Chapter 43: Hand‑Hit Pain?

Chu Yue's tears fell, "Song, Miss Song did it."

Nan Gong Yu was startled for a moment, then turned his gaze toward Song Huan Yan.

Song Huan Yan's expression was calm, and she nodded in acknowledgment, "Hmm."

Nan Gong Yu furrowed his brows.

But before he could speak, Chu Yue immediately found an excuse to exonerate herself, "Lord Nan Gong, actually I, your subordinate, was testing Miss Song. After all, she is to be matched with you, so she could become your wife. The position of your wife is not one that just anyone can occupy; she must be clever, magnanimous, able to treat others, and have resolve…"

Nan Gong Yu cut off her words, "Do you need to test?"

Chu Yue fell silent.

Song Huan Yan also said nothing, merely taking small bites of steak.

From the current situation, she still could not determine whether Nan Gong Yu would favor Chu Yue.

Nan Gong Yu added, "Then what did you discover from your test?"

Chu Yue was clever and keenly realized that Nan Gong Yu would probably not side with her.

Chu Yue's complexion grew paler, her lips trembled slightly as she lowered her head, "Your subordinate believes Miss Song is very resolute and courageous."

In other words, she even directly struck her.

Hearing that, Song Huan Yan paused with her fork and knife, "Miss Chu, are you praising me?"

Chu Yue replied, "Yes. Miss Song, I apologize; I took it upon myself to test you, hoping you won't be angry."

Song Huan Yan understood; Chu Yue wasn't foolish at all, her level was quite high, and she had probably already planned an exit strategy.

Chu Yue had acted like that in the Main Hall, probably assuming she was easy to handle, since her impression was that she spoke little.

When she found she couldn't handle her, she switched to saying it was a test.

She not only expressed her loyalty, but also cleared away any deliberate difficulty completely.

That's somewhat interesting.

Song Huan Yan gave no answer, merely pursing her lips lightly and continued eating.

Nan Gong Yu asked, "Did it hurt when you hit?"

Song Huan Yan's hand that was cutting the steak paused, yet she remained silent.

Chu Yue instantly brightened, saying, "No, it's fine, thank you, Lord…"

"I wasn't asking you," Nan Gong Yu said displeased, his gaze on Song Huan Yan, "Did your hand hurt from the hit?"

"Huh?" Song Huan Yan looked up, a bit surprised, realizing he was asking about her hand.

Song Huan Yan was startled for two seconds, then said, "Yes, a little."

Nan Gong Yu looked at her, "If this happens again, just order Changfeng to intervene."

Song Huan Yan was a bit dumbfounded.

Meng Zhangfeng hurriedly replied, "Yes, Lord!"

Seeing that Song Huan Yan seemed a bit dazed, Nan Gong Yu, still cutting his steak, said in a cool tone, "Your hand is so delicate and precious. Don't come here and get hurt and feel aggrieved; later my mother will scold me, saying I bullied the young lady."

Song Huan Yan finally recovered, feeling a bit embarrassed, pursed her lips and said, "I won't report it."

Nan Gong Yu seemed to smile slightly, "It's my fault for not receiving you personally, causing you grievance."

Song Huan Yan looked up at him, "It's fine."

Nan Gong Yu's lips twitched, then he looked at Chu Yue kneeling on the ground, his expression turning cold, "Your courage is not small. The delicate and precious guest my mother and I invited has actually suffered grievance here because of you."

Chu Yue was so frightened her face turned pale.

"Apologize," Nan Gong Yu said coldly.

"Yes." Chu Yue dared not say anything else, directly kowtowed to Song Huan Yan, "I'm sorry, Miss Song, I won't dare to do it again."

Song Huan Yan's mood finally, inexplicably, rose a little.

Others said her reputation had suffered after that birthday banquet, and they speculated she had been in a relationship for four or five years, no longer pure.

She accepted the Marriage Alliance match but did not choose him first; he had witnessed her failure and stepped in to help her out of trouble.

Yet he didn't mind, and called her a delicate and precious guest…

Chu Yue apologized while kowtowing, "I hope you can forgive me."

Song Huan Yan finally looked at Chu Yue and said, "Alright."

Nothing more was said.

She didn't order Chu Yue to stand, because this matter wasn't her concern.

Nan Gong Yu gave her a glance, then turned his gaze to Chu Yue, "Take your own punishment, twenty strikes. Leave."

"Yes, thank you, Lord." Chu Yue still had to thank him, trembling as she rose, almost losing her balance.

Whether from fright or something else, her body tilted and she almost fell.

Meng Zhangfeng reached out and steadied her, allowing her to stand.

Afterwards she kept her head down, never daring to lift it, and hurried away.

Nan Gong Yu looked at Song Huan Yan, "Sorry, my hospitality was lacking."

The young lady was given a harsh welcome right away; the grievance was considerable.

Song Huan Yan said, "That's not your intention."

Nan Gong Yu said, "As long as you're not angry."

Song Huan Yan shook her head, "I'm not angry."

Nan Gong Yu then nodded, "Good, eat. Don't lose your appetite over irrelevant people."

Song Huan Yan said, "Oh, okay."

Yet she couldn't help asking, "Twenty strikes, would it…?"

"Too light?" Nan Gong Yu sent a small piece of steak into his mouth, chewing slowly, and asked coolly, "Too light?"

Song Huan Yan almost got choked, "No. Is it a bit heavy?"

For a woman, can it not be heavy?

Nan Gong Yu was so cold that there was no emotional fluctuation, "She brought it on herself."

Song Huan Yan nodded, "Alright."

Chu Yue said she was helping Nan Gong Yu "test" her.

Then she also helped Chu Yue test…

It seems Nan Gong Yu has no intention toward Chu Yue at all.

Purely a boss‑subordinate relationship, still a cold‑noodle iron‑fisted boss.

After this interlude, Nan Gong Yu said nothing, only focused on eating.

His table manners were excellent, very elegant, pleasant to watch.

He didn't speak, and Song Huan Yan didn't say much either.

Originally Song Huan Yan wanted to find a topic, but after trying for a while she couldn't think of anything…

Forget it, let's eat.

We'll talk after we're full.

Then the two of them just "oddly" kept eating plain rice…

It seemed a bit awkward, yet somehow not awkward.

Fortunately the dishes kept arriving one after another, which eased this neither‑awkward‑nor‑unawkward feeling.

Song Huan Yan thought, indeed the two of them aren't good at forced conversation; they can't find topics.

So they kept burying their heads in eating, although it was delicious…

Focused on eating, the speed was quite fast.

In no time Song Huan Yan was full.

Song Huan Yan set down her fork and knife, wiped her mouth, and the after‑meal dessert arrived.

Nan Gong Yu also finished, set down his fork and knife, elegantly wiped his mouth, and finally spoke again, saying, "The Kitchen's desserts are good; the young lady should like them, try some."

Song Huan Yan pursed her lips and nodded; she wasn't actually that old…

Being called a "young lady" by him each time made it seem as if she were only seventeen or eighteen.

Perhaps it's because he's older?

Song Huan Yan tasted a bite of the dessert; not only was it tasty, it was top‑grade.

Seeing Song Huan Yan show a satisfied expression, Nan Gong Yu asked, "Do you like it?"

Song Huan Yan nodded, "Hmm, I like it, it's delicious."

Nan Gong Yu looked at the chef, "Make a few more varieties and bring them up."

The chef bowed his head, "Yes, Sir."

Nan Gong Yu turned his gaze to Song Huan Yan, seeing her eat happily, and said, "If you like it, leave the chef's phone number; when you want to eat, call him, and the Kitchen will prepare it and deliver it to the Song Family."

Song Huan Yan, who was eating happily, was startled for a moment and looked up at him.

He still appeared so cold, yet she felt that he was quite different from the rumors and from their first meeting.

But does he mean… just… like this?