Chapter 23 - 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.

Inside Were the Paternity Test Results for Him and Tan Jiji.

 

 

He Mingyu: "..."

 

Perhaps he had never encountered someone so shameless before, for President He found himself at a rare loss for words.

 

Tan Qing lay flat on his back, behaving like a model of compliance, even lifting his "little bird" just slightly, helpfully presenting himself in an optimal position for He Mingyu.

 

Whether he'd enjoy it or scare He Mingyu away—either outcome would be fine with him.

 

Tan Qing closed his eyes in feigned innocence, feeling utterly pleased with himself.

 

But he waited for a long time—so long that even a breeze could have cooled his "bird"—and still, He Mingyu made no move.

 

Hmm, did he leave?

 

Unable to resist, Tan Qing cracked open an eye just a sliver.

 

Through that sliver, he saw his now-half-wilted "little Qing," and there was He Mingyu, still standing by the door, his gaze seemingly lost in thought.

 

Tan Qing: "..."

 

Irritated, Tan Qing sat up in bed, his expression righteous as he extended his hand: "One hundred bucks for the show! You've been staring for ten minutes already! Pay up before you look any more!"

 

He Mingyu finally shifted his gaze away, pausing briefly before replying coldly, "Get up now, and I'll give you ten thousand."

 

Ten thousand just to get out of bed?

 

Tan Qing's eyes widened with instant clarity as he stared at He Mingyu.

 

He Mingyu casually placed the pillow he had caught at the foot of the bed and turned to leave: "For every minute you're late, I'll deduct one thousand."

 

Tan Qing: "..."

 

Ha.

 

Tan Qing sat on the bed, grinding his teeth in frustration. He had just squeezed one and a half million out of someone else; did he really care about a mere ten thousand?

 

Of course he did!

 

Ten thousand could buy so many plump and tender free-range chickens!

 

In the blink of an eye, Tan Qing was out of bed. Pulling on his pants as he scurried in little tiptoe steps, he hurried after He Mingyu. "I'm coming, I'm coming! He Mingyu, do you want to pay by card or cash?! Wait for me!"

 

He Mingyu stopped in the living room, waiting patiently until Tan Qing caught up. Then, with a slight frown, he said, "Zip your pants."

 

Tan Qing: "Oh…"

 

Obediently, Tan Qing tucked his cooled "little bird" back in and zipped up, flashing He Mingyu a bright, cheerful smile. "Are you paying now?"

 

He Mingyu: "..."

 

At 7:35 a.m., Tan Qing happily sat at the dining table, pulling out his phone from his pocket. Being quite financially savvy, he promptly invested his first ten thousand of the day into a lucrative financial product.

 

He checked his bank balance and then eyed the fresh ham slices on the table.

 

Life, disguised as a human, was truly wonderful.

 

He Mingyu, who had already fed the cub formula earlier, now placed Tan Jiji at the table as well. The little chubby one had a pale yellow bib around his neck and clutched a plump yellow rubber duck in his pudgy hands.

 

Squeeze it, and it would go quack quack.

 

What fun human toys are… thought Tan Qing, who had spent many lonely years cultivating in the mountains. He wanted to play with that little squeaky duck too.

 

Before Rong Sheng gave it to the little one, Tan Qing had been tempted to ask for it. But before he could, the nanny had already carried Tan Jiji out, and the duck had gone straight into the little cub's chubby hands.

 

And Tan Jiji seemed to love it. Since he'd gotten it, he even placed it on his bedside when he slept.

 

After a moment of thought, Tan Qing tried to coax the little one seriously, "Tan Jiji, is your little duck fun?"

 

Tan Jiji, whether he understood or not, blinked his big, innocent eyes at his smaller dad, grinning foolishly with his tiny pink gums showing.

 

Tan Qing continued earnestly, "How about giving Daddy the duck to play with for a bit? I'll give you a big duck for lunch, how's that?"

 

Tan Jiji looked at his quacking duck, then at Tan Qing.

 

Unable to watch Tan Jiji being tricked again, He Mingyu sighed and said helplessly, "Stop teasing him. You'll just make him cry again, and where are you going to get him a big duck?"

 

Tan Qing grinned mischievously. "At the roast duck shop, of course."

 

He Mingyu: "..."

 

With a resigned look, He Mingyu gently patted Tan Jiji's head. "You better hold on tight to your little duck. Don't let your smaller dad swap it out."

 

Tan Jiji gave Tan Qing a pitiful glance, clutching his little duck tightly against his chubby chest with newfound determination.

 

Tan Qing: "..."

 

With a huff, Tan Qing picked up his chopsticks and jabbed at the slices of ham on his plate. "What a crybaby. Fine, I'll ask Rong Sheng where he bought it when I go to the office later."

 

He Mingyu, who had been on his way to the kitchen to get some fresh fruit puree for Tan Jiji, paused slightly at these words. "Rong Sheng bought it?"

 

Tan Qing carefully picked out the last two slices of ham, then sandwiched them between two pieces of toast, taking a big bite. "Yeah, he said it's an imported little duck."

 

He Mingyu was silent for a moment before walking over to Tan Jiji. Bending down gently, he said in a soft voice, "Your smaller dad has never played with such a little duck before. Why don't we let him play with it for a while, hmm?"

 

Tan Qing: "???"

 

With firm arms, He Mingyu easily lifted the chubby little one, bouncing him lightly in his arms as he coaxed, "Later, I'll take you to the toy store. They have all kinds of ducks there, and you can pick whichever one you like. How about that?"

 

Tan Qing: "..."

 

Fuming, Tan Qing threw down his ham slice, no longer interested in eating, and argued with He Mingyu, "You're buying him one, but why not me?!"

 

By then, He Mingyu had already successfully taken the squeaky duck from Tan Jiji's chubby hands.

 

He slipped it into his pocket and looked over at Tan Qing, sighing deeply. "Go finish your breakfast. I'll buy you a box too."

 

"Thank you, thank you!"

 

Tan Qing clasped his hands together in a playful bow, then eagerly returned to his seat to finish his ham-and-toast combo.

 

After feeding Tan Jiji some post-meal fruit puree, He Mingyu handed him to the nanny, who took the child away to play. Returning to the dining table, He Mingyu noticed that Tan Qing had efficiently polished off his breakfast.

 

The plate that once held ham and bacon was now empty, and the bread was down by two slices. However, the bowl of salad remained untouched, exactly as it had been when served.

 

He Mingyu, raised with a strict attention to nutrition, had always cooked his own meals during his years abroad, cultivating a habit of preparing balanced breakfasts. When Tan Jiji had first come to stay with them, he would make one adult meal and one for the child. Now that both Tan Qing and Tan Jiji had moved in permanently, it had evolved into two adult meals and one for the child.

 

Tan Jiji was easy to feed. Whether it was formula or fruit puree, he ate it all without fuss. But Tan Qing…

 

He Mingyu pointed at the bowl of vegetables in front of Tan Qing. "Don't be picky."

 

Tan Qing pursed his lips and glanced at the salad with disdain. Lettuce, purple cabbage, cherry tomatoes, and some other unrecognizable greens. Not even a shred of chicken breast. And now he was expected to eat this?

 

Tan Qing's face was full of defiance. "I don't eat vegetables."

 

He Mingyu calmly sipped his milk, stating matter-of-factly, "You need both vegetables and meat for a balanced diet."

 

Tan Qing responded quickly, "Then I don't want a balanced diet."

 

He Mingyu remained unfazed. "Ten thousand."

 

Tan Qing: "..."

 

By 8:15 a.m., Mr. Tan Qing had earned his second payday of the day.

 

Letting out a small burp that tasted faintly of lettuce, Tan Qing rubbed his stomach and opened his mobile banking app, promptly depositing the freshly earned ten thousand into a savings account.

 

For a carnivorous creature, digesting vegetables was no easy task.

 

Tan Qing felt that he had endured tremendous hardship for that ten thousand. After making two trips to the bathroom, he finally approached He Mingyu, looking pitiful as he raised his face. "Can we go for a walk?"

 

He Mingyu's gaze briefly lingered on Tan Qing's slightly bloated belly. "Stomach ache?"

 

Tan Qing hesitated. "Not really."

 

He just felt like his whole body was infused with the flavor of purple cabbage.

 

With some difficulty, Tan Qing let out another burp, complaining, "I'm so full..."

 

He Mingyu closed his laptop, checked his watch, and noted that they still had two hours before Lin Yu was scheduled to arrive. "Let's go."

 

It was still early, and the sun hadn't come out yet.

 

He Mingyu's duplex was located in an affluent area, close to a commercial district and near a key ring road, which attracted many wealthy residents. The community had round-the-clock security.

 

As Tan Qing followed behind He Mingyu on their stroll, he noticed the security guards patrolling nearby glancing at him curiously several times.

 

The cool morning breeze brushed against his face.

 

Like a crab, Tan Qing scuttled sideways along the pebble path, rubbing his stomach and probing He Mingyu for information. "Do you really like vegetables? Especially the green ones?"

 

He Mingyu walked with a straight posture, his footsteps crisp. "I'm not picky."

 

Tan Qing spun around to face him, walking backward. "Do you prefer boys or girls?"

 

He Mingyu paused for a moment. "As long as they're my children, I will love them equally."

 

Tan Qing's eyes sparkled mischievously. "So, what's your type? Innocent and sweet? Flashy and wild? Or maybe fierce and dangerous?"

 

He Mingyu: "..."

 

Tan Qing tilted his head. "Or do you have a favorite position? I'm pretty good at all of them, you know."

 

He Mingyu: "..."

 

Before He Mingyu could respond, a voice called out Tan Qing's name from not far away.

 

Oh? Someone actually recognized him in this fancy neighborhood?

 

Feeling unexpectedly touched, Tan Qing turned his head to look.

 

And then—

 

It was that C-list newcomer, Yu Qi, whom he'd previously run into at Shengjing Entertainment. The young man stood at the street corner, staring at him with an odd expression.

 

Tan Qing was deeply disappointed.

 

So disappointed that his foot slipped, and he stumbled right into He Mingyu's arms. Taking advantage of the moment, he shamelessly sneaked a couple of squeezes at He Mingyu's abs, dramatically proclaiming, "Oh no, the smog is so bad, I'm fainting!"

 

He Mingyu: "..."

 

Casting a brief glance at the onlooker, He Mingyu gently supported Tan Qing by the waist and pulled him upright. He asked calmly, "You know him?"

 

Tan Qing placed his hands on his hips and replied confidently, "Yeah, yeah! This is the guy who said I stole Ren Anluo's resources!"

 

Yu Qi had been hesitating about whether to come over and greet them, but now that Tan Qing had thrown the blame on him, he had no choice but to awkwardly approach. "Mr. He, please don't misunderstand. Tan Qing and I are very good—"

 

"Very good friends?"

 

Tan Qing blinked his eyes. "Hehe, I see that's how they say it in idol dramas."

 

Yu Qi: "…"

 

Yu Qi bit his lip, casting a glance at the two people in front of him. While Tan Qing was somewhat familiar to him, this was his first time seeing He Mingyu in person.

 

More precisely, his first time seeing He Mingyu outside of magazines and TV.

 

As the beloved youngest grandson of the retired Mr. He, He Mingyu rarely accepted media interviews and maintained a low profile in public.

 

His spotless reputation had been well-known in J City's elite circles for years—until Tan Qing came along.

 

Because He Mingyu was known for his exemplary conduct, even when the paparazzi caught photos of him with Tan Qing, many still found it hard to believe.

 

Yu Qi had been one of those people.

 

Confident in his own looks and figure, he believed that Tan Qing was likely no better off than him. There was no way He Mingyu would ever be interested in Tan Qing.

 

That is, until today.

 

Today, he witnessed with his own eyes He Mingyu… affixed to Tan Qing.

 

In Yu Qi's view, it was like a delicate flower being stuck in a pile of dung.

 

Overwhelmed by a sense of injustice and sudden anger, Yu Qi's young face twisted with displeasure. He glared fiercely at Tan Qing and spat, "Pah! Who's friends with you, you bed-climbing slut!"

 

Tan Qing: "…"

 

Tan Qing innocently ducked behind He Mingyu and began to whine, "Did you hear that? He said I climbed into your bed! Did I?"

 

He Mingyu lowered his head slightly, meeting Tan Qing's bright eyes. "Didn't you?"

 

Tan Qing: "…"

 

Tan Qing poked his head out from behind He Mingyu, speaking sincerely to Yu Qi, "Alright, how about this—if you can convince He Mingyu to let me climb into his bed again, I, Tan Qing, will be your best friend."

 

Yu Qi: "…"

 

He Mingyu: "…"

 

Tan Qing was slightly taller than Yu Qi, but He Mingyu was taller still by half a head. With his upright posture, every movement exuded a sense of authority, making him seem even taller.

 

He Mingyu tugged at Tan Qing twice, failing to pull him from behind his back. Giving up, he turned to Yu Qi and asked, "You told Tan Qing he stole Anluo Ran's resources?"

 

His tone was cold, a result of issuing commands all too often, making him appear distant. At first hearing, it carried an undercurrent of pressure.

 

Yu Qi, who had the courage to argue with Tan Qing, was terrified He Mingyu might casually blacklist him with a single word. After a moment of lip-trembling hesitation, he stammered, "I-I only… heard… heard it from someone else…"

 

He Mingyu didn't seem angry. "Who said it?"

 

Yu Qi replied, "Senior Brother Anluo…"

 

Tan Qing poked his head out from behind He Mingyu again, giving Yu Qi a pitiful look. "Hey, brother, stop trembling. Your shaking is making me want to tremble with you."

 

He Mingyu, clearly exasperated, stepped aside and ordered Tan Qing, "Stand properly."

 

Tan Qing innocently wiggled his hips.

 

With a tone devoid of emotion, He Mingyu said, "Keep swaying like that, and you'll be eating vegetarian tonight."

 

Tan Qing: "…"

 

Suppressing his grievances, Tan Qing stood straight, but his expression was even sadder than Yu Qi's.

 

He Mingyu couldn't help but glance at Tan Qing again, noticing that his slightly round belly from earlier had already flattened.

 

How had it shrunk so quickly?

 

Slightly displeased, He Mingyu's tone sharpened. "So, anything Anluo Ran says, you believe?"

 

Yu Qi was taken aback, and his fear was replaced by a flash of loyalty. "Senior Brother Anluo has always been kind to us newcomers. He even helps us find opportunities. That comment must have just slipped out."

 

Tan Qing, standing like a soldier at attention for the sake of his dinner, still couldn't resist chiming in. "What kind of opportunities has he found for you? I want some of those too!"

 

Yu Qi bit his lip, clearly wanting to say something but unable to.

 

Just then, a Mercedes pulled up to where Yu Qi had been standing. A chubby man climbed out of the car, hurriedly walking towards them.

 

Dressed in an oversized suit, his belly jiggled with every step.

 

Tan Qing counted the jiggles, and by the 106th one, the man finally reached He Mingyu.

 

The man grinned obsequiously at He Mingyu, stretching out a hand adorned with six gold rings. Bowing slightly, as if greeting a god of fortune, he said, "Ah, what an honor to see Mr. He here today. Do you also live in this community?"

 

He Mingyu didn't extend his hand for a shake; he only gave a slight nod.

 

The man wiped his hand on his suit twice, his bald head gleaming even brighter than the streetlamp above. His gaze wandered, circling around Tan Qing and Yu Qi, before he turned back and smiled at Yu Qi with his thick lips. "Little Qi, you know Mr. He? Why didn't you tell your Daddy*?"

 

[T/N: The word 乾爹 can mean godfather but also sugar daddy.]

 

Tan Qing: "..."

 

Yu Qi instinctively recoiled when the man's sweaty hand reached for him, but quickly forced a smile to his lips. He took the initiative, linking his arm with the man's. "Daddy, I don't know Mr. He. I'm just from the same agency as Tan Qing, remember?"

 

The man gave Yu Qi's butt a firm squeeze, then rubbed his own bald head. "Right, right, Daddy forgot."

 

Yu Qi's smile froze at the corners of his mouth as he averted his gaze from Tan Qing. "Daddy, didn't you say you'd take me shopping for clothes today? Let's hurry!"

 

The man, clearly pleased with Yu Qi's coaxing, beamed. "Alright, let's go buy my darling some new clothes—something nice for bed! Hahaha!"

 

Tan Qing: "..."

 

He Mingyu's expression darkened further, though the man didn't notice.

 

Without hesitation, the man gave Yu Qi's face a rough pinch, then used his ring-clad hand to adjust his jiggling belly, bowing slightly toward He Mingyu. "Mr. He, we won't disturb you any longer."

 

He Mingyu gave a brief sound of acknowledgment from his nose.

 

After a moment's thought, he glanced at Yu Qi and added, "Keep your hands and mouth in check. What Tan Qing just mentioned is the first and last warning."

 

Yu Qi stiffened, unable to react before the fat man kicked him hard, sending him sprawling onto the ground.

 

After the kick, the man immediately turned to He Mingyu, eager to please. "Don't worry, Mr. He! He wouldn't dare! If he tries anything with your people, I'll beat him to death!"

 

Tan Qing: "..."

 

Yu Qi lay on the ground for a long time, struggling to get up. When he finally managed to stand, the man gave his waist a vicious twist and growled, "You useless thing! Don't you have any sense? Apologize to Mr. He and Mr. Tan right now!"

 

Head lowered, trembling in his expensive designer clothes, Yu Qi whispered, "I'm sorry, Mr. He."

 

He Mingyu didn't even bother to lift his eyes. "No need to apologize to me."

 

Yu Qi closed his eyes briefly, then turned to Tan Qing. "I'm sorry."

 

Startled by the bald man's aggressive behavior, Tan Qing gave Yu Qi an admiring glance after his initial shock. "Wow, you're really tough. Do you have some kind of special technique?"

 

He Mingyu: "..."

 

He Mingyu realized he should never have expected any normal reaction from Tan Qing.

 

What heartfelt tears? What grand stance of victory over enemies?

 

None of that existed.

 

He Mingyu felt an increasing calmness in his heart recently. He waved a hand dismissively at the man. "Forget it. Take your person and go."

 

"Of course, Mr. He! We'll be on our way," the fat man fawned, bowing once again. With his shiny bald head gleaming, he pulled the slim Yu Qi along, the two leaving one behind the other.

 

Tan Qing stretched his neck in the direction of their departure, his body leaning forward as if studying something closely.

 

Usually, He Mingyu had no patience for dealing with such people, but seeing Tan Qing craning his neck to watch, he couldn't help himself. He held back several times before finally asking, "What are you looking at?"

 

Tan Qing excitedly beckoned him over. "Come here, come here!"

 

He Mingyu: "…"

 

Given his dignity, He Mingyu could never bring himself to do something as inappropriate as staring at someone's rear, so he remained where he was, silent.

 

Meanwhile, Tan Qing, eyes full of curiosity, continued his serious observation. After a moment, he turned to He Mingyu and said, "Don't you think Yu Qi's butt looks weird, like there's something stuffed in there? It's bulging."

 

He Mingyu: "..."

 

Tan Qing mused aloud, "Could it be a tail?"

 

Was he one of their kind?

 

But there was no trace of fox energy around Yu Qi… yet the shape really did resemble a tail.

 

He Mingyu: "…"

 

Tan Qing tugged on He Mingyu's sleeve, whispering, "But he walks so unnaturally. A naturally grown tail wouldn't be like that, right?"

 

He Mingyu: "…"

 

He Mingyu finally replied, "Humans don't grow tails. That's… probably a butt plug."

 

Tan Qing: "???"

 

He Mingyu continued calmly, "That man has certain… preferences. Who knows how long your coworker can endure it."

 

Tan Qing: "…"

 

At last, Tan Qing understood.

 

After a moment of contemplation, he leaned closer to He Mingyu and blinked. "Is that how he gets his resources?"

 

He Mingyu let out a cold laugh. "What do you think?"

 

Tan Qing clapped his hands in realization and said to He Mingyu, "Then I could wear a fox tail too! Will you reconsider me?"

 

He Mingyu remained unmoved. "I don't have that kind of interest."

 

Disappointed once more, Tan Qing let out a long sigh, catching up to He Mingyu. "See, eating too many vegetables really doesn't help. You weren't even a little passionate this morning, sigh…"

 

He Mingyu: "???"

 

He Mingyu didn't speak to Tan Qing for the entire walk home.

 

When Lin Yu arrived to pick up He Mingyu, even before stepping inside, he could sense the freezing tension in the air.

 

The servants were as quiet as mice.

 

Tan Qing was engrossed in a game on his phone.

 

He Mingyu sat at his desk, frowning as he handled documents.

 

The only lively presence was Tan Jiji, happily squeezing his squeaky rubber duck, the "quack quack" sounds filling the room with rhythm.

 

He Mingyu, with furrowed brows, glanced at the toy duck and asked one of the servants, "Didn't I put that thing in the drawer?"

 

The servant, feeling cornered, explained, "The child has sharp eyes. He saw where you put it and pointed to the drawer, so I had to take it out…"

 

He Mingyu: "…"

 

The tension in the room dropped several degrees lower.

 

Fearing that even his performance review might be at risk, Lin Yu quickly pulled out a package. "Boss, I just came from Mr. Rong's office. How about I take Mr. Tan to the company first, then come back to pick you up?"

 

He Mingyu glanced at the brown envelope. "Go ahead. Be careful on the way."

 

Tan Qing, eyebrows raised in defiance, put down his game and stood up. "Hmph! Fine, I'll go find someone else to play fox tail with. Don't come crying later!"

 

He Mingyu: "…"

 

The door slammed shut.

 

He Mingyu paused his work, walked over to the sofa, and picked up the brown envelope. It felt heavier than expected, as if it contained more than just a few documents.

 

Sitting down, he hesitated for a while before finally tearing open the sealed envelope.

 

Inside were the paternity test results for him and Tan Jiji.

 

Three separate reports.

 

Each one independently sourced from the three most reputable hospitals in J City.

 

"Based on the available data and DNA analysis, our hospital supports the conclusion that Mr. He Mingyu is the biological father of Mr. Tan Jiji."

 

Author's Note: Mini-Theater:

Tan Qingqing: Goodbye, everyone! Today, I, Tan Qingqing, will run toward my future! Toward the great grasslands!

He Mingyu: (Realizing too late, frantically stuffing money into the author's hands)

Author: Sorry, dear, I've already gotten rich from Bear Two, Bear Three, and Bear Four.

He Mingyu: …

    

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