28. Rabbit

The Summer Pulse proposal, under Song Wei's high pressure, was a real strain on Jiang Nan and the entire project team. Not only were her demands high, but she often sent late-night feedback emails, often using sharp and blunt language that often gave Jiang Nan, the team in charge of the project, heartburn. It turned out she could be so harsh without using profanity.

Most importantly, Song Wei set a very tight deadline, demanding a complete and feasible plan be delivered by the end of July. The reasoning was simple: launching Summer Pulse in the middle of summer was both reasonable and necessary.

Under such pressure, overtime has become commonplace at Youchuang.

It was Friday, the first day of July. Jiang Nan, Wenwen, and the rest of the project team thought they could take a break this weekend, but Song Wei sent three emails in a row, demanding a complete and feasible plan by the following Monday so they could verify the results.

Then the atmosphere in the office suddenly changed.

The entire project team sighed and worked overtime until nine o'clock in the evening before they came up with a decent plan.

Wenwen had initially planned to go out for dinner with Jiang Nan, but now she just wanted to go home and lie down. Jiang Nan had a similar attitude—the pressure of recent days had made her desperately want to rest.

After leaving the office building, the group dispersed. Jiang Nan and Wenwen stayed together for a while, but eventually parted ways in front of the subway station.

As she exited the subway station, Jiang Nan spotted a fruit stand. On a whim, she bought a few peaches and hurried back to the luxury residential complex where Chen Yunsheng lived. She quickly entered the air-conditioned lobby and felt alive again.

Jiangcheng is always scorching hot every summer.

In previous years, Jiang Nan would often be frugal, turning on the air conditioner for only a short while before shutting it off after work. But this year, thanks to Chen Yunsheng's help, she didn't have to worry about the electricity bill at all. Furthermore, the property management company that manages the luxury residential complex didn't dare neglect these residents, so the common areas in the building were fully air-conditioned.

In other words, by the time Jiang Nan entered the house, she had already calmed down.

The apartment was cool and quiet as usual. But unlike a while ago, there were now two fluffy rabbit ornaments on the entrance cabinet. One was bought by Jiang Nan and Wenwen while they were shopping together, and the other was bought later by Chen Yunsheng.

A few weeks ago, Jiang Nan and Wenwen took a break from their busy schedule and went shopping at a shopping mall near their company.

At that time, Wenwen fell in love with a silly and fluffy brown lop-eared rabbit doll at first sight. She insisted that its silly look with drooping ears was very similar to Jiang Nan who was exhausted from working overtime, and she insisted on buying it for her.

Jiang Nan didn't want Wenwen to spend money, so she bought it herself and took it home. When she went in to change her shoes, she didn't think much about it and put the rabbit on the entrance cabinet. The rabbit just tilted its head, staring with its two black pearl-like eyes, and stood at the door stupidly.

That day, Chen Yunsheng came back a little earlier than usual. As he changed his shoes, he naturally didn't miss the strange intruder—his eyes fell accurately on the plush rabbit that stood out and was completely incompatible with the simple style of the surroundings.

Jiang Nan, sitting in the living room, noticed he hadn't moved for a long time after entering the house, then she remembered she hadn't taken the rabbit. She stood up in a panic and rushed to the entrance, wanting to take the rabbit away: "Ah! This... I just bought it casually. It's a bit childish, I'll put it away now!"

"No need," Chen Yunsheng said, stopping Jiang Nan. He then took two steps closer, bent down, and examined the rabbit. He even reached out and gently touched its soft ears. He chuckled and said, "Leave it there. It's quite cute."

Jiang Nan froze in place, a bit disbelieving her ears. After a moment, she came to her senses and watched, woodenly and bewildered, as Chen Yunsheng took off his suit jacket as usual, agreeing, "Oh—OK, I get it."

So the rabbit made its home on the entrance cabinet.

Jiang Nan would see it every day when she went in and out, and she would always think of Chen Yunsheng's words, "It's quite cute." She felt that Chen Yunsheng didn't seem to be as completely opposed to this little object that brought a sense of life as she had imagined.

What was even more unexpected was that a few days later, when Jiang Nan came home from get off work and was changing her shoes in the entrance as usual, her eyes swept across the cabinet as if by habit, and she saw something that surprised her a little.

Next to the brown lop-eared rabbit, there was another rabbit.

It was a gray, smoother-looking plush rabbit, about the same size as the brown one. It sat upright, ears erect, its expression a calm and composed one, a stark contrast to the silly brown rabbit next to it.

Jiang Nan guessed who did it without much thought.

She stood there, looking at the two rabbits sitting side by side. Her heart seemed to be bumped by something gently. She was a little dazed, and something inexplicable was quietly growing in her.

At that time, Chen Yunsheng came out of the study to pour water. Seeing her standing at the entrance staring at the cabinet in a daze, he walked over.

"Did you buy it?" Jiang Nan pointed at the gray rabbit, with a hint of uncertainty in his voice.

"Well," Chen Yunsheng said amiably, holding the water cup, "it looked good, so I bought it. It's just right to keep you company."

Be a companion.

He said it lightly, without any hint of romance or ambiguity.

Jiang Nan blinked, looking at the gray rabbit with an elite temperament, then at the silly brown rabbit next to it, and then secretly glanced at the calm and gentle man next to her. Suddenly, she wanted to laugh, but she tried hard to hold it back.

"Yes... they are a good match." She muttered, a faint smile playing on her lips.

From that day on, the number of rabbits on the entrance cabinet increased from one to two. Jiang Nan gradually got used to their presence, and even subconsciously adjusted their position, straightened them out, or dusted them off before leaving the house every day.

It could be said that this little corner inexplicably became the first place in this empty mansion where she felt warm.

——

Jiang Nan changed her shoes, tilted her head and smiled at the two rabbits, then carried the fruit she had bought on the way into the living room. She was surprised to find that Chen Yunsheng had returned early today, and that he wasn't in the study as usual. Instead, he sat on the sofa in the living room, frowning slightly at the documents in front of him, as if he was considering something.

Hearing the noise, he raised his head and moved his gaze from the documents to her cheeks, which were slightly red from the heat.

"Are you back?" he asked gently.

"Yeah," Jiang Nan agreed, shaking the plastic bag in his hand. "I bought some peaches. The boss said they're the sweet kind. Want to try some?"

In the past, she would never have casually extended an invitation like this. She would have most likely tiptoed into the kitchen, trying to minimize her presence. But her recent familiarity with him had slowly made her a little bolder.

Chen Yunsheng nodded and agreed, "Okay."

Jiang Nan put down her bag and went to the kitchen. She washed the peaches, cut them into pieces, and placed them on a white porcelain plate. She then found two forks in the cupboard and brought the peaches to the coffee table in the living room.

The whole process was natural and casual, without the initial restraint and caution.

Chen Yunsheng put down the documents, took the fork handed to him by Jiang Nan, picked up a piece of peach and tasted it: "It's really sweet."

"Really?" Jiang Nan was a little proud. At the same time, he sat down on the single sofa next to him and picked up a piece of peach and started eating.

The cool flesh and sweet juice instantly dispelled the remaining heat.

Jiang Nan leaned comfortably on the sofa, eating while staring at the ceiling with blank eyes.

There wasn't much conversation between the two, but the atmosphere wasn't awkward. Chen Yunsheng continued to look at his documents, while Jiang Nan came to his senses, pulled out his phone, and replied to a few work messages.

The rushed plan was bound to have errors, so the joint project team returned home to investigate and address any gaps. However, Wang Paopi, the leader, was largely ineffective, aside from exerting pressure and shifting the blame. Fortunately, Deputy Director Wen was able to shoulder most of the pressure with them.

Under Song Wei's pressure, Jiang Nan felt like she was walking a tightrope—but before she even stepped on it, she'd already expended most of her energy. But strangely, returning to this place, sitting next to this silent man, her anxious heart, riven by work, actually calmed down.

So, in between replying to messages, she occasionally couldn't help but look up and secretly glance at Chen Yunsheng.

His eyebrows and eyes were originally a bit sharp, but when he smiled, the hard brow bones suddenly became soft and gentle, like a piece of jade stripped of its rough outer layer, leaving only a warm and flawless appearance. And that overwhelming aura of elites would slightly weaken, revealing a calm and reassuring temperament.

During this time, he seemed to be consciously trying to get her used to his presence. He wouldn't get too close, but he would always appear in the living room or kitchen at the right time to let her know she wasn't alone. He even started leaving her messages on sticky notes with cartoon pictures printed on them, letting her know what fresh food was in the refrigerator, where he was going, and what else she could use as she pleased.

He chattered on and on, leaving behind a lot of sticky notes.

Coincidentally, this kind of slow and steady infiltration is more effective than any deliberate show of goodwill - the string in Jiang Nan's heart becomes softer and softer under the immersion of this warm water.

While Jiang Nan was lost in thought, Chen Yunsheng suddenly asked, "Are you free this weekend?"

"Weekend?" Jiang Nan came back to his senses and thought carefully. "Maybe I have to work overtime to finish the details of the Summer Pulse plan. What's wrong?"

"Grandpa called and asked us to go back to the old house for dinner this weekend," Chen Yunsheng said after a second or two of silence, then added, "Maybe we'll have to stay overnight."

"Ah? Um——" Jiang Nan responded stutteringly, not knowing what to say.

Although the atmosphere was quite harmonious when she went back last time during the Dragon Boat Festival, those occasions where she had to be on edge all the time and act like a loving couple always made her feel a lot of pressure, and this time she also had to stay overnight.

It was hard for Jiang Nan not to recall the awkwardness of the last time they were in the same room.

Chen Yunsheng noticed her nervousness and said soothingly, "It's just an ordinary family dinner. Don't feel pressured. Grandpa just wants to see us." He paused, then changed his tone to a gentler one, "If you really can't spare the time, I can tell Grandpa."

"No!" Jiang Nan's refusal came out almost immediately. Then, she realized her reaction was a bit too extreme, so she immediately slowed down her tone and explained, "It's okay, I can adjust. When will the weekend be over?"

"Tomorrow at noon," Chen Yunsheng looked into her eyes. "Stay one night and come back after lunch on Sunday, is that okay?"

His tone was gentle, even open to negotiation.

This kind of respect made Jiang Nan speechless. She forked a piece of peach and nodded with a smile, "Okay. I understand. I'll just bring the computer and other information with me."

"Well," Chen Yunsheng looked at her quietly, a little nostalgia slowly forming in his eyes, "Thank you."

Jiang Nan felt embarrassed by his gaze and quickly looked away: "This is my responsibility, you're welcome."

After Chen Yunsheng noticed Jiang Nan's little action, he couldn't help but smile softly.