Chapter 18: No Turning Back

The stock price of the Duan family rebounded, and the company stabilized once again.

That night, Duan Yubai held a press conference, angrily condemning the influential blogger for failing to distinguish truth from falsehood, yet magnanimously announcing that he would not pursue the matter further.

Su Nuo stared at Duan Yubai’s righteous expression on her phone, her eyes devoid of any light.

He believed it. He believed that everything was her doing.

He didn’t even investigate whether the so-called “park” economy exposed by the blogger was true; he simply banned the blogger’s account.

With Duan Yubai’s means, accomplishing all this was effortless.

Now, there was no trace online of her return that day.

Nor could anyone find the humiliating photos of her from that day.

She seemed to have reverted to the scorned, aloof Miss Su, despised by all.

But only she knew that she could never go back.

That evening, Duan’s mother tenderly took her hand and sat beside her at the dining table.

“Xiao Nuo, my dear child, you are the heroine of the day. These dishes were prepared by the servants, all your favorites.”

“Eat more meat, you’re far too thin.”

Seeing a large piece of ribs being handed to her, Su Nuo was overwhelmed by the favor.

After so many days, she was finally going to eat a proper meal!

Since the police came today, everyone in the Duan family seemed to have forgotten about her; no one mentioned her anymore.

No one called her during breakfast or lunch.

Now that there was food in front of her, she was so moved she almost teared up.

Just as she was about to pick up her chopsticks, she remembered that Duan Yubai and Mo Xiaoxue hadn’t returned yet.

“Shouldn’t we wait until everyone is here?”

If she ate first, it would be improper.

If Duan Yubai got angry, she might end up locked in the bathroom again.

Duan’s mother gently stroked her hair, and Su Nuo suppressed her fear without pulling away.

“Good child, you finally know how to care for others. That’s wonderful.”

Her voice choked with emotion.

“From now on, be obedient. Otherwise, your parents won’t rest easy. You’ll always be our dear daughter.”

Su Nuo closed her eyes.

Yes, she was a good child now.

After all, she was just an adopted daughter in this family, worth less than a dog.

“Your brother has to work late. Let’s start eating.”

Duan’s father picked up his chopsticks and began eating. Only then did Su Nuo grab the ribs and start biting into them quickly.

She was starving, barely touching the vegetables except for the meat.

Seeing her devour the food so ravenously, Duan’s mother frowned slightly.

“Xiao Nuo, you’re eating like that—it’s not proper. Slow down.”

But after days of hunger, Su Nuo cared little for such advice.

For days, except for a little food given by Chi Ling, she hadn’t eaten anything else.

Suddenly, hearing familiar footsteps, she paused mid-bite.

When Duan Yubai entered, he saw her holding a pig’s trotter in one hand and a large bone in the other, with her mouth full.

His face immediately darkened.

“With your condition, eating that much—is it to feign illness for sympathy, or are you planning to vomit it all out later to disgust me?”

Su Nuo quickly put down the food, struggling to swallow.

She didn’t know when she’d get another bite, so she forced herself to swallow every morsel.

Seeing her like this, Duan Yubai frowned more deeply.

He sat opposite her, looking at her with disdain.

Skin and bones, a sallow complexion, her entire being looked unhealthy.

Especially seeing the grease around her mouth, he was even more disgusted.

He had a germaphobia, and facing Su Nuo like this only irritated him.

She knew he was fastidious, yet still ate like this.

It was clearly deliberate.

But seeing the tears glistening in her eyes, he strangely felt that she must have suffered greatly to torment herself this way.

Duan Yubai took a deep breath and picked up a piece of braised fish.

“You still know how to eat? I thought you planned to starve yourself to death!”

“Th-thank you,” Su Nuo said fearfully, nodding.

But the moment the fishy smell hit her nose, she quickly turned and rushed into the bathroom.

“I can’t eat it. It’s disgusting.”

Duan’s father put down his chopsticks and went straight to the study.

Duan’s mother looked at the vomit on the floor and waved her hand irritably.

“Sister Cui, clean this up, and later make some bird’s nest soup to send up.”

She said this and went upstairs.

Every time Su Nuo ate, she had to vomit afterward; how was it possible for others to eat like that?

Duan Yubai sat quietly, staring at the empty spot where Su Nuo had been.

She vomited every time she ate—is this the aftereffect of her forced purging?

He seemed to have heard from female colleagues in the office that many internet celebrities, in order to lose weight, would eat and then vomit, repeating this cycle.

In the end, they might end up like Su Bai, constantly vomiting and possibly developing anorexia.

“Young master, shall I have them deliver your food back to your room?”

Sister Cui cautiously glanced at Duan Yubai’s expression.

He nodded, and she turned to leave.

Thinking of Mo Xiaoxue still working, he added a reminder.

“Xiaoxue will be back later. Leave a bowl of bird’s nest soup for her.”

“Yes, young master!”

Listening to the conversation outside, Su Nuo’s heart was filled with mixed emotions.

He could remember that Mo Xiaoxue hadn’t eaten, yet he forgot that she herself hadn’t eaten properly for days.

Looking at the contents she had just vomited into the toilet, Su Nuo silently closed her eyes and pressed the flush.

Indeed, transitioning from luxury to simplicity was difficult; after only a few days back, she could no longer stomach the disgusting things in the toilet.

She waited in the bathroom for over an hour until everyone had left, then quietly stepped out.

But just as she was about to open the door, she heard Duan Yubai’s voice.

“If you’d been this obedient earlier, wouldn’t things have been better?”

Her hand froze on the door handle.

Obedient? How so?

Was it to endure abuse without fighting back or speaking up, to be trampled upon, yet still cling to life?

She instinctively grasped the necklace at her neck.

If it weren’t for wanting to reclaim her mother’s heirloom, she would have given up long ago.

She sniffed and forced a smile at Duan Yubai.

“You’re right. I’ll be obedient.”

In the past, hearing her say this, Duan Yubai would have retorted.

“Obedient? Impossible.”

But looking at the trembling girl before him, he suddenly found himself unable to speak those words.

“President Duan, I’m back! The project design is finished!”

Mo Xiaoxue’s excited voice sounded.

When she saw Duan Yubai standing at Su Nuo’s door, the smile on her face flickered briefly.

Yet she quickly walked over.

“President Duan, the task is complete. I’m so hungry.”

Sister Cui hurried over.

“The young master specifically asked us to prepare bird’s nest soup for you. It will be sent to your room shortly.”

Mo Xiaoxue smiled shyly.

“Th-then, thank you.”

“No trouble at all. It’s the young master’s kindness.”

Sister Cui happily returned to the kitchen.

Mo Xiaoxue looked at Duan Yubai with tender affection.

“President Duan, actually—”

“As long as you behave, once Xiaoxue’s family finishes renovating, you will move back to your own room. She hasn’t touched your things.”

Duan Yubai’s words left both women frozen in place.

Mo Xiaoxue’s voice was hoarse as she spoke.

“President Duan, do you mean you want me to go home?”