Cecilia Gu nodded. "You really were lucky, but I believe you have more than just luck. If you relied only on luck, you wouldn't have made it back to the Qu Family and been the last one standing."
Zachary Qu gave a slightly surprised smile, then said, "You too. You really surprised me. I thought you were just a figurehead, meant to attract attention, but I never imagined you were the real deal."
Cecilia Gu didn't even know how to respond.
If she admitted it, she'd sound narcissistic. If she denied it, she'd seem arrogant.
It was as if they were meeting for the first time, both with plenty to ask but not knowing where to start.
Cecilia glanced at the sky outside and said, "Looks like the Qu Family's struggle is finally coming to an end. After all this fighting, I doubt your brothers will have a good outcome."
"Of course. Since they started all this, they have to deal with the consequences. So, I'll be staying here for quite a while, Mrs. Yin."
Cecilia understood Zachary's plan and nodded. "It's part of the deal, so just settle in. I've already made sure the place is secure—no one will come near. I can't stay here long, so you two rest up, I'm heading out."
"Alright." Zachary watched Cecilia leave. Just as she was about to disappear at the doorway, he suddenly called out, "Miss Cecilia Grant!"
Cecilia paused, turning back with a puzzled look.
Zachary Qu's gaze flickered for a moment before he said, "If we meet again under different circumstances, could we be friends?"
Cecilia Gu laughed softly, her eyes sparkling. "Of course."
Zachary Qu smiled too, but his smile carried something more—something unspoken and hard to define.
Cecilia Gu walked back to the front, and sure enough, someone was waiting for her as soon as she arrived.
Xiao Wang reported to Cecilia Gu, "Third Young Master Qu sent people asking for help. He’s willing to offer twenty percent of the Qu Family’s interests in exchange for our protection. If I’m not mistaken, he also sent someone to ask Mr. Mo for help."
Without breaking stride, Cecilia replied, "Turn him down."
"Yes, Mrs. Yin," Xiao Wang responded quickly. "The second batch of security guards from the CEO has entered the country and should arrive in about three days. Also, most of the guests at our estate have contacted their families. Their own bodyguard teams will be arriving, about two days after ours—so about five days from now. Should we provide them with accommodations?"
"No accommodations," Cecilia replied decisively. "Tell them that once their bodyguards arrive, they’ll have to leave the Yin Family estate. We won’t offer them protection any longer."
"But Mrs. Yin, since we’re already doing a good deed, why not see it through to the end?" Xiao Wang asked, confused. "Wouldn’t that make all our efforts go to waste?"
"Helping in a crisis means more than adding to someone’s good fortune," Cecilia said.
Xiao Wang was still a bit confused when Julia Yu came over from the side and explained for Cecilia, "Once their bodyguard teams arrive, those VIPs won’t need our protection anymore. By then, our help will be optional for them, and it won’t leave such a strong impression. So there’s no need to waste so many resources for something unnecessary. These days of shelter are enough for them to remember our kindness. If we stop at the right time, this memory will be even clearer and more vivid."