Rong Ci, Why Is There Still a Chicken in Your Yard?
Starting the very next day, Su Jingyang began preparing to set up the small eatery. In truth, there wasn’t much he personally needed to do, because Liang Lu had already helped him arrange everything, from delivering vegetables, rice, tea leaves, wine, firewood, and tableware, to even hauling away the slops. All Su Jingyang had to do was wait for people to deliver things as scheduled. He didn’t need to worry about anything at all.
He and Ling Li spent half a day cleaning everything from top to bottom. Ah Xuan held a small rag and followed closely behind them, enthusiastically helping in the most unhelpful way possible. After finishing the cleaning, they arranged the delivered tables and chairs.
Counting the first-floor hall and the second floor together, there were eleven tables in total. Su Jingyang figured it should be manageable once they opened.
Tossing aside rags and brooms, Su Jingyang and Ling Li collapsed into chairs, then simultaneously turned to look at each other and smiled. Ah Xuan busied himself, rubbing Su Jingyang’s legs for a while, then switching to knead Ling Li’s hands. The little fellow busied himself thoroughly.
Su Jingyang went out to buy some rice and vegetables. Just as he was about to light the stove with Ling Li in the restaurant’s back kitchen to make a simple meal, Liang Lu suddenly showed up, bringing with him a well-dressed woman with gentle eyes who looked to be in her forties.
Su Jingyang was puzzled and pulled Liang Lu aside to ask what was going on. Liang Lu explained that he had brought her over to help Ling Li look after the child. She was absolutely reliable, trustworthy, and wouldn’t gossip. This woman was his wet nurse, so she was considered part of the Liang household.
Su Jingyang was happy to have someone help care for Ah Xuan, but… having once been the wet nurse of a wealthy household, he worried that his small establishment might not be able to afford her.
Pointing to the woman who was smiling as she held Ah Xuan and chatted with Ling Li, Liang Lu said, “She likes children. She can’t stay cooped up at home anyway. Having something to do makes her happy. As for wages, just give her something appropriate.”
After observing how patient she was with Ah Xuan, Su Jingyang decided to keep her on. Still, the pay couldn’t truly be just symbolic. It needed to be reasonable and fair.
Su Jingyang then invited them to stay for a meal, hoping they could sample Ling Li’s cooking. Liang Lu, who was used to delicacies and fine cuisine, praised Ling Li without reservation, saying that being able to elevate the simplest ingredients to perfection was a skill in itself.
When Liang Lu spoke seriously, his words were especially convincing. Ling Li, who had been somewhat uneasy, relaxed considerably after hearing this.
Liang Lu then confidently assured Su Jingyang, “As long as I’m around, you’ll never be short on customers. Just go ahead and do your best.”
After seeing Liang Lu and the wet nurse off, Su Jingyang returned to the kitchen and found Ling Li standing there, staring blankly while washing dishes halfway through.
Su Jingyang went over to help him and asked softly, “What’s wrong? Are you too tired?”
“I’m not tired.” Ling Li glanced back at him, shook his head with a light smile, and said, “It’s just… it feels like I’m dreaming.”
His foster father’s ashes had been scattered on this land, binding him here and making it impossible to leave. He could only struggle to survive here with the child, tossing and turning at night, worrying that no one would look after Ah Xuan after his death.
Before meeting Su Jingyang, he had felt that his entire life would probably be like this. Now, however, so many things were different, so beautiful that they felt unreal, and that very beauty made him afraid of losing it.
Su Jingyang rolled up his sleeves and washed the dishes, smiling at him from the side. “Things will get better from now on, Ah Li. Don’t worry.”
Once everything improved, leaving later on would also be something he could face with peace of mind.
The next day, some of the newly purchased items were delivered. Su Jingyang and Ling Li shut the doors and spent most of the day organizing everything inside. That night, after bathing, Su Jingyang collapsed straight into bed and fell asleep.
When he was pulled into the dream, he was in a daze for quite a while before reacting. He raised his hand, wanting to push away the man causing havoc at his chest. Not only did he fail to push him away, but his fingers were also instead caught and gently nibbled on.
Just moments earlier, Su Jingyang’s strength had been limp and weak, because subconsciously he still thought he couldn’t move. Suddenly, he remembered that System #1 had already unlocked permissions. In this empty dreamscape, he had regained his normal strength.
Clenching his teeth, Su Jingyang secretly gathered his strength, yanked his hand free, and shoved hard. The person on top of him was caught off guard and tumbled aside.
Su Jingyang scrambled up, trying to escape, but was quickly caught again. An iron grip clamped around his wrist and yanked him back. He had no chance to resist and fell back onto him with low gasps.
He struggled with all his might, flailing desperately, yet the man locked him firmly in his arms, leaving him completely unable to break free.
Then the man, holding him, rolled over and pressed him back down beneath him, capturing his soft lips in a passionate kiss.
When that thick, hard thing thrust into his body like an iron pestle, Su Jingyang gritted his teeth and endured it while pinching the man’s arm and cursing silently. So what if he had regained his strength? What use was it?! He still couldn’t overpower this man! Su Jingyang could practically be certain that this man also practiced martial arts. His little bit of strength was nothing.
Before long, Su Jingyang realized that regaining strength wasn’t just useless, it was like lifting a rock only to smash his own foot.
Before, when he had been soft and powerless, he could only lie there and let the man move him as he pleased. Now, after noticing that Su Jingyang had strength and could cooperate, this man, who should’ve been muddle-headed, actually began changing things up, maneuvering him into different positions.
Su Jingyang had very little experience in this area. At first, he didn’t understand the intricacies. When he was entered to an unprecedented depth, Su Jingyang’s reaction was somewhat slow then his whole body trembled, tears almost instantly bursting forth, his breathing nearly stopping, the numbness in his lower back making him panic!
He wanted to hide, wanted to escape, but was clamped at the waist by those strong hands and forced to move up and down, swallowing it to the root as it seemed to keep swelling bigger. No matter how he scratched, beat, and bit fiercely, those slender hands tightly gripping his waist were completely unmoved.
Sensing Su Jingyang’s tears, the man seemed confused, unsure what was wrong. In the end, he pulled him into his arms to comfort him. Su Jingyang, however, turned his head away, avoiding the lips that drew close.
How could Su Jingyang not know that the man was innocent? He had been dragged into this by him. Even his presence here meant he had been stripped of his own will, unaware of what he had done. Still, Su Jingyang couldn’t stop the resistance rising in his heart.
Failing to get a kiss, the man seemed somewhat dejected, nuzzling restlessly against his chest. Exhausted in both body and mind, Su Jingyang closed his eyes, no longer having the strength to care.
When Su Jingyang returned to his own bed, tears still streaked his face, and his butt hurt so badly it felt like it was about to bloom. More terrifying still, something inside his belly seemed to be viciously poking and stabbing, constantly churning his internal organs.
His teeth chattered as he pulled the blanket over his head. Endless sorrow and despair welled up inside him. These helpless days, lived against his will, truly seemed to have no end. He wanted nothing more than to sleep and never wake up.
At that moment, the damn system appeared again to add insult to injury, mocking him. “Weren’t you trusting it so much? How does it feel to have permissions unlocked? Feels good, doesn’t it?”
Su Jingyang was shaking all over, unable to hold back as he snapped, “F*ck your good feeling! Get lost!!!”
He was already used to communicating with the system in his head, but in his rage, he only realized after the fact that he had shouted it out loud.
Su Jingyang hurriedly covered his mouth, but not long after, there was still movement from the neighboring room.
He didn’t have time to argue with the system anymore. Quickly wiping away his tears, he exposed his head and took a couple of rapid breaths, adjusting his breathing.
Ling Li soon appeared at his bedside, holding a warmly glowing candle. His usually cool features were softened by the candlelight, glowing like warm jade.
Seeing Su Jingyang lying there with eyes wide open, hair in disarray, lashes wet, and tear tracks still on his face, Ling Li froze for a moment before leaning closer and asking softly, “Jingyang, did you have a nightmare?”
Su Jingyang could only go along with it. He tried to steady himself, not wanting Ling Li to notice anything wrong, and said hoarsely, “I’m fine now. You should go back to sleep.”
Ling Li frowned. “What kind of nightmare made you cry like this? I’ll stay with you for a bit.” He set the candle on a nearby stool, took off his shoes, and got onto the bed.
Su Jingyang instantly tensed up. His body was still covered in traces and smells left behind afterward, and he was terrified Ling Li might notice.
Ling Li didn’t get under the blanket, though. He simply lay down fully clothed, reached out through the blanket, and patted Su Jingyang’s shoulder gently. His eyes shone softly as he said, “Don’t be afraid. Go to sleep.”
The faint, pleasant scent from Ling Li filled Su Jingyang’s nose, and his restless heart was comforted almost instantly, gradually calming down.
Letting out a breath, Su Jingyang said, “I’m really fine. I’m already grown up.”
“Not that grown up,” Ling Li replied. “You’re still like a child.”
Su Jingyang’s reddened nose twitched as he muttered very softly, “You’re two years younger than me…”
Ling Li spoke gently, “All right. I’m listening for Ah Xuan. I’ll go back after you fall asleep.”
“Okay then.” Su Jingyang moved half the blanket over to drape on him, then lay there staring blankly.
He felt as though Ling Li kept quietly watching him, occasionally reaching out to pat his shoulder. Su Jingyang didn’t even remember when he finally fell asleep.
The next morning, Su Jingyang forced himself to shake off the gloom and carry on as usual. Life still had to go on. This time, however, he had been roughed up badly, and even walking felt awkward. Ling Li noticed and asked with concern, and he could only vaguely say his leg had cramped.
After breakfast, Su Jingyang suddenly remembered that he had forgotten to return Ah Yi’s clothes. He took them and knocked on Ah Yi’s door, but there was no response for a long time. Had he gone out so early?
For several days in a row, he and Ling Li had been staying at Lin’s Small Eatery and hadn’t paid attention to what was happening next door. Su Jingyang waited listlessly for a bit longer, but no one came out.
He put the clothes back at home and went with Ling Li and Ah Xuan to the small eatery. Liang Lu had said the signboard was already finished and would be delivered today. Once everything was ready, they could officially open.
Listening to the sound of their footsteps fading away outside, Ah Yi, who was lying on a lounge chair with one arm propped beneath his head, slowly opened his eyes. His gaze was cold and deep.
Another dream. A dream that came once every five days.
Burning heat, soft lips, a clean scent, suppressed gasps… all tangled into an erotic dream that had entangled him for so long. In the dream, it was as if he had cast everything aside, indulging himself, abandoning restraint as he tangled with that beautiful body, enjoying it to the fullest.
Every time he woke from that dream, which felt both long and brief, both clear and blurred, both real and illusory, it took him a long time to regain his senses.
He had even wondered whether he had been afflicted by some kind of witchcraft. Yet no one knew better than he did that he would never be controlled by such things. He couldn’t find a single flaw.
He had almost completely forgotten last night’s dream. The only thing he couldn’t forget was those burning tears, as if they’d been seared deep into his heart.
For the first time, he strongly sensed that the person in the dream might have been forced and unwilling. If this truly was nothing more than an empty dream, as the fate-reader had said, then so be it. If it wasn’t a dream, however, what was he supposed to do? How was he meant to control his actions? How was he supposed to find the person from his dream?
Ah Yi lowered his long lashes, his mood unsettled as he closed his eyes again. His expression grew increasingly dark and inscrutable.
At that moment, a slender figure flipped lightly in through the open window, red skirts fluttering as they landed. She moved toward the lounge chair as she spoke, her voice clearly displeased. “Rong Ci, why is there still a chicken in your yard?”
The next chapter marks the start of the VIP section! If you’re able and would like to, please consider supporting the author~ It’s a great way to say thank you for their hard work. Here is the guide for anyone who needs it :')
On a side note, I realized the official site seems to have extra sanitized the part of the dream scene compared to another version I saw. Since I’ve always followed the official release, I’ll be going back to check if there’s anything else that might’ve been removed. Time to investigate 🔍
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