Chapter 36: Provoking President Duan's Wrath

Su Nuo began soaking the bird's nest and finished cleaning all the ingredients, then sat on a kitchen stool and began to doze off. She was truly exhausted; she had not had a single full night of sleep since returning home. Getting up early every day to cook had left her physically and mentally drained. If she had to go to the office today, she certainly couldn't afford to be caught sleeping on the job.

Duan Yubai came downstairs to brew coffee while organizing his files for the morning. As soon as he entered the kitchen, he saw Su Nuo fast asleep. The kitchen lights were off, save for a sliver of warm light from a streetlamp falling across her face. Her eyelashes fluttered, and her brow was furrowed, as if her sleep was deeply unsettled. She sat on the small stool, her head resting lightly against the cabinet.

He felt a sudden sense of bewilderment. He couldn't remember the last time he had looked at her so closely, but why was she so thin? In Duan Yubai’s memory, Su Nuo was fair and delicate, with a touch of a "baby face." Her round cheeks made her seem more like a child. Now, however, her chin was sharp; it was still Su Nuo’s face, but the essence of who she had been was gone. He reached out, wanting to smooth the furrowed brow, but pulled his hand back just as quickly. What was he doing? Pitying this woman who was so good at pretending and manipulating? He instinctively checked his phone: 4:00 AM. Why was she up at this hour?

"No!" Su Nuo suddenly cried out in a nightmare, pushing the man beside her away with force, then gasping for air.

Duan Yubai was caught off guard and nearly toppled over. "What are you doing?"

Hearing his cold, sharp voice, Su Nuo trembled involuntarily and tried to stand up immediately. Her movements were too hurried, and she bumped into the cabinet. A stainless-steel basin on the counter fell to the floor with a loud clang.

Someone on the first floor immediately opened their door. "Are you kidding me? Young Lady, can you stop causing trouble? You’re the only one who thinks you’re being diligent every morning—can't you let us get some sleep? If Miss Mo asked you to soak the bird's nest, couldn't you have done it in your own room? Why must you—Young Master? Young Master, why are you up so early?"

"Is it you who forces her to come to the kitchen this early every day?" Duan Yubai’s voice was cold enough to make one’s blood run cold.

Sister Cui looked at him in shock, then quickly shook her head. "No, no, it’s the Young Lady’s own choice. She said she wanted to contribute to the household." She glanced at Su Nuo, shooting her a vicious look. "Isn't that right, Young Lady?"

Su Nuo quickly knelt on the floor to pick up the basin and set the stool back in place. Then she whispered, "It was my own choice."

What else could she do even if it wasn't? Whether Mo Xiaoxue wanted bird's nest or dragon meat, wouldn't she have to go find it? Mo Xiaoxue was the apple of Duan Yubai’s eye; how could he ever let her suffer the slightest grievance?

By now, many of the servants had been woken up. Someone turned on the hall lights, and everyone stared in disbelief at the scene before them. Why was the eldest young master in the kitchen? And at such an hour?

Duan Yubai’s gaze landed on the bird's nest. "Does this thing need to be watched while it soaks?"

"No, no it doesn't. It’s just that the Young Lady worried we were clumsy and said she wanted to watch over it herself," Sister Cui said quickly. She looked at the two servants who shared her room, and they immediately stepped forward.

"Young Master, this is all something the Young Lady insisted on doing. She wouldn't let us help."

"Bird's nest is a precious ingredient; we’ve always been the ones to watch it soak."

"Both the Madam and Miss Mo need their bird's nest porridge. It can't be handled carelessly; this is all the Young Lady's good intentions."

As they babbled on, the people upstairs were also awakened. Mr. Duan looked downstairs with displeasure. "What is all this noise? What time is it?"

Mrs. Duan came downstairs, supported by Mo Xiaoxue. Seeing the scene, she frowned slightly. "Nuonuo, what are you doing this early in the morning?"

Sister Cui struck first, quickly complaining. "The Young Lady insisted on making bird's nest for the Madam and Miss Mo, waking everyone up at the crack of dawn and even bringing the Young Master down here."

"Miss Su, I... I was just saying it casually, please don't take it to heart." Mo Xiaoxue hurried downstairs and gripped Su Nuo's hand tightly. "I really was just saying it casually, I didn't intend for you to get up so early. Plus, Sister Cui and the others usually make the porridge; I didn't need you to do this at all." Mo Xiaoxue looked terrified, her eyes turning red. "Mr. Duan, yesterday I just wanted to ask the Young Lady not to disturb your meetings."

"I know," Duan Yubai nodded, then looked at Su Nuo with irritation. "Causing such a scene first thing in the morning—well? Are you feeling better now?" His tone was harsh. "You’ve successfully attracted everyone’s attention. Are you satisfied?"

Su Nuo shook her head repeatedly, but didn't dare say a word. Mo Xiaoxue’s freshly manicured nails had dug into her palm. She didn't need to look to know that it was bleeding. The stinging pain of her skin being pierced helped her wake up significantly.

Sister Cui and the other servants chimed in from the sidelines. "Exactly. The Young Lady is just too dramatic. She says she wants to cook, but really, she’s just getting up to torment people."

"We have plenty of work to do every day; we only get four or five hours of sleep as it is."

"This isn't the first time the Young Lady has made trouble for us. Sigh!"

With everyone attacking her, the blame for every problem was pinned on Su Nuo.

"If you've made enough noise, go back to sleep!" Mr. Duan huffed and turned back upstairs.

Mrs. Duan sighed. "Nuonuo, don't be so willful. Just because you're unhappy doesn't mean everyone else has to suffer with you, right?"

Mo Xiaoxue’s mouth curled into a smile, though her tone remained filled with feigned sadness. "I'm sorry, it's all my fault. I shouldn't have let the Young Lady get up in the morning to stew bird's nest."

"What is there to be sorry for? If she wants to play the servant, then let her do it!" Duan Yubai stomped upstairs, suppressing a surge of rage.

What was this damned Su Nuo trying to do? A proper young lady, yet she insisted on getting up at dawn every day to soak bird's nest? She let the servants slander her without saying a word? Thinking of her humble, cowardly appearance just now, he felt like he was going to explode with anger. Was this a new way for her to torment him? To make him watch as his own sister, a girl raised in the palm of her family’s hand, turned into a servant to be molded and crushed by others? This wasn't just to torture him; it was to torture his parents!

Duan Yubai reached his bedroom door, then turned and looked downstairs. The others in the kitchen didn't seem to have left yet. He roared, "Everyone go back! No one is allowed to help her! Let her cook by herself today!"

"If she doesn't do it well, then she doesn't eat! No food for her all day today! Better if she starves to death! I don't think she wants to live a decent life anyway!"

Su Nuo kept her head bowed. Her palm was already bleeding. She was hyper-sensitive to the scent of blood and could already smell the sickening metallic tang. Yet, Mo Xiaoxue kept holding her hand, a wicked curve on her lips. "Miss Su, you really are something else. You managed to enrage Mr. Duan first thing in the morning."