Chapter 157: Chapter 157: Seeds Of Doubt
Yun Li stirred restlessly, her lips moving again. Faint, broken whispers echoed in the ward.
"Don’t... trust her."
He Yuchen froze. "Who shouldn’t I trust?" he muttered, unease crawling down his spine, a feeling that, somehow, he wasn’t meant to ignore.
But Yun Li didn’t respond. Her lashes fluttered, her breathing shallow, trapped somewhere between sleep and waking. The monitor’s steady beeping filled the silence that stretched between them.
He Yuchen leaned closer, studying her face. Even in her fragile state, she looked serene and too calm for the storm she had just survived. He brushed a loose strand of hair from her forehead, his jaw tightening.
Who could she mean?
Before his thoughts could spiral further, his phone began to vibrate on the side table. He picked it up, glancing at the screen. The name flashing there made his heart clench.
[Mother.]
For a moment, he hesitated which was something he had never done before. Then he accepted the call.
"Mom."
"Yuchen," Madam He’s voice sounded from the other end of the line, smooth and composed, with that familiar warmth that had raised him. "I just heard about what happened at the resort. How’s Yun Li?"
"She’s stable," he replied quietly. "She is asleep now, but she’ll recover."
There was a brief pause. "That’s... good." Her tone didn’t waver, yet something about it felt off. It was too measured, too calm. "I was worried when I heard the news. The resort will be investigated immediately. I’ve already sent instructions to cooperate with the authorities."
He Yuchen’s brows furrowed. "You don’t have to trouble yourself with that. I’ll handle it."
"Nonsense," she said lightly. "You’re my son. Your wife is part of this family now. Anything that happens to her concerns me too."
It should have comforted him. It usually did. But today, the words scraped against him like sandpaper.
He stared at Yun Li’s pale face as his mother continued speaking — something about tightening internal security, replacing staff, sending flowers to the hospital. Her tone remained smooth, and her control impeccable.
And yet, every word she said felt... rehearsed.
"I’ll come by later to see her," Madam He finished. "Make sure the doctors keep me updated."
When the call ended, He Yuchen lowered the phone slowly, staring at it for a long moment.
His mother had always been like that — calm in every storm. She was like the pillar of the He family.
So why did her voice sound different today?
Why did it feel like she already knew more than she should?
He exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples. "You’re overthinking," he muttered to himself. "She’s your mother."
But the words didn’t convince him.
The room fell quiet again. The only sounds were the soft hum of the machine and the faint rustle of wind outside the window. Yun Li shifted faintly, her lips parting in a weak sigh and even while asleep, she seemed troubled.
He Yuchen’s gaze softened. He reached out, covering her hand gently with his.
He didn’t notice the door open until a familiar voice broke the silence.
"Yuchen."
He turned. Huo Feng stood at the doorway, his usually composed face drawn tight with worry.
"What brings you here?" He Yuchen asked, straightening his posture but his eyes flashed with undisguised surprise.
"I just came from the east wing," Huo Feng said quickly, his voice low. "Yue Ning heard about Yun Li. She asked me to check on her."
He Yuchen’s brows knitted. "Yue Ning? What happened? Is she okay now? I heard that she was involved in an accident."
"Hmm, but..." He trailed off, running a hand through his hair. "She kept saying the same thing after she heard about Yun Li’s poisoning. Told me to find you and said I should warn you."
He Yuchen’s frown deepened. "Warn me?"
Huo Feng nodded gravely. "She said—’Tell him not to trust her.’ Then she kept repeating it, over and over, until she fainted again. I guess she was in shock after hearing Yun Li was poisoned."
The words hit like a jolt. He Yuchen turned sharply toward the bed. Yun Li had said the exact same thing.
"Don’t trust her."
His pulse quickened. "Did she say who?"
"No." Huo Feng shook his head. "She didn’t get the chance."
He Yuchen exhaled heavily, mind spinning. Yun Li’s fevered warning, Yue Ning’s desperate message... it couldn’t be coincidence. But who was the "her" they both meant?
Huo Feng studied his friend’s expression, concern flickering across his features. "Do you know what it is?"
"I don’t know," He Yuchen replied, his tone quieter now, almost distant. "But it doesn’t feel random."
"Yuchen," Huo Feng began cautiously, "I know this isn’t my place, but you need to be careful. Whoever poisoned Yun Li might not stop there."
He Yuchen nodded slowly, his jaw tight with determination. "I’ll look into it."
Huo Feng gave him a firm pat on the shoulder. "Call me if you need anything," he said, before stepping out of the ward.
The door clicked shut behind him.
For a while, He Yuchen just stood there, staring at the space where his friend had been, his thoughts tangled in a quiet storm. He turned back to Yun Li, watching her chest rise and fall softly.
Two people... both warning him in the same breath.
Don’t trust her.
His mother’s calm voice echoed faintly in his mind: "Your wife is part of this family now. Anything that happens to her concerns me too."
He didn’t want to think it. But the timing of her call, her tone, and how calm she was, it didn’t sit right with me.
For the first time in his life, doubt slipped in where there had only ever been trust.
The words felt wrong now.
He sank into the chair beside the bed, rubbing his thumb along the back of Yun Li’s hand, his face unreadable.
For years, he’d trusted Madam He without question. She had raised him, defended him, built him into the man he was today.
But if the woman she’d become wasn’t the mother he thought he knew—
He swallowed hard.
Then maybe the truth he’d been avoiding all along was finally coming for him.
He tucked his phone into his pocket, his eyes darkening. "Rest, Yun Li," he murmured under his breath. "When you wake up, I’ll have the answers."
The monitor continued its steady rhythm, matching the thrum in his chest.
Outside, the clouds began to shift. It shifted into a slow, creeping gray swallowing the sunlight.
And far away, in the He family mansion, Madam He stood before her mirror, adjusting her earrings with a faint smile.
"She survived twice," she murmured to her reflection. "Let’s see how long she lasts this time."