Chapter 82 - Coming Out (1)
Chapter 82 - Coming Out (1)
Lin Qian and Zheng PingQing walked out of school. Just outside, a crowd of parents and teachers were waiting for the examinees. So when the students poured out of the building, the street became a pandemonium.
Although Lin Qian had already seen such a scene in his last life, he still felt emotional.
The saying ‘have compassion for all the poor parents in the world‘ best described this moment.
“Ah Qian, Xiao Zheng!” Lin YaZhi was also in the crowd of parents. Since he was representing two families, he felt a great sense of responsibility. Throughout these past few months, he diligently took care of the two children’s daily needs and reported the physical and mental conditions of the children to Zheng BuLu every night leading up to the exams.
As for Chen ShiYi, because of the nature of her job, she could only squeeze in a call a few days before the exams. Being unable to get in touch with her family made Chen ShiYi nervous. She didn’t know whether she was more worried about the college entrance exams or the progress of her children’s relationship.
Lin YaZhi turned his head to and fro, scanning the crowd for them. Fortunately, although there were many people, Lin Qian and Zheng PingQing were the most dazzling students in their entire grade. They were taller than their fellow classmates and much more attractive. Therefore, Lin YaZhi easily spotted the pair the moment they stepped out of the building.
“Ah Qian, Zheng PingQing!” With his hands in the air, Lin YaZhi rushed towards them. He gave Lin Qian a hug, then turned to give Zheng PingQing a hug. He looked more excited that the two students who were just freed from exams. With tears at the corner of his eyes, Lin YaZhi said: “The exams are finally finished! Our family is going out for dinner tonight to celebrate. Old Zheng’s assistant got us a reservation…”
Lin YaZhi’s voice became colored with envy at the thought of his basic level salary. “He made a reservation in the best restaurant in the city. It’s very well-known…”
Lin Qian nodded. “Alright.”
The clever Zheng PingQing also went along. “I see.”
Lin YaZhi changed the subject and happily chattered on: “You two don’t have to worry about the results. Let’s not think about your grades and just relax for the next few days…”
Seeing his exuberant mood, Lin Qian interrupted him: “By the way, Dad, I have something to tell you.”
At his son’s serious expression, Lin YaZhi also became solemn. “What is it?”
Zheng PingQing seemed to have realized Lin Qian’s intentions and hurriedly said: “Wait, I’ll tell him…”
But it was too late. Lin Qian looked at his father in the eye and softly smiled. “Dad, Zheng PingQing and I are together.”
Zheng PingQing wanted to stamp his feet. “Why are you taking the lead again? I should be the one responsible for coming out of the closet!”
Lin Qian glanced at him and said: “I'm willing to bear the wind and rain for you.”
Zheng PingQing: “….” What happened to taking turns? Why is Lin Qian doing all the sweet-talk today, ah?
Although he felt like he wasn’t considerate enough towards his boyfriend, Zheng PingQing still felt quite happy in his heart. In the end, he couldn’t prevent the corners of his mouth from rising. Coughing to cover up his lips, Zheng PingQing put on a domineering stance and said: “I’ll allow it just this once.”
Lin Qian rubbed his head. “Alright, alright, I’ll let you say it next time.”
Lin YaZhi didn’t realize that the two people in front of him were competing for the right to come out of the closet. However, while he didn’t understand the situation, Lin YaZhi could tell that their interaction was obviously not ordinary.
Lin YaZhi had a bad feeling. Dazed, he asked: “Ah Qian, what you just said…what did you mean?’
“Let me explain.” Zheng PingQing refused to let his boyfriend face things alone. He bravely tilted his head and kiss Lin Qian on the cheek. He then smiled at Lin YaZhi and said: “Uncle, I’ve been dating Lin Qian for a year. We’re very much a loving couple.”
Lin YaZhi’s brain turned sluggish. His eyes were fixed on the two people in front of him, and his expression was full of disbelief.
Xu Yao went up to them, then curiously asked: “What are you doing?”
Lin YaZhi slowly turned to Xu Yao, and his brain finally started up again. With a loud laugh, he said: “Xu Yao, these two are so good at joking around, ah. So naughty! They decided to fool around right after the exams. Do you know what Ah Qian and Xiao Zheng just said?”
Xu Yao turned to Lin Qian and asked: “What did you say?”
Lin Qian gave him a faint smile. “I told him that Zheng PingQing and I are dating.”
Xu Yao’s mouth turned into a circle. “You, you, youk2026;you didn’t even lay any groundwork leading up to it? That’s it?!”
Zheng PingQing lifted his chin. “Yes, ah. The college entrance exams are finally over. We don’t want to wait another minute; we have to come out of the closet now.”
Xu Yao felt his legs turn into jelly. He almost couldn’t bear to look at Lin YaZhi’s expression.
Lin Yazhi’s stiff smile gradually transformed into a weird expression. He looked like he didn’t know whether he should cry or laugh.
Lin Qian didn’t give his father the chance to escape reality. He repeated: “Dad, it’s not a joke. I really am with Zheng PingQing.”
Lin YaZhi shook his head, then asked: “You…you’re gay?”
Lin Qian nodded. “Yes.”
Xu Yao clutched at his chest, covering his little heart. “Cant you be a little more tactful, ah?”
Zheng PingQing turned to him and asked: “Like how?”
Xu Yao: “….” Being asked like this so suddenly…he was stumped.
Lin YaZhi looked at Lin Qian, then at Zheng PingQing. Finally, his eyes fell on Xu Yao. “Xu Yao, you already knew?”
Lin YaZhi was a man well-known for his violent tendencies. Xu Yao shuddered and waved his hands repeatedly as he replied: “No, no, no, I only learned about this recently.”
The facts were right in front of him. Lin YaZhi could no longer deceive himself.
His chest heaved, and Lin YaZhi gasped for a long time. Eventually, he stared at Zheng PingQing and incoherently yelled: “How could…you, you…you’re too much! How could you do this to my son!?”
Seeing that Lin YaZhi was starting to condemn Zheng PingQing, Lin Qian stepped in front of his boyfriend. He calmly stated: “Dad, I did him first.”
Xu Yao: “…” What kind of bad dialogue is this? Was it too late for him to leave?
Lin YaZhi was also shocked by Lin Qian’s words. His voice trembling, he stuttered: “Ah Qian, you, you…”
Xu Yao’s expression was full of sympathy. Poor Teacher Lin was reduced to a stuttering mess.
Without hesitation, Lin Qian took all the blame. “I fell for him first, and I put my hands on him first.”
Naturally, Zheng PingQing wanted to share the pressure with his boyfriend. He bravely said out loud: “Uncle, it’s all my fault. I’m just too alluring.”
Xu Yao: “….” Teacher Lin, beat him up!
Lin YaZhi didn’t fail to live up to Xu Yao’s expectations. He stormed over and grabbed Zheng PingQing’s collar. “I knew it! Ah Qian isn’t like that! You must have seduced him first!!!”
Lin Qian didn’t expect his father to be so deep in denial that he could no longer tell black from white. He hurriedly tried to pull Lin YaZhi away from Zheng PingQing and said: “I seduced him first!”
Lin YaZhi was frantic. He continued to delude himself and shouted: “I don’t believe it! This little bastard’s belly is definitely full of evil tricks! He must have come on to you first!”
Xu Yao’s heart: Well said!
Zheng PingQing had fought with Lin Qian for more than ten years and was well versed in martial arts. Although he didn’t dare fight against Lin YaZhi, he could still defend himself. He protected his head, and tenaciously stated: “Uncle, you didn’t talk like this before!”
Lin YaZhi was out of his mind. He punched at random, hysterical. “I was so polite to you, you bastard. I’ll kill you!”
Lin Qian finally managed to squeeze between the two. Frustrated, he said to his father: “Dad, if you want to hit someone, hit me. Don’t hurt him.”
How can Lin YaZhi be willing to beat up his son? His hands passed through Lin Qian’s neck as he tried to grab Zheng PingQing. “I have to beat him black and blue! Then we’ll see if he manages to seduce you later!”
Lin Qian was speechless. “Dad, everyone’s watching. If you keep this up, we’ll end up surrounded.”
To be honest, the people around them were too immersed in their own excitement, and no one noticed them yet. But Lin YaZhi couldn’t guarantee it’ll stay this way if he continued to make a scene.
Lin YaZhi was furious, but his son’s reputation needed to be taken into account. Lin YaZhi cooled down a bit, but his body still shook in anger. He glared at Zheng PingQing, looking like he wanted to execute him on the spot. “Let’s go home. I’ll deal with you then.”
Lin Qian felt helpless. “Dad, you should be angry with me. Why are you targeting him!”
The distressed Lin YaZhi replied: “I don’t care! It’s all his fault!”
Zheng PingQing decisively jumped into the boiling pot of water and agreed with him. “Yes, it’s all my fault.”
Lin YaZhi immediately pointed towards him. “Do you see that? He admits to being a bastard!”
Lin Qian’s face was full of black lines. “Dad, why are you acting so antagonistic towards Old Zheng? Aren’t you two good friends?”
It would’ve been fine if Lin Qian hadn’t mentioned him. But the moment Lin YaZhi heard his words, he exploded.
His friendship with Zheng BuLu was not at all sincere. But even his flimsy plastic friendship dissolved in the face of his fury. “Am I wrong? They’re both bad eggs!!!”
One was eyeing his wife (in his mind), and the other directly hooked up with his son!
At this moment, Lin YaZhi felt irreconcilable toward anyone with the surname Zheng.
However, Lin Qian cooly laid down the facts: “You’re also acting antagonistically towards your wife right now.” After all, the person you keep calling a little bastard is Chen ShiYi’s blood-related son.
Lin YaZhi: “….” He was suddenly at a loss for words.
During this momentary silence, Dong MingEn, Lou XingGuang, Jiang TingJun, and the others in their tutoring group all walked out of school. Dong MingEn ran towards them and draped himself over Xu Yao’s back. “Ah Yao, why’d you walk so fast? Let’s go back home together.”
Jiang TingJun and the others soon followed. They all happily greeted Lin YaZhi: “Hello, Teacher Lin!”
“Teacher Lin, we finally finished the exams!”
“Teacher Lin, you’ve worked hard!”
……
They all said their hellos, but soon found that Lin YaZhi, who was usually very warm towards them, didn’t even reply. He seemed very indifferent today.
Not only that, but they also realized that it wasn’t just Lin YaZhi. Lin Qian and Zheng PingQing’s expression also seemed weird. The atmosphere between the three was so murky that it was practically visible to the naked eye.
They all looked at each other in puzzlement.
Hell, what’s with this atmosphere? Don’t tell me someone flunked their exams?
Jiang TingJun asked Xu Yao in a low voice: “Ah Yao, what’s the matter with them?”
Xu Yao sighed, not knowing what to say.
Xu Yao’s actions made everyone even more surprised. It’s over, ah. It seems that someone really did fail their exams.
Jiang TingJun thought for a bit, then started: “That…Teacher Lin, the results haven’t come out yet. We can’t be absolutely certain, don’t worry…”
Xu Yao was baffled. “What are you talking about?’
Jiang TingJun became even more confused. “Aren’t you all like this because Ah Qian and Zheng PingQing flunked the exams?”
Xu Yao was in disbelief. “Are you crazy? Even if the entire No. 12 failed the exams, Ah Qian would still pass.”
Jiang TingJun, brows rose. “If he didn’t fail, then why do you guys have such heavy expressions on your faces?”
“Yeah!” “That’s right.” The others agreed and nodded their heads. Other than the college entrance exams, nobody could think of a reason for their solemn faces.
Zheng PingQing graciously took the time to explain things to them. As if showing off, he puffed out his chest and said: “Oh, it’s just that Lin Qian and I are coming out to Uncle Lin.”
Jiang TingJun asked: “Coming out? What does that mean?”
Lou XingGuang raised his hand. “Oh, I know this. It means coming out as a homosexual.”
Jiang TingJun scowled at him. “Hey, what kind of interpretation is that? If we follow your explanation, doesn’t that imply that Ah Qian and Zheng PingQing are gay…”
Before he could finish, Xu Yao’s weak voice sounded out: “They are, ah…”
Gou XinDou, who was in the back of the group, looked up at the sky. He didn’t know why his eyes were wet, but he added: “Haha, that’s right. They are, ah.”
The moment Xu Yao said those words, the entire group descended into silence.
The air around them coagulated.
Taking advantage of the quiet, Lin Qian smiled and said: “Since everybody’s here, we can just announce it now. Zheng PingQing and I have been dating for a long time now. We’re a very handsome gay couple.”
Zheng PingQing proudly kissed his boyfriend’s cheek. This time, he openly showed off as he said: “This Boss orders you all to give us your blessings, forthwith. Immediately. Right now.”
Everyone: “….”
Everyone: ????
Everyone: !!!!
Everyone: What the fuck–
The author has something to say:
Zheng PingQing: Crazily showing off!
Lin YaZhi: Crazily wanting to beat him up!
I laughed the entire time I was translating this.