With those words spoken, Lanling Yan coldly summoned the steward to bring in the Qin family, while she herself led Ning Yunhuan upstairs to bathe.

Having waited for nearly half an hour, Old Master Qin dared not voice a single complaint; instead, he was utterly restless, preoccupied with the intelligence his third son had gathered from the Su family.

Though the People's Republic of China had stood for two hundred years, one supremely influential family had remained hidden within the capital since the founding era. How elevated their status was could be glimpsed simply by observing how even the son of the previous Head of State had to treat them with deference. Lanling Yan was the sole maternal grandson of the eccentric old man currently leading the Lin family.

Once that elder emerged, let alone Old Master Qin, even the grand elder of the Li family would respectfully address him as Marshal!

He was the only man granted the title of Marshal after the peace settled over China. Now, everyone in the nation knew his name. The Lin family had held the position of Head of State for three generations; he was the last one, yet he had not named his own son as successor, choosing instead the elder of the Su family. Only after his honorable retirement was he bestowed the title of Marshal. It could be said that the entire Su family was eternally indebted to him, siding fiercely with the Lin faction—a fact evident in how the current Elder Su still bowed in allegiance to the Lin family even after his own retirement.

A single word from the Elder Lin could alter the outcome of an election; such prestige was unmatched. He had only one daughter, whose marriage remained a mystery to many. However, those at Old Master Qin's level could ascertain that his only daughter had married into a foreign organization whose foundation was in no way inferior to that of the Lin family.

Old Master Qin now began to feel a measure of relief that his own character had remained upright, preventing him from irrationally abusing his authority for revenge because of his grandson. His initial restraint had been wise; had he provoked the Elder Lin's displeasure, the Qin family’s official career path would have been definitively over.

Therefore, after waiting for almost an hour, the Qin family dared not utter a grievance. When Lanling Yan finally descended, her hair still dripping, wearing nothing more than a bathrobe, they felt not annoyance but a profound sigh of relief. At least Lanling Yan was still willing to see them.

Upon seeing Ning Yunhuan descending, her face bandaged, Old Master Qin wished he could whip his grandson to death for bringing such immense trouble upon the family. Seeing Lanling Yan—the very person rumored to be favored by Elder Lin even above his legitimate grandsons—half-supporting, half-carrying the injured woman down the stairs, the Qin family members inwardly cursed Qin Yi a thousand times over.

“This entire affair is the fault of the unworthy descendants of the Qin family. We are fortunate that Mr. Lan does not hold it against him.” As soon as he saw them approach, Old Master Qin quickly stood up. He realized this was not just a crisis for the Qin family, but perhaps a turning point. Previously, with the Qin family’s standing, it was impossible to even gain an audience with the semi-retired Elder Lin. But if he managed this apology well, perhaps he could secure such an opportunity.

The steward, Lan Si, swiftly brought Lanling Yan a cup of freshly blended fruit juice. After taking a small sip himself, he passed it to Ning Yunhuan beside him, then smiled:

“Oh? Apologizing to me? I thought you were here to seek retribution for Qin Yi.” He spread his hands onto the sofa, one arm hovering near Ning Yunhuan without touching her, yet enveloping her within his presence.

The others, having witnessed his casual act of drinking the juice before offering it to Ning Yunhuan, recognized the intimacy between them and naturally understood how much he cared for the bandaged girl. The Qin family members stood silently, heads bowed. Hearing Lanling Yan’s remark, Old Master Qin quickly offered several more apologies.

“Enough. I have already exacted my own revenge, but my wife’s dignity is not so easily restored.” Saying this, Lanling Yan thought of the slight flush on Ning Yunhuan’s cheek just moments before, and she reached out a finger to gently stroke her face.

Her skin was translucent and glowed with health. The Lan family spared no expense on private spa treatments, and she maintained her skin meticulously. Her complexion was naturally tender. Qin Yi’s strength had been considerable; what had been red earlier now showed faint bruising beneath the surface after her bath. A surge of anger instantly flared within him, he mentally skewered Qin Yi a few more times, wishing he could crush the man right there at his feet.

Old Master Qin saw the gesture and noticed the bruising on Ning Yunhuan’s face. He mentally condemned his grandson again for striking without discerning right from wrong. Hitting the face was cruel enough, especially to suggest stripping her clothes and forcing her to run across campus—he hadn't become senile or deaf. He had clearly heard Lanling Yan refer to the young woman as his wife. He inwardly cursed his luck, praying Lanling Yan was unaware of the subsequent threats. Yet, Lanling Yan continued:

“I also heard he harbored the thought of disgracing my wife by making her run naked across campus.”

“That insolent boy knows nothing of the world, please do not hold it against him. Madam Lan, I understand our Qin family has wronged you. If you ever require anything the Qin family can provide in the future, we will not refuse.” Old Master Qin, though calculating, possessed a fundamentally upright nature. Ning Yunhuan felt some goodwill toward him. Seeing he had humbled himself this far, she naturally decided not to press the matter further.

Next, the Qin family handed over a bank card as compensation and solace for Ning Yunhuan. After sitting for a while longer, the entire family departed.

Once they were gone, Lanling Yan smiled faintly, tracing her thumb across her wife’s face. “Does it still hurt?” Seeing Ning Yunhuan shake her head, she coldly sneered, “Making the Qin family pay one hundred million as an apology—that was letting them off lightly!”

Hearing him mention one hundred million on the card startled Ning Yunhuan. Lanling Yan noticed her reaction and squeezed her hand. “Why be surprised? My possessions are worth far more than that. If he dares to break something of mine and only pays double, does Qin Yi expect to live?”

This statement was breathtakingly arrogant. Ning Yunhuan pursed her lips, almost unable to believe she had instantly become a multi-millionaire. She carefully touched the card, treating it like a treasure, her expression momentarily glazed over.

“What an easy way to settle things!” Although he spoke so dismissively, Lanling Yan couldn't help but smile at her bewildered state.

Although the Qin family had formally apologized to Ning Yunhuan, they secretly directed their hatred towards Gu Yingxi. Qin Yi’s mother, Zhu Susu, already viewed Gu Yingxi as a painful thorn in her side, but upon learning she was a woman who earned her living through prostitution, her panic intensified. She was increasingly unwilling to accept that her son, whose future was once bright, had lost his arm and ruined his military prospects over such a shameless woman, now forced into administrative work. This thought filled her with burning resentment. Though Zhu Susu had two other sons, neither commanded the same respect in the military as the elder one.

Now that the crucial military connection was severed, she could not resign herself to watching the influence her father-in-law and husband had built over a lifetime be snatched up by others; she would rather die. Naturally, she hated Gu Yingxi with a consuming passion, even hiring people to deal with her on several occasions.

But perhaps due to an innate halo surrounding the protagonist, Gu Yingxi escaped every attempt, and each escape seemed to lead her to meet someone remarkable who saved her life—a fact that nearly drove Zhu Susu to madness.

Ning Yunhuan remained oblivious to the Qin family's behind-the-scenes efforts to indirectly eliminate her enemies. Lanling Yan certainly did not wish to taint her ears with those dark dealings, so as long as she didn't bring it up, he wouldn't volunteer the information. This granted Ning Yunhuan a rare period of convalescence at home.

She had already taken leave from school. Su Ying, the principal, had granted her exemption for the entire semester, allowing her to rest securely at home without needing to attend classes. Naturally, Ning Yunhuan spent her time caring for her son and visiting her father at the hospital.

During this latest admission, her father was diagnosed not only with high blood pressure but also with two fragile, deformed blood vessels in his brain. If he became agitated again, a rupture could prove fatal.

Madam Ning was terrified by this news and insisted that Father Ning remain hospitalized until further examinations were complete. As for surgery, Father Ning was hesitant. They had assured him that with careful monitoring, avoidance of stress, and rest, there shouldn't be any major issues. However, if he did become enraged and the vessels ruptured, the outcome was horrifying.

If he underwent surgery, all cranial procedures carried risks, potentially leaving behind sequelae. He was currently healthy; an invasive surgery might compromise his well-being, with the risk of partial paralysis if anything went wrong.

Consequently, after consultations, the hospital concluded that while the two vessels were dangerous, they were not immediately life-threatening and could be managed with conservative treatment. Thus, Father Ning would need to stay hospitalized for some time longer.

Ning Yunhuan visited him daily but never encountered Ning Yuncheng. Her own injuries had been healing for over twenty days; the pain was gone, and her movements were relatively flexible.

Since she was free in the afternoons, Lanling Yan, knowing she was visiting her father-in-law, took their son and a large retinue of nannies ahead to the Lan family’s domestic company operations. Although the Lans were known for their controversial foundations, they had laundered some of their businesses over the years. Given that China’s national strength was not weak since its founding, and benefiting from the local protection, the Lan family had invested a portion of their assets there. Even while accompanying his wife, Lanling Yan could not remain idle every day.

Without anyone accompanying her, the steward had already prepared a soup that had simmered for hours. As he drove Ning Yunhuan to the hospital, she found several curious neighbors from the same floor gathered outside her father’s usual room, peering inside.

What had happened? Ning Yunhuan’s heart clenched. Her first thought was that her father was in trouble. She rushed toward his room, clutching the things she carried.

ps: Third update, released for 45 pink ticket votes~~ Tomorrow is another update for 60 pink ticket votes, dears... The double pink ticket period only lasts a few days. If nothing unexpected happens, I plan to only solicit votes during the new book period. Dears, please cast your pink tickets for me~~ RP