Dating the Heartthrob Superstar
Chapter 89: The World Is Indeed Small

Chapter 89: Chapter 89: The World Is Indeed Small

Chapter 89: What a Small World

Meng Zhao Kang couldn’t have chosen a worse time to invite that girl over. Wasn’t this clearly meant to humiliate Lin Qin?

When Meng Chao heard his mother say this, the expression on his face grew darker and darker. He thought that even if Grandpa didn’t particularly like Lin Qin, he wouldn’t go as far as to do something so humiliating. Was this meant to embarrass Lin Qin, or to embarrass that girl?

Meng Chao’s mother spoke with an unmistakable tone of disapproval. While she hadn’t directly opposed Meng Zhao Kang’s actions in front of him, she had tried her best to persuade him otherwise. But Meng Zhao Kang, being his stubborn old self, simply wouldn’t budge no matter how hard she tried.

In the end, Meng Chao’s mother could only sigh in exasperation. As he aged, Meng Zhao Kang seemed to regress more and more in his ways, becoming increasingly infuriating to deal with.

When Meng Ke heard about this, he nearly cursed out loud but held himself back in the end. He truly hadn’t expected Grandpa to resort to such a petty tactic to make Lin Qin uncomfortable. It was unbelievably disrespectful.

"Why don’t you two just leave?" Meng Ke suggested to Meng Chao and Lin Qin.

But no matter what they did, it wouldn’t be fair to that girl—after all, she was innocent in this whole mess.

Meng Chao shook his head. "If we walk out now, wouldn’t that just add fuel to Grandpa’s fire? Don’t worry, Lin Qin and I can handle this."

When that girl arrived, Meng Chao planned to tell her the truth. No matter what, the girl would inevitably be hurt by the situation, so it was better to be honest with her. At least it would show her some respect.

After thinking it over, Meng Ke agreed with Meng Chao’s reasoning. He patted Meng Chao on the shoulder and said, "You go ahead and handle this round. My next one will probably be even worse." Meng Ke had come to see how stubborn Grandpa was. Honestly, being the first one to stick their neck out had its advantages—Grandpa’s fury would be less likely to pile up for the next confrontation. Meng Ke figured that if he came out next time to tell Grandpa he was gay, the combined anger from two such revelations might leave him dead.

Meng Chao glanced sideways at Meng Ke and retorted, "Are you actually scared?"

Although it was phrased as a question, Meng Chao’s tone was full of certainty. While Meng Ke appeared outwardly less rebellious than Meng Chao, the brothers were fundamentally the same at heart. Meng Ke only chose a softer approach—seeming compliant on the surface while quietly defying Grandpa’s orders whenever possible. Neither of them had ever truly been afraid of Grandpa.

Meng Ke shot Meng Chao a knowing look, the kind that said "I see through you but won’t say it out loud." The two brothers had a tacit understanding without needing to say more.

Lin Qin, observing this silent exchange from the side, felt that the two brothers shared a remarkably good relationship. He couldn’t help but feel happy for Meng Chao, thinking how lucky he was to have a brother like Meng Ke.

About an hour later, the guest Grandpa had mentioned finally arrived. The butler personally went to greet her at the door. When he led the guest into the living room, Meng Zhao Kang had already come downstairs and was now sitting on the sofa with an air of authority. As soon as he saw the guest, he managed a somewhat amicable smile—a stark contrast to his earlier attitude toward Lin Qin.

Meng Chao and Lin Qin were sitting on another sofa. When they got a clear look at the guest, both of them were astonished. Their eyes widened in disbelief. They never imagined it would be her!

"Hey, Meng, Lin Qin, aren’t you surprised? Aren’t you delighted?" Chu Hong said with a mischievous smile, addressing the clearly startled Meng Chao and Lin Qin.

Grandpa glanced at their familiar interaction and asked, "You know each other?"

Chu Hong smiled and replied, "Of course." Then, pointing at Lin Qin, she continued, "Lin Qin is my cousin. And Meng Chao—he’s my cousin’s future husband."

But Grandpa seemed to miss the latter part of what Chu Hong had said. His attention was entirely absorbed by the first part: Lin Qin was Chu Hong’s cousin! He’d never heard a word about Chu Hong having a cousin.

"Lin Qin is your cousin? So, he’s... from Mr. Chu’s family?" Meng Zhao Kang, trying to confirm his suspicions, asked cautiously.

"Yes, he’s my grandfather’s grandson. Why, didn’t Grandpa Meng know?" Chu Hong replied matter-of-factly.

It was only now, after Lin Qin had been at the Meng Family home for so long, that Meng Zhao Kang finally gave him a proper look—serious and scrutinizing.

No wonder the young man could casually gift a piece by Master Wang. So, he came from a distinguished family too. Meng Zhao Kang had thought earlier that it was Meng Chao covering for Lin Qin and preparing the gift to please him.

If he had known Lin Qin was Mr. Chu’s grandson, he never would’ve given Lin Qin the cold shoulder that morning. After all, this was Mr. Chu’s grandson!

Meng Zhao Kang had long been eager to establish marital ties with the Chu Family, which was why he had invited Chu Hong over in the first place—to see if there was potential compatibility between her and Meng Chao.

But now, his carefully laid plans were falling apart. The person he had looked down on the most—Lin Qin—turned out to be from the Chu Family!

The sense of regret in Meng Zhao Kang’s heart was overwhelming. If Lin Qin were to tell Mr. Chu about today’s events, the Meng Family could kiss their chances of becoming in-laws with the Chu Family goodbye forever.

Despite realizing the gravity of the situation, Grandpa still couldn’t bring himself to immediately apologize to Lin Qin. He sat on the sofa, visibly awkward and expression unreadable.

The other Meng Family members, who had been enjoying the drama like spectators eating popcorn, suddenly had a shift in their perspective upon learning Lin Qin’s true background. The way they looked at him now carried a subtle shift of respect and calculation.

Initially, they had thought Meng Chao was simply attached to a small-time celebrity with no connections. They were pleased by the prospect of Meng Chao’s standing within the family declining if he insisted on being with such a person. But now, that small-time celebrity was revealed to be Mr. Chu’s grandson, flipping his status to the very top. Not only would Grandpa approve of Meng Chao and Lin Qin, but Lin Qin’s powerful background might also elevate Meng Chao’s position in the family instead.

What kind of crazy luck was Meng Chao riding on? He’d casually brought home a little celebrity, only to discover such an astonishing background!

As for Lin Qin and Meng Chao, the two at the center of this unfolding drama, they were left just as dumbstruck. They couldn’t wrap their heads around why Chu Hong was here today, or how she’d managed to deal such a figurative slap to Meng Zhao Kang’s face on their behalf.

In his eagerness to solidify ties with the Chu Family, Grandpa eventually swallowed his pride. With a warm, affable look completely different from the stubborn old man of the morning, he turned to Lin Qin with a smile.

"Qin, when are you and Meng Chao planning to get married?" he asked casually, even using the affectionate nickname "Qin." Grandpa, clearly feeling a bit embarrassed, had a light blush on his face.

In the face of Lin Qin’s influential family background, Meng Zhao Kang even overlooked his gender and immediately started pushing for marriage.

The stark transformation in Grandpa’s attitude was eye-opening for Lin Qin. Nevertheless, he maintained his politeness and replied, "We don’t have any plans yet. Meng Chao and I are still young, with so much ahead of us. Let’s give it a few years and see."