Contract Marriage: The Tycoon's Pampered Wife
Chapter 23 - 023: He was the first person to believe her without even asking for an explanation.

Chapter 23: 023: He was the first person to believe her without even asking for an explanation.

The evening breeze began to rise, lifting Ning Guiwan’s curled hair that draped over her shoulders. She raised her hand to brush away the locks covering her eyes and curved her fiery red lips into a shallow smile toward the man in the car.

"Uncle Quan."

Her tone was calm and indifferent, as if their relationship was merely that of an elder and a junior, nothing more.

Quan Yu subtly averted his gaze, shifted his position, and spoke in a low voice, "Get in."

Ning Guiwan was silent for a moment before gathering her skirt and getting into the car.

The black Cullinan swiftly left the hospital parking lot. Ning Guiwan didn’t ask where they were going, and Quan Yu didn’t say.

Through the car window, she watched Quan Yu’s bodyguard removing memory cards from the reporters’ cameras one by one. Even from a distance, Ning Guiwan could see the reporters’ frustrated yet helpless expressions. They were angry but dared not resist.

That’s how society is—without power and connections, anyone can trample over you.

As she was lost in thought, her phone suddenly rang.

Ning Guiwan hesitated for a moment before reaching into her bag and pulling out her phone.

It was a call from Li Annan.

A slow smile spread across Ning Guiwan’s lips, faintly tinged with shyness. Her already beautiful features became even more enchanting.

"Annan," she said sweetly.

Quan Yu’s indifferent gaze shifted slightly.

Li Annan said something that made Ning Guiwan’s smile even more charming. "I’ve just left the hospital and was planning to go home to rest... Yes, I’ll see you tomorrow."

After ending the call, Ning Guiwan didn’t immediately put away her phone. Instead, her fingers tapped the screen, changing ’Mr. Li’ to ’Annan’ in her contacts.

Quan Yu leaned back casually against the seat, inclining his head just enough to see her every move.

"Things are moving fast."

Suddenly, he spoke, his tone ambiguous as if making idle conversation.

Ning Guiwan turned to look at him, her gaze forthright. She said with a smile, "Mr. Li is quite nice. Grandma Quan said I should find someone and settle down. Initially, I was reluctant, but then I thought a change of environment wouldn’t be so bad. Besides, Mr. Li is a good match for me and doesn’t mind my past."

Hearing this, Quan Yu fixed her with an inscrutable look for a while, rhythmically tapping his fingers on his knee. After a moment, he let out a cold laugh and said nothing more.

Ning Guiwan didn’t know what his laugh implied. She turned her head to gaze at the retreating night scenery outside the window and didn’t speak again.

The car eventually stopped at the entrance of a hotel. Ning Guiwan asked no questions, simply following Quan Yu into a private room.

The large round table was set only for the two of them.

Since returning to the country, this was the second time Ning Guiwan had dined alone with Quan Yu. Her state of mind, however, was completely different from the first time.

The first time, she had been grateful and had somewhat hoped to gain his support, but now, she had abandoned that thought.

She didn’t want one day to see disappointment in Grandma Quan’s eyes directed at her.

The dinner was exceptionally quiet. Quan Yu barely ate a few bites, mostly just sipping from his wine glass. Ning Guiwan wasn’t very hungry either but forced herself to eat quite a bit, giving the impression that she had a good appetite.

When they left the hotel, rain had unexpectedly started to fall. The autumn air was already cool, and now it felt even colder as the wind carried chilling raindrops against her skin.

Ning Guiwan, wearing only a red dress, instinctively closed her eyes to adjust to the sudden chill.

"In this kind of weather, it’s not wise to wear so little." Quan Yu’s deep voice sounded in her ear. Ning Guiwan was about to open her eyes to look at him when she was suddenly enveloped by a warm sensation.

Quan Yu was much taller than Ning Guiwan, and his custom-made suit, now draped over her, covered her down to her thighs.

The suit faintly carried his masculine scent, mingled with a light aroma of alcohol.

Ning Guiwan looked down, then raised her head and smiled slightly. "I didn’t expect to stay out so late."

Her words sounded innocent enough, but on closer reflection, they didn’t quite ring true.

Yet her eyes were so innocent, as if there was no hidden meaning to her words.

「」

The Cullinan came to a slow halt in front of the Ning Family’s gate. Ning Guiwan unbuckled her seatbelt but didn’t immediately get out of the car. She looked at Quan Yu. "Those things in the newspapers, let’s not let Grandma Quan know about them."

"Worried she’ll be concerned?"

"Mm-hm." Ning Guiwan paused, then smiled. "And I’m also afraid she’ll be disappointed."

While speaking, Quan Yu wound down the window and lit a cigarette.

The man, his wrist adorned with a watch, rested his hand on the window frame. He flicked the cigarette ash outside, his gaze falling on Ning Guiwan. "Why worry about others being disappointed in you for something you haven’t done?"

His tone was affirmative and resolute.

Ning Guiwan was momentarily stunned.

From the incident until now, he was the first person who believed her without even asking for an explanation.

When she collected her thoughts, she lowered her gaze and smiled. "How can Uncle Quan be so sure I haven’t done it?"

After a pause, Ning Guiwan’s gaze drifted, and her voice lowered to a murmur, "Even I’m not sure."

But in the next instant, she smiled brightly. "Thank you for tonight. Goodbye."

She took off the suit and handed it back to Quan Yu. After getting out of the car, Ning Guiwan didn’t linger and went straight through the main gate.

The security guard who opened the gate for her glanced several times at Quan Yu’s car. After Ning Guiwan had gone, he discreetly took out his phone and made a call.

「」

The moment Ning Guiwan stepped into the living room, a teacup flew directly at her, aiming straight for her face. It was so sudden that she couldn’t react in time and could only instinctively close her eyes.

Immediately after, a sharp pain seared her right brow bone.

She heard the sound of the cup falling to the ground and shattering, followed by Ning Honghua’s furious voice: "You’ve got the nerve to come back! I sent you to apologize, what did you go and do?"

"If you really don’t want to live a decent life, then get lost and go back to Britain! Don’t ever come back!"

Ning Guiwan’s fingers tightened around her purse, the zipper digging painfully into her palm. After a moment of silence, she slowly opened her eyes.

Ning Honghua’s face was stern, every wrinkle on his face like a sharp little knife. Ning Guiwan smiled slightly. "You asked me to apologize, and I did. What more are you dissatisfied with?"

"Apologize?" Ning Honghua clenched his jaw. "Is that what you went there to do? Why did those two argue right after you left?"

Ning Guiwan found this amusing, a spark of interest in her eyes. "They’re an engaged couple. They had an argument. And you’re blaming me for it? If they get divorced in the future, will you expect me to atone with my life?"

Ning Honghua’s face turned crimson with rage.

Ning Guiwan glanced at the servants peeking from nearby. "Dad’s temper is flaring. Make him some Mint Soup to cool him down."

With that said, she intended to go to her room. She reached the foot of the staircase but then stopped. Without turning around, her voice, flat and devoid of emotion, drifted out: "Dad, if you loved that woman and the child she bore you so much, you shouldn’t have abandoned her to marry my mother and have me."

Ning Honghua and Yun Shu were childhood sweethearts; Ning Guiwan only found out about the illegitimate status of the two sisters after their existence became public.

Shortly after marrying Chi Tingshuang, he arranged for his pregnant childhood sweetheart to work as a maid in their home. Every time Ning Guiwan thought about it, she felt their marriage was utterly disgusting.