E-Scum Gong Chapter 27
Translated by Q the Panda (ko-fi)
Chapter 27
The assistant had just followed Gu Jinzhi into the hotel and finished settling down with all the luggage. She thought she could finally enjoy a good rest for the day, but to her dismay, she was summoned by a phone call.
It wasn't anything major. Her boss just wanted to go out for a stroll.
She was practically ashen-faced, but the thought of the generous overtime pay she would get at the end of the month, and the luxurious riverside apartment that she might never be able to afford in her lifetime, reignited her motivation!
In April and May, the weather in Jiang City was pleasantly warm. Some people were even donning their summer clothes. Unlike the dry northern regions, Jiang City felt like a fresh, youthful poplar tree, exuding a lively and charming atmosphere.
As a province known for its high college entrance exam rates and rich literary culture, Jiang City was always bustling with students in their uniforms on weekends. They could be seen going to the library or attending cram schools.
"General Manager, where are we going?" she asked. They had hurriedly met with the local person in charge at the hotel earlier that morning, so there shouldn't be any work matters left to handle.
Gu Jinzhi, dressed in a well-fitted black suit, with his strikingly handsome and almost ethereal features, leaned lazily against the hotel entrance, looking like he had a deep plan.
In reality, Gu Jinzhi was also in a state of bewilderment.
He had impulsively booked a flight while looking at his boyfriend's abs. Now that his work was gradually being handed over and getting on track, he realized he'd be staying here for a while.
However, his initial impulse wasn't about finding a new city to work in.
But in such a vast city, where could he find anyone? He couldn't just go up to Amour and tell him that he wasn't a student but a working adult who had come looking for him.
Wouldn't that make him look like an idiot? If Amour found out his age, he might get blocked immediately.
Besides, finding someone wasn't his only reason for coming here. Avoiding his older brother was also a part of it.
In short, he needed to plan carefully.
Seeing the assistant’s bewildered expression, Gu Jinzhi cleared his throat and said, "Let's go to the Wish Café and experience the local culture."
The mention of "experiencing the local culture" made the assistant think her boss was just making things up on the spot. But at least it wasn't work.
Besides, she had a feeling her boss had a specific purpose. She had just arrived and had no idea where this Wish Café was. It didn’t sound like a famous chain.
So, the assistant got into Gu Jinzhi’s Maserati and silently watched him fumble with the navigation for a while before finally locating the small coffee shop.
Gu Jinzhi's thinking was straightforward: since Amour had given him this address, it meant he was likely nearby or frequented that coffee shop. He decided to just drop by.
Who knows? He might get lucky!
Sitting in the luxury car, the assistant felt quite satisfied with this business trip. Although her boss was somewhat unreliable, she liked him. But going to a coffee shop in a suit on the weekend seemed a bit out of place. Was the boss in such a hurry that he didn't think to change clothes?
After parking the car, Gu Jinzhi stepped out in his polished leather shoes and scanned the sign of the coffee shop. Satisfied that they had arrived at the right place, he signaled for his assistant to follow.
The street was filled with high school students, their faces youthful and fresh. It was no exaggeration to say that almost everyone was in their teenage years.
As they entered the coffee shop, they immediately drew curious glances, especially Gu Jinzhi, who looked like a dashing CEO straight out of a drama show.
The assistant felt a bit embarrassed, as if they had stumbled into another world. But her boss seemed completely at ease, boldly choosing a table by the window.
"Sit down," Gu Jinzhi said, adjusting his collar. He relaxed into the chair, propping his leg on his opposite knee and occasionally glancing out the window, a hint of confusion in his eyes as he noticed the coffee shop was filled with teenagers.
"What would you like to drink, boss?" The assistant, still in work mode, took the initiative to place the order.
"Um... an iced Americano," Gu Jinzhi said, resting his chin on his hand. But just as he finished, he hesitated and called out to stop the order.
"Wait, make it an iced coconut latte instead." Even though was a successful businessman, he didn’t like bitter drinks.
After the order was placed, the assistant returned to her seat, stifling a smile at her boss' seemingly mature and composed demeanor. No one would have guessed that his WeChat avatar was of a cat.
"Xiao Liu, do you know if there are any companies around here?" Gu Jinzhi suddenly leaned closer to her, his expression turning serious as he whispered the question.
The assistant was taken aback. How was she supposed to know?
"General Manager, this area seems to be a university district. I saw several universities on the way here, and the school across the street is Jiang University Affiliated High School," she offered, trying to be helpful but realizing it wasn’t much.
"You think I didn’t notice that?" Gu Jinzhi said with a frown, glancing at the students in their uniforms still studying in the coffee shop.
He wasn’t clueless.
"It must be a small company," Gu Jinzhi continued, rubbing his chin and talking to himself. "There aren’t any office buildings around here."
He felt sorry for his boyfriend again. No wonder he had such a heartless boss — this company seemed far from impressive.
Finally, the coffee was ready. The assistant brought it over, placing the coconut latte in front of Gu Jinzhi.
Gu Jinzhi’s face softened into a smile. After inserting the straw and taking a large sip, his entire expression relaxed.
A group of students nearby began whispering among themselves. "Hey, did you see? The Maserati outside is his."
"He looks just like the CEOs on TV — young, rich, and so handsome."
Gu Jinzhi didn’t notice the murmurs. He decided to wait a bit longer.
Suddenly, three more students entered the coffee shop. One of them was wearing a school uniform and carrying a backpack, while the other two looked more fashionable.
“It’s the weekend, isn’t it? Why still carry a backpack?” Mao Jun said as he draped his coat over a chair and sat down not far from Gu Jinzhi.
“I’m heading to the library later,” Lin Xu replied with a smile as he took his seat.
He soon noticed a somewhat out-of-place figure in the coffee shop. Instinctively, he glanced over and locked eyes with the person.
Lin Xu quickly looked away, sensing a palpable aura of authority emanating from the individual. The man seemed like a successful businessman. The way he sat was slightly domineering.
“Wow, General Manager, I think that guy is really handsome. We should recruit him as a trainee.” Although the assistant was somewhat immune to good looks, she was still stunned when she saw Lin Xu.
Or rather, she'd been drawn to him since the moment he walked in, and she wasn't the only one.
Even among the students in their uniforms, he stood out.
“Tsk, when did you plan on switching careers to become a talent scout?” Gu Jinzhi said, shifting his gaze casually.
While he admitted that the student was good-looking, fair-skinned, and had a certain pure charm even in a school uniform, it didn’t concern him. He wasn’t particularly into looks. He just had a strange feeling that the student looked familiar.
“What will you have?” Mao Jun asked.
“I’ll take an Americano, just at room temperature,” Lin Xu replied.
He wasn’t much of a coffee drinker and found the cold version a bit too sharp.
“Alright, and Zixuan will have her usual, right?” Mao Jun said affectionately to his girlfriend.
“They’re a couple.” The assistant started gossiping out of boredom. Given their close proximity, it was hard not to overhear.
“Boring,” Gu Jinzhi replied, sipping his coconut latte while picking up his phone to check for nearby companies on the map.
“Lin Xu, I’ve got to tell you, a lot has been happening recently,” Yang Zixuan said with interest.
If she weren’t already in a relationship, she would definitely have a thing for guys like Lin Xu.
“Mm.” Lin Xu listened.
Gu Jinzhi whispered to his assistant, “I remember now. He’s the student who gave that speech at the high school.” No wonder he looked so familiar.
He felt a bit pleased. If the people in the group chat knew he was seeing the guy in real time, they’d probably go crazy.
But unfortunately, Gu Jinzhi still thought his boyfriend was the best.
Even though his boyfriend was ordinary in appearance, had an average job, and was getting on in years... he couldn’t immediately think of any objective qualities.
But his boyfriend had abs! And Gu Jinzhi was always going to defend him.
“Didn’t you say it's boring?” the assistant muttered quietly, feeling a bit nosy but still enjoying watching the handsome high school student.
“You know, when your speech video went viral, He Xin and his friends were so jealous that they’ve been badmouthing you all over school. But no one pays them any attention. Mao Jun and I stopped hanging out with them a long time ago. Many of our classmates know we’re connected. They keep flattering me for your contact information, but I haven’t given it out,” Yang Zixuan recalled with a laugh.
He Xin and his minions, who used to belittle Lin Xu and take advantage of him, were now feeling uncomfortable. Lin Xu had become someone they couldn’t reach, a top student far beyond their league. Meanwhile, He Xin and his friends continued getting into fights every day.
“Don’t worry about them, and you don’t have to defend me,” Lin Xu said, shaking his head. He was actually quite concerned that Mao Jun and Yang Zixuan would be bullied at school because of him.
“We know. We’re all planning to go to university, and He Xin knows this situation can’t continue,” Yang Zixuan said with a glance at Mao Jun, smiling.
“If you need any help, you can reach out to me,” Lin Xu offered, pleased that they could still focus on their studies.
“Lin-ge, aren’t you about to take the college entrance exam? This is a critical time,” Mao Jun said, shaking his head. He wouldn’t let his brother’s future be jeopardized, especially now that he knew how well Lin Xu was doing.
“It’s fine. Just come to me if you need anything,” Lin Xu said firmly.
“He’s such a nice guy. Really a great young man,” the assistant said with a hint of admiration. She noticed that, despite the other two students likely coming from less prestigious schools, Lin Xu spoke only with encouragement and never with disdain.
“He is quite nice,” Gu Jinzhi agreed. Moreover, Lin Xu’s voice was pleasant, just like his boyfriend’s.
“By the way, Lin-ge, how’s your partner? Are you still together?” Mao Jun asked with curiosity.
Every time this topic came up, Lin Xu would feel a bit shy, especially since there had been... recent developments in their relationship that made him feel quite embarrassed.
“Mm,” Lin Xu nodded.
“Do you plan to be together after the college entrance exam? I mean, I’m just worried because he’s older and has more experience. What if he’s just playing with your feelings?” Mao Jun was surprised but considered that online relationships sometimes do work out in real life.
“I haven’t thought that far ahead,” Lin Xu admitted. At this point, he couldn’t bring himself to be definitive.
Initially, he just wanted to make sure that Zhizhi wasn’t falling for a scumbag. He wasn’t sure what the future held. However, the thought of meeting in person, with Zhizhi saying those things to him face-to-face, filled Lin Xu with embarrassment and reluctance.
In real life, he might actually be afraid of a social butterfly like Zhizhi. He was not ready for a real romantic relationship.
For now, he decided to wait until Zhizhi was completely immune to Zoe's charms.
“He’s not single... Oh, it’s so painful,” the assistant said with a dramatic sigh, lamenting not having met such a person when she was younger.
“Older... has more experience... sigh...” Gu Jinzhi, too, began to feel a bit troubled.
Although he was not young anymore, his own experience wasn’t extensive. Amour was older and undoubtedly had richer experiences. He was starting to get worried. His situation was just like that high school student who might be deceived.
“The map doesn’t show any companies nearby. It might be too small.” Gu Jinzhi turned off his phone.
“Let’s go,” Gu Jinzhi said, finishing the last sip of his coconut latte. Standing up and drawing everyone's attention, he walked out of the coffee shop with his head held high and chest out.
The assistant hurriedly followed.
“Hey, did that man just leave his car keys behind?” Mao Jun glanced over at the nearby table.
Mao Jun wanted to chase after the man but also needed to get their drinks.
Feeling that a lady shouldn't have to do it, and because he was sitting closer to the aisle, Lin Xu took the initiative to pick up the keys. “I’ll return them.”
He quickly caught up with Gu Jinzhi and his assistant, and after a brief pause, he gently tapped Gu Jinzhi on the shoulder. “Excuse me, sir, is this your key?”
Feeling the cool breeze by his neck, hearing the voice he liked, and catching the faint scent of laundry detergent, Gu Jinzhi turned around. He found the high school student he had been eavesdropping earlier standing in front of him, looking polite and slightly puzzled.
Seeing Lin Xu up close, Gu Jinzhi finally understood why the group members were so crazy that they didn't even let go of high school students.
And this student — how was he even taller than him?
“Thank you, student,” Gu Jinzhi said, taking his keys with a raised eyebrow, his tone formal yet magnetic. The mole at the corner of his eye was as flamboyant as he was, reinforcing his CEO image.
Lin Xu nodded, taking a moment to glance at the mole. He thought that people with such birthmarks often looked quite attractive.
Zhizhi also had a mole on his profile picture.
However, compared to the well-dressed man in front of him, Zhizhi was definitely more youthful and lively, given his younger age and spirited nature.
Still, Lin Xu found himself feeling somewhat intimidated.
He shook his head and quickly turned to head back.
Once Lin Xu was out of sight, Gu Jinzhi finally dropped his facade and turned to his assistant, clicking his tongue in irritation. “What are students eating these days? How do they grow so tall?”
“Isn’t it good?” The assistant kept her gaze on Lin Xu’s retreating figure, admiring his tall frame and youthful charm.
Gu Jinzhi pouted. When he got back, he’d have to ask his boyfriend how tall he was. If his boyfriend was shorter… well, that might be acceptable, as long as he had abs and Gu Jinzhi liked him.
