Ning Nuo reviewed the entire sequence of events that led her to this courtyard with Wen Ningxuan, finally realizing what had been amiss the day before. She remembered how someone had brought tea last night, and after drinking it, her memory became hazy; it must have been due to that cup of tea.

With that thought, Ning Nuo looked toward the table. Indeed, a teacup remained, though it was now empty. Only then did Ning Nuo become certain: Wen Ningxuan hadn't brought her here to find an antidote at all. He must have seen through her intentions from the start and decided to retaliate in kind by orchestrating this situation.

Having grasped the full picture, Ning Nuo remained stunned for a long time, somewhat unable to accept this reality. With everything already in motion, what was she to do now? She paced anxiously, wishing desperately for a way to escape this house. But escape was clearly not permitted now. She had no other recourse and could only take things one step at a time.

Looking at the unclothed Wen Ningchen, in that instant, Ning Nuo's eyes and heart were filled entirely with resentment and hatred. Her current predicament was all Wen Ningxuan’s fault. Yes, it was Wen Ningxuan and that couple, Lin He. Once this affair was settled, she wouldn't spare a single one of them. Yes, Lin He—if it weren't for her, given how outstanding Ning Nuo was in every respect and the influence of her adoptive mother, Wen Ningxuan would surely have married her. It was because of Lin He that she had fallen to this point today.

Thinking this, Ning Nuo looked up at the man beside her, who was entirely without clothes, a flicker of disgust crossing her face. Nevertheless, she forced herself to calm down. The most crucial thing now was what she should do next. She absolutely could not reveal the truth of the matter; the only viable path forward was to proceed as if it were meant to be, aligning herself with Wen Ningchen.

Although Wen Ningchen was far inferior to Wen Ningxuan, he was still the eldest young master of the Wen family and would eventually take the reins. Following him was not the worst outcome. Furthermore, with things having reached this pass, she had no other options.

With that realization, Ning Nuo put aside other considerations, simply dressed herself, and waited quietly by the bedside.

Although Ning Nuo was an accomplice in this incident, all the orchestration behind the scenes had been done by Madam Wen. When Ning Nuo saw what had happened to her in Wen Ningxuan's courtyard, she had initially assumed her adoptive mother would help her. But now, her adoptive mother was treating her this way.

Moreover, judging by her demeanor, she looked utterly disdainful, as if Ning Nuo were something utterly base. Now, she was talking about sending her away, as if marrying her son were some unattainable honor. Did she truly believe Ning Nuo was unworthy of her son?

Though Ning Nuo had never held much regard for Wen Ningchen, now that they were irrevocably linked, securing a good match in the future seemed unlikely. If outsiders learned the truth, she would lose all face. Wen Ningchen, being the eldest young master of the Wen family, at least offered a semblance of respectability if she married him.

Besides, Wen Ningchen and Madam Wen were the ones who committed the wrongdoing today. Why should she be the only one to bear the consequences, especially when Madam Wen displayed such an attitude? Since that was the case, anyone wishing for Ning Nuo to suffer should expect to suffer as well.

Ning Nuo wiped away her tears and shot Madam Wen a cold look. "If that's what Madam Wen means, you want me to pretend this never happened?" Ning Nuo no longer called her adoptive mother; she addressed her directly as Madam Wen.

"What else do you expect to do about it?" Madam Wen was startled by Ning Nuo's sudden shift.

"Madam Wen, you and I both know exactly what transpired today. The person I intended to marry was never Wen Ningchen. But since things have reached this juncture, I have no other choice but to have Wen Ningchen marry me."

"Hmph, you have quite a scheme. Do you think you can simply demand to be married to him?" Madam Wen let out a cold sneer.

"Yes, I demand that Wen Ningchen marry me, and I will absolutely not be a concubine. I demand that Wen Ningchen marry me with the full ceremony of eight sedan chairs. As for his current wife, Li Yuzhen, you handle it. Divorce her or demote her to a concubine—it matters not. But I must be Wen Ningchen's wife," Ning Nuo stated firmly to Madam Wen.

"On what grounds? Do you imagine that just because people saw you and Chen'er, you can walk into the Wen family? You engaged in illicit intimacy with a man without propriety; you are nothing but a low-born wretch. Our Wen family cannot tolerate someone like you. If my Chen'er marries you, how can he ever hold his head up again?" Madam Wen erupted in fury at Ning Nuo's demands.

Seeing Madam Wen's rage, Ning Nuo remained unhurried. She sat down on a nearby chair, picked up the teacup, took a slow sip, and spoke deliberately: "Madam Wen, the right to decide is not in my hands; it rests entirely with you. Since I am already in this position, my reputation is long gone. Let us first go to Master Wen and the Old Madam and explain what you did yesterday with the drug. If your Wen family refuses to intervene, I will report this to the magistrate, accusing Wen Ningchen of raping an innocent girl."

"Madam Wen, as you say, I am merely a base creature. My family is far away, and I have no one to support me. But the Wen family is different; you are a distinguished household here. I wish to see if Madam Wen can still maintain her standing in the Wen family after I do this. Perhaps then, you too will be nothing more than a wretched woman thrown out of the household."

"You..." Madam Wen was so enraged by Ning Nuo's words that she was speechless, merely pointing a finger at Ning Nuo.

"Madam Wen, enough pointless talk. Just tell me if you agree. If you do not, I will have to visit the Old Madam immediately and ask her to grant me justice. Besides, I have several other matters I need to discuss with the Old Madam and Master Wen. As for how you explain today's events to Master Wen and the others, I don't care. All I know is that I am the victim, and Wen Ningchen forced everything upon me." With that, Ning Nuo made a motion as if to leave.

"Stop right there," Madam Wen called out angrily.

A sarcastic smile touched Ning Nuo's lips, but as she turned around, it instantly transformed into a gentle expression. "Adoptive Mother, are you agreeing to Ning Nuo's terms? Then Ning Nuo will call you 'Mother' from now on. Once I become your daughter-in-law, I will truly be one of your own. Whatever Mother wishes to achieve, I will certainly help you fulfill that desire."

"Furthermore, once I marry Ningchen, he will be my husband, and naturally, I will prioritize him in everything I do. My family only has me as a daughter, so we will surely lend support. In the future, whatever he intends to do within the Wen family, my family will inevitably support him. Although my family cannot compare to the Wen family, we are certainly not lacking." Ning Nuo finished, looking at Madam Wen with an expression of pure sincerity.

Madam Wen, sitting across from her, stared at Ning Nuo in silence for a long time. Her face remained placid, revealing no discernible emotion, yet inwardly, she meticulously processed every word Ning Nuo had spoken.

First, she understood that given how things had transpired today, the only solution was likely what Ning Nuo suggested: letting Chen'er marry her. This was because not only the few of them had witnessed the events of the day, but numerous members of the household staff had also seen everything. It was highly probable that word had already reached the Old Madam’s ears. The fact that the Old Madam hadn't sent anyone over yet likely meant she was waiting to see how Madam Wen would resolve the situation.

The only sliver of luck was that the Master had left late last night due to issues with shops in another district. If he had been present today, all of this might have been exposed by him.