TNIBFT -Chapter 134 I’ll be Back Later

Ye Shuangxue’s eyes widened in shock.

Being bullied, and not only was no justice done, but she was scolded on top of it?

Is this really her own father?

She was about to speak in anger when Shi Hao, standing in the corner, suddenly spoke up: “I’m sorry, I was wrong!”

The little chubby boy lowered his head, hands clenched into fists.

It seemed that only by him stepping back could family harmony be restored.

Seeing this, Shi Xuan let out a proud, cold snort and cast a cold glance at Shi Shanxiang: “From now on, make sure you control your precious son.”

With that, he turned and left without looking back.

“Xuan’er!”

“Xuan’er!”

Shi Shanxiang wasn’t willing to give up; he followed after Shi Xuan, still full of words he wanted to say. But his eldest son completely ignored him. Shi Shanxiang looked helplessly at Shi Hao in the corner: “Look at you! What have you been up to? When your brother was your age, he spent his days at home studying. And you? All you think about is eating—you’re fat and lazy. Your brother certainly didn’t like hotpot…”

“And gifts… what money do you have? Do you think he’d like anything you give him? If only you were as easy to deal with as your brother, I’d laugh even in my dreams.”

Shi Shanxiang’s eyes were critical, full of disdain.

Every word was a reprimand.

Ye Shuangxue’s little face fell as she watched her nemesis. He was just a head taller than her, a child of seven or eight, and he kept his head down, too afraid to retort. As Shi Shanxiang scolded, he reached out to poke Shi Hao’s head. Shi Hao didn’t dare lift it; his body stumbled backward.

“It’s not like that…”

Ye Shuangxue spoke up. If Ye Tian treated her this way, her nose would have gone red, and she would have almost cried.

“Shi Hao, say something! Your brother bullied you! He hit you! And you did nothing! How can you be so useless?” Ye Shuangxue shouted in anger.

Shi Hao lifted his head.

A flicker of resentment crossed his eyes. All his life, his older brother had been like this. His brother’s mother died early, his father remarried, and then Shi Hao was born. Over the years, his father always feared that his mother would favor him, so he constantly protected the eldest son and often intimidated Shi Hao.

Every time, he was compared to his brother. His brother was good at studying, so his father made him feel worthless.

He was constantly insulted for being fat and for sneaking food—things his father never knew about. In order to lose weight, he often skipped meals, sometimes even fainting from hunger.

He only wanted to please his brother, to make the family harmonious, to make everyone happy. He never had any other intentions.

Shi Hao’s eyes filled with tears of grievance.

“Cry, cry, cry! Just like your useless mother, all you do is whine and cry!” Shi Shanxiang said, full of disgust, swinging his sleeve as he turned to leave.

“What’s going on here?”

Ye Tian’s voice rang out. Ye Shuangxue turned her head, pouting, and ran to him. The little girl opened her arms and clutched Ye Tian’s legs tightly, burying her face in his clothes, saying nothing.

Ye Tian’s gaze swept the room, settling on Shi Shanxiang and Shi Hao.

This little chubby boy looked familiar—wasn’t he his daughter’s classmate?

Seeing Shi Shanxiang looking at him, Ye Tian lifted his daughter and politely smiled: “I’m the owner of this hotpot restaurant. Your son is my daughter’s classmate.”

Shi Shanxiang nodded. “Shijia Grain Shop, Shi Shanxiang.”

“Sorry to bother you. We’ll be going now.”

After speaking, Shi Shanxiang glanced with disgust at Shi Hao, who was still sniffling.

Shi Shanxiang?

Words flashed through Ye Tian’s mind. After the late spring frost, the first person Shen Jie executed to set an example was Shi Shanxiang, a major grain merchant in Sifang City.

At this time, grain prices had plummeted. He had the largest stockpile, and with Shi Xuan studying in the city, buying a luxury home, hiring servants, and paving the way for his son, he had no extra silver on hand and was completely overwhelmed.

Truly, just when you’re drowsy, someone brings a pillow.

Ye Tian smiled and said, “I’ve got some silver on hand recently and want to invest in a grain shop. Boss Shí, you know this business—can you give me some guidance?”

Investment?

Hearing Ye Tian’s words, Shi Shanxiang’s eyes lit up. A big smile spread across his face: “Our Shi family has been grain merchants for generations. You’ve come to the right person.”

After speaking, Shi Shanxiang looked around the hotpot restaurant. Hotpot was profitable, but it also had connections behind it.

Ye Tian had money and backing; if he invested in the family grain shop, it wouldn’t be bad at all.

Thinking this, Shi Shanxiang’s smile widened. He turned to Shi Hao, his gaze softening a bit: “Since this is your classmate’s hotpot restaurant, why didn’t you say anything earlier?”

“You… you’re so unreliable at handling things.”

Shi Shanxiang’s tone was indulgent. Patting Shi Hao on the shoulder, he looked at Ye Tian and smiled: “We haven’t even eaten the hotpot yet. If you don’t mind, Boss Ye, shall we sit and talk details?”

“Sure!”

Ye Tian nodded in agreement.

Shi Hao kept his head down, acting like a puppet throughout. Whatever Shi Shanxiang said, he nodded in agreement. He didn’t even dare pick up food, cautious and careful in every move. Ye Shuangxue and Xiao Jiang frowned at the sight.

“Grain prices have fallen these past two months, but that doesn’t mean they’ll keep falling.”

“My family has run grain shops for generations; it’s an established business. If you invest, you’ll definitely make money in the future…”

Shi Shanxiang started persuading Ye Tian.

Ye Tian smiled silently and then asked directly, “If I want to buy out the Shi family grain shop, how much silver would it take?”

“I know your warehouse is stacked with grain. After the New Year, it’ll become old grain and won’t sell for much. It’s not just your shop that can’t sell it; the entire Sifang city isn’t short on grain right now.”

Ye Tian analyzed the situation.

Shi Shanxiang’s way of managing was weak. He also wanted to take the money and run. During wartime, soldiers would seize grain without paying; in peacetime, civilians weren’t short of grain. Plus, with Sifang city’s heavy taxes, this business was even harder than during war.

“Six thousand taels. Not a single tael less, or we won’t talk.”

Ye Tian smiled: “Then I’ll wait a little longer.”

The grain price crash happened just before the late-spring cold spell. Sifang city suffered snow damage. Afterwards, Da Liang provided relief grain, and the Da Zhou government, preparing for war, pretended to be a merchant association and distributed three months’ worth of relief grain to the people.

When war broke out, the merchant association called on the people, and many fled overnight without resistance.

Hearing Ye Tian say he would wait, Shi Shanxiang immediately became anxious.

The price hadn’t been agreed upon, and Shi Shanxiang had to leave first. Shi Hao was left to hang out with his classmates.

His father had no idea that he and Ye Tian’s children were sworn enemies.

Watching Shi Shanxiang’s back, Ye Shuangxue asked, “Little fatty, is he really your dad?”

“Mm.”

Shi Hao didn’t look up, responding perfunctorily.

Ye Shuangxue and Xiao Jiang exchanged a glance: “Aren’t you usually so capable? Why don’t you explain things to your dad?”

Shi Hao remained silent.

Ye Tian awkwardly smiled, dipped some beef with the communal chopsticks, and handed it to Shi Hao: “Eat more beef. Beef doesn’t make you fat easily. Kids are still growing—you must eat meat.”

Shi Hao looked at the beef in his bowl, pressed his lips together, feeling a complicated mix of emotions.

All these years, Shi Shanxiang had never treated him like this. He was always mocked for being all fat.

Then he looked at Ye Tian, who was dipping more beef for Ye Shuangxue.

Shi Hao felt envious, lowering his head and fidgeting with his chopsticks: “Can I still come here in the future?”