Contract Marriage: The Tycoon's Pampered Wife-Chapter 136 - 126: Half a month has passed

The ride to the old residence took an hour and was very quiet. Ning Guiwan sat by the window, her mind in turmoil, unable to settle.

By the time they arrived, it was past midnight. The house was eerily silent. Following Quan Yu into the entryway, she lowered her head to change her shoes. In her peripheral vision, she saw him leaning his left hand on the shoe cabinet as he changed his, his coat draped over his right forearm, tall and slender.

His indoor slippers must have been custom-made. Though the design was simple, it suited his temperament perfectly.

Perhaps sensing her gaze, Quan Yu looked over. Amidst the flickering lights and shadows, his eyes were cool yet held a profound depth.

Ning Guiwan raised a hand to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear, masking her momentary unease.

Upon reaching the second floor, Quan Yu said, "Go back and get some sleep."

Ning Guiwan nodded, her gaze briefly sweeping over the collar of his black shirt. A thought popped into her mind: Why doesn’t he wear a white shirt with a blue sapphire lapel pin?

"Something to say?" came his velvety, deep voice.

Ning Guiwan was startled and quickly shook her head. "No, you should get some sleep too."

After a quick shower, she lay in bed. As soon as she closed her eyes, various scenes flooded her mind, each featuring the same imposing figure. Eventually, she fell into a restless sleep. When her phone rang, she was groggy and could barely open her eyes.

Answering in a daze, she heard Lai Yang’s voice, "Xiaowan, are my dad and mom leaving today?"

Lai Yang’s parents had returned to China the day before yesterday. In China, many traditional festivals involve ancestor worship. The Lai family had immigrated to Singapore years ago. The couple, each devoted to their careers, had few opportunities to return to China. They made it a point to visit at least once a year during the New Year to offer incense to their ancestors and express their filial piety.

"How would I know?" Ning Guiwan replied casually, her voice laced with exhaustion.

"Still sleeping?" Lai Yang asked. "What time is it? You sound listless too. What were you up to last night?"

Changing her tone, she teased, "Did you go on a date with my second cousin? Feeling drained?"

"..." Ning Guiwan opened her eyes, her voice growing more serious. "Uncle Lai and Auntie Lai were asking about you yesterday. They seem to miss you a lot. How about I bring them over to see you today?"

"No! Please, no..." Lai Yang pleaded urgently. "I won’t tease you anymore, alright?"

"I really don’t want them dragging me back and forcing me into an arranged marriage. If I end up unhappy, who could I even cry to?"

Ning Guiwan sat up, her head groggy and her body exhausted; she had gone to bed too late the previous night.

After hanging up, she went to the bathroom for a shower, which refreshed her a little. She put on light makeup, chose a pantsuit from her wardrobe, and topped it with a red coat.

As she descended the stairs, Quan Lu, Lai Yang’s mother, was chatting with Old Mrs. Quan. Lai Yang’s maternal grandfather was French. He had come to China when he was young, fallen in love at first sight with Old Mr. Quan’s sister, and eventually stayed in the country. Their children consequently took their mother’s surname.

"Xiaowan," Quan Lu greeted Ning Guiwan with a warm smile.

Quan Lu, who was half French, possessed more of a Western woman’s charm than Lai Yang. Her hair and eye color were lighter than average, her skin was very fair, and she dressed elegantly, her demeanor poised and proper.

"Auntie Lai," Ning Guiwan returned the smile. "Has Uncle Lai already left?"

"He had an appointment to discuss business and left early this morning with Ayu," Quan Lu responded with a smile. Usually, when they returned to China, they would stay in their own home. Even though they had emigrated, they still owned property here, managed by staff, so they could move in anytime.

However, this time, their main reason for returning was to see their daughter, which was why they were imposing on their hosts by staying here.

Little did they know, their ungrateful wretch of a daughter was deliberately avoiding them.

It had been nearly half a year since they had last seen their daughter, and they missed her terribly.

When Ning Guiwan heard the name "Ayu," she paused for a moment.

"Xiaowan, you’re the closest to Yanyan. Please persuade her to stop avoiding her father and me," Quan Lu said. A simple yet elegant green jade ring adorned her right ring finger. "Please tell her that her mother misses her very much."

Ning Guiwan was reminded of her own mother, who had also liked wearing jade rings. Feeling a stir in her heart, she nodded and said with a gentle smile, "I’ll pass on your message. Please don’t worry."

「...」 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

The project tender in early April was Tianchi’s main focus for the upcoming period.

After lunch with Quan Lu, Ning Guiwan went to the company in the afternoon. According to insider information, this tender would have even higher standards than the previous one. Each company was required to first submit a proposal. These would then be evaluated to determine who would qualify to participate in the final bidding stage.

After reviewing market research materials all afternoon, Ning Guiwan’s head felt heavy. She glanced at her phone. The screen displayed a slew of notifications from various apps and a few trivial official messages, but there wasn’t a single call or personal text.