Chapter 12 - 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.

The Seductive and Charismatic CEO has Transferred You 5,000 Yuan.

 

 

Rong Sheng asked with a hint of confusion, "Ji Yanxiu's family hospital?"

 

The assistant nodded. "Yes, Mr. Rong. Ran Anluo had a major event today, and Xia Jing accompanied him as his agent. But on the way back, he wasn't feeling well, so they went to the hospital for a check-up. Do you need me to get more details?"

 

Rong Sheng waved dismissively. "No need. I don't meddle in others' affairs. If there's something wrong, he'll tell me himself."

 

The assistant was a sharp and elegant woman, her long black hair meticulously straightened, exuding a strong presence with her high heels.

 

She glanced at Tan Qing, who was idling near the sofa, and, understanding the situation, turned to Rong Sheng. "Mr. Rong, about Mr. Tan today..."

 

Rong Sheng had originally intended to sign Tan Qing under Xia Jing's management, given that he and Ran Anluo were a duo and would naturally garner attention. However, it was clear that wouldn't be possible today.

 

After some thought, Rong Sheng decided to excuse Tan Qing from the office. As he leafed through the documents on his desk, he asked, "Are there any good web series directors recently?"

 

The assistant, momentarily puzzled by the boss's intent, hesitated before cautiously replying, "There's Director Cheng Ye's period drama. The script just came out, and his palace dramas always generate buzz. It could be a hit."

 

Rong Sheng asked, "Is the lead actor set?"

 

The assistant deliberated for a moment. "While it hasn't been officially announced, the backers are suggesting Ji Yanxiu for the lead role."

 

"Ji Yanxiu, interested in a web series?" Rong Sheng raised an eyebrow.

 

Not to mention Ji Yanxiu's family didn't exactly need the pocket change from web dramas. And considering his standing—being a two-time Best Actor winner—him taking on a lead role in a web series would likely incite his fans to criticize the production for days on end.

 

The assistant, her perfectly made-up face also showing a trace of bewilderment, responded, "I'm not sure why, but if I remember correctly, this would be his first web series."

 

Rong Sheng crossed his legs leisurely, pondering. "If he's the male lead, have they chosen a second male lead? What about the female leads?"

 

For someone like Ji Yanxiu to accept a web series, there were only two reasons: either he was truly drawn to the script, or he was boosting someone's career.

 

From what Rong Sheng knew of Ji Yanxiu, he didn't seem like the typical third-generation rich kid. With a certain naive sincerity about him, he was obviously overly sheltered.

 

In any case, Rong Sheng and Ji Yanxiu were not on the same page.

 

After all, it was just a modestly funded web series. The assistant, having many tasks to handle, hadn't paid much attention to it. When Rong Sheng brought it up, she faltered slightly before replying, "There was no word on who's going to be the second male lead yet. The female lead seems to be a newcomer from Ji Yanxiu's company."

 

Rong Sheng raised an eyebrow. "Alright then, call the production team for me. I'll invest some additional funds. Reserve the second male lead role for me."

 

Such requests didn't surprise the assistant too much.

 

Rong Sheng was known for his wild ways, leaving a trail of love affairs behind him everywhere he went, yet he always handled his breakups with grace and mutual respect.

 

Clearly, aside from being considerate and skilled, his financial generosity was also a compelling factor.

 

But before, it had always been for women.

 

This time... with a second male lead?

 

Suppressing her curiosity, the assistant dutifully asked, "No problem, Mr. Rong. I'll contact the production team right away. Could you tell me who the second male lead will be? Director Cheng typically requests a recent photo."

 

"Tan Qing," Rong Sheng said with a smile. "No need for a photo."

 

The assistant blinked. "..."

 

Outside the office, Tan Qing, lost in his own thoughts, watched as the glamorous assistant stepped out. She approached him, gave him a peculiar look, and walked off with an expression as if her worldview had just been shattered.

 

Tan Qing: "???"

 

Checking the time on his off-brand phone, Tan Qing hurried after the assistant. "Excuse me, could I ask a question?"

 

The assistant stopped by the elevator, her expression blank. "What is it?"

 

Tan Qing flashed a sincere smile, shyly asking, "It's almost lunchtime, right? Could I, um, go to the company cafeteria for lunch like the other employees?"

 

The assistant stared at him for a long moment. "You could, but it's unnecessary."

 

Tan Qing: "..."

 

He rubbed his stomach pitifully. "But I'm really hungry."

 

The assistant glanced at his stomach, then reconfirmed his gender, a hint of girlish melancholy in her voice. "Given your relationship with Mr. Rong now, there's no need to eat at the company cafeteria. Just wait here—he won't let you eat alone."

 

Once, she thought she might have had a chance.

 

But men, as it turns out, are fickle creatures—changing their preferences at the drop of a hat.

 

She wiped the corner of her eye, smudging her mascara in the process.

 

Tan Qing didn't quite grasp what relationship she was referring to but caught onto the key point: "So, when does he get off work, pretty lady?"

 

The assistant, having pieced herself back together after her heartache, now worried that Tan Qing might distract Rong Sheng from work. This guy didn't seem an easy person to deal with, and who knows, he might try to seduce Rong Sheng the way he did with He Mingyu.

 

If her boss, in a moment of weakness, lost control...

 

Her gaze towards Tan Qing suddenly turned a shade colder. "It'll be a while. You can come with me for now. I'm sure the boss will contact you later."

 

"Oh..." Tan Qing obediently followed her.

 

After they got off the elevator, the assistant left him in the lobby on one of the floors in the office building.

 

This floor seemed to be a training space for trainees, with practice rooms on either side behind glass doors. Young artists and instructors constantly moved in and out of the rooms.

 

Tan Qing stood aimlessly in the middle of the hallway. After a few people bumped into him, he moved aside.

 

Sigh, when will Rong Sheng be done with work?

 

Feeling weak, pitiful, and hungry with not a penny to his name, Tan Qing decided to curb his hunger with water.

 

He wandered over to a water dispenser, grabbed a disposable paper cup, and started filling it with cold water.

 

Before he could fill his cup, a voice from beside him called out, "Well, if it isn't our top idol, Tan Qing! Reduced to drinking water meant for the company's labor staff, huh?"

 

Tan Qing, focused on filling his cup, didn't even bother to lift an eyelid.

 

The boy mocking him didn't receive the response he expected, growing irritated. He reached out, intending to knock the cup out of Tan Qing's hand.

 

But Tan Qing swiftly switched the cup to his other hand, took a few gulps, and calmly replied, "I'm just getting a drink of water. Why are you yapping about it? You're really annoying, you know."

 

"…"

 

The boy looked young. Tan Qing didn't think it was worth arguing with him. "Also, I don't even know you. Who are you?"

 

The boy's expression was like he was looking at something revolting. "Of course, you wouldn't know me. You only pay attention to rich guys like He Mingyu, right?"

 

Tan Qing gave him a disdainful glance. "No, it's not like that. I also can see people like you—clueless and chatty, a world-weary pretty boy."

 

"…Shameless."

 

Tan Qing shrugged, tossed the empty cup into the trash, and found a seat, fiddling with his cheap knock-off phone.

 

The boy, still fuming, stood there for a while, then approached again. He bit his lip, like he'd been humiliated, and asked, "Why are you stealing Senior Ran's resources?"

 

Tan Qing: "???"

 

With an innocent look, Tan Qing spread his hands. "Look at me—I'm so broke I'm drinking water to survive. Do I seem like someone who has resources?"

 

"…"

 

His logic was flawless, leaving no room for argument.

 

Having finished two rounds of his phone game, Tan Qing casually provoked the boy, "Are you this stupid because you have the same agent as Ran Anluo?"

 

The boy took a deep breath, about to start hurling insults, when Tan Qing's phone suddenly rang.

 

Tan Qing fished it out of his pocket and answered the call.

 

The phone's poor-quality speaker and overly sensitive microphone made it so that everyone nearby could hear the conversation clearly.

 

And so, Yu Qi, a little-known rookie, distinctly heard the voice of the unattainable He Mingyu on the other end of the line.

 

The voice, unlike in his rare public interviews, was not cold at all. It was tinged with a hint of helplessness and even a gentle request for help.

 

"Are you free to take this call right now?"

 

When He Mingyu called Tan Qing, he was seated in the center of his spacious office, in a leather chair—Tan Jiji was sitting in his lap.

 

The chubby toddler, wearing a small diaper, was holding He Mingyu's favorite fountain pen.

 

He enthusiastically poked at the rosewood desk with the pen's fine tip.

 

A very dedicated little woodpecker, indeed.

 

The stack of documents brought in earlier by Secretary Lin Yu was still lying untouched on the desk, while the computer had a mountain of pending tasks.

 

After a long period of patience, He Mingyu gently patted Tan Jiji's little bottom.

 

The baby boy, clueless, turned around and sweetly called out, "Pa, Pa!"

 

He Mingyu responded softly, "Alright, keep playing."

 

By noon, Lin Yu knocked on the office door as usual.

 

Upon entering, she saw that the morning's documents... had been completely transformed into Tan Jiji's doodling canvas.

 

He Mingyu's prized imported fountain pen had been reduced to a pitiful, bald nub.

 

After a long moment of silence, Lin Yu spoke: "Boss, perhaps it's time to call Tan Qing and ask him to take the child home?"

 

He Mingyu gestured for her to clear the desk of all the ruined documents and reports, creating a large empty space.

 

He then spread out a deep-gray, pure cashmere coat over the desk, and the chubby baby was happily placed on top by his father's strong arms.

 

Tan Jiji reached out his little arms towards He Mingyu, babbling, "Pa, Pa!"

 

He Mingyu, utterly charmed, leaned down to gently stroke the boy's head. "Shall we call your other dad?"

 

Tan Jiji didn't understand the meaning of "dad" or "other dad," but he blew a snot bubble, flashing his pink gums, looking utterly adorable.

 

The call from the knock-off phone blared across the room, broadcasting everything He Mingyu said.

 

Tan Qing glanced at the boy in front of him, scratched his nose, and said, "Nothing much, just dealing with some wannabe edgelord. What's up?"

 

He Mingyu paused for a moment, then in a serious tone said, "Tan Jiji misses you."

 

Tan Qing looked disgusted. "What's there to miss? Give him a good spanking, and he won't miss me anymore."

 

He Mingyu: "…"

 

Realizing they'd never see eye-to-eye on parenting, He Mingyu quickly changed the subject. "What's this about an edgelord?"

 

Tan Qing looked up at the young artist who had just given him trouble and began to complain, "Some guy came up to me, saying I stole Ran Anluo's resources!"

 

He Mingyu, feeding a piece of sweet milk cake to Tan Jiji, frowned. "An artist working for Rong Sheng?"

 

"Yeah, yes!"

 

Tan Qing, looking upset, turned to the boy and said sternly, "He Mingyu wants to know your name!"

 

Yu Qi: "…"

 

Tan Qing: "???"

 

Tan Qing got even angrier and said to He Mingyu furiously, "Damn it! He ran off!"

 

Given Tan Qing's genuinely foul mood, President He decided to overlook the foul language and even joined in, asking, "Did you at least remember what he looked like?"

 

Tan Qing huffed, "Two eyes, a nose, a mouth… anyway, uglier than me."

 

He Mingyu: "…"

 

He Mingyu, now dealing with two troublemakers—one big, one small—rubbed his temples in frustration before saying, "If I'm not too busy today, I'll have Lin Yu come pick you up. How about dinner with the kid tonight?"

 

Tan Qing, dizzy from hunger, immediately brightened at the invitation. "What time are we eating?"

 

He Mingyu teased, "So eager. You hungry?"

 

Tan Qing weakly whined, "I don't even have money for food. I'm starving!"

 

He Mingyu responded with a calm "Hmm," and added, "Tan Jiji is about to roll off the desk. I'll call you later."

 

Tan Qing: "…"

 

Men.

 

Tan Qing, cold and detached, hung up the phone and coldly went to get another cup of water.

 

Just as he was about to drink, the green chat app on his phone lit up.

 

He Mingyu has transferred you 5,000 yuan.

 

Note: Don't go hungry.

 

Perfect.

 

This is exactly the kind of cold and aloof CEO who sends red envelopes without saying a word. Muah!

 

Tan Qing happily accepted the money and sent back a cute fox bowing sticker: "Thank you, Daddy Sponsor! Your life-saving kindness will never be forgotten."

 

He didn't expect a reply, but after a moment, He Mingyu sent back a single word: "Okay."

 

Tan Qing: "???"

 

Forget it, the thoughts of rich people are beyond the understanding of the poor.

 

With his newly received fortune, Tan Qing sat in his chair, contemplating seriously.

 

Given his reputation at Shengjing Entertainment was beyond terrible, and to avoid another round of mockery from anyone familiar, Tan Qing decided to take his newfound money and go enjoy a proper meal.

 

Meanwhile, on the other end of the phone, He Mingyu had just put it down and reached out to pull Tan Jiji back from the edge of the desk, setting him down safely.

 

Lin Yu knocked on the door, stepping in quickly with a brown envelope in hand. "Boss, the results from the test you sent last night are in."

 

He Mingyu let Tan Jiji mess around with his cashmere coat, then took the test results from Lin Yu.

 

He untied the string and pulled out a stack of documents.

 

In an instant, Lin Yu saw her boss's expression turn ice cold.

 

Author's Note: Mini-theater:

Tan Jiji: Pa!

He Mingyu: Good boy.

Tan Jiji: Pa-pa!

Rong Sheng: A kiss!

Tan Jiji: Pa-pa-pa-pa!

Ji Yanxiu: What a good treasure. Daddy will buy you the entire toy store in J City!

Tan Qingqing: You all seem crazy, tbh. 0.0

 

——

 

Happy New Year, everyone! The author, along with Tan Qingqing and Tan Jiji, wishes you all a wonderful year!

Author: Quick, wag your tail!

Tan Qing: Woman, your name is Dramaqueen*.

Author: If you don't wag it, I'll have you pass out from exhaustion in bed.

Tan Qing: … (sadly waves nine fluffy white tails)

 

[T/N: In this line, Tan Qing is humorously referencing a famous literary quote from Shakespeare's Hamlet ("Frailty, thy name is woman"), but with a comical twist. Instead of "frailty," Tan Qing replaces it with "dog blood" (狗血), which in Chinese internet slang refers to melodrama, absurdity, or overly dramatic situations.

So, Tan Qing is essentially saying, "Woman, your name is Dramaqueen," implying that the person he's talking to embodies over-the-top drama or chaotic situations. It's a playful jab at the character's dramatic tendencies.]

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