“Xiao Ai, the way you admit your mistake really tugs at my heart… But, about the Rule we talked about last time, it seems you still haven’t memorized it, have you? Do you need your Master to help you make a deeper impression?”
Lady Xie Yier’s voice was not loud, yet every word struck Aier’s heart, leaving her with nowhere to hide. The last few words even carried a hint of playful cold mockery.
“I’m sorry… Master…” Aier’s voice trembled with a barely noticeable choke. Her eyes turned red, tears swirling in her sockets.
Seeing this, Lady Xie Yier softened a little.
“Get up for now. Go stand in the corner for a while. Master needs to think carefully about how to handle you this time.”
“Mm… Yes.”
Aier quietly stood up, moved to the corner, and faced the wall.
Dong dong dong.
Three restrained and respectful knocks broke the dead silence in the Bedroom.
“Adult, the Chicken Soup is ready. Do you need me to bring it in for you?” The little Maid Annie asked respectfully from outside the door, her voice as cautious as ever.
“No need.” Lady Xie Yier’s voice came through the door, clear and cold. The laziness and teasing she had shown Aier vanished, leaving only the indifference of someone in power.
Her gaze never left the stiff, fragile figure in the corner as she continued giving orders, her tone steady and unquestionable: “Annie, have the Chef prepare ten cups of Black Coffee. Once they’re done, bring them straight to the Bedroom.”
Her command was brief and direct, without any explanation.
“…Yes! Adult!” Annie’s voice paused for a moment, clearly surprised, but she immediately agreed, never questioning the reason.
Annie didn’t hesitate in the slightest and went to make arrangements right away.
A dozen minutes later, Annie led several little Maids in, each carrying cups filled with the rich, bitter aroma of Black Coffee. At a glance, she saw Aier standing in the corner, reflecting on her mistake.
But they all kept their heads down, not daring to speculate further.
Lady Xie Yier: “Put the coffee on the table. Be careful.”
The group neatly arranged the ten cups of coffee on the tea table.
The intense scent of caffeine quickly filled the room, bringing with it an invisible pressure.
After placing the coffee down, the Maids hurriedly retreated.
Outside the door, a few little Maids whispered among themselves.
“What did Aier do wrong? Got punished by the Adult to stand?”
“She must’ve been flirting with some girl outside, obviously.”
“What are you saying? Nothing better to do, huh? If you have work, do it. If you don’t, go to sleep. If I hear you gossiping about the Adult again, I’ll have you kicked out.”
At Annie’s scolding, the little Maids lowered their heads, not daring to speak further, and slipped away.
As for Annie… she pressed herself against the door, starting to eavesdrop, still holding the Chicken Soup she’d brought earlier.
“Slurp… What fragrant soup… But little Aier has no luck today, what a pity…”
Carrying the Chicken Soup that should have gone to Aier, she left.
Aier stood with her back to the coffee, hunger and the thick, bitter aroma intertwining, making her empty stomach ache, her gut even starting to cramp faintly.
Especially after just having exercised so intensely, her hunger was even more pronounced, as if her belly was rumbling with thunder.
Lady Xie Yier, meanwhile, strolled over to the tea table at her leisure, settling elegantly into the wide single leather armchair.
She crossed her long legs comfortably, her calm gaze sweeping over the stiff figure in the corner, as if admiring an object awaiting judgment.
The room was frighteningly quiet, only the silent steam rising from the ten cups of coffee.
Aier knew Lady Xie Yier was angry because she’d gone out with Donna for coffee.
Time ticked by, the oppressive atmosphere almost solidifying.
After a long while, Lady Xie Yier finally picked up a cup of warm water from the tea table, sipping it gracefully.
“Standing for so long—aren’t you tired?” she asked lightly, as if making casual conversation.
But this nonchalant question only made Aier more nervous.
“…No… not tired…” Aier’s muffled voice came from the corner.
“Come here, to Master’s side.” Lady Xie Yier’s voice was slow, her tone icy.
Aier’s body turned around with extreme slowness and stiffness, golden hair falling beside her pale cheeks.
She stared intently at the intricate, expensive carpet beneath her feet, not daring to look at Lady Xie Yier, much less at the bitter-smelling black liquid.
It was as if invisible threads pulled Aier, dragging her step by step to the tea table.
“Look at that little face, all pale.” Lady Xie Yier leaned forward, her cool fingertips brushing over Aier’s cold, bloodless cheek. “Are you starving? Hmm?”
Her touch seemed to carry an electric current, sending a slight shiver through Aier wherever it passed.
Aier’s body trembled, her teeth biting hard into the soft flesh inside her lower lip, afraid to answer.
Lady Xie Yier’s gaze shifted to the ten cups of coffee, her red lips curving with helplessness and a hint of indulgence, as if she were humoring a disobedient child.
“Sigh, you little thing, always making Master worry. You know the Rules, but you still let those irrelevant people lead you by the nose…” Lady Xie Yier let out a gentle sigh.
Her fingers slid from Aier’s chilly cheek to her chin, forcing her to lift her face slightly. “Master feels sorry for you and can’t bear to punish you too harshly. But…”
She paused, her golden eyes locking on Aier’s trembling lashes. “You still need to learn your lesson. Otherwise, if someone tricks you away in the future, what will Master do?”
“…Master.” Aier swallowed with difficulty, wanting to argue, but in the end chose to remain silent.
Lady Xie Yier withdrew her gaze, then casually pointed at the ten cups of Black Coffee on the tea table, commanding, “Go on, Xiao Ai. Drink all that coffee. Not a single drop left.”
She even added considerately, “Don’t worry, it’s not much. Just a small sip in each cup.”
“Mm…” A broken sound squeezed from Aier’s throat—this was all she could manage at the moment.
Dragging heavy steps, her body swayed like a sleepwalker who had lost her balance.
She staggered to the tea table, staring at the ten bottomless black liquids, her stomach churning.
Each cup of Black Coffee was about 300ml… and this was called a small sip?!
It was a billion little sips!
Ten cups—that’s 3 liters!
And it was pure Black Coffee, no sugar, no milk—its bitterness and intensity far surpassed ordinary coffee.
Aier’s hand trembled as she picked up the coffee.
Helpless, she could only pinch her nose and drink it like bitter medicine.
So Aier grabbed the first cup, shut her eyes tight, and gulped it down in one go.
The intense bitterness flooded her mouth, shooting straight down her throat.
Ugh! So hard to drink without sugar!
Didn’t they say pinching your nose makes it tasteless?
Why did the bitterness get even stronger?!
No, this is just the first cup, I have to keep going!
Second cup, third cup…
At first, she could still taste the subtle differences in the roasted beans, but by the fourth cup, the overwhelming bitterness and her stomach’s fierce protest drowned everything else out, leaving only a strong urge to retch.