TNIBFT -Chapter 66 How did you get out?

A playful, flippant voice came from above: Xiao Tianyi.

Shen Jie, still groggy and slow to react, felt a sharp pain as one of the attendants stomped on his fingers. “Ah!!”

Shen Jie screamed in agony, tilting his head back, veins bulging on his forehead.

The pain from all ten fingers seemed to shoot through his entire body, making him shiver as he curled up on the ground.

“The Second Young Master is asking you a question, and you dare not answer?” the attendant barked coldly.

Trembling, Shen Jie looked up and saw the attendant’s eyes—icy, ruthless, seeing him as nothing more than livestock, devoid of emotion. In that instant, he was fully awake. All his pride, his noble lineage, all his talents—they were meaningless.

Survival was the only priority.

“Tao Ling’er is my junior sister,” Shen Jie said, lowering his head.

His hands clenched tightly around his cotton robe. For the first time, he bowed to a frivolous young master he had previously looked down on, acknowledging that they were not the same.

“Hmph!” Xiao Tianyi withdrew the small fox-fur whip in his hand and snorted coldly.

He continued lightly, “Is that how you speak to me?”

As soon as the words left his mouth, the attendant beside him stepped forward again, raining fists and kicks on Shen Jie. He lay on the ground, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, glaring with hatred at the richly dressed woman playing in the courtyard.

Fate was so unfair. Wealth and honor, the admiration of thousands, should have been his.

As long as he survived, when the time came to reunite with Xiao Haoyang, he would trample all these people underfoot.

He knew exactly what Xiao Tianyi wanted.

A spoiled young master, when it came to a woman he desired but could not have, would be unbearably restless. But Tao Ling’er’s devotion to him—this alone meant Xiao Tianyi could never compare.

“Second Young Master, I have a way for Tao Ling’er to meet you,” Shen Jie said, clutching his chest, pain etched on his face as he looked at Xiao Tianyi.

Xiao Tianyi leaned down with interest, grasping Shen Jie’s chin, a playful smile on his face. “Oh?”

“If you can make this happen, I will release you immediately and let you stay by my side.”

“Of course,” Shen Jie said, eyes burning with determination.

He understood fully what would happen if Xiao Tianyi saw Tao Ling’er. But he didn’t blame him; it was for Tao Ling’er’s own good. Shen Jie carried a mission—he had to rise to the top in this life.

If he could not give Tao Ling’er true affection, at least if she went with Xiao Tianyi, her life of wealth and honor would be secured.

And when the opportunity came, he would make it up to her.

“But I have one condition,” Shen Jie said.

Xiao Tianyi glanced at the attendant, looking down at Shen Jie like he was observing a clown, smiling. “What condition? Speak.”

…

The next day, at the school.

The weather had warmed slightly over the past few days, and much of the snow had melted. Icicles hung from the blue tiles of the eaves, sparkling with rainbow light.

Drip. Drip.

One drop.

Two drops, hitting the snow in the courtyard, carving a line of small holes.

Ye Shuangxue held a long bamboo pole, tilting her head back, standing under the eaves and striking the icicles.

The bamboo pole was so long that the little girl looked like a tiny ornament dangling from it. She swung it back and forth like an ant trying to shake an elephant.

“Almost!”

“Almost!”

A group of kids crowded behind Ye Shuangxue, clapping excitedly.

They were too small to handle such a long pole; only Ye Shuangxue could. The children looked at her with admiration and anticipation.

Xiao Jiang frowned, his pale face curious. “Sister, can I have this?”

“Of course,” Ye Shuangxue replied without turning her head, continuing to strike.

Xiao Jiang happily stared at his sister’s back—she was truly wonderful.

Shi Hao also chimed in, trying to curry favor: “Ye Shuangxue, can you give me one too? I’ll bring you candied peanuts tomorrow.”

“You?”

Ye Shuangxue turned her head, looking at Shi Hao with clear disdain, and immediately refused: “No!”

“Why not?”

“Xiao Jiang is allowed.” Shi Hao protested, his chubby little face scrunching up.

“Xiao Jiang is my brother. Who are you?” Ye Shuangxue said, exasperated, and gave a sharp knock: Bang!

With a crisp sound, an icicle fell from the eaves, landing on the snow. None of the other kids dared to rush forward to grab it.

Xiao Jiang ran over excitedly, picked it up, and puckered his lips to suck on it.

“Ha…” So cool.

Xiao Jiang shivered from the cold, furrowing his tiny brows and stamping his feet in place—so cold, yet so refreshing.

Shi Hao looked on with envy.

The other kids crowded around Ye Shuangxue, all eager to please her.

Ye Shuangxue held a bamboo stick in her small hands, her little face lifted with a proud, tsundere air—utterly commanding.

Shi Hao whispered, “From now on, I’ll be your little brother too.”

“Really?”

The little chubby boy’s face turned as red as an apple.

Shi Hao had thought it through: if he became Ye Shuangxue’s little brother, she wouldn’t hit or bully him. How well she treated Xiao Jiang was obvious to everyone.

“Be my little brother?”

Ye Shuangxue rolled her eyes at Shi Hao. “Then you have to ask my father if he’s willing to have you as a son.”

Shi Hao’s little face fell.

His plan had failed.

Seeing his pitiful look, Ye Shuangxue, impatient, raised the bamboo stick: Bang, bang! She knocked randomly.

A row of icicles fell onto the snow.

Shi Hao was thrilled, looking at Ye Shuangxue excitedly: “From now on, you’ll be my sister. I won’t make you angry anymore.”

Ye Shuangxue felt awkward.

This was the first time someone insisted on playing with her—and even wanted her to be their sister.

Should she ask Ye Tian about this?

“Sister, will you stop liking me someday?” Xiao Jiang tugged at Ye Shuangxue’s sleeve, his little lips bright red from the icicle’s cold, almost swollen-looking.

“No.” Ye Shuangxue whispered into Xiao Jiang’s ear. “Because you and I are born of Father. The others were born to someone else.”

Xiao Jiang nodded.

They were certain of this fact.

Having grown up without a mother, Ye Tian often told them they shared his blood. The siblings had never doubted it.

“Sister Ling’er is here!”

Someone shouted, and the kids quickly hid their icicles behind them.

Tao Ling’er came rushing out from the backyard, her eyes red and swollen, hurrying outside.

“What’s wrong with Sister Ling’er?”

“Today’s food is way too salty. Yesterday’s didn’t even have salt…”

“I saw Sister Ling’er secretly crying today.”

“Really?”

The kids all babbled nervously, full of concern.

In the past, if they had been eating icicles, Tao Ling’er would have scolded them: don’t be greedy after meals, don’t eat cold food, or you’ll get a stomachache in the afternoon. But now, she wasn’t around to see it.

Ye Shuangxue didn’t care about Tao Ling’er. She held one icicle in each hand and happily sucked on them.

Ye Yunting followed cautiously.

Under the pine trees outside the door,

Shen Jie wore a worn cotton robe, stained with blood, his face tired and weathered as if he had been through a storm.

Tao Ling’er saw Shen Jie and immediately covered her mouth, bursting into tears: “Brother Shen…”

“Ling’er.”

Shen Jie looked around. Seeing no one nearby, he pulled Tao Ling’er to a secluded corner by the wall.

“How did you get out?”