Contract Marriage: The Tycoon's Pampered Wife
Chapter 102: Just hope the boss won’t be absurd (2 more updates)

Chapter 102: 102: Just hope the boss won’t be absurd (2 more updates)

Quan Yu was already planning to head out, and Ren Yong had driven the car down to wait by the steps.

Zhan Yan stood next to another black car with two bodyguards. As Lai Yang settled into the backseat, Ning Guiwan bent over to reach in, took the thin blanket folded on the rear shelf, and wrapped it around Lai Yang.

After ensuring Lai Yang was comfortable, Ning Guiwan ducked out of the car. Turning around, she found Quan Yu still standing behind her.

They were so close, her face almost collided with the man’s chest. .com

After a moment’s surprise, Ning Guiwan smiled faintly and inconspicuously took a step back, her calf bumping against the bottom edge of the car door.

The captivating allure in the girl’s features was hard to miss, yet her aloofness was equally apparent. "Aren’t you getting in the car?"

Quan Yu looked down at her, his right hand on the car door handle. He lifted his left hand to check his watch; the hour hand already pointed to nine.

"Aren’t you going to the company?"

Ning Guiwan glanced at Lai Yang’s uncomfortable expression. "Even if I go now, I’d just say a few words. Being a little late isn’t an issue."

"Ning Rongyue has a solid foundation in the company; she’s definitely set a trap for the new CEO and Chairman. Let Brother Changfeng and Sister Xi test the waters first. Consider me the grand finale."

Seeing she had everything planned, Quan Yu said no more.

"Get in."

He then stepped aside, allowing Ning Guiwan to pass before closing the car door for her.

The morning rush hour had just passed. The Cullinan cruised smoothly along the sun-drenched streets of Shencheng.

In the car, Ning Guiwan called Tan Xi, briefly explaining the situation with a confident tone that hinted at her leadership potential.

Lai Yang, feverish and groggy, leaned on Ning Guiwan’s shoulder, an inexplicable wave of homesickness washing over her.

Perhaps people become particularly vulnerable and sentimental when they’re ill.

"Xiaowan... I feel so awful..."

Her body felt like it wasn’t her own, and dull aches throbbed intermittently in her stomach.

Ning Guiwan quickly ended the call, hugging Lai Yang and soothing her in a soft, patient, and gentle voice.

Seated in the passenger seat, Quan Yu adjusted the rearview mirror, catching a glimpse of the scene in the back: Ning Guiwan cradling Lai Yang’s head, her expression warm and gentle—a stark contrast to how she always was with him.

He readjusted the rearview mirror to its original position.

Opening the storage compartment, he took out a pack of cigarettes and placed one between his teeth.

Ren Yong, noticing from the corner of his eye that his boss was holding a cigarette and fumbling for a lighter, felt his throat go dry. Having worked with Quan Yu for years, he knew his young boss only smoked when he was in a foul mood.

Strange, he seemed fine when he first got in the car.

"Got a lighter?" Finding none in the storage compartment, Quan Yu turned to Ren Yong.

"Yes, yes, yes..." Ren Yong reached into his trouser pocket and pulled out a plastic lighter, the green, one-yuan-each kind.

Watching Quan Yu take it, Ren Yong couldn’t help but stare.

The disparity between people was striking: in his own hands, the lighter was just a cheap one-yuan item, but in Quan Yu’s, even something so cheap seemed to possess an air of expense.

Quan Yu was about to light the cigarette.

"Perhaps you shouldn’t smoke. Lai Yang is still ill," the girl’s soft voice interjected.

"..."

THUD. The lighter was tossed back into the storage compartment.

From the corner of his eye, Ren Yong saw that Quan Yu indeed hadn’t lit the cigarette. Instead, he pinched it between his fingers, idly rolling it, perhaps to kill time out of boredom or as a way to manage his emotions.

Was it out of concern for a junior, or because Miss Ning was the one who spoke?

Ren Yong suddenly recalled an incident two or three months prior. He had accompanied Quan Yu to Emerald Villa to sign a contract. On the way back, Quan Yu had instructed him to stop Miss Ning’s car. He’d felt something was amiss even then. Later, halfway to dropping Miss Ning home, Quan Yu had sent him off to buy something.

When he returned, the two of them were sitting in the car with the windows closed.

Putting aside their respective statuses, a man and a woman alone together was already inappropriate. Moreover, he vaguely remembered seeing... Miss Ning’s clothes were in disarray...

As Ren Yong’s thoughts reached this point, he dared not continue. I just hope the boss wasn’t being reckless.

At nine thirty, on the thirteenth floor of the Tianchi Group building, the conference room was filled to capacity with high-ranking officials. Not only were all board members present, but every department head and deputy head was also in attendance.

As Ning Rongyue walked in, Yang Huasheng, the Head of the Marketing Department, pulled out the chair at the head of the table. "Director Ning, you’ll have to preside over today’s meeting."

"You flatter me, Uncle Yang," Ning Rongyue replied with a modest smile. The position of Vice President of Tianchi Group was equivalent to that of General Manager and CEO. For some time, she had chaired all major and minor meetings.

"The new Chairman and President will arrive soon. Their positions are above mine, so it’s only right for them to preside."

Her words were modest, but a well-concealed smugness glinted in Ning Rongyue’s eyes.

"I heard Ruiyin Group is sending two newcomers," Yang Huasheng announced publicly, sharing the gossip he had painstakingly gathered. "They just returned from Britain a few days ago. Both are quite young; I suppose they’re some relatives of President Quan, sent here merely for experience."

The implication was clear: these youngsters would be easy to control, easy to bully.

Ning Rongyue had already heard this from Yang Huasheng. She showed no change in expression, but inwardly she was ecstatic. Even the heavens are on my side!

"Is that true?" one of the directors asked, somewhat angrily. "What does Ruiyin take our company for? A training ground?"

"This is actually good," Yang Huasheng snorted. "It’s better than having two troublemakers who’ll start massive reforms as soon as they take office. Last year, when Ruiyin acquired Nalan Group, they sent their CFO to take over. And what happened? That CFO gave the old guard at Nalan Group a terribly hard time.

"As for us, we should stick with Director Ning. Director Ning is one of us."

Mixed expressions flickered across the faces in the room.

After Tianchi changed hands, lower-level employees were relatively fine. The higher-ups, however, were all uneasy, afraid of aligning with the wrong faction and seeing years of hard work destroyed.

When Ning Rongyue extended an olive branch, they had no choice but to accept. Now, after this conversation, her position as leader seemed secure.

At that moment, Ning Rongyue’s assistant knocked and entered. "The representatives from Ruiyin Group have arrived; they’re already in the elevator."

All eyes turned towards the door. After about two or three minutes, Song Changfeng and Tan Xi appeared.

A young man and woman, around twenty-three or twenty-four years old, entered. Both held folders, and they were followed by a middle-aged man who looked like an assistant, also carrying documents.

"Sorry for the wait," Song Changfeng spoke first, his tone neither servile nor arrogant. "My name is Song Changfeng. I am honored to have the opportunity to work with all of you esteemed seniors. For the next three years, or perhaps longer, I will serve as the CEO of Tianchi Group. I hope for your full support as we strive for great achievements. Here are the letters of appointment for your review."

His words were formal and dignified. After he spoke, the middle-aged man behind him distributed photocopies.

Yang Huasheng took one, casually tossing it onto the table with a highly disrespectful attitude. "No need for such formality. The company has already sent out an email; we’re all aware."

"And this other one is Tan Xi, our company’s future CFO, correct, Mr. Liu?" Yang Huasheng looked at the former CFO, Liu Bigui, with a smile. "Oh, my mistake. I should call you Vice President Liu now."

Liu Bigui looked deeply embarrassed.

"Since everyone is aware, there’s no need for further introductions. Let’s begin the meeting," Song Changfeng said, glancing at Ning Rongyue.

Ning Rongyue showed no intention of standing up, her smile neither overbearing nor deliberately cold.

Seeing this, Tan Xi knew at once they were being deliberately provocative.

Chinese people place great importance on protocol; who sits in which seat and the order of precedence are clearly defined. By occupying the main seat, Ning Rongyue was openly challenging Song Changfeng.

It was also a display of dominance, signaling to everyone that Ning Rongyue called the shots at Tianchi Group.