42: Chapter 43 Shen Nian's Loss of Composure

After seeing off Zhou Ming and the other two, only Yu Bo and Shen Nian remained standing at the entrance of "Fisher's Cottage." The evening breeze was cool, carrying the scent of grass and trees.

"Chairman Yu, you are truly rigorous and decisive in your work." Shen Nian smiled as she commented, turning to look at Yu Bo. Under the dim light, her fair face glowed softly, and her eyes shimmered in the night. "You gave the young people hope without relaxing your risk control standards. For 'Bright Path' to have a potential investor like you is their good fortune."

"Miss Shen, you flatter me; it is just part of my job." Yu Bo's tone remained polite as he walked side-by-side with her toward the exit of the alley. "I must also thank you for the introduction; this project is indeed worth paying attention to."

The alley was narrow, only wide enough for two or three people to walk abreast. There was a polite distance between the two, but as they walked, their arms occasionally brushed against each other unintentionally. Shen Nian was wearing a silk sleeveless dress today, paired with a thin knit cardigan. Her bare arms felt cool in the night breeze, and when they touched the fabric of Yu Bo's suit jacket, it created a subtle, indescribable sensation of friction.

"I am happy to be able to help them." Shen Nian's voice sounded exceptionally gentle in the quiet alley. She seemed not to notice those subtle touches and continued naturally, "Then tomorrow... Chairman Yu, do you still need me to accompany you? I am familiar with the Disabled Persons' Federation, so I can help put in a good word."

"There is no need to trouble yourself, Miss Shen. Zhou Ming and the others can handle the arrangements." Yu Bo declined politely without stopping his pace. "Aren't you returning to Jiangzhou tomorrow? Don't let this delay your important business."

"Alright then." Shen Nian did not insist, her tone carrying a faint trace of regret. She suddenly stopped, looked up at Yu Bo, her eyes appearing somewhat hazy in the dim light. "Chairman Yu, today... thank you."

"What are you thanking me for?" Yu Bo also stopped, looking slightly puzzled.

"Thank you for being willing to give 'Bright Path' a chance, and thank you... for coming tonight." Shen Nian's voice dropped lower, carrying an indescribable emotion. "I know that last time in Jiangzhou, I might have... lost my composure and said some things I shouldn't have. I hope it didn't cause any trouble for you and Miss Yin."

She took the initiative to bring up those provocative and probing remarks from the dinner last time, her tone sincere and apologetic.

Yu Bo did not expect her to bring this up suddenly. He was slightly stunned, then replied, "It's all in the past, Miss Shen; there is no need to take it to heart. Work is work."

"Yes, work is work." Shen Nian repeated his words, a faint smile curling the corners of her lips. That smile seemed to contain relief, but also a hint of something else. She took a small step forward, and the distance between the two was instantly shortened.

The alley was very quiet; they could hear each other's faint breathing. The elegant fragrance of Shen Nian's perfume, mixed with the cool scent of the night, drifted into Yu Bo's nostrils. She tilted her face up, looking at him with glistening eyes, the halo of the streetlamp shattering into tiny specks of light in her gaze.

"Yu Bo," she suddenly called his name, her voice so soft it was almost blown away by the wind. "Setting aside the identities of investor and entrepreneur, just as Shen Nian and Yu Bo... what kind of person do you think I am?"

This question was abrupt and too personal. Yu Bo frowned slightly, instinctively wanting to step back to create distance, but behind him was a mottled wall. He steadied himself and replied in a calm tone, "Miss Shen is a very excellent entrepreneur, capable, courageous, and also... very charming."

He gave an objective evaluation, but it was limited to that.

Shen Nian, however, seemed not to hear the aloofness in his words. Instead, her eyes lit up slightly at the mention of "charming." She moved half a step closer, almost able to feel the warmth radiating from each other's bodies. Her gaze swept across Yu Bo's well-defined jawline and landed on his tightly pursed lips, lingering for a moment.

"Only... charming?" she asked in a low voice, her tone carrying a hint of imperceptible trembling and... temptation. Her fingers, seemingly unconsciously, brushed lightly over the lapel of her knit cardigan, a gesture that carried a lazy, inadvertent sexiness.

Yu Bo's breathing became imperceptibly heavier. He was no saint; facing a beautiful, mature woman who clearly had feelings for him at such close range, it was impossible not to have a physiological reaction. He could clearly see the unmasked admiration and longing flickering in Shen Nian's eyes, and he could smell the increasingly distinct, warm fragrance emanating from her.

But the cold, aloof face of Yin Tianxue flashed through his mind, along with her warning to "mind your boundaries." All the restlessness was forcibly suppressed the moment it arose.

"Miss Shen," Yu Bo's voice was low and clear, carrying an unquestionable sense of boundaries. "You have had too much to drink. I will call a car to take you back to the hotel."

He took out his phone to call a car, and at the same time, stepped back, completely breaking the overly ambiguous distance between the two.

The light in Shen Nian's eyes dimmed instantly, and the deliberately created haziness and temptation vanished, replaced by a clear sense of embarrassment and loss. She looked at Yu Bo's calm and self-restrained face, knowing she had failed once again. This man not only failed to receive her "signals" but had even explicitly expressed his rejection.

"I haven't had too much to drink." Shen Nian tugged at the corners of her mouth, her smile somewhat forced. "No need to call a car, my hotel is just ahead, I can walk back. Chairman Yu, walk with me, and see me back to the hotel, would you?"

Her voice carried a hint of imperceptible pleading, and her eyes no longer held that aggressive temptation from before, but instead revealed a touch of exhaustion and... a faint vulnerability. Under the dim light, her exquisite makeup could not hide the weariness between her brows, making her seem like a completely different person from the decisive and radiant career woman she usually was.

Looking at her current appearance, the words of refusal reached Yu Bo's lips, but for some reason, he found he couldn't say them. Perhaps it was because the night was too quiet, the alley too deep, or perhaps the genuine exhaustion in Shen Nian's eyes touched him, or perhaps... the palpitations from just a moment ago had not yet completely subsided, giving rise to a complex, indescribable emotion in his heart.

As if possessed, he nodded, his voice softer than before: "Alright, I will see you to the entrance of the hotel."

A faint spark of light instantly brightened in Shen Nian's eyes. Although fleeting, the genuine joy was obvious. "Thank you," she said softly, turning and walking side-by-side with him further into the depths of the alley.

This time, they maintained a closer distance, but the invisible tension seemed to have eased significantly. The night breeze blew through the alley, bringing the faint sounds of the city from afar.

"Actually, sometimes, it's quite tiring." Shen Nian suddenly spoke, her voice very light, as if talking to herself. "Supporting the company alone, dealing with all sorts of things, meeting all sorts of people. Sometimes, returning to an empty hotel room, I feel... especially unreal."

Yu Bo listened in silence without responding. He could understand this feeling; he, too, was experiencing the loneliness of an entrepreneur.

"Especially when encountering an excellent investor like you, Chairman Yu," Shen Nian turned her head to look at him, her eyes complex. "I hope to gain your recognition and support, yet I fear doing something not good enough and disappointing you. I also have to constantly remind myself to keep my distance and mind my boundaries... it's quite difficult."

Her words seemed to be an explanation for her previous "loss of composure," and also seemed to be revealing her true inner thoughts.

"Miss Shen has already done very well," Yu Bo said objectively. "The development of 'Wing Flight' is there for all to see."

"That is just work." Shen Nian smiled, carrying a hint of self-mockery. "What about outside of work? Chairman Yu, tell me, is a woman like me destined to find it difficult to... obtain a pure relationship? Others either value my company or value my... appearance and body. Is it too luxurious to want to find someone like you are to Miss Yin—sincere, mutually appreciative, and able to walk side-by-side?"

This question was even more personal and struck even deeper at the heart. Yu Bo did not know how to answer for a moment. He knew that what Shen Nian said was reality, but he also understood that any comfort or evaluation at this moment could cause misunderstandings.

"You will meet the right person." He could only give the safest and most official answer in the end.

Shen Nian did not seem to expect him to give any earth-shattering answer, just sighed faintly: "I hope so."