man before grabbing his luggage to disembark. He thought to himself that if they met again, he might actually ask for his contact information.

Due to the complexities of his nationality change, he was delayed at customs for a while. By the time he emerged, it was nearly 6:00 PM. The sun set later in China than in Northern Europe and the sunset was more vibrant. Through the transparent and latticed architecture of the airport, he saw a sky painted in shades of violet and dusty pink.

Between his height, his long hair, and his exquisite face, he stood out even in a city like Yi City, which was teeming with models. Pedestrians constantly stopped to look at him as he exited the airport.

Zhan Zhiqing paid them no mind. However, just as he was about to call a car, he heard a voice behind him and felt a hand pat his shoulder. He stopped and turned to find a man wearing a unique printed shirt and sporting curly hair. The man looked like a distinct personality and was clearly someone from the fashion industry.

The man scanned him from head to toe and a smile curled his lips as he extended a hand. “Hello, hello! My name is Ying Cheng. I am a designer and I have just launched my own fashion brand. My debut runway show is tomorrow afternoon and I am missing an opening model. Your physical conditions are superior, so I have taken the liberty of bothering you. Tell me, are you interested in walking this show?”

As he spoke, his tone grew more excited and his eyes sparkled. Zhan Zhiqing was polite and listened to the long pitch, but he hesitated for a few seconds before shaking the man’s hand.

“Hello, my name is Zhan Zhiqing.”

Yi City was a global fashion capital and home to countless designers, scouts, and models. Being asked to walk a show at the airport gave him a bit more confidence in his chosen path. He quickly retracted his hand and inadvertently brushed his palm against his clothes. He suffered from skin hunger but also a touch of mental germaphobia, making him uncomfortable with physical contact from strangers. However, he knew that as a model he had to adapt quickly.

Willing to try but choosing to be honest, he told Ying Cheng, “I want to enter the industry, but I have not had professional training. I have practiced my runway walk on my own.”

Ying Cheng’s smile widened as he patted Zhan Zhiqing’s arm. “I can handle that. I will get someone to coach you. Please do not worry, I am not a scammer.” He pulled a business card from his pocket that identified him as a Brand Creative Director. The card was high quality and featured gold foil on a black background.

Ying Cheng continued to chatter away, seemingly having already decided that Zhan Zhiqing was his opening model. “You just got back from abroad, right? Have you found a place to stay? I will arrange everything. I will find someone to train your walk at the hotel. I have been looking for an opening model for a long time. Thousands applied, but I could not find anyone who felt right. To think I would run into you at the airport, it must be destiny.”

Zhan Zhiqing was not yet used to such intense enthusiasm, but he was not shy. He remained calm and gave a polite smile. In reality, the idea of a designer spotting a handsome guy at the airport and immediately hiring him was quite far fetched. The reason Ying Cheng had stopped Zhan Zhiqing was entirely due to instructions from his older cousin.