24. Between Advance and Retreat
After dinner and meeting Wenwen, Jiang Nan returned to the mansion in the city center that did not belong to her.
In fact, Jiang Nan had already felt that his heart had shifted, but every time he noticed those feelings, they were quickly covered by a stronger sense of boundaries.
Jiang Nan was certain that she and he were from two different worlds, and that this marriage was just a transaction. She couldn't, and shouldn't, have any misunderstandings or dependencies.
Then, while changing her shoes, Jiang Nan pondered her next attitude. Perhaps she needed to be more respectful and try to minimize her presence.
At the same time, she should also maintain a certain attitude so as not to leave the impression that she can be easily manipulated - although she did have such an image when facing Chen Yunsheng, she needed to retain some sharpness so that Chen Yunsheng could have a little concern before making certain decisions.
Thinking of these complicated things, Jiang Nan couldn't help but sigh, then looked down at his phone.
An afternoon passed and Chen Yunsheng still didn't reply to her message.
She waited a while longer, but still no message came. She simply threw her phone on the sofa and went to take a shower. When she came out of the room, drying her hair, her phone screen was lit. She froze for a moment, then quickly walked over to pick up the phone.
This is Chen Yunsheng’s WeChat:
There's no need to thank me all the time. In the end, it's me who has implicated you.
Besides, the matter has been properly resolved and there is no need to worry anymore.
I'll be home in a few days. Is there anything I need?
The words were concise and to the point, and this unpleasant episode was gently turned over.
Jiang Nan looked at the messages, her finger hovering over the screen for a long time. She was filled with questions and gratitude, but she didn't know how to express them. So in the end, she just carefully replied with a few polite words:
Ok, but I wanted to thank you anyway.
Thank you for your kindness, but I really don’t want anything.
Jiang Nan was silent for a second or two, then added:
I wish you all the best.
The conversation ended like this.
Jiang Nan put down his phone, feeling like the weight of his heart had finally fallen to the ground, but there was something wrong with the aim - it had hit another, even more unspeakable spot, causing a dull, slow pain.
At first, the pain was not obvious, just like being pricked by a needle, but after the final outcome of the rumor-mongering incident came out, the pain became more obvious and specific, and even accompanied by a glaring fear and uneasiness that made it impossible for her to be calm.
——
The day after work resumed after the holiday, Youchuang issued a brief internal personnel notice, stating that the company had recently undergone a restructuring of its internal culture. During the restructuring, it was discovered that Peter had engaged in serious rumors and disruptive behavior that disrupted team harmony. These violations were egregious and constituted a serious violation of company rules and regulations, leading to his dismissal.
At the same time, colleagues treated Jiang Nan a little more politely than before, and this politeness was accompanied by a subtle tacit caution.
Before Jiang Nan could recover from the news, Li Lan suddenly came over. She knocked on Jiang Nan's desk and said softly, "Jiang Nan, the director wants you to go to his office."
"Oh, okay, thank you." Jiang Nan almost floated into Wang Baopi's office.
When Wang Paopi saw her come in, he forced a kind, even slightly flattering smile on his face: "Xiao Jiang, please sit down quickly."
Jiang Nan sat down cautiously opposite him.
"This is what I mean," Wang Papi observed her expression and continued with a smile, "The company fully recognizes your outstanding contribution to the maternal and infant project last time. The client also called several times and expressed their high recognition of your professional ability. So, after discussion, management has decided to give you an A-level performance rating for this quarter, and your bonus will be paid along with this month's salary."
Then, he leaned forward slightly, his voice almost flattering, "Before, I may have misunderstood you. The work requirements were quite urgent. Xiao Jiang, you are capable and broad-minded. Don't take it personally. If you have any difficulties at work in the future, you can always communicate directly with me."
Jiang Nan was completely stunned.
Fired Peter, gave her an A for her quarterly performance, and Wang Paopi even apologized to her. Is this really the world she knew? Was she so worried that she overslept and had a super dream?
She walked out of the director's office in a daze and sat at her workstation for a long time before she recovered.
Jiang Nan calmed down for a long time before sorting out his thoughts - this was how Chen Yunsheng handled it.
Swiftly, accurately and ruthlessly, she cut off the source of the rumor and gave everyone a warning in the strongest possible way. By the way, she also elevated her status, making those who potentially wanted to gossip hesitate and dare not speak out.
He quickly resolved her dilemma and gave her more than she expected in compensation.
But she didn't feel any joy in her heart. Instead, she felt a strong sense of confusion and fear.
This power is terrifying.
With a flick of his hand, he could turn clouds into rain, easily deciding a person's fate or staying, and upending the public opinion of an entire company. And she was nothing more than a tiny speck of dust that this power inadvertently protected.
In other words, today he could easily get rid of all this with just one phone call from her, but what about tomorrow? If one day, she accidentally angered him or lost her status as his wife, would her fate be worse than Pitt's?
The feeling that her fate was completely in the hands of others had never enveloped her heart so clearly and strongly.
She had been restless all day. When she returned to the empty mansion after work, the feeling of being stranded in the world intensified. She stood in the hallway for a moment, then immediately went into the bedroom and pulled out the velvet box from the depths of the closet.
She opened the box and examined it carefully.
The jade bracelet lay quietly inside, radiating a warm and light sheen under the light. Without any bumps or stains, it remained bright and clear.
Mr. Chen's kind smile and words were still ringing in her ears, but at this moment, Jiang Nan felt only the pain of the bracelet burning her palm. It represented recognition of his grandson's wife, a weighty family legacy and emotional sustenance. But she wasn't his real grandson's wife, merely an outsider who had been paid to play a role.
This precious gift does not belong to her.
Jiang Nan carefully closed the box, then walked to the table and found a piece of letter paper that wasn't pure white. She held the pen and pondered for a long time before writing a few lines:
Mr. Chen:
This item is too valuable and of great significance, so it may not be appropriate to keep it temporarily.
The item is now returned to its original owner, please keep it properly.
Jiang Nan
Her handwriting is neat and round, and her words are polite and distant, maintaining clear boundaries.
Then, she took the box and the letter to the door of the study, and after a few minutes of hesitation, she pushed open the heavy door. The study was neat and solemn, with the air filled with the smell of wood and paper, and it was as deserted as a corner forgotten outside the world.
Jiang Nan turned on the light and the first thing he saw was the dozen or so pens that were neatly arranged from dark to light.
Then, she walked over to the desk and gently placed the velvet box on the desk, where it was most conspicuous but would not disturb his normal work area. Then, she pressed the letter under the box, carefully adjusted the position so that the arrangement of the box and the letter looked more in line with the habits of people with obsessive-compulsive disorder, and then she quickly retreated.
After a while, Jiang Nan returned to the study again - she forgot to turn off the light.
She stared at the velvet box for several seconds before pressing the switch and leaving the study in darkness.
——
For the next few days, Chen Yunsheng didn't come home. Jiang Nan wasn't used to relying on her aunt, so she was the only one in the house. She went to work and came home as usual, cooked her own meals, watched TV series, read books, and occasionally chatted with her parents and friends.
Life seemed to have returned to its previous trajectory—the trajectory before I met Chen Yunsheng.
Follow the procedures, stick to the rules, and most importantly, work from nine to five.
It can be said that this is a life trajectory that can be seen at a glance.
It wasn't until Saturday afternoon that the slight sound of the electronic lock opening was heard at the entrance.
Chen Yunsheng is back.
He was dusty and tired, and he watched the living room with a hint of anticipation, but it was quiet all around. Then he saw her pair of fresh green slippers in the shoe cabinet.
After realizing she wasn't home, Chen Yunsheng habitually looked for the places where she often left sticky notes, but unfortunately, he found nothing. Without thinking much, he walked silently towards the study.
Push open the study door and press the light switch.
In an instant, a dazzling, cold white light poured down from the ceiling, creating a hazy, daylight-filled reality. Amidst this intense feeling of reality, Chen Yunsheng's gaze fell on the unsettling velvet box on the desk and the letter beneath it.
At that moment, the expression on his face became extremely complicated, like fatigue wrapped in astonishment, but also like a kind of calmness mixed with helplessness.
After a few minutes of silence, he walked over to his desk. He pulled out a piece of paper and quickly scanned the polite yet resolute handwriting, his eyes betraying no unnecessary emotion.
But he still smiled helplessly.
Then he put down the letter and gently opened the box.
The jade bracelet was intact, its warm luster flickering quietly under the light. It looked soft and cold, revealing a silent sense of alienation.
He reached out his hand, stroking the curve of the bracelet again and again, then closed the lid of the box expressionlessly. He did not put the box into the drawer, nor did he take it away, but just left it intact on the desk.
Then, Chen Yunsheng raised his hand and rubbed his eyebrows.
At this moment, the weariness that enveloped him seemed to be even deeper, as if something gray was wrapping him up layer by layer, making him unable to speak or hear. He could only struggle repeatedly in the weariness until he accepted everything.
In the end, Chen Yunsheng did nothing but turned and left the study.
He closed the door gently, and temporarily forgot the returned bracelet and everything it represented in the silence with the smell of wood.
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