E-Scum Gong Chapter 30
Translated by Q the Panda (ko-fi)
Chapter 30
As lunchtime approached, people in the library began to trickle out in groups to grab a bite to eat. Yue Shan scribbled a note to ask Lin Xu if he wanted to join her for lunch.
Lin Xu was a bit hungry but, considering their relationship, he said he wasn’t that hungry and told her to go first.
Seeing his response, Yue Shan hesitated and said she could wait a bit longer, as she wasn’t that hungry either. So, the two of them continued to study.
With the flow of people coming and going, the library wasn’t very quiet. A female student at a nearby table took advantage of the commotion to slip a small note onto Yue Shan’s desk, waiting for her reply.
Curious, Yue Shan picked up the note and read the neatly written message: “Hello, student. May I ask if the guy next to you is your boyfriend? I’m sorry to ask such a direct question.”
She arrived late and when she saw Lin Xu, she wanted to introduce herself, but there was another girl sitting beside him.
Initially, she had dismissed the idea, but noticing that their interaction seemed more like that of friends rather than a couple, she finally gathered the courage to make this inquiry when there were fewer people around.
Yue Shan frowned, unsure of how to respond. She worried that being truthful might cause Lin Xu some discomfort, especially since it seemed the girl was genuinely interested in him. Deep down, she wasn’t particularly keen on the idea either.
So, she simply showed the note to Lin Xu, silently indicating that he should decide how to respond.
Lin Xu was genuinely uncomfortable with such awkward situations. He glanced at the note, quickly averted his eyes, and felt his ears grow warm from embarrassment.
He immediately shook his head.
Yue Shan was taken aback for a moment and then whispered, “What if she wants to get to know you?” She wondered if Lin Xu might actually be willing.
Lin Xu quietly replied, “I’m in a relationship.”
Yue Shan's expression turned a bit ugly. She had never considered this possibility, as Lin Xu had always been a lone wolf. She had hoped to confess after the college entrance exam. But now...
She pressed her lips together and quickly wrote on the note: “We are friends. He is in a relationship.” She handed it back to the girl and then began to pack up her things.
With a forced smile, she said to Lin Xu, “I’m going to get lunch now.” She needed some time to sort out her feelings.
Lin Xu watched her and nodded. He wasn't sure whether Yue Shan had still feelings for him, after all, all their interactions had been within the scope of friendship. He had initially been polite in declining any further development of their relationship and had maintained a distance. Today, he was relieved to finally have a legitimate reason to tell Yue Shan about his relationship, avoiding any awkward misunderstandings.
Meanwhile, the man sitting opposite, who had been unaware of the commotion, finally stirred. He blinked awake, stretching and looking around as if disoriented. This added a touch of embarrassment to Lin Xu’s situation, somewhat balancing things out.
Gu Jinzhi was almost done napping when he heard Lin Xu's quiet words: “I’m in a relationship.”
This snapped him fully awake, and he shook his head in confusion.
He glanced at Lin Xu, noting that the girl beside him had already left. Gu Jinzhi began to imagine a dramatic scenario. He could easily guess that Lin Xu was quite popular. It was not at all exaggerated that a girl was reading a book with him in the library, especially when there were even older men online fawning over his looks.
However, Gu Jinzhi was surprised by how resolute Lin Xu seemed for his age. He was better than most people in the group. The girl who had just left was quite attractive, and they had seemed like a good match.
Amused by the gossip he had overheard, Gu Jinzhi stood up, ready to leave the library with the crowd, not intending to return. But he noticed the book on the table — an extension book on management studies. He frowned in hesitation, then resignedly sat back down and began flipping through it.
Lin Xu heard his voice again. This time, Gu Jinzhi spoke more words. Lin Xu leaned in slightly to hear better, his ears more attentive.
The voice was between youth and adolescence, a sharp contrast to the deep, magnetic tone from the day before, perhaps because Gu Jinzhi had just woken up. Despite the low volume, Lin Xu found a strange sense of familiarity in his voice.
Initially, Lin Xu hadn’t thought much of it. Since meeting this person, his behavior had been a puzzling and intriguing mix, such as his various peculiar actions after arriving at the library.
Lin Xu instinctively felt that Gu Jinzhi might have been putting on a different persona the previous day, given his formal and elite appearance.
“Student, could I borrow a sheet of paper and a pen?” Gu Jinzhi asked, overcoming his earlier awkwardness. Since he was already here, he might as well take some notes and tell his boyfriend that he had studied hard today.
Most importantly, he wanted to broach the topic of the library — after all, where had the other party been? His trip here had felt pointless.
Lin Xu’s face revealed none of his inner thoughts. He nodded calmly, tore a sheet of paper from his notebook, and handed over a plain black pen.
His stationery was plain and bought casually from a bookstore — nothing fancy, just ordinary.
Gu Jinzhi thanked him and began to absorb knowledge with great concentration. After a while, his patience wore thin, and he ended up copying a few passages.
As lunchtime approached, he realized he hadn’t had breakfast and was now very hungry.
Lin Xu, meanwhile, didn’t pay him any more attention. He took out his phone and left the library, intending to get something to eat. He didn’t seek out a specific restaurant but went to a nearby convenience store and cooked some noodles.
Glancing at his phone, he saw no new messages, so he put it back in his pocket and focused on his meal.
When he returned to the library, he ran into Gu Jinzhi at the entrance again. Lin Xu thought that he probably wouldn't see this man in the afternoon and found it a bit funny. He shook his head and walked into the library.
Feeling the gentle breeze outside, Gu Jinzhi finally felt happy and free. It was a pity he hadn’t found the person he was looking for. His effort had been in vain.
He first sent a message to Xu Zhou, whining about his failed plan.
“My boyfriend mentioned he likes to go to the library recently, so I decided to wait for him there. But I didn’t see him at all. I even considered those who looked around 35, but still no luck (angry face).”
Xu Zhou, also idle, quickly replied, “What about those who look around 45? Broaden your horizons a bit.”
Gu Jinzhi was momentarily at a loss for words. Wasn't that a bit too much? He didn’t look that old in the photo. But with photo editing... anything was possible.
“Tell me how you searched for him,” Xu Zhou asked, still curious.
Gu Jinzhi quickly recapped his efforts.
Xu Zhou was taken aback. “Why didn’t you just call him? See who answers.”
Gu Jinzhi frowned. He hadn’t thought of that, mainly because he was afraid of being exposed. He had been too nervous to message his boyfriend all morning, fearing that his partner might catch on to his presence.
“Wouldn’t he know it was me then?”
“Tsk, well, take your sweet time then,” Xu Zhou mocked.
Gu Jinzhi decided not to continue the conversation with him. Now that he was out of the library, he finally dared to send Lin Xu a message.
He boasted, “Ge~ I went to the library early today!”
Lin Xu had just settled down and was not yet in study mode when he saw the message.
He found it unbelievable but also a bit touching. He responded with a smile, “How early?”
“Got there by nine!” Gu Jinzhi thought to himself that it was rare for him to get up so early on a weekend.
Lin Xu praised him, “That’s really early.” At least for Zhizhi.
“By the way, I also took notes.” To prove it, Gu Jinzhi sent him the photos he had taken earlier.
He was very cautious, afraid his boyfriend might recognize the library in Jiang City, so he only took pictures of the notes and made sure not to capture any part of the table.
Seeing the photos, Lin Xu could clearly tell that the notes were written in a textbook style and not personal reflections.
At first, he found it amusing, but then he noticed the thin sheet of paper and the pen used. Looking down at the paper and pen on his own desk, he felt a strange sensation.
He glanced nervously over his shoulder, breaking into a cold sweat. The sudden, bizarre thought that had suddenly popped up in his mind was too absurd.
Gu Jinzhi using the same paper and pen wasn’t exactly surprising. They were common among students in his class.
Still, Lin Xu couldn’t help but ask, “Zhizhi, I’m guessing you didn’t fall asleep in the library, did you?”
Gu Jinzhi was taken aback by how accurately Lin Xu guessed. “How did you know? I did doze off for a bit! (embarrassed)”
Lin Xu was momentarily stunned and replied dryly, “Just thought you might have trouble focusing on studying.” It made sense, after all, considering Gu Jinzhi’s usual behavior.
“By the way, did you go to the library to study today?” Gu Jinzhi asked, his curiosity piqued.
Lin Xu felt the oddness of the situation deepen. Gu Jinzhi's deliberate questioning was too obvious. Lin Xu could easily tell, considering Gu Jinzhi usually spoke without much thought and was aimless in conversation.
Lin Xu frowned as he glanced at the empty desk across from him, reflecting on the events of the past few days.
He remembered Zhizhi’s recent odd inquiries and thought about the man’s tear-shaped mole and his immature behavior that didn’t quite fit with an elite image. Lin Xu couldn’t shake off his suspicions.
So, he rarely lied but said, “No, I had some things to do today and didn’t go.”
Gu Jinzhi slapped his thigh in realization, feeling enlightened. It made sense now. If Lin Xu had been there, he would have found him.
“Next time you study, make sure to let me know. Let's study together!”
Lin Xu, deep in thought, nodded in agreement. “Sure.”
Studying together… but wasn’t he just napping today? He didn't seem very enthusiastic.