Chapter 26

The servants wheeled in the food trolleys, setting down plates with practiced ease while stealing glances at the people at the table. They had worked in the mansion for years, yet this was the first time they had seen such a beautiful sight—at first glance, it looked like something out of an idol drama.

Sunlight streamed through the large floor-to-ceiling windows into the romantic, elegant dining area by the windows. The young master and Young Master Bu sat on either side of a young woman.

The two young masters—one sunny and handsome, the other charming and seductive—flanked a girl so delicate and lovely that the three of them together looked like a painting in an art gallery, every move so beautiful it was hard to look away.

Most of them, in fact, were sneaking peeks at Ruan Ning.

A week ago, word spread that the young master was inviting the legendary brooch owner to the house as a guest. The servants had gone wild, fighting for the chance to do the job they usually dreaded most—serving the meal.

Everyone knew what the brooch owner meant to the young master. This was also the first time the young master had ever invited a woman of the opposite sex to the house. They had rehearsed several times before settling on the candidates, and only the most professional and outstanding servants were deemed worthy of serving the host's guests.

Those who had been weeded out didn't idle either. Ever since Ruan Ning entered the mansion, they lingered in the back kitchen, craning their necks to catch a glimpse of her beauty.

"So she's the owner of the dragonfly brooch—she's gorgeous."

"If she weren't, how could she have had the young master pining for over a month? You know, all the ingredients this time were chosen from the best in the world, air-freighted straight from their place of origin. The shipping alone cost several hundred thousand."

"Impressive. In my opinion, this young lady is in no way inferior to Young Master Bu's celebrities and influencers."

"If it weren't for the house rules, I'd snap a photo. The three of them together are just too easy on the eyes."

"Easy on the eyes, sure, but don't you think the atmosphere at the table is a bit off? Neither young master seems very pleased."

"Oh no, could it be that there's something wrong with our dishes?"

"No way?! If there's a mistake at this point, it's no joke."

"I told you not to slack off. Go back and double-check everything. If anything goes wrong today, you'll all be in serious trouble."

At the center of the gossip, Ruan Ning had no idea she was being discussed from afar. All she knew was that the two men across from her had been subtly comparing themselves to each other since they sat down, and she didn't dare say a word.

Jiang Yihao turned up the heat, quickly pan-searing the steak and plating it. The thick, grain-fed steak was browned and fragrant on both sides, revealing a tender, blush-pink interior without the slightest hint of gamey smell. A single cut of the knife released a savory, mouthwatering burst of juices.

Standing across from Ruan Ning like a five-star chef, Jiang Yihao carefully sliced the steak into neat little cubes—each bite just the right size to enjoy fully without being hard to chew.

"You're too thin. You need to eat more meat to build yourself up. This is grain-fed beef from our family's organic farm, better than any beef you'll find on the market. We only raise a few dozen head a year, so you can't get this anywhere else."

The moment Jiang Yihao finished speaking, he picked up the decanter and poured a glass of red wine, pushing both the plate and the glass in front of Ruan Ning. "Red wine with red meat—a perfect match."

Ruan Ning had little appetite, but she still politely lifted her fork and murmured a thank-you.

Bu Chen suddenly stood up and slid the prepared seafood soup over. In a slow, deliberate tone, he said, "Miss Ruan's body is frail. She should drink soup first to nourish her health and strengthen her spleen. Red meat is too greasy—there's no harm in eating it a little later."

Today's seafood was handled entirely by Bu Chen, all of it rare delicacies he had brought from Tourmaline Bay.

Tourmaline Bay was a world-famous fjord resort, where wealthy people from all over the world came every winter to soak in hot springs and ski. The king crabs and salmon raised in the local glacial waters were the finest of seafood—delicious, all-natural, and pollution-free, a real rarity worth savoring.

The seafood soup was simmered according to the Banting family's secret recipe. Rich, milky white, and steaming, just one glance at it was enough to imagine the warmth and happiness that would wash over you with a single sip.

Bu Chen casually placed an exquisite silver spoon beside Ruan Ning's right hand. "You're not feeling well right now. Seafood is white meat—much easier to digest, don't you think?"

Ruan Ning lowered her head without speaking. In the reflection of the silver spoon, she caught Bu Chen's mysterious, alluring smile fixed directly on her, and she turned away shyly.

The dining room fell into an awkward silence.

Jiang Yihao deeply regretted inviting Bu Chen today. He'd come to help, but all he did was undermine him at every turn and stir up trouble—he might as well have invited Bai Xingmiao instead.

Not wanting to lose face in front of Ruan Ning, he licked his cheek and forced a smile. "Don't interfere with Ruan Ning's decision. She can eat whatever she likes."

Bu Chen raised an eyebrow. "But Miss Ruan is already feeling unwell. We should be thinking about her health first."

His tone was elegant and indifferent, and he turned to give Ruan Ning a warm, gentle smile.

Ruan Ning's skin immediately broke out in goosebumps.

Even though she had no appetite and couldn't eat either one, she knew from the way they were carrying on that if she didn't choose one, the two of them would never let it go.

Jiang Yihao's dark, glistening eyes lit up, his voice turning coaxing despite himself. "We met first, so you'll eat mine first, right?"

"A'hao, didn't you just say you wouldn't interfere with Miss Ruan's decision?" Bu Chen raised an eyebrow, then turned back to Ruan Ning with a hint of warning in his smile. "Right, Miss Ruan?"

"Um..." Ruan Ning was crushed under the weight of two heavy gazes, unable to speak. Though Jiang Yihao's house was over a thousand square meters, she felt like she was trapped in a cage the size of a foot, suffocating in despair.

She even felt that if she agreed with one of them, the other would fly into a rage and throw her off the 130th floor on the spot.

Both of them were waiting for her answer. How was she supposed to choose? Ruan Ning's head was pounding.

"I..." Ruan Ning slowly opened her dry throat. Jiang Yihao immediately straightened up, listening with full attention, while Bu Chen's peach-blossom eyes lowered slightly, also listening to whatever Ruan Ning had to say.

The anticipation radiating from both of them formed a massive pressure that left her breathless. Suddenly, Ruan Ning felt a wave of weakness. "Um... I just remembered I need to go to the restroom. Sorry."

With that, she hurriedly left her seat.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jiang Yihao rose to chase after her, but at that moment, the phone rang. It was Duchess Du Yue calling.

Before being promoted to Duchess of Tapei, Du Yue had been a top designer at Country A's luxury brand Mei'ang—a standard strong woman, shrewd, capable, and accomplished in her career.

After the previous Duke of Tapei had tragically passed away, it was she who held up the vast family in the absence of a leader, personally managing major events like the funeral and the inheritance. She handled everything with impeccable order and held great authority within the Jiang family.

"Damn it." Jiang Yihao cursed under his breath, then hit the answer button. "Hello, Mom..."

Seeing that Jiang Yihao hadn't followed, Ruan Ning suddenly had an idea. She quickened her pace, searching for the back kitchen.

She remembered that in mansions like this, the back kitchen usually had a staff elevator leading directly outside. Bu Chen was currently sitting in the dining room, watching the main entrance, so she could slip out through the back kitchen while no one was watching.

Unfortunately, Jiang Yihao's house was too big, and the back kitchen was extremely well hidden. Ruan Ning got lost several times.

Finally, she found a room that looked like a back kitchen, but when she opened the door, it turned out to be the pet room. Three big dogs inside started barking fiercely at her, scaring Ruan Ning into slamming the door shut.

She didn't give up and continued groping around. Suddenly, a tall figure flashed in front of her, pulling her into a corner and pinning her there. That familiar, sickening tone sounded again.

"Miss Ruan is quite resourceful. You almost slipped away from me again."

Ruan Ning's hair stood on end. Trembling, she lifted her eyes. Bu Chen had one hand braced against the wall above her head, trapping her beneath him, looking down at her from above.

Ruan Ning pushed hard against his chest. "Let go of me! Jiang Yihao is right outside. If you try anything, I'll scream."

"Oh? You want them to see us like this?"

Bu Chen tilted his head, gesturing at the servants passing by with food trolleys, and gave a wicked smile.

"Or would you rather they see us the way we were at Seductive Summer?"

Ruan Ning was on the verge of collapse. Through chattering teeth, she forced out a sentence: "I don't know what you're talking about."

"How about I help you remember?" Bu Chen suddenly stared at her lips and leaned in, wearing the exact same expression as the night he had tried to kiss her.

"No!" Ruan Ning bit her lip, her eyes glistening as if tears were about to spill. "What exactly do you want?"

"Leave Jiang Yihao." Bu Chen spat out the words crisply.

"Leave Jiang Yihao? No—" Ruan Ning blurted out. She still needed Jiang Yihao to help her finish her last task. She absolutely could not leave Jiang Yihao.

Bu Chen suddenly dropped his smile, his eyes darkening like a sinister glow from the depths of hell. "No?"