Sold immediately after wearing it? I took my family and fled the famine.

When Chen Sumei arrived at the backyard, waves of noise from the wedding banquet were wafting over from the other side of the wall. She found the servant who had been serving wine and cornered him against the wall.

"Did you deliver the wine to Young Master Su's table?"

The servant nodded.

She took out a paper packet from her sleeve, then removed the silver bracelet from her wrist and stuffed it into the servant's hand: "Dissolve the medicine in his cup. After it's done, I'll give you a silver hairpin." The servant lowered his head and refused to take it.

Chen Sumei took a half step forward, her eyes reddening, her voice strained: "Your Xu family's young mistress is my own sister. Have you thought this through?"

The servant nodded, put the things away, and turned to pour wine. Chen Sumei was unaware that the packet of medicine had been delivered to Xu Yun in the blink of an eye.

Xu Yun sat in the back room, opened the paper package by candlelight, rubbed it between his fingers, and let out a soft snort.

The servant standing beside him whispered, "Young Master, should we change this medicine?" Xu Yun folded the paper package back to its original state and pushed it back, saying, "No need. Do as she says. Keep a close eye on Su Yan's side, lest someone actually dies. Help him to the west wing, but don't lock the door. After Chen Sumei goes in, lead a few more people over. Don't be too deliberate."

The servant agreed and took the medicine packet out.

A hint of pleasure flashed in Xu Yun's eyes. Although he didn't know Su Yan very well, Su Yan's cousin was no pushover. Chen Sumei was just asking for trouble, so he would send her on her way.

He then went out to offer toasts, walked to Su Yan's side, and smiled as he raised his glass to him: "Brother Su, I'll drink this first as a sign of my respect for your presence today."

Xu Wanning whispered from the side, "You haven't drunk much today, don't drink too fast." Su Yan smiled and said it was fine.

He frowned slightly as the wine went down his throat, as if he felt the taste was off, but he didn't pay much attention to it.

The alcohol hit him very quickly; Su Yan's face flushed, sweat beaded on his forehead, and he leaned on the edge of the table, saying he had a headache.

Xu Wanning went to help him up, but Xu Yun had already stood up and told two servants to help Su Yan to the west wing to rest.

Just as he was about to follow, Xu Yun raised his hand to stop him: "Miss Xu is a female guest, it's inconvenient for her to go over. My men are waiting outside, they'll come and fetch you immediately if there's any disturbance."

Xu Wanning bit her lip, but ultimately didn't insist. She simply sat back down, her eyes fixed on the west wing.

Seeing Su Yan being helped away, Chen Sumei felt a surge of anxiety. She tried to sit still for a moment, but couldn't, so she got up and pretended to change her clothes, then went around to the west wing.

The door was indeed ajar, and only an oil lamp was lit inside. Su Yan leaned against the couch, his collar loose, his breathing heavy and disordered.

She gently closed the door and walked step by step to him. He seemed half-awake, his eyelids half-open, and when he saw her, his lips moved but no sound came out.

Chen Sumei's heart skipped a beat. She slowly squatted down, wanting to reach out and touch his face. She didn't dare call out to him, only daring to whisper his name in her throat over and over again.

Just then, a series of chaotic footsteps and laughter suddenly rang out outside.

Someone shouted at the top of their lungs, "Is Brother Su in the west wing? Invite him out for a few more drinks!"

The sound grew closer, and Chen Sumei hurriedly unbuttoned two buttons on her clothes. Just as Su Yan's hand touched her shoulder, the door was pushed open from the outside.

Several drunken young men crowded at the doorway, followed by two onlookers. When the two groups met, they were all stunned.

Chen Sumei squatted in front of Su Yan's bed. Su Yan's clothes were half open, his face was flushed, and his breathing was heavy. No one would think the best of him.

Someone gasped first, then someone cried out, "Miss Chen?!"

That shout attracted the attention of the people outside.

More and more people gathered around, and Chen Sumei pretended to scream in an attempt to escape. The doorway was completely blocked, so she could only stand up, lean against the wall, her face deathly pale.

When Xu Wanning arrived after hearing the news, the outside was already crowded with people. She squeezed into the house and went to see Su Yan first.

Su Yan was half-conscious, and mumbled her name.

Xu Wanning hurriedly stepped forward, wrapped his upper body with her outer garment, and then turned to look at Chen Sumei.

Her gaze was icy, like well water in the dead of winter: "Miss Chen, what are you doing here?"

Chen Sumei bit her lip and didn't say anything. Xu Yun also arrived and stood at the door with a livid face.

He first had several servants and elders from the clan persuade the people outside to leave, and then ordered the door to the west wing to be closed. But the news had already spread, and whispers from outside flooded in like a tide.

Chen Sumei stood in the room, surrounded by words like "the eldest daughter of the Chen family," "Young Master Su," and "alone in a room."

She knew that her plan was already half successful, and there was no turning back.

She abruptly raised her head, tears streaming down her face, her voice sharp and clear: "Even now, you still ask who I am? With Young Master Su in this state, and so many people watching outside, and me alone with him in this room, do you really think I can walk out innocent?"

She turned to Su Yan, her voice trembling with tears, but emphasizing each word: "Su Yan, you must give me an explanation today. If you don't marry me, I will hang myself in front of the Su family tomorrow. I, Chen Sumei, mean what I say."

There was a moment of silence in the room, and Xu Wanning's fingertips trembled in her sleeve. She stared intently at Chen Sumei, as if trying to detect even the slightest hint of guilt on her face.

Xu Wanning closed her eyes briefly, then opened them again, her voice steady: "Su Yan is not in his right mind. Isn't Miss Chen pushing him too hard by saying these things?"

Chen Sumei sneered, "I forced him? Wasn't it him who started it first..." She paused, not finishing her sentence, but everyone understood.

Xu Yun stood at the door, his expression shifting several times. He had only intended to expose Chen Sumei, but he hadn't expected her to dare to publicly pressure Su Yan into this matter. Now, this was no longer a test, but a scandalous affair that could ruin the reputations of both families.

He stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "What happened tonight was due to the Xu family's poor arrangements. Miss Chen, you can say whatever you want tomorrow."

Chen Sumei looked at him, tears still welling in her eyes, but a slight smile played on her lips: "Tomorrow? Xu Yun, stop trying to smooth things over. If someone saw you like this tonight, could you wait until tomorrow?" Xu Yun choked.

He then turned to Xu Wanning and delivered his final words: "Miss Xu, I advise you to step aside. You are no one to Su Yan. His affairs today are none of your business."

Xu Wanning stood in front of Su Yan, her figure swaying almost imperceptibly, but she did not move aside. She slowly turned around and looked at Su Yan, whose eyes were half open, as if he wanted to speak but could not make a sound.

Xu Wanning's eyes suddenly reddened, but she forced the tears back. She grasped Su Yan's hand and whispered, "Cousin, tell me, do you recognize me?"

Su Yan's lips moved, and after a long while, he managed to squeeze out two very soft words: "Wan Ning".

Xu Wanning's tears finally fell, but she quickly wiped them away, straightened up, looked at Chen Sumei, and said in a low but steady voice: "My cousin will not answer you today. Everyone has seen that he is not in his right mind. If Miss Chen insists on getting an answer, the Su family will come to our door tomorrow and give the Chen family an explanation in person."

Before Chen Sumei could say anything more, Xu Wanning turned to Xu Yun and said, "Please trouble you, Mr. Xu, to see Miss Chen out."

Xu Yun nodded and gave a wink to the servants. When Chen Sumei was "invited" out of the west wing, the people outside had not yet dispersed.

But she straightened her back and walked right through those gazes.