The sickly one in F4 was the group's darling.

The ward fell completely silent, with only the regular beeping of the monitor, dull and monotonous, repeatedly pounding on people's hearts.

The warm yellow light gently spilled onto the bed, illuminating the boy's pale sleeping face.

Bai Ci frowned slightly, her long eyelashes drooping limply, her thin chest rising and falling gently with her weak breaths. Even in a deep sleep, her body still retained the instinctive reactions of discomfort.

Bai Jiheng stood there, flipping through the yellowed medical examination file in his hand several times, his brows furrowed tightly, utterly perplexed:

"Eight years! Eight whole years of hiding from physical exams! That's outrageous. I understand kids are afraid of needles and blood tests, but who can hide for eight years straight?"

He looked up at Bai Yanzhi and asked, "Brother, don't you find it strange? Most kids would avoid someone once or twice, but he's been doing it for eight whole years, anticipating and precisely avoiding everyone. This isn't just introversion; it's deliberate, purposeful avoidance!"

Bai Yanzhi lowered his eyes to look at the boy on the bed, his gaze deep and his heart filled with doubts.

At the age of nine, he entered the Bai family alone, in an unfamiliar environment, with no one to rely on.

Normal children would love to rely on the resources of wealthy families to take good care of their health.

Bai Ci's first reaction was to shut herself off, avoid all medical screenings, and shun everyone's attention.

This is completely illogical.

"He's not afraid of medical examinations," Bai Yanzhi said slowly in a low voice. "He's afraid of being found out about something, or he doesn't want people to know something."

Bai Jiheng froze, his scalp tingling instantly: "What did they find? But this report clearly shows nothing unusual!"

"That's the problem." Bai Yanzhi's gaze deepened. "Eight years ago, his physical examination only showed mild weakness. Logically, with proper care, he should have recovered. But his health has deteriorated year by year, due to years of overworking."

"Dr. Qin said the root of the disease was planted long ago, even before he entered the Bai family."

Bai Jiheng found it increasingly bizarre, his tone urgent: "If he clearly knew something was wrong with his body, why did he resolutely refuse to get checked or treated? Why did he let his body break down? Didn't he care about himself at all? This is too suspicious!"

No one can solve this problem.

Bai Yanzhi had been in charge of the Bai family for many years and had seen countless people who cherished their lives, but he had never seen anyone who knew that their body was declining and deliberately concealed or avoided treatment.

Looking back now, Bai Ci had always been quiet and reserved since she came to the Bai family. She was introverted and timid, with a slender and delicate figure. She usually preferred to stay alone in a corner, disliked being in groups, and rarely took the initiative to talk to others.

The Bai family all assumed that Bai Ci was aloof, physically weak, and introverted. Coupled with his special status, everyone subconsciously kept their distance from him. He and Bai Yanzhi, as the elder brothers, also followed this established impression, rarely inquiring about each other's lives or health.

Now, an acute fainting spell, coupled with a completely blank medical examination record, has shattered everyone's preconceived notions.

All the overlooked details suddenly became eerie.

Bai Ci's quietness, aloofness, reclusiveness, timidity, and aversion to crowds are never simply personality issues.

That was his way of protecting himself.

Bai Yanzhi sat by the bed, his gaze fixed on the unconscious Bai Ci, his expression grave.

"That's what I can't understand either," Bai Yanzhi said in a low voice, his eyes filled with complex emotions. "We always thought that he had no one to take care of him after he came to the Bai family, which is why his health deteriorated. Now it seems that he had been enduring the pain all along before he even came to the Bai family."

"Perhaps there's some unresolved issue in his heart?" Bai Yanzhi could only offer the most basic conjecture. "He's been resistant to hospitals and doctors since he was a child, and over time, it's become a deep-seated aversion."

Besides that, he couldn't think of any other reason at the moment.

The most likely reason for a physically weak and introverted teenager is that he has a psychological fear of seeking medical treatment.

Bai Jiheng frowned: "Even if you disagree, you shouldn't gamble with your health."

Thinking of this, both of them felt a deep sense of bitterness and helplessness.

The Bai family possesses top-notch medical teams and equipment, yet this exceptional advantage has not been available to Bai Ci in the past eight years.

"There's no use guessing now. We can't let him have his way with the in-depth examination tomorrow." Bai Yanzhi's tone was firm. "I'll accompany him personally. Whether he's scared or has some unresolved issues, we must find out the truth about his health."

"I'm going too," Bai Jiheng said. "Don't try to get me out of here."

Bai Yanzhi nodded, gazing at the young man on the hospital bed, a deep thought flashing in his eyes.

"That's not all."

"And there's more." Bai Yanzhi's tone shifted, his gaze deepening, "Back then, the old man insisted on bringing him back to the Bai family and publicly identifying him as an illegitimate child, which was already abnormal in many ways. Now, add to that the eight years of deliberately evading investigation and the mysterious origins of his old illness..."

He looked up at Bai Jiheng and ordered in a deep voice, "Investigate secretly. Investigate every detail before and after he entered the Bai family eight years ago, the people he came into contact with, and all the arrangements made by the old man back then. Don't miss a single detail."

This matter was probably not as simple as it seemed from the very beginning.

Bai Jiheng immediately understood: "I understand what you mean. Bringing him back then was already strange. Now, with the added fact of deliberately avoiding investigation for eight years, the two things combined definitely indicate a problem. I'll arrange for people to investigate secretly right now."

"There's no need to rush." ​​Bai Yanzhi stopped him, his gaze returning to the unconscious Bai Ci. "Stay with him first. He needs someone by his side right now. We can discuss the investigation after he wakes up."

Right now, the boy's safety is the top priority.

The two people quietly stood guard on either side of the hospital bed.

The warm yellow light enveloped the sleeping boy.

Overnight, eight years of concealment, an old illness of unknown origin, and unusual behavior turned into layers of doubt, lingering heavily in the hearts of the two people, impossible to shake off.

The night was thick, and the stars and moon were hidden.

Inside a detached villa on a hillside, a brightly lit, elegant chess room is adorned with light and air of luxury.

Grandpa Bai sat alone in front of the chessboard, holding black in his left hand and white in his right, playing chess by himself, each move of his pieces crisp and decisive.

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows is the dazzling night view of the entire city, with thousands of lights stretching out in a continuous line.

Someone quietly entered the room, stopped beside him, and whispered the details of what had happened at Qinglu Mountain that night.

Grandpa Bai didn't look up; he held a white chess piece between his fingers, hovering it above the chessboard, seemingly examining a crucial move.

"Qin Li is a good doctor; he knows what to say and what not to say."

The white piece landed with a crisp sound.

"Keep an eye on it. Some things are not the right time yet."

"Yes."

The visitor acknowledged and withdrew, and the chess room fell silent once more.

Grandpa Bai picked up a black piece from the chess basket and placed it precisely, firmly encircling the newly formed white territory on the board.