TNIBFT -Chapter 89 Old Ye, do you want a wife or not?

Ye Tian squatted down. The eldest was about his height, a tiny body, tiny hands, holding a big black shoe in one hand.

His round little face stared blankly at him, expression vacant.

No trace of the usual seriousness or maturity—just awkwardness and embarrassment.

Seeing Ye Tian smiling warmly at him, Ye Yunting’s heart raced. He tried to keep a stern face but said nervously, “You’re being… frivolous!”

“Who told you to kiss me? You haven’t brushed your teeth, your mouth stinks!”

After saying this, the little guy even raised his hand to wipe his own cheek.

Still daring to resist.

Ye Tian, amused, leaned toward the little face and smacked a kiss on it again.

“You…”

He actually dared to kiss him back?

Hadn’t he noticed his younger siblings watching? Where was his authority?

Ye Yunting’s eyes widened as he stared at Ye Tian’s mischievous grin, stomped his foot in anger, covered his face, and ran off.

“Big brother!”

“Big brother!”

Ye Shuangxue and Xiao Jiang, seeing their big brother run out, quickly grabbed their schoolbags and followed. Ye Tian leisurely stood up and looked at the boiled eggs on the table, a pleased expression spreading across his face.

After breakfast, Ye Tian walked ahead, and the three kids followed in his footsteps like little ducklings.

The past few days of blizzard had broken many of the dead trees on the plains.

The snow on the plains was thick; a step could bury up to Ye Tian’s knees. Even an adult struggled to walk, let alone five-year-old children.

Extreme weather would surely bring disasters.

Before that happened, they needed to be fully prepared—not just food, but supplies and medicine too.

It took the four of them over half an hour to reach the schoolhouse.

The school gate was wide open.

Ye Tian stepped inside. The school was quiet, empty.

“Master Tao?”

Ye Tian called out, but there was no answer. Melted snow dripped from the eaves into a large water jar below, producing crisp, clear plinks.

“Seems like no one’s here.”

Ye Shuangxue held Ye Tian’s big hand, her curious eyes looking around. “Is it too cold? Maybe the master wants a day off?”

The little girl spoke, then looked up at Ye Tian. “Or… should we go help at the hotpot restaurant?”

“If we go home this afternoon, you can just treat us to a hotpot meal,” her bright eyes full of expectation.

“Not a chance,” Ye Tian refused without a second thought.

Before the father-daughter conversation could continue, Tao Ling’er came out of the house. Today, she wore a pale red cotton jacket with a fluffy white scarf. Her face was as white and delicate as jade, more beautiful than flowers.

In the time since he last saw her, the baby fat on her cheeks was gone, leaving a more delicate, refined face.

Her figure had slimmed as well, showing the subtle charm of a young woman.

Seeing Ye Tian, Tao Ling’er looked away and whispered, “Ye Tian? What are you doing here?”

Her voice softened at the last word.

Ye Tian looked at the shy Tao Ling’er. “The roads are difficult; I was worried, so I brought the children here. There’s nothing else, so I’ll leave first.”

He turned to the three children, ready to depart.

Tao Ling’er hesitated, wanting to say something but couldn’t find the words.

“Brother Ye, wait!”

A deep voice came from behind.

Ye Tian paused, turned slightly, and saw Tao Lichun coming from the backyard, wearing a gray cotton robe. His face looked paler than before, standing in the snow and waving at Ye Tian.

“Master?”

“Teacher!”

Xiao Jiang and Ye Yunting rushed forward at once, each supporting Tao Lichun from one side.

Tao Lichun nodded in satisfaction, then looked up at Ye Tian. “It’s been several days since we last met. None of the students came to the school today—how about you keep me company for a while?”

“Sure!”

Ye Tian agreed readily.

Tao Lichun shot his daughter a look. Tao Ling’er frowned slightly but respectfully withdrew.

Tao Lichun then led Ye Tian to the study.

The study was simple and crude.

He had given the best rooms to the school and to the children for their midday rest. The study, by contrast, was dim and cramped. Ye Tian found a spot and sat down.

Tao Lichun stared at him for a long moment, then coughed lightly. “About what happened with Ling’er last time—I haven’t had the chance to personally thank you. I haven’t been in good health these past few days. The colder it gets, the worse my chronic cough becomes.”

“Cough, cough…”

Before he could finish, another fit of coughing overtook him.

Ye Tian frowned, thinking to himself: As long as it’s not tuberculosis like in my previous life… otherwise it might infect the children.

“I know about the Ye family,” Tao Lichun said.

Ye Tian froze instantly. His back straightened, and his muscles tensed.

The Ye family?

He tried to recall memories from before arriving in Sifang City, but all he saw were vague flashes of blood-red scenes and heart-wrenching cries. Faces were indistinct, but whenever he thought of it, those cries of men and women would haunt his dreams at night.

Those sounds… were his nightmare.

“Your parents are gone, the Ye family has fallen. You’ve never married, and as for the mother of these three children—no one knows who she is.”

Tao Lichun looked at Ye Tian and continued, “My time is running out. The one thing I can’t stop worrying about is Ling’er. Ye Tian, I want to entrust Ling’er to you.”

“To me?”

Ye Tian was dumbfounded. When he came back to his senses, he waved his hands repeatedly. “No, no, that won’t do. Teacher Tao, don’t joke like that. I’m a bachelor raising three kids—wouldn’t marrying me just ruin Ling’er’s life? Besides, I have no plans to get married.”

Outside the study—

Three little heads squatted beneath the window, secretly eavesdropping on Tao Lichun and Ye Tian’s conversation.

With no students at school today, Tao Ling’er had gone to prepare food for Ye Tian. Curious whether Teacher Tao would praise them, the three children had followed along and hidden outside the study.

The moment they heard Tao Lichun’s words—

All three of them pulled long faces.

Xiao Jiang said, “Are we going to have a stepmother? I heard stepmothers don’t give kids proper winter clothes—they stuff reeds inside instead of cotton, trying to freeze us to death…I don’t want a mom.”

He turned to look at the eldest.

The eldest frowned, his childish face full of worry. “Ye Tian hasn’t agreed yet.”

Under his padded coat, Ye Yunting clenched his fists nervously. His current life was so good that he woke up smiling from dreams every day—he didn’t want anything to change.

Ye Shuangxue stood up slightly and peeked into the study through the window.

Ye Tian belonged to her.

He was her father—he had to take responsibility for her for a lifetime. And she would protect him for a lifetime too. She didn’t want some stepmother appearing out of nowhere. If Ye Tian got a new wife and had a younger brother, he definitely wouldn’t want her anymore.

Creaaak…

The wooden door of the study was pushed open by Tao Ling’er from outside. She entered carrying a tray of simple porridge and side dishes.

She gently set the food down in front of Ye Tian.

Tao Lichun looked at his daughter with satisfaction and nodded, then turned to Ye Tian and praised, “Ling’er is clever and capable. I won’t say she’s exceptionally learned, but she’s definitely a good child. She would surely treat Yunting and the others as her own…”

Ye Tian’s face darkened with embarrassment.

Tao Ling’er was three years older than Shen Jie—only seventeen now. Still a minor… wouldn’t this be illegal?

“Father, I beg you—please let me stay by your side!”