TNIBFT -Chapter 217 Duan Qingshan’s Loyalty

The snow on the ground hadn’t melted yet, and the cotton pants quickly became wet from the melting snow.

Ye Tian stepped forward, bending down and reaching out to help Duan Qingshan up. “Quick, get up.”

Duan Qingshan pushed Ye Tian’s hand away, his expression serious. “Master, my sister and I came to thank you.”

He then turned to look at Duan Yingying behind him. The siblings exchanged a glance and then kowtowed to Ye Tian three times, each bow hitting the ground firmly.

Ye Tian was stunned.

Ancient people’s ways of showing gratitude could be extreme—kneeling and kowtowing at the slightest provocation.

Isn’t it said that a man’s knees are worth gold?

Ye Tian sighed helplessly and grabbed Duan Qingshan’s arm. “Get up right now.”

“I’m not dead yet. Doing such a big ceremony—Old Duan, are you trying to curse me?”

“And Yingying, you get up too!”

Ye Tian’s face was stern. The atmosphere grew slightly tense.

Duan Yingying timidly looked at Ye Tian, sobbing. Her face was thin, her eyes protruding slightly, and her voice was soft. “Benefactor, you saved my brother, and then sent people to rescue me from life-threatening danger. Without you, I wouldn’t have survived, let alone be reunited with my brother. I have nothing to repay you with.”

She then pressed her forehead to the ground again, kowtowing heavily. “My brother and I could serve as oxen or horses in this life, yet it still wouldn’t repay your great kindness.”

Duan Qingshan added, “Master, from now on, my sister and I are willing to go through fire and water for you. If we ever prove unfaithful, may heaven and earth punish us!”

“Bang!”

After saying this, Duan Qingshan slammed his forehead into the snow, as if to demonstrate his resolve.

With Ye Tian’s help, the siblings finally stood up. Seeing Duan Yingying’s fearful expression, Ye Tian didn’t know what to say, so he tried to comfort her: “For now, you can stay here safely. Old Duan has a salary, and it’s more than enough to support a younger sister.”

Upon hearing this, Duan Yingying immediately looked up, tears in her eyes, gazing at Ye Tian.

Was Ye Tian trying to get her to leave?

She lowered her head and hid behind Duan Qingshan’s shoulder, speaking softly, “Master, I can do anything. As long as you let me stay to repay you, I’ll do whatever it takes…”

She then weakly sank to her knees, about to kneel again.

Dealing with delicate, fragile ancient girls gave Ye Tian a headache. He finally said, “Fine. If you want to stay in the shop, then stay.”

“It’s getting late. Old Duan, take your sister to settle in.”

“Thank you, Master!”

Duan Qingshan bowed gratefully, and the siblings went up to the second floor of the back courtyard.

Watching them leave, Ye Tian headed toward his eldest son’s room.

The wooden window with intricate carvings glowed dimly with lamp light.

From a distance, Ye Tian felt a sense of peaceful time. He slightly lifted the corners of his mouth, about to enter the room, when he overheard his daughter and son talking inside.

“Big brother, will Lord Meng come to see you again tomorrow?”

“What if he doesn’t come tomorrow?”

Ye Shuangxue chattered on.

Ye Yunting responded after three words, his tone indifferent and perfunctory.

“Do you know where Lord Meng lives? I could go find him tomorrow,” Ye Shuangxue said excitedly, pleased with her own plan.

Ye Tian stood outside the door, thoughts complicated.

A child’s growth can’t happen without parental care.

Although he felt a little jealous—he gave his children his heart and soul, and just once the mother appeared, and the two children thought about her all day—as an adult, Ye Tian understood.

No matter how deep a father’s love is, it cannot replace a mother’s love.

Nine months of pregnancy, one day of childbirth.

When the child is born, the first person they see is always the mother.

Thinking of Meng Yuquan’s face, Ye Tian took a deep breath. Although he didn’t know her true intentions, if she really was the children’s biological mother, and the children were safe, he would not prevent her from seeing them—just like divorced parents in his previous life, the child is innocent.

Perhaps she also had some unspeakable difficulties.

Creak…

Ye Tian pushed the door open. Hearing the sound, the two children turned in surprise. Seeing Ye Tian, Ye Shuangxue felt guilty. “Dad, you just got here?”

The little girl tilted her head. “You didn’t hear what we said, right?”

She ran up and grabbed Ye Tian’s big hand, her large eyes fixed on his expression, afraid he might be upset.

“Did you talk badly about me again?”

Ye Tian pretended to be angry, pulling his daughter’s hand away, and walked toward Ye Yunting’s large bed.

Ye Yunting quickly adjusted his blanket, looked at Ye Tian, and raised the corners of his mouth in a small smile.

Ye Shuangxue pounced, hugging Ye Tian’s leg, and said playfully, “Dad, you’re the best, the very best dad in the world.”

Ye Tian reached out and ruffled her head.

“Dad, the two people Uncle Fang brought back are really strange.”

Ye Yunting spoke up.

Ye Tian frowned and looked at his son. “Strange how?”

“They look strange, their clothing is strange, and they give off a strange feeling… I can’t really explain it,” Ye Yunting said. Ye Tian nodded. “This is something between Uncle Fang and me. Kids don’t need to worry about it.”

“Shall the three of us squeeze together at night?”

Ye Tian asked.

Ye Shuangxue was the first to jump onto Ye Tian, excitedly saying, “I want to sleep in the middle!”

“I want to sleep in the middle too!”

If she slept in the middle, Ye Tian wouldn’t hold her big brother, completely separating the two of them—heehee…

Ye Yunting’s small face darkened as he watched his excited little sister. Every girl seemed to have a hundred schemes in her heart.

Seeing Ye Tian about to agree, Ye Yunting quickly covered his mouth with his small hand. “Ahem! Ahem!”

He coughed suddenly a few times.

The coughing immediately caught Ye Tian’s attention. He bent down, his eyes full of concern as he looked at his eldest son. “Eldest, do you have a cold?”

Ye Yunting’s small face remained expressionless, his brows slightly furrowed, and he said slowly, “I’m fine. Dad, don’t worry.”

He looked at his utterly clueless little sister and couldn’t help but find it amusing. He turned to Ye Tian and said, “It’s just that when I sleep at night, I feel a little cold… so… so…”

“Cold?”

Ye Tian frowned and quickly tucked in his eldest son’s blanket. “That’s definitely from the cold. If you all squeeze together at night, work up a bit of sweat, you’ll feel better by tomorrow.”

“Ah???”

Ye Shuangxue’s small face fell, and she let out a helpless squeal.

…

The birds chirped in the treetops, welcoming a new day.

Ye Tian got dressed and, seeing Xiao Wang in the courtyard, asked him to deliver two sets of cotton clothes to the Zhu father and son.

Their attire needed to be proper; only then would they blend in with the crowd.

After washing up, Ye Tian went to the front hall to prepare for breakfast.

“Yingying, you’ve been busy all morning. Take a break, okay?”

“Yes, you’ve kept us from doing anything!”

“This won’t do at all!”

The employees muttered to one another, but fell silent as Ye Tian entered.

“Master!”

“Master!”

Ye Tian nodded slightly and looked around. The floor of the hall seemed freshly washed, the chairs were clean and neatly arranged, even the walls looked refreshed, and the breakfast on the table was different from usual.

His gaze fell on Duan Yingying.

Duan Yingying nervously lowered her head, her hands fidgeting with the rag she held. “Ma…Master…”

Her voice trembled, afraid Ye Tian would scold her, like a frightened little deer.

Ye Tian said, “Thank you for your hard work.”

“Leave the rest of the chores for them tomorrow!”