E-Scum Gong Chapter 44 (Part 2)
Translated by Q the Panda (ko-fi)
Chapter 44 (2/2)
By the time they reached halftime, Gu Jinzhi wasn’t as focused on stealing the ball or making shots. Instead, he kept his eyes glued to Lin Xu, watching as his teammates occasionally brushed against his waist or abdomen during the game. Lin Xu, frowning slightly, was wiping sweat from his brow as he worked hard to keep up, and it made Gu Jinzhi burn with jealousy. He hadn’t even touched Lin Xu like that himself.
So, when the halftime ended, Gu Jinzhi had enough of showing off. Waving his hand, he said, “We’re going to take a break. You guys go ahead.” With that, he led Lin Xu over to the sidelines to sit down.
“Are you tired, Zhizhi?” Lin Xu asked as he rummaged through his bag for some water. His slightly damp jersey clung to his body, accentuating his figure.
There was no denying that with discipline and determination, anyone could achieve great results. Lin Xu’s muscles had become even more defined than before, with a smooth layer of muscle along his waist, abdomen, arms, and shoulders — perfectly balanced and well-proportioned.
He might not have been the most skilled basketball player, but his stamina was impressive.
As Lin Xu turned to sit down, Gu Jinzhi suddenly took the opportunity to playfully attack, pressing his hand against Lin Xu’s lower abdomen and giving it a quick feel.
Lin Xu was startled. After all, their relationship had always been one of mutual respect and careful boundaries. Both of them were in their first relationship, and Gu Jinzhi had even claimed to prefer a platonic love. Lin Xu, shy about moving too fast, hadn’t initiated anything either. So even though they often went out together, the most they had done was hold hands, focusing more on enjoying their time together than anything physical.
“What’s wrong? If they can touch you, why can’t I?” Gu Jinzhi grumbled, his voice gruff. After all, he was the official boyfriend here.
Lin Xu froze for a moment, then watched as Gu Jinzhi sneakily reached in and gave his stomach another squeeze. Embarrassed, Lin Xu quickly grabbed his hand, his ears turning bright red.
“Zhizhi, stop being unreasonable. Weren’t you the one who wanted to play basketball?” Lin Xu said weakly. What was this about? They had just been playing a game, and a little bit of physical contact was totally normal. It was not like everyone on the court was gay. No one would care about that at all.
Gu Jinzhi stared at him intensely, dead serious. “I don’t think basketball’s fun anymore. Let’s not play with others from now on. If we do, it should just be the two of us.” That way, he could accidentally touch Lin Xu all he wanted.
It was better if his boyfriend just remained aloof and unattainable. Coming down to the mortal world wasn't so pleasant.
“Hm,” Lin Xu replied. He had seen how much fun Gu Jinzhi seemed to be having, but if he said they shouldn’t play with others anymore, then that was fine with him. He had been trying to overcome his social phobia since Zhizhi loved being around people, but now it seemed like he didn’t have to worry about that anymore.
“Should we go grab some coffee?” Lin Xu suggested, since they hadn’t been out for very long.
“No way. If we keep this up, I’m going to get fat,” Gu Jinzhi frowned. He wasn’t naturally lean like Lin Xu, who never seemed to gain weight no matter what. Even though Lin Xu didn’t have much of an appetite, Gu Jinzhi was constantly struggling with it.
Especially lately, Gu Jinzhi felt like he was getting a little flabby from being too happy. Lin Xu also kept encouraging him to eat.
Is he trying to keep me chubby so he can be the only one with a good figure? Outraged, Gu Jinzhi took advantage of Lin Xu’s distraction to give his stomach another firm squeeze. It felt so good~
“It’s fine. If you exercise more, you won’t gain weight,” Lin Xu reassured him. Once Gu Jinzhi was well-fed and content, he lost his restlessness, his eyes narrowing contentedly like a cat.
“Alright then…” Gu Jinzhi relented, his resolve crumbling. He loved to eat, especially when Lin Xu was encouraging him. His self-discipline was practically nonexistent.
Just as he was about to stand up, Lin Xu heard a familiar voice call out, “Xu-ge?”
He turned his head and saw Mao Jun walking toward him. What a coincidence — he seemed to be running into everyone he knew at the basketball court today.
Gu Jinzhi, arms crossed, shot a questioning look that clearly said, "Who’s this now?" He had already forgotten their brief encounter in the coffee shop. His mind had only been focused on Lin Xu. The other two were just background figures.
Since it was someone he knew, Lin Xu didn’t feel the need to hold back. He first asked Gu Jinzhi, “Zhizhi, can I tell him about us?”
Gu Jinzhi nodded proudly. He wasn’t one to feel embarrassed about such things.
When Mao Jun reached them, Lin Xu made the introductions. “This is my friend Mao Jun, and this… is my boyfriend, Gu Jinzhi.”
Mao Jun was a bit surprised to hear Lin Xu put it that way. Had they decided to meet in real life? He had warned Lin Xu about the risks of online dating, worried he might be scammed, but now that he saw Gu Jinzhi in person, he was taken aback. Gu Jinzhi was not only good-looking but also appeared quite mature — much more so than most university students.
“Hello,” Mao Jun greeted Gu Jinzhi with a slight scratch of his head, feeling quite intimidated. He had never imagined that Lin Xu’s type would be someone like this.
Didn’t all those novels talk about cold, scholarly types being drawn to lively, underachieving students?
He certainly hadn’t expected Gu Jinzhi’s imposing aura — although Gu Jinzhi was only putting on an act in front of Mao Jun.
Gu Jinzhi nodded in acknowledgment.
“I came to play some basketball and relax. What about you two? Are you leaving already? Want to join me for a game?” Mao Jun asked.
Lin Xu shook his head. “Maybe next time.”
Mao Jun noticed that they both looked like they’d already played a game — their hair was a bit damp, and Lin Xu’s toned physique was evident. Enviously, Mao Jun remarked, “Xu-ge, when did you get abs? Weren't you a white boiled chicken just like me before?” He hoped this was something he could say.
Lin Xu immediately felt embarrassed. He did not want to discuss it at all.
“What? He wasn’t always like this?” Gu Jinzhi cut in.
Since Gu Jinzhi had met Lin Xu, the one thing that had remained true was his well-maintained physique.
“He definitely wasn’t like this a few months ago,” Mao Jun replied. He figured Lin Xu must have worked out recently, but surely not during the intense study sessions before the college entrance exams.
“We should get going,” Lin Xu interjected, frowning slightly.
Gu Jinzhi followed closely behind, seizing the opportunity. “So, you didn’t always look like this? What did you look like before?”
Lin Xu sighed in exasperation, his voice low. “Don’t ask.” He was thoroughly embarrassed.
“Wait! Let’s go change before we head out,” Gu Jinzhi insisted, suddenly not keen on everyone else getting a good look at his boyfriend’s physique. He hadn’t realized until now just how much he cared about these superficial things.
"Oh, so you started working out just because I asked for a picture of your abs," Gu Jinzhi guessed, accurately reading Lin Xu's expression.
Lin Xu had no choice but to admit it. "I didn’t want to lie to you." Although he had lied about other things, those were things he couldn’t change.
Another wave of embarrassment hit him. Now Gu Jinzhi knew he used to be a white boiled chicken.
“And you were studying while working out too?” Gu Jinzhi’s voice softened with concern for his boyfriend. Lin Xu had even spent time chatting with him. Such dedication! How could someone be this pure?
It was clear to him now — he was Lin Xu's first love!
But then he thought, how could Lin Xu possibly do well on his exams like this? He shouldn’t have been so thoughtless as to distract him. As he worried about Lin Xu’s grades, his heart swelled with affection. He had to take full responsibility for this!
Lin Xu pressed his lips together. He gave Gu Jinzhi a glance before strategically falling silent. This conversation was getting too awkward for him.
“Lin Xu, Xiao Xu, how about I keep you company while you study at the café today?” Gu Jinzhi suggested earnestly.
Lin Xu raised an eyebrow, surprised to hear the word “study” coming from Gu Jinzhi.
He was capable of doing it, sure, but it felt a bit sudden.
“It’s okay, I can manage my own time,” Lin Xu replied. If they were out to have fun, they should focus on that. He didn’t want to come off as a nerd in front of Gu Jinzhi. He was pretty sure Gu Jinzhi would just end up nodding off anyway.
Gu Jinzhi watched in frustration as Lin Xu ignored his pleas. He was still mulling over how to persuade his boyfriend to study even as they left the sports center.
Just as they were about to get into the car, a man in his thirties approached them after getting out of a nearby vehicle.
“Excuse me, is this the sports center?” The man spoke with a refined tone, lacking the local accent. He seemed to be from the capital.
Both Gu Jinzhi and Lin Xu noticed him.
“Yes,” Lin Xu replied, pressing his lips together.
The man seemed to want to ask more but noticed something was off. He looked at Lin Xu more closely, and the more he looked, the more familiar Lin Xu appeared. The man then took out his phone to check a photo.
The joy on his face quickly faded, replaced by a serious expression. This was indeed the person he was looking for. He had just come from Lin Xu's house and knew Lin Xu was at the sports center.
“Student Lin Xu, I’m a representative from the admissions office at Q University. I came specifically to discuss your application with you,” the man said. Not waiting for Lin Xu to respond, he politely but firmly ushered Lin Xu into his car. They couldn’t afford to talk on the road. If someone from the neighboring university caught wind, it could complicate matters.
Before Lin Xu could fully grasp the situation, he was already in the car, leaving Gu Jinzhi standing there, bewildered.
What? Had he heard that right? Q University? The Q University he knew? How could they come for recruitment so quickly before the results were even out?
Gu Jinzhi remembered how he, even as a rich second-generation, couldn't escape the anxiety of waiting for his scores and filling out his application. He had prayed desperately, like a pathetic puppy begging for a bone.
And now his younger boyfriend was getting this kind of treatment? Lin Xu must have really achieved something impressive.
Gu Jinzhi was momentarily stunned, feeling like an idiot for trying so hard to persuade Lin Xu to study. The emperor wasn't in a hurry, but the eunuch was anxious. And Gu Jinzhi was that stupid eunuch.
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T/N: And didn't Lin Xu once thought of himself as an emperor when checking Zhizhi's messages one by one? They're so in sync! ^w^
