Assuming that he was thinking negative thoughts about her lack of ladylike manners, she stuffed her mouth with rice, then straightened her back, and ate more slowly.

She began to take a smaller amount of food, pass it into her mouth with slow decorum, and even chewed it consciously.

But it was so hard to pretend to be a lady. She had been trying for three minutes before she began to eat at her faster pace, usual way again. What the hell, she didn't like him; why should she try to please him?

She was what she was...

After a while, both their eyes fell on the last sweet-and-sour rib. She looked at him and lifted her eyebrow. The meaning was clear: the last rib was hers.

Being the gentleman, Ethan made a pleasant gesture, then he cupped his chiseled chin in his hand, enjoying her bulging cheeks with his dark eyes.

Half a minute later, he spoke: "Lucy."

"Yes, sir?"

"Halve the meals for tomorrow."

"Yes, sir," Lucy responded.

Kylie hadn't expected Lord Ethan to be so closefisted. Sure, she ate a little more than him... Was it really necessary to do it like this?

Lucy turned and saw some rice on the side of Madam's mouth. She gently pointed to remind her, then turned back to the kitchen.

Kylie was confused when Lucy pointed at her in this way. She looked down at herself, but nothing seemed wrong.

"Why halve meals?" Kylie looked at the noble and gentleman. "Do you think I'm fat?"

Ethan glanced at her, then picked up his fork and ate in silence.

"Am I fat?" She reluctantly put down her fork, stood up, and turned around. "This is a perfect shape, you know."

Kylie thought that maybe he had been defeated by someone, so he was taking it out on her, either by scorning her unladylike manners, or indicating that she ate too much.

What had he said when he'd begged her to be his girlfriend? "As long as you want, as long as I have..." It was man's nature: before being married, he'd been a loyal dog, and now he was a greedy wolf.

He looked at this little woman as she pinched her waist. Ethan looked down and put a piece of broccoli in his mouth. He thought she was really cute to be so angry.

Seeing that he was indifferent to her opinions, she leaned forward.

Bang!

She slammed her arms down onto the table. "You can't ask me to lose weight, because all you eat are vegetables!"

He looked her up and down. He agreed, but... "As a Confucius saying goes: We do not speak at the time of feeding or sleeping," he said. Then he agreed that there was no need for her to lose weight.

She misunderstood him, and spoke with seriousness: "I'll tell you a secret. I eat potato chips every day; I can't ever seem to gain a pound."

Lucy came out with the last dish and looked around uneasily. She had overheard and couldn't help looking over Kylie several more times.

To her relief, Madam was not fat, but very thin. And she had a charming figure; she would certainly give birth to a boy.

She had planned to place the pan-fried salmon in front of Kylie, but, since Ethan had asked her to lose weight, it was placed in front of him.

Looking at the salmon, Kylie couldn't stop her mouth from watering. That was her favorite.

"Huh..." Her eyes focused on the salmon. "If you let me eat it, I'd like to exercise with you at night..."

Ethan coughed. The elegant man almost choked on his food.

Lucy got the point.

"Besides, starving isn't a healthy way to lose weight." Kylie stretched out her fork as she was speaking. "I'd like to exercise with you for half an hour after dinner. If you're unsatisfied with that: a full hour."

Lucy's face turned red, and she quickly left the room.

As soon as her fork touched the salmon, another fork pressed down on it. "Question me," Ethan said.

Kylie stared at him, blankly. "How long do you want to?"

"It might be quicker the first time, but that should be fine."

Kylie's neck began to burn, and her face turned bright red. What had she said that had made him expect sexual exercise?

"You..." Her hands trembled. She was visibly upset; she wished she could stab the cold man with her fork.

"Sir." Elliot slowly entered the room with a document in his hand. He walked to the table and bowed to them. "Excuse me, there's a document for you to review."

For Elliot's sake, Kylie decided to drop the subject for now. She took her fork back and leaned back in her chair with a huff.

Eyes down, Ethan opened the document. His brow furrowed slightly, and then his face lost all expression.

Kylie was still angry. But when she saw his eyes focus on the document, the fire in her heart gradually disappeared.

There was something about him that attracted her. A hard-working man was always the most attractive.

His long fingers turned over a page. His eyes moved back and forth as his neck turned. His narrow, long eyes told of indescribable wisdom.

For a long time, he remained silent. Elliot handed over a pen.

Kylie craned her neck to see what he was looking at. The black ink fell to the paper, in an almost arrogant manner.

While he was writing, Kylie suddenly felt as though someone had punched her in the chest.

Ethan signed his name, then said a few words to Elliot before handing the document back to him. When he turned around, he saw that Kylie was in shock.

Because he didn't want her to be sulky, he explained, with a touch of melancholy in his voice: "Halving the meal doesn't mean that I want you to lose weight."

She stared at him. "So?"

"You'll soon be joining the Baleney crew, so I'll be eating alone. Therefore, I'm having a meal."

Kylie was obviously still in shock. She slowly shook her head, then looked up at Ethan. "Does your family have a history of genetic tendencies?"

"Huh?" It was Ethan's turn to be stunned.

"You..." Kylie pointed at his hand. "You also sign with your left hand?"

"Also?" His complexion became gloomy and glanced at her questioningly. "Who else?"

"Aiden! He's right-handed like you, but he also signs with his left hand."