15. Eyes
Chen Yunsheng did not expect that he would tell Jiang Nan the secrets of the past, nor did he expect Jiang Nan to interrupt in this way and lightly change the subject.
But he didn't think this was bad, instead he felt a kind of childish consideration.
Then, Chen Yunsheng's eyes would occasionally fall on Jiang Nan's profile. Then, he suddenly realized that Jiang Nan's eyes were very beautiful, like amber under the bright sunlight, clean, pure, and crystal clear.
Sometimes when she turned her head to look at him, he would quickly look away and pretend nothing had happened.
However, Chen Yunsheng soon realized that he was paying too much attention to her eyes, so he deliberately distanced himself from her, letting her socialize on her own while he went to other social circles.
And in the midst of constant socializing, the drinking party came to an end.
Chen Yunsheng stood on the other side and chatted with several partners.
His eyes seemed to be casually sweeping across the banquet hall, but in fact he was always paying attention to the movements of Jiang Nan opposite him.
This was the first time he had brought her to a formal event, and he had been prepared to intervene at any moment, but to his surprise, she behaved very appropriately and calmly. Even when facing someone as tactless as Song Wei, she remained calm.
This kind of coping ability is not what an ordinary advertising company employee should have.
Chen Yunsheng couldn't help but recall the scene when he first formally met Jiang Nan.
A few months ago, through a connection, he met this girl in a private room at a café. She was wearing a simple, solid-color sweater and jeans, with no makeup on, and looked much younger than her actual age. When he told her about the absurd agreement, he expected to see shock, hesitation, and even offended anger.
But Jiang Nan didn't.
She just listened quietly and told him it was a pleasure to work with her.
At that moment, Chen Yunsheng realized that this seemingly ordinary girl was not simple. There was a calmness and decisiveness in her eyes that transcended her age - the calmness and decisiveness that only those who have experienced storms can have.
Her mother was seriously ill in bed and in urgent need of money, so she made the choice very decisively and without almost any hesitation.
After living together, Jiang Nan also knew how to behave better than he had imagined.
She strictly adhered to the terms of the agreement and never crossed the line, but she was not blindly cowardly and flattering. Those colorful sticky notes were a mixture of kindness and tentativeness - she was gradually exploring his boundaries, and at the same time she was using food to melt the barriers between them.
But as time went on, he discovered that this was more like Jiang Nan's nature - it was not just testing and flattering, but that she was a kind and sincere person.
Kindness and sincerity are two very precious qualities, no matter what the situation, as long as they are kept in moderation.
At the reception tonight, he had observed her interactions with others. She remained neither humble nor overbearing with Director Liu, and humble and courteous with other senior executives. Even when faced with Song Wei's obvious hostility, she defied it with ease.
This ease forced Chen Yunsheng to re-examine his nominal wife.
After finishing the conversation, Chen Yunsheng walked over to Jiang Nan and asked softly, "Is it okay?"
Jiang Nan turned around, and the light from the banquet hall fell on her eyes, reflecting a unique amber luster. Chen Yunsheng still thought her eyes were beautiful, not the kind of stunning beauty, but like honey in the spring sunshine, warm and transparent.
"You can leave anytime." Jiang Nan smiled and nodded.
On the return trip, the two of them sat side by side in the back seat. Jiang Nan seemed tired. She leaned back in her chair, eyes closed. The lights outside the car window flickered on and off. Those that managed to penetrate the glass and fall into the car passed over Jiang Nan's face, minute by minute.
The floating light and shadow highlight the gentleness of spring sunshine lingering between Jiang Nan's eyebrows, like the wind blowing across the lake, cool and distant yet containing a hint of tenderness.
Chen Yunsheng noticed that she was gently twisting her ankles - the high heels were obviously causing her a lot of pain.
"Your feet hurt?" he asked.
Jiang Nan opened her eyes and said a little embarrassedly: "A little. I don't usually wear high heels."
"I'm sorry," Chen Yunsheng said, "I won't make you stand so long next time."
"It's fine."
The car fell silent again, but unlike the tense atmosphere when they came, there was a bit more relaxation in the silence now.
"Thank you so much today," Jiang Nan suddenly said, "especially for helping me out a few times. I felt like I was talking nonsense at the time."
Chen Yunsheng tilted his head to look at her: "You did a great job, you don't need me to help you out."
This was the truth. Tonight, Jiang Nan's performance far exceeded expectations, whether dealing with clients, partners, or those malicious people.
Jiang Nan seemed to be surprised by the affirmation. After a pause, he said, "Actually, I was extremely nervous, especially when I saw those people you know well, like Mr. Zhang and Mr. Li. I almost jumped."
Chen Yunsheng smiled lightly: "I can't tell."
This made Jiang Nan laugh, his eyes curved into two crescents: "That means my acting has improved."
At that moment, the fragmented light and shadow outside the window fell on Jiang Nan's face. Her eyes were particularly bright because of her smile, like a deep pool filled with stars.
Chen Yunsheng couldn't help but be stunned.
These fragmented lights were like a soft feather fan, dancing gently in the quiet night, and the ups and downs seemed to fan Chen Yunsheng's stagnant soul.
He had never looked at her eyes so closely before. They weren't the standard almond or phoenix shape, but somewhere in between, with a slight upward curve at the ends and thick, short lashes. Most striking was the color of her pupils, which, under the light, took on an amber-like transparency, as if he could see right through them, seeing everything behind them.
Such a pair of eyes, growing on the face of a seemingly ordinary girl, creates a unique attraction.
"What's wrong?" Jiang Nan noticed his gaze and subconsciously touched her face. "Did I...did my makeup smudge?"
Chen Yunsheng looked away: "No."
"Ah, is that what you want to say?" she said, looking out the window.
Chen Yunsheng nodded.
After the car entered the basement and stopped smoothly, Chen Yunsheng was the first to push the door open and get out. Then, he walked around to the other side and opened the door for her.
"Thank you." She got out of the car carefully, avoiding any possibility of physical contact with him.
Then, the two walked towards the elevator side by side.
In the enclosed space, Chen Yunsheng could smell her faint perfume, a hint of alcohol, and her own clean and soft scent. He slowed his breathing, trying to stop this almost prying behavior. It was not until he walked out of the elevator that he became more natural.
Then he watched Jiang Nan lift her skirt, trot towards the door, and quickly enter the password.
The head is round, which is a little cute.
After entering the door, Jiang Nan breathed a sigh of relief, almost immediately kicked off her high heels, and then walked barefoot on the marble floor.
"Ah! I'm finally free!" She cheered softly. After a while, she realized her mistake and looked at Chen Yunsheng embarrassedly. "Sorry, Mr. Chen... Um, I have to go change my clothes first."
Chen Yunsheng nodded, watching her back as she tiptoed back to her room, shoes in hand. A faint smile flashed in his eyes.
Then Chen Yunsheng changed into slippers and walked towards the kitchen.
When he passed by the floor lamp, he suddenly smiled without any warning - he remembered that some time ago, Jiang Nan often worked overtime and came home late, and he specially left the lamp for her, but she seemed to have misunderstood, and even thought that he forgot to turn off the light.
Just at this moment, Jiang Nan came over.
Chen Yunsheng stared at his reflection in the glass, then quickly looked away and picked up the cup and kettle.
Without her makeup and in her home clothes, Jiang Nan looked several years younger, like a freshly graduated student. She solemnly walked out, clutching the expensive handbag, and said to Chen Yunsheng, "Mr. Chen, this bag..."
"Keep it," Chen Yunsheng said without turning around as he poured water. "It suits you."
Jiang Nan hesitated: "It's too expensive."
Chen Yunsheng turned around and handed her a glass of water. "Consider it a reward." He continued casually, "And it matches your skirt very well."
Jiang Nan took the cup of water, his eyes slightly widening in surprise.
Under the warm light of the living room, the amber luster of those deep brown eyes became more obvious, clear enough to reflect his shadow.
Chen Yunsheng suddenly realized that this was perhaps Jiang Nan's most special quality—her eyes never hid their emotions. When she was happy, they were like a sun-drenched lake; when she was nervous, they were like a restless little animal; when she was thinking, they would narrow their eyes slightly. But at this moment, filled with surprise and gratitude, her eyes seemed especially clear and moving.
He had seen too many eyes that were good at concealing things: rivals in the business world, passersby in social circles, and even family members, all of whom hid their true emotions under a decent smile. Only Jiang Nan's eyes were always honest enough to make people soften their hearts.
"What's wrong?" Jiang Nan felt a little uncomfortable when he looked at her. "Did I do something wrong?"
Chen Yunsheng retracted his gaze and returned to his usual calm tone: "Nothing. Go to bed early, you still have to go to work tomorrow."
Jiang Nan nodded: "You too. Good night."
"good evening."
Watching her back as she turned and went back to her room, Chen Yunsheng stood there without moving for a long time.
He recalled that on the day the agreement was signed, the lawyer asked him privately why he chose Jiang Nan.
His response at the time was: "She seems to be well-behaved and won't cause trouble."
At that time, he actually felt compassion - he saw Jiang Nan running around to pay for his mother's surgery.
Months later, he had to admit that the surprises from this choice far exceeded his expectations. Jiang Nan was not only law-abiding but also surprisingly resilient. She was like a seemingly ordinary plant that, in the right environment, would quietly blossom with unexpected brilliance.
Chen Yunsheng looked at the kettle thoughtfully, then walked to the floor-to-ceiling window and looked at the night view of Jiangcheng outside the window.
This bustling city is never short of ambition and desire. Therefore, her pair of ever-honest eyes are particularly precious and rare in this world full of calculations and disguises.
He stared at his reflection in the glass for a long moment before turning to the island and pouring himself a glass of water. He lifted the glass and took a sip. The water was a perfect temperature, just like the atmosphere of the night: neither too hot nor too cold, just right.
Then, Chen Yunsheng turned his head to look at the door of Jiang Nan's confinement room, turned around and walked towards the study.
There were still a few emails to reply to tonight, but for some reason, those amber-like eyes would occasionally flash through his mind, bright and warm, like a glimmer of light falling into a land without spring.
This discovery made Chen Yunsheng frown slightly, but he soon relaxed again.
Just a pair of pretty eyes, he told himself.
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