E-Scum Gong Chapter 65
Translated by Q the Panda (ko-fi)
Chapter 65
If he had the choice, Lin Shen would have preferred not to work overtime tonight. That way, he wouldn’t have been forced to witness such an eye-scorching scene.
He furiously honked the car horn. He wished he could destroy the world on the spot, but before that, he’d make sure to blow up the Gu family's house. However, the moment one of the car doors opened and his usually composed, self-controlled younger brother stepped out, Lin Shen’s breath caught in his throat, and a sudden, inexplicable tension gripped him.
Lin Shen took a deep breath, his face dark and looking very unfriendly, his hands gripping the steering wheel with bulging veins. Yet, in his heart, all he hoped for was for Ah Xu to explain that there was nothing going on between them. If that happened, Lin Shen would gladly accept it and immediately figure out how to get that Gu boy out of his younger brother’s sight.
After all, he didn’t dare to speak harshly to his younger brother...
Even though Gu Jinzhi was utterly terrified of Lin Shen, seeing his boyfriend get out of the car left him no choice. Pushing aside all stray thoughts, he reluctantly followed behind. If Lin Shen lost his temper with Ah Xu, he’d have to step in and take responsibility!
Lin Shen’s eyes swept over Gu Jinzhi, noting the wrinkled clothes and how he trailed behind his younger brother, quietly tugging at his sleeve. That face of his looked entirely off, as if he was scared out of his wits. Lin Shen's anger flared even more!
How dare Gu Jinzhi? How dare Gu Qi?!
Glancing back at his younger brother's dignified posture, Lin Shen rubbed his temples and forced himself to get out of the car.
His gaze swept over Gu Jinzhi like a knife, but what he said was, "Why are you back so late? Come on, let’s go home." He was clearly pretending he hadn't seen a thing.
Gu Jinzhi shrank back a little. Did Lin Shen really not see anything? That would be a relief!
"I should head back now. My big brother's waiting for me," Gu Jinzhi hurriedly said, attempting to turn and leave, but Lin Xu pulled him back.
His heart raced with both nervousness and confusion, yet he obediently stood still. Especially under Lin Shen's piercing gaze, Gu Jinzhi instinctively moved closer to Lin Xu. Gone was the bold, carefree attitude he'd displayed the first time they met when he’d shamelessly acted like Lin Xu’s sworn brother. Now, he was full of vulnerabilities, his dependence on Lin Xu obvious. Dreading this awkward confrontation, he wished he could just bury himself in his boyfriend’s arms.
Lin Shen clenched his teeth, forcing himself to act oblivious. He raised an eyebrow in silent question toward his younger brother.
Lin Xu’s clear gaze swept over him, as if seeing right through his pretense. Calmly, he said, "Ge, as you’ve probably guessed, Zhizhi and I... are actually a couple." He even reached out and took Gu Jinzhi’s hand.
The moment those words left his mouth, Lin Shen froze in awkwardness. He hadn’t guessed anything! Unsure of what expression to show, he could only manage a soft "Ah," feigning surprise.
Gu Jinzhi, on the other hand, was in a daze. What was Lin Xu doing? Hadn't they gotten away with it? Why was he walking right into the trap?
Yet deep down, he was actually quite happy. So happy, in fact, that the joy on his face outweighed his panic. Lin Xu had just openly introduced him in front of his older brother...
Even though Lin Shen was leaning against the car, his expression slightly stiffened. He was unsure how to respond, but his displeasure was undeniable. Sensing this, Gu Jinzhi immediately and sensibly called out, "ge," then promptly hid behind Lin Xu.
Shameless brat! Lin Shen was grinding his teeth so hard he thought he might crack them. He couldn't possibly be Gu Jinzhi's ge. His Ah Xu was still young, far too young to be tangled up with someone like Gu Jinzhi.
For someone his age, Gu Jinzhi should know better! And what happened in the car earlier... Lin Shen could barely stand to think about it.
Lin Xu was young — of course he’d been thoroughly swept off his feet.
"I understand," Lin Shen said as gently as he could manage. "Ah Xu, we’ll talk more when we get home. Let Second Young Master Gu head back for now."
Lin Xu, fully aware that his older brother disapproved, decided to be upfront. "Ge, we've been together for a long time. I’m sorry for deceiving you earlier, but you know I have my own mind." In front of others, Lin Xu wasn't as nervous or shy, especially when it came to matters concerning Gu Jinzhi. He had to handle this seriously.
Lin Shen opened his mouth but found his words stuck. He’d thought this was a recent fling, not something that had been going on for a while!
"Alright..." Lin Shen finally muttered after a moment of contemplation.
"Zhizhi, be careful on your way home. I’ll see you tomorrow," Lin Xu said, releasing Gu Jinzhi’s hand and signaling with his eyes that there was no need to worry. See? Nothing had gone wrong.
Gu Jinzhi hadn’t expected their relationship to be exposed, and he was surprised that he wasn't beaten up. Honestly, he wouldn’t have minded getting hit if it meant he could still have Ah Xu. But now... this seemed almost too easy!
"Alright." Gu Jinzhi nodded seriously, still processing the situation.
At first, Gu Jinzhi marveled at how kind Lin Shen was to Ah Xu — not getting angry about such a big matter. But then, he recalled how his own older brother had put him under house arrest. Therefore, Gu Jinzhi vowed that if Ah Xu didn’t contact him tomorrow, he’d send bodyguards to his doorstep and demand him back. After all, this was a society governed by law! How could anyone live with an older brother like that?
Lin Xu watched Gu Jinzhi's sports car disappear from sight before he pursed his lips slightly, his eyes filled with warmth. Then he turned to look at his older brother.
"If you have any thoughts, ge, feel free to tell me."
Lin Shen had always thought of his younger brother as a gentle and obedient boy. At this moment, he was a little at a loss. He couldn't use the authority of an older brother to say anything about what was best for his younger brother, because Ah Xu wasn’t someone who could be easily manipulated.
Besides, they hadn’t been reunited for long. Lin Shen didn’t want to create any rifts between them. More importantly, Ah Xu had only just realized he liked men. He was probably confused. How could Lin Shen be the villain who broke up their relationship?
So, Lin Shen kept his tone gentle as he slowly asked, "Ah Xu, when did you realize you liked men?" He had thought his younger brother was nowhere near ready to explore love.
Coming out was no longer considered a rare thing, but when it hit so close to home, Lin Shen still found it a little difficult to accept. Of course, what he truly struggled to accept was Gu Jinzhi.
"A few months ago, when I met Zhizhi," Lin Xu replied. Even now, he wasn’t entirely sure of his orientation, but one thing he knew for certain was that he liked Gu Jinzhi.
Hearing the nickname "Zhizhi" made Lin Shen's teeth ache. But the timeline threw him off even more. He had been so careful, and he had even blamed himself for getting involved with the Gu family. Now, it turned out that his home had already been infiltrated?!
Then he realized — back then, Ah Xu was still in his final year of high school... Wasn’t Gu Jinzhi, that old brat, an old cow eating tender grass?!
The more Lin Shen thought about it, the angrier he became, though he forced a smile to hide his true feelings. If his younger brother noticed how he really felt about Gu Jinzhi, Ah Xu might turn against him instead.
Young people liked the freedom to fall in love on their own terms. They weren’t exactly keen on family interference.
"But... Gu Jinzhi doesn’t have the best reputation in the capital. Ah Xu, are you sure you really know him? You’re still young..." Lin Shen was fishing for any hint of hesitation. If Ah Xu wavered even slightly, Lin Shen would dig up every last detail on Gu Jinzhi, compile a full report, and show it to his younger brother — anything to drive a wedge between them.
Lin Xu, however, remained resolute. "Ge, Zhizhi isn’t like what people say. I know exactly how good he is." In fact, Lin Xu felt incredibly fortunate to have met someone as sincere and passionate as Gu Jinzhi. Being loved by him was a blessing.
"Alright… but for now, don’t tell Mom and Dad. I’m afraid they won’t take it well. Their views are a bit more traditional. I’ll find the right time to break it to them." Lin Shen sighed. He still felt like he was the unluckiest person in the world — why did he have to walk in on this?
But who knows? These two could break up in a few months. But now, not only was he angry, he also had to help keep this secret from their parents. After all, Ah Xu was so young. Anyone would think he was tricked by Gu Jinzhi.
Especially considering how brazen Gu Jinzhi had been in the car just now — wasn't he a bit too eager?
"Ah Xu... you’re still growing. That will be uncomfortable. Take it slow..." Lin Shen’s voice trailed off awkwardly. Even though he didn’t have gay friends, he wasn’t completely clueless. The more he thought about it, the more he resented the Gu family. Gu Qi was also an old bastard.
Looking back, Lin Shen suspected Gu Qi had known about the relationship all along and had even helped his whiny younger brother keep it a secret.
Lin Xu froze for a moment, stiffening at his older brother’s awkward expression. He didn’t know how to respond, but there wasn’t really any need to argue either. He didn’t believe that being the bottom was a sign of weakness or something to be ashamed of.
Still, Lin Xu did take in some of his older brother’s words. Zhizhi might be uncomfortable... When the time came, Lin Xu thought he’d better do some proper research. His ears reddened slightly at the thought.
Meanwhile, Gu Jinzhi made it home on shaky legs. His older brother, noticing how late it was, was waiting for him downstairs.
"Ge, I’m done for," Gu Jinzhi groaned, collapsing onto the couch, looking utterly lifeless, but there was a mischievous smile on his face.
“What happened?” Gu Qi asked, suddenly tense. Judging by the timing, Gu Jinzhi must have just returned from dropping Lin Xu off. Had something gone wrong?
“Lin Shen found out about us,” Gu Jinzhi said seriously, sitting up straighter.
“...How could you be so careless? How did he find out?” Gu Qi was genuinely worried, but also felt it was unreasonable. Lin Shen already knew the two of them were acquainted.
“He saw me sitting on Ah Xu’s lap,” Gu Jinzhi admitted, biting his lip. But there was no trace of regret on his face.
Gu Qi’s eyes widened in shock, his mind racing through countless scenarios. He knew it was over. Putting himself in Lin Shen’s shoes, if his own younger brother had just started college and was already getting cozy with an older guy — especially sitting on his lap — he’d grab a knife and march straight over.
“Then why are you smiling?” Gu Qi asked, frowning when he noticed the goofy grin tugging at the corners of Gu Jinzhi’s mouth. Something felt off.
Gu Jinzhi didn't realize his expression was so obvious. In truth, the intimacy they’d shared in the car was still intoxicating. He was lightheaded just thinking about it and didn't even want to sit on the sofa. He felt most comfortable sitting on his boyfriend's lap.
“Did Lin Xu step in? Is that why his big brother didn’t scold you?” Gu Qi quickly pieced it together. He remembered that Lin Xu seemed like a reliable person. Plus, his unlucky younger brother didn’t exactly look like someone who’d just been dumped.
“How did you know?” Gu Jinzhi looked at his older brother in surprise, feeling as though he was surrounded by smart people.
“Ah Xu even held my hand. There’s no way he’s breaking up with me. Lin Shen didn’t even yell at me.” Gu Jinzhi scratched his head with a sheepish smile.
So you're bringing this up just to show off? Gu Qi was utterly speechless.
But he also thought that his younger brother was a fool with good luck. While he was still racking his brains on what to do, the young couple had already come clean, and his younger brother hadn't been sacrificed.
Moments later, his unlucky younger brother leapt off the couch with excitement. “Ge, Ah Xu is calling me! I’m heading to my room now!”
Seeing Gu Jinzhi so happy made Gu Qi smile as well. He felt that the situation had been resolved quite easily, thanks to Lin Xu also liking their Jinzhi.
As an older brother, he no longer had to put on a brave face and come up with strategies.
However, before he could enjoy his relief for long, a message arrived from a business partner. “Mr. Gu, our cooperation is cancelled. I can't meet the Gu family for now, otherwise I'm afraid I'll do something unseemly.”
Gu Qi froze for a moment. His unlucky younger brother! Was he going to bear the brunt of this mess too?
“Mr. Lin, we’re all adults here. We shouldn’t act on impulse. Let’s schedule a meeting to discuss things properly...” Business still needed to be done, so Gu Qi tried to persuade him in a gentle tone.
After a while, he received a reply. “Alright, but Mr. Gu should be prepared.”
Meanwhile, the sound of his younger brother’s gleeful laughter carried down from upstairs, grating on his nerves. Gu Qi then understood. Mr. Lin must have been provoked again.
Were six bodyguards enough?
