Dating the Heartthrob Superstar Chapter 23: Two Kinds of Human Nature

Chapter 23: Two Facets of Humanity

When Lin Qin woke up, it was already the next morning.

He intended to sit up, but belatedly realized that his hand was being held by soone. Imdiately, his hair stood on end, and sweat ford in his palm.

His head turned stiffly as he looked over, seeing ng Chao sitting by the bedside, holding his hand, asleep with his face resting on the bed. The physiological repulsion vanished instantly, replaced by a surge of warmth that spread through his entire body.

Had Brother Chao stayed by his side all night? Lin Qin thought with a pleasant sense of surprise. Then, following his heart, he lowered his head and couldn’t resist leaning closer to observe ng Chao’s sleeping face.

When ng Chao was asleep, his features appeared softer. His eyelashes were long, casting a raven feather-like shadow. His high nose bridge and thin lips, with a faint pale hue, shaped a sharply-defined face that was exceedingly handso.

Lin Qin reached out with the hand that wasn’t being held, hesitantly attempting to trace ng Chao’s features in the air. His hand lingered mid-air, uncertain whether to move forward, then quickly retreated. This repeating pattern of attempt and retreat occurred several tis, and yet he dared not touch ng Chao.

In truth, ng Chao had woken up long ago. He was simply curious about what Lin Qin might do. To his surprise, Lin Qin was so timid, hesitating for several minutes without daring to make contact.

ng Chao sighed inwardly and gently opened his eyes, eting Lin Qin’s fixed gaze. He smiled softly and greeted, "Morning."

Caught in the act of secretly watching, Lin Qin’s face turned crimson and he shrank back into himself, muttering awkwardly, "Good morning, Brother Chao."

Only then did he belatedly realize that his hand was still being held by ng Chao. He abruptly pulled it back, leapt straight off the bed, and fled like a startled rabbit into the bathroom.

Aside from his nervous embarrassnt, Lin Qin’s heart was brimming with joy.

ng Chao looked down at his own hand, still faintly retaining the warmth of Lin Qin’s touch. Acting like a lovestruck fool, he placed his hand near his nose and sniffed, feeling a surge of heat pooling in his lower abdon. He didn’t wait for Lin Qin to erge, hastily retreating to his own room for a cold shower.

When Lin Qin ca out and didn’t see ng Chao, he felt disappointed but also slightly relieved.

The events of last night hadn’t faded from his mory. He could still recall the warmth of ng Chao’s embrace, the scent of his breath, and the refreshing lemon fragrance that lingered on him.

Having crossed a significant physiological threshold, Lin Qin found himself no longer resistant to ng Chao’s touch. On the contrary, he was sowhat addicted to it. The feeling of skin against skin left his soul humming in delight.

Lin Qin slapped his own flushed face, which even cold water couldn’t cool, urging himself to stop indulging in such fantasies. Otherwise, he might truly spiral out of control!

After washing his face again, Lin Qin slowly descended the stairs. Despite his mastery as an award-winning actor, he rarely concealed his emotions in daily life. Every feeling was written clearly on his face, and the slight upward curve of his lips betrayed his pleased mood this morning.

The program staff, worried about whether Lin Qin would still be in good spirits after last night’s incident, visibly relaxed when they saw his vibrant deanor.

Chu Hong, who understood Lin Qin better than the staff, could more intuitively sense his mood and couldn’t help but smile.

She thought that the cheerful and lively Lin Qin of the past would soon return.

Not long after, ng Chao also ca downstairs. Freshly showered, his hair was still damp. He wore a black shirt paired with casual black jeans. The top two buttons of his shirt were undone, revealing a glimpse of his honey-toned chest and collarbone. Without his glasses, his sharp brows and eyes lacked the gentle balance they once had, appearing even more strikingly aggressive.

As Lin Qin watched him descend, he felt his mouth dry and couldn’t help but swallow, only to quickly avert his gaze when ng Chao’s eyes t his. His heart leapt wildly, as though Yang Le’s proverbial deer was scampering uncontrollably within.

No matter what, Brother Chao is so handso!

ng Chao walked down and naturally reached out to ruffle Lin Qin’s hair. This ti, instead of withdrawing quickly, he lingered, savoring the fine texture of his soft hair.

Lin Qin froze slightly, but didn’t shy away from ng Chao’s touch. Even the faint physical aversion he had felt began to dissipate.

Noticing ng Chao’s damp hair, he scolded lightly, "Brother Chao, why didn’t you dry your hair before coming down?" Saying this, he dashed back upstairs. When he returned, he was holding a hairdryer.

ng Chao, pushing his luck, said, "Then you should help dry it."

Blushing furiously, Lin Qin nodded obediently.

As Zhang Yue ca down the stairs with his luggage, he saw ng Chao seated on the living room sofa, while Lin Qin perched on one knee beside him, carefully helping him dry his hair. Although caras were filming the scene, Zhang Yue’s instincts as an actor told him that this wasn’t staged but rather a genuine display of emotion.

It was as though they had ford a world of their own, impervious to any outside intrusion.

He didn’t see Jin Feiyun. Zhang Yue knew what had happened last night and could roughly guess that Jin Feiyun had likely been taken away overnight. What awaited her was bound to be suppression from ng Chao’s Studio.

ng Chao’s network of connections was vast. If he decided to counteract Jin Feiyun, her path would be half-blocked, and the odds of her turning the tide were slim to none. Still, this was the result of Jin Feiyun’s own actions; it was unjustifiable to bla others.

Zhang Yue sighed quietly and carried his suitcase downstairs.

"Mr. ng, Mr. Lin, thank you both for taking care of these past few days. I have other work to attend to, so I’ll be leaving now," he said when Lin Qin had just finished blow-drying ng Chao’s hair.

The two of them saw Zhang Yue off at the door. Before stepping out, Zhang Yue said to Lin Qin, "Mr. Lin, I’ll mail that notebook back to your studio later. Thank you—it’s been incredibly helpful to ."

Standing behind ng Chao, Lin Qin smiled lightly and said, "As long as it’s useful to you."

After thanking the two award-winning actors again, Zhang Yue pulled his luggage into the car. Thus, ng Chao and Lin Qin sent off the first batch of guests from their small household.

Jin Feiyun and Zhang Yue—two rising stars in the entertainnt industry. One took shortcuts, while the other pursued progress. They embodied two different facets of humanity.

Lin Qin sat on the sofa, reflecting on everything that had transpired over the past two days, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

ng Chao sat down beside him. Seeing Lin Qin absorbed in thought, he asked, "What are you thinking about?"

Lin Qin shook his head. "Just puzzled, that’s all. How can so people be wicked to such an extre?"

ng Chao understood that Lin Qin wasn’t only referring to Jin Feiyun but also to others. Gesturing toward a spot bathed in sunlight, he asked Lin Qin, "Do you know what’s over there?"

Apart from the table and chairs, there was sunlight—that’s how Lin Qin answered.

Lin Qin also noticed the shadows cast down by the sunlight. He thought he had an idea of what ng Chao wanted to convey.

ng Chao said, "You see, even places filled with sunlight inevitably have shadows. Let alone places where sunlight cannot reach. This is the law of the world—why punish yourself over sothing governed by such a law?"