Dating the Heartthrob Superstar-Chapter 23: Two Kinds of Human Nature

Chapter 23: Two Facets of Humanity

When Lin Qin woke up, it was already the next morning.

He intended to sit up, but belatedly realized that his hand was being held by someone. Immediately, his hair stood on end, and sweat formed in his palm.

His head turned stiffly as he looked over, seeing Meng Chao sitting by the bedside, holding his hand, asleep with his face resting on the bed. The physiological repulsion vanished instantly, replaced by a surge of warmth that spread through his entire body.

Had Brother Chao stayed by his side all night? Lin Qin thought with a pleasant sense of surprise. Then, following his heart, he lowered his head and couldn’t resist leaning closer to observe Meng Chao’s sleeping face.

When Meng Chao was asleep, his features appeared softer. His eyelashes were long, casting a raven feather-like shadow. His high nose bridge and thin lips, with a faint pale hue, shaped a sharply-defined face that was exceedingly handsome.

Lin Qin reached out with the hand that wasn’t being held, hesitantly attempting to trace Meng Chao’s features in the air. His hand lingered mid-air, uncertain whether to move forward, then quickly retreated. This repeating pattern of attempt and retreat occurred several times, and yet he dared not touch Meng Chao.

In truth, Meng Chao had woken up long ago. He was simply curious about what Lin Qin might do. To his surprise, Lin Qin was so timid, hesitating for several minutes without daring to make contact.

Meng Chao sighed inwardly and gently opened his eyes, meeting Lin Qin’s fixed gaze. He smiled softly and greeted, "Morning."

Caught in the act of secretly watching, Lin Qin’s face turned crimson and he shrank back into himself, muttering awkwardly, "Good morning, Brother Chao."

Only then did he belatedly realize that his hand was still being held by Meng Chao. He abruptly pulled it back, leapt straight off the bed, and fled like a startled rabbit into the bathroom.

Aside from his nervous embarrassment, Lin Qin’s heart was brimming with joy.

Meng Chao looked down at his own hand, still faintly retaining the warmth of Lin Qin’s touch. Acting like a lovestruck fool, he placed his hand near his nose and sniffed, feeling a surge of heat pooling in his lower abdomen. He didn’t wait for Lin Qin to emerge, hastily retreating to his own room for a cold shower.

When Lin Qin came out and didn’t see Meng Chao, he felt disappointed but also slightly relieved.

The events of last night hadn’t faded from his memory. He could still recall the warmth of Meng Chao’s embrace, the scent of his breath, and the refreshing lemon fragrance that lingered on him.

Having crossed a significant physiological threshold, Lin Qin found himself no longer resistant to Meng Chao’s touch. On the contrary, he was somewhat addicted to it. The feeling of skin against skin left his soul humming in delight.

Lin Qin slapped his own flushed face, which even cold water couldn’t cool, urging himself to stop indulging in such fantasies. Otherwise, he might truly spiral out of control!

After washing his face again, Lin Qin slowly descended the stairs. Despite his mastery as an award-winning actor, he rarely concealed his emotions in daily life. Every feeling was written clearly on his face, and the slight upward curve of his lips betrayed his pleased mood this morning.

The program staff, worried about whether Lin Qin would still be in good spirits after last night’s incident, visibly relaxed when they saw his vibrant demeanor. ƒгeewёbnovel.com

Chu Hong, who understood Lin Qin better than the staff, could more intuitively sense his mood and couldn’t help but smile.

She thought that the cheerful and lively Lin Qin of the past would soon return.

Not long after, Meng Chao also came downstairs. Freshly showered, his hair was still damp. He wore a black shirt paired with casual black jeans. The top two buttons of his shirt were undone, revealing a glimpse of his honey-toned chest and collarbone. Without his glasses, his sharp brows and eyes lacked the gentle balance they once had, appearing even more strikingly aggressive.

As Lin Qin watched him descend, he felt his mouth dry and couldn’t help but swallow, only to quickly avert his gaze when Meng Chao’s eyes met his. His heart leapt wildly, as though Yang Le’s proverbial deer was scampering uncontrollably within.

No matter what, Brother Chao is so handsome!

Meng Chao walked down and naturally reached out to ruffle Lin Qin’s hair. This time, instead of withdrawing quickly, he lingered, savoring the fine texture of his soft hair.

Lin Qin froze slightly, but didn’t shy away from Meng Chao’s touch. Even the faint physical aversion he had felt began to dissipate.

Noticing Meng Chao’s damp hair, he scolded lightly, "Brother Chao, why didn’t you dry your hair before coming down?" Saying this, he dashed back upstairs. When he returned, he was holding a hairdryer.

Meng Chao, pushing his luck, said, "Then you should help me dry it."

Blushing furiously, Lin Qin nodded obediently.

As Zhang Yue came down the stairs with his luggage, he saw Meng Chao seated on the living room sofa, while Lin Qin perched on one knee beside him, carefully helping him dry his hair. Although cameras were filming the scene, Zhang Yue’s instincts as an actor told him that this wasn’t staged but rather a genuine display of emotion.

It was as though they had formed a world of their own, impervious to any outside intrusion.

He didn’t see Jin Feiyun. Zhang Yue knew what had happened last night and could roughly guess that Jin Feiyun had likely been taken away overnight. What awaited her was bound to be suppression from Meng Chao’s Studio.

Meng Chao’s network of connections was vast. If he decided to counteract Jin Feiyun, her path would be half-blocked, and the odds of her turning the tide were slim to none. Still, this was the result of Jin Feiyun’s own actions; it was unjustifiable to blame others.

Zhang Yue sighed quietly and carried his suitcase downstairs.

"Mr. Meng, Mr. Lin, thank you both for taking care of me these past few days. I have other work to attend to, so I’ll be leaving now," he said when Lin Qin had just finished blow-drying Meng Chao’s hair.

The two of them saw Zhang Yue off at the door. Before stepping out, Zhang Yue said to Lin Qin, "Mr. Lin, I’ll mail that notebook back to your studio later. Thank you—it’s been incredibly helpful to me."

Standing behind Meng Chao, Lin Qin smiled lightly and said, "As long as it’s useful to you."

After thanking the two award-winning actors again, Zhang Yue pulled his luggage into the car. Thus, Meng Chao and Lin Qin sent off the first batch of guests from their small household.

Jin Feiyun and Zhang Yue—two rising stars in the entertainment industry. One took shortcuts, while the other pursued progress. They embodied two different facets of humanity.

Lin Qin sat on the sofa, reflecting on everything that had transpired over the past two days, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

Meng Chao sat down beside him. Seeing Lin Qin absorbed in thought, he asked, "What are you thinking about?"

Lin Qin shook his head. "Just puzzled, that’s all. How can some people be wicked to such an extreme?"

Meng Chao understood that Lin Qin wasn’t only referring to Jin Feiyun but also to others. Gesturing toward a spot bathed in sunlight, he asked Lin Qin, "Do you know what’s over there?"

Apart from the table and chairs, there was sunlight—that’s how Lin Qin answered.

Lin Qin also noticed the shadows cast down by the sunlight. He thought he had an idea of what Meng Chao wanted to convey.

Meng Chao said, "You see, even places filled with sunlight inevitably have shadows. Let alone places where sunlight cannot reach. This is the law of the world—why punish yourself over something governed by such a law?"