Chapter 13: Pocket Square and Tie
The person standing outside the car door was none other than Meng Chao, the man Lin Qin had been thinking about constantly.
"Brother Chao!" Lin Qin said in surprise. Ever since they parted ways that day, they hadn't seen each other again. Lin Qin thought he wouldn't miss him, but at this moment, seeing him, he suddenly realized how intense and all-consuming his longing had been.
It had practically driven him to madness.
Meng Chao smiled and nodded at Lin Qin, then bent down and got into the car.
When Zhu Yan saw Meng Chao, her eyes lit up. She automatically slid over to the side, staring at him with the hope that he would choose to sit next to her.
But she watched in frustration as Meng Chao sat right next to Lin Qin. A second ago, Lin Qin had been avoiding her like the plague, yet now he simply scooted over a little, shyly fixing his gaze on Meng Chao.
Just as she was about to strike up a conversation with Meng Chao, a staff member came over and asked her to leave the car.
The staff's message was clear—it was impossible for someone of her status to walk the red carpet with Meng Chao. Even if the organizers were willing, Meng Chao's fans would tear her apart online.
While the organizers were paid to do a job, they still had to weigh the consequences.
But Zhu Yan was determined today, like she'd swallowed a weight that anchored her resolve. She'd finally gotten this rare opportunity, and she wasn't going to let it slip away. Compared to Meng Yingdi's popularity, Lin Qin's fame was a world apart.
She wasn't about to abandon this hard-won chance.
The staff tried everything to persuade her, but Zhu Yan refused to leave. The red carpet entrance had already been signaled to start, so the staff had no choice but to give up. They got out of the car, closed the doors, and sent a message to the team at the red carpet, instructing them to block Zhu Yan and prevent her from walking side-by-side with the two actors.
Unaware of this, Zhu Yan adjusted her already revealing dress, pulling it even lower to expose more of her pale chest.
She looked back at Meng Chao and Lin Qin, her voice softening by several degrees.
But despite her attempts to draw attention with gestures and flirtation, neither Meng Chao nor Lin Qin so much as glanced her way. The two actors treated her like she was invisible, continuing their own private conversation.
In a low voice, Lin Qin asked, "Brother Chao, didn't you say you didn't have time? Why did you come here?"
Even in the dimly lit car, Meng Chao could see the sparkles in Lin Qin's eyes, brimming with excitement and joy.
Meng Chao couldn't help but smile. "I happened to be in the area for work, and I had some free time, so I came by." As if! The truth was he had cleared his entire schedule to rush over just for this moment—and for Lin Qin.
Of course, this true reason was something Meng Chao didn't plan to reveal. He understood the importance of taking things step by step, like warming a frog in tepid water. Especially with someone like Lin Qin—being too ardent would only scare him away.
Finally finding someone who stirred his heart so deeply, Meng Chao couldn't afford to drive him away and end up regretting it.
"Oh," Lin Qin muttered, a little crestfallen upon realizing that Meng Chao hadn't come specifically for him. Still, just being able to see him in person filled Lin Qin with joy.
They were sitting so close that Lin Qin could feel Meng Chao's presence and breath.
In this chaotic environment, Lin Qin felt a profound sense of comfort.
Lin Qin couldn't stop himself from smiling at Meng Chao, while Meng Chao suppressed the urge to pull him into an embrace. Instead, his lips betrayed him as he asked, "Are you really that happy I came?"
The moment the words left his mouth, Meng Chao saw Lin Qin's ears turn bright red at a speed visible to the naked eye. His earlobes looked as though they might drip from their vibrant crimson.
Nonetheless, Lin Qin nodded obediently and replied softly, "Yeah, seeing you makes me really happy, Brother Chao."
Lin Qin truly had an irresistible charm—a sort of magic that made Meng Chao want to hold him close and shower him with affection.
Luckily, the car stopped at the red carpet just in time, forcing Meng Chao to reign in his urges.
As the staff came to open the car door, Meng Chao and Lin Qin got out one after the other.
Clutching the hem of her skirt, Zhu Yan prepared to follow them out, only for the staff to slam the car door shut with lightning speed.
Zhu Yan stared at the closed door, stunned.
As the driver started the car, Zhu Yan bit her lip, yanked the door open herself, and hurriedly stepped out.
She had forgotten she was wearing high heels. Moving too quickly, her stiletto heel wobbled, sending her off balance. As she started to fall, Zhu Yan spotted Lin Qin and Meng Chao a short distance away, heading for the red carpet. In a burst of determination, she aimed herself at their direction.
There was no way Lin Qin and Meng Chao would ignore her and not help her up—right?
As long as one of them touched her tonight, she was guaranteed a trending topic!
Zhu Yan's calculations were perfect, but she hadn't accounted for the staff's vigilance. They'd been watching her like hawks ever since she opened the car door, anticipating possible drama.
The moment they saw her fall toward the two actors, they quickly intercepted her before she could disrupt them, catching her just in time.
It all happened in an instant, but Meng Chao and Lin Qin's presence alone had already drawn the livestream cameras. The incident was caught on camera and broadcast live.
Soon, the livestream's comment section exploded:
[Who is this clout-chasing nobody? Why does she keep stealing the spotlight?]
[WTF, who the hell is this woman? She's obviously trying to fall on purpose to get close to my husband!]
…
The comments were filled with accusations against Zhu Yan, her intentions being far too obvious.
Zhu Yan, oblivious to the comments, wouldn't have felt offended even if she'd seen them. In fact, she'd probably be thrilled, thinking attention—whether good or bad—meant more exposure. Negative buzz was still buzz, and with enough attention, there'd always be a chance to whitewash her image later.
Unfortunately, Zhu Yan was in for disappointment. As the camera zoomed in on Lin Qin and Meng Chao, everyone instantly forgot about her. The comment section devolved into mindless fangirling and incoherent screams of "Ahhh!"
Before long, a single comment grabbed everyone's attention:
[Is Meng Yingdi wearing a matching outfit with Lin Yingdi? The pocket square in Meng Yingdi's suit jacket matches Lin Yingdi's tie, and it looks like they're even wearing the same brand of suit—just slightly different styles!]
CP (couple-pairing) enthusiasts, notorious for their detective-like scrutiny, quickly picked up on this. After further inspection, it turned out Meng Chao's pocket square and Lin Qin's tie did indeed share the same color palette!
Tonight, Meng Chao was wearing a suit but no tie, opting instead for a decorative pocket square in the upper left pocket of his jacket. Lin Qin, on the other hand, wore a tie in the same color family. Combined with their matching suit brands, the two really did look like they were dressed as a couple.
Whether this was a coincidence or deliberate was anyone's guess.
The upshot? Within a minute, the hashtag #LinQinMengChaoCoupleOutfits shot up the trending topics on Weibo.
As for Zhu Yan's attempt to use the two actors to create buzz? Aside from the initial flood of disparaging comments, she failed to kick up so much as a ripple.