Chapter 156 -

Chapter 156: Chapter

Liu Feng and Qinqin watched the whole scene from near the wagon.

Liu Feng leaned in slightly toward Qinqin, his eyes narrowed as he looked at the piles of fine goods An Yulan and Wenliang had brought home. "Where on earth did she get money from?"

"I wonder as well," Qinqin said, her small eyebrows scrunched up in confusion. "Second Master Wenliang has never worked a day in his life."

An Yulan walked right up to Yimei, holding her head high like a proud peacock. "See that? I can take care of my own family just fine. We don’t need your pity or your scraps, Yimei. Save your charity for someone else!"

Yimei let out a quiet sigh, her expression completely smooth and relaxed. A gentle, knowing smile touched her lips. "Whatever you say, Sister Yulan."

Without wasting another word on her, Yimei turned her back on An Yulan and walked toward the cart.

Yimei picked up extra piles of soft, thick quilts, plump goose-feather pillows, and bundles of long candles, handing them directly to Madame Bai.

"Mother, take these extra blankets, pillows, and candles as well," Yimei said softly. "Make sure Master Bai, Bai Rulan, and Bai Meiling have more than enough so everyone stays warm and bright tonight."

Yimei then looked at both Madame Bai and Madame Zhao. "I also paid some people to bring in extra firewood tonight. A big load of logs will be delivered soon so the fire can keep everyone warm through the storm."

Madame Zhao smiled warmly, clutching her supplies tight. "Thank you so much, Yimei! You think of everything."

Yimei then turned back to the wagon. "Liu Feng, bring out the remaining things," Yimei said calmly. "Take your own blanket to your room, and Qinqin, take yours as well. Let’s get everything inside before the cold gets worse."

An Yulan stared at Yimei’s retreating back, her face twisting in pure anger. "That bitch dared to ignore me!" she hissed under her breath, stomping her foot on the cold snow.

Bai Shishi quickly grabbed her arm, trying to quiet her down before anyone else heard. "Sister-in-law, calm down," Shishi whispered, her eyes shining with curiosity as she held onto her new clothes. "Where on earth did you get all this money from?"

Madame Chen turned her attention to her son, Bai Wenliang, who was leaning against a wooden post, panting heavily from carrying all those heavy bags across the village.

"Wenliang," Madame Chen asked, her eyes sharp as she looked at her son. "Where did you and Yulan get the money to buy all these fine blankets, groceries, and new clothes?"

"Maaa, don’t ask me!" Wenliang groaned, wiping sweat off his brow despite the freezing air. "Ask your daughter-in-law! Just take all these bags inside already, I am completely exhausted."

Without waiting for his mother to reply, Wenliang dropped the heavy bundles right onto the snow-covered ground with a loud thud and turned around, walking off toward the side quarters, probably heading off to find something strong to drink.

Madame Chen immediately turned her head back to An Yulan, her eyebrows raised in suspicion. "Well, Yulan? Tell me. Where did all this silver come from?"

An Yulan flinched slightly under Madame Chen’s glare, her eyes darting left and right. She forced an awkward, sweet smile onto her face and patted her chest lightly.

"Oh, Mother, it’s nothing bad at all," An Yulan lied smoothly, smoothing down her hair. "I simply used my old jade hairpin. the one my family gave me and traded it at the pawnshop for some silver. I saw how terribly cold the girls were, and I couldn’t bear to see our family suffering or begging for Yimei’s pity."

Madame Chen listened, and without a single second of suspicion, a proud, touched expression washed over her face. She took An Yulan’s hands and squeezed them tight.

"Ah, Yulan! What a dutiful, wonderful daughter-in-law you are!" Madame Chen praised loudly, making sure her voice carried across the courtyard. "You truly care about this family! Unlike some people who act like they own the world just because they bought a few cheap blankets!"

Bai Shishi and Bai Wenxiu giggled, happily grabbing the rest of the bags and carrying them into their warm room, completely unaware of the real truth behind An Yulan’s silver.

Meanwhile, inside the room, Yimei looked up from the newly spread blankets. "Liu Feng, go bring Zhengyu back from Grandmaster Zhang’s house."

Liu Feng nodded. "Yes, Young Madame. I will take the wagon so he can sit comfortably."

"Qinqin, help me arrange the remaining pillows and quilts," Yimei added.

"Right away, Young Madame!" Qinqin replied, eagerly fluffing up the soft bedding.

Later in the evening, the heavy front door opened. Liu Feng carefully wheeled Zhengyu into the warm room. Zhengyu looked pale, exhausted, and completely out of breath.

Liu Feng glanced down at his young master. "Young Master, are you sure you don’t want me to—"

"Not a word," Zhengyu cut him off, glaring up at him with dark, tired eyes.

Yimei walked over immediately, tilting her head as she looked him up and down. "You look like you just came back from a war. What happened to you?"

She bent down, pressing her palm to his forehead before taking his wrist to check his pulse.

"Liu Feng," Yimei said, looking over her shoulder. "Go tell Qinqin to boil some warm water so I can prepare his bath."

"Yes, Young Madame," Liu Feng said, quickly slipping out the door and leaving them alone.

Yimei pulled a wooden stool closer and sat down right in front of Zhengyu, keeping her fingers resting on his wrist. "What did you do while I was gone?"

Zhengyu looked down at his lap, avoiding her eyes. "Nothing much. I just stayed at Grandmaster Zhang’s house."

"Is that so?" Yimei raised an eyebrow, her thumb lightly brushing over his rough knuckles. "Then why are your hands trembling like this? And why is your pulse racing as if you just ran up a mountain?"

"The medicine..." Zhengyu swallowed hard. "Grandmaster Zhang gave me a new herbal brew today. It was very strong."

"A strong brew makes your muscles ache and your clothes smell like bitter grass," Yimei said softly, leaning closer to pluck a speck of dirt off his collar. "It doesn’t leave fresh grey dust on your knees and shoulders."

Zhengyu stayed silent, his jaw tightening. He finally looked up into her clear eyes. "I was just trying."

"Trying what?"

"To stand," Zhengyu rasped. "I tried to stand up, Yimei."

Yimei froze, her eyes widening. "You pushed yourself on those legs?"

"They are not dead," Zhengyu said firmly, reaching out to grab her hand before she could pull back. "I felt a prickle in my knees today. Ah Cheng helped me, and Grandmaster Zhang built parallel bars for me. I fell... I fell a couple of times." He said a little embarrassed.

Yimei stared at him, her sharp gaze softening as a mixture of shock and quiet concern washed over her face.

"You fool," she whispered gently, wrapping her fingers around his cold hand. "You could have broken something."

He finally looked around the room as his eyes landed on the bed. The pillow were the first thing he took note off.

"You... you actually bought soft ones."

"Of course I did," Yimei said, her voice gentle as she reached out to smooth down a lock of hair sticking to his sweaty forehead. "You toss and turn every night because the old ones are like sleeping on rocks. How do you expect your legs to heal if your body never gets proper rest?"

Zhengyu looked down at their joined hands, feeling the contrast between his rough, bruised palm and her small, warm fingers. "I didn’t think you noticed."

"I notice everything about you, Zhengyu," Yimei murmured, tilting her head slightly. "Just like I noticed you lied about falling only ’a couple of times’."

A faint flush of crimson touched Zhengyu’s pale cheeks. He let out a quiet, raspy breath. "Fine. It was over a dozen times."

"A dozen times," Yimei repeated, shaking her head, though a small, fond smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "Grandmaster Zhang must have grumbled at you the entire afternoon."

"He threatened to charge you ten copper coins an hour for floor space if you keep leaving me there," Zhengyu said, a tiny glimmer of amusement breaking through his exhaustion.

Yimei let out a light laugh. "Old greedy doctor. Let him try to charge me... he’ll see the con artist side of me."

Before Zhengyu could reply, the door creaked open, and Qinqin stepped in carrying a steaming wooden bucket of warm water, with Liu Feng following right behind her carrying a second one.

"Young Madame, the hot water is ready!" Qinqin announced softly, setting her bucket near the bath screen.

"Okay.. Zhengyu, it’s time I give you a good wash."