TNIBFT -Chapter 54 This Isn’t Just Noodles, It’s Dad’s Love for You

“Huff… huff…”

Ye Shuangxue panted heavily, hands braced on her knees, her throat burning as if smoke were coming out of it. She frowned and looked around.

The light was dim, snow blanketed the ground, making it impossible to see the path. The withered old trees loomed like clawing demons. Where was this place?

Her cheeks were flushed, and a wave of panic rose in her chest.

“My obedient disciple…”

“Wait for me, you old geezer!”

Behind her, the crazy old man’s laughter rang out again. This old coot had been chasing her for more than half an hour and had even snatched her schoolbag. Ye Shuangxue was furious, her teeth chattering with anger.

She was genuinely mad.

Stray hairs on her forehead stood on end. Ye Shuangxue, like a frenzied little lion, lunged straight at Sun Wuji.

Sun Wuji hadn’t even reacted yet.

She snatched her schoolbag back in one swift move, teeth gritted. “Give it back!”

“You stinky old man! Even if you’re a ghost, you can’t steal my stuff!”

The little girl’s scowl was so fierce that she nearly kicked Sun Wuji, glaring at him viciously. Clutching her bag, she spun around and sprinted back.

Sun Wuji almost laughed. There really were children like this in the world—terrified yet bold enough to snatch something back. Watching the small figure dash away with her twin braids flopping like green onions, he found it amusing.

She probably wouldn’t be caught.

Ye Shuangxue glanced back, and a sigh of relief escaped her. This old man could really run; even the adults in Mingfeng Village might not have kept up with her.

“You can’t run like that.”

The hoarse voice sounded again. Ye Shuangxue’s face fell, almost enraged. Was this ever going to end?

This old man insisted on taking her as his disciple. Had she somehow buried him by the roadside in a past life?

What a curse!

Ye Shuangxue lifted her face, running as fast as she could. Behind her, the old man continued, “Focus your mind on the dantian, quiet your spirit, let the consciousness return to where it shines, for there lies the gathering of true energy.”

“Inhale as you lift your foot, exhale as you lower it… empty, ethereal, without substance…”

She couldn’t understand the beginning, but the latter part she mimicked Sun Wuji, and suddenly, the weight on her legs seemed to halve. Her body felt lighter, and the little girl’s face lit up with joy. She didn’t understand why, but she could run faster.

Ye Shuangxue glanced back and waved cheerfully at Sun Wuji. “Farewell, sir!”

“The wind and snow are strong tonight. Find a warm place to sleep.”

Ye Shuangxue shouted as she ran, her legs leaving ghostly afterimages, looking quite impressive.

Sun Wuji stood in the snow, watching his disciple’s retreating figure, satisfaction on his face. Truly a prodigy, quick to grasp things—a talent like this was rare even in a hundred years.

…

Meanwhile, at home.

Ye Shuangxue hadn’t returned, and darkness was falling. The fire in the hearth burned brightly.

Ye Tian was making egg noodles.

Xiao Jiang and the eldest were writing with brushes at the square table. Worrying that the kids couldn’t see clearly, Ye Tian lit two candles. Their flickering flames cast long, swaying shadows across the room.

“Into the noodles!”

Seeing the water in the copper pot boil, Ye Tian rolled up his sleeves and tossed in the noodles he had just cut. Water splashed everywhere. He stepped back and jumped, careful not to get scalded.

“Hehe…”

Xiao Jiang watched Ye Tian’s movements and giggled foolishly.

Ye Yunting looked on expressionless, lips twitching. He was certain tonight’s dinner was not something ordinary people could handle.

Hearing his son’s laughter, Ye Tian felt a flush on his cheeks and turned to say, “Hurry up and do your homework.”

“You can’t split your focus like that.”

“Into the egg now.”

“Ah, Mom, how did an eggshell get in? It’s okay, it’s okay, let’s just consider it extra calcium…”

“Oh no, I think I forgot to put in the salt, didn’t I?”

“Fix it inside!”

Ye Tian’s busy figure looked like he was performing some kind of ritual, and Ye Yunting watched with a reluctant expression—can this even be eaten?

“Where’s Shuangxue?”

“Eldest, why hasn’t your sister come home?” Ye Tian, finishing up, was about to serve the noodles when he suddenly remembered his daughter.

Ye Yunting looked up calmly: “Some crazy old man snatched Shuangxue’s backpack. She went after him. Shuangxue runs fast; she’ll be fine.”

Crazy old man?

Ye Tian recalled Sun Wuji—surely the Great Sword Saint. This time, because of him, Shuangxue didn’t follow the original plot to meet Shen Jie first, but ran into Ye Shuangxue instead.

Sun Wuji was one of Shen Jie’s “golden aids,” a special advantage Shen Jie could no longer use.

“My legs… I think they’re going to break.”

“I’m exhausted!”

Just as she spoke, Ye Shuangxue, backpack on her back, lifted the curtain and rushed inside straight to the water jar: plop!

Plop! She drank half a bowl of cold water.

Seeing the fine beads of sweat on her forehead, her flushed little face, and her panting, Ye Tian asked, “Was anyone chasing you from behind?”

“Yes!”

Ye Shuangxue seemed unconcerned. Her gaze fell on the copper pot, where a pale mixture tinged with yellow floated. Her lips twitched, and she looked at Ye Tian with mild disgust: “Did you make egg noodles?”

“Doesn’t it smell good?”

Ye Tian’s face was full of expectation. Ye Shuangxue expressionlessly nodded, turned, and tossed her backpack onto her small bed, refusing to answer the question.

Xiao Jiang and Ye Yunting stared at the noodles in the copper pot, eyes wide with horror.

Seeing the three children’s reactions, Ye Tian said, “This isn’t noodles, this is Dad’s love for you. One bowl each, no wasting allowed.”

With that, Ye Tian scooped out four large bowls.

Ye Yunting had gradually grown used to Ye Tian’s endless chatter. As long as it wasn’t in public, he actually liked listening to it.

“This old grandpa appears and disappears mysteriously, insisting I become his apprentice. Don’t you think he’s trying to trick me into begging with him?” Ye Shuangxue followed behind Ye Tian, curious.

Ye Tian said, “If this grandpa is extremely powerful, and you learn from him and become very strong—invincible in the world—what would you want most?”

Hearing this, Ye Tian immediately regretted asking.

In the original story, once Ye Shuangxue gained strength, the first thing she did was seek revenge on Ye Tian.

Wasn’t this a death wish?

Ye Tian felt awkward. Ye Shuangxue fixed him with a strange gaze, making him uneasy: “Did you realize your dad is really handsome?”

“Tch!”

Ye Shuangxue rolled her eyes and skipped along behind Ye Tian: “Invincible in the world… does that mean a lot of people would listen to me?”

“So you want everyone to fear you?”

The little girl frowned after saying this, shaking her head, as if thinking it wasn’t quite right.

After a moment of thought, she asked, “Could they help me find Mom?”

Mom?

Ye Tian furrowed his brows at his daughter. Ye Shuangxue scrunched up her cute little face and said, “Xiao Jiang has dreamed of Mom, but I never have. I don’t even know what she looks like.”

Her tone was wistful, her head bowed in quiet sadness.

Ye Tian let out a deep breath, rubbing his daughter’s little head: “Don’t be too greedy. You already have the best dad in the world. What more do you want—like a bicycle?”

A bicycle?

The three children looked confused. Ye Tian ignored them and began dividing the eggs in the pot.

Ye Shuangxue tiptoed, her big eyes fixed on the eggs, and leaned toward Ye Tian: “The eggs you made… are the best-tasting eggs in the whole world…”