Contract Marriage: The Tycoon's Pampered Wife-Chapter 43 - 0: I’ve set my sights on it, sooner or later it will be mine

Chapter 43: 043: I’ve set my sights on it, sooner or later it will be mine

After Quan Yu and Ning Guiwan had walked far away, Zhan Yan and Xu Huairuo finally let go of Su Liang.

Zhan Yan pointed a finger through the air at Su Liang’s nose, looking fierce. "If you still want to survive in this circle, be polite to Mr. Quan!"

Upon hearing this, Su Liang’s expression suddenly changed, becoming extremely unsightly.

The Quan Family had been a distinguished family even before the founding of the nation. They had maintained their glory amidst the turbulent changes of the times, a testament to their deep roots and strength.

The overnight seizure of Sanleng Heavy Industries, upon which the Su Family depended for survival, was the best proof.

Before this, Su Liang had never directly dealt with Quan Yu, having only heard rumors of his ruthless business tactics. Now, having witnessed them firsthand, he knew the rumors were true.

After calming down, Su Liang couldn’t help but regret his earlier impulsiveness and disrespect.

If Quan Yu were to take this matter to heart, he feared he wouldn’t even have a foothold left in Shencheng.

"Mr. Su?" He was in a daze when he heard a woman’s voice call out to him.

Su Liang regained his senses and looked at the uninvited guest before him, frowning slightly. "May I help you?"

"I heard that Elder Su fell ill because of the Sanleng Heavy Industries affair?" The woman’s noble face displayed an unapproachable indifference, even as she smiled. "I’m deeply sorry for what has happened to the Su Family..."

Su Liang couldn’t grasp the meaning behind this woman’s words and said warily, "Are you shedding crocodile tears?"

The woman smiled and handed over her business card. "This is my number. Feel free to contact me if you encounter any difficulties."

「...」

The black Cullinan moved at a steady pace on the crowded streets of Shencheng.

Ning Guiwan thought about Su Liang’s desolate state. In the business world, it was survival of the fittest; there was no right or wrong, only the victor reigned supreme.

Lost in thought, she didn’t even realize when the car had stopped.

By the time she snapped out of it, Quan Yu had been watching her for who knows how long.

His gaze was profound and straightforward.

Ning Guiwan was momentarily stunned, then smiled. "Sorry, let’s go..."

Once out of the car, Ning Guiwan realized they had stopped at the mouth of an alley. Mottled white walls and red tiles, neatly lined French plane trees—the place exuded an air of ancient serenity that seemed to carry the scent of bygone eras.

"This is..."

Ning Guiwan had never been to this place before.

Quan Yu glanced at her, his words clipped, "Go inside."

Ning Guiwan: "..."

Following Quan Yu through the old alley, they stopped at the entrance of a courtyard where two young girls, who looked like waitresses, stood. Upon seeing Quan Yu, the girls’ expressions visibly changed, a subtle hint of shyness in their eyes.

"Mr. Quan, it’s been a long time since your last visit."

"Our boss happens to be in as well..."

In contrast to their enthusiasm, Quan Yu remained quite aloof, merely offering a slight, graceful nod.

"The same private room as usual?"

It was then that Quan Yu finally spoke, "Call your boss over."

Ten minutes later, the owner walked into the private room, holding a bottle of dry red wine in his left hand and three stemmed glasses in his right.

Seeing the restaurant owner, Ning Guiwan was momentarily taken aback and couldn’t help but turn to look at the composed man beside her.

"Why come at this hour? It’s almost two." Qiao Yishen glanced at Ning Guiwan, smiling as he pulled out the chair next to Quan Yu. He then placed a wine glass before Quan Yu and another before Ning Guiwan.

Quan Yu looked at Qiao Yishen, his voice calm. "You’ve been rather idle lately."

Qiao Yishen was pouring wine when he heard this. He glanced at Quan Yu and chuckled, "It’s not like I’ve only been idle for a day or two. Why bring it up specifically today? Have I offended you somehow?"

And he had a girl with him.

Qiao Yishen couldn’t help but look at Ning Guiwan again.

A girl surrounded by controversy.

Ning Guiwan noticed his meaningful gaze, met it, and offered a radiant, frank smile. "So, this restaurant is yours, Mr. Qiao."

Qiao Yishen seemed startled for a moment, then smiled and raised his glass to her, saying lazily, "Just a small venture, something to play around with. It’s nothing compared to Old Quan, who’s swamped with work and raking in a fortune daily."

Quan Yu picked up his wine glass, took a sip, and remarked casually, "I heard yesterday that your little sister’s school had to call for a guardian again?"

"..." At the mention of this, Qiao Yishen massaged his temples, looking troubled, his voice full of helplessness. "She’s at that rebellious age. I really don’t know how to handle her. You can’t scold her, and reasoning doesn’t work..."

Then, the two bachelors began discussing how to handle children. The turn in conversation was somewhat bizarre. It was mostly Qiao Yishen talking, while Quan Yu listened quietly most of the time. Meanwhile, dishes were served one after another, and Ning Guiwan ate quietly, taking small bites.

Suddenly, a peeled shrimp landed in her bowl. In her peripheral vision, she caught a glimpse of a large male hand withdrawing.

She paused, then turned to look at Quan Yu.

The man wasn’t wearing gloves. His well-defined fingers were slightly greasy but didn’t look dirty. He calmly peeled another shrimp while conversing with Qiao Yishen, his movements practiced and elegant.

Qiao Yishen’s gaze towards Ning Guiwan was different than before.

He smiled and said nothing, but his smile made Ning Guiwan feel increasingly self-conscious.

"I’m going to the restroom," Ning Guiwan said, standing up and finding an excuse to leave the private room.

After she left, Qiao Yishen looked at Quan Yu with a meaningful smile and chuckled, "What’s this? Bringing the young lady here to flaunt your affection in front of me?"

Quan Yu leisurely placed the peeled shrimp into Ning Guiwan’s bowl. He didn’t look at Qiao Yishen, nor did he speak, seemingly in silent agreement.

"Looks like what Old Chi said was true." Qiao Yishen lightly swirled his stemmed glass, the crimson liquid dancing within. A smile always graced his handsome, refined face, making him seem amiable to everyone, yet this amiability held an innate air of superiority.

That was an air inherent to these young scions.

"But from the looks of it, you haven’t won the young lady over yet?" Qiao Yishen teased. "She was scared off by you."

Quan Yu chuckled softly, his tone light yet firm. "I’ve set my sights on her. She’ll be mine, sooner or later."

So domineering.

Qiao Yishen looked at him. "Are you sure?"

He paused, then added, "The young lady’s current situation will bring you a fair bit of trouble. Not to mention..." He smiled with a hint of schadenfreude. "Your family’s Old Madam will be a tough hurdle to cross."

Old Madam Quan was nearly seventy. Born into a prominent family of old, she possessed a deep-seated adherence to traditional family roles. She regarded Ning Guiwan as her own granddaughter and would never accept that granddaughter becoming her daughter-in-law.

Qiao Yishen’s smile widened with amusement. "The old lady isn’t in the best of health. You’d better go easy on the drama."

「...」

When it was time to leave, Qiao Yishen escorted Ning Guiwan and Quan Yu out of the alley.

The Cullinan pulled away slowly. Ning Guiwan couldn’t help but look back at Qiao Yishen. She wasn’t sure if it was just her imagination, but after she had returned from the restroom, Qiao Yishen’s smile had seemed increasingly unsettling.

It was as if he had glimpsed some secret unknown to outsiders.

"Mr. Qiao, did you misunderstand something?" Ning Guiwan withdrew her gaze, looking towards Quan Yu.

Quan Yu crossed his long legs. His shirt collar, unbuttoned during the meal, revealed his collarbones. Hearing her words, he turned to her, his gaze profound. "Is it a misunderstanding?"

Ning Guiwan: "..."