Contract Marriage: The Tycoon's Pampered Wife-Chapter 97 - 0: Can’t Afford to Provoke Your Family’s Ancestor (3 updates)

Chapter 97: 097: Can’t Afford to Provoke Your Family’s Ancestor (3 updates)

Lai Yang finished paying, saw Ning Guiwan staring at the display case, and came closer. "Are you thinking of giving this to my Second Cousin?"

Ning Guiwan withdrew her gaze. "No, just looking." She picked up the shopping bag from the floor. "Are you done? Then let’s go; we need to get back to the ship an hour early."

"If you want to buy it, then buy it," Lai Yang said. "My Second Cousin would be so happy to receive your gift."

He would be happy, and it would be easier for her to ask him for favors in the future.

That was what Lai Yang thought as she eagerly called the attendant over, pointing at a pair of simply designed tie pins and cufflinks embedded with small blue gemstones, both chic and elegant.

"Wrap this up."

Ning Guiwan’s gaze fell on a tie pin and cufflinks adorned with light silver pearls. She thought the man might prefer pearls.

But in the end, she didn’t say anything.

At five in the evening, the trio returned to the cruise ship.

Quan Yu and Chi Zhengjun didn’t return until it was almost time for departure. Lai Yang was on deck, waving at them.

The sun was about to dip below the horizon, casting a light redder than in the morning. Quan Yu looked up, and the first thing he saw was not Lai Yang greeting them, but the quietly smiling girl standing beside her.

Amidst so many people on deck, Ning Guiwan was the most eye-catching.

Her long hair was tied back, revealing her smooth forehead and slender neck. The sunlight softly enveloped her, lending her an elegant aura; she was truly a breathtaking beauty.

Chi Zhengjun caught this scene and turned to look at his friend beside him.

Seeing his friend’s focused gaze, he laughed. "My great-niece here, if this were ancient times, she’d be the kind of enchantress who lures emperors away from their early court sessions." He took a drag from the cigarette between his fingers and, while exhaling smoke, chuckled again. "And you’re the derelict emperor who skips his dawn court."

Quan Yu withdrew his gaze and gave Chi Zhengjun a cold look. "In ancient times, that mouth of yours would have gotten you killed long ago."

Chi Zhengjun’s face stiffened.

Recovering, he tapped Quan Yu’s back with his cigarette-holding hand, laughing in exasperation. "Fine, I wouldn’t dare provoke your little queen!"

「...」

The two men ascended to the deck, their assistants and secretaries following behind, carrying documents and files into the cabin first.

"You two are finally back! We thought you might miss the ship." Lai Yang approached them eagerly, her smile radiant. "Are you hungry? Shall we go eat?"

She intended to ingratiate herself with her Second Cousin.

That way, she would have the opportunity to meet Gu Langjun with him in the future.

They entered the restaurant. The four of them had just sat down when Han Tai arrived with Zhang Ziyan, apparently also there for a meal.

"President Quan, President Chi, what a coincidence." Han Tai had a beer belly but was dressed quite elegantly and with refined taste, a jade thumb ring on his left hand.

His gaze swept across Lai Yang and Ning Guiwan’s faces, a hint of amazement flickering. "And these two ladies are...?"

"Just some youngsters, here to have fun," Chi Zhengjun replied with a vague smile.

Han Tai was a sharp man. Hearing this, he didn’t probe further but greeted Lai Yang and Ning Guiwan, "Hello, young ladies. I am Han Tai, the head of Shangtai International. I have business dealings with President Quan and President Chi. This is Zhang Ziyan; she’s acted in quite a few TV dramas. I don’t know if you’ve seen any?"

Zhang Ziyan smiled seductively. "No need to introduce me. We know each other; we were high school classmates."

"Oh? Such a coincidence?" Han Tai laughed. "Then you must have a drink with your classmates and catch up."

"We already caught up yesterday," Zhang Ziyan said with a smile.

Lai Yang was stunned, unable to snap back to reality.

Having only recently returned to the country, she wasn’t familiar with the domestic entertainment scene and naturally didn’t know about the numerous scandals surrounding Zhang Ziyan, which included not just a wealth of rumored boyfriends but also plenty of rumored sugar daddies.

But in the current situation, even someone as naive as she could see the truth.

This Han Tai... he must be in his fifties, right?

Last night’s reunion had made it apparent to her that Zhang Ziyan had changed a lot, but she hadn’t expected... this kind of downfall...

Zhang Ziyan didn’t seem to think there was anything wrong with herself. Her smile was as bright as ever as she picked up her glass and, swaying her hips, sat down next to Lai Yang. "I wanted to join you for a walk this morning, but I felt a bit unwell, so I didn’t go. How was it for you? Did you have fun?" Her tone was exceptionally nonchalant.

Lai Yang looked at Han Tai and then at Zhang Ziyan. "You..."

She had things to say, but it wasn’t appropriate to speak here.

Zhang Ziyan laughed. "It’s pretty dull here. How about the three of us go to the bar for a while?"

「...」

When Han Tai and Zhang Ziyan appeared, Ning Guiwan immediately recalled what she and Quan Yu had stumbled upon the previous night. An inexplicable nervousness fluttered in her heart. With Quan Yu sitting right next to her, all her attention involuntarily focused on him.

She didn’t refuse Zhang Ziyan’s suggestion.

When they arrived at the bar, the three of them got a private room and ordered drinks. As soon as the waiter left, Lai Yang immediately asked, "Ziyan, what’s the deal with you and that old man?"

Zhang Ziyan replied nonchalantly, "Didn’t you see?"

Lai Yang pressed, "Why are you with him? Isn’t he over fifty?"

Zhang Ziyan fell silent for a moment and didn’t continue that topic. She looked at Ning Guiwan and said, "The last time I went to Tianzhong for an outdoor shoot, the row of willow trees on the west side of the playground had been cut down."

"I used to go there to cry when I felt wronged at home. You two would buy all sorts of snacks I loved, tell jokes, and cheer me up..."

"Back then, you two were my only friends..."

"What a pity. The trees are gone now, and so are you."

Lai Yang couldn’t understand. "What are you talking about? Aren’t we all here?"

The waiter brought in the drinks, and Zhang Ziyan said no more, just drank silently. Ning Guiwan hadn’t spoken at all, and Lai Yang belatedly sensed that something was off between the two of them.

A round clock hung on the wall of the private room.

When the hour hand pointed to nine, Zhang Ziyan was drunk and slowly started to cry. She drank as she cried, and amidst her sobs, she said, "I’m sorry, I really am sorry..."

Seeing her drunk, Lai Yang tried to take her drink away. "Stop drinking."

"Yanyan..." Zhang Ziyan lifted her face. The delicate, sexy starlet was gone. With red, swollen eyes, she cried without any regard for her image. "Yanyan... For years, I’ve regretted every single day. Xiaowan... The night Xiaowan had her accident, I was with her. Did you know? I was with her..."

"I watched her being taken away. I hid, and I even... I turned and walked away..."

"Do I still deserve to be forgiven?"

Lai Yang only knew the rumors about that incident; Ning Guiwan had never explained it to her in detail.

Lai Yang looked at Ning Guiwan. "Xiaowan..." She wanted to ask her if what Zhang Ziyan had just said was true.

Ning Guiwan, unwilling to discuss it further, stood up, her attitude indifferent. "She’s drunk. Let’s take her back."

Lai Yang was unwilling to hand Zhang Ziyan over to Han Tai, but she had no choice.

Han Tai wrapped his arms around Zhang Ziyan’s limp body and returned to their room. As soon as the door closed, Zhang Ziyan opened her eyes, pushed Han Tai away, and stood up straight. There wasn’t even a hint of drunkenness in her eyes as she sat down on the sofa and casually lit a cigarette. She crossed her legs, taking drags with her chin slightly raised, looking arrogant and sexy.

Seeing this, Han Tai could hardly tear his eyes away from her.

This woman was simply a stunner.

"I knew you were faking it. With your tolerance, when have you ever actually gotten drunk?"

Zhang Ziyan smirked, glancing sideways at Han Tai with a mischievous look that seemed to draw out one’s very soul. "If I don’t act pitiful, how can I make people’s hearts soften? Don’t you agree?"

Han Tai embraced her tightly. "Yes, yes! I love it when you beg for mercy."

「...」

On the way back to her room, Lai Yang felt gloomy, unable to understand why Zhang Ziyan had become like this.

"Everyone chooses their own path. Why the long face?" Ning Guiwan said.

Lai Yang stopped and looked at Ning Guiwan, feeling her words were somewhat cold. "But Ziyan is our friend. Weren’t we the best of friends before?"

Ning Guiwan also stopped, looking back at her.

Under the light, Ning Guiwan’s expression was cold and distant. "Lai Yang, I don’t think your affection for Gu Langjun is a good thing. Gu Langjun is divorced. Why did he get divorced? Was it because of his character or lifestyle? Is he worth relying on? These are all unknowns. You’d be better off forgetting him and finding a reliable man whose background you know well."

Hearing this, Lai Yang suddenly felt angry. "What are you saying? How do you know he has issues? Maybe it was his ex-wife who had the problems!"

Ning Guiwan looked at her, her expression growing even more indifferent. "You see? The path you’re choosing now—you don’t allow others to comment on it either."

Lai Yang was stunned and bit her lip. After a moment, she said, "I don’t want to meddle in her affairs, I just..." She didn’t know how to continue.

"I understand." Ning Guiwan smiled, the coldness in her expression fading, replaced by warmth.

Lai Yang still had a pure heart.

Unlike her... who could watch indifferently even when those around her were walking on a knife’s edge.

"Let’s drop it," Lai Yang said, her emotions coming and going quickly. "Has my Second Cousin gone back to his room yet? Let’s go give him the present!"