Chapter 140: Not Eating

After finally reaching the Dining Hall, Mu Xi finally dared to catch her breath.

Fortunately, the vast Dining Hall held only her and Ye Lan.

The brilliant Crystal Chandelier cast its light down, and she could almost see the contours of her body beneath the nightgown.

“How is it?” Ye Lan sat down at the dining table, motioning for Mu Xi to sit beside her.

“Doesn’t it feel like a different kind of thrill?”

Mu Xi didn’t answer, only silently took a seat.

Ye Lan smiled and picked up a colorful dish, curling a finger to beckon Mu Xi.

“Come, try this dish.”

Mu Xi hesitated for a moment but obediently leaned in.

However, Ye Lan didn’t put the food into her mouth.

Instead, she lightly rubbed the dish against Mu Xi’s fair cheek, then placed it in her own mouth, chewing with eyes half-closed.

“Delicious. Your scent makes this dish even more flavorful.”

Mu Xi silently complained to herself—was she being treated like a condiment?

She raised a hand to wipe the oily stain from her cheek, but Ye Lan pressed down on her wrist.

“Don’t wipe it off. I like seeing you like this.”

The dishes on the table were dazzling, but Mu Xi didn’t manage to eat a single bite.

Ye Lan’s game was only just beginning.

“My little pet, are you hungry?” Ye Lan picked up a piece of tender fish, and in Mu Xi’s expectant gaze, she pressed it against Mu Xi’s collarbone.

The cold touch made Mu Xi shiver involuntarily.

Leaning in, Ye Lan’s lips almost brushed Mu Xi’s skin, gently sucking the fish into her mouth, her tongue intentionally tracing Mu Xi’s collarbone.

“Master…” Mu Xi’s voice trembled, her body stiff, afraid to move.

“What’s wrong? Don’t like my way of dining?” A dangerous glint flashed in Ye Lan’s eyes.

“No…”

From then on, Ye Lan’s game grew more unrestrained.

A piece of dessert was smeared under Mu Xi’s armpit, the sauce dripping onto her barely concealed chest beneath the translucent nightgown, cold fruit juice slowly trickling down the inside of her thigh.

Each time, Ye Lan would use her lips and tongue to savor it carefully, leaving Mu Xi soaked all over, her nightgown clinging tightly to her body, exposing her even more.

“Eating like this really is delicious, making one savor it endlessly.” Ye Lan licked her lips with satisfaction.

Mu Xi lowered her head, cheeks burning red, her body trembling slightly from the cold in the room and the shame.

The courage that had sustained her all along had long since vanished, replaced by helplessness and humiliation.

“Don’t like my game?” Ye Lan tilted Mu Xi’s chin up.

Mu Xi lowered her gaze, unwilling to meet her eyes.

“As long as Master is happy.”

Suddenly, Ye Lan laughed, the sound echoing through the empty Dining Hall.

“So obedient.” She took a piece of pastry from the plate and this time brought it directly to Mu Xi’s lips.

“Hungry, aren’t you? Eat.”

Mu Xi hesitated a moment, then cautiously opened her mouth to accept it.

The sweet fragrance spread in her mouth; this was the first time today she had truly tasted food.

“Thank you, Master.” She whispered softly, though in her heart she thought: At least for this moment, she was not the seasoning but someone allowed to eat.

This small favor felt incredibly precious at this time.

Halfway through the meal, Mu Xi’s gaze shifted to Ye Lan, her voice gentle as she asked, “Where is Li Xin? Has she… already been amputated?”

Ye Lan’s smile suddenly faded.

She put down her chopsticks and stared at Mu Xi.

“Do you want to see her very much?” Her tone was calm, but a trace of mockery flashed in her eyes.

Mu Xi shook her head, trying to feign indifference.

“No.”

Ye Lan chuckled lightly, her eyes seeming to see through Mu Xi’s disguise.

“Your eyes have already given you away. You care about her a lot, don’t you? Want to see her, right? So I was right all along.”

Mu Xi’s cheeks flushed slightly as she pretended not to care.

Ye Lan continued, “I originally planned to take you to see her after dinner, but now it seems that won’t be possible. You’re not allowed to eat today. Go back to your room and don’t go anywhere.”

Mu Xi wanted to say something but stopped, quietly standing up and returning to her room.

She thought to herself that Ye Lan was only saying this to make her regret her own actions.

No matter what she did, Ye Lan would never let her see Li Xin.

But after closing the door, Mu Xi’s thoughts were unsettled.

She couldn’t stop worrying about Li Xin’s condition.

Back in her room, Mu Xi’s eyes turned to the expansive view beyond the floor-to-ceiling window, absentmindedly staring at the trees outside.

Ye Lan’s words echoed repeatedly in her mind: “You care about her a lot.”

Mu Xi didn’t want to admit it, but she truly cared deeply for Li Xin.

Sitting at the edge of the bed, hands clasping her knees, she tried to calm herself, but her mood only grew more restless.

After a while, Mu Xi got up and walked to the desk, picking up a pen and scribbling on a piece of paper, trying to distract herself.

But her hand involuntarily wrote “Li Xin.”

Suddenly realizing what she’d done, she quickly crumpled the paper into a ball and threw it into the trash.

Her gaze drifted back to the window, and this time she noticed a small bird perched on the windowsill, its neat feathers shining in the sunset.

The bird’s gaze suddenly turned toward Mu Xi, as if looking at her, and Mu Xi felt a flicker of comfort and peace.

At that moment, the bird gently fluttered its wings and flew away.

Watching the bird disappear into the sky, Mu Xi returned to reality, feeling her mood calm down a little.

She lay on the bed, thinking of a plan: to use fasting as a form of resistance against Ye Lan’s command.

Since Ye Lan forbade her from eating, then she wouldn’t eat.

She thought, if Ye Lan was truly willing to let her starve to death, then there was nothing she could do.

She had barely eaten in the morning and didn’t dare to think about dinner now.

She didn’t eat at noon either, and by evening, her stomach started growling.

Mu Xi tossed and turned, unable to sleep.

Every so often, she swallowed saliva, then endured the pain, lying still.

Time slowly passed.

Late into the night, Mu Xi couldn’t take it anymore.

She got out of bed and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, staring into the darkness outside.

Her body grew weaker, which only made her more frustrated.

Suddenly, she stood up and decided to take a shower to clear her head.

The cold water poured over her, refreshing her somewhat.

Thinking that singing might distract her, she began to hum a tune in the bathroom.

The gentle music seemed to bring her a brief comfort in the quiet night.

Mu Xi returned to bed.

Although physically weak, her spirit felt slightly better.

The next day, pale morning light filtered through the stained glass windows, casting mottled shadows on the dark green bedspread.

Mu Xi lay there, her arm resting over her forehead, feeling wave after wave of hunger assault her body.

The door was gently pushed open, and a Maid dressed in a tailcoat entered carrying a silver tray.

On the tray was a delicate breakfast: golden fried eggs, steaming croissants, and a cup of milk topped with a heart-shaped coffee latte art.

“Miss Mu Xi, breakfast.” The Maid’s voice was calm, devoid of any emotion.

Mu Xi struggled to sit up, feeling her stomach protest, but her will was even firmer.

She pursed her lips and shook her head, “I’m not eating.”

A flicker of subtle surprise flashed in the Maid’s eyes but quickly vanished into professional indifference.

She silently nodded, said nothing further, and carried the tray out of the room.

Once the door closed, Mu Xi collapsed back onto the bed, dizziness washing over her.

She gripped the sheets tightly, waiting for the discomfort to pass.