On the Runway

Zhang Le, a junior high school girl from a poor mountain village, learned at sixteen that she would not be allowed to continue her education. Instead, she was expected to marry young, and her bride price would be used to find a wife for her younger brother.

So one pitch-black night, she secretly boarded a train to S City.

With neither an education nor connections, Zhang Le struggled to get by in the bustling metropolis. When she was at the end of her rope, she called a number left by a kind person who had once donated money to her village.

Later, she was taken to a modeling agency on the verge of closing down.

To put down roots in the city and hold on to her first job, Zhang Le handed out flyers and dressed up as a mascot. For the first six months, the closest she came to modeling was uploading customer photos for an online store.

But gold will always shine. Her natural advantages in figure and appearance were steadily discovered and showcased, and she found herself with more and more opportunities.

From print work to the runway, from e-commerce to independent labels, she even went international. Before long, she was a familiar face at major Fashion Weeks around the world.

The media and investors vied to celebrate her, calling her "Asia's top supermodel."

A modeling career is short, but for a decade she remained a shining star.

After retiring from the industry, Zhang Le launched her own brand and modeling agency, making a fortune. People in the industry jokingly called her "the best businesswoman in modeling and the best model in business."

Countless media outlets asked her the same question in interviews: Did she prefer the past or the present?

Zhang Le, now in business and far gentler and more composed than the bold model she used to be, answered, "I'll always prefer the person I'll be tomorrow."

Theme: Beauty, intelligence, and emotional intelligence: having any one of them is enough, but those who have all three are bound to succeed.