Chapter 220: Evening Escapades
by xennovel“Daisy” seems to be wrapping up soon—the screenings are few and far between right now. But there’s one that fits our schedule, starting in about ten minutes.
Xu Chen grabbed two lemon waters; neither of them cared for popcorn or that kind of junk food. With limited spots for treats in a day, they’d save room for something tastier and healthier.
They checked their tickets and went in, with Xie Bingran quietly following Xu Chen.
The theater wasn’t crowded—maybe because the film’s almost done, and most people have already seen it.
They settled into seats in the middle of row seven, side by side.
The wide screen looped through the theater’s safety instructions…
Xie Bingran tilted her head back and glanced around.
Xu Chen smiled and said, “What are you looking at?”
Xie Bingran admitted honestly, “I’ve never been in a movie theater like this before.”
Xu Chen turned to her with a warm smile.
At seventeen, Bing Ge had been just a poor girl struggling with her studies and relying on scholarships six months ago—who had time or money for the movies?
The lights dimmed…
The streets of Amsterdam looked beautiful.
Jun Ji-hyun and Jung Woo-sung were both at the peak of their looks.
The plot was a bit overly sentimental, but that didn’t spoil the enjoyment.
Xu Chen couldn’t help thinking that if Bing Ge were in the movie, she wouldn’t be the quiet, artistic, delicate heroine.
She’d be the one with a sniper rifle, silent, cool, and deadly…
He pulled his eyes from the screen and glanced at Xie Bingran beside him.
She sat to his left, just like when they were desk mates in middle school.
Looking back, during their time together lately, they’d sat like this without a word—some unspoken understanding between them.
Xie Bingran stared up at the screen, seeming totally absorbed.
Xu Chen sensed something and glanced down…
In the dim light, he noticed Xie Bingran had quietly grabbed the edge of his clothes again.
He didn’t find it funny—just a bit heartbreaking for the girl.
So he slipped his left hand down and gently held hers.
Xie Bingran didn’t turn her head; she just blinked her big eyes.
She let go of his clothes and laced her fingers with his.
The screen darkened, and the whole theater plunged into shadow.
In the darkness, they both smiled to themselves.
……
……
Stepping out of the screening room, Xu Chen stifled a yawn.
He checked the time—it was perfect for a meal before heading to the airport.
“Did you like it?” Xu Chen asked.
“It’s a bit silly,” Xie Bingran said with a cool expression.
Xu Chen laughed out loud.
“Let’s grab some food, then we’ll hit the road back.”
“Okay.”
……
They walked back to Tianhe City—it was just across the street.
They headed straight to the underground garage, got the car, and drove off.
Twenty minutes later, they pulled up on Huan Shi East Road.
This place, ‘Xianglan Restaurant,’ had been serving Southeast Asian flavors in Yangcheng for years. In his past life, Xu Chen had dropped by now and then.
A couple of days ago, when he was in Wu Feifei’s car, he spotted that the restaurant was already open.
Xu Chen led Xie Bingran to a spot by the window and sat down.
The waiter brought the menu; Xu Chen skimmed it—pretty much the same as he remembered. He picked up the pencil on the table and quickly jotted down some choices.
Lemongrass shrimp, lemon juice fried tofu, ice cream coconut toast, turmeric rice…
As an athlete, Bing Ge didn’t shy away from high-calorie foods—her workouts burned so much energy anyway.
She was careful with what she ate, mainly avoiding beef, lamb, and pork from outside places due to the unsafe conditions in local farming.
Plus, steering clear of certain drinks and spices.
……
The table quickly filled with dishes; Xu Chen piled the bowls and plates toward Xie Bingran.
“Bing Ge, dig in!”
“Okay.”
Xie Bingran seemed happy too; she speared a big shrimp and crunched away, eating with real gusto.
Xu Chen picked up his glass of iced grapefruit soda and took a long, refreshing swig—it felt invigorating.
On a hot day, these tropical dishes just hit the spot.
Between bites, Xu Chen pulled out his phone and squeezed in some work updates.
Feng Siliang sent over a few documents.
One was about materials for tomorrow’s event, asking for Xu Chen’s input. He looked it over and didn’t see any major issues, so he didn’t suggest changes.
[Got it! I’ll show it to Secretary Xia and get it printed right away!]
The other stuff was pre-written news drafts from city journalists—all standard, flattering official pieces. Xu Chen didn’t need to add much.
He just toned down the over-the-top praise for Xie Bingran a bit for the reporters and editors.
Tomorrow’s event followed the usual routine, with the main focus on speeches from key leaders.
Secretary Xia from the City Publicity Department had carefully coordinated the speaking order and times—there were some subtle undercurrents at play.
Luckily, Xu Chen and Xu Zhiquan didn’t have to worry about any of that.
……
Administrative head Wu Yue also sent some items for Xu Chen to review.
It was mostly about event setups and the guests the company was inviting.
All the officials were being formally invited through the Publicity Department and Sports Bureau, but Xu Zhiquan had reached out to a few key ones personally.
To repay some past favors from Mayor Feng Wenjiang, Xu Zhiquan added him to the list.
Mayor Feng Wenjiang was grateful—it was a great chance to connect with city leaders.
Feng Wenjiang felt a bit reflective—who’d have thought the guy who started a small factory in town would rise so high, and now he was relying on ‘President Xu’ for opportunities.
That idea of becoming in-laws with Xu Zhiquan back then now seemed like reaching too high.
It left the long-stalled Mayor Feng Wenjiang with a mix of sighs and regrets.
From First High School, they invited Teacher Chen Ming and Teacher Tian Fangfang, and through Chen Ming, they got Huang Hua, the former principal.
With so many bigwigs attending, Principal Yang from First High School would naturally be there too…
All in all, it was turning into quite the event.
……
As Xu Chen scrolled through the messages on his phone, he glanced at Xie Bingran across the table with a smile.
Xie Bingran paused. “What is it?”
Xu Chen grinned and said, “Bing Ge, you’re a real big shot now—quite the lineup!”