Qin Yue looked at Zhang Wan'er, who had gotten up at midnight, with a muddled expression. She then curiously asked, "Where are you going in the middle of the night?"
Zhang Wan'er replied with a cold expression, "To cook."
Cook? Hearing this answer, Qin Yue found it quite baffling. Even if she wanted to please Li Xiulan, she didn't need to try so hard, especially with a child in her belly.
So, she impatiently turned over, covering her head with the quilt, and said, "Fine, go ahead, but be quiet and don't wake me. I'm a light sleeper!"
Zhang Wan'er didn't say anything. After tidying herself up, she went to the kitchen. Because of the sound of the door closing, Qin Yue suddenly found herself unable to sleep and sat up with annoyance.
She didn't believe Zhang Wan'er was someone who would passively accept things. Today's events must have a secret plan behind them. So, she put on her clothes and quietly followed Zhang Wan'er, wanting to see what she was up to.
At first, Zhang Wan'er was simply cooking. Qin Yue sat by, feeling quite drowsy. Just as she was about to get up and return to her room to rest, she saw Zhang Wan'er mysteriously take out a packet of white powder from her pocket and furtively pour it into the food.
Seeing this, Qin Yue instantly woke up. She rushed to Zhang Wan'er, glared at her, and questioned, "What are you trying to do? Honestly tell me what you put in the food!"
Zhang Wan'er was startled by Qin Yue's appearance, but she quickly recovered and snatched the evidence from Qin Yue's hand.
Afterward, Zhang Wan'er glared at Qin Yue impatiently and said, "Why are you making such a fuss? Are you afraid people won't know what we're doing?"
Qin Yue cautiously glanced around, ensuring no one was paying attention to them. She then lowered her voice and pressed, "That's you, not me. I'm asking what you were doing just now. Your mission is complete, yet you're acting on your own! Have you considered the consequences if you're discovered?"
"I have this under control. Don't forget, we are allies. Think about it, if Old Madam He dies, we can shift all the blame to Chen Lishu. Then, no one will stop us from getting what we want. I can be by Gu Xingdong's side when he's at his lowest. I don't believe he'll remain indifferent to me and my unborn child with my emotional support! As for you, you can spend more time around the elders. Back then, why was Chen Lishu able to latch onto the powerful He family? Wasn't it because she was kind and filial? If Elder He can see your good qualities, perhaps the title of the He family's goddaughter will be yours! With that title, do you still need to worry about your food and lodging? Do you need to worry about your brother in prison?"
Zhang Wan'er's words left Qin Yue stunned. After a long pause, she slowly said, "The medicine has been administered, hasn't it? Hurry and put the things away!"
Seeing Qin Yue's anxious urging, Zhang Wan'er's lips curved upwards slightly, her eyes filled with triumph. "Got it. You go back to sleep. I'll handle the rest. If anything goes wrong, I'll bear the consequences myself and won't implicate you."
Seeing Zhang Wan'er being so sensible, Qin Yue was somewhat touched and wiped away her tears. She then said, "Alright, just be careful with your actions. Don't get into trouble. We've been through so much together; we're like life-and-death friends. If anything happens to you, I'll be heartbroken."
Zhang Wan'er nodded and continued preparing other dishes. Qin Yue quietly left. As she reached the corner of the corridor, her head suddenly ached, and a worried voice reached her ears: "Be careful!"
Qin Yue opened her eyes with annoyance and looked at the approaching person. The moment she saw He Zinian, the scolding words on her lips were swallowed back. "Second Young Master, why is it you?"
He Zinian's gentle voice slowly sounded, "I heard movement in the living room and came out to check. Why are you wandering around outside at this hour instead of sleeping?"
"I..." A hint of panic flashed in Qin Yue's eyes. Just as she was stammering to find an excuse to brush it off, He Zinian spoke again.
"Is it uncomfortable sleeping together? Are you not used to it? If you really don't want to share a room with Zhang Wan'er, you can tell me, and I'll find a way to get you a room of your own."
Qin Yue shook her head blankly. "Second Young Master, it's not like that. I was just thirsty and came out for some water. You don't need to worry about me. Thank you!"
He Zinian chuckled softly, his expression somewhat doting. "It's nothing. Since you've had your water, hurry back to sleep. It's still early before morning."
Qin Yue looked at He Zinian's expression, feeling quite flattered, to the point that she didn't even realize how she got back to her room.
Just then, a voice from Qin Yue's side suddenly spoke, "What were you two doing so early in the morning?"
Hearing the familiar voice, Qin Yue was also startled. She quickly looked in the direction of the sound. When her gaze met Meng Lei's cold eyes, she couldn't help but shiver.
Qin Yue stammered, "We... I was just thirsty and went out for some water. As for Zhang Wan'er, I don't know what she's up to. Why don't you go ask her?"
"Nonsense!"
Meng Lei scoffed and quickly strode in front of Qin Yue, grabbing her by the neck. He coldly said, "Do you think I don't know what you two are secretly plotting? I arranged for you to share a room with Zhang Wan'er to better monitor her behavior, not to conspire with her! Tell me honestly, what does she want you to do this time? What is her objective! Don't forget, it's you and I who are a team. By following her, do you think you'll have a good life? If she were truly that good to you, why didn't she step forward to help you when you were in trouble back then?"
Hearing that their words were very similar, a cold smile appeared on Qin Yue's face. She finally understood that neither of them could be relied upon. As long as their interests were involved, these two would turn on her at any moment.
To be precise, she was just a pawn in their games, summoned when needed and discarded when no longer useful! If she became useless, she had no doubt what kind of end these two would arrange for her.