After refusing marriage, she was pampered by the prince who acted as a shield.

Chapter 58: Why

Lin Rusi pretended not to know anything and strode to Room No. 1.

At this moment, Dong Xiaoyue was the only one in the room.

When she saw Lin Rusi, her face was full of fawning smiles.

Lin Rusi looked her up and down a few times, then casually sat down in the seat opposite her.

She picked up the teapot first and poured herself a cup of tea.

Dong Xiaoyue stared intently at her movements, and when she saw Lin Rusi pick up the teacup and drink the tea in one gulp, her smile deepened.

Lin Rusi pretended to belatedly notice her gaze and asked, "Why are you staring at me like that?"

"It's nothing, I just think that the second young lady is a beauty of unparalleled grace and beauty, one of the most outstanding beauties."

Lin Rusi scoffed, "Is that so?"

She poured Dong Xiaoyue a cup of tea as well, saying, "You speak so pleasantly, so I'll pour you a cup myself."

Dong Xiaoyue gave a slight smile. "I don't need to drink it."

Lin Rusi's face visibly fell.

"how?"

With a bang, she slammed the teapot on the table, her eyes blazing with fury.

"I poured this for you myself, and you're not drinking it?"

Lin Rusi's gaze sharpened, her eyes growing even colder as she looked at her. "Drink it if I tell you to!"

In order not to anger Lin Rusi, Dong Xiaoyue had no choice but to reluctantly drink the tea in one gulp.

She had already drunk her way out of the contract, so she wasn't afraid.

This inner conflict was merely to mislead Lin Rusi and prevent her from discovering his and Lin Ruqin's plan.

After watching her finish her cup of tea, Lin Rusi smiled with satisfaction. "So, what is it that you want to discuss with me?"

"Inviting me here to dinner alone must mean more than just an apology."

Lin Rusi rested her chin on her hand, smiling as she looked at Dong Xiaoyue. Her gaze was meaningful and unfathomable.

Dong Xiaoyue poured Lin Rusi another cup of hot tea, saying, "It's like this, Miss."

"Because I offended the Second Miss last time, Father wants to send me back to my hometown."

She sighed and continued, "I've always longed for Beijing and want to stay here. I don't want to go back to my hometown."

"Second Miss, could you please do me a favor and plead with Father to let me stay?"

Lin Rusi frowned, her gaze towards her now carrying a deeper meaning.

Why do you need me to speak on your family matters?

"Besides, that's your father, not mine. You have to make the decision yourself."

Dong Xiaoyue's eyes turned red, and tears welled up in the corners of her eyes, threatening to fall.

“After that day, my father got very angry. No matter how much I begged, he just wouldn’t let me stay.”

"I had no other choice, so I secretly ran away and thought of the Second Miss..."

She looked at Lin Rusi with teary eyes, pleading pitifully, "Second Miss, please let me stay."

Lin Rusi narrowed her eyes slightly, remained silent for a moment, then waved her hand, "Alright, alright, I promise you, okay?"

Dong Xiaoyue beamed with joy, "Thank you so much, Second Miss! You're such a kind person!"

Suddenly, a wave of dizziness hit her, and Dong Xiaoyue's smile froze on her face.

She opened her eyes wide and stared intently at Lin Rusi.

Lin Rusi frowned, staring intently at her face. "Why did you suddenly stop talking?"

Dong Xiaoyue suddenly felt all the strength drain from her body. She clenched her fists and looked at Lin Rusi with feigned composure.

"Second Miss, do you feel unwell anywhere?"

Dong Xiaoyue suppressed her panic and the wave of dizziness that was washing over her.

Lin Rusi clearly drank the medicine, and I also took the antidote, so why did she react so strongly?

Lin Rusi squinted her eyes, her smile sly like that of a fox.

"Ah, dizziness?"

Lin Rusi chuckled, "How does this feel?"

Dong Xiaoyue's eyes widened suddenly, and she looked at Lin Rusi with disbelief.

"What, what did you say?"

Lin Rusi chuckled and said, "It feels pretty good to drink the sleeping potion yourself, doesn't it?"

She stood up and walked around Dong Xiaoyue, whose face was pale.

Dong Xiaoyue looked at Lin Rusi in disbelief, "You clearly drank the tea, so why are you alright?!"

"impossible!"

She stood up from her seat, trying to move her body, but her steps were unsteady, and she had difficulty even standing still.

With a dull thud, she fell heavily to the ground.

Dong Xiaoyue's limbs were weak and limp; she had no strength to stand up.

She stared in horror at Lin Rusi, who had a half-smile on her face, her eyes almost overflowing with terror.

How could this be?

Dong Xiaoyue couldn't understand it.

Why did the person who took the antidote react so strongly when drinking the same tea, while Lin Rusi had no reaction at all?

Just as Dong Xiaoyue was racking her brains trying to figure it out, a loud crash came.

Two burly men swaggered in, carrying a sack on their shoulders.

Dong Xiaoyue trembled with fear. After the two burly men walked in, they first bowed to Lin Rusi, and then threw the sacks they were carrying on their shoulders to the ground.

Another burly man took the sack off, and a pale face came into Dong Xiaoyue's view.

Dong Xiaoyue gasped, staring intently at the half-conscious Lin Ruqin.

What is she doing here?!

Lin Rusi's soft laughter came from above.

"How about it?"

"I thoughtfully brought her along as well, are you surprised?"

Dong Xiaoyue looked at Lin Rusi in horror, "How did you do that?"

"There was no one around when we drugged them!"

Lin Rusi curled her lips into a smile that deepened, “Money can do anything.”

"Furthermore, I have secretly sent someone to switch the teapots that you two used to poison yourselves, and you both drank from them."

Dong Xiaoyue suddenly realized, "So you already knew!"

"Yes, it's a pity you've already been infected; it's too late to say anything now."

Dong Xiaoyue kept twisting her body, pleading, "Second Miss, I was wrong, please forgive me!"

Tears streamed down Dong Xiaoyue's face as she began to shirk responsibility.

"At first, I just wanted to ask the Second Miss to help me plead with my father. It was Lin Ruqin's idea!"

"Please forgive me, Miss Second!"

Seeing her sobbing uncontrollably, Lin Rusi slapped her across the face without hesitation.

"Excuse me, but I'm petty. I haven't forgiven you for what happened last time, and now you're trying to play dirty tricks on me again!"

"Men, tie them both up!"

Two burly men quickly tied Lin Ruqin and Dong Xiaoyue up.

They also threatened the two women, saying that if they dared to scream, they would let the whole capital know that the two of them were alone in a room with two grown men.

Dong Xiaoyue turned pale with fright.

Once such rumors spread, his reputation in the capital would be completely ruined.

She shouldn't do this!