Chapter 183 -

Chapter 183: Chapter

Bai Kang gripped his wooden sword with both hands, taking a deep breath to steady his footing. Back at the main estate, before they were kicked out to the south, he had spent months practicing basic sword techniques. He wasn’t a total beginner; his moves were steady, and he knew how to strike with decent force.

"Sister-in-law, please be careful," Bai Kang warned politely, raising his wooden blade. "I don’t want to accidentally hurt you."

Yimei just smiled, her eyes sharp and amused. "Don’t worry about me. Focus on your stance."

With a quick step forward, Bai Kang lunged, swinging his practice sword toward her shoulder.

Yimei didn’t even flinch. With a quick, light movement of her feet, she stepped sideways, letting his blade cut through empty air. Before he could pull back, she lightly flicked her wooden stick against his wrist.

Clang!

The sharp tap sent a numb sting through Bai Kang’s hand, making him stumble forward.

Just at that moment, Bai Rulan and Bai Meiling stepped out into the courtyard, holding hands. Qinqin and Liu Feng followed right behind them, coming to tell everyone that breakfast was ready on the table.

All four of them stopped dead in their tracks, their eyes wide with shock.

"Is... is Sister-in-law fighting?" Meiling gasped, covering her small mouth.

Rulan blinked in total disbelief. "She’s holding a practice stick!"

Even Liu Feng stood still, his dark eyes narrowing as he watched Yimei’s movements. He had trained in martial arts for years, so he could tell immediately—Yimei didn’t look like an amateur. Her footing was perfectly balanced, her posture relaxed, and her speed was incredible. Where had a noble lady learned to move like that?

Over by the stairs, the drunk Bai Wenliang paused mid-sip, his wine jar hovering near his lips as he stared at the center of the yard.

Bai Kang turned around quickly, sweating now. He reset his stance and attacked again, swinging his sword in a fast three-step combo that Zhengyu had taught him earlier.

Yimei didn’t back away. She used her fencing background, combined with the martial arts skills she had unlocked from the system, turning every attack into a smooth defense.

Tap! Tap! Bang!

She blocked his first swing, redirected his second, and lightly swept her wooden stick across his front ankle.

"Woah!" Bai Kang lost his balance completely, his feet swept right off the ground. He landed flat on his bottom against the hard stone floor, his practice sword flying out of his hand.

"YES! Sister-in-law won!" Rulan cheered happily, clapping her hands.

"Go Sister-in-law!" Meiling chimed in, jumping up and down with a bright smile.

Qinqin clapped her hands too, her face full of pride. "Young Madame is amazing!"

Bai Kang sat on the ground, rubbing his rear end in shock, looking up at Yimei like she was some kind of legendary warrior.

Yimei lowered her wooden stick, her breathing calm and steady, not even slightly out of breath.

Zhengyu sat silently in his wheelchair, watching the entire fight without saying a single word. His expression remained cold and wooden, but deep inside, his mind was racing. He knew every basic martial art style in the empire, yet the way Yimei moved was completely foreign to him.

[HOST! THIS IS YOUR CHANCE!] Nine suddenly yelled inside her mind. [HE IS STILL ACTING COLD AND DISTANT! DO SOMETHING TO BREAK HIS ICE!]

Yimei glanced over at Zhengyu’s rigid posture out of the corner of her eye. A slow, mischievous smirk appeared on her lips.

Instead of stepping back to help Bai Kang up, Yimei turned around and took a light step toward Zhengyu. Just as she got right next to his wheelchair, she purposely dragged the heel of her shoe against a loose stone.

"Ah—"

With a soft, dramatic gasp, Yimei let her knees buckle, pretending to slip completely on the smooth patio floor.

Before Zhengyu could react or push himself back, Yimei fell directly into his lap, her soft body landing right against his chest, her arms wrapping casually around his neck to steady herself.

The weight of her body against his chest sent a sharp shock through Zhengyu. For a split second, his hands flew up to catch her waist. His heart thumped hard against his ribs, surprise filling his eyes.

Yimei looked down into his face, a teasing smirk on her lips. She leaned in closer, her breath brushing his ear. "Careful, First Young Master... you caught me quite fast for someone acting so cold."

Zhengyu’s throat tightened. Warmth flushed up his neck, and his composure almost broke.

Then her cold words from last night echoed in his mind:

"Love is a foolish concept, Qinqin... the moment he stops being useful, I will be the very first person in this house to betray him."

The warmth vanished from his eyes, replaced by cold indifference. He dropped his hands from her waist immediately.

"Stand up," Zhengyu said, his voice flat and hard.

Yimei stood up slowly, smoothing down her robes while watching him with sharp, calm eyes.

Without looking at her, Zhengyu called out, "Liu Feng."

Liu Feng stepped forward. "Young Master."

"Take me inside for breakfast," Zhengyu commanded quietly.

"Yes, Young Master." Liu Feng wheeled him away toward the dining hall, leaving a cold silence behind.

Yimei rested the practice stick against her shoulder, watching his back with a light smirk.

Let him act cold, she thought. It changes nothing.

Across the courtyard, Rulan and Meiling ran over to help Bai Kang up from the stone floor.

"Are you alright?" Meiling asked, dusting off his clothes.

Bai Kang rubbed his sore back, staring at Yimei in total awe. He hurried over to her, his face full of excitement.

"Sister-in-law!" Bai Kang exclaimed. "Where did you learn to fight like that? You swept me off my feet before I could even see your stick moving!"

Yimei smiled and looked at him, "I’m not really that good it’s just you that is terrible.. try practing more, it might help." With that she dropped the stick and walked towards Qinqin as the both of them walked to the hall for breakfast.