Ning Guiwan hadn’t expected Lai Yang to bring her along as well.
Just as she was about to refuse, Quan Yu spoke first, his tone flat. "The secretarial department does have a vacancy."
"That’s great!" Lai Yang clapped her hands and cheered, smiling sweetly. "I knew Uncle Quan was the best! So, when can we start working?"
"In a moment, you’ll meet the Head Secretary," Quan Yu said, his tone gentle and patient. "She has a lot of experience in the company, so learn well from her."
Ning Guiwan lowered her eyes. Her gaze fell on the man’s arm resting on the armrest. His black shirt sleeves were made of fabric so smooth there were hardly any wrinkles.
The man had referred to ’a vacancy’ and ’you’—singular—clearly indicating he didn’t intend for Ning Guiwan to become a member of the secretarial department. Lai Yang, however, hadn’t caught on.
Lai Yang’s voice, brimming with joy, reached her ears. "Absolutely! Xiaowan and I will definitely work hard. Thank you, Uncle Quan!"
"Lai Yang, I’m afraid I don’t have time for this job," Ning Guiwan said, her words like a bucket of cold water.
Lai Yang’s smile vanished. She looked at her friend’s gorgeous, delicate face. "Why not?"
Ning Guiwan smiled. "I have other things to do."
Lai Yang wanted to ask more, but Quan Yu interjected, his voice very light, "Xiaowan graduated from a prestigious school. It would indeed be beneath her to work as a secretary."
He paused, then turned to Ning Guiwan. His gaze seemed no different from when he faced Lai Yang. "What was your major?" His tone was casual, like that of any elder concerned about a younger relative’s education. Ning Guiwan, however, detected something unusual in it. After a moment of silence, she answered, "Investment management."
"The investment department is currently handling an acquisition case and is short-staffed," Quan Yu said. "Are you interested?"
Ning Guiwan listened, quietly meeting his luminous eyes. She alone understood the profound meaning behind his words. This acquisition case, she realized, was clearly related to Tianchi Group. Ostensibly, Quan Yu was discussing work, but he was, in fact, subtly reminding her of their conversation at the Equestrian Club.
"Consider it carefully and give me an answer as soon as possible," Quan Yu said. He then turned around, his demeanor unhurried and composed as he departed.
Ning Guiwan’s gaze fell on the man’s impeccably styled hair. It was just like him—confident and composed, as if he had everything under his control and meticulously planned.
Ning Guiwan knew he had dug a pit, waiting for her to jump in. This man seemed convinced she would take the bait.
Ning Guiwan shifted her gaze to the congested traffic outside the car window. She knew that to secure Tianchi Group intact, she needed to rely on him and the Ruiyin Group behind him. She was very clear on this point.
If this man weren’t Grandmother Quan’s son, I could accept a marriage of convenience. But he *is* Grandmother Quan’s son—the son of the elderly woman who treated me like her own granddaughter. The people who had been kind to me had disappeared, one by one. Grandfather, Grandmother, Mother, Father... If Grandmother Quan also vanished...
"Xiaowan, what’s wrong?" Lai Yang asked, noticing Ning Guiwan’s troubled expression.
Ning Guiwan suppressed her turbulent emotions and slowly smiled, her face once again radiant, her red lips like fire. "It’s nothing. I just feel a little guilty for having to decline Uncle Quan’s kind offer."
Quan Yu heard her. His gaze lingered for a moment, but he said nothing.
When they arrived at the Ruiyin Group building, Quan Yu handed Lai Yang over to the Head Secretary.
Lai Yang, her face alight with glee, followed the Head Secretary to familiarize herself with the environment, while Ning Guiwan waited in the lounge area of the first-floor lobby.
The receptionist politely and enthusiastically handed her a cup of hot water.
"Thank you," Ning Guiwan murmured, her mind elsewhere.
The receptionist glanced at her several times. When Ning Guiwan looked up, she offered the receptionist a dazzling smile. "Is something wrong?"
The receptionist hurriedly waved her hands. "No, nothing!"
Returning to her desk, the receptionist whispered to a colleague, "She’s stunning. I wonder what her relationship is with our President Quan." Her tone was tinged with envy.