Villain Is Bodyguard of Heroine’s Poisonous Stepmother

Chapter 134: The Poisoning Is Uncovered

In the Li family’s villa, Li Zhong had summoned a private doctor to conduct comprehensive tests on them by drawing blood.

“According to the test results, Mr. Li and your son-in-law have indeed been poisoned. Fortunately, it’s a slow-acting poison. Its effects are minimal in the short term, but if consumed over a long period, death within a month is certain,” the doctor informed them with a grave expression.

Li Zhong’s face grew grim.

“Ye Chen, thank you for this.”

His view of Ye Chen had slightly improved, now holding a noticeably better opinion of him. It was Ye Chen who had first noticed something amiss with his health and suggested getting a medical checkup.

Li Zhong too had felt somewhat unwell recently and decided to undergo testing, which led to the discovery that both had been subjected to a slow-acting poison. They owed their discovery to Ye Chen. Without his insistence on a checkup, Li Zhong might not have chosen to get tested, and the poisoning could have gone undetected.

“The one who poisoned us must be someone from within our family,” Ye Chen said, his gaze icy.

Hearing Ye Chen’s observation, Li Zhong’s face darkened further, agreeing that only someone from within could have administered the poison. He summoned his trusted aides, ordering them to investigate.

“Find out who is responsible. Once you do, throw them into the Huangpu River,” commanded Li Zhong, his tone as cold as a venomous snake.

In the evening, Li Qiwen, who was still attending school, returned home to find himself in a state of panic. His father was investigating the incident of poisoning, which had now been uncovered.

“Mom, this is bad. The old man has discovered the poison and is investigating,” Li Qiwen urgently reached out to Gu Wanxiu.

“So, it’s really been discovered. Chen Luo guessed right,” Gu Wanxiu’s face fell.

Now that the poisoning had been uncovered, didn’t that mean they could no longer kill Li Zhong?

“Mom, what should I do now? If dad finds out, he definitely won’t let me off.”

Li Qiwen was panicking. He knew how ruthless his father could be. Even as his son, Li Zhong might not spare him.

“First, get rid of the poison. As long as you’re careful and they can’t trace it back to you quickly, he won’t suspect you immediately.”

Although Gu Wanxiu wasn’t too concerned about Li Qiwen being found out, it would negatively impact Chen Luo’s schemes if Li Qiwen were implicated.

Li Qiwen’s survival made it easier for her to control the Li family. Otherwise, even if Li Zhong were eliminated if something happened to Li Qiwen, she’d face resistance from other Li family members in assuming control.

Though she was Li Zhong’s wife, to the Li family members, she was still an outsider.

Didn’t the other Li family members have ambitions? They did, but were suppressed by Li Zhong. With Li Zhong gone, they’d undoubtedly vie for the family head’s position. Thus, preserving Li Qiwen was essential.

“Right, right, right, I’ll destroy the poison now.”

Recalling the poison he held, Li Qiwen immediately flushed it down the toilet.

“Stay calm for now. I’ll consult with your dad and then guide you.”

This “dad” naturally referred not to Li Zhong but to Chen Luo.

“Okay, mom, you must come up with a strategy for me.”

Li Qiwen was in utter panic. Though he had managed to calm down for the moment, he remained deeply unsettled.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

The door knocked, causing Li Qiwen’s hands to shake as he hurried to answer it.

“Young master, Master Li instructed me to inspect every room. I’m here for that.”

Li Qiwen breathed a sigh of relief internally. Had he not just eliminated the evidence, his situation could have been dire.

“My room needs to be inspected too?” Li Qiwen feigned indignation.

“Sorry, young master, Master Li instructed that all rooms must be inspected, including yours. This is a direct order from Master Li.”

“Fine, go ahead and check,” Li Qiwen said, letting the person in with visible impatience.

“Also, young master, Master Li wants you to undergo a full body examination to check for poisoning.”

“Got it.”

Li Qiwen replied curtly and went for the examination, feeling anxious. As the one who administered the poison, he was certain he hadn’t poisoned himself. However, he feared being suspected precisely because he was not poisoned, and he knew all too well how ruthlessly Li Zhong dealt with traitors. The thought of what might happen if his actions were discovered terrified him.

Now, Li Qiwen could only pray he wouldn’t be caught.

While Li Qiwen was being checked, Gu Wanxiu informed Chen Luo about the poisoning exposure.

“As expected,” Chen Luo had anticipated this outcome.

With Ye Chen among the targets, it would’ve been unusual if the poisoning hadn’t been discovered.

“It’s necessary to save this Li Qiwen fellow.”

Chen Luo didn’t want the Li family to suffer the Wang family’s fate. Despite being the orchestrator behind the Wang family’s fall, the benefits he reaped weren’t as significant compared to some forces. Eliminating the Wang family ended up benefiting others more than himself. Chen Luo’s motive wasn’t profit-driven, Wang Fei had simply provoked him.

Having inadvertently benefited others once, Chen Luo was not keen on doing so again. He aimed to fully take over the Li family, which made Gu Wanxiu and Li Qiwen indispensable.

“With the protagonist around, no matter how carefully Li Qiwen acted, he would inevitably leave some traces.”

Chen Luo doubted Li Qiwen’s ability to cover his tracks flawlessly.

“We’ll need to find a scapegoat to take the blame for Li Qiwen.”

The optimal solution was to find a scapegoat from among the Li family members.

While Chen Luo was pondering which scapegoat could take the fall for Li Qiwen, he was oblivious to the fact that Li Qiwen already become a prime suspect.

“Chairman, our investigation points to the young master as the main suspect,” Li Zhong’s face darkened as he spoke. “Azheng, you need to stand by your words. Are you certain Qiwen is the most likely suspect?”

“Chairman, this is the surveillance footage we’ve gathered. Lately, the young master has been frequently seen in the kitchen, which is highly unusual. Moreover, I found this in the young master’s room,” he said, presenting a bag containing a residual powder. “The tests confirmed that this powder is the same chronic poison found in your system, Chairman.”

Li Qiwen’s oversight meant that Li Zhong’s people had uncovered the evidence.

“Bring that betrayer here,” Li Zhong ordered angrily.

It was evident that Li Qiwen was highly suspicious. Even if finding the poison could be explained away as someone else’s setup, Li Qiwen had other incriminating behaviors. He had never shown any interest in the kitchen before, so his recent frequent visits were undoubtedly suspicious. At this point, it was clear that Li Qiwen was responsible for the poisoning.

A while later, Li Zhong’s trusted aide, Azheng, returned, but without Li Qiwen.

“Chairman, the young master isn’t home. According to the bodyguards, he left alone in his car without taking anyone with him.”

This only confirmed the suspicions further. If he wasn’t guilty, why would he flee?

“Go, bring that traitor back here. I want to know why he chose to poison me,” Li Zhong said, his face a mix of anger and confusion.

The revelation that his own son had poisoned him was a harsh blow to Li Zhong. He desperately wanted to understand why Li Qiwen would take such a drastic step against him, especially considering he hadn’t treated Li Qiwen poorly. He had even shelled out ten billion to secure Li Qiwen’s release from a previous kidnapping.