Fu Yan Ting saw Yan Xi fall silent.
He didn't dwell on the matter any further.
He glanced at Yan Xi and said indifferently, "Do you really think your mother and He Xue Feng went mad solely due to emotional distress?"
Indeed, Fu Yan Ting's question captured Yan Xi's attention.
Yan Xi looked up at Fu Yan Ting and asked softly, "Isn't that the case?"
"If one person were to become like this, perhaps I would believe it was due to heartache leading to madness. But for both of them to go mad, and at this critical juncture, don't you find it strange?"
If Fu Yan Ting hadn't said this, Yan Xi might not have thought much of it. But upon hearing Fu Yan Ting's words, Yan Xi looked at him in astonishment.
Fu Yan Ting pursed his lips and continued, "Xi Xi, I didn't want to tell you the truth because it's too cruel. But seeing you like this now, I have no choice but to tell you."
Yan Xi felt that the truth was cruel upon hearing Fu Yan Ting's words. She suddenly feared knowing the truth, yet desperately wanted to know what had happened back then.
Why had her mother become like this?
"Your mother and He Xue Feng both went mad, and the He and Yao families managed to suppress the news of their madness, so few people knew. This was because they feared it would become known that they were hostages controlled by a drug that induced madness."
"You mean…"
"Precisely. This mysterious organization is everywhere. Even I cannot track their movements. They treat humans as test subjects, wanting to see if this madness-inducing drug can control people."
Yan Xi's hair stood on end upon hearing Fu Yan Ting's words.
Yao Wan Qi and He Xue Feng were their own relatives. How could they harm their own kin?
Seeing Yan Xi's pale face, Fu Yan Ting knew she was terrified.
He didn't want to continue speaking, fearing Yan Xi wouldn't be able to handle the shock.
He looked at Yan Xi, not revealing his own situation to her.
He didn't want Yan Xi to bear too much.
After all, Yan Xi hadn't grown up with them. Fu Yan Ting harbored resentment towards the He and Yao families.
However, he couldn't hold them entirely responsible for Yan Xi's misfortunes.
That would be unfair to Yan Xi.
Yan Xi had never imagined that the truth would be so cruel.
He Xue Feng was pitiable, but Yao Wan Qi was even more so.
Yan Xi grabbed Fu Yan Ting's hand and pleaded, "I want to go to the capital. I want to bring my mother to live with me and take care of her. I don't want her to stay at the Yao family's place any longer."
"No."
Fu Yan Ting refused without a second thought.
"Why not? That's my mother. Why can't I rescue her? Am I supposed to just watch her live like this at the Yao family's house?"
Yan Xi had lived at the Yao family's for a period, and she knew very well that the servants there treated Yao Wan Qi poorly.
Although Yao Wan Qi was a young lady of the Yao family, her life was less comfortable than that of a servant.
Previously, Yan Xi had thought that Old Master Yao was unaware and thus hadn't intervened with Yao Wan Qi.
Yan Xi had also considered helping Yao Wan Qi, but at the time, she hadn't had enough power to take Yao Wan Qi away from the Yao family.
"Fu Yan Ting, I beg you. Help me, okay? I'll give you anything you want. I have money. I'll give you all my money. Will you help me?"
Yan Xi looked at Fu Yan Ting. She had always known that Fu Yan Ting was very capable, and seeking his help was the most suitable course of action.
Fu Yan Ting studied Yan Xi, and after a long moment, he said indifferently, "Xi Xi, it's not that I won't help you. The time is not yet ripe, so I can't help you."
"Then tell me when the time is ripe. Do I have to wait until my mother is tortured to death by them before it's considered ripe?"
Yan Xi was truly angered by Fu Yan Ting's words for the first time.
She had never met someone like Fu Yan Ting.
Hearing Yan Xi's question, Fu Yan Ting couldn't help but frown.
He couldn't tell Yan Xi his plan; he didn't want to alert the enemy. But Yan Xi's relentless questioning left Fu Yan Ting unable to respond.
Fu Yan Ting's attitude was firm. He looked at Yan Xi and said word by word, "The time is not ripe yet, I've already said it."
"I understand. Are you still angry with me about what happened before? I apologize. I'll do whatever you want me to do. But that's my mother. I beg you, I really can't stand by and watch her be controlled by drugs and go mad every day."
"Yan Xi, calm down. I know you can't accept this fact right now, but they endured this even before you knew the truth. Now is the most critical time. Don't cause trouble for them because of yourself; it won't benefit you or your mother."
Fu Yan Ting had told Yan Xi the truth, but he wouldn't go to rescue Yao Wan Qi with her. Yan Xi couldn't accept such a blow.
He said other things, but Yan Xi didn't want to listen and couldn't hear them.
Fu Yan Ting worried that Yan Xi would act alone.
He asked Xin Yi to find several skilled individuals to secretly protect Yan Xi's safety.
Yan Xi still couldn't understand Fu Yan Ting's actions.
In Yan Xi's heart, Fu Yan Ting's refusal to help meant he was still angry with her.
No matter how Fu Yan Ting explained, Yan Xi refused to listen.
Fu Yan Ting was helpless. Yan Xi needed time to process this, and for now, she couldn't accept it.
Fu Yan Ting suddenly regretted telling Yan Xi the truth then. If he hadn't, Yan Xi might not have reacted so strongly.
But the words had been spoken, and it was too late to take them back.
He could only heartlessly refuse Yan Xi.
He knew that this would cause Yan Xi to misunderstand him, to dislike him even more, but for the sake of the larger picture, to prevent his identity from being exposed, and even more so for his comrades, he had to be extremely cautious.
"Fu Yan Ting, you speak so eloquently. Will it be beneficial for my mother if I don't rescue her and just watch her be abused at the Yao family's house?"
Yan Xi's words made Fu Yan Ting fall silent.
Fu Yan Ting knew that no matter how he explained to Yan Xi now, she wouldn't believe him.
But Fu Yan Ting had no other choice. At this moment, his inaction was the best protection for Yan Xi.
Yan Xi knew that seeking Fu Yan Ting's help was a dead end.
She returned to her room and sent a message to Xiang Jing Chen, asking, "Jing Chen, do you know of any drug that can control a person and make them go mad?"
Xiang Jing Chen initially thought he was seeing things. He reread the message several times before sending Yan Xi a string of question marks.