By morning, all the female servants had returned to Lady Lee Sunrye’s residence. Only male servants remained in Seo Yunhan’s strictly forbidden mansion.
When it was time for breakfast, two male servants carefully approached the bed to carry the silver-haired woman to the dining hall. However, the moment they tried to make her sit on a chair, they ran into trouble.
She couldn’t sit properly.
Her body, still not fully under her control, kept trying to drop onto all fours. No matter how many times they tried to seat her, she would slide off or curl up like a large, stubborn puppy. The servants broke into a cold sweat.
At that moment, Seo Yunhan entered the dining room.
“I’ll do it.”
He walked over without hesitation, gently lifted Baek Muhyeok into his arms, and sat down on his own chair. Then, with natural ease, he settled her on his lap, supporting her back and waist so she was half-reclining against his chest. Her legs dangled awkwardly, and her silver hair spilled over his shoulder.
Baek Muhyeok’s eyes widened in shock.
“Auuu! Auuuah!”
She began to thrash wildly, pushing at his chest with both hands. Broken, frantic sounds poured from her mouth as she struggled like a wild animal.
Seo Yunhan remained perfectly calm. He wrapped one arm securely around her waist and spoke in a soft, patient voice.
“Please don’t be afraid. Sitting like this must be difficult for you. I’m only helping because it’s easier for you to eat this way. Just bear with me for a little while.”
He picked up a pair of chopsticks and brought a piece of perfectly braised short rib to her lips.
Baek Muhyeok violently turned her head away.
‘You think I’ll eat anything from you, you damn peony scholar?!’
But then—
Grrrrrr…
A loud, embarrassing growl came from her stomach.
Seo Yunhan’s lips curved into a faint smile. One corner of his mouth lifted gently.
“You must be very hungry,” he murmured warmly. “This is our chef’s specialty — braised short ribs. Please try some.”
He brought the glistening piece of meat right up to her nose.
The rich, savory aroma hit her like a wave. Baek Muhyeok tried desperately to resist.
‘This is absolutely beneath me. I am Baek Muhyeok. I have never surrendered to anyone on the battlefield. I will not surrender to a piece of— oh gods, that smell…’
Her nose twitched involuntarily. Sniff… sniff… Before she realized what she was doing, her face was following the chopsticks. The moment the tender, perfectly seasoned meat touched her lips, her mind went completely blank.
When she came to her senses again, a horrifying sight greeted her.
A mountain of cleanly picked rib bones was piled high on the plate in front of her. Her mouth and both cheeks were covered in thick, glossy sauce. And worst of all — Seo Yunhan was still holding chopsticks to her mouth, gently feeding her stir-fried vegetables.
Her eyes widened in pure horror.
"Uuuung! Uuuung!!"
She tried to push his hand away, but her mouth was full, making her protest sound like pathetic whining. Sauce dripped down her chin.
Seo Yunhan gently patted her back with his large hand.
"There, there. Eat slowly. You'll get indigestion."
His arm stayed locked around her waist, solid and unmoving, while she lay slack against it — all the fight gone out of her, for now. A small smile settled on his mouth and stayed there, as if he'd forgotten to put it away. For a man who had lived his entire life without any woman near him, having a beautiful silver-haired woman sitting on his lap, eating the food he fed her, felt like a dream.
She ate from my hand…
Baek Muhyeok, trapped on his lap with a mouth full of food and sauce all over her face, could only glare at him with murderous intent.
'This… this damn peony scholar…!'