TNIBFT -Chapter 168 Motive

Tao Ling’er bent slightly at the waist, her bright smile framed by the snow-white fox fur collar. In one hand, she held a red candied hawthorn skewer, while the other was hidden behind her back. Her large eyes gazed at Ye Yunting with a look full of affection.

During this period, at Tao Lichun’s house, it had always been Tao Ling’er taking care of Ye Yunting—her feelings toward him were different from anyone else’s.

Seeing it was Tao Ling’er, Ye Yunting tugged at the corners of his mouth; his icy expression softened slightly.

He glanced at the candied skewer and said, “This is something only children eat. I’d better not. I still have to study with the teacher later…”

Ye Yunting declined.

Countless eyes from below the city wall were watching him. To eat a candied skewer in public—what kind of authority would that show?

Not in a million years!

Ye Yunting held his small face high in a proud, tsundere way. Tao Ling’er approached, and it was then that Ye Yunting noticed that in her hidden left hand behind her back, she was holding three more skewers of candied hawthorn.

Buying so many?

Before he could react, Tao Ling’er straightened up and stood beside him. “You’re so young, yet you act so serious and old-fashioned,” she said.

“That’s not cute at all. Look at Xiao Jiang—his little mouth is so sweet, everyone loves him. You need to learn from him.”

Thinking of the clingy Xiao Jiang, Ye Yunting felt a shiver run down his spine.

The current Xiao Jiang, every day acting cute and coquettish, constantly begging Ye Tian to hug her, had lost all restraint. He had no intention of learning from her.

“Why don’t I go back with you?”

Tao Ling’er’s eyes twinkled as she bent down to look at Ye Yunting and continued, “Anyway, my father doesn’t have time to look after you right now. Plus, there are these three skewers of candied hawthorn. If you don’t eat them, you can just take them back to Ye Tian. Don’t give them to Shuangxue or Xiao Jiang. How about that?”

Tao Ling’er looked at him with hopeful eyes.

Ye Yunting’s gaze fell on the four skewers of candied hawthorn. He began to doubt Sister Ling’er’s motive.

He was just about to refuse.

“Then you can just take Yunting back. I still have city affairs to handle, and if you return to the hotpot restaurant, I’ll be at ease,” Tao Lichun said from above, eyes slightly narrowed, instructing Tao Ling’er.

A smile lit up Tao Ling’er’s face. Before Ye Yunting could answer, she hurriedly said, “Let’s go now! Father, don’t tire yourself too much. I’ll bring you lunch at noon.”

Saying this, she quickly pulled Ye Yunting toward the base of the city wall and ran.

She didn’t even know what Miss Xiao and Ye Tian were doing now. They had to hurry to the hotpot restaurant. Tao Ling’er raced with Ye Yunting in tow.

Ye Yunting could only be reluctantly taken home.

Meanwhile, at the hotpot restaurant:

When Ye Tian returned, Yuan Heipang and the others were inside cracking sunflower seeds.

Before he even entered, Ye Tian heard their lewd laughter. When they saw him walk in, their eyes flickered nervously, faint red tints appearing on their faces. They suddenly fell silent, saying nothing.

Ancient people telling jokes, afraid someone would hear?

Ye Tian found it amusing and looked at Yuan Heipang. “Where are Xiao Jiang and Shuangxue?”

“They’re playing in the backyard.”

Yuan Heipang immediately dropped the sunflower seeds and answered loudly. Seeing Ye Tian looking, he quickly added with a smile, “I wanted to play with them, but Xue Xue said I’m ugly and didn’t want to play with me.”

“I just cut some fruit—they ate a little.”

“Mm,” Ye Tian nodded, then said to the others, “Go ahead and play. Make extra lunch, something lavish. It’s rare to have free time; eat something good.”

“Thank you, Boss!”

“Thank you, Boss!”

The few of them stood and thanked Ye Tian. He then headed toward the backyard.

The backyard was deep. In front of the screen wall had originally grown a small pine tree, but after Ye Tian moved in, it had now withered to bare branches, not a trace of green left.

“Don’t move! Don’t move!”

“This looks good—yes, like this!”

“Uncle Duan, how did you lose again?”

Xiao Jiang’s soft, sweet voice reached him. Ye Tian looked up and saw Xiao Jiang and his daughter sitting on the doorstep in front of the brown carved wooden door. The two of them were tearing up sheets of rice paper with their little hands, and sitting between them, Duan Qingshan’s face was completely covered with paper notes.

He looked ridiculous.

It was both laughable and exasperating. Duan Qingshan, an eighth-rank expert, looked utterly defeated in front of these mischievous kids.

Hearing footsteps, Duan Qingshan turned his head, the rice-paper notes on his face swaying with his movement.

“Master!”

Duan Qingshan immediately stood up.

His expression was awkward; realizing the situation, he hurriedly brushed the paper off his face, looking embarrassed.

Ye Tian asked in surprise, “You… what are you doing?”

“Dad!”

“Ye Tian, do you want to play too?”

Xiao Jiang immediately opened his arms and pounced toward Ye Tian, hugging Ye Tian’s leg with his small hands, his little face rubbing affectionately against Ye Tian’s cotton robe, completely clingy.

Ye Shuangxue had wanted to step forward, but Xiao Jiang squeezed past her and blocked her way. She furrowed her brows, her chubby little bun face full of determination as she glared at Ye Tian.

Ye Tian bent down and lifted Xiao Jiang, then flicked a playful prank at Ye Shuangxue’s forehead: “No respect for elders? You think you can just call me Dad?”

“Hmph!”

Ye Shuangxue pouted, glancing at the now-lifted Xiao Jiang: “You’re not holding me, so why should I call you Dad?”

She crossed her arms and turned her face away, stubbornly.

The way she sulked was cute, and though her voice was soft, Ye Tian could hear her clearly. He stepped forward, lifted Ye Shuangxue in his arms, and smiled: “Now you can call me Dad, right?”

Seeing Ye Tian’s doting gaze, the corners of Ye Shuangxue’s mouth slowly lifted. Catching his stare, she looked away, stubbornly: “Just because you tell me to call, doesn’t mean I will.”

“I won’t call!”

“Then get down!” Ye Tian laughed, setting his daughter on the ground without spoiling her.

Seeing this, Xiao Jiang quickly tugged at the corners of his mouth, his big eyes curving into crescents, showing his little teeth. He cupped Ye Tian’s face with his tiny hands and sweetly said: “Dad!”

“I want to be lifted high.”

“Up, up!”

“This is getting a bit much, son,” Ye Tian thought, looking at the spoiled, adorable Xiao Jiang. He didn’t say anything, just lifted him and started spinning him around, making Ye Shuangxue gnash her teeth in frustration.

“Old Duan.”

Seeing Duan Qingshan preparing to leave, Ye Tian suddenly called out to him.

Duan Qingshan paused mid-step.

Ye Tian said, “The city is chaotic. For the next few days, stay with Yunting; otherwise, I won’t be at ease. He’s at Master Tao’s side—it may be safe, it may not. We still need to be careful.”

“All right, I’ll go now.”

Duan Qingshan nodded seriously.

“A bunch of useless things!” A lazy voice came from the rooftop—Sun Wuji.

Duan Qingshan lowered his head, angry but silent.

Ye Tian, frowning, stood in the middle of the yard, looking up at the rooftop: “Old Sun, come down! You ridicule others for what you yourself won’t do. How can you have the face?”

“I won’t come down. I won’t go to the old man either. I have no face left!” Sun Wuji’s voice quivered with a hint of tears as he kept tossing stones into the yard. Ye Tian dodged left and right, gritting his teeth in frustration.

Ye Shuangxue laughed like a little hamster.

…

At this moment, Ye Yunting and Tao Ling’er walked along the main street, one after the other.

The street, once almost deserted, had regained its usual bustle. People hurried about, and many government soldiers were helping settle the displaced citizens.

“Kid, are you Ye Tian’s son？”