They said they were interested in Zhou Li, but it turns out that bitch Zhou Shanshan was flirting with Xiao Chenye. Damn it, the fool here is me.

Damn!

I’ve been drugged.

Where can I even complain about this?

Thankfully, Wen Ran has spring water, and her rationality isn’t entirely washed away. Suppressing her anger, she quietly drank some spring water, felt the heat dissipate, and took a deep breath.

After drinking, the banquet was pretty much over.

Mrs. Xiao Sr. glanced at the amiable-looking Xiao Li, who only had eyes for Chu Jiaojiao, and exchanged puzzled looks with Zhou Xiuying.

These manipulative women immediately began a silent exchange of glances.

Old Manipulative Woman: What’s going on?

Main Manipulative Woman: I don’t know, is it possible that the drugs aren’t working?

Old Manipulative Woman: It’s not my problem; I did what you asked. For this sixty-fifth birthday celebration, I haven’t benefited at all. Didn’t eat well, almost got pushed to death.

Main Manipulative Woman: Ha, as if I benefited?

The exchange was fruitless, and Zhou Shanshan, who had been waiting for Xiao Chenye to come in, could no longer sit still.

What’s going on? She saw Xiao Chenye drink the drugged wine.

That stuff is potent. If it touches someone, they won’t be able to resist without a woman...

Everyone had their own thoughts, exchanging glances like deer in headlights, and no one suggested leaving the table.

Wen Ran stood up in a huff, "Everyone’s full, so we’re leaving now."

She truly was the stabilizing force in everyone’s eyes, like the central figure.

Once Wen Ran stood, the rest followed suit, as if responding to a battle call.

Mrs. Xiao, among others, knew that Wen Ran was reliable, acted within bounds, while others just followed suit.

But as they all prepared to leave.

Zhou Xiuying panicked, "No way!"

She quickly stood up and blocked their path, "You can’t leave yet."

"Can’t leave?" Wen Ran sneered, "Why not?"

Indeed.

Everyone had eaten and drank their fill, so why weren’t they allowed to leave?

Zhou Xiuying racked her brains, and under the gritted teeth of Mrs. Xiao Sr., she finally remembered.

"Oh, right," She straightened her back, speaking with a sense of righteousness, "We can’t just leave after eating our fill!

Why should we expect to leave empty-handed? I don’t care, if you don’t hand over something, don’t think about leaving."

Mrs. Xiao Sr.: "..."

This idiot.

Wen Ran curled her lips into a bright smile, "Hahahaha, stuff? Didn’t my aunt just say...

Even if you brought something, it’d end up in their mouths since the old lady is already so aged that she might kick the bucket any day."

Mrs. Xiao Sr., infuriated, started trembling, "You little brat, don’t push it too far. This time, I haven’t even offended you at all!"

Why.

Why are they picking on her again?

Boohoohoo.

"Your foul mouth is stinking up the place, isn’t it allowed?!"

"You, you..."

"You what, you old bag, truly only the good die young while pests live for a thousand years. With someone like you, you’ll soon be a thousand-year-old tortoise, and ten-thousand-year-old turtle.

Hey! Point at me again, I dare you! I’ll snap your finger off right now..."

Wen Ran started a big scene, leaving everyone behind dumbfounded.

Mrs. Xiao spoke quietly to Xiao Chenye.

"Seriously," she said fearfully, "What did this old lady do to Ranran? Look at how she’s getting scolded! Oh dear, poor thing.

Will she die from rage?"

Xiao Chenye: "..."

If you weren’t smiling gleefully, he might have believed you.

"No idea," Xiao Chenye stroked his chin and concluded, "It’s likely that Ranran is just being kind again, standing up for our aunt’s family."

"Oh, that makes sense."

On the other side, Xiao Li was clinging to Chu Jiaojiao, looking deeply moved, "Jiaojiao, sister-in-law is such a good person.

Boohoo, look at her, she’s still at the forefront fighting for me."

Chu Jiaojiao glanced at Xiao Li, feeling speechless.

No idea why, but he seemed somewhat naive and simple?

However, Wen Ran’s current state definitely wasn’t normal, though she couldn’t yet see what was off.

Weird.

Being blocked from leaving, Wen Ran lost her patience to pretend.

"Seriously, what’s the point in pretending? Are you stalling for time, waiting for the drugs to kick in?"

With this one sentence, Mrs Xiao Sr. was dumbfounded, Zhou Xiuying was bewildered, and even Zhou Shanshan, who had been lurking and plotting, was caught off guard.

"No way," Zhou Xiuying’s eyes flickered, "What nonsense are you spouting?

We don’t understand at all."

"Don’t understand?"

Wen Ran sneered, "Still acting dumb, is that fun?"

The whole plan was to remain unfazed, no matter the chaos. Though it was unexpected to have things exposed like this, it wasn’t entirely unreasonable.

"Ha, still pretending?"

Mrs. Xiao was the first to join in, "The one hiding in the room, what are you still hiding for? He’s not coming, your unborn wild child can’t find any fool to back you."

Zhou Shanshan laughed angrily. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

She stepped out of the room, her gaze cold as she swept past Mrs. Xiao Sr. and Zhou Xiuying, "Old lady, aunt, I haven’t mentioned this plan to others."

Mrs. Xiao Sr.’s rage finally exploded.

"You wretched girl, what do you mean by that, you think your aunt and I messed you over?"

Zhou Shanshan sneered, "I didn’t say so, it’s just, isn’t it odd?

My plan was flawless. Even if something seemed off, it shouldn’t have been seen through so directly!"

Wen Ran raised an eyebrow with a smile, "Yeah, we heard it straight from Mrs. Xiao Sr and Zhou Xiuying’s mouths."

The scene wasn’t chaotic enough.

Let it descend into chaos, dog-eat-dog!

True, Mrs. Xiao Sr. and Zhou Xiuying had never intentionally divulged this.

But how else could her group know if not from these two conniving women?

They had to take the blame.

Who would suspect anyone of eavesdropping from the rooftop?

Let it be chaotic~

Let chaos reign.

Mrs. Xiao Sr.: "..."

Zhou Xiuying: "..."

This is pure slander!

"No, it’s not," Zhou Xiuying was helpless, "Shanshan, I’m your real aunt, I surely want the best for you.

Besides, my relationship with their family is pretty average; how could I ever help them?"

Zhou Shanshan seemed uncertain, but Wen Ran crossed her arms, coldly saying, "Oh?

If it wasn’t you, then how did we know?"

Zhou Shanshan found what Wen Ran said made sense, and watched Zhou Xiuying warily, "Aunt, even if you’re envious that our family is doing better now, there’s no need to be this jealous, is there?"

Zhou Xiuying: "?"