12. Clothes
After finishing her hotpot meal with Wenwen, Jiang Nan said goodbye to her and returned to Chen Yunsheng's residence.
She carefully entered the password and pushed the door open quietly.
The entrance light came on, dispelling the evening gloom. She changed into her slippers and tiptoed down the hallway, but before she even entered the living room, she froze.
Chen Yunsheng was actually sitting on the sofa in the living room. He held a document in his left hand and a pen in his right. He was unsure what he was reading, but he was focused, like a still, slightly cold shadow. However, the warm glow from the nearby floor lamp perfectly softened his aloofness, lending him a gentler demeanor.
However, what surprised Jiang Nan even more was that the auntie was carrying two plates of food out of the kitchen and heading towards the dining room. Normally at this time, Chen Yunsheng would either not be back yet or already be working in the study, let alone having dinner together.
"Are you back?" Chen Yunsheng raised his head and moved his gaze from the documents to her, and finally to the two shopping bags with brand logos in her hands.
Jiang Nan instinctively hid the bag behind her back and gave a polite yet awkward smile: "Mr. Chen, you're back quite early today."
"Yeah." Chen Yunsheng put down his documents and pen and stood up. He was more than a head taller than Jiang Nan, so his standing posture naturally brought an invisible sense of oppression. But his next move confused Jiang Nan. He bent down and took out several exquisite gift boxes from the sofa on the other side, placed them on the coffee table, and then pushed them in her direction.
"This is for you," he said in a calm and gentle tone, without a hint of ambiguity. "The dress and shoes for tomorrow's cocktail party, and the matching jewelry."
Jiang Nan blinked.
She looked at the gift boxes that were obviously worth a lot of money, then looked down at the skirt and shoes in her hands, and for a moment she didn't know how to react.
Chen Yunsheng followed her gaze and understood, then added: "You can choose which one to wear. Whether you wear it or not, these clothes are yours."
At this time, the aunt came out of the kitchen with a bowl of soup. Chen Yunsheng turned to her and said, "Let's eat."
The aunt responded, set the table and quietly returned to the kitchen.
Chen Yunsheng then looked at Jiang Nan, who was still stunned, and said, "Let's eat first."
Jiang Nan quickly came to her senses and hurriedly placed her shopping bags on the cabinet in the entrance hall. "I—I'll go change my clothes first, I'll be right back!"
She almost rushed back to her room as if escaping. After closing the door, she let out a long breath and felt her heart beating a little faster, but she couldn't tell whether it was because Chen Yunsheng rarely ate at home, or because he was so thoughtful to prepare clothes.
Jiang Nan felt that his emotions had become a mess.
Finally, she sighed and turned to look for suitable clothes.
A few minutes later, Jiang Nan changed into comfortable home clothes, washed his hands, and then walked into the restaurant quietly.
Chen Yunsheng was already sitting at the head of the table. When he saw her come in, he just nodded slightly to signal her to sit down.
The table was filled with four dishes and a soup, all home-cooked, but exceptionally refined. Jiang Nan noticed that the sweet and sour pork ribs she had made were among them, but the dish before her was far more professional, with a brighter, more attractive red color.
"I don't know what you like to eat, so I asked Auntie to make something." Chen Yunsheng picked up the chopsticks and said with a smile.
Jiang Nan quickly responded, "I'm not picky about food. I eat everything." She hesitated for a moment before continuing, "Thank you for preparing clothes for me. In fact, I just bought a set today..."
A more professional styling team could have been arranged, but Chen Yunsheng didn't want Jiang Nan to come into contact with too many outsiders. She had too many flaws, which could easily lead to trouble. However, he didn't intend to say these words to her.
He picked up a piece of pork ribs and placed it in the bowl. He said calmly, "This kind of business cocktail party has certain requirements for attire, so I asked Wei Yan to prepare two alternatives." He paused, raised his head slightly and looked at Jiang Nan, "Don't worry."
Jiang Nan nodded, but couldn't help but wonder: Two sets. It must cost a lot of money.
Afterward, the two of them ate in silence for a while. The only sound in the restaurant was the occasional clatter of cutlery. Jiang Nan ate with a certain restraint. She ate in small, steady mouthfuls, occasionally stealing glances at Chen Yunsheng across from her.
His eating posture remained elegant, as if it were a fixed pattern - to be respectable, but also efficient.
"Did yesterday's project report go smoothly?" Chen Yunsheng suddenly asked.
Jiang Nan nearly choked on her food. She quickly swallowed it and replied, "It went very smoothly. Thanks to your guidance, the client is very satisfied and has said he'll communicate directly with me in the future." Speaking of work, her tone unconsciously brightened. "Wang Paopi's expression was wonderful."
Chen Yunsheng smiled softly, but in the blink of an eye, that faint smile vanished, and he returned to his cold and calm demeanor. He whispered, "That's good. Your client's representative will be at the reception tomorrow, so you can take this opportunity to test their opinions."
"I'll do my best!" Jiang Nan promised immediately, then a faint, embarrassed smile appeared on her face. "But I don't have much experience in this kind of situation. If I do something wrong, you can remind me and criticize me at any time, and I will correct it immediately."
Chen Yunsheng glanced at her and said in a softer tone, "Don't be nervous, just stay with me."
After a while, the two finished their meal.
Jiang Nan wanted to escape, but he was hesitant and didn't dare to act rashly.
Just then, my aunt brought over a plate of bright and shiny cherries.
Chen Yunsheng nodded slightly to his aunt, who understood what he meant, put down the cherries and quietly left.
Jiang Nan blinked as she looked at the plate of evenly red cherries. Her meals today had all been a bit greasy, and she really needed some fresh fruit to help with the greasiness.
Chen Yunsheng noticed the change in her expression and gently pushed the fruit plate towards her: "Eat it if you want."
Jiang Nan was a little embarrassed, but she still picked up a cherry and put it in her mouth. She glanced at Chen Yunsheng and asked, "Don't you want to eat it? It's very sweet."
Chen Yunsheng shook his head: "I don't like cherries very much."
Jiang Nan nodded in understanding, munching on cherries bite after bite. The cool, sweet juice soothed the greasy taste of barbecue and hot pot, and she closed her eyes in contentment. Chen Yunsheng sat across from her, watching her eat quietly. He said nothing, but he also made no move to leave.
This rare time together made Jiang Nan nervous yet strangely happy. Then, she remembered her aunt and cousin whom she had met that afternoon, and said to Chen Yunsheng a little awkwardly, "Mr. Chen, I ran into my aunt and cousin today while shopping with my friends."
"Hmm?" Chen Yunsheng frowned slightly.
Jiang Nan's tone became cautious. "Nothing else matters, except that my aunt likes to arrange blind dates. I'm worried that something might go wrong before the agreement is concluded."
Chen Yunsheng listened quietly, and waited until she finished speaking before speaking: "What's your reply?"
"I just said I was busy with work and didn't have time to think about these things," Jiang Nan chuckled, "Then I quickly checked out and left, not giving them a chance to show off."
Chen Yunsheng nodded lightly and did not express any opinion.
After finishing the last cherry, Jiang Nan took the initiative to stand up and clear the dishes. Chen Yunsheng also stood up, but did not leave the restaurant immediately. He watched Jiang Nan clear the dishes, hesitant to say something, and finally helped to tidy up the empty bowls and chopsticks.
After the aunt came over and took the plates and bowls from them, he slowly spoke: "Try those clothes later to see if they fit. If not, ask Wei Yan to change them tomorrow morning."
Jiang Nan nodded quickly: "Okay, I'll try it later."
Only then did Chen Yunsheng turn around and walk towards the coffee table in the living room.
He picked up the documents and pen on the coffee table and headed for the study, but stopped at the door and turned back to say, "We'll leave at 5 p.m. tomorrow. The cocktail party starts at 7 p.m., but before that, I'll introduce you to a few important people."
"I understand. Thank you, Mr. Chen." Jiang Nan stood there, watching him walk into the study and close the door, before he relaxed physically and mentally.
Afterwards, Jiang Nan said hello to her aunt and returned to her room with the gift boxes. Before opening the boxes, she washed her hands and face very reverently - she was worried that if she soiled her clothes, she would not be able to return or exchange them, which would cause unnecessary trouble.
Then, she carefully opened the boxes one by one. When she saw what was inside, she couldn't help but exclaim.
The first box contained a smoky gray silk long skirt, the fabric was soft and smooth, and it had a soft luster under the light; the second box contained a pair of high heels in the same color, the height of the heels was just right, elegant but not so difficult to walk in.
The third box contained a black velvet evening dress, the fabric, style and texture of which were much better than the one she bought; the fourth box contained a pair of black high heels, the same style as the gray pair of high heels.
The fifth and final box contained a set of exquisite pearl jewelry, including a necklace, earrings, and bracelet. Each pearl was round and plump, emitting a warm and soft light.
Jiang Nan picked up the skirt and compared it. It was exactly her size. She couldn't help but think of Chen Yunsheng's words, and a trace of doubt arose in her heart - Assistant Wei even knew her size so clearly?
After a minute or two of silence, she went to get the black skirt she bought today from the entrance, and hung it next to the black evening dress for comparison - the smoky gray long skirt was really not very elegant, and she was sure that she could not pull it off, so she ruled it out without any hesitation.
So Jiang Nan's eyes only moved back and forth between the two black skirts.
To be fair, the cut and texture of the suit she and Wenwen picked were already very good, but compared with the suit prepared by Chen Yunsheng, it was much inferior.
"This is the power of money." Jiang Nan murmured to himself, and at the same time reached out to touch the black velvet evening dress. It felt smooth and so good that people were reluctant to let it go.
After much hesitation, she decided to try it on. She quickly and carefully put on the skirt, shoes, and pearl earrings, and slowly walked to the dressing mirror.
She slowly opened her squinting eyes, and her expression was slightly dazed when her gaze met her reflection in the mirror.
The dress was tailored to perfectly outline her figure without being too revealing. The black color accentuated her fair skin, while the pearl jewelry added a touch of elegance and grace. The height of the high heels also made her posture more upright and composed.
"You really get what you pay for." Jiang Nan turned around in front of the mirror, her heart filled with nervousness and surprise.
Then she stared at the mirror in a daze, unsure of what to do.
Just as she was struggling in front of the mirror, there was a sudden knock on the door, neither fast nor slow, exactly three times.
Jiang Nan looked back at the door anxiously and hurriedly agreed, "Come in!"
The door was pushed open a crack, and then Chen Yunsheng's voice came from the gap: "How was the test?"
He didn't intend to come in, but just stood outside the door and asked.
"It fits me perfectly," Jiang Nan quickly replied, subconsciously adjusting the hem of her skirt. "It's just too formal. I'm a little uncomfortable with it."
Chen Yunsheng, who was standing outside, was silent for a few seconds before speaking. His tone was calm and restrained, yet full of encouragement: "As long as they fit you're fine. If you're not used to them, you can change into a more comfortable pair. Also, you need to prepare in advance for tomorrow, so you can't...sleep too long."
Jiang Nan agreed awkwardly: "Okay, Mr. Chen, I won't stay in bed."
"Well," Chen Yunsheng said in a voice softer than usual, "then...good night."
"Well, good night." The door was closed gently, followed by the sound of footsteps gradually moving away.
Jiang Nan breathed a sigh of relief, slumping down on the edge of the bed. She looked at herself in the mirror, dressed in her expensive gown, and felt a mixture of emotions. Behind all this glitz and glamour lay a priceless transaction, but it was undeniable that Chen Yunsheng was indeed a generous and thoughtful employer.
She carefully took off her dress and hung it up carefully, while putting her jewelry and shoes into the box.
After doing all this, she picked up her phone and sent a WeChat message to Wenwen:
Help! Boss Chen prepared a whole suit for me, and it looks much more expensive than the one I bought.
Wenwen replied almost instantly:
Oh no!
Is this true or false?
Take a picture and show it to me!
Jiang Nan took a few photos of the dress and jewelry and sent them over. Soon, her phone rang with a video call invitation from Wenwen.
"Oh my god! This dress is so beautiful! How is it different from celebrities walking the red carpet?!" Wenwen screamed on the other end of the phone. "And that jewelry! It looks so expensive!"
Jiang Nan lowered her voice, "Which suit do you think I should wear tomorrow? The one I bought wasn't cheap either, so it would be a waste if I didn't wear it. But the one Boss Chen prepared is obviously better. If I don't choose it, won't it seem like I'm really ungrateful?"
"Of course I wear what my sponsor prepared!" Wenwen said without hesitation, "You're representing Boss Chen's reputation! You have to wear the best!"
"That's the truth. It's just a shame," Jiang Nan sighed, "We spent so long choosing."
"It's okay. You can wear that black dress to the company's annual meeting later," Wenwen comforted her, her eyes narrowing slightly and her tone becoming mischievous. "Boss Chen really cares about you, he even bought you all the jewelry."
Jiang Nan's heart was slightly moved, but she immediately suppressed the feeling and said in a nonchalant tone, "He's just worried that I'll damage the Chen family's image. After all, I'm representing his reputation in an event like tomorrow."
The two chatted for a few more minutes before hanging up the phone.
Jiang Nan was stunned for a while, then stood up and carefully checked the dress and shoes she would wear tomorrow. After confirming that there was no problem, she went to wash up with peace of mind.
Before going to bed, she habitually wanted to write a sticky note to thank Chen Yunsheng, but after hesitating for a moment, she gave up - she was going to wear the clothes he prepared to go to the cocktail party tomorrow, and writing a sticky note now would seem a bit pretentious and deliberate.
So she happily decided to turn off the lights and go to bed.
While lying on the bed, Jiang Nan stared at the ceiling covered with a thin layer of light, feeling both expectant and nervous.
To be honest, tomorrow's cocktail party is not only related to her image with the client, but it is also her first time to appear in a larger occasion as Chen Yunsheng's wife - although it is just acting, she inexplicably does not want to mess it up.
"It will definitely work, Jiang Nan," she whispered to herself, "Talk less and listen more, talk less and listen more."
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