TNIBFT -Chapter 155 The Old Master Babysits

Inside Ye Tian’s hotpot restaurant in Sifang City—

Ye Shuangxue lay sprawled on the table, utterly bored. Her chubby little face was squished against her arms, her soft pink lips pressed into a tiny duck-bill shape. “So boring…”

“Do you think Ye Tian might be in danger?”

At the thought of Ye Tian, her little brows unconsciously knitted together.

Xiao Jiang, sitting nearby, frowned and said, “He should be fine. Uncle Duan is with him—he’ll protect him.”

Ye Yunting sat upright at the table, the candlelight flickering before him like his restless thoughts. Closing his book, he looked toward the doors and windows. “We just need to do our own part well and not make Ye Tian worry.”

Seeing her big brother so serious, Ye Shuangxue straightened up and rubbed her belly with both hands. “I’m so hungry… I want something to eat.”

The moment she said that, Sun Wuji—who had been lying behind the counter—immediately jumped up and hurried over to her. “Hungry?”

“How about Master shows you some skills?”

“You?” Ye Shuangxue looked at him suspiciously, clearly unconvinced. Her doubtful gaze struck the old man hard. He pursed his lips awkwardly.

“My cooking may not be good,” he admitted, “but if you follow Master, I’ll definitely let you taste delicacies from the mountains and seas!”

“Have you ever had Buddha Jumps Over the Wall?”

“Or Dongpo Pork?”

“And crystal pork knuckle—rich but not greasy, melts in your mouth, with a deep, savory flavor… tsk, tsk…” As he spoke, Sun Wuji licked his lips, his face full of bliss as if savoring the memory.

A suspicious glimmer of drool appeared at the corner of Ye Shuangxue’s lips.

She quickly licked it away and blinked her big eyes curiously. “Master, can you cook all those?”

Xiao Jiang leaned forward eagerly.

Even Ye Yunting glanced over, curiosity in his eyes.

Sun Wuji avoided their gazes and said awkwardly, “None of them!”

“Pfft—”

“Pfft!” Xiao Jiang and Ye Shuangxue said in unison, their voices dripping with disdain.

You can’t cook any of them, yet you bragged so much?

The two kids turned away, ready to fend for themselves and head to the kitchen to make something to eat.

Seeing his little disciples leaving, Sun Wuji panicked. He rushed forward and blocked Ye Shuangxue’s path. “I can’t cook—but someone else can!”

“Put on your coats. Master will take you out to eat something good.”

Go out to eat?

The three children exchanged glances.

Ye Yunting felt it sounded unreliable and spoke first, “There’s a disaster happening outside. Most shops are closed—especially at a time like this. Grandpa Sun, you must be mistaken.”

“You old trickster, you’re trying to fool us again!” Ye Shuangxue fumed, reaching out to tug on Sun Wuji’s white beard.

Bent over, Sun Wuji yelped in pain. “Let go, let go! I’m not lying!”

“If you don’t let go—if you don’t let go—I won’t take you!”

Ye Shuangxue’s eyes darted mischievously before she finally released his beard. “Then we’re all going together?”

“Let’s go!”

Sun Wuji was bursting with excitement. This was his first time taking care of children on his own.

How hard could babysitting be?

Ye Tian always looked down on him—now that Ye Tian wasn’t around, no one could stop him from showing off. The old man was already enthusiastically planning their route.

Ye Shuangxue was ready to leave immediately.

Xiao Jiang hesitated, while Ye Yunting remained unmoved, still seated and reading.

Seeing this, Sun Wuji charged over and snatched Ye Yunting’s book away. “Come on!”

“Your father told me to take care of you. Until he comes back, you all have to listen to me!”

“Let’s go, let’s go, hurry up! If we’re late, there won’t be anything good left to eat!”

Sun Wuji urged them on. Ye Yunting was too small to resist and was simply carried off by him.

Half an hour later.

Near the City Lord’s mansion kitchen.

The grandfather and three grandchildren hid inside a decorative rock formation behind the kitchen. Ye Shuangxue wore a sullen expression, radiating cold hostility, completely unwilling to pay any attention to Sun Wuji.

Sun Wuji, on the other hand, was full of excitement. Completely oblivious to his disciple’s reaction, he pulled out four long black cloths from his pocket. “Xuexue, this is yours.”

“Xiao Jiang, yours.”

“And the eldest’s.”

He casually tossed the last strip of black cloth onto Ye Yunting’s head. Ye Yunting was speechless. He took it off and asked in confusion, “What is this?”

“Even thieves have their code of honor. Wearing this shows respect to others, got it?” Sun Wuji explained.

Ye Shuangxue: …

Ye Yunting: utterly speechless.

Xiao Jiang: I shouldn’t have had any expectations of you.

After speaking, Sun Wuji was the first to tie the black cloth over his face. Under his watchful gaze, the three children slowly followed suit.

One old man and three children, all with black cloth covering their faces, crouched sneakily behind the rockery. Four pairs of bright eyes gleamed like beasts in the night.

Outside, disaster victims filled the land, but inside the City Lord’s mansion, it was still a scene of singing and dancing.

The kitchen bustled with activity. The clatter of utensils rang out constantly, and all kinds of rich aromas mingled in the air. Ye Shuangxue’s stomach growled loudly from hunger, her little hand unconsciously pressing against it.

“No one’s around right now. I’ll go in and take a look first. I’ll steal the food—you guys cover me from outside,” Sun Wuji whispered, then disappeared in a flash.

The three children were left behind, crouched in the cold wind, utterly disheveled.

Xiao Jiang whispered, “What do we do?”

“I’ve never stolen anything before… If Ye Tian finds out, will he beat us?”

Ye Yunting remained silent.

Ye Shuangxue sniffed the delicious scents in the air, practically drooling. “If we don’t help Master, what if he gets caught?”

“Besides, there’s so much food—there’s no way the City Lord can eat it all. We’re… we’re just helping eat it, not stealing.”

“Master just barked like a dog—I’m going over.”

After speaking, Ye Shuangxue crouched low and crept toward the kitchen, sticking to the shadows.

“Second Sister…” Xiao Jiang whispered, reaching out to grab her clothes. Seeing that she had already left, he gave Ye Yunting an apologetic look. “Big Brother, I… I’ll go help Second Sister too.”

Ye Yunting didn’t respond.

Xiao Jiang had just turned to leave when a voice came from behind him: “I’ll go with you.”

At this time, the kitchen was crowded.

Some were chopping vegetables, some stir-frying, some tending the fire, boiling water, washing produce—everyone was busy as could be.

Sun Wuji moved incredibly fast. A freshly roasted pigeon had just been placed on the cutting board—only for it and the plate to vanish the next second.

The cook stared at the now-empty counter, completely puzzled. It had just been there—where did it go?

Maybe someone took it? Must be.

Not thinking much of it, she continued with the next dish.

Then the third.

Then the fourth.

She kept feeling that something was off, yet couldn’t pinpoint what exactly.

After grabbing several dishes, Sun Wuji regrouped with the three children, grinning happily. “Come on, come on, let’s go over there.”

“Smells good, right? Stick with Grandpa Sun. Forget just the City Lord’s mansion—whenever you want to eat in the future, whether it flies in the sky or runs on the ground, you can have it all.”

“Hehe…” Sun Wuji chuckled foolishly. “But remember—don’t tell Ye Tian that I brought you out to sneak food.”

“Hmph!”

Ye Shuangxue held a chicken drumstick in one hand, gnawing on it while reaching out for a large pork knuckle. Sun Wuji instantly panicked. “That’s mine—mine!”