38. Several meanings

"What I mean is," Jiang Nan was silent for a moment, then said seriously, "the gap between us is too big. Even if I try my best to act, anyone with a discerning eye can tell that something is wrong."

"So, you are planning to... break the contract?" Chen Yunsheng looked at Jiang Nan with a calm expression, but Jiang Nan felt a chill in his eyes.

"That's not what I meant," Jiang Nan quickly corrected himself. "I was trying to say—um—perhaps using my real identity would make it more authentic."

Chen Yunsheng stared into Jiang Nan's eyes for a long time before slowly looking away.

"I understand. I'll find time to explain to Grandpa why I hid your true background." Chen Yunsheng paused, then looked up at her again, his eyes calm and direct. "I'll be back at the old house for dinner this weekend. My uncle and aunt will be there too. After what happened last time, they might pay more attention to the details between us. If my hands are bare, it's easy for people to criticize me."

Although his change of topic was a bit abrupt and direct, Jiang Nan immediately understood what he meant.

A wedding ring is the most direct evidence that can shut up many people, especially those like Second Aunt Li Li who like to nitpick on details.

"I understand." She nodded and took out her wedding ring and put it on.

Since it is a work necessity, of course she will cooperate.

"This is a last-minute gift," Chen Yunsheng said, looking at the wedding ring on Jiang Nan's finger, his tone much softer. "The size may not be completely suitable, and the style is also a regular one. You can make do with it for this weekend."

He looked up at her, his eyes becoming more serious. "Later, I'll contact the designer to customize a more suitable one. This one... is just for emergency use."

"It's okay," Jiang Nan showed the ring on her hand. "I think this one is enough. No need to—" She noticed the seriousness in his eyes and suddenly realized that a custom-made wedding ring would be worthy of Mrs. Chen. So she swallowed her words and said, "Then I'll say that the real wedding ring isn't ready yet, and I'm just wearing this one—to get used to it in advance?"

Chen Yunsheng remained silent. After a moment, he suddenly said, "There's one more thing."

He was silent for a few minutes, then added in a delicate tone: "About the name."

Hearing this, Jiang Nan was stunned for a moment, then slowly looked up at Chen Yunsheng.

"Although Grandpa rejected Second Aunt's suggestion to change her words last time, they are likely to bring up the old matter again this time when we go back." His voice was calm and gentle, as if he was analyzing the possible troubles of a project, but his eyes were fixed on Jiang Nan's face more intently than usual.

Chen Yunsheng continued, "Calling them aunt or uncle all the time does seem strange to outsiders and doesn't fit the newlywed status."

Jiang Nan pursed her lips.

To be honest, the thought of suddenly having to address two strangers as "Mom and Dad" made her tongue-tied and uncomfortable. But this discomfort seemed nothing compared to the subsequent troubles that might arise.

"Okay, I understand. I'll make sure to change my words." Jiang Nan put aside his concerns and made a decision.

She agreed so quickly and so submissively that Chen Yunsheng was silent for a moment. He looked at the ring on her left ring finger, his eyes revealing a complex emotion, like half relief and half confusion.

"Isn't it a little too smooth?" he suddenly asked, his tone hesitant. He found that he didn't just want to see her businesslike cooperation, but also wanted to see more, what was hidden in her heart.

"Hmm?" Jiang Nan didn't understand, she looked up and met his gaze.

Her eyes are clear and beautiful, like a pair of crystal clear amber.

However, everything behind her eyes seemed like a deep ocean beyond his reach.

"What I mean," Chen Yunsheng said, his voice becoming softer as he carefully considered his words, "is that you suddenly change your mind and even wear this impromptu ring. These requests are actually a bit beyond the scope of the original agreement. Do you... feel that it's too much of a stretch?"

He wondered if beneath her ready cooperation there was a tinge of genuine reluctance.

Jiang Nan blinked and glanced at Chen Yunsheng cautiously.

He seemed genuine and seemed to really care about her feelings.

As a result, Jiang Nan's tense feeling of doing things in her heart relaxed a little. She lowered her head and turned the ring on her ring finger, and smiled softly: "It's a bit sudden, and I'm a little uncomfortable."

"But," she raised her head, her eyes frank, "I know this is to reduce unnecessary trouble. Since we're in a partnership, we should... cooperate with each other and work together to fix these loopholes. That's for everyone's benefit. Chen Yunsheng, I know what's important."

Jiang Nan wiggled her fingers. The ring flickered softly as she moved. "This one'll be enough for now. I'll change it once it's custom-made," she said briskly, carefully watching Chen Yunsheng's reaction.

Chen Yunsheng looked at the expression of "I am very professional" on her face and the ring on her ring finger that was gleaming with light, and for a moment he didn't know what to say.

He hadn't anticipated a reaction like this from her, one that was so straightforward and efficient, perhaps even tinged with professionalism. Most importantly, this straightforwardness inexplicably dashed the warm anticipation that had just risen in his heart.

Chen Yunsheng looked away, a faint smile on his lips: "I'm glad you think so."

He stood up and said calmly, "Go to bed early. Thank you for your hard work this weekend."

The last sentence seemed to have a little more meaning than usual.

But Jiang Nan was oblivious. She replied crisply, "It's not hard. It's my duty."

She watched Chen Yunsheng's back as he turned and walked towards the study, then looked down at the temporary ring on his hand.

The setting and diamond were cold, but after wearing it for a while, it seemed to absorb a bit of her body temperature. And his words about customizing it to be more suitable were like a small promise, floating lightly in her heart, giving rise to tender buds.

What she didn't know was that the person who gave her the ring had, just a moment ago, felt an unprecedented expectation for this room because of her presence.

——

The next week at Youchuang was filled with both busyness and stress. The Summer Pulse plan weighed like a heavy rock on the minds of everyone on the project team, especially Jiang Nan.

Song Wei's feedback emails became increasingly pointed, and her suggestions for revisions became increasingly fanciful, as if she were deliberately making things difficult for him. But as the second party, Jiang Nan could only remain angry but not speak out.

On Friday of this week, Jiang Nan once again worked overtime until late at night. When he returned to his apartment, it was already pitch black and silent.

Chen Yunsheng hasn't come back yet.

Jiang Nan didn't bother turning on the light. She walked into the living room using the light from the entrance, then slumped onto the sofa, letting fatigue wash over her like a tide, drowning her completely.

After a while, the lights in the hallway went out, but the phone screen lit up in the darkness.

It was a message from Wenwen. A sad-faced emoji followed by the following sentence:

That devil Song Wei sent another email! Is she out of her mind? This request is simply impossible!

Jiang Nan opened the email, glanced at it briefly, and suddenly felt a surge of anger in his heart.

Song Wei requested that the new version of the plan for next Monday include an online flash mob event idea that would completely subvert the previous tone. The budget was extremely low, and the time node was extremely tight.

This is simply asking too much.

She threw her phone aside in annoyance and rubbed her aching temples.

Her stomach was so empty, but she had no desire to eat.

At this moment, the sound of a door opening could be heard from the entrance. The lights came on, and Chen Yunsheng walked in. He carried the chill of the late night and a faint smell of alcohol.

Seeing Jiang Nan curled up on the sofa, he paused: "Are you still asleep?"

Jiang Nan sat up and forced himself to cheer up: "Just got back. Are you...did your social event end?"

"Yeah." Chen Yunsheng took off his coat, loosened his tie, and walked into the living room. His eyes swept across Jiang Nan's tired, pale face and the phone tossed aside, and his brows furrowed slightly. "Is the project not going well?"

Jiang Nan didn't want to pretend anything was wrong anymore. She sighed, her tone filled with grievance and complaint. "Boss Song's demands are getting more and more outrageous. She doesn't care about the difficulty of implementation or the budget. It feels like she's not pushing the project forward, she's just looking for trouble."

Chen Yunsheng sat down on the sofa next to her, was silent for a moment, and then asked, "What's the specific problem?"

Perhaps it was the ease of letting down one's guard at night, or perhaps it was the need for an outlet to vent the stress of the last few days. Jiang Nan, rarely holding back, briefly explained Song Wei's challenging demands and the difficulties the team faced.

Chen Yunsheng listened quietly, tapping his fingers lightly and rhythmically on the armrest of the sofa.

"That's about it," Jiang Nan said, letting out a long breath, feeling a little relieved. "If we continue with this project, everyone in our team will die suddenly."

Chen Yunsheng pondered for a moment, then said calmly and gently, "Her purpose may not be the project itself."

Jiang Nan was stunned: "What do you mean?"

"Song Wei is a very shrewd businesswoman. She wouldn't do anything that would harm others and benefit herself," Chen Yunsheng analyzed calmly and objectively. "She keeps putting pressure on you and making unattainable demands. She may have several purposes. One is to test your bottom line and your ability to withstand pressure. The second is to pave the way for further profits by lowering prices and shortening the cycle. The third is..."

He paused, then tilted his head to look at Jiang Nan: "Perhaps there are personal emotional factors involved. He wants you to give up, or simply to make you unhappy."

The last point hit Jiang Nan's head.

She sighed, not knowing what to do.

"Of course, this is just my guess," Chen Yunsheng said in a gentler tone than usual, "but no matter which one it is, continuing to accept the attack will only make us more and more passive."

"What should I do then?" Jiang Nan asked subconsciously, but as soon as she said it, she felt something was wrong.

But Chen Yunsheng showed no impatience. Instead, as if he had already considered the question, he calmly answered, "You need to shift from being passive to being proactive. Don't just respond to her specific questions. Instead, think outside the box and offer her a new, more attractive option. But at the same time, you must firmly grasp the core advantages and benefits of this option."

His voice was as calm as water, and his tone was gentle and calm, but his posture carried a confidence that came from being in control of the overall situation.

Jiang Nan listened, entranced. His thinking was completely different from hers and the team's approach. They had been racking their brains to meet Song Wei's demands, but had never considered breaking the cycle and setting their own rules.

Chen Yunsheng noticed Jiang Nan's concentration and a faint smile appeared on his lips.

When she is concentrating on a problem, her eyes are always unforgettably beautiful.