Chapter 698: Preparations

Gangcun Lao Guizi is drafting an inspection plan here, and Chen Yongren is also enjoying Youqichuangongjingjingxiang's care.

Under Lin Ke Xin's guidance, Youqichuangongjingjingxiang's cooking skills are indeed not bad.

"Chief, try this again." Youqichuangongjingjingxiang picked up a piece of fried tempura and brought it to Chen Yongren's mouth.

Chen Yongren didn't stand on ceremony, swallowed it in one bite, and remarked: "Indeed, home is best; when I'm living away, I can't get food this delicious."

"Youqichuangongjingjingxiang, thank you for your hard work."

Seeing Chen Yongren's expression, Lin Ke Xin pursed her lips and took a tactical sip of water.

You never had that expression before, even after eating my cooking so many times.

"As long as you like it, it's no trouble for me to work a bit harder." Hearing Chen Yongren say he liked it, Youqichuangongjingjingxiang's face flashed with bashfulness: "Most importantly, it's thanks to Miss Bisha's teaching; if it weren't for her, I wouldn't be able to cook this well."

Of course, you haven't even checked who her teacher is—that's my personally trained disciple; her skills couldn't be bad, could they?

"Really?" Chen Yongren looked at Lin Ke Xin.

"In order to make the Chief Commander Young Master happy, Youqichuangongjingjingxiang really is working hard." Lin Ke Xin said: "To practice cooking, she studies until very late every day."

Chen Yongren looked at Youqichuangongjingjingxiang.

Youqichuangongjingjingxiang lowered her head, blushing, and said: "As your fiancée, I ought to know what you like; what if the servants' cooking doesn't suit your taste?"

Chen Yongren gazed affectionately at Youqichuangongjingjingxiang: "Youqichuangongjingjingxiang, you're thoughtful."

Seeing the plate before him empty, Youqichuangongjingjingxiang added: "Chief, I'll…"

Before she could finish, a sudden, urgent phone ring rang.

Not long after, a servant hurried over on small steps and whispered: "Chief Commander Young Master, it's General Okamura's call."

Gangcun Lao Guizi?

It definitely isn't that the 'Village West Merit' affair has been exposed; otherwise the old devil would have sent people to arrest him long ago.

"Chief, don't answer; what if it's another order to send you back to work? You've just come home." Youqichuangongjingjingxiang linked her arm with Chen Yongren's and acted coquettishly.

"There's no way to get out of this." Chen Yongren flicked Youqichuangongjingjingxiang's nose: "Go help me make some more food; I'll be right back."

"All right." Youqichuangongjingjingxiang also knew the limits and didn't pester him further.

"I'll help you." Lin Ke Xin rose to her feet and went to the kitchen together with Youqichuangongjingjingxiang.

Chen Yongren, meanwhile, was led by the servant to the telephone.

After the servant left, Chen Yongren then picked up the phone: "General Okamura."

"Chief." General Okamura Ningci laughed and said: "I've already arranged your inspection route."

"That fast?" Chen Yongren exclaimed.

"The headquarters places great importance on this, so it decided to handle special matters specially." General Okamura Ningci didn't beat around the bush, went straight to the point: "Your first route will start from the Jinghu Railway and then reach Songhu."

Songhu?

Hearing that place name, Chen Yongren's eyes lit up.

This is indeed a good place.

Since faking his death and escaping, Chen Yongren has never returned openly.

Moreover, the trio is hiding out in Songhu.

Chen Yongren immediately thought that perhaps, by using the identity of 'Yuan Chief,' he could restore the trio's reputations and they wouldn't have to keep hiding all the time.

Especially the Fujiwara clan's assets—can't just leave them lying around.

It's also time to move their assets into his own pocket.

"Songhu, that really is a good place." Chen Yongren smiled and said: "I've long heard it's prosperous, the largest international city in the Far East, its prosperity comparable to Jingdu."

"I've long wanted to go there for a visit, General Okamura; thank you for giving me this opportunity."

"This time it's not to let you go sightseeing, but to act on behalf of headquarters to inspect the Central China Dispatch Army, ferret out the moth‑eaten elements within the forces—you must bring out the skills you showed in North China." Listening to Chen Yongren's light tone, General Okamura Ningci said in a muffled voice.

Songhu has always been prosperous, and General Okamura Ningci doesn't believe that lot's backsides are clean.

"Hai!" Chen Yongren understood Gangcun Lao Guizi's meaning: "Exactly when should we depart, so I can make preparations?"

It's not just about causing trouble in North China; it's turned into going to each unit to cause trouble, seeing if I, the young master, won't investigate you until chickens fly and dogs jump.

Back when I was in Songhu, those little devils made plenty of black money.

Moreover, now Japan has opened a new battlefield in the Pacific, and their economy is gradually slipping into recession.

The worse the times, the more the black‑gray industries thrive.

As the saying goes, the bigger the waves, the more valuable the fish!

"Hmm…" General Okamura Ningci mused: "I'm arranging security along the route; you'd best have everything ready within a week."

Even without the position of the inspection unit, just the identity of Yuan Chief, heir of the Yuan Clan, is enough that they dare not take it lightly.

One week is plenty; Chen Yongren nodded: "No problem, General."

If he goes to Songhu, Lin Ke Xin can't go anymore.

After all.

Lin Ke Xin is already 'dead' in Songhu.

One person resembling the Yuan Chief is nothing much; it could be called a coincidence.

After all, such people really do exist in the world.

But if two people who are already dead were to appear together in Songhu, even a fool would suspect something's wrong.

Although they might not necessarily be recognized, Chen Yongren cannot gamble on such a low‑probability event.

"Songhu isn't our North China; you must pay extra attention to your words and deeds, lest someone catch you on a minor slip." General Okamura Ningci cautioned: "Inspection work may earn merit, but it also easily offends people—do you understand?"

"Thank you for your concern, General Okamura; I'll keep within bounds." Chen Yongren said politely, then thought and asked: "Can I bring my family on this assignment?"

"Family?" General Okamura Ningci asked.

"I haven't spent time with Youqichuangongjingjingxiang in a while; I want to take this chance to let her relax, and after work I'll also take her out to play." Chen Yongren said.

Okamura Ningci thought for a while, then agreed to Chen Yongren's request.

Let Chief Director Sir bring his fiancée, and that can successfully avoid some people's petty thoughts.

After they exchanged a few more words, Okamura Ningci then hung up the phone.

Chen Yongren then returned to the desk.

Lin Ke Xin and Jing Xiang came back holding the freshly fried tempura.

"Jing Xiang, good news, this time we have a chance to go out and play." Chen Yongren briefly summarized the phone call's content.

Hearing that, Lin Ke Xin looked at Chen Yongren thoughtfully.

"Really, Chief Director Sir?" Jing Xiang was very excited, then added thoughtfully: "But won't this delay your work?"

"How could it not be?" Chen Yongren laughed: "I haven't gone home for so many days, and now I have to leave again—how could you bear to let me go?"

"Mm!" Jing Xiang kissed Chen Yongren on the cheek: "I knew Chief Director Sir was the best."

"The relationship between Chief Commander Young Master and Miss Jing Xiang is truly enviable." Lin Ke Xin curled the corners of her mouth.

After eating and drinking their fill and digesting the food, Jing Xiang could not wait to go to the bathroom, preparing to wash up before having another meal.

Chen Yongren, using a physical check as an excuse, went to Lin Ke Xin's bedroom and said directly: "This time, going to Songhu, you cannot come along."