Contract Marriage: The Tycoon's Pampered Wife
Chapter 29 - 029: It’s like patient persuasion

Chapter 29: 029: It’s like patient persuasion

Ning Rongyue carried the insulated food container outside. Quan Yu’s car had already driven off, and Lai Yang was coquettishly hugging Ning Guiwan’s arm, pleading with her to live with her at the Quan family mansion.

In the yard, a large patch of hibiscus flowers bloomed. Ning Guiwan stood before them, a smile in her eyes. Her skin was so pale under the sun it seemed translucent, with only her red lips like fire, their color even more intense than the flowers’ vivid hues.

A sharp sting made Ning Rongyue’s eyes ache, and she raised her hand to touch her left cheek.

The uneven sensation under her fingertips made Ning Rongyue’s expression darken, her complexion sinking.

Even if she used the best cosmetics, what did it matter? Covering it up didn’t mean it wasn’t there.

Over the years, Ning Rongyue had regretted more than once listening to that person and gambling with what was most important to a woman.

Ning Guiwan had only been abroad for four years, and upon her return, she was still Ning Honghua’s biological daughter. And her? How could her face ever return to what it once was?

Without this face, what could she possibly use to make that man spare her another glance?

"Xiaowan, please? Just keep me company, otherwise I’ll be so bored..." Lai Yang pleaded, looking up at Ning Guiwan with wide, helpless, and pitiful eyes.

Ning Guiwan shifted her gaze from Ning Rongyue and curved her lips slightly. "If you want me to keep you company, just come and find me."

"Xiaowan..."

"Alright, I have to go to the company. Do you want to come with me, or wait at home for your second maternal cousin to pick you up this evening?"

It was so heartbreaking; Xiaowan didn’t love her anymore.

All day, Lai Yang tirelessly tried to persuade Ning Guiwan to live with her at the Quan family residence, but Ning Guiwan was unyielding. Not even Lai Yang’s myriad persuasive tactics were successful.

At dusk, when Ning Guiwan was leaving work, Lai Yang followed her home like a frostbitten eggplant, packed her things, and then left with Quan Yu, who had come to pick her up.

Before getting into the car, she couldn’t resist confirming one last time, "Are you really okay with me being all alone by myself?"

The rear window of the Cullinan was down. Quan Yu rested his left hand on the windowsill, his rolled-up sleeve revealing a well-defined wrist circled by a watch—a style and color favored by businesspeople.

Ning Guiwan smiled and said slowly, "If you need anything, just find me."

As her words fell, Quan Yu swept a cool, indifferent glance over her.

Lai Yang pouted as she got into the car, the words "I’m not happy" practically written across her face for the entire journey.

Especially feeling the powerful presence of her second maternal cousin beside her, her heart grew even heavier.

"Why so gloomy?" Quan Yu asked, looking at her.

Lai Yang immediately hid her sulkiness and smiled ingratiatingly. "Not at all..."

Quan Yu looked at her, his eyes dark and inscrutable.

Lai Yang was on the verge of tears. "It’s not that I’m unhappy about staying at your house. I’m just sad Xiaowan won’t be with me. I’ve been away for four or five years, and I’ve lost touch with everyone I used to know. Xiaowan is my only friend..."

"We used to be so close, we’d hang out all day and never get tired of each other. But now... she doesn’t seem to like me as much."

Otherwise, why would Xiaowan still refuse to live with her at the Quan family residence, even after she had pleaded all day?

In the past, Xiaowan would have agreed as long as she asked.

Quan Yu held a matte black lighter, flicking the lid up and down with his index finger, looking utterly bored.

After a moment, his deep voice emerged, sounding both casual and gently persuasive.

"You’re able-bodied and healthy; you don’t need special care. She really doesn’t need to be with you constantly."

"It’s not that I need her to take care of me, I just..." Lai Yang muttered softly, but she paused mid-sentence, her eyes widening as she looked at her second maternal cousin, her gaze suddenly sparkling. "That’s right!"

Quan Yu glanced at her lightly. "Right about what?"

But Lai Yang didn’t answer, her face beaming with delight, her chin held high in satisfaction, thinking herself incredibly clever.

「 」

That evening, the Ning Family had an uncomfortable dinner.

Ning Qinghan had just been discharged from the hospital, and both Yun Shu and Quan Xiangru had come over. It could have been a harmonious family gathering, but with Ning Guiwan present, the atmosphere was unavoidably awkward.

At the dinner table, Quan Xiangru was particularly attentive to Ning Qinghan, not acting like someone who intended to call off the engagement.

Ning Guiwan kept her gaze lowered, eating her food quietly and with extraordinary grace, unhurried, as if completely unaware of the distress her presence caused others.

Ning Honghua maintained a stern silence. Yun Shu, knowing Ning Guiwan disliked her, tried to be invisible. Ning Rongyue acted as a peacemaker, urging Ning Qinghan not to be angry with Ning Guiwan anymore and telling Ning Guiwan to let go of the past.

Taking a small sip of soup with her spoon, Ning Guiwan lifted her eyes, which were filled with cold mockery. "One shouldn’t speak while eating. Don’t you possess even that basic upbringing?"

The smile on Ning Rongyue’s face froze.

"Oh, my apologies. I forgot you weren’t a young lady of the Ning family for the first twenty-odd years of your life, so you wouldn’t have learned the table manners expected of well-bred young women."

Ning Rongyue looked hurt. She opened her mouth as if to object but then feared she would only confirm the accusation of having "no upbringing." Her eyes slowly misted over, making her appear wronged and pitiful.

Ning Honghua spoke coldly, "Eat your food properly!"

It was Ning Qinghan who said little all night, though her glares at Ning Guiwan were filled with the desire to flay and dismember her.

The last time, Ning Guiwan had dressed extravagantly for a casual visit to the hospital and had easily provoked Quan Xiangru into suggesting they cancel the wedding. If Mrs. Quan hadn’t supported Ning Qinghan, the marriage likely would have been called off.

Naturally, Ning Qinghan didn’t dare to antagonize Ning Guiwan again in front of Quan Xiangru.

The atmosphere in the dining room grew increasingly oppressive. After Ning Guiwan finished eating, she rose and left without a glance at anyone.

After taking a shower, she opened her laptop and logged into her email. Sure enough, there was a reply from Winston Churchill.

It consisted mostly of pictures, all depicting a little girl named Aila in a princess dress, playing and frolicking in a manor. Ning Guiwan smiled gently, her expression exceptionally tender.

After replying to the email, she dealt with some work. Checking the time, it was almost nine o’clock. She stretched lazily, rubbing her somewhat sore neck and shoulders, then closed her laptop, planning to rest.

But then her phone suddenly rang.

Glancing at the screen, she saw it was Lai Yang’s number.

"Xiaowan, my stomach hurts so badly," Lai Yang whimpered into the phone.

Forty minutes later, Ning Guiwan arrived at the Quan family mansion.

Seeing her, Lai Yang threw herself into her arms, crying miserably. "It hurts so much, it’s unbearable..."

In the room, the family doctor and several servants who attended to Lai Yang were present. Ning Guiwan frowned. "You were fine when I left this evening. How did it suddenly get this severe?"

"She might have eaten too much cold food," the doctor replied. "I’ve given her an injection, and with some medication, she’ll recover soon."

"Thank you, Doctor," Ning Guiwan said, holding Lai Yang.

"It’s my duty."

After the doctor left, Ning Guiwan fed Lai Yang her medicine, her tone a mixture of reprimand and concern. "You always overeat like this. And who ends up suffering? You do, don’t you?"

After taking her medicine, Lai Yang snuggled back into Ning Guiwan’s arms. Hidden from view, she smiled like a cat that had stolen honey. "I won’t do it next time."

"Stay with me tonight, will you?"

"With you in this state, I can’t rest easy."

Madame Quan wasn’t in good health and couldn’t look after anyone. Quan Yu was rarely home, and even if he were, the propriety between men and women would make it inconvenient.

"Then how about you stay with me here from now on? Look, without you, I can’t even take care of myself properly."

Lai Yang spoke in a tiny voice, like a pitiful little animal.

After a moment, Ning Guiwan sighed softly. "Alright."

She had come in a hurry and hadn’t brought anything. After helping Lai Yang lie down and tucking the blanket snugly around her, Ning Guiwan said, "I’ll go back and pack some things. You get some sleep."

Lai Yang nodded obediently.

After giving a few instructions to the servants on night duty, Ning Guiwan left the room. The Quan mansion was vast, but few people lived there. As night fell, it felt especially empty and silent.

As Ning Guiwan was descending the stairs, she encountered Quan Yu coming up.

The man had one hand in his pocket and the other holding a cigarette. When he saw Ning Guiwan, his deep gaze subtly focused on her.

Ning Guiwan smiled and greeted him, stepping aside to let him pass first.

Her gaze lowered, she watched his black custom-made leather shoes step past her. Just as she was about to breathe a sigh of relief, the shoes stopped and then slowly retreated towards her.

The next moment, her chin was seized by the hand holding the cigarette.

Quan Yu tilted her face up, leaning in slightly. His gaze fell on her right brow bone for a moment before he reached out with his other hand and pressed the spot.

"HISS—" Ning Guiwan couldn’t help but draw in a sharp breath.

It hurt.

Quan Yu frowned slightly. "What happened?"

The man was too close. Ning Guiwan could smell the faint scent of tobacco and alcohol on his breath. It wasn’t entirely unpleasant, but it was mixed with his masculine scent, which made her quite uncomfortable.

"I bumped it accidentally," she said dismissively.

It happened the day she visited Ning Qinghan at the hospital; Ning Honghua had struck her when she returned home.

A large area had turned black and blue.

She had covered it with concealer during the day, so it wasn’t noticeable. But she had removed her makeup before coming here, making it quite apparent now.

"Have you applied any medicine?" Quan Yu released her chin and straightened up.

Ning Guiwan smiled faintly. Her unpainted lips, having lost their fiery allure and flirtatiousness, now possessed a soft, moist luster.

"It will heal soon; it doesn’t need any medicine."

"I need to go back and get my things, so I’ll be leaving now..."

Before she could finish speaking, Quan Yu grasped her wrist with his large hand.

He pulled her upstairs. Ning Guiwan belatedly realized what was happening. The burning warmth of his large hand on her wrist made her struggle. "What are you doing?"