The failed scandal left the hall tense, whispers flitting like restless birds. Ji Yunxi stood steady, her hand resting lightly on Mo Liancheng's arm, her expression unreadable. But she knew Qin Yuxi wouldn't retreat so easily.
Indeed, Qin Yuxi soon stepped forward, raising her glass high, her crimson gown shimmering under the lights.
"Tonight is special," she said, her voice smooth, charming, false. "It's not every day we welcome family back into the fold. In honor of that, I'd like to offer a toast—to my dear sister, Yunxi."
Gasps scattered through the crowd. To address Ji Yunxi so warmly after the tension? It was suspicious.
Ji Yunxi's lips curved slightly. So this is your next move.
A servant hurried over, bearing two glasses of wine on a silver tray. Qin Yuxi took one herself, passing the other toward Ji Yunxi.
"Come," Qin Yuxi said sweetly. "Let's put all misunderstandings behind us. Drink with me, and let everyone see we are sisters united."
The hall grew quiet. Everyone watched. If Ji Yunxi refused, she would seem petty. If she drank… the System's faint warning whispered at the back of her mind.
"Caution. Substance detected. Hostile intent probability: 92%."
Poison.
Ji Yunxi's eyes flickered, though her expression remained serene. She reached for the glass—but Mo Liancheng's hand shot out, intercepting it.
"I'll drink on her behalf," he said coolly, his gaze sweeping the room like a blade.
The hall froze.
Qin Yuxi's mask nearly cracked. "Brother Liancheng, that's not necessary. This toast is between sisters—"
Mo Liancheng cut her off, his tone low and dangerous. "Do you think I'd let her drink something you handed her?"
A deadly silence fell. His words were an accusation, bold and open. Guests exchanged uneasy glances.
Ji Yunxi, however, calmly placed her fingers over the glass in his hand. "No," she said softly, her eyes steady on Qin Yuxi. "If she wants to toast me, I'll drink it."
Mo Liancheng's expression darkened. "Yunxi—"
She smiled faintly, her voice sharp enough to slice through the tension. "But only if she drinks it first."
The hall gasped again, louder this time.
All eyes swung to Qin Yuxi. Her hand tightened around her own glass, the liquid trembling within. For an instant, the polished mask slipped—rage, panic, and venom flickered in her eyes.
Ji Yunxi tilted her head, her calm composure a slap across the face. "What's wrong, Sister? Surely you wouldn't offer me something you wouldn't drink yourself."