427: Chapter 428 Brother, you're too strict!

She let out a huff and buried her face back into Ye Changge's arms, saying in a muffled voice,

"Anyway... Anyway, I just think Brother is too fierce..."

Ye Changge lowered his gaze to look at her, then raised his eyes to look at Ye Tian, his heart stirring slightly.

What his son talked about was "rules," while what his daughter talked about was "happiness."

One leaned toward sternness, while the other leaned toward gentleness.

Both children's thoughts made sense, yet both also had their biases.

Ye Tian was right; if a Family had no rules at all, it would sooner or later degenerate into a mob;

but Ye Caizhen was also right—if the rules were too strict and suppressed everyone until they could not catch their breath, such a Family probably wouldn't be able to retain people's hearts.

He pondered for a moment, then suddenly smiled.

"Xiaotian, Caizhen, what both of you said is right, but neither is completely right."

Ye Tian was slightly taken aback, and Ye Caizhen also raised her head from her father's arms, blinking her eyes as she looked at him.

Ye Changge reached out and gently stroked the top of Ye Tian's head: "What you said at the gathering today, this father has listened to. What you said makes sense.

But have you ever thought about it: when you spoke out in such a public occasion, your younger brothers and sisters—

especially those who are young and still lack understanding—what would they think upon hearing it?"

Ye Tian opened his mouth, seeming as if he wanted to say something, but was stopped by Ye Changge's gentle gaze.

"They will think, 'So Third Brother feels that we are dragging the Family down.'"

Ye Tian's expression changed slightly, and then he lowered his eyelids.

Ye Changge did not continue lecturing him, only softening his tone by a few shades:

"This father does not blame you. That you could think of this level shows that you truly hold the Family in your heart; for this, this father is very gratified.

But you must remember, for certain matters, speaking of them publicly versus speaking in private has a world of difference in effect.

When you point out problems publicly, those children with a guilty conscience will become even more uneasy, those who are naturally sensitive will feel even more inferior,

and those who truly made mistakes... might instead harbor resentment because they were exposed by you in public."

He patted Ye Tian's shoulder:

"You are an elder brother; your words carry a heavy weight in the hearts of your younger brothers and sisters. A single sentence from you might cause them to remember it for a very long time.

Therefore, if you have such thoughts again in the future, you might as well first come seek this father, or consult with your mother and aunts.

Once we have threshed out the matter clearly in private, we can then come up with a secure and proper protocol. How about that?"

Ye Tian was silent for a moment, then slowly nodded: "This child understands." He raised his head to look at Ye Changge, his gaze holding a bit more apologetic feeling: "It was this child's consideration that was lacking."

"It is good that you can think it through." Ye Changge smiled, changing the topic: "However,

what you said just now about 'only making contributions brings a sense of identity, and not making contributions means a lack of belonging'—on this point, this father cannot completely agree."

"Treating an illness always requires first seeing where the root cause is; if you treat all cases with a broad brush, nothing can be cured in the end."

Ye Tian nodded thoughtfully.

Ye Caizhen could finally hold back no longer and eagerly spoke up:

"Dad is right! If people are punished too harshly, in their hearts they definitely won't be convinced! If they aren't convinced, then they'll want to work even less!"

As she spoke, she also forcefully waved her small fist, as if she were speaking some profound truth.

Ye Changge was amused into laughter by her and reached out to flick the tip of her nose:

"You little girl, you really know how to borrow this father's words."

He turned his head to look at Ye Tian,

"Regarding this matter, this father has already discussed it with your several aunts and your mother.

The Family's atmosphere indeed needs to be straightened out, but how to straighten it out and to what extent, we still need to think more about it.

In a few days, a set of regulations will be produced,

and by then if you still have thoughts, come seek this father to speak, and the two of us father and son can discuss it in detail."

Ye Tian slightly nodded: "This child has noted it down."

Only then did Ye Caizhen nod in satisfaction, resting her head back against Ye Changge's arm and letting out a small yawn.

Ye Changge looked at the sky; the sun had already slanted westward, the light in the mountains had become soft and lingering, and the shadows of the pine trees were dragged out very long.

He stood up and patted the grass debris clinging to his robes:

"Alright, it is getting late, you all head back. Caizhen, you should go back to your mother's place for dinner."

"Oh..."

Ye Caizhen reluctantly let go of his arm, jumped down to the ground, and looked up at him once more,

"Will Dad come to see me tomorrow?"

"I will." Ye Changge smiled and rubbed the top of her hair, "Dad will come tomorrow."

Only then did Ye Caizhen run off with satisfaction, her skirt fluttering like a little butterfly flapping its wings.

Ye Tian cupped his fists in a salute to Ye Changge, turned around, and followed his younger sister's footsteps. The two small figures, one after the other,

gradually drifted away along the bluestone path.

Ye Changge stood in place,

his hands behind his back as he gazed at the overlapping mountain ranges.

"As a father, I really am far too casual in this aspect."

His original intention was to provide his children with a better and freer environment, allowing them to grow up happily rather than boxing them into individual molds with rules.

But blind leniency might instead Cultivate arrogant and pampered generations, ultimately harming them.

Today's conversation with Ye Tian made him even more certain of one thing: no matter how lenient the governance, there must still be a bottom line.

What he wanted was a Family where every child could live freely and with dignity,

not a place where the strong bullied the weak and the direct lineage suppressed the collateral branches.

This bottom line could not rely solely on his prestige to maintain, nor could it rely solely on the Awakening of one or two children.

"It is time to establish some rules."

He muttered to himself softly, his voice blown away by the wind amidst the valley,

"However, rules are rules, but people's hearts must also be looked after.

Caiyue was right; some things cannot be rushed and must be done slowly, little by little."

Although he had long since reached Foundation Establishment and did not need to rely on mortal food and drink to maintain his vitality, he would occasionally still eat some spiritual rice and spiritual food—first, to satisfy his cravings,

and second, because the gentle Spiritual Qi contained within those spiritual materials was of some benefit to his Cultivate.

At dinnertime, the kitchen brought over a bowl of spiritual rice porridge and a few plates of refreshing side dishes, which Ye Changge leisurely consumed,

and then went to the study to flip through a few pages of the Formation manuscripts left behind by Xiao Caiyue before finally resting.

Over the next few days, Ye Changge did not rush into closed-door Cultivate again, but instead slowed his pace and successively sought out other children in the Family for heart-to-heart talks.

From his eldest daughter Ye Zhi to his youngest son who was still learning to walk, from those with lively personalities to those with calm temperaments,

he questioned them one by one, listening to them speak of their own thoughts, their troubles, and their feelings about this home.

Some were flattered that their father could personally come to question them, some stammered and dared not say much, while others opened their hearts and spoke many things they usually dared not say.

After making the rounds, Ye Changge had a much clearer grasp in his heart of the condition of the children in the Family.

Regarding the new policies for the Family's atmosphere, he already had a general outline in his heart.