It was high noon, with the sun hanging directly overhead. Yan Shiyao and the others were enjoying their midday meal under a makeshift canopy.  

Yan Yuning, panting heavily with a bundle on her back, finally caught up with Yan Shiyao’s group.  

“Elder sister… after you left, Mother… Mother… no one protected me anymore,” Yan Yuning gasped, her voice trembling with unshed tears.  

“Ningning, don’t tell me Mother has been…” Yan Shiyao’s beautiful eyes filled with heartache.  

Yan Yuning sat down on a wooden stool and took a sip of water from a teacup. “Mhm. Elder sister, can I stay with you?”  

The young girl lifted her head, her eyes red-rimmed.  

Yan Shiyao, moved by her pitiful appearance, softened her voice. “Alright, you can come with me.”  

Yan Yuning smiled faintly and picked up a slightly stale flatbread from the table, taking a bite. The dry bread grated against her teeth. [Fafa, I want to cry. This bread is awful.]

Fafa: [I told you to enjoy life properly, but you insisted on suffering with them!]

“Ningning, don’t eat that. That’s what Brother Yu bought to crush up and feed to the puppies,” Yan Shiyao said.  

Yan Yuning’s eyes widened as she looked down at the bread she had just bitten into.  

Xuan Yanyu smirked. “It’s fine. Second Miss, feel free to eat as much as you want.”  

Yan Yuning froze, the bread in her mouth now stuck—she couldn’t swallow it, nor could she spit it out.  

Xuan Yanyu studied her awkwardness, the amusement in his eyes growing more pronounced.  

“Miss Yan, I noticed many people buying osmanthus cakes from the street vendors. They must be delicious. Would you like to try one?”  

Qi Qingchen walked over with freshly bought osmanthus cakes in hand, offering them to Yan Shiyao.  

Yan Shiyao bit her lip, her gaze flickering toward Yan Yuning before dimming slightly. “I don’t like them. Give them to Ningning instead.”  

Yan Yuning silently lamented. She hadn’t meant to ruin their moment! It was all Xuan Yanyu’s fault. She shot him a covert glare, only to find him watching her with a faint, mocking smile.  

Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly averted her eyes, exhaling shakily.  

Qi Qingchen’s expression turned somber as he held out an osmanthus cake. “Ningning, would you like to try one?”  

Yan Yuning pressed her lips together. Should she eat it or not?  

Eat it.  

She couldn’t say no to good food!  

She took the plate of osmanthus cakes from Qi Qingchen and took a small bite. Her eyes lit up. “Ah Chen, it’s delicious! You should try one too.”  

She pushed the plate toward him.  

Qi Qingchen smiled and shook his head. “You can have them, Ningning.”  

“Ah Yao, let’s not disturb them here,” Xuan Yanyu said, his tone laced with sarcasm.  

Yan Shiyao’s soft pink lips were now pale from how hard she was biting them.  

Yan Yuning pulled out the sachet she had bought earlier and smiled gently. “Ah Chen, you gave me osmanthus cakes, so take this sachet as a token of my thanks.”  

“Ningning, that’s not necessary,” Qi Qingchen replied, subtly stepping back.  

Did she even understand the meaning behind giving a sachet?  

“I already bought it, so just take it,” Yan Yuning insisted, her smile unwavering.  

“I—” Before Qi Qingchen could finish, Xuan Yanyu suddenly called out urgently, “Ah Yao!”  

Yan Shiyao’s eyes fluttered shut as her delicate body went limp, collapsing into Xuan Yanyu’s arms.  

Qi Qingchen’s attention immediately shifted from Yan Yuning. His expression frantic, he took Yan Shiyao from Xuan Yanyu’s arms and hurried toward the inn.  

Xuan Yanyu turned and dashed into the bustling streets—likely to find a physician.  

Fafa: [Master, we can’t change the plot. See? The male lead and second male lead are destined to revolve around the female lead.]

Fafa: [We accidentally ended up in this book. Maybe if we die, we can go back.]

Yan Yuning stared blankly at the sachet in her hand. [But what if we can’t go back? I still have my mom, dad, brothers, and sisters. I don’t want to actually die in this book.]

[Fafa, only by staying alive do we have a chance to go home.] Yan Yuning’s eyelashes trembled slightly.

Fafa: [Master, why don’t you just kill Xuan Yanyu now? That way, he won’t use you to threaten the female lead later.]

Yan Yuning’s eyes lit up. [Right, why didn’t I think of that? But I’m no match for him—what if I end up getting killed first?]

Fafa: [Poison him! Though the chances of success are slim. He’s a key character in this novel, with a lot of plot relevance. Without him, many storylines can’t progress.]

[…The chances are slim? Wouldn’t that just mean I’d piss him off ahead of time???]

Fafa: [Master, just give it a try! What if it works?]

Yan Yuning hesitated. [Then… I’ll try?]  

Fafa: [Go for it, Master!] 

Yan Yuning tore off a piece of cloth to cover her face. While Xuan Yanyu and Qi Qingchen were keeping vigil by Yan Shiyao’s bedside, she sneaked off to the apothecary.  

Lowering her voice, she said, “Hello, I’d like a packet of arsenic. No, make it two.”  

She was worried one packet wouldn’t be enough.  

The young apprentice gave her a strange look. “Miss, our shop requires registration. May I ask what it’s for?”  

Yan Yuning tightened the cloth over her face, leaving only her eyes exposed, and whispered, “There’s a severe rodent problem at home.”  

The apprentice handed her the packets.  

Yan Yuning took them, pulled out a few silver ingots from her sleeve, shoved them at the apprentice, then clutched the poison and dashed out of the shop.  

She ran all the way back to the inn and, under the pretense of brewing medicine for Yan Shiyao, boiled some water in a clay pot. Her hands trembled as she pulled out the poison and sprinkled it into a bowl.  

[F-Fafa… I… I’ve never tried to kill someone before… I…]

Fafa: [Stop stammering! Just think about how he’s going to kill you in the end!!!] 

Yan Yuning exhaled sharply. [Right, it’s not my fault. I’m just doing this to…]

“What are you doing?”

A lazy voice sounded behind her.  

She whipped around to see Xuan Yanyu leaning casually against a pillar, watching her with an idle gaze.  

“Y-You… how long have you been standing there?” Yan Yuning’s voice quivered slightly, her words stumbling.  

“Since you started boiling the water.” The man lifted his eyelids, giving her a sidelong glance.  

Yan Yuning’s breath hitched. “Then… you saw me put in the… medicine packet?”  

“Mhm. What was it?” Xuan Yanyu narrowed his eyes.  

“I… I’m sick,” Yan Yuning murmured weakly, swallowing hard.  

Xuan Yanyu stepped closer, his gaze landing on the bowl of clear water. His brow furrowed. “What kind of medicine is so bland it doesn’t even have a smell?”  

“It’s… for a cold.”  

Xuan Yanyu noticed her nervousness and raised an eyebrow. “You’re scared? Why are you shaking?”

Yan Yuning tightened her grip on the poison packets.  

Xuan Yanyu took slow, deliberate steps forward, picked up the bowl, and lightly sniffed it. “Medicine for a cold?”

“Yes.” Yan Yuning kept her head down, her heart pounding violently in her chest.  

“Drink it.”

Xuan Yanyu pressed the bowl to her lips.  

Yan Yuning held her breath. [What do I do? What do I do?!]

Fafa: [Master, if you’re going to do something like this, shouldn’t you at least be sneaky about it?] 

[How was I supposed to know he’d suddenly show up?! And now he’s caught me?!]