Chapter 164 -

Chapter 164: Chapter

An Yulan gasped, her eyes wide with fury. "You...!"

Unable to find a comeback, she stomped her foot on the icy ground, turned around, and stormed right back into her warm room, slamming the door shut behind her.

Yimei didn’t even bother chasing after her. She turned on her heel and walked over to Bai Kang and his mother, Madame Zhao.

Madame Zhao’s face was completely red, and she had wrapped a thick wool shawl tightly around her cheeks and neck.

"Madame Zhao, are you alright?" Yimei asked, noticing how uncomfortably flushed the older woman looked.

Madame Zhao quickly brushed it off, waving a hand weakly. "I am fine, Yimei... just a little cold, that’s all."

"She’s lying, Yimei," Bai Kang interrupted, his voice full of worry as he looked at his mother. "She was shivering non-stop all through the night, even under two thick blankets."

Yimei’s eyes narrowed slightly. She stepped closer, reaching out to place her cool palm against Madame Zhao’s forehead. Her skin was burning hot. Without losing a second, Yimei grabbed Madame Zhao’s wrist, pressing her fingers firmly onto her pulse point to check her condition.

Within three seconds, Yimei’s eyebrows shot up. She withdrew her hand instantly, looking at Madame Zhao in absolute shock.

Madame Zhao looked back at her nervously. "Is... is everything alright, Yimei?"

Yimei let out a long, quiet sigh, quickly smoothing her expression before turning to Bai Kang.

"Bai Kang, take your mother inside right now," Yimei ordered, her voice serious and firm. "Boil a hot pot of herbal tea for her to drink. Neither of you should come to the shop today, just stay in your room where it’s warm."

Bai Kang blinked, confused. "Wait, why? Is she very sick?"

"Just take her inside and keep her warm," Yimei said, refusing to give details away in front of the noisy crowd in the yard. "I will explain everything to you later."

Yimei walked back to her room where she saw Liu Feng bring Zhengyu out in his wheelchair. Zhengyu was surprised to see the thick snow, and even more surprised to see Wenxiu and Shishi arguing with each other over who was hitting who with a shovel. Beside them, Madame Chen was trying her absolute best just to lift her heavy shovel up from the frozen ground.

Then there were Meiling and Bai Shu, who were happily playing with the snow instead of clearing it, while Rulan and Qinqin shook their heads at the two girls’ mischievousness.

Zhengyu looked at Yimei, raising an eyebrow. "Whatever is going on here is weird... you caused it, huh?"

Yimei just shook her head at his words, her lips curving into a subtle smirk. But before she could reply, her sharp eyes caught a familiar figure trying to make a run for it. It was Wenliang. He was trying to sneak away toward the side gate until Yimei took a shovel that had been placed and kept aside by Madame Bai.

She grabbed it, and with a swift, powerful toss, threw it right across the yard. The shovel flew through the air and slammed into the ground with a loud THUD, landing right in front of Wenliang as he almost flinched out of his skin.

Wenliang froze on the spot, staring down at the shaking shovel blade buried in the snow just inches from his boots. Cold sweat broke out on his forehead as he slowly turned his head to look at Yimei.

"Where do you think you’re going, brother-in-law?" Yimei asked smoothly, walking toward him with her hands tucked casually into her sleeves. "Everyone in this house clears snow today. Pick up the shovel."

Wenliang swallowed hard, his face turning pale. "I... I was just going to check on something..."

"Check on it after the path to the main gate is clear," Yimei said, her voice leaving no room for argument.

Without another word, Wenliang quickly bent down, grabbed the shovel with both hands, and began digging into the snow as fast as he could.

Zhengyu watched the whole scene from his wheelchair, a soft, amused laugh escaping his lips. "You really know how to control this household."

"I just like things done properly," Yimei said, walking back to stand beside his wheelchair. She looked down at him, her tone softening just a little. "How are your legs feeling this morning?"

"They burn," Zhengyu answered honestly, staring down at his lap. "It feels like small needles poking my skin from the inside."

"Good," Yimei replied with a small smile. "That means the dead nerves are waking up. Keep that up, because in five days, you owe me five steps."

While everyone in the yard was busy shouting, shoveling, and throwing snow, Yimei leaned down closer to Zhengyu’s ear. She lowered her voice so only he could hear her words over the cold morning wind.

"I checked Madame Zhao’s pulse earlier," Yimei whispered.

Zhengyu turned his head, his dark eyes instantly sharpening. "Is she sick?"

Yimei shook her head slightly, her dark eyes sparkling with a secret. "No. She isn’t sick at all... Madame Zhao is pregnant."

Zhengyu’s eyes widened slightly in pure shock. He looked toward the room where Bai Kang and Madame Zhao had just gone in, his jaw tightening as a sharp, dry laugh escaped his lips.

"Pregnant?" Zhengyu muttered, his voice cold and dripping with sarcasm. "Father really has a knack for these things, doesn’t he? How many more children does he want until he’s satisfied?"

Yimei raised an eyebrow at his bluntness. "Her body is extremely weak and cold, which is why her pulse was so shaky. But there is definitely a small life growing inside her."

[System Warning: Host! Madame Zhao’s body is far too weak! If she stays in this cold weather without proper nourishment, she could lose the baby!] Nine chimed in her mind.

I know, Nine, Yimei replied mentally. That’s why I told Bai Kang to keep her warm. I’m going to brew medicine for her right now.

Zhengyu scoffed softly, his dark eyes showing no warmth at all for the situation. "If Madame Chen and An Yulan find out, they will make her life miserable out of jealousy. They can’t stand anyone else having power in this house."

"Which is why nobody is going to know yet," Yimei said coolly. "We keep it quiet until she gets stronger."

Before Zhengyu could reply, a loud scream echoed from near the gate!

"AHHH! HELP! IT’S TOO HEAVY!"

Everyone stopped shoveling and turned around. Madame Chen had tried to lift a massive pile of wet snow, but her arms gave out. The heavy snow collapsed right back onto her, burying her feet and the bottom of her dress!

Bai Wenxiu and Bai Shishi gasped, but instead of helping their mother, they both took two steps back.

"Mother!" Bai Wenxiu yelled. "Don’t get snow on my clean boots!"

"Help me, you useless girls!" Madame Chen shrieked, kicking her legs helplessly.

Meiling and Bai Shu burst out laughing, dropping their small wooden scoops to cover their mouths. Even Liu Feng turned his head away from Zhengyu to hide his grin.

Qinqin shook her head, walking over to pull Madame Chen out of the drift. "Madame Chen, please be careful. Young Madame told you to sweep gently, not fight the snow!"

Yimei looked at the chaotic scene and shook her head with a smirk. She turned back to Zhengyu, fixing the thick wool blanket over his knees.

"Stay here and watch the circus," Yimei whispered teasingly in his ear. "I’m going to the kitchen to prepare Madame Zhao’s medicine and make breakfast. Don’t freeze, husband."

Zhengyu reached out and caught her sleeve before she could walk away, his expression remaining completely calm and unreadable.

"Yimei," he called out, his voice low and firm.

"Hmm?" Yimei paused, looking down at his hand on her sleeve.

"Don’t forget..." Zhengyu said, his dark eyes locked onto hers with quiet determination. "Day one of our five days starts today. Tonight, you apply the balm again."

Yimei tilted her head, a playful smirk spreading across her lips. "I see someone is very eager to suffer."

"I am eager to walk," Zhengyu corrected flatly, letting go of her sleeve. "And I am holding you to your promise."

Yimei let out a light laugh, turned around, and walked toward the kitchen, leaving her broody husband sitting in the cold, chaotic courtyard.