Extra VI: Chapter 137 – Good Day

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As soon as Qin Chen met Liu Dingxiang, the latter didn’t say a word and directly asked him if he knew how to weed. Qin Chen replied that he could learn—and that learning took over two hours.

It wasn’t until Liu Nuan and her boyfriend came over to call the three of them for lunch.

Xu Jian hadn’t been idle during those two hours either—sometimes helping his uncle pull a few weeds from the tea bushes, sometimes helping Qin Chen press down the surrounding tea branches to prevent that face of his from being scratched by the twigs.

Qin Chen’s face was too precious.

After two hours, Liu Dingxiang didn’t speak, and Qin Chen didn’t either. The two of them became like mute gourds. By the time they finished, their progress was surprisingly similar.

Hearing Liu Nuan call them to eat, Liu Dingxiang straightened up, leaned on the hoe with his elbow, and looked at Qin Chen—who, aside from sweating a bit, was breathing evenly. For the first time, there was a hint of appreciation in his gaze:

“Good physical condition.”

After several hours of farm work, Qin Chen wasn’t flushed or short of breath. He looked at Liu Dingxiang and said:

“Can’t compare to Uncle.”

Liu Dingxiang chuckled, slung the hoe over his shoulder, and walked out:

“We’re not the same. I’m used to this stuff. You grew up in the big city. This is your first time doing something like this, right?”

Qin Chen lowered his eyes to glance at the hoe in his hands and nodded. “It really is the first time.”

Liu Dingxiang didn’t say anything else. As he brushed past Xu Jian, he raised a hand to pat his shoulder and gave him a nod before continuing ahead.

Xu Jian: “???”

Xu Jian and Qin Chen followed behind Liu Dingxiang, keeping a not-too-close, not-too-distant pace. Xu Jian used his shirt to wipe the sweat off Qin Chen and lowered his voice to quietly ask:

“When did you learn to farm? How come I didn’t know?”

Qin Chen shook his head and lowered his voice too. “I didn’t.”

Born with a silver spoon in his mouth, Qin Chen had never touched a farm tool in his life until today. The closest he’d come was watching the gardeners at home tend to the backyard.

But since it was his first time meeting Liu Dingxiang, and it was clearly a small test from the other party, even if he didn’t know how, he had to act like he did.

Hearing what Qin Chen said, Xu Jian shot him a “you’ve worked hard” look and even gave him a thumbs-up.

Faced with Xu Jian’s admiring expression, Qin Chen instead extended his right hand to show him his palm, his tone uncharacteristically a little aggrieved: “I got blisters.”

Xu Jian was startled and quickly looked down, only to see that there really was a large blister on the pad of Qin Chen’s index finger. His left hand had one too.

Well, it made sense. Someone who had always lived comfortably, never exercised, and didn’t wear gloves, had spent over two hours loosening the soil with a hoe. How could he not get blisters?

Earlier, when Liu Dingxiang was around, Qin Chen hadn’t said anything, but now that the uncle was gone, he started showing his grievances to Xu Jian.

Seeing Qin Chen’s hands, Xu Jian felt a pang of sympathy. It was also at this moment that he finally understood the meaning behind the look his uncle had given him earlier.

His uncle must have already known Qin Chen would get blisters.

Thinking of this, Xu Jian glanced at Liu Dingxiang, who was walking ahead, with a hint of blame in his eyes.

He was now certain; his uncle had done it on purpose.

Like coaxing a child, Xu Jian gently blew on the blister on Qin Chen’s hand and whispered: “I’ll put a band-aid on it when we get back.”

Qin Chen looked at Xu Jian and nodded. “Okay.”

From that one simple “okay,” Xu Jian could somehow hear a touch of coyness. His heart ached even more, and he blew on it again for him.

If Xiao Nan had been there to see Qin Chen like this, she’d definitely be roasting him in her heart: It’s not like it’s your first time getting blisters. Since when were you so delicate, Brother Chen?

Back when he was filming, Qin Chen would sometimes handle swords and guns, and his hands would also get blisters. Back then, he would calmly let Xiao Nan use a sterilized needle to lance the blisters for him, then stick on a band-aid, and they’d heal in two days.

Sure enough, once someone falls in love, they become too delicate to lift a hand or shoulder a load.

At the end of the day, it was because he now had someone he could complain to and lean on.

……

By the time Xu Jian and the other two got home, the dishes were already laid out on the table, just waiting for everyone to arrive so they could start eating.

The large round table, which had always felt a bit empty, was finally filled thanks to the arrival of Xu Jian, Qin Chen, and Liu Nuan’s boyfriend. It no longer looked so deserted.

Auntie was very warm and welcoming, constantly urging Qin Chen and the others to eat, saying they were all family and shouldn’t be so polite.

When the words “all family” were said, Liu Dingxiang looked up at his wife but didn’t voice any objection. He simply poured himself a glass of their homemade fruit wine, then asked Qin Chen and Liu Nuan’s boyfriend. “Want a drink?”

Faced with his future father-in-law, Liu Nuan’s boyfriend was clearly nervous and waved his hands repeatedly, “Thank you, Uncle, but I don’t drink.”

Liu Nuan’s boyfriend was a high school physics teacher, wearing black-rimmed glasses, with fair and clean-cut looks. He was clearly the type who had been well-behaved since childhood.

Liu Dingxiang didn’t insist and turned his gaze to Qin Chen.

Meeting Liu Dingxiang’s inquiring look, Qin Chen paused for a moment before saying, “I don’t usually drink much, but I should have a glass with Uncle today.”

As soon as Qin Chen finished speaking, Xu Jian quickly took the bottle and poured him a glass. “Uncle’s homemade wine tastes even better than the stuff you buy outside. Chen-ge, you have to try it.”

Under the table, Liu Nuan gave her boyfriend’s thigh a firm pinch—not too light, not too hard—and shot him a frantic look: Look at how well Qin Chen speaks! You dumbass!

Receiving her glare, her boyfriend looked back at her helplessly, his eyes saying—What do you want me to do? I’m a total lightweight. I really can’t drink.

Auntie, worried the future son-in-law might feel awkward, had Liu Nuan’s younger brother bring over some juice and said with a cheerful smile, “Those who can drink, drink wine. Those who can’t, drink juice.”

The juice was freshly squeezed at home, using the fruits that Liu Nuan and the others had picked themselves while Xu Jian and Qin Chen were up in the tea mountains with Liu Dingxiang. They were all super fresh.

Now that both of their precious “cabbages” had been taken, Liu Dingxiang was clearly not in the best mood. He spoke surprisingly little at the table and, as expected, drank a lot.

Qin Chen could hold his liquor well while Liu Dingxiang’s face turned red, he didn’t even flinch.

By the end of the meal, the brooding Liu Dingxiang had drunk quite a bit of wine but barely touched his food, so Auntie went back to the kitchen to cook him a small pot of porridge.

When they left the table, the tipsy Liu Dingxiang was clearly unsteady on his feet. Liu Nuan and her younger brother instinctively moved to help him back to his room, but he waved them off and said to Xu Jian, “Xiao Jian, come here. I have something to say to you.”

Xu Jian quickly stepped forward to support his uncle.

Qin Chen watched anxiously as Xu Jian helped Liu Dingxiang out of the room, wanting to follow, but Auntie stopped him.

She gently shook her head at him and softly said, “Xiao Qin, let them have a moment alone.”

Qin Chen pressed his lips together, then finally nodded. He turned to help clear the dishes and table, but Auntie stopped him again.

She smiled and said, “It’s your first time visiting. How could we let you do chores? Go rest, I’ll take care of this.”

Hearing her mom say that, Liu Nuan gave her a rather complicated look—

Mom definitely doesn’t know that Dad already made this ‘first-time guest’ work in the fields for over two hours, and even got blisters on his hands.

Qin Chen also smiled. “It’s fine, let me help.”

That face of Qin Chen’s, often dubbed a lethal weapon by fans, had universal appeal across all age groups. Auntie was momentarily dazed by his smile, and by the time she snapped out of it, Qin Chen was already carrying dishes into the kitchen.

Watching Qin Chen with his long legs and tall figure, Auntie pulled Liu Nuan, who was wiping the table, closer and asked in a voice only the two of them could hear: “What do you think Xiao Qin ate growing up? How did he turn out this good-looking?”

Liu Nuan couldn’t help but laugh. “Why, are you jealous of his parents?”

Auntie nodded seriously. “A little. If my son looked like that, I’d probably wake up laughing in my dreams.”

Then, half-joking and half-sighing, she added, “Sigh, look at their son, then look at mine… tsk.”

Liu Nuan’s little brother, who happened to overhear the last two lines: “…”

Mom, could you at least be a little quieter when dissing me? I heard everything!

Meanwhile, at Liu Dingxiang’s request, Xu Jian helped him up to the top floor of the villa.

Helping Liu Dingxiang sit down on the rattan chair on the top floor, Xu Jian straightened up and stretched his back. He was just about to ask what his uncle wanted to talk about, when he looked down and was startled, suddenly at a complete loss: “U-Uncle, what’s wrong?”

How did he suddenly start crying?

Xu Jian hadn’t seen it wrong. His uncle, a grown man, was now silently weeping, tears streaming down his face without him even noticing.

In all his years, Xu Jian had only seen his uncle cry twice: once when he came to school to tell him his parents had died, and again during their funeral. So now, seeing this, he panicked. Other than grabbing tissues to wipe his uncle’s tears, he didn’t know what else to do.

Liu Dingxiang was truly drunk today. It was as if he hadn’t even noticed that he was crying in front of his nephew. Holding Xu Jian’s hand, he slurred, “Xiao Jian, I’ve failed you… I’ve failed your mother, and your father too…”

Hearing his uncle apologize, Xu Jian was completely confused, unable to figure out what was going on or why his uncle was suddenly talking about his parents and saying sorry.

Maybe some things can only be said when someone’s drunk. Regardless of Xu Jian’s confused expression, Liu Dingxiang kept rambling on to himself.

He said Qin Chen was a good kid, hardworking. He said he hadn’t been a good uncle—that he didn’t even know Xu Jian liked men, that he hadn’t done his duty. He didn’t know about the car accident either, and let Xu Jian suffer so much in a strange city all alone.

He said Xu Jian had a hard life, losing his parents so young. He thought maybe Xu Jian being gay had something to do with growing up without enough love. He said he owed Xu Jian’s parents, that over the years he hadn’t taken proper care of him…

Liu Dingxiang rambled on and on, his tears falling like they cost nothing. He said he had no right to interfere in what Xu Jian had with Qin Chen. He only hoped Xu Jian would live a peaceful and happy life. It wasn’t that he didn’t like Qin Chen, he just felt he’d let Xu Jian’s parents down.

These were words that only a drunken Liu Dingxiang could bring himself to say.

In Xu Jian’s heart, his uncle’s family was his only remaining family. He felt nothing but gratitude toward them. If not for his uncle, he wouldn’t be where he was today. So now, hearing his uncle blaming himself like this, he was deeply shocked.

He never expected his uncle to shoulder all the grievances he had suffered over the years, to feel guilt and shame over them, even to think he had failed as an uncle.

Looking at Liu Dingxiang’s tear-streaked face, Xu Jian’s nose stung, his heart heavy and unsettled.

Drunk people were like children. It took all of Xu Jian’s coaxing and comforting to finally get Liu Dingxiang to lie down and sleep.

After gently closing the door, Xu Jian looked up and saw Qin Chen and Auntie watching him from nearby.

Auntie glanced worriedly at the door and asked softly, “He’s asleep?”

Xu Jian nodded. “Mm, he drank too much.”

Auntie frowned, her tone somewhat complaining. “I told him not to drink so much, but he never listens. How long has it been since he got this drunk?”

Hearing her words made Xu Jian feel even worse. Everything his uncle had said up there, those were feelings he must have been bottling up for a long time.

Though Xu Jian didn’t come home often, the family still kept a room prepared for him. Since it was midday and scorching outside, and Liu Dingxiang was already asleep, Auntie told the two of them to go take a nap as well.

Once they returned to the room and closed the door behind them, Qin Chen heard Xu Jian let out a soft sigh.

Qin Chen walked over and sat beside him, asking, “What’s wrong? Did Uncle still not approve of us?”

Xu Jian shook his head. “No.”

Before Qin Chen could ask further, Xu Jian looked up at him and then told him everything that had happened upstairs.

After listening, Qin Chen was silent for a few seconds. Finally, he reached out and patted Xu Jian on the shoulder, pulling him into his arms and said gently, “Your uncle really cares about you.”

Xu Jian nodded silently.

Qin Chen rubbed his shoulder and continued, “The past is the past. We can’t change it. What we can do now is live each day well and not let Uncle and Auntie worry.”

Xu Jian: “I really am grateful to them. I didn’t expect Uncle to be carrying so much pressure inside. I’m the one who made them worry.”

It was only today that Xu Jian truly understood how important he was in Liu Dingxiang’s heart, and just how much his uncle cared about him.

That kind of care didn’t change with distance. No matter what city he was in, there would always be people quietly worrying and caring for him from afar.

He felt a bit of regret for not coming back more often when he had the time.

Earlier, in front of Liu Nuan and the others, Xu Jian had managed to keep his emotions in check. But now that it was just him and Qin Chen, his guilt and sadness showed plainly.

A few minutes ago, Xu Jian had been the one comforting Liu Dingxiang. A few minutes later, it was Qin Chen comforting him.

The two of them had gotten up early to make it back in time today. In the end, Xu Jian didn’t even notice when he fell asleep leaning on Qin Chen’s shoulder.

……

Because their holiday time was limited, Xu Jian and Qin Chen only stayed at Uncle’s house for two days before they had to head back. Before they left, Liu Dingxiang took them to the orchard and picked a bunch of fruits for them, and also gave them a few jars of this year’s new tea.

Xu Jian looked at the trunk packed full of local specialties and fresh fruits. Holding the jar of tea leaves, he looked at his uncle and said, “Uncle, we don’t need the tea. Qin Chen and I don’t really drink tea.”

Liu Dingxiang gave him a look and snapped, “Are you dumb? You think this is for you two? It’s for you to bring to Xiao Qin’s parents.”

When Qin Chen came over, his parents had also sent gifts for Liu Dingxiang’s family.

As for the incident where Liu Dingxiang got drunk and cried in front of Xu Jian, after sobering up he never mentioned it again. Whether he had forgotten or was too embarrassed to bring it up, no one knew. Since he didn’t say anything, Xu Jian didn’t either, and the matter passed just like that.

But from that point on, Liu Dingxiang’s attitude toward Qin Chen clearly changed. One obvious sign was how “Qin Chen” naturally became “Xiao Qin.”

Before Xu Jian could respond, Auntie also pointed at the piles of fruit in the trunk and smiled. “They’re already sorted. These aren’t just for you two—there’s some for Xiao Qin’s parents too. The rest, give them to Doudou and your other friends. It’s not much, but it’s all homegrown. Just something fresh for everyone to try.”

Xu Jian turned to glance at the overflowing trunk and finally realized, “No wonder. I was thinking, there’s no way we could finish all this fruit ourselves.”

When they were loading up earlier, Xu Jian had even whispered to Qin Chen that their fridge probably wouldn’t be able to fit everything and that most of it would probably spoil before they could finish it.

Qin Chen had just laughed and looked at him. “Didn’t you say you’d just buy another fridge?”

Xu Jian’s face flushed, and he tried to save face. “I was joking.”

Amid the laughter and reluctant goodbyes of Liu Dingxiang’s family, Qin Chen and Xu Jian set off back to Nanfeng City.

As usual, Qin Chen drove, while Xu Jian was paralyzed on the passenger seat with a long sigh. “I don’t know why, but only now do I feel like my uncle’s finally agreed to us.”

Qin Chen nodded after hearing that. “Getting past your uncle was definitely easier than I expected.”

Back when Liu Dingxiang had Qin Chen weeding that day, he had mentally prepared himself to be put through the wringer. He hadn’t expected things to go so smoothly.

Qin Chen figured, in the end, it was because Liu Dingxiang cared about Xu Jian too much—he didn’t want to put him in a tough spot between the two of them.

Xu Jian turned to look at Qin Chen, grinning wide enough to show all his teeth. “Isn’t my uncle the best? I told you there was nothing to be nervous about.”

Qin Chen kept a straight face. “What do you mean your uncle? He’s our uncle.”

Xu Jian blinked, then burst out laughing. “You’re surprisingly serious about this.”

Qin Chen replied with a straight face, “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Xu Jian’s smile grew even wider. He turned to gaze out the car window and sighed, “The weather’s really nice today, ah.”

Qin Chen glanced at him, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, and silently agreed in his heart—

It really is.

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The author has something to say:

Uncle: I didn’t cry! Who saw me cry?!

I saw the comments on the last chapter. Someone’s actually supporting the wrong CP? ShengJiang CP, seriously? What’s going on with you guys!

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