He had no time to placate Gu Yingxi right now; the matter concerning Lan Lingyan required extremely swift handling. As he thought this, he pulled on his trousers. Lan Jiu's situation had consumed Burgulin’s utmost attention, naturally leaving him little capacity to notice Gu Yingxi at this juncture.

Though Gu Yingxi hadn't been willing for this intimacy with Mr. Green to occur in the first place, seeing him turn away immediately after it concluded brought a sting of bitterness to her heart. She watched Burgulin pull up his pants and leave, her large eyes brimming with tears, fixed on his retreating back for a long time. When she saw he hadn't even glanced back, she couldn't help but break into soft sobs.

Gu Yingxi had considered leaving before, but now she didn't want to go. Burgulin wanted to rush her back after he was done, and for some inexplicable reason, she couldn't bear to see that happen.

Events proved the old adage true: the pursued becomes less desirable, and what is unobtainable is always the best. Gu Yingxi’s decision to stay had an immediate effect: she and Burgulin rapidly grew intimate. Since Gu Yingxi hadn't objected to his prior advance, Burgulin interpreted her compliance as tacit acceptance of their relationship. While obtaining her so easily brought him a measure of disappointment, his desire for her remained—though the sense of respect he once held was gone. He began to view Gu Yingxi as a personal plaything, unlike before, when despite their distance, there was an underlying respect. Now that they were intimate, Burgulin’s attitude toward Gu Yingxi became undeniably casual and light.

No one understood this shift more clearly than Gu Yingxi herself, who wept profusely in private. Yet, having not left initially, she found that Burgulin’s territory certainly would not permit her departure at will; even if she wished to leave now, it was impossible.

In her previous life, Gu Yingxi had only yielded to Burgulin after nearly two years of pursuit, under circumstances of utter helplessness. Because she was so hard-won, Burgulin had cherished her deeply—a stark contrast to this life, where they had tumbled into bed so easily. Indeed, emotions that come too easily, even for the destined couple, find it hard to blossom into the deep, agonizing love that follows trials.

But Ning Yunhuan currently had no time to spare for Gu Yingxi. Less than half a month after securing the advertisement for the Green Winery, the car she was riding in was nearly struck twice. The first time this happened, Lan Lingyan had covertly investigated, concluding only that the other drivers were intoxicated. While the initial incident suggested an accident based on all available signs, Lan Lingyan was never naive, and sure enough, it happened a second time.

Fortunately, Lan Lingyan had made ample preparations from the start; the situation had been perilous but not truly life-threatening. This time, they managed to hook a small fish, but unfortunately, the bodyguard protecting Ning Yunhuan acted too aggressively. The foreigner, apprehended, died before he could utter a word.

Given these two near-misses, Principal Su Ying dared not let Ning Yunhuan return to school. After all, if something happened to the young mistress en route to school, not only would Lan Lingyan not forgive him, but the powerful figure in the Lin family would likely hold him accountable too. Thus, Su Ying devised a solution: he arranged a special, designated status for Ning Yunhuan, allowing her to rest at home.

Su Ying could manage this decision entirely on his own; no one would investigate the veracity of the arrangement. Even if there were those with ulterior motives lurking, Su Ying was confident he could suppress any fallout. Compared to Ning Yunhuan's safety, a temporary delay in her studies—which she might catch up on herself—seemed insignificant.

A near-car crash could conceivably be an accident the first time, but two consecutive incidents bordered on the unbelievable. Ning Yunhuan hadn't left her home recently, nor had she visited her son, Lin Yi. She understood that while those behind the attacks remained uncertain, venturing out now would only create more chaos for everyone.

The entire mountain estate was guarded like an iron fortress, ensuring her safety. Ning Yunhuan spent her days online, chatting with Li Panpan and others, reading books, and tending to her flowers. The day passed quickly.

While many young women might find this life tedious, Ning Yunhuan, who had endured agonizingly long stretches confined alone in a laboratory in her past life, found this seemingly dull routine an absolute breeze.

The skies in the Imperial Capital always seemed to turn overcast faster than in other regions. It was only early October, yet the air was already chilly. Fine drizzle had been falling since late September, casting a shroud of gloom over the city. The sky outside was heavily overcast, and Ning Yunhuan was curled up in the downstairs living area watching a movie, surrounded by a wide array of delicious pastries. The servants were still posted outside. The light comedy she watched was nearing its end, and she was calculating the moment to switch it when the door was suddenly pushed open.

Though the days were shorter now and the light fading, the time was actually only around four in the afternoon. Ning Yunhuan turned her head just as Lan Lingyan took the clothes brought to him by Butler Lan Si to change, remarking:

“Have someone prepare a coat for the Madam.”

Lan Si acknowledged the order. Ning Yunhuan hesitated, glancing at the dreary, drizzling weather outside and then back at the warm, comfortable interior. She was reluctant to go out. Lan Lingyan's face instantly turned cold: “Your parents have had an accident.”

Hearing this, Ning Yunhuan couldn't remain seated. She sprang off the sofa, not even stopping to put on her shoes. Lan Lingyan frowned. Servants arrived promptly with clothes and shoes. Lan Jiu smoothly took them, seeing Ning Yunhuan rushing over barefoot. He knelt down, signaling her to lift her foot, and helped her slide her delicate, thin lambskin shoes on. Then, he dressed her other foot before handing her the coat to drape over her shoulders. “There was a sudden fire, thank goodness for the rain; the fire didn't spread much.” Therefore, Mr. and Mrs. Ning were only frightened and sustained some falls while scrambling out of the house; they had no serious injuries.

After listening, Ning Yunhuan recalled how she had been forced into confinement lately and instantly guessed that someone was deliberately targeting her. Her eyes narrowed. This tactic, frankly, with its brazenness and utter disregard for consequence, felt suspiciously like the Baron’s handiwork.

The reason she hadn't immediately blamed Burgulin in recent days was that she assumed only Italy and England were his domains. Even if this man were incredibly arrogant, cool, and ruthlessly charming, he wouldn't dare cross boundaries to act this way. Ning Yunhuan knew the principle that a powerful outsider cannot dictate terms to established local powers; surely Burgulin, an old fox, knew this too.

Given the Lan family's arrogance, even a figure like Father Lan, while not completely subdued on Chinese soil, wouldn't be audacious enough to openly orchestrate car crashes and arson on someone else's turf.

“Is it Burgulin?” Ning Yunhuan asked the question directly. Lan Lingyan showed no surprise at her conjecture, merely nodding: “It is highly likely. You stay out of this; I will handle it.”

Maids on both sides quickly held umbrellas over them. No one showed surprise at their conversation. The car had been prepared long ago. As the two stepped under the umbrellas and entered the vehicle, Lan Lingyan changed his shoes and then proceeded to change Ning Yunhuan’s as well.

Compared to the image of the all-powerful Lan Jiu, seemingly flawless and without weakness, whom she knew in the past, now that she had spent time with him, she was aware of his slight mysophobia. Ning Yunhuan allowed him to put on her shoes before urgently asking:

“How are my parents now?”

“Nothing serious, just a fright. They are at the hospital for observation; at most, they’ll stay overnight and be discharged tomorrow.” However, a section of the Lan family's small villa had burned, and while the damage wasn't severe, it required renovation. Since the Lan family owned properties across China, and the Nings also had a villa in Blue Mountain, the discussion about where Mr. and Mrs. Ning would stay was brief.

“This Burgulin is utterly audacious,” Ning Yunhuan seethed, clenching her fists. It was just like when he brazenly detained her abroad and forbade her return—his actions were entirely too presumptuous. Lan Lingyan had just taken her hand in his palm when a phone in the handbag the servants had already placed in the car began to ring.

Lan Lingyan paused, picked up the bag, and handed it to her. The phone rang four or five times before stopping, immediately followed by the sound of a text message alert.

“This is just a small lesson,” a text message from an unknown number read. Ning Yunhuan’s expression shifted. Just as she was about to speak, Lan Lingyan reached out, switched her phone off standby, and placed it back in her bag.

“Don't pay it any mind for now. We’ll deal with it after today.” The priority was Mr. and Mrs. Ning. The sudden fire was suspicious; had it not been for the recent rain in the Imperial Capital, the blaze might have taken hold. It was during their usual afternoon nap time, and the perpetrator had added a bit of diesel fuel. Had things gone on a little longer, the consequences would have been unimaginable. Even if Mr. and Mrs. Ning hadn't been burned alive, they would certainly have suffered smoke inhalation.

Ning Yunhuan shivered and nodded.

At the hospital, Mrs. Ning looked bewildered. Her condition was relatively better. Mr. Ning had been severely startled when the fire erupted, and his heart nearly failed him. He had no external injuries but was deeply frightened, causing his blood pressure to spike alarmingly high. Doctors were currently administering emergency aid. When Ning Yunhuan arrived, she saw him wearing an oxygen mask, gasping for air.