The butler, aware of Yan Xi's identity, naturally dared not stop her.
Yan Xi entered the Yao family's main gate smoothly and headed directly for Mr. Yao's study.
As if he had foreseen Yan Xi's visit, Mr. Yao was already in his study, practicing calligraphy and awaiting her arrival.
Upon seeing Yan Xi, Mr. Yao warmly greeted her, "Xi Xi, you're here. Look, do you like Grandpa's calligraphy?"
Yan Xi was in no mood to entertain Mr. Yao's pleasantries.
Hearing his words, Yan Xi frowned deeply.
Mr. Yao seemed oblivious to what had happened. He looked up at Yan Xi and asked gently, "Xi Xi, did something happen? Why are you just standing there?"
"My mother was hospitalized for food poisoning. You must know about this."
Yan Xi cut straight to the chase, not bothering with pleasantries.
Mr. Yao was taken aback, then explained, "Xi Xi, I only just found out. You know, there are so many matters at Yao Corporation every day. You don't come back to help Grandpa, and Jing Chen doesn't either. Grandpa is getting old, and dealing with all those affairs is exhausting."
Although Mr. Yao said this, Yan Xi knew in her heart that he was deliberately playing the victim for her.
"Since you know she has food poisoning, why aren't you willing to save her? With your connections, finding an authoritative doctor to rescue and treat her shouldn't be a big problem."
"Xi Xi, I can save your mother, but Grandpa has a condition. I hope you can marry Mu Jing Chen."
Yan Xi pursed her lips, remaining silent.
Mr. Yao continued, "This is an exchange. Your mother's life and safety are in your hands now."
Yan Xi clenched her fists tightly upon hearing Mr. Yao's words.
Mr. Yao's demand was likely due to his knowledge that Yan Xi's engagement to Mu Jing Chen had been canceled.
He claimed to have Yan Xi's best interests at heart, yet now he was forcing her to marry a man she didn't love.
"Xi Xi, I know you're unwilling. But as someone who has been through it, I won't harm you. My actions are solely for your happiness. That Fu Yan Ting is not as simple as you think. You won't be happy with him."
Mr. Yao advised her earnestly.
But Yan Xi couldn't absorb a single word. Yan Xi was well aware of Mr. Yao's ambitions. Because Fu Yan Ting was strong-willed and difficult to control, and wouldn't listen to him or do his bidding, Mr. Yao didn't want Yan Xi to be with Fu Yan Ting.
Moreover, Yan Xi had always suspected that Mr. Yao was involved in what caused Fu Yan Ting to become a vegetable five years ago when she married him.
However, Yan Xi had never had the opportunity to get her hands on the recording pen.
She wondered if her judgment was correct, and if Mr. Yao was indeed involved in all of this.
Yan Xi no longer wished to converse with Mr. Yao and turned to leave.
Suddenly, Mr. Yao's bodyguards emerged from the shadows of the study, surrounding Yan Xi.
Yan Xi frowned and shot a cold glance at Mr. Yao.
Mr. Yao unhurriedly walked to the sofa and sat down, calmly explaining, "Xi Xi, you're still young. When you're older, you'll be grateful for the choice I've made for you. Just bear with it for a few days. I've already spoken with Mu Jing Chen. Three days from now will be an auspicious day, and he will come to escort you."
"You're detaining me. What you're doing is illegal."
Yan Xi's eyes widened in disbelief as she looked at Mr. Yao. He was capable of such actions just to make her marry Mu Jing Chen.
Yan Xi was confined to a small room by Mr. Yao, and her phone was confiscated. Yan Xi had no way to contact the outside world.
Furthermore, after Yan Xi was locked up in the small dark room, the Yao family's stewards' attitude towards her was no longer as warm as before.
Yan Xi wanted to escape, but the windows here were sealed, and Yan Xi couldn't get out.
Yan Xi could only give up helplessly.
She paced back and forth in the room. Suddenly, she noticed a loose floorboard. When Yan Xi walked over, she could hear a hollow sound.
Yan Xi frowned. The Yao family's renovation used top-quality materials; they shouldn't be damaged.
Yan Xi felt stifled in the small dark room, so she decided to pick up the floor tile and repair it.
As Yan Xi lifted the floor tile, she saw a flat box inside.
Yan Xi's heart tightened. She quickly took out the box and opened it. Inside was a diary.
Yan Xi opened the first page and glanced at it, her expression drastically changing.
She quickly hid the diary in her clothes, closed the small box, put it back, and replaced the floor tile.
Yan Xi hid in a corner that was not easily discovered and began to read the diary slowly.
This diary was written by Yao Wan Qi.
The most recent entry was from three months ago.
But hadn't Yao Wan Qi gone mad five years ago?
How could a madwoman write a diary with such clear logical thinking?
Unless she wasn't truly mad, but had discovered some secrets of Mr. Yao. To avoid being silenced, she was faking her madness.
Yan Xi couldn't help but recall Yao Wan Qi pulling her to the backyard to see the wishing tree five years ago.
Thinking back now, Yao Wan Qi must have been faking her madness back then. She used the opportunity of showing Yan Xi her wish bottle to deliberately let Yan Xi find the recording pen.
This implied that the recording pen contained some earth-shattering secret.
Yan Xi suddenly understood why Yao Wan Qi had suffered food poisoning.
Why Mr. Yao had abandoned her treatment after she was sent to the hospital.
Yan Xi felt that Yao Wan Qi's food poisoning in the Yao family might have been part of a conspiracy, not an accident.
Thinking of this, Yan Xi felt a chill run down her spine.
Yan Xi was still reading the diary.
Suddenly, Mr. Yao's voice came from the doorway, followed by the sound of the doorknob turning.
Yan Xi's expression changed dramatically. She quickly hid the diary and then, feigning calmness, sat on the edge of the bed.
Mr. Yao entered and saw Yan Xi sitting calmly on the bed. He couldn't help but frown.
Seeing Mr. Yao enter, Yan Xi shouted, "Let me out!"
"Xi Xi, be good. Just hold on for two more days. When Mu Jing Chen comes to marry you, I'll naturally let you go. Just bear with it for these two days."
Having seen Mr. Yao's true colors, Yan Xi was already unsettled. Hearing him say this now, Yan Xi became even more terrified.