Chapter 22 — CEO Phong, Stop Chasing Her—She Already Has a Marriage Certificate

Two months after the fateful performance, Chính Nguyên was not impatient to demand a definitive answer from Nhã Kỳ like before. Instead, he persistently shows his change through small, regular, unobtrusive actions.

He officially appointed a deputy general director to share the workload, keeping his commitment to only work during office hours except in truly urgent cases. This decision surprised many board members who were familiar with the image of Chính Nguyên who always put work first and was willing to work late into the night without a word of complaint. But he didn't care much about those judgmental eyes anymore — for the first time in years, he put his priorities where they needed to be.

Mr. Chính Đức, when he learned of his son's decision, was initially a little concerned about the company's operating efficiency, but after witnessing positive changes in Chính Nguyên, he gradually supported it. "Dad spent his whole life working for the company, to the point of almost losing his entire family many times." He told his son one evening. "I don't want you to repeat the same mistake. The company will always have someone to run it, but family, once lost, is not easy to get back." He spent all weekend evenings taking Bảo Nhiên to the park, to museums, patiently listening to him talk about the little things in everyday life.

He also began taking a short course on marriage and family psychology, something that a disciplined man, confident in reason like him, had never thought he would need. He learned to recognize his own emotions, learned to express his concern through words instead of just acting silently the way he was used to doing.

During one class, the instructor asked students to write down three things they appreciated most about their partner but had never said them out loud. Chính Nguyên sat quietly for a long time in front of a blank piece of paper, then slowly wrote down: the patience Nhã Kỳ had for him for seven years even though he never deserved it, her sophistication in taking care of each family member without needing anyone to remind her, and the design talent she had quietly nurtured for many years even though she had to put it aside for the sake of her family. He looked at those three lines and realized he had never said these things directly to her, even though in his heart, they had always existed.

Every week, he regularly stops by Nhã Kỳ's design studio, not to convince her to come back, but simply to ask about her work, sometimes bringing her a favorite snack, sometimes just sitting quietly observing her work for a few minutes and then leaving without asking for anything else.

One time, he even proactively offered to support Nhã Kỳ legally and financially for brand expansion, but completely as an independent investor, signing clear contracts in accordance with market procedures, without any special favors based on personal relationships. Nhã Kỳ appreciates that respect — he does not try to use money or power to buy her affection, but respects the independence she has worked so hard to build.

"You don't have to do that every week, Chính Nguyên," Nhã Kỳ said one afternoon, when he stopped by as usual, he was still trimming a piece of fabric for a new design.

"I know," he replied, a slight smile flickering on his lips — a smile much more natural than the serious look he had carried for the past seven years. "But I want to do that, not out of obligation, but because I really want to know how you're living, what you're thinking, how you're feeling every day. That's what I've been missing for seven years, and I don't want to continue to miss it anymore, no matter what the final outcome between us is."

Nhã Kỳ looked at him, trying to find any sign of fakeness in those words, but she could not find any. After two months of observation, Chính Nguyên's change was no longer a temporary panic at the risk of loss; it had gradually become part of his new, sustainable lifestyle.

Tú Anh, when listening to Nhã Kỳ recount Chính Nguyên's changes, also had to admit his surprise. "I never thought I would say this one day, but it seems like that icy CEO has really melted, Nhã Kỳ. Anyway, just keep observing for a while longer, don't make any hasty decisions. Your heart has been hurt too many times, it deserves to be treated more carefully."

"I know," Nhã Kỳ replied, smiling slightly. "But this time, I feel different. Not because I'm naively hopeful like before, but because I'm seeing concrete evidence, not just empty promises."

One evening, Chính Nguyên invited Nhã Kỳ to a small restaurant, not a luxurious and expensive restaurant like previous anniversaries, but a simple restaurant where they used to date in the first days of getting to know each other, seven years ago.

"Do you remember this place?" He asked, as the two sat down at the old wooden table, warm yellow light covering the small space.

"Remember?" Nhã Kỳ replied, her eyes gliding around the familiar space. "This is where I invited you to dinner for the first time."

"I chose this place on purpose," Chính Nguyên said, his voice serious. "I want to go back to the beginning, to remind myself of the person I once was — someone who still appreciated the simple things, before work and the burdens of the past made me gradually lose it."

He took out a small box from his pocket, not a diamond ring or expensive jewelry, but a simple silver bracelet, engraved with Bảo Nhiên's name and her birthday - the same gift that Nhã Kỳ bought for herself on her birthday in Singapore last year.

"I asked Tú Anh about the gift you planned to give yourself on your birthday last year," he said, his voice shaking a little. "I want to give you one myself, not to make up for it, because I know there is no gift that can make up for a birthday night you had to spend in such pain. I just want, from now on, I will be the one to remember every important day in your life, and not let you have to prepare a gift for yourself anymore."

Nhã Kỳ held the bracelet in her hand, feeling a surge of emotion that she had tried to suppress for many months. This is not an empty romantic gesture, but an action that shows that Chính Nguyên has truly listened and truly understood the deepest hurt he has caused her.

"I need more time, Chính Nguyên," she said, her voice shaking slightly. "But I admit, what you've done in the past two months is unlike anything you've ever done in the seven years we've been together."

"I understand." Chính Nguyên nodded, his eyes filled with sincerity. "I don't expect you to come back just for a bracelet or a nostalgic dinner. I just want you to know, no matter what you decide, I will continue to be a better father, a man who knows how to appreciate what he has, instead of only realizing its value when he has lost it."

"I will wait," Chính Nguyên replied, not showing any disappointment. "It doesn't matter how long it takes, as long as you let me know, I still have a chance, no matter how small."

They sat quietly together for a long time, without needing to say anything, simply enjoying the rare peace between the two of them after so many storms. The warm yellow light of the small restaurant covers both of them, reminding them of the simple early days, before family responsibilities, busy work, and accumulated misunderstandings gradually eroded the genuine connection between them.

On the way home, Chính Nguyên drove Nhã Kỳ back to her small apartment, without making any big promises, just quietly seeing her to the door, like a patient companion, without urging or making demands. Before leaving, he added a short sentence: "Good night, Nhã Kỳ. Thank you for dinner tonight."

Nhã Kỳ stood watching the shadow of his car disappear at the end of the street, her hand still clutching the small silver bracelet. For the first time in a long time, her heart felt a ray of real hope, not the blind hope she had nurtured for seven years, but a belief built on the specific, consistent evidence that she had witnessed with her own eyes over the past two months.