TNIBFT -Chapter 8 How About Trusting Him One More Time

Widow Zhang didn’t listen to anything Ye Tian said. She smugly sat down beside him, wrapping her arm around his and said, “So this is what you wanted, right?”

“What are you pretending for? Do you think I don’t know you?”

Ye Tian’s face flushed red. He shrank back, struggling to free himself from her grip as he retorted, “You really don’t know me.”

What kind of taste did the original Ye Tian have? Even someone at this level—he actually went for her? Damn!

Feeling helpless, Ye Tian pried her hand off finger by finger, stood up, and moved away from her. His tone turned cold as he said, “Just tell me—what exactly did you come here for?”

That serious tone.

That solemn expression.

Not just the three children—even Widow Zhang herself was stunned.

Was this really Ye Tian?

Having lost face, Widow Zhang fastened her clothes while lowering her head with a sneer. Her gaze swept over the three children before she curled her lips and looked at Ye Tian. “As for you bullying my son, I won’t argue about it for now. Ye Tian, we do have some history. Last time, you promised me that when Ye Yunting gets taken away by the City Lord’s Mansion, that one string of coins—you’d give it to me. I’m here to tell you, I’m planning to use that money to buy a quilt and a new padded coat for Fan’er. Don’t even think about touching that money.”

“If you don’t hand it over, Ye Tian, I’m warning you—you won’t have a good ending!”

After saying that, Widow Zhang buttoned up her cotton coat, adjusted the hair by her ear, and glanced around Ye Tian’s house—messy like a dog’s nest. Seeing there was nothing worth taking, she finally left arrogantly, head held high.

“Wait!”

Only then did Ye Tian snap back to his senses. He chased after her a few steps. Outside, the sky had grown dim, and the blinding white snow reflected a pale bluish light. Hearing his voice, Widow Zhang turned back with a flirtatious smile. “Don’t worry, no need to see me off. At this hour, those beasts in the mountains wouldn’t dare come down to eat people yet.”

“And also—whenever you bring the money, that’s when I’ll let you stay the night.”

She threw him a coquettish glance, as if granting him a favor.

Looking at her horse-faced appearance, Ye Tian felt like throwing up.

The hell—was I trying to see you off?

I wanted to say—when did I ever agree to give you money?!

Watching her figure grow farther and farther away, Ye Tian frowned. He had to make his stance clear. With her looks, if she dared to come again, he’d call the police and report her for trespassing.

Ye Tian turned back.

Inside the house, the fire flickered. The three children sat by the fire. Ye Yunting looked at Ye Tian with disdain.

Ye Shuangxue’s little face was filled with hatred and rage, as if she might explode at any moment.

Ye Hanjiang frowned, his eyes full of disappointment.

Looking at the three children, Ye Tian’s heart skipped a beat. Everything he had done today was about to be ruined by that old woman.

He quickly explained awkwardly, “Um… I really didn’t promise her anything. That’s not true at all…”

Ye Yunting stood up and cut him off, “Stop pretending.”

“All your strange behavior today was just to make us lower our guard, so we wouldn’t run away—so you could wait to collect money from the City Lord’s Mansion, right? And you suddenly changed your mind about selling Shuangxue—that’s also because of that one string of coins, isn’t it? You know if you sold Shuangxue, I’d never go to the City Lord’s Mansion. I’d go find her instead.”

“For the sake of pleasing Widow Zhang, you can really swallow your pride, huh?”

Ye Yunting sneered. His words instantly made things clear to Ye Shuangxue and Ye Hanjiang.

The two of them looked at Ye Tian, their eyes filled with disappointment, disgust, and hatred. Everything Ye Tian had done today—all his fake kindness—was just to please Widow Zhang.

All of it was for that one string of coins earned by selling themselves for their elder brother.

Ye Tian… that bastard really couldn’t change his ways. Believing him was the stupidest thing in the world.

Ye Tian felt helpless.

At this moment, he was both physically and mentally exhausted. He was just an ordinary young man, yet in the blink of an eye, he had been thrown into the world of a novel. Life here was already difficult, and on top of that, his ending was tragic. He wanted to change things, but misunderstandings seemed inevitable.

Sitting by the fire, Ye Tian spoke weakly, “Whether you believe me or not, I truly want to treat you well. If you really want to go to the City Lord’s residence, don’t worry—I won’t take this money, nor will I give it to Widow Zhang.”

“And in three days, if you still want to leave, I won’t stop you.”

Ye Yunting frowned slightly. Seeing Ye Tian’s dejected expression, he opened his mouth, but swallowed the words of mockery he had intended to say.

No one spoke.

Ye Tian stood up and broke the silence. “It’s cold and unsafe outside. You all should sleep inside tonight.”

After saying that, he lay down on his worn, grimy bed and turned to sleep on his side.

The three children didn’t know what to think. Seeing that Ye Tian made no further movement, Ye Hanjiang hesitated for a long time before finally gathering the courage to look at his older brother and sister. In a small voice, he said, “How about… how about… we trust him one last time?”

Ye Shuangxue and Ye Yunting instantly looked up at their younger brother.

Nervously clutching a few copper coins in his palm, Ye Hanjiang lowered his head and said softly, “I’ll listen to whatever you two decide.”

Ye Shuangxue said, “Xiao Jiang, just because Ye Tian gave you a few coins, you don’t actually think he likes you, do you?”

“Have you forgotten who made you go into the freezing river to catch fish?”

“Who stole things and framed us for it?”

“Who deliberately trampled on us and let other kids beat us…”

With every sentence Ye Shuangxue spoke, a corresponding, shameful memory surfaced in Ye Tian’s mind. The children had suffered too much. He truly had been a terrible person… but if he wanted to live on, he had to keep trying from tomorrow onward.

This damned place was unbearably cold at night—so cold that Ye Tian even dreamed of his great-grandmother beckoning him over.

The next day, the sun was already high in the sky.

“Y-you’re awake?”

Seeing Ye Tian slowly wake up, Xiao Jiang shrank back like a startled bird, crouching on the ground and looking at him nervously as he spoke.

Ye Tian sat up and smiled. “What are you doing?”

“I… I’m grinding Sichuan pepper. Didn’t you say we need to earn money? I want to buy meat buns for my brother and sister…” Xiao Jiang gave a shy smile. Seeing Ye Tian looking at him, he quickly lowered his head and added, “And for you too. You can eat as well.”

His little expression was full of cautious eagerness to please.

A warmth rose in Ye Tian’s heart. He climbed down from the wooden bed, but the moment he moved, a sour, foul odor rushed into his nose—worse than cured meat.

Ye Tian frowned in disgust. He had to make money quickly and buy a bathing tub. Otherwise, he might not starve to death, but suffocate from his own stench first. And these three children looked like little beggars too.

“Oh, and this is the wax paper bags you asked me to buy.” Xiao Jiang ran over and handed a stack of smooth paper bags to Ye Tian.

Ye Tian smiled. “Our Xiao Jiang is really capable.”

Xiao Jiang pursed his lips, lowering his head shyly. Today’s Ye Tian didn’t seem so scary anymore. In fact, he was starting to look forward to talking to him. No one had ever praised him before—only Ye Tian had.

Ye Tian stood up and glanced around this “home with nothing but bare walls.” The copper pot over the fire pit was steaming. He didn’t even know what time it was, but the daylight made everything inside clearer—more real, more dilapidated—making him fully aware of his poverty.

Making money was imperative!

“Where are your brother and sister?”