Editor: Sahloknir

Love-deprived.

Tan Mingjin never thought that Shi Qing would feel unloved.

After all, he was under the impression that this child has always been a handful. He bullied his classmates in elementary school, still bullied them in middle school, and continued to do so in high school. Now, in university, he had even learned to drug female celebrities.

Tan Mingjin was a slightly reserved person with impeccable self-control, so Shi Qing’s actions were practically dancing on his nerves.

And pole dancing at that.

He had been very busy before. As a rich man who started from nothing, he had too many things to keep up with and little time to spend with Shi Qing.

At first Tan Mingjin would feel guilty, wondering if he should spend more time with the child. But every time he offered to stay with Shi Qing, the other person would scowl and mutter something like, “Uncle staying would make my friends uncomfortable”.

Why would Tan Mingjin stay if he was clearly not welcome?

The older Shi Qing got, the more distant he became from this child.

It was as if Shi Qing didn’t need Tan Mingjin’s care, he just needed someone to give him a monthly allowance, to settle matters for him and make him look good among his friends.

All his attempts to care were branded as nosiness.

Tan Mingjin could barely recall a single memorable moment from Shi Qing’s childhood. He was constantly disparaged and seen as an eyesore by this child. He was also called by his nephew’s school countless times to deal with the messes Shi Qing got into.

And no matter what he did wrong, the child he had raised always shouted at him and refused to accept any fault.

“Grandma told you to take care of me! This is the least you can do!”

Now, the child was still as stubborn as ever. Perhaps because he saw Tan Mingjin looking at him, but Shi Qing turned his face away and wiped his eyes again with the back of his hand, making ssure there were no more tears before he yelled.

“What are you looking at?!”

Shi Qing, who was staying in character with a fierce expression: This isn’t looking good.

This was the first time the System had heard such words from the Host, so it immediately panicked: What’s wrong, Host? Is this world particularly difficult?

Shi Qing: No, completing the task is easy, but not going OOC while changing Tan Mingjin’s opinion of me is going to be challenging.

After all, the original host had never been obedient when it came to Tan Mingjin.

The System: …

Why did it always feel like it couldn’t keep up with the Host’s train of thought?

Shi Qing: Come open up the shop. I need to buy a prop.

The System suddenly perked up. It even stuttered a little: H-H-H-Host!!! You’re finally going to buy a prop?!! Great, I’ll open it for you right away!!

It hasn’t seen the Host need a prop since the first world.

After quickly picking out a prop, Shi Qing happily lifted his chin.

“You promised my grandma that you would take care of me!”

“But now you’re trying to kick me out of the Tan family so you can have your own children with a woman! Is that how you plan on taking care of me?!!”

It was like Tan Mingjin had hallucinated the soft words from before. Once Miss Zhao left, this young master was back to his normal self.

Actually, his attitude was even worse than usual.

The handsome man frowned. His heart was no longer soft.

He really couldn’t understand Shi Qing sometimes.

How could this child be so distasteful?

He felt the need to have a good talk with Shi Qing.

Tan Mingjin had time today, and this location seemed to suit his needs. Therefore, he simply returned to his seat. “Fine, you want me to take care of you, right? Then explain to me why I should do that.”

The fiery youth was stunned by the question, but he soon replied with a straight face. “My father died because of Grandma Liu.”

Tan Mingjin was expressionless. “Everyone on that bus died. Your father did shield my mother, but he would have died either way with where he was sitting.”

Seeing Shi Qing choking on his words, not willing to take this lying down but at a loss about how to retort to his statement, the man took a deep breath and rubbed his brow. “Shi Qing, no one owes you anything.”

“At that time, no one would’ve said anything even if I didn’t take you into my care and let you go to an orphanage. The main reason I raised you was because your father was a good friend of mine.”

“I don’t owe you anything. Even if I did, haven’t I paid you back enough in these eighteen years? You blame me for being too hard on you, but you need to grow up and learn how to get ahead in life by studying. Don’t always get into trouble…”

Before Tan Mingjin could finish, the youth started talking over him. His clear voice spat out vicious words.

“What a convenient excuse. Aren’t you acting like this because you think I stole your woman? I’ve known for a long time that you’ve had your eye on that Cheng Yunling. You think she’s something special, but she’s nothing good. With that kind of vixen-like appearance, she probably—”

—Bang!

Tan Mingjin retracted the fist he had slammed on the table. He slowly got up and looked at the youth in front of him who seemed intimidated. The man’s deep voice was cold and chilling.

“I told you, I have nothing to do with her.”

Shi Qing snorted and raised his chin disdainfully, “Then why did you help her?”

“Anyone who saw her in that situation would’ve helped her. Shi Qing, this time you’ve really gone too far.”

The youth quickly recovered again, his face full of disdain. “What are you acting all high and mighty for? Do you think I’m blind? Every time her face appears on TV, you can’t look away. Aren’t you scolding me because you think I stole your woman? You talk a nice game usually, saying you treat me like I’m your own child. But in reality, I’m not even the match of some woman who appeared out of nowhere to you.”

There was no getting through to him.

Absolutely no way.

Tan Mingjin was not a person who knew how to get along with children. He also couldn’t understand why Shi Qing had no shame at all.

Despite being caught red-handed using such underhanded tactics against a girl, he could still badmouth her with a straight face.

Tan Mingjin took a deep breath and exhaled. He felt like talking with Shi Qing was even more exhausting than working overtime for two days straight.

Forget it then.

Tan Mingjin had only got off the plane yesterday. He was still jet-lagged, so he really didn’t have the energy or the mood to talk anymore.

He pinched his brow. His voice was slightly hoarse.

“There’s a school in Country M with a good reputation. Since you can’t behave yourself here, I’ll arrange to send you abroad.”

“You’ll be out of the country by next week.”

“No! I don’t want to go!”

As expected, Shi Qing firmly refused. “You can’t kick me out, I won’t go!”

Tan Mingjin’s patience was completely gone. He simply took out his phone and called his secretary. “Arrange for Shi Qing to go to school in Country M next Monday. I’ll text you the university’s name. Take care of it as soon as possible.”

“I said I don’t want that!!!”

The young man behind him sounded furious. Tan Mingjin just ignored him. He turned his back on Shi Qing and continued, “Yes, there is no need to arrange alternative accommodation, he’ll live directly in the school dorms.”

“Tan Mingjin!!!”

“Also…”

“Ying ying ying…..”

Quiet, weak cries rang out, filled with helplessness and fear.

Tan Mingjin paused.

Shi Qing was crying again?

And so pitifully at that?

Sure enough, this child just needed a good scare.

The secretary on the phone queried his sudden pause. “President Tan?”

“That’s all for now. Do what you can first.” Tan Mingjin quickly ended the call. He put back his phone and turned around with a frown on his face. “Crying isn’t going to…”

The scene behind him made him pause again.

Shi Qing was looking at him strangely. “Who are you talking to?! I’m not crying!”

Yet in Tan Mingjin’s eyes, a little person was sitting on the youth’s slightly slender left shoulder.

This little guy was about the size of a human hand, and he was wearing the exact same clothes as Shi Qing. Everything from the hairstyle to the features were the same, just the size was different.

His delicate little hands were trying to wipe away the tears welling up in his eyes. He cautiously looked up in Tan Mingjin’s direction, his cute little face showing a bit of heartbreak.

Tan Mingjin gaped. “…”

He looked at Shi Qing, and then at the little person.

He looked at the little person again, then back at Shi Qing.

The man expressionlessly reached out and rubbed his eyes.

“Hey, I’m talking to you! Why are you ignoring me!”

Shi Qing only grew more aggravated after being ignored. His tone worsened.

The little guy on his shoulder also stood up angrily. He glared at Tan Mingjin with puffed out cheeks while stomping his feet with his hand on his hips. His ruddy lips produced a multitude of babbling sounds. Although he couldn’t understand, Tan Mingjin got the feeling that he was being scolded.

Tan Mingjin, who could see the little guy even after rubbing his eyes: “…”

Was he too stressed because of work or something??

Wrinkling his eyebrows, he walked over and tried to touch the little person.

His hand was obviously resting on the little guy, but all he felt was thin air. The man’s large, slender hand ended up on his nephew’s shoulder.

It was soft and somewhat thin, not at all like Shi Qing’s prickly exterior.

Tan Mingjin could feel the youth’s entire body stiffening due to the contact. Shi Qing stared at him with wide eyes, like Tang Mingjin was some appalling creature. “U-Uncle, what are you doing?!”

Tan Mingjin’s mood sank when he saw the other’s clear rejection. He said in his deep voice, “I’m not doing anything.”

Sure enough, Shi Qing rejected him.

As that thought passed through his mind, the man’s eyes drifted down to that little guy again.

Little Shi Qing was covering his face with his two little hands, babbling happily as he bounced on the shoulder and stomped his feet. He was laughing happily.

When he put his hands down, Tan Mingjin realized that the mini Shi Qing’s face was flushed red. His beautiful and watery eyes also seemed to be filled with shyness. The little guy even opened his arms with a hopeful look.

Was this…a sign that he wants a hug?

The man subconsciously looked at Shi Qing again due to the little guy’s flushed cheeks.

Shi Qing’s face was also flushed, but only a little. He wouldn’t have noticed if he wasn’t paying attention.

He glanced at the little guy’s red earlobes and before looking at Shi Qing’s.

Sure enough, they were red too.

Tan Mingjin hesitated, not knowing what to do.

Where did this little person come from? Why did this little guy look like Shi Qing, and why did he suddenly appear just now? Questions popped up nonstop in his mind, causing him to wrinkle his eyebrows and stay still.

“What’s wrong with you?!”

The youth shook off his uncle’s hand and snorted, “Anyways, I’m not going abroad! I’ve decided to…Ah!”

He tripped over his feet and fell.

Tan Mingjin reflexively turned around. He found Shi Qing was wrinkling his nose and looking at his right ankle. Because this was the child he had raised, Tan Mingjin decided to temporarily put other matters aside and help him up. However, Shi Qing dodged his hand by turning away.

“I can do it myself.”

Perhaps he didn’t want Tan Mingjin to look down on him, but the youth looked up with a face filled with disdain. “What are you looking at? Do you think I’m going to cry like a little kid over such a small injury?”

Tan Mingjin: “…”

He looked over to Shi Qing’s shoulder.

Little Shi Qing was plopped down on his butt, hugging and blowing on his chubby little foot. He blew on it in between whimpering sobs. In just a few seconds, his cute little face was soaked with tears.

While crying, Little Shi Qing took the time to open his arms to Tan Mingjin again. He looked at the man with pitifully red eyes, babbling and begging for a hug.

Tan Mingjin: “…”

As Shi Qing struggled to his feet, the man observed him. He took in Shi Qing’s earlobes that were still faintly flushed, the way he cringed from pain with every movement, his unconsciously reddening eyes and many other details…

A bold conjecture rose in Tan Mingjin’s mind.

Did the little Shi Qing on Shi Qing’s shoulder represent Shi Qing’s true feelings?

Sahl: Shi Qing…you little devil…um…with a little angel?