"Huanhuan, you know Xi'er?" Father Ning had initially intended to make introductions, but seeing the change in his daughter's expression, he quickly interjected. Madam Ning's eyes also registered surprise. Only Ning Yuncheng, witnessing his beloved's face turn deathly pale with fright, felt a pang of heartache.

He savagely flung the item in his hand to the ground with a loud crash. The grapes Ning Yunhuan had specifically brought for her father scattered across the floor, along with other contents. Ignoring the mess, Ning Yuncheng stared intently at Ning Yunhuan with guarded vigilance.

He then walked over to Gu Yingxi, reached out, and supported her slender waist before spitting out with undisguised disgust: "What are you trying to do now?" Seeing his reaction, Ning Yunhuan felt an unexplainable wave of nausea. Recalling how he had cheated her out of her inheritance in her past life, and now seeing him entangled with Gu Yingxi, she thought, a leopard can't change its spots. Even with a second chance, Ning Yuncheng remained glued to Gu Yingxi.

The scene before her overlapped with all the suffering Ning Yunhuan had endured before, making her expression turn increasingly grim. She let out a cold snort: "I should be asking you that. What right do you have to smash the things I bought for Mom and Dad?" Upon hearing Ning Yunhuan address Father and Madam Ning as "Mom and Dad," Gu Yingxi's face became as white as parchment.

Her body began to tremble violently, and she clung to Ning Yuncheng as if struggling for breath, which only intensified his affection for her and his disdain for Ning Yunhuan: "Have you had enough of this madness? Do you realize how much you've frightened her? If you've only come back to cause trouble, then get out!" It was always like this.

As soon as Gu Yingxi adopted that pitiful expression, regardless of whether Ning Yunhuan had done anything—even just walking in from outside—the men around Gu Yingxi would find some reason to punish her. Thinking of the short twenty-plus years of her previous life, Ning Yunhuan’s eyes burned crimson, wishing she could rush forward and slap Ning Yuncheng. "This is my home; it doesn't belong to just you, Ning Yuncheng.

You want to throw me out? Look at who you think you are." Ning Yunhuan scoffed. She took a deep breath to suppress the rage boiling inside, then walked over to the sofa and sat down on her own accord.

As soon as Ning Yunhuan returned, the siblings started quarreling. Madam Ning couldn't help but lament that they seemed destined as enemies from a past life, yet she still tried to mediate: "Yuncheng, your sister just got back; she's been abroad for over a year. You are the older brother; give way a little." Madam Ning had always doted on her son, but now she sided with her daughter.

That familiar feeling that Ning Yuncheng and Ning Yunhuan were cosmically opposed returned to him. His neck flushed red as he pointed at Ning Yunhuan: "Mom, it’s her or me! If she dares to bully Xiao Xi, I’ll take her life!" "What nonsense are you speaking!" Father Ning erupted upon hearing this, slamming the table heavily.

He had held a very good impression of Gu Yingxi. She was a minor artist who had joined the company only half a year ago, and Ning Yuncheng immediately started bullying her. Though Father Ning was a businessman, he was always principled.

When his son made a mistake, he naturally believed his son was in the wrong. Furthermore, Gu Yingxi was remarkably sweet and sensible. Despite her humble background, her character was excellent, she managed his son well, and she was gentle and virtuous.

Most importantly, ever since Ning Yuncheng became involved with her, he had stopped chasing after other women or laying a hand on any other female artists in the company. This point greatly satisfied Father Ning. Add to that her filial piety, and his favorable view of Gu Yingxi only grew.

Today was the first time Ning Yuncheng had formally brought her home, and Father Ning had specifically requested leave to stay and entertain the guests out of respect for the future in-laws. Now, with this unexpected turn of events, the unfamiliar middle-aged woman stood up self-consciously and moved to stand beside her daughter. Two girls, around fifteen or sixteen, stood on either side of the woman, holding her hands, their gazes fixed on Ning Yunhuan with a mix of curiosity and displeasure.

The only truly unfamiliar figure in the room, a young boy, could hold back no longer and jumped up: "Who are you? Why are you treating my sister like that?" This boy looked about fourteen, possessing a somewhat volatile temper, with bright red, unkempt hair cropped short, styled in odd spikes, and seven or eight earrings adorning his ear. Though his features were still somewhat youthful, he already appeared quite fierce.

The moment he called Gu Yingxi 'sister,' Ning Yunhuan immediately understood who these strangers were. That middle-aged woman was Gu Yingxi's mother, Gu Xian, and the two girls were Gu Yingxi's younger sisters. The boy was an orphan Gu Xian had adopted, who would later become a notorious underworld figure in the entire capital.

He had secretly harbored a crush on his 'goddess-like' older sister since childhood and had done many things for Gu Yingxi behind the scenes. In Ning Yunhuan's previous life, had she not fallen into Lanling Yan's hands and ultimately perished