Chapter 159 -

Chapter 159: Chapter

Zhengyu sat propped up on the edge of the bed, wrapped in a fresh set of dry inner robes. He held a small cloth in his hands, slowly drying his long, damp hair while the rich scent of burning firewood filled the room.

The bath screen rustled, and Yimei stepped out. She had changed into a simple grey hanfu, the clean fabric falling neatly around her frame. As she walked toward the mirror, she lifted her arms and smoothly tied her long hair back with a plain ribbon.

"I am going to check on dinner," Yimei said, turning her head to look at him with a quiet smile. "You can wait here. I will send Liu Feng in to keep you company."

Zhengyu paused his hands, the dry cloth resting against his neck. He looked up at her, his dark eyes still carrying a lingering warmth from the bath.

"I don’t need Liu Feng," Zhengyu said, his voice quiet. "I am fine sitting here."

Yimei tilted her head, a familiar spark of playfulness returning to her eyes. "Are you sure? I wouldn’t want my brave husband getting lonely in the dark while the storm rages outside."

Zhengyu let out a small, quiet exhale, shaking his head. "Just go check on the food, Yimei. Don’t take too long."

"I won’t," Yimei murmured softly. She stepped up to the bed, reached down, and gently pulled the thick quilt higher over his lap to keep the evening chill off his legs. "Rest your shoulders while I am gone."

Without waiting for his reply, she turned around and walked toward the heavy wooden door, slipping out into the hallway and closing it quietly behind her.

Outside, the cold winter wind howled against the compound walls, but inside the hallway, the smell of simmering herbs and fresh food was already drifting up from the kitchen.

Yimei stepped into the warm, busy kitchen.

Madame Zhao, Madame Bai, Bai Shishi, Bai Wenxiu, and Qinqin were all inside, talking, chopping vegetables, and tending to the fires at the same time. Steam rose high into the air, carrying the delicious scent of hot food.

Bai Shishi was the first to notice her. "She’s here," Shishi announced, turning her head with a scoff.

Hearing Yimei’s arrival, Madame Zhao immediately stopped talking. She quickly looked down, fixing her eyes firmly on the vegetables she was cutting as if she were suddenly the most hard-working woman in the village.

Yimei walked further into the room, her sharp eyes scanning the counter. She noticed several fresh bags of grain, dried mushrooms, and meat resting on the wooden table.

"Mother," Yimei said, turning to Madame Bai. "Where did all these extra groceries come from?"

Madame Bai looked up from the stove with a gentle smile. "Master Bai came back with some groceries earlier."

Yimei tilted her head slightly. "Father bought them?"

Before Madame Bai could even answer, Madame Chen crossed her arms and sneered from the corner.

"Do you think your father-in-law is a lazy man or what?" Madame Chen spat out, her tone dripping with attitude. "You are regretting those sharp things you said to him at the inn, aren’t you?"

"Madame Chen... this isn’t the time for this. Come and help with the vegetables," Madame Bai said, shutting Madame Chen up with a firm, quiet voice.

Madame Chen rolled her eyes, but she swallowed her words and grumbled under her breath as she picked up a wooden knife.

Yimei didn’t bother wasting a single word on her. She simply shook her head with a small smirk, turned on her heel, and walked straight out of the noisy kitchen.

Seeing Yimei leave, Madame Bai let out a long sigh. When Madame Zhang walked further into the kitchen, Madame Bai handed over her part of the cooking and wiped her hands clean on a towel before walking out to follow Yimei.

Yimei walked away from the kitchen toward the roofed pavement on the other side of the courtyard. She sat down on the cold wooden floorboards, pulling her grey hanfu around her legs as she watched Bai Kang patiently teaching little Bai Jun Chinese characters in the snow-dusted yard.

Nearby, An Yulan sat with Bai Shishi and Bai Wenxiu, talking and laughing loudly like a pack of hyenas as they showed off their new winter clothes. Bai Wenliang was nowhere to be found, he had probably snuck off out of the compound to get something strong to drink, just like he always did.

Madame Bai walked up to the pavement, her slow footsteps quiet against the wood. She looked down at Yimei, let out another soft sigh, and gently sat down right beside her.

"Master Bai was able to get a job as an accountant at a shop in town," Madame Bai explained gently. "That is how he earned enough money to buy those groceries."

Yimei nodded slowly, her expression unreadable. "That is the first sensible thing anyone in this family has done since we arrived."

Madame Bai let out a quiet breath, offering a small, supportive smile. "Tomorrow, you will start cleaning your new shop. I will bring the girls along to help you with whatever we can do. Even if I do not know much about running an inn or a shop, I can still clean and help with the cooking."

Yimei looked at her mother-in-law, her sharp eyes softening just a bit. "I would really appreciate your help, Mother. But please, do not bother bringing Rulan along. I do not want anyone ruining my mood tomorrow."

Yimei stood up from the wooden floorboards, her grey robes settling around her. It was obvious she had not forgotten the sharp, foolish words Rulan had spat at her earlier that morning.

Madame Bai stood up right after her, looking at her with quiet concern. "Are you upset with her, Yimei?"

"I am not upset with her," Yimei replied smoothly, smoothing out her sleeves. "I simply find her very naive, and because of that, I feel a little sorry for her. But being naive is no excuse to be foolish. She needs to learn her lesson now, or the world will end up teaching her the hard way and I hope for her sake it does not come to that."

Before Madame Bai could say another word, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed at the compound gate. A few young men from the village stepped inside, carrying large bundles of wood, the workers Yimei had hired earlier to restock their winter supply.

"I will go handle them," Yimei said, her tone returning to its usual cool business. "See you inside, Mother."

With that, Yimei turned and walked toward the men.

Madame Bai stood alone on the covered walkway, watching her daughter-in-law’s tall, confident posture as she took control of the yard. She let out a soft, helpless sigh, shaking her head.

"You really are so difficult to understand, child."