27. Chapter 27: Taking a Hard Line

"There, you don't need to be afraid anymore. You can't see it now." Had he pushed her too hard?

Nalan Che reached out to stroke her rigid spine, coaxing her in a low voice.

She was safe now. Inside the sealed room, she could no longer see the terrifying ocean.

Tong Xiaoman slowly began to calm down, only to realize the intimate position in which she was holding him. Her legs were tightly wrapped around his waist, and through the thin fabric, she could feel the heat radiating from his body and the distinct hardness beneath. Her face flushed, her heart rate spiked, and she quickly released her legs and jumped down from him.

She stood there, too embarrassed to know what to say.

"I'll go out and get you something to eat." Nalan Che’s voice sounded somewhat hoarse, deeper than usual.

As soon as he finished speaking, he hurried out of the room as if fleeing. Once outside, he couldn't help but take a deep breath. Being held so tightly by her just moments ago—the softness of her body, so different from his own rigid frame, and the fragrant scent wafting from her—had constantly bewitched his senses, making it nearly impossible for him to maintain his composure.

She was truly a tormenting little enchantress; even he, a man who usually possessed superhuman willpower, felt like he was falling apart in her presence.

He looked up at the vast, dark blue sky and offered a silent, bitter smile. It seemed his self-control was still not enough.

He cooled down in the chilly night air before heading to the kitchen. He placed the cold food into the microwave to heat it up, along with her favorite dessert, and brought it into Tong Xiaoman's room.

Tong Xiaoman was so hungry she was nearly losing her mind. Seeing him bring the food in, she pounced, grabbed the chopsticks, picked up the bowl, and, ignoring all decorum, began to devour the meal in a manner so earth-shattering and ghost-weeping that it looked as if a starving ghost had been reincarnated in her.

She was truly famished.

Nalan Che poured a glass of water and placed it in front of her, a wry smile appearing on his handsome face.

"Eat slowly. No one is going to steal it from you."

If she was driven to such a state of hunger, it was entirely his fault.

Tong Xiaoman shot him a fierce glare, then turned to the other side with her bowl, as if looking at him were a waste of her time.

Nalan Che’s mouth twitched. He was certain that she now held a grudge against him.

***

The Nalan family mansion, while maintaining the style of ancient architecture, featured a blend of Eastern and Western interior design, preserving traditional roots while incorporating bold, luxurious Western decor.

Ever since Nalan Che fled his wedding, the mansion had been shrouded in a low-pressure atmosphere. The servants went about their work with trepidation, terrified of making even the slightest mistake and becoming targets of his wrath.

Nalan Tian truly had not expected Nalan Che to be so reckless with his reputation as to pull such a stunt on him.

Though elderly and no longer heavily involved in the affairs of the Disha Group, he had once been its chief, a man of status and influence. Many people with complex connections still took orders from him.

And yet, his own grandson had slapped him in the face in front of everyone. How could he possibly afford to lose face like this?

Since returning from the wedding, he had locked himself in his study, refusing to see anyone, which terrified everyone in the house.

Nalan Che’s father, Nalan Chuan, had suffered injuries to his legs while at the Disha Group, leaving him unable to stand and confined to a wheelchair.

In truth, he understood his son. This wedding was clearly a case of the old man forcing someone into a corner, using heavy-handed tactics.

He understood, but he dared not speak up. The person he feared most was Nalan Tian, and he had never once defied his father's will.