E-Scum Gong Chapter 31
Translated by Q the Panda (ko-fi)
Chapter 31
During the quiet break between classes, the teachers were busy grading papers in the office. A few young couples in the class sat together, whispering and enjoying this hard-earned leisure time.
The concept of early romance had always seemed distant to Lin Xu. But now, as he observed closely, it felt much nearer.
Until yesterday, he had been content with his current state, focusing his energy on preparing for what he should be doing at his age — studying for the college entrance exam and following a step-by-step path to higher education. But now, an urgent matter demanded his attention: meeting in real life.
Undoubtedly, Lin Xu had never considered meeting Zhizhi in real life. It wasn’t that he wasn’t serious, but he had never defined their relationship with the word "romance." Initially, he thought that once the scumbag male lead stopped bothering Zhizhi, and the plot of the original story didn’t unfold, they would naturally drift apart. Gu Jinzhi was at the right age for romance and would find someone he liked in real life.
After all, who would call their relationship true love? Even they didn't think so.
However, yesterday's odd feeling had made him alert. What if there was a possibility that Zhizhi had come to find him? Perhaps he planned to appear in front of him.
Someone he knew from the internet appearing in real life — lively Zhizhi talking to him face-to-face. And if they did meet successfully, they could end up doing more of the things couples typically do.
Just like the young couples in his class, whispering sweet nothings and even engaging in intimate physical contact.
The mere thought of this left Lin Xu feeling lost and helpless.
Of course, it was also possible he was overthinking things. Perhaps it was all just his suspicion.
The intercom blared again, interrupting the break with an announcement. A male student surnamed Liu and a female student surnamed Yuan from senior year Class X were caught skipping class to meet in the woods, causing a bad influence.”
As soon as the announcement ended, the young couples in the classroom quickly straightened up, no longer clinging to each other intimately, afraid of being caught by the lurking teachers outside.
At such a critical time, having parents called because of early romance was no joke. Basically, those who were caught would have to break up. Moreover, most students in their school were ambitious and didn't want to disappoint their families.
Yue Shan glanced subconsciously at Lin Xu. No one would have guessed that this model student in the teachers' eyes, the top student whose mindset was always unaffected, was in a secret relationship.
She had always thought he kept his distance from her and everyone else because he was overly disciplined. Only now did she realize that every time he was alone, fiddling with his phone, he was chatting with someone he liked.
Lin Xu lowered his gaze. His expression remained unchanged after hearing the announcement, and he didn’t put down his phone.
Noticing that Zhizhi's WeChat step count was still in the single digits, he asked, “Zhizhi, are you at school now?” He knew roughly that Zhizhi was a day student.
Gu Jinzhi had just woken up. He didn’t have any pressing business today, unlike in the capital where he had to clock in daily, so he happily gave himself a day off.
Since he couldn't remember if he had mentioned whether he had classes on Monday mornings, Gu Jinzhi casually replied, “Yeah, yeah.”
He patted his stomach, which was nearly flat. This wouldn’t do, especially when he felt he was close to finding his boyfriend.
So, Gu Jinzhi restrained himself and ordered a light meal, then started searching for nearby boxing classes, planning to make a last-minute effort to get in shape.
Lin Xu pursed his lips.
He asked again, “I’d like to see what your school looks like. Can you take a picture for me now? Or are you in class?” If Zhizhi wasn’t actually at school…
Gu Jinzhi knew how to handle this. With a knowing smile, he selected a photo of a different area of the school from his gallery. He cleverly cropped out the date and sent it to Lin Xu, ensuring he wouldn’t be caught.
“Give me a moment!”
Shortly after, he added, “I just stepped out, gege. Aren’t these flowers beautiful?” His tone was innocent and carefree.
In reality, he was lying comfortably in bed.
Seeing the quick response, Lin Xu was momentarily puzzled, wondering if he had misunderstood something. But when he opened the image and examined it closely, he quickly noticed it lacked a timestamp, indicating it had been edited.
This indeed suggested something was amiss.
He decided not to lecture the other person for skipping class because Zhizhi’s behavior was even more concerning.
Lin Xu wasn’t keen on meeting in person right now. Firstly, his identity was fake, and he worried Zhizhi would be hurt if he found out. It was better to just exist virtually. Secondly, with everything happening, Lin Xu, who prioritized his responsibilities, couldn’t make decisions about their relationship at this critical juncture.
But asking for a breakup directly? Lin Xu rubbed Zhizhi’s profile picture with his finger, realizing he couldn’t do it.
The man in the coffee shop, the man in the library, and Zhizhi… were they the same person? They seemed to have different personas, leaving Lin Xu a bit confused.
Meanwhile, Gu Jinzhi was preoccupied with figuring out how to find his boyfriend. But since the guy worked all day, he couldn’t directly ask for the company’s name without breaking their unspoken agreement and risking scaring him away. Frustrated, he decided to put the matter on hold and think about it after work hours.
In the afternoon, Gu Jinzhi signed up for a boxing class at the mall and spent the whole afternoon training. Wearing a tank top, he felt his muscles were much tighter. To present his best image for their face-to-face meeting, Gu Jinzhi was very serious and even regretted his lack of self-discipline and overeating.
His boyfriend had such impressive abs. If he was just a blob of fat, it would be so embarrassing.
So, for dinner, he ate light again at the mall. As he gnawed on green vegetables, Gu Jinzhi grimaced, feeling like his face had turned green too.
Lin Xu didn’t expect to run into him so soon. He had only come to the mall to buy some stationery, as he was running out quickly.
Regarding Zhizhi, his original plan was to wait for him to make a move.
He still couldn’t connect the dots between Zhizhi and the young man before him. His first impression of the man was that of an elite professional, but now he seemed much younger. It wasn’t impossible if this guy was really Zhizhi.
Lin Xu tightly gripped his backpack and watched Gu Jinzhi from a hidden spot not far away for a while.
Passersby gave him strange looks, making Lin Xu feel very embarrassed, but he didn’t move.
Seeing the other person’s delicate profile, the tear-shaped mole at the corner of his eye, and his enthusiastic eating habits, Lin Xu found this sight increasingly overlapping with his mental image of Zhizhi. As a result, he couldn't help but feel a sense of familiarity towards him.
He was eating at the entrance of a health food store, which made Lin Xu frown. It didn’t seem like Zhizhi’s style. He usually enjoyed gourmet food.
Lin Xu secretly took out his phone and snapped a photo from the upper floor of the mall, then slowly walked to another crowded area where he could still see Gu Jinzhi from a different angle.
Then, he sent a message: “Zhizhi, I just got off work and plan to take Line 3 to Beihuancheng Road. I have something to do there.” His eyes remained fixed on Gu Jinzhi. He couldn't actually take that subway home.
Gu Jinzhi, while halfway through his meal, was still worrying about how to bring up the topic. Unexpectedly, Amour finally began sharing his daily life. It felt like a fortuitous discovery without much effort.
Instinctively, he glanced in that direction. Lin Xu, hidden among the crowd, felt his pupils tremble slightly — it really was him.
Gu Jinzhi noted that the photo had been taken less than a minute ago, suggesting the person had just left. He might be able to catch up, so he immediately set down his diet meal and and ran downstairs to the subway entrance of the mall.
Lin Xu followed him silently, making sure his phone was on silent mode and tucked it into his pocket.
He could see the contours of Gu Jinzhi’s arms, healthy and strong, radiating the vitality of recent workout. The person in front of him was quite different from the image Zhizhi had described, but it was very close to the image Lin Xu had in his mind.
Of course, seeing Gu Jinzhi’s muscles made Lin Xu a bit nervous. If his real identity were discovered, it would indeed be troublesome.
At the subway entrance, a light sweat beaded on Gu Jinzhi’s forehead. But with the evening rush hour in full swing, there were too many people around, making it hard for him to spot anyone familiar.
He could only ask, “Gege, are you on the subway yet? Be careful.” The concern was somewhat forced.
Lin Xu stood obediently behind him, unable to suppress a small smile.
“Not yet, just waiting for the subway. Have you had dinner yet, Zhizhi?”
Relieved, Gu Jinzhi continued to look around, knowing his boyfriend was somewhere in the crowd, which reassured him even though he couldn’t see him.
“Not yet (crying).” In truth, although Gu Jinzhi had eaten half a box of diet food, it felt as if he hadn’t eaten anything at all.
Lin Xu put away his phone and stood quietly beside him, no longer responding to his messages.
It wasn’t until Gu Jinzhi turned and saw him that Lin Xu greeted him properly, “Sir, what a coincidence.”
Gu Jinzhi also thought it was quite a coincidence to run into this popular guy so many times, but he didn't know which "him" the other person was referring to.
He instinctively coughed, feeling a bit embarrassed.
The subway arrived, and the crowd surged forward.
Unaccustomed to the subway rush, Gu Jinzhi was a bit intimidated by the commotion. He felt disheartened, thinking he wouldn’t find the person he was looking for. Still, he didn’t want to turn back, so he reluctantly squeezed into the train.
Lin Xu followed closely behind him, and once they were inside the subway, he reached up to hold onto the handrail for stability.
Gu Jinzhi was visibly uncomfortable with the physical proximity to others. He looked as bewildered as Lin Xu felt.
Taking advantage of the situation, Lin Xu maneuvered him into a corner and braced himself against the crowd, ensuring no one else would bump into him.
Up close, Gu Jinzhi looked to be around twenty, blending in perfectly with college students. That day at the coffee shop must have been an exception. Normally, he probably didn't behave that way.
As for himself, he had been deceiving Zhizhi.
Lin Xu kept a neutral expression, pretending not to know him well.
Gu Jinzhi continued to try sending messages, but of course, Lin Xu couldn't reply to him.
Finally, as they neared their destination, Zhizhi’s excitement was evident. He looked very eager.
Lin Xu’s expression remained unchanged. He was confident Gu Jinzhi wouldn’t discover him.
Gu Jinzhi was worried that he would miss his chance if he got off too late, so he gently pushed Lin Xu. “Excuse me, student. I'm about to get off.”
Lin Xu nodded and allowed him to pass.
As the subway came to a stop, Gu Jinzhi, lacking a handhold, stumbled and nearly fell backward.
Lin Xu's eyelids twitched as he instinctively reached out to steady him by the waist. He quickly released him once Gu Jinzhi regained his balance, his ears turning slightly red. He hadn’t anticipated this kind of physical contact.
Gu Jinzhi, regaining his balance, muttered, “Damn it…”
Then he thanked Lin Xu, and hurriedly ran out of the train.
Lin Xu lowered his gaze and followed him out. He had purposely chosen this crowded transfer station, knowing it would be bustling with people coming and going.
It was clear that Gu Jinzhi, after looking around for a while, still couldn’t find anyone. He appeared a bit dejected as he slowly exited the subway station.
Not only had he failed to find the person he was looking for, but he had also exhausted himself, making him even hungrier.
Lin Xu followed him out of the station. Outside was a large mall, bustling with shops and entertainment, far more developed than the area around the school.
Standing beside Gu Jinzhi, he asked softly, “Sir, your accent doesn’t sound local. Are you here for a vacation?”
Hearing the question, Gu Jinzhi felt they must have some sort of fate, having run into each other so often that the guy was starting to feel familiar.
Unsure how to explain, he nodded with an unhappy face.
The student kindly pointed out, “The bullfrog dish on the second floor is quite good. It's very spicy and quite famous around here.”
Gu Jinzhi’s eyes lit up. He loved eating frogs and enjoyed spicy food. Most importantly, he was genuinely hungry and in a bad mood!
"Thank you, student," Gu Jinzhi said sincerely.
Lin Xu shook his head. He had heard from his classmates who enjoyed spicy food that this place was popular and had made a mental note, thinking Zhizhi would like it.
"You're welcome. I'm heading home now, sir," Lin Xu said, turning to catch the bus back.
"Study hard, student! Make progress every day!" Gu Jinzhi called out, watching his back and thinking what a nice high school student he was.
Even someone as picky as Gu Jinzhi couldn’t find fault with his appearance or manners. Plus, his excellent grades made him the kind of person completely opposite to himself — an outstanding individual.
He felt a bit sentimental, thinking that as Lin Xu grew older, more people would surely like him, which was only natural.
However, he vaguely remembered that this student already had someone special. He wondered if it was a boy or a girl, but he felt it must be a cute girl who matched him well. Anyway, the fantasies of those in the group chat were bound to be dashed!
Feeling a bit forlorn, Gu Jinzhi looked at his unanswered messages. He decided to channel his frustration into eating. He headed straight to the second floor to try the bullfrog dish.
Then he ate until his mouth was greasy. The intense spiciness brought him great satisfaction. The frogs here were deep-fried first, which was exactly to Gu Jinzhi's taste. He thought to himself that the boy hadn’t lied. He really was a good person!
Instinctively, he wanted to share the experience with his boyfriend, but then realized something and didn't dare. He felt it was a pity that the other party didn't know his mood. So he lamely sent, “Gege~ I had bullfrog dish for dinner tonight.”
But Lin Xu was fully aware of everything.
Lin Xu boarded the bus back home and finally replied to Gu Jinzhi’s earlier message, adding, “Was it delicious?”
Gu Jinzhi felt valued by his boyfriend again. The other person had also explained why he hadn't seen his messages, and with his stomach full, Gu Jinzhi was in a very good mood.
“Delicious!”
Glad to hear it, Lin Xu thought.
Of course, the diet still needed to continue. Gu Jinzhi planned to increase his training intensity. He didn’t want to be embarrassed when they finally met. If their relationship progressed further, taking care of his body would be even more important.
Fortunately, his partner hadn’t asked to see his abs yet… Gu Jinzhi felt a bit self-conscious about them right now. However, he really admired his boyfriend’s abs. They looked so beautiful.
They gave off the same impression as that high school student’s appearance.
His boyfriend had many qualities he liked — a great soul and hidden abs. The face might be a little off, but that was okay.
