Ning Guiwan woke up to find it was already dusk outside.

Opening her eyes, she saw an enlarged, exquisitely featured face with fine lines. free𝑤ebnovel.com

Although Old Madam Quan was past sixty, she showed no signs of aging. The aura of wealth and nobility about her made her look dignified and elegant.

Ning Guiwan had just woken up, her eyes still somewhat hazy. After a moment, she smiled. "Grandma Quan?"

A brief flicker of embarrassment crossed Old Madam Quan’s face; she probably hadn’t expected Ning Guiwan to wake up so suddenly.

She straightened up, walked to the coffee table, picked up a teacup, and took a sip. Clearing her throat as if it were an afterthought, she then said, "Xiaowan, do you have any particular requirements for your other half?"

Ning Guiwan’s arm was numb from lying on it. As she was flexing it, she heard the question and looked over.

"Ahem..." Meeting Ning Guiwan’s questioning gaze, Old Madam Quan coughed and said, "Chaolian has introduced several prospects to you, but I still don’t know what you really think."

"Do you prefer someone older or someone younger?"

Hearing this, if Ning Guiwan couldn’t understand what the elderly woman meant, it signified all those years of nourishment had been for naught.

It seemed Quan Shengyu’s words had indeed influenced her.

Smiling, Ning Guiwan lowered her long eyelashes. "Naturally, someone my own age would be more suitable."

Old Madam Quan heaved a silent sigh of relief and smiled.

She just knew that her little Xiaowan was sensible.

She also felt slightly guilty. How could a few idle words make her suspect that this child and Ayu had a relationship beyond that of an aunt and nephew-in-law?

Then again, the two weren’t related by blood. If Ayu merely taking Xiaowan to the hospital could be misunderstood by Shengyu, it was certain others would misconstrue it too.

No, she had to quickly settle the matter of their marriages. Once they each had their own families, any gossip would naturally die down.

And so, Wei Chaolian was called to the old residence again.

Unexpectedly, Wei Chaolian said, "Big Sis, we’ve both been muddled, looking for a horse while riding one. You like Xiaowan so much, you’ll never rest easy no matter who she marries. Why not just have her as your daughter-in-law? That way, she won’t be bullied by outsiders in the future, and it will bring our families even closer..."

Before she could finish, Old Madam Quan’s eyes widened. "Are you out of your mind?"

"Big Sis, although your Ayu is ten years older than Xiaowan, it’s only a decade..."

As she spoke, she took out a photo.

It was a photo from when Ning Guiwan had attended a party with Quan Yu.

Old Madam Quan looked over.

It was a shot of the two of them entering the banquet hall. Quan Yu, dressed in a black shirt and suit, stood tall and imposing, his face impassive. Ning Guiwan’s hand was gently wrapped around his arm, her stunning red dress a beautiful counterpoint to the red tie at Quan Yu’s neck.

The photographer had captured the angle perfectly. With the dazzling lights of the background, the pair truly looked like a golden couple, a match made in heaven.

Indeed, looking at it this way, the two of them did seem remarkably well-suited.

"Well? Aren’t they a perfect match?" Wei Chaolian said, beaming.

"...!" Old Madam Quan snapped back to reality, realizing she had almost been swayed. A surge of irritation, with no clear target, rose within her. She couldn’t tell if she was more annoyed with Wei Chaolian or with herself for that fleeting, inappropriate thought.

"Outrageous!" she fumed, immediately shooing Wei Chaolian out. "You and your twisted values! Get out of here this instant, and I never want to see you again!"

"Big Sis, don’t be angry! It’s bad for your health! Hey, Big Sis! Big Sis! Don’t push me, this isn’t proper..."

"Proper with you? If you don’t leave right now, just see if I don’t..." The old woman swiftly grabbed a black umbrella from the stand by the entrance.

Wei Chaolian’s eyes widened. "I’m going, I’m going! Big Sis, please calm down..."

Wei Chaolian scrambled awkwardly into her car. Having lived a pampered life, when had she ever been so disheveled?

As the driver started the car, he asked curiously, "How did you manage to offend Old Madam Quan? She’s always so composed in her dealings..."

To think she’d chase someone with an umbrella... He had no idea what his mistress had done to provoke such a reaction.

Wei Chaolian sighed heavily. "Don’t even mention it."

She herself felt it was a rather unscrupulous thing to do.

Having played matchmaker for so many years, this was the first time she’d attempted to bridge such a generational gap.

As the car slowly pulled away from the Quan residence, Wei Chaolian looked back; Old Madam Quan had already gone back inside.

She pulled out her phone to make a call. Her initial intention was to demand an explanation, but when she spoke, her tone softened. "I did as you asked. Big Sis is furious; she probably won’t speak to me for the next two or three months. Why didn’t you just tell her yourself? Why make me go through this and be the one to offend her..."

Whatever was said on the other end, Wei Chaolian immediately beamed. "...Yes, yes, of course! This stays between us. Absolutely no third person will know..."

Perhaps influenced by Wei Chaolian and Fang Derong, Old Madam Quan increasingly felt that Ning Guiwan and her son were truly a good match.

Take this morning, for instance—

Morning sunlight streamed in. The young woman and the mature man sat facing each other across the dining table, an unexpected air of peaceful domesticity surrounding them, a moment of quiet bliss.

No, stop—

Old Madam Quan shook her head, then lightly slapped her forehead. She had truly been led astray by those two old busybodies!

"Is Grandma Quan’s headache bothering her again?" Ning Guiwan asked with concern. "Aunt Fang, could you please bring Grandma’s medicine?"

Old Madam Quan snapped back to the present, meeting Ning Guiwan’s concerned gaze. She felt even more foolish. How could she have entertained such improper thoughts?

"It’s nothing, I’m fine," Old Madam Quan said with a smile. "I was just thinking about something and got a little distracted."

Ning Guiwan still looked worried. "Are you sure it’s nothing?"

Old Madam Quan’s heart melted. Such a devoted child. She deserves a better man to protect her.

With this thought, she glared unhappily at her son.

Quan Yu, on the receiving end of the unexplained glare: "..."