Winston’s voice came from the cellphone.
Ning Guiwan blinked. Her red lips curved into a vivid smile, yet her eyes lacked emotion. "You’ve been a very good friend. Thank you for your help all these years."
"Aila... I’ll visit her when I have time."
After hanging up, Ning Guiwan got into the car.
She understood what Winston meant, but she couldn’t give him what he wanted.
Ning Guiwan didn’t know how others felt after experiencing emotional betrayal, but she knew she no longer had the strength to love someone else again.
Often, she even felt like an old woman, despite her youthful appearance.
She returned to the Quan Family mansion around two or three in the afternoon. It was the time when Elder Mrs. Quan was in the ancestral hall, keeping her late husband company. Feeling restless, Ning Guiwan drank two glasses of whisky and went to the ancestral hall to listen to Elder Mrs. Quan chant with a wooden fish.
While listening, the alcohol took effect. She fell asleep on the prayer cushion, leaning over a chair.
Elder Mrs. Quan asked Fang Derong to get a blanket and cover her.
Ning Guiwan’s hair fell loosely, hiding half her face. The exposed half of her red lips was as enticing as a rose.
She was the kind of beauty who was striking on her own, but when placed among other beautiful women, she always eclipsed them.
The media initially lauded her beauty because of a group photo. It was a rare grand banquet in high society, where all the notable young ladies of Shencheng attended in their finery, each vying for attention, none willing to be outdone. Yet, in the group photo later published by the media, the underage Ning Guiwan was the most eye-catching one.
She was only fourteen then but already possessed a charm that overshadowed all others.
"Madam, I hope you won’t be upset by what I’m about to say..."
Elder Mrs. Quan was twirling her prayer beads. Without opening her eyes, she said casually, "What is it?"
"Have you noticed that ever since Miss Ning moved into the old residence, the Master has been coming back much more frequently..."
"..." Elder Mrs. Quan’s bead-twirling paused. She opened her eyes and looked sharply at Fang Derong. "What do you mean by that?"
A flicker of unease crossed Fang Derong’s face, but she still said, "Although Miss Ning calls the Master ’Uncle,’ there’s no blood relation, after all. Miss Ning is as lovely as a flower, and the Master is a normal man. Being around her so often..."
"Nonsense!" Elder Mrs. Quan interrupted her angrily before she could finish. "Do you realize what you’re saying?"
Fang Derong quickly tried to placate her. "Please don’t be upset. Didn’t the young master from the Fourth Master’s family also say he saw Miss Ning and the Master looking close?"
Elder Mrs. Quan did not believe Quan Shengyu’s words.
But not believing them didn’t mean she had forgotten them.
Now, hearing what Butler Fang said, it was indeed true. The Second Master used to be so busy with company affairs that he had to make time just to have dinner with her. He rarely came back to stay the night, more often living in his apartment near the company.
But this couldn’t prove anything.
Elder Mrs. Quan quickly dismissed the thought. Two children had suddenly been added to the household, and her own health wasn’t good, leaving her unable to care for them. As an elder, it was his duty to return and offer his care.
And what about what Quan Shengyu said? Couldn’t an elder take a younger family member to the hospital?
Seeing Elder Mrs. Quan in deep thought, Fang Derong’s eyes darted around before she continued, "I don’t think this is necessarily a bad thing. Think about it: Miss Ning is as delicate as a flower. If she were promised to someone else, and they didn’t treat her well or bullied her, what would we do?"
"But if she married into our own family, with your support, who in this household would dare to treat her even slightly unwell?"
"Are you senile?" Elder Mrs. Quan’s expression turned stern. "They are uncle and niece! You may be senile, but I’m not! Keep those thoughts to yourself and don’t ever bring this up again. Do you hear me?"
"Madam, they would make such a handsome couple, so well-matched..."
"Enough!" Elder Mrs. Quan’s gaze turned icy. "What’s gotten into you today? Are you hiding something from me?"
Fang Derong’s heart sank, and she quickly apologized with a smile, "How could I dare hide anything from you? I just got carried away. Pretend I didn’t say anything..."
Elder Mrs. Quan closed her eyes again.
Her fingers continued to twirl the prayer beads, but her heart could no longer remain as calm as before.