Chapter 105
Editor: Sahloknir
Tan Mingjin’s ears were filled with the sound of little Shi Qing’s wailing, but what bothered him more was how this little thing fiercely waved his tiny fists at him while crying.
Although he knew that the little guy couldn’t actually spit anything out, having little Shi Qing spit at him while being so angry and flushed made Tan Mingjin feel bad.
However, the man quickly reacted to this thought. Wait a minute, what was he feeling sorry for? Everything he said and did was quite normal??
It was Shi Qing who was acting strange. Shouldn’t he be moved beyond words?
Luckily, Tan Mingjin’s heart was strong. He didn’t doubt himself because of little Shi Qing’s aggrieved look. Calming down, he looked at Shi Qing again. As expected, there were traces of anger and sorrow on the youth’s fair face.
Tan Mingjin tried his best to filter out little Shi Qing’s wailing. He met Shi Qing’s eyes and asked quietly, “Why are you acting like this? Shouldn’t you be happy that Uncle will treat you as his own child from now on?”
Little Shi Qing’s cries became quieter. He lowered his little head and sat down on Shi Qing’s shoulder.
He wasn’t outright wailing anymore, but tiny sobs still emerged from time to time. He was already pitiful enough before, but now he deliberately huddled down. It looked like Tan Mingjin had abused him or something.
Tan Mingjin: “…”
He started to wonder if he had been too aggressive just now. What else could explain little Shi Qing’s reaction?
Even the full size Shi Qing seemed to have lost his spirit. He looked up at Tan Mingjin in a rather defeated manner, quietly saying, “I’m not unhappy.”
Oh really? Then why does your face say ‘I’m unhappy, very unhappy’ like a bold neon sign?
The only reason he didn’t add ‘very, very unhappy’ was because his face was too small to fit all those words.
Tan Mingjin was very patient. “Not even a little?”
Shi Qing didn’t even want to look at him this time. He simply hung his head. “Yes.”
The man glanced at little Shi Qing, who was sitting on his shoulder and rolling around angrily with red-rimmed eyes.
This childish action made Tan Mingjin recall a moment from Shi Qing’s childhood.
Shi Qing has always had a temper growing up. At the time, Tan Mingjin was so busy at work that he left before Shi Qing even woke up and returned way after he was asleep. Although the two of them lived under the same roof, they rarely saw each other.
But sometimes they would run into each other. For example, if Shi Qing wanted a new toy or to ask a favour, the little guy would sit on the stairs and wait for his uncle to come home, even if that meant he missed his bedtime.
When Tan Mingjin came back, he would be greeted by a little firecracker demanding a new toy before he could even relax. If he didn’t give in, the child would often drop to the floor and roll around screaming and crying until he got what he wanted.
Because of this, Tan Mingjin made a decision he has always regretted. He found a woman from the countryside who needed a long term job to be Shi Qing’s nanny, so that the child would get the care he needed.
His rationale was that it was inexpensive to hire a nanny, and since she needed this job, she would definitely take good care of Shi Qing.
In the end, the nanny outdid herself. She catered to Shi Qing’s every need, spoiling him and raising him to be a lawless little devil.
Tan Mingjin was not the kind of person to hold grudges against children, but he didn’t particularly like Shi Qing due to his behaviour either. However, when he watched the little guy who was even smaller than one of his hands throw a tantrum by rolling around on Shi Qing’s shoulder with teary eyes and flushed cheeksk2026;
This was clearly the behaviour that Tan Mingjin used to loathe the most, but his heart inexplicably softened now. He couldn’t bear to say another reproachful word.
Although Shi Qing’s face only showed a little bit of displeasure and nothing else, there was clearly more going on judging by little Shi Qing’s babbling shrieks.
In the past, Shi Qing throwing fits only made Tan Mingjin disdainful and avoid him.
But now, as he listened to little Shi Qing’s rambunctious and energetic noises, all the man could think of was to quickly give him what he wanted.
Alas, Tan Mingjin really didn’t know why little Shi Qing and Shi Qing were so unhappy.
It didn’t make sense.
Luckily, Tan Mingjin had raised this child, so he knew exactly how to coax him.
Tan Mingjin glanced at the boy. “Didn’t you say that you wanted a new car before? I’ve bought it for you. It’s sitting in the garage, so go back and pick it up yourself.”
The babbling stopped immediately.
Little Shi Qing got up quickly and looked at Tan Mingjin like he was a hero. His little face was filled with longing and admiration for his uncle.
Tan Mingjin started from nothing, so what he valued most was hard work. He hated when people tried to kiss up to him or bring up his accomplishments. It only made him think the other party was untrustworthy and sly.
But now, looking at little Shi Qing’s admiration…
Despite his eyes being pitifully red, the little guy reached out to him again, babbling for a hug. Tan Mingjin’s heart was a soft mess.
This was definitely what this child really thought inside. No way this was fake.
When he looked back at Shi Qing again, he found that the youth was indeed somewhat excited as well.
He had been pestering Tan Mingjin to buy him a new car before, but Tan Mingjin refused to do so because he was worried the youth would get a big head from the gift and cause an accident.
However, perhaps because the shock he’d experienced today (when he saw little Shi Qing) was too great… Or perhaps because he felt like Shi Qing was not as materialistic and unfriendly as he thought, Tan Mingjin asked someone to buy that car while he was in the hospital and send it to the garage at home.
He intended to give Shi Qing a surprise, but he didn’t expect that it would now become a bargaining tool.
He watched Shi Qing carefully. The youth was excited, but he didn’t show it too obviously. Just like before, he raised his chin in a way that made people want to smack him and huffed.
“I asked you for that a long time ago. I can’t believe it took this long.”
Tan Mingjin was not surprised at all. After all, this was pretty much Young Master Shi’s signature move by now. It was one of the main reasons he had less and less patience with the child he’d raised.
After all, Tan Mingjin was not a particularly virtuous man. But he didn’t resent having to raise Shi Qing or never getting married because those were his own choices.
But was a bit of grat.i.tude from this child really too much to ask for?
It was fine if Shi Qing didn’t see him as a father, but couldn’t he be a bit nicer? Was there really a need to always act like his uncle owed him something?
When Tan Mingjin bought him something, no matter how expensive or rare it was, his effort went unacknowledged. When Tan Mingjin refused to buy him stuff, Shi Qing glared at him like he was his most hated enemy.
Who could like a person like this?
But now it’s different. Shi Qing’s out of control and tactless demeanor hadn’t changed, but the man found it cuter by the second.
After all, although Shi Qing still looked the same as ever, there was now a little guy on his shoulder who revealed his true feelings.
While the youth appeared to be like, ‘that’s the least you can do so I’m still not pleased’, little Shi Qing was happily pretending to drive a car, running around in circles on Shi Qing’s shoulder.
He was obviously excited to drive his new car soon.
Tan Mingjin couldn’t help but be pleased that his gift was so well-received. His mood couldn’t help but lighten when he looked at how carefree little Shi Qing was.
He even reached out in a good mood to stroke Shi Qing’s head. “I didn’t buy the car before because I thought you were too young and might get into an accident. Now that you’ve started your internship and matured a bit, it should be fine.”
“I’m eighteen years old. I’m not a kid anymore.” The young man turned his head with a stubborn face, as if he was very dissatisfied.
He looked like a chuunibyou that needed a few whacks on the head.
The little guy on his shoulder, however, was blushing and frantically nodding his head. He seemed very content and happy.
Tan Mingjin felt the kind of joy people experience when they know something others don’t.
After getting to know how tsundere Shi Qing was, Tan Mingjin was already used to deciphering what this child actually felt by looking at little Shi Qing.
Naturally, as time went on, Shi Qing became more and more adorable in his eyes.
He went to look at Shi Qing’s arm again, “Are you really unhurt?”
Shi Qing waved impatiently. “I’m fine, I’m fine. What could happen to someone as st.u.r.dy as me?”
Tan Mingjin went to look at little Shi Qing again. He saw the little guy making bodybuilder poses with a serious expression like he agreed. The man relaxed a bit more.
But his heart rate remained elevated since that phone call about Shi Qing’s accident. Tan Mingjin concluded that it would be better if he kept Shi Qing with him in the near future.
“If you have nothing to do, come back to the company with me later. I don’t trust you to not run off when you’re supposed to be interning. How can I entrust the company to you in the future if you’re like this?”
Tan Mingjin said this to rea.s.sure Shi Qing. After all, in his opinion, him saying he would hand over the company was implying that he wouldn’t get married or have any children. So Shi Qing didn’t have to worry about his place in their family.
To his surprise, the Shi Qing sitting in front of him appeared somewhat happy, but the little Shi Qing sitting cross-legged on his shoulder looked down.
This added a few more doubts to the man’s mind.
After all, he’d always got the feeling that Shi Qing treated all of Tan family’s wealth as his already. Shouldn’t Shi Qing be ecstatic to hear Tan Mingjin say he would leave it all to him?
His lovey-dovey act with Cheng Yunling despite disliking her so much…
Him crying like the sky fell down after Tan Mingjin said he was like a son to him…
Tan Mingjin couldn’t help but sigh. He let Shi Qing walk in front as he browsed through some doc.u.ments. Shi Qing seemed to think he was too slow. He turned to urge, “Hurry up, Uncle.”
The man raised his eyes and just happened to see little Shi Qing frowning with his hands on his hip. His expression was like, ‘why are you slow’.
Tan Mingjin lost interest in the doc.u.ments. He copied and pasted a list of books before sending a text message.
—-
Tan Mingjin’s a.s.sistant was hard at work, diligently taking the new a.s.sistant on a tour. “Your job is more to manage personal affairs. Whatever President Tan asks for, you should bring it to him ASAP. If he wants tea, go buy tea leaves. If he wants milk, find the best quality milk. Of course, your transportation and purchase costs will be reimbursed, and the bonuses are hefty too. Oh right, I have to tell you about President Tan’s eighteen year old…”
Before he could say anything, his phone rang. The a.s.sistant hastily pulled out the phone to see Tan Mingjin’s text message. He pulled the new a.s.sistant over. “Come, observe how I reply.”
He nimbly tapped on the message: [President Tan: Help me buy some books. The t.i.tles are “How to communicate with your child”, “How to be a good parent”, “Don’t guess what’s on your child’s mind”, and “The way to raise weaned piglets”]
The a.s.sistant: “…”
The new a.s.sistant: “…”
The a.s.sistant was full of bewilderment. He fell into deep contemplation of what the last t.i.tle could possibly mean.
The first few about raising children and being a parent was understandable, but piglets…?
Was he referring to that Young Master Shi??
He hesitated a bit before sending a text message over.
[President sir, are you sure about the last t.i.tle?]
The other side quickly replied: [Get it. ASAP.]
The a.s.sistant: …Alright then.
He naturally tucked his phone into his pocket while speaking to the new a.s.sistant: “See? Even if President Tan asks you to buy a book about pig farming…no. Even if he asks you to buy a pig, we have to carry out his orders to the letter.”
“That’s what I call professionalism!”
Happy Valentine’s Day!