The small parlor instantly fell into dead silence. The previously mocking gazes all turned to shock—even fear.
Outside the parlor, a group of people happened to pause.
"Damn! Whose daughter is that? So fierce?" Gu Xingchen couldn't help muttering under his breath.
The man walking lazily ahead also stopped at the sound of the slap. He turned his head to look inside, his usually bored eyes now flickering with rare interest.
He had just slipped away while the crowd was busy paying respects to Old Madam He for her birthday, planning to make his exit.
But just as he was about to leave, passing by this small parlor, he was drawn in by the sudden commotion and lingered.
Inside the parlor, Nan Siya clutched her stinging cheek, having been knocked onto the sofa. It took her a long moment to snap out of her daze before she shrieked, forgetting all decorum, "Xie Sangning, have you lost your mind?!"
Sangning's gaze was icy. "As the eldest sister, I stand in place of a mother. You two are out here embarrassing yourselves—do I not have the right to discipline you?"
"You—!"
Sangning swept a cold glance over the others in the parlor. The onlookers instinctively held their breaths, their expressions stiffening.
Her voice was calm and composed. "My younger siblings were foolish, drinking too much and causing a scene. I apologize for the disturbance. Rest assured, I will discipline them properly once we return. My apologies for the inconvenience."
Her words were polite and measured, yet carried an unyielding authority that commanded the room.
She shot a frigid look at the two still sprawled on the floor. "Get up. Father is looking for you."
Then, without hesitation, she turned and strode out of the parlor.
Just as she reached the doorway, she locked eyes with a pair of lazy, amused ones.
He stood with his hands in his pockets, his suit jacket unbuttoned, the top two buttons of his white dress shirt undone. Despite the formal black suit, he exuded an air of effortless nonchalance.
He arched a brow at her, then stepped aside to let her pass. Sangning walked straight past him without a word.
Gu Xingchen clicked his tongue, shaking his head. "Damn. Pretty and packs a punch."
He Siyu watched her retreating figure, the corner of his lips curling slightly.
"Hey, are we leaving or not? Qin Han's already got the party going, waiting for us," Zhong Shu reminded them.
He Siyu tipped his chin up. "Not leaving."
"Huh?"
"Isn't this place more interesting than over there?" He Siyu smirked, then turned and walked back inside.
—
"Mom! Sangning's gone crazy! She hit me in front of everyone—she even hit Muchen too!"
Nan Siya tearfully ran to Wen Meiling to complain, while Nan Muchen stood beside her, his face still bearing the mark of a slap, seething with humiliation.
Wen Meiling was stunned. "Th-That can't be!"
She couldn’t believe Sangning would dare do such a thing in public!
"It's true! Look at my face—it's swollen!"
Nan Muchen gritted his teeth. "That Xie Sangning is downright savage. Just what you'd expect from someone raised in the countryside—no manners at all. How could she act like this at an event like—"
Before he could finish, Sangning walked back in.
The moment his eyes met hers, an inexplicable flicker of fear rose in his chest, and he quickly shut his mouth.
Nan Zhenming glared furiously at Sangning. "Did you really do this?!"
Sangning didn’t flinch. "Yes."
"You’re completely lawless!" Nan Zhenming nearly shouted before remembering they were at the He family's banquet and forced himself to lower his voice. "Do you even know what kind of occasion this is?! How could you cause a scene here?! The He family already heard about the commotion and came asking—you've humiliated the entire Nan family!"
Sangning met his gaze, her tone steady. "I'm not the one who disgraced the Nan family. I take responsibility for my actions. As for the He family, I will apologize to them myself."
With that, she turned and walked straight toward Old Madam He.
Nan Zhenming was momentarily stunned. By the time he snapped out of it, Sangning was already gone, and he hurried after her, terrified she might cause another scene in front of the He family.
Old Madam He had just heard about the incident in the parlor and was concerned.
Sangning emerged from the crowd and approached her, greeting her calmly. "Old Madam He."
Wen Meiling rushed up beside her, bowing apologetically. "Sangning acted out of line earlier. Please don’t let it dampen your spirits, Madam."
Old Madam He studied Sangning. The girl carried herself with rare composure, her demeanor dignified and refined. It was hard to imagine her slapping anyone.
"What exactly happened just now?" the old lady asked.
Sangning lowered her head slightly, her voice gentle but firm. "My younger siblings had too much to drink and spoke inappropriately, tarnishing the Nan family's reputation. As you may not know, my grandfather values our family's honor deeply, especially the upbringing of the younger generation. As the eldest daughter, it’s my duty to correct them. I didn’t want their behavior to ruin your birthday celebration."
Her words were measured and articulate, neither submissive nor defiant.
Old Madam He was taken aback. It wasn’t often she encountered someone so poised and well-spoken among the younger generation.
Wen Meiling, however, thought Sangning was still being defiant. "How dare you make excuses? Apologize to Old Madam He at once!"
The old lady frowned. "How do you know she’s lying? Shouldn’t you verify the facts before demanding an apology?"
Wen Meiling stiffened, at a loss for words.
Sangning had grown up in the countryside, with no proper upbringing and little education. Nan Siya and Nan Muchen, on the other hand, had been raised under her care, accustomed to events like these since childhood. She refused to believe they were at fault.
"It wouldn’t take much to ask someone who was there what really happened," Old Madam He said, not taking sides but disliking blind accusations.
"I can confirm—Nan Muchen was the one causing trouble drunk."
A languid voice cut through the crowd as people instinctively parted. He Siyu strolled in, hands in his pockets.
Old Madam He shot him a look. "Weren’t you leaving?"
"How could I? It’s your birthday, Grandma. I wouldn’t dream of missing a moment. Just stepped out for some air when I happened to witness the whole thing." His tone was earnest, eyes wide with innocence.
The old lady ignored his nonsense and turned back to Wen Meiling, chiding, "You made her apologize without even knowing the truth. What if you wronged her?"
Wen Meiling’s face flushed with embarrassment.
Sangning spoke softly, "Mother was just worried. I don’t blame her."
The words only made Wen Meiling feel worse.
"If my siblings hadn’t made such a disgraceful scene, I would never have resorted to striking them. But as the host, the He family couldn’t intervene too strongly with guests. If even I, their own sister, didn’t step in, what kind of example would that set?"
Old Madam He listened with repeated nods, patting Xie Sangning’s hand as she spoke. "You’re a sensible and understanding child. I’m sorry you had to endure this."
Xie Sangning lowered her eyes and replied softly, "It’s no trouble at all."
Though her words were polite, her voice carried a muffled tone, revealing a rare hint of the youthful petulance a girl her age ought to have.
It only made her seem even more pitiable.
He Siyu tilted his head slightly, observing her downcast expression, yet his mind drifted back to the moment he had encountered her by the entrance of the parlor earlier—her gaze icy and aloof, as if no one else existed in her world.
How intriguing.
With that, the farce came to an end. Old Madam He kept Xie Sangning by her side for a long conversation, leaving the rest of the Nan family with no opportunity to interject, forced to watch in silence.
Nan Siya, her cheek swollen from the slap she had received, had initially thought this would be her chance to lodge a fierce complaint against Xie Sangning and teach her a harsh lesson. Instead, she had unwittingly allowed Xie Sangning to steal the spotlight!
She was seething with rage, her lungs nearly bursting from fury.
But with Nan Zhenming and Wen Meiling not daring to utter a word, let alone Nan Siya and Nan Muchen—their faces bruised and expressions sour—they had no choice but to make an early exit.
By the time the banquet concluded, Old Madam He was ready to leave. Xie Sangning escorted her to the car before preparing to head home herself.
As she turned around, she came face-to-face with that roguishly indifferent expression.
He Siyu strolled out of the banquet hall with unhurried steps, his tailored suit somehow exuding a rebellious charm despite its formality. Yet there was an air of aristocratic refinement about him, creating a striking contrast.
Xie Sangning’s instincts told her this man was not to be trifled with.
His gaze happened to land on her just then.
She took two steps forward and bowed her head slightly, her tone sincere. "Thank you, Mr. He, for testifying on my behalf today."
