"Get out!" The mere mention of Gu Yingxi's name made Madam Ning feel utterly sick. She snapped at her son, and seeing Ning Yuncheng’s evasive eyes about to speak, she turned her face away. "Don't even think about asking me for money. We haven't got a single cent." Deep down, she still hoped Ning Yuncheng would apologize, but when he heard her cold dismissal, Ning Yuncheng was deeply displeased by his mother's heartlessness. With a haughty snort, his spoiled-brat temper flared up, and he stormed out, slamming his hand down as he left.

Madam Ning gasped for breath, enraged. Ning Yunhuan gently smoothed her chest and whispered a few comforting words. Only then did Madam Ning take her daughter’s hand. "Now I finally see it—your father truly never favored you in vain. When he wakes up, I will discuss this thoroughly with him. Your elder brother is clearly abandoning all family ties for a woman. Though our Ning family fortune isn't vast, we can't let him hand it over to that woman surnamed Gu. Your father praised Lingyan several times in private and even mentioned to me his intention to hand over the company management to him. Don't bring this matter up with your elder brother."

Madam Ning had previously felt her husband was being too partial when he said this, but today, she realized his judgment was correct.

Ning Yunhuan’s heart skipped an involuntary beat upon hearing this.

Truthfully, the Ning family's assets weren't that substantial; at most, converting them to cash would value the company around one hundred million. The advantage of the Ning family's small entertainment company was that it was entirely theirs, with no external shareholders. Essentially, the company was Ning Father's absolute domain; once he made a decision, virtually no one had the standing to object.

Since Ning Father had expressed the desire to give it to Ning Yunhuan, if he truly followed through, the only obstacle would be Ning Yuncheng. Currently, Ning Yunhuan herself carried a card with over one hundred million. The last time the Qin family came to apologize, they had given her a card which Lan Lingyan had estimated held at least one hundred million. Ning Yunhuan had verified it later; it was indeed over the hundred million mark. She was now considered a person of considerable means. She didn't lack funds, so the family company being handed to her was somewhat useless to her personally.

But in her past life, Ning Yuncheng had cheated her out of half of what she was supposed to inherit from the Ning family. Now that Ning Father was inclined to give her the entire estate, she naturally wouldn't refuse. This was the perfect opportunity for her to let Ning Yuncheng taste what it felt like to be schemed against by family—to let him experience the feeling of losing everything and falling into despair!

For this very reason, when Madam Ning voiced the intention to give the entire Ning estate to Lan Lingyan, Ning Yunhuan offered no objection.

By the time she left the hospital, the sky had darkened. Her father had not yet woken up, still under the effects of the anesthetic. A fine, continuous drizzle began to fall from the pitch-black sky. The moment she stepped out of the main hospital doors, a rush of crisp, cold air hit her, causing her to involuntarily hug her shoulders tighter.

The weather in Shangjing was always so unpredictable. The afternoon had been blazing under the sun, and now it was raining. She wondered where the driver who brought her was waiting. Just as Ning Yunhuan reached into her bag for her phone, Lan Lingyan’s call came through.

"Where are you?" As if he already knew Ning Yunhuan was out, Lan Lingyan skipped unnecessary pleasantries. His voice was inherently cool, but under these circumstances, Ning Yunhuan felt a warmth spread through her heart listening to it. After telling him her location, she obediently stood there waiting.

When Lan Lingyan arrived to pick her up, he saw her standing on the steps outside the brightly lit hospital entrance—while everyone else had retreated to the lobby to avoid the rain—clutching her arms. Her skirt billowed ceaselessly in the wind, her figure stretched long in the dim light. For a fleeting moment, her shadow seemed to sink directly into his heart.

Hearing the car approach, Ning Yunhuan instinctively turned to look. Before the car even stopped, she hurried toward it. Just as she reached the passenger door, and Lan Lingyan was about to open his door to hand her an umbrella, he saw her already approaching. He could only pull her into the car. Fortunately, the car always kept hot fruit tea and towels handy. He handed her the tea, and after watching her sip it delicately, Lan Lingyan took a towel to dry her hair.

"Is Father-in-law alright?" He had already learned that Father Ning had undergone surgery after being angered that afternoon, so he asked directly.

Ning Yunhuan didn't question how he knew about her father's operation; she knew Lan Lingyan had his ways. She simply answered his query: "He was still unconscious when I left. Ning Yuncheng angered him into it." Then, she recounted the afternoon's events. The wrist Ning Yuncheng had twisted was aching faintly. The moment she shifted it slightly, Lan Lingyan’s sharp eyes caught it, and his brow furrowed.

"Should I find someone to teach him a lesson?" The last time Qin Yi dared to hurt Ning Yunhuan, he hadn't just been beaten half to death; the Qin family had personally delivered money to beg forgiveness. Ning Yuncheng must have laid hands on her this time. Even though she hadn't said so, Lan Lingyan could tell, and after asking, seeing her silence, he made up his mind.

At this moment, while Lan Lingyan and Ning Yunhuan shared an intimate moment, Ning Yuncheng, the subject of Lan Lingyan's thoughts, was completely oblivious, meeting Gu Yingxi with Xie Zhuoyin just as they finished work, preparing to head home.

The light drizzle had escalated into a heavy downpour. Ever since Xie Zhuoyin stirred up trouble, he had been thoroughly cast out by the Xie family. Though he still possessed a house and a car registered in his name, they were only for his use. Living in the house was tolerable, but without money for gas, he dared not drive the car. Ning Yuncheng’s funds had also been frozen by Ning Father. Thus, the two once-arrogant young masters now had no choice but to walk slowly alongside Gu Yingxi.

Gu Yingxi wasn't someone who judged others by their wealth. Seeing the two men who loved her coming to meet her in the rain, she felt genuinely moved. Moreover, perhaps because she had been distracted by Lan Lingyan recently, she felt a rare twinge of guilt now that the two men weren't angry with her at all. Instead of complaining about not having a car to ferry her, she tenderly comforted the two men who were deeply disheartened. This understanding nature only deepened the love Ning Yuncheng and Xie Zhuoyin held for her.

As they walked home, Gu Yingxi suddenly thought she heard a faint whimpering sound from the side of the street. It didn't sound like a cat, nor did it sound like rain striking the ground. In the dark, rainy night, she exchanged a look with the two men before finally asking, "What is that noise over there?"

The rain outside was getting heavier. Xie Zhuoyin and Ning Yuncheng were vying to shield Gu Yingxi from the downpour, both already half-soaked, desperate to get back, shower, and change into dry clothes. Hearing Gu Yingxi's question, they glanced at each other, reluctantly advising her, "Xi'er, let's just ignore it. Whatever it is, the rain is too heavy. It doesn't matter if we get wet, but if you catch a chill, what then?"

Gu Yingxi's eyes immediately filled with tears of emotion. She blinked and countered, "Yuncheng, if we see someone in trouble and don't help, what difference is there between us and beasts?"

"You are so kind-hearted, but sadly, others don't understand you," Ning Yuncheng murmured. Seeing his beloved being so thoughtful melted half his heart, but thinking about the fruitless effort to borrow money later today made his entire mood grow heavy.

"Wuwu." As they walked closer, the sound from that direction grew clearer, sounding like several people were huddled on the street, weeping softly.

In the pouring rain, now that the sky was dark, hearing someone cry by the roadside stirred a wave of pity in Gu Yingxi. She hurried over with her umbrella and saw several youths, their clothes completely drenched, huddled tightly together. They were shivering uncontrollably from the cold, grouped behind a pillar near a mall entrance.

"What's wrong? Do you need help?" Just as Liu Jinjun and the others were turning purple from the cold, a gentle voice cut through the air like a heavenly sound. In the dark, cold night, it felt as if a ray of sunshine had instantly poured into his heart. He was the oldest of the four children and understood social conduct better, so when he saw someone approach and ask, he stood up.

"We were supposed to meet someone sent by God, but we couldn't find the person, and now we have no money left." Liu Jinjun gritted his teeth, his eyes momentarily brightening as he looked at Gu Yingxi, who stood protected between the two men. He then spoke softly about their predicament.

The boy who spoke introduced himself as Liu Jinjun and gently pulled forward the other children, who looked timidly toward the group. These five were all quite young; the eldest, Liu Jinjun, was only seventeen, having just graduated from junior high. They all came from an infamously impoverished mountainous region across Huaxia and started school late. After their introductions, Gu Yingxi felt a pang of tenderness.

"How pitiful. Didn't the person you were looking for leave a phone number?" Gu Yingxi looked at a fourteen-year-old boy whose wet hair clung to his forehead. The boy looked pale and frail. She had always been weak against those who were suffering and instantly softened when she saw this pitiable sight.

"No," Liu Jinjun shook his head, biting his lip. "We didn't get a phone number then, only that they were in the Imperial Capital." They were all sponsored children; for about ten years, funds had been regularly transferred to their accounts to cover schooling and living expenses without interruption. Other than knowing the benefactor's name and location in the Imperial Capital, they had never thought to ask for their sponsor's phone number.

"We arrived in the Imperial Capital two months ago but couldn't find the person. Luckily, we met a kind older sister." The youngest boy, noticing Gu Yingxi staring at him, added, "She gave us the travel money to go home, otherwise we..."

PS: Second update~~~ RP