Chapter 21 - 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.

"Well, Look at What We Have Here—an Oriental Beauty."

 

He Mingyu didn't answer right away.

 

On his end, the background noise was overwhelming—chaotic footsteps mingling with constant sobbing, making everything seem unbearably loud.

 

After a long pause, He Mingyu's voice finally came through the phone, still as cold and detached as ever, "Stop wasting time watching those trashy cartoons with your little flings. It's lowering your IQ."

 

Rong Sheng: "Screw your grandfather!"

 

He Mingyu, expressionless, replied, "My grandfather just got laid to rest in a crystal coffin."

 

Rong Sheng: "..."

 

Fuming, Rong Sheng pulled up Tan Qing's chat in the messaging app and sent a long string of exclamation marks.

 

Then he typed: "If He Mingyu doesn't accept Tan Jiji, bring him to me. I'll take him as my son!"

 

Tan Qing, apparently also on his phone, immediately began typing back.

 

A few seconds later, Tan Qing's message appeared: "#shy##shy##shy# So, you want me and Tan Jiji to both be your sons?"

 

Rong Sheng: "..."

 

Rong Sheng couldn't help but laugh in disbelief.

 

Without thinking, before he could even stop himself, his fingers typed and sent: "I'm willing to be your son's cheap dad. When are you selling yourself to pay off your debt?"

 

The moment he sent it, he regretted it.

 

Almost instantly, Rong Sheng scrambled to hit the withdraw button, his heart pounding.

 

With a quick tap, the message was finally withdrawn.

 

What a coward.

 

He couldn't even count how many beds he'd tumbled in and out of, yet he'd never chickened out like this before.

 

Crushing out his cigarette, Rong Sheng typed a new message: "Forget it, I don't want a son as hard to take care of as you. Focus on your script. Goodnight."

 

Tan Qing: "..."

 

After wrestling Tan Jiji back up from where he'd rolled onto the floor, Tan Qing glanced at his phone and saw the message.

 

What did that even mean? Did Rong Sheng want Tan Jiji but not him?

 

Just because he's a grown-up, he couldn't go be someone's rich baby boy anymore?

 

How could this happen?

 

Heart shattered.

 

With his fragile ego in pieces, Tan Qing leaned dejectedly against the headboard, pulling the little one onto the bed. He spread out his nine soft, fluffy tails and began the mindless task of braiding them into three plaits for fun.

 

The little one lay contentedly on Tan Qing's stomach, his eyes filled with wonder as he gazed at the nine big, white, furry tails in front of him, utterly delighted.

 

Tan Qing skillfully braided the nine tails into three large, braided ones, then started swishing them playfully in front of Tan Jiji, teasing him like a cat with a toy.

 

Tan Jiji reached out with his tiny, chubby hands, desperately trying to grab hold of his dad's beautiful big tails. But after a while, all the swaying nearly made him dizzy, and he still hadn't succeeded.

 

Frustrated, he sniffled, glanced down at his own round, bare bottom, and thought hard.

 

After a long effort, a soft, little tail shyly peeked out from between his plump butt-cheeks.

 

Tan Jiji immediately beamed with pride, clapping his hands for himself.

 

Carefully, with both little hands, he picked up his tail and pulled it around to the front. He stared at it for a moment, then looked up at Tan Qing's tails.

 

Nine big, fluffy, smooth, and beautiful tails.

 

And his tiny little tail...

 

Waah.

 

In an instant, Tan Jiji's big, watery eyes welled up with tears.

 

To make matters worse, Tan Qing couldn't resist teasing the little guy, giving his soft tail a couple of gentle tugs.

 

Not only did a few delicate fox hairs float down, but Tan Qing also gave an offhanded comment, "Why do you only have one tail? So ugly. And shedding already. Sigh."

 

Tan Jiji's eyes overflowed, and his tears fell like raindrops.

 

"Wahhh—"

 

Tan Qing: "..."

 

Thankfully, the soundproofing in He Mingyu's house seemed decent, so this time, only Tan Qing had to endure the ear-splitting wails of the little one.

 

Tan Qing was so overwhelmed that the fur on his tails puffed up. In utter despair, he patted the little guy's small tail and tried to comfort him, "Stop crying, stop crying. Look, even though you only have one tail, at least you have one! The humans around you don't have any tails at all. You're way better than them."

 

"Sniff… hic…"

 

Tan Jiji sobbed so hard that he was out of breath, his tears soaking the pillow beneath him.

 

Between sobs, he glanced around the room.

 

Realizing that besides Tan Qing, there was no one else around, his sorrow deepened.

 

And so, while howling and sniffling, he pitifully called out in his soft little voice, "Pa… pa… hic…"

 

Tan Qing: "..."

 

Fine, fine. Let him cry.

 

Maybe once he's cried enough, he'll fall asleep.

 

Eventually giving up, Tan Qing lazily fluffed his soft, fluffy tails and used them as a pillow under his rear.

 

He pulled out his phone, preparing to indulge in his favorite game, Online Landlord Battle.

 

Before starting, Tan Qing glanced over at the little one.

 

Then, he suddenly noticed—

 

At some point, two very noticeable pointed ears had appeared on top of Tan Jiji's head.

 

The insides were soft, pinkish-red, while the backs were covered in a layer of fluffy white fur.

 

The ears tipped forward slightly, with a cute little arc.

 

No matter how you looked at them, they didn't resemble human ears at all.

 

Perhaps the little fox's ears popped out because their owner had cried too hard.

 

Those ears, which should have stood tall and straight, now drooped pitifully, swaying with each sniffle Tan Jiji made.

 

Both ear tips had a tiny notch, like a small triangular bite had been taken out of them—exactly like Tan Qing's own ears.

 

Tan Qing: "..."

 

He had always disliked the little notch in his ears, so he usually kept them hidden.

 

Even though his parents once told him, when he was just a cub, that the mark was a special trait unique to nine-tailed foxes.

 

But after his parents were gone...

 

There were no other nine-tailed foxes left in the world.

 

Tan Qing pulled the little cub back into his arms, gently rubbing Tan Jiji's pointy ears. With a worried sigh, he murmured, "Sigh, not only are you ugly, but you also inherited the notched ears. You might be the ugliest fox cub ever."

 

So ugly.

 

How will he ever manage to find a wife...

 

As the little cub continued to cry, completely unaware that his sobs had brought out his fox ears, he nestled obediently in Tan Qing's arms, sniffling softly until he fell asleep.

 

About half an hour passed.

 

As Tan Jiji's emotions finally settled, the ears on top of his head and the tail behind him gradually retracted, leaving him looking like an ordinary little cub once more.

 

Tan Qing let out a deep breath, tucked the cub back into his blankets, and yawned as he slipped out of bed.

 

To live among humans, a fully transformed demon needed to maintain an entirely human appearance. But during moments of intense emotion, it was hard to keep their true form from slipping out, even if only partially.

 

Rage, tears, excitement...

 

Sitting in the bathroom, Tan Qing pondered this for a moment, glancing at his private parts.

 

He wondered if doing certain human activities might also cause him to lose control... although they were said to feel good.

 

What if he couldn't help it and his ears or tail popped out? What would he do if he got caught?

 

After serious contemplation, Tan Qing nodded to himself.

 

Yes, he would need to be very careful about who he chose for those "special" activities in the future.

 

Finishing his business in the bathroom, Tan Qing pulled up his pants, got dressed in the living room, and glanced at his mobile banking app. Seeing the 1.5 million he had gained earlier today, he decided it was the perfect evening to go out and indulge.

 

Naturally, the first place on his list was the bar he was previously interrupted by Rong Sheng

 

Tan Qing disguised himself with glasses, a hat, and a large face mask. Under the puzzled gaze of the bank's security guard, he withdrew a thick stack of red bills from the ATM.

 

Stuffing the money into his pocket, he hopped off the bus into the night, stepping eagerly onto the path the old driver had once pointed out to him.

 

This alley led to the bustling bar street, but it was unlit, uneven, and too narrow even for a shared bike.

 

No one would use it unless they were taking a shortcut.

 

As Tan Qing walked along, mentally reviewing the bar's drink menu and debating which cocktails to order, someone suddenly brushed heavily against his shoulder and sprinted past.

 

In the next moment, he felt his pockets grow lighter.

 

"Damn! A thief!"

 

Tan Qing's long legs shot forward, and within seconds of being robbed, he was chasing the thief.

 

He was fast, almost close enough to grab the idiot's collar.

 

But then, at the end of the alley, several men in black suits appeared as if they had been waiting there. Right before Tan Qing's eyes, they apprehended the thief, covering his mouth and grabbing him by the waist, dragging him into the largest bar on the street.

 

The very same bar Tan Qing had visited last time.

 

Tan Qing: "..."

 

From his position in the shadows, he realized the bodyguards hadn't noticed him at all.

 

In an instant, his 1.5 million had been reduced to 1.49 million.

 

Furious at the loss of his money, Tan Qing quickly followed the group into the bar.

 

Inside, the lights and crowd were just as lively as before.

 

Tan Qing maintained his distance as he trailed them upstairs.

 

But when he reached the staircase leading to the third floor, a security guard stopped him: "Sorry, sir. The third floor is for VIP guests only. You'll need a VIP card to enter."

 

Tan Qing, staring forlornly at where his money had just disappeared, felt his eyes grow red with frustration. "But the guy you just brought up there stole my money!"

 

The guard firmly blocked the entrance. "Sir, we didn't see anyone go up just now."

 

Tan Qing: "..."

 

Panicking, he spun in place twice before a thought struck him. "Is He Mingyu one of your VIP members? Can I use his card to get in?"

 

The guard replied, "Please show the card."

 

Ah.

 

Judging by this response, it seemed He Mingyu really was a VIP here.

 

He always acted so cold and hard to approach, but here he was frequenting a bar!

 

And, worst of all, he never brought Tan Qing along.

 

Feeling slightly indignant, Tan Qing put on an air of importance. "I'm, um, you know… that kind of close with him. I was actually planning to use his card tonight, but I left in a rush and forgot it. How about you give him a call?"

 

In this line of business, one couldn't afford to be too rigid—especially when the name He Mingyu was mentioned.

 

The guard hesitated for a moment, becoming more polite toward Tan Qing. "Please provide Mr. He's phone number so we can confirm."

 

Tan Qing smoothly rattled off the number without missing a beat.

 

The guards exchanged glances. "Please wait a moment."

 

As it happened, today was the third day of mourning for Old Master He.

 

Following the customs of J City, both the third and seventh days after someone's passing were marked with grand ceremonies.

 

The state hall was bustling with guests paying their respects. He Mingyu, as the great-grandson of the deceased, knelt at the center, far too busy to answer any calls.

 

So, it fell to his assistant, Lin Yu, who was juggling an overwhelming amount of work, to pick up the phone. "Hello, this is Mr. He Mingyu's assistant. He's currently unavailable. Is there something urgent I can relay to him?"

 

Though it wasn't He Mingyu himself, the guard remained respectful. "Apologies for the disturbance. A gentleman here wishes to use Mr. He's VIP card. Could you check with him?"

 

"VIP card?"

 

Lin Yu, already dizzy from the day's tasks, paused for a few seconds before asking, "Who is it? What's his name?"

 

The guard glanced at Tan Qing. "His surname is Tan. He says his name is Tan Qing."

 

Lin Yu froze, instantly alert on behalf of his boss. "Is he alone? No other men or women with him?"

 

The guard replied, "Yes, sir, he's alone."

 

Lin Yu exhaled in relief. "Alright, I understand. Let him in. I'll inform Mr. He about it later—he'll definitely approve."

 

With orders received, the guards bowed in unison toward Tan Qing. "Please, go ahead."

 

Tan Qing's face lit up with satisfaction, clearly enjoying the privilege. "Thank you, thank you."

 

Ah, the power of wealth.

 

Strengthened in his resolve to recover the money the thief had taken, Tan Qing stepped forward, determined.

 

Unlike the noisy first and second floors, the third floor of the bar was surprisingly quiet.

 

A deep blue carpet covered the entire corridor, and thick soundproof walls divided the space into private rooms, each completely isolated from the others.

 

One glance down the hallway was all it took for Tan Qing to spot his target.

 

Standing not far away were the two men in black suits—the ones who caught the thief who snatched his 10,000 yuan.

 

Tan Qing quickly jogged up to the door they were guarding. Just as he raised his hand to knock, they stopped him.

 

"What do you want?"

 

Unlike the security guards at the third-floor entrance, these men in black clearly had a higher level of combat readiness.

 

But did that matter?

 

Tan Qing tilted his head and gave them a sweet smile, pointing toward the crack in the door. "I'm here to see the guy you just brought in."

 

The men's expressions hardened immediately. 'Looking for him? Are you here to bring him money?'"

 

Tan Qing: "…"

 

With a sincere expression, he said, "Actually, I'm here to get my money back from him."

 

The men in black: "..."

 

At that moment, the door to the private room swung open from the inside.

 

The man who had opened it frowned and glanced at Tan Qing. "Who is he?"

 

One of the men in black bowed slightly. "We don't know yet, but he says he's here for Snakehead."

 

"For Snakehead?"

 

The man's lips curled into a cold smile. "Come in."

 

Tan Qing eagerly followed, politely saying, "Thank you, thank you."

 

Behind him, the door to the room closed.

 

The man who had led Tan Qing in stopped and stepped aside, clearing the view in front of him. He turned his head and said, "No need to thank me."

 

Through the gap that had been created, Tan Qing spotted the man who had stolen his money in the alley.

 

The man looked to be around thirty, with plain features.

 

He was currently slumped on the floor like a limp shrimp, his right arm hanging down as blood dripped from his fingertips, forming a small pool on the ground.

 

Curious, Tan Qing leaned in closer, glancing left and right before asking, with genuine concern, "Whoa, hey there, brother, are you alright?"

 

The man trembled violently, perhaps seeing Tan Qing's young and harmless appearance, and immediately clung to his legs, wailing, "Help me! Please help me! I don't want to die—!"

 

Tan Qing quickly stepped back, rubbing his hands awkwardly as he said, with a touch of embarrassment, "Ah… well, I was just thinking, if your hand can still move, I wouldn't have to dig into your back pocket to take my money out myself."

 

Such crisp new bills—clearly just withdrawn from the bank!

 

The man: "…"

 

"Pfft—"

 

A low chuckle came from a sofa in the back of the room. "Turn on the lights. Let me see who else this kid owes money to besides me."

 

Suddenly, the once-dim room was flooded with bright light.

 

Reluctantly tearing his gaze from the cash, Tan Qing looked up to find, aside from the dozen men in black suits and the one who had led him in, another figure seated on the sofa.

 

When Tan Qing looked over, his eyes met the stranger's.

 

In that brief moment of eye contact, Tan Qing heard the man's voice, tinged with amusement. "Well, look at what we have here—an Oriental beauty."

 

Tan Qing: "..."

 

Only now did Tan Qing take a closer, more careful look at the man opposite him.

 

Black hair, pale skin, dark green eyes.

 

Clearly not one of us.

 

A barbarian*.

 

[T/N: It can be translated as "barbarian" or "foreigner." In this context, 蠻夷 (mán yí) is an ancient Chinese term used historically to refer to non-Han people, often in a derogatory way, implying someone who is uncivilized or foreign. It's generally not a neutral or kind term, but here it might be used in a more figurative or playful sense.]

 

As a patriotic fox spirit who had cultivated for many years deep in the old mountains, Tan Qing wasn't particularly fond of foreigners.

 

Losing interest, he turned his attention back to the money in the thief's pocket on the floor.

 

The man on the sofa, unused to being ignored like this, stood up after a few moments and approached Tan Qing. "My beauty, are you here to see Snakehead?"

 

His Mandarin wasn't very good, carrying a stiff accent.

 

Tan Qing wrinkled his nose in disdain and pointed at Snakehead's pocket. "Ten seconds before your guys dragged him in here, he stole 10,000 yuan from me."

 

"Ooooh shit! He dared to steal from such a beautiful Oriental beauty!"

 

The man personally bent down, retrieved the money from Snakehead's back pocket, and, right in front of Tan Qing, counted the bills one by one. "I deeply apologize. Please accept my sincerest apologies."

 

Tan Qing: "..."

 

Are all barbarians this strange?

 

But for the sake of his money, Tan Qing accepted it anyway. "Thank you."

 

"You're welcome, my beauty."

 

The man's baby face broke into a harmless smile.

 

He gave a slight bow and introduced himself with impeccable manners, "My name is Jane Bohr. My father is from Munich, Germany, and my mother is Chinese. I go by my mother's surname in Chinese—Yan Jianbai. My beauty, you may call me that."

 

Tan Qing's expression remained flat. "Oh."

 

Yan Jianbai's baby face only smiled wider, his sharp little canine teeth looking particularly cute. "My beauty, may I be so bold as to ask your name?"

 

With a blank expression, Tan Qing replied, "I'm Liu Dazhuang."

 

Yan Jianbai's smile didn't falter, and his sharp teeth gleamed as he offered, "Shall I escort you home?"

 

Tan Qing flashed him a bright smile in return. "No need. Thanks for returning my money."

 

He tucked his 10,000 yuan safely into his pocket, waved to Yan Jianbai, and said, "I'm leaving now, bye-bye."

 

Yan Jianbai waved back, looking utterly reluctant to see him go. "Goodbye, my Oriental beauty."

 

As Tan Qing's figure was about to disappear through the door, a trace of urgency appeared on the face of the man standing beside Yan Jianbai. "Young master! He saw us use a knife! Should I...?"

 

"What's the rush?"

 

Yan Jianbai calmly picked up a glass of white wine from the table, taking a slow sip. "Don't scare my beauty."

 

"...So what do we do now...?"

 

Yan Jianbai finished the wine in one gulp, sighing with satisfaction. "Find out whose card my beauty used to get in here."

 

"Understood. Young master, what about Snakehead…?"

 

With a look of disgust, Yan Jianbai glanced at the man on the floor, who had already wet his pants in fear. "For the sake of my beauty, spare his life. Cut out his tongue and feed it to the dogs."

 

"Yes, young master!"

 

As the night deepened, the bar gradually quieted. A car slipped away silently from the back entrance.

 

Meanwhile, the crowd at the He family ancestral home remained thick, with the mournful sound of funeral music and eulogies continuing without pause.

 

He Mingyu finally found a brief moment to slip into his car, taking a sip of coffee handed to him by Lin Yu. He closed his eyes to rest for a bit. "Is there something urgent?"

 

Lin Yu replied, "Don't worry, boss. Everything is in order."

 

He Mingyu hummed in acknowledgment, then after a moment, opened his eyes and said, "After work today, go to Shengjing Entertainment."

 

Lin Yu blinked in surprise. "Shengjing Entertainment?"

 

He Mingyu nodded. "Find Rong Sheng. Tell him I sent you to collect…"

 

"That jar of honey."

 

Lin Yu: "..."

 

Although he had no idea what kind of mood his boss was in, he dutifully made a note of it. "Got it. I'll head over later."

 

After a brief pause, something seemed to occur to Lin Yu. "Oh, right, boss—one more thing today!"

 

He Mingyu rubbed his temple. "What is it?"

 

Lin Yu said, "Earlier this evening, while you were in the state hall, someone called saying that Tan Qing wanted to use one of your VIP cards."

 

He Mingyu nodded indifferently. "It's fine, let him use it."

 

Lin Yu hesitated slightly. "But I just checked the usage on your VIP cards… none of them have been used, except for one, which was used at a bar."

 

"I looked into it further—it was a VIP room card for the third floor."

 

Lin Yu's voice grew softer. "That bar is owned by Yan Jianbai. You know him… things inside might get a bit messy."

 

Author's Note: Mini-theater:

Author: "Finally, enough for a mahjong game!"

The game begins.

Yan Jianbai: "Three of Bamboo. He, where's your secretary? He's the reason my beauty and I crossed paths."

He Mingyu: "Four of Circles. He's gone back to his hometown to farm."

Rong Sheng: "Pong. Can I invite Qingqing to dinner?"

Ji Yanxiu: "Two of Characters. What are you all talking about?"

He Mingyu: "Kong, one 'Tan Jiji'."

Rong Sheng: "...I can't beat that."

Yan Jianbai: "...Neither can I."

Ji Yanxiu: "...

  

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