Shi Zhiyi's words brought a chill sharp enough to freeze the air.
The restrained calm around Ji Yunhuai had long since given way to an icy, razor-sharp aura. His piercing gaze stayed fixed on Shi Zhiyi's face as he waited for her to continue.
Under the pressure that suddenly erupted from Ji Yunhuai, Shi Zhiyi trembled almost imperceptibly. Yet her expression was unexpectedly calm, even bearing a weariness that bordered on relief.
Rather than explain immediately, she slowly fumbled inside her coat pocket with some difficulty and pulled out a small silver USB drive.
Her fingers trembled slightly from the cold and her heightened emotions, but she held the drive out to Ji Yunhuai with unwavering resolve.
"Th... this contains," she said, her voice still hoarse from crying, though every word was perfectly clear, "some audio recordings, along with screenshots of chat logs and bank transfers. They're... evidence I collected."
She took a deep breath, trying to steady her breathing, and continued, "The audio... I recorded it in secret. The chat logs... I looked through Ji Cheng's phone while he was asleep and took pictures."
As she spoke, Shi Zhiyi did not look at her son's suddenly bloodless face or his disbelieving eyes. She stared straight at Ji Yunhuai, as though entrusting him with an unbearably heavy mission.
"The truth is... Ji Cheng... had someone secretly switch the emergency medication the Old Master always carried with him." Shi Zhiyi spoke slowly, as though every word demanded immense courage. "The bottle still looked like the original one. The pills inside... were almost identical in shape and color, and even smelled similar. But they had been replaced with convincing counterfeits that weren't poisonous... yet had absolutely no emergency medical effect."
Her voice carried profound sorrow and lingering fear. "He... he was counting