Xu Mu and Miao He remained seated, but Xu Mu had already extended his perception, scanning the villa in the distance.
He couldn't hear their conversation—until he saw Fang Chu take out a stalk of Spring Night Grass.
The lecherous grin on Fang Chu's face said it all. Xu Mu immediately knew what they were planning.
"Be careful later," he warned Miao He quietly. "They're probably figuring out how to deal with you."
"Relax. With just them?" Miao He looked utterly unconcerned.
"Still, don't underestimate them," Xu Mu replied. She might be skilled, but she was far too naïve.
Women like her were the easiest to fall for traps—especially when the male lead was involved.
If his guess was right, based on the original plot, Miao He would suffer a major loss here… eventually ending up under Fang Chu's control.
There were too many people for him to eavesdrop directly, but he could track what they were doing through his Qi sense.
He sensed where they hid the Spring Night Grass; as long as he stopped Miao He from touching it, she'd be fine.
After a while, Xu Mu sighed to himself.
They were cunning—an ordinary person wouldn't even notice this setup.
Soon, Chai Wang arrived with Fang Chu and Zhao Pinglu.
Chai Wang mingled with the other businessmen, while Fang Chu and Zhao Pinglu came over to Miao He's table.
"Miss, I've come back to apologize," Fang Chu said smoothly. "I didn't realize you preferred white liquor over red wine."
He gestured, and a guard brought over a wooden crate.
The man squatted down and began unpacking it—Moutai, bottle after bottle, at least a dozen in total.
"Number Two, I know what you're going to ask," Zhao Pinglu said with a smile. "We've had our issues, but we're still one family. Last time, the boss and I did find a very powerful Gu insect."
Miao He's eyes widened. "I knew it!"
Between Gu insects, there was always a mysterious resonance.
The last time she'd met the Mourning-Love Family's leader, she'd felt her own Gu tremble—like a mouse meeting a cat.
That confirmed it: their boss had been in contact with an extremely powerful Gu.
When she'd asked him, he admitted it—but refused to tell her where it was, saying the creature was too dangerous and could kill her.
But Miao He was confident in her control; she believed she could tame it.
She'd pleaded and threatened—promising to leave the family if he didn't tell her.
Even then, the boss had stayed silent.
So now, she'd turned to Zhao Pinglu. He'd been the one who left with the boss that day—surely he knew.
"Yes, I saw it with him," Zhao Pinglu said, smiling faintly.
"Where?" Miao He asked urgently.
"The boss forbade me to say."
As he spoke, Zhao Pinglu opened a bottle of Moutai and poured it into three tall glasses.
He lifted one and passed it to her.
Miao He hesitated briefly, then took it. Fang Chu was right—she did prefer white liquor over red wine. She loved that spicy burn going down her throat.
"What will it take for you to tell me?" she asked.
"Drink first! I've heard you can really hold your liquor—cheers!"
He raised his glass and downed it in one gulp.
"Beautiful lady, I'll toast you as well," Fang Chu added, tipping his glass back.
Seeing both men drink, Miao He followed suit—though cautiously, first taking a small sip.
Sensing no reaction from her Gu, she finished the rest.
The heat of the liquor spread through her chest, and she relaxed.
Zhao Pinglu grinned. "Good! Most women would've passed out from that one glass."
He refilled everyone's cups. One bottle was quickly emptied, so he stood up to grab another.
"I'll get it," Xu Mu said quickly.
He crouched by the crate and examined the bottles closely—then spotted it.
On one bottle's red cap, there was a nearly invisible scratch mark.
An ordinary person would never notice. But Xu Mu had seen what happened earlier: Fang Chu had pierced the bottle with a needle, poured the liquor out, soaked Spring Night Grass in it, then injected it back in, sealing the hole with clear glue.
Spring Night Grass was colorless and tasteless. The enhanced version Xu Mu had once made had been dyed only because of added materials.
This Fang Chu really is a dirty bastard, Xu Mu thought. Always using underhanded tricks.
He focused Qi into his fingertips and made an identical scratch mark on another bottle.
Then, while no one was looking, he secretly swapped the real drugged bottle into his storage space, replacing it with a clean one.
He set two fresh bottles on the table.
Fang Chu reached for them but stopped Xu Mu from pouring. "Let me."
Checking both caps—no scratch marks—he relaxed and drank without suspicion.
Zhao Pinglu laughed. "Number Two, I've got to say, I envy you. So young, and already at that level of cultivation."
"Just luck," Miao He said, starting to get tipsy.
"Luck is a kind of strength! Cheers!"
The two men drained their glasses, and she followed.
After a few more rounds, the two bottles were gone.
Xu Mu placed two more on the table, then stepped back behind Miao He.
Fang Chu glanced at Zhao Pinglu, who also noticed the new bottles—and spotted the fake scratch.
He stood up first, opening an unmarked one. "Number Two, I was wrong before. Let me apologize properly!"
He poured himself a full glass and chugged it. Then another.
"Drinking's only fun together," Fang Chu said, smiling. He poured for Zhao Pinglu, then himself.
When he filled Miao He's glass, he realized there wasn't enough left.
So, he opened the scratched bottle—the one Xu Mu had switched—and topped off her glass.
Xu Mu watched the whole thing closely. Their teamwork was tight—Fang Chu and Zhao Pinglu played off each other perfectly.
Too bad the marked bottle was now the harmless one.
"We're all family after all," Miao He said, raising her glass. "Let's drink!"
"Cheers!" both men echoed.
All three drank.
If Xu Mu hadn't intervened, Miao He would've been drugged right then.
Seeing her swallow it down, Fang Chu and Zhao Pinglu exchanged grins.
Got her!
Fang Chu picked up the scratched bottle again to refill her glass. As he went to pour his own, he pretended to lose grip—the bottle tumbled across the table and onto the floor.
"Hahaha! Old Fang, you're drunk already!" Zhao Pinglu laughed and waved at Xu Mu. "Hey! Don't just stand there—get another bottle!"
Xu Mu turned, hiding a smile.
This time, he reached into his storage space and pulled out the drugged Moutai, uncapped it, and poured Fang Chu a full glass.