Ning Yun Cheng was stunned. The woman hesitated for a moment, unwilling to back down but visibly weakened by her state of undress. She stumbled through an excuse: "I-I'm his companion. Who are *you*?"

Ning Yun Huan recognized the woman immediately as one of her family's struggling entertainers. Though the Ning entertainment division wasn't vast and she'd never really paid attention to its roster, this particular name lingered in her memory from another life. The woman had once tried to climb the social ladder by seducing Ning Yun Cheng - only for him to discard her after a brief affair with Gu Yingxi. When Gu later joined their company, the rejected woman launched vicious attacks against her... until she was publicly disgraced and ruined by Gu Yingxi's protective men. In her past life, Ning Yun Huan had barely crossed paths with such a minor figure.

Now watching the woman cling to her clothes while refusing to leave, Ning Yun Huan let out a cold laugh. She had originally wanted to grab Ning Yun Cheng's arm for moral support before humiliating this intruder - but memories of their previous encounter suddenly made her recoil in disgust. Instead she planted her hands on her hips and sneered at the woman: "Don't think you'll get anything from me. And if you don't leave right now, I've already told Uncle Ning to bury your career permanently."

The woman was a mid-tier actress with just enough name recognition for occasional TV appearances - but a blacklisting would erase all her future prospects in one fell swoop. Her entire career had been built on financial security through connections like Ning Yun Cheng. Now faced with such direct threats, the woman's confidence wavered.

Still she held onto bitter resentment, glaring at Ning Yun Cheng and hoping for his support. Instead she found him completely flustered by Ning Yun Huan's presence, barely even acknowledging her existence now. Mortified and furious, she hastily pulled on her clothes and grabbed her bag - only to discover he hadn't followed at all. With a final burst of frustration, she stormed out muttering curses about being used without payment.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Ning Yun Cheng was close to apoplexy as his interrupted tryst left him visibly frustrated. His younger sister had ruined everything, and now his eyes burned with vengeful fury.

Ning Yun Huan ignored him entirely, grabbing her bag before disappearing into the kitchen for water and a freshly washed apple from the fridge. The more she refused interaction, the tighter Ning Yun Cheng's grip became as he followed her like a shadow. Only after several steps did he realize what he was doing - forcing his way in front of her to grab her arm while running agitated fingers through sweat-dampened hair. "What are you doing back here suddenly?"

"This *is* my house," she sneered at him, her voice carrying that icy detachment from another life. The memory of how easily he'd been broken in the past made a cruel smile form behind her cold expression. "You were already cheating on me with these women - but now you've brought one home? Imagine what Father would say if I told him about your latest 'grasshopper' scandal."

Her father would freeze all his credit cards and possibly lock him into mandatory company internships until he learned obedience.

Ning Yun Cheng's face went rigid at the prospect. Their sibling relationship had always been strained - not just by their age gap, but because while he thrived on social chaos, she'd always been quietly obedient to his preferences. That was why he moved to the Blue Mountain villa when she first returned from England, terrified of her sudden standoffishness. But now? She wasn't just distant anymore - she had learned how to threaten him.

This new side of Ning Yun Huan disturbed him more than her clinginess ever did. His jaw tightened as he glared at her without speaking.

She showed no fear. In another life, she'd once tried to win his affection through constant flattery and cajoling... only for every effort to fall flat against his cold indifference. Now that the outcome was already known, why bother repeating those foolish mistakes?

"Out of my way," Ning Yun Huan snapped at him, waving a hand dismissively. The insult struck like a physical blow - turning his face deathly pale.

"You're just good at tattling!" His frustration boiled over as he found himself confronting this transformed version of the girl who used to trail after him with hopeful eyes. He hadn't expected her to actually push back now that she wasn't acting shy and submissive anymore.

"Maybe I *am* just a tattle-tale - so what?" With a sharp shove past his outstretched arm, Ning Yun Huan retreated upstairs after first double-checking the cleanliness of the kitchen sink. She needed to wash off not just physical traces of his presence, but all memories of it too.

When Mr. and Mrs. Ning returned that evening and found their youngest daughter at home, they were delighted - especially since Ning Yun Cheng had mysteriously disappeared during her shower. Ning Yun Huan didn't care where he'd gone; she focused only on small talk with her father while her mother abandoned invitations to scrutinize the thinness in her hands. "You've lost weight," Mrs. Ning fretted over their daughter's palms, satisfied when they remained slender despite years abroad. Mr. Ning remained quiet but his frown spoke volumes about whatever had transpired upstairs - though Ning Yun Huan could only smile bitterly at what might happen if she ever dared to tell the truth.