“Enough nonsense! Come with me!” Qiao Songtao grabbed Qiao Muhan and tried to drag her away.
Qiao Muhan struggled non-stop. “Dad, what are you doing? I haven’t finished what I promised someone!”
“What do you mean unfinished? Do you have any idea what kind of trouble you’ve caused?!” Qiao Songtao almost roared, “If you stay here any longer, the entire Qiao Family will be wiped out!”
BOOM…
Qiao Muhan was stunned on the spot. It must have been that woman with the umbrella. She must have called her father just now!
For some reason, Qin Junfei’s image flashed through her mind. That woman had warned her before—if she caused trouble again, she would call her father.
Now, her father had really come!
Before she could think more, Qiao Songtao forced her into the car.
Qiao Muhan panicked and shouted, “Dad, I’m not leaving!”
“You dare?!” Qiao Songtao glared at her with such fury that it looked like he could devour her. “If you don’t leave with me today, we’ll die here together!”
Helplessly, Qiao Muhan was shoved into the car and driven away by her father.
In the crowd, both Ye Cang and Qin Junfei watched coldly.
If Qiao Muhan had insisted on staying, the Qiao Family would’ve been erased from Jiang City.
No one was allowed to disrupt his mother’s funeral.
At that moment, the helicopter transporting his mother’s remains had arrived. Ye Cang needed to escort her and hand her over to the specialists from the Cryogenic Preservation Center.
Of course, publicly it was declared a burial. The Ye Family must not know that Ye Cang’s mother was being transferred to the Cryogenic Preservation Center.
This had all been arranged by the Qin Family.
Meanwhile, Gu Yuyao was still running through the rain.
She had lost one of her high heels. Her body was covered in cuts and mud from multiple falls. Blood mixed with the rainwater ran down her limbs.
But she didn’t feel any pain. She just kept crawling up and pushing forward.
At this point, only sheer will was supporting her.
She didn’t know how much farther she had to go. But her mind repeated one thing: keep running! She had to reach the funeral!
One kilometer…
Five kilometers…
Ten kilometers…
Finally, Gu Yuyao collapsed to the ground with a heavy thud.
The rain blurred her vision. Her consciousness was fading.
She knew she couldn’t stop here, but her body was beyond exhausted.
She lay on the cold asphalt, numb, unable to move. Her eyelids were growing heavier…
Suddenly, faint funeral music echoed through the rain.
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
…The sound of ceremonial firecrackers also echoed in the distance.
She saw the funeral home!
And in the distance, a procession was marching.
Leading the group was a thin figure carrying a coffin single-handedly…
Tears streamed down Gu Yuyao’s face.
She had made it!
No. 18 Yong’an Road!
But she was still a distance away from the procession.
And she had no strength left to run.
She couldn’t even stand.
So, she forced her upper body forward, crawling on the ground like an earthworm.
Choking back sobs, she cried, “Ye Cang… Ye Cang, wait for me! I came to see Mom off…”
In the funeral procession, Pan Min walked over to Qin Junfei and whispered something.
Qin Junfei’s face changed slightly. She looked at Ye Cang and said, “Gu Yuyao is here.”
Everyone expected Ye Cang to react.
But his face remained expressionless.
“Oh.”
That was all he said before continuing forward.
Everyone saw his reaction clearly.
They all understood—he was completely done with Gu Yuyao.
If there had once been anger or resentment toward her…
Now, even those emotions were gone.
She had been late to his own mother’s funeral—the one she had indirectly caused.
What kind of humanity did that show?
It was no different from being a beast.
Finally, Gu Yuyao crawled to the funeral home’s entrance.
Her pale face showed a rare expression of relief.
Just as she struggled to get up and enter, two men in suits blocked her path.
“Sorry, you’re not allowed in.”
Gu Yuyao froze, then forced a smile. “You must be mistaken. I’m Gu Yuyao, the deceased’s daughter-in-law. I should be attending.”
But the two bodyguards did not move aside.
“Gu Yuyao, right? Then there’s no mistake. You have no right to attend the funeral. Please leave!”
BOOM…
“No, that’s not true… Please, let me in. At least let me light an incense stick…”
Gu Yuyao pleaded endlessly.
All her former arrogance was gone, replaced by utter humility.
“You can’t! Mr. Ye gave strict orders—anyone can attend Madam Zhou’s funeral… except you!”
“You’re not even allowed to step inside! Your presence is an insult to the deceased!”
“And the ceremony has already begun. Barging in now is the ultimate disrespect!”
The two bodyguards spoke coldly.
“No, no… Please, I beg you, let me in! I must see my mother-in-law one last time…”
Thud!
Gu Yuyao dropped to her knees at the entrance, her voice firm, “If you won’t let me in, I’ll kneel here! I’ll stay kneeling until I’m allowed in!”
“What’s wrong with you? Don’t you understand plain words?” The bodyguards grew frustrated.
But they didn’t dare act rashly, so they reported the situation.
“Gu Yuyao is kneeling at the funeral home entrance. She says if we don’t let her in, she’ll keep kneeling.”
Qin Junfei relayed this while observing Ye Cang’s expression.
Still unmoved, Ye Cang said, “Let her kneel then. If she dies kneeling, that has nothing to do with me.”
From the moment Gu Yuyao missed his mother’s funeral, everything about her became irrelevant to him.
From now on, she was a stranger. Even in death, she had nothing to do with him.
As for Gu Zhenghong, maybe he would still show her some mercy.
But the entanglement between them was over.
The procession continued. Ahead, the specialists from the Cryogenic Preservation Center were now in sight.
A helicopter marked with a special insignia slowly descended.
About a dozen men stepped down.
Each was fully armed, wearing black tactical suits that covered them from head to toe, revealing only cold and emotionless eyes.
Their aura was overwhelming, like the vast ocean.
Most people would feel chest tightness, dizziness, and nausea just by approaching.
“They’re the escort unit from the Cryogenic Preservation Center. Each has completed hundreds of international transport missions,” Qin Junfei explained.
Ye Cang was mildly surprised.
The security level for this escort was comparable to transporting national treasures.
Just how mysterious was the only cryogenic center in the country?
But he felt reassured entrusting his mother’s body to them.
“Thank you for your trouble,” Ye Cang said solemnly as he handed over the casket.
The escort unit formed a tight formation around the coffin and boarded the helicopter.
Ye Cang watched the helicopter take off and remained still for a long time before turning back.
At that moment, the storm stopped, and the wind gradually died down. A piercing ray of dawn broke through the clouds, revealing the clear sky.
And Gu Yuyao was still kneeling at the entrance of the funeral home.