Ning Yunhuan heard Gu Yingnuo speak but offered no response. Lately, she had been consumed with finishing her graduation thesis. Ever since Gu Yingxi’s men had been systematically taken down, posing no further threat to her, she had stopped paying as much attention to Gu Yingxi, reserving her wariness primarily for Mu Jinzhi. With her life secured, Ning Yunhuan finally wanted to live this existence well, ensuring she wouldn't carry the regrets of the past.

At the Gu household, Gu Yingyu suffered coercion from Gu ShaoTao. Gu Yingnuo had also navigated a period like that and understood the profound devastation such experiences inflicted upon a woman. Seeing the resentment in her sister’s eyes in the photograph, she quietly extended an olive branch to Gu Yingyu. Just as she had done before, Gu Yingnuo casually revealed the real reasons behind Gu ShaoTao’s actions toward her. Predictably, Gu Yingyu initially dismissed the information, but upon returning home, she inadvertently overheard a private conversation between Gu Yingxi and Gu ShaoTao, instantly grasping the truth and turning her hatred toward Gu Yingxi as well.

She sought out Gu Yingnuo, voicing her desire for her second sister’s help in taking revenge. Destroying a man like Gu ShaoTao was simple now. Ning Yunhuan no longer felt the need to dirty her own hands; instead, she chose to use another’s blade. She passed Gu ShaoTao’s location to the notorious underworld boss currently searching the entire capital for him. Gu ShaoTao was swiftly apprehended, and the end awaiting him was certainly predictable.

Witnessing the transformation in her second sister, Gu Yingyu began nurturing the idea of aligning herself with Ning Yunhuan. Her sole thought mirrored Gu Yingnuo’s: even if it cost her life, she had to make Gu Yingxi pay for the pain she had endured!

Unbeknownst to Gu Yingxi, the family who should have been her strongest pillar was fracturing one by one. Ning Yunhuan’s graduation thesis had passed. After spending years in Huaxia, a land that had once left her with regret, resentment, and unwillingness, Ning Yunhuan planned to hand the company over to Gu Yingnuo upon graduation. Afterward, she intended to travel abroad with Madam Ning and Lan Lingyan.

Lan Lingyan arguably should never have been confined to Huaxia. He had remained here for four long years, feeling like a caged eagle whose wings had been clipped, waiting for Ning Yunhuan’s graduation.

Although Ning Yunhuan’s initial blueprint for this life hadn't included constantly traveling alongside Lan Jiu, having married him, she was prepared for the nomadic existence Lin Min lived. Some of her more valuable possessions had already been shipped overseas; only simple necessities remained. Ning Yunhuan was speaking on the phone with Madam Ning, whom she had been trying to persuade to join her abroad, but Madam Ning still seemed hesitant. Before she could hang up, a knock sounded at the door. Ning Yunhuan covered the mouthpiece and said, "Come in."

The door wasn't fully locked. Gu Yingnuo smiled faintly, clutching some files, and entered the room, patiently waiting for the call to conclude before speaking. She finally let out a breath and was about to speak when Ning Yunhuan gestured for her to sit. Brushing stray wisps of hair from her cheek, she sat down and went straight to the point: "Madam, I want to go abroad with you."

Lan Jiu was currently overseeing the handover of his Huaxia business operations. Lan Biao would accompany him on this trip. Ning Yunhuan had originally intended to entrust Lan Ning to Gu Yingnuo, so this sudden request caught her off guard. Ning Yunhuan paused, her brow furrowing slightly. "NuoNuo, have you thought this through? Handing Lan Ning over entirely to you. If you accept, I will transfer one percent of the company’s shares to your name. From then on, you will have absolute authority over everything concerning Lan Ning."

After Lan Jiu absorbed the majority of the Ximen family’s influence and injected further capital, with the backing of the Huaxia political echelon, Lan Ning faced virtually no development obstacles. Currently, Lan Lingyan and Ning Yunhuan held seventy percent of the shares; Lin Min and Lin Maoshan each owned ten percent; the remaining scattered shares outside the core group did not exceed ten percent. Decision-making power for Lan Ning was firmly in Ning Yunhuan’s hands, supported by the Lin father and daughter, meaning Lan Ning’s future success was almost entirely assured.

One percent of the equity might sound small, but given Lan Ning's current rate of accumulation, Gu Yingnuo’s annual dividends would easily reach seven figures. With her current capabilities, furthering Lan Ning’s development would hardly be difficult. Ning Yunhuan found it truly puzzling that Gu Yingnuo would willingly forgo such accessible power just to stay by her side.

"I understand everything clearly. I know this is an opportunity, but Madam, while I, Gu Yingnuo, might not be the kindest person, I at least recognize debts of gratitude. You gave me a new lease on life. I promised when you avenged me that I, Gu Yingnuo, would serve you my entire life, remaining loyal to you—especially since you and the Master repaired my broken legs. Without you, I would have been ruined long ago. I wish to stay by your side, Madam, even if it means only handling trivial matters."

Gu Yingnuo was certainly no saint; she was ruthless and often wicked, even scheming against her own sister. Yet, she understood reciprocity. She knew who had pulled her from the abyss, who had saved her from absolute despair. She would honor the promises she made, and though she was just a woman, her word was often more reliable than that of many men.

Ning Yunhuan fell silent. Gu Yingnuo’s character moved her, prompting further contemplation. Gu Yingnuo possessed ability, meticulous thought, strategy, and vision. Having her close would undoubtedly make things much easier for Ning Yunhuan. Furthermore, in her past life, Ning Yunhuan had few true friends. While her relationship with Gu Yingnuo had evolved from mutual exploitation to one of master and servant, Gu Yingnuo’s carefree, willful nature was something Ning Yunhuan lacked and perhaps envied. They could truly be called friends. Ning Yunhuan didn't have many; Li Panpan and the others would remain in Huaxia. The thought of having a lifelong friend by her side made Ning Yunhuan genuinely tempted.

"If that is your decision, you cannot leave with me immediately. You must wait until you find someone trustworthy to take over your duties at Lan Ning before you can depart."

This request was precisely what Gu Yingnuo had anticipated, and she readily agreed.

As Ning Yunhuan prepared to leave for overseas, Li Panpan and the others naturally felt reluctant to see her go. The group decided to arrange a gathering to bid her an early farewell, hosting a small party. Perhaps it was the effect of the several drinks poured by Li Panpan and the others, but Ning Yunhuan soon became woozy and passed out completely.

She awoke feeling unsteady, the world around her a blurry darkness, struggling to open her eyes. At first, Ning Yunhuan assumed she was still at the Li residence playing with Li Panpan and the others. A muscle twitched at her mouth until she realized she couldn't move her jaw, an awareness that something was deeply wrong. Fortunately, having previous experience with kidnapping, she quickly forced herself to sobriety. Her head still swam, so she bit down hard on her tongue. The sharp pain brought a sudden clarity to her thoughts.

She seemed to be tied up and tossed into some enclosed space. Although her feet found purchase on something below, the space itself felt unstable, as if shaking. Unsure if anyone else was present, she attempted to move the hands bound tightly behind her back. The surface beneath her felt slick and cold, like polished flooring or perhaps metal—leading her to surmise she might be inside some mode of transportation.

Her eyes were sealed with black tape, and her mouth was tightly bound with another strip. She strained to listen, hearing absolutely no sound of breathing—a deathly quiet.

Ning Yunhuan’s heart plummeted. She dared not move violently, instead focusing on twitching her eyebrows and eyelids. The tape clung painfully to her skin, pulling with every small movement. After an unknown, tedious duration spent on this simple task, the tape over her eyes seemed to loosen slightly. Ning Yunhuan felt a surge of relief but did not stop working her hands. After the previous abduction by Dongfang Aoshi, she had practiced escaping restraints countless times. Lan Jiu had arranged for people to bind her wrists repeatedly, and each time she practiced undoing the knots. Though the rope behind her felt tough, like tendon, she had managed to work through similar materials before. Panic would only tighten the bonds, but with calm, tendon-like restraints were not insurmountable.

She moved with extreme caution. Despite the silence, she remained highly vigilant, spending an indeterminate amount of time slowly working a gap into the restraints binding her wrists. Once her hands were free, she tentatively peeled away the tape securing her eyes. Ning Yunhuan’s eyes flew wide open.

This was not a car, as she had suspected. She had been bundled onto an airplane. Given the perceptible rocking motion, she was definitely aboard a moving aircraft. Several people lay strewn nearby, all similarly bound hand and foot, eyes covered. Beyond them, the space was empty. She quickly worked free the ropes binding her ankles, shook out her limbs, and moved toward the nearest prone figure.

Flipping the figure over, she recognized Zhou Yuan’s familiar face. Ning Yunhuan instinctively checked her nostrils and felt a faint breath. Relief washed over her. She swiftly tore the electrical tape from Zhou Yuan’s eyes and ripped away the tape sealing her mouth. Perhaps the adhesive hurt when removed, as Zhou Yuan startled awake instantly.

ps: I will strive to conclude the main text by this weekend. The epilogues, which will explore Lan Jiu’s past life, should be brief and might be released slightly later. I humbly ask everyone here: after the novel is finished, please be generous and click on the completion satisfaction rating section. Dianniang has a new rule: to qualify for a completion bonus—reportedly around one thousand yuan—the satisfaction rating must reach thirty percent. My past ignorance of this new regulation has cost me several books already... Although I started this book primarily out of interest, now that it’s concluding, I can’t help but covet that completion bonus... So... I kneel and beg everyone to help out, whimpers~ My RP.