E-Scum Gong Chapter 26
Translated by Q the Panda (ko-fi)
Chapter 26
After the second mock exam, the atmosphere grew increasingly tense. Countless test papers were flying around the classroom. Even Lin Xu, who had a bit of OCD, would need some time to organize the papers.
Occasionally, the roar of a plane passing over the teaching building would startle the deeply focused students like a frightened bird.
Lin Xu was the only person in the class who seemed calm and composed. Although he didn't write any less than the others, there seemed to be no sign of his youth passing hurriedly due to pressure.
“At this critical moment, you can be a little selfish,” Yue Shan gently reminded him after seeing one student after another occupying Lin Xu's desk.
She couldn't bear to see the originally bright and promising young man fail in the college entrance examination for such a selfless act.
“It’s fine. It's actually a good opportunity for me to fill in my gaps,” Lin Xu replied with a slight smile.
“Don’t you have one question that you’re still struggling with? Have you figured it out?” Lin Xu asked her.
He was indeed doing his best to assist his classmates.
As for Yue Shan’s concerns, Lin Xu had never considered them. He approached his tasks methodically, always making choices within his capacity to ensure the best outcome.
In other words, Lin Xu, who reviewed step by step, had no worries about his college entrance exam and had never experienced exam anxiety.
It was just that occasionally, when he was supposed to be focused, his mind wandered to other things, such as the silent chat window with Zhizhi from the night before.
He wasn’t used to it and couldn’t figure out why someone so enthusiastic would suddenly lose their zeal. Maybe something had come up.
Another message came in. Lin Xu glanced at his phone out of habit, only to see it was from Mao Jun.
They didn't often contact each other, but there was a natural brotherhood between them.
“Lin-ge, Zixuan and I are together now. When you’re free, let’s grab a meal (grinning face).”
Lin Xu couldn’t help but smile. He used to not understand why being in a relationship was such a big deal, but now he could immediately sense the joy in Mao Jun’s message and was happy for him.
“Um… just a coffee will do,” Lin Xu suggested. It was near the school and not far. Besides, as students, neither he nor Mao Jun had much to spare, so he didn’t want to burden him with an expensive meal.
“No way, let’s go for hotpot!”
Lin Xu found an excuse. “The college entrance exam is coming up, so I’m quite busy.”
They agreed to meet at a coffee shop on the weekend instead, where Lin Xu could catch up on what had been happening with them.
While he returned to diligently working through one test paper after another, Gu Jinzhi had been battling a headache in the office all morning.
The hangover the next day was f*cking miserable. Gu Jinzhi felt like his head was going to explode. When Xu Zhou dropped him off at the hotel last night, he fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow, only to oversleep and be late this morning.
He decided to close his eyes and lie on the sofa for a few hours, taking a long time to recover before getting into work mode.
In addition, the memories of last night kept attacking Gu Jinzhi's mind, causing him to occasionally make a hideous face and scrunch up his little face.
He was so drunk last night that he kept shouting at Xu Zhou, "I'm going to find him!"
“Find who?”
“My boyfriend!”
“Stop making a scene. There are other people around.”
“I don’t care, don’t stop me! Or I’ll smash your head.”
“Fine, go ahead, go ahead. You’re the best.”
Damn, what a disgrace. Gu Jinzhi thought about it all morning, feeling too embarrassed to talk to Lin Xu. He was feeling guilty.
It wasn’t until his assistant came to confirm some details with him that Gu Jinzhi finally straightened up and sat properly.
“General Manager, regarding the Jiang City project you mentioned last time, Manager Liu, the person in charge, will be going on a business trip soon. Do you have any other instructions?”
Normally, there was no need to ask Gu Jinzhi about such a small matter, but Gu Jinzhi had mentioned it to her last time, so as his assistant, she naturally made a note of it.
Gu Jinzhi frowned, fiddling with the pen in the pen holder. After a moment of hesitation, he waved his hand dismissively. “No opinions. Just handle it as you see fit.”
Now that he was sober, he naturally wouldn’t do anything reckless. Besides, he couldn’t risk exposing his identity, and even if he went, it would be pointless. Moreover, if that brat Xu Zhou found out he actually went looking for his online boyfriend, he would probably die laughing at him.
Second Young Master Gu wouldn’t do embarrassing things.
After muddling through a day of work, his older brother called him home for dinner. Although his online romance had caused some unpleasantness, he couldn’t stay in the hotel forever. So, Gu Jinzhi went home for dinner as expected.
However, upon arriving home, he found not only his older brother at the dining table but also his high school cousin and grandmother, who had come to visit.
“Grandma, why are you here?” Gu Jinzhi asked curiously as he removed his suit. It wasn’t even a holiday or special occasion.
His cousin was a high school sophomore with a decent workload and a sharp tongue. They used to bicker often.
This reflected just how childish Gu Jinzhi could be.
“Gu Qi-ge invited us for dinner. I heard he’s hired a chef from a five-star hotel, so I decided to come,” Xi Han said with a bright smile. The young girl seemed very lively.
His grandmother, a very kind and gentle old lady, also nodded with a smile.
“Then, Grandma, please sit next to me. It’s been a while since I’ve seen you.” Gu Jinzhi guided his grandmother to a seat next to him, facing his cousin.
He looked natural, clearly unaware of what was about to happen.
Once all the dishes were served, the brothers forgot their previous quarrel. Gu Jinzhi set aside his irritation and enjoyed his meal immensely.
Then his cousin began to criticize him while smacking her lips. “Ge, I heard that you’re in an online relationship?”
Gu Jinzhi choked, his face turning beet red. After a moment of recovery, he glared at his older brother.
“Why did you tell her?” It was rather embarrassing to be caught up in an online romance at his twenties, especially for Gu Jinzhi who cared a lot about his image. Plus, Xi Han had always been quick to tease him.
“Well, isn’t that what you did? Hmm?” Gu Qi continued to eat leisurely, looking innocent.
“Ge, let me tell you, our teacher recently warned us not to trust online scammers. Have you heard of pig butchering scam?” Xi Han lectured him with a condescending air.
Gu Jinzhi was mortified, feeling a bit irritated with his older brother again.
His grandmother, who was also present, asked with curiosity, “Hanhan, what is an online relationship?”
Gu Jinzhi's ears turned red. He could no longer eat a bite of food. He snorted coldly and went straight back to his room. He was so annoyed with his older brother for pulling this stunt.
That night, Gu Jinzhi lay on his bed, playing with his phone. He finally overcame his embarrassment and reached out to his boyfriend, who was now off work and available.
After chatting for a few minutes, Gu Jinzhi already felt much better, his feet occasionally swinging with a lighter mood.
“Chatting with your online boyfriend again?” came a sudden question from behind.
Gu Jinzhi nearly fell off the bed in shock, then saw his older brother standing in the doorway.
“Ge, why didn’t you knock?” Gu Jinzhi stood up, furious, as he turned off the screen.
“Still not thinking of breaking up? Friends and family will find out soon enough,” Gu Qi said slowly, having gone to great lengths to prevent his younger brother from being scammed.
“No!” Gu Jinzhi scowled with a pout.
“Aren't you most afraid of losing face?” Gu Qi, surprised, dropped his teasing tone, not expecting Gu Jinzhi to be so serious this time.
“So what if I lose face?” Gu Jinzhi had no good comeback. He just wasn’t willing to end the relationship.
“Aren’t you worried about being scammed?”
“Ge, we haven’t even met in person. What could he gain? He doesn’t even know what I look like,” Gu Jinzhi muttered. His partner wasn’t the kind of person who would take advantage, and he wanted the chance to understand him better.
“If you two never see each other for the rest of your lives, I won't agree,” Gu Qi said seriously, no longer joking. He didn't approve of his younger brother dating some nameless nobody.
“Don’t worry, I’m not that naive,” Gu Jinzhi said, pushing him out of the room.
“Remember to knock next time you come into my room, ge,” Gu Jinzhi warned him with a fake smile before slamming the door shut.
From now on, he would definitely remember to lock the door.
However, being discovered by his family was really annoying, especially since they kept reminding him not to be deceived. It made Gu Jinzhi constantly think about the reality of their situation. Was he supposed to chat forever without ever meeting?
Even if his partner turned out to be a scammer, it would still be better than an empty fantasy.
Although being pressured to break up while at home was irritating, Gu Jinzhi remained rational. He wasn’t about to rush into meeting in person. He wasn’t that naive.
Gu Jinzhi picked up his phone again. He had rambled on about trivial things earlier, and soon, Amour replied to him one by one, asking him what he had eaten for dinner.
Because Gu Jinzhi loved talking about food and had a big appetite.
His heart softened once more.
“I had lobster and seafood porridge…” Gu Jinzhi chatted enthusiastically. Even though the dinner at home had been unpleasant, he had enjoyed his meal.
He absentmindedly touched his waist. Since becoming a working adult, sitting for long periods and eating a lot, he felt that the flesh around his waist had softened a bit. It used to be firm and fit.
Feeling a bit down, he happened to scroll through a group chat and saw Zoe showing off his abs again. As a trainee, his muscles were well-defined from practice, giving him an impressive, explosive look.
Although the general tone in the group had shifted, some people still admired his physique.
Gu Jinzhi just thought his pose was a bit deliberate, and because he hadn't even wiped off his sweat, it looked kind of greasy. Zoe’s darker skin and muscular build weren’t really to his taste, especially since he had labeled Zoe as a sleazy guy.
He didn’t mind being muscular himself, but he couldn’t stand it in others. Gu Jinzhi’s inherent competitive nature made him dislike the bull-like men. They just made him uncomfortable, and he’d rather start a fight than accept them, especially since many men exhibited some degree of male chauvinism.
However, if it were his own partner, he might reluctantly tolerate it.
Gu Jinzhi sighed and casually messaged, “Gege, I’d like to see your abs too.”
He suspected there might not be any, given that his partner had avoided the topic before. But if not, so be it. Maintaining a good physique was hard enough as a working adult. He was a high-level office worker and was already slacking off, so he didn’t want to make things difficult for his partner.
“Okay,” came the brief response.
WTF?
Gu Jinzhi’s eyes widened in surprise. Really?
He quickly replied, “Hold on a moment, gege.”
He jumped out of bed to double-check if the door was really locked. His older brother wouldn’t barge in again, would he? He felt a bit guilty since it was something special. He decided to burrow under the covers, leaving no gaps.
Gu Jinzhi's forehead was a little sweaty, his heart pounding loudly in the dark, stuffy blanket. “Okay, gege!” he said, not even blinking.
On the other side, Lin Xu was taken aback by Gu Jinzhi’s sudden request but quickly regained his composure. After all, he really had the abs now.
It was just a bit embarrassing to think about taking a photo, especially since he was still in his school uniform.
Lin Xu cautiously rolled up the hem of his shirt, making sure only his waist and abs were visible. Nervously, he snapped a quick photo and sent it over, avoiding the urge to open and view it himself.
He figured Gu Jinzhi might have been reminded of this request because of Zoe’s latest display of his physique in the group.
Lin Xu wasn't sure what kind of body Gu Jinzhi liked, so he felt a bit uneasy.
After sending the photo, Lin Xu bit his lip and added, “I might not have worked out enough, so don’t mind if it’s not great.” Although he had put in effort, the time spent building his abs was relatively short.
He was prepared for any reaction from Gu Jinzhi. If it wasn’t to his liking, he could always avoid looking at it in the future, and there would be no need for him to feel embarrassed.
When Gu Jinzhi saw the photo, his eyelids trembled. He carefully zoomed in and, sure enough, Lin Xu’s abs were remarkably well-defined. His entire waist looked lean and powerful, with no excess fat. The muscle lines were smooth and aesthetically pleasing, and his abs were firm and glistening.
If he were sweating from exercise, it would probably be as crystal clear as droplets of water.
This soft yet firm texture was very intriguing. It felt like it would be hard and bouncy if he poked it.
From now on, this would be an even greater quality of his boyfriend over being serious at work! He couldn’t help but beam. Amour hadn’t lied to him — his boyfriend really did have abs.
“Gege, can you take a few more pictures from different angles?” Gu Jinzhi typed urgently, eager to see more details.
Lin Xu felt a bit embarrassed but complied.
Gu Jinzhi scrutinized the new set of photos, swiping back and forth as if conducting an analysis. They looked like works of art, almost like intricately carved jade statues.
He had the urge to touch them.
“Gege, have you shown these to anyone else?” Gu Jinzhi suddenly asked. Everyone likes to show off a great physique, but the thought of others seeing it made him feel a bit uneasy.
If these photos were shared in the group chat for everyone to admire, Gu Jinzhi would feel quite uncomfortable, especially since he had been secretly looking at them himself.
“No, I’ve only sent them to you. Zhizhi, make sure to delete them after you’re done and don’t share them with anyone else,” Lin Xu replied bashfully. He had just started working on his abs.
Besides, sending photos of his abs to outsiders felt really awkward — just thinking about it made him cringe.
Lin Xu was worried that Gu Jinzhi might think the photos weren’t up to par.
But Gu Jinzhi was thrilled. He secretly saved the images as private, his mind buzzing and his face feeling uncomfortably warm.
“I’m not deleting them. Don’t I have the right?” he asked, touching his tingling mole, his eyes raised at the corners.
Lin Xu felt helpless. He was the one who worked hard to build those abs, but he seldom argued with Gu Jinzhi. “You do.”
“Then do I have the right to ask you to send them every day?” Gu Jinzhi asked, playfully lifting his foot in the air.
“Yes, you do,” Lin Xu admitted, feeling increasingly embarrassed.
What about the right to… touch them?
The thought flashed through Gu Jinzhi’s mind. He threw off the covers, taking deep breaths of fresh air. His heart raced with a strange excitement he’d never experienced before.
As his thoughts continued to simmer, Gu Jinzhi bit his lip and, in the dead of night, impulsively messaged his assistant. “I’ll take over that project. Pack up and come with me to Jiang City. Book the flight.”
He needed to escape his older brother’s nagging, really. He was most afraid of being pestered.
