Four hundred thousand yuan!
In our little county town, a 150-square-meter house only costs about three hundred thousand yuan!
"No way! Grandma Gu is getting old, I still have to stay and cook and do laundry for her! Cecilia, I wasn't able to give the Gu Family a son, so it's my fault. I don't have any complaints! As long as you're happy, I have no regrets!" Helen Gu refused firmly. "But I won't leave the Gu Family! Cecilia, the moment I married into the Gu Family, I became one of them—dead or alive!"
Just two hundred thousand yuan—was it really worth borrowing? Grandma Gu really knows how to scheme!
Two hundred thousand yuan—this was no small amount!
Even though the Yin Family gave her pocket money every month, Cecilia had already given this month’s allowance to her mom. How could she pay Aunt Linda back the two hundred thousand yuan?
So why was Mom suddenly asking her for money today?
Look at Aunt Linda—ever since she married into the Gu Family, she hasn’t lifted a finger around the house. All the chores have fallen to Mom!
Her monthly allowance was fifty thousand yuan. She’d need four months to save up enough.
"Mom..." Cecilia suddenly stood up. "Whose name is the house under?"
It was only a few thousand yuan, but at least it made things a little easier for her mom.
The money was from the Yin Family, even though it wasn’t explicitly said to be for Helen Gu.
But everyone knew it was the son-in-law practicing filial piety—showing respect and care for his wife's parents, a deeply valued tradition in Chinese culture.
In any other family, that money would belong to Helen Gu.
But in the Gu Family, things were never that simple.
"Grandma Gu's name," Helen Gu replied softly. "She says she's just living there for now, and that someday... she'll give it to us."
Cecilia slapped her forehead. She knew it!
Someone like Grandma Gu would never put it under Dad or Mom's name!
Helen Gu sighed and said, "Cecilia, I know what you mean. I appreciate it, but if I move to the city with you, what about your dad and Grandma Gu? I’ve taken care of them all these years—if I leave, who’ll cook and do the laundry for them?"
"Mom... We can bring Dad with us! And Grandma Gu still has Uncle Eric and Aunt Linda to look after her. Aunt Linda always says she wants to be filial, right? Let her take care of Grandma Gu for a while! You’ve done it for over twenty years—it’s her turn! Mom, this might be my only child, and you’ll be a grandma. You can’t just leave me on my own, can you?" Cecilia kept pleading.
"Two hundred thousand yuan." Cecilia felt so embarrassed—she was actually asking Charles Yin’s assistant for money.
As the Young Madam of the Yin Family, not being able to come up with two hundred thousand yuan was truly humiliating.
Add another hundred thousand for renovations, and that's already top-tier in the county!
Just two hundred thousand yuan—was it really worth borrowing?
"Is it too much? Actually, one hundred fifty thousand yuan would work too!" Cecilia saw Alex hesitate and quickly changed her request. "I still have fifty thousand yuan in pocket money. That should just about cover it..."
"Mom! Didn’t I tell you last time to use the money to pay off Uncle Eric’s debt first?" Cecilia suddenly remembered. "Did you not pay it?"
Helen Gu looked embarrassed. "I didn’t even touch the money. Your grandma took it all..."
Cecilia felt like she was about to cough up blood!
"What about the money I gave you last time?" Cecilia asked urgently. "The money I gave you just for yourself?"
That money was pocket money from Grandma Evelyn Yin, but Cecilia hadn’t spent a cent—she gave it all to her mom.
It was only a few thousand, but at least it made things a little easier for her mom.
"Your dad..." Helen Gu answered awkwardly, "He said your marriage almost ruined Jenny’s engagement. Uncle Eric and Aunt Linda demanded compensation from us, so your dad took the money and gave it to Jenny as her dowry."
Hearing this, Cecilia was totally stunned!
The Gu Family is just too much!
Way too much!
Cecilia felt like she couldn’t even breathe!
Helen Gu saw Cecilia’s face change and panicked, quickly patting her chest. "Cecilia, don’t scare me! What’s wrong?"
Seeing her mom about to cry, Cecilia finally took a deep breath and let out the pent-up air in her chest.
This family is really going to drive her crazy.
"Mom, how much do we still owe Uncle Eric and Aunt Linda?" Cecilia knew she might not make it until her baby was born—she had to get her mom out of this bone-crushing Gu Family as soon as possible!
"There's still about two hundred thousand left," Helen Gu hesitated. "This year, Aunt Linda said the harvest was bad, so your dad and I probably won't make much money."
"Mom, how about this: I'll find a way to get you two hundred thousand and pay off Uncle Eric's debt once and for all. Then you can come live with me in the city, okay?" Cecilia looked at her mom with hope. She could handle anything as long as her mom wasn't bullied like this at home!
"No way! Your grandma is getting old, I still have to stay and cook and do laundry for her! Cecilia, I wasn't able to give the Gu Family a son, so it's my fault. I don't have any complaints! As long as you're happy, I have no regrets!" Helen Gu refused firmly. "But I won't leave the Gu Family! Cecilia, the moment I married into the Gu Family, I became one of them—dead or alive!"
Hearing her mom’s answer, Cecilia nearly choked on her own blood!
What else could she do?
"Mom!" Cecilia could only call out, not knowing what else to say.
It was because her mom was so kind and soft-hearted that Grandma Gu had been bullying her for over twenty years!
Look at Aunt Linda—ever since she joined the Gu Family, she hasn’t lifted a finger around the house. All the chores have fallen to Mom!
Even when Dad needed medical treatment years ago, Aunt Linda claimed that half of the forty thousand spent on his care was her family’s inheritance. So spending it early meant Dad and Mom owed her family twenty thousand. Afraid they’d refuse to pay, she forced Mom to sign an IOU.
Uncle Eric and Aunt Linda used that IOU to force Dad and Mom to work for them all these years! Every year, they only gave them a tiny bit of salary.
Cecilia had to work her way through college just to pay her own tuition!
She really had nothing left to say about this family...
"Cecilia, you've suffered all these years. It's my fault—I just wasn't capable enough..." Helen Gu said softly. "But there's nothing I can do. I'm already the Gu Family’s daughter-in-law. No matter how hard it gets, I have to keep going!"
"Mom!" Cecilia hugged her mother's waist.
Every time she talked about leaving together, her mom always gave the same answer.
"Mom, you promised me that when I bought my own house, you’d come live with me in the city, right?" Cecilia hugged her mom’s waist, pouting. "Why are you going back on your word? And when my baby’s born, you’ll be a grandma! You promised to come to the city and help me take care of the baby!"
No way—she was going to get her mom out of the Gu Family, no matter what!
She couldn’t let her mom keep being a servant in the Gu Family!
Helen Gu sighed and said, "Cecilia, I know what you mean. I appreciate it, but if I move to the city with you, what about your dad and grandma? I’ve taken care of them all these years—if I leave, who’ll cook and do the laundry for them?"
"Mom... We can bring Dad with us! And Grandma still has Uncle Eric and Aunt Linda to look after her. Aunt Linda always says she wants to be filial, right? Let her take care of Grandma for a while! You’ve done it for over twenty years—it’s her turn! Mom, this might be my only child, and you’ll be a grandma. You can’t just leave me on my own, can you?" Cecilia kept pleading.
"The Yin Family is rich and powerful. Won’t they have someone to help you with the baby?" Helen Gu was still hesitant.
"Mom, being rich is one thing, but no one cares like a grandma does!" Cecilia wasn’t discouraged and kept trying to persuade her mom. "Mom, I have zero experience. How am I supposed to raise a child on my own? Please, come to the city with me!"
"Alright, alright, little ancestor, you win! Let me talk it over with your dad, okay?" Helen Gu just couldn’t bear to leave Cecilia. Torn between her husband, mother-in-law, and newlywed daughter, she worried about them all.
Cecilia finally felt at ease after hearing her mom’s answer.
Two hundred thousand—this was no small amount!
Even though the Yin Family gave her pocket money every month, Cecilia had already given this month’s allowance to her mom. How could she pay Aunt Linda back the two hundred thousand?
Cecilia thought about it. The only person she could turn to now... was Charles Yin.
But would he really give her that kind of money?
Her monthly allowance was fifty thousand. She’d need four months to save up enough.
But right now...
No, she had to settle her parents’ debts for good while she was home this time.
No matter what happened to Mom in the future, at least her parents wouldn’t have to work for Uncle Eric and Aunt Linda anymore, taking a tiny salary and still being called ungrateful!
Cecilia patted her mom’s hand, opened the door, and saw Alex waiting nearby, ready to help at any moment.
"Young Madam, do you need anything?" Alex asked, quick to pick up on the situation.
"Alex... I have a question for you..." Cecilia bit her lip. "There’s something I’m not sure I should ask you about..."
"Young Madam, please don’t say that. The CEO said if you ever need anything, just ask." Alex glanced around the room and then quietly asked, "Do you need something?"
Cecilia bit her lip, nervous. "Can you... lend me some money?"
Borrow money?
Alex had seen all kinds of drama working for Charles Yin, but Cecilia’s request still stunned him for a few seconds.
"Young Madam, are you short on money?" Alex looked at Cecilia in shock. "How much do you need?"
"Two hundred thousand." Cecilia felt so embarrassed—she was actually asking Charles Yin’s assistant for money.
As the Young Madam of the Yin Family, not being able to come up with two hundred thousand was truly humiliating.
Alex’s eyes flickered.
Just two hundred thousand—was it really worth borrowing?
"Is it too much? Actually, one hundred fifty thousand would work too!" Cecilia saw Alex hesitate and quickly changed her request. "I still have fifty thousand in pocket money. That should just about cover it..."
"Young Madam, if you need money, why not ask the CEO?" Alex thought this was a big deal.