33. Holding a grudge
Jiang Nan sat in the hall for a while, playing chess with Old Man Chen, until Chen Yunsheng called and said that the driver was about to arrive, and she came back to her senses from the busy state of companionship.
When they parted, Mr. Chen looked at her kindly and said, "When you have time, come back to see me more often with Yunsheng."
"Okay, grandpa." Jiang Nan agreed with a smile, carrying the bag.
Su Wanrong and Chen Mingyuan also came out to see her off, their attitude still polite and courteous, without much intimacy. But this gesture made Jiang Nan feel at ease.
Then she said goodbye with a smile, and then, driven by shame, quickly got into the car.
Regardless of what transpired between her and Chen Yunsheng, she would always harbor a sense of guilt towards Old Man Chen. He was probably the only one in the Chen family who recognized and protected her. Unfortunately, in this agreement, she was a complete liar, unable to offer much sincerity.
Thinking of this, Jiang Nan looked down at the jade bracelet on her wrist in silence, then looked up at the street view outside the window. This trip to the old house felt like a short, eventful dream. Chen Minghui and Li Li's harassment, Liang Yue's hostility, Mr. Chen's defense, and Chen Yunsheng's ambiguous words.
All this made her realize more clearly that this arranged marriage involved far more than just a simple transaction between her and Chen Yunsheng.
She pulled out her phone, wanting to send Wenwen a message asking for help, so they could go over last night's bizarre experience together. But she typed a few words and deleted it.
These things don't seem appropriate to share.
Jiang Nan sighed, put away his phone, and looked out the window in silence and solemnity.
Only after the car entered the city did the streets on both sides gradually become bustling. Looking out the window at the people and cars coming and going, the floating sense of illusion that lingered in Jiang Nan's heart slowly settled, taking on a fragile reality.
She thought that the real world made people feel at ease.
Then, she began to think about the unfinished Summer Pulse, the difficulties that Wang Baopi might give her, Jichuan's parents, and even the dinner of a bowl of noodles with an egg and a few slices of vegetables - these trivial but real troubles gradually filled her heart with a sense of security, as if she had finally returned to the human world from the misty heaven.
At least she could understand and deal with these mundane affairs.
As for Chen Yunsheng and the complicated troubles of the Chen family, she decided to put them aside for the time being.
She thought, let's take it one step at a time, just like what was written in black and white in the agreement, mutual benefit, keep your distance until the day the agreement ends.
——
After returning to this empty mansion in the city center, Jiang Nan unexpectedly breathed a sigh of relief. The old house's stagnant atmosphere and undercurrents were now isolated, and while this place was just as quiet, it had a space of her own where she could take a short breath.
She kicked off her shoes, put down her computer bag and tote bag, stepped barefoot on the cold floor, and went to the kitchen to get a glass of water.
I drank half a cup of cold water and dispelled a lot of anxiety.
Then, while thinking about her afternoon plans, she looked around the kitchen aimlessly. When her eyes swept across the center island, she suddenly noticed an exquisite paper bag on it, and next to it was a note.
Jiang Nan hesitated for a moment before walking over and picking up the note.
On it was Chen Yunsheng's clear and neat handwriting:
This is a dessert sent by a customer. I don't like sweets, so please dispose of it.
List
Jiang Nan pursed her lips, put down the cup and note, and then gently opened the paper bag.
Inside were two small matcha mille-feuille cakes that looked quite expensive. She blinked, unsure if the dessert was truly a gift from the client or just some excuse.
After a few minutes of silence, Jiang Nan stopped worrying. She put the cake in the refrigerator, intending to have it as an afternoon snack. She also decided not to question his statement and continue imagining some dreamy bubbles.
After a quick bite of bread, Jiang Nan gathered her thoughts and took her computer bag to the dining table. She pulled out her computer and documents, planning to continue polishing the Summer Pulse plan.
Song Wei's harassment and Wang Baopi's pressure were real. This was the most important thing for her to solve right now.
However, Jiang Nan's work efficiency is not high.
In her inbox were several emails from Song Wei's assistant, polite yet urging and critical. Wenwen wailed on WeChat, complaining about new revisions from Song Wei, saying she was more unpredictable than an August day in Jiangcheng.
Jiang Nan agreed with Wenwen's assessment of Song Wei and tried hard to cope with everything, but she still felt overwhelmed.
After a while, she rubbed her temples and began to struggle with a piece of unpleasant text on the screen.
Just at this moment, the cell phone rang.
It was an unfamiliar local number.
Jiang Nan hesitated for a moment, then picked up the phone: "Hello, how are you?"
"Is this Miss Jiang Nan?" There was a familiar female voice on the other end of the phone, gentle but with a hint of arrogance.
Jiang Nan's heart sank slightly, already having a premonition. However, she pretended to know nothing and replied calmly, "Yes, I am. Excuse me, who are you?"
"I'm Liang Yue," the other person chuckled, "We met yesterday at Brother Yunsheng's house."
"Ms. Liang, is there something wrong?" Jiang Nan held the phone tightly and tried to keep his voice steady.
"Nothing serious," Liang Yue's voice sounded relaxed. "I just left in a hurry yesterday and didn't have a good chat with Miss Jiang. I heard that Miss Jiang works in an advertising company? It just so happens that our company has some promotional needs recently and we're looking for a reliable partner. I wonder if Miss Jiang is interested in chatting? Maybe I can help your company close a big deal."
Jiang Nan could almost imagine the condescending and picky smile on Liang Yue's face on the other end of the phone.
This is not about wanting to talk business, it's clearly a weasel paying a New Year's visit to a chicken, with no good intentions.
"Thank you for your kindness, Ms. Liang," Jiang Nan's tone turned cold. "However, our company has a dedicated process and person in charge for project docking. Currently, my schedule is already full, so it's not convenient for me to contact you privately. If you have any needs, you can contact our company's business department."
Liang Yue hadn't expected such a direct refusal. After a pause, he spoke faster, "Miss Jiang, do you look down on our Liang family's small business? Or do you think that by climbing up Brother Yunsheng's ladder, you no longer need to expand your own network and business?"
This is quite impolite, and can be said to be a combination of intimidation and ridicule.
Jiang Nan suppressed her anger and said to the person on the other end of the phone, "Ms. Liang, you misunderstood. Work is work, and feelings are feelings. I keep the distinction very clear. As for business, our company has a professional team. If you truly need it, going through the formal channels is the responsible way for both parties. I have work to do, so I'll excuse myself."
Without waiting for Liang Yue to say anything else, Jiang Nan hung up the phone.
Her heart was pounding from the previous exchange, and her palms were slightly sweaty. She wasn't good at dealing with such direct malice, especially this kind of provocation that came with a sense of superiority.
Jiang Nan sat in the chair and took a long time to calm down.
This Liang Yue, as Chen Yunsheng said, was extremely purposeful and seemed determined to achieve her goal. It was unknown what other tricks Liang Yue would resort to after being rejected by her.
——
In the VIP box of a high-end beauty salon.
When the busy tone sounded, Liang Yue's delicate face instantly twisted. She slammed her phone down on the beauty bed, her voice filled with disbelief and anger: "She actually dared to hang up on me!"
Li Li, lying on the bed next to him, slowly took off her mask, revealing an expression she had expected. "I told you long ago, this girl from a humble family may look gentle, but in fact, she's very tough. She's not that easy to control, otherwise how could she coax the old man into giving her the bracelet?"
"What should we do?" Liang Yue sat up and said indignantly, "Are we just going to let it go like this? Brother Yunsheng actually married a woman like this! I——"
"What's the rush?" Li Li glanced at her, a hint of hidden contempt flashing in her eyes, but her tone was gentle and soft. "The more pretentious she is, the more you appear to be indifferent and generous. Besides, if we can't communicate over the phone, why not talk to her in person?"
"In person?" Liang Yue's eyes lit up.
"Yes," Li Li picked up the mirror next to her and slowly looked at her face. "I heard that Yunsheng has a social event tonight and will be home late. So we took some things and went to visit as elders and friends to ask about the couple's new life. We also wanted to see how she is doing when Yunsheng is not around."
Liang Yue thought this was a good idea: "Yes, we are guests here, she can't kick us out again, right? Besides, we can also take a look at where they live..." Her voice gradually became softer, but she could not hide the curiosity and resentment hidden in it.
"Yeah, that's true." Li Li nodded with satisfaction, but she was sneering in her heart.
What a fool! All she thinks about is men and comparisons. The Chen family is blind to be interested in her. If it weren't for Chen Minghui's murky business dealings with the Liang family, which required him to keep the family tightly bound, and if it weren't for Liang Yue's simple mind and easy control, Li Li wouldn't have looked down on this girl who only had a beautiful appearance and a second- or third-rate family background as the daughter of a nouveau riche.
If she really becomes the granddaughter-in-law of the Chen family, I'm afraid she will drag me into trouble in the future.
But right now, using her to cause trouble for Jiang Nan and Chen Yunsheng and test their strength is a useful gun.
"Then...Aunt Lily, when are we going?" Liang Yue looked impatient.
Lily checked her phone, calculating when Chen Yunsheng's social engagement would be over. "Don't worry, let her relax for a while. We'll go over after dark. Remember, behave politely. We're here to show concern, not to argue."
"I know, Aunt Lily!" Liang Yue immediately put on a sweet smile and coaxed Li Li.
Li Li lay back down and called the beautician to continue the massage. She closed her eyes, but her mind was racing. Tonight, she wanted to see for herself what kind of person Jiang Nan was.
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