Right now, Cecilia Gu didn't have time to worry about who paid the bill.
Whatever!
If someone paid the wrong bill, I'll deal with it when they come looking for me.
Cecilia flagged down a cab on the road and went straight home.
Sure enough, as soon as she walked in, she saw several police officers at home, all questioning Jane Xiao.
When Cecilia and the others came back, they immediately caught the attention of several police officers.
"Are you Cecilia Gu?" A police officer showed his badge to her and asked, "Do you know Gu Jiaqiang from the building next door?"
Cecilia nodded, "Yes, I know him. He's my adoptive father."
The police officer nodded, "When was the last time you saw him?"
Last time? Cecilia couldn't even remember clearly.
It must have been several months ago, she thought.
"Did something happen to my dad?" Cecilia couldn't help but ask.
"He... was pushed to the ground and got stabbed by broken glass." The police officer hesitated, but still answered her question.
Cecilia gasped.
How could this happen?
The people behind her widened their eyes in disbelief.
Even though Cecilia disliked the Gu family, she never wished them dead.
Cecilia took a deep breath and said, "Can you tell us the details?"
The police officer nodded.
It was his first time meeting Cecilia, but he knew who she was, so he remained polite.
No wonder, being the wife of the president of Yin Corporation was truly intimidating.
Cecilia sat on the chair brought over by her assistant, listening intently to the police.
"Just half an hour ago, we received a report and went to the building next door. By the time we arrived, your adoptive father, Howard Gu, had already died from excessive blood loss. The suspects are believed to be his wife and mother. Currently, one is on the run and the other is in custody. According to the pregnant woman in custody, the dispute started because your grandmother suddenly had a large sum of money, and the three fought over its ownership. During the scuffle, a glass bottle fell and shattered on the floor. When your adoptive father, Howard Gu, was caught off guard and fell, he was pierced in the carotid artery."
Cecilia gasped again.
Even though she hadn't witnessed the scene herself, she could imagine how... intense it must have been.
She never expected that her twenty thousand yuan would become her adoptive father's death warrant.
Cecilia never could have imagined such an outcome.
The police continued to ask, "The Gu family has always struggled financially. This twenty thousand yuan is said to have come from you. Is that correct?"
Cecilia nodded and didn't deny it: "Yes, I gave the money... to Grandma. When I came back today, Grandma was making a scene at my mother's door, which many neighbors can attest to. I really didn't want her to keep disturbing my mom, so I gave her twenty thousand yuan. But I never expected something like this would happen."
The police officer nodded. Apparently, they had already investigated the commotion before coming.
Cecilia sighed softly.
People die for money, birds die for food.
She never expected the Gu family would cause a death over just twenty thousand yuan.
No wonder, years ago, they nearly drove her to death for a tiny bit of profit.
Although she could stay out of this case, after all, he was the father she called Dad for twenty-three years.
"Where is he now?" Cecilia asked. "My second uncle's family has collapsed, my cousin is gone, my stepmother is in custody, and Grandma is on the run. I want to claim my father's body."
He's currently in the morgue freezer at the funeral home. Once the case is solved, he can be cremated.
Cecilia nodded sadly.
Although Howard Gu had never truly loved her, he had at least provided shelter from the storm.
She decided this would be her last act of filial piety.
"By the way, if Grandma is caught, will she be sentenced?" Cecilia asked.
The police officer closed his notebook and gave a formulaic smile.
Because of Cecilia's special status, he had to answer: "It depends on the actual circumstances of the case. Whether it's intentional or negligent homicide, there will be a sentence. Even though the deceased was her son, she still has to bear legal responsibility."
Cecilia's breath caught.
That's right, no matter the reason, Howard Gu died at her hands. That is a fact.
"What about my stepmother? What will happen to her?" Cecilia remembered her stepmother was seven or eight months pregnant, probably about to give birth.
"That will be handled according to the specific laws at the time. Mrs. Yin, thank you for your cooperation." The police ended the conversation.
The conversation with Jane Gu was also finished, and the police said their goodbyes.
After the police left, Jane Gu sighed deeply. "Cecilia, how could that family just fall apart like that?"
Cecilia took Jane Gu's hand and smiled helplessly, "Mom, their family's problems have nothing to do with us anymore. We just need to live our own lives well."
Jane Gu nodded silently.
Cecilia didn't want Jane Gu to get further involved, so she said, "Mom, didn't you say Uncle Myron is coming back today? You should go get ready."
Jane Gu blushed and said shyly, "What's there to prepare?"
Cecilia laughed and said, "Mom, you're still young. Maybe you'll have your own child!"
Even Jane Gu's ears turned red.
Cecilia pushed Jane Gu to her room to change clothes. After Jane Gu left, Cecilia immediately said to her assistant, "Let's go to the funeral home and take a look."
Nora Mu and Susan Mo tried to stop her, "Cecilia, you're going to that kind of place... Aren't you afraid...?"
Cecilia looked calm but spoke firmly, "Even my own grandmother despises my fate, saying I'm cursed and should be cast out to die alone. What do I have to fear? Besides, my child will protect me. No matter how cruel Howard Gu was to me, I can't be cruel to him. Out of emotion and reason, I must send him off on his final journey. This is my last act of filial piety."
Nora Mu thought for a moment and said, "Then I'll go with you."
"I'll go too. When Nora passed away, I was right there by her side. There's nothing to be afraid of." Susan Mo saw Nora Mu was going, so she had no reason not to go as well.
Cecilia didn't say anything polite, just nodded silently.
The three of them, with two assistants, drove off toward the funeral home.
As their car left the neighborhood, a silver-gray Audi quietly followed.
The Audi kept a careful distance, so the car in front didn't notice it at all.
A drove steadily, not daring to speak, only glancing at Charles Yin in the rearview mirror from time to time.
Charles Yin kept his gaze on the car ahead, his face expressionless.
But the more expressionless he was, the more unsettled A felt.
Today, the boss called for a helicopter, didn't report to Mrs. Yin, and flew directly from the company to N City, then followed all the way here.
But Boss, if you don't tell Mrs. Yin, how would she ever know... that you took care of Howard Gu's situation for her?
Charles Yin escorted Cecilia into the funeral home before speaking, "Has everything been arranged at the funeral home?"
"Yes, sir. Arrangements have been made in advance. Howard Gu will be placed in a separate room, so no strangers or bodies will disturb Mrs. Yin." A quickly answered.
"Mm." Charles Yin closed his eyes wearily and rested against the seat.
A opened his mouth, wanting to suggest Charles Yin rest first, but he knew saying it wouldn't make a difference.
A could only try to stay quiet, letting Charles Yin, who hadn't slept for two days and nights, rest as much as possible.
As soon as Cecilia entered the funeral home, the staff, hearing she was there for Howard Gu, broke protocol and led her to a private room.
Everyone else waited outside while Cecilia went in alone.
Upon entering, she saw Howard Gu lying in a transparent ice coffin, the room filled with a chilling atmosphere.
Cecilia gently soothed her belly and said to her baby, "Son, let's send Grandpa off on his final journey, okay?"
It seemed the child in her belly sensed Cecilia's feelings; his tiny hands and feet moved, gently touching her palm.
Cecilia smiled.
Cecilia slowly walked over, stopping half a meter from the ice coffin, her gaze landing on Howard Gu's face.
His face still showed surprise and disbelief.
Cecilia sighed softly and said to Howard Gu, "Dad, I never expected our next meeting would be like this. Grandma's unreliability, you never saw it in over forty years—who can you blame? That money was just to buy news from years ago, but it became your death warrant. Dad, as your soul wanders, do you regret what you did?"
There's a saying: What goes around comes around. You were my adoptive father. Although I didn't agree with what you did, I never blamed you.' Cecilia continued, 'But I really did hate you. When Mom and I were at our most helpless, you never stood up for us! You only wanted to please Grandma and protect your own money.
Even if I wasn't your biological daughter, I still called you Dad for twenty-three years. Did you ever really treat me as your daughter? What was I to you? Even if Mom married you with ulterior motives, after twenty years, how did she treat you and the Gu family? It's not just about your attitude toward me—why did you ignore your wife as well?