26. Title

Jiang Nan lowered her head, gently stirring the steak in the pan with a spatula. Her voice was still soft, but it held a feigned calmness. "That's probably it—it's just the way it should be. Hard work will be rewarded, mistakes will be criticized, and explanations will have a chance to be heard. Even if the end result isn't good, at least the process can be understood, and one can roughly guess where it's going."

She paused, her tone becoming more cautious. "It's not... it's completely unpredictable, like walking down an unfamiliar road at night. There are no streetlights or flashlights. You don't know when you'll miss a step, or if you're going in the wrong direction."

After saying this, Jiang Nan himself was stunned for a moment.

These vague anxieties that had been lingering in her heart for so long were suddenly spoken out so easily. Jiang Nan immediately regretted it and quickly added, "I'm not saying you handled it wrong! I know you were trying to solve the problem, and it worked very well, and I'm grateful! I just... I just need some time to adjust."

The kitchen fell silent, with only the sounds of food cooking and the faint sound of traffic coming from the street in the distance.

Chen Yunsheng didn't speak immediately. He picked up the kettle and cup beside him, poured a glass of water, and handed it to Jiang Nan. Jiang Nan took the cup with trepidation and mumbled, "Thank you."

She didn't dare look up to see his expression.

After a while, Chen Yunsheng poured himself a glass of water. He took a sip, his expression as calm and gentle as usual.

"I understand what you mean," he began slowly, speaking in a softer tone than usual. "You may think that my methods are a bit rough and crude, lacking... warmth. You may even be afraid that one day, I will treat you the same way."

Jiang Nan clenched the cup nervously, not knowing how to respond.

"But Jiang Nan, in many cases, especially in complex situations, the quickest solution is the most direct one. Circuitous thinking, probing, and explaining only give those conspiracies room to grow." His gaze fell on the slightly rippling water in the cup. "As for your concerns..."

He paused, then raised his head slightly to look at her. "I'm not someone who enjoys creating accidents. My behavior patterns may be different from what you're familiar with, but they're not illogical or arbitrary. You can try to... trust my bottom line when handling things. At the very least, I won't do anything unacceptable just to deliberately make you feel uneasy or embarrassed."

He spoke at a steady pace, looking at Jiang Nan intently.

During the conversation, he did not deny her feelings. Instead, he patiently guided her to sort out everything in front of her and tried to provide her with another perspective.

"I never seek pleasure in hurting others," he continued. "Regarding your colleague, the punishment he suffered was due to his own behavior. I simply gave Mr. Yao some appropriate information. I didn't force him to do anything. Please believe me on this point."

"Besides, we have an equal contractual relationship," Chen Yunsheng said with a hint of helplessness in his voice. "I'm not your master, and I won't let you do anything that violates the rules. In this case of Pete, his behavior has crossed the line. Not only did he slander you, but he also tried to use me to cause trouble."

"This crosses my line. By defending you, I'm also protecting my own reputation and interests," Chen Yunsheng continued. "I know things are moving too quickly, and you might...have doubts. But I have selfish motives in this matter, so...I pushed things a little. But you don't have to feel burdened by this, let alone fear. Besides, you and Pete are completely different people, right?"

His last sentence, with a hint of light-hearted ridicule, diluted the slightly serious atmosphere.

Jiang Nan listened in stunned silence. For the first time, someone had so calmly and rationally explained this daunting difference to her. It wasn't a condescending lecture, nor was it a cold, indifferent dismissal; it was simply an equal attempt to make her understand.

The solid barrier she had built around herself seemed to have been pried open by his gentle and rational voice, creating a tiny crack.

"I—" She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but she didn't know what to say. So she said nothing and just remained silent.

The fear may still exist, but a desire to try to understand has quietly emerged.

Seeing her expression relax and no longer as wary and uneasy as before, Chen Yunsheng changed the subject and said with a chuckle, "Besides, I really like your cooking. Even instant noodles are delicious."

Hearing this, Jiang Nan brushed her hair back embarrassedly.

She remembered the first night here, when he sat on the sofa and quietly finished the bowl of instant noodles she cooked.

At this moment, the steak was almost done. At Chen Yunsheng's reminder, Jiang Nan hurriedly turned off the heat and placed the steak on the prepared plate. Chen Yunsheng naturally took over her work, adding the cooked vegetables, mushrooms, and sauce.

Afterwards, the two of them worked together to bring lunch to the restaurant. Although it was already afternoon, this was actually lunch for two, and even for Chen Yunsheng, it was his first meal of the day. The atmosphere subtly shifted, no longer filled with the awkward tension that made people feel overwhelmed. Instead, it became a cramped yet relaxed atmosphere.

After sitting down, Chen Yunsheng cut the steak and casually brought up another topic.

"Actually, compared to 'you'," he cut off a small piece of beef and looked at Jiang Nan without blinking, "perhaps I am more accustomed to people calling me by my name."

Hearing his words, Jiang Nan stopped picking up the mushrooms, his eyes flickering with confusion: "What?"

"Yunsheng, or Chen Yunsheng, either is fine," he chuckled softly, a hint of teasing in his tone. "The word 'you' always makes me feel... like I'm in the middle of a serious business negotiation, or like I've become a highly respected elder." A gentle smile played on his lips. "But obviously, we're neither of those things right now."

Hearing his words, Jiang Nan felt his face instantly turn red and hot.

She had always used honorifics, stemming from the initial unfamiliarity and awe, as well as the distance created by the agreement. She had never considered it inappropriate. Employees inevitably lowered their posture before their bosses. Even at the Chen family, when she needed to be on equal terms with him, she rarely used his name. She only used the simple "you" in moments of elation.

But once she breaks away from the vague scene, the 'you' in her mouth will become 'you' again.

Only when he pointed it out to her did she realize how abrupt and distant this title was in the current situation of cooking and eating together, as if it was deliberately emphasizing certain boundaries.

"But..." She still wanted to refute, but couldn't find a suitable reason.

Protocols and habits both sound like some kind of excuse to escape.

"Try changing it?" Chen Yunsheng looked at her and gently guided her. "It's just a name. Maybe it will make you feel more relaxed? After all, we still have to be together for a long time."

His words were reasonable and he even considerately found a way out for her - to make her feel more relaxed.

Jiang Nan's heart was pounding so hard that it almost jumped out of her teeth.

Call him by his first name.

This felt even more stressful than having her do a solo presentation in front of a client, because it implied a sense of equality, even a little bit of intimacy.

If she did so, it would simply overturn the safety boundaries she had always set for herself.

She couldn't help but look up at Chen Yunsheng, trying to see something from his face.

But he just looked calm and waited, with no mockery or impatience in his eyes, only gentle encouragement.

The atmosphere fell into silence, but beneath the silence flowed a joyful anticipation.

Jiang Nan blinked, his lips moved slightly, and his voice was almost inaudible:

"Chen Yunsheng."

The moment the name came out of her mouth, her ears turned red, as if these three words were scorching hot and were constantly burning the tip of her tongue.

The smile in Chen Yunsheng's eyes deepened a little, but he quickly restrained it and just nodded gently: "Yeah. You see, it's not that difficult."

He acted so naturally, as if that was the way it was, which made Jiang Nan's nervousness seem a little exaggerated.

She lowered her head and gently cut the beef on the plate, calming her rapidly beating heart.

The lunch ended in such a subtle and peaceful atmosphere.

The dishes were taken into the kitchen and piled in the sink.

Jiang Nan stood in front of the sink, hesitating whether to wash it herself or leave it to her aunt. At that time, Chen Yunsheng went to the study first.

When he came out, he was holding the familiar velvet box in his hand.

Jiang Nan almost stood there, staring blankly at him as he approached step by step.

Chen Yunsheng stopped in front of her and handed the box back to her: "I'll keep this with you."

"But I—" Jiang Nan stammered, "It's not true."

Chen Yunsheng calmly explained, "This is just a gift from an elder. It doesn't mean anything else. Grandpa said that at the time because... the mood was right."

"Besides, if it can help you avoid some unnecessary trouble while you're playing Mrs. Chen, then that's its value." His gaze fell on her face, and his tone was gentle and persuasive. "Jiang Nan, some status symbols are necessary armor in certain situations. At least they can save you from wasting time on meaningless arguments about your background when facing people like Song Wei and Qin Yu."

After hearing what he said, Jiang Nan's concerns gradually subsided. If this bracelet was just a practical prop, a set of armor to show her status, then she seemed to have no reason to resist.

After a minute or two of silence, Jiang Nan finally took the box.

She held the box cherishedly and whispered, "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He looked at her lowered eyes and responded lightly.