68.Handshake

There were only a few dim spotlights in the room, making the night still hazy and quiet.

Those blurry shadows overlapped one another, one after another, and fell on Chen Yunsheng's face in a mottled and blurred manner, making his eyes look like a glass lamp in the afterglow of the setting sun, clean, clear and crystal clear.

Jiang Nan looked up at those eyes, hoping to see something in them. But all she saw was a pair of eyes full of tenderness.

"Are you used to it?" he asked again softly, his tone gentle and sincere, full of a coaxing patience.

Jiang Nan felt his face getting slightly hot.

"It's-it's okay." Jiang Nan was a little nervous.

"Today," he looked at her intently, "a lot of people are looking at you."

Because of drinking, Chen Yunsheng's cheeks were slightly stained pink, but this color did not reduce the clarity and determination in his eyes. Instead, it became a gentle disguise.

"I'm... a little nervous." She admitted honestly, trying to hide her inner panic with honesty.

"I know," he smiled, then said in a tone softer and calmer than usual, "but you did great."

Jiang Nan gave a bewildered smile and said almost incoherently, "Haha—it's because... I can't embarrass you."

Upon hearing this, the smile in Chen Yunsheng's eyes deepened.

"It's not a question of whether it's embarrassing or not," he corrected her seriously, "it's that you're good in the first place."

Jiang Nan blinked, not knowing how to answer.

She could sense that Chen Yunsheng was gentler and more approachable tonight than usual. He seemed to be gradually withdrawing from the actions that could be interpreted as being based on an agreement. But if she thought about it further, she felt that she was being too sentimental.

Jiang Nan felt that this could not go on any longer and she had to break out of this situation.

She looked away in panic and made up an excuse: "I-I'm going to take off my makeup."

After saying that, she turned around as if running away, and walked quickly to the bathroom. After closing the door, she gasped for breath, and at the same time, she felt her cheeks were very hot.

She slowly walked to the mirror and saw her blushing cheeks reflected in it. She looked nothing like the dignified and proper Mrs. Chen at the banquet, but more like a student who had just fallen in love and was at a loss.

Jiang Nan quickly turned on the faucet and splashed cold water on her cheeks, trying to cool the scorching heat. But her mind kept replaying the previous scene over and over again - his approaching breath, his gentle voice, his finger touching the ring, and the look in his eyes that she couldn't understand but made her feel uneasy.

By the time she finally finished removing her makeup, showering, and changing into comfortable pajamas, nearly an hour had passed. Only a few spotlights remained in the room, and Chen Yunsheng was nowhere to be seen.

Jiang Nan breathed a sigh of relief, yet also felt a little lost.

Then, she stood in the middle of the room, wondering which side to go to, facing the bed and the couch. Just then, there was the sound of soft footsteps outside the door. Jiang Nan immediately became nervous, turning around a few times in confusion. Finally, when Chen Yunsheng pushed the door open, she fiddled with her hair and pretended to have just come out of the bathroom.

In an instant, Jiang Nan's panicked eyes met his calm and steady eyes.

Chen Yunsheng had already changed into his pajamas and was holding a magazine. It looked like he had washed up in the bathroom downstairs.

"Done?" He closed the magazine, his tone relaxed and natural, even a little familiar. Then he walked to the bed and sat down, his fingertips gently stroking the slightly sharp edge of the magazine, again and again, as if simulating a disordered heartbeat.

"Yeah," Jiang Nan nodded and walked to the couch by the window, "Are you... not sleeping yet?"

"Read a magazine for a while," he replied, his eyes slowly moving to her back. Noticing that she was standing a little awkwardly beside the couch, he said, "You sleep on the bed tonight."

His tone didn't sound like a negotiation, but rather like he was stating an established arrangement.

Jiang Nan was stunned for a moment: "But your stomach - you drank alcohol today."

"It's okay now," he said in a gentle tone, but his attitude remained unchanged. "You've been tired all day, you need to rest well."

Jiang Nan turned her head to look at the spacious, soft bed, then looked at him again, a conflict between her conscience and her desire for a good night's sleep. Ultimately, exhaustion and a desire for a comfortable sleep prevailed. She whispered, "Then... thank you."

She walked to the bed, threw back the covers, and lay down. The mattress was soft, and the pillows smelled of sunshine and laundry detergent—it was indeed much more comfortable than the hard couch. As Jiang Nan turned her back to him, she could feel his gaze on her, which made her feel very uncomfortable.

After a while, she fell silent, and he followed suit. For a moment, the only sound in the room was the occasional rustling of pages.

Jiang Nan closed her eyes, but felt no sign of sleep. Every fiber of her being seemed to sense the presence of the man behind her. The sound of him flipping through pages, his gentle breathing, even the faint scent of his shower gel, all entwined her nerves like invisible threads.

She didn't know how long it was before she finally heard the sound of a magazine closing, followed by the sound of the bedside lamp being turned off - even the few spotlights that used to be on were turned off.

The room instantly fell into deep darkness.

Then there was the sound of him lying down with a rustle.

There was actually a distance between him and her, but in the silent darkness, this distance could almost be infinitely reduced.

Jiang Nan held his breath and dared not move.

"Go to sleep." He said softly.

"Yeah." Jiang Nan agreed in a low voice.

However, Jiang Nan was not sleepy at all.

Time passes by minute by minute, but every second seems long and difficult.

Just when she thought he would remain silent until dawn, he suddenly said:

"Jiang Nan."

"Hmm?" She responded subconsciously.

"Grandpa said today," he paused, choosing his words carefully, "you don't need to feel pressured."

Jiang Nan was stunned for a moment before she realized he was referring to something like "adding a child." Her cheeks began to heat up again, but thankfully the darkness masked her confusion.

"I know," she whispered, "it's not in the agreement."

"It's not entirely about the agreement," he said, his voice carrying a rare, almost hesitant tone. "I just think some things shouldn't happen because of external pressure or anything else."

It was a bit confusing, but Jiang Nan understood. What he meant was that even if there were any changes in the future, they should come from within themselves, not from external pressure or the stipulations of the agreement.

Jiang Nan blinked, feeling a mixture of bitterness and sweetness rising within her. Ultimately, she didn't respond. She didn't know how to answer.

Silence once again filled the space between them.

After a long time, so long that Jiang Nan thought he had fallen asleep, but she heard him turn over gently.

Then she felt a warm palm gently covering her hand outside the quilt - the hand wearing the pink diamond ring.

His palm was large and warm, completely wrapping her slightly cold hand with a kind and solid strength.

Jiang Nan blinked rapidly, his body stiffened slightly, and even his breathing gradually became lighter.

He didn't use any force, just covered it gently, occasionally stroking the edge of the ring on her ring finger. This action was full of intimacy and cherishment.

She couldn't see his expression, she could only feel the warmth from his palm and his slow, soothing and tentative movements.

Time seemed to stand still at this moment.

There were no words, no further actions, just a simple cover-up. Jiang Nan's stiff body gradually relaxed, but his heart was still beating fast.

But she didn't pull her hand away, nor did she respond, just letting him hold it.

In this warm and comforting darkness, in this silent companionship and the touch of skin against skin, Jiang Nan's nerves, which had been tense all day, finally relaxed completely, and a strong sense of sleepiness came over her. She held his hand in a daze and fell into a deep sleep.

Hearing her breathing become even and long, and the hand he was holding completely relaxed, Chen Yunsheng very gently closed his fingers in the darkness and wrapped her hand tighter in his palm.

——

The next morning.

Jiang Nan drowsily opened her eyes, and the first thing she felt was the warmth of her left hand. She tilted her head and saw that Chen Yunsheng's hand was still covering hers, their fingers naturally intertwined, as if they hadn't been loosened all night.

She woke up immediately.

After about a minute or two, Jiang Nan gently moved, trying to pull her hand out. However, as soon as she moved, Chen Yunsheng's hand wrapped around her left hand tightened a little, and he let out a sleepy murmur.

So Jiang Nan didn't dare to move.

Although her mind told her to break free immediately, she was still somewhat attached to the feeling. She just lay there stiffly, letting her feelings run rampant.

The simple handshake in the darkness last night and the tight handshake now, after waking up, felt completely different. The former was hazy and ambiguous, while the latter carried an undeniable, real intimacy.

After a while, Jiang Nan tilted her head slightly, trying to see if he was truly asleep. But from this angle, she could only see the silhouette of his face and the slightly moving Adam's apple. His sleeping face was peaceful, his long eyelashes drooping, his usual aloofness diminished, making him appear well-behaved and harmless.

Just as she was staring in a trance, Chen Yunsheng's eyelashes suddenly trembled, and then he slowly opened his eyes.

In an instant, their eyes met.

Jiang Nan pulled his hand back helplessly, then sat up.

"I-I didn't mean to do that," she explained incoherently, "You-you were holding on...too tightly."

Chen Yunsheng also sat up. He raised his hand and rubbed his brow, his eyes still hazy from just waking up. Then, he looked at Jiang Nan's confused eyes, was silent for a moment, and said, "Hmm."

His reaction made Jiang Nan feel even more embarrassed. She quickly threw off the quilt and got out of bed, stepping barefoot on the floor: "I-I'm going to wash up!"

After saying that, she didn't wait for his response and rushed into the bathroom quickly and nimbly.

Although it was not her initiative, she just felt inexplicably guilty.

She hesitated for nearly half an hour, until she was mentally prepared enough before she slowly opened the bathroom door. But Chen Yunsheng was no longer in the bedroom.

Afterward, she changed and went downstairs to find Chen Yunsheng sitting on the sofa in the first-floor living room, watching the news on his tablet. He had changed into his regular clothes, his hair meticulously combed, and he had regained his usual calm and composed demeanor.

Hearing Jiang Nan's footsteps, he raised his head slightly and looked at her calmly: "Uncle Qian just came and said that breakfast is ready, and grandpa asked us to come over and eat together."

Jiang Nan nodded blankly: "Okay."

On the way to the side hall, the two walked side by side, neither of them mentioning what happened in the morning. Jiang Nan glanced at him a few times, only to see that he looked normal and walked calmly, with no sign of anything unusual.

This kind of calmness made Jiang Nan even more anxious.

What was he thinking? Did he feel it was indifferent? Or did he simply not take it to heart?

At the breakfast table, Mr. Chen was in high spirits, clearly very satisfied with yesterday's birthday banquet. He was particularly friendly to Jiang Nan, repeatedly praising her generous and appropriate performance. Su Wanrong was also more talkative than usual, even asking about some trivial matters at Jiang Nan's work.

Everything seems so harmonious and normal.

Only Jiang Nan had no appetite for her food, her mind completely unfocused on breakfast. From time to time, she would glance at Chen Yunsheng, who was quietly eating beside her. He was graceful and well-mannered, occasionally serving food to the old man and her, acting like a filial grandchild and a caring husband.

But the more this happened, the more confused Jiang Nan felt - the calmer he was, the more her panic in the morning seemed like a joke.

After breakfast, Mr. Chen called Chen Yunsheng over, as if he had something important to discuss. Jiang Nan then returned to the courtyard.

She sat by the window, looking at the familiar scenery of the old house outside, her heart in a mess.

She had to admit that after last night and this morning, something was different. The boundary drawn by the agreement, which she had always carefully maintained, was blurring at an irresistible speed.

But the culprit acted as if nothing had happened, leaving her alone here feeling panicked.

Just as she was daydreaming, her phone suddenly rang. It was a WeChat message from Chen Yunsheng:

Grandpa's here for a while. If you're bored, you can go to the study and find a book to read. Or, do you want to go out for a walk?

It was a perfectly normal message, and the content was impeccable. But its arrival at this crucial moment only further muddled Jiang Nan's already chaotic thoughts.

This message seems to be a concern, but also seems to be a test.

Jiang Nan stared at the phone screen, hesitated for a long time, and then slowly typed a reply:

No, I'll just rest in my room for a while.

The message was sent successfully, and she put down her phone, but her heart was even more confused.

She seemed a little unsure how to face him.