Quan Yu's expression was inscrutable, his thin lips pursed. His face, devoid of emotion, made him seem exceptionally indifferent, yet the arms holding Ning Guiwan tightened considerably.
Perhaps it was because they were too close, or maybe it was the directness of the man's gaze that turned the atmosphere somewhat ambiguous. Ning Guiwan suddenly felt her heartbeat skip a beat, unable to explain why.
"Uncle Yu…"
She lowered her eyes to avoid Quan Yu's gaze, shifting uncomfortably as she tried to sit up.
Quan Yu took the opportunity to release his arms. Ning Guiwan sat properly, tidied her hair, and turned to look at the man beside her. She saw his expression was unchanged, as if the odd moment before had been merely her imagination.
「...」
Quan Yu's maternal cousin-aunt was Wei Chaolian, a wealthy old lady in her sixties. With her children married and settled, she found herself with more free time. She took up matchmaking to pass the hours and eventually developed a real knack for it. Now, in Shencheng's upper echelons, she was remarkably well-informed. She knew which young ladies were ready for marriage—their looks and character—and which young gentlemen were seeking wives, along with their temperaments. While she might not claim one hundred percent certainty, she was almost always right.
Ning Guiwan had met her a few times before but wasn't well acquainted. After Old Lady Quan introduced them, Wei Chaolian scrutinized Ning Guiwan closely with her narrow, upturned eyes.
Finally, she heaped praise, "Such a lovely face, truly beautiful."
Old Lady Quan beamed. "Naturally. You must be meticulous and send only the best my way."
"Absolutely." Wei Chaolian then turned to Quan Yu. "You've finally come around! You have no idea how many girls have come to me, asking for your hand. Their families have practically worn down my doorstep! You owe me for a new one!"
Quan Yu had unbuttoned his cuffs upon entering and casually rolled up his sleeves a few times. As he reached for a teacup on the coffee table, his sleeve slid up further, revealing a masculine arm with clearly defined, smooth muscle lines.
Hearing her words, he chuckled. "Cousin-Aunt, your family is immensely wealthy. Are you afraid you can't afford a new doorstep?"
Wei Chaolian laughed. "Even immense wealth can't withstand replacing the doorstep so often! You, my boy, should have married long ago to put an end to all those young ladies' hopes."
"So, tell me, what kind of person are you looking for?"
Quan Yu looked at her, his gaze focused and somewhat pressuring. "Cousin-Aunt, what kind do you think would be suitable?"
Wei Chaolian felt a bit uncomfortable under his scrutiny. She sensed an underlying message in his words but couldn't quite decipher what he was trying to convey. After some thought, she said, "You're 32 this year, aren't you?"
"At your age, someone around 27 or 28 would be more suitable. I'll certainly find you someone good-looking. As for family background… who in Shencheng can compare to you? I think someone reasonably close will do."
Quan Yu sipped his tea slowly. When he set down the cup, he said, "Too old."
Wei Chaolian paused for a moment before it registered. She couldn't help but want to roll her eyes. Twenty-seven or twenty-eight, and he calls that old? He's not exactly young himself!
Aloud, she said, "How about twenty-five or twenty-six then?"
Quan Yu slowly shook his head.
"Twenty-three or twenty-four?"
He shook his head again.
Wei Chaolian figured this nephew of hers wasn't serious about finding a partner at all. He was probably just going through the motions because the old matriarch had pressured him relentlessly.
"Surely you don't mean someone as young as twenty-one or twenty-two? That's a difference of ten years or so; that's not suitable. They say there's a generation gap every three years. That would be like three generation gaps between you two! How could your ways of thinking possibly align?"
Quan Yu's gaze subtly swept across Ning Guiwan's face. His tone was nonchalant as he said, "There's nothing unsuitable about it."
Realizing he was serious, Wei Chaolian immediately thought of a candidate. She glanced at Ning Guiwan but then quickly dismissed the idea. That truly wouldn't be appropriate; there was a generational difference.
"Alright then, wait for my good news."
Ning Guiwan had taken leave from work intending to rest. She had forced herself to stay for lunch with Wei Chaolian. Once her guest had departed, she informed Old Lady Quan and went to her room to rest.
She slept in a heavy daze.
Eventually, a ringing phone woke her. Groggily, she picked up the phone and saw an unfamiliar number. She answered tersely, "Hello?"
Her voice was still thick with sleep.
There was no sound from the other end.
Just as Ning Guiwan was drowsily drifting back to sleep, a magnetic male voice came through the receiver, "Xiaowan."
The next second, Ning Guiwan was wide awake.
She sat up and remained silent for a moment. She shifted back slightly, leaning against the headboard, and let her body relax. When she spoke again, her voice was detached yet casual. "Is there something you need?"
The person on the other end was silent again.
Ning Guiwan's tone grew impatient. "If there's nothing, I'm hanging up."
With that, she promptly ended the call.
BEEP. A sound echoed in her ear, followed by silence. Yet, she didn't immediately move the phone away, her expression vacant, as if lost in thought, wondering about something.