After Lin Xuemei finished speaking, she excitedly ran to her cabinet and pulled out a small box.

"I have a pearl necklace and a pearl hair clip here. Try them on, they'll definitely look good!"

"Isn't it unnecessary? Is it really necessary to make it so complicated? It's too deliberate. It's just a meal between friends, there's no need to make such a big deal out of it."

Ye Linchen quickly pushed her hand away.

"It's necessary. You look too plain right now. A little pearl jewelry will instantly elevate your style!"

Lin Xuemei opened the box, picked up the necklace, and put it on Ye Linchen's neck.

"Since I have feelings for her, I should definitely seize the opportunity and try to win her over today!"

Wang Lina also ran over, carrying her makeup bag.

"Just having clothes isn't enough, you also need to put on some light makeup to look healthy! Xiao Chen, your features are so pretty, I'll enhance them for you."

"No need, no need, it's fine as it is!"

Ye Linchen was startled and repeatedly refused.

"What's so good about it? Only when we say it's good, can we say it's truly good."

The two men forced her onto the bed and started to tidy her up.

Outnumbered, Ye Linchen had no choice but to surrender.

With the enthusiastic help of Lin Xuemei and Wang Lina, Ye Linchen was given a thorough makeover.

Ye Linchen was already quite good-looking, with fair skin, delicate features, and a great figure. Dressed up like this, she was absolutely stunning.

She looked in the mirror and was quite satisfied with her makeup.

Wang Lina looked him up and down, then asked smugly, "Xiao Chen, how is it? Is my cooking alright?"

After asking, she still wasn't satisfied, so she went to look for lipsticks. "I feel like I need to put on some more lipstick; my lips aren't red enough."

"That's enough, that's enough. Your skills are exceptional, practically perfect. Adding even a little would be too much, subtracting even a little would be too little, it's just right."

Ye Linchen slung her small black bag over her shoulder, clasped her hands in a fist salute to the two men, and said, "Thank you both for your help. I'm leaving now."

After saying that, he ignored Wang Lina's protest and walked briskly toward the school gate.

Gu Jingran was already waiting at the school gate.

He dressed up carefully today as well.

He wore a well-fitting gray casual suit, making him look both mature and relaxed.

Upon seeing Ye Linchen, a hint of amazement flashed in Gu Jingran's eyes, and a smile unconsciously appeared on his face.

He quickly opened the car door and said politely, "Ms. Ye, please get in the car."

Ye Linchen smiled somewhat embarrassedly and bent down to get into the car.

"I'm so sorry," Gu Jingran said apologetically as he drove, "I should have treated you to dinner a long time ago, but I had to go on a business trip at the last minute, so it's been delayed until now."

Ye Linchen smiled and shook his head: "It's okay, good things come to those who wait. You must be very busy on your business trip, right?"

Gu Jingran nodded, looking radiant, and said, "It was indeed quite busy, but it's all finally done, and the results were pretty good."

Ye Linchen laughed along.

It seems that Gu Jingran has gained a lot from this trip.

As they talked, they soon arrived at the riverbank.

The mighty Linjiang River flows from the northwest, passing through the city and nurturing this land and its people.

Jiangcheng is built along the river, hence its name.

The riverbank is lined with restaurants and eateries of all kinds, bustling with activity.

Today we've chosen "Linjiang First Fresh" restaurant, located right by the river.

"Linjiang First Fresh" is famous for its fresh river delicacies. The ingredients are fresh and the cooking is exquisite. It is a well-known time-honored brand in the city and it is always difficult to get a table.

Gu Jingran had already reserved a private room. When the two entered the restaurant and gave Gu Jingran's name, the waiter immediately led them to the "Jiangfeng" private room.

The private room was named "Jiangfeng," and it truly lived up to its name.

Pushing open the carved wooden door, a traditional Chinese ink painting of mountains and rivers comes into view, simple and elegant.

The seats by the window are a row of large floor-to-ceiling windows, offering a panoramic view of the river.

It was noon, and the sunlight shone on the river, making it sparkle like shattered gold.

A gentle breeze from the river, carrying a wisp of moisture, wafted through the open window, bringing a sense of unparalleled comfort.

One can imagine how romantic it would be to dine here at night, watching the fishing lights twinkling on the river and feeling the river breeze.

Ye Linchen looked around, admiring the calligraphy and paintings on the wall and the decorations on the table. He particularly liked them.

Gu Jingran saw her expression and smiled, "There are many restaurants like this in Jiangcheng. They are all quite stylish and the food tastes good. We can try them one by one in the future."

Ye Linchen found it amusing.

I haven't even eaten today yet, and I've already made a reservation for the next meal.

She looked up and saw Gu Jingran looking at her with gentle and focused eyes, and her heart felt sweet.

She smiled and nodded: "Okay."

The two sat down, and the waiter brought them tea and a menu.

"The river delicacies here are very authentic. What would you like to eat?" Gu Jingran handed the menu to Ye Linchen.

Ye Linchen took the menu, flipped through it casually, and ordered two of the "Linjiang First Fresh" signature dishes: steamed knife fish and silver fish fried eggs.

Gu Jingran also added Linjiang dry pot mixed fish and crucian carp tofu soup.

After ordering and the waiter left, Gu Jingran took two file folders out of his briefcase and placed them on the table, looking at Ye Linchen with a serious expression.

"As the whistleblower, you played a crucial role in successfully investigating the inside story of the Zhang family's illegal and criminal activities. The Discipline Inspection Commission highly appreciates your courage and originally intended to publicly commend you, but considering your safety, they decided to award you in a low-key manner and entrusted me to deliver the reward to you."

He pointed to one of the thick document bags and continued, "Inside is a certificate of bravery, a letter of commendation, and a reward of five thousand yuan. In addition, the Discipline Inspection Commission has promised to provide some assistance with your future employment if needed."

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