Cici asked someone to notify the Yin Family before she left Chen Village.
Cici didn't want to face the Yin Family directly.
She doesn't have the right to do that now, does she?
After leaving Chen Village, Rona Muir drove slowly back, while Cici leaned against the seat, gazing out the window and lost in thought.
This trip turned out so differently than I expected!
Who would've thought the random uncle I picked up by the roadside was actually the former president of the Yin Family?
This world is just full of disappointments...
Suddenly, Rona slammed on the brakes.
Cici was caught off guard, yanked back hard by the seatbelt!
Before Cici could cry out, Rona was already shouting, "Cici, look at him..."
Cici looked up and saw Howard Yin standing in the middle of the road, blocking their motorcade.
Cici was stunned for a moment, then quickly unfastened her seatbelt and got out of the car.
Howard Yin saw Cici and nodded, seemingly satisfied.
Even though he had given up his status and position, and everything he'd ever owned, years of experience still gave him an undeniable presence.
"I want to talk to you," Howard said simply. "This isn't the place. Come with me."
Then Howard added, "Don't worry, I won't do anything to you. After all, you're my daughter-in-law—the one who gave the Yin Family an heir. I remember what you've done for us."
Cici felt like Howard really had something to say to her. Since he'd put it that way, should she agree or refuse?
Cici thought for a moment, glanced back at Rona, then bit her lip and ran over to say, "I'll go with him for a bit. Don't worry... I'll be fine! If anything happens, I'll call you."
Rona nodded and said, "Just be careful. I'll be close by."
Cici nodded, then turned and followed Howard away with big strides.
Rona stared blankly at the backs of Cici and Howard Yin, unable to help herself from saying, "These rich families really are all so complicated. I guess breaking up with Sean Kerr was the right choice. If the Yin Family is like this, the Kerr Family must be even worse."
Heh, Sean Kerr. We really were never meant to be.
Cici followed Howard, quickly taking a small path up a hill.
Cici looked up and saw a quiet grave standing silently at the top of the hill.
There were three small cabins built next to the grave.
The area was shaded by lush trees, and the scenery was actually quite nice.
The grave was swept and kept very tidy, clearly cared for with great attention.
Howard walked up to the grave, gently touched the inscription, and his eyes softened as he said quietly, "This is May Chen's grave. She's been buried here for forty years."
Cici glanced at the tombstone—it was smooth and rounded, clearly worn down from frequent touching.
"If... I hadn't come back to China all those years ago, maybe she and I would be the happiest couple in the world now," Howard said in a low voice. The pain in his words was something Cici could truly feel.
"Did you bring me here just to see her grave?" Cici couldn't help but ask.
Howard's fingers paused, then he reluctantly let go and turned toward the cabin. "Come in," he said.
Cici glanced at the tombstone, respectfully bowed to it, then turned and followed Howard into the cabin.
The cabin was small—three rooms together were barely sixty square meters.
The furniture inside was simple, just enough for basic living.
Clearly, Howard didn't mind any of this at all.
"Sit down. You're the first outsider to visit my cabin," Howard said, sitting down at one side of the table. Cici hesitated, then sat across from him.
Howard carefully took a small wooden box out of the drawer and pushed it toward Cici.
Cici looked at him in surprise, not understanding what he was doing.
"This is something I prepared for my grandson. Since you're here, I'll give it to you," Howard said, opening the box and turning to Cici.
Cici lowered her eyes and looked inside. The plain little box held a key and a notarized will.
"These are all my personal assets, completely unrelated to the Yin Family," Howard said after a moment. "When we were outside the city, I didn't know you were my grandson's mother, so I targeted you. Consider this my compensation."
Cici shook her head, about to refuse, but Howard went on, "These things mean nothing to me now. I'm already sixty, I don't have much time left. Keeping this wealth is pointless. I want you and the child to have it. It's not much, but at least it's something from me as a grandfather."
"It's a shame I've never met my grandson..." Howard's eyes showed a hint of loneliness and regret. "I've let down a lot of people in my life. May Chen, Vivian Jiang, even May Yan—I haven't treated any of them right. But I don't regret it. Even if I'm cursed for a hundred years, I won't regret it. As for Charles, he may not be the child of the woman I loved, but he was born with my hope. So my feelings for him are complicated."
"What about Sienna Yin?" Cici thought of that man who seemed abandoned by the world and couldn't help asking, "In your heart, what does he mean to you?"
Howard's fingers suddenly stiffened, and pain flashed in his eyes.
Cici didn't back down, just looked at Howard.
This time, Howard didn't avoid the question. He gently closed his eyes, sighed, and said softly, "Sienna was truly an accident. But later, I did allow him to be born. I feel guilty toward him, but I can't make it up to him. Neither the Yin Family nor the Jiang Family would ever let him inherit anything. I'm surprised he even came back to the Yin Family."
Howard had no idea that the reason Sienna Yin returned to the family was actually all thanks to Charles.
To make sure Cici was accepted by the Yin Family, Charles was willing to pay any price—so what was Sienna Yin compared to that?
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Cici had already lost her memories from that time, so she couldn't explain to Howard why Sienna Yin came back.
"But he's still my son," Howard said, his expression softening. "As his big sister-in-law, please look after him for me. I'm old now, and there's nothing left for me to chase. I don't know how much longer I can stay here with May Chen—maybe soon, I'll join her underground. For anything I can't handle in the family, I'll leave it to you."
Cici felt awkward. "Uncle Howard, I... I'm not your daughter-in-law anymore. Charles and I are divorced."
Cici wanted to deny she was the Yin Family's daughter-in-law, but Ethan Yin was her son—she couldn't deny that.
So Cici compromised, choosing to deny her relationship with Charles but not with the Yin Family.
"The men of the Yin Family are all hopeless romantics. Passionate but fickle," Howard said, shaking his head. "Charles is stubborn—once he sets his mind on someone, he never lets go. I can tell he hasn't gotten over you. Anyway, I won't meddle in you young people's business. I called you here just to give you this. Take it and go! And don't come looking for me again!"
Cici looked at the box in her hands, wanting to say something, but Howard had already told her to leave: "This place belongs to me and May Chen. I don't want anyone disturbing us. You're my daughter-in-law, so you're an exception. But I don't want to see anyone else here."
Cici stood up awkwardly, looked at the marks time had left on Howard's face, and couldn't help saying, "If you ever need anything, just call me. If I can help, I will—if only for Ethan's sake."
"Ethan? That's a good name! So my grandson is called Ethan Yin," Howard said, forcing a smile. "Good, good. As long as the Yin Family has an heir, I can rest easy. I haven't let down our ancestors! Go on, I won't see you off!"
Cici's eyes flickered, but in the end, she picked up the box and turned to leave.
"Thank you." Cici bowed respectfully to Howard Yin, then slowly walked down the mountain.
Watching Cici's departing figure, Howard Yin's eyes darkened, lost in thought.
As soon as Cici came down with the box, she saw Mona Mu waiting for her by the car door.
"Well? What did he say to you?" Mona Mu asked with concern.
Cici raised the box in her hand and said, "This is what he left for Ethan Yin. It's his personal property."
Mona glanced at the mountaintop and immediately said, "Come on, let's go back."
Once they got in the car and left F City, Cici briefly told Mona Mu what had happened today.
As Mona drove, she exclaimed in surprise, "No wonder I've always felt the Yin family atmosphere was strange. So this is the reason. Indeed, the men of the Yin family are both devoted and cold, passionate and ruthless. They only ever commit to one person in their lives, and never spare any affection for anyone else. For that one person, how lucky. But for everyone else, how unfortunate."
Cici rested her chin in her hand, leaning against the car window, and nodded gently. "Yeah. Even though I've always listened and watched as an outsider, I was still pretty shocked. For May Chen, she was so lucky. But for the other women, how unlucky. Uncle Yin is decisive and ruthless, just like Charles Yin. No wonder Uncle Yin was so willing to hand over the company to his son—he knows Charles Yin is just like him."
Decisive and ruthless... Yes, truly decisive and ruthless!
Back in the wild, Howard Yin wanted to kill Cici without a moment's hesitation. If Ethan Xiao hadn't shown up in time, who knows what would have happened...
Thinking of this, Cici couldn't help but shiver.
She really was bold today!
To accept something from such a terrifying man... how could she dare?