The East Market was loud, crowded, and filled with the sharp smells of roasted meat, cheap wine, and dusty roads. Vendors shouted out their prices while common villagers pushed past one another to buy vegetables and cloth.
An Yimei walked through the market, holding her small green dress slightly off the dusty ground. Her servant maid, Qinqin, followed closely behind her, looking nervous and clutching her sleeves.
"Miss... are we really going alone?" Qinqin asked softly, her eyes darting around the busy street. "Liu Mama said we shouldn’t be wandering outside before the wedding."
"Liu Mama doesn’t own this shop. I do," An Yimei replied calmly, not slowing her pace. "And today, we are going to see what we actually own."
They turned down a side street near the edge of the market. There, standing in a prime location near a wooden bridge, was a grand two-story structure made of dark wood. Its wide windows on the second floor overlooked the river.
It was larger than An Yimei expected, but signs of poor management were everywhere. The wooden sign hanging out front, reading EAST MARKET TEA HOUSE was faded and covered in dust.
An Yimei stopped outside and looked up at the building, her modern business mind immediately analyzing the space. Two floors. Great river view. Located right near the main market road, but far enough from the loud butcher stalls. The location is brilliant. The only problem is the management.
"This... belongs to Miss now?" Qinqin whispered, her eyes wide.
An Yimei slowly stepped into the tea house, her gaze sweeping across the interior.
The smell of freshly brewed tea lingered faintly in the air, mixed with old wood. A few customers were seated around drinking tea while chatting quietly, while servants moved back and forth carrying trays. At first glance, the business looked normal enough. But An Yimei quickly noticed several problems: the decorations were outdated, the tables near the window were dusty, and despite the prime location, customer count was surprisingly low.
Her simple green dress lacked expensive embroidery or gold jewelry. To any onlooker, she appeared far too ordinary to be a lady of status.
Qinqin nervously leaned in. "Miss... should we tell them who you are?"
"Not yet," An Yimei murmured. "Observe first."
At that moment, a loud, shrill voice boomed from behind the front counter. "Who’s that standing there?!"
A large woman wearing bright purple robes marched toward them with heavy steps. Her face was layered heavily with powder and bright red makeup, carrying an overwhelming scent of cheap perfume.
Beside the counter, a plump middle-aged man sat lazily, flipping through an account book with a yawn. Faint blue panels flickered quietly before An Yimei’s eyes:
[IDENTIFICATION: ZHAO DE]
[ROLE: TEA HOUSE MANAGER / CORRUPT]
[IDENTIFICATION: MADAME ZHAO]
[ROLE: MANAGER’S WIFE / ABUSIVE]
Madame Zhao stopped right before An Yimei and Qinqin, her sharp eyes sweeping over both girls from head to toe. The disdain in her expression became obvious the moment she saw their plain clothing.
"Who are you two?" Madame Zhao asked bluntly, waving her sleeve impatiently. "If you’re here begging for leftover tea, go somewhere else! This isn’t a charity house."
Qinqin gasped at the woman’s rude tone, stepping forward defensively. "You—!"
An Yimei raised a small hand, stopping Qinqin with a single look before turning her quiet gaze back to the woman. "We came to look around," she answered softly.
Madame Zhao frowned, crossing her arms. "Look around? This is a business, not a park! If you’re not buying tea, stop blocking the entrance."
Before An Yimei could respond, loud laughter echoed from outside as a group of young women stepped inside, surrounded by servants carrying parasols and embroidered bags.
Silk robes, jade bracelets, and golden hairpins every detail screamed wealth and status.
Madame Zhao’s entire attitude transformed instantly. The cold impatience vanished, her face blooming into an exaggerated, flattering smile as she rushed forward enthusiastically. In her hurry, she shoved directly past An Yimei without hesitation.
An Yimei lost her balance slightly from the push, but Qinqin caught her arm in panic. "Miss!"
"Aiyo! Young Misses have arrived!" Madame Zhao gushed, bowing repeatedly to the newcomers. "Please come in quickly! The best seats upstairs are available!"
The wealthy young ladies entered arrogantly. Suddenly, the girl in the center dressed in expensive peach-colored silk, stopped walking. Her eyes landed directly on An Yimei.
It was Lin Xue, the daughter of a prominent local merchant. A sneer slowly spread across her face.
"Well, well..." Lin Xue said loudly, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. "You illegitimate brat. What are you doing here?"
The entire tea house grew quiet.
Lin Xue’s companions giggled behind their embroidered sleeves. "So it really is her? I heard the An family’s illegitimate daughter is getting married today to some poor farming family."
Lin Xue folded her arms proudly, stepping closer. "What? Did your family finally stop feeding you, so you came here looking for work as a servant?"
Madame Zhao chimed in eagerly, anxious to flatter the wealthy patrons. "Aiyo, Young Miss Lin is so witty! Girls like them probably wandered in by mistake. Standing there dressed so plainly, who would know she came from a noble household?"
Qinqin clenched her fists tightly, her face burning with anger.
Up on the second-floor balcony, hidden behind a decorative screen, a young man dressed in dark-blue silk robes stood quietly near the railing, watching the scene below. Beside him stood a stern male guard in armored clothes.
"Young Master," the guard whispered respectfully, "that is the second daughter of the An family. The illegitimate one."
The young master said nothing immediately. His dark, refined eyes remained fixed on An Yimei. Despite being openly mocked by everyone in the room, the girl stood completely still strangely, dangerously calm.
Below, Lin Xue narrowed her eyes at An Yimei’s lack of reaction. "If you cannot afford tea, then leave quietly instead of standing around embarrassing yourself."
An Yimei suddenly smiled faintly. It was small, but it instantly shifted the atmosphere in the room.
She turned her eyes toward Madame Zhao. "So this is how customers are treated here?"
Madame Zhao blinked. "What?"
"You insult guests before even asking what they want," An Yimei said, her voice remaining gentle yet carrying clearly across the quiet room. "You ignore cleanliness in the corners. And your workers look terrified every time you speak." She paused, looking around calmly. "This tea house deserves to lose customers."
The entire room fell silent. A few customers at nearby tables awkwardly lowered their tea cups, secretly nodding.
Madame Zhao’s face flushed bright red from humiliation. "What nonsense are you saying?!"
"No customer enjoys entering a place only to be looked down on," An Yimei continued evenly. "And no decent business survives long when the manager’s wife spends more time insulting guests than serving them."
Lin Xue scoffed loudly to cover her surprise. "Listen to her! The illegitimate daughter suddenly thinks she understands business!"
An Yimei ignored her completely, shifting her dark eyes directly to Zhao De behind the counter. "And you. Is this how you allow your wife to speak to guests? You let her insult people openly, then wonder why business is declining."
Zhao De stiffened behind the desk. Before he could speak, Madame Zhao exploded.
"You little bitch!" Madame Zhao shrieked, her face twisting in rage. "How dare you speak to us like that in my tea house?!"
Madame Zhao raised her hand furiously, lunging forward to slap An Yimei directly across the face!
Qinqin screamed. Lin Xue gasped in shock.
SMASH!
An empty porcelain teacup flew through the air at terrifying speed, striking Madame Zhao’s raised wrist with dead accuracy!
"AHHH!" Madame Zhao wailed, pulling her hand back as pain shot through her arm. The teacup hit the floor and shattered into pieces.
The tea house erupted into complete confusion. "Where did that come from?!"
Upstairs on the balcony, the young man in dark-blue silk calmly lowered his hand behind his sleeve, his face unreadable and serene.
Below, Zhao De hurried to his crying wife. "Madame! Are you alright?!"
"That bitch attacked me!" Madame Zhao screeched, pointing an angry, trembling finger at An Yimei. "Throw her out! Drag her into the street!"
Zhao De’s face turned dark. "Men! Drag her outside!"
Two workers hesitated nervously, taking a slow step toward An Yimei.
Qinqin’s face went pale. "Miss—!"
An Yimei did not panic. She did not take a single step back. Instead, she slowly reached inside her long sleeve and pulled out a dark wooden token, holding it up clearly for everyone to see.
The token bore the official seal of the An Family Business.
Silence absolute and heavy swallowed the entire tea house.
Zhao De froze instantly, his jaw dropping in shock. The workers stopped dead in their tracks. Madame Zhao’s hysterical screeching cut off mid-breath. Even Lin Xue’s arrogant smirk completely froze on her face.
An Yimei held the token calmly between her pale fingers, looking Zhao De dead in the eye.
"Now," An Yimei said, her soft voice cutting through the dead silence like an icy blade. "Tell me again... who exactly were you planning to throw out of my tea house?"