E-Scum Gong Chapter 54 (Part 2)
Translated by Q the Panda (ko-fi)
Chapter 54 (2/2)
The capital was experiencing its hottest days, with temperatures soaring above 35 degrees Celsius, leaving the freshman students at various universities suffering in the heat.
Lin Xu and a few of his dormmates sat under the shade of a tree, sipping water and resting. Even with such brief breaks, they barely had time to check their phones, as they would soon be called to assemble again.
Nevertheless, Lin Xu made the most of every opportunity to exchange messages with Gu Jinzhi.
They were undergoing military training on the sports field with the new students from the Academy of Fine Arts. The freshmen from the Academy of Fine Arts looked much more attractive at first glance.
“The girls from the Academy of Fine Arts are really pretty, with slim waists and long legs.”
“Still, on the sports field, it’s our Ah Xu who stands out the most. Just in these few days, so many new students have asked for your WeChat,” his roommate He Tian said enviously, giving Lin Xu a friendly punch on the shoulder. He Tian wore a pair of thick glasses and had been nicknamed “Four-Eyed Frog” in high school due to his thin frame.
“It’s a shame. Not only does he like guys, but he’s also taken,” Wei Dong, the eldest in their room, said regretfully, wishing he could replace Lin Xu and be the center of attention.
Lin Xu just kept his head down, playing with his phone and occasionally responding to his roommates.
As the second oldest in the dorm, Lin Xu had initially thought it would be difficult to fit in. Fortunately, his roommates were easygoing and laid-back.
“You like him so much, you're going to chat even during these ten minutes? What kind of handsome guy is he?” He Tian teased, leaning in.
Lin Xu could only smile helplessly, his fingers never stopping their work on the phone.
Everyone knew that Lin Xu and his boyfriend had a strong relationship. After all, on the first day they went out, Lin Xu came back covered in mosquito bites. Unlike other couples who broke up right after the college entrance exams, they were still very much in the honeymoon phase.
Suddenly, Lu Zhe, the talkative guy, came running over from the girls' side of the field. He was holding a small blue bottle.
“I just borrowed some sunscreen from the girls in our class. Do you guys want to use it? I feel like I’ve gotten so much darker these past few days,” Lu Zhe said with a gruff voice, clearly distressed.
Who said guys couldn’t use sunscreen? They too were worried about getting sunburned or tanned.
“Hahahahaha! You’re already dark-skinned to begin with. It’s hard to tell that you’ve gotten any darker recently,” He Tian joked, laughing at Lu Zhe.
Lu Zhe patted his back hard in retaliation, then turned to Lin Xu, the fairest and most handsome among them. “Ah Xu, do you want to apply some sunscreen too? You’re so pale that any tan would be quite noticeable.”
Lin Xu looked up at him, observing Lu Zhe applying the sunscreen to his neck, which had already turned noticeably lighter. Initially hesitant because of Zhizhi, he reconsidered when he heard it was borrowed from a female classmate. To avoid any misunderstandings and potential complications, he politely declined.
“You can just use it yourself,” Lin Xu said with a smile. He didn’t mind having a naturally healthy skin tone.
The other roommates, looking at Lin Xu’s flawless, fair skin, sighed. “Lu Zhe, you’re worrying for nothing. Ah Xu hasn’t changed at all. It’s like he doesn’t even tan.” Although they weren’t usually concerned about skin color, recently, fair-skinned and handsome boys had become quite popular among the female students.
Suddenly, they heard a buzz of excitement near the entrance of the sports field. It seemed some students had spotted something interesting.
Lu Zhe hurried over to check and soon learned that a popular variety show had come to Q University to film an episode, featuring the hottest boy group of the moment. They were even gathering an audience.
However, aside from a few enthusiastic freshmen, most students showed little interest, preoccupied with their own activities. The freshmen were still stuck in military training and couldn’t attend.
Before long, they were called to assembled again, enduring another morning under the scorching sun.
When lunchtime arrived, Lin Xu’s dormmates were about to head to the cafeteria, but Lin Xu asked them to go ahead without him. Zhizhi had said he would come by to see him for lunch.
Zhizhi might have to work overtime for the next few days, and he wouldn't have time either, so he could only meet him today and then wait until the weekend.
Lin Xu waited by the wall of a pavilion beside the sports field, watching as a few guests and a camera crew filmed on the asphalt road. Trailing behind them were a few extras and fans. The leader of the group was none other than Yan Yang, the captain of the boy group.
This was Lin Xu’s first time seeing the despicable scumbag from the novel in person. It appeared that Yan Yang was still climbing the social ladder, using those around him to advance, albeit through a different path than in the book.
At the moment, Lin Xu had little concern for this. As far as he was concerned, the most important thing was that Zhizhi had not become entangled with such person.
This time, they didn’t even know each other, which was a relief.
In front of the camera, Yan Yang looked indeed dazzling, boasting a youthful physique and handsome features. With his career on the rise, he exuded an air of pride and self-satisfaction.
When the director of the show saw Lin Xu, he was struck by how good-looking he was. He approached, asking if Lin Xu would be willing to participate in the filming for a fee. Such an attractive top student could increase viewership.
“I’m sorry, but I’m waiting for someone,” Lin Xu politely declined.
In the blink of an eye, Lin Xu and Yan Yang’s eyes met. Yan Yang’s gaze seemed to hold some emotion, not the usual indifference one would expect from a stranger.
“If this student doesn’t want to participate, then that’s fine,” Yan Yang interjected.
Lin Xu couldn’t shake the feeling that Yan Yang held some inexplicable grudge against him. Aside from wanting to keep Zhizhi away from him, Lin Xu had had no prior interactions with Yan Yang.
“Sorry, student. Please feel free to go about your business,” the director said politely.
Q University was an open campus, but the condition for their filming was that they must not disrupt the students.
Lin Xu sat quietly in the pavilion, blending into the background like the rest of the passing students, though he was undoubtedly the most striking background feature.
When he received a message from Zhizhi saying he was almost there, Lin Xu’s lips curved into a slight smile.
While the production team exaggerated their lines on one side, Gu Jinzhi’s luxury car pulled up just outside the camera’s frame.
With an almost telepathic instinct, Lin Xu turned and saw Gu Jinzhi grinning and waving from the car window.
Although it seemed a bit over the top, Lin Xu quickly grabbed his hat and walked over to the car to avoid any prolonged embarrassment.
Yan Yang, seeing the ostentatious sports car and Lin Xu bending to enter it, grew visibly displeased and had to retake a shot.
Nearby, someone remarked, "There are a lot of rich kids in college," thinking it was Lin Xu's family.
Yan Yang’s mood darkened further. The things he had failed to achieve were now being accomplished by an eighteen-year-old university student. Thinking about how he was being compared to this little boy in the group chat made him even more upset.
Giving up on Gu Jinzhi was indeed a reluctant decision, although he had already come a long way. But compared to Gu Jinzhi, Zhao Tao's influence was too weak. Now, the company seemed to be using their momentum to develop other trainees.
Yan Yang realized that Zhao Tao’s support could only take him so far. The more he understood the entertainment industry, the clearer the harsh realities became.
If Gu Jinzhi had been willing to wholeheartedly support him, Yan Yang could hardly imagine how far he might have gone.
“Stay focused,” his teammate signaled, reminding him not to let his emotions affect the audience's perception.
Yan Yang dutifully pretended to accidentally brush against his teammate's arm.
Meanwhile, Lin Xu was wholeheartedly enjoying his time with Zhizhi. In the front passenger seat, Gu Jinzhi had placed a large bag filled with various medications — fever reducers, ointments for cuts, and even sunscreen.
“I saw your military training photos, and you all looked as black as charcoal... and some of you even got heatstroke..” Gu Jinzhi mumbled, clearly concerned.
“I didn’t expect my Ah Xu to still be so fair and clean,” he added, stealing another glance at Lin Xu. After several days apart, he felt a bit shy and awkward about openly admiring his boyfriend.
“It’s fine, we have the school infirmary,” Lin Xu said, appreciating Gu Jinzhi’s concern. He took a wet wipe from the bag and cleaned his face and neck.
However, he decided against using the sunscreen, fearing it would invite jokes from his roommates.
“Why were there so many people over there just now?” Gu Jinzhi asked curiously, having not been able to see clearly.
Lin Xu answered seriously, “A production team was here filming a variety show…” He conveniently left out the part about Yan Yang.
As expected, Gu Jinzhi’s focus wasn’t on the variety show but rather on creating a pretext for conversation.
At a red light, while Lin Xu was talking to him, Gu Jinzhi took the opportunity to lean over and sneak a kiss. His smile widened even more.
Ice broken!
Lin Xu remained composed, grateful that he had cleaned his face earlier. Otherwise, Zhizhi, this fool who never cared about the situation, wouldn't have even noticed he'd just come from military training.
