Chapter 185 -

Chapter 185: Chapter

Upstairs in her private office, Yimei sat by the dark wooden desk, her calligraphy brush moving smoothly across a sheet of rice paper as she jotted down notes for the teahouse ledgers. The soft sound of footsteps, heavy wooden crates, and hushed shouting drifted up through the floorboards.

Downstairs, Liu Feng, Uncle Chenghao, and Ruzhe were carrying large wooden boxes into the storage room and kitchen. Inside were rolls of thick silk scarves, rare cooking spices, and dried food supplies meant for the upcoming New Year’s Eve feast.

The door to the office pushed open softly, and Qinqin stepped inside. She held a fresh tray of warm tea, her face bright with excitement.

"Young Madame," Qinqin said, setting the tea tray on the edge of the desk. "Liu Feng and Uncle Chenghao are almost finished unloading the storage crates downstairs. The kitchen is completely filled with supplies now."

Yimei nodded without looking up from her writing, her hand steady. "Good. Make sure every item is logged in the books before nightfall."

Qinqin stood there for a moment, shifting her weight from foot to foot. She looked closely at Yimei’s calm, unbothered face, then took a hesitant step closer. Pulling out the wooden chair across from the desk, Qinqin sat down right next to her mistress.

She leaned in slightly, her small face full of quiet concern.

"Young Madame..." Qinqin hesitated, her fingers nervously plucking at her apron strings. "Is there something you want to tell me?"

Yimei paused her brush mid-stroke, a single drop of dark ink hovering just above the paper. She slowly lifted her head, her dark eyes fixing on Qinqin with a cool, sharp look.

"What do you mean?" Yimei asked softly, her voice smooth and completely void of emotion.

Qinqin swallowed hard, looking toward the closed door before leaning in even closer. "Ever since last night... after First Young Master stood outside the kitchen... you’ve been so quiet. And this morning, First Young Master left for Grandmaster Zhang’s house without saying a single word to you. Did... did something happen between you two?"

Inside Yimei’s mind, Nine popped up instantly, wringing its tiny hands.

[HOST! EVEN QINQIN CAN TELL! THE WHOLE HOUSEHOLD IS SENSING THE COLD WAR BETWEEN YOU TWO!]

Yimei ignored Nine’s frantic chatter. A tiny, amused smirk played at the corner of her lips as she dipped her brush into the ink pot once more.

"Nothing happened, Qinqin," Yimei replied calmly, resuming her writing. "First Young Master simply has his own duties to attend to, and I have mine. There is no need for you to worry about things that are irrelevant."

Hearing this, Qinqin finally snapped. She was tired of everything that was happening. Her young Madame was changing day by day. She loved that Yimei was no longer someone anyone could bully, but she hated seeing her become even colder than the very people who used to pick on them.

And the part that hurt her most was seeing her relationship with the First Young Master falling apart. She couldn’t just stay quiet anymore. Her heart wouldn’t let her.

Qinqin walked closer to the desk, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "Young Miss, I’ve known you almost all my life. I was just a little girl when I came into the An household as your personal maid, back when your mother was still alive... I-I..."

Her voice grew soft and raspy. "I prayed every single day for you to have a happy ending, to marry a good man and live peacefully. Even though so many obstacles stood in our way, at least one of my wishes came true through the First Young Master. He doesn’t say flashy words, but he cares so deeply for you. Liu Feng told me that he heard what we discussed yesterday."

Yimei froze mid-sentence, dropping her calligraphy brush onto the paper. She stared down at the table, her face unreadable as she remained completely silent.

"I don’t understand what you said yesterday," Qinqin continued, her voice trembling. "From what I see, you care a lot for him. You aren’t just using him. you aren’t that type of person. You always take such good care of him! Everyone in the family has noticed how much healthier he looks, how his skin is glowing, and how his character has brightened up. That is all thanks to you, whether you try to deny it or not! You are his redemption... yes, that’s the word! So please, please don’t be like this."

Qinqin wiped her tears with her sleeve, turned around, and quickly left the office, pulling the heavy wooden door shut behind her.

Yimei sat frozen at her desk for a long moment before a deep, quiet sigh escaped her lips.

[Host, even your personal maid is worried about this whole situation...] Nine’s voice popped up, sounding unusually quiet and solemn. [How can we make them understand that you aren’t like normal people? You are someone incapable of that kind of warmth... Redemption? More like destruction. After all, why else would the man who loved you with all his heart commit suicide because of you?]

A cold spark flashed in Yimei’s dark eyes, her posture instantly stiffening.

"Go mute," Yimei commanded in her mind, her voice dropping into a lethal whisper.

Nine vanished immediately, shutting down its voice channel without another peep. Silence fell heavily over the empty room once more.

Yimei stood up slowly from her desk. She walked over to the wooden window, pushing the shutter open to let the crisp, freezing air rush in. Outside, soft white snow was falling silently over the streets, coating the rooftops and roads in a quiet, icy blanket.

She stared down at the snowy street, her dark eyes reflecting the cold white world.

A quiet, painful breath escaped her lips as she whispered into the empty room.

"I miss you... so much. Zhengyu is so much like you. He blushes with just the slightest touch, and he’s so cute when he’s flustered... But unlike you, he actually has guts and knows how to be angry. If you were even a little bit like him, maybe you would have had the courage to abandon me and live your life."