Chapter 2: Trending Together
For someone as high-profile as Meng Chao, it was almost unthinkable for him to join a reality show, let alone a romance one. The production team hadn't even dared to send him an invitation. To their surprise, Meng Chao himself expressed an interest in participating.
That dropped the jaws of the whole production team. While shocked, they were overjoyed. Meng Chao, with fans spanning the globe, could bring immeasurable buzz and traffic to the show. Just the gimmick of this being his variety show debut was enough to blow up the ratings!
And now, with the addition of the gorgeously talented actor Lin Qin, the production team was confident this show would be a guaranteed hit as soon as it aired!
Lin Qin was huddled in a corner, hunched over his phone. He heard someone casually mention that Meng Chao had arrived. Instinctively, Lin Qin looked up toward the entrance. Surrounded by the production crew, Meng Chao, tall and striking, was walking in Lin Qin's direction.
Seeing the person he had been quietly longing for, Lin Qin didn't rush over excitedly but instead curled himself into a ball, sneaking glances at Meng Chao like he was guarding a secret little world of his own.
Unexpectedly, it was Meng Chao who spotted Lin Qin first. He walked straight up to him, boldly extended his hand, and said with a charming smile, "Hi, I'm Meng Chao."
Only then did Lin Qin hastily scramble to his feet to shake Meng Chao's hand. In his flustered state, he forgot he was holding his phone. The moment he opened his hand, the phone dropped to the ground.
Mortified, Lin Qin bent down to pick it up, but Meng Chao was faster, retrieving the phone before him.
"Lin Qin, I've seen your films." Meng Chao handed the phone back to Lin Qin, smiling gently. "I'm honored that you like me."
"Huh?" Lin Qin was caught completely off guard, inwardly panicking as he looked blankly at Meng Chao. How did he know? Did he have mind-reading powers?
Not surprisingly, Lin Qin's face turned red again—redder than when he'd been in the car earlier—like the rosy hue of the rising sun.
"Senior Meng, I… I…"
Before Lin Qin could collect his thoughts to explain, Meng Chao personally placed the phone back into his hands. Leaning in close, he gently murmured in Lin Qin's ear, "I know I'm handsome; being stunned is understandable. Oh, and by the way, nice wallpaper on your phone."
Boom!
The blood that had barely subsided in Lin Qin's cheeks surged back, this time flushing all the way to his neck. He glanced down at his phone in mortification, wishing the ground would swallow him whole.
When his phone had fallen earlier, the screen hadn't turned off. While bending to pick it up, Meng Chao had caught a glimpse of the wallpaper: a shirtless, out-of-the-shower Meng Chao from a still in one of his films from two years ago.
Lin Qin had set that image as both his wallpaper and lock screen back when the movie came out. Even after switching phones, he hadn't changed it. Who would've thought that one day the actual person would see it?
Lin Qin was at a total loss for words. After stammering for a long moment, he finally stared obediently at Meng Chao and confessed, "Um… I really like Senior Meng."
Only Lin Qin knew how much courage it took for him to say those words aloud.
Meng Chao felt as though a timid little white rabbit were standing in front of him, ears folded back in shyness yet still gazing up at him with wide red eyes. It made him want to tease the poor thing even more.
Leaning in closer to Lin Qin, Meng Chao dropped his voice to a low, seductive tone. "Can I ask just how much Lin Qin likes me?"
Trapped between the chair and Meng Chao, Lin Qin tried to back away, but his calf bumped against the chair leg. He stumbled slightly, and Meng Chao's quick reflexes saved him, steadying him with a firm grip.
"Are you okay?" Meng Chao asked with concern.
The warmth from Meng Chao's palm seeped through Lin Qin's thin shirt and into his skin, igniting his heartbeat. Overwhelmed, Lin Qin broke free from Meng Chao's grasp and darted away like a startled deer. From a safe distance, he kept his eyes on Meng Chao, his gaze wary yet soft.
Meng Chao looked down at his own hand, then back at Lin Qin, half amused, half helpless. "Am I really that scary?" he murmured to himself.
Seeing Meng Chao's expression, Lin Qin's heart ached with guilt. He wanted to go over and apologize, but he didn't know where to start.
The atmosphere grew tense and awkward, but fortunately, the boarding announcement sounded before it could drag on for too long.
However, just as their plane took off, a trending headline exploded onto the internet: "Meng Chao and Lin Qin Are at Odds!"
The headline stemmed from a viral video. In the clip, Meng Chao leaned in to catch Lin Qin from falling, only to be pushed away by Lin Qin.
By the time the plane landed in Binhai City, rumors of discord between Meng Chao and Lin Qin had reached a fever pitch online. Most of the heat was directed squarely at Lin Qin. From the video, it looked like Lin Qin had rudely pushed Meng Chao away just as he tried to help.
Any way you looked at it, Lin Qin seemed to be in the wrong, completely ungrateful.
After disembarking, Meng Chao got into the car arranged for him. His assistant, Xiao Wu, immediately brought up the trending topic. "Brother Chao, you and Mr. Lin are trending at number one. People are saying you two don't get along."
"Oh, really?" Meng Chao responded dismissively. The entertainment industry was infamous for fabricating stories and blowing things out of proportion. Anything with even 30% truth was a rare display of integrity from gossip accounts and paparazzi. Still, Meng Chao opened Weibo, only to be greeted by a timeline filled with vile comments, most of them targeting Lin Qin.
[Who even is Lin Qin? Some wannabe trying to steal the spotlight?]
[This has to be a publicity stunt, right? Clinging to my man's fame—Lin Qin is shameless!]
...
Meng Chao frowned slightly and asked Xiao Wu, "What's Lin Qin's side saying?" At the same time, he clicked on the trending video again. Re-watching the clip, he began to pick up on subtle details he hadn't noticed before.
It wasn't as if Lin Qin had pushed him away on purpose. The reaction seemed more like an instinctive defense—like he felt the need to retreat when his personal space was encroached upon.
Xiao Wu, oblivious to Meng Chao's thoughts, pulled up a message from Lin Qin's manager. "Lin Qin's manager sent an apology, hoping you wouldn't take it to heart. They said they'd visit personally to apologize later."
Xiao Wu's expression darkened with frustration. "Brother Chao, honestly, Lin Qin was so out of line. You were just trying to help, and he…"
Xiao Wu's complaints were abruptly cut off when Meng Chao interjected, "You're still new to this industry. You need to learn to be careful with your words."
He softened his tone after a moment. "Besides, it's not Lin Qin's fault. I know he didn't do it on purpose."
"Got it, Brother Chao, I'll watch what I say from now on," Xiao Wu said meekly, realizing his mistake. He stayed quiet for the rest of the ride.