The people present were all sharp-eyed individuals. Though everyone wanted to know what had transpired indoors, no one dared to voice the question. Lan Lingyan feared his wife might face mistreatment and, unlike Muxiaohua who often hesitated due to worries about offending Lin's family, he simply asked aloud:

“What happened inside?” At his inquiry, Muxiaohua perked up immediately. Though she could ask Tian Yuhui later when they returned home, curiosity was a universal human trait.

If no one had asked before, it would have been tolerable. But once someone voiced the question... everyone naturally wanted to know.

Ning Yunhuan hadn't managed to respond yet when Muliyan chuckled: “There's nothing much—your mother stumbled just now. I told her to return to her room and rest. It’s getting late; you should all go home soon.” As she finished speaking, Lan Fu smiled too: “Since my daughter-in-law has spoken, you may leave first. What needed saying is said. My wife and I will be leaving early tomorrow morning—no need for prolonged farewells.”

Lan Lingyan didn’t even glance at him, nor did Lan Fu feel any awkwardness in his expression.

With Mumingli having already spoken, the Mu family had no choice but to bid their goodbyes first. As Lan Lingyan held Ning Yunhuan’s hand into the car, he persisted until they descended the mountain: “Were you bullied inside?”

Ning Yunhuan turned away without answering. With a light chuckle at her pettiness, Lan Lingyan cupped her face and gently turned it back toward him before asking once more: “Were you mistreated?” His usually aloof expression softened with concern, his jet-black eyes gleaming resolutely beneath the curtain of long bangs that framed his handsome yet inscrutable features. This relentless insistence reminded Ning Yunhuan how stubborn he could be—until she sighed and pulled his hand away, only to have it captured again by his firm grip before she finally spoke:

“Your mother claimed I was touched by Dongfang Aoshi and accused me of being too tainted to suit you. She wants me to step down.” The words caused Lan Lingyan’s brows to furrow tightly. Though calm on the surface, his eyes held a dangerous glint like the eerie stillness before a storm.

“Don’t pay her any mind,” he finally said after an extended silence. To Ning Yunhuan’s surprise, there was no outright rage—just smooth fingers running through her hair as he pulled her into his embrace without another word. The more he remained silent, the more suspicious she became of its meaning. Originally indifferent to this matter, curiosity now gnawed at her. She sat upright on the seat and pressed a hand against his chest, asking curiously: “Is there something I don’t know?”

Lan Lingyan closed his eyes without answering. The tighter he remained silent, the more unsettled she grew. Mimicking his earlier actions, she cupped his face to pry open his eyelids—only for him to suddenly open one eye, its icy glint making her realize what she’d just done. A cold sweat threatened to break out across her back.

She had indeed grown bold lately, likely emboldened by the realization that Lan Jiu no longer viewed her the same way. She no longer feared him as she once did. The act of prying open his eyelids was akin to plucking a tiger’s tooth—a reckless move she never would have dared before. And when he locked eyes with her, she froze, leaving her hand on his cheek but unable to move it further.

Reassured by her fear, Lan Lingyan suppressed the chuckle rising in his throat and pulled her into his arms, murmuring helplessly: “My father dislikes anyone who dares stand beside him as an equal. To him, women are merely ornaments—a few of them more valuable than others.” Having begun to speak, he continued without restraint about how Lin Min had been spoiled beyond repair by his father’s indulgence. Seeing Ning Yunhuan’s stunned expression, he settled her onto his lap and kissed the top of her head: “She’s easily manipulated with a little effort and money, yet she still provides insight into the Lin family through her connections. Their return was orchestrated this way. It was Mugenyuan who used Lin Xi to abduct you, as Lin Xi mistakenly believed it would help vent frustrations against me by appealing for assistance from my mother to remove your circle of confidants.”

Having begun revealing everything, Lan Lingyan had no intention of holding back further: “I’ll settle the accounts with Mugenyuan and Lin Xi, but it’s better not to mention my mother. Once a sleeping beauty is awakened... well, you know how that ends. My father may be strong-willed and controlling, but even I resent being stepped on. From my perspective, Lin Min’s current state actually benefits me.”

After hearing all this, Ning Yunhuan felt her hair stand on end. The hidden dangers within aristocratic families were no surprise—but she hadn’t anticipated such calculated maneuvering from in-laws who appeared so affectionate. Lan Fu’s outwardly generous demeanor now seemed to mask a cold and ruthless core. She let herself be held by Lan Lingyan, his usually comforting chest suddenly feeling dangerous. Recalling how kindly he normally treated her yet remembering her recent boldness in prying at his eyelids, a chill ran through her:

“Are you going to raise me up just like your father...”

Her teeth chattered before she could finish. Lan Lingyan instantly recognized the implication and felt both anger and amusement surging within him. How dare this heartless little creature suspect such things? He already had no mercy left in his chest, yet somehow she managed to be even more merciless than he was—her suspicions were so clear that even outsiders like Lin Min needed to target her. And now, after all this honesty from him... the first thought in her head was whether he might harm her!

Perhaps it was karmic retribution for having owed her lives in past incarnations, he mused grimly as he stared at her pale face. Love and anger warred within him—too gentle to strike her but too frustrated to let her go. He roughly tilted her head backward until their lips met again, his kiss growing more intense with each second before finally biting down hard on her quivering lips when she winced from the pain of blood in his mouth. Only then did he reluctantly soothe the wound by gently licking away the crimson droplets.

Ning Yunhuan had initially felt his tenderness but couldn’t suppress a stifled groan as he bit her. Before she could struggle, she was flipped upside down onto the seat, only catching fragments of words like “You have no heart!”

She almost wanted to laugh—how did *she* end up without a heart? It was Lan Lingyan who truly lacked one! Yet amidst all these thoughts and memories from this life, confusion clouded her mind.

Had she misheard him... or had he never actually said that? After licking away the final traces of blood, his face seemed to have regained its composure, yet as he supported himself above her in the lit car, his shadowy expression under the lights contrasted sharply with the tender glow on Ning Yunhuan’s lips.

He didn’t let her see his expression—after a long silence filled with restless anticipation, she heard him coldly declare: “You’re already enough of an idiot without my scheming making you even more so. That wouldn’t be torment for you—it would be torment for me.”

The moment these words left his lips, Ning Yunhuan went rigid as if petrified by stone. How could this man think she was *stupid*? She glared at him in disbelief before raising her voice: “Am I really that stupid?”

Lan Lingyan finally smiled upon seeing her anger replace fear, but the angle of light obscured his relaxed expression from view. His tone remained cool as he responded: “Are you not?” If she weren’t an idiot, she would know how different his indulgence had always been compared to keeping pets—he didn't hide treasures just to show them off and keep them close like ordinary pets. If he truly wanted to scheme against her, why have let her into every facet of his life? Perhaps this girl simply feared him too much without realizing why he allowed her to bear a child before marriage or agreed to marry her when countless women could be mere possessions.

Maybe it was because he had done too many bad deeds in the past, or perhaps he lacked the kind of strong heart his father possessed—capable of seducing women at youth and still treating them as playthings decades later. He had always been wary of women... except for this one who made him lose all caution. And yet she remained suspicious toward him like a predator ready to pounce. Definitely karmic retribution!

The events from that day in the car were never mentioned again, but Lan Jiu had already decided it was divine punishment for his past bloodthirstiness. Yet he still felt bitter about being viewed as just someone to be wary of by her. He didn’t know how to describe this feeling—only knowing that no matter how much fear or suspicion she carried toward him, all her emotions could only run wild within the safety of his embrace.

Ning Yunhuan also found herself avoiding Lan Lingyan after seeing those exposed emotions. That day’s intensity had frightened her—the way he seemed ready to strangle her was terrifying enough, even though in the end he hadn’t done it. Fortunately, she still had Gu Yinxie firmly in mind as armor against this fear. Though she despised Gu Yinxie most of all since returning from another life, ironically, it was now proving useful by providing distraction.

Considering the timeline, Gu Yinguo would be graduating high school this year and starting university next semester. In the capital city’s university system, Song Minran would also be in his second year of graduate studies. From both fiction plots and past experiences, they were destined to meet precisely during this year.

This life, Ning Yunhuan decided she would facilitate their meeting!

She had originally felt sympathy for Gu Yinguo, whose fate was early death in both the book and her previous life. But when Gu Yinguo last attempted to frame her under Gu Yinxie’s influence by misidentifying a horse as an ox, there was no room left for mercy this time—she would see their love story through to completion first, then let them witness firsthand how the sister they so fiercely protected ended up stealing both their lover and even their father-in-law!

She didn’t believe in Gu’s family remaining loyal to Gu Yinxie under these circumstances. In her past life, Gu Yinxie won over hearts precisely because of her strength and compassion—how she singlehandedly supported her ailing mother while caring for younger siblings without ever descending into despair or greed when surrounded by wealthy suitors who never asked for anything in return.

Over the next two weeks, while thinking about how to push things toward this desired outcome, Lan Lingyan gave her an unexpected hint: money could be used effectively. Though she had never before employed bribery, with his assistance finding a classmate of Gu Yinguo’s willing to help for just 50,000 yuan, the task was quickly accomplished.

Money itself wasn’t truly an issue—especially when it was only 50,000. She now possessed considerable assets from the Qin family’s apology payment alone, not to mention her in-laws’ businesses and Lan Lingyan himself had given her a credit card. With all these resources, money felt like just another number anyway. Since someone else handled daily expenses for her, using less than one percent of her wealth made this bribe seem trivial.

By the middle of the second semester’s final stretch, Gu Yinguo’s classmate delivered news: she had met Song Minran! Through her orchestrated introduction under pretenses of early campus orientation, Gu Yinguo had fallen deeply in love with him within a month—so much so that they were already visiting each other's homes and meeting parents.

Though Ning Yunhuan had initially expected at least decent looks for someone who could occupy the male lead’s affections in fiction despite humble origins, she was rather disappointed by Song Minran’s photograph. He appeared almost entirely unremarkable—his only distinguishing features being an academic air and tall physique marred by thick glasses that clearly required high prescriptions. His naturally curly hair looked perpetually messy as if he never bothered to comb it, while his plain clothing gave off the impression of someone who didn’t care about appearance at all.

Yet this seemingly ordinary man was said to be a top chemistry talent under Professor Fang, the university’s renowned chemical expert. Despite severe academic imbalances that should have prevented immediate post-graduation success, he remained in school thanks to his unique expertise which earned him special attention from Professor Fang himself who recommended him for direct admission beyond regular exams—while simultaneously serving as assistant researcher earning bonuses whenever new discoveries were made by his mentor.

Therefore, Song Minran was highly regarded among peers and relatives alike, receiving immense praise at home while being considered an impressive achiever with excellent interpersonal skills despite his introverted nature. As someone exceptionally skilled in a specific field, he possessed somewhat erratic personality traits—though these would be forgivable if not for the fact that his only notable talent lay solely within chemical studies.

Wondering how such an ordinary-looking man could find himself among Gu Yinxie’s admirers was exhausting to consider, so Ning Yunhuan eventually shrugged it off entirely.

After all, Gu Yinguo had already fallen head over heels with Song Minran! Within just a month they were inseparable, having even visited each other's homes. With her mission complete and progress smooth—especially after receiving confirmation from sources in France that the person she sought was found and gave favorable news—Ning Yunhuan could have been content... if it weren’t for Fu Yuan returning to school soon after.

Fu Yuan’s current enmity with Ning Yunhuan had already spread through class discussions, so her return would inevitably complicate matters further.

Fuyuan’s fury surged through her veins as she turned to see who dared lay hands on her once more. Before she could even process the sight, a forceful tug yanked her backward. Her stiletto heels—beautiful yet treacherously unstable when standing—sent her body lurching unsteadily. The moment her hair was seized and twisted violently to spin her around, her balance shattered entirely.

A slap cracked against her cheek before she could even register the act—a searing sting that left her skin blazing with heat. Before she could react, a second backhand struck her other cheek just as mercilessly.

"Have you been testing your limits, Fuyuan?" A velvet-soft voice cooed from above as an iron grip shoved her forward. The shove sent her stumbling into the nearest table and chairs in a clumsy heap of limbs before she could even scream. Only then did her attacker turn to Ning Yunhuan with a smug smile. "Are you alright, my sweetie?"

Fuyuan’s face contorted in rage as humiliation burned through her like wildfire. The classmate who had once been her closest friend now stood over her like some cruel deity of justice. She could feel the sharp glances and stifled gasps from their peers—those same classmates who had watched her rise to prominence with Rens family’s wealth. These weren’t merely curious stares; they were condemning verdicts carved in icy judgment.

A brutal yank on her hair yanked her back up against Rens Panpan’s grip, her knees scraping the floor as she fought to breathe past the searing pain in her skull.

"Such a good little sister you’ve been," Rens hissed, each word dripping with venom. "Not only trying to piggyback on my family's connections and my resources, but now even my man? Let me introduce you to my brother-in-law-to-be—Xin DaGe, isn’t he perfection? I’m sure you’ve been entertaining him quite well. Otherwise why would he shell out all that money for you?" Her voice curled into a serpent’s hiss. "And let’s not forget how kindly you took care of him while I was recovering from my injuries!"

The classroom erupted in murmurs as Rens' words settled like acid on skin. The sweet, angelic girl who had once gifted classmate after classmate with chocolates and flowers—the one whose generosity had earned her a cult-like following—was now reduced to this venomous viper.

Fuyuan’s trembling hands pressed against her throbbing cheeks as the realization hit. This wasn’t just some random falling-out between friends. The class understood why Rens' fury burned so bright—because every expensive gift, every designer handbag that had mysteriously appeared in Fuyuan’s locker... they had all come from her. From the woman who had once treated her like family.

And now, as whispers spread through the classroom about how "poor little Fuyuan" had tried to steal Rens' engaged fiancé, the remaining sympathy vanished entirely. Those classmates who had once accepted the two as inseparable doubles were now watching with grim satisfaction. After all, wasn’t it obvious? The family that struggled so hard to afford even basic necessities shouldn’t have been able to afford those luxury items Fuyuan flaunted... unless she was taking advantage of someone else’s generosity.

The class knew Rens' fiancé wasn't just some random guy. His power had silenced would-be suitors with fists and threats alike, sending one rival home in such broken condition he'd still be absent from school weeks later. So when these two girls—one the angelic giver, the other the opportunistic taker—suddenly turned on each other like wolves in sheep’s clothing...

Fuyuan’s fate was sealed.

(To be continued...)

[Note: The final polished version maintains all paragraph breaks and line spacing from the original Chinese text while transforming it into natural English prose. No additional content or explanations have been added as requested.]