Yu Jingchen's expression was grim.
"Didn't I just tell you? You forgot again in the blink of an eye? If you really love kneeling that much, I’ll make you kneel for three days and three nights," Yu Jingchen said, his tone not as cold as usual.
"Stand up straight," Yu Jingchen stopped her from kneeling.
After Nan Zhiyun regained her balance, Yu Jingchen asked her, "What was that all about just now?"
"This concubine thought I had displeased Your Majesty and that I was not serving you well," Nan Zhiyun replied.
The way Yu Jingchen had raised his hand just now had truly frightened her. In the past, due to the Empress Dowager, Yu Jingchen had to accompany her for meals, and he would have her serve him food, but he was almost never satisfied.
At times, he would simply overturn the bowls and chopsticks, then make her kneel there until he finished eating. Sometimes, he would make her pick up the scattered food from the floor and eat it. In more severe instances, he would make her kneel on shards of porcelain he had smashed, and she would kneel for at least an hour.
Therefore, when Yu Jingchen made that gesture of raising his hand, Nan Zhiyun thought he was displeased again. Clearly, Yu Jingchen also remembered some of the things he had done before. He pursed his lips slightly, suppressing emotions he couldn't quite identify. httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
"I just wanted to pull you down to sit," Yu Jingchen explained, which was rare for him. Then, he reached out and pulled her to sit down.
Nan Zhiyun looked at him with disbelief. Her current status did not actually entitle her to sit.
"You don't need to serve the food here. Haven't you not been eating much these past few days? Just eat yourself," Yu Jingchen said, even directly serving Nan Zhiyun some food.
Nan Zhiyun's feelings could no longer be described as mere surprise.
"What are you dawdling for, silly girl? Eat, aren't you hungry?" Yu Jingchen frowned slightly.
"Yes…" Nan Zhiyun forced herself to suppress her emotions and picked up her chopsticks, eating somewhat awkwardly the food Yu Jingchen had served her.
Seeing that she had begun to eat, Yu Jingchen felt an inexplicable sense of relief. Of course, he himself did not notice this subtle emotion.
However, soon after, Yu Jingchen's face darkened again. Because he discovered… after eating the dish he served, Nan Zhiyun had been continuously eating only the bowl of plain white rice.
Yu Jingchen stopped eating. Nan Zhiyun immediately put down her chopsticks. But just as she looked up to face Yu Jingchen, she found his deep, dark eyes fixed on her.
"Your, Your Majesty…" Nan Zhiyun dared not look up any further.
Yu Jingchen heard Nan Zhiyun's nervous voice, but this time he did not respond, simply gazing at her without blinking. Nan Zhiyun felt increasingly uneasy under his stare. Just as she was about to break, Yu Jingchen finally spoke, as if bestowing a favor.
"What? Is this table full of dishes not to your taste, or is the plain white rice in your bowl some delicacy you can never have in your lifetime?" Yu Jingchen asked.
"Answer me," Yu Jingchen said again in a calm tone when Nan Zhiyun remained silent.
"No…" Nan Zhiyun didn't know what to say, but her face nevertheless flushed slightly.
Yu Jingchen fell silent again. After a while, he picked up his chopsticks again and, without a word, began serving Nan Zhiyun dishes, piling them high before stopping.
"Eat," Yu Jingchen said again. Then he picked up his own chopsticks and ate his food, no longer looking towards Nan Zhiyun.