In a Relationship With the Rugged Guy Next Door - Chapter 54

Chapter 54: I Haven’t Been Home in a While and My Little Brother Misses Me

Chen Jingming knew deep down that this was something he had to face alone—not just because he was at the center of it, but because for so many years, his adoptive parents had been living in an emotional swamp of their own making.

“Ge, come with me, but let me see them by myself, okay?”

“Why?”

In Chu Feng’s mind, the adoptive parents were emotionally extreme and unstable; they could hurt Chen Jingming at any moment.

Chen Jingming lowered his eyes slightly, choosing his words to explain his reasoning to Chu Feng.

After a long pause, he said, “Because I want them to truly understand that I am the one who wants to leave, not that you stole me away from them.”

The confusion on Chu Feng’s face slowly melted into a gentle shimmer of warmth. Over the past six months, he had always treated Chen Jingming like a child.

But at this moment, he couldn’t think that way anymore. His “baby” was actually a man with his own opinions and capabilities.

He had grown up long ago.

Perhaps Chu Feng had known this in his heart for a while, but it was particularly painful whenever he thought about the fact that Chen Jingming had grown up during the thirteen years they were apart.

So, he subconsciously treated Chen Jingming like a child—the same untortured child he used to be. It was, in reality, Chu Feng’s own form of self-consolation.

“I understand,” Chu Feng said, gripping Chen Jingming’s hand back, his eyes full of admiration.

Chen Jingming’s eyes were bright, his brows and lashes thick. When he smiled, his eyes curved into crescents, looking incredibly cute.

As soon as Chu Feng reached out, Chen Jingming proactively leaned into his embrace, rubbing his soft hair against Chu Feng’s neck. His moist lips occasionally brushed against Chu Feng’s large Adam’s apple, making him chuckle from the itch.

Leaning against each other, they watched a movie while discussing their plans to visit Chaoshan during the National Day holiday.

Over the weekend, Chen Jingming helped out at the ranch. A cow was pregnant, and he and Song Cheng were busy tending to her.

Although the summer in Changxi City wasn’t excessively hot, the UV rays were intense. Despite Chu Feng reminding him every day to wear sunscreen, by the end of August, Chen Jingming had tanned significantly.

While on a video call with Xue Dongni, he showed her his skin, which was now a patchwork of tanned and pale areas.

“It’s fine, you’re still handsome,” Xue Dongni said. She was filming a late-night scene today and had some free time in the evening, so she rented a bike to scout around the set and was now grabbing a coffee.

She remembered some gossip she heard from a producer a few days ago and shared it with him: “That producer’s sister… Apparently her boyfriend is Shao Yuting. My colleague told me.”

“What?” Chen Jingming sat down on a wooden bench outside the dorm, tearing open a popsicle wrapper with his teeth. “She said that?”

Xue Dongni: “She didn’t say it outright, but after she came to visit the set, Shao Yuting picked her up. Several of us saw it.”

Chen Jingming: “Could they just be friends? Or collaborators?”

Xue Dongni sounded conflicted: “I don’t know, but Shao Yuting didn’t try to hide it. He rolled down the window and waved to us. He has his own studio now, right? Logically, he shouldn’t have made much money right after debuting, plus he had to pay a penalty to leave the group. After two years of zero activity, he suddenly has movie resources and a studio. Everyone’s guessing he has a benefactor, or maybe he’s a rich heir?”

“No,” Chen Jingming said, slurping his popsicle. “He’s not a rich heir. We’ve talked about it.”

Xue Dongni: “Then maybe they really are a couple, just with a big age gap.”

“How big?”

“She’s 40, and Shao Yuting is 27 or 28. A 12-year difference.”

Chen Jingming thought about the six-year gap between him and Chu Feng. That was just two six-year gaps. “That’s not too bad.”

Xue Dongni nodded: “She’s so cool. About as tall as me, short hair, pale skin—looks like a model. And she’s a great person, a shareholder in her company. She’s been supporting new directors for years, and several movies she invested in won awards. Oh, right, my current project is a Bohua Pictures film. You know how big of a deal that is.”

“Wow.” Chen Jingming pulled his legs up, resting his feet on the edge of the bench, finished with most of his popsicle. “Whether they’re a couple or just friends, that sounds great.”

Xue Dongni: “You never mentioned this when you chatted with him?”

Chen Jingming scratched his head. “I’d feel embarrassed asking a celebrity about their love life. It’s impolite.”

“True.” Xue Dongni laughed. “This is my last project of the year. Two months of filming, then back in winter for the snow scenes. Once I get paid and it’s the Spring Festival, I’m going to find a nice place to splurge… HEY! That’s my bike! MY BIKE!!”

Chen Jingming let out an “Ah?” followed by the sound of wind on the other end. She managed a quick “Talk later!” before hanging up.

Chen Jingming laughed up at the sky, only to look up and see two familiar, moist nostrils. The old yellow ox stuck out its “sexy” tongue and licked his head.

“Ow!” Chen Jingming covered his head. He wanted to give it a smack like Chen Lang usually did, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it.

The ox flicked its tail. “Moo—”

Chen Jingming pointed at the gate and tried to look fierce. “Out!”

Someone must have left the dorm’s iron gate open again, letting it sneak in. The ox mooed and slowly walked out, but not before leaving a fresh pile of dung on the clean concrete as a sign of protest.

“Ugh…” Chen Jingming stood there, looking at the conspicuous mess in dismay.

He was wearing new clothes today.

Just as he was struggling, he heard Chu Feng’s booming laughter. Chen Jingming turned to see Chu Feng standing by the second-floor office railing, his muscular arms glowing in the soft sunset. A doting smile was plastered across his rugged face.

“Leave it, baby. He will handle it.”

…

In early September, the Changling Town Tourism Center reopened after renovations, adding many new travel routes. Hu Xianyun’s family restaurant, Jinmei Fan Dian, was right next to the center. As tourists increased, she became so busy she barely had time to hang out.

Since Chen Jingming worked in town, he often went there for breakfast. Occasionally, he’d see a ghostly, exhausted Hu Xianyun out walking her dog.

She had bought the dog at the market last month—a little yellow dog that never barked, was extremely friendly, and had zero guarding skills.

Today, Chen Jingming was going to the parking lot to pick up Ms. Wei Hongwen. After the museum’s new cultural products colleague joined, Jingming had mentioned Ms. Wei, and they set up a collaboration. She was driving over today with some pieces to sign the contract and discuss ideas.

He ran into Hu Xianyun again during breakfast.

“Xiaoyun, what are you eating?”

“Plain noodles.”

She had her dog with her, and the two sat at a folding table outside.

Chen Jingming placed the rice noodles in front of her. “Are you exhausted?”

“Exhausted to the point of numbness. Every day I wake up owing the world a hundred stir-fry dishes.” Hu Xianyun rolled up her sleeves. “Look at my arms; they aren’t even symmetrical anymore.”

Local cuisine involved a lot of heavy stir-frying, making her left arm thicker than her right from tossing the wok.

Chen Jingming: “Will it get better once summer is over?”

He stirred his own bowl of Mipi. The rice skins were made fresh daily, tossed in a tomato and minced meat sauce—chewy and refreshing, perfect for summer.

Hu Xianyun’s noodles were Suanfen, thick and sour. Chen Jingming wasn’t a big fan of those.

Hu Xianyun tossed a piece of crispy pork to the dog and said, “It’ll get better, but not by much. My mom used to hope I’d get a job in the city, saying this work is too hard for a woman. Now she doesn’t mention the job; she just tells me to find a live-in son-in-law.”

“Hahaha,” Chen Jingming laughed. “What do you think?”

Hu Xianyun: “I don’t know. Who would want to be my live-in husband?”

Chen Jingming: “Just look for one!”

“Look for who?” Hu Xianyun snapped. “The village is full of punks. The only three decent-looking young men are all gay.”

“Huh?”

“Lao Niu (Old Ox), Lang-ge, and you.”

Chen Jingming: “…”

Hu Xianyun: “You and your ‘Ge’ have been very sweet lately. Honestly, I don’t really want a husband. I want a wife. Someone gentle and caring, who can watch dramas and read novels with me, and hopefully likes my little mutt. I’d happily spend all my money to support her.”

“Uh…” Chen Jingming asked naively, “Are you a lesbian?”

Hu Xianyun looked desperate: “That’s the problem. I’m a desperate straight girl… Stop laughing! Anyway, are you going anywhere for National Day?”

“Yeah, I have to go somewhere,” Chen Jingming said, but he didn’t reveal the destination yet. He wanted to resolve things before telling his friends.

Hu Xianyun: “Alright. Want to come over tonight?”

Chen Jingming thought for a moment. “Sure.”

After breakfast, he met Ms. Wei at the parking lot. She was thrilled to see him. She had been working hard to promote the Shui ethnic group’s “Horsetail Embroidery,” and was grateful he remembered her.

Chen Jingming gave her a tour of the museum. The exhibits were finished; his favorites were the Nuo masks and the embroidery sections. He had written the descriptions for the collection himself, putting a lot of effort into the “intangible cultural heritage innovation” part.

Wearing his ID badge and a vest with embroidery elements, he talked the whole way. After the meeting, Ms. Wei prepared to leave at 4:30 PM.

Chen Jingming went home to grab a box of kiwis and beef jerky Chu Feng had prepared. As he loaded them into Ms. Wei’s car, she took out a small gift box.

“Here, this is for you.”

“What is it?”

“A body chain. Last time you liked it but we didn’t have your size. This style is a bit different, but I brought one for you.”

Chen Jingming’s ears turned bright red in seconds.

“Oh, don’t be shy. Everyone likes beautiful things; boys can like them too.” Ms. Wei patted his shoulder. “I’m off! Next month is our Duan Festival. Bring your friends for the horse racing. It’s fun.”

Chen Jingming was intrigued. “Really?”

Ms. Wei: “Of course. The Duan Festival is our New Year. Endless meat and wine, very grand. The racing in the mountains is special. I’ll let you know the date.”

“Thank you, teacher.” He put the box of fruit and jerky in her trunk. “My Ge prepared these for you.”

Ms. Wei thought for a moment. “Ah, your Ge is a very tall, strong one?”

“Yes.”

“We haven’t spoken much. Thank him for me. Next time you’re at my place, we’ll drink together.”

Chen Jingming nodded obediently, watching her drive away.

As for why Chu Feng prepared gifts for someone he barely knew? Chu Feng himself would say: Because body chains are very useful.

Once the car was gone, Chen Jingming peeked into the box. He couldn’t see the full design, but it was definitely different from the rugged style he’d seen before. This one was shiny silver with many tiny bells.

On his way back, he heard a child crying. He looked around and saw it was Director Xu Yue’s daughter, Xu Yangyang. He had met her once in the office. Xu Yue was a single mother who raised her daughter with her own mother’s help. Occasionally, when her mother was busy, she had to bring the girl to work. To keep her from disturbing anyone, she usually kept her in the office.

“Little sister?” Chen Jingming called out from behind a willow tree.

Xu Yangyang saw him and ran over, face covered in tears. “I want my mommy.”

Chen Jingming knelt down and wiped her tears. “Don’t cry. Gege will take you back.”

When they returned, Xu Yue had just realized her daughter was missing and was frantically searching. Seeing her on the street made Xu Yue very angry, and she began to scold the girl.

Chen Jingming stood against the wall, not daring to speak.

“I’m so sorry, Jingming,” Xu Yue said.

“It’s okay,” he waved it off. “She was probably bored. She wasn’t far, just by the river.”

As he moved to return to his office, Yangyang grabbed his leg. “Gege, don’t go! If you go, Mommy will hit me.”

Unlike her “Iron Lady” mother, Yangyang was a total crybaby.

Chen Jingming smiled awkwardly. “Director Xu, how about… how about I take her to my place for a bit?”

Xu Yue quickly said, “No, I don’t want to trouble you.”

“DON’T GO! GEGE DON’T GO!!” Yangyang wailed, rubbing snot and tears all over his pants.

“Yangyang, come here!” Xu Yue said. “Don’t bother adults while they’re working.”

Chen Jingming cut in, “It’s no bother. It’s almost time to clock out anyway.”

Xu Yue hesitated. She was indeed busy; she had a video call with headquarters soon.

Chen Jingming requested again, “I’ll take her to get some snacks. There are kids in town she can play with. Kids love playing.”

Xu Yue checked her watch. It was indeed quitting time. “Then… Thank you. I’ll pick her up in a while.”

Yangyang’s mood flipped instantly. “Thanks, Mommy! I love you!”

Chen Jingming packed up and took Yangyang out. At the corner, he saw Chu Feng returning from the city with bags of food.

“Baby!” Chu Feng called out.

Yangyang tugged on Chen Jingming’s sleeve. “Gege, why did he call you ‘Baby’?”

Chen Jingming laughed awkwardly. “Maybe because Gege is a 300-month-old baby.”

“Whose kid is this?” Chu Feng asked.

Before Jingming could answer, Yangyang spoke up: “I’m Xu Yue’s kid.”

Chu Feng laughed heartily. “What’s your name?”

“I’m Xu Yangyang. What’s your name?”

“I’m Chu Feng.”

“Hello, Uncle Chu.”

She called Chen Jingming “Gege” but Chu Feng “Uncle.” Chen Jingming roared with laughter.

As they stood there, a row of local kids who had just finished school watched the newcomer curiously.

“Come here!” Chu Feng waved them over. “I bought treats. Who wants some?”

“Me!” “I do!” “Uncle Niu, me too!”

The kids swarmed Chu Feng. One clever child, realizing the hierarchy, grabbed Chen Jingming’s hand, knowing that following him was the key to Uncle Niu’s snacks.

“Alright, quiet!” Chu Feng’s booming voice settled them. “This is your new friend, Yangyang. If you play with her, I’ll give you treats, okay?”

The kids agreed, and some enthusiastically grabbed Yangyang’s hand.

Chen Jingming was dying of laughter. He hadn’t expected Chu Feng to be so good with kids. Just as he was enjoying the scene, Chu Feng handed the bags to him.

“I have things to do. Jingming will give out the treats.”

Chen Jingming: “Huh?”

With a mischievous smirk, Chu Feng said, “I have to head to the ranch. Hard work, baby.”

The ranch had a lot of new staff who weren’t yet skilled, and errors were frequent. Chu Feng and Chen Lang were holding a training session tonight.

Chu Feng strode away, leaving Chen Jingming surrounded by seven or eight kids with pure, hungry eyes.

“Gege.” “I want a little cake, Gege.” “Baby-ge, where are we playing?”

The requests were non-stop. Chen Jingming sighed. “To my house. Follow me.”

Yangyang, no longer crying, immediately took a liking to the grandson of the town’s wealthiest man and held his hand as they walked.

At the house, the kids lined up in the yard. Chen Jingming distributed the cakes, snacks, and chips, then let them inside to watch cartoons.

“Gege, I want water.” “Gege, he’s pushing me!” “Yangyang, I don’t want to play with you anymore!” “Gege, waaaaah—” “Gege, he’s crying! Hahahaha!”

Chen Jingming held his head. He felt like a group of little demons had invaded. He ran back and forth soothing them until 6 PM when the parents finally picked them up.

“I’m dead…” He collapsed onto the sofa.

Suddenly, Chu Feng’s smirk before leaving flashed in his mind. He definitely knew kids were this loud!

His phone buzzed. A message from Chu Feng saying he’d be back late and for Jingming to eat at Jinmei Fan Dian.

After a quick wash, Chen Jingming strolled over to Hu Xianyun’s. The restaurant was quiet for a weekday evening. She was busy frying mushroom oil.

“Jingming, how is the script sale going?”

He stood nearby, eating a homemade egg roll. “It’s basically set. Just waiting on the company’s process.”

“Are you sure about not choosing Huo Xin? I think he’d do a great job. Once he gets more famous, your scripts will sell for more,” she said.

Chen Jingming knew that, but he nodded. “There was a 100,000 yuan difference. I really wanted the extra money.”

Hu Xianyun didn’t say anything for a bit, then said, “True, money is important. Anyway, you’ll write even better scripts in the future.”

He didn’t respond to that. Though he’d made his choice, he felt a pang of regret and wondered if he really would write something good again.

Hu Xianyun finished the oil and packed a jar for him. Her mother made two small dishes for them to eat.

“By the way, tell your brother I need 20 boxes of kiwis to give as gifts. Can he bring them over?” Hu’s mother asked.

“Sure!”

While they ate, Chen Jingming saw a message from Penny. She said Huo Xin wanted his number and asked if it was okay to give it to him.

His eyes lit up. He replied immediately, saying it was fine. He kept staring at his phone, but no call came.

By the time he got home, Chu Feng wasn’t back, and his phone was still silent. The house felt empty, his heart felt empty—everything felt empty.

He sighed and went to shower.

After changing into clean clothes and turning on the TV, he remembered the gift from Ms. Wei. He took out the box and pulled out the body chain.

“Wait?” He turned it around. It was nothing like Chu Feng’s. The tiny silver bells made a beautiful sound when touched.

He followed the circular Horsetail Embroidery decorations and pulled the chain taut. He realized this specific loop of silver-coin-like embroidery was meant for the waist.

When he realized how it was supposed to be worn, he felt a deep sense of respect for Ms. Wei. She really is dedicated to ethnic culture!

Chen Jingming immediately went upstairs and stripped.

Chu Feng’s chain was meant to decorate the upper body—perfect for his muscular frame. This one was for the hips—perfect for the fleshier Chen Jingming.

The top part was just a thin silver chain that hung around the neck, with a sunflower-pattern embroidery piece resting between the collarbones, stitched with silver thread. From there, a thin chain with silver bells dropped down to the waist, meeting a hoop of water-drop-shaped embroidery pieces. Various lengths of thin silver chains hung down from there, each tipped with a bell that jingled musically with every step.

Because his waist was so slim, the chain slid down slightly to rest right on his hips.

Chen Jingming stared in the mirror, mouth slightly agape. This is… way too provocative.

The mere thought made his fair skin flush pink. He grabbed his phone and took a photo of just his waist and hips from a side angle.

…

“Summer means more insects, so the frequency of cleaning the stalls is higher. Everyone, look at the video of the process,” Chu Feng was saying to the new employees.

During a break, his phone buzzed. A message from Chen Jingming.

Chu Feng smiled, thinking his little brother missed him since he was home late. He tapped the notification.

He couldn’t tell what it was at first glance. He clicked to enlarge it.

“…”

Chu Feng abruptly closed his phone and walked to the wall, turning his back to the room. He reopened the image. Zooming in, he saw the two tiny moles on the left hip.

It was Chen Jingming.

His lower abdomen tightened involuntarily. Chu Feng took a deep breath and locked the screen.

“Fuck…”