Cecilia Gu was sitting on the sofa, just about to take a nap.
Cecilia glanced at the screen—it was a call from Max Mo.
She picked a quiet spot and wandered around, thinking about Nora Yun.
Cecilia answered the call, "Hello?"
Max Mo’s voice came through the phone: "Cecilia, I’m really sorry about what happened today! It’s all my fault—I didn’t communicate with the Yun Family in time, which led to this misunderstanding! Cecilia, the Yun Family wants to apologize to you personally for earlier, so they’d like to invite you to visit their home. What do you think?"
Cherry Yun?
Cecilia was stunned.
Yesterday, when Cecilia toured some of the Yun Family’s old estates, the guide mentioned that the Yun Family was the cultural leader of Eastshire Province.
Cecilia smiled gently. "It’s fine, I didn’t take it to heart." Mr. Yun and Mrs. Yun must be really worried.
"Cecilia, I didn’t mean anything else, really!" Cherry Yun hurriedly explained. "I just saw how happy Mr. Yun and Mrs. Yun were because of you, so I couldn’t help but volunteer to come. Um, is it okay if I call you that?"
It’s really a place where the wise gather and no commoners come and go.
Yet now, the Yun Family wanted to invite her over because of a misunderstanding... Was Nora Yun really that important to them?
Wasn’t this a bit too formal?
Cecilia hesitated.
Max Mo continued on the phone, "You don’t have to decide right now. Joe Qi’s wedding will have three days of celebrations here, so you can take your time to think about it."
After hanging up, any sleepiness she had was gone.
Cecilia was now unsure what the Yun Family really wanted.
She’d already explained everything—was there really any need for Cherry Yun to come looking for her again?
Or maybe, if they wanted to apologize, Mo Zixin could’ve just passed along the message and that would’ve been enough.
There was really no need to make such a big deal out of this.
Could it be that this apology had another purpose? Was Cherry Yun involved too?
No wonder Cecilia was overthinking the situation. Cherry Yun’s presence made things more complicated.
After all, she had the exact same face as Nora Yun, their daughter. It was easy for people to think she was deliberately getting close to the Yun Family.
Cecilia wasn’t the kind of person who liked to take advantage of others.
She didn’t want to use her own looks to find a backer in the Yun Family either.
So, Cecilia hesitated.
After hanging up with Cecilia, Max Mo quickly called the Yun Family.
When Mr. Yun and Mrs. Yun heard that Cecilia hadn’t accepted their invitation, they were so anxious they couldn’t sit still. They lost interest in the rest of the wedding party and made up an excuse to go home and discuss what to do next.
Since Cecilia was still in K City, the Yun Family was determined to get her to visit at least once.
Even if it was just to recognize her as a goddaughter, they couldn’t miss this chance.
At this point, Mrs. Yun confessed to her husband that she’d secretly gone to N City to meet Cecilia. She confirmed Cecilia was a good girl, and after noticing how some of her habits matched Nora Yun’s perfectly, Mr. Yun became even more certain about his idea.
Since she couldn’t sleep, Cecilia decided to go out for a walk.
She picked a quiet spot and wandered around.
As soon as Cecilia stepped outside, she saw a girl standing at her door, looking nervous and uneasy.
When Cecilia suddenly appeared, the girl seemed startled.
Cecilia was taken aback—the girl’s eyes darted about, as if she wanted to run away.
"Who are you?" Cecilia raised an eyebrow at her.
The girl finally gathered her courage and introduced herself, "Hello, I’m Cherry Yun. I... I’m here on behalf of the Yun Family to apologize."
Cecilia smiled gently. "It’s fine, I didn’t take it to heart."
After Cecilia said that, she noticed Cherry Yun still standing there. She thought for a moment and said, "If you’re free and willing, come walk with me in the garden. I want to get some air."
Cherry Yun immediately nodded.
Cherry Yun quietly followed behind Cecilia, watching her back.
Before coming, Cherry Yun had boasted to Mr. Yun and Mrs. Yun that she would definitely persuade Cecilia to visit their home.
But when she was actually face to face with Cecilia, she suddenly felt hesitant.
If Cecilia was just herself, it would be easy to talk.
But don’t forget, she’s also the wife of the CEO of Yin Enterprises.
For the wife of a top conglomerate that spans Europe, Asia, and Africa, what leverage does the Yun Family really have?
Cecilia didn’t say anything, and Cherry Yun stayed silent too.
The two of them just walked quietly in the garden, one behind the other.
"Do I really look that much like Nora Yun?" Cecilia thought for a moment and decided to break the silence. Otherwise, what was the point of two introverts walking around together?
Cherry Yun was startled, then nodded instinctively. "You look a lot like her, but not exactly."
"Tell me more," Cecilia smiled, turning to look at Cherry Yun.
Cherry Yun didn’t dare stare openly. She thought for a moment and said, "Nora Yun was always sickly—she could never walk around so carefree. She spent most of her days in the hospital. Mom and Dad said she was born frail, and doctors once said she wouldn’t live past sixteen. But thanks to the Yun Family’s medical resources, she made it to twenty-one. Oh, right, I should mention—I was registered under Nora Yun’s parents. After she passed away, I was registered under my adoptive parents. My biological father and Nora Yun’s father are cousins."
Cecilia nodded in understanding.
After Nora Yun passed away, the direct line of the Yun Family was considered ended.
So picking a child from a branch family to inherit the Yun Family’s assets is a common practice among big families.
Cecilia instantly understood.
Since Cherry Yun is now the Yun Family’s heir, but she came to find Cecilia herself, there must be something more to this.
When Mr. Yun and Mrs. Yun saw Cecilia, they completely lost their composure—Cherry Yun had definitely noticed that.
If she got close to the Yun Family, with her resemblance to Nora Yun, Mr. Yun and his family would always pay attention to her.
Her existence was definitely a threat to Cherry Yun.
Plus, she was the wife of the CEO of Yin Enterprises. If she wanted to get involved with the Yun Family, Cherry Yun wouldn’t stand a chance against her.
Even if she left the Yin Family and divorced Charles Yin someday...
Her son would definitely become the fourth-generation heir of the Yin Family.
Just being the biological mother of the Yin Family’s fourth-generation heir would be enough to make Cherry Yun nervous.
So her motives were even more intriguing.
She must have thought about all these things before coming here, right?
Faced with Cecilia’s meaningful gaze, Cherry Yun suddenly felt flustered.
"Cecilia, I didn’t mean anything else, really!" Cherry Yun hurriedly explained. "I just saw how happy Mom and Dad were because of you, so I couldn’t help but volunteer to come. Um, is it okay if I call you that?"
"Sure." Cecilia just smiled and kept walking. "Go on."
"Nora Yun was incredibly smart, the most outstanding in the Yun Family. She didn’t talk much and often sat alone, daydreaming. If it wasn’t for Max Mo, she would’ve been even quieter. Every day, except for school, she’d quietly read or paint in her room. It’s not that she didn’t want to go out—she couldn’t. Even flower pollen outside could be deadly for her. That’s why there are no flowers in the Yun Family."
Cecilia was stunned.
So Nora Yun’s life... was really that tough!
On the surface, she seemed glamorous, the eldest daughter of the Yun Family and at the peak of cultural status.
But in reality, she was dragging around a body that could be critically ill at any moment.
The contrast was just too much.
Even in those circumstances, Nora Yun learned eight languages and excelled at literature and painting. Her strength was truly admirable.
Hmm, when it comes to being strong, she and Cecilia seem a bit alike.
No matter how tough things got, she could always get through them quickly.
Ah, she was overthinking again.
"Mm, go on," Cecilia nodded, showing real interest.
"Is there anything else you want to know, Cecilia? Why don’t you ask and I’ll answer?" Cherry Yun suggested.
Cecilia smiled. "Honestly, there’s not much I want to know. You came to persuade me to visit the Yun Family, right?"
When Cecilia called her out directly, Cherry Yun blushed slightly.
"It’s really not necessary. I accept your apology," Cecilia continued. "But visiting the Yun Family isn’t needed."
Cherry Yun got anxious. "Cecilia, do you think I’m not good enough to invite you? If that’s it, I can ask Max Mo to invite you instead!"
Cecilia stopped in her tracks and raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean by that, Miss Yun?"
Cherry Yun looked aggrieved. "Please don’t be mad, Cecilia. I just hoped you’d pity Mom and Dad, who are getting old and have lost their daughter. You’re a mother now too, so please, say yes."
Cecilia raised her eyebrow again.
Before Cecilia could reply, Max Mo’s voice sounded from nearby. "Cherry, stop it! Go home!"
When Cherry Yun saw Max Mo arrive, she pouted in grievance and turned to leave.
Cecilia watched Cherry Yun’s back, as if she’d figured something out.
Max Mo apologized, "Sorry, those words weren’t from Uncle and Aunt."
"I understand," Cecilia nodded. "She was just using reverse psychology. She doesn’t really want me to visit the Yun Family, so she said all that to make me dislike the idea. I figured she’d do something like this."
Max Mo seemed relieved. "I’m glad you think that way."
Cecilia smiled.
She’d never been involved in any family feuds, but after two years working in the Yin Enterprises logistics department, she’d seen plenty of office politics.
Everyone had one face for the front and another for behind the scenes.
Because she was low-status, her colleagues looked down on her and never tried to win her over.
So she’d seen way too much scheming and infighting.
Compared to her coworkers, Cherry Yun’s little tricks were nothing.