E-Scum Gong Chapter 2
Translated by Q the Panda (ko-fi)
Chapter 2
Amour and Zhizhi Mangmang, the newly-formed couple in the group chat, sparked a heated discussion. After all, Amour was famously the most appetizing dish in the group.
This group had high entry standards. One couldn't join without impressive looks or a notable family background. It was truly a high-quality social circle, to say the least.
Amour stood out primarily because of his appearance.
In a group where the ratio was skewed with far more 0s than 1s, the number of truly good-looking 1s was even smaller.
Although Amour's features weren't perfect in photos, when combined, he could be considered a handsome man. Besides, Amour was a master at flirting. Models and photographers alike in the group had been charmed by him, some even proposing to take private photos of him.
Of course, their deeper motivation naturally leaned towards casual fling.
In short, many people craved him.
He had never agreed to any of them, which only made them more excited and eager.
Everyone came from all over the country, and making friends through the screen naturally allowed the original Lin Xu to deceive them. Who would have guessed that the rich second-generation they believed him to be was actually a freeloading phoenix man still in school?
Zhizhi Mangmang was a newcomer to the group, so everyone didn't know much about him. The photos he posted were blurry, and being a 0, he didn't attract much enthusiasm.
And among the clients of Lin Xu's father, there were quite a few wealthy individuals. So, he keenly identified Zhizhi Mangmang as a genuine rich second-generation heir, far beyond any group member could compare to.
This was the first time the original Lin Xu had taken action. A few days ago, when Zhizhi Mangmang clashed with other members in the group, Amour unexpectedly came to Zhizhi Mangmang's rescue. During a cp game event, he even took the initiative to mention Zhizhi Mangmang's name, hoping to be given a chance.
In such a small circle, social status and class were magnified infinitely. It was baffling to everyone that Amour, the number one heartthrob at the top of the food chain, had developed deep feelings for the unremarkable Zhizhi Mangmang. This caused much confusion and jealousy among the group.
It should be noted that although Amour often spoke flirtatiously in chats, he had never publicly expressed his affection before. This was the first time he did so, and for Zhizhi Mangmang of all people.
Just like that, Amour and Zhizhi Mangmang became a couple. Zhizhi Mangmang didn't refuse at the time, perhaps he was also moved by Amour.
Of course, the group members eagerly waited for the couple to break up. Such a dominant and resolute bachelor, who didn't crave him even more now?
One afternoon, Gu Jinzhi called Lin Xu more than ten times, but not one call was answered. His mood gradually became irritated, the tear-shaped mole at the end of his flushed eyes becoming more vivid.
He had an inexplicable charm about him, with a small, pointed face and a tiny tiger-toothed smile. His peach blossom eyes slightly tilted upwards, their clarity resembling jewels from the depths of the sea.
However, these were just appearances. Gu Jinzhi had a first-rate family background, top-notch looks, but a piss-poor temper. He was adept at offending people, a perfect cannon fodder character in any novel.
This young master, without any life pressures, grew tired of racing and nightclubs. Handsome men in the clubs no longer interested him. Instead, his thoughts were superficially drawn to his current "boyfriend," although his emotions were more like anger.
Gu Jinzhi was gay, 24 years old this year, and had yet to experience romance.
Naturally, as the young master of the Gu family, he had no shortage of suitors in the capital's social circles. Countless men desired him. If he couldn't find a quality partner, then other gay men didn't have to live. For him, good looks were hardly a distinguishing feature.
With an older brother set to inherit the family business, Gu Jinzhi was raised in pampered luxury, a second-generation idler with no ambitions to speak of. His ideas were either naive or foolish, it was really hard to say.
Faced with numerous admirers, he couldn't distinguish genuine affection from feigned interest, so he simply chose to ignore them all.
Gu Jinzhi couldn't tolerate being used. His aversion to emotional manipulation was severe.
Fortunately, a few could still endure him for long.
Possessing the temperament of a young master, he was impatient and quick to ridicule anyone with moral or character flaws. Someone with even a minor blemish in their past would find themselves stripped of dignity in his presence.
Thus, those who sought to climb the social ladder, whether for money or genuine interest, couldn't keep up the facade for long.
Objectively speaking, Gu Jinzhi wasn't very popular with the 1s. They would rather have someone less attractive but with gentler personalities, which was much more comforting.
However, deep down, he harbored fantasies about his future partner. He longed for someone he genuinely liked and who would devote himself entirely to him.
Gu Jinzhi's older brother, understanding his simple-minded nature, was worried about him being deceived. Therefore, he meticulously screened anyone trying to get close to his younger brother, ensuring no opportunistic phoenix men could ever approach Gu Jinzhi.
He knew those individuals harbored deep resentment towards Gu Jinzhi yet were adept at concealing it. However, Gu Jinzhi was straightforward. Once betrayed, he would sever all emotional ties completely. Such individuals would surely find themselves drained dry emotionally, unable to turn back even if they crashed against a wall of truth.
Never in a million years did he expect Gu Jinzhi to accidentally stumble upon a gay dating group. The so-called "high-quality dating circle" was utterly laughable to someone of his caliber.
Nonetheless, Gu Jinzhi found this new world exceptionally novel.
He was curious about the lives of his fellow group members and quite active himself. As expected, his blunt and outspoken nature inevitably offended many, but he didn't particularly like them either.
Every day, he was as angry as a tyrannosaurus rex, muttering things like, "Damn, this idiot is so pretentious," or "He's so greasy he can be used for cooking. They actually find this attractive? They're really not picky..."
Yet, at the same time, he firmly planted himself like a household nail, rolling his eyes at whatever antics they could pull. It could be said that Gu Jinzhi's life was just too boring.
Initially, Gu Jinzhi felt nothing towards the group's most appetizing 1. The things he flaunted seemed mundane to Gu Jinzhi, not worthy of his attention.
It was only after Amour stood up for him in a confrontation with other group members that Gu Jinzhi began to take slight notice of him.
Although he prided himself on never losing an argument, there was something strangely intriguing about being protected by another man. Despite feeling that Amour was a bit greasy, Gu Jinzhi refrained from speaking out of turn and potentially offending him.
As the cp game event progressed, he agreed to partner with Amour.
However, after a few days had passed, Gu Jinzhi had accumulated disappointment with this heavenly dish. He saw through the other person’s boastful claims about his family background, realizing early on that it was nothing but a sham. He was just good at empty flatteries, and like Gu Jinzhi, he lacked substance. In terms of looks, he was just average.
It was only out of boredom that he continued playing this game, casually spending tens of thousands on the other side. After all, it was just pocket money to him.
All this time, Amour had been very enthusiastic towards him, always responding instantly. Today, however, he left him hanging for the entire afternoon.
Gu Jinzhi couldn't help but feel that Amour had a narrow view of things — was a few thousand enough to satisfy him?
His anger was genuine. He detested these cunning scumbags with the most obvious intentions. Little did he expect that Lin Xu hadn't answered his phone all afternoon because he was in class.
His school was actually quite liberal, and no one would say anything if they caught someone playing with their phone secretly. However, Lin Xu himself was very principled and would never slack off during class. He even planned to leave his phone at home on weekdays in the future.
Moreover, he felt ashamed about his online relationship with Zhizhi Mangmang. He wanted to dodge reality like an ostrich. Lin Xu wasn't ready to accept the fact that he had an online partner.
Lin Xu's appearance in the international class went unnoticed. In their eyes, he was invisible. They each had their own social circles, some based on status, others on popularity.
Lin Xu belonged to neither group.
No one noticed that he unusually paid attention in class all afternoon. Who cared about him anyway?
Lin Xu enjoyed the quiet leisure, feeling relieved that the original Lin Xu didn't have good social skills. Otherwise, he might have messed things up.
Shouldering his backpack as he left the school gate, he had to face reality with a melancholy expression and reluctantly turned on his phone.
The auntie at the restaurant near the school gate saw him standing there for a while and asked, "Want some spicy hot pot, kid?"
Lin Xu hadn't eaten a proper lunch and was feeling a bit hungry. He looked at the crowded tables and felt conflicted. But thinking it would be fine to take it home, he nodded, picked out some dishes, and said, "Not spicy, please."
As a paragon of self-discipline, Lin Xu rarely indulged in his appetite. He avoided oily and salty foods that others enjoyed.
The auntie hesitated for a moment, feeling a bit conflicted. Eventually, she turned to the kitchen staff and said in her dialect, "Give him a boiled vegetable dish."
Lin Xu didn't understand and remained oblivious, but the students dining in the restaurant burst into laughter.
Lin Xu sensed that they were laughing at him. His expression didn't change, but he felt a bit uneasy standing there.
However, their teasing was good-natured. One bold male student even approached him with a smile and asked, "Can I have your WeChat?"
After a moment of bewilderment, Lin Xu realized the student was asking him and had been asking several times.
In the end, the student even cautiously asked, "Do you not accept same-sex advances?"
Lin Xu shook his head. He was currently apprehensive about anything related to being gay. In the eyes of others, he politely declined.
After receiving his boiled vegetable dish, Lin Xu pursed his lips and hurried away, while the auntie warmly called out, "Come again next time, student, I'll remember you!"
Lin Xu quickened his pace a bit.
Meanwhile, the people in the restaurant chatted among themselves. "That guy just now seemed so aloof, but he's quite good-looking. Wonder what year he's in."
After the brief episode, Lin Xu finally unlocked his phone and was startled by the screen filled with missed calls.
This was a level of attention he had never experienced in his previous life.
He remembered that the avatar belonged to Zhizhi Mangmang's WeChat account — although the cat's grumpy little face looked rather fierce, it was strangely cute.
Lin Xu pursed his lips and thought again about Zhizhi Mangmang, his face showing a hint of difficulty in dealing with how clingy the other person was.
He didn't know what to do now and didn't dare mention breaking up. After all, he hadn't recalled everything yet and didn't know what progress the original Lin Xu had made. He didn't want to inadvertently hurt him in his haste.
When another call came in, he reluctantly answered, his heart pounding hard. This feeling of reporting to a boyfriend was something entirely new to him, despite the strange circumstances of their relationship.
"Hello?" The voice on the other end of the line also sounded a bit surprised, both at the fact that the call had finally gone through and because it was their first voice call.
Unable to see the person, Lin Xu found himself getting lost by the voice alone. It was surprisingly sweet, like a gurgling spring, but also a bit fiery.
Lin Xu paused for a moment before awkwardly responding with a hesitant "Mm."
He didn't know what to say next. In fact, his throat felt tight and constrained.
His naturally advantageous voice made him sound composed, with its clear, slightly magnetic tone, a stark contrast to his usual greasiness online.
"Hey, you ignored me all afternoon," Gu Jinzhi took the initiative to complain. Knowing he wasn't particularly popular, he decided to put on a bit of a show, especially since this was his first attempt at online dating. But in his anger, Gu Jinzhi's rising voice betrayed any attempt at pretense.
After all, they were supposed to be a cp now. Didn't Amour like him? Why make such a fuss over a trivial matter?
Wouldn't it be embarrassing to break up prematurely?
Thinking about how those 0s might mock him in the group chat, Gu Jinzhi's teeth itched with anger. But simply leaving the group wasn't his style. It would seem like he was fleeing in disgrace.
Lin Xu's mind short-circuited for a moment, then he remembered that Zhizhi Mangmang had claimed to be a 20-year-old male college student. He explained dryly, "I thought you were in class, so I turned off my phone during work."
His tone was friendly, and he spoke slowly and calmly, showing no sign of annoyance at being questioned.
The other person's voice felt like a cool breeze, involuntarily calming Gu Jinzhi's temper a bit.
His mind short-circuited as well, clearly just realizing this detail now.
What male college student? He had graduated years ago. At the time, he had heard that people liked sweet college boys, so he had slightly concealed his age. He had almost forgotten about it.
He could only awkwardly explain, "I called you from the bathroom during class. My legs were numb standing there. Who knew where you had disappeared to." As he spoke, he bolstered himself up. In his version, he had sacrificed too much.
However, feeling a bit guilty, Gu Jinzhi had already calmed down, his voice now tinged with a hint of remorse.
Lin Xu had originally planned to quickly end the call, but hearing this made him feel a bit awkward. Succumbing to his professional habits, he couldn't help but add, "Skipping class isn't right."
He had been a lecturer once, but found it unsuitable due to the frequent interaction with many students, so he abandoned that path.
Listening to the complaints of the young man on the other end, he couldn't help but think of his own students who used to skip his classes. He felt somewhat helpless.
Gu Jinzhi: ......
To be honest, he had skipped classes for four years. He hadn't expected that years after graduating, the ghost of a dead teacher would come back to lecture him. However, the person on the other end was older despite his youthful voice, so it was normal for him to be preachy.
Gu Jinzhi, feeling a bit irrational at the moment, retorted stubbornly, "Who told you to ignore me?"
Faced with Gu Jinzhi's unreasonable complaints, Lin Xu was momentarily at a loss for words. "Then... I won't do it again in the future."
"Oh." Gu Jinzhi's voice softened a bit.
He was the type who responded better to gentleness than harshness. Now feeling oddly tingly inside, he found online dating quite intriguing.
His voice was pleasant to the ears, too.
He started to view Amour in a slightly different light.
After hanging up, Gu Jinzhi stood there dumbfounded for a moment, then suddenly came to his senses and cursed under his breath, "Damn, I almost blew my cover."
Was he going to have to pretend to be a college student from now on?
Damn it, was he also going to become the kind of pretentious 0 he hated the most?!
Gu Jinzhi felt an itch in his fists, tempted to punch himself.
