I painted an aircraft carrier on the courtyard house for Dongda University.

Everyone was startled by the sudden turn of events and rushed forward, trying to help him up. The scene immediately descended into chaos.

Taking advantage of the chaos, Zhou Weiguo darted around and switched the two cups with lightning speed, his movements so fast that no one noticed.

That wasn't all. After switching the cups, he picked up the cup that originally contained the medicine powder and water, and with a flick of his wrist, poured all the water into the teapot on the table.

Qin Huairu and her second aunt inside the house also heard the commotion outside. They hurriedly grabbed a few empty cups and ran out, their faces still showing signs of panic.

Yi Zhonghai looked at He Yuzhu, who had just been helped up, with a hint of reproach on his face: "Zhuzi, I know you're anxious for the country, but you have to stay calm! Panic won't solve anything at a time like this; we must remain composed!"

Qin Huairu's gaze was fixed on the cup in front of He Yuzhu, as if glued to it.

Seeing that the water in the cup hadn't spilled, half of her anxiety subsided, but when she saw that He Yuzhu still didn't intend to drink, the other half of her heart jumped into her throat again. She was so anxious that her palms were sweating and her fingertips were clenched until they turned white.

At this critical moment, Auntie Er quickly stepped forward to change the subject, grabbing the teapot on the table and saying with a smile, "Come, come, everyone, have some water to soothe your throats. Don't all crowd around the pillar; let him catch his breath!"

As he spoke, he picked up the empty cup in his hand and poured a glass of water for everyone present.

Yi Zhonghai's gaze remained fixed on He Yuzhu. He picked up the water glass in front of him, and without even noticing how hot it was, he tilted his head back and took a big gulp.

As soon as he drank the water, he smacked his lips, a look of surprise on his face: "Wow, what's wrong with this water today? It tastes exceptionally sweet, and even a bit refreshing!"

Qin Huairu's eyes lit up, her eagerness overshadowing her doubts. She quickly picked up her own cup and took a sip, nodding repeatedly in agreement, her tone deliberately exaggerated: "Mmm, mmm, that's right! It's exceptionally sweet, and the taste is completely different from usual!" As she spoke, she secretly winked at the second aunt beside her, hoping she would drink it quickly.

Aunt Er picked up the cup with a puzzled look, took a small sip, frowned and pondered for a long time, but couldn't taste anything special. She just felt that it was slightly smoother than the usual water. She muttered to herself: Are these two confused in their haste?

Xu Damao squinted his triangular eyes, glanced at He Yuzhu, and seeing that he was still absent-minded, he also picked up his cup and took a sip.

The next second, his eyes lit up and his face showed a look of surprise: "Hmm? This water is really delicious! It's refreshing and a little sweet! Come on, everyone, drink more, drink more!" As he spoke, he actually took the initiative to pick up the teapot and refill everyone's cups until everyone's cups were full. He didn't stop there and insisted that everyone drink another cup before he stopped.

At this moment, Qin Huairu saw that He Yuzhu had finally sat up straight, so she quickly stepped forward, picked up the cup in front of him, and held it to his lips, her voice so gentle it could melt water: "Zhuzi, come on, drink some water and calm down. Look how pale you are."

He Yuzhu's eyes remained vacant, his mind a jumble. He subconsciously took the cup, opened his mouth, tilted his head back, and drank all the water inside.

Seeing that He Yuzhu had finally drunk the water, Qin Huairu, Yi Zhonghai, and the others in the room secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Their hearts, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down, and a glint of triumph flashed in their eyes.

He Yuzhu, who had just drunk the water, suddenly froze for a moment. He looked at the empty cup in his hand with a blank expression, then turned his head and glanced at everyone present. His eyes were full of confusion, and his brows furrowed tightly.

The taste of this water… it’s so familiar! He clearly remembered that his uncle, Zhou Weiguo, had given him this kind of water before, saying it was good for his health, and it had this clear, sweet taste! This isn’t right, how come these people have his uncle’s water? His uncle never brought him much of that stuff, only let him drink it a few times, how could these people possibly have it? There’s definitely something wrong here, absolutely something wrong!

Thinking of this, He Yuzhu felt a sudden sense of confusion and looked at everyone with a puzzled expression, trying to see something from their faces.

Qin Huairu's heart skipped a beat at his sudden gaze, and she froze, realizing something was wrong: Had Zhu Zi discovered something? This guy was a cook, his tongue was sharper than a dog's, able to taste all sorts of subtle flavors. Could it be that he sensed something was off about the water?

Xu Damao felt even more guilty. When He Yuzhu glanced at him, he felt like he had been pricked by a needle. He immediately lowered his head, not daring to meet his gaze. He didn't know where to put his hands, and he looked completely helpless. His back was covered in sweat.

Only Aunt Er and Yi Zhonghai looked at each other blankly, completely bewildered, not understanding what was going on with He Yuzhu's sudden change. They muttered to themselves: Why is this silly Zhu suddenly acting strangely?

Yi Zhonghai reacted the fastest, quickly stepping forward to smooth things over and try to change the subject: "Zhuzi, don't worry. I'll go to the backyard and ask the old lady. She's very knowledgeable and has many connections; maybe she can help us come up with a solution. You all sit here for a bit; I'll be right back!"

After saying that, Yi Zhonghai hurriedly went to the deaf old woman's house in the backyard.

With a creak, he pushed open the deaf old woman's door, and as if possessed, he turned around and bolted the door shut.

He felt unusually uneasy today. He quickly walked to the calm-looking deaf old woman, lowered his voice, and reported with a hint of self-satisfaction, "Grandma, it's done. Sha Zhu drank that glass of water!"

Upon hearing this, the deaf old woman's cloudy eyes instantly lit up, and she excitedly exclaimed "Good! Good! Good! That's wonderful! Now Sha Zhuzi will never escape our grasp! From now on, my son and I will have a place to live!"

Yi Zhonghai nodded, but his face showed some uncertainty: "That's right, you are truly a brilliant strategist, Grandma. However, do you really think we can completely control Zhuzi? I still feel a little uneasy."

The deaf old woman shook her head, her expression grave as she analyzed, "Whether this matter succeeds depends entirely on Yu Li. If Yu Li loses her child, and Zhou Weiguo gets into trouble, the double blow will destroy Zhu Zi's spirit. Then, we can easily control him. But if things don't work out with Yu Li, and Zhu Zi has something on his mind, other problems might arise, and our plan will be ruined!"

Looking at the deaf old woman in front of him, who seemed to be strategizing and confident, Yi Zhonghai couldn't help but feel a little dazed, as if the person standing in front of him was not an elderly and frail old woman, but a majestic female general or female knight who commanded the country.

P.S.: Please urge me to update more and give me good reviews. Thank you!