59. It seems to be a date
The restaurant was a private restaurant chosen by Chen Yunsheng that required reservations. It had a quiet environment and exquisite dishes. It was not far from the apartment, so the two of them walked there.
During the meal, he still didn't say much, but occasionally he would ask about her work progress. His words lost the scrutiny and became more relaxed, like a casual chat between friends.
"Has the promotion plan been finalized?" he asked.
"Well, we'll have an internal meeting next week. If everything is OK, we'll submit it to President Song for final confirmation," Jiang Nan said as he cut into the steak on his plate. "I hope there won't be any more problems."
"If there's nothing wrong with the plan itself, there won't be any major problems."
Jiang Nan nodded, feeling much more at ease.
Then the two of them chatted idly, and at some point the topic drifted to novels - Jiang Nan vaguely remembered that someone seemed to be talking about Agatha when passing by, and then she and Chen Yunsheng slowly talked about this master of reasoning.
Jiang Nan originally thought that he would not be interested in entertainment works such as detective novels, but she did not expect that he not only read Agatha's works, but also developed a little fascination with Poirot and Miss Marple.
During the following meal, Jiang Nan's mind could not help but imagine him sitting in the courtyard of the old house, reading quietly and attentively. This image gradually overlapped with the man before her, losing his coldness and taking on a gentle warmth.
She suddenly felt that he was like the moon: cold, distant, and with an inaccessible aloofness, yet at certain moments, he would reveal an unexpected, delicate tenderness, like bright moonlight, silently illuminating a dark and silent corner.
"You seem to like reading very much?" She asked for some unknown reason, but she regretted it as soon as she said it.
This was a stupid question, because the answer was obvious—the bookshelves in his study, whether in the old house or the apartment, were always packed to the brim.
Chen Yunsheng raised his head slightly to look at her, not finding the question out of place. "I guess I like it. Reading can calm you down."
"Oh," Jiang Nan tried to answer, "I think I like it too, but I only read miscellaneous books and novels, which are probably different from yours."
Although Chen Yunsheng showed his love for detective novels, she inexplicably felt that his favorites must be thick tomes full of obscure terms.
“Novels are also very good,” Chen Yunsheng said with a pleasant face. “Stories are a way to understand the world and human nature.”
His comment surprised Jiang Nan: "Don't you think reading novels is not a proper job?"
"Of course not," Chen Yunsheng raised his eyebrows slightly. "Business decisions often require insight into human nature. Good novelists are masters of understanding the human heart, and Agatha is a prime example. Compared to some of the more mysterious reasons for murder, the murderers' motives are simple and realistic, and their methods are also in line with human nature."
This angle was something Jiang Nan had never imagined. She blinked, feeling that the moon-like figure before her seemed to be tinged with a hint of earthly light.
"So what book are you reading recently?" she asked with courage.
"A book about the history of trade in medieval Europe," Chen Yunsheng replied. Seeing Jiang Nan's momentary bewilderment, a faint smile played at the corner of his lips. "It's rather dull, not as interesting as Wuthering Heights."
Jiang Nan was surprised: "You still remember?"
That was a few months ago.
He responded calmly without further explanation, and asked her, "What about you? Have you seen any interesting stories recently?"
The topic suddenly returned to her, leaving Jiang Nan stunned for a moment. After a moment, she said a little sheepishly, "I—I've been poring over project materials lately and haven't read much. The last book I finished was that... um... food essay."
She mentioned the name of an author, a female writer known for her warm and healing writing.
"What she writes is very lifelike and relaxing to read." Jiang Nan added, a little worried that he might not know this not-so-famous writer.
But Chen Yunsheng nodded. "I know her. Her writing is very vivid, like—" He paused, searching for the right words. When his eyes caught Jiang Nan's patient expression, he suddenly remembered Jiang Nan in her soft home clothes, sitting cross-legged under the lamp. So he smiled, "Like a cup of warm tea in winter."
His metaphor made Jiang Nan's eyes widen slightly.
She didn't expect that he knew this writer who was more down-to-earth, and used such emotional and appropriate words to describe her works.
"Have you read her book too?" There was a hint of surprise and joy in her voice.
"I've flipped through a few books," Chen Yunsheng said calmly. "Sometimes I need to change my mind."
At this point in the conversation, Jiang Nan felt her initial nervousness and uncertainty dissipate. They were actually chatting calmly about books—although their genres were vastly different, he didn't seem as condescending and unapproachable as she had imagined.
He is like the moon. Although cold, his moonlight is equal and gentle when it shines down.
And she might be a little more than he imagined, not just a cup of hand-warming tea as he said.
"Actually," Jiang Nan hesitated for a moment, then said, "I think you look a bit like the moon."
"The moon?" Chen Yunsheng was obviously surprised by the metaphor.
"Yeah," Jiang Nan nodded, her voice soft, "It's very bright, but a little far away and a little cold." After she said that, she felt a little uneasy.
Chen Yunsheng was silent for a moment, neither denying nor agreeing. He simply looked at her quietly for a moment. The cold, almost glaring light of the restaurant cast a clear, warm glow in her eyes.
If Chen Yunsheng were to use an object to compare herself to at this moment, he would choose the sun, or more precisely, a subtle little sun. Not scorching, not ostentatious, yet possessing its own warmth and energy, it subtly dispels the chill around it.
But he just kept this thought in his heart.
"Eat," he said finally, his voice a little softer than usual.
Jiang Nan responded, then lowered his head and continued cutting the steak.
——
After dinner, it was still early, but the breeze was very refreshing.
"Let's take a walk?" Chen Yunsheng suggested.
"Okay." Jiang Nan agreed.
Afterward, the two of them walked slowly along the tree-lined path outside the restaurant. The streetlights made the leaves transparent, casting shadows of varying depths on the ground, a variegated pattern like silent, still clouds. Occasionally, a car would pass slowly, bringing with it a rustling sound mixed with the wind and the rustling of tires, but it wasn't loud at all.
They chatted about some unimportant topics - the night view of Jiangcheng, the recently released movies, their busy work, and even the few green plants growing well on the balcony of the apartment.
The atmosphere is relaxed and natural, exuding a sense of tranquility and peace.
Walking around a street corner, I saw an old woman selling flowers on the roadside. Her small cart was filled with all kinds of flowers, emitting a faint fragrance in the night.
Chen Yunsheng looked at the cart and his pace gradually slowed down.
Jiang Nan also stopped and his eyes fell on the beautiful flowers.
"Would you like to buy a bouquet?" Chen Yunsheng's voice sounded hazy and soft in the night.
Jiang Nan was stunned for a moment, then tilted her head to look at his face. At that time, the streetlight cast a faint halo under his eyes, and his expression was unusually gentle.
"Okay," she heard herself say.
So Chen Yunsheng walked forward, looked down, and selected a bouquet of matching flowers - mainly white lilies and green daisies, which looked fresh and elegant.
He paid the money, took the bouquet, turned around and handed it to Jiang Nan.
"Thank you." Jiang Nan took the flowers.
The fragrance of the flowers filled her nose, sweet but not cloying. She held the flowers, her fingers gently brushing against the soft petals, and her heart felt like it was filled with something, swollen and warm.
Afterward, the two continued walking, but the atmosphere had quietly changed. A silent, yet slightly ambiguous, air lingered softly in the air. Their arms would occasionally touch, only to quickly separate.
As they approached the apartment building, Chen Yunsheng suddenly spoke, his voice softer than usual: "The sample will be next week. I'll try to get back."
Jiang Nan tightened her arms around the bouquet slightly, "Yeah. Okay."
"If you can't make it back, it's up to you," Chen Yunsheng said. "What matters most is whether you like it."
This sentence was like a refreshing breeze that gently blew away the pressure that enveloped her heart. No matter what, she was an agreement wife, and she needed to value the opinions of him and the other members of the Chen family. But now, he said, her like was the most important thing.
Jiang Nan was silent for a moment, then raised her head slightly and looked at him cautiously. But at that moment, he was also looking at her, his eyes deep, filled with emotions that she couldn't quite understand, but could clearly sense.
Then Chen Yunsheng looked away as usual.
Jiang Nan was also a little embarrassed.
After entering the elevator, the small, enclosed space made the charming atmosphere even more intense. The two stood side by side, neither of them speaking. The only sounds around them were the gentle movement of the elevator and the sound of each other's shallow breathing.
The numbers on the elevator display kept jumping, getting closer and closer to their floor.
Jiang Nan felt his heartbeat gradually grow louder, almost drowning out all other sounds. Then, at that moment, a crisp ding sound woke Jiang Nan from his dream.
The elevator door opened, revealing a clean corridor.
Jiang Nan hurriedly stepped out of the elevator first, and Chen Yunsheng followed behind her.
When she reached the door of the apartment, Jiang Nan almost entered the wrong password, but she palely blamed the mistake on the flowers in her hand. Chen Yunsheng said nothing, just wanted to reach out and take the flowers from her arms. But by then, Jiang Nan had already successfully entered the password and pushed open the door.
As soon as the door opened, the light in the entrance hall came on, casting a warm glow.
Jiang Nan stood at the door and turned around. Holding the bouquet, she looked up at Chen Yunsheng and said, "Thank you for the flowers and dinner."
"You're welcome."
The two of them stared at each other, and even the air became quiet. The light from the corridor cast a long shadow behind him, shrouding him in a hazy halo.
He raised his hand, as if wanting to touch her cheek, or the flowers in her arms, but in the end he just gently brushed a lily petal.
"Go to bed early." He withdrew his hand, his voice a little hoarse.
"You too." Jiang Nan felt the petals he brushed against were incredibly hot.
Chen Yunsheng looked at her deeply, then walked past her and into the living room. Jiang Nan blinked, trying to remind him that he hadn't changed his shoes yet, but her voice was so hoarse that she could hardly speak.
After a while, she was the only one left in the corridor, with the bouquet of flowers in her arms that exuded a sweet fragrance. She looked down at the white petals, feeling that the seedling that had broken through the soil in her heart seemed to have sprouted a new bud tonight.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com