"What did Shaohua say?" Lin Yi stirred in Lin Maoshan's arms. He looked up to see his daughter and granddaughter-in-law just entering the door. He smiled, released the small figure in his arms to go find his mother, and then turned to the weary Mu Shaohua, saying, "Tell me your thoughts first."

Ning Yunhuan gently picked up her son. The boy looked thin, but he was actually meaty; she could feel the plumpness of his delicate little legs through his trousers. "You little fellow, you've gotten fat again."

Lin Yi grinned softly, leaning his head obediently against Ning Yunhuan's shoulder without speaking. However, his chubby little hands gripped the fabric of her shoulder tightly, as if afraid she might disappear again. Though he said nothing, the child understood everything in his heart. But because he had been sensible since childhood, he knew the measure of what he should and should not ask.

Over there, Mu Shaohua hid nothing from Lin Maoshan. At this point, he was already somewhat disgusted with the two sons born to Tian Yuxin. He was the typical type who, when doting on his sons, wished he could tear out his heart and lay it on the ground; but once disgusted, no amount of persuasion from others could reignite even a flicker of affection.

Tian Yuxin listened to the annoyance in his voice when he spoke of his two sons. Several times she tried to cry out that Jin Yan was not intentionally playing dumb, but each time she was silenced by a subtle warning glance from Mu Mingli. Finally, Tian Yuxin could only sob quietly, while Lin Min beside her wore an expression of schadenfreude.

After exchanging greetings with her mother-in-law, Ning Yunhuan couldn't be bothered to listen to this gossip downstairs. It was better to take her son upstairs and play for a while.

Because Lin Yi was raised in the Lin family, not the dangerous environment of the Lan family, his first toy, while not simple like those of children his age, was certainly not the handgun that Lan Lingyan received first from her father. From their upbringing, the gifts Lan Lingyan received were either various types of guns or lessons from combat instructors.

The Lan family had always nurtured their descendants differently. Hearing Lan Jiu once recount the toys of his childhood and how he was trained by his father to make handling guns almost instinctual sent a chill down her spine. Only then did she realize how sensible Lan Jiu had been to send little Lin Yi to the Lin family.

Although the things Lin Maoshan prepared for Lin Yi were not entirely ordinary or trivial toys, they were far better than what Lan Father provided. He had prepared something educational. Ning Yunhuan originally wanted to play along to show her shared interest with her son. But in the end, she discovered she didn't know how to play. Lin Yi, almost four years old, seriously taught her how to operate it. Struck to tears by this realization, Ning Yunhuan returned crying, seeing the look in her son's eyes that conveyed, How can you not even know something this simple?—a thought he managed to suppress.

Lan Lingyan, upon learning the reason for her crestfallen face, said nothing, but quickly shifted her attention elsewhere.

The matters of the Mu family were ultimately resolved without any public scandal. On the contrary, Gu Yingxi’s case escalated. In the eyes of the general public, causing a pregnant woman to miscarry was an undeniably cruel and bloody act. Lin Maoshan knew that suppressing such matters was less effective than redirecting them. Thus, he allowed these comments to circulate for a period. When the media and the public eventually grew weary, leaving only a small faction still indignant, he arranged for the news of the impending public interrogation of the professors and researchers from Imperial Capital University to break.

It was less that Song Minran and the others fell into Gu Yingnuo’s scheme, and more that they were simply sacrifices in a trade of power. Ning Yunhuan wasn't trying to join the fray, but she also wanted to witness the final outcome for Gu Yingxi's former lover from her previous life, as if lacking this knowledge left her insecure.

On the day of the public trial, a large number of media reporters had their cameras confiscated before being allowed entry. In the waiting room, Duan Ling wept uncontrollably, now a middle-aged woman. She had first endured her husband’s infidelity and then her son’s troubles. Even though she had acted decisively regarding her divorce from Song Qingyun, a son is a mother’s life, and thus, she fainted from crying.

Gu Yingnuo, smiling despite her broken leg, sat among the attendees. Her composure was seen by the crowd as a testament to her strength and forced cheerfulness. Song Minran and the others were escorted out. Many in the group of relatives nearby began to weep as well. Due to her status as Lin Maoshan’s granddaughter-in-law—and a rather favored one at that—Ning Yunhuan naturally received preferential treatment, seated in an inconspicuous corner, surrounded by men and women who appeared unrelated. They were, in fact, all her protectors. She exchanged only a distant glance with Gu Yingnuo, seeing a complex mix of hatred, joy, and satisfaction in Gu Yingnuo’s eyes.

Even though these scholars shouted their innocence until the end, politics offered little tolerance. In the end, they were all found guilty. Moreover, with the physical evidence intact—that massive truckload of poison removed from the laboratory that day—it solidified their conviction, ensuring these people could never recover. Naturally, the verdict stood.

Once the verdict was established, the judge granted an extraordinary concession: a final opportunity for the convicts’ families to visit. Because of the defendants’ varying statuses and their collective expertise as technical personnel, their crimes were deemed special, and thus they were considered special criminals. Led by Professor Fang, those found guilty were housed in a state-run prison specifically designed for these technical minds. They would continue to serve Huaxia within the prison walls, but they would forever forfeit their personal freedom. Perhaps after ten years of meritorious service, they might regain their liberty, but since their crimes coincided precisely with Father Su’s term transition, their ultimate fate would depend on Lin Maoshan's stance.

Song Minran and those whose contributions to Huaxia were lesser were directly sentenced to death. They lacked the significant past contributions of someone like Professor Fang, nor did they possess the specific technology the nation required. No matter his talent, Song Minran was merely a student; Huaxia had no shortage of geniuses. Thus, when Song Minran heard his conviction and death sentence read aloud, his entire body slumped in his seat.

Hearing this, Ning Yunhuan finally felt a sense of relief. As the judge was announcing the sentences, a frail, pale, and seemingly helpless young woman entered through the main doors, clutching her stomach and staggering toward the seating area. Her figure was abnormally thin, and her face was utterly devoid of expression. Some sharp-eyed individuals recognized her as Gu Yingxi, the pregnant woman from the high-profile car accident some time ago, who had lost her child. Many recognized her, and out of pity, some rushed forward to photograph her, while others rushed to support her, whispering inquiries about where she was going.

"Nuo Nuo, Nuo Nuo." Gu Yingxi moved with the panic of a newly injured small animal. Her lips moved as she searched frantically for Gu Yingnuo, and just then, she overheard the news that Song Minran had been convicted. Gu Yingxi’s vision darkened, and she nearly passed out. Her tears flowed even more profusely. Everyone present guessed that one of the convicts on stage might be the father of her child.

With this thought, and observing the nature of the crimes for which the people on stage were convicted, disgust flickered across many faces.

Gu Yingnuo also saw Gu Yingxi shortly after she entered. The judge permitted family members a final half-hour visitation period. A horde of media reporters swarmed towards Professor Fang and the others. Song Minran remained expressionless, allowing several microphones to be thrust almost onto his head without reacting at all.

"Please make way." When Gu Yingnuo approached, dragging her broken leg, a spark of emotion finally flickered in Song Minran's eyes; his expression began to shift. The reporters caught the subtle movement on his face and eagerly swarmed forward like cats scenting prey. "Miss, what is your relationship with Mr. Song?"

Numerous flashes targeted Gu Yingnuo's face, the sound of incessant shutter clicks filling the air. Everyone held their breath awaiting her reply. Gu Yingnuo took a deep breath and smiled: "What relationship? He is my ex-boyfriend, or perhaps, my current brother-in-law." The information she revealed in that single sentence nearly drove the reporters into a frenzy. Song Minran stared at Gu Yingnuo as if he had been struck by a bomb.

She ignored Song Minran and instead waved towards Gu Yingxi, who was standing further back, her hearing amplified by the microphones that caught her answer. "Sister, aren't you going to come over and see Minran off? He's probably waiting for you."

People began to connect this to the pregnant woman from the recent accident, now seeing the convicted Song Minran, and then Gu Yingnuo's leg. Many were so agitated they were almost crazed. Gu Yingnuo, however, looked at Gu Yingxi’s fragile state, as if she might collapse at any moment, and smiled slightly. "My dear sister, how did you enjoy being with my boyfriend and having his children twice? You conspired to break my leg, leaving me to live this half-human, half-ghost existence. Is the child in your belly the retribution for your shamelessness?"

"Nuo Nuo..." Song Minran's expression changed; Gu Yingxi's lips turned pale. Before Song Minran could utter a question, microphones were shoved toward Gu Yingnuo from all sides. "Miss Gu, was the person in the car accident your sister?"

"Miss Gu, was your leg broken because your sister and Mr. Song conspired together?"

"Miss Gu, we need to ask..."

In an instant, the focus of the crowd entirely shifted to Gu Yingnuo. Surrounded by a throng of media, she showed no fear, answering every question calmly and gracefully. Seeing that everyone was satisfied, only when the police began to move did the crowd disperse, snapping photos as they left.