E-Scum Gong Chapter 49 (Part 1)
Translated by Q the Panda (ko-fi)
Chapter 49 (1/2)
The graduation ceremony was a significant event for all the seniors, including those in the international class. While many of the international class students had been accepted into universities abroad, some of which ranked higher than Q University, the representative from their class didn't receive the same treatment as Lin Xu.
For most students, the path of the college entrance examinations was seen as the fairest and most widely accessible route. Naturally, the prestige of being the top scorer far outweighed that of studying abroad.
After all, not every family could afford to send their children overseas for an elite education.
As the ceremony was about to begin, the venue filled up with people, creating a grand and majestic atmosphere.
Gu Jinzhi gazed lovingly at his younger boyfriend as he made his way backstage.
He felt a swell of pride and relief that his beloved had finally come of age. Even from a distance, Lin Xu's slender neck was as graceful as a swan’s.
Of course, Gu Jinzhi wasn’t comparing himself to a toad. He was very confident in his own looks. If money hadn't been enough to win Lin Xu's heart, it could only mean that his own charm had conquered Lin Xu. This realization made Gu Jinzhi very smug.
The venue was getting crowded, and the seats around him were filling up quickly.
Gu Jinzhi's youthful appearance naturally attracted other students to sit nearby, while the parents chose to sit with their peers.
As he propped an ankle on his other thigh, waiting for his boyfriend’s appearance, Gu Jinzhi glanced around idly. He was never one to sit still, so he alternated between checking the group chat on his phone and eavesdropping on the conversations around him.
Seated at the same table were both boys and girls, all dressed in tailored suits, clearly from well-off families. They had chosen to sit near Gu Jinzhi, likely drawn by the unspoken rule that those of similar social standing tend to gravitate toward one another. After all, Gu Jinzhi's aura of wealth was impossible to ignore.
One of the boys casually remarked, "As soon as I got my acceptance letter from L University, I went abroad for over ten days. If it weren’t for my mom insisting that I come back for this ceremony, I wouldn’t have bothered."
"I went to Iceland. The scenery there is breathtaking."
Several students continued to chatter excitedly, while a few others remained silent, likely from families that couldn’t afford such lavish trips abroad.
Gu Jinzhi listened without much concern. These kids were incredibly carefree, much like he was in his younger days. Unlike his Lin Xu, who spent every day of summer vacation buried in books. If it weren't for Lin Xu's love for this boyfriend, he might even have squeezed out their couple time.
This must be the difference between a true academic god and other students, Gu Jinzhi mused, once again feeling a surge of admiration for his boyfriend.
When Lin Xu finally made his entrance, Gu Jinzhi eagerly reached for his phone, ready to capture the moment on video. But just then, he overheard the conversation of the students around him.
"I still can't believe Lin Xu topped the exams despite being in a regular class."
A girl added, "Yeah, he's really something. I noticed a big change in him when he transferred. He's like a dark horse."
But others were less impressed. "But Q University, which he worked so hard to get into, doesn't have as high a ranking as L University. Most top students from Q still have to study abroad to gild their resumes. Only those with average grades stay to do their postgrad studies."
"To him, this must be the best outcome he could hope for. After all, studying abroad costs a lot of money. I read in an interview that he was a left-behind child raised by his grandparents. His family can't be that well-off, so if he had to wash dishes and work part-time while studying abroad, he might as well stay here." It was clear this person had looked up the interview specifically, showing they weren’t as indifferent as they tried to appear.
That comment was a bit too much. Not everyone in the international class came from wealthy families. Most were from middle-class backgrounds. But a few rich kids were just too ostentatious, flaunting their acceptance into prestigious universities, making others uncomfortable.
"If that’s how you feel, I’d rather not sit here," the girl from earlier said, clearly annoyed.
"Hey, hey, hey! I wasn’t talking about you. Didn’t you get a scholarship? We were talking about Lin Xu. Alright, alright, I’ll stop."
"I heard Lin Xu was rewarded with hundreds of thousands yuan. The school gave him so much — this is the first time they’ve been this generous."
"So what? I spend that much just on just one trip..."
No matter how laid-back Gu Jinzhi usually was, hearing Lin Xu’s name tossed around like that made him realize something was off. These kids were mocking his boyfriend, weren’t they?
Gu Jinzhi's face remained impassive as he continued recording the video. A quick glance at the group revealed a handful of individuals with haughty and condescending expressions.
Since childhood, no one had ever dared act more arrogant than Gu Jinzhi right in front of him. He admitted that he was just a rich second-generation idler, but even in his rebellious teen years, he hadn’t been this obnoxious — at least he never pried into other people’s private matters.
Gu Jinzhi had always hated hearing people label Lin Xu as a "left-behind child." It bothered him, even when it was framed positively in the media. It made him feel protective. But to think something that should evoke sympathy could be turned into a mockery — he hadn’t expected that.
He knew that his boyfriend, even when dating someone as extravagant as himself, never cared about their different upbringings and certainly wouldn’t take such petty comments to heart. But Gu Jinzhi was just too empathetic when it came to Lin Xu. Now, he was both angry and sorry on his boyfriend’s behalf.
On the stage, Lin Xu delivered an extemporaneous speech with great dedication. Tasks like these always made him nervous, but that only made him more determined to perform flawlessly, even paying close attention to his delivery and tone.
As the speech went on, many in the audience found themselves drawn in by his words.
Though Gu Jinzhi usually disliked listening to speeches, hearing his boyfriend speak now filled him with emotion. How could Lin Xu be so outstanding, so perfect?
While recording the video, Gu Jinzhi noticed the group chat buzzing with excitement.
"Zoe’s on stage! The music is so intense!"
"He's very eye-catching in the center position, but he doesn't look as good as he does in the poster. Maybe it’s the camera angle? He looks a bit bulkier, and his face seems a little off."
"That’s just how it is on camera. A lot of celebrities look way better in person. I’ve seen Zoe offline. He’s really handsome."
Meanwhile, another group was watching the live stream from the affiliated high school, mostly adults who weren’t interested in listening to the school leaders speak. But the school had planned it well — Lin Xu was the first to go on.
"Wahhh! Didi is out! He’s got such a refined aura, and look how straight he’s standing!"
"Why doesn’t he smile? I’ve never seen my didi smile. Are all academic gods this cold?"
"His voice is so nice, I'd even listen to him lecture hehehe~ If I had a younger brother like him telling me bedtime stories, I’d work myself to death to support him."
"What? I thought you said camera makes people look worse? No way! Lin Xu looks even better on video than in photos, and there’s no post-production editing on a live stream."
"Um, please don’t share screenshots in the group. I'm not a fan, and the outfit is a bit skimpy... feels a little tacky."
"Zoe’s face looks a bit swollen in this gif. Did he get injections? His dancing is okay, I guess — it’s pretty in sync."
On stage, Lin Xu stood there with sweaty palms, mentally picturing the audience as rows of radishes — a trick he often used to ease his nerves.
Suddenly, he noticed a pair of fair hands in the crowd holding up a phone, recording him. Initially, he felt even more anxious and was about to look away until he recognized Gu Jinzhi’s face.
In that moment, all the pressure seemed to melt away. Zhizhi was sitting there, watching him.
Gu Jinzhi, realizing that Lin Xu had spotted him, smiled and waved at him.
Out of habit, Lin Xu pressed his lips together in a small smile, looking right at him, before resuming his serious expression and continuing the speech. It was just a brief moment, but it didn’t escape anyone’s notice.
Gu Jinzhi clutched his chest, feeling like his heart was about to melt from how sweet his boyfriend was. Then he realized he wasn’t the only one affected and was momentarily at a loss for words.
"Oh my god! Did you see that? Didi smiled just now — so heartwarming! He really should smile more often!"
"If he smiled at me like that, I’d literally die…"
"Put on some pants, please..."
The speech was pretty short, and once Lin Xu finished, he let out a sigh of relief. After a polite bow, he stepped down from the stage. The audience burst into applause, but Gu Jinzhi's clapping was extra loud, making the students sitting next to him look at him sideways.
This guy looked so cool and stylish, but now he seemed a bit goofy...
Their curiosity only deepened when they saw Lin Xu walking toward them after leaving the stage.
"Why’s he coming over here? We’re not even in the same class anymore," one of the boys muttered, thinking Lin Xu was coming to catch up with them.
"Why shouldn’t he come?" Gu Jinzhi drawled, resting his chin in his hand as he looked at the bunch of ignorant kids.
Their confusion only grew. They hadn’t expected Lin Xu to know this guy.
At first, Lin Xu only saw Gu Jinzhi, who was pretty eye-catching. When he got closer, he didn't realize these were his former classmates. He didn't really remember them.
He found a chair beside Gu Jinzhi and sat down. Being with Gu Jinzhi made him feel less awkward around strangers. After all, he didn’t have to interact with them.
"You did great up there," Gu Jinzhi whispered, secretly taking Lin Xu’s hand under the table and leaning in to compliment him.
Thankfully, only the two of them heard it, otherwise Lin Xu might have died of embarrassment. Even so, his ears turned slightly red.
"Mhm."
The female student finally spoke up, offering her congratulations. "Lin Xu, congratulations on your successful exam results."
Lin Xu was initially puzzled about why she was talking to him. It wasn’t until he looked at her face that he slowly remembered she was someone from his old international class.
A closer look made him realize that the entire group was made up of former classmates, just ones he hadn’t interacted with much.
"Thank you," he responded politely, though he felt a bit awkward with people he barely knew.
"Your grandparents are the only family you have, right? Didn’t they come to the ceremony?" the previously arrogant boy asked.
Lin Xu sensed a lack of friendliness in his tone, which confused him further since they weren’t even close.
So, he simply answered, "Mm." His grandfather was accompanying his grandmother to the hospital for a check-up today, so Lin Xu had told them not to go out of their way to attend. Besides, he had already reached adulthood and had long passed his eighteenth birthday.
Plus, Zhizhi had come to support him.
"Ah, so pitiful…"
Gu Jinzhi looked at the person with an amused yet mocking expression. "What, am I invisible to you?"
Then, with feigned politeness, he asked Lin Xu, "Didi, is this your classmate? So rude."