Dating the Heartthrob Superstar-Chapter 16: Delusions of Hype

Chapter 16: Attempted Manipulation

Lin Qin had actually considered the idea of hand-painted wallpaper during the previous renovation, but due to time constraints, he had to put it on hold for the time being.

Fortunately, the production team handed out this task now, giving Lin Qin a chance to make up for the regret he had from the last renovation.

Having witnessed Lin Qin’s skills during the renovation, Meng Chao had complete trust in him and entrusted this part entirely to Lin Qin. When Lin Qin proposed his suggestion, Meng Chao agreed without a second thought.

Meng Chao: "Sure, but it’ll be a bit of hard work for you."

Lin Qin smiled lightly and replied, "It’s not hard work."

He treated this villa as the home he shared with Meng Chao. Decorating his own home filled Lin Qin with happiness, so how could it ever feel like hard work?

Jin Feiyun, who was standing nearby, chimed in, "Mr. Lin, you can paint?" She feigned surprise, though the shock didn’t quite reach her eyes.

In truth, she felt a little dissatisfied because Lin Qin had outright dismissed her suggestion. It made her feel embarrassed.

Lin Qin nodded reservedly. "I’ve learned a little," he replied modestly, without trying to show off.

Jin Feiyun, who had a string of compliments prepared, found herself caught off guard by Lin Qin’s humble response. She ended up choking on her words and had to settle for an awkward smile before retreating to the side silently.

It was Zhang Yue who laughed and said, "Mr. Lin, could you give me a list of materials? I learned art too, so I can help by purchasing the supplies."

"Alright." Lin Qin answered and earnestly sought out some paper and a pen, beginning to jot down the needed items.

Meng Chao knelt down next to him and asked teasingly, "Anything I need to do, Master Designer Lin?"

Lin Qin blushed and obediently replied, "Just give me some inspiration."

What he meant, as always, was that this was their home—his and Meng Chao’s—and every part of the renovation should involve the two of them working together.

Before Meng Chao could respond, Jin Feiyun walked over and said to Meng Chao, "Mr. Meng, this is Zhang Yue’s and my first time in Binhai City. We’re not familiar with the area—could you take us to buy materials?"

In reality, they had drivers to take them wherever they needed to go, so there was no need for someone to guide them. Jin Feiyun made this request purely to increase her screen time during post-production.

Since Meng Chao and Lin Qin were the leads of the show, being seen alongside either one of them would ensure that her footage wouldn’t be heavily edited out later.

What’s more, her team had specifically instructed her to seize this golden opportunity to interact as much as possible with Meng, an A-list actor. Ideally, they even hoped for rumors of a romantic link to circulate, binding her to Meng’s fame.

Jin Feiyun didn’t need her team to remind her—she had already been scheming along these lines herself.

After all, he was a legend in the industry, holding more resources in his hands than a small production company. His status was unparalleled. As long as she attached her name to his, wouldn’t her career skyrocket?

Jin Feiyun’s ambition wasn’t small. Mere scandalous rumors with Meng Chao weren’t enough for her.

What she truly desired was to use this day and night together as an opportunity to create something real with Meng—a stepping stone to ride his coattails to fame.

After voicing her request, she fixed her gaze on Meng Chao, her eyes shimmering with an indescribable glint.

Meng Chao, having been in the industry for years, couldn’t have overlooked Jin Feiyun’s intentions. A hint of a cold smile flashed under his glasses, but his outward demeanor remained polite and warm as he replied, "You’re right—you’re guests, so it wouldn’t be appropriate to burden you with such tasks." Then, turning to Lin Qin, he asked, "Lin Qin, are the design drafts ready?"

Lin Qin didn’t catch on to Jin Feiyun’s undertone and answered frankly, "I’ve had some ideas, but I still need to incorporate your input."

Meng Chao: "Your ideas are my ideas. Let’s go buy the materials."

"Oh." Although Lin Qin didn’t understand what was going on, he nodded obediently, stood up, and responded, "Alright."

Meng Chao went to grab the car keys and said to the two guests as he walked away, "Make yourselves comfortable. Lin Qin and I will be back soon."

With that, he and Lin Qin left side by side.

Jin Feiyun stared after them, her face stinging as though she had been slapped.

Zhang Yue glanced at Jin Feiyun and couldn’t help but shake his head. He remarked, "Mr. Meng has been in this industry for years. Have you ever seen him involved in any rumors? Don’t overestimate yourself."

"You!" Jin Feiyun glared at Zhang Yue fiercely. Realizing she was being recorded, she restrained herself, keeping her expression in check.

Meanwhile, the production team received a call from Jin Feiyun’s studio.

The studio asked if the program could cooperate with their promotional plans by editing the footage to create a sense of romance between Jin Feiyun and Meng Chao. In return, they promised to help generate publicity for the show.

The assistant director wavered slightly but was immediately rejected outright by the director when he brought it up.

The director asked Jin Feiyun’s studio just one question: "Did you get approval from Meng’s team for this joint promotion?"

The studio stuttered and couldn’t provide an answer. ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm

This was, from the start, a one-sided attempt to ride on Meng’s coattails. They wouldn’t dare contact Meng’s team, knowing full well that over the years, Meng had never participated in any kind of hype. Whenever gossip arose, it was immediately clarified, giving no leeway to the other party.

In the beginning, some people tried to use Meng for publicity, but after repeatedly being humiliated, they no longer dared.

However, Jin Feiyun’s team wasn’t ready to give up on this opportunity, which is why they dreamed up this plan. Besides, Jin Feiyun’s brand relied on being a trending celebrity, and controversy—whether bad or good—was still a form of attention. Cleaning up her image afterward would be relatively easy.

Knowing that Jin Feiyun’s team hadn’t coordinated with Meng’s team, the director recognized the stunt for what it was: cheap manipulation. No matter how much pleading came from the studio, the director stood firm and refused to agree.

The assistant director, puzzled, questioned why the director turned down such a great opportunity for publicity. Wasn’t boosting the show’s exposure in their best interest?

With a look of exasperation, the director explained, "What is our show’s core purpose? If you had to choose between offending Jin Feiyun’s team and offending Meng’s team, which would you choose?"

The assistant director suddenly saw the light.

"We Are Together" was designed to promote awareness and acceptance of same-sex marriage, in response to the country’s new legislation. Stirring up public sentiment with a contrived heterosexual romance subplot would go completely against the show’s intent.

From that perspective, it was indeed inappropriate to go along with this scheme.

As for Meng Chao’s team, they were definitely not someone to cross lightly.

The assistant director belatedly realized: Jin Feiyun’s side didn’t dare approach Meng’s team directly—weren’t they just trying to drag their production into the mess?

Thank goodness the director saw through it, or they’d all be caught in unnecessary drama.