But in this life, perhaps because the circumstances under which these two first got together were wrong, Dongfang Aoshi never sought out Gu Yingxi again. Instead, he proposed to Li Panpan right now.

This world was truly too fantastical; Ning Yunhuan was speechless.

Seeing the girls stunned, Li Panpan finally showed a hint of embarrassment: "Huanhuan, I'm not actually that noble. I was just afraid that after you all got into trouble..."

"We understand."

Without letting Li Panpan finish her words, Ning Yunhuan and Zhou Yuan each took Li Panpan's hand. The girls spoke in unison, then exchanged glances and burst into laughter.

Although Li Panpan had a selfish motive, at least she dared to step forward. If anyone else had been in Li Panpan's position, they might not have been as decisive as she was. Moreover, her honest admission of her inner thoughts now demonstrated her sincerity and character towards her friends. Their relationship had already been good, and after this incident, their bond grew even closer.

Although Ning Yunhuan had already heard Lan Jiu's phone call with her own ears, she remained anxious throughout the journey. Only when the plane finally landed on the small island of the Lan family ancestral home did she finally breathe a sigh of relief.

As soon as the cabin door opened, she followed Li Panpan and the others in single file. Before she even stepped off the stairs, she was enveloped in a strong embrace. Lan Lingyan held her so tightly it almost hurt, but at this moment, Ning Yunhuan didn't want to struggle at all. She leaned quietly against Lan Lingyan, remaining silent for a long moment.

"In the future, I truly want to lock you by my side, so you can’t go anywhere, can't see anyone," Lan Jiu’s voice was somber, carrying a hint of ruthlessness that sent a chill down the spine. Ning Yunhuan's heart tightened, and just as she was about to struggle, Lan Lingyan held her tightly once more.

By this time, the Li and Du families, among others, were already waiting in Italy. Lan Lingyan didn't inquire about Ning Yunhuan’s ordeal on the island; he merely arranged for Li Panpan and the others to be escorted away. Dongfang Aoshi was the last to disembark, accompanied by Tian Yuxin and Mu Jinyan. Upon seeing Lan Lingyan, he coldly asked, "Lan Jiu, I’ve delivered your woman. Where is my father?"

Without needing Lan Lingyan to say a word, the butler, Lan Si, bowed to Dongfang Aoshi and made a gesture inviting him forward.

"We..." Mu Jinyan looked at Ning Yunhuan with a complicated expression, then glanced toward Li Panpan and the others who were about to board the plane, seemingly wishing to follow them. Tian Yuxin, meanwhile, was pale with fright. The trauma of her son's kidnapping and subsequent death, coupled with being transported like cargo the entire way, had rendered her extremely unstable; she appeared quite deranged.

"Find a way to leave immediately, or don't even think about leaving ever," Lan Lingyan narrowed his eyes, putting an arm around Ning Yunhuan's shoulder, and glanced at the useless Mu Jinyan. "Don't imagine I'll arrange your departure. If you haven't left my premises within half an hour, you don't want to know the consequences." This island was surrounded by sea, and the Lan family even cordoned off an area to feed several sharks. Useless people didn't even deserve a burial site; they would only become food. Especially since this incident involved the Mu family, even though Lan Jiu knew Mu Jinyan and Tian Yuxin were victims, he still directed his anger toward them.

"You, do you still have any law to uphold..." Mu Jinyan was aghast that Lan Lingyan had no intention of sending him and his mother away, and realizing they couldn't leave the island without an escort, he was further threatened. Their phones had been confiscated during Mu Jinzhi’s kidnapping, leaving them without any means of contact. Mu Jinyan couldn't even call for someone to pick them up.

"Here, I am the law!" Lan Lingyan spared Mu Jinyan a glance, too lazy to waste words on such trash. He pulled Ning Yunhuan close and prepared to leave. Mu Jinyan watched the rows of heavily armed men in camouflage uniforms with trembling fear, realizing Lan Lingyan privately commanded such a formidable force. As Ning Yunhuan was about to get into the car, he quickly called out, "Miss Ning, you once warned me that Jinzhi might have been feigning his confusion, which shows your kindness of heart. Can't you save someone to the very end?"

Lan Lingyan was about to speak when Ning Yunhuan tugged his hand, turned, and cast a look at Mu Jinyan:

"Young Master Mu, I gave you one chance, but you chose not to believe me. There is nothing I can do now. I am not God; I cannot save you. The outcome now is entirely of your own making."

Hearing this, Mu Jinyan was filled with urgency and anger: "But, but I was also blinded by Mu Jinzhi at the time. I know it was my fault for not listening to you, but I realize my mistake now. Please help me one more time. The Mu family will certainly reward you. Have you forgotten the status of our Mu family in Huaxia?"

At these words, Lan Lingyan couldn't help but let out a cold laugh. "Mu Jinyan, you still don't know that your father has already announced that you and your mother died during Mu Jinzhi's kidnapping?" Mu Shaohua had been too eager to declare the mother and son dead so he could swiftly install his new favorite and his newly acquired son as successors. Lan Lingyan knew that this public drama was beneficial to Ning Yunhuan and the others' kidnapping situation, as it would immediately draw everyone's focus onto the Mu family, distracting them from Li Panpan’s abduction, so he hadn't intervened.

Seeing Mu Jinyan now acting as a discarded son of the family while being completely unaware, and even attempting to use the Mu family to threaten others, Lan Lingyan couldn't help but laugh:

"You had better not take my words as a joke." As soon as he finished speaking, Dongfang Aoshi, who had just descended from the plane, couldn't restrain himself and asked angrily, "Lan Jiu, where is my father?"

"So impatient, no wonder you achieve little and fail often!" A large RV drove up from the airport, and Dongfang Long stepped out, his face grim yet composed, looking less like a kidnap victim and more like someone arriving for a vacation. Father Lan followed behind him, grinning at the comment.

Madam Ning’s figure appeared alongside Lin Min. Upon seeing her daughter, a look of relief washed over her face. She glared at Dongfang Aoshi and whispered, "Huanhuan, are you alright?"

"Xiao Jiu's wife is blessed with good fortune; how could anything happen to her?" Father Lan grinned, glancing at Dongfang Aoshi, whose complexion was shifting between white and green. "Furthermore, Aoshi handles things with a certain measure of propriety. I see that little girl from the Li family is about your son's age; perhaps Brother Dongfang can finally rest easy?" Dongfang Long shot his son an annoyed look. His subordinates had reported the truth of the situation to him before Dongfang Aoshi boarded the plane. Although the Li family’s foundation wasn't as deep as the Dongfang family’s, the young Li girl was close to Dongfang Aoshi's age. While she had been engaged before, her gentle temperament and cultured upbringing were distinct advantages.

The Dragon Alliance, though powerful, did not operate through conventional means, making them a suitable match for the Li family. Although Dongfang Long had reservations about Li Panpan having a previous fiancé—as a man with traditional ideas like him often disapproved of many modern trends—he conceded that his own son was hardly blameless. Besides, a man could still take other women after marrying a principal wife. Thus, he reconciled himself to the match. While he hadn't sought any benefits from an alliance with the Li family, he would certainly be satisfied if uniting them could tether his son, make him settle down sooner, and produce a grandson promptly. Therefore, he tacitly accepted Father Lan's teasing and remained silent.

Seeing that Dongfang Long was safe, Dongfang Aoshi sighed in relief. Witnessing his father publicly disparage him in front of Lan Jiu, his expression soured, but he knew his actions had indeed been shameful. Lan Lingyan's maneuvering this time was superior to his own, so he dared not retort. After all, if he had truly wanted to best Lan Jiu, he should have kidnapped Father Lan, or at least kidnapped Lin Min, but he chose Ning Yunhuan instead. Ultimately, besides lacking the guts to move against Father and Mother Lan, his actions were rooted in a petty desire for revenge because Ning Yunhuan had offended him before.

This alone was enough for Dongfang Long to look down on him. In the underworld, there were rules: do not covet a companion's wife or daughter, and do not lay a hand on the opposite party's women. Even operating within the criminal sphere, Dongfang Long strictly adhered to these principles and refused to associate with true scoundrels. Dongfang Aoshi knew his father disliked this aspect of him, so he naturally didn't dare argue now.

They all piled into vehicles and left the airport. Ning Yunhuan only truly relaxed when Lan Lingyan drew her into his embrace, leaning softly against him.

"We owe Panpan a great deal this time," she softly recounted Li Panpan's actions to Lan Lingyan. She expected Lan Jiu to share her immense gratitude toward Li Panpan and the Li family, but instead, a dark shadow crossed Lan Jiu's eyes, and he laughed coldly:

"She deserved it. If she hadn't shown even this much consideration this time, I would have ensured every member of the Li family was dead within ten years!" Even if he couldn't openly strike and wipe out the Li family in one go, Lan Lingyan was part of the underworld; he had the patience to proceed slowly, to erase the entire Li family from Huaxia subtly.

Seeing him still looking angry, Ning Yunhuan was somewhat surprised:

"Aren't you moved at all?"

Moved? What nonsense! Lan Lingyan rested his chin against the top of Ning Yunhuan's head, rubbing it gently, and said nothing. The massive trouble stirred up by the Li family this time, even with Li Panpan's courageous intervention, had left shadows in the hearts of the other families. While the younger generation's feelings might remain unaffected, the older generation would certainly harbor some resentment.

"Li Panpan has turned misfortune into fortune by marrying into the Dongfang family. I suppose that old man of the Li family will look upon her with new favor." Otherwise, no matter how beloved a granddaughter she was, once entangled with family interests, she would be ruthlessly discarded as a liability. Such was the nature of the great aristocratic families: they enjoyed all the benefits but also had to pay commensurately.

When Ning Yunhuan heard that Li Panpan marrying Dongfang Aoshi was actually an elevation for her, she felt a pang of displeasure. She pushed Lan Jiu away slightly, sitting up straight:

"How can that scum Dongfang Aoshi be worthy of Li Panpan? He doesn't deserve her!"

Lan Lingyan narrowed his eyes, noticing her staunch defense of Li Panpan, a coldness creeping into his gaze. "The Li family has influence in Huaxia, but it is limited to Huaxia. Darling, you don't know the old saying: 'officials collude with bandits'?" The Li family's power was confined within Huaxia, whereas Dongfang Long's Dragon Alliance spanned the entire community of Huaxia's hidden descendants, with influence extending far beyond the older generations in the nation, holding even greater sway overseas. A seemingly glorious family like the Li family lacked a stable foundation; without powerful backing, they would eventually be swept away by the currents of political power.

Back then, even the illustrious Lin family had to secure the marriage between their daughter, Lin Min, and Father Lan. While the relationship between Lin Min and Father Lan appeared to be true love, where does so much romance truly come from? No matter how proud Lin Min was, she had never been allowed to see the world beyond the ivory tower her father, Lin Maoshan, had built for her. Thus, when she encountered Father Lan, a man completely different from those she was accustomed to, she naturally fell in love. But without Lin Maoshan's arrangement, she would never have met the man of her dreams. Therefore, speaking of love within these prominent families was as tragically ironic as a joke.

The Li family, though currently prominent, belonged to the world of light and needed to integrate with those in the darkness to secure stable growth. The black and white, seemingly incompatible, only became the true zone of safety when fused into gray. Since ancient times, the collusion between officials and bandits has been the royal road to wealth and power. Those truly at the pinnacle of money and authority understand the depth of those waters.

The Dongfang family's Dragon Alliance was significant, and Dongfang Long had always maintained a good reputation. For the Li family to secure a marriage alliance with the Dongfang family brought them immense benefits, advantages substantial enough to offset the damage caused by Li Panpan’s kidnapping incident while hosting her friends. For the Li family, this was undoubtedly good news.

Ning Yunhuan’s expression was complex as Lan Jiu explained all this: "But what makes Dongfang Aoshi worthy of Li Panpan?" For such a pervert to be considered an upgrade for Li Panpan, Ning Yunhuan nearly spat blood; she couldn't accept the notion.

Seeing her troubled look, Lan Lingyan smiled and patted her head. "While Dongfang Aoshi is a scoundrel, he's still better than that useless piece of trash from the Qin family." No matter how much of a scoundrel he was, when compared to Qin Yi, Dongfang Aoshi won by a landslide in terms of background, even if his character was lacking.

Still unable to accept that Li Panpan’s forced violation had become the linchpin for an advantageous family alliance, Lan Jiu saw her inner turmoil. He gently lifted her face and pressed his lips to her forehead. "Li Panpan understands these things too. She can rationalize it, and moreover, this is the best outcome for her." Li Panpan wasn't young anymore; people from similar backgrounds often had their marriages settled by her age. Despite what Du He and the others outwardly said, they all had a clear understanding of where they would marry.

Li Panpan’s engagement had also been set early on, but Qin Yi ruined himself. While Li Panpan was quick to agree to break the engagement, the subsequent series of awkward situations placed her marriage prospects in a difficult spot. The Li family, though saying nothing, secretly found Li Panpan's impending marriage a source of embarrassment. The men her age who were suitable had already been chosen, and the remaining bachelors were flawed. There was even a risk she could become a family outcast, like Lin Qian in the past, married off to some distant country like scrap and never heard from again.

"That outcome would have been far worse. Marrying Dongfang Aoshi, at least considering the relationship between the two families, means Li Panpan's life won't be too bad." At the very least, Dongfang Aoshi would respect her. Even if he's acting wild now, it's because he's unmarried. Men like them would guarantee their wives respect. Even without affection, they would treat their wives far better than many men who seem virtuous on the surface but harbor malice underneath.

As matters stood, Ning Yunhuan recalled the scene when Li Panpan agreed to marry Dongfang Aoshi. She felt no strong resistance, but rather a subtle sense of relief, and she sighed inwardly, saying no more.

It wasn't until the car pulled into the Lan family ancestral grounds that Ning Yunhuan remembered: "Right, what about that Liu Yan this time..."

"You'd best not concern yourself with her," Lan Jiu said with a smile. As he spoke, Liu Yan was screaming as she was thrown into the sea. The nearby sharks quickly swam over and snatched her into their mouths. A spreading crimson stain bloomed in the clear, pale blue water. Her screams cut off abruptly, replaced by a string of bubbles rising to the surface before the sea returned to calm.

Mu Jinyan and his mother, who were standing nearby, saw the event, instantly rolled their eyes, and collapsed unconscious. Several large men standing guard expressionlessly hauled them away.

Though they weren't fed to the sharks like Liu Yan, the fate awaiting Mu Jinyan and his mother was hardly better. Already devastated by her son's kidnapping and witnessing his death before her eyes, the sight of Liu Yan being devoured dealt a crushing blow to Tian Yuxin, driving her mad, just as in the previous life. Mu Shaohua already had a new wife and a new son, so he naturally abandoned Mu Jinyan, sending him abroad under quiet surveillance—a fate mirroring his previous life.

Li Panpan and Dongfang Aoshi’s wedding was set. Ning Yunhuan returned to the country half a year after the kidnapping to attend as her close friend.

In those six months, perhaps due to the impending marriage to Dongfang Aoshi, Li Panpan seemed less fearful of him than she had been initially. Following the previous abduction, Lan Lingyan forbade Ning Yunhuan from returning to the Li family residence. Instead, he had Li Panpan and the others moved to his private manor in the east of the Imperial Capital. Dongfang Aoshi moved in with them, still maintaining his dissolute air, but when looking at Li Panpan, though his gaze wasn't tender, it carried a new degree of respect.

For some reason, Ning Yunhuan recalled the times she witnessed Dongfang Aoshi with Gu Yingxi in their previous life. While he treated Gu Yingxi well, the feeling wasn't one of respect, but rather of toying with her. Perhaps due to Lan Jiu’s earlier reminder, she recognized the difference. When she asked Li Panpan about some wedding details, she initially opposed the match, but comparing it to the feeling of Dongfang Aoshi with Gu Yingxi, she came around.

After all, Li Panpan herself was satisfied with the engagement. Only she knew if the shoe truly fit; outsiders’ opinions about their incompatibility only led to needless worry.

Since both the Li family and Dongfang Long held deep reverence for ancient Huaxia customs, the wedding naturally followed the traditional Chinese style rather than the Western style currently popular. As the car drove from the Li family mansion toward the temporary estate Dongfang Long had purchased, Ning Yunhuan, smiling, sat beside Li Panpan, who was dressed in a vibrant red qipao. In her peripheral vision, she spotted a familiar figure outside the car. She instinctively turned to look, only to see Gu Yingxi, who had grown much thinner in the past six months, walking along the roadside in a daze, like a ghost.

As the vehicle sped past, the wind swept her loose hair, revealing her lifeless face.

Three years later, Gu Yingnuo, speaking of Gu Yingxi inadvertently, couldn't help but laugh:

"My sister? She's currently sharing an apartment with several men now. She has quite a lot of work to do every day." Gu Shaotao, having lost a hand and a foot, had no idea who his biological parents were and ended up returning to the Gu family. Gu Yingxi still raised him, accompanied by Ning Yuncheng, who was now useless after losing a kidney. She worked fifteen hours a day at several jobs just to support her mother and her two men.

Gu Xian didn't survive many more years. When she died, Gu Yingnuo went to visit and saw the utterly destitute Gu Yingxi, laughing at her plight.

A woman is like a flower; even the most delicate bloom requires devoted nurturing and sustenance. Without the support of men, even with her captivating figure, she couldn't utilize her advantages. Endless tasks, ceaseless labor, and money that was never enough left her complexion utterly ravaged. When the radiant Gu Yingnuo appeared before her, Gu Yingxi was so wretched she looked like Gu Yingnuo’s mother, unable to raise her head out of shame and anxiety.

Gu Yingnuo handed her a thousand yuan and watched her clutch it tightly with overwhelming gratitude, never setting foot back in the Gu family home again.

Ten years later, Lanning had become a television station known throughout the world, its broadcasts setting the trends that audiences desperately chased. And when Lin Yi was ten, Ning Yunhuan became pregnant again, giving birth to a daughter. Unlike the cold shoulder Lin Yi had received, this newborn girl was unanimously adored by her maternal and paternal grandfathers. Even Dongfang Long, upon looking at the tiny girl, was already eagerly trying to arrange a childhood engagement for his three-year-old grandson.

Watching Father Lan and Dongfang Long argue, their faces grim and voices raised in deadlock, Ning Yunhuan held her daughter, who had just learned to call out "Dada" and "Mama," a look of deep contentment on her face.

After experiencing life twice, her existence had finally reached its fulfillment. She never imagined she would marry a man she once dared not even dream of, or that she would attain a life so satisfying.