Chapter 141 -

Chapter 141: Chapter

Liu Feng set the heavy baskets and wrapped packages down onto the sturdy wooden kitchen table with a soft exhale.

Yimei stepped up to the table, calmly sorting through the ingredients, separating the fresh ginger, pork belly, and leafy greens. She glanced over at Liu Feng, her expression entirely unreadable.

"I will be keeping the rest of the silver with Qinqin," Yimei said, her voice clear and measured. "After buying all these groceries, that silver is all the money I have left."

Liu Feng stared at her, taken aback. He opened his mouth, thoroughly confused, he knew very well from the way she spent today her money weren’t nearly exhausted by a simple market trip. But before he could question her, Yimei spoke again.

"Go back to Grandmaster Zhang’s house and bring Zhengyu and Qinqin here," Yimei instructed smoothly. "I am going to start preparing dinner."

Still scratching his head in confusion, Liu Feng bowed his head. "Yes, Young Madame. I will go right away."

He turned and walked out of the kitchen, his heavy footsteps fading down the hallway.

The moment the kitchen fell quiet, Nine’s voice popped into Yimei’s mind:

[Nine: Host, why on earth did you tell Liu Feng that? You still have plenty of silver left! Why lie about your money?]

Yimei didn’t bother answering. She simply picked up a kitchen knife and began neatly slicing the fresh ginger on the wooden cutting board.

A couple of seconds later, a soft rustle sounded from near the kitchen doorway. Xuiying stepped into the room, trying her absolute best to look casual. She avoided Yimei’s eyes completely, walking over to the side table to pick up a teacup and pour herself some water.

She took a slow sip, her ears practically perking up as she glanced subtly toward the counter where Yimei stood. After finishing her water, Xuiying set the cup down and quickly hurried out of the kitchen, her eyes gleaming with sneaky excitement.

Nine chimed in again, its mechanical voice suddenly sounding enlightened:

[Nine: Oh! I see! Host, you just laid the bait for that greedy girl!]

Yimei tossed the sliced ginger into a small bowl, a faint, cold smile touching her lips. "Greedy rats can never resist a easy target."

..

While Yimei stood by the wooden counter chopping the pork belly into clean, even slices, the kitchen door opened. Madame Zhang walked in carrying a small basket of fresh greens she had managed to buy at the market. She held her head high, a proud smile on her face.

Right behind her was Madame Liu, holding a small bag of rice and a handful of cooking spices. Madame Liu looked tired, but her face lit up as she set the bag down. She had sold her very last silver hairpin just to afford those few ingredients for her branch.

Both women turned to look at Yimei, who didn’t even pause her chopping. The sharp, steady rhythm of her knife hitting the wooden board filled the warm kitchen.

"Yimei, do you need some help in here?" Bai Rulan asked as she stepped into the doorway alongside Meiling.

Yimei glanced up at them with a calm nod. "Yes. Take the rice, wash it thoroughly, and put it on the stove to boil."

"We can do that right away!" Meiling said quickly, taking the bag of rice to the large basin near the water jar.

Seeing Yimei’s rich ingredients spread across the counter, tender pork belly, fresh ginger, garlic, and rich sauces, Madame Zhang and Madame Liu immediately rolled up their sleeves.

"Step aside, Girl Yimei!" Madame Zhang declared, reaching over to grab the heavy iron wok. "You’ve been walking all morning. Let an experienced cook handle the frying!"

"Oh no, you don’t!" Madame Liu interjected, stepping in front of the hearth to grab the wooden spatula before Madame Zhang could take it. "I am the one who bought the extra spices today! I should be the one controlling the flame!"

"Your spices?" Madame Zhang scoffed, trying to elbow her way back to the pot. "My vegetables are fresher! Move over, let me stir the meat!"

"I got to the stove first!" Madame Liu argued, holding onto the pot handle firmly.

Yimei stood back, holding her kitchen knife in mid-air as she watched the two older women practically fight over who got to hold the cooking utensils and stir the food.

Rulan and Meiling exchanged amused glances while washing the rice, trying hard not to laugh out loud at the ridiculous sight of two grown women wrestling over a hot iron pot.

With everything finally finished, Yimei cleared her station and plated the mouthwatering dishes. Rulan and Meiling helped her carry the heavy bowls out to the main courtyard hall, where three separate long tables had been set up for the three branches.

On the first branch’s table, Yimei arranged a truly rich feast: a steaming pot of braised pork, rich pork bone soup, savory meat congee, and a massive wooden tray filled with a variety of colorful side dishes, stir-fried vegetables, and spiced meats. The rich, mouthwatering aroma filled the entire hall instantly.

Madame Zhang and Madame Liu sat down at their respective branch tables and looked down at their own plain, watery porridge and boiled vegetables. Looking over at the first branch’s table, both women wiped their lips, practically drooling from the sight and smell of Yimei’s cooking.

One by one, the rest of the family gathered in the hall, taking their seats at their branch’s designated table.

Liu Feng rolled Zhengyu into the room, with Qinqin following closely behind. Zhengyu’s dark eyes went straight to Yimei, taking in the feast she had prepared before Liu Feng positioned his wheelchair right beside her at the head table.

Madame Bai and her daughter took their seats next to them. Yimei then turned toward Madame Zhao, Bai Kang, and Bai Shu, who were standing quietly near the doorway, and motioned smoothly with her hand.

"Madame Zhao, Kang, Shu," Yimei called out in a calm, clear voice. "Come sit and join us."

Zhengyu looked down at the massive spread of food on the table, a small smile touching his lips for just a fraction of a second.

Madame Bai frowned slightly, shaking her head as she looked over the rich dishes. "Quite a feast, huh... Yimei, we need to be saving money. Spending so much on one meal is far too wasteful."

Yimei looked over at Madame Bai, her expression completely flat and unbothered.

"I don’t think it is a waste," Yimei said smoothly. "I want Zhengyu to eat well tonight, which is why I cooked all of this. But if you all prefer to eat smaller portions, then so be it."

Without another word, Yimei stood up from her seat. She picked up the large wooden tray packed with different bowls of braised pork, rich soup, and savory meat congee, walking right over to Zhengyu’s spot.

With a soft thud, she set the entire heavy tray down right in front of him.

"This is yours," Yimei said, looking straight into his eyes. "You must finish every drop."

Her voice was smooth and calm, but the tone behind it sounded dangerously close to a threat.

Zhengyu stared at the mountain of food in front of him, then looked up at Yimei’s completely serious face. An amused twitch touched the corner of his mouth, and he almost laughed out loud.

Was his wife really threatening him to eat his dinner?

[System Note: Favorability points increased by +5! Current Favorability: +35.]

"All of this?" Zhengyu asked, raising an eyebrow at her as he picked up his chopsticks. "You expect me to clean this entire tray by myself?"

"Yes," Yimei answered, not blinking once. "If you leave even a grain of rice, I will personally feed it to you."

Zhengyu’s throat tightened slightly at her blunt words, a sudden warmth rising to his ears. He quickly cleared his throat, dipping his spoon into the hot pork congee to hide his expression.

"Fine," Zhengyu muttered, taking a bite. "I’ll eat."