Chapter 102
Editor: Casey
Shi Qing struggled to get up by bracing himself against the wall. His brows were always furrowed like he was very impatient.
“Ying ying ying……”
The little Shi Qing on his shoulder cried even louder. His voice was small, weak, and pitiful. With each movement Shi Qing made, his wails increased in volume.
Anyone would think that this pitiful child had suffered plenty of grievances.
Tan Mingjin couldn’t bear to listen for even another second. He stepped forward and steadied Shi Qing. Ignoring how the youth started struggling after stiffening for a second, he forcefully guided the other person onto the sofa.
“What are you doing?! Let go of me!”
Tan Mingjin became angry when the youth shook off his hand without even a hint of grat.i.tude.
Anyone who was treated rudely by the person they were trying to help would feel the same.
But as soon as his expression cooled, Tan Mingjin noted how the sitting little Shi Qing had stopped crying. His tiny left hand was rubbing his eyes, while his tiny right hand was waving wildly towards Tan Mingjin, seemingly asking for a hug.
The anger stewing in the man’s heart was doused by this little gesture.
When he looked at Shi Qing once more, he saw that the unruly young man’s ears had turned red again. In addition, although he looked away from Tan Mingjin disdainfully, Shi Qing’s eyes occasionally flickered back to him.
Tan Mingjin was silent for a few seconds before simply getting down on one knee in front of the sofa. His hand landed directly on the youth’s slender ankle.
“W-w-what are you doing?? What are you doing?!”
The ankle in his grasp immediately stiffened, followed by the youth’s angry voice from above.
Tan Mingjin raised his eyes and saw that little Shi Qing was covering his half red face. There were still tears in his eyes, but they no longer fell. Instead, he buried his face in his hands, looking very embarra.s.sed.
Tan Mingjin’s gaze softened towards the shy little guy. With one hand steadying Shi Qing’s ankle, the other began to apply firm but gentle pressure to the area.
“What are you doing?!! Didn’t you hear me… Hiss!”
The youth’s cry of pain made him look up slightly. He asked in his deep voice, “Does it hurt here?”
“And what does that have to do with you… Ahhhhhhh, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts!!”
Tan Mingjin moved his hand away from the injured area. While Shi Qing howled in pain and the little Shi Qing on his shoulder continued to cry, he said, “Alright, you’re fine. Just remember to put a cold compress on it.”
As soon as he reached this conclusion, little Shi Qing stopped wailing, and Shi Qing stopped howling.
Only then did Tan Mingjin carefully put Shi Qing’s ankle down and get up.
Shi Qing didn’t notice before, but Tan Mingjin was exceptionally tall. It wasn’t as obvious because he was half-kneeling earlier, but now his intimidating aura returned in full force.
How charming.
Shi Qing closed his mouth and stared at Tan Mingjin like a deer in headlights.
And in Tan Mingjin’s eyes, the little person who looked exactly like Shi Qing now wore the same expression as his larger counterpart. He was also staring up at him with a dumb face.
This scene inexplicably made Tan Mingjin want to laugh.
He asked Shi Qing, “What are you looking at me for?”
The youth didn’t respond for a few seconds. When he realized what his uncle was asking, he looked at Tan Mingjin a few times with some hesitation before speaking.
“Are you sure? My foot still hurts, so I should probably go to the hospital.”
“Don’t worry.”
It was rare for Tan Mingjin to hear Shi Qing speak to him in such a normal tone of voice. He couldn’t help but soften slightly.
“It will only hurt for a while longer. Everything will be fine after a good night’s sleep. If you don’t believe me, try taking a couple of steps.”
The youth looked at him somewhat doubtfully before slowly getting up while carefully holding onto the sofa.
The little person on his shoulder was also very cautious. He glanced at Tan Mingjin again and again, as if looking at the man would really make the pain go away.
The youth’s foot landed on the ground. He took two tentative steps and discovered that it really didn’t hurt.
Tan Mingjin: “How is it? It doesn’t hurt anymore, right?”
Shi Qing grimaced and snorted, “Even a broken clock is right twice a day.”
But the little guy on his shoulder was ecstatic. He plopped down on his b.u.t.t and examined his foot with naive fascination, all the while glancing at Tan Mingjin occasionally. His cute face was full of admiration and yearning.
This child…
The adoration of little Shi Qing made Tan Mingjin’s heart soften. The corners of his lips quirked up a little more.
He even gently patted Shi Qing’s shoulder (slightly away from where little Shi Qing was sitting) and said with a smile in his voice:
“It’s natural for a little kid like you to not know. Before you were born, whenever your father was hurt anywhere, I was the one who took care of it for him. I have lots of experience dealing with things like this.”
Tan Mingjin looked at the handsome and slender youth before him and sighed.
“In a blink of an eye, you’ve grown so big.”
Maybe what he experienced today was just too strange, but Tan Mingjin suddenly managed to calm down.
He thought that now was the best time to talk.
The man tried hard to make his face as pleasant as possible. He decided to start off with something that Shi Qing would like to hear.
“I know that you’re all grown up now. It’s natural for a young man like you to want a girlfriend, and Uncle isn’t trying to stop that from happening. As long as you pursue a girl using the correct methods, Uncle won’t say anything even if you bring her to meet me.”
Imagine a parent telling their child who just got into their first relationship that it was okay and they wouldn’t say anything.
That child would definitely be overjoyed.
Tan Mingjin was planning on capitalizing on Shi Qing’s good mood to ease into other topics. However, the youth’s response was cold.
“Oh.”
Tan Mingjin: “?”
He watched as Shi Qing shut down at a rate visible to the naked eye. He even looked a little angry.
This child, just what was the matter with him now?
He was fine just moments ago.
Shi Qing stiffly said, “I have to go to the set this afternoon to watch people shoot scenes. I’ll leave first. Goodbye, Uncle.”
When he brushed past Tan Mingjin, the little guy on his shoulder was still puffed up with anger. Clenching his fists, little Shi Qing “hmphed” at Tan Mingjin.
Even louder than when he cried earlier.
Tan Mingjin: “…”
The handsome, young-looking parent remained in place for several seconds, unable to process what just happened.
Why did Shi Qing’s att.i.tude suddenly change again?
Even the little Shi Qing on his shoulder changed faces with him.
This was really…
The man rubbed his brow in fatigue and confusion.
It’s understandable that Shi Qing treated him coldly, but little Shi Qing has always been very affectionate to him, being very tactile and asking for hugs.
The sudden changes in att.i.tude was a bit much for him.
Tan Mingjin was having a hard time figuring out what was going on. Then, the large, white, slender hand that he was using to ma.s.sage his brow suddenly froze.
No, wait, was that really what he should be doing right now?
Why wasn’t he going to see an eye doctor yet?
The man lowered his hand expressionlessly.
Maybe a visit to a psychologist would help too.
While Tan Mingjin went to the hospital to find out what was ‘wrong with him’, Shi Qing arrived on set.
He looked down at his watch. Seeing as he had plenty of time, he strolled off at a leisurely pace.
Shi Qing’s presence on set was very distinct.
Anyone could see it at a glance.
After all, he was neither a crew member nor an actor. If you really had to put a label on him, he was more of an investor than anything.
But the young master who really had no reason to be here was strolling around the set like he owned the place.
He even called someone to buy milk tea for the entire crew.
He seemed like a rich kid bored out of his mind.
The crew thanked Shi Qing on the surface, but they whispered amongst themselves behind the scenes.
“What’s he doing here?”
“It seems that he’s taken a liking to Cheng Yunling-laoshi. I heard he’s been chasing after her recently.”
“Tsk, what a sc.u.mmy person. He was chasing after Susan last time.”
“Shh, keep your voice down! Young Master Shi has quite the temper and family background. If he hears you, he’ll definitely do something using his connections!”
Shi Qing was slurping on his juice box nearby. He tutted at that group of gossiping staff.
[They’re definitely badmouthing me.]
The diligent System came out to reply: [The original host was very temperamental, so a lot of people didn’t like him.]
That was to be expected.
Shi Qing wasn’t a member of staff or an actor, but he came over for some reason to boss everyone around. He would throw tantrums too when he didn’t get his way. Who wouldn’t resent such a person?
While Shi Qing was drinking his juice, he saw Cheng Yunling come in with her a.s.sistant.
Both of them looked like they had seen a ghost when they saw Shi Qing.
The young master casually threw the juice box into the bin, raised his eyebrows, and strutted towards them.
Cheng Yunling paled. She subconsciously stepped back. Now that she knew Shi Qing was willing to resort to drugs, she was even more afraid of him.
The a.s.sistant, on the other hand, glared at him like a mother hen protecting her chicks. She carefully shielded Cheng Yunling from sight.
“It’s okay, don’t be afraid. He wouldn’t dare to do anything to you in such a public s.p.a.ce.”
Cheng Yunling nodded, looking very pale.
Under two pairs of slightly panicked eyes, Shi Qing finally walked up to them.
He slightly raised his chin: “Have you eaten?”
The duo, who were tensely waiting for a confrontation: “…”
Seeing that they didn’t answer, Young Master Shi clicked his tongue, smacking his lips like he was bored. “Cheng Yunling, what are you hiding for? Come out so I can talk to you.”
Cheng Yunling; “…”
Only a fool would go out.
Seeing that she had no intention of coming out, Shi Qing shrugged: “Fine then, I’ll tell you like this. I wasn’t the one who drugged you yesterday.”
Cheng Yunling didn’t say anything.
This young man, who was quite good looking, asked her, “Do you believe me?”
Cheng Yunling wanted to say that she didn’t, but she was too scared of how he would react. She could only choose to remain silent.
She pursed her lips nervously, not even daring to breathe.
But a stubborn feeling persisted within her.
She would never say a word, no matter how Shi Qing tried to intimidate her.
Three seconds later, Shi Qing stopped staring at her and smiled. He wiggled his eyebrows. “I knew you would trust me.”
Cheng Yunling: “???”
Cheng Yunling: “When did I say…”
Shi Qing: “Wait while I make a phone call.”
She could only watch as Young Master Shi replied to himself before pulling out his phone. “Hey Uncle, I came to talk to Cheng Yunling. She also believes that I didn’t drug her. Yes, yes, you should see the sincere look in her eyes.”
“Do I look like the kind of sc.u.m that would drug people?”
After hanging up, the young master put his phone away and yawned. He looked at Cheng Yunling with a straight face, “See? Wouldn’t it have been better if you said you believed in me earlier?”
Cheng Yunling: “…”
In the end, she couldn’t help but speak up, “When did I say that I believed you? You were clearly the one who–”
“Yawn…”
Shi Qing stretched with a satisfied look on his face. “The weather is so nice today. I think I’m going to rest on the recliners for a while.”
Then, he waved at Cheng Yunling.
“Thanks for believing in me.”