Chapter 168 -

Chapter 168: Chapter

Just as Second Uncle Chengbang slammed down another heavy wooden bench with a loud groan, three strong men from the market walked through the front entrance. They were carrying heavy leather tool bags, bundles of fresh timber, and pots of shiny wood varnish.

These were the carpenters and craftsmen Yimei had paid down payments to yesterday to handle the actual repairs, polishing the entire inn, fixing the broken tables and chairs, and replacing all the rotten wood on the doors and window frames.

The lead carpenter looked around the shop, taking in the sight of Second Uncle sweating over the snow, Ruizhe shivering with two dripping buckets, and Madame Liu and Xinying down on their knees scrubbing the floor boards raw.

"Young Madame," the lead carpenter said, bowing respectfully to Yimei. "We are here as promised to start the repairs and polish the wood."

Yimei set her teacup down and gave him a polite nod. "Thank you for being on time. My helpers have already cleared most of the heavy dirt and snow for you. You can start with the upper floor doors while they finish up down here."

Madame Liu lifted her head from the wet floor, her eyes wide with outrage as she glared at Yimei.

"You... you hired real workers?!" Madame Liu gasped out, her voice squeaking with anger. "You had money to hire men to polish and fix things, but you made us scrub on our hands and knees like dogs?!"

Yimei looked down at her with a calm, sweet smile. "Of course I hired professionals, Second Aunt. They are here to fix the building and make it look good. But why waste money paying them extra to sweep dirty snow and wash mud off the floor when I have you all here to work for me?"

Second Uncle Chengbang froze with his shovel mid-air, his face turning an embarrassing shade of dark red as the market men chuckled under their breath.

Xinying slammed her scrub brush into the dirty water pail, splashing cold water all over her own sleeves. "Yimei! You did this on purpose just to humiliate us in front of common workers!"

"I did this because a contract is a contract, Cousin," Yimei replied smoothly, her voice dropping all warmth. "You signed the agreement, and I paid the sixty taels. Now, scrub faster. The carpenters need a clean surface, and if you get in their way, you’ll be doing the roof next."

[AHAHAHAHA! HOST!] Nine roared in her mind. [Look at their faces! They thought they were doing essential work, but you just used them as basic prep cleaners to save money! Iconic!]

The carpenters quickly got to work, filling the shop with the sharp scent of fresh varnish and wood. Second Uncle, Madame Liu, Ruizhe, and Xinying had no choice but to keep moving, working twice as fast under the amused eyes of the market workers.

By late afternoon, the shop looked completely transformed. The rotten boards were replaced, the doors opened smoothly, the tables were fixed, and the rich wooden floors gleamed softly under the afternoon sun.

Second Uncle Chengbang leaned against a pillar, barely able to stand up straight from his aching back. Ruizhe’s hands were completely numb and red from hauling buckets of water. Madame Liu sat on a bench, crying silently into her wet sleeves, while Xinying’s fingers were so stiff she could barely open her fists.

Yimei stood up, wrapping her thick cloak around herself, and inspected the shop with a satisfied smile.

Soon, Qinqin came back into the shop carrying a bunch of hot buns and food.

"Young Madame, I’m back!" Qinqin said cheerfully. "I’ll go keep this on the table."

She carried the food over and placed it neatly on one of the wooden tables in the middle of the room. The warm, mouth-watering smell of hot meat and fresh bread instantly drifted across the shop.

The lead carpenter wiped his hands on his apron and walked over to Yimei with a respectful bow. "Miss Yimei... the place has been fixed. I’ll come back with my men tomorrow to finalize everything. You asked for decorations... well, I happen to know someone, and she will come meet you tomorrow."

"Thank you," Yimei smiled softly. "In that case, I will see you tomorrow!"

She reached into her purse, handed him a pouch of money, and the carpenter bowed again before leading his men out into the snowy street.

Once the door clicked shut, Yimei turned around. She walked over to the mother and daughter duo, placing her hands on her waist as she looked down at them.

"You all should come and eat," Yimei said, her voice smooth and calm. "You have worked hard today... you need strength."

Xinying and Madame Liu exchanged looks, both of them completely stunned. Neither of them had expected her to give them a single bite of food after making them work like slaves all day.

"Mother..." Xinying whispered, leaning closer to her mother’s ear with a suspicious frown. "What if she poisoned it or something?"

"So what if it’s poison?" Ruizhe muttered, his voice raspy from cold. "I’d rather eat poison than go back home starving..."

Ruizhe stood up from the floor, dusted his dirty, wet hands on his pants, and walked straight toward the table where Qinqin was setting out small wooden plates and arranging the meal. He didn’t care about pride anymore, his stomach was screaming for food.

He reached out, grabbed a steaming hot meat bun, and took a huge, desperate bite. The warm grease melted on his tongue, and he closed his eyes, groaning in pure satisfaction.

"It’s not poison," Ruizhe choked out through a mouth full of bread, turning back to his family. "It’s meat! Real meat!"

Seeing Ruizhe eat without collapsing, Second Uncle Chengbang didn’t hesitate for another second. Dropping his shovel with a loud clatter, he stomped over to the table, pushed his son aside, and snatched two large buns at once. He shoved half a bun into his mouth, chewing furiously as grease ran down his chin.

Madame Liu stared at her husband and son eating like wild beasts. Her stomach let out a loud, pathetic rumble that echoed in the quiet shop. She couldn’t hold back anymore. Swallowing her pride, she scrambled up from her knees, her aching joints popping painfully, and rushed to the table.

"Leave some for me!" Madame Liu cried out, her stiff fingers reaching into the basket. She pulled out a soft bun and bit into it, tears of relief welling up in her red, tired eyes.

Xinying stood alone near the wet floorboards, her hands shaking with cold and anger. She wanted so badly to throw the brush at Yimei’s face and refuse the food. She wanted to act like a proud young lady. But as the smell of fresh meat filled her nose, her knees felt weak from hunger.

Biting her lower lip until it bled, Xinying slowly walked over to the table. She didn’t look at Yimei. She just reached out, took a bun, and took a small, tight bite. The warm bread hit her empty stomach, and despite her hatred for Yimei, she couldn’t stop herself from eating the rest in four quick bites.

Yimei stood by the entrance, watching the entire second branch eat like starving stray dogs. A slow, amused smile curled at the edge of her lips.

Qinqin left the food on the table for them and went to stand right beside Yimei.

"Young Madame," Qinqin whispered, leaning in closer. "How long will you have them here cleaning?"

Yimei looked over at the second branch devouring their food, a cool, satisfied smile touching her lips.

"Well... once this place is fully cleaned, then the other shop will be cleaned next," Yimei replied smoothly. "And after that... well, I’ll see what else I can make out of them."

[Oho! Masterclass in free labor!] Nine snickered in Yimei’s mind. [Host, you’re going to squeeze every single tael out of that sixty-tael contract! They really thought it was just going to be a one-time thing!]

Yimei ignored Nine’s giggling and let the second branch finish every single crumb on the table. When they were done, wiping their greasy mouths with their dirty sleeves, Yimei clapped her hands together softly.

"Now that your stomachs are full," Yimei said, her voice snapping them out of their heavy food coma, "clean your faces and gather your things. Qinqin, lock up."