E-Scum Gong Chapter 18
Translated by Q the Panda (ko-fi)
Chapter 18
A new person was added to the group by a long-time member. According to his description, this newcomer was a breathtakingly beautiful 1 with a perfectly sculpted body that set him apart from ordinary people.
He was around twenty-five or twenty-six years old, just the right age.
Since the group’s previous heartthrob, Amour, was already taken and had become somewhat arrogant and distant, his once adoring fans had now turned against him.
The announcement of a new arrival had sparked great anticipation among the members.
When the newcomer entered the group, he immediately posted an explosive photo: a striking picture of his abs. His wheat-colored skin showcased clearly defined eight-pack abs, with sweat trickling down the lines, as if taken right after a workout.
The newcomer hadn’t shown his face yet, but given his physique, no one cared if he turned out ugly. Anyway, someone familiar had already vouched for his handsomeness.
So the group exploded.
What was this, did heaven feel sorry for their continued single status and sent another perfect heartthrob their way?
“Hello everyone, I’m Zoe.” A very simple self-introduction, another English name, just like the previous heartthrob, Amour.
“Welcome, new friend~”
“I just have to ask, are those abs real? They don’t look like something an ordinary person would have.” After all, his sexual appeal wasn't something a normal person would have.
“No substitute in the entire internet,” he joked.
Someone just finished searching for the picture and found none that matched, confirming that the photo was indeed of him.
“Damn! Brother, you’ve really been working out!”
The messages in the group instantly surged to over 99+, with everyone showing keen interest in the newcomer, even drawing out a few who usually just lurked.
Those who were already in relationships, like Amour and his partner, were less enthusiastic. Neither of them made a peep.
Lin Xu hadn't been checking messages for a long time, and Gu Jinzhi, who had been enjoying life lately, was too lazy to pick a fight.
Anyway, every few days, there was a new heartthrob, and then they would fade into obscurity due to some moral flaw. There weren't many popular 1s who didn't have emotional entanglements.
The group was stuck in a cycle of discovering that the latest heartthrob was just another jerk, then deriding him, only to be seduced again by another charming jerk with mature flirting skills.
The number of heartbroken 0s was countless.
Only Amour had yet to fall from grace, but he too was facing disdain.
They had high expectations for the newcomer and still wanted to see his face. Unfortunately, he said that he worked in the entertainment industry and preferred not to show himself, though since they were all in the capital, they might have a chance to meet in person.
Hence, no one doubted his appearance anymore. After all, how dare someone who was not good-looking suggest an offline meeting? If he was in the entertainment industry, he must be incredibly handsome.
Among the heartthrobs, comparisons were inevitable, and Amour being in a relationship was a thorn in everyone’s side.
So, they remarked that while Amour claimed to have abs, he had never posted a photo to prove it.
He had also claimed to work in real estate but had never shared any daily life details.
Although his photo was quite handsome, compared to someone from the entertainment industry, he was likely to be overshadowed.
Even someone else in the group, who wasn’t any less attractive, might fare better in comparison.
In short, the previous newcomer, Zhizhi Mangmang, might not have won after all, which made them feel a bit better.
However, they still envied him. Since Zhizhi Mangmang’s arrival, Amour had really stopped flirting. Although they voiced their criticisms, deep down, they wished they could find a boyfriend like that — someone who was out of reach for anyone else.
Thus, Zoe, who wasn't much of a smooth-talker, became their new target
Zoe might just be a good man.
After all, he had been in the entertainment industry for so long without a relationship. It suggested he was someone who remained untainted by the muck of the industry.
Unlike Amour, who had quickly garnered the affection of many 0s and established himself as the heartthrob of the group, Zoe was more reserved. He didn’t seek attention but politely declined friend requests and private messages from others, expressing a desire to get to know people better first.
He seemed very reliable.
In the meantime, the group admin jokingly tagged Zhizhi Mangmang: “It looks like your Amour's place as the heartthrob is at risk.”
He showed his face for the first time. “To me, he’s the best.” He wasn’t interested in others, regardless of who they were.
He didn't continue, but the newcomer Zoe responded, “I’ve heard this name a lot. It's making me curious. He must be better than me.”
The group chat buzzed with chatter as members dug up and shared every bit of information and photos related to Amour.
Gu Jinzhi rolled his eyes but still contributed a few more comments.
Zoe responded politely to everyone’s messages, and he replied to each one from Zhizhi Mangmang.
Despite the numerous messages, Zoe’s responses weren’t overly conspicuous. Even knowing that Gu Jinzhi had a poor reputation in the group, he didn’t follow the crowd. He addressed Gu Jinzhi’s sarcastic remarks with a gentle and accommodating tone.
Gu Jinzhi, however, remained oblivious to this, as he had always been the one being tolerated throughout the entire relationship.
It could be said that he was now so unrestrained that he felt he was the embodiment of justice in the world. Whenever he made a mistake, someone would correct him, rather than hate him.
He had never again fretted over the fact that he wasn't genuinely liked for being himself.
After chatting for a bit and finding it uninteresting, Gu Jinzhi disappeared again.
He didn't know that this newcomer was someone he knew in real life. He hadn't paid any attention to the person, and he couldn't even recognize their WeChat ID
Zoe had not added anyone, but some in the group jokingly complained about it. Meanwhile, he had sent a friend request to Gu Jinzhi privately.
“Lin Xu, may I ask you a question?” The speaker, holding workbook, stood anxiously by Lin Xu’s desk.
Everyone in the class knew that Lin Xu had a cold personality and didn't like getting close to people. In the past, they thought he was just a pretty face and had no reason to get close to him. He rarely accepted offers of tutoring because he preferred not to trouble others.
Now that it was known he was a top student who could solve problems that even other top students struggled with, someone decided to try striking up a conversation by asking for help.
Feeling nervous, they thought that Lin Xu’s aloofness might mean he was unwilling to help, which would be quite embarrassing.
“Sure, which problem?” To their surprise, Lin Xu agreed readily.
The person presented the pre-selected problem, moving closer so that they smell his pleasant fragrance. Lin Xu explained the problem in the most understandable way, taking a considerable amount of time.
In the end, whether the person understood or not didn’t matter. What mattered was that this had opened the door, and from then on, Lin Xu’s desk was never empty during breaks.
So, all the students knew that Lin Xu wouldn’t eat snacks if offered, wouldn’t go out and play if invited, but he would always agree to answer questions and never refused to help with small tasks.
He wasn’t arrogant. Deep down, he was a kind person, just someone who had yet to open his heart.
Yue Shan noticed that the desk next to hers was always bustling with visitors. She saw the intense gazes of classmates and his usual aloof profile. At first, she felt uncomfortable. If their grades were nearly the same, she felt she was unworthy of him.
She also worried that as Lin Xu gained popularity among the students, he might develop feelings for someone. No matter how close she was as his deskmate, it wouldn't matter. Feeling helpless, she eventually gave up on the idea.
She believed Lin Xu wouldn’t fall for anyone. In her view, there was no one in the class who was worthy of him.
What she didn’t know was that for Lin Xu, grades and looks were never prerequisites for choosing a partner. He had merely took pity on someone with a tragic fate, and thus found himself entangled in their situation.
After finishing another intense workout and breaking a sweat, Lin Xu opened his phone and checked the messages from Zhizhi first.
Anyway, the other person always treated him like a message board, rambling on and on whether he was around or not. He was like an ancient emperor, saving up all the messages to read at once, then replying one by one.
Lin Xu’s eyelids twitched when he saw one particular message.
Zhizhi Mangmang boasted, “Someone added me today. If I don’t get a reply, I’m going to run away! (peeking.jpg)”
The message was followed by a screenshot of a friend request, with the username Zoe.
Lin Xu sensed something was amiss. After racking his brain, he suddnly realized that Zoe was the name of the original male lead.
He didn’t know the real name or identity of the male lead, only that the early promotional material for the manhua adaptation referred to him as Zoe.
The original story was about a scumbag who reformed. The original male lead was not just a con artist. In fact, he was a natural-born actor.
Due to family issues, he became lost in his pursuit of power, climbing his way up by stepping on the shoulders of one lover after another.
One of his famous lines from the book was, “They all did it willingly. They loved me and couldn't live without me. Does playing with their emotions count as deception?”
It wasn’t until he met the cunning movie emperor and engaged in a battle of wits that he ultimately reformed.
Unfortunately, the damage caused to his exes could never be undone, and Zhizhi Mangmang was bound to be among those most hurt.
The original male lead used his charisma, knowing he was inherently flawed. His candidness and self-interest drew countless admirers, making him the top scoundrel in the book.
The world said, “There are no inherently good people. Everyone has their own selfish desires. Zoe’s exhibition of human greed is extreme but genuine. From his perspective, everyone would be a bad person.”
Lin Xu, however, didn’t care about the male lead’s charisma. He only knew that the person had committed wrongs without facing consequences, deceived many without retribution, and ultimately achieved success and happiness. He had no desire to endorse such values.
Lin Xu himself was born into a prestigious family. He could have chosen to continue the family business, becoming even wealthier from a solid foundation.
Instead, he had become a researcher with a modest salary compared to businessmen, achieving all his accomplishments and projects through his own efforts. As the only child, the family had reluctantly sought a more capable successor for the business.
In his well-established will, Lin Xu had allocated most of his assets to charity.
Now that he was born into an ordinary family and had to worry about money, he didn’t feel disheartened. He believed that the life he wanted could be achieved through diligent effort in the right direction. After all, wasn’t that how most people lived, striving and working hard?
Especially now, with Zhizhi becoming involved, Lin Xu felt a shiver run through him.
So, he focused on the message. “Do not agree!”
He then went back to review the group messages and muttered, “You talked to him five times in the group today… I’ll keep a close eye on the group chat from now on.” Lin Xu pursed his lips, attempting to sound stern, since Zhizhi loved to join the fray.
However, Lin Xu wouldn’t forcefully prohibit Gu Jinzhi from participating in the group chat. In his view, respecting one’s partner was essential.
Gu Jinzhi didn’t expect such a strong reaction. It seemed Lin Xu was really working overtime. He was like a sloth belatedly coming to awareness.
He happily took a few more mouthful of rice.
“What? I was just talking to myself.” Who knew the newcomer was so funny, responding to all his comments. Didn't he know he had a partner?
“Are you done with work?”
Lin Xu had just finished drying his hair and felt a slight ache in his abs. He replied tersely, “Yes.”
“Did you see how the group members are all favoring the newcomer? You’ll have no standing in the group from now on!”
“It’s fine. I don’t care about them.”
So, did that mean he cared about him? Gu Jinzhi touched his slightly flushed face.
He really shouldn’t let a simple trick get to him like this! It wasn’t like this before.
“Oh~” he responded softly.
Gu Jinzhi suddenly thought that abs weren’t everything. He didn’t even like abs anymore~~~