This enclosed, private space was perfect for doing sothing foolish.
Patient, focused, gentle.
Like that afternoon when she had just agreed, in the underground parking lot.
And like lovers reunited after a long separation...
Quan Yu had lost control before, but those tis he seed to carry so anger, punishing her without a hint of tenderness.
Ning Guiwan’s body was stiff, her eyes closed. Her hands were between them; she wanted to push him away but ultimately didn’t, clenching them into tight fists.
...
Only when the breathing by her ear beca smooth and long did she feel as though she had co back to life.
Quan Yu’s arms were looped around her waist, one in front and one behind. His chin rested in the hollow of her shoulder, his breath, warm and heavy, fanned her cheek, carrying his scent mingled with a faint sll of alcohol.
Is he... asleep?
After a while, Ning Guiwan slowly opened her eyes. She looked down at him, surprised by the length of his eyelashes. His lips, under a straight nose, were slightly pale, exuding an air of cold asceticism. Only this close did she notice the faint dark circles under his eyes.
It was very quiet beside her ear, only the low hum of tires on the pavent. This silence made her aware of a slight numbness on her tongue and lips.
Ning Guiwan turned her gaze out the car window. They were just passing a newly opened store where two inflatable tube n at the entrance swayed erratically in the wind, much like her current mood.
The car was not taking the road to the Quan Family’s mansion.
She pursed her lips.
After the car stopped, she heard the sound of a door opening in front, followed by it closing, and then, gradually fading footsteps.
Ren Yong was very tactful.
So tactful it was almost infuriating.
Ning Guiwan looked at the completely unfamiliar courtyard. Quan Yu was still nestled against her neck, acting as if he had every right to be there.
After a while, seeing he had no intention of moving, Ning Guiwan reached out and nudged his shoulder.
"We’ve arrived."
...
Only then did Quan Yu stir, his nose brushing against her collarbone, sliding into her neck...
Ning Guiwan imdiately tensed. She pushed him away with her forearm and asked, feigning ignorance, "Where is this?"
She had already guessed this was his private villa.
Quan Yu kissed her cheek, then reached out to push open the car door.
Ning Guiwan didn’t follow him out imdiately.
A grown man bringing a girl to his private domain—the implication was obvious.
He certainly hadn’t invited her for tea.
Quan Yu waited for a mont. When the girl didn’t get out, he walked around from the back and opened the car door on Ning Guiwan’s side.
"Planning to sit there forever?" His words carried a rare tease.
Ning Guiwan looked at him. The man stood with one hand on the car door and the other on the doorfra, his tall body stooped, his overcoat shoulders creased in several places.
A slight smile played on his lips, and his eyes were smiling too.
He was clearly in a good mood.
Suddenly, she rembered another person. She had seen this sa posture, this sa look in the eyes, on soone else’s face before.
"I... I’m not ready yet..." Ning Guiwan’s smile was calm, her features striking and vivid, like a richly colored painting.
But inwardly, she didn’t feel as calm as she appeared.
The smile in Quan Yu’s eyes deepened. He watched her leisurely for a mont, then reached in, grasped her hand, and pulled her out of the car.
"What are you afraid of? I’m not going to eat you."
The villa was built in a traditional Chinese architectural style, with white walls, black tiles, pavilions, and waterside verandas. He led her along a patterned flagstone path, up a few steps, and through an ornate door with bronze corner fittings, into an interior designed in the style of China’s Republican Era.
"Sir has returned," a servant greeted, their gaze falling on Ning Guiwan, probing and curious.
Quan Yu gave a slight nod.
Halfway up the stairs, as if rembering sothing, he turned to instruct a servant, his hand still holding Ning Guiwan’s. "Prepare so good tea for Miss Ning."
"Bring it to my room."
These words practically told the staff that Miss Ning was staying in his room, that she was his woman.
Ning Guiwan clearly saw the servants’ expressions shift subtly, as if all their speculations had been confird.
Suddenly, she withdrew her hand. When Quan Yu looked down at her, she smiled, looped her arm through his, and said affectionately, "Bring a bottle of liquor. The strongest you have."
The servant looked at their master.
Quan Yu’s gaze fixed on Ning Guiwan’s face. After a mont, he said, "Bring a bottle of red wine."
The man’s room was sparsely furnished: a bed, and a set of rosewood sofas with a coffee table in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows. Quan Yu was in the bathroom when the servant brought the red wine and stemd glasses.
The servant poured two glasses, then left, thoughtfully closing the door behind them.
Ning Guiwan stared at the glass in front of her for three seconds, then reached out, bypassed the glass, and picked up the bottle directly.
As Quan Yu erged, loosening his tie, he saw the girl tilting her head back, pouring wine directly from the bottle into her mouth. Sunlight caught her uplifted neck, her throat moving as she swallowed.
Pulling off his tie, he walked over and took the bottle from her. "Is this how you drink?"
"If I don’t drink it like this, it’ll take too long to get drunk." Ning Guiwan’s cheeks were already flushed, and her lips curved into a smile that exuded allure.
Quan Yu’s fingers caressed the bottle. "And what’s the point of getting drunk?"
Ning Guiwan laughed. "Then why did you bring here? What do *you* want to do?"
Their eyes t. Quan Yu didn’t respond.
The space was silent, their relationship ambiguous. Strangely, at this mont, there wasn’t the slightest hint of intimacy in the air between them.
After what felt like a long ti, Quan Yu put down the wine bottle. He pulled off the tie from around his neck, unfastened two more buttons on his shirt, then turned and left.
Having drunk the wine too quickly, Ning Guiwan’s stomach churned, and she desperately wanted to lie down. She held on for a while, but instead of rest, a servant brought her hangover soup and...stomach dicine.
"Quan Yu... Where is Quan Yu?"
"Sir has left; he’s likely gone to the company," the servant replied with a smile. "Miss Ning, if you need anything, please don’t hesitate to ask us."
He left?
Ning Guiwan looked at the stomach dicine. Was he angry?
Clever as he was, how could he not have seen her utter reluctance?
But this was a forced transaction from the start; there was no mutual affection, so how could there be willing consent?
Besides...
Ning Guiwan closed her eyes. She really couldn’t do it.
Quan Yu didn’t return that night, and Ning Guiwan didn’t call him. The next morning, she called for a private car and left the Chinese-style villa under the servants’ knowing glances.
Back at the Quan Family mansion, Lai Yang and Mrs. Quan were having breakfast. Seeing her, Lai Yang pouted, "Why are you back so early? Weren’t you going to spend a few more days with those two friends of yours?"
Ning Guiwan’s excuse for not returning the previous night was that she was accompanying two old friends who had returned from Britain.
Jealousy isn’t just for romantic couples.
Ning Guiwan patted Lai Yang’s head. "I’ll spend the whole day with you today."
Lai Yang just humphed.
After breakfast, Mrs. Quan handed Ning Guiwan an invitation with a smile. "There’s a matchmaking banquet on a cruise ship tomorrow night. You should go and check it out."
Ning Guiwan didn’t want to go. "Grandma Quan, I..."
"Just go for fun. It doesn’t matter if nothing cos of it..." the old lady urged. "Xiaoyang will go with you."
Ning Guiwan was speechless.
"I’ll have Ayu go and take a look too. Chaolian has found so many lovely girls for him, but he refuses to et any of them. He’s really going to drive mad!"
Ning Guiwan remained silent. Now she wanted to go even less.
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