67. Busy
As dusk deepened, lights gradually lit up in various parts of the old house, especially in the main banquet hall. That area was almost brightly lit, and even faint and melodious music and noisy voices could be heard from there.
The hustle and bustle there was far different from the quiet courtyard where Chen Yunsheng and Jiang Nan were.
Chen Yunsheng looked away fondly, then extended his arm towards Jiang Nan: "Let's go. We'll come back and change clothes after the reception is over."
Jiang Nan looked at his outstretched arm, took a few deep breaths, and then gently placed her hand on his arm.
"Okay." She nodded, her voice filled with an almost decisive courage.
Then Chen Yunsheng took her out of the room.
The lanterns in the corridor outside were already lit, casting a shadowy shadow and creating a lively and festive atmosphere. The closer they got to the main hall, the clearer the noise became.
When Jiang Nan heard those voices, he couldn't help but get nervous.
Chen Yunsheng sensed her uneasiness and held her steady with his arms, taking his time to adjust. He pondered for a moment, then tilted his head slightly and said in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Don't look at anyone else, just follow me."
His voice was steady and gentle, which gradually calmed her down.
Jiang Nan thought for a moment, then glanced up at him. His face, under the flickering light, looked refined and elegant, like a scholar naive to the world, yet his calm gaze was strangely reassuring.
"Yeah." She agreed and adjusted her posture, trying to make herself look more calm and composed.
Chen Yunsheng laughed: "You can relax a little."
Jiang Nan nodded, letting his shoulders relax a little.
Then, the two of them crossed the road in front of the main hall and went to the front door to welcome the guests.
When Su Wanrong and Chen Mingyuan saw them coming, a genuine smile appeared on their lips. Then they handed the task of welcoming the guests to the two younger generations.
In fact, Jiang Nan was not afraid of the reception itself. She was afraid of these prominent figures in Jiangcheng.
These people have many hidden agendas in their words, and if she doesn't handle them properly, she might offend them.
However, to Jiang Nan's surprise, as the number of interactions increased, her heart gradually calmed down. This was because she found that if she could summarize the conversations of the people coming and going, whether they were in groups of two or three, attending the banquet alone, or even distant relatives of the Chen family, she would find that they were all using the same politeness, similar flattery, and the same temptations.
During these repetitive chats, Jiang Nan also realized that although this banquet was an old man's birthday party, the purpose of most people attending the banquet was for profit and to maintain basic contacts, so as to avoid making mistakes if they did not grasp the direction.
In this way, Jiang Nan understood how severe the punishment was for not allowing his second uncle Chen Minghui and second aunt Li Li to attend the banquet.
After having a clear understanding of the nature of the banquet, Jiang Nan's attitude became much more relaxed - maintain an appropriate attitude, don't be arrogant or servile, just be warm, generous and decent.
Chen Yunsheng had a feeling in his heart that was difficult to describe regarding Jiang Nan's changes. It might be a little bit of surprise, or it might be a trembling of admiration.
He said nothing, though, simply offering a little support when Jiang Nan's legs and feet began to ache. Initially, Jiang Nan was cautious, politely rejecting his offered arm. But as time went on, Jiang Nan stopped caring about the rules and would grab his arm whenever she could to relax her feet.
These little actions continued until the two of them finished welcoming the guests and returned to the courtyard to change clothes.
After entering the house, Jiang Nan took a short rest and immediately changed into the lilac cheongsam. Chen Yunsheng's second dress was not much different from the first.
Besides that, Jiang Nan finally put on the pink diamond wedding ring. She had originally planned to take off the bracelet, but when she remembered that today was the old man's birthday party, she kept it on, but moved the bracelet to her right wrist, staggered with the ring on her left hand.
Afterwards, the two checked each other's appearance and made sure there was nothing wrong before going downstairs to the main hall.
The moment he stepped into the main hall, the bright lights and the gorgeous clothes in the hall almost made Jiang Nan dizzy for a moment.
At this moment, the hall was filled with clinking glasses and guests, all of whom were prominent figures in Jiangcheng. Their appearance immediately attracted a lot of attention.
Curious, scrutinizing, probing, envious. All these gazes converged, enveloping her like an invisible spiderweb. Jiang Nan nervously grasped Chen Yunsheng's arm, forcing a smile.
Chen Yunsheng ignored all of this. His expression remained calm, and there was even a faint, polite smile at the corner of his lips, appropriate to the occasion. But he still took the opportunity to whisper to her, "Don't be afraid. You've done well before."
After saying that, he took her and walked steadily through the crowd, heading straight to Mr. Chen who was sitting in the main seat.
Wherever he passed, the crowd naturally parted ways, and whispered discussions and curious gazes followed him like a shadow.
Some were saying that Jiang Nan's background was unknown, some were saying that Chen Yunsheng's marriage was quiet, and some were looking at her clothes, rings and bracelets.
The whispers reached her ears like a gentle breeze.
Jiang Nan tried hard to maintain a proper smile, staring intently ahead, trying to block out all the noise. She told herself to treat this as a play that needed to be performed well, and the man beside her was a well-looking, well-tempered celebrity.
Thinking of this, she felt a lot less stressed, and when she saw Mr. Chen, the smile on her face became much more genuine.
Mr. Chen was wearing a dark red Tang suit with floral patterns today. His face was rosy and he looked very energetic. When they approached, he was chatting and laughing with some old friends. When he saw them coming, the old man immediately broke into a bright smile and waved to them.
"Grandpa." Chen Yunsheng bowed slightly.
"Grandpa, I wish you good fortune as vast as the East Sea and a long life as long as the Southern Mountains." Jiang Nan said with a smile.
"Yeah. I'm glad you're here," Old Master Chen smiled from ear to ear and nodded with satisfaction, "Nannan, you've worked hard today. Yunsheng, you have to accompany her well."
"Yes, grandpa." Chen Yunsheng replied.
At this time, Su Wanrong and Chen Mingyuan also walked over. Su Wanrong was also dressed in formal attire today, but compared to Jiang Nan's elegant and gentle appearance, she was more elegant and graceful.
She looked at Jiang Nan's makeup and gave a rare, gentle smile: "Nan Nan looks beautiful today."
"Thank you—" Jiang Nan thought of the name, and looked at Chen Yunsheng for help, then followed his mouth shape and called out, "Mom—"
There was a hint of uncertainty in her voice.
Su Wanrong was stunned for a moment, then her expression returned to normal. She nodded, agreeing.
Jiang Nan turned her face away embarrassedly, but Chen Yunsheng patted the back of her hand gently.
Chen Mingyuan glanced at them, a faint smile on his elegant face, and then he changed the subject at the right time.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Chen Yunsheng led Jiang Nan among the guests. He calmly introduced her to his uncles and family friends, his tone steady and his introductions concise and appropriate.
Whenever someone looked at Jiang Nan curiously or asked tentatively about her background, Chen Yunsheng was always able to deftly rebut the question or cleverly change the subject, thus protecting her while remaining polite.
Jiang Nan followed him, trying hard to remember the complicated titles and faces, always keeping a gentle and appropriate smile on her face, and occasionally uttering a proper greeting or two after Chen Yunsheng's introduction.
She has found a way to deal with these interactions - as long as she follows his pace, trusts his responses, and maintains her own warm and generous attitude, such occasions are not as scary as she imagined.
Sometimes, he would even naturally take over the conversation when she was answering a particularly tricky question, or give her some encouragement with a seemingly casual gesture.
This silent understanding and support gradually relaxed her tense nerves.
On the way, they also met Song Wei.
Song Wei was also wearing a beautiful and elegant evening gown today. Seeing them, she came over with a glass of wine in hand. Her gaze swept over Jiang Nan before finally landing on Chen Yunsheng. Her tone was familiar and teasing, "Mr. Chen, did you bring your treasure out today?"
Chen Yunsheng smiled faintly: "Miss Song is joking."
Song Wei shrugged and turned to look at Jiang Nan. Her eyes were much gentler than in their previous encounters. "Ms. Jiang, you look very beautiful today. Oh, and I've seen the follow-up data for Summer Pulse. It's very good."
"Thank you, Mr. Song. This is the result of the joint efforts of the team." Jiang Nan answered cautiously.
Song Wei nodded, said nothing more, raised her glass and walked away.
However, Jiang Nan could sense that after the previous incident and her conversation with Han Yan, Song Wei's attitude towards her had changed slightly. Instead of the scrutiny and hostility, there was a touch of peaceful recognition.
After the banquet began, Jiang Nan and Chen Yunsheng naturally sat at the main table with Mr. Chen, Su Wanrong and Chen Mingyuan.
During the dinner, it was inevitable that the elders would ask about their newlywed life with concern, and even hint at the topic of having a baby soon.
Whenever this happened, Jiang Nan would, as previously agreed, smile shyly and remain silent. Then, Chen Yunsheng would naturally take over, euphemistically brushing off the conversation with words like "youth," "career," or "let it be." This both respected the elder's concern and clearly established a boundary.
His response was flawless, and his attitude was respectful yet independent, which made Jiang Nan secretly admire him and think about learning from him.
After three rounds of drinks, the atmosphere grew increasingly lively. Someone urged the birthday man to say a few words. Old Man Chen, his face flushed, stood up and spoke a few words of thanks with full energy. Finally, he changed the subject and looked lovingly at Jiang Nan and Chen Yunsheng.
"Today, on my old man's birthday, I have a piece of good news to share with everyone," the old man said in a loud voice, "My son Yuncheng has gotten married."
As he spoke, he waved to Jiang Nan: "Nannan, come here, grandpa."
The whole audience's attention shifted over instantly.
Jiang Nan subconsciously looked at Chen Yunsheng.
"Let's go." He took her hand and walked to the old man together.
The old man looked at them, then smiled at the guests and said, "From now on, I hope all old and new friends will take good care of Yunsheng and Nannan."
These words were tantamount to formally announcing Jiang Nan's identity and status to the entire upper class of Jiangcheng.
Congratulations and flattery immediately erupted from the audience. Jiang Nan could feel countless gazes on her, some envied, some scrutinized, and some sincerely wished her well. She maintained a respectful smile and bowed slightly to the audience. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of Chen Yunsheng looking at her with a complex expression, which made her feel a little uneasy.
——He may not want this.
Although Jiang Nan was nervous, she remained enthusiastic at the following birthday party.
In the end, the banquet lasted until late in a lively and festive atmosphere.
When seeing off the last group of guests, Jiang Nan felt that her face was almost frozen from smiling, and her feet were aching slightly from wearing high heels for a long time.
Once they returned to their courtyard, shutting the door to the outside noise, the world fell silent. Jiang Nan almost immediately kicked off her high heels. As her bare feet touched the cool floor, she breathed a long sigh of relief: "Ah—finally free."
"Thank you for your hard work," Chen Yunsheng's voice came from behind him. He had also untied his tie and loosened the top button of his shirt. Although his face was a little tired, his eyes were still clear.
"It's okay," Jiang Nan turned around, leaned against the wall, and rubbed his cheek, "but my face is a little stiff."
Chen Yunsheng walked up to her and looked down at her. She had removed the social mask she wore at the banquet, revealing genuine fatigue on her face. However, her eyes sparkled, as if filled with watery light, as if a few stars had fallen into them.
"You performed very well today." He suddenly said in a serious tone.
Jiang Nan was stunned for a moment, then smiled a little sheepishly: "I learned all this from you. You're the one who's showing off."
"Practice makes perfect." He said this lightly, but his eyes still stayed on her face, as if he was greedy for something, or as if he was confirming something.
At that time, there were only a few warm yellow spotlights in the room, and the light was dim and gloomy.
The two of them were very close, so close that Jiang Nan could smell the faint scent of alcohol mixed with the cool fragrance of cedar on him, and so close that she could see the thin bloodshot veins in his eyes.
The atmosphere grew more subtle as they approached. After a whole day of announcements, the quiet solitude at this moment fostered a warm and ambiguous atmosphere.
Jiang Nan awkwardly turned his gaze away and looked down at his bare feet.
"The ground is cold." He said the same thing again, but this time, there seemed to be something else in his tone.
"Oh." Jiang Nan responded, but was reluctant to move.
Chen Yunsheng was silent for a moment, then suddenly reached out his hand and hesitantly and carefully touched the pink diamond ring on her ring finger.
"Are you used to it?" he asked.
Hearing this, Jiang Nan raised her head and suddenly met his deep eyes. They were no longer as calm as usual, but were filled with emotions that she couldn't quite understand, but could clearly sense - tenderness, tentativeness, and perhaps a hint of uncertainty.
She blinked rapidly, and for the first time, she felt the presence of the ring more strongly than ever before.
After a minute or two of silence, she opened her mouth and wanted to say something, but found that her throat was dry and she couldn't say anything.
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