Chapter 6 - The Supporting Villain Is Raising a Cub Online

Translator's Note:

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

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"Alright, Let's go Bring your Little Dad Back."

 

He Mingyu was so angered by Tan Qing's words that a dark cloud seemed to hang over him.

 

Holding the soft little child in his arms, he took a step forward and asked, "It's so late already, and you're still planning to go out?"

 

Tan Qing turned his head in confusion. "Huh? I'm just going out to make some money at the street market, not sneaking out to cheat on anyone. Why are you so mad?"

 

He Mingyu: "..."

 

Quickly denying it, He Mingyu said, "Don't get the wrong idea. I'm not mad."

 

Tan Qing obediently replied with an "Oh," then suddenly seemed to remember something, tiptoeing off to the kitchen. When he returned, he clasped his hands together with a bright smile and asked, "By the way, Mr. He... I drank the last sip of the baby's milk powder this morning. Could you mix some of the new one for him later?"

 

He Mingyu tried his best to endure it, but still couldn't hold it back, "Why are you even taking the baby's formula for yourself?"

 

Tan Qing licked his lips with a playful swipe of his pink tongue, trying to justify himself. "I bought it with my own money, so what's the harm in drinking a little?"

 

He Mingyu: "..."

 

From under the colorful quilt, a chubby little hand poked out, aimlessly waving around for a while until it finally hooked onto He Mingyu's pinky, holding on with delight.

 

He Mingyu lowered his head, meeting the gaze of the child's big, shiny eyes.

 

They stared at each other for a moment.

 

Then, with a sudden blow of a snot bubble, the little one opened his mouth, mumbling, "Pa, pa."

 

He Mingyu froze for a second, stunned by the word, and couldn't help but glance at the small bundle under the quilt several more times.

 

Big, bright eyes, a small, delicate mouth — so lively, so adorable.

 

Instantly, He Mingyu's mood lifted. He turned to Tan Qing and asked, "Is he really speaking already, at this age?"

 

Tan Qing, rummaging through his things to find a nightlight for the evening market, casually replied, "He only knows these two sounds. Granny Li said it's not real talking, just babies practicing their voices."

 

Then, with a shake of his head, he looked at He Mingyu with disdain and asked, "Hey, He Mingyu, were you this dumb when you were little?"

 

In his 28 years, He Mingyu had never been subjected to such an insult. His brows furrowed as he responded, "I went to school in the U.S., got an MBA*, and never dropped out of the top three in my class."

 

[T/N: A master of business administration (MBA) is a graduate degree that provides theoretical and practical training for business or investment management.]

 

Tan Qing's expression was filled with skepticism, but after a moment, he grudgingly said, "Alright…"

 

Well, that's humans for you.

 

Different species — you can't expect too much.

 

Tan Qing quickly comforted himself with that thought, waving at He Mingyu as he said his goodbye. "Since Mr. He is so outstanding, you'll definitely take great care of your child. I'm off to the night market now."

 

He Mingyu hadn't expected Tan Qing would still plan to head out after their whole conversation. He pressed, his tone firm, "The child's so young. Are you really going to leave him home alone? Is that responsible?"

 

Tan Qing blinked in confusion. "Aren't you taking Tan Jiji back with you?"

 

He Mingyu silently bristled at the child's ridiculous name, but with a stern face, he replied, "Tan Qing, how do I explain suddenly bringing a baby home? If he really is my child, I will have to transfer his household registration, host a belated full-month celebration — these things take time."

 

Tan Qing, more puzzled than ever, lifted his face, which was strikingly beautiful in the dim light, looking both innocent and pure.

 

Then he asked, "What's a household registration?"

 

He Mingyu: "..."

 

He Mingyu's heart sank once again. However, he found himself calmly asking, "After the child was born, did you ever take him to the police station?"

 

Tan Qing shook his head honestly.

 

He Mingyu paused for a long moment before, with quiet resignation, accepting the fact that Tan Jiji was, to this day, still unregistered.

 

He hugged the soft little child closer to his chest and said to Tan Qing, "Tan... the baby isn't familiar with me yet. You leaving him like this is very irresponsible."

 

Maybe because He Mingyu's expression was so serious, Tan Qing, in a rare moment of self-reflection, considered his actions.

 

Finally, he tilted his head and begrudgingly compromised. "Fine, I'll stuff Tan Jiji in my bag and bring him with me. I'll drop him off to you another day."

 

Before He Mingyu could protest, Tan Qing hurried over, reached out, and smoothly took the baby from his arms.

 

And then—

 

Without a second thought, he picked Tan Jiji up by the scruff of his neck like a helpless kitten.

 

The small child, weak and unable to resist, flailed his soft arms like a turtle paddling the air. After struggling for a while, realizing he couldn't break free, he pouted, looking as though he was about to cry.

 

Tan Qing tilted his head and gave the little one a glance, then casually threatened, "If you dare cry, I'll toss you into the mountains to feed the bear spirits!"

 

The frightened, timid little cub's eyes went wide. After staring at Tan Qing for a while, he buried his head, letting out a tiny hiccup of a sob.

 

He Mingyu stood there, watching this entire scene unfold.

 

He couldn't take it any longer. Just as Tan Qing was about to issue another threat, He Mingyu swiftly reached out, pulling the baby back into his arms. "The kid's so small — why are you always picking on him?"

 

Tan Qing, righteous and earnest, replied, "I'm not! You can ask Tan Jiji if I ever bullied him!"

 

He Mingyu looked down at the little one in his arms.

 

Tan Jiji looked like a little turtle that could finally flip over, his small mouth, which hadn't even grown teeth yet, curved into a happy smile as he looked up at He Mingyu.

 

Tan Qing leaned in, and with a quick motion, plucked a single fine hair from the top of the child's head.

 

Holding the hair up to He Mingyu, he blinked innocently and said, "Here, a token of our bond — for your paternity test."

 

He Mingyu sighed deeply. "Can't you wait until the child's asleep before pulling it out? You almost made him cry again."

 

Tan Qing, clearly dissatisfied with how easily Tan Jiji cried, tiptoed to peer over, asking as he did, "Why does he cry so much? Is he really a boy?"

 

As usual, his hands couldn't stay still, and he reached out, aiming to lift the little one's diaper.

 

But before he could touch it, He Mingyu caught his wrist.

 

He Mingyu's palm was broad and firm, while Tan Qing's skin felt cool in contrast.

 

The unexpected intimacy of their touch made Tan Qing pause for a moment, and he curiously looked up at He Mingyu.

 

He Mingyu quickly averted his gaze and let go of Tan Qing's hand. "You're already a parent, why are you still acting so childish?"

 

Tan Qing, oblivious to the subtle undertone in those words, took out his old, knock-off phone to check the time. "I really have to go now! If I'm late, I won't get a good spot!"

 

He Mingyu finally accepted the fact that neither he nor the child were as important to Tan Qing as his side business.

 

He glanced down at the child nibbling on his own chubby little hand, sneaking wistful glances at Tan Qing. Resigned, He Mingyu said, "Fine, I'll give you a ride."

 

With He Mingyu holding him, Tan Jiji happily reached out to play with the fluffy yarn ball on Tan Qing's sweater, his entire little face beaming with joy.

 

The bodyguard, waiting by the door, quickly opened the car door as soon as he saw He Mingyu and Tan Qing coming out together.

 

He Mingyu first put Tan Jiji on the car seat, then watched Tan Qing sit down, and finally got up himself.

 

The car slowly pulled away.

 

He Mingyu rubbed his temples and told the bodyguard, who was driving, "Tomorrow, install a child safety seat in the back. Get the best quality one."

 

"Got it, boss."

 

Through the rearview mirror, the bodyguard caught a glimpse of the adorable child, who was curiously glancing around, and chimed in with a compliment. "Boss, this kid is really cute! Looks like he's smart too!"

 

He Mingyu raised an eyebrow slightly, but his voice remained calm and indifferent. "Mm."

 

Satisfied with the success of his flattery, the bodyguard then asked, "Are you and Mr. Tan heading home now?"

 

Tan Qing shook his head. "Take a left up ahead. There's a small market—just stop there."

 

Seeing that the boss had no objection, the bodyguard obediently made the turn.

 

The road at the rural-urban fringe was poorly maintained. Even in a luxury car, the ride was bumpy.

 

Little Tan Jiji, still young, was getting dizzy from the constant jostling. Just as he was about to bump into the window, He Mingyu quickly pulled him back.

 

He had the child sit on his lap and then turned to check on Tan Qing.

 

Tan Qing's head was drooping, his untrimmed hair covering his smooth forehead. Even with the car rocking back and forth, he remained steadfastly asleep.

 

He Mingyu suddenly recalled the brief glance he'd once taken at Tan Qing's profile. Despite already being a parent, Tan Qing was only just twenty.

 

Even in the entertainment industry, he would be still considered in the prime of youth.

 

Another jolt shook the car.

 

Tan Qing's frail body, finally overcome by inertia, swayed towards the door.

 

He Mingyu quickly reached out with his free hand, pulling Tan Qing back just in time.

 

Now, one hand held the small child, and the other held the grown one.

 

The grown one slept on, oblivious to the kindness he was receiving. The small one, on the other hand, was sweet and obedient, flashing a silly smile at He Mingyu.

 

Though it was already the dead of winter, the night market was still brightly lit.

 

The driver brought the car to a stop and turned around, speaking softly, "Boss, we can't drive any further in, so we'll have to stop here."

 

He Mingyu nodded.

 

He was about to wake Tan Qing when the bodyguard's phone rang.

 

Startled, Tan Qing shrank back, turning his head in a daze, his eyes still heavy with sleep.

 

He Mingyu felt a sudden softness in his heart.

 

Reaching out, he gently pushed Tan Qing's fallen hair back into place. "You're so tired. Why not let the driver take you straight home to sleep?"

 

"No, no!"

 

Tan Qing, slowly shaking off his grogginess, rubbed his eyes. "I need to make money. Only with money can I have another fling."

 

He Mingyu: "…"

 

Before He Mingyu could retort, the bodyguard nervously interjected, "Boss, it's Mr. Ran Anluo on the phone. He said Assistant Lin asked him to call you."

 

He Mingyu's expression darkened.

 

Just as he took the phone, Tan Qing opened the car door and darted off.

 

He Mingyu grew even more displeased.

 

Ran Anluo, on the other end of the line, was unaware of what was happening. Hesitant, he cautiously greeted, "Good evening, Director He…"

 

Meanwhile, little Tan Jiji, noticing Tan Qing had left, began squirming, trying to escape, much like a tiny puppy eager to follow.

 

He Mingyu, unaccustomed to handling children, called out in a fluster, "Jiji! Stay put."

 

Ran Anluo paused, uncertain. "Director He?"

 

Though He Mingyu was annoyed, he responded with polite indifference, "What do you need?"

 

Ran Anluo hesitated, the words he had meant to say catching in his throat.

 

Clenching his fingers tightly, he softly asked, "Am I interrupting, Director He? Are you taking care of a child? Is it inconvenient to talk?"

 

He Mingyu, not wanting to continue the conversation, casually replied, "Yes, I'm busy right now. If there's anything, you can discuss it with Lin Yu, and he'll pass it on to me."

 

Ran Anluo pressed his lips together, his voice becoming even softer. "Alright, thank you, Director He."

 

With that, He Mingyu tossed the phone back to the bodyguard.

 

Meanwhile, Tan Jiji was still determinedly clawing at the car door, wriggling in his little open-crotch pants, displaying an impressive level of persistence.

 

He Mingyu pulled him back into his arms and playfully tapped the child's upturned nose. "Missing your little dad, huh?"

 

Tan Jiji, unsure whether he understood or not, raised his head and blew a bubble like a little turtle.

 

After thinking for a moment, He Mingyu chuckled. "When we complete your household registration, we'll have to change your name. If you're still called Jiji, your classmates will laugh at you in the future."

 

Tan Jiji smacked his lips and repeated that same single syllable, "Pa, pa."

 

"Mm."

 

He Mingyu responded with a nod. "Alright, let's go bring your little dad back."

 

The tall, handsome man wrapped the chubby child in a cotton coat and cradled him in his arms.

 

Then, stepping out of the luxury car parked by the street, he awkwardly made his way into the bustling night market crowd.

 

Meanwhile, in a high-end apartment downtown...

 

The lights were dim.

 

Ran Anluo sat at the edge of the bed, clutching his phone tightly. After a long while, he finally dialed a number.

 

"Hello, Sister Xia? Can you do me a favor? I need you to find out... does He Mingyu have a child now?"

 

Author's note: Mini Theater:

He Mingyu: I've decided to start being a good dad from today onwards.

Tan Qing: So does that mean I can go find some other cute guys?

He Mingyu: Hmph.

Author: Hmph.

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