As soon as Cecilia Gu walked in, Eric Jiang's eyes lit up.
However, he quickly concealed it.
Standing to the side, Helen Jiang was filled with turmoil.
Sure enough, only Cecilia Gu could stir her brother's emotions... It was a slap in the face to Cecilia Gu, not just once, but twice.
"Come, come, we've been waiting just for you." Grandma Evelyn Yin waved at Cecilia Gu, smiling kindly. "These are your aunts. They haven't visited often before, so you should get closer to them."
Cecilia Gu watched as a group of women surrounded her, showering her with flattering compliments. She maintained a graceful and poised smile.
Helen Jiang couldn't hold back anymore. Seeing Cecilia Gu encircled by all those wealthy ladies, looking like the center of attention, Helen Jiang couldn't help but say sourly, "Cousin-in-law is amazing. She became the focus as soon as she walked in! I've been standing here for ages and no one noticed me."
Helen Jiang was famously domineering and willful.
Many of the ladies present came from families far less influential than the Jiang Family, so after hearing Helen Jiang's words, their faces flushed with embarrassment.
Cecilia Gu glanced lightly at Helen Jiang but said nothing.
But just because Cecilia Gu ignored Helen Jiang didn’t mean Helen would let her off.
"Cousin-in-law is always the good one. Even some lowly poor girl wants to compete with me, but cousin-in-law is still cousin-in-law. I can't argue with her about anything." Helen Jiang continued to mock Cecilia Gu.
As soon as Helen Jiang finished speaking, everyone's expression in the room changed slightly!
Helen Jiang’s blatant disrespect toward Cecilia Gu was not just humiliating her—it was a slap in the face to Cecilia Gu, not just once, but twice!
Before the Yin Family could respond, Eric Jiang had already turned cold, his voice distant: "Helen, apologize to Cecilia."
Helen Jiang heard Eric Jiang’s words and couldn’t hold back her pent-up frustration any longer. She exploded, shouting at Eric: "Why? Brother, why do you always take her side no matter what she does? You never used to be like this. You used to care about me the most! Look closely—she’s Cecilia Gu, not Yun Nuo! Yun Nuo is dead!"
Eric Jiang hadn’t expected Helen to cause a scene in front of so many people, publicly humiliating Cecilia Gu. He couldn’t hold back anymore and slapped Helen Jiang hard across the face!
Smack—a crisp, resounding slap echoed in the room.
A clear five-finger mark instantly appeared on her cheek.
Helen Jiang covered her face. When she looked up at Eric Jiang, a trace of hatred flashed in her eyes!
"I'm sorry, Huiyin is still young and said the wrong thing. I apologize on her behalf!" Eric Jiang nodded to Cecilia Gu. "Huiyin is being immature. She shouldn't stay here as a guest. We'll take our leave! Madam Yin, Auntie, I'm sorry, we'll go now!"
Old Madam Yin and Mrs. Yin remained seated, only nodding slightly.
When they looked at Huiyin Jiang, there was indeed a trace of disgust in their eyes.
Whether the Yin family’s fondness for Cecilia Gu is genuine or not, embarrassing her in front of so many people is a disgrace to the whole Yin family.
What Huiyin Jiang did was truly detestable.
So, Eric Jiang’s apology was accepted by the Yin family.
Eric Jiang dragged a reluctant Huiyin Jiang out of the room and into the main hall.
Huiyin Jiang yanked her hand free from Eric, tears streaming down her face as she looked at him. "Brother, you never treated me like this before! Do you like Cecilia Gu now? Are you crazy? She’s your sister-in-law!"
Eric Jiang hadn’t expected Huiyin to lose control to this extent, saying such outrageous things right at the Yin residence!
If someone with ulterior motives spread these words, how much damage would it do to Cecilia Gu’s reputation?
Eric Jiang looked at Huiyin Jiang with disappointed eyes, his voice icy: "Huiyin, you’ve truly let me down! All these years, Mom and Dad have indulged your arrogance and willfulness, and I’ve spoiled you too. I never imagined you’d be so reckless, saying such outrageous things here! From today onward, you’re not leaving the house!"
Huiyin Jiang stared at Eric in disbelief. "Brother, you want to lock me up?"
"Yes! You’d better stay home and reflect seriously! Clearly, all the lessons from Sichen went in one ear and out the other." Eric Jiang looked at Huiyin calmly, his eyes no longer indulgent but utterly weary.
A sister who constantly meddles in her brother’s personal life, whether related by blood or not, inevitably becomes someone others despise.
"I won’t!" Huiyin Jiang suddenly shoved Eric away and turned to leave.
Eric Jiang didn’t bother explaining further. He simply ordered his bodyguards to take Huiyin home and keep her under house arrest.
If she loves causing trouble so much, she might as well stay home forever.
After watching the bodyguards take Huiyin away, Eric hadn’t even turned around when he heard a gentle voice behind him: "Cousin, you don’t have to go that far."
Even without turning, Eric Jiang knew it was Cecilia Gu.
Cecilia Gu walked out slowly, saw the bodyguards taking Huiyin Jiang away, and spoke softly: "She was just spouting nonsense. No one will take it seriously."
Eric Jiang turned to look at Cecilia Gu. Though she’d grown a bit fuller from pregnancy, her poise and strength seemed even greater than before.
Her features were still familiar, but the calm and resilience in her eyes made her seem like a completely different person.
It was a side of her he didn’t know.
Yun Nuo had never been so calm and resilient.
When Yun Nuo learned about her mission and responsibility as a Yun family daughter, she chose to let Eric Jiang down, bury her feelings, and submit to fate.
But Cecilia Gu was different.
She was never the type to just accept things passively.
No matter how big the obstacle, she’d always fight back.
Even if it meant being shattered, she would fight to the end.
This was the side of Cecilia Gu that was completely different from Yun Nuo—and also the most captivating.
"As long as you don’t believe it, that’s enough." Eric Jiang looked at Cecilia Gu very seriously.
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"You’re too polite, cousin." Cecilia Gu took a deep breath and gazed out the window. Even though it was winter, the evergreen plants in the courtyard were still pruned to look elegant and refined. "Today is New Year's Eve, after all. If everyone can get by, let them get by."
"I heard the family is already preparing a chief assistant for the child?" Eric Jiang asked softly.
Cecilia Gu nodded.
"Do you need me to investigate those people for you one by one?" Eric Jiang asked.
Cecilia Gu shook her head and said, "No need. I’ve already asked someone to investigate! Thank you for the one billion you gave me last time. That money really helped me a lot. I’ll pay you back soon."
Eric Jiang didn’t say anything else. He simply stood with Cecilia Gu, gazing out the window.
After standing for a while, just as Cecilia Gu was about to leave, Eric Jiang suddenly asked, "Between the Yun family and the Yin family, which will you choose?"
Cecilia Gu froze for a moment, her eyes lowered so no one could see her expression.
Cecilia Gu didn’t answer right away. When she lifted her eyes again, there was a new determination in them: "Even if I can only take things one step at a time for now, outside forces will never change my heart. I’ll love who I want, I’ll care for who I want—no one has the right to interfere! Even if I have to fulfill my family’s mission and responsibilities, it doesn’t mean I have to sacrifice everything. I believe I’ll find a better solution! Waiting passively isn’t my style."
After saying this, Cecilia Gu clenched her fists, her eyes blazing: "Eric Jiang, I don’t know how you see me and my sister. I’m not my sister—I’m not as noble as she was, willing to sacrifice her happiness for the Yun family. Responsibility matters to me, but there are limits. My shoulders are still young; I can’t bear too much. I’m weak, and I can only protect the ones I care about! As for everyone else, I won’t care what happens to them!"
Cecilia Gu suddenly turned to Eric Jiang, her words resolute: "If the Mo family insists on an answer from me, I’ll pay the price for the people I care about. But I’ll do it in a roundabout way."
"Like what?" Eric Jiang’s eyes sparkled, as if he was meeting Cecilia Gu for the first time.
"If the Mo family just wants a child from the Yun and Mo families, then I’ll have one by IVF and give it to them!" Cecilia Gu declared firmly. "The person I love in this life is Yin Sichen. I’m lucky he loves me too. I won’t leave him or betray him. He’s suffered enough—I won’t let him suffer more! My body and soul can stay pure. If I just have to give my genes, that’s a price I’m willing to pay to protect this love."
This was the perfect solution Cecilia Gu had come up with after much thought.
The Mo family was forcing her to divorce and be with Mo Zixin, all for the sake of the next generation.
Cecilia Gu still didn’t know what the Mo family saw in her, since she’d never had any close contact with their elders.
If they weren’t after her, or the Yun family’s wealth, maybe what they wanted was her strong genes?
If that was the case, with technology so advanced now, she didn’t mind making a sacrifice—donating her egg and having a child with Mo Zixin by IVF, to fulfill everyone’s goals.
Her body and soul would remain pure.
If Yin Sichen couldn’t accept her after this, she would choose to leave his life and let him resolve his inner conflict.
If Yin Sichen could accept her, then everyone would be happy, wouldn’t they?
Eric Jiang hadn’t expected Cecilia Gu to come up with such a solution. He was stunned, unable to speak for a long time.
Cecilia Gu’s words soon reached Yin Sichen’s ears.
Yin Sichen’s eyes shimmered, full of gentle affection.
How could he not understand the meaning behind Cecilia Gu’s words?
How could he not be moved?
She gave him her purity, asking only that he let go of the past.
Yin Sichen sighed softly and said, "My little mole... What am I supposed to say to you? Actually, I’ve already thought of other ways out for you, but you’re willing to sacrifice yourself so harshly for others. Don’t you know, even if it’s a test-tube baby, it’s still your child?"