Chapter 177 -

Chapter 177: Chapter

Shortly after Yimei, Qinqin, and Second Uncle Chengbang returned from the market loaded with new utensils, tea cauldrons, and sacks of special spices, the front hall of the shop became a hive of activity. Second Uncle was carrying heavy crates under Yimei’s watchful eye, while Qinqin began unpacking delicate ceramic bowls and sorting them onto the newly repaired wooden shelves.

Just as they were organizing everything, the heavy front doors creaked open.

An Yulan strutted inside, her chin held high and her eyes filled with obvious arrogance. Right behind her walked Bai Shishi and Bai Wenxiu, both fanning themselves as if entering the building was beneath their status.

Upstairs, Yimei was leaning lazily against the carved wooden railing, looking down at the trio. Her face remained completely calm, her dark eyes reflecting cold amusement as she watched them enter. She did not bother to move a single inch or acknowledge their presence.

Xiuying, who was still furious from scrubbing grease all morning in the back kitchen under Liu Feng’s strict watch, immediately slammed her rag down on a table. She marched straight toward the three girls, her hands folded over her chest and her face dark with anger.

"What are you three doing here?" Xiuying snapped. "Are you here to cause trouble? Leave now, because before I teach you a lesson, no one will be able to save you!"

Ruizhe quickly rushed over from the corner, grabbing Xiuying by the sleeve to drag her back. "Xiuying, stop it! Don’t start another fight here!"

An Yulan completely ignored Xiuying and Ruizhe, raising her head upward to lock eyes with Yimei standing near the top of the stairs.

"Where is Yimei?" An Yulan demanded loudly, her voice echoing through the shop. "She sees me come in, and she can’t even come down to greet me?"

Qinqin let out a quiet sigh. She set down the ceramic cup she was holding and stepped forward, bowing slightly toward An Yulan with polite firmness.

"Miss Yulan, the Young Madame is still recovering from a fever and isn’t feeling well today," Qinqin explained smoothly. "If you wish to speak with her, please climb the stairs and meet her up there."

An Yulan scoffed, folding her arms tight. "How dare a mere maid tell me where to go? I came here to see what kind of pathetic little shop she thinks she’s running, not to climb stairs like a servant!"

Yimei rested her chin in her palm, looking down at An Yulan with eyes as dark as cold jade.

"An Yulan," Yimei called down, her calm, smooth voice instantly cutting through the room. "If you came all the way to my shop just to stand at the entrance and bark like a stray dog, you can save your breath and leave."

An Yulan’s face flushed a deep, furious red as Bai Shishi and Bai Wenxiu gasped in utter shock.

"You shameless....hmph! I am not here to waste my time exchanging words with you," An Yulan sneered, trying to recover her posture. "I just came to let you know that I am your new neighbor. I have purchased a shop down the street, and in no time, when we open for business, I will steal away every single customer you have."

An Yulan raised her chin proudly, but Yimei merely raised an eyebrow, a flicker of cold confusion in her eyes.

Before Yimei could even speak, Madame Liu burst out of the kitchen, her face twisted in rage as she held a damp rag in her hand. "Where the hell did you get the money to open a shop? First, you buy all sorts of luxury items out of nowhere, then expensive clothes, and now a whole shop? An Yulan, you’ve had money all this time and you’ve been pretending to be broke?"

Driven by sheer spite, Madame Liu lunged forward and swiped the wet rag directly across An Yulan’s arm.

"Agh! Get away from me, you crazy woman!" An Yulan shrieked, jumping back and smoothing her sleeves in disgust. "How I make my money is none of your business! I am only here to warn Yimei, tell her to shut down this shop while she still has the chance. Because once I open mine, all her hard work will be completely in vain!"

"That’s right! My sister-in-law is going to be the biggest and richest shop owner in the whole village!" Bai Shishi boasted loudly, puffing out her chest. "You all just watch and see!"

With a synchronized scoff, An Yulan, Bai Shishi, and Bai Wenxiu turned around on their heels and strutted out of the teahouse, slamming the front doors behind them.

After they left, Qinqin and Liu Feng simply shook their heads at the trio’s sheer stupidity. Madame Liu, still fuming with anger, muttered curses under her breath as she dragged herself back into the kitchen to resume scrubbing the stove.

Upstairs, Yimei remained standing by the railing, her face entirely unreadable.

PING!

The red sound chimed softly in her mind one last time as An Yulan walked out the door. Lie detected. An Yulan hadn’t bought that shop with her own savings, someone else was funding her, or she had taken a dangerous shortcut.

Yimei tapped her fingers slowly against the wood. It had just hit her: she hadn’t even taught An Yulan a proper lesson yet for sending those thugs to trouble her and try to destroy her shop back at the East Market.

[HOST! THIS IS PERFECT!] Nine bounced inside her head with a wicked laugh. [She literally walked right into your trap! She thinks she’s opening a competing business, but she has no idea what’s coming for her!]

Yimei’s lips curved into a slow, sharp smile. Well then... looks like I can kill two birds with one stone.

"Hmm... what should I do? Should I play fair, or... hahahaha!" Yimei burst into one of her unhinged, wicked laughs.

Qinqin and Ruizhe, who were both standing on the stairs below, exchanged a quick, terrified look before turning their eyes back up to gaze at the laughing mistress.

Qinqin truly found her Young Madame unpredictable nowadays, but if there was one thing she knew for sure, it was that that laugh meant someone in the Bai family was about to suffer terribly.