Dating the Heartthrob Superstar-Chapter 17: Brief Biographies

Chapter 17: Character Background

When Lin Qin and Meng Chao returned with the supplies, they had also gone to the supermarket to buy ingredients for lunch and dinner before heading back to the villa.

Upon arriving at the villa, they found Jin Feiyun lazily sitting on the sofa playing with her phone, while Zhang Yue was washing some fruit.

When he saw them come in, Zhang Yue said, "I just took a stroll around nearby and saw a place that sells fruits, so I bought some." He then joked, "Don’t worry, I didn’t use the program’s budget for this."

After speaking, he finished washing the fruit, placed it on a plate, and brought it to the coffee table in the living room.

It was some cherries and peaches, still glistening with water droplets, looking incredibly appetizing.

Jin Feiyun, who had been sprawled lazily on the sofa moments ago, immediately sat up upon seeing the fruit. Before Lin Qin and Meng Chao could sit down, she had already reached for a cherry, popped it into her mouth, and said with satisfaction, "Zhang Yue, how did you know I love cherries?"

Zhang Yue chuckled, "What a coincidence, I love them too."

In reality, Zhang Yue was a die-hard fan of Meng Chao and knew Meng Chao liked cherries. So when he came across them during his stroll, he decided to buy a box.

However, since Jin Feiyun had said that, he couldn’t blatantly contradict her. Neither did he want anyone to think he was deliberately trying to curry favor with her by buying her favorite fruit.

Meng Chao, on the other hand, was focused on something else entirely. He asked Zhang Yue, "Zhang Yue, you’ve learned art before, right? Can you mix colors?"

Zhang Yue nodded quickly, "I can, I can. Mr. Meng, feel free to assign me anything—I’ll make sure it gets done."

Meng Chao replied, "Then you’ll assist Lin Qin later. He’ll be taking the lead today."

He gave Lin Qin an encouraging look as he spoke.

Lin Qin took a deep breath and said, "I’ll give you the colors we’ll need later, and you help me mix them. I’ll start sketching out the draft first."

Zhang Yue agreed eagerly and quickly took the materials handed to him by Meng Chao.

Lin Qin listed out a few specific colors for Zhang Yue, who dived into his task with enthusiasm. Although Zhang Yue knew art and had wanted to draw on the wall himself, he didn’t mention it.

Having finished her cherry, Jin Feiyun stood up and asked, "And me? What should I do?"

Lin Qin thought for a moment and replied, "You can team up with Brother Chao for painting later."

The moment she heard she’d be working with Meng Chao, Jin Feiyun’s lethargic demeanor vanished and she suddenly became animated with enthusiasm.

Meng Chao glanced at her but didn’t say anything.

With tasks assigned, everyone began to get to work.

Lin Qin started sketching on the wall with his paintbrush, and within a few strokes, an image began to take shape. Zhang Yue, having studied art, could immediately tell Lin Qin had solid skills. He couldn’t help but admire, "Mr. Lin, are you a professional? You’re amazing."

Lin Qin, immersed in his work, responded belatedly, "Yeah, I studied this in college."

Zhang Yue handed Lin Qin a mixed color and asked, "Mr. Lin, is this the right shade?"

It turned out Zhang Yue’s comment about knowing art wasn’t just talk; he clearly had a decent ability. The color he mixed closely matched Lin Qin’s expectations, and Lin Qin nodded, "Yeah, this works."

Zhang Yue continued mixing other colors but couldn’t help asking out loud while working, "Mr. Lin, why did you go into this industry? Since you majored in art, these fields don’t seem strongly related."

It was a question many had wondered about—how someone who had studied interior design ended up in showbiz, earning the highest honor of Best Actor within just a year.

Lin Qin, of course, had the answer in his heart, but it wasn’t something appropriate to say out loud. Glancing at Meng Chao in the distance, Lin Qin happened to catch Meng Chao’s gaze. The two locked eyes in midair.

Meng Chao curled his lips into a smile. Lin Qin, caught red-handed for sneaking a look, quickly turned away in a panic, his face heating up in embarrassment.

Unfortunately, there was a camera above him, effortlessly capturing Lin Qin’s flushed face on film.

Even in the footage, Lin Qin couldn’t keep himself from smiling despite the redness in his cheeks.

Seeing Lin Qin hadn’t answered, Zhang Yue asked, "Is it inconvenient to explain?"

Lin Qin snapped back to his senses and replied, "Just curiosity, I guess. Wanted to explore this circle."

Zhang Yue dramatically acted as if he were coughing blood, "Mr. Lin, give us ordinary beings a break!"

Curiosity brought him into showbiz—and within a year, he’d won Best Actor at an international film festival? Just saying this would be enough to drive people crazy! Compared to Meng Chao, the legend of the entertainment industry, Lin Qin wasn’t far behind.

Lin Qin pressed his lips together, unsure how to respond to the joke, and stiffly uttered an "Oh."

Zhang Yue: "..."

Trying to avoid an awkward atmosphere, Zhang Yue humbly asked for advice, "I have a role in an upcoming film where I need to play two characters simultaneously. Sometimes I feel like I’m struggling with it. I watched your film *Dual Emotions*, and you portrayed both characters perfectly. I’d love to learn from you, Mr. Lin. How can you switch so seamlessly between two characters?"

Lin Qin had just finished the upper portion of the painting and stepped down from the ladder. He answered matter-of-factly, "Just immerse yourself entirely in the characters." This was, after all, his process: whoever he was portraying, he wholly became that person, forgetting his own identity. That’s how he managed to distinctly portray two different people.

But it was easier said than done. A character background thick as a thumb joint wasn’t something everyone had the patience to write or deeply understand.

Lin Qin would thoroughly analyze the characters before fully immersing himself in them. What he described was just the result; the actual process was anything but simple.

Meanwhile, Zhang Yue only saw the outcome and couldn’t help lamenting how unfair the world was. Here he was, diligently studying acting for four years and slogging in the industry for another two, only to land the Best Supporting Actor award at some domestic festival. Compared to Lin Qin, it was hardly worth mentioning—it was like earth and sky apart.

People comparing themselves to others really did invite frustration.

Nonetheless, Zhang Yue didn’t feel resentful. He simply sighed in passing, aware that talent wasn’t something you could complain your way into acquiring.

If talent was lacking, all he could do was put in the hard work to make up for it. That was what he resolved silently to himself.

Nevertheless, Zhang Yue viewed this reality show as a learning opportunity. After mulling over it for a while, he voiced his deepest doubt, "So, Mr. Lin, how can you tighten the bond between yourself and the character?"

Lin Qin didn’t know how to answer that right away. After a pause, he said, "Wait a moment." With that, he set down his paintbrush and quickly ran back to his room.

When Lin Qin returned, he was holding a thick notebook. He handed it to Zhang Yue, saying, "Take a look; everything’s in here."

Zhang Yue wiped his hands before carefully taking the notebook. The moment he flipped through its pages, his eyes widened instantly, "Mr. Lin, is this... a character background?"