Chapter 32: Allergen

Su Nuo clenched her fists tightly, knowing that making such a request of Chi Ling was far too much. She was no longer the pampered young lady she once was; she didn't have a single cent to her name. By what right could she ask Chi Ling to take her out to eat?

Yet, she was genuinely starving. Her body felt like a sponge, parched and empty. Despite having consumed a fair amount of desserts, she still felt an insatiable hunger. She knew there would likely be nothing for her to eat back at the Duan residence, but she wanted to survive. The doctor had already informed her that, given her current weight, she was suffering from severe malnutrition, and her internal organs would soon begin to fail. She was still two years away from turning twenty-four; she couldn't afford to fall apart now. Furthermore, she did not want to return to that house.

Chi Ling’s expression faltered for a moment, then he nodded. "I’ll take you to get something to eat."

Su Nuo chose a roadside stall that sold steamed buns. Chi Ling hesitated. "Are you... sure?"

In the past, the young lady wouldn't even consider a buffet that cost less than ten thousand yuan per person. She wouldn't even touch imported ingredients if they weren't perfectly fresh. While she had certainly changed a great deal since living with the Duans, he hadn't expected her to still be like this now that she was out.

Su Nuo nodded repeatedly. "As long as I can get full... I, I don't eat much."

She looked at Chi Ling with a glimmer of hope. She didn't know why, but she trusted this man—at least to ensure she could have a full meal. Chi Ling didn't hesitate; he led her to a table in the corner of the small shop. The moment Su Nuo sat down, she visibly relaxed. Chi Ling instinctively shielded her from the prying eyes of others, and Su Nuo began to eat with a sense of relief.

However, her table manners were truly unrefined. If her behavior back at the Duan house could be dismissed as a performance to garner sympathy, what was this? The girl who once turned her nose up at a single bite of a bun was now devouring them two at a time. In no time at all, she had finished four baskets of buns on her own.

Four baskets? Even if Chi Ling were famished, that was about as much as he could manage. As Su Nuo reached for another, her hand was stopped by a pair of chopsticks.

"Young Lady."

"I'm sorry, I ate too much." Su Nuo pulled her hand back abruptly. "I won't eat anymore, I'm full."

"That’s not what I meant. I’m just worried you’ll feel uncomfortable if you eat too much," Chi Ling said, his voice laced with helplessness. He was, indeed, at a loss. Who could have imagined the young lady would polish off four baskets of buns in one sitting and be ready for a fifth?

Su Nuo let out a cautious, full-bellied burp and glanced at the buns again. Chi Ling immediately ordered the rest to be packed up. "Take them back to eat, alright?"

Su Nuo nodded repeatedly, as docile as a kitten. Chi Ling felt a tightness in his chest; he took a deep breath and rose to pay the bill.

When the two returned home, the atmosphere in the Duan residence was heavy. Everyone was seated in the living room, and as they heard the commotion, all eyes turned toward the entrance. Su Nuo instinctively hid behind Chi Ling. She keenly sensed that the expressions of those present were far from welcoming.

Chi Ling handed the bag of buns to a servant and walked in with Su Nuo.

"Xiao Nuo, how are you? Are you alright?" Mother Duan asked, clutching Su Nuo’s hand with a look of frantic concern. "Tell me, how could you suddenly have an allergic reaction like that?"

"You’ve been no help at all, only bringing shame to the company!" Father Duan shot her a glare before standing up. "I have matters to attend to; I’ll be in the study."

The moment Su Nuo had walked in, he had smelled the scent of the steamed buns. If she were to throw up in a moment, he would surely lose the dinner he had just eaten.

Mo Xiaoxue wore a troubled expression. "Miss Su, your sudden incident today has created quite a negative narrative for the company online." She glanced at Duan Yubai. "President Duan has been busy all day—board meetings, shareholder meetings, and department heads all coming to see him."

"Miss Su, don't you know what you're allergic to? How could you be so careless?" She paused, adding, "Or could it be that you truly forgot about the press conference, and so..."

The implication was clear: Mo Xiaoxue was suggesting that Su Nuo had done it on purpose. Mother Duan’s expression turned cold at the thought. "Xiao Nuo, tell Mother the truth. Did you fake this? I never knew you had any allergies."

"Didn't we tell you there was an important press conference today? Did you eat something you shouldn't have?"

Su Nuo offered a self-deprecating smile. What had she eaten? She was practically starving to death in her own home, yet they were interrogating her about what she had consumed. Why did no one ask if she had been going without food? She knew, however, that defending herself was meaningless. Her father-in-law going upstairs was proof enough that he believed she had orchestrated the whole thing. She had a history of such incidents, one of which had nearly triggered a heart attack in Mother Duan. The story of the boy who cried wolf was not a myth; it played out in households every day.

"The young lady is allergic to pollen. Here is the medical report," Chi Ling said, his tone flat as he handed over the document.

Mother Duan looked at it, slightly surprised. "But you’ve always planted flowers. How could you be allergic?"

"Tulips," Duan Yubai suddenly spoke up.

Mother Duan looked at him, confused. "Tulips? What do you mean?"

"She is allergic to tulip pollen," Duan Yubai repeated, his gaze shifting to Mo Xiaoxue. "You wore a tulip today."

"I—I just wanted to add an accessory. The stylists and makeup artists all said it looked good. I didn't know Miss Su would be allergic!" Mo Xiaoxue shook her head, her eyes immediately welling up with tears.

Su Nuo watched it all in silence, her heart growing colder by the second. No one cared if she had been in pain or danger when the reaction hit. Everyone was simply blaming her for having the reaction at such an inconvenient time.

Seeing Mo Xiaoxue’s panic, Mother Duan quickly intervened. "I didn't even know Xiao Nuo was allergic to tulips, how could Xiaoxue have known? I think it’s just a coincidence. Regardless, it’s fine now; the matter is cleared up, and we can discuss other things later."

Su Nuo nodded along, signaling her agreement with the resolution. Even if Mo Xiaoxue had done it on purpose, what could she really do about it?

"I told you before that she is allergic to tulips."

For some reason, Duan Yubai was uncharacteristically aggressive this time. Mo Xiaoxue, too, was stunned that he would say such a thing. Two years ago, on Su Nuo’s birthday, Duan Yubai had asked her to help order flowers. Mo Xiaoxue had instinctively suggested tulips, only to be flatly rejected by Duan Yubai.

"She is allergic to tulip pollen. We don't buy that type of flower."

*We don't buy them.* Those were his exact words. Because of Su Nuo’s allergy, tulips had never appeared in Duan Yubai’s office again. Even if someone sent them to him, he would have them thrown away immediately.

So, he had known all along. Why did he care so much about this wretch, Su Nuo?

Mo Xiaoxue looked up, her voice trembling as tears rolled down her cheeks. "President Duan, I truly didn't remember. If I had remembered, I would never have worn a tulip."