When outsiders gossiped about him, Liu Jinjun and the others would play along, feigning the roles of victims whom they had supposedly wronged, yet who stoically endured it for loyalty's sake. Though Ning Yunhuan had been reborn, and none of these events had yet transpired, looking back still churned her stomach with nausea!

She’d rather toss money into water, where at least she'd hear a splash, than waste it supporting such ungrateful wretches. Sponsoring these faithless people was less fruitful than raising a loyal dog!

For this very reason, after Liu Jinjun and the others pestered her for a time, Ning Yunhuan didn't soften; instead, every time they knelt down begging for money, an uncontrollable fire would surge in her chest.

“A few people like that managed to drive you to this state?” Lan Lingyan had noticed the girl's recent strangeness, but he remained silent, waiting for Ning Yunhuan to confide in him.

She had already acknowledged him as her husband and declared their marriage registration to her parents, yet she often preferred to keep things bottled up inside, never telling him.

Lan Lingyan waited for her to speak, but seeing her growing agitation, while she still stubbornly tried to suppress it, he finally surrendered and brought the matter up himself. “If you dislike them, I’ll teach them a lesson for you.”

His tone was light, but when Ning Yunhuan heard the word 'lesson,' her expression shifted. “How will you teach them?”

“Last time that woman surnamed Gu stopped you on campus, leading to that encounter with the Qin family boy—I gave her enough time to rest and recover. Now that she’s rested enough, shouldn't she pay the price for you?” Lan Lingyan tilted his head toward her, his handsome eyebrow on the side facing her arching slightly. The faint smile lines around his lips, combined with his deep, somewhat roguish eyes, made him incredibly captivating.

The moment she heard that Gu Yingxi was due for trouble, Ning Yunhuan couldn't help but laugh. She had considered sabotaging Gu Yingxi herself; in fact, during the time her father was hospitalized, she had deliberately struck Gu Yingxi a couple of times. Although it was to vent some anger, she truly wanted to gauge how much favor the Goddess of Fortune bestowed upon Gu Yingxi. In the end, her suspicion proved correct.

Ning Yunhuan had only managed a couple of hits before someone intervened to save her—more importantly, one of the men from her perceived 'harem.' Ning Yunhuan felt as if she had inadvertently facilitated the relationship between those two, which gave her pause.

But now, Lan Lingyan offered to take revenge on her behalf. For some reason, this person had not appeared in the novels Ning Yunhuan had initially read. Perhaps it was because she hadn't finished them, thus missing Lan Lingyan's introduction. What she did know was that Gu Yingxi seemed completely suppressed in his presence.

“Thank you,” Ning Yunhuan thought, naturally accepting Lan Lingyan’s proposal, flashing him a smile and resting her head obediently on his shoulder.

Lan Lingyan was pleased with her action, a smile fixed on his face. “Not even calling me ‘husband’?”

Ning Yunhuan’s cheeks flushed scarlet; she hooked her arm around his neck and kissed him squarely on the lips. Only then did Lan Lingyan fall silent.

He was like a patient hunter, setting his nets and digging his traps, waiting for her to gradually fall in. In a relationship like theirs, if he had already taken the plunge, Lan Lingyan certainly wouldn't allow Ning Yunhuan to remain on the sidelines. He was determined to make her willingly ensnared in his embrace one day.

Since he had promised to please Miss Ning, Lan Lingyan’s actions were measured. After Lan Biao had spoken up for Gu Yingxi previously, he had been eager to redeem himself. This time, when Lan Lingyan issued an instruction, he immediately had Liu Jinjun and the others apprehended. These few were mere outsiders; even if they disappeared for a few days, it wouldn't attract much notice. Moreover, being powerless and without influence, nobody came to their aid after they were seized.

As for Ning Yuncheng, after being taken to the police station a couple of days prior, Lan Lingyan had specifically instructed someone to keep a tight watch on him. For the past two days, Ning Yuncheng had been so thoroughly monitored that he was utterly preoccupied, trapped like a cornered beast, unable to make any clandestine moves even when longing for his lover.

Xie Zhuoyin was also recalled by the Xie family under the pretense of an audit. With both men gone, Gu Yingxi felt a degree of discomfort, coupled with an increasing longing for the sight of Lan Lingyan.

While she lamented his coldness and indifference toward her, she also found herself thinking of his superb physique and features. On several nights, while pondering his image, her body, already quite aroused by the attentions of the two men, became increasingly difficult to restrain. Under these circumstances, she naturally missed the disappearance of Liu Jinjun and the others, assuming they had simply returned to the countryside in frustration after failing to find Ning Yunhuan. It wasn't until three days later, when an anonymous letter arrived, that Gu Yingxi learned the youths had been captured.

She couldn't fathom why strangers in the Imperial Capital would seize these individuals. In her panic, she instinctively reached out to seek help from Ning Yuncheng and the other man. But at this crucial juncture, she was completely alone. Gu Yingxi then remembered the two men, but she couldn't access the Ning residence—Ning Father had long since alerted the security guards at the villa complex, who now actively chased her away upon sight. The area where the Xie family resided was even more exclusive. Xie Father had already thoroughly investigated the woman’s background, and while lamenting his son’s poor judgment, he felt even greater loathing for such a shameless woman.

Finding no one to assist her, Gu Yingxi instantly decided to rescue Liu Jinjun and the others!

Although her connection with Liu Jinjun and the rest was merely superficial, because they were linked to Ning Yunhuan, Gu Yingxi couldn't stand seeing Ning Yunhuan look down on her. If Ning Yunhuan could sponsor these people, she, despite currently lacking funds, was certain she wouldn't do a worse job now that she had money! Even if she couldn't surpass Ning Yunhuan financially, she possessed a kinder heart! If she performed well, Brother Lan Jiu would surely notice, and then he would make the right choice. Having made up her mind, Gu Yingxi didn't hesitate. After making a call home, she grabbed the letter and hailed a taxi toward the location indicated in the note.

Meanwhile, in the abandoned factory where Liu Jinjun and the others were held captive, Lan Biao had already stationed the prepared men behind partitions hastily erected in a clean room, listening to the weak moans emanating from the youths outside.

Lan Lingyan's punishment for these youths was not simple beatings. These people grew up in the countryside and were likely accustomed to physical discipline. Mere physical pain wouldn't instill fear; it might instead provoke rebellion and humiliation. Having grown up in the Lan family, Lan Lingyan knew precisely what kind of punishment was bloodless murder. Sometimes, crushing a person required destroying their spirit, leaving them permanently broken and subservient—just like the methods he used on his own brothers back then!

Although he had mentioned teaching Gu Yingxi a lesson, Lan Lingyan hadn't disclosed the specific details to Ning Yunhuan.

He himself had grown up in darkness, but he didn't wish for the woman he loved to share the same fate.

Upon arriving at the factory, Gu Yingxi began to feel a surge of regret. She had impulsively decided to come rescue them on a whim, but now, alone in this eerie, deserted place, she was just a girl, and fear began to creep in.

“Is anyone here?”

The boys, bound together and left alone without visitors or words, their mouths gagged and eyes blindfolded, had received no water or food for days. The silence, broken only by the sound of their own heartbeats, had nearly terrified Liu Jinjun and the others senseless. It felt like being locked alone in a dark room, the world shrinking to just them waiting for death, time stretching unbearably. A few had grown irritable, and once their basic needs—even going to the bathroom—were neglected, they completely broke down.

Hearing Gu Yingxi’s voice, the boys finally wept uncontrollably. They didn't know who they had offended in the Imperial Capital to be dragged to such a horrid place—no beatings, no food, just silence. Overwhelmed by extreme hunger and fear, Liu Jinjun felt a wave of relief upon hearing a familiar voice, thinking they were saved, though a part of him wondered if it was a trap.

“Oh, she actually showed up,” from the other side of the factory, about a dozen thugs surged out. Upon seeing Gu Yingxi, malicious grins spread across their faces. “Miss, you have quite the nerve, coming here all by yourself. Who are these people to you, that you’d risk your life for them?”

Seeing Gu Yingxi actually appear surprised Lan Biao, who had set the trap himself. He initially thought Lan Lingyan's main goal was to punish Liu Jinjun and the others. The trap was so simple and crude that he assumed no one would fall for it. Seeing Gu Yingxi appear instead left him speechless. “Truly foolish beyond belief. Coming alone, without even a single person for backup, knowing there was a setup—is this woman’s head filled with straw?”

Lan Lingyan was also somewhat surprised. Although he expected Gu Yingxi to fall for the bait, being fooled by such a rudimentary trick astonished him. How could a woman like this survive to this day? It felt like her brain was merely tied to her belt. Such a person wasted nearly half a day of his time, filling him with disgust. He had half-hoped she possessed some cunning; otherwise, his subordinates shouldn't have softened their hearts over such a woman. Who was she to make those men feel pity? Why should Lan Biao speak up for her?