TNIBFT -Chapter 115 Not a Bad Match

“What do you mean none of you think that?”

Fang Shenghu’s mouth twitched slightly. He pulled Ye Tian toward a street corner and said in a mysterious tone, “What’s done is done. I think Miss Xiao is quite good—she treats the three children well, and she treats you well too.”

“And besides, she’s the city lord’s daughter.”

“Huh?”

Ye Tian looked at Fang Shenghu in surprise. Staring at his honest, simple face, Ye Tian couldn’t help thinking: I never expected you to be this kind of Brother Fang…

So you even know how to curry favor with the powerful?

Seeing Ye Tian staring at him, Fang Shenghu said awkwardly, “The city lord’s daughter matching with you… well, it’s not a bad match.”

“Huh?!”

That sentence shocked Ye Tian to his core.

A man with three children, no power, no status, and a terrible reputation in Sifang City—and Brother Fang actually thought the city lord’s daughter was barely worthy of him?

Did Brother Fang have some kind of filter on him? Otherwise, how could he be so confident?

“It’s already been five years. The children’s mother has been dead for five years. You should start living a normal life again. I think Miss Xiao is sincere toward you.” Fang Shenghu stubbornly stuck to his opinion.

Ye Tian sighed helplessly and didn’t argue. But Fang Shenghu’s words about the children’s mother being dead lingered in his mind.

Dead?

The original novel never mentioned it, and Ye Tian hadn’t read to the end.

Searching his memory, there wasn’t a single trace about the children’s mother. Thinking of the three children, Ye Tian’s mood grew heavy. Their mother died when they were born, then they suffered abuse from their biological father, and in the end became infamous villains hated by all…

These three kids really had it too hard.

“You should cherish her.”

Fang Shenghu patted Ye Tian on the shoulder, pulling him out of his thoughts.

Then, after saying that, he turned and left without another word.

Ye Tian felt helpless.

People in this world are too simple. Can’t a man and a woman just be friends?

…

Meanwhile—

Inside Huichun Hall.

The fragrance of medicine wafted gently from the stove. Jiang Huichun had rolled up his sleeves, tending the decoction while staring at the pot. “When preparing medicine, the most important things are care and patience. You mustn’t rush…”

Shen Jie listened attentively, following respectfully behind him.

“And also, whether herbs are toxic depends on how they’re combined…” Before Jiang Huichun could finish, a hurried set of footsteps interrupted him.

Shen Jie turned his head.

Jiang Yunxi, dressed in a light green dress, with a long braid tied by a green ribbon, dashed in like a lively rabbit. Her movements were so graceful they resembled a painting.

“Brother Shen!”

“Brother Shen!”

She called out loudly as she rushed in from the courtyard and ran straight behind Shen Jie. Shen Jie smiled politely at Jiang Huichun.

Jiang Huichun tossed aside his fan, stood up, and looked at his daughter with doting eyes. “Shouting like that—what kind of behavior is this?”

After saying that, he shook his head and walked out.

Watching Jiang Huichun leave, Shen Jie helplessly tapped Jiang Yunxi on the forehead, his tone affectionate. “You…”

“If you keep this up, Doctor Jiang might start to dislike me.”

“No way. Whatever I like, my father likes too,” Jiang Yunxi pouted and acted coquettishly, hands behind her back as she swayed slightly. “I just saw Xiao Xun’er. She rides around the streets on horseback every day, not caring about the lives of the common people at all.”

When mentioning Xiao Xun’er, Jiang Yunxi looked full of disdain.

Shen Jie said, “Not everyone is as kind as you, Yunxi—thinking of the common people.”

“She’s a noble young lady. The entire Sifang City is her family’s domain, and the people here are practically her servants.”

Jiang Yunxi nodded. “I saw Xiao Xun’er take Ye Tian to look at shops on Zhuque Street. Later, I asked the shopkeeper and found out that Miss Xiao actually begged the city lord to transfer the shop to Ye Tian as a gift.”

“What?!”

A vicious glint flashed in Shen Jie’s eyes. His fists clenched tightly, his whole body trembling with anger.

Not only had Ye Tian not died, he had even received a reward from the City Lord?

Xiao Xun’er?

Qiu Feibai—surely the City Lord had only been willing to grant Ye Tian a shop because of these two.

As for Ye Tian’s son, Ye Hanjiang, he was merely one of Qiu Feibai’s disciples. Jiang Yunxi was the one truly valued. The City Lord had to be made aware of who really mattered.

And then there was what Ji Zhengping had said last time—he wouldn’t kill him, but only for now.

Could it be that the City Lord had already learned of his background?

It wasn’t impossible.

Shen Jie frowned. If that were the case, and he held no value, Xiao Haoyang would never acknowledge him.

Now, all his hopes rested on tomorrow’s selection of officials in Sifang City.

“Brother Shen?”

Seeing Shen Jie lost in thought, Jiang Yunxi gently shook his arm. He snapped back to his senses, his voice heavy with worry. “I wonder how the exam will go tomorrow.”

“Yunxi, isn’t Divine Physician Jiang on good terms with the chief examiner? Could you talk to him now? I’m afraid… what if I don’t get selected? If the City Lord refuses to acknowledge me, what will happen to my mother?”

“It’s been so long… my mother, she…”

As Shen Jie spoke, tears of concern welled up in his eyes.

Jiang Yunxi immediately comforted him, “I’ll go right now, I’ll go tell my father. Don’t worry, everything will be fine.”

She hurried off, anxious to reassure him.

Shen Jie lowered his head, his expression unreadable.

…

In the winter schoolyard, thick snow had been piled up by the children into several crooked snowmen.

Icicles melted from the eaves, droplets falling onto the snow and forming neat little puddles on the ground.

“Did you eat dumplings this morning?”

“My mom made pork and scallion dumplings!”

“I had pickled cabbage filling!”

“My mom can make dumplings and rice cakes too…”

A group of little children chattered noisily, their voices full of innocence.

Ye Yunting paid no attention to the outside world, frowning at his dull and tedious book with a serious expression.

Xiao Jiang had his head almost buried in his schoolbag, not sure what he was looking at.

Ye Shuangxue was fast asleep, her breathing steady as a bubble of snot on her nose grew and shrank with each breath. The little girl was completely lost in sleep.

The other children covered their mouths, giggling at the sight.

Shi Hao, the chubby boy, held a stick and stretched his neck forward with a mischievous grin, trying to pop the snot bubble. A group of kids gathered around him, all covering their mouths in excitement.

Ye Yunting glanced over and shook his head helplessly. What they were doing was no different from plucking whiskers from a tiger—they’d be crying soon enough.

“Haha… almost there!”

“Shh, don’t talk!”

“If we wake the Lion King, we’re all dead!”

Shi Hao whispered, lowering his voice. Lately, since Ye Shuangxue hadn’t been hitting anyone, they had already forgotten how they cried before.

“What are you doing?!”

A sharp, clear voice shouted in anger, startling Shi Hao. His already tense nerves snapped—

Thud!

“Ouch!”

“You’re crushing me—get off!”

“My stomach’s been flattened!”

The children cried out in chaos.

Only then did Ye Shuangxue frown and slowly wake up. Her bangs were messy, faint marks pressed into her soft little face, her pink lips still glistening with drool. She looked around in a daze.

“Is school over?”