Sludge suction system

At that critical moment, Ye Keke's eyes widened in panic, her hand trembled violently, and the tray in her hand crashed to the ground with a loud bang, spilling soup and shards of porcelain everywhere. Almost simultaneously, Gao He also feigned panic, throwing his own plate down hard. Then the two looked at each other, their eyes filled with fear and determination.

Before anyone could react, they had already taken off running towards the banquet hall entrance.

"Haha, Master, their expressions are truly fascinating! Master's plan is brilliant!" Little Scum jumped onto Xiao Bei's shoulder and said.

"This time, they're in for a rough time!" Fang Xiaobei revealed a meaningful smile.

After fleeing the banquet hall, Ye Keke and Gao He staggered back to their room, slammed the door shut, and leaned against it, panting heavily. Their clothes were soaked with sweat, and their hearts were still pounding in their chests.

After a moment, Ye Keke reached out with trembling hands to the teapot on the table, wanting to pour herself a cup of tea to calm her nerves. Her hand trembled, and the tea spilled all over the table. She didn't bother to wipe it up, and handed the teacup to Gao He with shaky hands. She also took a big gulp herself. The hot tea went down her throat, but it couldn't dispel the chill in her heart.

Gao He had just swallowed the tea when he felt dizzy and his vision blurred. "Keke, this tea is wrong!" he cried out in alarm, his voice trembling. Ye Keke, upon hearing this, frantically rummaged in her pockets, her face turning deathly pale. She cried out in a tearful voice, "Could it be datura? I... I have a solution, quickly find it!" The two of them panicked, turning their pockets inside out, and finally pulled out two crumpled paper packets.

It turned out that, just in case, they had secretly prepared an antidote for the datura, but in their current flustered state, they almost dropped the paper packet. The moment they poured the antidote into their mouths, a bitter taste filled the air. While waiting for the medicine to take effect, their bodies began to exhibit various uncontrollable abnormalities.

Ye Keke felt dizzy and her vision began to distort. She desperately tried to grab onto something to steady herself, waving her arms wildly, but knocked over a candlestick on the table with a loud crash. The candlelight flickered, casting dappled shadows in the room. Gao He wasn't in much better shape. His legs went weak, as if he were walking on cotton, and he fell uncontrollably to the ground, his forehead hitting the corner of the table hard. Blood instantly seeped out, but he couldn't cry out in pain.

"It must have been Fang Xiaobei!" Ye Keke gritted her teeth and squeezed out the words, her eyes burning with hatred that seemed to ignite the air. Gao He, clutching his bleeding forehead, chimed in angrily, "Who else could it be but her? She must have been watching us from the very beginning, deliberately setting this trap for us to fall into." Ye Keke roared, her face contorted with rage, "We just wanted to teach her a lesson, and she's so vicious, trying to destroy us completely! I won't swallow this!"

At this moment, the effects of the medicine slowly took hold, and Ye Keke regained some strength in her limbs. She looked around the messy room and said resolutely, "I can't stay any longer. I need to get back to my hometown to hide tonight." Gao He nodded vigorously.

The two hurriedly packed a few clothes, slung them over their shoulders, and opened the door separately, peeking out to check for any movement. Confirming no one was around, they crouched low and, under the cover of darkness, quickly made their way through the courtyard and corridors. The moonlight, like water, spilled onto the ground, casting their furtive shadows. With each step, Ye Keke was filled with trepidation, afraid of making the slightest sound and alerting others. Her eyes darted anxiously around, her fingers gripping the bundle straps tightly until her knuckles turned white. Gao He followed closely behind, his steps unsteady, large beads of sweat rolling down his forehead and pattering softly on the stone pavement.

As they reached a corner, they suddenly heard soft footsteps. The two froze instantly, holding their breath. Ye Keke pressed herself against the wall, her heart pounding as if it would burst from her chest. She covered her mouth with her hand, trying to stifle a sound. Gao He stared intently at the source of the sound, his legs trembling, almost collapsing to the ground. Thankfully, the footsteps faded into the distance, and they breathed a sigh of relief and continued on their way.

Once outside the mansion gates, they took off running, the moonlight casting long, disheveled shadows. Ye Keke glanced back as she ran, her hair flying wildly across her face, her eyes filled with terror and despair. Gao He, panting heavily, his chest heaving, muttered, "Run! Don't let them catch up."

"She's ruthless this time. Once this storm passes, I'll ruin her reputation!" Ye Keke said viciously, her eyes flashing with a crazed light of revenge. Gao He echoed, "That's right, we can't let this go. We have to find a way to make it impossible for her to stay in this industry. Isn't she a skilled cook? We'll spread rumors that her skills are all stolen from others and not her own."

Upon hearing this, Ye Keke thought it was a good idea, and a sinister smile appeared on her face: "Also, we can find someone to tamper with the ingredients in her cooking, make her look bad in public, and see how smug she can be then!" The two of them ran and plotted at the same time, completely ignoring the deep night. They were only thinking about how to take revenge on Fang Xiaobei in the future. Their steps became more and more hurried as they ran towards their hometown. The night behind them seemed to be swallowing up their past, and the road ahead was vast and full of unknowns.

As the hustle and bustle of the banquet gradually subsided, the brightly lit banquet hall, though littered with dishes and glasses, couldn't hide the guests' satisfaction. Master Yan, beaming, walked steadily to Fang Xiaobei's side, his eyes full of approval and admiration.

"Xiao Bei," Master Yan raised his hand slightly and gently patted Fang Xiao Bei's shoulder, his voice loud and gratified, "You deserve immense credit for today's banquet! Your quick wit and exquisite culinary skills have truly broadened my horizons, and our distinguished guests from the Western Regions have been full of praise. Look at this lively and successful scene; it's all thanks to your and Xia Zhi's meticulous management." Fang Xiao Bei bowed slightly, a humble smile on her face, and said softly, "Master Yan, you flatter me. This is all within my duty. To please the guests is the greatest reward."

Master Yan smiled and nodded, his eyes casually sweeping around. He frowned slightly, as if suddenly remembering something, and asked, "By the way, where have Ye Keke and Gao He been? They disappeared as soon as the banquet ended. They still have work to finish." A servant beside him looked troubled, hesitated for a moment, and then stepped forward and whispered, "Master, we don't know where they went either. They seemed to leave in a hurry when the banquet was in full swing, and haven't been seen since." Upon hearing this, Master Yan's expression became somewhat serious, and a hint of doubt appeared in his eyes. "Oh? That's strange. Where did they go without a trace?" He pondered for a moment, then said to Fang Xiaobei, "Xiaobei, do you know anything about them? Everyone is so busy preparing for the banquet today. Their behavior suggests something might have happened." Fang Xiaobei was secretly delighted, but remained outwardly calm, simply shaking her head slightly and softly replying, "Xiaobei isn't quite sure either. Perhaps... they have some urgent business." Master Yan gave a soft "hmm," still harboring doubts, but refrained from further discussion, only intending to send someone to investigate later to ensure the stability of the household.