CHAPTER 265: CHAPTER 265

The two of them stared at each other in silence.

Nearby, Kang Xuan felt the chill emanating from them and did his best to shrink into himself, staying quietly to the side, daring not to make a sound.

He hadn’t expected the petite Madam, despite her small stature, to be capable of exuding such a fierce aura.

After a long pause, what felt like an eternity, Xiao Linye finally broke the silence with a laugh. He beckoned to Ye Yuning, "Come here."

However, Ye Yuning remained standing where she was, not moving any closer.

Still looking stubbornly at Xiao Linye, she asked harshly, "Did you two sleep together?"

"No!"

Xiao Linye didn’t tease her any longer.

He had been genuinely a bit angry when she hadn’t come in directly but had calmly called him instead.

But now, watching her—so sensible, yet radiating an untouchable defiance—and realizing that this fierce protectiveness, this ’forbidden scale,’ had grown because of him, a sense of relief finally washed over him.

If a woman develops a ’forbidden scale’ because of you, it truly shows the position you hold in her heart.

Hearing him utter those two words, "No way!" Ye Yuning finally let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.

But immediately after, her anger flared up even more, enveloping her.

She turned to Kang Xuan. "You take him back first."

"This..."

Kang Xuan instinctively glanced at Xiao Linye.

Xiao Linye didn’t understand Ye Yuning’s arrangement. "Aren’t you coming with me? Kang Xuan can handle things here."

Ye Yuning replied, "Then you go with Kang Xuan and wait for me in the car downstairs."

Xiao Linye: "..."

Although he didn’t quite grasp her intentions, he obediently nodded.

Seeing Xiao Linye nod, Kang Xuan could hardly believe his eyes.

Since when had their Master become so obedient? And to his wife, whom he’d only recently married? So, was their Master... henpecked now?

Lost in thought, he didn’t notice Xiao Linye had already risen and walked to the door until Xiao Linye glanced at the still-dazed Kang Xuan, "Not leaving yet?"

"Huh? Oh, yes, yes! Let’s go!"

If Madam spoke and the Master didn’t dare object, then naturally, he wouldn’t dare either.

However, just as the two of them reached the doorway, they heard Ye Yuning say, "Kang Xuan, come back in ten minutes to deal with the scene."

Xiao Linye: "..."

Kang Xuan: "..."

They exchanged an instinctive glance.

Xiao Linye nodded slightly at Kang Xuan, who quickly replied, "Alright, Mad—"

"COUGH, COUGH! COUGH, COUGH!"

Before he could get the word ’Madam’ out, Xiao Linye cut him off with a violent fit of coughing.

Confused, Kang Xuan looked at Xiao Linye and took a step forward, but before he could speak, Xiao Linye shot him a fierce glare. "Just go!"

"Alright..." but the word ’Master’ died on his lips as Xiao Linye shot him another fierce glare.

Clearly, Kang Xuan’s mind was utterly muddled that evening.

Xiao Linye pulled Kang Xuan along with him and left.

Only Ye Yuning and Ye Tong remained in the lounge. Ye Tong lay on the ground, her face smeared with blood.

Ye Yuning stepped forward and examined her thoroughly. Ye Tong wasn’t seriously injured; she had likely been knocked unconscious by an impact.

This being the case, Ye Yuning had no further concerns.

She picked up the half-finished cup of coffee Xiao Linye had left on the table and splashed its contents directly onto Ye Tong’s face.

Ye Tong, who had been unconscious, suddenly choked and sputtered awake.

The moment she opened her eyes, her vision was blurry. She struggled to lift a hand, pawing at the air before her...!

"COUGH, COUGH, COUGH, COUGH, COUGH..." The disgusting smell of coffee mixed with blood assaulted her senses, making her want to gag.

How... how did I faint? Who threw coffee on me? I wasn’t even...

Struggling to prop herself up, when she finally focused and saw Ye Yuning standing not far away, Ye Tong’s face drained of all color in shock.

"You... you... you...!" How could she be here?!

Ye Tong’s mind went utterly blank, her chest heaving as her heart hammered in terror.

Ye Yuning asked coldly, "Awake now?"

The clear sound of Ye Yuning’s voice snapped Ye Tong fully awake, a cold dread washing over her.

"Why are you here?" she demanded, anger now lacing her tone.

Where’s Xiao Lin? The person who came in must have seen us, right? That way, even if Xiao Lin doesn’t want to take responsibility for me, he’ll have to! Could it be... was Ye Yuning the one who came in earlier?

At this terrifying thought, Ye Tong’s already pale face turned deathly white.

Ye Yuning let out a cold laugh. "And who were you expecting to be here?"

"Xiao—"

Before Ye Tong could finish, Ye Yuning cut her off icily, "Ye Tong, how can you be so disgusting?"

The word "disgusting," spoken with such venom, struck Ye Tong—whose mind was already reeling—so hard she felt as if she couldn’t breathe.

Ye Yuning advanced, exuding a dangerous aura. Watching her approach, Ye Tong instinctively tried to shrink back.

"You... what are you going to do?!"

SMACK!

A cold, hard slap was her only answer.

Ye Tong’s ears rang with a loud BUZZ!

Then, before Ye Tong could even react, muffled groans and thuds began to escape the lounge intermittently.

Meanwhile, the lively chatter and joyous laughter from the bustling banquet outside completely masked the sounds from within.