Chapter 12: An Internet Celebrity
Weibo hosts an annual gala both mid-year and at year-end. Compared to the year-end event, the mid-year gala is not as grand.
But this year's mid-year gala had a major headliner: the elusive and low-profile award-winning actor Lin Qin, who had recently come into the public eye, was set to attend.
Everyone knew that Lin Qin had always been a very low-profile figure. In fact, until recently, the public wasn't even aware of his existence. All they knew was that last year, a Chinese actor had won the Cannes Best Actor award, but in this era ruled by social media and trending topics, it barely garnered attention as to who it was.
If it weren't for Lin Qin participating in the romance reality show *We're Together* with Meng Chao, who's regarded as a myth within the entertainment industry, most people might still not have discovered such an outstanding actor.
This era, dominantly ruled by traffic and clicks, could also be called the era of appearances.
Luckily, Lin Qin happened to have the kind of face that perfectly fit the "fresh and youthful" aesthetic, which instantly drew attention to him and ignited his rising fame.
Coupled with his exceptional acting skills, he set himself apart from mere traffic-driven idols, garnering the goodwill of casual viewers.
The more the public learned about Lin Qin, the more they understood his modesty and reticence.
So, the moment news broke that Lin Qin would be attending the mid-year gala, what initially seemed like a forgettable, routine red-carpet event suddenly captured widespread attention.
Soon enough, the mid-year gala arrived.
The red carpet had always been the ultimate battleground for celebrities to showcase their glamour—spanning everything from major film festivals to smaller local events. Naturally, this mid-year gala was no exception.
Compared to female stars, male celebrities had far less room for creativity in their red-carpet attire, usually limited to suits and tuxedos, and thus relied heavily on their physique to make an impression.
Lin Qin, tall and slender, sported a custom-tailored high-fashion suit with a cinched waist design that perfectly accentuated his slim waist. The impeccably pressed suit trousers also highlighted his long, lean legs.
Even in a room full of male stars, Lin Qin stood out dramatically, the kind of presence that commanded attention at first glance.
Chu Hong stood beside Lin Qin and whispered, "Don't be nervous. Remember, when you walk the red carpet in a moment, your precious Meng Chao will be watching the livestream. If you mess up because you're nervous, won't that just embarrass yourself in front of your idol?"
Lin Qin felt his face heat up, internally protesting, *"What do you mean my 'precious Meng Chao'? There's nothing like that!"*
Still, he nodded, taking a deep breath.
Lin Qin disliked standing in front of others. It triggered a physiological response—shaking, cold sweats, and, in severe cases, even forgetting how to breathe.
As a medical professional would phrase it, it was social anxiety disorder, and an extremely severe case at that.
This was one of the main reasons for Lin Qin's notorious low profile. He would rather stay home for a week or even half a month than step out into public.
Whether intentional or unintentional, whether malicious or well-meaning—the gazes directed his way always made Lin Qin unbearably uncomfortable. Physical contact was even worse.
Chu Hong, his cousin, had been by his side for years and knew him well, yet Lin Qin still refused to permit even her touch.
That's why Chu Hong often remarked that Meng Chao must be Lin Qin's source of courage.
For Meng Chao's sake, Lin Qin had resolutely stepped into an entertainment industry that offered almost no privacy. He could even feign composure at an event like this, all because it gave him a chance to catch a distant glimpse of Meng Chao.
This time was no exception. Just because Meng Chao had casually mentioned that he might tune in to the mid-year gala's livestream, Lin Qin braced himself to attend without hesitation.
A knock on the dressing room door interrupted the moment, followed by the voice of a staff member announcing, "Mr. Lin, it's almost your turn."
"Coming," Chu Hong responded, then turned to Lin Qin: "Deep breaths, deep breaths. Even your ears are red now." Were it not for the concealing foundation he was wearing, Lin Qin's face would have been as crimson as a monkey's behind.
Prompted by her words, Lin Qin truly took a deep breath. Though hesitant to step beyond the dressing room door, he imagined Meng Chao watching the livestream, waiting for him. That thought alone made the world beyond the door feel less intimidating.
Lin Qin took one last sip of water and, with Chu Hong leading the way, emerged from the dressing room.
There was a distance between the dressing room and the red carpet, so a stretch limousine was arranged to drive the celebrities to the entrance. Those grouped together were placed in the same car.
When Lin Qin opened the car door and stepped inside, he realized there was already another occupant.
Even though it was a stretch limousine, space was still somewhat confined. Once Lin Qin took his seat, he froze; sweat began pooling in his palms, and he didn't even notice who was sitting opposite him.
Chu Hong, however, caught sight of the other person, and her expression immediately darkened.
The event organizers had not informed them that Lin Qin would be sharing the walk with someone else—more so with a celebrity dressed so provocatively.
With a few minutes left until departure, Chu Hong immediately approached a staff member for answers.
It turned out the "celebrity," Zhu Yan, had privately pulled strings with the organizers to be seated alongside Lin Qin for the red carpet. With Lin Qin's recent popularity surge, Zhu Yan aimed to ride on his coattails.
To even call Zhu Yan a "celebrity" was flattery. The woman was merely a popular influencer from a livestreaming platform.
Chu Hong felt deeply offended. The organizer's act of sticking someone beside Lin Qin without prior consultation showed a complete lack of respect.
With the car about to move, Chu Hong grew increasingly worried for Lin Qin.
If they halted the car and made a fuss, Lin Qin would undoubtedly face accusations of diva behavior on social media. Neither the press nor online gossipers cared about context—they only sought the next wave of clicks and drama.
In most people's eyes, this would seem like such a trivial issue, not worth making a scene over.
Chu Hong understood all too well. Tonight, they'd have no choice but to swallow their grievances quietly.
She could only hope Lin Qin's conviction—rooted in Meng Chao—would see him through.
Indeed, it was the thought of Meng Chao that was holding Lin Qin together. The moment he got into the car, Zhu Yan slid closer to him, and Lin Qin could immediately smell her overpowering perfume.
The foreign scent felt like a blade scraping across his senses, leaving him jittery and restless. The color drained from his lips, cold sweat forming on his palms and forehead.
Zhu Yan, oblivious to Lin Qin's discomfort, leaned toward him with a sweet voice, "Mr. Lin, I've watched your film *Dual Hearts*. I adored your character. Could you sign something for me?"
As Zhu Yan drew closer, Lin Qin's body reacted instinctively, overriding his rationality. He shot backward, trying to retreat, but lost his balance and landed on the car floor with a thud.
The abrupt avoidance bruised Zhu Yan's pride, and for a fleeting moment, her eyes flashed with irritation. However, in the next breath, she feigned concern, asking, "Mr. Lin, are you okay?" and reached out as if to help him up.
Avoiding her gaze, Lin Qin scrambled to his feet and moved to the opposite seat, forcing himself to suppress his discomfort. "I'm fine," he replied stiffly.
With the distance now between them, the overwhelming perfume faded slightly, allowing Lin Qin to breathe a bit easier.
Zhu Yan prepared to inch closer again, but before she could, the car door reopened, letting in a flood of light.
Lin Qin, as if sensing something, instinctively raised his head to look toward the door...
And in that moment, all the noise, hostility, and chaos of the world seemed to vanish. His heart, his eyes, were filled with only one person—standing outside the car.