Chapter 52 - The Supporting Villain Is Raising a Cub Online

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Tan Qing Made a Face at He Mingyu.

 

 

The press conference for the film crew was scheduled at exactly two o'clock in the afternoon.

 

Due to the recent car accident involving Ji Yanxiu and Tan Qing, the entire Xuanwu crew had been thrust into the media spotlight. As a result, many uninvited media outlets had swarmed the event, eager to catch the latest breaking news both inside and outside the venue.

 

Tan Qing had quickly forgotten about his encounter with Yan Jianbai and rushed toward the conference hall, taking hurried, small steps. When he arrived, the crew was just about to take the stage.

 

His assistant, Ruan Ruan, had been anxiously searching for him for quite some time. When she finally saw him, she rushed over. "Why are you only just getting here? The makeup artist is still available—do you need a touch-up?"

 

Tan Qing, who disliked the strange smells of foundation and lipstick, jumped back immediately. "No, no! I'll just head on stage like this!"

 

At that moment, Ji Yanxiu walked in from another makeup room, intending to call Tan Qing to join him on stage. Just as he opened the door, Tan Qing bumped right into him.

 

Ji Yanxiu instinctively reached out his right hand, supporting him from the waist with a gentle smile. "Qingqing, what are you and the assistant fussing about?"

 

Tan Qing, whose sore waist had already been through quite the ordeal the night before, grimaced in pain and turned to Ji Yanxiu with a pout. "Why are you pinching my waist?!"

 

Ji Yanxiu paused, unsure if he had gripped too hard. With his usual calm demeanor, he apologized, "Sorry, did I hurt you?"

 

Clutching his aching waist, Tan Qing took a couple of painful steps and grumbled, "It's fine. Compared to He Mingyu, you're already super gentle. You're off the hook, but could you buy me two more limited-edition skins in return?"

 

Ji Yanxiu: "…"

 

Having fallen for Tan Qing's tricks countless times, Ji Yanxiu chuckled and shook his head. He bent down beside Tan Qing, still smiling. "Alright, I'll get you all the limited-edition skins this season and buy every hero for you too. How about that?"

 

Tan Qing beamed. "Yes, yes, yes!"

 

With that, Tan Qing cheerfully followed Ji Yanxiu to the stage.

 

Meanwhile, Ruan Ruan remained seated in the makeup room, a complex expression on her face. After a long moment, she pulled out her phone, hesitating before deciding to report Tan Qing's entire schedule to He Mingyu.

 

Unlike Tan Qing, who had come out of the car accident nearly unscathed, Ji Yanxiu had suffered more severe injuries. Aside from cuts and bruises, his left elbow had also been fractured. Though he'd been recovering in the hospital for half a month, bone injuries, of course, take time to heal.

 

As Tan Qing followed behind Ji Yanxiu, he couldn't resist poking at the cast on Ji Yanxiu's left arm, intrigued. "Hey, this thing's kind of fun. Is it sturdy?"

 

Ji Yanxiu turned to him. "Of course. Why don't you punch it and see?"

 

Tan Qing shook his head, replying honestly, "Nah, I'm afraid I'll crack it and send you back to the hospital."

 

Ji Yanxiu: "…"

 

There was a hint of hesitation in Ji Yanxiu's voice. He glanced at Tan Qing deeply. "Qingqing, after you went back with He Mingyu last time, he didn't give you a hard time, did he?"

 

Tan Qing immediately responded, "How could he not? You have no idea—He Mingyu is practically a beast in human clothing! He's not human! He was so fierce! And he just wouldn't stop, no matter how much I begged. It was so hard on me."

 

Ji Yanxiu: "…"

 

Ji Yanxiu didn't quite know how he felt—like a weight had been lifted from his chest, but also like that very weight had fallen onto his foot. It hurt, but somehow it wasn't unbearable.

 

He stopped walking and asked quietly, "Did you… two do it?"

 

Tan Qing blinked his big, innocent eyes. "Do what?"

 

Ji Yanxiu, clearly uncomfortable, muttered, "...You know, that."

 

Tan Qing studied Ji Yanxiu's expression for a moment before casually replying, "Oh, you mean sex? Yeah, we did it! But it wasn't fun at all—just painful. How do all those authors who write about it make it sound so amazing?"

 

Ji Yanxiu: "…"

 

Ji Yanxiu wanted to respond to Tan Qing's comment, but as two completely inexperienced amateurs in this field, it was hard for them to help each other when it came to such matters.

 

After thinking it over, Ji Yanxiu tried to comfort him. "Maybe it's just that your… genders don't make it suitable for this kind of thing. After all, it's rare for men to do this sort of thing together."

 

Tan Qing: "Huh?"

 

Teetering on the edge of despair, Tan Qing suddenly felt like a door to a whole new world had opened before him. "So does that mean us men should be with girls instead? That's the right way to do it?"

 

Ji Yanxiu: "…"

 

Ji Yanxiu couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't quite right.

 

After a moment's thought, he asked, "Qingqing, you didn't actually lose your memory from the start, did you?"

 

Tan Qing had nearly forgotten about the lie he'd used to cover himself and froze for a moment before letting out a sheepish laugh. He looked at Ji Yanxiu with a playful gaze, asking, "Are you mad?"

 

Ji Yanxiu shook his head.

 

At the time, when Tan Qing was hospitalized, aside from a few specialists, no nurses were present in the room. And given He Mingyu's reputation, there had been no media coverage from the moment Tan Qing was admitted to when he was transferred to another facility.

 

This, combined with He Mingyu's attitude and Tan Qing's dramatic performance, made everything seem... questionable.

 

Ji Yanxiu gently asked, "Tan Qing, have you ever been in love before?"

 

Tan Qing blinked in confusion, then seriously responded, "Isn't the last step of falling in love... getting into bed? If we've already been to bed, doesn't that mean we can just skip the falling in love part?"

 

Ji Yanxiu: "..."

 

Why does this absurd logic sound strangely philosophical?

 

Ji Yanxiu pondered for a long while, trying to reason his way through it. "Falling in love and going to bed aren't the same thing. Tan Qing, if going to bed is physical pleasure, then loving someone is emotional joy. Generally, love is the foundation, and going to bed is the result."

 

He paused and added, "You and He Mingyu might just be lacking that foundation, which is why you're not in sync."

 

Two clueless noobs, face to face.

 

The one on the left successfully convinced the one on the right.

 

Tan Qing nodded solemnly, "You're right, that makes sense!"

 

Ji Yanxiu couldn't help but laugh, his voice warm as he said, "But, there are many times, like in TV shows, where two people can stop at just being lovers without going to bed, and that can be equally beautiful."

 

With no real-life love experience, Tan Qing recalled a few romantic dramas he had watched and wholeheartedly agreed with Ji Yanxiu.

 

As they walked down the hallway together, Ji Yanxiu thought for a moment and said, "Speaking of which, a friend of mine is casting for a dating show reality. If you're interested, I can recommend you."

 

Tan Qing tilted his head, "A dating reality show?"

 

Ji Yanxiu nodded, "Yes, it's a show with several male and female couples. Each episode has a different mission or theme. The last season did really well, and it gave the participating celebrities a huge boost in fame and popularity."

 

Tan Qing's eyes sparkled with greed. "Wow, that sounds like a lot of money to earn!"

 

Ji Yanxiu smiled, "Interested?"

 

Tan Qing replied enthusiastically, "Yes, yes! I'll call Rong Sheng tonight!"

 

Ji Yanxiu nodded, "Alright, I'll inform my friend."

 

Due to the unexpected appearance of the wealthy investor He Mingyu, what was originally meant to be a press conference announcing a filming hiatus had been transformed into a financial injection announcement.

 

He Mingyu not only filled the gap left by the previous largest sponsor but also left the production team with ample backup funds.

 

In a word, he exuded extravagant generosity.

 

The journalists present were eager to dig up fresh news about He Mingyu from the producer, Liu Quan.

 

"As far as I know, Mr. He has never invested in the film and television industry before. Mr. Liu, how did you convince him to invest?"

 

Liu Quan shifted his pudgy body to the side, revealing Tan Qing, who was currently cracking a walnut he had just picked up from the table. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Liu said, "Well... I guess Director He really believes in our project."

 

A reporter immediately directed the microphone at Tan Qing, pointedly asking, "Mr. Tan, there have been a lot of rumors circulating about you and Mr. He. Can you tell us if his investment in this production is directly related to your relationship?"

 

Tan Qing: "..."

 

Tan Qing cracked open the walnut with a crisp snap and blinked.

 

Before he could respond, Ji Yanxiu chuckled softly and spoke up for him, "Back when the news broke, that's not the tone you were using. If you're so curious, why not go ask He Mingyu directly?"

 

The room fell into silence for a moment.

 

Then, another microphone was quickly pointed at Ji Yanxiu. "If that's the case, Mr. Ji, since you were in the car crash with Tan Qing and are now standing up for him, are you aware that the number of fans shipping you and Tan Qing as a couple has skyrocketed online, taking over half of his fan base?"

 

Shipping fandoms are always a double-edged sword. When used wisely, they can boost fame, but when mishandled, they can alienate loyal fans.

 

Ji Yanxiu, accustomed to such situations, calmly glanced at the reporter, "Thank you for letting me know. And thank you to all the fans for their support of me and Tan Qing. We'll both continue to work hard."

 

The time allotted for the press conference wasn't nearly enough to satisfy all the reporters' questions.

 

Even after stepping off the stage and returning to the dressing room, some entertainment reporters still followed them, hoping for an exclusive interview.

 

Tan Qing, ever the escape artist, slipped into the dressing room and pulled a handful of sunflower seeds from his pocket that he'd snatched from the stage. Skillfully cracking the shells, he turned to Ji Yanxiu and said, "I think I'm more suited for a life running a night market stall."

 

Ji Yanxiu wiped off the thin layer of lipstick on his lips, revealing their slightly pale color. "Scared?"

 

Tan Qing smacked his lips. "Annoyed."

 

Ji Yanxiu chuckled, "Let's go. I've arranged for my manager to take you back to the city. The car's in the parking lot."

 

With a free ride offered, there was no way Tan Qing was going to refuse. He happily followed Ji Yanxiu down to the underground parking lot via a private elevator.

 

Ji Yanxiu's manager, Lina, was already waiting by the elevator. When she saw the two of them, she greeted them warmly, "Tan Qing, long time no see."

 

Tan Qing waved playfully like a beckoning cat, "I'll be in your care today!"

 

Lina seemed a bit surprised but shook her head with a smile, "You mean to take you back? Of course, it's no trouble... but isn't Director He's car parked right over there? Mr. Tan, are you sure you want me to take you?"

 

Huh?

 

Tan Qing glanced in the direction Lina pointed.

 

There it was—a big, black, slightly outdated-looking car.

 

Sitting in the driver's seat was Lin Yu.

 

The car door opened.

 

He Mingyu effortlessly lifted their son, Tan Jiji, out of the child seat in the back and, holding him in his arms, walked over toward Tan Qing.

 

He stopped in front of them.

 

"Papa! Papa!"

 

Little Tan Jiji, having just woken up from a nap and missing his "little dad," was now pouting, arms outstretched as he wiggled to be passed into Tan Qing's arms.

 

The almost-five-month-old baby was chubby and fair-skinned, wriggling in He Mingyu's arms like a little turtle that couldn't quite turn over.

 

Reluctantly, Tan Qing took the chubby baby into his arms, immediately scolding He Mingyu, "Did you feed him that weight-gaining chicken powder they talk about in the news? Why does he feel like holding a ball?"

 

He Mingyu, with a helpless smile, smoothed out the wrinkles on Tan Qing's shirt caused by the baby and sighed, "What nonsense are you talking about now?"

 

Tan Qing stuck out his tongue at him playfully.

 

He Mingyu, taking the opportunity, gently held Tan Qing's hand and turned to the two standing across from them. With a trace of barely concealed pride in his voice, he nodded graciously to Lina and Ji Yanxiu, "Thank you both for looking after Tan Qing. We'll be heading off now. Until next time."

 

"See you next time."

 

Ji Yanxiu spoke up just before Lina, his voice gentle as he added, "Oh, right, Qingqing, about that dating show I mentioned—if you have a favorite actress in mind, let me know. I'll ask my friend to arrange it for you."

 

Tan Qing eagerly nodded, "Got it, got it! I'm not picky! I'll be super cooperative!"

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