Cecilia Gu's gaze instantly fell upon Madam Yun.
Madam Yun took a deep breath. "That's right. Even if Yun Mengying is listed as a direct descendant of the Yun Family, she can't bring the family back to glory. Cecilia Gu, no matter what your surname is, you carry the Yun Family's blood. Your responsibilities can never be shirked! Do you think you can escape your duty with these three conditions? You're wrong. There are things you simply can't change! Fate will show you how your future will be decided."
Cecilia Gu silently watched Madam Yun.
"Soon, within these few days," Madam Yun said suddenly, her voice wistful. "The Yun Family's decline will begin in three days. After that, the Yun Family will no longer exist in the country."
Cecilia Gu frowned, unable to understand Madam Yun's words.
"And the day the Yun Family rises again isn't far off either." Madam Yun finished, her face suddenly exhausted. "Enough, enough. Since it's fate, I won't argue these little things with you anymore. It won't be long before you beg the Yun Family to let you come back, and you'll beg us to change your surname too. I won't interfere in your affairs. Are you satisfied now?"
"Then, once I return to the Yun Family, what will happen to my adoptive mother, Jane Gu?" Cecilia Gu couldn't trust Madam Yun at all now.
She'd already forced Jane Gu to take long-term poison; harming her again wouldn't be surprising.
"Once you come back, you can handle it yourself." Madam Yun knew exactly what Cecilia Gu was thinking and snorted. "I won't bother with the aftermath."
"Fine. Since Grandmother is leaving this matter to me, then where is Leon Mai? I want to see him!" Cecilia Gu felt she had to see this man for herself—after all he’d toyed with Jane Gu’s feelings. Was he really so shameless?
Jane Gu lost his child, after all!
"This is the Yun Family Sanctuary. Do you really think Leon Mai has the right to enter?" Madam Yun's tone was unfriendly.
"Then I'll wait for him outside." Cecilia Gu insisted, "I won't return to the Yun Family until I get answers."
Madam Yun felt as if she might cough up blood.
This granddaughter was nothing like Yun Nuo—she wasn't soft or delicate, but direct and straightforward.
Madam Yun saw the determination in Cecilia Gu's eyes and knew that if she couldn't give a satisfactory answer today, Cecilia Gu would never return to the Yun Family on her terms.
Finally, Madam Yun waved her hand, signaling for someone to lead Cecilia Gu to the backyard, where she exited through a small gate.
Leon Mai was waiting quietly in a room, anticipating Cecilia Gu's arrival.
When Cecilia Gu entered and saw Leon Mai, she instantly understood.
Leon Mai had been waiting here for her all along.
Cecilia Gu sat down on an antique chair and poured herself a cup of tea.
Only then did Leon Mai nervously sit down, lowering his head, not daring to look at Cecilia Gu.
"When did you start watching Jane Gu?" Cecilia Gu asked slowly.
"When you were in college," Leon Mai answered, head bowed. "I followed Madam Yun's instructions: first infiltrate and lay low, work at the company for a few years to build a resume, then approach Jane Gu so no one would suspect."
Cecilia Gu nodded.
Yes, if Leon Mai had suddenly appeared as an engineer with no work experience, I probably would have been suspicious.
But Leon Mai had worked at the company for years, and buying a house in that county was only natural.
I never thought the plan started back when I was in college!
Should I say I’m honored to have been targeted by you all so early?
"Did you ever love her?" Cecilia Gu rubbed her temples, suddenly feeling that asking such a question was truly awkward.
As a daughter, to question her mother’s boyfriend about love...
"I did..." Leon Mai answered softly.
"Just for a while, huh?" Cecilia Gu smiled knowingly. "But compared to the perfect life Grandmother offered you, it wasn’t enough for you to give up your privileged life for her, right?"
Leon Mai lowered his head, not daring to make a sound.
"Jane Gu’s pregnancy was your doing. Did you ever consider she might lose her life because of it?" Cecilia Gu’s tone grew sharp as she asked this question.
"N-no..." Leon Mai stammered. "I never thought about that."
"If you had a chance to leave here with Jane Gu for good..." Cecilia Gu asked her final question, "What would you do?"
Leon Mai was stunned, then lowered his head and said nothing.
Cecilia Gu took a deep breath; she understood everything now.
This man really wasn’t worthy of Jane Gu’s lifelong trust.
"Enough, I know everything." Cecilia Gu slowly stood up and walked outside. As she walked, she said to the person following her, "Tell Grandmother, it’s best to send Leon Mai somewhere I’ll never find him. Otherwise, I won’t hesitate to clean house for Grandmother."
How could I ever forgive someone who hurt my mother?
Even the Gu Family didn’t get off easy—let alone someone like Leon Mai.
Cecilia Gu returned to the ancestral hall, knelt and bowed once more before the memorial tablets, supporting herself as she said, "Cecilia Gu, descendant of the Yun Family, has returned."
Madam Yun led Cecilia Gu through the procedure, and added Cecilia Gu’s name to the Family Registry.
When Cecilia Gu saw Madam Yun write the name "Yun Xi" in the registry, her eye twitched involuntarily, but she quickly suppressed it.
Never mind, it doesn’t matter what’s written.
As long as I know I’m Cecilia Gu, that’s enough.
After the procedure, a trace of fatigue flashed across Madam Yun’s face, but she forced herself to ask, "You have three months left."
Madam Yun’s meaning was clear: Cecilia Gu would give birth in three months.
After the child is born, Cecilia Gu will have to fulfill the Yun Family Heritage Code.
Cecilia Gu shot a cold glance at Madam Yun and said, "That’s three months away. Can I go to the Yun Family Sanctuary now?"
"Of course you can. But I suggest you meet your parents first and hear their advice. After all, the Yun Family Sanctuary isn’t a place you can enter or leave at will." Madam Yun resumed counting her prayer beads, one by one. "I won’t pressure you during these three months—you’ll come back willingly."
"Is that so?" Cecilia Gu gave Grandma Yun a cool glance and walked out. "Grandmother, I trust my message has reached you. I hope we can cooperate smoothly."
As she watched Cecilia Gu’s departing figure, Grandma Yun’s prayer beads suddenly paused.
Grandma Yun smiled meaningfully and muttered to herself, "She’s becoming more and more like her."
Her gaze returned to the memorial tablets, suddenly fixing on Zara Yun’s tablet.
"Senior Zara, what do you think?" Grandma Yun gazed at the tablet, murmuring to herself, "The Yun Family is doomed. I’ll ask the ancestors to leave first."
As Cecilia Gu stepped out of the ancestral hall, she felt as if a heavy burden had been lifted.
Even though she knew this burden would never leave her for the rest of her life.
Mr. Yun and Mrs. Yun looked at Cecilia Gu with deep concern.
"I’m fine." Cecilia Gu shook her head to reassure them.
No matter how harsh Grandma Yun was, Mr. Yun and Mrs. Yun were truly innocent.
Back then, how sad they must have been, holding that fake corpse?
Mr. Yun patted Cecilia Gu’s shoulder. "Xi Xi, come with me! The Yun Family Sanctuary isn’t so easy to enter, and you’re pregnant, so you must be extra careful."
Cecilia Gu nodded without hesitation.
Father was right—her child mattered most.
Cecilia Gu followed Mr. Yun and left for a small courtyard nearby.
Refreshments and tea had already been prepared there for Cecilia Gu to rest.
"Xi Xi, do you know what the Yun Family Sanctuary is?" Mr. Yun sighed and asked.
Cecilia Gu shook her head. It must be a closed-off area, probably hiding many secrets.
Only Yun Family heirs are allowed entry—probably because identity verification is required.
When I was officially entered into the Family Registry, they also collected my hair, blood, iris, and fingerprints.
Those must be the keys to entering and leaving the Yun Family Sanctuary.
"The so-called Yun Family Sanctuary is actually a research institute." Mr. Yun nodded. "The personal information collected earlier has already been sent to the institute’s control center. You know, the Yun Family has three treasures: books, medicine, and tea. The Yun Family’s library is incredibly vast—far beyond what you can imagine. It contains the essence of five thousand years of Chinese classics, and also countless works from civilizations around the world. Even books destroyed during the era when the church dominated and science was considered heresy—the Yun Family has preserved them all."
Cecilia Gu was utterly shocked.
Oh my god, if even foreign books from that era are preserved, the Yun Family’s collection is truly insane!