In a Relationship With the Rugged Guy Next Door - Chapter 13

Chapter 13: “Let Brother handle it, it’ll be quick.”

The communication with the Editor-in-Chief went more smoothly than expected. Chen Jingming earnestly explained the creative concepts behind several of his works and elaborated on a few highly relevant past jobs.

Before the chat, Teacher Du Li hadn’t mentioned much about the Editor’s background, only that he was a middle-aged man in his fifties named Xie Yan.

To his surprise, upon meeting, Editor Xie mentioned that he had previously taught in the Literature Department of the Film Academy, specifically teaching screenplay creation.

“When I saw your resume, I thought it was quite a coincidence.” On Xie Yan’s desk sat a cup of iced lemon tea, half-finished. After Chen Jingming entered, Xie Yan drank plain water with him. “Being a screenwriter is getting harder and harder; many of my students have changed careers. For a computer science major like you to break in, you must have something unique about you.”

Chen Jingming modestly replied that he was being overrated. “It’s just that I really like this industry, and I was lucky to have a teacher lead me into it.”

Xie Yan: “A teacher? What’s their name?”

Chen Jingming: “Teacher Lu Fang.”

“Hahahaha!” Xie Yan suddenly burst into laughter, even slapping his thigh. “This circle is incredibly small! Does this teacher of yours have straight bangs, a bob cut, and wear black clothes all year round?”

“How did you know?”

“She’s my junior; we went to the same university.”

Chen Jingming also marveled at the coincidence. Mentioning Lu Fang made him feel a bit guilty; because he hadn’t been in a good state, he hadn’t greeted her in a long time.

“Why did you want to come back to Changxi City?” Xie Yan asked.

Chen Jingming let out a soft breath, cupping his water glass with both hands. “After joining a production crew this year, some incidents with a negative impact occurred, which heavily affected my work and mental state. Actually, I am originally from Changxi City; this is my hometown, and I have a brother here. Returning here makes me feel at peace and fulfilled.”

“Chu Feng?” Xie Yan smiled.

“Yes.” Chen Jingming felt a bit shy. How did everyone seem to know they were brothers?

The Editor-in-Chief nodded. “I know him. Du Li mentioned to me that she wrote several articles about Xishan Pasture before. In fact, I roughly know about that business with Tang Song; some people in the screenwriting circle were discussing it, and I caught a few glimpses.”

Chen Jingming lowered his eyes. “I see.”

Xie Yan said, “Everyone believes you.”

Chen Jingming looked up, his eyes sparkling. “Really?”

Xie Yan: “Of course it’s true. You aren’t the only person who has worked with him.”

Chen Jingming frowned slightly, suddenly enlightened. Regarding the malicious acts of Tang Song and his extremist fans, he had wanted to fight back, but he had never found the right breakthrough point. His mental fragility after being cyberbullied had left him without a clue.

“Alright, let’s talk about work.”

Perhaps because the conversation was so relaxed and successful, Xie Yan dropped his professional facade and started drinking his milk tea.

Chen Jingming smiled. “Okay.”

…

When he finished the talk with the Editor and came out, Chu Feng was standing downstairs making a phone call. Chen Jingming, clutching the materials Editor Xie had given him, walked down the stairs. Seeing Chu Feng’s broad and reliable back and thinking about how he had successfully secured this temporary job, he couldn’t help but take a deep breath.

“Brother,” Chen Jingming called out softly.

Chu Feng turned around and hurriedly said into the phone, “The baby is finished. Wait until I get back to talk.”

Chen Jingming waved his hand. “No rush, you finish what you’re saying.”

“It was just Xiao Lang talking to me about the reception,” Chu Feng said, looking Jingming up and down to make sure he was intact, seeing him smiling radiantly. “Did it pass?”

Chen Jingming nodded vigorously. “It passed!”

“My baby is so amazing.” Chu Feng wanted to rub his head, but seeing Jingming had styled his hair today, he settled for gently squeezing the back of Jingming’s neck a few times.

“It hurts—” Chen Jingming shrunk his neck and walked forward.

Chu Feng let out an “ah.” “Brother didn’t use any strength!”

Chen Jingming: “You’re too big! Even when you think you aren’t using strength, I already find it painful!”

Chu Feng apologized with a smile. “Brother’s fault. I’ll touch you very gently from now on.”

Having said that, Chu Feng took the materials from Chen Jingming’s hands to carry them himself.

He had agreed with Teacher Xie Yan to start work next Wednesday. Landscapes & Manners magazine collaborated with provincial publishing groups to focus on the fusion of ethnic culture and geography. This series had already released five issues, all highly rated.

The Changxi chapter was planned to be released in two volumes—upper and lower—because Changxi City’s ethnic culture and ecology were so rich. This was currently the only place to get two volumes, and the publishing house took it very seriously.

On the way back, Chen Jingming prattled on to Chu Feng about the project team’s plans, mentioning that the editorial team only worked seven hours a day, and talking more about his history with Teacher Lu Fang.

Chu Feng drove steadily and slowly, listening to Chen Jingming talk the whole way.

By the time they reached home, the sky was dark, and Chen Lang’s face was even darker.

“It’s less than twenty kilometers! How the hell did it take you two this long to get home?!” Chen Lang paced back and forth in the yard anxiously. “What were you doing?”

Chen Jingming lowered his head guiltily.

Chu Feng said, “What are you in a rush for? Are you hungry?”

Chen Lang: “I’ve been waiting for you for half an hour!!”

Chu Feng: “Enough out of you. Get to the kitchen and help me cook.”

“Chu Feng!” Chen Lang was fuming.

“I’ll go, I’ll go.” Chen Jingming hurried forward to grab Chen Lang’s arm. “Brother Lang, it’s my fault. I got the chance to work with a publishing house on a magazine, so I was so happy I kept talking. I’m sorry. We bought watermelon; I’ll slice it for you to sit and eat.”

Chen Jingming pushed Chen Lang through the door, telling him not to be angry, and actually went to slice the watermelon for him.

Chen Lang sat on the sofa with his legs crossed, raising an eyebrow triumphantly at Chu Feng.

“See? The baby is good to me.”

Chu Feng laughed. “That’s because he is naturally considerate and cute. What does it have to do with a crude guy like you?”

Chen Lang: “I’m crude? And you’re not?”

Chu Feng: “Where am I crude?”

Chen Lang: “Where aren’t you crude? Please?”

“Both crude, both crude,” Chen Jingming said with a smile, bringing out a plate of sliced watermelon and placing it on the coffee table, then getting a toothpick to feed Chen Lang.

Before he could eat a piece himself, he went to feed Chu Feng. “Is it sweet?”

Chu Feng wrapped an arm around Chen Jingming’s slender waist. “Sweet.”

Tonight, they finalized the itinerary for receiving Manager Fu on Saturday. Li Yongjing would also be coming; he was more experienced with business receptions. Chen Lang would assist, and Chu Feng would mainly be responsible for giving the visiting team a systematic introduction.

“What about me?” Chen Jingming asked.

Chu Feng: “You just come along with Brother for the fun.”

Chen Lang let out a burp. “Yeah, makes our team look bigger.”

Chen Jingming laughed. “I can serve tea and water; I know how to brew tea.”

“You don’t need to do those things; your Brother Lang will do them,” Chu Feng said.

No sooner had he spoken than Chen Lang was about to flare up again. Chen Jingming quickly changed the subject. “I’ll do it, I’ll do it. Just say I’m an assistant.”

Chen Lang laughed. “Sure.”

After saying that, he looked the two of them over. “The overbearing ‘Old Cow’ and his pretty assistant. This is getting interesting.”

…

On the morning Manager Fu of the Crescent Hotel was due to arrive, Chen Jingming woke up very early. He hadn’t even slept well the night before; the internet calls this “Field Trip Syndrome.”

“Brother.” Chen Jingming gave Chu Feng a soft push.

Not a budge.

Chen Jingming tried to move his left leg, then moved the large hand draped over him. Chu Feng woke up groggily. “Mm… baby?”

Chen Jingming: “Brother, you’re crushing me.”

Chu Feng moved his arm and leg. He had been working late every night for the past few days, preparing all the pasture’s credentials and cleaning the place inside and out. He even had to come home at night to revise documents. Now he was so tired he could barely open his eyes; he just blindly reached out to squeeze Chen Jingming’s hand.

Chen Jingming sat up and noticed his thigh had marks on it where Chu Feng had been pressing down—there were even red imprints.

The sun hadn’t come out yet. The faint blue, hazy light before dawn hit Chu Feng’s bare upper body, which rose and fell slowly with his breathing.

So full of vitality, Chen Jingming thought.

It would have been better if he hadn’t seen that “there” was also very full of vitality.

Chen Jingming’s cheeks burned. He tried to get out of bed quietly. He slept against the wall, so to get down, he had to climb over Chu Feng.

The mattress was soft, and Chen Jingming’s footing was unstable. As the mattress moved, Chu Feng felt it too.

As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw Chen Jingming swaying, about to fall. Chu Feng immediately snapped awake and reached out to grab his hand.

Chen Jingming had intended to just jump off the bed, but with Chu Feng’s pull, he lost his balance and fell right onto Chu Feng.

“Brother!” Chen Jingming was poked by something hard. He hurriedly scrambled up and said, “I… I’m not sleeping with you anymore!”

Chu Feng, of course, felt it too. Embarrassed, he pulled the quilt over to cover himself. “Brother didn’t do it on purpose.”

He sat halfway up, leaning against the pillow, his ears completely red.

“Brother is a man; it’s unavoidable,” Chu Feng tried to explain to Chen Jingming. “I only pulled you because I was afraid you’d fall.”

A virile, rugged man—it wasn’t easy for the reaction to go away. Seeing that Chen Jingming was still angry, Chu Feng had no choice but to say with a soft voice and a sheepish face, “Baby, why don’t you go out first? Let Brother handle it, it’ll be quick.”

Chen Jingming let out a sharp “Ah!”, covered his ears with both hands, and jumped off the bed like he was escaping.

“I’m going to the street corner to buy breakfast. Take your time!” After saying that, Chen Jingming closed the door and dashed downstairs.

…

Chen Jingming had just changed his clothes and opened the front door when he heard Chen Lang’s motorcycle pull up.

“Jingming, I bought breakfast.” Chen Lang was holding a bag of buns.

Chen Jingming’s mind was still full of Chu Feng “handling it.” Seeing Chen Lang gave him a fright. “Brother Lang…”

Chen Lang was wearing a formal suit. He took off his helmet and got off the bike. “Let’s go inside and eat. Is your brother up yet? Do you have milk at home?”

“Ah, no!” Chen Jingming hurriedly pulled Chen Lang back. “Brother, I… I don’t want to eat buns.”

Chen Lang: “What do you want to eat? That stall across the way has deep-fried dough sticks and sticky rice.”

Chen Jingming quickly tried to recall the town’s layout. “Sour soup noodles! Brother Lang, I want to eat Chenchen Sour Soup Noodles.”

“Hiss.” Chen Lang said, “That’s a bit far; we’ll have to ride to the new street.”

Chen Jingming blinked. “I really want to eat it.”

Chen Lang scratched his neck. “Alright then, let’s go. I’ll give you a ride.”

Chen Jingming breathed a sigh of relief. “Thanks, Brother Lang.”