TNIBFT -Chapter 16 Not Spoiling Bratty Kids

A few minutes later, the father and his three children finally arrived home. Inside, firewood crackled in the hearth, and water in the copper pot was already boiling.

Ye Shuangxue had lit the fire earlier in the evening.

In weather like this, with the house full of drafts from all sides, having no firewood was a death sentence.

Ye Tian remained silent.

He had just transmigrated yesterday and had been constantly trying to please the three children. The result was obvious—his special care had been taken as having ulterior motives.

When someone is prejudiced against you, no matter what you do, you’re always in the wrong.

After thinking it through, Ye Tian felt it was time to change the way he raised the children.

“Um…”

The heavy silence was broken first by Ye Shuangxue. She said, “At noon, I went to Aunt Li’s house to help watch her child. She gave me two sweet potatoes. Should we eat sweet potatoes tonight?” As she spoke, her big eyes kept drifting toward the meat buns Ye Tian had placed to the side.

She had already caught their rich aroma.

It was making her unbearably hungry.

Ye Yunting sat quietly by the fire, slowly adding firewood without a word.

Xiao Jiang looked at his older brother and sister, then at Ye Tian. As if he hadn’t heard anything, Ye Tian tidied up his bedding, mentally planning what else the household still needed. After a while, he finally said, “Steam the meat buns. We made money today—let’s celebrate properly as a family.”

The three children exchanged glances, their eyes filled with joy, as if it were New Year’s.

Eat meat buns?

They rarely got to. In the past, Fang Shenghu would secretly buy some for them, but after Ye Tian found out, even if Fang Shenghu bought them, they didn’t dare eat on their own. They would bring them home for Ye Tian—and even if he couldn’t finish them, it still wouldn’t be their turn.

“I’ll steam the buns!” Ye Shuangxue volunteered eagerly, full of energy.

Even Ye Yunting’s expression softened a little compared to usual.

Xiao Jiang followed behind his sister, wanting to help, but realized there was nothing he could do. He stamped his feet anxiously. After everything was done, the three children sat with Ye Tian by the fire to warm themselves.

Because of the earlier misunderstanding, the atmosphere was awkward.

Ye Shuangxue didn’t think she was in the wrong. Even now, she and Ye Yunting still suspected Ye Tian of having ulterior motives. A person rotten to the core couldn’t possibly change in a single day—there was no way she would apologize. Ye Tian, on the other hand, didn’t want to keep currying favor with the children without any limits. If this went on, long-term indulgence would only harm their growth.

A few minutes later—

Gulp!

Gulp!

Xiao Jiang swallowed hard, licking his moist red lips as he looked at Ye Tian. “Are the meat buns ready? I can smell the meat… and fish… and even wontons.”

The little guy’s eyes were full of longing. In his mind, a single meat bun contained all the delicacies he had ever known.

Ye Tian smiled. Seeing Ye Shuangxue secretly swallow her saliva and Ye Yunting staring fixedly at the copper pot, it was clear—after all, they were only five-year-old children. No matter how guarded they were, they couldn’t hide their desire in front of food.

Ye Tian picked up a wooden stick and lifted the heavy lid of the copper pot.

The three children stretched their necks in anticipation.

In an instant, steam billowed out. The scalding vapor carried the fragrance of scallions and pork, mixed with the sweet scent of flour, making mouths water.

“Time to eat meat buns!”

Ye Tian called out. He picked up a plump, white bun with his chopsticks and, under the eager gazes of the three children, handed it to Ye Yunting.

“The eldest eats first. You’ve worked hard taking care of your younger brother and sister.”

Ye Yunting froze.

He hadn’t expected Ye Tian to give him one first. The old Ye Tian had never considered them, nor cared about what he did.

“Give it to Xiao Jiang and Shuangxue—” Ye Yunting hadn’t even finished speaking when Ye Tian frowned.

“I’m the head of the family. If I tell you to eat, then eat. Besides, they all have theirs already—what are you being polite for?”

Only then did Ye Yunting pick up the chipped porcelain bowl by his feet and hold it out with both hands toward Ye Tian.

A plump, white meat bun was placed into the bowl. Ye Yunting stared at it for a long while, still unable to process it, holding the bowl in both hands and looking at it again and again, reluctant to take even a bite.

“This one is Shuangxue’s.”

Ye Tian picked up a bun and handed it to Ye Shuangxue. She had already prepared her bowl and chopsticks, her big eyes fixed on the plump white bun, practically sparkling. The moment she got it, she didn’t care about anything else and took a big bite.

“Ah—!”

“Hot, hot!”

She held the bowl in one hand, fanning her mouth with the other, sticking out her little tongue and huffing repeatedly.

Ye Yunting and Xiao Jiang burst out laughing at the sight.

“Xiao Jiang gets one too. Today, Xiao Jiang followed Dad to sell the Thirteen-Spice. He’s the biggest contributor in our family today.”

Hearing Ye Tian say that, Xiao Jiang’s little face turned red with embarrassment. He didn’t dare lift his head at first, but after a while, he finally looked up at Ye Tian and asked softly, “In the future… when you go sell things, can you take me with you?”

“Of course.”

Ye Tian agreed readily.

“Eat before the buns get cold. There are more if it’s not enough.”

With that, the family of four began eating.

With one bite, the dough was soft yet chewy—completely different from the buns sold at the fast-food shop downstairs in his previous life. As he chewed, the flour released a faint sweetness along with a rich wheat aroma. Truly natural, unpolluted grain!

Ye Tian felt a wave of emotion. Taking another bite, his mouth filled with rich meat stuffing—fat and lean perfectly balanced, bursting with savory juice, mixed with the fragrance of chopped scallions. It wasn’t greasy at all. Most importantly, unlike the minced mush from his previous life’s buns, this filling had real texture. He could even taste the tender, springy bits of pork skin—rich but not cloying.

This was definitely hand-chopped meat.

“Delicious!”

Ye Tian finished a big meat bun in three or four bites, almost wishing he could swallow his tongue along with it.

Just as he reached out for a second one—

He looked up and saw the three children licking their lips, staring at him with lingering desire in their eyes.

They finished that fast?

Ye Tian blinked in confusion.

He quickly grabbed another bun for Xiao Jiang, then handed one to Ye Yunting.

Ye Yunting’s face reddened slightly. He said nothing.

“You’re all still growing. Boys need to eat more to grow strong. Once I make money, our family will eat meat every day.”

“Mm.”

Whether Ye Tian’s words were true or not, Ye Yunting only gave a perfunctory response and lowered his head to continue eating.

Looking at the last bun in the copper pot, Ye Shuangxue’s eyes lit up the moment Ye Tian picked it up. She unconsciously licked her lips and held out her bowl with both hands toward him.

These past two days, Ye Tian’s attitude toward them had changed too much. Even when there was food, even if he didn’t eat, he would give it to her first.

But this time—

Ye Tian didn’t even glance at her. He took a big bite straight out of the bun.

Crunch!

Ye Shuangxue’s eyes widened, as if she could hear her heart shattering. He did it on purpose—he gave one to Xiao Jiang, gave one to her brother, but not to her. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. Puffing up her cheeks, raising her little brows, she demanded coldly:

“Everyone got two. You got two too. Why don’t I have one?”

Her question interrupted Ye Hanjiang and Ye Yunting, who had been eating happily. The two little ones looked up in surprise, only then noticing Ye Shuangxue staring at Ye Tian with grievance, her bowl completely empty.

“Didn’t you crush your other bun under your foot?”