TNIBFT -Chapter 82 Deep-Rooted Affection

“Medical skills?”

Xiao Jiang furrowed his brows and looked at the middle-aged man beside him. “You mean prescribing medicine, healing with miraculous hands?”

Seeing the child’s bright, wide eyes, Qiu Feibai couldn’t help but smile to himself. “So young, and you already know about miraculous healing?”

“Of course.”

Xiao Jiang immediately perked up, walking along with excitement. “My dad says there are many remarkable people in this world. Every profession can produce masters. It’s not just scholars who have a future—every occupation deserves respect. As long as you put your heart into it, you can do your best. For example, my eldest brother is good at studying. My dad says he will be knowledgeable in everything, from astronomy to geography.”

Mentioning his father, the little boy seemed like a different person entirely. He spoke fluently, pride written all over his face.

Just from a few words, Qiu Feibai could tell that this child’s father was no ordinary man. If the opportunity arose, he would definitely want to meet this long-ailing prodigy. With him around, perhaps the child’s fate wasn’t as doomed as it seemed.

“So your dad must like your eldest brother the most,” Qiu Feibai said, looking off into the distant sky without thinking.

Xiao Jiang shook his head. “Nope. My dad likes me the most.”

The little one looked completely smug.

Qiu Feibai couldn’t understand. In this world, ordinary people craved fame and success, wanted to return home with glory, believed that studying could lead to official positions, and gain power.

This child’s father was truly extraordinary.

“Maybe it’s because you’re sweet-talking, cunning, and cute, so your dad likes you a bit more.”

“Nope!” Xiao Jiang pouted and continued, “We are the third-born. My sister studies martial arts, and my dad cooks beef stew for her every day, saying she’s incredibly talented. My dad says that because of farmers, we can have food; because of night watchmen, we can sleep safely; because of waiters, we can eat delicious meals. No profession is noble or lowly. So, it’s just a matter of different choices. No one’s dignity should be trampled.”

Qiu Feibai was stunned for a long while, unable to react immediately.

He had never heard words like this before.

Although he was the Divine Doctor of Yao Wang Valley, he had no power or influence. When the nobles fawned over him, everything was fine, but when he was no longer needed, he was just a servant summoned on demand.

Like the imperial doctors in the capital—they spend a lifetime mastering medicine, yet if a noble’s mood turned bad, they could be beheaded on a whim.

Where was the respect? The dignity?

“I’ll take you as my disciple. Are you willing?”

Qiu Feibai spoke, genuinely fond of this astonishingly outspoken child.

Xiao Jiang frowned and shook his head. “I won’t leave my dad.”

With that, the little one didn’t look back and ran across the snow, afraid he would be held back. Qiu Feibai watched Xiao Jiang’s retreating figure and smiled wryly. He was the top divine doctor of Yao Wang Valley—looking not just at this Sifang City but across the whole world, few wouldn’t show some respect.

Yet this child actually turned him down?

If word got out, wouldn’t it be a laughingstock?

…

Elsewhere, Ye Shuangxue returned home and didn’t find Ye Tian. Pulling Sun Wuji along, she went out to look for him.

The family split into three groups.

Ye Tian was frantic. The village was pitch black, and at night, wild beasts roamed the snowy plains. At this hour, with no word from their leader, could something have happened?

The original story’s main antagonist wouldn’t die so easily—after all, he still had to pave the way for the protagonist.

Even in death, it wouldn’t be simple; he would fall into the disdain of thousands, creating a stark contrast with the protagonist’s success.

Was Shen Jie taking revenge?

That was the only possibility Ye Tian could think of. He hadn’t finished this book—he gave up halfway, thinking it too over-the-top.

He read the synopsis of this book: as the male lead, Shen Jie is an illegitimate son despised by everyone. Through his effort, cleverness, strikingly handsome appearance, and unique charm, he wins over all the major figures, begins a life of extraordinary success, eventually defeats three major antagonists, and unifies the nations through his strength.

As he grows, he collects women along the way, ascending to the pinnacle of life.

“Is anyone there?”

The cry for help snapped Ye Tian fully awake.

He panicked and ran toward the direction of the voice.

Hearing footsteps growing closer, Ye Yunting quickly stood up from the snow pit. Tonight, the snowstorm was fierce, the weather harsh—there wasn’t a single visible star, and it was so dark he couldn’t see his own hand.

“Eldest?”

“Eldest!”

Hearing Ye Tian’s voice, Ye Yunting lifted his head instantly. In the darkness, he seemed to catch the flicker in Ye Tian’s eyes.

Was he here to save him?

Ye Yunting almost wanted to cry. He wasn’t sure whether it was the lingering fear from before, or the overwhelming feeling of being cared for that moved him—Ye Tian had come out in the middle of the night to find him.

“Mm!”

Ye Yunting didn’t dare speak, afraid of cracking his voice, so he simply responded.

Ye Tian said, “Don’t be afraid. I’m coming down to get you right now.”

Without hesitation, Ye Tian slid along the edge of the snow pit and dropped down. At 1.8 meters tall, this pit—less than two meters deep—couldn’t trap him, even without help.

Seeing Ye Tian’s clothes brushing against the snow as he jumped down without a second thought, standing before him, Ye Yunting’s heart skipped a beat.

His nose stung, and tears nearly fell. This was what it felt like to be cared for.

If he didn’t return home, Ye Tian would worry, would search frantically—he was family, the one connected to him by blood.

“Why did you fall down here?”

“Wasn’t it so you could borrow the dry hay?”

“Are you cold?”

“Are you hurt?”

Ye Tian’s first reaction was to anxiously check him from all sides.

Ye Yunting could no longer hold back; tears slipped down silently. In the darkness, he wiped them away, swallowed hard, and cleared his throat: “I shouldn’t have tried to take the shortcut. It’s my fault. I made you worry.”

His voice was sincere, slightly choked with emotion.

For the first time, the eldest—willingly—apologized. Ye Tian’s lips curved into a smile as he pulled Ye Yunting into his arms: “It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have let you come out this late. We both made mistakes. No one will be punished this time.”

The warmth of the embrace slowly thawed Ye Yunting’s frozen limbs. He inhaled Ye Tian’s scent, his small face flushed. For the first time, someone was this close.

It turned out that a hug could really make someone drop all their defenses.

This kind of warmth spoke louder than a thousand words.

Ye Yunting quietly leaned on Ye Tian’s shoulder, reluctant to part. Ye Tian said, “Step on my shoulders; you go up first.”

Before he finished, a crisp little girl’s voice came from behind: “Me too! I’m freezing to death…”

Ye Tian turned around.

His pupils instantly widened.

A blue outfit, a fluffy collar, and that face—every expression, every tone—it was none other than one of the female leads, Jiang Yunxi.

How did she appear so quickly?

Had Shen Jie already met her?

In the original story, Jiang Yunxi was in Sifang City learning medicine from her master. She encountered the severely injured Ye Yunting, and the kind-hearted Jiang Yunxi saved the runaway slave Ye Yunting.

From that moment, Ye Yunting’s affection ran deep.