Huayu: You were supposed to be a top star, but you've become capital?

Chapter 107 The Ugly Doll That Can Earn Money: Labubu

On November 20th, the sky over Changbai Mountain finally cleared up.

When Lin Shen came out of the photography studio, it was four o'clock in the afternoon. The sun was hanging obliquely in the west, shining on the snow and making it a little dazzling.

He squinted and pulled his down jacket collar up a little higher.

The weather has been nice these past few days, and the crew has been rushing to meet the deadline, filming from morning till night every day, and it's already dark when they wrap up.

Lin Shen was looking forward to having a good meal when he got home, since it was a rare day that he finished early.

Yang Chaoyue followed beside him, reciting tomorrow's plans.

Lin Shen listened and nodded. When he reached the hotel entrance, his phone rang.

He took it out and saw the words "Chen Duling" popping up on the screen.

Lin Shen paused for a moment, then answered, "Feed?"

Chen Duling's voice came from the other end: "Lin Shen, is it convenient for you to talk now?"

"Convenient, just finished work." Lin Shen pushed open the hotel door and walked towards the elevator. "What's up?"

"I just arrived at the Hong Kong airport," Chen Duling said. "Let me give you an update."

Lin Shen then remembered that Chen Duling had gone to Hong Kong with his team a few days ago.

The elevator doors opened, Lin Shen stepped inside, and pressed the floor button: "Okay, go ahead."

Chen Duling paused for a moment, then continued, "Let's talk about Wang Xinming first. We had dinner with him and talked for over two hours. He's an interesting person, very polite, but he's a bit hesitant about the collaboration."

Lin Shen hummed in agreement and waited for her to continue.

"He has his own studio, and the Molly series is quite good, with many fans in Hong Kong."

"He felt comfortable with the current pace and didn't want to expand too quickly. We talked for a while, and he didn't give a definitive answer, just said we could meet again later and see how things go."

Lin Shen nodded; he could roughly guess this outcome.

Wang Xinming has been in the industry for so many years and has his own rhythm; he's not so easy to persuade.

"What about Long Jiasheng?" Lin Shen asked.

Chen Duling became noticeably more lively: "This person is so interesting!"

Lin Shen smiled and said, "What do you mean? Did you receive an unexpected bonus?"

"We arranged to meet him at a coffee shop. He arrived early and was sitting quietly in a corner drinking tea when we got there."

"At first I thought he was a very introverted person, but after we started talking, I realized that he was just a man of few words, but not the aloof kind. In fact, how should I put it, he was a very down-to-earth person."

As Lin Shen listened, he roughly formed an impression in his mind.

Chen Duling continued, "He showed us his design sketches. There's a series called Labubu, with pointed ears and sharp teeth, but it looks very cute, ugly-cute."

He said he'd been working on this series for several years, but it hadn't received much response, and he was almost ready to give up.

Lin Shen's heart stirred.

Labubu, before the time travel, was one of Pop Mart's most popular IPs, and also one of their most profitable.

"What did he say?" Lin Shen asked.

"He was quite willing to cooperate," Chen Duling replied. "He said that he had been in this industry for so many years but had never found a suitable opportunity. When we talked, he said that what he wanted to make was different from what was on the market, so it had never sold well. He plans to go back to Belgium next year and quit."

"Back to Belgium?"

"Yes, his wife is Belgian," Chen Duling explained. "He said the pace of life there is slower, and it would be nice to go back and open a small shop to sell his handmade crafts."

Lin Shen was silent for a moment, never expecting that the person who created Labubu would now be considering giving up.

"and then?"

"Then we talked for a long time," Chen Duling said. "He looked at our trendy toy company's plans and was quite interested. He said if we could really do it this way, he would be willing to give it a try. But he had one condition."

"What are the conditions?"

"He wants creative autonomy. He said he doesn't want his work to become a purely commercial product and hopes to retain some of his own style."

Lin Shen laughed: "What kind of condition is this? It should be like this from the start."

Chen Duling laughed too: "That's what we told him too! He even asked me when I could come to the capital to chat with you."

"Sure, anytime is fine," Lin Shen said. "Have him come. I'll arrange the plane tickets and hotel. Once he arrives, we can have a good chat and see what to do next."

Chen Duling responded, then asked hesitantly, "By the way, what do you think of my conversation with him? Did I say anything wrong?"

Lin Shen sensed the caution in her words: "It's going well, even better than I expected. Why are you suddenly so concerned about this?"

""

Chen Duling was silent for a moment, then whispered, "I just think it's quite interesting. Those dolls are really pretty. If they could be made into real dolls, I think some people would like them."

Lin Shen nodded and then asked, "And you? Are you interested in this?"

Chen Duling was taken aback: "Me?"

"Yes. If you're interested, you can participate more in the future. You don't need to do anything big, just help look at the designs and give feedback."

Chen Duling fell silent again, then after a while said, "I'm just a student, what can I do?"

"What's wrong with being a student? Don't you like these things? You help me look at them; it's much better than asking those who don't understand."

There was a two-second silence on the other end of the phone.

"Are you serious?" Chen Duling asked.

"I'm serious," Lin Shen said. "You saw more in Hong Kong this time than the team I sent."

You see things from the user's perspective and can point out things we can't see. Besides, you're smart; this is perfect for you.

Chen Duling chuckled: "Are you praising me or insulting me?"

"I'm praising you."

"Okay, I'll think about it." Chen Duling didn't say anything, but Lin Shen could feel her smiling.

"Alright, come back first," Lin Shen said. "By the way, have you decided on a name?"

"What's your name?"

"A name for the trendy toy company," Lin Shen said. "Didn't you say you'd help me think of one?"

Chen Duling paused for a moment, then laughed out loud: "You actually remembered?"

"Of course," Lin Shen said. "You can't go back on your word."

Chen Duling laughed for a while, then said, "I thought of a few, but none of them are very good. I'll tell you when I get back."

"Okay," Lin Shen said. "Is the plane about to take off? Then you should board first, and we'll talk when we get there."

"Okay," Chen Duling replied. "Then I'll hang up. Bye."

"Bye-Bye."

The call ended. Lin Shen put his phone back in his pocket and walked out of the elevator.

He couldn't help but recall what Chen Duling had just said: if they hadn't arrived in time, they might have missed this IP address by the time Long Jiasheng returned to Belgium.

Lin Shen shook his head and pushed open the door to enter the room.

The weather in Changbai Mountain remained good for the next few days.

The crew worked hard to catch up on the schedule, shooting from morning till night every day. Lin Shen got up at six o'clock every morning to do makeup, rehearse lines, and shoot, and could not finish work until eight or nine o'clock at night.

Yang Chaoyue followed him around every day, summarizing all sorts of information for him.

Online discussions about the Bazaar Charity Awards are increasing, and Lin Shen's name frequently trends on social media.

Fans are speculating about what he will wear and who he will walk the red carpet with.

Every time Yang Chaoyue came across a post like this, he would read it to Lin Shen, who would listen while eating, occasionally nodding in agreement.

On the afternoon of November 25th, the last scene was filmed.

The director yelled "Cut!" Lin Shen stood there for a moment to catch his breath, then nodded to the staff and walked towards the rest area.

Yang Chaoyue had already packed his things and was waiting nearby. Seeing him come over, he quickly handed him the down jacket: "Brother Shen, change your clothes and we'll leave. The car is already waiting outside."

17

Lin Shen nodded and went into the changing room.

By the time he finished changing and came out, most of the crew had already left. A few crew members were packing up the equipment. When they saw him come out, they greeted him with smiles: "Teacher Lin, have a safe trip."

Lin Shenchong and the others nodded and led Yang Chaoyue outside.

The car was already waiting at the door. When the driver saw them come out, he quickly got out and opened the door.

Lin Shen got into the back seat, and Yang Chaoyue got in from the other side. The car door closed, the car started, and drove towards the airport.

The Changbai Mountains outside the window receded into the distance, eventually becoming a blurry white expanse.

Lin Shen leaned back in his seat, staring blankly out the window.

This month in Changbai Mountain went by pretty quickly.

Every day is just filming, finishing work, and sleeping. Occasionally, I'll call Bai Mengyan or chat with Chen Duling for a bit.

He was already quite familiar with the crew members. Liu Tianzuo, Zhang Zhiyao, and Yang Yang would occasionally invite him for drinks, and even Tang Yan had quieted down considerably.

Now that I'm leaving, I'm actually a little reluctant to go.

Yang Chaoyue was flipping through his tablet, quietly reading out the schedule: "Brother Shen, we'll go to the company to see Long Jiasheng tomorrow morning, prepare for the Bazaar event in the afternoon, the Bazaar Awards Ceremony is on the 27th, and on the 28th we'll fly back to Changbai Mountain to continue filming."

Lin Shen hummed in agreement. The car drove for more than an hour before arriving at the airport.

Yang Chaoyue ran around handling the formalities, while Lin Shen sat in the waiting room, taking out his phone to take a look.

Bai Meng sent a message: "Coming back tomorrow? I'll pick you up from the airport!"

Lin Shen thought for a moment and replied, "No need, it's too late. See you the day after tomorrow."

The reply came instantly: "Okay~ Then be careful on your way."

Lin Shen smiled and put his phone away.

The announcement came over the loudspeaker: boarding time.

Lin Shen stood up and walked towards the boarding gate.

It was almost eight o'clock when the plane landed.

As Lin Shen stepped out of the covered bridge, the cold air of the capital city hit him in the face. Compared to Changbai Mountain, the usually cold city of Beijing was much warmer.

He loosened his scarf and walked towards the exit.

Yang Chaoyue followed behind: "Brother Shen, the car is already waiting outside. Let's go straight home."

Lin Shen nodded, took his luggage, and the two walked out.

The driver was already waiting at the exit. When he saw them come out, he quickly went up and took the suitcases.

The car drove out of the airport and onto the highway. Rows of streetlights receded outside the window, and the capital city seemed very quiet in the night.

Lin Shen leaned back in his seat, staring blankly out the window.

Yang Chaoyue, who was flipping through his tablet, whispered, "Brother Shen, Sister Duling said that Long Jiasheng really wants to see you."

"He arrived in Beijing the day before yesterday and is staying at a hotel arranged by the company. He's been looking at the materials we prepared for him these past few days and seems quite satisfied."

"Arrange to meet him tomorrow."

After arriving at the room, Yang Chaoyue put down his luggage, stood at the door, and asked, "Brother Shen, what time do we get up tomorrow?"

Lin Shen thought for a moment and said, "Eight o'clock, let's have breakfast first and then go over."

Yang Chaoyue nodded: "Okay, I'll call you tomorrow."

"Okay, you should get some rest too."

The door closed.

The room fell silent.

The alarm clock rang precisely at 7:30 the next morning.

Lin Shen got up, washed up, changed his clothes, and left home at eight o'clock sharp.

Yang Chaoyue was already waiting. Seeing him come out, he quickly said, "Good morning, Brother Shen. We made an appointment with Long Jiasheng at 9:30. We have plenty of time."

Lin Shen nodded and got into the car.

The car drove out of Palm Bay and headed towards Jiuxianqiao. There was some traffic on the road, but Yang Chaoyue had given them extra time, so he wasn't in a hurry.

At 9:20, the car stopped at the entrance of a cultural and creative park.

Lin Shen got out of the car and walked inside. The young woman at the front desk saw him, paused for a moment, and then quickly stood up: "Hello, Mr. Lin!"

Lin Shen nodded: "Has Teacher Long Jiasheng arrived?"

"We're here, we're here. They're waiting in the conference room," the young woman said. "I'll take you there."

Lin Shen followed her inside, through the lobby, into a corridor with open-plan office areas on both sides.

The meeting room was at the end of the corridor, and the door was half open.

Lin Shen pushed open the door and went in. Inside sat a middle-aged man.

She looked to be in her forties, wearing a simple dark coat, and her hair was a little messy.

Upon seeing Lin Shen enter, he quickly stood up and somewhat awkwardly extended his hand: "Mr. Lin, hello. I am Long Jiasheng."

Lin Shen grasped his hand and smiled, "Teacher Long, I've heard so much about you."

Long Jiasheng was taken aback, clearly not expecting Lin Shen to address him that way. He smiled a little embarrassedly, "You flatter me, you flatter me, just call me Jiasheng."

Lin Shen gestured for him to sit down, and then sat down opposite him.

Yang Chaoyue brought in two cups of tea, then left and gently closed the door behind him.

After a moment of silence in the conference room, Long Jiasheng spoke first: "Mr. Lin, Ms. Chen must have told you about my situation, right?"

Lin Shen nodded: "She said that you've been doing design for many years but haven't found a suitable opportunity."

Long Jiasheng gave a wry smile: "Yes, I've been doing this for almost twenty years. From Hong Kong to the Netherlands, and then back to Hong Kong. I've designed a ton of things, but hardly any have actually sold."

He paused, took a notebook from his bag, opened it, and pushed it in front of Lin Shen.

"These are some things I've done over the years. This is Labubu's first draft, this is the revised version, and this is from another series —"

Lin Shen looked down at the sketches.

The paper depicts little monsters with pointed ears and sharp teeth. Some are laughing, some are daydreaming, and some are baring their teeth and claws.

But no matter what expression she makes, she exudes a strange mix of cuteness and ugliness.

This is the kind of thing that Pop Mart hyped up, and the line of people queuing up to buy it stretched from inside the store to outside.

"How long have you been working on this series?"

Long Jiasheng thought for a moment: "Labubu has been around for about a year or two. At first, we wanted to do something different, not something too commercial. But then we realized that nobody buys anything different."

He gave a wry smile: "Last year, I participated in an exhibition in Hong Kong. I set up a shop for three days, but I didn't sell a single item. My wife said, 'Why don't we just quit and open a shop back in Belgium?'"

Lin Shen continued listening without interrupting him.

Long Jiasheng continued, "When Miss Chen came to see me, I didn't really have much hope. I've met too many people over the years, and they all made promises, but in the end, nothing came of it."

But she showed me your plans, and we talked for a long time. I went back and thought about it for a few days, and I felt—”

He looked up at Lin Shen: "We can give it a try."

Lin Shen nodded and leaned back.

"Teacher Long, I have a few questions for you."

Long Jiasheng nodded.

"If you were to do it, what kind of product would you want to make?"

Long Jiasheng thought for a moment: "I want to make something with a story, not just some cute drawing that's all. Labubu has its own personality and its own world. I want to try to bring that world to life."

Lin Shen nodded: "Please continue."

"Also," Long Jiasheng said, "you should know that I don't want to do things too commercially. It's not that I don't want to make money, but I don't want to ruin things just to make money."

I've seen too many people before. They start off on good terms, but then, to meet production targets, they'll compromise on anything. I really don't want that to happen.

Lin Shen smiled after hearing this.

"Teacher Long, I agree with everything you said."

Long Jiasheng was clearly taken aback.

Lin Shen continued, "I didn't start this company to make quick money. What you've said is exactly what I've been thinking."

He paused for a moment, then said, "You decide on the creative aspects; I won't interfere. But there's one condition: quality must be guaranteed. We can't rush things and just do a shoddy job."

Long Jiasheng looked at him, and a glimmer of light appeared in his eyes.

Lin Shen took a document from the side and pushed it in front of him.

"This is our proposed cooperation plan. Please take a look, and if there's anything you're not satisfied with, we can discuss it further."

Long Jiasheng took the document and flipped through a few pages. As he looked, he looked up, somewhat incredulous: "Creative autonomy—it's all written in the contract?"

Lin Shen nodded: "That's right. Since it's your design, you have the final say."

Long Jiasheng stared at the document for a long time, then looked up and suddenly smiled.

There was a hint of relief in that smile.

"Mr. Lin, to be honest, I didn't have high hopes before I came here."

"But after listening to what you just said and reading what you wrote, I—"

Long Jiasheng paused for a moment, then said, "I want to give it a try."

Lin Shen extended his hand: "Then it's settled."

Long Jiasheng grasped his hand and nodded vigorously.

The two chatted for over an hour, with Long Jiasheng explaining each of his design drafts to Lin Shen, telling him about Labubu's origins, its personality, and the place it lived in.

As Lin Shen listened, he was thinking about something else entirely.

How do we build this IP?

What should the first product be? When should it be launched? And how should it be promoted?

Will they follow Wang Ning's methods to create hype, or will they redesign a new approach?

But these things aren't urgent; we can take our time.

Around 12:00, the two had finished their conversation. Lin Shen stood up and saw Long Jiasheng out.

As he reached the door, Long Jiasheng suddenly turned back, somewhat embarrassed, and asked, "Mr. Lin, may I ask you something?"

Lin Shen nodded.

Long Jiasheng hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Why do you want to do this?"

Lin Shen looked at him and wanted to say that of course it was because this ugly doll could make a lot of money, otherwise how could Wang Ning have squeezed into the top of the rich list by selling dolls?

But of course, he couldn't say that directly, so Lin Shen smiled and said, "Because I've seen people do these things very well."

Long Jiasheng was stunned for a moment, not quite understanding.

Lin Shen didn't explain, he just smiled and said, "You'll know later."

After seeing Long Jiasheng off, Lin Shen returned to his office.

Yang Chaoyue was already waiting inside. Seeing him come in, he quickly came over and asked, "Brother Shen, how did the chat go?"

Lin Shen sat down on the sofa, picked up his teacup and took a sip: "Of course it's done."

Yang Chaoyue's eyes lit up: "Really? That's great! Then about Bazaar tomorrow—"

Lin Shen nodded: "Is everything prepared?"

"Ready."