E-Scum Gong Chapter 42
Translated by Q the Panda (ko-fi)
Chapter 42
At six in the morning, Lin Xu's alarm went off. He had gone to bed quite late last night, but his biological clock was well-trained, so he was already wide awake.
Suddenly realizing something, Lin Xu quickly turned his head and silenced the alarm, worried it might wake up Gu Jinzhi.
He remembered that Zhizhi liked to sleep in during the mornings.
Moving cautiously, Lin Xu sat up and glanced at the other bed where Gu Jinzhi was still sound asleep, completely undisturbed. He realized his concern was unnecessary.
Someone who couldn't get up in the morning naturally couldn't hear the alarm clock either.
He couldn't help but avert his eyes, feeling a bit embarrassed. Zhizhi's sleeping posture was far from graceful, with his head nearly dangling off the foot of the bed.
In moments like this, Lin Xu felt that although Gu Jinzhi was older and seemed imposing, he was quite childish at heart, lacking the usual stern gaze of an elder.
Since it was summer vacation, waking up early was no big deal. If he were at home, he might have tidied up and headed to the library for a bit.
Lin Xu went to freshen up. As he stood in front of the mirror, he couldn't help but lift his pajama shirt and glance down at his abs, still vividly recalling last night's surprise.
He felt a bit embarrassed to admit it, but deep down, he was relieved that he had maintained his physique. If his abs had disappeared, he might have been so mortified that he wouldn’t have been able to sleep at all. Gu Jinzhi would definitely think he'd photoshopped them again.
Even so, Lin Xu added another goal to his already high standards for himself. He decided he would hit the gym every day during summer break. He felt that his body still wasn’t strong enough.
In the past, he hadn’t cared much about it, but now he couldn’t afford to be careless.
After checking his phone and reading a journal for a while, Lin Xu figured it was about time and eagerly went out to buy breakfast.
When he returned, his timing was perfect. Gu Jinzhi was sitting there with his hair sticking up like a bird’s nest, staring blankly into space. It was only when he saw Lin Xu that he seemed to snap back to reality, suddenly self-conscious as he ran a hand through his messy hair.
He stared at the large bag of breakfast Lin Xu was carrying and asked in surprise, “You bought all that?”
Lin Xu, changing his shoes, turned and asked with a puzzled expression, “You can’t finish it?” That couldn’t be right — Gu Jinzhi seemed to have quite an appetite.
Gu Jinzhi was caught off guard by the question and laughed awkwardly. “That’s not what I meant.” He quickly got up and glanced at the food as Lin Xu set them on the table. He couldn’t help but smile before hurrying off to freshen up.
Most of it was food he had mentioned in their previous conversations — fresh pork shumai, cold noodles, shrimp dumplings, and more. Gu Jinzhi had to admit he was a bit tempted.
When he came back, he noticed that Lin Xu had only a bowl of plain porridge and a plate of blanched greens in front of him.
Gu Jinzhi couldn’t help but think that his younger boyfriend really seemed like someone who lived off nothing but air. It was as if Lin Xu had never let anything rich or flavorful touch his lips, almost like a fairy who subsisted on dew alone.
“Will that be enough to fill you up?” Gu Jinzhi asked, genuinely concerned. He himself could eat a whole cow in one sitting.
Lin Xu shook his head. "A slight hunger makes you feel more energized and keeps your mind sharp." However, he knew that if he planned to work out regularly, he would need to increase his protein intake.
Compared to Gu Jinzhi, Lin Xu had a very healthy routine. He ate three meals a day at consistent times, whereas Gu Jinzhi often combined breakfast and lunch, followed by an afternoon nap, leaving him wide awake at night.
“For a student, that’s indeed pretty important.” Gu Jinzhi nodded in understanding, recalling how Lin Xu had recently been preparing for the college entrance exam. When he was studying for his own exams, he had a habit of rewarding himself with food — though he often ended up dozing off from overeating...
As soon as the words left his mouth, Gu Jinzhi fell silent again, internally cursing himself for bringing up the age difference once more. Why couldn’t he just let it go?
Still, Gu Jinzhi handed Lin Xu a portion of shumai and a braised chicken leg. “Eat more,” he urged. After all, there was no need to study now.
Lin Xu wasn’t one to refuse, so he slowly began to eat. Although gnawing on a chicken leg wasn’t the most elegant sight, he couldn’t help but relax when he saw Gu Jinzhi chuckling at him.
"Good boy…" Gu Jinzhi almost said it aloud but caught himself just in time. He smiled to himself. His boyfriend really was obedient, like a big, loyal dog who did whatever he was told.
After spending two days in the neighboring city, it was time for Lin Xu to head home. Since Gu Jinzhi had come all the way to see him, it was only natural that he would accompany him back.
Originally, Wu Zijun had insisted on giving them a ride, but Lin Xu found it a bit troublesome, especially since it would be awkward having a third person around when it was just the two of them.
Fortunately, there were regular buses, which were both affordable and convenient. Once Lin Xu had packed his things, Gu Jinzhi called him to come down.
Standing in front of the flashy sports car, Lin Xu felt a bit uneasy, his backpack slung over his shoulder.
Gu Jinzhi leaned lazily against the car, pulling off his sunglasses with a confident flair before opening the door for him. "Get in."
Then, with a hint of pride, he added, "This car’s more expensive than the one that fetched you." And it wasn’t the same Maserati from before.
Even though it had been made clear that there was nothing between Lin Xu and Wu Zijun, Gu Jinzhi couldn’t help but act like a peacock showing off its feathers, flaunting his wealth to impress his potential mate. His life experience had always taught him that this was a very effective way to build a relationship.
Lin Xu settled into the passenger seat. He didn’t know much about cars, but he was well aware that the one he was sitting in now was something an average person might never afford, even after decades of hard work.
In his previous life, he had never worried about money, but he also wasn’t extravagant. He had only owned a simple, practical car — a well-known luxury brand, given to him as a birthday gift by his family.
Though Lin Xu had been among the richest second-generation heirs in his previous life, his upbringing and personality had kept him from developing the same "why not eat meat porridge" attitude as those around him. He fully understood that his current circumstances made it impossible for him to join the ranks of the ultra-wealthy. (T/N: why not eat meat porridge is basically the Chinese version of let them eat cake.)
He wasn’t ashamed of this, though, because he wasn’t someone who found excitement in material wealth. The irony now was that his boyfriend was the complete opposite, and their relationship had progressed to a point where he couldn’t rely on objective reasoning or logic to navigate it.
Lin Xu wondered when Gu Jinzhi would realize the gap between their lives, and whether he would be able to accept it. But before that happened, Lin Xu was determined not to let himself fall into the stereotype of a phoenix man. He was the type who wouldn’t even entertain feelings of jealousy or resentment.
To him, it was simply a matter of whether they were compatible or not. He didn’t believe that coming from an ordinary family made him any less worthy.
“This color is pretty nice,” Lin Xu commented. He truly didn’t know much about cars, but the bold yellow seemed to perfectly match Gu Jinzhi’s style.
Feeling validated in his taste, Gu Jinzhi couldn’t help but feel a surge of pride. He thought to himself that his boyfriend was different from others who might have immediately started talking about money or brand names.
Though he reasoned that this was likely because Lin Xu was still young and didn’t understand such things yet, he found himself deeply enamored with this pure, untainted outlook. Even if Lin Xu did become more materialistic as he grew older, Gu Jinzhi figured that might just make him even more reluctant to let go.
His older brother often said that if he ever acted foolishly, others would be eager to latch onto him like leeches, sucking him dry.
For the first time, Gu Jinzhi thought that didn’t sound so bad.
Gu Jinzhi was very particular about his car. Besides his family, only Xu Zhou had ever been allowed inside. Even then, Gu Jinzhi would always check to make sure Xu Zhou’s clothes were clean, or he’d be disgusted.
But perhaps love made people lose their minds. When it came to someone he liked, Gu Jinzhi was incredibly generous.
If Lin Xu had a driver’s license, he would’ve even let him drive.
When Lin Xu told him his home address, he licked his lips and remained silent. He didn’t dare admit that he had already known it all along, despite having done his fair share of over-the-top things...
“Do you know where I live?” Gu Jinzhi was just about to tell him, thinking it would make it easier for Lin Xu to find him in the future.
But then Lin Xu turned to him and said, “Tingwei Hotel, right?”
Gu Jinzhi clamped his mouth shut, covering his smile with his hand as he turned to look out the window. He had almost forgotten — his younger boyfriend might not have the same level of resources, but he was certainly sharp and observant. Of course, he would have noticed the details by now.
This realization filled Gu Jinzhi with a deep sense of comfort. For a moment, he thought dating was truly wonderful. He couldn’t believe he used to dismiss it as a waste of time that got in the way of his fun.
“Will you be staying in Jiang City for good?” Lin Xu asked, remembering that Gu Jinzhi had mentioned coming here for work.
In truth, Gu Jinzhi had been pestered multiple times to return to the capital. He had even promised his older brother that he would come back once he had gotten his revenge on that despicable man. But now, he simply cleared his throat and said, “Of course, there’s still a lot of work to do here.” To hell with it, he thought. If his older brother kept pushing him, he’d just change his number. Let no one disturb his peace!
His older brother could send another general manager if he wanted. As far as Gu Jinzhi was concerned, he wasn’t planning to show up at the office another day.
Lin Xu, playing along, added, “I’m planning to stay here too.” He figured he could take his time going to the capital — perhaps they could even go together when the time came.
“By the way, how did your... college entrance exams go? Did I distract you…?” Gu Jinzhi had been avoiding the topic, worried that Lin Xu might blame him. But with the results coming out soon and the need to choose colleges, it was an issue they couldn’t avoid forever.
He felt super guilty.
Lin Xu hadn’t expected Gu Jinzhi to worry about this. He looked at him and shook his head. “Not at all. I did about the same as usual. How could that have anything to do with you?” After all, exams were all about one's consistent effort over time.
Gu Jinzhi sighed inwardly. For some reason, hearing Lin Xu say he did the same as usual in the college entrance exam didn’t seem like something to be particularly happy about.
When Gu Jinzhi had taken the college entrance exams, he had performed better than usual, scoring higher than his average.
Now, he felt even more guilty, suspecting that his younger boyfriend was trying to shoulder the blame so he wouldn’t feel bad. He made up his mind. If Lin Xu really hadn’t done well and didn’t want to retake the exams, he’d make sure Lin Xu never had to worry about work. He would take care of everything, ensuring that Lin Xu lived comfortably.
Even though Gu Jinzhi could already tell that Lin Xu wasn't as hedonistic as he was — who else would wake up so early during a break? — he figured they had plenty of time ahead of them for Lin Xu to get used to his lifestyle.
When they arrived at Lin Xu’s home, Lin Xu unbuckled his seatbelt and was about to get out of the car when he noticed Gu Jinzhi watching him.
They held each other’s gaze for a moment, and then, suddenly, Gu Jinzhi reached out and took Lin Xu’s hand. Lin Xu, despite the tingling sensation, didn’t pull away.
“How will we see each other from now on?” Gu Jinzhi asked, his thumb brushing against the small callus on Lin Xu’s palm, the result of writing so much. The roughness had an oddly ticklish feel to it.
“I’ll come find you,” Lin Xu replied, summoning his courage as he spoke. His clear, bright eyes were fixed on Gu Jinzhi.
Gu Jinzhi cast a sidelong glance at him, his peach blossom eyes eyes like little hooks. Lin Xu might not have been the most eloquent, but in that moment, all he could think was how stunning Zhizhi was, from head to toe.
Was it even appropriate to think such things?
“Well, I’ll be waiting then,” Gu Jinzhi said with a smirk.
As Gu Jinzhi drove the car into Lin Xu’s neighborhood, the flashy vehicle naturally drew a lot of attention. There were no real secrets among neighbors.
Lin Xu, reminded of his situation, started to feel uneasy. It was as if he were doing something wrong.
Slowly, he released Gu Jinzhi’s hand. “I have to go. My grandmother is waiting for me at home.”
Gu Jinzhi lazily let go, reclining in his seat with a satisfied hum. “Go ahead.” He thought to himself how obedient Lin Xu was, and he couldn’t help but feel a surge of pride as he glanced down at his own hand. He really did have that powerful, domineering vibe, didn’t he?
After getting out of the car, Lin Xu raised his hand and waved at Gu Jinzhi, watching until the car left the neighborhood before heading home.
On his way, he carefully checked to see if any neighbors had noticed him. Then, he hurried upstairs, almost like a thief sneaking back, quickening his pace as if to avoid being seen.
