E-Scum Gong Chapter 57 (Part 2)
Translated by Q the Panda (ko-fi)
Chapter 57 (2/2)
Meanwhile, Lin Xu, the other key figure in this drama, was completely unaware of the situation. His time was filled with chatting with Gu Jinzhi and other commitments, leaving him no room to think about anything else.
He was oblivious to the scorn he had faced or the sympathy he was currently receiving.
It was his roommate who rushed to inform him of the situation, but Lin Xu, preoccupied with his own thoughts, only nodded vaguely, not giving it much consideration. In his mind, he had never truly connected with the public eye.
His roommates privately marveled at Lin Xu’s poise. Indeed, academic gods were different. Little did they know, Lin Xu hadn’t paid any attention to their comments.
Online comments were divided into two camps: one was netizens who saw injustice and couldn't stand it, and the other was some fans who were trying to shift the blame. They argued that certain extreme and crazy fan behaviors shouldn't be attributed to the idol himself. After all, their gege had also worked hard to get to where he was today, putting in countless hours of effort in his career, just like Lin Xu had in his studies. They tried to completely absolve Yan Yang of any responsibility.
Since Lin Xu was just an ordinary person and those few comments wouldn't have any real impact, many hoped that the controversy would eventually die down.
However, everything changed when the dean of Q University's Department of Biological Engineering published a lengthy blog post.
As an esteemed scholar and professor, this was the first time he had ever posted on his account because of a student.
His words were heartfelt and moving, and by the end, readers were left with tears in their eyes.
He began by expressing his admiration and affection for Lin Xu, describing him as the most exceptional and eager student he had encountered in decades of teaching. He then voiced his intolerance for the vilification and misunderstanding of his student. If the pursuit of one's dreams after years of hard study was considered insignificant by some people, then the value system would become chaotic. Finally, he hoped that every student could study in a noble and pure environment, without being influenced by certain worldly perceptions.
This elevated the entire issue to a broader perspective, making it more than just a case of an ordinary person facing criticism.
Soon, Lin Xu’s high school classmates and teachers also came forward. Some even shared photos of Lin Xu’s senior year assignments and notes — a towering stack filled with his vigorous handwriting, representing all the effort and sweat he had invested.
Public opinion began to shift in Lin Xu’s favor. Even though the fan behavior was unrelated to the idol, it was clear that the primary person should guide their fans towards positive conduct, as the harm caused to others could be irreparable.
At least this time, the majority of the public had begun to grow weary of the name Yan Yang.
The final blow came from the official statement from Q University. It was just a brief sentence, but it made their stance clear.
“To provide a pure learning environment for our students, our university will no longer accept any requests to use our campus as a filming location for external programs.”
The implication was obvious.
Netizens were in stitches.
“Hahahaha, don’t think just because your gege has a company, that we small-town exam-passers don’t have people backing us! This matter isn’t over yet!”
“Laughing my head off. Their gege doesn't even dare to apologize. He's probably hiding and lurking online, isn't he?”
“Seriously, for all the suffering their gege endured in a few months of practice, it’s nothing compared to the piles of papers our top student wrote in just half a year of senior year.”
“And now, while he’s still under military training and studying at the same time, he’s too busy to pay them attention. This is the true definition of an academic god.”
Yan Yang didn't expect that a casual chat among fans could escalate to this point, and it seemed that the company's hired internet water army couldn't reverse the current trend.
“Is it really necessary to blow this out of proportion?” Yan Yang snapped, smashing the cup in his hand and tugging at his hair in frustration.
The manager tried to comfort him, “Once this period blows over, things will settle down. The public is just outraged right now. Why don't we do an interview after a while to win back some public favor?” They knew that Yan Yang came from humble beginnings, and portraying his past struggles might evoke sympathy and help mend his image.
Given the current public opinion, the support for Lin Xu was coming from ordinary people who had experienced years of hard study.
“Then, let’s try this approach...” It was the only option left.
Meanwhile, Gu Jinzhi was becoming increasingly restless. Although the situation had been brought under control before he could intervene, he was still furious. He knew better than anyone what his boyfriend had endured during senior year. Compared to that shortcut-seeking trainee, his boyfriend was the epitome of diligence and excellence. Sometimes he worked so hard that it even made Gu Jinzhi feel ashamed. So why was he being ridiculed?
Initially, Gu Jinzhi had just been treating Yan Yang as a joke, but now he couldn't ignore it.
“Yu Song, how's your plan?” He called Yu Song into his office, wearing an unusually serious expression.
Yu Song adjusted his glasses and smiled slightly. “It will be done soon, General Manager Gu.” This time, they would completely crush Yan Yang and make him lose everything.
The cafeteria was crowded with students in green. Lu Zhe was the first to rush in and claim a spot. Lin Xu, as always, had a simple meal of meat and vegetables, silently eating with his head down.
He seemed indifferent to food and had never bought much of anything. At first, his roommates thought Lin Xu’s family must be in dire straits and tried to help him out. It was only later that they realized Lin Xu genuinely didn’t care about such things.
Recently, Lin Xu’s mood had been low, not due to the online controversy but because of the troubles in his love life.
“Ah Xu, why not just break up and find someone else? Don't mope around. With your qualifications, what kind of partner can't you find? If their family looked down on you, then say goodbye. Don't let them bully the young and poor. The river flows thirty years to east and thirty years to the west.” Lu Zhe was a veteran fantasy fan, his head full of plots about face-slapping and making comebacks.
Lin Xu remained silent.
He Tian interrupted, “What nonsense are you talking about? The young couple are doing just fine, and Ah Xu definitely doesn’t want to break up. Let's just wear his big brother out, see who can outlast who!”
The comment made everyone laugh.
“I’ll head to the lab after I finish eating,” Lin Xu said, looking up at them.
“Great! We support you. Become a big shot in academia in the future and make them look up to you. How can such a materialistic family be good?”
Lin Xu smiled helplessly. He had no intention of showing off to Gu Qi. He simply wanted to prove that he was trustworthy, that being with him wouldn’t affect Gu Jinzhi negatively.
Suddenly, a man dressed in a high-end suit appeared in the cafeteria. His presence was strikingly out of place.
He surveyed the room and headed straight for Lin Xu’s table.
“Ge?” Lin Xu was surprised, not expecting his older brother to show up out of the blue.
“This is your big brother? He looks pretty respectable,” Lu Zhe murmured in Lin Xu’s ear.
According to Lin Xu, his family was in sales. They had laughed, thinking that Lin Xu was so different from his family. A family of smooth talkers produced a quiet one.
Now it seemed that being in sales was this glamorous.
Lin Xu hadn't realized it yet. He just assumed his older brother dressed up nicely for high-profile clients.
“I only just learned about what’s been happening online. Ah Xu, are you okay? Let’s talk outside,” Lin Shen said, looking overwhelmed. Swamped with work, he was stunned to find out his younger brother had made it to the hot search. He wouldn’t have known it if his assistant hadn’t brought it up.
He never imagined that while his younger brother was focused on his studies, he would end up in such a situation.
“I’m fine,” Lin Xu shook his head.
“Ge, Ah Xu is actually not bothered by it. It’s just that he’s unlucky in the affairs of the heart,” one of Lin Xu’s roommates chimed in.
“Hmm? Affairs of the heart?” Lin Shen was taken aback. In his mind, his younger brother was still a child.
“Nothing,” Lin Xu quickly cut in.
“His partner’s family looks down on him.”
“Huh?” Lin Shen frowned and looked at his younger brother again, thinking he was perfect in every way.
Who would dare to look down on his younger brother?
