Thinking of her father's death and the eventual end where she was utterly alone, crying out to heaven and earth to no avail, Ning Yunhuan’s eyes misted over with red. Though none of Gu Yingxi's men were decent fellows, the one she hated most wasn't them, but Liu Jinjun.

Under the guise of repaying a debt of gratitude and constantly professing his sincere love during the six months he pursued her, he spared no effort to display his earnestness and simple honesty. While Ning Yunhuan never ultimately fell for him, she had trusted him completely because of that sincerity. Who would have thought that the one who stabbed her in the back in the end was this very man repaying a kindness?

Recalling how, after these people betrayed her, Gu Yingxi pseudo-sincerely offered fifty thousand yuan, claiming she wanted to buy back the indenture rights of Liu Jinjun and the others, made Ning Yunhuan so furious she felt like vomiting blood.

She donated far more than fifty thousand a year, yet this shameless Gu Yingxi was using the Ning family’s money to try and purchase the ownership of these ungrateful wretches. When had she ever bought people? If using the Ning family to get ahead and make money counted as indenture, then she had nothing to say about their shamelessness. What angered her most was Gu Yingxi’s action of using fifty thousand yuan to buy them; this was what chilled Ning Yunhuan’s heart in her past life, leading her to gradually distance herself from Gu Yingxi, only to have it ultimately result in her own death.

The past flashed through her mind like a movie, and Ning Yunhuan’s expression grew colder. She gripped her handbag tightly, as if having her phone nearby would instantly bring her the comfort of finding Lan Lingyan.

“Junior Sister Ning, let’s not talk about the grievances between us, but these children are innocent. Why won't you save them?” Seeing Ning Yuncheng’s face turn ashen with anger from Ning Yunhuan’s words, Gu Yingxi patted her back in a gesture of appeasement, then frowned and spoke with noticeable reluctance.

“Since when do you have the standing to speak to me? When will you return the money you owe me?” With a breath caught tight in her chest, seeing Gu Yingxi approach her willingly now, Ning Yunhuan had no intention of letting her off. “Calculated with bank interest, if you don't repay it this month, you’ll owe even more due to compounding interest. If you can't pay it off, I'll come to your house and tear it down.”

The look of astonishment in Liu Jinjun's eyes vanished instantly upon hearing Ning Yunhuan speak.

He had imagined the person he believed to be kind and lovely in his heart completely shattering that impression the moment he truly saw her. Although Ning Yunhuan had sponsored him for ten years, seeing her now—fierce and harsh, with murderous eyes when speaking to Gu Yingxi—she didn't seem like a good person at all. How could this be the legendary good person, Ning Yunhuan?

In contrast, Gu Yingxi, despite her questionable conduct, was kind-hearted and extended aid even to strangers on the roadside. Compared to Ning Yunhuan, she was infinitely better! Marrying such a pampered young lady, even if he received money, he wouldn't be able to handle it! Thinking this, Liu Jinjun immediately dismissed any lingering thoughts of pursuing her, his eyes now showing only disgust.

A woman like that would bring him no honor if married; if he took her back to his hometown, people would laugh their heads off seeing a woman dominating him, instead of serving in-laws or attending to her husband, especially with such a difficult temperament!

“What money does she owe you?” Noticing Gu Yingxi's awkward expression and flustered manner, Ning Yuncheng immediately became suspicious. He had never heard that Gu Yingxi owed Ning Yunhuan money. Gu Yingxi was short of cash for only two reasons: one was her mother, Gu Xian’s, illness, requiring surgery and a kidney transplant; the other was the fifty million she claimed to owe after her mysterious return.

A realization dawned on Ning Yuncheng, and his expression turned harsh. “The over fifty million that Xi’er owes—is it owed to you?” Ning Yuncheng saw Ning Yunhuan’s cold sneer and became even more certain. He was instantly so angry his head spun, wishing he could rush forward and slap her. “Do you know how terrified she was of you after she returned? She’s your elder sister-in-law! How dare you set such a trap for her? Are you insane? Just because you tormented Xi’er, forcing me to ask Dad for money and nearly making him ill—have you no conscience? You’re so vicious, why don’t you just die!”

Once he figured out the debt Gu Yingxi owed was Ning Yunhuan’s money, Ning Yuncheng felt as if a stone had been lifted from his heart. The massive weight that had been crushing him seemed to vanish. He firmly believed Ning Yunhuan was just playing games with Gu Yingxi, only pushing things too far due to her willfulness, which caused him to treat the matter so seriously that he spoke carelessly when asking his father for money, leading to his father’s collapse.

After returning yesterday, Ning Yuncheng hadn't dared to call Mrs. Ning to ask about his father’s condition. But he wasn’t entirely without conscience; being human and not a god, he still had some remorse, which he had vented entirely on his beloved’s body last night.

Now, understanding the cause, Ning Yuncheng channeled that sliver of guilt into rage. Even his father’s illness now seemed caused by Ning Yunhuan’s mischief. If Ning Yunhuan hadn’t caused such a scene, how would the situation of him borrowing money have arisen, and how would he have returned home to upset his father so badly?

Having worked out everything, Ning Yuncheng instantly felt relieved. He even felt confident enough to call his father now and began feeling pity for Gu Yingxi, whom he had tormented mercilessly last night. He blamed Ning Yunhuan for putting pressure on him; otherwise, how could he have treated the one he loved so harshly?

“Apologize to Xi’er immediately, or I’ll call Dad right now and tell him how vicious you are.” Ning Yuncheng picked up his phone, his face full of menace.

Hearing this, Ning Yunhuan merely sneered. “Sister-in-law? If we're going by that logic, my cheap elder brother could fill several mahjong tables. Don't talk to me about that. On the day Dad got sick, Gu Yingxi went into a frenzy and smashed my phone and bag—she agreed herself to compensate me for it. I’m not afraid even if you take this to the ends of the earth. I have her thumbprint and signature right here. If she doesn’t want to pay, this fifty million will have to suffice with her life!”

Gu Yingxi became frightened upon hearing that her life might be the collateral. Her small hand instinctively clutched Ning Yuncheng’s sleeve, hiding behind him, timidly peeking out.

Seeing his beloved looking scared, Ning Yuncheng, who had been curious why Gu Yingxi had stopped Ning Yunhuan and broken her phone and bag when Ning Yunhuan’s father fell ill, was instantly captivated. Stimulated by Gu Yingxi’s tiny, timid appearance, his eyes and heart were filled only with her endlessly pleasing expression and her adorable little mannerisms that he adored.

“It’s just a phone and a bag, I’ll pay you!” Ning Yuncheng declared without thinking, puffing out his chest. “Tell me how much it is, and I’ll add the extra zeros for you!”

“That works too. My phone is a model unique in the world. My boyfriend said it’s worth at least fifty million. As for the bag, I doubt you could afford much more, so let’s call it five million. It’s pure handmade, limited edition, and Gu Yingxi knows exactly what brand it is. There were more than one or two classmates who saw it that day. Since you offered to add the extra zeros, make it sixty million.” Ning Yunhuan, seeing Ning Yuncheng about to play the big spender, naturally agreed right away. “If you still want any shred of dignity, go inside right now and write the IOU for me.”

“What kind of bag costs five million? Do you think I don’t know?” Ning Yuncheng became instantly displeased, certain that Ning Yunhuan was trying to extort him. He had dated girlfriends before, whether actresses or models, and even a three or four-thousand-yuan bag was considered high-end; bags costing a few hundred thousand were rare. Now, Ning Yunhuan was telling him a bag was five million, and a phone was fifty million!

Ning Yuncheng couldn't help but laugh. “Are you completely crazy for money?”

“She’s not wrong. That bag is from a brand famous for its handcrafted goods, usually supplied only to the British royal family. For Ning Yunhuan’s customized, one-of-a-kind pink style—a design unlikely to reappear—it’s worth more than five million; people would pay ten million for it.” Ning Yunhuan started to turn to see who had spoken, but then spotted Li Panpan standing outside the school gate, carrying a powder-blue bag and wearing a lady-like dress with goose-yellow ruffles, her shoes matching the color of the bag, giving her a fresh and pretty appearance overall.

When she saw Ning Yunhuan looking at her, Li Panpan tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled sweetly. “Class has started, why aren’t you inside the classroom yet?”

Li Panpan hadn't turned hostile toward Ning Yunhuan because Lan Lingyan hit Qin Yi last time. Moreover, the fact that she had lent Ning Yunhuan her phone had created a faint sense of goodwill in Ning Yunhuan toward her. Hearing her question now, Ning Yunhuan smiled back. “I have something to take care of. Aren’t you outside too?”

“I have something too.” Li Panpan pursed her lips, and the two girls exchanged smiles, the initial awkwardness and unpleasantness from their first meeting dissolving between them.

“Are these people here to find you again?” Li Panpan noticed that Ning Yunhuan wasn't as cold and ruthless as she first thought, improving her impression of her significantly. “Why talk about it at the school entrance? How about I treat you, and we sit for a while at the coffee shop outside the school?”

Li Panpan was inherently kind and generous, which was why she hadn't noticed how long Fu Yuan had been taking advantage of her. Ning Yunhuan truly felt she had to look at Li Panpan with new eyes. When not friends with her, she felt people like this were constantly preachy and too kind, making one anxious watching them handle things. But if one were truly friends with her, like Fu Yuan was, it would be a great fortune.