TNIBFT -Chapter 20 The Protagonist Appears for the First Time

After delivering the message, the young man turned and left immediately, clearly unwilling to have anything more to do with Ye Tian.

“Impossible!”

“Impossible!”

Xiao Jiang was so anxious he was on the verge of tears. He kept shaking his head, desperately explaining to Ye Tian, “Don’t hit Sister! She wouldn’t steal anything. They must be framing her again like before!”

Seeing Xiao Jiang trembling all over, his face streaked with tears from fear—

Ye Tian knew that Xiao Jiang’s bedwetting was triggered by stress and external pressure. He immediately crouched down and comforted him, “Don’t be afraid. I believe Shuangxue. I promise I won’t hit you anymore. Xiao Jiang, don’t be scared. Let’s go see what’s really going on.”

Feeling the warmth from Ye Tian’s hand on his head, Xiao Jiang gradually calmed down, his reddened eyes nodding slightly.

He was worried that his sister would be beaten—and even more afraid that Ye Tian would make things worse.

But now, there was no choice but to trust Ye Tian. Their eldest brother had already gone into the city with Uncle Fang, and there was no one left who could help her.

Ye Tian recalled the past.

The three children—Ye Yun Ting, Ye Shuangxue, and Xiao Jiang—had a father who didn’t love them and a mother who didn’t care. In this dog-eat-dog world, they were often falsely accused—of stealing, of gossiping, of fighting.

The eldest was steady, the youngest timid and cautious. Only his daughter, Ye Shuangxue, was stubborn and impulsive—and the one who got beaten the most.

The original Ye Tian already despised these three children. Whenever someone complained, he would feel they had disgraced him. Without asking any questions, he would beat the siblings half to death in front of everyone before stopping.

Wait… something’s wrong!

No matter how hard Ye Tian thought, he couldn’t recall any plotline in the original story where Ye Shuangxue was accused of theft.

After she was sold, her storyline focused on her struggling to survive in a brothel. As for the childhood of these three future villains, the author had only glossed over it with a few brief lines.

None of this had ever been written.

What should he do?

Ye Tian was frantic.

“Where is the village chief’s house?”

His mind was in chaos, unable to calm down. Thinking of that adorable yet fierce little girl—with her proud, stubborn expression—his heart ached.

She was only five years old.

At an age when she should’ve been in kindergarten, living a carefree life…

Yet Ye Shuangxue had never known a single good day. Following Ye Tian meant living in constant fear, wandering without shelter, and enduring frequent abuse.

“Over there…”

Xiao Jiang pointed the way with his tiny legs.

With disheveled hair, Ye Tian picked Xiao Jiang up and ran toward the village chief’s house.

…

At that moment, outside the village chief’s residence—

The large courtyard was packed with people. Men, women, young and old gathered together in a crowd.

Ye Shuangxue’s small face was swollen from slaps. She knelt in the snow with both knees, her head lowered stubbornly, staring at the ground.

Her clothes were tattered, but on her feet were a pair of brand-new bright red boots—strikingly eye-catching.

The crowd pointed and whispered around her.

Some kind-hearted women looked at the tiny girl with pity. “She’s just a child. Who hasn’t made mistakes? Let it go…”

“They say she stole Aunt Li’s family heirloom. Do you think the village chief will spare her?”

“She’s the only outsider who’s been staying at the village chief’s house these past few days. If it wasn’t her, then who?”

“Look at those new shoes on her feet. Her useless father could afford that?”

Many wore mocking expressions.

Ye Shuangxue clenched her teeth, as if she couldn’t hear any of it, staring motionlessly at the snow.

Crunch!

Crunch…

Hearing the approaching footsteps, her whole body tensed.

She was already prepared to be brutally beaten.

Right now, she only hoped that Ye Tian wouldn’t find out about this.

Otherwise, when they got home, he would lose control again—and continue to beat her.

Being beaten—

That, she wasn’t afraid of.

She liked the current Ye Tian. Deep down, she was afraid of losing him as he was now.

“Last time I’m asking you—did you steal the bracelet?”

The young man’s voice was cool and pleasant. Ye Shuangxue slowly raised her head. A pair of black boots stood before her; his tone was certain, his attitude filled with disdain.

“No!”

Ye Shuangxue replied coldly.

The young man stepped forward. His tall figure cast a shadow over her, like a towering mountain blocking out all the light in her life. The suffocating pressure made it hard to breathe. But Ye Shuangxue had never been one to submit. Clenching her fists, she lifted her small face and stared at him with unwavering determination.

“Even if you beat me to death, I didn’t take it. I never steal. Aunt Zhao asked me to watch her granddaughter—I didn’t take your—”

Bang!

Before she could finish, the young man kicked her hard in the shoulder. Her frail body was sent flying backward, crashing into the snow.

Shen Jie looked down at her from above. “Still being stubborn? My grandmother’s bracelet just went missing, and you suddenly have money to buy new boots. Where did your money come from? Do you really think we’re all fools?”

“Strip off her boots.”

Aunt Zhao, sharp-tongued and mean, rushed forward from the crowd and pinned Ye Shuangxue down.

Struggling in the snow, Ye Shuangxue kicked wildly. “Let go of me! I didn’t steal anything—I didn’t! Don’t touch my shoes—let go of me…”

But how could a five-year-old child compete with a grown woman?

In just a few moves, Aunt Zhao tore off her boots. Her small feet, red, swollen, and cracked from the cold, were exposed to the air. Watching her first—and only—pair of boots being taken away, Ye Shuangxue’s eyes burned with fury as she scrambled up to snatch them back.

The child’s tender voice stirred pity in some of the onlookers, and their gazes toward the village chief and Shen Jie grew strange.

Standing among the crowd, Shen Jie put on a benevolent expression and said, “Our Shen family has taken good care of the three Ye children over the years. My grandfather and grandmother have often helped them, feeling sorry for their situation. Who would have thought it would come to this? I began my education at the age of three, learning propriety and virtue. Today, as long as she admits to stealing, our Shen family will let this matter go.”

“I didn’t steal anything—you’re lying…”

As soon as Shen Jie finished speaking, Ye Shuangxue fiercely refuted him.

Among the crowd, many nodded at Shen Jie.

“As expected of someone well-versed in books—such magnanimity is beyond us.”

“A family like the Shens wouldn’t falsely accuse a child.”

“Ye Shuangxue, just admit it. Was it Ye Tian who told you to steal?”

“Hahaha… like father, like daughter…”

The murmurs spread quietly.

Looking at the hateful faces around her and hearing the mocking laughter, Ye Shuangxue felt her blood boil. She wished she could kill them all on the spot.

Her mind seemed to lose control. Staring at the hypocritical, pretentious Shen Jie, she lunged straight at him.

“Shen Jie, watch out!”

“Careful!”

Many cried out in shock, eyes wide as they watched the frenzied Ye Shuangxue, warning Shen Jie.

“This Ye Shuangxue is lashing out from shame. She stole someone’s family heirloom, and Shen Jie isn’t even pursuing it. Such a good person, yet she repays kindness with enmity?”

“She’s hopeless—just like her father, full of wicked schemes.”

“People like this are trouble from childhood. They don’t deserve sympathy.”

“The three siblings have no parents—this is their retribution…”

Countless voices pierced into her from all sides. It felt as if her head were about to explode. Clutching her head with both hands, Ye Shuangxue screamed,

“It wasn’t me! I didn’t steal anything—I didn’t!”

Her helpless roar echoed, yet it seemed no one cared.

“Shuangxue!”

A familiar voice suddenly came from behind.