I raised stunning young ladies, but they all wanted to possess me.

The moment Fu Wanqing saw the portrait, the light in her amber eyes dimmed.

Like a lamp blown out by the wind, or a star obscured by clouds.

The corners of her mouth were still curved, but the curve had changed, transforming from pride into something indescribable.

It sounded like disappointment, or perhaps inferiority, as if saying, "I'm nowhere near as good as her."

Gu Yan saw all of this and frowned slightly.

He realized that Fu Wanqing's problem wasn't physical, but psychological.

Fu Shiwei is too outstanding, so outstanding that everyone lives in her shadow.

Although Fu Wanqing is a true descendant of the Fu family, she grew up in a mountain village and did not have the resources and upbringing that Fu Shiwei had.

She returned, but she couldn't find her place and didn't know what she meant in the family.

Her smile was genuine, her cheerfulness was genuine, but her inner inferiority complex was also genuine.

However, compared to Cecilia's physical disability and Lin Jinyu's bipolar disorder, this problem is really nothing.

Cecilia suffers from a disability in both legs and psychological trauma, while Lin Jinyu suffers from bipolar disorder and emotional instability.

Fu Wanqing is just a little insecure and lacks self-confidence; what kind of illness is that?

He suspected that Fu Yunshu was making a mountain out of a molehill, and that the old woman was being too sensitive.

But since she asked him for help, she should have just stated the problem directly: why did she bring him to Yingwu Hall?

Why tell him about the history of the Fu family? Why show him these portraits?

Was it to make him understand the weight of the Fu family, and to let him know how much of a favor it was to help Fu Wanqing?

Or was she implying something, using the Fu family's thousand-year heritage to pressure him?

Gu Yan had several thoughts running through her mind, but she didn't show anything on her face.

Fu Yunshu glanced at Fu Wanqing unintentionally; the glance was quick and subtle, but Gu Yan caught it.

Then she turned to look at Gu Yan, her eagle-like eyes filled with a hint of inquiry.

"Young friend Gu, after reading so much, what are your thoughts?"

Her voice was calm, as if she were asking a very ordinary question.

Gu Yan stood in the main hall of Yingwu Hall, surrounded by portraits of the Fu family's ancestors.

The people in those portraits were all looking at him, their gazes converging from different directions.

He took a deep breath, his voice steady and calm.

"Each of the ancestors of the Fu family made tremendous contributions to the empire and the people."

"Without them, there would be no peace and stability in Great Xia today, and no prosperity in Jinghai today."

"I admire and respect him very much."

He spoke in a very official tone, like he was reciting a text, but his tone was very sincere.

Everyone loves to hear such words, especially when they come from the mouth of the Imperial Jade.

Fu Yunshu nodded, her expression unchanged, as if she had expected him to say that.

She turned around and looked at the portrait that hung the highest, Fu Shiwei's portrait glowing faintly under the lamplight.

After a silence of about ten seconds, she finally spoke, her voice softer than before.

"Young friend Gu, to be honest, I've come to you tonight because I need your help with something."

Gu Yan's heart skipped a beat. It's here, it's finally here. He knew it wouldn't be good.

"The child from the Chen family in Shanglu hasn't woken up for several days. Chen Sinian is so worried that his hair has turned white."

"We searched everywhere for someone to watch over her, but no one could see clearly, and no one could get close to her."

Aunt Tian stayed by her bedside, never leaving her side, but it was no use.

She paused, turned to look at Gu Yan, and the light in her eyes was deep.

"Chen Ssu-nien went through several people before finally turning to me for help."

"He knows you're with the Fu family and wants to ask you to go and see if you can help."

Gu Yan was completely stunned, her mouth agape and her eyes wide open.

"Cecilia Chen".

His voice trembled slightly when he said the name, as if he was confirming that he hadn't misheard.

Fu Yunshu neither nodded nor shook her head, she just looked at him.

Those eagle-like eyes held a meaning that said, "You know who I'm talking about."

Gu Yan's mind was buzzing. Cecilia, Chen Sinian's daughter, that white-haired young lady in a wheelchair.

In the original work, she is the female lead in the later stages of the story and a key figure in driving the main plot.

Her illness is a rare form of supernatural backlash, leaving her paralyzed in both legs and mentally disordered, preventing anyone but Gu Yan from getting close to her.

When he was in the Chen family, Aunt Tian begged him, and Chen Sinian also begged him.

But at the time, all he could think about was escaping and taking his grandfather to South Africa; he didn't seriously consider this matter at all.

Later, he left Shanglu and went to Jinghai, putting Cecilia's matter behind him.

When Bai Zikong sent a message saying that Cecilia was sick, he still thought that the female lead wouldn't be in such a bad situation.

Now it seems that it's not that nothing will go wrong, but that things are much more serious than he thought.

Seeing him staring blankly, Fu Yunshu didn't urge him but turned and slowly walked out.

"Think it over carefully, and let me know when you've made up your mind. Whether you go or not is up to you; I won't force you."

She stopped at the door and glanced back at Fu Wanqing.

"Wanqing, you should get some rest too, don't stay up too late."

Then he pushed open the door and walked out, his figure disappearing into the corridor.

Only Gu Yan and Fu Wanqing remained in Yingwu Hall.

The portrait of the Fu family ancestor is still looking at them, with gazes converging from all directions.

Gu Yan stood there, her mind a complete mess.

Cecilia, the white-haired girl with ice-blue eyes and an elegant and dignified demeanor.

The way she sat in her wheelchair, the way she quietly read a book, the way she gave him that rare smile.

He recalled that when he left Shanglu, he didn't even say goodbye to her.

He didn't know if she would blame him after she woke up, or if she would ever wake up again.

Fu Wanqing stood to the side, her amber eyes looking at Gu Yan's profile.

She didn't speak, just stood there, her long pink hair gleaming softly under the light.

The red string and jade pendant on her wrist swayed slightly, and the jade beads clinked together, making a soft sound.

Gu Yan stood at the entrance of Yingwu Hall and took one last look back at the portraits.

The person in the portrait is still looking at him, their gazes converging from all directions, as if a thousand years of weight are pressing down on him.

He sighed, finally understanding why Fu Yunshu had brought him here.

It wasn't about making him pay homage to the Fu family's ancestors, but about making him weigh the Fu family's significance.

Every S-class powerhouse is an important strategic resource for the empire.

Cecilia is the most unique existence below SS rank; her abilities are unparalleled.

The Empire will not easily give up any S-class, especially such young and promising ones.

Fu Yunshu was telling him that he wasn't just saving one person, but the future of the empire.

But Gu Yan was not that noble; she never was.

He did these things initially for his grandfather, and he still does them now.

He saved Pei Yuran because he needed to leverage the Pei family's influence, and he saved Lin Jinyu because he owed her a favor.

As for Cecilia, he never seriously agreed to her request when he was with the Chen family.

Now that Fu Yunshu has spoken, he can't refuse, but he doesn't intend to get himself involved either.

At most, I'll go check on him. If I can save him, I will; if not, so be it. He won't risk his life anyway.