Chapter 113.2
Editor: Sahloknir
A woman much older than Shi Qing that doesn’t look her age…
Tan Mingjin immediately deduced the person the youth was talking about was one of those senior female artists in the entertainment industry.
This made it an even harder pill for him to swallow.
Everyone knew Shi Qing was the Tan family’s sole young master. It wasn’t out of the question for someone to seduce him based on his ident.i.ty.
He was young, green, and unaccustomed to hardship. How was an obedient and cute child like him supposed to deal with those kind of people?
Tan Mingjin had business ventures in the entertainment industry, so he naturally knew a few things about the major players and customs.
It was like the wild west. Not only was there discrimination, there was also fierce compet.i.tion for limited resources. Since all the compet.i.tors have above average features, it was inevitable that a few of them chose to sell their bodies for benefits. It was a story as old as time. Even the purest or most unwilling of people might be forced to do it.
While the majority were able to stay away from such practices, there was undeniably a dark side lurking beneath the surface.
Of course, Cheng Yunling belonged to the group that didn’t have to sell their bodies despite not having connections.
But Tan Mingjin was still unable to accept Shi Qing dreamily talking about some woman more than ten years his senior.
Even he himself didn’t know which part he found most objectionable. Was it the ‘woman’s age’ or that ‘Shi Qing liked her’?
Anyways, he was firmly opposed to this.
“I won’t allow it.”
All the happiness vanished from Shi Qing’s expression. He looked incredulously at the man. “Why?”
Tan Mingjin gave a righteous speech. “You’re still a student, but they’ve already been working for years. You two aren’t a good match because you have little in common.”
“What does age matter if we get to see each other everyday? It’s not like they’re twenty years older than me. I really like—”
“Shi Qing.” The man got up with a frown and took a seat beside the youth. He reached out and comfortingly tousled his hair.
The soft locks brushing by his fingertips relaxed him a bit. He softened his voice and tried to persuade the stubborn youth.
“You’re still young, so you think you love them. But when you grow up, when you’re at the prime of your life, they will be old. What will you do then?”
Shi Qing considered the handsome face in front of him. “I think they’ll still look good when they’re older. And they maintain their health well.”
Why was this child so hard to convince?
Tan Mingjin sighed. “They’ll be at work while you’re at school. You basically won’t get to see each other during the day. What if they find someone they like then?”
Shi Qing: “First off, they’re not that kind of person. Second, I can go work at their company after graduating and stay with them forever. That way I’ll be the one in their sight all day.”
The man’s heart received another heavy blow.
He’d mentioned multiple times over the past few days how he wanted Shi Qing to come work at his side after graduation.
With him watching over the youth, Shi Qing wouldn’t be bullied in any way. Plus, it would be easier for him to offer guidance this way.
But now, a few days later, the youth’s answer has taken a complete one-eighty. For that woman, he was willing to run off to someone else’s company.
Gritting his teeth, Tan Mingjin decided to try one last time.
“With the age gap, what will you do if you get into an argument? Have you thought about that?”
“Of course I have.”
Finally, they got back to business.
Shi Qing could barely conceal his excitement. His lips quirked up as he glanced around, making sure there was no one within hearing distance. Then, he leaned in to Tan Mingjin’s ear and whispered, “We’ll settle our disputes in bed.”
Tan Mingjin: “k2026;”
An image immediately came to mind of the little guy he cherished taking off his clothes one layer at a time. With a seductive smile and an alluring voice, he would invite that person to bedk2026;
He would be intimate with another person.
And fall asleep beside them.
There would be no room for Tan Mingjin in Shi Qing’s life anymore.
Only—
That! d.a.m.ned! Person!
Bang—
The last modic.u.m of his restraint had been crushed. The man slammed one fist down on the table with a dark expression.
He couldn’t accept this!!
There was just no way!!
He looked at the youth who had been scared silly and said through clenched teeth, “I won’t let you two be together.”
Shi Qing’s eyes widened with anger and grief.
He too got up, like a little penguin trying to defend its territory. He chirped furiously at Tan Mingjin, “Why can’t we be together? I know they have feelings for me too! We’ll definitely be together!”
Tan Mingjin: “She’s older than you.”
Shi Qing: “I don’t care!”
Tan Mingjin: “But I do.”
Shi Qing only got angrier. “It’s only ten-ish years! Why are you so afraid when I’m not!”
The man discarded any pretense at rationality. His emotions were running wild as he sat there and watched this little guy fight him because of love.
Without logic to support him, he could only focus on the age difference.
“Tell me exactly how much older she is than you.”
The youth pouted unhappily. “Sixteen years.”
Sixteen years.
What a wonderful excuse to object to this ‘relationship’.
Tan Mingjin: “In any case, I’m against it. You had best give up on this sooner rather than later.”
His att.i.tude left no room for argument. The youth didn’t dare to escalate the fight, so he pleaded with red-rimmed eyes, “They’re really good to me. No one’s been this good to me other than grandma.”
Tan Mingjin was so angry that he couldn’t think straight anymore.
What do you mean ‘no one’s been this good to me other than grandma’??
What about me?
Haven’t I been good enough to Shi Qing??
Even if their relationship wasn’t the best before, Tan Mingjin’s practically given Shi Qing everything he wanted in the past few days. If the youth was interested, the man would even dig out his own heart for him.
But this heartless little guy only had eyes for that senior of his. He couldn’t even spare a glance at the person in front of him.
Tan Mingjin had to restrain himself from crushing the table. He took in a deep breath. “The answer’s still no.”
Shi Qing continued to plead softly, “Uncle, please say yes. Age isn’t a problem. Isn’t it good enough if they come from a good family and can treat me well?”
Tan Mingjin almost scoffed.
“Fine then. You say they come from a good family, right? If their family isn’t inferior to mine, I’ll agree.”
The youth’s face reddened.
Little Shi Qing held his face as well.
He squirmed. “Their family…is about the same as Uncle’s.”
Tan Mingjin: “…”
He was past the point of considering which woman in his social circles held similar status to him while also being sixteen years older than Shi Qing.
After all, he was about to explode.
Shi Qing was still trying to persuade him. “Uncle, does that mean you agree? You think we’ll be a good match too, right? I really do like them, and they really do treat me well.”
There was no expression on Tan Mingjin’s face.
Shi Qing: “Uncle, just think about it. I’ll be able to wake up beside them, eat breakfast together, go to work together, work overtime together, and go home together. We can also visit this restaurant often. Doesn’t that sound lovely?”
Tan Mingjin’s fists gradually tightened. The image of him waking up alone, going to work alone, working overtime alone, and going home alone came to mind.
“Hmph. Tell me then, how are they good to you?”
He could practically taste vinegar as he spat out the question.
After all, among the people still alive in this world, he always believed no one was as good as he was to Shi Qing.
Shi Qing obediently sat down and counted on his fingers. “They video chat with me everyday.”
Tan Mingjin scoffed.
He’d regained a measure of composure. In the whole province, no, the entire country, there was definitely not a woman in her thirties or forties like him.
All the CEOs of a comparable status were well into their fifties.
Tan Mingjin could say with absolute certainty that no other thirty or forty year old had achievements comparable to him.
This woman must’ve lied to Shi Qing because he was young.
If she really did accomplish as much as he did, how would she have to spare time to video chat with Shi Qing everyday?
Shi Qing: “They also send me food everyday.”
Tan Mingjin scoffed again on the inside.
So what? He did that too.
Could that woman possibly understand what Shi Qing did and didn’t like to eat like he did?
Shi Qing: “I like everything they send over. There’s never been anything I didn’t like.”
Tan Mingjin: “…”
He scoffed.
They’re craftier than I expected.
Shi Qing: “They never take my temper to heart and always console me.”
Tan Mingjin scoffed again.
Working so hard, they must have an ulterior motive.
Shi Qing: “They also buy me whatever I want and take me to their workplace.”
Tan Mingjin: Haven’t I bought you everything you wanted too? I even got you a plane. How can your heart waver after a few baubles from her?
Shi Qing carefully peeked at his expression and tugged on his sleeve. He rarely acted this cute. “Uncle, don’t you feel that they’re really good to me? They even tousled my hair. I can truly feel their sincerity when they do that.”
The youth tugged on his arm and quietly said, “I just want to know now if they might like me back.”
His beautiful eyes, shining with a little hope, looked at the man in front of him.
Tan Mingjin was only silent because he was afraid he would curse otherwise.
He couldn’t even scoff now.
Tousling hair? Anyone could do that.
What was so special about that?
He did it too!
Wasn’t he sincere as well?
Why didn’t this child think of him? Why didn’t he look at him?!
Shi Qing felt like he had done enough. He began to reel in his net. He leaned closer to the man, speaking in a sweet voice.
“I doubt you can find a better person in the whole country. Uncle, don’t you agree?”
Tan Mingjin suddenly grabbed the youth’s hand. “Yes, there’s no other person like that. Because only I can fulfill all the conditions you just said.”
Shi Qing: [Sigh. It’s the first time I’ve been so obvious. But I’m happy because I’m about to receive a big gift pack from the Tan family.]
System: [Congratulations Host! Congratulations!!]
Before Shi Qing could even smile, the furious man in front of him hissed through clenched teeth:
“They’re nothing but a liar!!”
“I’ll never let you two be together!”
“Never!!!”
Author’s Corner
Shi Qing: Can’t carry, can’t carry