46. Hesitant and hesitant
When Jiang Nan went out the next day, the apartment was empty. There was no steaming coffee on the island, nor was there a figure in casual clothes. There was only the slightly thin morning sunlight that came in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting long rays of light on the floor.
He left and went on a business trip to Shanghai.
This realization left Jiang Nan with a strange feeling of emptiness, but it was immediately filled with a complex sense of relief. She wanted to use these two days to sort out the confusion in her mind caused by Chen Yunsheng and his earth-shattering words.
So Jiang Nan went to work happily.
But her joy soon faded—the subway was incredibly crowded during the morning rush hour, packed tighter than a can of sardines. Jiang Nan was tucked into a corner, taking in a cacophony of odors, yet her mind remained clear. She went over the revised plan she'd discussed with Chen Yunsheng the previous night, silently drafting a draft.
When they arrived at the company, Wenwen rushed over and grabbed her arm, his eyes gleaming with gossip: "Hurry up, tell the truth! What happened yesterday? You were hesitant on the phone."
Jiang Nan was dizzy from being shaken by her, and lowered his voice and said, "It's nothing serious, just...something went wrong at his old house."
"That second uncle again?" Wenwen practically raised her eyebrows. "Wow, is this a fight over the family fortune?"
"That's probably why," Jiang Nan didn't want to say more. She didn't know how to describe the oppressive feeling of the distinct class divisions and undercurrents, and Chen Yunsheng's words, to Wenwen.
"Okay, let's get to work, Engineer Wen," Jiang Nan put down her bag and turned on her computer. "The Devil is watching us closely and demands that we give her the new plan today."
Wen Wen saw that her face was indeed not good, so he did not ask any more questions, but patted her shoulder: "Come on, Engineer Jiang, if you need fire support, I will be there at your beck and call!"
Jiang Nan smiled, mischievously drove her away, and then buried his head in his work.
Jiang Nan spent the entire morning buried in front of her computer. She refined her ideas from the previous night, incorporating several key points raised by Chen Yunsheng into her marketing strategy. She also made bold adjustments to the visual presentation, placing greater emphasis on individuality and expression of attitude.
She didn't even go downstairs for lunch. She just asked Wenwen to bring her a sandwich, which she ate while continuing to polish her PowerPoint presentation. The meeting started promptly at 2 p.m.
Song Wei, still wearing a sharp white suit and high heels, walked into the conference room, followed by an expressionless Qin Yu. She glanced at the people in the conference room, and her gaze finally fell on Jiang Nan.
"Let's get started," she said as she sat down.
Jiang Nan took a deep breath and opened the PowerPoint presentation. Perhaps it was the effect of last night's discussion, or perhaps it was a desperate attempt, but Jiang Nan's presentation was more fluent, confident, and coherent than before. When she discussed the core concept of self-pleasure and the visual creativity, she could even look Song Wei in the eye.
"We plan to express the brand image through a series of warm and story-telling content, such as documentary-style short films, and establish a deeper emotional connection with target consumers, so that Summer Pulse can become a spiritual symbol for rewarding and pleasing ourselves." Jiang Nan made a final summary.
Only after Jiang Nan finished speaking did Song Wei slowly speak, "Documentary...who are the cast members? Do you have any preliminary ideas?"
Jiang Nan calmly replied, "We've selected artists, niche bloggers, and even ordinary people who persevere in their own fields who align with the brand's tone, have unique stories, and distinct personalities. The list and information are attached to the proposal."
Song Wei flipped through the information on the tablet. After a moment, she looked up at Jiang Nan and said calmly, "The concept is okay, a little better than before."
Jiang Nan felt a little relieved.
But the next second, Song Wei's words made her heart rise again: "However, since it's about attitude and storytelling, the person chosen must be important enough to dominate the situation." She tapped the tablet lightly with her fingertips and then pushed the tablet towards her. "I think Fu Yifang is good."
Hearing the name Fu Yifang, Wenwen scratched her cheek sheepishly. Fu Yifang was notoriously difficult to deal with, with a peculiar temper and a reluctance to accept commercial partnerships. He had been approached by many major brands, but had been rejected. She had put Fu Yifang on the shortlist simply to make up the numbers, never expecting Song Wei to choose him directly.
"Mr. Song," Jiang Nan tried to remain calm, "Teacher Fu... he seems to rarely participate in business cooperation."
"That's why it seems so classy, isn't it?" Song Wei and Qin Yu exchanged a glance, then continued, "Summer Pulse is looking for this kind of scarcity and buzz. Go talk to him and find a way to get him. This also shows confidence in your team's abilities, doesn't it?"
President Yao laughed aside and said, "President Song has a unique vision. Teacher Fu is indeed a very good choice."
"We will definitely meet Mr. Song's request, and we will communicate with Teacher Fu as soon as possible. However, given Teacher Fu's temper," Deputy Director Wen suddenly said, "Could Mr. Song give us a little more time?"
Song Wei glanced at Deputy Director Wen, then looked at Jiang Nan with a scrutinizing look in her eyes. "Ms. Jiang, I believe you can complete the task before the end of July. I also hope to hear good news at the next meeting."
After saying that, she stood up and left with Qin Yu.
Wang Paopi, who had been silent at first, began to insinuate that Deputy Director Wen shouldn't have said that. But when General Manager Yao looked over, he shut up in due time.
Afterwards, the group held a meeting for half an hour before adjourning completely.
Wen Wen came over, looking worried: "Oh my god! If I had known, I wouldn't have taken Fu Yifang to make up the number!"
Jiang Nan consoled her for a moment, then said, "There's nothing we can do. The devil has spoken, so we have to bite the bullet."
She returned to her workstation, staring at the gloomy, barely smiling photo of Fu Yifang on her computer screen. Her headache worsened. An artist of this caliber was simply beyond the reach of a mere planner like her. Still, she tried searching for Fu Yifang's studio's public contact information—and sure enough, there was only an official email address and a phone number that was always busy.
Jiang Nan spent the entire afternoon using various connections and avenues to try to find someone who could connect with Fu Yifang. But after asking around, he found that either the connections were completely inaccessible, or after hearing the purpose of the visit, they politely stated that they were unable to help.
Frustration washed over me like a tide.
At this moment, her cell phone suddenly vibrated.
It was Chen Yunsheng:
What are you doing?
After hesitating for a long time, Jiang Nan replied dryly:
The new plan has been approved and entered the implementation phase.
Jiang Nan waited for a while, but when he didn't reply, she packed up and prepared to leave work. She planned to go home and look for any acquaintances who could help her get to Fu Yifang.
About ten minutes later, the phone vibrated again. It was Chen Yunsheng again:
Congratulations.
Jiang Nan:
Thanks.
After a minute or two, Chen Yunsheng asked again:
Have you got a meal yet?
Jiang Nan read the message, then looked at the migrant workers huddled together on the subway. Suddenly, she felt a surge of inexplicable frustration and awkwardness. She moved her fingers, wanting to take a photo of the crowded subway and send it over, but ultimately, she held back.
Was she going to complain to him, or was she going to hint at something?
So she just replied:
have eaten.
There was silence for a moment, and then a photo was sent. It looked like a business banquet, with an exquisite dining table, sumptuous dishes, and goblets filled with red wine. The caption said:
I just finished it. The taste is average.
Jiang Nan looked at the photo, then at herself, and the inexplicable sense of disparity intensified. She pursed her lips, put her phone back in her bag, and turned to face the wall of the train, as if she was angry with someone.
After returning to her apartment, she cooked some instant noodles for dinner. Then she began searching among her limited network of contacts for someone related to Fu Yifang.
As she was rummaging through her mailbox from previous years, her cell phone rang.
The caller ID showed Chen Yunsheng's name.
Jiang Nan's heart suddenly jumped. She hurriedly sat down, cleared her throat, and then slid down the answer button: "Hello?"
"Breaking?" His voice came through the receiver, hoarse from the alcohol, sounding a little deeper than usual. The background was quiet, probably some private place.
"Not yet," Jiang Nan gripped the phone tightly, "What's up?"
"Nothing," he paused, "Are there any problems with the execution of the plan?"
"It's, it's okay," Jiang Nan said, feeling a little guilty. She didn't even smell Fu Yifang's scent. "I have some idea."
"Well, don't stress too much. If there are any problems, I will take care of them."
Jiang Nan pursed his lips, his pride rising: "I can handle it myself."
After that, there was silence on the other end of the phone for a few seconds.
"I know," he said again, with a hint of smile in his voice, "Go to bed early."
Jiang Nan was silent for a second or two before saying, "You too."
"good evening."
"good evening."
Then, a busy tone came from the phone. Jiang Nan held the phone in his hand, stunned for a long time - so, he called here specifically just to ask about the plan and say goodnight?
She leaned over the table and screamed in annoyance.
What on earth does this man want to do?
That night, she tossed and turned but still couldn't sleep well, as if there were two little people fighting in her head.
One said that he was just in control out of habit and that this was just a routine check of the capitalists on their employees.
Another person whispered back, "Then why you? And why are you checking so carefully?"
This went on and on until late at night, when she finally fell into a drowsy sleep.
The next morning, Jiang Nan was woken by the ringing of her cell phone. She reached for the phone and mumbled "Hello" without even opening her eyes.
"Not up yet?" Chen Yunsheng's voice sounded very clear, and there was a slight honking sound in the background, probably on the road.
Hearing his voice, Jiang Nan sat up with a start. She checked the time and breathed a sigh of relief—it was only a little after seven, and since they lived nearby, she wouldn't be late.
"Get up." She said as she got out of bed and prepared to wash up.
"Did it wake you?"
"No, no, I'm just about to get up." Jiang Nan grabbed a handful of his messy hair and said, "Are you on the way?"
"Well, I'm on my way to my partner's company now," he said after a pause, "I'll be home around 8 o'clock in the evening."
"Oh...ok." She didn't know what to say.
"Would you like to eat anything?" he asked suddenly.
"Ah?" Jiang Nan didn't react.
"There's a good pastry shop here, with a long line of people." His tone sounded gentle as usual. "Would you like to take some home?"
Jiang Nan held the phone tightly and opened her mouth. The word "good" almost slipped out, but she swallowed it back. "No, no need," she heard herself say in a panic. "It's too much trouble."
There was silence for a moment.
"No trouble," he said, "that's it."
The call was hung up.
Jiang Nan held the phone, listening to the busy tone, feeling a bit confused. Did she say something wrong? What did he mean? Did he really consider her his wife?
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