Ning Yunhuan’s face was flushed crimson, her hands clenched tightly into fists. If Ning Yuncheng were in front of her now, she would absolutely slap him across the face! In order to please Gu Yingxi, those men of hers would frequently charter private jets to fly her abroad; the crowds were utterly captivated, living lives of carefree bliss. According to Lan Lingyan, every round trip by plane cost a fortune, not to mention the lavish spending on fine food and entertainment once they arrived. And the way these men treated Gu Yingxi like a queen—where did all that money come from?

While Xie Zhuoyin was the eldest son of the Xie family, and the Xie family was undeniably wealthy, even immense wealth couldn't sustain monthly expenses running into tens of millions or even hundreds of millions. The Xie family’s foundation was only a few decades old; draining half of their entire fortune would deplete even a mountain of gold and silver! Moreover, these second-generation wastrels, even if they adored Gu Yingxi and were willing to empty their coffers for her, hadn't inherited their family businesses in their previous lives! Only now did Ning Yunhuan realize: to maintain the luxurious lifestyle Gu Yingxi enjoyed in the past, and to appease such a woman, the men surrounding her, orbiting her like stars, had exhausted every means to earn money. No wonder the scumbag Song Qingyun absconded with her marital assets, refusing to leave a single cent for his childhood sweetheart wife. No wonder Ning Yuncheng tricked her out of her inheritance—it was all to fund Gu Yingxi’s extravagance!

In that instant, Ning Yunhuan’s expression turned glacial. She felt her past self had been utterly worthless. That so-called 'good sister,' the gentle and kind Gu Yingxi, was nothing more than a leech clinging to others. Those despicable men stopped at nothing for her sake. Ning Yuncheng actually cheated her out of her inheritance, infuriating Father Ning to death, all for a woman like Gu Yingxi, merely to give her the best life! Yet he never considered where his blood relatives were placed when he was pleasing Gu Yingxi. And that shameless Gu Yingxi, living off her, using her possessions, yet preaching about integrity—she ultimately caused her tragic death!

“What’s wrong?” Lan Lingyan’s brows furrowed slightly, yet his eyes remained calm, as if he were merely asking casually. In truth, he filed away Ning Yunhuan’s expression, while pretending to probe further: “Are you worried I can’t afford to keep you?”

“Certainly not.” Ning Yunhuan was trembling slightly from extreme agitation. Having grasped the unbearable truths of her past life, she now felt an impulse to take a knife and stab those vile creatures.

Lan Lingyan sensed something was amiss with her expression. He recalled her mentioning the Xie family earlier, and his eyes narrowed dangerously: “Are you worried the Xie family will cause you trouble?” Ning Yunhuan had twice ruined Xie Zhuoyin’s fun. Lan Lingyan considered the boy inept, with skill only in trifling with women, and thus held him in no regard. However, that didn't mean Xie Zhuoyin posed no threat to the Ning family.

Ning Yunhuan’s pregnancy was slightly unexpected, but it hadn't disrupted his plans. He figured news from the Xie family should reach him soon after their return to Italy. Thinking this, Lan Lingyan pulled Ning Yunhuan close, a smile laced with sheer menace curling his lips.

The dozen hours spent on the plane were perhaps fueled by the shock of realizing past truths, combined with Ning Yunhuan’s natural drowsiness due to her pregnancy. After eating, the two of them reviewed some parenting books and watched television. By the time Ning Yunhuan awoke, the plane was already preparing to land.

Takeoff and landing were the most uncomfortable parts of flying. Already suffering from morning sickness due to pregnancy, the dizziness and pounding in her head forced Ning Yunhuan to leap up and rush to the restroom to vomit for a long time. After rinsing her mouth, the plane had already touched down outside. Having adjusted to the time difference in the air, it was still daytime in Italy. After taxiing around, the plane finally stopped; the sound of waves could still be heard faintly. Stepping off the aircraft, under the blue sky and white clouds, the distant coastline seemed to merge into a seamless expanse of azure meeting the horizon.

This didn't look like an Italian airport; rather, it resembled one on an island. Cars were already waiting outside the terminal and drove toward them as the plane settled down.

“Rest when we get back,” Lan Lingyan said, glancing briefly into the distance before smiling and gently smoothing Ning Yunhuan’s wind-tousled hair, which the sea breeze had messed up. “If any jackals dare cause trouble, ignore them; I will handle it.” Although he had eliminated quite a few of his cousins in the Lan family through underhanded means in the past—and the Lan family maxim allowed disciples to compete—tigers fiercely protect their young. Thus, even behind closed doors, some relatives inevitably offered substantial support to their direct descendants. Consequently, even if some rivals were crippled, their lives were spared.

The Lan family built its power on ruthlessness. Besides fighting for power and profit, the men's greatest hobby was keeping women. Over hundreds of years, this created an enormous lineage, countless in number, impossible to eradicate entirely.

Ning Yunhuan didn't grasp the full meaning of his words, but seeing the approaching cars, she instinctively pursed her lips.

It wasn't until five months into her stay with the Lan family that Ning Yunhuan understood what Lan Lingyan meant at the airport.

She had traveled there to legally register her marriage with Lan Lingyan in Italy, and his primary reason for bringing her was to inscribe her name in the Lan family genealogy, cementing her status as his principal wife. The Lan family were not good people; their centuries-old influence was beyond the imagination of ordinary individuals. Yet, concerning certain customs and traditions, they strangely adhered rigidly to their ancestral orthodoxy.

Each generation of the Lan family permitted only one principal wife. No matter how many other women a man kept, their children were, at best, considered playthings. Sons born to these concubines, if ambitious, fought for their positions based on their capabilities; if they lacked ambition, they could naturally serve in roles akin to loyal retainers. Ambition was even encouraged, openly and covertly, by the Lan family in this power struggle among the descendants. But if they lost the fight, the Lan family would not give them a second glance.

It was truly a cold-blooded clan. To survive and ultimately triumph in such an environment, it was no wonder that the Lan Jiuyan she remembered was such a brutal individual.

She expected to live with extreme caution in such a place, but unexpectedly, everyone in the Lan family seemed terrified of Lan Lingyan. While ill will and killing intent often flickered in the eyes of some when they looked at Ning Yunhuan, those individuals were invariably gone by the next day.

Months passed, and Ning Yunhuan experienced not a single accident; instead, she was protected meticulously. The Lan family's main stronghold was a private island, beautiful and supremely secure. All facilities were fully equipped. Except for reducing internet use while pregnant, she found life on the island more comfortable than in the capital of Huaxia had been.

She never met Lan Lingyan’s parents, whom she had expected to see. She spoke with them once on the phone, and just from their tone, she could sense an overwhelming, imposing aura. Though she never met the couple face-to-face, that sense of pressure traveled through the sound waves. Lan Lingyan had mentioned that she probably wouldn't see his parents again until after she gave birth. Consequently, although they were legally married, the wedding ceremony was postponed. Ning Yunhuan was beginning to accept, with a degree of resignation, that she couldn't escape Lan Lingyan’s control. Though the marriage was forced, she still hoped Father and Mother Ning could attend. Since Lan Lingyan’s parents were off the island, the wedding was thus delayed.

Eight months flew by in a blink. Perhaps because life had been too leisurely, Ning Yunhuan even mused that living like this—without the previous life's burdens and without the female protagonist—could be wonderful forever. But the child in her belly was impatiently preparing to arrive.

The island possessed a complete medical system, surpassing current technological standards, which was more than adequate for delivery. Over the past few months, guided by nutritionists, Ning Yunhuan's health was meticulously maintained to ensure a safe birth.

When the fruit ripened, everything flowed naturally. In the span of just a year and a half, Ning Yunhuan completed the cycle of falling in love, marriage, and childbirth. Although she didn't suffer excessively during labor, thanks to her good health and youth, the confinement period afterwards nearly drove her mad. Lan Lingyan had somehow heard about the tradition and firmly insisted she observe the full two-month postpartum confinement. While the Lan family wasn't entirely feudal, they adhered strictly to certain traditions in many aspects. Being confined for two months made Ning Yunhuan feel utterly tormented.

Just a few days after confinement ended, as soon as she could walk, Ning Yunhuan jogged around the mansion grounds several times. Even when she worked up a fine sheen of sweat, she paid it no mind. She was sick of being confined to bed by Lan Jiuyan’s orders the previous two days. Now that she could move, she barely touched the bed unless she was sleeping.

When she woke in the morning, the maid had already prepared breakfast and brought it to the room. Lan Lingyan had left early. Despite being back in Italy, he still had business. It seemed not everyone had the privilege to enter the main Lan ancestral residence, and relations among those sharing the Lan surname were far from amicable. Thus, although Ning Yunhuan had seen other Lan family members over the past half-year, she had never dined with them.

Every day, Ning Yunhuan's meals were carefully balanced and adjusted by the nutritionist; the dishes changed daily, and the flavors were undeniably superior to anything she had eaten before. The effects of the two months of strict nutrition began to show quickly. Her naturally delicate complexion was now so fair it seemed it might bruise with a touch. Her skin was not only flawless but also felt exquisitely soft—a fact Lan Lingyan had hinted at by insisting they sleep together every night during her confinement, never allowing her to wear clothes to bed.

Her figure had also returned. The Lan family diet ensured robust health without providing excess nutrients that led to fat accumulation. Furthermore, since Ning Yunhuan was young when she conceived, her body hadn't changed much during pregnancy beyond her expanding belly. After childbirth and careful conditioning, her physique wasn't just better than before but possessed a new grace beyond her girlhood years.

She and Lan Lingyan had discussed returning to Huaxia the night before last. Having lived abroad for nearly a year—including pregnancy, birth, and confinement—it amounted to almost eleven months. Ning Yunhuan’s exchange student tenure in the UK was only for one year. She planned to rest for two days upon return to adjust to the time difference, as the new semester would begin shortly after.

This chapter is an extra half-installment because I didn't want to split it; tomorrow, Ning Huanhuan and Lan Xiao Jiu return~~ Those who enjoy the Gu Bailian flavor profile can wash up and prepare to be massacred... Also, brave heroines and heroes, spare me! Wan Er isn't intentionally holding back on extra chapters; it’s just that contemporary romance is niche, readership growth is slow, and things get miserable after going on paid access. Plus, my old book has withered away... Now I have to scavenge for scraps in the trash heap.... C