58. Non-stop

"That number," Chen Yunsheng unscrewed the bottle cap, took a sip of water, and suddenly said, "It'll take some time to check. The other party is very cautious and uses a disposable virtual number."

Jiang Nan nodded: "I know it won't be that fast."

"These past few days," he said seriously, "if you feel anything is wrong, no matter how small, tell me immediately."

"Okay." She agreed, feeling a little confused by his serious advice, but she didn't ask any more questions.

He took two more sips of water and then put the bottle down: "It's getting late, go to bed."

"And you?"

"I'll take a shower and rest."

"Yeah." Jiang Nan nodded dully, then put down the cup and turned to walk towards her room. When she reached the door, she stopped, hesitated and struggled for a moment, and finally turned back to look at Chen Yunsheng.

At that time, he was still standing by the center island, holding a water bottle in his hand, quietly looking at her. Under the light, his figure was elegant and upright, like a tree content with silence, but there was a hint of fatigue between his eyebrows, but he still exuded a reassuring power.

She blinked and whispered, "Good night."

Chen Yunsheng nodded slightly, a faint but genuine smile on his lips: "Good night."

Jiang Nan turned her head away embarrassedly, then quickly went into the house and closed the door. As she leaned against the door, she took a few deep breaths, trying to calm herself down and remain calm.

But that night, as she lay in bed, she was still tossing and turning because of Chen Yunsheng's last smile.

On the one hand, she did feel a change in him, but she was not sure whether the cause of this change was the love she expected or something else; on the other hand, she was very worried that his easing tonight was just for the purpose of comforting her. After all, she had just experienced a seemingly false threat, so his attitude should naturally be gentler.

These thoughts kept her from calming down for a long time.

——

The next few days were calm.

That strange number never appeared again, as if the silent call and the malicious text message were just a brief nightmare for Jiang Nan. But Jiang Nan did not let her guard down, as Chen Yunsheng's words echoed in her ears almost all the time.

She accepted Zhang Lei's punctual pick-up and drop-off, tried to avoid going to unfamiliar places alone, and also reminded her parents and friends to pay attention to safety recently.

Her life basically revolves around going between the company and the apartment. She only occasionally has dinner with Wenwen and the others, but the place she chooses is in a crowded business district.

Meanwhile, Chen Yunsheng seemed even busier, leaving early and returning late every day. However, he would send her one or two WeChat messages daily to check on her. The messages were simple, usually asking about her location, recent progress, and any plans for her commute.

Jiang Nan would respond to every request, never refusing to accept any of them. It could be said that their conversations were essentially brief and restrained. Yet, there was also a tacit understanding that flowed slowly between their words.

He no longer displayed the obvious concern he had shown at dinner that night, slowly returning to his usual calm composure. But Jiang Nan could sense a more steady support beneath this calmness. She noticed there was always an unassuming car following her, the occupants occasionally meeting her gaze and nodding slightly. It was the bodyguards Wei Yan had arranged.

In the past few days, the chats between Jiang Nan and Wei Yan were all about the bodyguard information he sent.

Although Jiang Nan felt at a loss at first and thought the commotion was too big, the feeling of being silently protected did make her feel at ease, and it also allowed the newly sprouted emotions in her heart to take root and spread quietly during the seemingly ordinary days.

After a few days of chaos and dullness, the master craftsman from Chunhua Qiushi came as promised.

The one who came was a veteran worker with half-gray hair but a vigorous spirit. She was accompanied by a young assistant, carrying two large toolboxes, and spoke in a calm and slow tone.

Not long after Jiang Nan let them in, the sound of the electronic lock opening was heard again - Chen Yunsheng had returned from the company early. She was surprised, but also felt a warm sense of comfort. She looked at Chen Yunsheng and smiled, her tone teasing: "Why are you back?"

"I promised you that we would look at the materials together," Chen Yunsheng said as a matter of course, "so I'm here to fulfill my promise." After saying that, Chen Yunsheng slowly walked to Jiang Nan and started chatting with the master craftsman.

The master craftsman's attitude was respectful but not overbearing. After a few pleasantries, he got down to business. The young assistant unfolded several thick fabric sample books he had brought. A dazzling array of silk, Xiangyun yarn, Sujin, and other fabrics shone with varying lusters in the daylight.

"Ms. Jiang, please choose the material first. Only after the material is decided can the style be finalized." The old master said in a gentle voice.

Jiang Nan responded, feeling a little dazzled, and instinctively looked at Chen Yunsheng, wanting to ask him for help.

Chen Yunsheng smiled gently at her, then stood beside her with a gentle expression. Then, his eyes swept over the sample book, and he encouraged Jiang Nan in a calm tone, "You can actually touch the materials of the pieces you saw in the album and feel the texture."

His approach brought a faint scent of cedar. Jiang Nan's ears turned red, and she reached out to touch the smooth or slightly patterned fabrics as he said.

The old master smiled and added to the explanation, while the assistant took out a tape measure and prepared to measure the size.

With Chen Yunsheng's advice and the teacher's professional explanation, Jiang Nan finally selected the materials of the cheongsams she had previously liked - heavy silk satin for the light green one, soft satin with a soft luster for the lilac one, and Su brocade with a more three-dimensional feel for the white one.

After selecting the material, the master craftsman personally took her measurements. The tape measure went around her shoulders, chest, waist, hips, and even arm length. As each precise number was read out, Chen Yunsheng stood not far away, watching with a calm gaze. But Jiang Nan felt a little uneasy, her cheeks slightly warm.

After measuring the size and finally confirming the style details and the pattern of the plate, and agreeing on the first sample in about two weeks, the master craftsman said goodbye and left with his assistant.

After seeing the old master off, they were the only two left in the apartment.

The afterglow of the setting sun came in through the glass, giving the living room a gentle and warm golden color.

"It seems a bit too grand." Jiang Nan said in a low voice as he looked at the small sample of material left by the master craftsman.

"The occasion requires it," Chen Yunsheng walked to the center island and poured a glass of water. "Grandpa attaches great importance to this banquet."

Jiang Nan was silent for a moment after hearing this, then mustered up the courage to look at him: "What about you?"

Chen Yunsheng paused while drinking water, and then he slowly raised his eyes to look at her. At that moment, the light of the setting sun cast tiny spots of light in his deep eyes.

"What?" he asked.

"Do you think... I'll look good in those cheongsams?" After saying that, Jiang Nan wanted to bite off his tongue.

Chen Yunsheng looked at her silently without saying a word. Just as Jiang Nan was annoyed and wanted to find other topics to dilute the silence at this moment, he suddenly spoke, his voice lower and softer than usual:

"Suit you."

Just two simple words.

But at this moment, in this warm sunset, without the obstruction of the picture album, these two words seemed to fall directly on the tip of her heart, burning her ears so much that they turned red.

She awkwardly turned her eyes away, not daring to look into his eyes again, and her fingers unconsciously stroked the edge of the material sample, revealing her helplessness and nervousness.

A thick silence swirled in the air, as if something was silently brewing and fermenting, enveloping them all.

After a while, Chen Yunsheng put down his cup and walked towards the study: "I still have some documents to deal with."

"Well, then you get busy." Jiang Nan responded softly, and only raised his head slowly when he heard the sound of the study door closing gently.

Then she walked to the window, looked at the magnificent sunset, and felt that the young seedling that had broken through the soil was quietly stretching out a new leaf under the watering of those two words.

——

A few more days of peace passed.

Fu Yifang's footage entered post-production. Jiang Nan and his team began intensively preparing a promotional plan, their feet teetering on the edge of their seats. Meanwhile, the anonymous phone call and text messages seemed to have completely vanished.

Jiang Nan felt that the matter should be over, but Chen Yunsheng still insisted on having Zhang Lei pick her up and drop her off, and the bodyguards were still there. Sometimes he would even drive her there himself.

However, Chen Yunsheng was still very busy, but no matter how late Jiang Nan came home, she would always see the living room light left for her. Sometimes, when she came home late from overtime, she would be surprised to find a warm midnight snack on the dining table, and sometimes she would see a simple sticky note on the refrigerator, with a reminder like the milk expiration date.

It was unsigned, but she knew who it was.

This silent care, like spring rain, filled every gap in her life. It also made her feel that through him, she saw herself from a while ago. A little aggressive, a little tentative. And Jiang Nan felt joy and happiness in this. She felt that things were turning for the better, running non-stop.

It was Wednesday, and Jiang Nan was finally able to get off work on time.

She originally thought that she would definitely return home earlier than Chen Yunsheng this time, but when she returned to the apartment, she found that Chen Yunsheng had already returned and was leisurely standing behind the center island making coffee.

"So early today?" Jiang Nan was a little surprised. He put down his bag and walked over.

"Well, things went smoothly." He handed her a cup of freshly brewed coffee with milk and sugar added in the proportions she was used to.

Jiang Nan took it and smiled at him: "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Then Jiang Nan held the warm coffee cup, leaned against the counter, and drank it in small sips.

"I received a call from the cheongsam department. The first sample can be made next Wednesday." Chen Yunsheng was wiping the steam wand of the coffee machine in his hand and picked it up casually.

"So fast?" Jiang Nan counted the days and found that less than a week had passed.

"The master craftsman rushed the work." He replied in a flat tone.

She nodded and didn't ask any more questions, but she felt a little inexplicably expectant and nervous in her heart.

The two of them were silent for a while, each drinking their coffee until the sunset gradually sank into the tall buildings and the light in the living room became soft and hazy.

"Do you want to go out for dinner tonight?" Chen Yunsheng suddenly asked.

Jiang Nan was stunned for a moment, then turned to look at him with a hint of surprise. But he looked calm as usual, as if what he had just said was just an ordinary suggestion.

"Or, you can order takeout," he added, leaving her with the option.

"Let's go out and eat." Jiang Nan barely hesitated. She kind of enjoyed the feeling of dining out with him like ordinary people. Even if it was just a fleeting illusion, she wanted to try it again.

"Okay," Chen Yunsheng put down his coffee cup, "I'll go change my clothes then."

After saying that, he turned and walked towards the bedroom.

Jiang Nan looked at his back, her heart beating a little faster. Then she hurried back to her room, quickly changed into something a little more casual, and fixed her hair in front of the mirror before going out.

When she came out again, Chen Yunsheng was already waiting in the living room. He had changed into a light gray casual sweater and trousers, looking less aloof and more gentle. He blinked and said in a gentler tone than usual, "I'll book the restaurant this time."

It is a declarative sentence.

Jiang Nan hummed and said with a smile, "Then I'll respectfully obey your command."

Chen Yunsheng was infected by her smile and gradually relaxed.

Afterwards, the two of them walked out side by side. As the elevator descended, no one spoke, but they could both sense a kind of expectation beneath the silence.