Chapter 76: Chapter 76: Never Let GoChapter 76: Never Let Go

    Lin Qin’s first thought upon seeing Meng Chao’s Weibo post was that something must have happened, otherwise Meng Chao wouldn’t tag Huang Wankai so blatantly.

    "Before doing things, learn to be a decent person"—this is the most tactful way of saying "you’re not human." Meng Chao must have been furious to insult him so directly.

    Lin Qin immediately called Chu Hong to ask about what had happened on Weibo.

    He knew Meng Chao well. If it were something involving Meng Chao himself, Meng Chao wouldn’t be this angry. The only explanation was that it had to do with Lin Qin, which triggered Meng Chao’s intense wrath.

    And since Meng Chao posted on Weibo at this timing, there was a good chance he’d already had people delete related discussions online. Searching for it directly would be less efficient than asking Chu Hong.

    Chu Hong quickly answered the call, but when Lin Qin asked, she hesitated, clearly intending to brush Chi Chi off with vague replies.

    But Chi Chi wasn’t someone easily fooled. When he wanted to get to the bottom of something, he wouldn’t stop until the truth came out.

    Lin Qin said, "I don’t believe there wouldn’t be a trace left online. If you don’t want to tell me, that’s fine, I’ll find out myself."

    Chu Hong knew this as well. After hesitating for a moment, she sighed and said, "Alright, I’ll tell you."

    "This morning, Huang Wankai’s team leaked behind-the-scenes photos from ’Silent War,’ revealing the director’s plans for filming the series. Afterward, they hired internet trolls to stir up drama about your relationship with Huang Wankai. They sent orders to fangirls and fan leaders, instructing them to send you nasty insults online. The words they used were truly unbearable—we didn’t want you to see them. In retaliation, the director officially announced ’Silent War’ and tagged all the actors in the cast, except for Huang Wankai, deliberately snubbing him. It triggered widespread ridicule across the internet. Unable to contain the fallout, Huang Wankai’s team made things worse by leaking rumors that he was dating your Brother Meng. That’s everything." Chu Hong summarized succinctly, every word backed by evidence. This whole mess was nothing but Huang Wankai’s self-serving publicity stunt.

    Yet, no matter how Huang Wankai chose to hype himself up, he should never have dragged Lin Qin and Meng Ke into it.

    One was Meng Chao’s lover and the other was his family. Even if Meng Chao usually had a good temper, this was bound to make him lose it—and Meng Chao was not known for having a good temper.

    Lin Qin remained silent for a long time after hearing this. He understood the intentions behind Meng Chao and Chu Hong’s efforts to protect him—because of the violence he had endured before, they wanted to give him a clean environment as much as possible, shielding him from ugly words before he even knew they existed.

    This kind of protection deeply moved Lin Qin, but it wasn’t what he wanted.

    In Lin Qin’s eyes, experiencing violence once didn’t mean he should forever see himself as a fragile flower in a greenhouse. He was an adult now; he wanted to prove he could stand on his own.

    After contemplating for a moment, Lin Qin said seriously to Chu Hong, "If something like this happens again, you don’t need to hide it from me. Just tell me." He paused, his tone turning firm and resolute. "I can handle it myself. Trust me, I’ve truly moved past it."

    Chu Hong said, "Lin Qin, you..." She seemed to have a thousand things to say, but the words stuck in her throat. She opened her mouth only to find herself lost for what to say.

    Lin Qin smiled into the phone, "Cousin, don’t worry about me. I really can handle this. My heart is as strong as diamond now—ordinary things can’t hurt me anymore. Besides..." Lin Qin’s expression softened, his voice laced with affection and lighthearted humor. "Besides, I have all of you, don’t I?"

    Once, he had been alone, unable to defend himself against the darkness. But now, everything was different. He had so many people who loved him, the strongest support system anyone could ask for. So why should he still fear the insults and slander from the outside world?

    On the other end of the phone, Chu Hong was silent for a long time before her choked voice came through, "Alright, I’ll try to let go in the future."

    She felt a mix of emotions—touched, reassured, and reluctant—all stirring together in her chest. Tears poured from her eyes like a dam had broken.

    She’d accompanied Lin Qin for years, witnessing his most despairing moments—staying awake all night, hiding alone in the screening room, watching Meng Chao’s works over and over again, refusing to talk to anyone, refusing to eat. If anyone approached him, he’d scream hysterically, his nerves stretched tight to the brink of snapping, his state dangerously unstable.

    Chu Hong knew Lin Qin hadn’t wanted to spiral into such a state, which was why he had always been fighting against the nightmarish emotions, fighting against despair.

    Now, everything was finally moving in a brighter direction. Yet, she had grown accustomed to shielding Lin Qin, trying to protect him in every way—forgetting that Lin Qin had always been a strong person.

    Yes, Lin Qin had always been strong.

    Strong enough to fight off his illness, strong enough to step out of the darkness.

    Chu Hong couldn’t help but laugh, feeling herself relax all at once.

    It wasn’t just Lin Qin—everyone who loved him had been stretched thin these past years.

    And now, it truly felt like they could breathe again.

    Chu Hong laughed and cried simultaneously, "Qinqin, I’m letting go, so make sure to do your best!"

    Lin Qin smiled and said, "Alright, I will do my best."

    With that, the call ended.

    When Lin Qin turned around, he saw Meng Chao leaning against the doorframe, his gaze gentle and full of affection as he watched him. sea??h thё Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    Lin Qin realized Meng Chao must have overheard his conversation with Chu Hong, but he wasn’t embarrassed. He walked over to Meng Chao, wrapping his arms around Meng Chao’s waist and looking up at him, "When did you get here?"

    Meng Chao pulled Lin Qin into his arms and started walking toward the bed.

    As he moved, he began unbuttoning both of their clothes—he didn’t answer Lin Qin’s question.

    Meng Chao pressed Lin Qin onto the bed and, before kissing him, gazed deeply and sincerely into his eyes, "I won’t let go. Never."

    Even if Lin Qin could handle all the storms on his own, Meng Chao didn’t want to let go. He wanted to keep Lin Qin in his protective greenhouse, shielding him from all external harm, ensuring Lin Qin could never leave.

    Lin Qin closed his eyes and tilted his head up to kiss Meng Chao.

    When the kiss ended, Lin Qin whispered in Meng Chao’s ear, "Alright, then don’t let go."

    The two of them soon became entangled on the bed, passionately embracing each other with complete abandon.

    In their room, time seemed to stand still in tranquility and intimacy, while the internet had erupted with chaos over Meng Chao’s Weibo post.

    Meng Chao was a widely respected figure in this industry. Everyone who had ever worked with him sang his praises. Over all these years, Meng Chao had never publicly lashed out at anyone—not even during the Jin Feiyun incident. Back then, he had merely posted on Weibo saying he didn’t want to collaborate with her anymore. But now, targeting Huang Wankai directly? This was unprecedented.