Dating the Heartthrob Superstar Chapter 44: Four Child Stars

Chapter 44: The Four Child Stars

Sunlight filtered through the bamboo grove, casting scattered patterns onto the leaf-covered ground. A mountain breeze swept through, causing the bamboo leaves to whisper softly. In that mont, all the heat seed to dissipate, and a serene calmness enveloped the whole body.

Leading the way, ng Chao walked ahead, guiding Lin Qin deeper into the bamboo forest toward the villa nestled within.

Lin Qin followed curiously. As they proceeded, the villa, with its traditional Chinese design, gradually erged, shedding its mysterious veil before Lin Qin’s eyes.

"Wow," Lin Qin murmured in awe. The villa looked just like the retreat of so reclusive master in the mountains. Perched above a stream, the villa straddled the divide between sunlight and shade—one half glinting with the shimring reflection of rippling water, the other cloaked in shadow, where a few small fish swam leisurely to escape the sumr heat.

A waterwheel stood on the stream’s bank, turning steadily as it drew water from the brook.

Lin Qin couldn’t resist going over to it. Water pipes made of bamboo directed the stream’s flow into the villa’s courtyard. Lin Qin reached out to catch so water in his hands, feeling its cool and refreshing touch.

Even in the height of sumr, the mountain spring water remained ice-cold.

He turned to glance at ng Chao, who was walking toward him. "It’s so cold! Is this water drinkable?"

ng Chao nodded. "It’s safe to drink."

Back when the town didn’t have running water, the locals all drank directly from the mountain springs. Even now, despite having a piped water supply, many residents still occasionally collect spring water from the mountains.

Lowering his head, Lin Qin scooped up a handful of water, taking several big gulps. A chill spread through his body, refreshing him from head to toe. The spring water was sweet and icy, far more satisfying than any bottled water chilled in a fridge.

He splashed the spring water on his face, cleansing away all the heat from the journey.

Seeing Lin Qin so enamored with the spring water and looking ready to take a full-on bath in it, ng Chao quickly grabbed Lin Qin by the hand and pulled him toward the villa.

The villa was constructed with heat-resistant materials and shaded by the forest. Stepping inside, a wave of natural, refreshing coolness greeted them—not the artificially chilled air of air conditioning, but the crisp embrace of nature.

The villa, in traditional Chinese style, featured wooden walkways, sliding doors, and intricately carved windows and screens, exuding an unmistakable elegance. Though ng Ke had built it as a whimsical indulgence, there was no denying its exceptional charm and refined taste.

Lin Qin was utterly taken with the villa. As a design enthusiast who had always loved ancient aesthetics, he had dread of living in such an exquisite space. Unexpectedly, in this mont, a small part of his dream felt realized.

ng Chao noticed the sparkle in Lin Qin’s eyes and clearly saw how much Lin Qin adored the villa. This only reinforced his belief that selecting it as the filming location for *We Are Together* was the right decision.

Lin Qin’s large eyes glead like a rabbit spotting its favorite carrot—adorably bright and eager. Forgetting the presence of caras, ng Chao grabbed Lin Qin’s hand and pulled him into an embrace.

"Do you like it?" ng Chao asked, already knowing the answer.

Lin Qin nodded enthusiastically. "I love it!" But then, recalling sothing he’d overheard from a local aunt earlier, he asked, "I heard this villa belongs to your family?"

With a casual wave of extravagance, ng Chao smiled. "If you like it, consider it yours."

Lin Qin chuckled. "Alright, I’ll take it."

He didn’t take ng Chao seriously, assuming the man was just joking. However, when he eventually saw the villa’s property deed with his na on it sitting in front of him, Lin Qin realized ng Chao hadn’t been joking at all.

But that’s a story for another day.

As it turned out, both Lin Qin and the production team were thrilled with the bamboo grove villa. The crew, after promising to take excellent care of the property, began contacting other cast mbers, letting them know to et at the villa for the upcoming shoot.

Filming, which had restarted today upon Lin Qin’s arrival in Nanjiang Town, now required so adjustnts due to the new location. Many logistical arrangents had to be revised accordingly.

The production staff worked through the night to finalize new plans, securing the approval of the higher-ups. By the next day, the bamboo villa welcod its first wave of guests.

This group consisted of four individuals who had just finished their college entrance exams in June, all of whom had achieved outstanding results and been admitted to film school.

These four were child stars who had entered the industry at a young age, starring in many iconic roles and enjoying widespread national recognition.

The two boys and two girls were Zhao Qin, Wu Zhenzhen, He Chuansong, and Jiang He.

If seniority were based on acting experience, Lin Qin and ng Chao would have to address them as seniors. However, in reality, the four respectfully called Lin Qin and ng Chao "teachers," acknowledging their status and reputation in the industry.

Before anything else, the four marveled at the picturesque villa. But just as they settled down for a break, the director issued their first task.

Nanjiang Town was famous for its luscious peaches, and this season was ripe for harvesting. The director relayed a request from local residents, explaining that a large order of 100 boxes of peaches—each weighing ten pounds—needed to be picked and delivered by early next morning.

Hearing that this totaled 1,000 pounds of peaches, the six participants nearly fainted from shock.

Of course, they all knew this wasn’t an actual resident’s request but rather a challenge set up by the production team.

Nonetheless, no one complained. The group of six set off for the peach orchard with great fanfare.

The orchard’s owner had been waiting for them. Recognizing the four child stars, who had all acted in highly popular TV shows, the owner excitedly called out their character nas from the dramas.

"Ahhhhh!" A sudden shriek pierced the air, drawing everyone’s attention.

...

Zhou Linlin, a high school sophomore at Nanjiang County’s Third High School, was like many girls her age—splitting her ti between schoolwork and idol worship. But rather than following mainstream celebrities dominating the screen and trending searches, she was a loyal fan of film star ng Chao.

She had admired ng Chao for years, watching every one of his movies as soon as they hit theaters. Since there were no cinemas in her town, she’d travel to the county to watch them, sotis multiple tis for a single film—once, twice, even three tis.

Her parents owned a small convenience store near the town’s bus station. In recent years, as the local peaches gained fa, her family had leased land to grow peach trees.

In past sumrs, Zhou Linlin’s responsibilities were light, limited to manning the shop counter. But ever since they began growing peaches, her sumrs had beco exhausting.

However, this year, she was imnsely grateful for her father’s decision to plant peach trees. Because, unbelievably, she had just seen ng Chao and Lin Qin in her family’s orchard—kissing, no less!

In that instant, Zhou Linlin’s teenage heart exploded. It took all her self-control not to let out another scream.

For a mont, she thought she must be dreaming. How else could such a fantastical scene be real?

At that mont, the live broadcast feed on her phone—still connected via Penguin Livestream—was running in the background.