The Useless Alpha’s Yandere Wife - Chapter 39

Entering the long-abandoned house, Jiang Yan found it in slightly better condition than she had expected. She quickly arranged all the fabrics and cotton inside before returning next door to wait for Sister Li to come back.

Within half an hour, she had managed to borrow a decent set of clothes and pants, making her look less disheveled. After re-combing her hair, she felt refreshed and satisfied with her new appearance.

The two then went to wait near the town’s largest fabric shop, hoping to catch their quarry. Jiang Yan rubbed her frozen nose and sighed at the inconvenience of not having a phone—they were stuck waiting.

Finally, after more than an hour, just before she turned into an ice cube, Lord Miao and Sang Yu appeared. Jiang Yan ducked aside and nudged Sister Li, who immediately stepped forward to block their path.

The pair emerged from the fabric shop, heads bowed in dejection. Of the shops they’d visited, only two were still open, but neither had much stock. Lord Miao was visibly worried, her forehead creased with concern.

“Are you looking to buy fabric, Lords?” Sister Li asked, her tone a mix of enthusiasm and shrewdness.

“Indeed,” Miao Fengqing replied, grasping at straws in her desperation. “Do you have any to sell?”

“What a coincidence! Just a few days ago, I received a batch of cloth and cotton as payment for a debt. I’ve been trying to sell it ever since, but the cloth shop owner doesn’t get along with me and refuses to take my goods. I’ve been squatting outside his shop for three days now, waiting for a big buyer.”

Jiang Yan watched Sister Li, who looked so honest and simple, tell a lie that rivaled her own. She felt a surge of pride.

People are driven to extremes when pushed, she thought, continuing to observe discreetly.

Miao Fengqing’s heart raced at Sister Li’s words, but she still asked, “Would the cloth shop really rather have no stock than buy from you?”

“Ah, the reasons are complicated and can’t be explained in a few words,” Sister Li said, patting her chest with a reassuring air. “The point is, if you need cloth or cotton, I have it.”

“Good, let’s go,” Miao Fengqing said. At this point, she didn’t care if Sister Li was a swindler or not. She needed cotton for winter clothes to save lives.

Sister Li secretly gave Jiang Yan a hand signal behind her back before leading Lord Miao and Sang Yu to the storage room where the cloth was kept.

When Miao Fengqing saw the three hundred pounds of cotton and twenty bolts of coarse cloth, her face lit up like Sister Li’s had at the sight of the fabric—her eyes shone as if she were looking at gold.

“Sister, how much for all the cloth and cotton? I’ll take it all,” Miao Fengqing asked eagerly.

“The silver is easy to calculate,” Sister Li said, counting on her fingers. “Cotton is twenty wen per jin, and coarse cloth is one liang per bolt. That comes to twenty-six liang in total.”

Miao Fengqing was shocked. Was the market price really this low? She had prepared three hundred liang, but one liang for coarse cloth and twenty wen for cotton seemed reasonable enough. She wasn’t very knowledgeable about such matters; Sang Yu had never bought anything like coarse cloth before.

“Alright, deal. I’ll give you thirty liang,” Miao Fengqing said generously, pulling out the silver.

“Sang Yu, go back and tell someone to come help carry these things,” Lord Miao ordered briskly, as if eager to take the goods away before anything could go wrong.

“Thank you, noble lords! Thank you! I’ll go brew some tea for you right away,” Sister Li said, hurrying home to find Miss Jiang.

“No need for the trouble.”

“It’s no trouble at all!” Sister Li insisted, before departing.

Miao Fengqing stood alone, guarding the cotton.

After receiving the silver, Jiang Yan settled the final payment, bid farewell to Sister Li, and left. She had been outside for far too long.

Thankfully, the Detention Quarters remained calm. It would have been disastrous to focus on small gains and lose the bigger picture. But as the saying goes, “When the enemy comes, the general will defend.” Whether peace prevailed depended on the standoff between the two groups of officers, though for now, the surface remained peaceful.

In the afternoon, the officers ordered everyone outside to distribute the cotton. The prisoners immediately formed a long, orderly line.

One bolt of coarse cloth, if used sparingly, could make three and a half sets of padded winter clothing. Twenty bolts would yield seventy sets, which was generally sufficient. The officers received their winter uniforms from the yamen, so the supplies were only for the prisoners.

Each person received four pounds of cotton and nine feet of cloth. Several officers brandished their sabers, scaring the prisoners into keeping their distance while they still watched with delight.

Captain Lu stood with his arms crossed, sneering sideways, but he refrained from causing trouble because Miao Fengqing was standing in the middle. Still, his expression remained sour.

Every year, Captain Lu made a small fortune by skimming off the winter clothing supplies. This year, Miao Fengqing had ruined his scheme, leaving his face as long and gloomy as a donkey’s.

Jiang Yan and her companions received three sets of cotton and cloth. The officers didn’t reduce their portions just because they already had winter clothing, treating everyone equally, which pleased everyone. To avoid resentment from the officers, Miao Fengqing even spent some silver to have her men buy two pigs for the officers to enjoy a good meal, finally improving their moods. Being a leader was truly difficult—you couldn’t afford to neglect anyone.

Fortunately, Lord Miao was a wealthy man. If he had been a penniless official, he would have been driven to despair.

Sang Yu went to buy needles, thread, and several pairs of scissors, which she distributed among the group. Everyone busied themselves making winter clothes, while the officers busied themselves slaughtering the pigs and feasting on the meat.

Among the three women, only Ying Hong had some sewing skills. Still, they took the fabric to Concubine Sun, asking her to cut out the patterns before returning to their tent to continue stuffing the cotton.

They used the fine white cotton Jiang Yan had brought as a soft inner lining, a vast improvement over the stiff, coarse dark blue cloth.

“I want to give a piece of fine cloth to the Su family’s youngest child,” Tan Qianyue said, glancing at Jiang Yan. “The little one is too young to wear rough cloth; it would hurt.”

“Suit yourself,” Jiang Yan replied with a teasing grin. “You could even sew Tangyuan onto the collar as a scarf. What do you think, boy?” He even turned to the dog for its opinion.

“Oh, you’re so annoying!” The Eldest Miss laughed, shaking with amusement at Tangyuan’s bristling fur.

“No, no, I don’t want a scarf,” Tan Qianyue said, soothing the dog with gentle strokes until its fur lay smooth again.

“But the age gap between the Su family’s children is truly vast,” Jiang Yan remarked, thinking of the nearly twenty-year difference between Su Jing and Afei. “How old is the youngest?”

“She looks about two years old,” Tan Qianyue replied. “So young to suffer hardship. The Sima family has truly brought ruin upon them.”

The three women gathered around two flickering candles, carefully layering cotton evenly between the cut pieces of coarse cloth. They had to be extremely cautious; the tent was filled with flammable materials. Jiang Yan wished she had another pair of eyes to watch for sparks.

Ying Hong needed a full set of padded cotton clothing, while Jiang Yan and Tan Qianyue each only required thick padded cotton pants. Ying Hong planned to use the remaining cotton to make a sleeping bag. If the four pounds she had weren’t enough, she could secretly take another four pounds. With a thick, warm sleeping bag, she wouldn’t have to worry about the cold anymore. Jiang Yan felt a surge of excitement—she knew how to make one herself.

She pulled out the last of the black tech fabric from her previous project, folded it in half, and managed to get a piece barely one meter wide and one meter eighty centimeters long—just enough.

She layered the cotton batting, patting each layer flat. Even before the coldest days of winter arrived, she was already feeling warm. The fine cotton fabric wasn’t quite enough, so she patched the bottom with some coarse blue cloth, but it didn’t matter. The finished product felt thick and fluffy, and she couldn’t wait to crawl inside and sleep.

The stitching didn’t need to be fancy, just sturdy. She sewed back and forth like a robot, making two or three passes. Finally, to prevent the cotton from shifting over time, she secured it with a few stitches on the surface. Her masterpiece was complete.

After finishing, she rolled up the new sleeping bag and set it aside. Looking at the pile of belongings, she thought, Now I’ll never be able to move this stuff, let alone hide it!

Tan Qianyue noticed Jiang Yan watching her sew, her gaze fixed on the item in her hands.

Ying Hong was making her own padded cotton clothing. She wanted to make Jiang Yan’s undergarments herself, as they would be worn close to the skin.

“What are you looking at?” she asked Jiang Yan, her gaze subtly threatening.

“Wife, your needlework is far superior to mine!” Jiang Yan immediately flattered her with a hearty laugh.

But his act was overdone, like praising a horse’s hooves instead of its grace.

In truth, she didn’t care how neat the cotton-padded clothes were; warmth and durability were all that mattered.

Tan Qianyue continued to meticulously examine her stitches.

“Should we make a little bed for the dog too?” Tan Qianyue asked, noticing the dog beside them.

“If there’s any fabric left over!” Jiang Yan shrugged.

The candlelight was dim, but it was enough to see the needle and thread. The Su family next door had to open their tent flap and rely on daylight to sew, working for two hours until their fingers were numb, red, and swollen. They had to work in short bursts, pausing to warm their hands before continuing.

“In this cold weather, we should make hand warmers for Afei,” Concubine Sun suggested.

“Longer sleeves will do just fine. She doesn’t do any work anyway!” Su He said, carefully examining the small cotton-padded jacket in her hands. She was pleased with its thickness and softness.

“We’re so grateful to Miss Tan for providing this fine cotton fabric. Afei would never be comfortable in that rough, stiff cloth we had before!” Concubine Sun sighed.

“Indeed, Miss Tan is both beautiful and kind-hearted!” Su He nodded in agreement.

Little Afei, wrapped in Lord Miao’s fox-fur coat, was playing with a nine-linked ring inside the carriage.

After days without sunlight, the child’s skin had finally regained its fair complexion. Miao Fengqing found something vaguely familiar about her, though she couldn’t quite place it. Assuming it was a resemblance to Su He, she didn’t dwell on it.

Over the past few days, she had discovered that Afei was remarkably easy to care for. The child rarely cried or fussed, spoke little, but answered questions thoughtfully, earning Lord Miao’s inexplicable fondness.

The two settled into a harmonious routine inside the carriage, each occupied with their own tasks.

With the winter clothing issue resolved, Lord Miao felt half her worries lift.

Just before nightfall, Su He arrived to deliver Afei’s padded clothes and trousers, only to find Lord Miao already in the carriage.

Her eyes widened in surprise.

“Is Lord resting?” Su He asked awkwardly, blinking uncertainly, unsure what else to say.

“It’s already dark. Where else would I be?” Miao Fengqing’s initial delight at seeing her quickly turned cold.

She sensed an impenetrable aloofness in Su He now, as if nothing she did could bridge the distance. This wasn’t the woman she remembered.

“Of course, of course!” Su He replied with a forced smile, then proceeded to ignore Lord Miao’s presence, focusing solely on dressing the little girl.

Miao Fengqing’s face darkened, her gaze icy. You promised to repay me last time! Liar!

“Big Sister, aren’t you going to sleep with me?” Seeing Su He helping her try on clothes, the child still longed for her company.

“Ah? Lord Miao should sleep with you. There’s no room here!” Su He said awkwardly.

“There is room!” Miao Fengqing replied firmly.

Afei’s adorable eyes lit up as she repeated Miao Fengqing’s words, “There is room!”

With a pleading smile, she looked at Su He, clinging to her arm. Su He’s heart softened, but she felt trapped.

“Will I disturb Lord Miao if I stay?” she asked, her concern for the child overriding her hesitation.

Lord Miao leaned against the carriage wall, her eyes gleaming with a knowing smile.

“You won’t disturb me. Unlike some people who play dumb when they know better!” Miao Fengqing said slowly, her gaze locking onto Su He’s as she spoke each word deliberately.

Su He ignored the sarcastic remark, focusing on keeping Afei company. As for the other woman… she’d deal with that later.

“Lord, the foot-washing water is ready!” An officer approached with a wooden basin.

“Set it down.”

“Yes, Lord!”

“Let’s wash together!” Miao Fengqing suddenly suggested, wanting to tease her.

“Ah? Are you talking to me?” Su He’s eyes widened in surprise.

“No wash, no bed!” Miao Fengqing retorted coolly.

“Wash up! Afei’s already washed!” The child was afraid Lord Miao wouldn’t let her sister stay.

Su He chuckled. Fine, I’ll wash. You won’t make things difficult for me.

She immediately took off her shoes and socks. Having not traveled much these past two days, her feet were barely dusty. Her fair, plump little feet felt a bit hot when she dipped them into the warm water.

Being shameless is surprisingly comfortable, she thought, though a hint of awkwardness lingered. She pulled Afei closer and asked about her day.

Unnoticed, Lord Miao removed her own shoes and socks and stepped into the basin.

The wooden tub was small. Lord Miao’s slender, elegantly arched feet, once submerged, rested atop Su He’s slightly fleshy “little chubby feet.”

Startled, Su He glanced at her secretly. She’s really washing? Is this the aloof, unattainable beauty I know?

Miao Fengqing casually picked up a book, whether she actually read it was anyone’s guess.

Seeing her indifference, Su He stopped staring at the footbath, as if she cared too much. She continued holding the child, refusing to look at the woman across from her.

When Miao Fengqing’s foot brushed against Su He’s, it felt like stepping on warm, soft jade. Su He wasn’t conventionally beautiful, but her skin was the envy of many. In her slightly plump days, her complexion resembled lustrous jade, smooth and delicate to the touch.

Lost in thought, she began kneading Su He’s skin with her feet, alternating between rubbing and stepping, even attempting to tickle the soles of her feet.

Su He clutched Afei tightly, who was growing drowsy. Gently rocking the child, she glared across at Lord Miao.

Lord Miao hid her face behind a book, her toes creeping up Su He’s trouser leg, sending a tingling numbness through Su He’s body.

Finally, Afei fell asleep. Su He carefully placed her on the inner side of the carriage and immediately lifted her feet from the basin.

“Had your fun?” Su He demanded, her face flushed. “I never knew Lord Miao could be so frivolous.”

“Not nearly enough!” Miao Fengqing replied bluntly.

“You… Since Afei is asleep, I shouldn’t stay any longer!” Su He grabbed her socks, ready to put them on.

Miao Fengqing calmly poured the foot-washing water outside, then slammed the door shut, extinguishing the candle.

In the darkness, she yanked Su He against the door, trapping her.

Su He’s foot, still in its sock, landed on the carriage floor.

“What are you doing?” she whispered, afraid to struggle too hard and wake the child.

“Now that you’re here, you’re not leaving!” The darkness stripped away her pretense, emboldening her to close the distance.

Su He’s heart pounded, words failing her.

“She’s still here. I can’t!” The woman leaned closer, nipping lightly at Su He’s neck. Su He’s legs went weak against the door.

“I won’t bite… just a kiss!” Her breath was warm and close against Su He’s neck.

“No kissing either!” Su He’s voice trembled slightly.

“Then control yourself!”

Her lips drifted lightly from Su He’s neck to her mouth, determined to get a kiss tonight.

How shameless! Su He thought, secretly amused by her friend’s greedy yet hesitant demeanor. Serves her right. Let’s see who can hold out longer!

“Should we send her back to bed?” Miao Fengqing asked after a long silence, growing increasingly restless.

“It’s too late tonight. How about next time?” Su He offered, dangling another carrot.

“Next time? Can I trust you?”

“Where would I run off to?”

“Sigh, fine then!” The other woman hung her head dejectedly, pressing her face against Su He’s collarbone, which was already red from her nibbling. She sounded both helpless and aggrieved.

The officers slaughtered a pig for meat, sharing some broth with the prisoners. Jiang Yan didn’t make a late-night snack, so everyone ate some dry rations and went to sleep.

Ying Hong brought hot water, and Tan Qianyue went to the other side of the partition. She spread an oilcloth, wiped herself clean with a fresh handkerchief, and prepared to sleep in the new quilt, wanting to keep her sleeping bag clean.

After tidying up, Jiang Yan returned the borrowed items to Sang Yu, while Ying Hong clutched her new cotton-padded coat, utterly delighted.

Tan Qianyue, having finished washing up, picked up the basin to dump the water in the heavy snow outside.

“Miss, let me do that!” Ying Hong offered, reaching for the basin.

“I’ll do it myself. Just open the door for me!” Tan Qianyue insisted, refusing to let go.

Ying Hong swiftly opened the door.

After tidying up, Tan Qianyue tied her hair into a loose, high bun with a ribbon, shed her heavy clothes, and slipped into the plush sleeping bag.

The newly made sleeping bag was so comfortable she rolled around inside it, feeling as if she were wrapped in a thick, soft cloud—utterly cozy and secure.

But it was stiflingly hot inside, especially after Jiang Yan joined her, filling the bag completely.

Tan Qianyue felt utterly uncomfortable. Jiang Yan, fresh from washing her face and brushing her teeth, exuded a clean, refreshing scent. Looking at her face… the Eldest Miss realized that being crammed together like this was quite torturous.

In the pinkish light, Tan Qianyue’s gaze locked onto Jiang Yan like a hook, growing more captivated by her beauty with each passing moment. She reached out and traced Jiang Yan’s face from forehead to chin, then back again.

Jiang Yan’s closed eyes fluttered open, her sharp brows arching slightly. Her clear, lively eyes met Tan Qianyue’s with a hint of confusion.

This is unbearable! Jiang Yan thought. I finally managed to feign sleep, and now she’s teasing me again.

Tan Qianyue’s usually haughty gaze softened, becoming slightly misty as she stared at Jiang Yan.

Jiang Yan sat up and whispered in Tan Qianyue’s ear, “Maybe we should find her a companion tomorrow? I’ll provide the tent. You can’t keep tormenting me like this! I’ve been working day and night!”

Tan Qianyue’s teasing gaze froze. She quickly covered her mouth to stifle a laugh, though her body still felt slightly feverish, and even warmer inside the sleeping bag. I shouldn’t torment Jiang Yan like this, she thought. I can endure it myself.

Seeing how pitiful Jiang Yan looked, Tan Qianyue wrapped her arms around her neck and gently patted her back in comfort.

“Sleep, sleep. I won’t tease you anymore!”

Jiang Yan pulled her close, her hand landing on Tan Qianyue’s shapely rear. She gave it a firm squeeze. What else can I do? she thought. I can only sleep!

The next morning, as dawn barely broke, Ying Hong quietly rose.

“Miss, Sang Yu asked me to help her with something yesterday. I might be gone for an hour. I’ll be back soon!” Fully dressed, Ying Hong prepared to leave the tent.

“So early?” Tan Qianyue’s voice was still drowsy as she propped herself up to look.

“She said it would be less convenient with more people around. Don’t worry, I’ll be back in an hour!” Ying Hong said, exiting the tent. Tan Qianyue glanced at Jiang Yan, still asleep, and tiptoed out to close the flap.

Spotting a patch of snow nearby, she scooped up a handful and began playing with it.

The bone-chilling cold instantly jolted her awake. After taking a sip of warm water from her flask, she couldn’t bring herself to discard the snowball, instead kneading it gently between her fingers.

Jiang Yan lay with her eyes closed, her long lashes resting against her eyelids, casting butterfly-wing-like shadows in the pinkish light. When they fluttered, they seemed ready to take flight.

Tan Qianyue considered it for a moment before settling back down. The sky hadn’t even begun to lighten yet—what was the point of getting up? Besides, even if she did, she’d just be hiding in the tent anyway.

As soon as she slipped under the covers, Jiang Yan’s arm wrapped around her like a vine.

Tan Qianyue pushed her away, finding the embrace too tight.

But then she realized Jiang Yan was unfastening her clothes.

“You’re awake?” Tan Qianyue pushed at her head, but Jiang Yan only clung closer, pressing herself against her chest.

“This fur vest has been poking me all night. Take it off!” With that, she lifted both the vest and the cotton undershirt beneath, stripping them from the Eldest Miss and cradling her smooth, bare body in her arms.

Tan Qianyue understood perfectly what Jiang Yan meant, but after her feverish thoughts the night before and the snowball fight that had fully awakened her, she suddenly felt a little shy.

Jiang Yan grasped her slender wrist, noticing her clenched fist. With a playful nip, she discovered a tiny snowball hidden inside.

Without hesitation, she opened her mouth and swallowed the snowball whole.

“How could you just eat it?” Tan Qianyue’s hair was disheveled, her beautiful eyes wide with surprise.

“I was feeling hot! What else could I do? She only walked for an hour—can’t you give me a break?” Jiang Yan’s clear eyes were full of reproach.

“I never said you couldn’t!” Tan Qianyue wondered when she had given Jiang Yan the impression that she was forbidding her.

“Then let’s hurry!” Jiang Yan grinned triumphantly, practically glowing with excitement.

“Don’t eat it! Spit it out! Why do you eat everything?” Tan Qianyue cradled Jiang Yan’s face, amused.

“Then I’ll just eat a bigger snowball!” The muffled voice came from beneath the icy sphere.

Tan Qianyue’s heart skipped a beat, her senses focused entirely on the snow-covered “snowball.”

It was so cold she shivered, yet an uncontrollable warmth surged from her core.

Ying Hong groped her way through the darkness to the agreed-upon meeting spot.

“It’s not even dawn yet! Why did you drag me out here? It’s freezing!” Sang Yu stared at Ying Hong, bewildered.

“Let’s find a room to sit in. It should be warmer than this,” Ying Hong said, glancing around before pointing to an empty hut.

“No, seriously, what’s this about?” Sang Yu pressed, still demanding answers.

“I’m being sold,” Ying Hong replied lazily.

“What’s being sold?”

“You wouldn’t understand even if I told you!” Ying Hong snapped, annoyed by her companion’s incessant questions. Why does she talk so much?!

Inside the tent, the temperature rose, and the gentle fragrance of roses intensified, causing the person who had been teasing her moments ago to redden around the eyes and lose control of her strength.

Jiang Yan, her eyes bloodshot, leaned close to Tan Qianyue’s ear.

“Wait… wait, let’s put down a cloth. It’ll be hard to clean if we get it dirty!” The Eldest Miss remembered something and pushed Jiang Yan’s wrist away, her body trembling.

Jiang Yan casually grabbed an unused undergarment from the Eldest Miss’s bundle, lifted her slender waist, and returned her palm to its original position.

Tan Qianyue didn’t even see what Jiang Yan had taken. All she felt was a slippery sensation beneath her, and Jiang Yan’s fingertips were equally slick…

She had no energy to care what Jiang Yan had grabbed, as a surge of heat coursing through her body burned away half her remaining rationality.

Jiang Yan bit hard into Tan Qianyue’s fair neck. Perhaps it had been too long since her last encounter, for she couldn’t restrain herself this time, pressing forward relentlessly…

As the pheromones were injected, Tan Qianyue felt herself drifting, her vision blurring, yet her entire body was suffused with an overwhelming sense of pleasure.

She lingered in this state for a long while, but Jiang Yan showed no intention of letting her rest. Tan Qianyue whimpered, pushing weakly against Jiang Yan’s arm, but she couldn’t resist the waves of electric currents that surged from their points of contact, coursing through her limbs and every fiber of her being.

She realized she couldn’t even move a single finger.

Jiang Yan, lost to all reason, gripped Tan Qianyue’s waist and dragged her down, both of them disappearing into the newly made sleeping bag…

Unspeakable, heart-racing sounds muffledly emanated from within. The dog circled the sleeping bag, trying to burrow inside, but Jiang Yan shoved it away.

The Eldest Miss, her body covered in bite marks, was released precisely on time…

Tan Qianyue sat huddled in a corner, wrapped in a blanket, her glass-like eyes burning with accusation toward Jiang Yan, as if she were a ravenous wolf who had devoured her whole.