Chapter 11: I Will Miss You
Lin Qin's vibrant voice filtered through the sound waves into Meng Chao's ears, and Meng could almost picture what Lin Qin looked like at that moment.
Those big eyes must be shining bright, like they're lit up. His mouth must be curved upwards, with an expression full of irrepressible joy and surprise.
He always wears his heart on his sleeve, all emotions transparently displayed on his face, adorably making others feel tender towards him.
Just thinking about Lin Qin, Meng Chao only felt a sweet taste blooming in his heart, a sweetness that he had never experienced before.
They had only parted ways in the morning, and Meng Chao already wanted to see Lin Qin again.
He chuckled softly and spoke into the phone, "Lin Qin."
His voice was slightly husky, irresistibly seductive.
"Hmm. Brother Chao." Lin Qin's voice came from the other end of the phone, light as a feather, teasing at Meng Chao's heart, making it itch.
"Will you miss me?" Meng Chao asked.
What answered Meng Chao was a long silence; his face must be flushed now, Meng thought.
Without waiting for Lin Qin's reply, Meng Chao went ahead and said, "I think, I should miss you."
This time, the response Meng Chao received was the beep of a call being disconnected.
Meng Chao couldn't help but laugh quietly, as he already had a vivid image of Lin Qin's expression in his mind.
He wanted to see Lin Qin, right then and there.
Just at that moment, the boarding announcement came over the PA, and his manager came over to call Meng Chao. Seeing the tender smile on Meng Chao's face, he couldn't help but ask, "What happened? Why are you so happy?"
Having worked with Meng Chao for so many years, he naturally knew what kind of person Meng Chao was. Despite his outwardly gentle and approachable appearance, he was actually very aloof, indifferent to everything around him. So it was strange to see such a warm expression on Meng Chao's face today.
"Nothing." Meng Chao subdued his smile and said, "Clear my schedule for the day after tomorrow, I want to attend the Annual Weibo Ceremony."
The manager looked troubled. "But you have a movie promotional poster shoot that day."
"Cancel it or postpone it, you handle it." With that, he didn't give the manager a chance to object, taking long strides toward the boarding gate.
The manager, utterly puzzled, hurried to catch up. Normally, Meng Chao would avoid such ceremonies and award shows if he could. Why was he so enthusiastic this year?
...
"I think, I should miss you."
When these words reached Lin Qin's ears, his mind went blank, and all his thoughts, absolutely everything, vanished from his brain, leaving only a sensation of heat rising throughout his body. Lin Qin turned red from his ears down to his ankles.
When Lin Qin finally reacted, he realized he had accidentally hung up the phone.
Looking at the ended call screen on his phone, Lin Qin's face fell all at once.
Chu Hong, having been observing Lin Qin through the rearview mirror all along, saw Lin Qin's change in expression and promptly asked, "What happened?"
Lin Qin said despondently, "I accidentally hung up the phone."
Chu Hong lamented, "How should I even begin with you? If it hung up, just call back! Opportunities are something you grasp yourself. If you keep hesitating like this, how will you seize the opportunity when it comes? It's just a phone call!"
"Oh." Lin Qin murmured in response. Perhaps those words from Meng Chao gave Lin Qin the courage. This time, after only hesitating for a moment, he dialed Meng Chao's number again.
However, Meng Chao's phone was already turned off.
Lin Qin put away his phone, with the expression on his face plainly spelling out disappointment.
"Powered off?" Chu Hong immediately deciphered the expression on Lin Qin's face and raised an eyebrow, asking.
Lin Qin nodded, then looked nervously at Chu Hong. "Cousin, do you think Brother Chao is mad at me?"
Chu Hong really wanted to knock on Lin Qin's head to see if any water had seeped in. How could someone so clever and sharp normally turn into such an idiot when it came to Meng Chao?
"At this point, Meng is already on the plane; the phone must be off," Chu Hong reminded.
Lin Qin suddenly realized, smiling sheepishly.
"You!" Chu Hong chuckled, "With your temperament, who knows when you'll ever win over Meng! You better pick up the pace, I'm worried for you!"
"I..." Lin Qin hesitated for a moment and said, "I never intended to pursue Brother Chao. As long as I can be near him and watch him, I'm satisfied."
Chu Hong was about to say more, but seeing Lin Qin's demeanor, she swallowed her words.
Chu Hong thought: The human heart is the hardest to satisfy. Just watch, her cousin won't be content with the current state for long; he'll want more.
Lin Qin was naturally unaware of what Chu Hong was thinking. He held his phone for a long time, wondering if it would be rude not to respond to Meng Chao's earlier question.
But how should he answer such a question?
After a long internal struggle, Lin Qin finally couldn't resist turning on his phone and sending a text message to Meng Chao.
Then, with his face flushed, he put the phone away, feeling both expectant and nervous.
...
Meng Chao got off the plane, and as soon as his phone turned on while in the VIP passage to the van, a text message came in.
Seeing the familiar number, Meng Chao opened the message with a bit of urgency.
And then he saw the message that was enough to warm his heart——
Lin Qin: I will miss Meng Chao too.
Meng Chao felt his heart turn gentle, as if it was filled with honey.
The manager, just getting on the car, saw Meng Chao grinning at his phone, and recalling his behavior today, felt a jolt in his heart. Tentatively, he asked, "Meng Chao, are you dating someone?"
The signs today all pointed to a romance, but with whom? He couldn't even imagine what Meng Chao would be like if he liked someone, nor could he imagine the kind of person who could win Meng Chao's affection.
Faced with the manager's probing, Meng Chao, without lifting his head, replied, "Not yet."
The manager sighed in relief, but before he could fully exhale, Meng Chao continued, "But it's likely soon."
"Ah? You really want to fall in love?" The manager felt the breath get stuck in his chest, unable to move up or down.
He wasn't particularly keen on Meng Chao dating. Although Meng Chao was pursuing an acting career, he was simply too attractive, and the majority of his fanbase consisted of adoring female fans. Once Meng Chao's relationship was revealed, his commercial value would significantly drop.
But when it came to Meng Chao, the manager had no decision-making power. From the start, Meng Chao had everything firmly in his own hands.
"I want to get married." Meng Chao answered this time with utmost seriousness.
This wasn't an impulsive decision but rather a strong desire brought on by Lin Qin.