TNIBFT -Chapter 47 Best Friends

“Me?”

“How could I possibly lose?” Ye Tian was speechless. How was this kid’s focus always so different from everyone else’s?

Shouldn’t you be feeling grateful right now?

“All right, finish your meal quickly, wash up, and then go to bed,” Ye Tian said with a serious face, trying to change the subject. He had just stood up, ready to leave, when Ye Shuangxue said, “I want to hear the story of Sun Dasheng. What happened after Sun Dasheng caused havoc in Heaven and was put into the Eight Trigrams Furnace?”

“I want to hear it too!”

Xiao Jiang also spoke excitedly.

Ye Tian looked down and saw Xiao Jiang and Ye Shuangxue’s faces glowing with excitement, while Ye Yunting remained expressionless, eyes wandering elsewhere, completely indifferent.

Ye Tian said, “Not enough audience, not enough energy… I can’t tell Sun Dasheng’s story like this.”

He let his hands drop helplessly, full of regret.

“Ah…”

Ye Shuangxue looked disappointed.

Xiao Jiang squatted beside Ye Yunting like a little clingy puppy.

Ye Yunting’s small frame felt dizzy from Xiao Jiang’s panic. He knew this was Ye Tian’s trick to make him submit, but he wasn’t falling for it. Ye Tian wouldn’t get him to bow and try to please him voluntarily—impossible!

After eating and drinking their fill, the three children washed up and climbed into the new little beds Ye Tian had bought for them.

Ye Tian took his daughter’s schoolbag, ready to transform into a meticulous housewife and sew it up for her.

But after a rough attempt, the bag was ruined beyond recognition. Only Xiao Jiang peeked out from under the blanket, eyes sparkling, looking at the patched-up schoolbag with admiration. “You’re amazing! You can even do embroidery. Is this… a centipede?”

Ye Tian: …

“Go to sleep already!” Ye Tian’s face darkened like the bottom of a pot. Xiao Jiang, with his little gaps in his teeth, shyly pulled up the warm new quilt and burrowed his neck into it.

“Hahaha…”

Soon, Ye Shuangxue’s mischievous laughter filled the room.

…

The next morning, the three children got up, prepared breakfast, and called Ye Tian to eat.

By the time Ye Tian got up, the kids had already gone to school.

At this time, people lived by the sun: rise at sunrise, rest at sunset. Chickens crowed, and everyone was up. Ye Tian, however, could never manage that—he usually opened his eyes around eight.

A proper, dutiful father? Not his style.

Today, Ye Tian planned to first check the shop, see how the renovations were going, order the copper pot for the hotpot, and then visit the school to see whether the three children were adjusting well.

After washing up and eating breakfast, Ye Tian headed into town under the morning sun.

After spending half an hour at the shop and giving some instructions to the newly arrived workers, he prepared to go to the school.

“What’s going on over there?”

“Let’s go, hurry and see…”

“They say the young lady of the city lord’s mansion bumped into someone.”

On the crowded street, people pushed and jostled, all heading toward the commotion. In no time, the street was completely blocked. Many street vendors carrying goods also stopped to watch the spectacle.

The city lord’s mansion?

Could it have something to do with Shen Jie?

In the original story, everything revolved around Shen Jie. After stealing a bracelet, he bribed the steward of the city lord’s mansion and hid close to the second young master, uneducated and idle. He first gained the second young master’s trust and then was introduced to the city lord. City Lord Xiao Haoyang was stunned by Shen Jie’s protagonist aura and talent.

Eventually, he discovered that Shen Jie was his own son.

From then on, Shen Jie shed his lowly status and officially embarked on his path as the protagonist. But now Shen Jie couldn’t enter the city lord’s mansion—how would the plot proceed?

Curious, Ye Tian followed behind the crowd.

It turned out to be the eldest daughter of the city lord’s mansion, racing on the main street and nearly trampling a child on the roadside, only to be saved in the street by Shen Jie.

This scene did not exist in the original story.

In the crowd, a young girl with a high ponytail, dressed in a sleek outfit, sat atop a tall, imposing horse. One hand held a whip, the other gripped the reins, her commanding aura instantly dominating the scene.

The spirited horse beneath her neighed occasionally, snorting hot breaths, restless, stomping its front hooves against the ground.

The girl on the horse was stunningly beautiful, her demeanor proud and aloof. She glanced down at the man below and said, “Tell me, how should I thank you?”

“I wouldn’t dare!”

Shen Jie, dressed in a light-colored cotton robe, exuded elegance. Rising politely, he carried himself with respect without flattery, every gesture and movement precise and refined, his voice like a clear mountain spring.

Every move drew the gaze of everyone around.

This was the effect of the protagonist’s aura.

Ye Tian sighed inwardly.

Shen Jie might not have entered the city lord’s mansion, but the story’s outcome would remain unchanged.

At this moment, in Xiao Xun’er’s eyes, Shen Jie seemed to glow with an aura, as if filtered by a perfect lens.

Every action of Shen Jie marked him as a refined young man, a one-in-a-million talent among people.

Sure enough, Xiao Xun’er, perched on her horse, sized him up from head to toe, her interest piqued. “If it weren’t for you, I might have made a grave mistake today. Trampling commoners is a grave taboo. You look like a scholar—how about this: be my study companion?”

“This counts as my reward as well.”

Ye Tian knew Xiao Xun’er’s status was noble, but beneath that highborn exterior, her personal life was chaotic.

Xiao Haoyang’s two sons were both spoiled and foolish; only Xiao Xun’er was spirited and lively, winning her father’s indulgence.

Being a “study companion” was really just a playmate.

Shen Jie had long known he was Xiao Haoyang’s illegitimate son, making him Xiao Xun’er’s half-brother, but at this moment, as long as he could enter the city lord’s mansion, he couldn’t care about much else. Bowing humbly, Shen Jie said, “I only did what anyone in my position would do. When someone is in difficulty, I believe anyone would step forward to help.”

“Besides, it wasn’t really you I saved, Miss—you need not thank me.”

Shen Jie’s usual pretense, righteous and noble, highlighted his difference from others.

Deliberately teasing, drawing her in.

The “let them come to you” tactic worked on women, especially those with power—the higher their status, the stronger their desire to conquer.

Sure enough, Xiao Xun’er, hearing this, found Shen Jie even more remarkable, her estimation of him rising several levels—what was once a level-three admiration now shot up to level five.

“I heard this young master Shen studied under Tao Shenggong, his proud disciple.”

“No wonder he carries himself so majestically.”

“A disciple of Tao Shenggong becoming a study companion at the city lord’s mansion? That’s more than sufficient!”

“Master Shen is truly a kind-hearted, saintly person…”

The onlookers began praising Shen Jie blindly. Surrounded by the crowd, he stood out like a crane among chickens, basking in glory.

Xiao Xun’er felt even more strongly that Shen Jie was unique, the perfect candidate for a worthy suitor.

As Shen Jie prepared to leave, Xiao Xun’er quickly swung down from her horse, trying to catch up with him.

Ye Tian suddenly rushed through the crowd, slinging an arm around Shen Jie’s shoulders. “So you’re here after all.”

“And who’s this little girl?”

“She’s quite striking—so this is the girl you’ve been teasing these past two days?”

What?

Seeing Ye Tian, Shen Jie’s composed mask completely slipped. His face flushed with anger. “Let go of me!”

Ye Tian pretended not to hear, a blade of dry grass dangling from his mouth, exuding a roguish, carefree air. He scrutinized Xiao Xun’er from head to toe with mischievous eyes.

Xiao Xun’er, annoyed, snapped coldly, “Who are you?”

“Me?”

Ye Tian grinned wickedly. “Well, considering we’re like this, we must be the best friends.”