The day Ning Guiwan returned to the country, Quan Yu was the one who picked her up.
At that moment, she stood by the car door, stunned for several seconds. She was wholly unprepared that the "someone" Grandmother Quan had said would pick her up would be the old lady's own son, Quan Yu, a man whose time was incredibly precious.
Quan Yu disliked her; she'd known that for four years.
It wasn't until the driver reminded her to get in that Ning Guiwan lifted her red lips to greet him. "Thank you, Uncle Yu, for taking time out of your busy schedule to pick me up."
The man, who had been resting with his eyes closed, slowly opened them. As his gaze swept over Ning Guiwan, she had already lowered hers. His eyes were deep and unreadable.
"Get in."
The adult male voice was deep and resonant, pleasant to the ear, yet unfeeling.
Ning Guiwan still smiled, gathering her dress as she got into the car.
Four years apart, and his attitude towards her seemed even worse.
About an hour later, the car drove into an imposing mansion in the city center. Ning Guiwan immediately spotted Grandmother Quan in the courtyard, leaning on a cane and looking out with eager anticipation.
"Xiaowan!"
As soon as she got out of the car, she was embraced by Grandmother Quan. "You're finally back! Do you know how much Grandma has missed you, how worried I've been for you!"
"Grandmother Quan..." Ning Guiwan felt slightly unaccustomed to such enthusiasm, but a smile remained on her face.
"You've suffered these past few years." Grandmother Quan touched Ning Guiwan's arm, then her face, her eyes brimming with tears. "You've lost weight..."
"It's windy out here. Let's go inside to talk." Ning Guiwan was about to respond when a deep male voice came from behind her.
Ever since the old master of the Quan family had fallen gravely ill more than four years ago, the old lady's health had been poor, only showing slight improvement in the recent months.
Hearing the voice, Ning Guiwan reflexively turned. Quan Yu had somehow appeared behind her. Her gaze fell upon the distinctive silver tie clip on the collar of his black shirt, which held the collar perfectly crisp—an elegant, gentlemanly detail.
Grandmother Quan, upon hearing her son's voice, finally noticed his presence. She sounded surprised. "Didn't you say last night you were flying to Britain this morning? Why are you still here?"
"I had a last-minute change of schedule," Quan Yu replied, his tone somewhat dismissive.
Grandmother Quan didn't take it to heart. Gripping Ning Guiwan's hand, she started towards the main building. Noticing out of the corner of her eye that her son was still standing in the same spot, she stamped her foot lightly and asked, "Aren't you coming in?"
Quan Yu was looking down at his watch. He lifted his head, intending to look at his mother, but his gaze first fell upon the graceful, slender figure beside her. The girl stood there, her head turned to gaze at the rising sun, her neck as elegant as a swan's—long and snow-white.
"Business trip," Quan Yu said, his expression inscrutable. After speaking, he glanced at Ning Guiwan once more before turning and getting into the car.
"This child..." Grandmother Quan frowned, clearly disapproving of her son's hurried comings and goings.
"Uncle Yu is very busy," Ning Guiwan remarked. She felt the air grow lighter now that he was gone.
"All he knows is 'busy'! He won't even hurry up and find a wife to give me a grandson!" Grandmother Quan complained with considerable resentment, letting out a huff before changing the subject. "Does your dad know you're back?"
"I haven't told him yet," Ning Guiwan replied casually.
Grandmother Quan suddenly flared up. "This is outrageous! No matter what, you are his legitimate daughter! Is he really planning to disown you for those two illegitimate girls?"
Hearing the heartfelt pain in Grandmother Quan's voice on her behalf, Ning Guiwan's gaze dimmed. In the end… they still didn't believe her.
After having breakfast with Grandmother Quan, Ning Guiwan returned to the room she had occupied four years ago and immediately fell asleep.
Perhaps it was because she was back in a familiar place, surrounded by familiar people, but her sleep was restless. In her dreams, her father slapped her hard, his eyes, filled with disappointment and disgust, threatening to drown her. "I have no daughter as shameless and black-hearted as you! Get out! From this day forward, don't ever let me see you again!"
Friends she had once been close to pointed fingers at her. "Rongyue and Qinghan may be illegitimate, but they grew up with you! How could you bear to harm them? Is your heart made of stone?"
The man she had once trusted most ripped open her collar, his eyes fixed on the suggestive marks on her neck, filled with pain and fury. "Ning Guiwan, what explanation could you possibly have? Ning Guiwan, just how old are you? Have you no shame?"
When she woke, Ning Guiwan's eyes felt dry, but her heart was surprisingly calm.
She stayed at the Quan residence for three days. On the evening of the third day, a maid was combing her hair as she had just woken up, when the landline phone in the room rang. After answering it, the maid turned to Ning Guiwan. "Ning Rongyue and Ning Qinghan are here to see you. They're in the living room."
Ning Guiwan didn't hesitate. "Tell them I'll be there in a moment."
The maid relayed Ning Guiwan's message and continued combing her hair. The strands in her hand were exceptionally soft and smooth. Unconsciously, the maid's gaze drifted to Ning Guiwan's face.
The latter's eyelashes were slightly lowered, her features composed and serene. She exuded a refined and translucent beauty, the kind that could only be nurtured by abundant material comfort and the doting love of a family who cherished her as a treasure.
It was a pity. As much as Ning Guiwan had been doted upon before, her current situation was just as difficult. The labels the Shencheng media had plastered on her had changed from "beauty that outshines Wutai Mountain" to "promiscuous and malicious."
"Why have you stopped combing?" the girl's gentle voice snapped the maid back to her senses.
"I'm sorry, I... I was momentarily distracted..."
Ning Guiwan didn't seem to mind. She raised a hand to cover her lips as she yawned lazily, her fingers, as slender and pale as spring onions, looked as if carved from jade.
"Where is Grandmother Quan?" she asked casually.
"She's in the ancestral hall with the Old Master."
Ning Guiwan nodded. After tidying herself up, she first went to the ancestral hall to bid farewell to Grandmother Quan, then made her way to the living room through a side door.
Before she even drew close, she heard Ning Qinghan complaining, "…Ning Guiwan really has some nerve, doesn't she? We kindly come to pick her up, and she makes us wait this long. Who does she think she is!"
With that, Ning Qinghan scoffed. "And she still has the gall to come back! Getting involved in a one-night stand before she was even of age, causing a city-wide scandal, and dragging the Ning family's reputation through the mud! Dad wishes he never had a daughter like her! If it were me, I'd rather die in Britain than come back..."
"Quiet!" Ning Rongyue's voice was stern, like that of a well-bred young lady from a prestigious family. "The more you speak, the more out of line you become. Once you marry Xiangru, you'll be the old lady's granddaughter-in-law, and the old lady has always been fond of Xiaowan. If she heard what you just said, how would you expect to get along?"
"She did it, so why should she be afraid of people talking about it? Who in Shencheng doesn't know about her filthy affairs?" Ning Qinghan's voice trailed off.
Because she had spotted Ning Guiwan standing at the glass side door.
Ning Guiwan was dressed in a simple, well-fitting white dress that did nothing to hide her tall, exquisitely-shaped figure. Her every expression, be it a frown or a smile, held a captivating charm.
"Xiaowan!" Ning Rongyue exclaimed as if she had only just noticed Ning Guiwan. Her expression was one of surprise as she rose, explaining with a hint of panic, "Qinghan didn't mean what she said. Don't be angry with her. She and Xiangru do owe you an apology, but matters of the heart... no one can control those..."
"Sister…" Ning Qinghan began, clearly dissatisfied with her sister's words. "Who owes her an apology…"
"Qinghan, say a little less. Xiaowan is our younger sister; she's younger than both of us. You should be more considerate of her.
"Xiaowan, come back with us. Apologize to Dad, and he'll forgive you. The past is in the past. Neither Qinghan nor I blame you, so you shouldn't hold a grudge against Dad either."
Ning Guiwan listened to these 'understanding' words with a growing sense of amusement, feeling as if she were watching a comedy.
"My mom watched you grow up. Since your mother is no longer with us, my mom will love you like her own daughter. Can't we all live peacefully as one family from now on?" Ning Rongyue's face was beaming with apparent joy, as if she greatly anticipated a family reunion.
Ning Guiwan finally couldn't hold it in and let out a soft chuckle.
Ning Rongyue was taken aback by her laughter.
Slowly, Ning Guiwan walked into the living room, a smile playing on her lips as she said, "Alright."
Ning Rongyue was startled again, not expecting Ning Guiwan to agree so readily. For a moment, she couldn't conceal her true emotions, and her expression, juxtaposed with the burn scar on her left cheek, looked somewhat peculiar.
Ning Guiwan's smile grew even brighter. "What's wrong? I've agreed to go home and reconcile with Father. Aren't you happy?"
"Happy, of course, I'm happy." Ning Rongyue quickly composed herself, her smile once again dignified and appropriate. "Dad will be even happier to see you."
"What are you laughing at? What's so funny!" Ning Qinghan, seeing Ning Guiwan looking so radiant, felt a fire of frustration ignite within her, and her anger surged. "If you love laughing so much, why don't you go laugh at a nightclub? You could even earn some money there!"
Only then did Ning Guiwan turn her full attention to Ning Qinghan. She studied her face intently for several moments before speaking slowly, "You've been engaged to Quan Xiangru for four years. Why aren't you married yet?"
Ning Qinghan's expression changed abruptly. "It's because of you!"
"If it weren't for you, we would have been married four years ago! If it weren't for you, our child would be three years old by now!"
"It's all your fault! You ruined my sister's face! You killed my child! You malicious woman, why don't you just die!"
Ning Qinghan roared, lunging forward to push Ning Guiwan.
Ning Guiwan stumbled backward.
But she didn't fall.
A hand shot out to her waist just in time, and her back collided with a firm chest. A familiar masculine scent instantly filled her senses. Before she could react, she was steadied.
Ning Guiwan paused for a moment before turning back. Her eyes met Quan Yu's—deep brown, peach-blossom-shaped, and as clear as glass, they sparkled with flecks of light. Such eyes should have been radiant and tender, yet the indifference and coldness within them made him seem distant and unapproachable.
Her eyelashes lowered slightly as Ning Guiwan avoided his gaze, her red lips still curved in a smile. "Uncle Yu, you're back from your business trip?"
"Mhm." Quan Yu glanced down at his wristwatch, his voice utterly flat. "Ready to go back?"
Ning Guiwan paused, seemingly surprised by his question, but her smile quickly returned. "Yes. They kindly came to pick me up; it wouldn't be right to make them leave empty-handed."
Quan Yu nodded, his gaze lingering on her for another moment before he lifted it to scan the two girls opposite them, his expression faintly tinged with a chill.
Upon seeing him, Ning Qinghan visibly flinched. Although she was engaged to Quan Xiangru, she barely knew this Second Uncle of his. Coupled with Quan Yu's status in Shencheng, the unsavory rumors about him, and the fact she had just lunged at Ning Guiwan, she quickly lowered her head, not daring to meet his eyes.