Chapter 180 -

Chapter 180: Chapter

Liu Feng returned to Yimei’s shop later that evening. She was there alone with Qinqin, as Second Uncle Chengbang and his family had already left for the night. The two of them were sitting near the light of a lantern, carefully calculating the wholesale market prices, food vendor costs, and supply expenses for certain specialized ingredients.

Yimei let out a quiet sigh, resting her chin in her hand as she rubbed her temples. "Times like this, I really wish Xiao Jun were here."

Qinqin smiled warmly, unable to resist teasing her mistress. "Young Madame, I’m certain that if you sent a message to Young Master Xiao Jun, he would drop everything and race straight to the south just to see you."

Yimei let out a soft huff, shaking her head with an amused smile at Qinqin’s words.

Just then, a light, rhythmic knock sounded at the front door.

Qinqin quickly walked over and slid the bolt back, stepping aside as Liu Feng slipped inside. Snow dusted the shoulders of his dark cloak. He gave a respectful nod to Qinqin before striding directly upstairs to Yimei’s private room.

"Young Madame," Liu Feng said in a low, even tone, closing the door behind him to ensure total privacy. "I trailed An Yulan after she left her shop."

Yimei leaned back in her rosewood chair, setting her brush down as a sharp, calculating look entered her dark eyes. "Where did she go?"

"She took a long, roundabout path through the back alleys to throw off anyone following her," Liu Feng reported, his voice calm and precise. "She stopped at the Baron Fu Mansion in the southeast district a surprisingly luxurious estate."

Yimei raised an eyebrow. "Baron Fu?"

"Yes. I sneaked into the inner courtyard and overheard their entire conversation from outside the window," Liu Feng continued. "Baron Fu gave her a heavy chest containing three hundred silver pieces for her new shop. But An Yulan did not get that money for free."

Liu Feng paused, his dark eyes narrowing slightly as he recalled the scene. "Baron Fu tried to force her to stay the night with him. An Yulan lied to him, claiming her parents were sick and that her strict family would beat her sisters if she didn’t return home. More importantly... she completely hid her marriage to the Bai family. She swore to him that she was an unmarried, pure maiden, and she even gave him a fake name."

"A fake name?" Yimei asked, a slow, wicked smirk beginning to form on her lips.

"He calls her Mei-er," Liu Feng confirmed with a nod. "He believes she is an unattached woman from another family altogether. He expects her to belong to him in exchange for funding her business."

Yimei tapped her fingers lightly against the polished wooden desk, her mind instantly piecing together every detail.

[HOST! THIS IS GOLD!] Nine chimed inside her head, practically somersaulting with glee. [She hid her marriage, took 300 silver from an old perverted baron, and used a fake identity! This is the ultimate weapon to destroy her!]

Yimei’s eyes glinted with cold amusement as she looked up at Liu Feng.

....

When they got home, the family had already eaten dinner, but Old Madame Bai had left food aside for them since they weren’t back in time.

Qinqin went to the kitchen, and Yimei followed right behind her.

"Young Madame... what are you doing?" Qinqin asked, turning around in surprise. "I’ll bring your food to your room. You can go inside and rest."

Yimei patted Qinqin’s head softly and rolled up her sleeves. "I’m thinking. When I think, I like to keep myself busy. I’ll make a nice dessert... Zhengyu taught Bai Kang today, right? I’ll make him something nice to eat."

Yimei walked toward the counter and brought out a few bowls along with the ingredients she would need. Qinqin watched her Young Madame and smiled warmly.

"Young Madame, you really do love the Young Master, don’t you?"

Without stopping what she was doing, Yimei responded coolly, "Love? What an odd word..."

"There is nothing odd about love, Young Madame," Qinqin replied, her smile widening. "You care about the Young Master and always make sure he is well taken care of. Even though his legs are injured, you still look after him and never let anyone bully him. I’m sure the Young Master has changed a lot since you came into his life."

Qinqin continued talking, smiling from ear to ear. "Bai Meiling and Rulan told me that before you came, the Young Master barely left his room or talked to anyone. Yet look at him now, he teaches Bai Kang and comes out of his room regularly. You refreshed him, Young Madame."

Hearing Qinqin’s words, Yimei paused slightly in what she was doing before a slow, amused smirk appeared on her face.

"Is that what you think?"

Qinqin blinked, taking a small step back as she noticed the dark, cold look in her mistress’s eyes.

"Young Madame," Qinqin said softly, her voice filled with genuine concern. "Before you came into his life, Young Master Zhengyu was so sad. He barely spoke to anyone, he stayed locked in his room all day, and he had completely given up on everything. You brought him back."

Yimei let out a quiet, cold laugh, returning her focus to measuring out the sugar and sweet rice flour into the porcelain bowl.

"Love is a foolish concept, Qinqin," Yimei said smoothly, her tone completely flat and detached. "It is a weak emotion that makes people soft, blind, and easily destroyed. I have no use for it."

She dusted the fine white flour off her fingers, turning her head to look at Qinqin with a calm, unbothered expression.

"I take care of Zhengyu for one reason only: right now, his future might be very beneficial to me," Yimei continued, her voice low and sharp. "He gives me a solid position in this estate, and if he recovers, his standing will open many doors. But make no mistake—the moment he stops being useful, the moment he becomes a burden or an obstacle... I will be the very first person in this house to betray him."