If his old friends ever learned he had taken in such a promiscuous daughter-in-law, they’d split their sides laughing! Though Ning Father was generally a generous man, his generosity didn't extend to the point of being magnanimous enough to accept the situation of having gained several 'extra sons' just because he agreed to his own son's marriage!

“Father, I respect you, which is why I’ve brought Xi’er here to plead my case. She is now pregnant. If not for my sake, you should at least consider the sake of your grandchild! The weather is so cold, and for Xi’er to show her respect to you, she has been kneeling for so long. How can you be so heartless?” Ning Yuncheng’s visit was indeed about securing his marriage to Gu Yingxi, but he also needed to borrow money from Ning Father. He had lost over ten million in the casinos, and the debt collectors had been pursuing him fiercely. Unable to clear the debt himself, he planned to use Gu Yingxi's pregnancy as an opening to inform Ning Father, while simultaneously soliciting a loan.

As soon as Ning Yuncheng finished speaking, before Ning Father could reply, Lan Lingyan, who was casually holding Ning Yunhuan, suddenly interjected:

“How many months?”

Upon hearing Lan Lingyan speak, Gu Yingxi trembled violently with excitement. She felt utterly soiled now, unworthy of Lan Lingyan. But that didn't mean she lost the right to secretly admire him. At most, she would stop competing with Ning Yunhuan and simply love him from afar. After all, love itself wasn't a crime. Her own love was already so humble; thinking of this, Gu Yingxi nearly wept again, quickly sniffing back the tears and biting her lip hard to suppress a sob. In all the time she had loved Lan Lingyan, he had rarely spoken to her, and each instance of his neglect had twisted her heart in pain! Now that he had finally addressed her, Gu Yingxi’s eyes immediately reddened. Taking two deep breaths, without waiting for Ning Yuncheng to answer, she blurted out without thinking: “Two months…”

Once those words were spoken, aside from Ning Yuncheng’s stunned silence followed by an expression like he’d been struck by lightning, Ning Father fell silent for a long moment before his face suddenly turned ashen!

“Two months? If I recall correctly, when I had my surgery, Ning Yuncheng was kept under watch by the police for over two months because of potential aggressive tendencies?” Ning Father’s voice was altered with rage; he nearly leaped up, his hand trembling as he pointed at Ning Yuncheng: “Were you with her during those two months? Whose child is she carrying?” The more he spoke, the angrier Ning Father became, and the cane in his hand swung down toward Ning Yuncheng. “Tell me!”

When Ning Yuncheng heard that Gu Yingxi’s pregnancy was only two months along, he had already realized the situation. At this moment, he was completely frozen. When Ning Father swung the cane, he forgot to even duck. There was a sharp thwack as the cane landed squarely on his forehead. Ning Yuncheng cried out in pain, and a bright crimson line began tracing down from his brow, dripping rhythmically past his chin.

“Yuncheng, Yuncheng, what’s wrong with you?” Gu Yingxi, who had been momentarily captivated by Lan Lingyan's beauty, snapped back to reality with a shrill scream, behaving as if her husband had just died. She grabbed Ning Yuncheng’s shoulders with both hands and began shaking him violently! The sudden burst of strength lent by her desperation made Ning Yuncheng dizzy, causing the blood from his forehead to flow even faster.

Having struck Ning Yuncheng, Ning Father felt a pang of regret that his son hadn't even tried to dodge, but he was too proud to admit it now. Madam Ning was utterly stunned, and while Ning Yunhuan had grasped the situation, she was too engrossed in watching the spectacle to even think about calling a doctor for Ning Yuncheng. Instead, she leaned comfortably into Lan Lingyan’s embrace to enjoy the show!

“Yuncheng, please don’t leave me. Don't abandon me alone.” Gu Yingxi’s tears streamed down her face, her lips pale and bloodless, tightly pursed, making her look fragile and pitiful. Perhaps roused by Gu Yingxi’s desperate wails, Ning Yuncheng’s handsome face contorted in agony. “Xi’er, why? Why did you betray me? Wasn’t having both Xie Zhuoyin and me enough for you?”

“No, that’s not it!” Gu Yingxi cried out hysterically. The secret she had resolved to bury deep in her heart had been dragged out so easily. But who was she to blame? Lan Gege? No, she could never bear to blame him. He had only been showing concern for her, not intentionally setting out to treat her this way; he hadn’t meant to! Instinctively, Gu Yingxi found an excuse for Lan Lingyan. Realizing the truth could no longer be concealed, she made the pure-hearted decision to stop hiding it.

“Yuncheng, I’m sorry. After you and Brother Yin both had your accidents, Liu Jinjun and the others were kidnapped. I… I tried to save them, and then… then… then someone…” Gu Yingxi stopped, as if recalling the nightmarish scene, and collapsed into Ning Yuncheng’s arms, sobbing uncontrollably: “I failed you! After everything happened, Yuncheng, I truly wanted to die, but I couldn't. Yuncheng, hit me, scold me—it’s all my fault. My body is tainted now; I’m no longer worthy of you. Yuncheng, please don’t give up on me…”

Ning Yuncheng’s expression shifted from initial shock to subsequent daze, finally settling into resolve and tenderness. Ignoring the gash on his forehead, he gently and lovingly pulled Gu Yingxi into his embrace: “Silly girl, why are you so foolish? You are so kind, yet you suffered so much for people you barely knew. How could I ever give up on you? I love you too much! None of this is your fault. Thank goodness you didn't die, or what would I have done?”

Although he dared not dwell on the consequences of losing the woman he adored, the thought that his beloved’s pure and flawless body had been touched by another made the delicate form in his arms—which once made his blood surge—feel intensely uncomfortable now. If not for the pity he felt for Gu Yingxi temporarily overwhelming the fierce rage within him, and knowing that losing his temper now might drive her to death, Ning Yuncheng might have exploded with anger, pushing Gu Yingxi away and doing something that could potentially harm her! He clenched his fists tightly. For the first time, Gu Yingxi’s tears evoked in him not just pity, but also a thread of despair and anguish.

Ning Yuncheng’s parents, who had initially worried about their son’s injury, heard his heartfelt declaration. Far from being moved, Ning Father was hit by waves of nausea, leaving him speechless. He wondered if it was because he was old and couldn't keep up with the modern world, or if his son had become brainless ever since encountering this girl from the Gu family. Ning Father felt no sentimentality toward the clinging couple; instead, he felt utterly sickened. He quickly signaled to Madam Ning, genuinely not wanting to speak another word to Ning Yuncheng!

But while he didn't wish to speak, Ning Yuncheng had something he needed to say: “Father, Xi’er has endured such immense suffering. That child she carries definitely cannot be kept!” Madam Ning’s eyes lit up; she thought her son was finally speaking sense for the first time since meeting Gu Yingxi. However, Ning Yunhuan coldly sneered nearby, leaning closer to Lan Lingyan, hooking her arm around his neck and whispering into his ear: “Listen, the good part is coming.”

As expected, Ning Yuncheng stated firmly and decisively: “Father, give me twenty thousand yuan first, so I can take Xi’er to have the procedure done!” He continued, ignoring the ashen faces of Ning Father and his wife: “Xi’er has always been frail. If she needs surgery, it certainly can’t be done at just any hospital. She isn’t married yet, so for something like this, it must be a reputable hospital, otherwise, if her health is damaged, it will be bad for the future. I don't even know if twenty thousand yuan will be enough…”

Even though the event had transpired, and the devastating realization that his beloved was carrying another man’s bastard felt like knives carving out his heart, Ning Yuncheng could not bear to watch Gu Yingxi carry another man’s seed. He had to prioritize getting rid of the malignant weed in her belly! He couldn't worry about the potential harm to Gu Yingxi’s body from terminating a pregnancy this far along; the best doctors and hospitals would suffice. The most crucial step now was eliminating the glaring 'weed' inside Gu Yingxi!

“You’ve dated so many girls before; you must be experienced at accompanying them through surgical procedures, right?” After watching the drama unfold, Ning Yunhuan was nearly doubled over with silent laughter. If Ning Father and Madam Ning hadn't looked so stricken, she might have burst out loud already: “There are plenty of advertisements outside; it costs barely a thousand. I hear students even get a discount. Has Miss Gu passed her exams this year? If not, and she re-enrolls next year, she should still be a student, right?”

Ning Yunhuan’s words turned both Gu Yingxi and Ning Yuncheng’s faces chalk-white. Gu Yingxi’s lips trembled; the way she looked at Ning Yunhuan was as if she saw her father's murderer. If her usual gentle and virtuous nature hadn't restrained her, she couldn't have borne hearing Ning Yunhuan’s sarcastic barbs, especially with Lan Lingyan right there mocking her. Being forced to reveal her rape in front of Lan Lingyan had already driven her to despair. She didn't even dare look at Lan Lingyan’s face, fearing she would see shock and disappointment, yet Ning Yunhuan kept pouring salt on the wound. Finally, Gu Yingxi broke down, weeping:

“Miss Ning, you are a woman too. Why are you treating me like this? What have I ever done to you? Why can’t you try to see things from my perspective? Was I willing to be treated like that? Do you know how much pain and humiliation I’ve felt? Why can’t you show some understanding? Are you so happy making me say those things in front of Brother Lan? I only wanted a fair fight with you; why won't you even give me a chance! I’ve even given up now; I just want to watch him silently from afar, wanting nothing. Why must you make things difficult for me…”

Book Title: Cannon Fodder’s Hardship Synopsis: A cheerful writer transmigrates into the cannon fodder supporting female character she wrote in her novel.