E-Scum Gong Chapter 70
Translated by Q the Panda (ko-fi)
Chapter 70
“Tsk, who would have thought you'd end up like this...” With a smirk, Gu Jinzhi watched the girl gracefully sway out of the room with her bag. Only after she left did he finally take a seat across from Xu Zhou.
"Long time no see. You seem to have become quite proper now." Xu Zhou also snorted coldly, not wanting to be outdone.
Gu Jinzhi’s hair was now a simple, clean black, and he hadn’t styled it in any trendy way, which was quite rare.
"Ah Xu said frequent dyeing isn’t good for my hair, so I’m letting it grow out for a while." Gu Jinzhi touched his hair with a smile. His conversation was practically all about Lin Xu, his face full of smugness.
Xu Zhou sighed internally. Back when Gu Jinzhi was single, he wouldn’t have dared to act so high-and-mighty.
"Did your girlfriend break up with you?" Otherwise, why would he be on a blind date? Although Gu Jinzhi was well aware of his childhood friend’s nature, he firmly opposed such actions. Even if they grew up together, he had no tolerance for scumbag behavior.
"Long over. My mom’s been nagging me about marriage, and it’s driving me crazy," Xu Zhou sighed. It seemed to be the fate of people like them — well, except Gu Jinzhi.
"Luckily, I came out early, so my family isn’t pressing me about marriage." Gu Jinzhi was clearly very pleased with himself.
"You still need to get married someday. You’re not getting any younger." Having a partner didn’t mean one could be so complacent. There was a big difference between a boyfriend and a husband.
Gu Jinzhi paused, fiddled with his nails, and then lowered his eyes. "Ah Xu is still young and not at the right age yet." But he had no doubt that they would definitely get married. It was just a matter of time. He was willing to wait a few more years.
"So you’re going to wait until he graduates?" Xu Zhou clicked his tongue. But there was no way around it since the age gap was evident.
But if it took four more years, he thought it was a bit unrealistic. Love didn’t typically last that long.
"Ah Xu plans to continue with his master’s and doctoral studies," Gu Jinzhi quickly explained.
Though there wasn’t a direct conflict, Xu Zhou suddenly understood from Gu Jinzhi’s expression. Marriage might delay Lin Xu’s academic progress, so Gu Jinzhi was willing to wait for him to focus on his studies.
Xu Zhou mentally calculated the remaining years and was taken aback. Then he clapped in admiration, "Second Young Master Gu, oh, Second Young Master Gu, I never realized you were such a magnanimous person. I was the narrow-minded one." In his opinion, finding a suitable same-sex partner wasn’t easy, so settling down early was better. Otherwise, things could change.
No matter how much the Gu family doted on Gu Jinzhi, they couldn’t protect him forever, especially not from his emotional issues. By the time he was in his thirties or forties, who knew how people might change? Lin Xu wasn’t in a hurry to marry, which was understandable, but Gu Jinzhi’s lack of urgency was unusual.
It wasn’t a big deal if he didn’t marry. Living freely was perfectly fine. Xu Zhou himself wasn’t keen on marriage. However, he felt that this situation didn’t suit Gu Jinzhi. He was not the type to play around, otherwise he wouldn’t be saying such things.
Gu Jinzhi propped his chin on his hand and didn’t respond.
Marriage was often said to be the grave of love, a sentiment he used to agree with. He never thought he would get married in the future. And since he couldn't have children, it seemed like marriage was even more optional.
But to be honest, if it were with Ah Xu, he would be willing.
Whenever he thought about these things, Gu Jinzhi recalled what Ah Xu had told him before: a good partner wouldn’t hinder the other's progress. He remembered this clearly. Now, he wouldn’t hold Lin Xu back from his academic dreams or trap him in marriage.
Moreover, he trusted Lin Xu. Their relationship didn’t need the binding force of marriage. They were doing just fine as they were.
"Anyway, I’m happier than you now. I don’t have to go on blind dates," Gu Jinzhi joked, wrapping up the conversation.
"Alright then, what’s your little boyfriend up to? Why aren’t you with him today?"
At the mention of this, Gu Jinzhi’s excitement returned. "They have their sports meet today. Ah Xu is the flag bearer of his class. Their school uniforms are terribly ugly, but Ah Xu still stands out! We'll go eat together after they finish."
As he spoke, Gu Jinzhi showed Xu Zhou the video Lin Xu had sent him. It was taken by Lin Xu’s classmates.
In the video, the formation slowly advanced, with Lin Xu at the front, his serious expression unwavering. Despite the garish school uniform, his aura was undeniable.
Gu Jinzhi knew that Ah Xu must have felt particularly uncomfortable. Otherwise, his face wouldn't be so stiff. Just thinking about it made him laugh.
Meanwhile, as they watched the energetic and youthful students in the video, both of them couldn't help but think of the topic of age they had just discussed.
Lin Xu was indeed too young.
As soon as he saw Ah Xu, Gu Jinzhi restrained his thoughts and waved enthusiastically. He was leaning against the car in a brown trench coat.
The weather had turned a bit chilly recently. Although it hadn’t started snowing yet, the wind and rain were relentless.
Time flew by, yet it also seemed to crawl. From spring to early winter, they experienced the changing seasons, and within these seasons, they decided to spend their lives together.
Gu Jinzhi was about to turn another year older. Although he felt he hadn’t changed much from his past self, he knew his appearance must have altered somewhat.
However, the moment his boyfriend walked toward him, all his concerns melted away, replaced by a deep sense of reassurance. When Ah Xu was near, Gu Jinzhi was always happy.
"You didn’t change clothes?" Gu Jinzhi tugged at Lin Xu’s colorful school uniform, thinking their school had quite a trendy design, though it looked a bit strange. Still, it suited Ah Xu.
"The event just ended, so I didn’t have time to change," Lin Xu said with a nod, not feeling it was a big deal.
After exercising, Lin Xu felt warm all over. He took Gu Jinzhi’s hand, which was soft and cool, and instinctively rubbed it, his ears flushing red as he slipped his hands into his pockets.
Actions he used to ignore now seemed to come naturally.
Although Gu Jinzhi was strong, it didn’t show in his appearance. His hands and feet were quite small.
Gu Jinzhi’s lashes fluttered as he allowed Ah Xu to do so. They had done more intimate things before, and they had held hands countless times. Yet, in a different setting or season, she could still be easily touched.
"How did your class perform?" Gu Jinzhi leaned against Lin Xu’s shoulder.
"Not bad, we were in the middle rankings," Lin Xu replied, though he didn’t mention that their formation performance was first. Many of his classmates joked that their high ranking was due to the flag bearer’s influence.
If it had been Gu Jinzhi, he would have been boasting proudly by now. But Lin Xu would never indulge in bragging about nonexistent achievements.
Even so, Gu Jinzhi, who wasn’t part of the event, still couldn’t help but boast a little in front of his boyfriend.
"If I were in your school, I’d definitely bring home several championships and hang all the medals around your neck!" The golden medals would look so good! And with Ah Xu’s fair skin, it would be even more striking.
"I know, Zhizhi, you’re definitely amazing," Lin Xu said, playing along. Complimenting Gu Jinzhi was always the right thing to do.
"Ah Xu, do you have any plans for your four years in college? Tell me about them," Gu Jinzhi asked, seeming genuinely interested, his hands warm and secure.
Lin Xu shared his academic plans with serious detail and professionalism, which Gu Jinzhi struggled to understand.
Seeing Ah Xu so earnest was heartwarming. Gu Jinzhi couldn’t resist hugging him and giving him a kiss. Everything felt perfect. He wasn’t one to dwell on things, so he quickly pushed his confusion aside and focused on holding Lin Xu’s hand tightly.
After dinner, they went shopping at the mall. This was the first time Lin Xu had suggested it. After all, he wasn't the type who liked shopping, and Gu Jinzhi was prepared to let his boyfriend go back to study.
But if Ah Xu wanted to continue spending time with him, Gu Jinzhi was more than happy to stay. He also wanted to browse for clothes, thinking Ah Xu might need some new outfits. That school uniform, in particular, must never be worn again.
It wasn’t long before Gu Jinzhi noticed Ah Xu lingering outside a jewelry store.
Gu Jinzhi looked up at the sign, paused in surprise, and then glanced back at Lin Xu, his eyes wide with curiosity.
The store marketed itself on the concept that its rings could only be purchased once in a lifetime.
"Let’s go inside and take a look," Lin Xu said, a bit nervous, his palms sweating.
This wasn’t due to social phobia, but rather because he had fully expressed his intentions, and Gu Jinzhi immediately understood.
"Oh..." Gu Jinzhi followed him in, feeling a bit dazed.
Lin Xu had already picked out a few styles in advance, but he wasn’t sure about his choices. So he asked Gu Jinzhi for his opinion on each one.
Although they didn’t discuss other details, Gu Jinzhi knew that these rings were not meant for anyone else but him.
He instantly lost his sense of aesthetics and nodded in agreement with every style. This one was good, that one was good too, as long as they were getting married, they were all good.
"Hmm?" Lin Xu looked at him with curiosity.
Seeing Ah Xu’s youthful face, which now appeared remarkably mature, made Gu Jinzhi’s heart ache a little.
Why was Ah Xu being so considerate, leaving him no room to overthink? He was the immature one, Ah Xu was not.
"The one with the bigger diamond looks nice," Gu Jinzhi said, overwhelmed with emotion, but still pointed at it pickily. Although he was a guy, it was common for men to wear diamond rings when getting married.
"Then let’s choose that one for our engagement. We can get married when I reach the legal age. Is that okay?" Lin Xu asked.
"Okay!" Gu Jinzhi nodded emphatically.
"But getting married this early could affect your studies." Gu Jinzhi was still worried. After all, starting a family would bring many additional responsibilities. He hadn’t planned for such a commitment so soon, and now that Ah Xu was thinking this way, he felt he should offer some advice, even though he was reluctant to do so.
At twenty-four, he was very eager to settle down.
"A day has twenty-four hours," Lin Xu replied with a smile. Zhizhi was worth sacrificing other things for.
After all, Lin Xu was human too, and he wanted to pursue a life he loved. Sustainable development was the right approach.
"I’ll hit you," Gu Jinzhi said, playfully swinging his fist at Lin Xu. Despite his attempt to scold, his eyes betrayed his happiness. If one piece of advice wasn’t enough, then there was nothing he could do.
And actually, getting married was pretty good. Ah Xu was probably only a few months away from graduating then. He heard one could get extra credits for that. Wasn't Ah Xu so lucky to have stumbled upon such a great opportunity?
Gu Jinzhi immediately sent a jubilant message to Xu Zhou: “!!! Ah Xu wants to get engaged with me and said we’d marry right after his graduation! Now only a single dog like you needs to go on blind dates hahahahaha!”
Xu Zhou: “......” He had just acted indifferent a moment ago. This guy was so stupid.
Looking at the brand name again, Lin Xu felt that it was very gimmicky and commercial — simply capitalizing on the beautiful fantasies that unmarried couples had about the future.
But this time, he too had fallen for it.