Chapter 155 -

Chapter 155: Chapter

As the heavy wooden wheels of the wagon crunched through the snow into the first branch compound, the noise echoed across the quiet courtyard.

Madame Chen was sitting at the wooden outdoor table, shivering slightly alongside her two daughters, Bai Wenxiu and Bai Shishi. When she saw Liu Feng dragging the oversized wagon into the yard, her face twisted in confusion. She immediately stood up, peering over the rim of the cart to see what was hidden beneath the heavy cloth covers.

Hearing the loud creak of the wheels, Madame Bai stepped out of her room, leaning gently on the arm of her daughter, Meiling, who helped steady her steps. A second later, Madame Zhao and her two children, Bai Shu and Bai Kang, came hurrying out from their side quarters to see what all the commotion was about.

"Yimei, what is all this?" Madame Bai asked, her tired eyes widening at the massive pile stacked on the wagon.

Yimei walked over with a gentle, polite smile on her face. "Mother, I bought some supplies for the house."

Without waiting for another prompt, Yimei turned to the exhausted bodyguard. "Liu Feng, start unloading."

Liu Feng let out a quiet sigh of relief, unstacking the heavy bundles. Yimei picked up a pile of soft, thick quilts and plump goose-feather pillows, handing them directly to Madame Bai and Meiling.

"The weather has been freezing, Mother," Yimei said softly. "Use these tonight so you and Meiling can sleep comfortably without the chill getting into your bones."

Yimei then looked over at Madame Zhao. "Aunt Zhao, please come take some for your room as well."

Madame Zhao’s eyes lit up with gratitude as she stepped forward to receive a stack of thick quilts, soft pillows, and several bundles of long, thick candles.

"Thank you so much, Yimei! May heaven bless your kind heart!" Madame Zhao gasped, clutching the warm bedding tight.

Before Yimei could even say another word, Bai Shu and Bai Kang snatched their portion of the blankets and pillows from their mother’s arms, quickly running back into their room as if terrified Yimei might suddenly change her mind and take them back.

Watching the first branch and Madame Zhao receive all the fresh, warm bedding, Madame Chen swallowed her pride. She wiped her hands on her apron and walked up to Yimei with an awkward, forced smile. Her daughters, Wenxiu and Shishi, followed right behind her, their eyes wide with hope.

The cold over the last few days had been completely unbearable. Just an hour ago, men from the village had passed through warning everyone that a severe snowstorm was heading toward the area tonight, urging every household to cover up and seal their doors tightly. Yimei had heard the warning earlier in the market, which was the exact reason she made sure to buy extra blankets for the compound.

Madame Chen clasped her hands together, looking at the remaining stack of quilts left on the wagon. "Yimei... dear... did you happen to bring anything for our branch as well? The air in our room is like ice at night, and the girls have been shivering so much..."

Yimei slowly turned around, tilting her head as her dark eyes locked onto Madame Chen’s nervous face. Her expression remained completely calm, unreadable, and chillingly still.

"Give me one reason why I should give you anything," Yimei asked smoothly.

Madame Chen’s forced smile instantly dropped, her face twitching as she stammered and tried to smirk. "Umm... because we are family, are we not? Even if you don’t really like me much, at least do it for your sister, An Yulan, and the girls as well."

Yimei looked at her, tilting her head. She almost felt like laughing out loud right in her face, but she held it in. "I didn’t know you knew how to talk so calmly, Madame Chen. I am used to you always spitting out poisonous words with your mouth."

Bai Shishi frowned deeply and lashed out at Yimei for talking to her mother like that. "How dare you speak to my mother like that!"

Bai Wenxiu also snapped back angrily, "Just because you have some money now, you think you can bully us? Soon my elder brother, Wenliang, will take the imperial exam! When he becomes a scholar, don’t come begging us for help!"

At that point, Yimei finally lost her cool control and gave in to a bright, clear laugh.

If a lazy, arrogant fool like Bai Wenliang were to ever pass any of the imperial exams, it would mean the world was probably ending! But hey, they could dream and wish all they wanted. Yimei sighed softly, her heart softening just a little for the shivering young girls. She was just about to stretch out her hand to hand over the blankets she had bought for them when a loud, proud voice interrupted from the courtyard gate.

"Keep your trash to yourself!"

An Yulan walked boldly into the compound, strutting with her head held high. Bai Wenliang was walking right behind her, carrying several heavy packages, while An Yulan had a bunch of thick bags in her own hands.

As soon as her sisters-in-law saw her, Bai Shishi and Bai Wenxiu ran toward her with bright eyes. Madame Chen also turned her back on Yimei and walked toward her with a wide, smug grin.

Looking completely prideful, An Yulan glared straight at Yimei and sneered, "My family doesn’t need your charity! Take your things and eat them! They have a great daughter-in-law like me, after all."

Yimei looked at her with completely unbothered eyes, her arms folded casually across her chest without a single trace of anger.

Madame Chen quickly asked her daughter-in-law, "Yulan, my dear! What are all these things?"

An Yulan proudly opened the bags, showing off fresh groceries, thick warm blankets, and even brand-new, colorful winter clothes for everyone. Bai Shishi and Bai Wenxiu immediately cheered and grabbed the new clothes, hugging them close, thrilled that they wouldn’t have to take a single thing from Yimei.