Chapter 1 - The Supporting Villain Is Raising a Cub Online

Translator's Note:

Hello, I hope you've all been doing well. I decided to pick up this novel (according to your votes and messages) and I'm very excited about this.

Don't worry, the poll is still up for those who want to suggest other projects.

Here you go, and I wish you a good read.

And, as I said before, if you wish to read ahead, you can head over to my Patreon to get early access to all the translated chapters.

Human Cubs are Just a Hassle

J City.

 

Winter.

 

The relentless progress of modern economic development continuously propelled the city forward.

 

However, from the spacious villas in the wealthy districts to the crowded shantytowns in the impoverished areas, a stark divide in wealth was drawn across this bustling metropolis.

 

In short, running a small business these days is becoming increasingly challenging.

 

A patrolling policeman finally decided to start his car and sped past with his exhaust blazing.

 

After a brief moment of silence, the brightly lit night market returned to its bustling noise.

 

Tan Qing emerged slowly from a narrow alley, a blade of grass between his teeth, and grumbled softly at the departing patrolman.

 

He then squatted down, expertly unfurling a waterproof cloth to reveal the items wrapped inside.

 

Under the glow of energy-saving bulbs brought by the vendors, colorful fox fur trinkets sparkled on the makeshift stand.

 

Tan Qing pulled out a small stool from his bag and idly started to poke at the various fox furs laid out in front of him.

 

After a moment's thought, he reached back into his bag and pulled out a sign that read:

 

"Real Fur Keychains. Twenty Yuan Each."

 

Next to him, a vendor selling crystal phone cases, who had just shared the thrilling experience of dodging patrolmen with Tan Qing, leaned over with newfound camaraderie and asked, "Hey buddy! You're new around here, aren't you?"

 

Shivering from the cold, Tan Qing shook his legs and turned to glance at the older vendor. "You guessed right, big brother! I just started selling this week. Sigh, it's tough to make a living these days!"

 

The older vendor nodded in sympathy, seemingly about to say more, but business came calling at Tan Qing's stall.

 

Two young, attractive girls walked up, linked arm in arm, their stylish puffer jackets accentuating their long legs in jeans.

 

The girl in the light yellow puffer paused at Tan Qing's stall, picking up a fluffy fox fur ball. She asked in a soft voice, "Is this really real fur?"

 

Tan Qing quickly flashed a commercial smile. "If it's not real fur, feel free to hit me! Choose whatever you like; they're all twenty yuan!"

 

The girl who had just asked chuckled at Tan Qing's response, while the other girl in the silver puffer jacket scoffed, "Buying real fur at this rundown night market? Xiaomu, have you lost your mind over some trend?"

 

Xiaomu's smile faltered at her friend's words. After a moment, she took a twenty yuan note from her wallet.

 

She handed the money to Tan Qing and said softly, "I'm sorry; my friend can be a bit blunt…"

 

Tan Qing swiftly tucked the money into his pocket and handed her the keychain she had chosen, still smiling. "No worries, thank you for your patronage. Please come again!"

 

As the girl reached out to take the keychain, her hand brushed against Tan Qing's.

 

Perhaps due to the cold of the winter night, his hand was icy yet delicate, with well-defined fingers that looked quite lovely.

 

Xiaomu instinctively glanced at the owner of that hand.

 

Though the night market was dimly lit, it was enough to catch a glimpse of his pale skin and the rich red corners of his lips.

 

No matter how one looked at him, he did not resemble a struggling vendor in the night market.

 

At that moment, the energy-saving lamp at the neighboring stall was accidentally bumped by a customer, and the light momentarily flickered toward Tan Qing's direction.

 

The girl in the silver puffer furrowed her brow and asked disdainfully, "Hey, has anyone ever told you that you look a lot like Tan Qing?"

 

Tan Qing: "…"

 

Tan Qing wore an innocent and bewildered expression, shaking his head earnestly. "My name is Liu Dazhuang. May I ask who this Tan Qing is?"

 

Perhaps it was the outlandishly common name Liu Dazhuang that made the girl wrinkle her nose in distaste. After a moment, she maliciously replied, "You mean Tan Qing? That shameless jerk? He's already gone—what a fitting end, ha ha ha."

 

"Shaozhi!"

 

Xiaomu, unable to tolerate any longer, pulled the girl away and once again apologized to Tan Qing as they walked away together.

 

With no pressure, Tan Qing straightened up the remaining fox furs that hadn't sold, when the older vendor returned to chat.

 

"Those two girls were talking about Tan Qing. Little brother, you won't believe it! I know him too!"

 

Tan Qing grinned.

 

The older vendor continued, "My wife used to like him a lot. That guy is so good-looking! But recently, rumors came out that he has a bad character, saying he climbed into the producer's bed. You have to wonder about a guy like that…"

 

Tan Qing: "…"

 

Forget it.

 

Just let it go.

 

Stay calm.

 

In modern society, taking a life is wrong.

 

Tan Qing took a deep breath, bent down, and rolled up the waterproof cloth.

 

He slung it over his back and left the stall behind.

 

When he returned to his apartment building, it was just ten o'clock at night.

 

Tan Qing nimbly dashed up to the eighth floor and knocked on the door of his neighbor's house.

 

The door opened, and he cheerfully handed a bunch of fresh bananas and a live chicken to Grandma Li, who answered the door.

 

The chicken, clearly just slaughtered, was hastily packed in a plastic bag, with fresh blood trickling down its neck and forming a small pool.

 

Grandma Li welcomed Tan Qing into the house with a warm smile, chattering, "Dazhuang, you don't need to bring me so much every time you visit. It's not easy for you to make a living in the big city, especially with a child…"

 

Hearing the word "child", Tan Qing's head started to hurt more and more.

 

He followed Grandma Li's gaze and turned to look at the little one comfortably sleeping on the old sofa.

 

The child lay with his legs in the air, drooling slightly.

 

Tsk, how embarrassing.

 

Grandma Li gently covered the little one with a blanket and kindly asked, "Da Zhuang, have you had dinner tonight? The chicken you brought two days ago is still uneaten; I've made chicken soup."

 

Tan Qing nodded with the same innocent expression as the child and soon found himself enjoying a steaming bowl of chicken soup rice.

 

Tender white shreds of chicken drenched in delicious sauce were served alongside a few tender green broccoli florets.

 

In another bowl, the chicken soup was garnished with fragrant mushrooms and goji berries.

 

After finishing, Tan Qing quickly washed the dishes.

 

Just as he was about to pick up the little one and head home, Grandma Li approached and gently pulled him down to sit on the sofa.

 

There was a hint of embarrassment on her face, and the wrinkles on her aged visage deepened.

 

After pondering for a while, she finally said, "Dazhuang, my daughter is going to take me back to the countryside to live, so I won't be able to help you take care of the child anymore."

 

Tan Qing froze for a moment, glancing again at the round, chubby child.

 

Noticing Tan Qing's silence, Grandma Li's guilt grew stronger. "This child is very well-behaved and doesn't fuss, so it's not a bother to take care of him. I..."

 

Tan Qing came to his senses and hurriedly patted Grandma Li's hand, smiling, "It's alright! You've always wanted to go back to the countryside, haven't you? The air is better there, and it's good for your health."

 

Grandma Li wiped the corner of her eyes and sighed deeply.

 

Tan Qing then stuffed some of his meager savings into the elderly woman's hands as a token of gratitude, before walking to the sofa and lifting the peacefully sleeping child by the nape of his neck.

 

The little one, disturbed from his slumber, opened his eyes, pouting in a pitiful manner as he sniffled.

 

Grandma Li was inside the bedroom tidying up the child's small blanket and mattress.

 

When she emerged and saw Tan Qing's way of holding the child, she was taken aback and hurried over to reclaim the little one, sternly saying to Tan Qing, "Dazhuang, you can't hold a child like that! He's still small and could get hurt!"

 

Tan Qing gritted his teeth, stifling his annoyance. After several demonstrations from Grandma Li, he patiently adjusted the child onto his shoulder, carrying him along with the little blanket back home.

 

Today, his home was as cold and uninviting as ever.

 

The modest studio lacked even a sofa, merely offering a simple wooden bed.

 

Tan Qing placed the child onto the bed—

 

Surprisingly, the little one didn't lie down, instead sitting up like a weeble.

 

Oh.

 

How amusing.

 

Tan Qing stretched out his foot and gave the child a gentle push.

 

The child wobbled and then looked at Tan Qing in confusion.

 

It seemed he finally understood that he was being teased by the person in front of him, and the poor child pouted even more.

 

Finally, he burst into tears.

 

"Wahhh—"

 

Tan Qing was taken aback.

 

Having gotten used to solitude, he felt a little uncomfortable after having such loud sounds blasted into his ears.

 

He sat down beside the small bed, adopting a serious demeanor as he faced the child. "Tan Jiji, no crying!"

 

The child was startled into silence, but after a few sniffs, he cried even louder.

 

Tan Qing rolled his eyes and flashed a mischievous smile, "If you keep crying, I'll throw you up the mountain to feed the wolves."

 

Tan Jiji: "…"

 

The poor child was so frightened that he stopped crying, gazing up at Tan Qing with tear-filled eyes, occasionally hiccupping.

 

Tan Qing extended a finger to press the child back down onto the bed, gently poking the red tip of his nose, "Sleep well, got it?"

 

Tan Jiji blew a bubble of snot and soon fell asleep.

 

Tan Qing half-heartedly covered him with a blanket before heading to the kitchen, casually preparing a small cup of formula.

 

Before long, the rich aroma of milk wafted from the baby bottle.

 

Tan Qing savored a sip for himself before placing the bottle aside to let the remaining milk cool for the little one.

 

Raising a human child was quite a hassle.

 

They couldn't eat raw or cold food and cried at the slightest provocation.

 

Sigh, he hadn't inherited a single one of his nine-tailed fox's superior genes.

 

Disdainfully, Tan Qing crossed his arms as he pondered where to get some living expenses for tomorrow when he heard a knock on the window.

 

Currently, he lived in the outskirts of the city, a blend of urban and rural areas where housing prices were low, with the mountains behind him—far removed from the bustling city.

 

His train of thought disrupted, Tan Qing opened the window, raising an eyebrow, "Isn't it still early for the fur delivery?"

 

To his surprise, outside stood a red fox, its splendid fur glistening under the bright moonlight, looking extraordinarily handsome.

 

Unfortunately, its tail was completely bald.

 

Not just sparse, but entirely devoid of fur.

 

The red fox wore a woeful expression and pitifully said, "Ancestor… all my brothers around here have been sheared bald; if I keep this up, I won't be able to show my face anymore… Can you please extend the deadline for the next fur delivery by a few more days?"

 

Hearing this, Tan Qing reached out to touch the red fox's tail, "Oh dear, it really is bald. So ugly."

 

The red fox: "…"

 

The red fox was on the verge of tears.

 

The fox clan held beauty in the highest regard, and the surrounding area was blessed with natural advantages, nurturing all creatures with a certain elegance.

 

However, after a smooth few decades, this nine-tailed fox appeared from who knows where.

 

Arrogant and overbearing.

 

And possessing astounding fighting prowess…

 

Let's not dwell on that.

 

He only wanted to cry.

 

Tan Qing flicked the tip of the red fox's tail, thoughtfully extending his hand, "By the way, where's today's chicken?"

 

The red fox flipped over and jumped down from the windowsill. Moments later, it quickly returned with an old hen clamped in its mouth, placing it on the windowsill with a look of grievance.

 

Tan Qing was satisfied and beckoned the red fox with a finger, "You don't need to deliver fur anymore."

 

The red fox was taken aback: "???"

 

This sudden stroke of good fortune left it momentarily incredulous.

 

To guard against Tan Qing's potential tricks, the red fox pondered carefully before tentatively asking, "So you mean…"

 

Tan Qing put the hen into the refrigerator, saying, "Selling fox fur doesn't earn much. I've thought of a new way to make money today."

 

Sell the worthless cub!

 

Author's Note: Mini-theater

Tan Qing: Sigh, how much should I sell it for?

He Mingyu: ??? Can you first explain to me why you're calling my son Tan Jiji?

Tan Qing: Because I love eating chicken, you know! 0.0

 

A silly story, generally sweet, with a focus on a nine-tailed fox [emphasizing its strong animal instincts], and nonsensically raising a cub online.

 

The cub's growth path is solely dependent on the gong, preventing him from going astray; the gong will be revealed in the next chapter!

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