Chapter 45 - The Supporting Villain Is Raising a Cub Online

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Startled, He Mingyu Paused and Touched it Again.

 

 

The filming for 'Xuanwu" at the outskirts of J City had only a few days left.

 

He Mingyu had originally planned to drop Tan Qing off at the hotel directly.

 

But before the car could even enter the film city, Tan Qing asked He Mingyu to stop the car. He opened the door, jumped out, and grabbed his luggage from the back seat. "No need to drop me off! I'll go in by myself!"

 

He Mingyu glanced at the GPS. "The hotel where the crew is staying is still a bit further. Get back in."

 

"No need!"

 

The sharp winter wind made Tan Qing shrink his neck. "I'll just walk in by myself. Don't want the paparazzi snapping any photos."

 

He Mingyu frowned and replied coldly, "If they take pictures, I'll handle it."

 

Tan Qing widened his eyes and looked at He Mingyu skeptically. "Better not. We should nip the possibility in the bud."

 

The real issue was—

 

If they took pictures and he got caught cozying up with someone else later on…

 

Wouldn't he look like a playboy stringing along multiple people? That definitely wouldn't do.

 

Tan Qing quickly finished his mental calculations, waved his hand, and said, "I'm off!"

 

He Mingyu: "..."

 

He opened his mouth but ended up saying nothing.

 

He watched as Tan Qing, dragging his little suitcase, disappeared through the gates of the film base after turning a corner.

 

Sitting silently in the car for a moment, He Mingyu was about to turn the steering wheel when his phone, lying beside him, suddenly rang.

 

The caller was Rong Sheng.

 

He Mingyu answered the call. "What's the matter?"

 

Rong Sheng sounded like he was in a good mood. "Yo, why do you sound so frustrated? Are things not going well in your happy life with Tan Qing?"

 

He Mingyu: "…"

 

That remark hit straight to the heart.

 

He Mingyu's voice turned icy. "If you have something to say, say it. If not, hang up."

 

"Hey, hey, hey—"

 

Rong Sheng quickly stopped him. "So it really isn't going well? Want me to send you a couple of rare special edition gay films?"

 

He Mingyu: "..."

 

He Mingyu was silent for a few seconds before coldly replying, "Didn't you say before you couldn't deal with male partners? Found a new target?"

 

This time, Rong Sheng didn't respond immediately.

 

After a long pause, he finally forced a laugh. "Never mind, there's a whole field of flowers waiting for me. I'm not hanging myself on one blade of grass."

 

Before He Mingyu could respond, Rong Sheng quickly changed the subject. "Anyway, that's not why I called. My dad woke up, did you hear?"

 

He Mingyu glanced toward the bushes nearby. "Heard about it this morning."

 

Rong Sheng clicked his tongue. "You only heard that he woke up? Didn't hear anything else?"

 

A few flashes of light flickered through the bushes.

 

He Mingyu turned his gaze away. "You called me just to tell me your dad's... 'equipment' broke?"

 

Rong Sheng swore. "Damn, how'd you know? Does anyone else know?!"

 

He Mingyu replied calmly, "Not yet. But word spreads fast in a hospital. You won't be able to keep it under wraps for long."

 

Rong Sheng thought for a moment and realized he had no choice, so he backed down. "You have no idea the look on his face when he realized he was, well, useless down there last night! It was hilarious!"

 

There was movement in the bushes again, and the figures shifted closer to He Mingyu's car, perhaps thinking they hadn't been noticed.

 

While exiting the car, He Mingyu casually asked, "What did the doctor say was the cause?"

 

Rong Sheng laughed, nearly doubling over. "Who knows. The doctor said it was caused by external force—could've been an accident or someone's doing. Damn, I wish I knew who did it. I'd marry them on the spot!"

 

By now, He Mingyu had reached the bushes.

 

With a quick motion, he parted the leaves, revealing two paparazzi hiding inside, wearing hats and holding their phones.

 

He told Rong Sheng to hold on for a moment, pulled the phone away from his ear, and leaned down toward the paparazzi. "What did you manage to snap?"

 

One of them, clearly more experienced, quickly stood up and offered a cigarette with an apologetic smile. "Mr. He, I'm really sorry. Please don't be angry. We didn't photograph you or anyone with you—just your car and…"

 

He Mingyu interrupted, "And what?"

 

The paparazzo hesitated, unsure if he should mention the name. After a moment's pause, he carefully said, "And, um, Mr. Tan Qing, I think?"

 

He Mingyu extended his free hand. "Let me see."

 

The paparazzo: "…"

 

In the industry, most paparazzi knew when to back off.

 

He Mingyu was clearly not someone they could afford to offend.

 

The older paparazzo only hesitated for a few seconds before handing over his phone willingly. "Mr. He, all the photos are here. Feel free to delete whichever ones you don't like!"

 

After handing over the phone, he flashed a fawning smile. "Just let us keep a couple of shots. Is that okay?"

 

He Mingyu didn't respond, taking the phone and flipping through the photos.

 

Sure enough, they had started snapping when he and Tan Qing had parked, including shots of Tan Qing cheerfully getting out of the car, grabbing his luggage, and walking into the film base.

 

After looking through the photos for a while, He Mingyu suddenly realized—

 

Even in the paparazzi's candid shots, Tan Qing looked stunning.

 

Especially when he was waving with that bright smile, his charm was blinding.

 

He Mingyu scrolled through all the pictures, then glanced at the paparazzo. "Can I make a copy of these?"

 

The paparazzo: "…"

 

He quickly responded, "Of course! No problem at all, take as many as you like!"

 

He Mingyu sent all the solo shots of Tan Qing to his own phone, then tapped a few times on the paparazzo's phone before handing it back. "I left you a few."

 

The paparazzo: "…"

 

It was the first time in his career that this paparazzo had ever experienced the mercy of a capitalist, and he was so moved that he was nearly in tears.

 

However, He Mingyu added, "Hold onto them for now. Don't release them."

 

Understanding the entertainment industry's unspoken rules, the paparazzo immediately grasped He Mingyu's meaning. "Understood! We'll release them whenever you say the word!"

 

He Mingyu gave a slight nod before returning to his car.

 

He picked up the phone call with Rong Sheng again. "Sorry, I had to take care of something."

 

Rong Sheng, still in the hospital by the sound of the background noise, remarked, "I heard that. Paparazzi?"

 

He Mingyu replied, "I just dropped Tan Qing off. They got some pictures of us."

 

Rong Sheng scoffed, "Well, obviously. There are always paparazzi lurking around film bases, hoping to catch something. Did you delete the photos?"

 

Seeming quite pleased with himself, He Mingyu nodded and said, "Yeah. I deleted the solo shots of Tan Qing but kept the ones of the two of us."

 

Rong Sheng: "…"

 

The words "You idiot" were right on the tip of his tongue, but considering how irrational He Mingyu could be, he dared not say them aloud.

 

Taking a deep breath, Rong Sheng remarked, "Look, if you really like Tan Qing, go for it! Those eyes of his are enough to seduce anyone. Aren't you afraid he might run off with someone else if you keep dragging your feet?"

 

He Mingyu paused. "He won't."

 

Rong Sheng snorted, unable to hold back. "You think that's up to you? Did you two get married or something?"

 

He Mingyu, full of confidence, replied, "We already have a child."

 

Rong Sheng: "…"

 

If he weren't standing in a hospital stairwell, Rong Sheng would have likely exploded into a stream of curses. "Just because you have a kid doesn't mean anything! What if Tan Qing finds someone who's better in bed than you? Huh?"

 

He Mingyu: "…"

 

Clearly disagreeing, He Mingyu calmly said, "Even though same-sex marriage laws haven't passed yet, I can't let him be with me without a proper status."

 

He paused before adding, "I need to meet his parents first, make it official, and then…"

 

Rong Sheng, now exasperated, interrupted angrily, "And then you'll have sex? Really, He Mingyu, we've been friends for nearly twenty years, but when you end up with nothing because you've waited too long, don't say I didn't warn you!"

 

He Mingyu: "…"

 

The call abruptly cut off, leaving He Mingyu unsure if Rong Sheng had hung up or thrown his phone in frustration. The sound of a busy signal echoed from the phone.

 

He Mingyu sat quietly in the driver's seat for a moment, contemplating. He opened the messaging app, found Tan Qing's name, and sent him a message.

 

"When is your next break from filming? The new villa is almost done being furnished. I'd like to take you to see if you like it."

 

But the message seemed to disappear into a void.

 

Even when the "Xuanwu" crew finished their last two days of filming at the studio and moved on to shoot on location in another province, Tan Qing still hadn't replied.

 

To be fair, it wasn't entirely Tan Qing's fault for not replying.

 

The game he was playing was just too fun, utterly captivating.

 

In fact, Tan Qing had seen the message and had originally intended to reply.

 

But just as he was about to start typing, Ji Yanxiu, who had just wrapped up his scenes, came over and invited Tan Qing to team up in the game.

 

So his reply became a mental one.

 

Gaming brought him joy.

 

Having a wealthy teammate who never blamed anyone and was great at spending money made things even better.

 

With enough money, even a noob could become a flashy noob.

 

Two flashy noobs playing together not only doubled their teammates' frustration but also allowed them to blame each other for their failures.

 

And in the process, their bond grew stronger.

 

Since they had just relocated to a new filming site, only a few lead actors had scenes scheduled for the day.

 

Tan Qing had the fewest shots, so after getting his makeup done, he sat aside playing on his phone while waiting.

 

Right as he reached a critical point in the game, he felt a tap on his shoulder. "Mr. Tan, have you seen the trending topics on Weibo?"

 

Distracted by the interruption, the noob was quickly defeated by his enemy.

 

Tan Qing bared his teeth in frustration and turned around to see his assistant, Ruan Ruan.

 

Since Zhao Cong had been fired, Rongsheng had yet to find a suitable manager for Tan Qing. In the meantime, all of Tan Qing's work was directly arranged by Rongsheng, and Ruan Ruan had been transferred over by He Mingyu to assist him.

 

Meanwhile, in the game, the enemy had just broken through their crystal tower.

 

Angrily, Tan Qing typed a message calling the enemy a bunch of noobs and quit the game. Turning to Ruan Ruan, he asked, "What? I didn't get dragged into a scandal again, did I?"

 

Ruan Ruan: "…"

 

Ruan Ruan handed him her phone. "No… but a behind-the-scenes clip of you and Ji Yanxiu just went viral."

 

As a web drama, Xuanwu had kept a low profile, even after signing on award-winning actor Ji Yanxiu. So far, not even the official character posters had been released to the public.

 

The clip circulating on Weibo was clearly shot secretly, either by a crew member or an overzealous fan. It featured the final scene shot at the film base before they wrapped.

 

In the video, which had been given some kind of strange filter, Ji Yanxiu's character, the crown prince, plucked the most beautiful peach blossom from the royal garden and tucked it behind Tan Qing's ear as the latter played the young prince.

 

On screen, Ji Yanxiu's gaze was filled with warmth and a gentle smile as he looked at Tan Qing.

 

"The beauty of the world pales in comparison to my dear younger brother."

 

After watching the video, Tan Qing clapped for himself and said to Ruan Ruan, "I'm telling you, Ji Yanxiu spoke a lot in this drama, but I think this one line was the only one that actually made sense."

 

Ruan Ruan: "…"

 

Ruan Ruan, feeling exasperated, said, "Mr. Tan, I wanted you to look at the comments…"

 

"Aren't the comments always full of people cursing me out from every angle?"

 

Tan Qing was used to being criticized online, so he casually clicked on the comments. "Huh, no one's cursing me?"

 

To his surprise, not a single insult was in sight.

 

xxx: "Ahhhhh, wake me up! I actually think they're so sweet! Aren't they the real couple here? Waaaah!"

 

xx: "I'm not a shipper, but this pairing has me weak! What do you think, mad?"

 

xxxx: "I'm done for! I can't look at this drama through a straight lens anymore. Am I broken?"

 

xxx: "I have mixed feelings, but Tan Qing is such a lovable scoundrel! I don't want to fall into this trap, but the look in their eyes is just pure love!"

 

xxxx: "Sobbing while hugging the sister above!"

 

xx: "Let's cry together, 10086*."

 

[T/N: 10086: This is a reference to the customer service hotline for China Mobile, one of the largest telecommunications companies in China. It is often associated with customer service inquiries and complaints. In this context, it could imply that the speaker feels a strong need for support or help, similar to how one might call a customer service line when facing issues.]

 

The top comment with the most likes declared:

 

xxx: "I hereby announce that I'm officially shipping the Film Emperor x Flower Vase CP*. I'm all in!"

 

[T/N: "花瓶" (huāpíng) literally means "flower vase." In this context, it is used to refer to a character (or person) who is visually appealing but might not have substantial depth or capability, suggesting a somewhat superficial or decorative role.

"CP" stands for "couple pairing," a term widely used in fandoms to indicate a romantic pairing of characters, regardless of their actual relationship in the narrative.]

 

Tan Qing: "…"

 

Ruan Ruan glanced at Tan Qing's expression and cautiously asked, "Qingqing… any thoughts?"

 

Tan Qing pondered for a moment, then nodded at Ruan Ruan. "Not bad. I think they've inspired me with a new idea."

 

Ruan Ruan, looking pale, asked, "What idea?"

 

Tan Qing cheerfully replied, "The art of leveling up as a rich woman."

 

Ruan Ruan: "…"

 

Barely holding it together, Ruan Ruan quickly left with her phone.

 

Just then, Ji Yanxiu finished his scene, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and sat down next to Tan Qing. "Did you see the new trending topic?"

 

Tan Qing, already back in gaming mode, looked up. "You mean the behind-the-scenes clip?"

 

Ji Yanxiu was briefly taken aback but then smiled. "That's already been trending all morning. I was asking if you saw Ran Anluo's new Weibo post."

 

Tan Qing: "Huh?"

 

He lowered his head, pulled out his phone, and quickly searched for Ran Anluo's post.

 

Sure enough, about thirty minutes earlier, Ran Anluo had posted a new update.

 

Ran Anluo V: "The atmosphere on set is great! Everyone's helping each other out. Yanxiu-ge and Yuyu-jie have such great chemistry as a couple! Please don't let those intentionally provocative videos or rumors distract you. This is a series worth looking forward to! #heart #heart #heart"

 

Tan Qing read the post twice, then pointed to his nose. "Do I look like the villain stirring up drama?"

 

Ji Yanxiu playfully pinched Tan Qing's nose. "You look more like an innocent victim."

 

Tan Qing glared at him. "You've got terrible taste."

 

Ji Yanxiu glanced over at Ran Anluo, who was resting on the other side of the set, before standing up. "I'm heading into the city for some personal errands. Want to join me?"

 

Realizing that his noob teammate wasn't planning on gaming with him anymore, Tan Qing sighed and put his phone away. "What for?"

 

Ji Yanxiu raised an eyebrow. "For spicy crawfish. Coming?"

 

Tan Qing immediately perked up. "Let's go, let's go, let's go!"

 

The filming location was typically chosen in quieter, more secluded spots, often a distance from the city. Since it was just a quick meal, Ji Yanxiu didn't bring his manager and drove Tan Qing along the provincial highway.

 

After they'd been driving for a while, Ji Yanxiu asked, "By the way, Tan Qing, do you know Yan Jianbai?"

 

Tan Qing, still busy deep-breathing to make room for more food, replied honestly, "Yeah, that guy's pretty annoying."

 

Ji Yanxiu thought for a moment, then gently warned, "You should keep your distance from him. I have a feeling he's dangerous."

 

Tan Qing tilted his head. "Why?"

 

Ji Yanxiu explained, "I've been digging into my brother's accident lately, and I can't shake the feeling that the death of that reckless driver is somehow linked to Yan Jianbai. But every time I get close to finding something, the trail goes cold, so I don't have concrete evidence yet."

 

Tan Qing hung his head in embarrassment. "Oh, I see..."

 

Eating the culprit suddenly felt like a huge mistake…

 

Ji Yanxiu tapped the steering wheel. "The police haven't made any progress either. And if you're not on good terms with Ran Anluo, be careful around him too."

 

"Oh…" Tan Qing yawned and pointed at the rearview mirror. "Hey, Ji Yanxiu, do you think those two cars are following us? They've been tailing us for a while now."

 

Ji Yanxiu glanced in the mirror, his expression darkening. "How long have they been there?"

 

Tan Qing propped his head on his hand. "Since we left, I think?"

 

Ji Yanxiu: "...Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

 

Tan Qing, feigning innocence, shot back, "Well, why didn't you notice earlier?"

 

Ji Yanxiu: "…"

 

The winding mountain roads of the provincial highway made it difficult to drive fast, forcing Ji Yanxiu to slow down. As soon as he did, the two cars sped up, sandwiching their vehicle closer to the edge of the road.

 

Both cars had their windows down.

 

Tan Qing peered through the back window and was shocked to see a fan banner with Ji Yanxiu's name on it.

 

"What on earth are they doing?" Tan Qing muttered.

 

It was clear this wasn't Ji Yanxiu's first time being trapped in such a situation. Pressing the gas pedal, he tried to shake them off. "Could be paparazzi, scalpers, or maybe even some of our more obsessive fans."

 

Tan Qing, who hadn't encountered many of his own fans since arriving here, asked curiously, "What kind of fans are those?"

 

"They're the ones who—"

 

Before Ji Yanxiu could finish explaining, the two cars sped up again, closing in on them from the front and rear. It looked like they were trying to force them to stop.

 

Seeing an imminent collision, Ji Yanxiu swerved to the side to avoid it, but before he could react, the car behind rammed straight into the rear of their vehicle.

 

With no time to regain control, their car veered off the road and crashed into the guardrail.

 

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, this isn't good—" Tan Qing, almost ready to transform and flee in panic, froze in place next to Ji Yanxiu, too scared to move. All he could do was watch helplessly as the car collided with the guardrail.

 

The airbags deployed instantly, smacking Tan Qing in the face.

 

The news of Ji Yanxiu and Tan Qing's car accident, caused by stalker fans, hit the trending headlines in under half an hour—without a single penny spent on promotion.

 

Meanwhile…

 

He Mingyu was at home, trying to train their baby, Tan Jiji, to hold a bottle and drink milk on his own. He had just hung up the phone with Lin Yu.

 

As soon as he ended the call, he picked up little Jiji, softly coaxing him. "Baby, your little dad's been in a car accident. I need to go check on him. You're too young to go on a plane, so I'll take you to your grandparents' place for a few days, okay?"

 

Little Jiji, who had been happily sipping from his bottle, blinked twice. Whether or not he understood what had happened, his big eyes suddenly filled with tears.

 

Ever since He Mingyu had taken over the responsibility of caring for the baby from Tan Qing, Jiji had never cried in his arms before.

 

Seeing that he'd scared the child, He Mingyu quickly wiped away his tears. "Jiji, be good. Don't cry. You'll stay with your grandparents for a few days, and I promise I'll bring your little dad back safe and sound, okay?"

 

But Jiji, now completely distraught, threw his little blue bottle aside and began wailing, tears flooding down like a bursting dam.

 

He Mingyu: "…"

 

Things with Tan Qing were so sudden, there wasn't even time to arrange a private jet. He Mingyu had no choice but to book the soonest available commercial flight.

 

But with Jiji crying like this...

 

He sighed and called Liao Xian, briefly explaining the situation before saying he'd be bringing the baby over.

 

By the time He Mingyu hung up the phone, the little one in his arms had turned into a pitiful ball of tears. Even now, he still hadn't stopped, hiccuping between soft sobs.

 

Helpless, He Mingyu kissed Jiji's forehead, wrapped him in a small blanket, and hurriedly carried him downstairs, securing him into the car seat.

 

Father and son sped through the city, racing from the western edge of the Second Ring Road to the innermost part of the eastern side.

 

After parking the car, He Mingyu took Jiji out of the car seat.

 

Jiji, still just a few months old and having cried the entire ride, was now so exhausted that he had fallen asleep in He Mingyu's arms.

 

Perhaps because he had cried so hard, even in sleep, his long, curled eyelashes—just like Tan Qing's—were still adorned with sparkling teardrops.

 

He Mingyu couldn't help but smile wryly as he gently touched Jiji's little cheeks, adjusting his hold on the baby as he prepared to head upstairs.

 

But then, he felt something soft pressing against his hand from Jiji's bottom.

 

Startled, He Mingyu paused and touched it again.

 

It wasn't his imagination.

 

There was definitely something lodged between Jiji's little butt cheeks.

 

In the flurry of confusion, He Mingyu didn't have time to overthink it.

 

He thought he might have accidentally tucked a diaper in while dressing the kid.

 

He flipped Jiji around on his shoulder, lifted a corner of the baby blanket, and expertly pulled down Jiji's pants—adorably decorated with little yellow ducks.

 

Reaching in, He Mingyu prepared to remove whatever was blocking his hand.

 

But in the next moment, his hand froze on Jiji's tiny bottom.

 

At that exact moment, Liao Xian, who had rushed home from her performing arts troupe and had been waiting for a long while, leaned out from the second floor of the small red-brick house. She caught sight of He Mingyu just as he was mid-action.

 

"Mingyu? What are you doing spanking Jiji at a time like this? Hurry up and bring him inside!"

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