"Did anyone notice when you came in?" Old Madam He asked mysteriously, glancing towards the door, her eyes alight with excitement.
He Zinian, staring at his computer screen, replied, "I checked. No one noticed them entering."
He then slowly turned, looked at Chen Lishu, a slight smile gracing his lips, and spread his arms. "Little sister, long time no see. I'm truly sorry. I never expected our rare meeting to be under such circumstances. Tonight was a necessary evil. It was all for Lang Qingyue, to make her think our family had fallen apart and relay this message to Zhang Wan'er. Only after they make their next move can we catch them red-handed."
Before Chen Lishu could speak, Old Madam He suddenly rolled her eyes at He Zinian and gave him a forceful whack on the back. "You didn't even inform us beforehand! You pull this stunt the moment you get back, I thought you'd gone mad! Do you know your actions have frightened Lishu? You think a casual 'I'm sorry' is enough? I advise you to have a proper gift prepared for your return, otherwise, we won't accept this apology!" With that, Old Madam He crossed her arms and sat down on the sofa, huffing.
He Zinian looked up at Old Master He with a helpless expression, hoping for a plea on his behalf. However, Old Master He merely offered him a look of sympathy, unable to help. The truth was, the young man's move had caught him off guard too. If it weren't for his wits still being sharp, and his realization of what his son was trying to achieve, their entire family might have truly been thrown into disarray by him.
What's more, although Chen Lishu wasn't directly responsible for this situation, she still felt a sense of guilt. He knew this because Chen Lishu had expressed earlier that day that if she hadn't been overconfident and failed to act promptly upon learning Zhang Wan'er's intentions, the old woman wouldn't be lying in bed motionless. Once a rift forms in someone's heart, it's easy for them to drift away. He didn't want that to happen. He had finally managed to comfort Chen Lishu this morning, only for He Zinian to arrive in the evening and reopen the old wound in her heart. To be frank, he was worried Chen Lishu might hold a grudge over this.
Seeing that Old Master He wasn't going to help him, He Zinian nodded, walked over to Chen Lishu, placed a hand on her shoulder, his eyes darting around, and then spoke with a mysterious smile. "I heard about your upcoming competition. I've already spoken to the Empress of Country M. This matter won't turn into a complete embarrassment, after all, we must consider the dignity of the He family. So, just give it your all during the competition and don't put too much pressure on yourself. Also, the Empress of Country M said she'll go easy on you during the competition. I don't mean anything else, I just believe that in the workplace, one should do whatever it takes to achieve their goals. Brother knows you're capable, no less than the designers from Country M, and I'm sure you're confident in your own abilities, right?"
Knowing that He Zinian was doing this for her own good, Chen Lishu smiled and met his eyes, saying sincerely, "Second Brother, thank you."
He Zinian patted Chen Lishu's shoulder and said magnanimously, "What's there to thank between siblings? Alright, let's get down to business. I don't think that Qin Yue is a good person, and I'm really worried she might come looking for Mom tonight. If she finds no one in their rooms, she'll definitely notice something is amiss."
"Yes, we should hurry and discuss the important matters, and figure out what to do next. Only by clearing the air will we prevent misunderstandings within the family from growing," Old Master He said, then took out his phone and made a call to He Ziyu.
The call was answered almost instantly. He Ziyu's pale face appeared on the phone. "Dad, Mom," He Ziyu greeted, then licked his lips, his hesitant demeanor clearly indicating he had something to say.
Old Master He's heart skipped a beat. He had a premonition that the outcome might not be good. His lips trembled, and he couldn't utter a sound. It was He Zinian who spoke on behalf of the elder. "How is the investigation over there progressing?"
He Ziyu lifted his tired gaze and stared at the test reports on the table, lost in thought. After a long while, he slowly replied, "Second Brother, I've reviewed Mom's test reports and considered the drug's effects as described by the lab personnel. It's essentially confirmed that Mom was poisoned with a neurotoxin. I first tried to probe where they kept the antidote and even used my identity to pressure them into revealing its whereabouts, but the final result was that their laboratory doesn't have an antidote for this experimental flaw! The only ones who might know about the antidote are the ones who developed this poison. I inquired about the whereabouts of the person who developed this poison, and the final result was that this person is elusive, known in Country M as the 'Hand of God'! Highly favored and respected by the Empress of Country M. A while ago, this 'Hand of God' disappeared from the laboratory, seemingly to complete an important task, and no one knows their whereabouts. To find them, one would either have to turn Country M upside down or patiently wait for them to return to work in the laboratory."
The He family had been relatively law-abiding in Country M, primarily concerned about causing too much trouble and affecting diplomatic relations, which would make things difficult for He Zifeng. Now, they were being asked to completely upend Country M?
Old Master He tapped his cane on the table. "First, go and speak to the Empress of Country M. Briefly explain our situation to her. If she doesn't cooperate, then we'll resort to other measures! We'll risk our future if necessary to cure the old woman. I refuse to believe that after building the He family from the ground up, I won't be able to make a comeback! Do you understand?"
"Alright, I will convey your wishes to the Empress of Country M. As for the antidote, I've reviewed the virus report. Due to it being a flawed product, the onset of symptoms might be delayed by three to five years from the originally planned date. While three to five years should be enough time for us to handle this, my preference is to act as soon as possible, because the virus causes considerable suffering, and Mom is getting old. I'm afraid she won't be able to bear it," He Ziyu said, then looked up at Old Master He, awaiting his decision.