Dating the Heartthrob Superstar-Chapter 57: Those Past Times

Chapter 57: Those Past Days

Lin Qin’s childhood was just like that of an ordinary person. Loving parents who doted on their son, a relaxed family environment—these shaped Lin Qin’s cheerful and outgoing personality. Back then, he had friends everywhere. Though his studies weren’t particularly strong, his life was carefree and without worry.

However, such a life didn’t last. As Mr. Lin’s career grew more and more successful, his days were consumed by social engagements, leaving home early in the morning and returning late at night. The marriage between Mrs. Lin and Mr. Lin began to falter. Mrs. Lin suspected Mr. Lin of having an affair, while Mr. Lin complained that Mrs. Lin didn’t understand him or support his career.

The two argued about this endlessly, and eventually, in a fit of anger, they divorced.

Mrs. Lin was someone who wouldn’t back down. After the divorce, she left the country with determination to build her own career out of sheer spite. She never returned, driven by the belief that once she achieved financial independence, she could fight for custody of Lin Qin.

After moving overseas, Mrs. Lin would occasionally call Lin Qin during her busy schedule. However, due to time zone differences and her hectic life, those calls became fewer and fewer, dwindling to just once a month. The longest stretch went as far as six months without any contact.

Mr. Lin’s career was on the rise. With Mrs. Lin gone, he no longer felt obligated to come home. Harboring a sense of pride and defiance, he threw himself completely into his work, often sleeping at the office. Lin Qin was handed off to the care of a nanny.

At first, Lin Qin withdrew from the oppressive atmosphere at home, remaining silent on several occasions. Later, he came to accept reality. Since his parents clearly didn’t want to be together anymore, he decided not to dwell on it.

After the divorce, the house became quiet and empty. Lin Qin occasionally felt lonely, but as a child, he enjoyed the freedom that came with being neglected.

But everything changed when Lin Qin entered high school.

Lin Qin attended a prestigious city high school, barely scraping in with his grades. His good looks made him a sensation from the very first day, attracting attention. After school, he’d often find his backpack stuffed full of love letters.

Outgoing and cheerful by nature, kindness was ingrained in Lin Qin’s bones. Rather than throwing the love letters away, he responded to each one with polite and tactful refusals.

In the second semester of his freshman year, a new student transferred into the sophomore class—Fang Minghui.

Handsome, wealthy, and academically excellent.

The perfect archetype of a male lead in a school romance. He quickly became the center of attention, and Lin Qin often overheard girls in his class gossiping about him.

Nevertheless, Lin Qin wasn’t interested, but little did he expect that one day Fang Minghui would approach and confront him.

Fang Minghui confessed his feelings to Lin Qin and asked him to be his boyfriend.

It was the first time Lin Qin had ever been confessed to by another man—the first time he encountered the concept of same-sex attraction. Lin Qin didn’t feel disgusted. He politely and gently declined Fang Minghui’s request.

But Fang Minghui wouldn’t give up. He blocked Lin Qin again and again. At first, Fang Minghui thought Lin Qin was playing hard to get, taking pleasure in the chase. He planned to enjoy toying with Lin Qin. However, being rejected multiple times made him realize that Lin Qin genuinely wouldn’t accept him.

Most people would have given up by then, but not Fang Minghui. Spoiled and pampered since childhood, he was used to getting whatever he wanted. Lin Qin was the first person to defy him, and Fang Minghui immediately decided he needed to teach Lin Qin a lesson.

After yet another rejection from Lin Qin, rumors started circulating around the school, claiming Lin Qin was gay—he liked men, and it was disgusting.

High schools back then weren’t like they are now. The concept of homosexuality wasn’t widely accepted, and high school students were quick to follow the crowd, blindly conforming. One person said it was disgusting, then two, and soon it became a consensus among the majority.

Lin Qin wasn’t just disgusting, they said; he was mentally ill and should be confined to a hospital, kept away from others so he couldn’t harm anyone! Such sentiments spread like wildfire throughout the school. freēnovelkiss.com

Lin Qin began to feel his friends gradually distancing themselves from him. When he walked through the campus, students not only avoided him but also looked at him with disdainful and mocking gazes.

Lin Qin’s deskmate was a boy. One day, Lin Qin noticed his deskmate suddenly started keeping his distance. If Lin Qin accidentally touched him, the boy would immediately wipe the spot with tissues, scrubbing until his skin turned red.

Then the boy would look at Lin Qin with a pained expression and say, "You’re disgusting."

Though confused, Lin Qin didn’t argue for himself. During recess, he went to see the homeroom teacher and asked to change seats.

It was from the homeroom teacher that Lin Qin first learned about the rumors circulating about him.

Lin Qin still remembered how bluntly the teacher had asked him, "Someone saw you confessing to Fang Minghui from the sophomore class. Everyone is saying you’re gay—is it true?"

"I’m not." Lin Qin defended himself. It was Fang Minghui who had pressured him with a confession—how had it turned into him confessing to Fang Minghui?

The homeroom teacher believed Lin Qin. "Alright, I believe you."

The teacher went on to tell him, "Whether someone is gay or straight, it’s just a natural sexual orientation. People shouldn’t mock someone for being gay just because it’s less common. Everyone has the right to love, whether it’s someone of the same sex or the opposite sex. No one can infringe upon that right."

It was from the homeroom teacher that Lin Qin gained a correct set of values. As a result, even though he was ostracized for being labeled as gay, Lin Qin didn’t harbor hatred for homosexuality.

The very next day, the homeroom teacher stood up to clarify matters for Lin Qin. Yet it felt as if an invisible hand was pushing these events forward. The teacher’s efforts made no difference. Worse, the teacher was transferred to another school within a week.

When Lin Qin learned about the transfer, he ran to the principal’s office to question him. But as he stood outside the office door, he overheard Fang Minghui and the principal talking inside.

It was Fang Minghui who had used his connections to have the homeroom teacher transferred out. The reason? Because the teacher had stood up for Lin Qin, leading to their being reassigned to a notoriously unruly school in the city.

Lin Qin stood at the doorway for a long time. When Fang Minghui came out and saw him, he showed no sign of guilt for being caught doing something wrong. Instead, he smirked smugly and raised an eyebrow. "So, how about it? Agree to be my boyfriend, and this all goes away. Lin Qin, don’t think too highly of yourself. If I want to make your life miserable at this school, you’ll wish you were dead!"

Lin Qin glared fiercely at Fang Minghui, though his heart was full of guilt for the homeroom teacher. It was all because of him that the teacher had been transferred.

Fang Minghui seemed to enjoy seeing Lin Qin angry. He lifted Lin Qin’s chin and said mockingly, "Beg me. Just beg, and I’ll let you off."

Lin Qin spat directly in Fang Minghui’s face, standing tall with unyielding defiance.

Fang Minghui, towering over him, responded by beating Lin Qin up.

Lin Qin was left curled up on the ground, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. From his position, he was staring directly at the principal’s office. The principal saw him but quickly picked up a newspaper to hide his face, pretending nothing had happened.

Lin Qin didn’t even bother to call out the principal for holding the newspaper upside down. He simply let out a powerless laugh, his heart filled with sorrow.