Contract Marriage: The Tycoon's Pampered Wife-Chapter 94 - 093: Walk With Me (4 more)

Chi Zhengjun couldn’t exactly pin down his feelings. On one hand, he was worried about his friend’s reputation being damaged. On the other, he felt Ning Guiwan might not necessarily find happiness with Quan Yu. They had an age gap of over ten years—what did that truly entail? When Quan Yu was seventeen, accepted into a top US university and beginning to map out his future in the business world, Ning Guiwan was still in elementary school, learning addition and subtraction. This was a chasm that emotions alone couldn’t bridge. With time, their conflicts would only intensify, ultimately leading to an unavoidable, messy breakup. Ning Guiwan was his second uncle’s only remaining blood relative, practically a member of the Chi family. He didn’t want to see her endure a troubled marriage like Chi Tingshuang’s.

Quan Yu appeared nonchalant, not even glancing at the girl Chi Zhengjun was talking about.

Chi Zhengjun feigned a sigh. "What’s so good about my niece, apart from being pretty? What makes her worth all this trouble you’re going through?"

Quan Yu spoke indifferently, "Her good qualities aren’t for you to know."

Chi Zhengjun looked at him. "Well, now. Nothing’s even set in stone yet, and you’re already this protective?"

He paused, swirled the liquor in his mouth, and added, "At the last family dinner, our old man brought up my older niece and just sighed deeply."

"Our old man and my second uncle had a profound feud years ago, almost to the point of mortal enemies. But after Second Uncle passed away, our old man was deeply saddened too. He feels a certain pity for Ning Guiwan, but he just can’t bring himself to make the first move and show kindness."

He had said a lot, but the core message was singular: Ning Guiwan was a Chi family member, and their family wouldn’t just stand by and do nothing. So, Quan Yu had better not bully her.

In recent years, Quan Yu had grown accustomed to being assertive in his position. No one dared to admonish him, neither openly nor subtly.

Chi Zhengjun had expected Quan Yu to show some displeasure at his words and was even prepared to offend his friend. However, the outcome was somewhat different from what he’d anticipated.

Quan Yu glanced at him, then reached out and clinked his glass against Chi Zhengjun’s.

The rim of Quan Yu’s glass was deliberately held a few centimeters lower.

In drinking etiquette, holding one’s glass rim lower than the other person’s when clinking glasses is a sign of respect, of elevating the other person.

Chi Zhengjun prided himself on understanding Quan Yu, but now he was rather baffled. "So polite? What’s the meaning of this?"

Quan Yu smiled but offered no response. That girl’s life had been turned upside down in recent years, and there were too few people around who genuinely cared for her. A few more wouldn’t hurt.

When Lai Yang woke up, it was already evening.

Propping herself up, still in a daze, she saw a silhouette on the private deck. The figure wore a white knitted cardigan and a black cotton long skirt, its hem tucked into the waistband, revealing an impossibly slender waist.

Her long, curly hair cascaded to her waist. Head slightly bowed, she held a book, leaning against the sofa and reading quietly. Golden sunlight enveloped her, creating a moment that was both serene and breathtakingly beautiful.

Lai Yang clutched her blanket and crawled to the foot of the bed, resting her chin on her hands as she watched.

Ning Guiwan sensed her gaze and turned her head. She smiled slowly, every movement exuding charm. "If you’re awake, get up. It’s time for dinner."

Lai Yang didn’t move, grinning widely. "No wonder Second Cousin would expand his business to Britain for you. If I were a man, I’d be head over heels for you too."

Ruiyin Group had indeed been focusing on expanding its market in Britain over the past couple of years. But to say it was for Ning Guiwan... Ning Guiwan naturally didn’t believe it. Only a naive little fool like Lai Yang would fall for that.

The two women ran into Quan Yu and Chi Zhengjun at the restaurant.

Quan Yu’s assistant, Yu Xinwen, held a folder and was leaning over to discuss something with Quan Yu. Lai Yang, lacking situational awareness, pulled Ning Guiwan over and called out loudly, "Second Cousin, Third Uncle Chi!"

Chi Zhengjun turned his head, his face immediately lighting up with a smile, which grew even wider when he saw Ning Guiwan.

Quan Yu timely concluded his conversation with Yu Xinwen and waved him off. Yu Xinwen closed the folder and departed, nodding a greeting as he passed Lai Yang and Ning Guiwan.

Without further ado, Lai Yang pushed Ning Guiwan into the seat next to Quan Yu, while she herself sat down beside Chi Zhengjun.

The two men had just sat down. With the addition of the two young women, Chi Zhengjun called the waiter over to order a few more dishes.

Ning Guiwan, sitting to Quan Yu’s left, felt the atmosphere was somewhat awkward.

After all, she had just rejected his confession that morning.

"Third Uncle..." Lai Yang cradled her juice cup, biting the straw as her eyes darted around. "Is it just you and Second Cousin here this time? Did any other friends come to hang out?" She had reliable information from a waiter at the Equestrian Club that Third Uncle Chi also knew that man.

Chi Zhengjun didn’t immediately notice the girl’s little scheme and said truthfully, "Nope, just the two of us bachelors, driven to this by our families."

As he spoke, he glanced at Quan Yu and chuckled. "The organizers of this event are quite influential. They’ve practically rounded up all the unmarried men and women in our circle. If Old Man Qiao hadn’t suddenly fallen ill, Qiao Yishen—Qiao the Fifth—would have been forced to come for matchmaking too."

He was referring to Qiao Yishen.

Hearing this, Lai Yang, uncharacteristically sharp, seized the key point. "Third Uncle, so among your close circle, it’s just you three who aren’t married yet?"

Chi Zhengjun replied, "That’s right. Seeing everyone else’s kids running around, your Third Uncle is getting anxious too."

His words seemed casual, but Lai Yang took them seriously. So that man was already married... How devastating. The seed of love had been smothered before it even had a chance to sprout.

"We’ve almost finished eating. Should we go join the festivities? After all, it’s a meticulously planned event by some thoughtful people; we can’t let their efforts go to waste," suggested Chi Zhengjun, looking at Quan Yu.

Before Ning Guiwan or Quan Yu could respond, Lai Yang blurted out, "We two can go. Second Cousin and Xiaowan don’t need to."

"Oh?" Chi Zhengjun smiled meaningfully. "And why don’t they need to go?"

Lai Yang wasn’t sure if Chi Zhengjun knew about Ning Guiwan and Quan Yu’s ’secret relationship.’ Since she’d promised to keep it confidential, she couldn’t say anything. So, she resorted to pulling and dragging Chi Zhengjun away. "Hurry, Third Uncle, or we’ll be late!"

As they exited the restaurant, Lai Yang turned back to give Quan Yu and Ning Guiwan an ’OK’ sign, accompanied by a look that clearly said, ’Have a good date!’

Ning Guiwan: "..."

Quan Yu raised his glass to Lai Yang, as if to say, "Much obliged."

Ning Guiwan: "..."

Although the restaurant was still quite crowded, Ning Guiwan had the distinct feeling of being alone in the room with him.

"We..." she began, unsure of what to say.

Quan Yu looked at her and then spoke. "Walk with me."

Compared to Ning Guiwan’s discomfort, Quan Yu appeared much more at ease, as if he weren’t the one who had been rejected, but rather Ning Guiwan.

The wind tonight was exceptionally strong.

But the view was also extraordinarily beautiful.

The starry sky seemed so low that one felt they could reach out and pluck the stars.

Quan Yu had Ning Guiwan fetch a thick coat from her room, then led her to the highest deck of the cruise ship. The sea breeze was bone-chilling, and no one else wanted to be up there suffering in the cold at this hour.

This, however, created a private space for the two of them.

Ning Guiwan, wrapped in her thick coat with the hood up, heard the wind howl in her ears, its chill stinging her face.

Quan Yu took her hand. freeweɓnøvel~com

His fingers slid across her palm, weaving through hers, their hands interlocking.

Ning Guiwan turned to look at him.

Quan Yu was also looking at her.

After a moment, Quan Yu lifted her hand, bringing it under the faint light to examine it closely, caressing it repeatedly.

The sound of the wind seemed to vanish, and she no longer felt the cold. All her senses were focused on his hand; this man always had a way of easily captivating her every nerve.

"In the past," Quan Yu mused, "if a respectable young woman’s hand was seen and touched like this, she would have to marry the man. Times have progressed, yet such a fine tradition has been lost. Truly a pity..."

Though it was a flippant remark, he delivered it with such earnestness, exuding a seductive charm.

With one hand holding Ning Guiwan’s, Quan Yu used his other to trace the delicate lines on her palm. A tingling sensation spread wherever his fingernail grazed.

The tingling sensation seemed to seep deep into her heart.

Ning Guiwan pulled her hand back, hiding it behind her and secretly rubbing it against her clothes.

"It’s so cold here... I... I want to go back," she stammered.

Without waiting for Quan Yu’s reply, she turned and fled.

Watching her retreating figure as she fled in a panic, Quan Yu’s lips slowly curled into a smile.