Under the table, Zheng Yutan kicked Zheng Hao.
Startled back to focus, Zheng Hao forced himself to stay composed and resumed chatting with Zheng Qian, bringing up her medical skills.
"Eldest Sister, you're so capable—what other illnesses can you treat?" he asked, trying to draw her into talking more.
Zheng Qian answered each question calmly.
Whenever the conversation faltered, Zheng Hao and Zheng Yutan quickly picked it up again, echoing and flattering her in turns.
The meal stretched on for a full hour.
Afterward, Zheng Hao said to Zheng Qian, "Eldest Sister, you can head back first. Second Sister and I still need to wait for a friend."
Zheng Qian nodded. "Alright."
When she reached downstairs, Hongluan had already been waiting for quite some time, clearly bored.
"Miss, why did it take so long? I was worried," Hongluan said.
Zheng Qian glanced around instead. "Where are Third Brother's attendants?"
"They probably left already. I didn't see them after I finished eating," Hongluan replied.
Zheng Qian simply nodded.
The two got into the carriage and left.
Meanwhile, upstairs in the private room, Zheng Hao and Zheng Yutan both looked troubled.
"Will this cause trouble?" Zheng Yutan asked quietly. "Fifth Brother saw us—and he brought four classmates. They all saw us."
"We'll just change our story," Zheng Hao said. "It'll be fine."
"I'm afraid it won't be convincing. Zheng Chi might not let it go," Zheng Yutan frowned. "This is such bad luck—why did Fifth Brother suddenly show up? How did he even know we were there? Third Brother… could our plan be exposed?"
Zheng Hao clenched his teeth. "No. Just a coincidence. He wanders around all day. He must've happened to see Zheng Qian come in—nothing more."
But Zheng Qian had been there for quite a while already.
A faint unease crept into Zheng Yutan's heart.
Still, they had prepared a backup plan—one they had carefully refined. It should be foolproof.
Soon after, Zheng Yutan donned a veiled hat and quietly exited through the back door of Wanshou Tower. Zheng Hao followed shortly after, leaving separately.
They met up again in a carriage and returned to the Marquis residence together.
Once inside Zheng Hao's courtyard, a servant rushed in, panting.
"Young Master—success."
Zheng Hao let out a long breath.
Zheng Yutan's heart finally settled.
"No more mistakes, right?" Zheng Hao asked.
"None, Young Master. You can rest assured."
Zheng Hao dismissed the servant to continue monitoring the situation.
Back in her own courtyard, Zheng Yutan felt in high spirits. She even applied a touch of lip rouge, brightening her complexion.
Seeing her in such a good mood, the maids relaxed.
She picked up her qin, intending to play—when suddenly, Zheng Hao rushed in, his expression grim.
"Everyone out," he ordered sharply.
The maids hurried away, not daring to linger.
Startled, Zheng Yutan rose abruptly—snapping a string on her qin.
"What happened, Third Brother?"
"Something went wrong," Zheng Hao said in a low voice, his face dark. "We had Zheng Qian kidnapped, released the driver and her maid, and arranged for them to return and spread the news—to let the entire household know she'd been taken…"
Yes—this had been a key part of their plan.
"But… wasn't it successful?" Zheng Yutan's face went pale.
The servant had clearly said everything went as planned.
Zheng Qian had been taken. The maid and driver knocked unconscious and left by the roadside. Zheng Hao's man had waited for them to wake so they could rush back and report the incident, stirring the entire household into chaos.
That way, the Marquis would never want Zheng Qian back.
Once abducted, her reputation would be ruined—her chastity presumed lost.
"But after they woke and started heading back, they were intercepted and taken again," Zheng Hao said bitterly.
Zheng Yutan shot to her feet. "Who did it? Third Brother—did the men you hired misunderstand something?"
"I don't know who it was, or why," Zheng Hao replied. "But something about this is very wrong."
"Then hurry—tell them not to wait. Kill Zheng Qian immediately!" Zheng Yutan snapped.
Zheng Hao frowned. "Have you lost your mind? The driver and maid are missing—doesn't that mean someone is watching? If we send people now, we'll lead them straight there."
Zheng Yutan fell silent.
She had panicked—and nearly made a fatal mistake.
"But if we don't act, they won't make a move either," she said after a moment. "What do we do then?"
Their plan had been meticulous.
First, Zheng Hao would lure Zheng Qian out under the pretense that all the sisters were attending.
He would avoid being seen with her when leaving the residence.
At Wanshou Tower, he would arrange the meal so only he and Zheng Qian were noticed. Zheng Yutan would secretly enter in disguise, unseen.
When leaving, they would separate.
Then, on the road, Zheng Qian would be abducted. The maid and driver knocked unconscious and left to return with the news—spreading word throughout the household.
After three days of searching, Zheng Qian would be declared taken and dishonored.
With some careful manipulation, the family would refuse to accept her back.
Then Zheng Yutan and Zheng Hao would personally go to where she was held—humiliating and tormenting her.
They had countless ways to make her suffer.
Finally, they would burn the place down, killing her and leaving only a charred corpse.
The location? A rural estate that had once been part of her mother's dowry.
When the news returned, the family would only find her burned remains—not a disgraced daughter. The Marquis and Old Madam would likely feel relieved.
No one would investigate further.
Afterward, Zheng Hao would reclaim the money she had won—through the Prince.
Everything had been perfectly arranged.
But Zheng Wu's sudden appearance at the restaurant had disrupted the first step.
Still, they had adjusted.
Everything had seemed back on track.
Zheng Qian had indeed been abducted.
Yet the worst failure came after:
The maid and driver—who were supposed to spread the news—had disappeared.
Without them, how would the household know Zheng Qian was missing? How would they conclude she had been abducted—and dishonored?
"Don't panic," Zheng Hao said. "We agreed on three days. We'll come up with another plan."
He paused, then added:
"If Zheng Qian doesn't return tonight, we'll bring Grandmother to search her courtyard and make a scene. Everyone will know. The result will be the same."
Zheng Yutan's eyes lit up.
Yes—this could still work.
The missing maid and driver didn't implicate them anyway.
They still had a way to destroy Zheng Qian.
She had to die.
She was a thorn in Zheng Yutan's side—and a debt Zheng Hao would never forgive.