E-Scum Gong Chapter 62 (Part 1)
Translated by Q the Panda (ko-fi)
Chapter 62 (1/2)
The pink sparkling water was poured into a glass filled with ice cubes. Instantly, a fresh, dreamy mist rose upward, as if a tiny iceberg had been set ablaze.
The iceberg was dissolved into the fire and then into Gu Jinzhi’s lips, welcoming the end of summer.
That night, all factions within the circle became acquainted with the youngest son of the Lin family. Invitations and connections from all directions poured in.
Gu Jinzhi sat properly at one corner of the dining table, wearing an appropriate smile. Occasionally, he sipped the refreshingly explosive soda, his eyes growing softer.
His older brother was damn impressive! Gu Jinzhi thought to himself, subtly wiggling his toes.
Next to him, Gu Qi spoke earnestly about his younger brother, “Jinzhi has grown up a lot recently. He’s learned to socialize properly and now goes to the company early and comes back late every day. As his older brother, I can barely recognize him anymore.”
Upon hearing this, Gu Jinzhi showed no signs of guilt. His smile remained perfectly composed.
Across from him, Lin Xu’s habitual tendency to feel awkward on behalf of others took over again, causing him to simply purse his lips.
Gu Qi was completely a man of action. He had promised to help his younger brother make connections, and just days after the party, he had managed to link up with the Lin family through a new business deal. He persuaded Lin Shen to bring his younger brother out to experience the broader world, as he had been confined to Jiang City and might not be familiar with the pace of the new environment.
Lin Shen was persuaded, but he had not anticipated running into Gu Jinzhi here.
Regarding Gu Qi's praise of his younger brother, Lin Shen eyed him skeptically, half-convinced, laughing it off with a tactful laugh.
Lin Xu felt Gu Jinzhi’s restless leg under the table, entangling with his own. Athough he couldn't free himself, he dared not make a scene. He could only endure in silence and occasionally cast sidelong glances as a warning.
However, Lin Shen remained oblivious to the situation right under his nose.
Gu Jinzhi raised an eyebrow smugly.
“We’re discussing business, which might bore them. Coincidentally, Jinzhi has a wide circle of friends. How about taking Xiao Xu out to meet some people? It’ll help him blend into the younger crowd. Jinzhi, this is the first time you’re meeting Xiao Xu, isn’t it? He’s a bit younger than you,” Gu Qi said, introducing his younger brother with exaggerated seriousness, completely ignoring the six-year age difference, otherwise it would sound too sinful.
“Hello, Xiao Xu. You can call me Second Brother Gu,” Gu Jinzhi said, trying hard not to laugh. He didn't forget to wink at Lin Xu secretly.
Lin Xu patted his forehead, subtly tapping Gu Jinzhi’s leg to signal him to behave.
“Hello, Jinzhi-ge,” Lin Xu addressed him as expected, maintaining a gentlemanly demeanor.
Gu Jinzhi felt a a sweet thrill inside.
Lin Shen remained completely unaware of the awkwardness between them. He couldn't imagine that the two of them would know each other.
He forced a smile. While Gu Jinzhi might know a lot of people, they were likely not suitable to be introduced to his younger brother. Such matters were better handled by himself.
However, since Gu Qi had been unusually warm and courteous, Lin Shen chose to respond diplomatically. “My younger brother isn’t fond of crowded places.”
“It won’t be noisy,” Gu Qi assured him. “Jinzhi and his friends are going to art exhibitions and lectures. They’re well-informed about such events. Xiao Xu will definitely find it interesting,” Gu Qi continued to lie.
With this kind of assurance, Lin Shen felt it was even more awkward to refuse directly. He turned to his younger brother, giving his shoulder a gentle nudge and said, “Xiao Xu, what do you think?”
He blinked his eyes, clearly indicating that he wanted Lin Xu to decline.
But whether his younger brother didn't understand or chose to ignore it, he accepted calmly. “Then I’ll trouble Jinzhi-ge. I’m not very familiar with this place.”
“?” Lin Shen was momentarily stunned, his brows slowly knitting together. However, since the person directly involved had agreed, he couldn’t really argue further.
“Alright, you two go ahead. You can also add each other on WeChat and keep in touch,” Gu Qi decided promptly.
“Come home early and don’t stay out too late,” Lin Shen added, thinking that while nothing outrageous would likely happen during the day, and since Gu Jinzhi had made such promises in front of him, he trusted that Gu Jinzhi wouldn’t misbehave.
“Let’s go, Xiao Xu.” Gu Jinzhi jingled his car keys playfully and stood up, placing a hand on Lin Xu’s shoulder.
Seeing the promiscuous air in Gu Jinzhi's behavior, Lin Shen felt uneasy. Still, he reassured himself that a few hours out wouldn’t lead to anything too serious, and he couldn’t deny his younger brother the chance to socialize.
“Let’s get down to business,” Gu Qi said, interrupting Lin Shen’s thoughts.
Meanwhile, Gu Jinzhi had already settled into his flashy sports car. The weather was nice today, so he opened the convertible top, making it even more eye-catching.
He made a call to his group of unruly friends, mainly Xu Zhou. “Come out, we’re going to the club.” Xu Zhou had a knack for organizing a lively party.
Now that he had his older brother’s protection, Gu Jinzhi was elated. He didn’t need to hide anything anymore, and with familiar faces around, he wasn’t worried about anyone leaking any information to the Lin family.
“Zhizhi, where are we going? What kind of cultural club is this?” Lin Xu asked, his curiosity piqued by what Gu Qi had mentioned earlier.
Seeing his boyfriend’s innocent expression, Gu Jinzhi couldn’t resist smothering him with a big, sloppy kiss.
“Ge will take you out to see the world~” Gu Jinzhi said, making it clear that what he said in front of Lin Shen was all nonsense. He was feeling particularly rebellious today.
However, Gu Jinzhi had no intention of causing any trouble. Despite his playfulness, he loved Lin Xu more than anyone else. He simply thought that since his boyfriend had been so stressed lately and with classes about to start again, it was the perfect time for a little relaxation and to introduce him to some friends.
Lin Xu was amused at Zhizhi’s confident expression. He considered various possibilities, some of them quite exaggerated. After all, he had heard of many other people's ways of having fun before.
It wasn’t until Gu Jinzhi led him into a luxurious, private card room — one of the club’s exclusive areas — that Lin Xu realized they were stepping into a more relaxed setting, just a casual game among friends.
Gu Jinzhi might have seemed reckless and carefree, but he always maintained a certain boundary. He never truly crossed any lines.
The club they were visiting was exclusive, reserved for the genuinely elite. Only the rich second-generation kids had the chance to become members. It was founded by a group of rich second-generation themselves, so of course they wouldn't bring just anyone here. And the so-called black-gold members were more the stuff of legend. Most people only knew that such a club existed in the bustling areas but little beyond that.
Gu Jinzhi was one of the rare black-gold members, not because of any special reasons but simply due to his vanity. He didn’t visit often, but when he did, he enjoyed the atmosphere.
When they arrived, the card room was filled with several young men and women lounging on the sofas. Some were dressed casually, while others had brightly colored hair.
Upon seeing Gu Jinzhi, everyone greeted him in unison, “Second Brother Gu.”
Xu Zhou, being his best friend, was much bolder. “So this weirdo finally had the guts to bring his boyfriend out to see the world!” He made a point of noting that ever since Gu Jinzhi started dating, he had become a reformed man. All he did was work and spend time with his boyfriend. Such a good boy.
Gu Jinzhi nodded, casually leading Lin Xu to sit at a nearby table. “Didn’t want you all to get jealous.”
Xu Zhou’s comment set the tone for Lin Xu’s status. It was clear that Lin Xu was more than just a casual fling. In fact, everyone present knew that Gu Jinzhi valued relationships deeply, and therefore was unwilling to settle, always remaining single.
