Chapter 8 - The Supporting Villain Is Raising a Cub Online

Translator's Note:

Hello, I hope you've all been doing well.

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.

Deep Coral Frames Enhancing His Fair and Delicate Features

 

Tan Qing climbed into the back seat, following after He Mingyu, and pulled his backpack to the front, letting out a huge yawn.

 

Sitting in He Mingyu's lap, Tan Jiji imitated Tan Qing, yawning exactly the same way, rubbing his eyes sleepily, and then fixating his unblinking gaze on Tan Qing.

 

The little one was still so small, wobbling in the back seat.

 

Seeing that Tan Qing had no intention of moving, He Mingyu had no choice but to pick Tan Jiji up again. "Does he always sleep on his own at night?"

 

Tan Qing shifted into a more comfortable position, half-thinking about new ways to make money tomorrow while justifying himself, "Of course I'm not that irresponsible! I tell him a bedtime story every night."

 

Since the moment He Mingyu started interacting with the child, he hadn't seen a single trace of responsible parenting from Tan Qing.

 

So, when he heard about the bedtime stories, He Mingyu surprisingly thought that Tan Qing might have some sense of responsibility after all.

 

Gently patting Tan Jiji on the back, He Mingyu softly said, "Your dad is going to tell you a story. Be good, listen, and then go to sleep, alright?"

 

It was unclear if the little one understood or not, but he stretched out his chubby little finger and tried to put it in his mouth.

 

He Mingyu wrapped the small hand in his. "No eating your hands, it's not hygienic."

 

"Pfft, what's so unhygienic about it?"

 

Tan Qing tilted his head, watching as He Mingyu lectured Tan Jiji, and disagreed, "Just lick it clean! It's fast and convenient."

 

When he was just a little fox before he'd cultivated, his parents taught him to lick his paws clean.

 

To prove his point, Tan Qing casually raised a finger, parting his lips slightly.

 

His fingers, unlike Tan Jiji's chubby ones, were slender, tender, and pale, with neatly trimmed nails.

 

The fingertip gently slid into his soft, moist mouth, slowly getting enveloped by the crimson lips.

 

He paused for a moment before gradually withdrawing it again.

 

He Mingyu even noticed a bit of moisture glistening on the tip of the finger, like the trace of saliva after an intimate moment.

 

After running around all day—from the morning at Shengjing Entertainment to setting up a stall at the night market in the evening—Tan Qing, now bound by human form, was thoroughly exhausted.

 

He lazily leaned back against the leather seat, his voice raspy, "See? Clean, right?"

 

He Mingyu's eyes lingered on the gleaming finger tip before he finally muttered, "There's a child sitting right next to you. Stop messing around."

 

Tan Qing: "???"

 

He was just demonstrating, how was that messing around?

 

Feeling his friendly life lesson unjustly interrupted, Tan Qing was deeply hurt, slumping even further into his seat and letting out a small yawn.

 

He Mingyu sat for a while, unable to resist glancing at Tan Qing again.

 

Then he realized that Tan Qing didn't seem interested in teasing him anymore.

 

Was it because of the rejection earlier?

 

He Mingyu began to question if he'd been too harsh with his words. After a moment's thought, he changed the subject, "What kind of stories do you usually tell him?"

 

Tan Qing looked as tired as Tan Jiji. He barely lifted his eyelids to glance at the little one. "Just the usual animal stories. Hold him tight while I tell him one so he'll fall asleep."

 

And with that, Tan Qing dutifully began his storytelling.

 

"Once upon a time... there was a bear in the mountains, but he was so ugly that a pack of wolves bullied him all the time."

 

"Later, the big bear went deep into the forest to ask the fox elder how he could stop being bullied."

 

"The fox elder told him to practice diligently..."

 

Tan Qing nodded off a few times like a sleepy chicken pecking at grains, but soon regained his focus and continued, "Yeah, practice diligently... and when you become a bear spirit, come back and kill all the wolves."

 

He Mingyu: "..."

 

He Mingyu thought he really shouldn't have had any expectations for Tan Qing.

 

What kind of bedtime story was this? It was practically a horror tale.

 

He wondered if Tan Jiji had even understood any of it.

 

When He Mingyu looked down, the little one was grinning up at him with his mostly toothless gums on full display.

 

He Mingyu decided that from now on, he'd better take care of things himself. "Is this the kind of story you tell him every night?"

 

Tan Qing, looking entirely innocent, retorted confidently, "Of course! An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth—that's how you learn life's lessons.A good story needs to have some blood and guts, doesn't it?"

 

He Mingyu took a deep, exasperated breath. "…As for his future education, you can leave that to me."

 

Tan Qing swore he detected a faint hint of disdain in He Mingyu's words.

 

But as a former underachiever who never intended for Tan Jiji to go to school anyway, after thinking it over, Tan Qing concluded that it didn't really affect him much.

 

So, his eyes darted around mischievously as he sidled up to He Mingyu. "Boss He…"

 

He Mingyu tucked the now-asleep Tan Jiji in with a blanket. "What now?"

 

Tan Qing put on a fawning smile and held out his hand, "So... everyone else gets a year-end bonus, right? Does Shengjing Entertainment give one?"

 

He Mingyu shot him a glance. "Yes."

 

Tan Qing's face lit up.

 

He Mingyu added, "But not for you."

 

Tan Qing: "???"

 

Tan Qing protested indignantly, "Why not?! I've been working hard at Shengjing, busting my back all year!"

 

He Mingyu shook his head. "You've incurred too many penalty fees for breached contracts on your projects. The finance department escalated it to Rong Sheng, and he informed the board of directors. I reviewed the final compensation report just a few days ago."

 

Tan Qing asked, feeling pained, "Was it all because of the news about me and you in bed?"

 

He Mingyu: "..."

 

The He family had been wealthy for three generations and can be considered a truly scholarly family.

 

He Mingyu had grown up with education focused on respect and integrity, never speaking recklessly or aiming too high.

 

But Tan Qing, with his lack of restraint, had no problem blurting out anything and everything.

 

Helpless, He Mingyu corrected him, "To be precise, it wasn't because of the news about... us. The negative impact from the news affected you too much, which led the businesses to sue you for breach of contract."

 

The more Tan Qing listened, the more aggrieved he felt. He complained sorrowfully, "But I couldn't... have done that all by myself. Why isn't anyone giving you a hard time?"

 

He Mingyu: "…"

 

Because they wouldn't dare.

 

Looking into Tan Qing's bright eyes and seeing the unshed tears hanging at the corners, He Mingyu's heart softened once again. "Fine. If you still want to act, I can arrange a role for you. How's that?"

 

Tan Qing's fake tears vanished as quickly as they came. "Really? Really?"

 

He Mingyu finally realized he had been tricked, but the rejection that was on the tip of his tongue softened into a different answer: "Yes, really."

 

Tan Qing was elated. After calculating for a while, he hesitantly lifted his head. "So… will I get a year-end bonus?"

 

He Mingyu: "…"

 

Mr. He mercilessly rejected Mr. Tan's request once again.

 

He averted his gaze coldly and adjusted little Tan Jiji's position in his arms. Silent, he continued to sit all the way back home.

 

The expensive car came to a discreet stop in front of the dilapidated tenement community.

 

Just as Tan Qing was about to grab little Tan Jiji by the scruff of his neck, He Mingyu reached out to take the child back and said, "I'll have to take him for a checkup early tomorrow morning. He won't be coming back with you tonight."

 

Tan Qing, overjoyed at this, asked, "So, once the checkup is done, you'll take him home for good, right?"

 

He Mingyu didn't like Tan Qing's tone and spoke seriously, "Tan Qing, even if I acknowledge him, you're still the child's other father. I don't want his upbringing to lack anything."

 

Tan Qing mumbled softly, "But having two dads is kinda scary…"

 

He Mingyu shot him a cold look.

 

Tan Qing pretended to seal his lips with tape.

 

The bodyguard-slash-driver, who had been following along dutifully, went into the kitchen to gather little Tan Jiji's bedding and daily necessities. He returned to the doorway, standing quietly as he waited.

 

On a winter night, when no insects were chirping, He Mingyu's voice became clearer in the stillness. Perhaps it was the long stretch of darkness that made him more patient, his tone gentler as he spoke: "I'll take the child back now. You should get some rest. Lock the door carefully."

 

Tan Qing took off his trench coat, leaving only a long-sleeved shirt, and lazily waved goodbye to He Mingyu.

 

In these cramped, run-down housing blocks, the heating wasn't great. Inside, the temperature was barely warmer than outside, and after standing for just a moment, you could already feel the chill creeping in.

 

The white shirt Tan Qing wore looked somewhat yellowed, probably from frequent washing.

 

Moreover, the shirt was thin. From a distance, you could even see the slender curve of his waist beneath it.

 

At that moment, his waist was twisting slightly, soft and alluring.

 

He Mingyu realized that he, too, was not immune to human temptations. In fact, tonight, Tan Qing's allure was undeniable.

 

He let out a low cough, pressed little Tan Jiji's face to his chest to shield him, and looked back at Tan Qing. "Tomorrow, I'll call Rong Sheng. If the company has a good project, I'll arrange for you to make an appearance."

 

Tan Qing was just about to go inside to calculate when he could gather enough money to pay the 600,000-yuan breach-of-contract fee.

 

As much as he didn't want to pay, he knew from TV dramas that this was a society governed by law.

 

If you broke the law, you'd be caught.

 

Tan Qing's eyes sparkled as he looked at He Mingyu. "How much money would that give me? Enough for 600,000?"

 

Under Tan Qing's innocent, pitiful gaze, He Mingyu's defenses crumbled, though he fought hard to hold onto the last bit of resolve. "You're starting fresh, so your income won't be as high as before. But if you work hard, things will improve."

 

Tan Qing wasn't too satisfied with this answer, so he gave a half-hearted, businesslike smile. "Fine. Thanks, Mr. He."

 

He Mingyu still wanted to say something, but when he looked at Tan Qing again, he saw him stretching sleepily.

 

The short, snug shirt lifted slightly with his movement, revealing a small patch of smooth, delicate skin.

 

Then Tan Qing sat down carelessly on his simple wooden bed and lazily covered his mouth. "Well, goodnight, Mr. He."

 

He Mingyu swallowed the words he had been about to say. "Goodnight."

 

As soon as the door closed behind him, Tan Qing bounced up from the bed.

 

He rushed to the window, watching as He Mingyu, carrying the little one, got into the car and drove off into the dark night. His expression grew gleeful.

 

Finally!

 

Starting today, he wouldn't have to take care of the kid, which meant he could enjoy some nightlife!

 

Ever since his training on the mountain, Tan Qing had envied humans and their nightlife.

 

They could flirt with whomever they wanted, hook up whenever they liked, and best of all, they didn't need to be responsible for the other person.

 

He might even have a fling.

 

Maybe he'd find someone better than He Mingyu, in both size and stamina.

 

Ah! Such anticipation.

 

Tan Qing fiddled with his appearance in the mirror for a moment and put on a pair of non-prescription glasses he bought at the night market.

 

The deep coral-colored frames made his face look even fairer and more delicate.

 

Feeling like he was a solid 10 tonight, Tan Qing happily strutted out the door.

 

Author's Note: Mini-theater:

He Mingyu: My spouse keeps trying every trick to seduce me into bed. So annoying. I've decided to give in to his demands.

He Mingyu: Wait... Where did my spouse go?

Tan Qing: Heehee.

Rong Sheng: Brother, I think you might be getting played.

He Mingyu: …

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