711: Chapter 711 A Date!

Around noon.

Bing Lan had changed into a blue knitted dress. It was cinched at the waist, and the hem fell just above her knees, revealing a length of fair, slender calves.

Her long hair fell over her shoulders, and she wore a pair of large-framed sunglasses on the bridge of her nose. She didn't look like the president of a major group at all; instead, she looked like a college student on vacation.

Ye Chen, on the other hand, was as casual as ever.

A white T-shirt, casual pants, and a pair of canvas shoes on his feet.

"Can't you dress a bit more formally?" Bing Lan looked at him and shook her head helplessly.

"A date isn't a job interview. Why dress so formally?"

Ye Chen retorted confidently, "Besides, you were willing to go out with me even when I wore flip-flops. Wearing shoes is already giving you face."

Bing Lan: "..."

It seemed to make sense, but something also felt off.

The two left the hotel, and the valet had already brought over a black Mercedes sedan.

This wasn't arranged by the Jin family; Bing Lan had rented it herself. She didn't like having everything arranged for her.

Bing Lan sat in the passenger seat, and Ye Chen once again took on the role of driver.

The car merged into the streets of Seoul, where the trees lining the road were dyed golden in the autumn sun.

Bing Lan gazed at the falling leaves outside the window and asked softly, "A-Chen, do you think we look like a normal couple?"

Ye Chen turned his head to look at her.

"Normal couples wouldn't go on a date in a Mercedes."

"I'm talking about the feeling," Bing Lan glanced at him. "Not having to think about work, not having to think about all that messy stuff, just the two of us staying together quietly for a while."

Ye Chen reached out and gently held the hand she had resting on the center console. "Then we'll go out more often in the future."

"Okay."

The corners of Bing Lan's mouth lifted slightly. She didn't pull her hand away, just let him hold it.

Twenty minutes later, the car stopped in a parking lot near Gyeongbokgung Palace.

The two got out of the car and walked slowly along the stone wall path.

Gyeongbokgung Palace is the largest palace in South Korea, built over six hundred years ago. Its architectural style is somewhat similar to the ancient palaces of the Dragon Kingdom, but the scale is much smaller, and as for its grandeur...

It's quite a bit smaller.

Sigh.

This South Korea...

Clearly the great-great-grandson, yet insists on calling itself the grandfather.

Ye Chen stood in front of the Heungnyemun Gate, looking up at the plaque, and couldn't help but laugh.

"What are you laughing at?" Bing Lan asked.

"I was just thinking, if they knew a Dragon Group instructor came here to check in, would they get nervous?"

Bing Lan rolled her eyes at him. "Stop trying to scare people. We're here for a date, not to carry out a mission."

Ye Chen chuckled, took out his phone, put his arm around Bing Lan's shoulder, and made a peace sign.

"Come on, first photo."

Before Bing Lan could react, she heard a click; Ye Chen had already taken it.

"You!"

Bing Lan leaned over to look at the screen, and was left speechless.

In the photo, Ye Chen was smiling brightly, his peace sign held up energetically, but as for her?

Her face was turned to the side, her hair blown all over her face by the wind, and her expression was blank, like a cat suddenly startled awake.

"Delete it." Bing Lan reached out to grab the phone.

"Not deleting it."

Ye Chen held the phone high, using his height advantage to dodge her hand. "It's so natural; this is the real you."

"A-Chen!"

"Alright, alright, deleting, deleting."

Ye Chen said that, but his fingers tapped quickly, saving the photo into an encrypted album.

Bing Lan looked at his guilty expression, feeling both angry and amused. "Do you think I didn't see that?"

"See what?" Ye Chen looked innocent.

Bing Lan couldn't be bothered to argue with him and turned to walk into the palace.

Ye Chen quickly followed, trailing behind her like a tail.

The two wandered around Gyeongbokgung Palace for nearly an hour. Ye Chen took photos wherever they went, and Bing Lan was dragged along by him to take pictures in various spots.

In most of the photos, Bing Lan had an expression of disdain, but Ye Chen knew she was actually very happy, because every time they finished taking a photo, she would lean over to take a look.

By the time they left Gyeongbokgung Palace, it was almost two in the afternoon.

Bing Lan's stomach gave a rumble.

Ye Chen heard it and asked with a grin, "Hungry?"

Bing Lan's face flushed slightly.

"A little."

"Let's go, I'll take you to eat something good." Ye Chen took her hand and walked toward a nearby alley.

"How do you know where the good food is?"

Bing Lan was being pulled along, but her steps didn't resist at all.

"I did my homework before coming."

Ye Chen said without looking back, "There's a long-established ginseng chicken soup shop in this alley. It has a high rating online and is run by a Dragon Kingdom person. It's said to have been open for over thirty years."

Bing Lan looked at his back, the smile in her eyes deepening.

This guy, he says he didn't prepare anything, but in reality, he had everything planned out.

Hmm...

This feeling of being taken care of... it's actually quite nice!

The two found the shop in the alley.

The storefront wasn't large, but it was packed with people, and the air was filled with the rich aroma of chicken soup.

The most outrageous part was...

There was a long line!

The Auntie who came out to greet them was over sixty. When she saw Ye Chen and Bing Lan, she actually took the initiative to approach them and asked, "Are you two from the Dragon Kingdom?"

"Yes." Ye Chen nodded.

"Come, come, come, sit upstairs!"

The Auntie enthusiastically pulled the two of them away from the line.

Then.

Walked inside.

The people waiting in line all around couldn't hold it in anymore.

"WTF? Why don't they have to wait in line?"

"YO! Did they make a reservation or something?"

"Reservation my ass, this shop doesn't take reservations!"

...

The Auntie paused and turned back to say, "Because they are from the Dragon Kingdom!"

The whole place: "???"

WTF?

Being from the Dragon Kingdom is a privilege?

This is just FUCK!

But...

That ginseng soup was just too fragrant!!!

The crowd started protesting, but not a single person left.

The Auntie seemed used to it; she ignored them completely and instead ushered Ye Chen and Bing Lan to a window seat on the second floor, handing them the menu.

"Auntie, is it okay to cut the line like this?" Ye Chen asked with an amused expression.

The Auntie waved her hand. "It's fine. My husband and I are both from the Dragon Kingdom. Since the shop has become popular, naturally I have to give my fellow countrymen some special treatment. If they don't like it, they don't have to come."

Ye Chen gave a thumbs up.

What is called having vision?

This is it!

Bing Lan opened the menu, took a look, and then handed it to Ye Chen. "You order."

Ye Chen didn't stand on ceremony and ordered a signature ginseng chicken soup, adding a few side dishes.

"Just one?" Bing Lan asked.

"One is enough for two people." Ye Chen returned the menu to the Auntie. "Besides, I'm here to keep you company while you eat; I'm not hungry."

Bing Lan didn't speak.

The ginseng chicken soup was served quickly. The soup in the earthenware pot was still bubbling, and a whole young chicken lay in the soup, its belly stuffed with glutinous rice, ginseng, red dates, and chestnuts.

Bing Lan scooped a bowl of soup with a ladle, blew on it gently, and took a sip, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"Is it good?" Ye Chen watched her, resting his chin on his hand.

"Mm." Bing Lan nodded. "Very fresh."

"Then drink more." Ye Chen tore off a chicken leg from the pot and put it in Bing Lan's bowl. "You've lost weight recently, eat more meat."

Bing Lan looked at the chicken leg in her bowl, then at Ye Chen's grinning face, and lowered her head to eat.

She suddenly felt that days like this were really nice.

No need to think about what meeting Shuyue Group has tomorrow, no need to think about how many details for the new product launch haven't been finalized, no need to think about all that messy, annoying stuff.

Just being together with him, quietly like this.

"A-Chen."

"Hm?"

"Thank you for coming with me."

Ye Chen paused for a moment, then grinned. "What are you thanking me for? I'm your boyfriend; isn't it expected that I keep you company?"

Bing Lan didn't refute this and lowered her head to continue drinking her soup.

Just then.

A commotion suddenly came from downstairs.

Immediately after.

A group of people rushed up from downstairs.

The diners on the second floor all lifted their heads, looking toward the staircase.

And saw.

A group of burly men in black suits filed out.

They were all dressed in black suits, all over 1.9 meters tall, their muscles bulging against their suits, exuding a murderous aura.

Leading them was a middle-aged man with blonde hair and blue eyes, about forty years old, wearing a gray coat, with deep facial features and a high nose bridge.

He stood at the top of the stairs, his gaze sweeping across the entire second floor like a blade.

Finally.

It landed on Ye Chen, and he began to walk toward him.

The diners around were so intimidated by the oppressive aura radiating from him that they didn't dare to breathe, all lowering their heads, not even daring to move their chopsticks.

The Auntie chased up from downstairs, her face still full of anger. She ran up and blocked the middle-aged man, spreading her arms.

"What are you doing? Did I tell you to come up?"

"Get out, get out! All of you get out and wait in line!"

"I don't care who you are; if you come to my shop, you have to follow my shop's rules!"

They had been open in this area for over thirty years; what kind of scenes hadn't they seen? A few foreigners wanted to run wild in her shop?

No way!

However.

The middle-aged man didn't even look at her, just waved his hand casually.

"Slap!!!"

A loud slap exploded on the second floor.

The Auntie's body tilted violently to one side, and she flew out like a kite with its string cut, crashing heavily into the wall.

"Ouch!"

The Auntie fell to the ground, clutching her swollen cheek, blood seeping from the corner of her mouth.

Her husband rushed up from downstairs. Seeing his wife on the ground, his eyes instantly turned red. "What are you doing! I'm calling the police! I'm calling the police!"