TNIBFT -Chapter 306 City Lord, Did You Really Earn This Position on Your Own?

He looked at Qin Fengyi with terror in his eyes, the muscles in his face twitching, his expression completely losing control.

He opened his mouth, just about to explain: “I…”

“I…”

Ye Tian turned his head, frowning at Lin Xianzhong, and said, “City Lord, did you really earn this position on your own?”

“Do you enjoy kneeling this much?”

“How many times has this been now?”

Lin Xianzhong’s face turned red, his mouth dry. He wanted to explain, but when he met Qin Fengyi’s icy gaze, a chill ran down his neck. He could only swallow the words he had almost said.

“City Lord Lin, perhaps you got up too quickly and got dizzy?”

Qin Fengyi said calmly.

Ye Tian looked at her in surprise.

The hall was silent.

Not a sound could be heard.

Lin Xianzhong knelt on the ground, trembling, and nodded frantically: “Y-Yes, yes! I did get up too quickly. This old problem has been acting up a lot these past few days…”

As he spoke, he raised a hand to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead.

Ye Tian nodded. “You should probably get that problem treated as soon as possible.”

“Come, I’ll take you to your room and have a look.”

Ye Tian said, leading Qin Fengyi to the backyard to show her the room that had been prepared just for her.

Watching Qin Fengyi’s departing figure, Lin Xianzhong finally exhaled. The tension in his muscles instantly relaxed. He collapsed on the ground, gasping for air.

Having the future Empress before him, with whom he would have to interact daily from now on, was a real test for his old heart.

No one could know how much pressure he was under at that moment. When Qin Fengyi had been Crown Princess, she had once massacred the city lords of twenty-four northern cities. He had been among them and had later narrowly escaped punishment. The terror of those days still haunted him. No one could understand what the three words “Qin Fengyi” meant to him.

“City Lord!”

“City Lord Lin, what’s going on?”

Lin Xianzhong lay there like a limp rag, his limbs stiff, taking a long time to respond.

Several close aides and staff, including Xiao Wang, came out of the kitchen carrying food. Seeing Lin Xianzhong kneeling and unable to get up, they were shocked. A few aides immediately rushed forward, flustered, lifting Lin Xianzhong and helping him sit in a nearby chair.

“City Lord, are you feeling unwell?”

“Would you like some hot tea?”

They brought tea and water, watching his face carefully, afraid that he might have some sudden illness.

Old Yang leaned against the wall, enjoying the spectacle. Snacking on sunflower seeds, he chuckled: “You idiots. Your City Lord is already this weak, and you haven’t gone to get anything to tonify his kidneys? Want me to fetch some for him?”

Everyone: ???

The group looked awkwardly at Lin Xianzhong. A few subordinates blushed bright red as realization suddenly dawned.

Lin Xianzhong’s eyes darted nervously. He widened them and waved his hands: “No! No! I didn’t—”

“What are you talking about?”

Old Yang, relishing the moment, tossed another sunflower seed shell and said with a grin: “I live right next door. Whatever you do at night, how could I not know?”

Lin Xianzhong, about to protest, felt as if he had just swallowed a fly.

He stared at Old Yang, unable to utter a single word.

Everyone fell silent.

Their gazes turned gossiping toward Old Yang.

Old Yang tossed the shell aside, clapped his hands, and straightened up: “I’ll go to the kitchen and get you two kidneys. We’re all family here, no need to be polite.”

Lin Xianzhong’s face burned red. His eyes pierced Old Yang’s back like daggers.

This bastard was ruining his reputation!

……

Hotpot restaurant, nighttime.

This was Qin Fengyi’s first time staying in the same place with the children.

After dinner, Ye Tian took the kids to wash up, while Qin Fengyi returned to her room to arrange her bed and neatly organize the daily necessities she had brought.

The dim yellow light flickered, and Qin Fengyi’s graceful figure reflected in the window.

Ye Shuangxue, shrinking her little neck, watched from outside the door for a while. She bit her lip, puffed out her cheeks, hugged a plump pillow with both hands, and walked toward Qin Fengyi’s room. “Mom?”

Hearing her daughter’s soft voice, Qin Fengyi immediately straightened up and quickly opened the door.

Outside, a cold breeze brushed past, lifting the stray hairs on Ye Shuangxue’s forehead. Her big black eyes stared at Qin Fengyi, her tiny nose red from the cold. “Are you afraid to sleep alone?”

Huh?

Qin Fengyi hadn’t reacted yet when her daughter stepped forward, passing by her small body with a lively voice: “Don’t be afraid!”

“I’ll protect you from now on!”

With a serious expression, the little girl placed Qin Fengyi’s pillow properly, then neatly set her own small pillow beside it.

Qin Fengyi’s lips curved into a smile, and her heart felt warm and sweet.

Her daughter turned her head, eyes bright. “I just soaked my feet—they’re nice and warm. I’ll warm up your bed for you first.” With that, Ye Shuangxue climbed onto Qin Fengyi’s bed, showing her two small, snow-white, cute feet, using both hands and feet to get in position.

Creak!

Qin Fengyi turned and closed the door.

From behind, an innocent voice rang out again outside: “Mom, sorry to bother you. Is my little sister in your room?”

It was the voice of the eldest child.

Qin Fengyi hurriedly opened the door. Outside, Ye Yunting stood straight and still at the doorway, calmly waiting for a response from inside.

Seeing it was the eldest, Qin Fengyi’s heart felt as sweet as honey. “Come in quickly—the wind outside is cold.”

“Shuangxue just came in and you came right over. Eldest, you’re such a responsible big brother.”

Ye Yunting lowered his head, embarrassed.

He couldn’t say that he had been watching from the shadows for a long time, only coming up with an excuse after seeing his sister enter the room.

Qin Fengyi affectionately rubbed the eldest’s small head. Behind her, Xiao Jiang excitedly said, “Big brother, you’re here too?”

“Are you going to sleep with Mom tonight as well?”

“Then Mom sleeps in the middle, I sleep on the left, and big brother on the right…” Xiao Jiang chattered as he hugged Ye Yunting’s arm.

The three children and their mother entered the room. As soon as the door closed, Xiao Jiang saw his second sister, who had already taken off her coat and was lying on Mom’s bed, raising an eyebrow at him.

Huh?

Xiao Jiang’s mouth twitched as he looked at Ye Shuangxue. “Se…second sister, you’re here too?”

The four of them shared one bed, yet no one could fall asleep.

In the dark, Qin Fengyi gently touched the eldest’s small face, then the second child’s little feet. Looking at Xiao Jiang beside them, Qin Fengyi felt that three children were never enough.

Ten months of pregnancy—these were children she had risked her life to have.

So small, soft, fragrant, and yet so cute. Qin Fengyi felt that the happiness of this very moment was worth exchanging for both her kingdom and her life!

“Mom?”

Her daughter’s voice was hoarse, like a tiny kitten, weakly calling out.

Qin Fengyi turned to her gently. “Can’t sleep?”

“Or are you hungry?”

Ye Shuangxue shook her head. In the darkness, her bright eyes sparkled, and Qin Fengyi could see the starlight reflected in her daughter’s pupils.

Suddenly, a small hand grabbed her little finger.

Soft and gentle, Qin Fengyi’s heart fluttered. Just as she was about to speak, she heard Ye Shuangxue, her voice hoarse and soft, say, “I don’t want to sleep.”

“I’m afraid that if I fall asleep, when I open my eyes, it’ll already be morning. This is my first time sleeping with Mom…”

The little girl’s voice choked with emotion.