Fine…Then I’ll Be the Sea King

Qiu Mingchuan had been stewing in anger.

All for a child he never wanted.
Xie Hanzhou gave him the cold shoulder.
His agent laid into him mercilessly.
His fans collectively abandoned him en masse.

And now, on a variety show, even these little brats were talking to him with veiled sarcasm.
His lungs ached from holding it in.

Still, he had to force out a smile and say,
Big brother’s fine.

Like that.
Xie Yaoyao instantly lost interest in him and pattered away.

Ning Shixue: “…”

Truly his good little son.

Thanks to Xie Yaoyao, Qiu Mingchuan didn’t try to talk to him again.
Once on the train, Ning Shixue slept groggily the whole way.
With a little one nestled in his arms, he wasn’t cold anymore.

Except for He Miao, it was the first train ride for Xie Yaoyao and the other little ones.

But the director had roused them before dawn.
Even Tang Haohao was so sleepy he lay sprawled in Tang He’an’s arms.

No one had the energy to play.

When they reached the beach, the director handed each little one a little red bucket.
Now, kids, you can start collecting shells!
You can also ask your daddies for help!
If you find a mystery treasure chest and answer the question correctly, there are extra rewards!

Each child had their own designated area.
Xie Yaoyao planted his chubby hands on his waist, his expression especially serious.
But no matter how serious his fair, tender face was, it only made you want to pinch it.

You, go, pick that area, all must pick finish!
He commanded Ning Shixue in his milky voice.

Ning Shixue had already bent down to pick up shells.
Hearing Xie Yaoyao’s threat, he lazily brushed the sand off his fingertips, found the program team’s lounge chair, and comfortably lay down.

Xie Yaoyao: ???

Xie Yaoyao’s little head, filled with big confusion, ran over and tugged at him.
You not allowed lie down.

‘Says who?’
Ning Shixue didn’t budge an inch.

Xie Yaoyao’s fair, tender cheeks puffed out.
He stamped his foot in anger.
Everyone, is picking shells!

‘Is that so,’
Ning Shixue smiled instead.
‘The director said daddies can help.
That means I can also choose not to help, right?’

Xie Yaoyao was confused by his logic, his little bun face full of conflict.

Seeing He Miao and the others had already picked five or six, he grew anxious.
He let out a vigorous hmph at Ning Shixue.
‘Not need you help, I can do it myself!’

‘Then go for it,’
Ning Shixue said mercilessly.

His fingers were cool and pale, holding a cup of hot water, his colourless lips now slightly reddened.

Xie Yaoyao, full of pride, really did go off to pick shells alone.
His soft, plump little back was full of stubbornness.

[Kid, be careful.
You can’t outwit your bad stepdad. doge]

[Let auntie kiss you, let auntie pinch your cheek, and auntie will help you pick shells.
Demon whispering.jpg]

Children have short attention spans.
Xie Yaoyao dug out a shell with his chubby little hand.
Before he could pick up the next one, he was distracted by a little crab grunting and scuttling sideways.

He wore little overalls with a round, tiny tail on the back.
He lay on the ground crawling alongside the little crab.

Ning Shixue didn’t care about him getting his clothes dirty.
He even took out his phone and filmed him.

[Terrible.
These days, human cubs even have their embarrassing childhood moments in HD.]

[I really want to tug his little tail.
Wonder if he’d cry.]

[??? Too mean.
Count me in. (just kidding)]

They were going to stay at the beach until evening.
A three-and-a-half-year-old cub already suffered from procrastination.
By noon, the other little ones had picked dozens of shells and found two or three treasure chests.
But Xie Yaoyao’s little red bucket had only one pitiful little shell.

Xie Yaoyao didn’t cry.

He plopped down next to Ning Shixue, propped his chubby face in his hands, and sighed.
‘I miss my Big Daddy.’

Why was it like this?

Filming a variety show wasn’t anything like he’d imagined.

He thought he’d have lots of kids to play with, lots of tasty food, and be able to boss the bad stepdad around.

Instead, he’d been working the whole time.

Kindergarten was better than this.

Ning Shixue: “…”

Honestly, I miss your Big Daddy too.

He was wondering why Xie Zhaozhou hadn’t come to ransom him and Xie Yaoyao yet.
Was he really comfortable leaving his kid with him?

And Xie Zhaozhou still hadn’t replied to his message.

Ning Shixue couldn’t help but grumble inwardly.
Were the Xies just a family of scumbags?
Wasn’t this marital cold violence?

Half his face was buried under his scarf.
He sent Xie Zhaozhou the video of Xie Yaoyao and the little crab.

A dirty cub, the beach, a shabby fishing boat, the orange-red sunrise at the horizon reflecting off the boat like rust.

High EQ: Performance art.
Low EQ: Kidnapping scene.

The kind prepared for illegal emigration.

His fingers flew as he typed, but this time, before he could send, Xie Zhaozhou seemed to have finally reached his limit and suddenly replied.

– [. : Ning Shixue.]

Ning Shixue’s fingertips twitched, nearly startled.

It reminded him of that cold voice on the phone.

Xie Zhaozhou’s profile picture was also pitch black.
Only by enlarging it could you make out a crescent moon in the night sky.

Exceptionally desolate.

– [. : Bring Xie Yaoyao the day after tomorrow.
Come with me to celebrate Elder He’s birthday.
My assistant will pick you up in advance.]

– [. : Cooperate then.
You shouldn’t want any trouble.]

Cooperate?
Ning Shixue pondered.
It just meant pretending to be a loving couple in front of everyone.
Not difficult.

– [snow: Okay, President Xie.]

No sooner had Ning Shixue replied than He Miaomiao suddenly came pattering over.
She wore little pink bud pants today and raised her hand, forcefully shoving a shell at him.

Little Ning Gege,
He Miaomiao snuggled up to him, a little shyly.
Give you the prettiest one!

Ning Shixue’s under-eye area curved.
‘Thank you, Miaomiao.’

This treasure chest also for you, but I can’t open it,
He Miaomiao said, troubled.

Ning Shixue certainly wouldn’t take her treasure chest.
He picked it up to examine it.
‘Do you not have the key?
Should I help you find the key?’

Okay!
He Miaomiao excitedly took his hand.

And so, Xie Yaoyao watched helplessly as Ning Shixue was led away by someone else.
Ning Shixue even proactively offered to help.

“…”

This time, Xie Yaoyao’s tears really started welling up in his eyes.
He stamped his foot hard, whimpering like a little puppy.

But Ning Shixue didn’t come to comfort him.

Hmph, he didn’t care anyway!

–

The program team’s treasure chests contained little cards with pictures of jellyfish, crabs, sea hares, and other creatures—the same ones from the question game earlier.

If they could answer correctly, the little ones got a reward.

Ning Shixue accompanied Miaomiao for a while and didn’t return for half an hour.
He looked down and suddenly paused.

In the spot where he had been sitting were five or six little shells and a few pieces of sea glass.

Xie Yaoyao was covered in sand and mud.
He looked like he’d cried, his little face still flushed.
He squatted nearby like a little stray nobody wanted.

Absolutely pitiful.

Little shells all for you,
Xie Yaoyao pouted, trying to sound fierce but failing to muster any real authority.
You come with me pick more.

Xie Yaoyao’s chubby little face showed complete resignation.

Fine, fine.

The bad stepdad was too delicate, had to be coaxed before he’d move.
So he’d give him some shells too.

‘Fine,’
Ning Shixue agreed reluctantly.

He lowered his head, wiped Xie Yaoyao’s face with a wet wipe, then took his little hand and went to pick shells.

He Miao and the others were running wild by the seaside.

Why are you called Jiang Yu?
He Miao asked Jiang Yu curiously.
Are you a little fish?

Jiang Yu wore little shorts and carried a fish spear, looking exceptionally proud.
Not oh.
Because my daddy is the sea god, I am the marshal of this sea!

[The director mentioned earlier that his dad went out to fish, then died in a shipwreck.]

Jiang Yu originally grew up in a small fishing village by the sea.

After his dad died, he and his mother moved to his maternal grandfather’s house on the other side of the mountain.

The little ones didn’t fully understand, but ‘Sea God’ sounded incredibly powerful.
They couldn’t help but gather around Jiang Yu admiringly.

I can also be sea god?
Tang Haohao raised his little fist.
I can fight little monsters!

He Miao propped her chin on her hands.
I want to be a mermaid.

There can only be one sea god, and my grandpa said mermaids aren’t real, so you can only be a princess of the sea,
Jiang Yu’s reasoning, at first glance, made perfect sense.
He puffed out his chest, then said to Tang Haohao,
You can be my chief of staff.

Chief of staff.

Sounded impressive too.

Tang Haohao said excitedly,
Then I am chief of staff!

Jiang Yu turned his gaze to Xie Yaoyao and Ji Xiao.
He hadn’t forgotten about these two little ones.
He thought hard for a moment and decided they were too little to go fight at sea with him.

You two can be my little henchmen!
Jiang Yu decided.

Ji Xiao, suddenly becoming someone’s henchman, looked dazed but didn’t object.

But Xie Yaoyao’s dark eyes instantly widened.
His fair, tender cheeks puffed up defiantly.

The little treasure of the Xie family only ever bullied others.
How could he be someone else’s henchman!

I not want,
Xie Yaoyao refused angrily.

But they already had a Sea God.
What could he be that would be more impressive than Jiang Yu and the others?

Yaoyao didi,
He Miao suggested.
You can be a princess with me.

Xie Yaoyao didn’t want to be a princess.
He hemmed and hawed for ages, his little face flushed pink with effort.
Finally, he said,
‘I want to be Sea King!’

The great king of the sea.
Sounded very powerful.

[…]

[Kid, that Sea King probably isn’t what you think it means.]

[Reborn as a three-and-a-half-year-old Sea King. (just kidding)]

Ning Shixue: “…”

Your family really does breed scumbags, doesn’t it?