Chapter 28 - 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.

Can I Still Have Meat for Breakfast Tomorrow?

 

 

The moment Tan Qing saw He Mingyu's gaze freeze on the screen of the knockoff phone, he knew his fate was sealed.

 

And so—

 

When He Mingyu lifted his head to look at him—

 

Tan Qing immediately shook his head furiously, denying everything: "It wasn't me! I swear it wasn't! It was your son who set the nickname!"

 

He Mingyu's gaze chilled the air by at least thirty degrees as the muscles at the corners of his mouth twitched slightly. "Oh, really?"

 

Tan Qing eagerly shifted the blame: "Yes, yes, yes!"

 

He Mingyu smiled coldly, "Alright, since my son is so 'talented,' let's have him change it right now."

 

Tan Qing: "..."

 

Alas, he'd been caught red-handed.

 

Tan Qing, like a guilty schoolchild, lowered his head and confessed his wrongs. Then, sneaking a glance at He Mingyu, he whispered timidly, "So… can I still have meat for breakfast tomorrow?"

 

He Mingyu: "…"

 

His chest heaved in suppressed fury, and after a few deep breaths, he managed to speak: "Didn't you just label me as…"

 

He stopped midway, catching sight of Lin Yu in the driver's seat up front.

 

He swallowed the rest of the sentence.

 

It took several deep breaths before He Mingyu's breathing returned to normal. He thought for a moment before asking, "Besides agreeing to stage a CP with you, what else did Ji Yanxiu promise you when he asked you to switch from the second male lead to the third?"

 

Tan Qing, utterly deflated, replied honestly, "He gave me… a little bit of money."

 

He Mingyu: "How much?"

 

Tan Qing immediately replied, "Just… a hundred thousand!"

 

He Mingyu glanced at him, "Good."

 

"Lin Yu, tomorrow morning, check Tan Qing's account for any recent deposits exceeding that amount. Any excess will be frozen immediately and used to pay off his previous debts."

 

Tan Qing: "???"

 

He was dumbfounded.

 

Looking helplessly between Lin Yu and He Mingyu, he stammered, "But, Rong Sheng said I'd already paid off my debts?"

 

Lin Yu, keeping his eyes on the road, replied, "Mr. Tan, you really think 600,000 is enough to settle your debts? When you brought your child to Mr. He, several small companies figured you had some connection with the boss and came knocking for payment."

 

Tan Qing: "…"

 

He pondered the state of his bank account.

 

One and a half million, now reduced to one hundred thousand.

 

Who could survive this?

 

Tan Qing's eyes welled with tears. He glanced pitifully at He Mingyu, sniffling as he weakly asked again, "So… no meat tomorrow either?"

 

He Mingyu: "…"

 

The "long-term meal ticket" who neither could "perform" nor counted as a "sugar mommy" coldly and ruthlessly nodded, "That's right. The long-term meal ticket has just decided that, starting tomorrow, you'll be on a one-month vegetarian diet."

 

Tan Qing: "…"

 

Life seemed unbearable at this point.

 

But—

 

Thankfully, he was joining a film crew tomorrow.

 

With this thought, Tan Qing wiped the corners of his eyes and encouraged himself. There were still plenty of sugar mommies out there waiting to be found.

 

Losing one meal ticket was nothing.

 

Don't be sad.

 

Don't be hasty.

 

Stay calm.

 

Sob sob sob.

 

While self-soothing, Tan Qing sulkily trailed after He Mingyu back home.

 

By the time they got out of the car, He Mingyu had already scooped up the little one, Tan Jiji, who was right on time for his usual bottle of milk. He carried the child straight into the kitchen.

 

This left Tan Qing standing poor and alone in the living room for a moment. After some hesitation, he quietly tiptoed into the bedroom.

 

Forcing a fox to eat vegetables instead of meat was like forcing a rabbit to live without carrots—utterly suffocating.

 

After some reflection, Tan Qing decided he needed to pack his bags and run away.

 

It was time to find a new meal ticket—one that came with meat, preferably.

 

One that enjoyed meat enough to… you know.

 

Unlike He Mingyu, who couldn't "perform" and was annoyingly cunning.

 

Tan Qing, sitting cross-legged on the carpet, started packing his valuables, only to realize he barely owned anything of worth.

 

And what little he had was basically worthless.

 

Frustrated, he stuffed the suitcase under the bed and wandered around his room.

 

That chair over there—ebony wood. Definitely valuable.

 

And that painting on the wall—he recognized the artist.

 

Some time around eleven hundred years ago, the old man had been struggling up the mountain, and Tan Qing had had to toss him a stick for support.

 

That painting was worth a lot.

 

After circling the room a few more times, Tan Qing returned to his suitcase and let out a long sigh.

 

He Mingyu held grudges. Best not to steal from this human.

 

Just as he bent down to zip up his suitcase, a knock came at the door. The housekeeper entered, knocking lightly, "Mr. Tan, Mr. He invites you to dinner."

 

Tan Qing: "…"

 

Sitting forlornly at the dining table, Tan Qing felt utterly defeated.

 

At the other end, the little one was already seated in his special chair, sporting a soft yellow bib. One hand held a small rattle, while the other waved a little duck, his mouth wide in a joyful grin aimed at Tan Qing.

 

Resting his chin on his hand, Tan Qing surveyed the array of green dishes on the table with a heavy heart. Sincerely, he asked He Mingyu, "Are you really sure you want to raise Tan Jiji?"

 

He Mingyu's chopsticks paused briefly. "He's my son. It's my responsibility to raise him."

 

Tan Qing cast a worried glance at the little one, filled with concern for his future. "Then you need to promise me three things."

 

He Mingyu ladled a bowl of vegetable soup and placed it in front of Tan Qing. "As long as they're reasonable."

 

Tan Qing gently pinched the little one's chubby cheeks. "First, you can deny me meat, but you can't deny Tan Jiji. He has to have meat every day, and you should make sure he drinks meat broth too."

 

He Mingyu: "..."

 

He shot Tan Qing a calm look. "I don't have a tendency to mistreat children."

 

Tan Qing nodded solemnly. "Second, no matter how smart or not-so-smart Tan Jiji turns out, you can't blame him. After all, it's your poor genes at fault!"

 

He Mingyu: "..."

 

He Mingyu noted with some satisfaction that he had developed better self-control than before. "I have a double doctorate from an Ivy League school*."

 

[T/N: Ivy League schools are some of the most prestigious universities in the world.]

 

Tan Qing blinked, clueless. "What's Ivy League?"

 

He Mingyu: "...Never mind. What's the third condition?"

 

"The third is the most important."

 

Tan Qing's expression turned even more serious as he pointed to Tan Jiji in his child seat. "No matter what happens to Tan Jiji in the future, whether he turns out like an ordinary human or not, you have to love him, protect him, respect him, and care for him, through sickness, health, poverty, or wealth—never abandoning him. And most importantly, you can't call the police or give him away!"

 

He Mingyu: "..."

 

He Mingyu put down his chopsticks and said to Tan Qing, "Those are wedding vows exchanged when the bride and groom exchange rings."

 

Tan Qing: "..."

 

"Oh, is that so…"

 

He Mingyu took a tissue from the box on the table and wiped his hands. "Rong Sheng said you're joining the crew tomorrow. How's the preparation going?"

 

Tan Qing gave He Mingyu a pitiful look, eyes full of poverty. "Do you know when film crews usually start paying salaries?"

 

He Mingyu, with no expression, said, "I'd suggest not counting on that. Your salary from this new drama will also be used to pay off the debts I previously cleared for you."

 

Tan Qing: "..."

 

Feeling wronged, Tan Qing clung to He Mingyu's leg. "Boss He! Sir He! Master He! Can't you just be generous and let me off the hook this time?"

 

He Mingyu looked down, his gaze lingering on the fingers gripping his leg. "If I forgive you this time, what will you call me next time?"

 

Tan Qing immediately replied, "Whatever you say! I'll even call you 'Dad' if you want!"

 

He Mingyu: "..."

 

The house was warm, thanks to the floor heating, so Tan Qing was only wearing an oversized T-shirt that draped down to his calves.

 

From He Mingyu's angle, he could see right under the shirt.

 

Down the neckline, a flat, slender chest, a tiny belly button.

 

And below the belly button...

 

As Tan Qing clung to his leg and swayed back and forth, something else swayed along with him—

 

A little bird?

 

He Mingyu: "..."

 

Never in his life had He Mingyu seen a man with such an audacious and—well, nearly bare—sense of fashion. For a moment, he forgot what he'd meant to say.

 

He tried to look away, but he couldn't help sneaking another glance.

 

The thing hanging down was small, soft, and delicate—looked like it hadn't been used much.

 

Smaller than his.

 

He Mingyu had no idea why that thought crossed his mind, but he suddenly felt he must be going crazy.

 

He forced himself to look away and cleared his throat, though his voice still came out a bit hoarse. "Let go."

 

Tan Qing, unwilling to see his small savings slip away, wailed, "Daddy—"

 

He Mingyu, face taut: "Let go now, and I'll consider it."

 

Tan Qing immediately released him, looking up with bright, hopeful eyes. "Have you considered it?"

 

He Mingyu started walking toward the bedroom. "I'll observe for a week and then decide."

 

Tan Qing: "..."

 

Watching He Mingyu's retreating back with despair, Tan Qing then cast a glance at the bright green vegetables in front of him.

 

Finding nothing remotely appetizing, he called the housekeeper to clear the plates.

 

Since the nanny had left for a high-paying job, He Mingyu had hired another housekeeper for tasks like dishwashing and grocery shopping.

 

The housekeeper quickly came over from the kitchen and was surprised. "Mr. Tan, do both you and Mr. He like spinach?"

 

Who on earth actually likes that green, slimy vegetable?!

 

Tan Qing shook his head wildly and pointed to the dishes. "I think it's He Mingyu who likes it."

 

The housekeeper nodded. "No wonder Mr. He specifically asked me to buy extra spinach today."

 

While clearing the dishes, she added, "Mr. Tan, I hope you don't mind me saying, but with the fast-paced lives of young people like you, you should definitely eat more spinach!"

 

Tan Qing looked at the plate with disdain. "Why?"

 

With a knowing smile, the housekeeper leaned in slightly. "Spinach is good for men! I'll let you in on a little secret—it's a natural aphrodisiac."

 

Tan Qing: "..."

 

In that moment of newfound wisdom, Tan Qing felt an unspoken bond growing between him and the housekeeper.

 

Nodding seriously, he agreed. "Right, right. He Mingyu definitely needs it."

 

After a moment's thought, his curiosity grew. Leaning forward, he asked, "Auntie, what other foods are good for that? I'll go buy some tomorrow myself, see if I can cheer him up a bit."

 

After all, a happy man makes everything easier to deal with.

 

Tan Qing felt like he'd discovered a bright new path ahead.

 

The housekeeper chuckled, glancing behind Tan Qing. "Why ask me, dear? Mr. He is right behind you. You could just ask him what his favorite foods are."

 

Tan Qing: "..."

 

He turned stiffly around.

 

He Mingyu, expressionless, picked up his cup from the rosewood coffee table, sipped his goji tea*, and walked toward the bedroom door. "The observation period is extended by two weeks."

 

[T/N: Goji tea is a traditional Chinese and Korean tea made from dried goji berries or leaves.]

 

Tan Qing: "..."

 

Being a fox is so, so hard...

 

Hungry and dejected, Tan Qing crawled back into his bed, his stomach growling. He lay flat, stomach empty, only to be woken up in the middle of the night by hunger pangs.

 

Quietly, he slipped out of bed and cracked the door open, scouting the outside for any sign of danger.

 

Just as he was about to make his move, his phone screen lit up.

 

He checked his messages.

 

It was from today's source of all evil.

 

Sighing, Tan Qing pulled his foot back inside, shut the door, and opened the chat.

 

Sugar Daddy #1: "Are you alone*?"

 

[T/N: "Alone" in chinese would literally be translated to "one person", so he's literally asking him: "Are you one person?"]

 

Tan Qing Starved for Meat: "If I said I was half a person*, wouldn't that scare you?"

 

[T/N: He says that because he is half-human. If someone in the comments has a better way to formulate this pun or can come up with an equivalent, I'd be grateful.]

 

Sugar Daddy #1: "..."

 

Sugar Daddy #1: "I meant, He Mingyu isn't next to you right now, is he?"

 

Author's Note: Mini-theater:

Tan QingQing: Another meatless day, feeling hopeless, dejected, and utterly defeated.

Tan QingQing: Forget it, I'm running away from home.

Ji Yanxiu: Want to come to my place?

Tan QingQing: Sure, but I'm half-human, half-fox.

He Mingyu: "..."

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