TNIBFT -Chapter 53 This Is Haunted

Yuan Heipang grabbed Ye Tian’s sleeve, his face full of regret.

Among the four people in the shop, only he had previous experience doing odd jobs at other taverns, and he was quick-witted. Yuan Heipang thought he was the ideal candidate for Ye Tian’s shop manager.

Qian Zheng, as usual, waved at him.

Yuan Heipang’s eyes were full of longing as he stared at Ye Tian. Ye Tian said, “Filial piety comes first. You’d better go home and take care of your mother.”

“Master!” Yuan Heipang’s expression grew anxious, his voice doubling in volume, face darkening. “Actually, my mother isn’t sick. I… I was just afraid that the shop wouldn’t make enough money to support so many people.”

What an excellent excuse.

The other three looked at Yuan Heipang differently now. Not only was he ugly, but he was also hypocritical.

Ye Tian lightly pushed Yuan Heipang’s hand away and turned his gaze to the other three: “Before you came, I already mentioned the wage—500 wen per month. I thought about the workload in the shop, so I’ll give you two days off each month to be with your families.”

Days off?

The four of them widened their eyes. They had never heard of such a thing.

Days off while working?

Ye Tian really was a great guy. The pay was good, and on top of that, two days off per month—people hearing about this would surely be envious.

“Master, I won’t take breaks. I don’t need days off. I’m not tired. Young people should endure some hardship—I’m not afraid of hard work,” Xiao Wang pounded his chest, promising Ye Tian.

The other two quickly chimed in: “I won’t take breaks either.”

“Yes, if the shop needs me, I won’t rest.”

The three had already started competing with each other intensely.

Ye Tian wanted to laugh. These people from the ancient era were backward in thought and subtle in expressing emotions. Modern thinking was like a dimensional shock to them.

Ye Tian said helplessly, “Alright then. For the two days of work during the vacation, I’ll give you an extra 50 wen per day.”

50 wen?

Two days meant 100 wen, which added up to 600 wen a month.

The four of them stared at Ye Tian with fiery eyes, so excited they might as well call him father.

“And the best performer each month will get an extra 100 wen!”

Ye Tian continued.

The four were stunned, unable to believe such a good boss existed in this world.

“Master!”

Yuan Heipang was sweating coldly on his forehead, clutching Ye Tian’s hand with a voice choked with tears: “I was out of my mind. Master, hit me if you want. A person as good as you—I’d follow you and work like a beast. Please just take me in.”

Yuan Heipang almost dropped to his knees.

Seeing that Ye Tian remained unmoved, he blurted out: “I don’t need 500 wen. 400 wen a month is fine. I don’t even need money. Master, you decide my wage, alright?”

Beside them, Fang Shenghu was frozen in place. Just now, Yuan Heipang had been all fired up, threatening to leave—how had he turned into this?

And the other three, looking at Ye Tian’s burning gaze, felt like they were warmed by a fire in the dead of winter.

Ye Tian truly was a member of the Ye family!

Fang Shenghu’s face was full of satisfaction, gazing at Ye Tian with admiration.

“Alright!”

Ye Tian nodded, squinting slightly as he looked at Yuan Heipang: “We’ve grown attached during this time. I’ll give you one more chance. If next time you incite coworkers to shirk work, I won’t show mercy.”

“I promise there won’t be a second time.”

“Thank you, Master! Thank you, Master!”

Yuan Heipang thanked him joyfully.

The four of them started working energetically in the shop. Their previous laziness had vanished, replaced with boundless energy, like they’d been injected with adrenaline.

Ye Tian sat comfortably in his chair and looked at Fang Shenghu: “Brother Fang, what brings you here?”

“I was worried you wouldn’t manage on your own. I just wanted to check up on you. I came right after work,” Fang Shenghu said, scratching his head bashfully.

Ye Tian said, “Why don’t you resign from being a guard at the City Lord’s mansion and come help me here? The shop needs people anyway, and when it opens, it’s going to be hectic.”

Fang Shenghu’s face lit up.

Ye Tian was treating him like one of his own—otherwise, he wouldn’t have let him into the shop. But he couldn’t quit his duties at the City Lord’s mansion just yet. If Ye Tian ended up losing money, the kids might not even have enough to eat.

Fang Shenghu had his own concerns.

He hesitated. “I need to talk to Jiang Caiyun first, or it’ll be chaos again.”

Ye Tian nodded.

It was simpler without a woman—there was only one worry.

With a woman, worries multiplied endlessly.

…

The sun was setting in the west.

Slanting sunlight fell on the barren ground, and the thick snow glowed golden.

Ye Yunting and his two siblings walked home through the snow. When Xiao Jiang’s short legs sank into it, he stared down at his legs and said, cheeks flushed from the cold, “Look, I don’t have any feet!”

Ye Yunting smiled at his brother’s joy.

Ye Tian had told them to come home that evening and recount what happened at school yesterday. He couldn’t guess what Ye Tian intended.

If Ye Tian continued treating them this well, he could forget all the past grudges. After all, Xiao Jiang was happy now, and Shuangxue was no longer irritable or extreme—that was Ye Tian’s doing.

“Good little disciple!”

An old, hoarse voice sounded, and Ye Shuangxue’s expression immediately fell.

Ye Yunting glanced around cautiously—who was speaking?

Xiao Jiang straightened up, looking serious.

From the bare tree, Sun Wuji leapt down from a branch, landing solidly in front of Ye Shuangxue and her siblings. Sun Wuji’s eyes twinkled with amusement as he looked at Ye Shuangxue. “Fate really keeps us together, master and disciple. We meet again today.”

Ye Shuangxue rolled her eyes and walked on, ignoring Sun Wuji completely.

Ye Yunting studied Sun Wuji carefully. The man seemed mysterious—jumping from such a tall tree unharmed. He must be a formidable old man.

He had no idea what Sun Wuji wanted.

Xiao Jiang was full of admiration, eyes sparkling, pointing at Sun Wuji. “Baozi!”

“Grandpa Baozi!”

“Go, go, go—who’s Grandpa Baozi?” Sun Wuji pouted, continuing to follow behind Ye Shuangxue, chattering away. “Disciple, how about we practice some inner cultivation today? I’ve found a very powerful method. I’ll recite it for you…”

“I’m not listening!”

“Not listening!”

Ye Shuangxue bolted.

Watching the little girl move so nimbly, Sun Wuji’s cloudy eyes narrowed as he focused on her back, a smile tugging at his lips.

A few breaths later…

“You stole my backpack, and you even gave me a stinky old man!” Ye Shuangxue shouted, rolling up her sleeves as she chased the crazy old man.

“You can’t catch me, can you?”

Sun Wuji, hair flying wildly, held the backpack in one hand. His legs moved like engines, leaving only a blur behind.

Ye Shuangxue, panting in frustration, looked at the snow-covered ground the mad old man had run across—there wasn’t a single footprint. Her pupils shrank. Was this… seeing a ghost?

Looking around at the desolate wilderness.

The north wind howled, sending chills down her spine.

“Hahaha… come on, little disciple, chase me, chase me!” a devilish laugh rang out.

Ye Shuangxue’s face went pale, and she screamed, “A ghost!”

Then she ran as fast as she could.