TNIBFT -Chapter 34 Actually, There’s Something I Need to Tell You

“Once the house is fixed, I plan to send Yunting and the others to school.”

Ye Tian suddenly spoke to the three children.

Ye Yunting’s eyes flickered, a trace of hope shining through, but he quickly calmed himself. His gaze carefully scanned Ye Tian’s face, scrutinizing every expression, as if trying to judge whether this statement was true.

Ye Shuangxue wasn’t particularly interested in school. She looked down at her swinging little feet and imagined a pair of little lions in her mind, constantly playing and leaping around.

Xiao Jiang slightly lifted his head, glanced at Ye Tian and then at his older brother, pressed his small, pink lips together, and lowered his gaze to the flames.

Fang Shenghu nodded repeatedly. “Good, good!”

He felt deeply relieved, almost moved to tears by today’s Ye Tian. Could it really be that the ancestors of the Ye family were watching over them from heaven?

Fang Shenghu’s eyes turned to the three children, resting on Ye Yunting. He moved his lips as if to say something but swallowed it down, then turned to Ye Tian. “So, what do you plan to do from now on?”

“Me?”

Ye Tian lowered his head and stared at the flames in the fire pit, lightly poking the embers with a stick, sending sparks flying.

After a moment of thought, Ye Tian said, “I plan to open a restaurant in the city.”

“A restaurant?”

Fang Shenghu was momentarily stunned, his gaze sweeping over Ye Tian from head to toe.

Ye Shuangxue said, “You want to open a restaurant, but what if you don’t know how to cook?”

Ye Tian had never cooked before. Opening a restaurant without knowing how to cook was like being a boatman who couldn’t swim.

Fang Shenghu looked troubled as well. “I can’t cook either. If it really doesn’t work out, we could have Jiang Caiyun cook. She isn’t great, but at least it’s better than you.”

Ye Shuangxue pursed her lips and shook her head.

Xiao Jiang looked at Ye Tian, wanting to say something but stopping himself. He knew Ye Tian surely had his own plan.

“Don’t worry, Brother Fang. I’ll make sure the three kids and I live well in the future.”

Ye Tian spoke firmly.

Fang Shenghu nodded.

Steam rose from the large copper pot, carrying a rich aroma of meat. The three children licked their lips from time to time, their eyes shining with anticipation. Ye Tian used a wooden stick to lift the lid of the pot, and a cloud of steam billowed upward, filling the air with the smell of meat. He picked up a pair of chopsticks he hadn’t used before and first served a few pieces of beef to Fang Shenghu.

Fang Shenghu took them with both hands, deeply moved to tears.

Looking at the translucent meat slices in his bowl, he said in a serious voice, “Actually… there’s something I need to tell you…”

“Uncle Fang!”

Fang Shenghu hadn’t finished speaking when Ye Yunting interrupted. His small face flushed, and he looked at Fang Shenghu urgently. “Uncle Fang, this beef is five-spice flavored. You should try it.”

Fang Shenghu helplessly nodded and quietly began to eat.

Only then did Ye Yunting breathe a sigh of relief, distractedly taking a bite of beef.

“Brother, duck leg.”

Ye Shuangxue’s quick reflexes snatched a duck leg and placed it in Ye Yunting’s bowl, then grabbed another for Fang Shenghu.

Everyone stared at Ye Shuangxue in shock.

Ye Shuangxue finally realized what she had done. Her eyes filled with fear as she looked at Ye Tian, her bottom frozen in midair, not daring to sit down.

The atmosphere was awkward.

Fang Shenghu looked at the duck leg in his bowl and then awkwardly at Ye Tian, worried that Ye Tian might suddenly get angry. He fumbled with the duck leg and stammered, “This should be for your father… you child.”

“We already ate at noon. You two didn’t go to the restaurant with me, so I brought this back for you to eat.”

Ye Tian smiled, treating it as no big deal.

Only then did Fang Shenghu realize for certain—Ye Tian had truly changed.

He was confident that with the three children following Ye Tian, their lives would never be like before, and they wouldn’t have to be bound into servitude.

Fang Shenghu said, “To recognize one’s mistakes and correct them is the greatest virtue. I only know loyalty, filial piety, benevolence, and righteousness—loyalty comes first, filial piety second. If your father truly repents, as children, you should give him a chance. If even you won’t forgive him, who else will?”

“I’m full,” Ye Tian said.

Fang Shenghu set down his bowl and stood, no longer looking at Ye Yunting, his gaze resting on Ye Tian’s face. “About the house—these next few days I’ll find someone to help. Any work at home, just send the children to me; I’ll handle it.”

After saying this, he turned and stepped out, disappearing into the wind and snow.

Watching the tall figure vanish into the darkness, Ye Tian let out a deep breath. These people weren’t just NPCs—they had flesh, blood, and emotions.

The three children exchanged glances, no one spoke.

The atmosphere was subtle and tense.

To break the awkwardness, Ye Tian smiled cheerfully. “Your Uncle Fang is really serious. Even a meal has to come with loyalty, filial piety, and propriety. I’ll give you this one—life requires flexibility…”

He spoke as if unaware, chatting freely with the children.

His words were unconventional, even rebellious, yet somehow no one could quite point out what was wrong. Ye Yunting frowned slightly, watching Ye Tian. Tomorrow they would leave—he hoped Ye Tian hadn’t realized that yet.

“By the way, you need to watch out for Shen Jie.”

“This person is hypocritical—don’t be fooled by appearances. He likes to use morality to manipulate others and is obsessed with becoming superior to everyone else. If you ever encounter him and have a chance to strike decisively, never leave a threat alive,” Ye Tian said seriously.

Ye Yunting remained silent.

Ye Shuangxue said, “Next time we meet Shen Jie, I’ll set the dog on him.”

Xiao Jiang nodded in agreement, looking at his sister.

Ye Tian was speechless. This is what a so-called major villain calls his strategy? That’s it?

“Sifang City isn’t safe. We’re at the northernmost edge of Daliang. The world’s powers rise and fall; whenever there’s a conflict, Sifang City will be the first to get involved. The city lord’s manor will be the first to receive news. Without sufficient ability, the only way to survive is to escape along with them,” Ye Tian said seriously, looking at Ye Yunting.

Seeing Ye Tian’s expression, Ye Yunting felt a little uneasy.

Why was Ye Tian saying all this? When did he start understanding political situations?

“Today you didn’t go into the city with me. I picked cotton-padded clothes for you based on your height—try them on,” Ye Tian said, standing and picking up the package from the bed, handing it to Ye Yunting. Ye Yunting lowered his head, thinking for a moment, then stood and took the package with both hands. “Thank you,” he said.

His tone was distant.

His attitude was respectful, flawless.

Ye Tian glanced at the three children, tugged the corner of his mouth, and said, “I’m going to sleep. Don’t wake me for anything that happens tomorrow.”

With that, Ye Tian turned onto the bed, leaving his back to the three children.

The firelight flickered, and the three siblings sat silently around the fire.

The next day.

Ye Tian woke up early. Knowing the three children were leaving, he had barely slept the night before. Early in the morning, he found an excuse to go into the city alone. With the children leaving and no one else at home, he didn’t need to hesitate—he had already decided. The city lord’s manor was within the city. Even if the children didn’t want to stay with him, Ye Tian would watch over them in secret.

Mingfeng Village.

“Yunting, once you’ve decided, let’s depart,” Fang Shenghu said.

Ye Yunting’s gaze was complicated. He looked back at the home he’d lived in for five years. This place held no laughter, no warmth—he left with no hesitation.

Ye Shuangxue tiptoed, looking toward the village’s path, as if waiting for someone.

Xiao Jiang frowned, glancing at his new padded clothes. He remembered Ye Tian’s smile and felt a little reluctant to leave.

The wind and snow grew heavier.

The old man driving the ox cart, his beard and hair all white, squinted and said, “Let’s go—if we don’t, we won’t be able to leave!”