Xie Zhuoyin naturally couldn't just watch him take a beating; after all, if Ning Yuncheng fell, he certainly wouldn't be able to take on these people alone! Xie Zhuoyin’s heart bled with resentment. If he were still the young master of the Xie family as he once was, who would dare treat him this way? He would have already ensured these people never saw the sun again! He thought this with bitter hatred, but quickly joined the fray.

Both of them were beaten terribly, but driven by the will to save their beloved, they finally staggered out, pulling Gu Yingxi from the crowd. By this time, Gu Yingxi was nearly stripped bare. The moment Xie Zhuoyin and the other man embraced her, she could hold back no longer and threw herself onto them.

“Xi’er, are you alright?” As Ning Yuncheng anxiously asked his sweetheart, Gu Yingxi’s lips drew close. Though her mouth still held the taste of another man, Ning Yuncheng gritted his teeth, desperate to cleanse the other scent with his own. After kissing fiercely for a while, their ragged breaths changed pace.

“Let’s not stay here; someone might come by,” Xie Zhuoyin managed, swallowing hard. Seeing the intimacy between the two, a pang of bitterness struck him, yet he managed to speak rationally.

But his reason vanished the moment Gu Yingxi’s hand cupped his lower abdomen. He promptly bent down and began kissing his beloved as well.

Gu Yingxi had just narrowly escaped being violated here moments ago. Even though the mob had fled, they hadn't sworn not to return. Yet, these three had found a dark corner and tumbled into a heap.

Not only was Ning Yunhuan rendered speechless, but Lan Biao, who had just spoken up for Gu Yingxi, looked as if he had swallowed a fly—nauseated and ready to vomit.

Just as the three were locked in their fervent embrace, a scream suddenly ripped from Gu Yingxi over the speakers: “Ah, my stomach hurts so much!”

Lan Lingyan’s lips curved into a wicked smile as he stroked Ning Yunhuan’s hair: “It’s taking effect.”

Ning Yunhuan didn't understand what he meant at the time, assuming he was referring to lust, but she would later realize the true meaning behind Lan Lingyan’s words! What he had given Gu Yingxi was not just the drug that could strip a woman of her inhibitions, but also a laxative!

Amidst the shocked cries of Ning Yuncheng and Xie Zhuoyin, Gu Yingxi couldn't help but soil them both.

Throughout that whole night, just as Gu Yingxi was nearly driven mad by the burning desire within her, right when things were at a breaking point, her abdomen was seized by a violent, cramping pain. To endure it meant unbearable agony later; to not endure it meant immediate suffering in the front. This sensation was simply torture, making life feel worse than death. Several times she considered taking a small knife to her wrist, but with both men beside her, they wouldn't allow her to harm herself.

“Ying’er, I beg you, just hold on!” Xie Zhuoyin’s voice was so mournful it seemed on the verge of bleeding. He and Ning Yuncheng had just been drenched in that… Having finally suppressed their disgust and returned home to clean themselves, the memory alone still made him feel sick to death! He was fastidious, and this was the most humiliating experience of his life, something he could never look back on without shame. Thankfully, what somewhat comforted Xie Zhuoyin was that he wasn't the only one to suffer this fate.

“I won’t! I want to die! Brother Yin, don’t stop me!” Gu Yingxi wept, rain mixing with the bloom of her face. After a long pause, she suddenly shrieked: “It must have been Ning Yunhuan! She did this to me!”

As she spoke, Ning Yuncheng emerged from the bathroom, wiping his hair. Upon hearing that Ning Yunhuan had harmed his beloved, his face instantly contorted into a ferocious snarl, and he hissed: “Was it really her?”

“It must have been her!” Gu Yingxi, currently forcing herself through the physical agony, remembered the humiliating scene from earlier and couldn't help but break down crying again. At this moment, she completely disregarded the fact that she had almost been violated; the current physical torment was enough to make her wish for death. Yet, even under such duress, she forced herself not to mention Lan Lingyan’s name, fearing that Brother Yin and Yuncheng would seek revenge on him!

My feelings for you, Brother Lan, do you truly understand them? Wuwu, Xi’er will never blame you!

These unspoken confessions were, of course, unknown to Ning Yunhuan and the other man. Currently, Gu Yingxi couldn't even use the restroom without both men guarding her side—truly, when true love arrives, even watching her use the toilet seems beautiful to them.

Lan Lingyan had merely intended to teach Gu Yingxi a lesson this time, not truly to end her life. Thus, since Gu Yingxi wasn't raped and was rescued by the two men, his only reaction was anger at the disruption of his plans. He then redirected his fury toward the Xie family.

Although Ning Yuncheng was unreliable, his family business was tied to his father-in-law’s, so Lan Lingyan naturally couldn't touch that, lest Ning Yunhuan throw a fit…

And because of Lan Lingyan’s rage, several days later, the relevant authorities in the capital used tax audits as a pretext, turning the Xie family’s affairs upside down!

The incident where Gu Yingxi was attacked that day served to quell some of Ning Yunhuan’s anger over Gu Yingxi intruding into her own household. She seized an opportunity to visit her father, Father Ning, and Mother Ning, finally easing her mind to focus on her son. However, she kept a close watch on Gu Yingxi in the shadows.

She knew Gu Yingxi would reappear. Although she had been terrified and hidden away for several days after the incident, she was accustomed to luxury. Xie Zhuoyin was no longer the heir to the Xie family, and the Xie family was currently consumed by tax investigation headaches, leaving them no time to concern themselves with him. The few of them were naturally extravagant, and their funds were running low. Gu Yingxi couldn't remain the pampered princess held in the palms of men anymore. She still had her mother, Gu Xian, to care for, younger siblings to raise, and Father Ning’s company no longer supported her. She had no choice but to find another way to earn money. This necessity was why Gu Yingxi reappeared in the high-society clubs frequented by officials and nobles.

A person so desperate for money wouldn't hide at home indefinitely. Despite being severely frightened, even a single coin can thwart a hero’s plans. She would inevitably emerge again, and since she had recognized Ning Yunhuan that other day, Ning Yunhuan had been particularly vigilant these past few days, especially remembering the elusive skills of her men in her previous life, which made her tension even greater.

Lan Lingyan observed and noted all of Ning Yunhuan’s worries. He promptly arranged two bodyguards for her. To avoid drawing attention, these two waited for her outside the school grounds while she attended class. Since Lan Lingyan had eyes and ears within the school, as long as she didn't wander off recklessly, she should be safe. Furthermore, the girl was deathly afraid of trouble, so Lan Lingyan never worried about her straying carelessly.

Back in class after her time abroad, picking up the textbooks she had neglected for a year was not difficult, thanks to her memories from her previous life. Ning Yunhuan was attending an elective course taught by a profoundly knowledgeable professor who was a frequent guest on television; his lectures were exceptionally vivid. As she listened intently, her cell phone vibrated in her small, pink crocodile handbag.

Ning Yunhuan reached into the bag and pulled out her phone, glancing casually at the screen. Seeing that it was Mother Ning calling, her heart immediately tightened.

Mother Ning rarely called her unless something significant had occurred. Panic flared in Ning Yunhuan’s chest. Ignoring the professor still speaking, she quickly put in her earbuds. Before she could speak, Mother Ning’s frantic voice rushed through the earpiece:

“Huanhuan, your father just collapsed. He’s been rushed to the hospital.”

This news made Ning Yunhuan’s forehead jump, and her expression instantly soured! Although Father Ning’s health was generally good, he certainly wasn't in critical condition. Why would he suddenly collapse without warning?

In her past life, Father Ning had fainted a few times from anger over Ning Yuncheng, but in this lifetime, Ning Yuncheng had only just gotten involved with Gu Yingxi; they shouldn't have reached the point of tearing each other apart over inheritance yet. In her previous life, Father Ning hadn't suffered any major ailments beyond high blood pressure; with normal caution, he shouldn't have collapsed without reason!

Thinking of her father, Ning Yunhuan’s heart constricted. She quickly began gathering her belongings, softly asking, “Mom, try not to panic. Dad will be fine. How did he suddenly collapse?”

Mother Ning, hearing her daughter’s attempt at comfort, let out a few more sobs, but when Ning Yunhuan asked how her husband collapsed, she stammered: “Don't ask so many questions right now, just come to the hospital.” Ning Yunhuan readily agreed. Her taking the call had caused the lecturing professor to look displeased, but Ning Yunhuan could spare no attention for that now. She hastily grabbed her things and moved to leave.

“Student, class isn’t over yet!” The professor frowned, gesturing to stop Ning Yunhuan. The students beside her all turned to look. Ning Yunhuan swept up her things and walked out, ignoring the teacher’s shouts and angry calls coming from behind her.

She spoke a few more words to Mother Ning on the phone, but as she reached to take out an earbud, her peripheral vision seemed to catch the shadow of a person standing in front of her. Just as Ning Yunhuan tried to sidestep, the person moved to block the direction she was trying to move toward.

This was an urgent moment; she didn't know what was wrong with Father Ning. Ning Yunhuan tried to evade the person again, but they mirrored her movement, blocking the path she sought to take, as if deliberately trying to stop her. Ning Yunhuan couldn't stop her momentum in time, and they collided, both crying out "Ouch!" and falling onto their backsides on the floor.

“It’s you?” Hearing the cry of pain, a chill ran down Ning Yunhuan’s spine. Looking up, she indeed saw Gu Yingxi also holding her face, glaring at her with resentment.

The 'White Lotus Saint' has now learned to hate. If the timing hadn't been so wrong, Ning Yunhuan would have loved to give a cold laugh. But right now, with her father in the hospital and Mother Ning being so vague, she had no time for pointless confrontation with Gu Yingxi. She got up, intending to leave.

“What? After bumping into someone, you’re just going to leave without an apology?” Gu Yingxi took a deep breath, raised her voice slightly, and quickly scrambled up from the floor, blocking Ning Yunhuan’s path: “You think I forgot about you drugging me last time?”