Contract Marriage: The Tycoon's Pampered Wife
Chapter 17 - 017: I, for one, never joke.

Chapter 17: 017: I, for one, never joke.

This time, Ning Guiwan couldn’t dodge. Quan Yu seemed to have anticipated it. The moment he lowered his head, the hand that had been pinching her chin moved behind her, gripping the back of her head and holding it firmly.

He was skilled and deft, leaving Ning Guiwan no room to struggle. Her nostrils filled with his scent—a mixture of alcohol, tobacco, and the faint, cool bitterness of agarwood.

The car window was slowly raised. The once-clear noises from outside became muffled. Ning Guiwan gradually found it difficult to breathe, her head growing muddled.

But her hands remained firmly pressed against Quan Yu’s shoulders, attempting to keep some distance between them, though it was all in vain.

She had just reached her limit when the car window was suddenly knocked on. Ning Guiwan’s heart clenched.

Quan Yu reacted faster. The moment her body stiffened, he helped her sit up properly. She felt weak and leaned against the seatback, panting softly.

Then, Quan Yu took off his suit jacket and draped it over her. He then partially lowered the car window. Outside, Ren Yong stood with a wide smile, holding up a bag. "Sir, I’ve bought the water."

When his gaze fell on Ning Guiwan, wrapped in Quan Yu’s suit jacket with her hair disheveled, the smile vanished from his face instantly.

He then looked at Quan Yu, whose expression was unmistakably sharp.

"Um... I bought some for the other brothers too. I’ll—I’ll go give it to them now!" With that, not daring to linger a moment longer, the man, in his forties, hurried away.

After this interruption, the intense passion in the car vanished completely. Ning Guiwan’s lips were slightly swollen. She silently threw the suit jacket back to Quan Yu. The strap of her dress had slipped from her shoulder. She adjusted it and reached behind her to pull up the zipper. Perhaps she was too flustered, but she couldn’t manage to zip it up.

Quan Yu quickly composed himself. Turning, he saw her struggling and reached out to help.

Ning Guiwan pushed his hand away without looking at him, her expression cool. "No need."

Quan Yu’s hand hovered in mid-air for a moment before he withdrew it. He lit a cigarette, took a few puffs, then extended his hand out of the partially lowered window to flick the ash.

Ning Guiwan straightened her clothes and hair. Still not looking at Quan Yu, she opened the car door to get out.

Quan Yu, noticing her intention, stretched out a long arm and grasped hers.

Her arm felt light and smooth beneath his fingers.

"Does Uncle Yu wish to continue?" Ning Guiwan paused before turning her head to face Quan Yu. In stark contrast to her disheveled state, not a single crease marred his clothes; he still looked impeccably tailored.

"Disregarding all propriety and morality?"

Hearing this, Quan Yu let out a soft chuckle, as if he’d heard something amusing.

He met Ning Guiwan’s gaze, his eyes dark, his tone casual yet strikingly formal. "Between us, is there such a thing as propriety and morality?"

Ning Guiwan froze.

Right. It was only because her maternal grandmother and his mother were close that she addressed him as ’Uncle’ according to seniority.

"Grandma Quan has always treated me like her own granddaughter. I hope Uncle Yu won’t make such jokes with me in the future. If she found out, it would upset her and damage her health."

Quan Yu fully lowered the car window. He leaned out, exhaling a puff of smoke, his wrist resting on the sill as he leisurely tapped the cigarette. Ash drifted down as he spoke, his voice steady. "I never joke."

Ning Guiwan’s frown deepened.

Four years ago, she could have dismissed it as something he did in a drunken stupor. At the recent cocktail party, she could have attributed it to a moment of impulse. But now, it seemed she could no longer find any excuses for him.

She turned her head away, watching the passersby through the darkly tinted window. After a long moment, she said softly, "I’m not a good person. Please, Uncle Yu, cherish your reputation. Don’t let me tarnish it."

Hearing this, Quan Yu slowly released her arm. A cold smile touched his lips, his gaze fixed on the cigarette between his fingers. His voice seemed to deepen. "Coincidentally, I’m not a good person either."

"..."

They both sat lost in their own thoughts for a while before Quan Yu called Ren Yong back.

By then, Ning Guiwan had also calmed down and no longer mentioned getting out of the car.

Old Mrs. Quan had indeed been unwell for the past two days. Ning Guiwan arrived very late, by which time the old lady had already gone to bed.

"Miss Ning, you’ve come at just the right time," said Fang Derong, the housekeeper. "The Old Madam has been mentioning you constantly these past two days. Seeing you tomorrow morning, she’ll probably be so happy she’ll eat an extra bowl of rice." Fang Derong had served Old Mrs. Quan for over twenty years and knew how fond the old lady was of Ning Guiwan, so she always treated Ning Guiwan with extra kindness.

This was despite the terrible rumors circulating about her.

Ning Guiwan hadn’t exchanged a single word with Quan Yu after getting out of the car. Hearing Fang Derong’s words, she simply smiled in acknowledgment and went straight upstairs.

She slept fitfully that night, drifting in and out of restless dreams. The chaotic scenes eventually settled on the image of Quan Yu pinning her down, and she woke with a start.

It was still dark outside. Ning Guiwan reached for her phone to check the time; it was just past three in the morning.

The screen displayed an unread text message. Ning Guiwan tapped it open. It was from the same number that had claimed to be Zhang Ziyan several days ago: ’I know you still blame me for not saving you that night, Xiaowan. It’s my fault. I was a coward. I was wrong. I’ve been blaming myself every single moment these past years. Can you forgive me?’

Zhang Ziyan had indeed been the one with Ning Guiwan at the bar that night, as she drowned her sorrows in drink.

When Ning Guiwan was being dragged from the bar, she had seen Zhang Ziyan standing in a corner. Ning Guiwan had reached out to her, but Zhang Ziyan had simply turned and walked away.

Seeking advantage and avoiding harm is human nature. Ning Guiwan didn’t expect anyone to sacrifice themselves for her, but it also meant there was no longer any need for them to be friends.

Ning Guiwan put her phone down and lay back on the bed.

After what felt like an eternity, she finally drifted into a light sleep, but it didn’t last long. She woke again and decided not to go back to sleep this time. She got up, freshened up, and went downstairs. Old Mrs. Quan was already up, and indeed, she was very happy to see Ning Guiwan.

"Derong told me you arrived after eleven last night. Why were you so late?"

Ning Guiwan sat beside the old lady. "I ran into Uncle Yu on the way," she explained. "He mentioned you weren’t feeling well, so I was worried and came over to see you. Are you feeling any better?"

"It’s nothing serious, just my old troubles." Old Mrs. Quan smiled, taking Ning Guiwan’s hand. "How are you and Annan getting along? Have you gone out to eat together or to the movies?"

Ning Guiwan looked at Old Mrs. Quan’s kind face and smiled. "We..."

She had wanted to say, ’We’re just friends,’ but then she caught sight of Quan Yu coming downstairs out of the corner of her eye. After a two-second pause, she changed her words: "We haven’t reached that stage yet."

As she finished speaking, she distinctly felt Quan Yu, who was adjusting his cuffs, pause for a moment.

Old Mrs. Quan, however, was delighted by her answer. "As long as you’re willing to put in the effort, it doesn’t matter if progress is a little slow."

Quan Yu walked over to the bar and gulped down a glass of warm water. Seeing him, Old Mrs. Quan looked somewhat displeased. "Look at Xiaowan. She’s ten years younger than you, and her marriage prospects are already settled. And then there’s you..."

The old lady sighed, feeling a headache coming on.

Quan Yu put down his glass. His gaze swept past Ning Guiwan’s face, but he said nothing and headed straight for the entryway.

"You’re leaving without breakfast?" Old Mrs. Quan called after him.

Quan Yu turned back. His gaze, however, fell on the young woman sitting silently beside his mother, the corners of her mouth curved in a slight smile.

"I have a meeting this morning. I won’t eat."

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