Ning Yunhuan hesitated upon this thought. If destiny truly decreed it, Gu Yingnuo was merely cannon fodder in the destined romance between the female lead and the male protagonist. Although the plot dictated that Gu Yingxi and Song Minran should end up together, if Gu Yingxi truly intended murder, her scheme shouldn't have been so meticulously crafted; like how she dealt with Ning Yunhuan in the previous life, the method should have been brutally direct. If her guess was correct, Gu Yingnuo’s broken leg likely wasn't the result of a conspiracy between Gu Yingxi and Song Minran alone.

After being reborn, Ning Yunhuan had shed much baggage, changing so much that she barely resembled her pre-transmigration self. She had even learned to scheme, yet when faced with the miserably weeping Gu Yingnuo, the comforting lies wouldn't leave her lips. Gu Yingnuo, though perhaps a bit arrogant before, was still just a girl in her prime, and now her leg was shattered due to the plot, effectively ruining the rest of her life. Without the halo of a female protagonist, it was doubtful any man would willingly take on such a burden. Thinking of this, Ning Yunhuan nearly slapped herself twice, but still answered honestly:

“I think your sister, despite being shameless, probably wouldn't have gone as far as breaking your leg?”

However, contrary to Ning Yunhuan’s expectation, the more she spoke in Gu Yingxi’s defense, the less faith Gu Yingnuo had in her sister’s character. Upon hearing Ning Yunhuan mention Gu Yingxi being her own sister, Gu Yingnuo nearly sprang up:

“You don’t know! You don't know how utterly shameless she is, what won't she do? First, she seduced some man named Xie, then she hooked up with your older brother. She’s been involved with countless men and still wasn't satisfied, seducing Song Minran and bearing his bastard.” Gu Yingnuo paused here, a look of firm conviction settling on her face: “Besides, I know Song Minran’s character. He appears gentle and refined on the surface, but in reality, he’s ruthless and full of wicked schemes…”

Gu Yingnuo rattled off a torrent of bad things about Song Minran, and the more she spoke, the more convinced she became that her accident was Song Minran’s doing. She even managed to invent numerous plausible justifications for what had previously seemed tenuous:

“Think about it—why was I hit the moment I left the complex? Is there such a coincidence in the world? They must have spotted me on my way back, followed quietly in another car, hit me, and then gone back to destroy the evidence, which is why so much time was lost. When the doctor called, these two might have overheard the phone, but fearing I wouldn't die, they deliberately delayed answering. Only after they had erased all traces, certain I must be dead, did they pretend to hear the call. When they realized I survived, they probably figured, just as you suggested, Miss Ning, that I would trust Gu Yingxi’s character and never suspect them—after all, one is my boyfriend, the other my own sister. Haven’t you heard of the empty fort strategy? This is exactly what they're pulling. It's like the principle that the most dangerous place is the safest place—they assume I would never suspect them!”

Ning Yunhuan was almost brought to her knees by the girl’s formidable deductive leaps. Truly, when resentment clouds judgment, one can weave an entire tapestry out of thin air. Ning Yunhuan had initially believed Gu Yingxi wasn't the type to be so vicious, but after being brainwashed by Gu Yingnuo, she couldn't help but harbor doubts: “What you say does have some merit, but she is still your sister. Do you really think she’d commit such an act?”

This question only fueled Gu Yingnuo’s contempt, causing her to scoff coldly: “What wouldn’t she dare to do?” In the past, Gu Yingnuo couldn't have dreamed that she would one day suspect her dearest sister of plotting against her. But times had changed; after Gu Yingxi seduced her boyfriend, Gu Yingnuo would never trust her again.

“Since you believe Gu Yingxi might be capable of such things, I won’t rule out that possibility either. Let me state one thing clearly: I intensely dislike Gu Yingxi. But if you’re just trying to use your sister’s side to test me, then you’re wasting your effort.” Ning Yunhuan had never hidden her aversion to Gu Yingxi. If another person caused Gu Yingxi trouble, Ning Yunhuan would naturally be pleased. However, if Gu Yingnuo ultimately yielded to sisterly affection, it wouldn’t affect Ning Yunhuan either; she was just laying the cards on the table to prevent Gu Yingnuo from playing the fool later.

“Don’t worry, Gu Yingxi and I are mortal enemies. Do you think I could possibly forgive her now that I’ve lost a leg?” Gu Yingnuo laughed, her large eyes brimming with venom: “If our goals align, Miss Ning, cooperating would be ideal.” Gu Yingnuo alone could only cause Gu Yingxi annoyance; she couldn't deliver a fatal blow unless she dragged them both down to destruction. But if she died, it would be too easy for that beast Song Minran—he had ruined her life, and she intended to cling to life just to drag him down with her!

Ning Yunhuan nodded, seeing the malice in Gu Yingnuo’s eyes and recalling her early demise in the previous life. She sighed softly and reminded her, “Your boyfriend is surnamed Song, correct?”

Gu Yingnuo confirmed this, about to ask what Ning Yunhuan meant, when Ning Yunhuan cut in directly: “I recall telling you before that your sister had dealings with a middle-aged man while in school.” Gu Yingnuo naturally remembered the incident. She had previously assumed Ning Yunhuan was deliberately spreading malicious rumors about her sister and hadn't given it a second thought. Hearing Ning Yunhuan’s words now, her heart sank. Ning Yunhuan continued:

“The man caught with her at the police station was also surnamed Song—a middle-aged man, a teacher at the school, I heard. Since your boyfriend is also surnamed Song, if there’s any connection, you should be careful.”

As soon as Ning Yunhuan finished speaking, Gu Yingnuo began to tremble, feeling as if she had plunged into ice water. Her already suspicious thoughts began to spiral wildly. Song Minran’s father, Song Qingyun, was supposedly a middle school teacher. If her future father-in-law already had history with her sister, did that mean Song Minran had known Gu Yingxi long before?

And if he had known Gu Yingxi for so long, why specifically pursue her? What if he was using her as a stepping stone to get to Gu Yingxi? Gu Yingnuo’s face twisted in a hideous expression as the possibility dawned on her. If this were true, Gu Yingxi deserved to die, and so did Song Minran!

Gu Yingnuo was already deeply insecure about losing her leg. If she realized that Song Minran’s affection for her was also a sham, it would be like pouring salt into her wound, intensifying her hatred for both Song Minran and Gu Yingxi.

After igniting the fuse, Ning Yunhuan leaned back against the seat, watching Gu Yingxi’s triumphant smile fade, and fell silent. What she had just revealed wasn't a lie; Gu Yingxi and Song Qingyun had indeed been involved for over two years. The Song father and son had shared a woman without realizing it, and this woman had an almost tangled future in-law relationship with the Song family, not to mention the now vengeful Gu Yingnuo. Gu Yingxi’s future promised to be spectacularly turbulent.

Gu Yingnuo hadn't been particularly astute before, but suffering a loss had finally taught her some shrewdness. As long as she could keep her composure and set enough traps for Gu Yingxi, Ning Yunhuan, armed with knowledge from her past life, knew a great deal about Gu Yingxi’s string of men. The stable tripod of Money, Politics, and Power that supported Gu Yingxi in the previous life hadn't even begun to form yet.

Xie Zhuoyin, who provided Gu Yingxi with vast wealth, had already been disowned by the Xie family and was struggling to protect himself; naturally, he couldn't offer Gu Yingxi the extensive financial backing she enjoyed in the previous life. In the sphere of politics, due to Ning Yunhuan's interference, Mu Jinyan had met Gu Yingxi, but they weren't truly intimate yet. Furthermore, in a fit of rage, Mu Jinyan had made a disastrous move, resulting in the loss of several trusted subordinates to Dongfang Aoshi—he deserved a period of heartache. He hadn't even fully secured the Mu family, so that ambitious man certainly wouldn't have the leisure for romance. Thus, Mu Jinyan and Gu Yingxi were, at best, merely acquainted; he wouldn't offer Gu Yingxi any protection.

As for Qin Yi, who later gained significant influence in the military, he was now crippled. Ning Yunhuan had long intended to sabotage his marriage to Li Panpan. As long as Li Panpan didn't marry Qin Yi, a man who could never advance in the military would be worthless to the Qin family. It would be hard enough for Ning Yunhuan to control the Qin family, let alone use Li Panpan to inherit the Qin family’s military power to shield Gu Yingxi, as she had in the previous life.

Thanks to Ning Yunhuan’s machinations, the three main male figures were nowhere near as intimately connected to Gu Yingxi as they had been before. Men like Ning Yuncheng, who had been Gu Yingxi’s intended matches, were either incapacitated or, in Ning Yunhuan's planning, posed no real threat.

Even if Ning Yuncheng now proclaimed his devotion to love, he was powerless. Even if he gave his whole heart, Ning Yunhuan doubted their love could remain as selfless as it was in the past, now that it wasn't propped up by mountains of money.

If Gu Yingnuo could genuinely tie Gu Yingxi down, it would give Ning Yunhuan the time needed to systematically neutralize Gu Yingxi’s destined partners one by one. Even if Gu Yingxi retained her otherworldly radiance in this life, without powerful backing, Ning Yunhuan refused to believe that an ordinary girl like her could stir up any real trouble.