Lin Yang, accompanied by Hu Qian and Zhang Jun, entered the West Lake Restaurant.
This renowned restaurant in Xing City, like a majestic palace, exuded luxury and grandeur.
Its unique antique architectural style, with upturned eaves, intricate carvings, and painted beams, showcased a profound sense of history and cultural charm in every detail, making people feel as if they had instantly traveled back to an ancient prosperous era.
Upon entering the lobby, brilliant palace lanterns hung high, casting a soft yet bright light that illuminated every corner.
The floor, paved with smooth marble, reflected people's figures and gleamed with a cool luster.
Around the lobby, exquisite classical Chinese furniture was arranged, with fine, clear wood grain that exuded a faint woody scent, complementing the surrounding environment.
The walls were adorned with famous calligraphy and paintings, either freehand landscapes or meticulous bird-and-flower works, adding a rich artistic atmosphere to the entire space.
Inside the restaurant, people flowed like a river, creating a lively buzz.
Waiters in neat uniforms moved through the crowd, smiling and enthusiastically providing attentive service to every customer.
Amidst the clamor, Lin Yang keenly caught sight of a familiar figure, and his gaze was instantly drawn to her.
He saw Chen Qingqing surrounded by a crowd, looking helpless, with a man kneeling before her, holding a bouquet of red roses.
Today, Chen Qingqing's attire was very different from usual; normally, she wore a professional suit for work, like an urban white-collar worker.
Now, she was dressed casually in a short-sleeved printed T-shirt and light blue ripped jeans, highlighting her lively and playful nature.
Suddenly, she pointed her hand in Lin Yang's direction and rushed out of the crowd, walking quickly towards where Lin Yang stood.
She quickly stepped forward without hesitation, grabbed Lin Yang's arm, and intimately leaned her head on his shoulder.
Then, she announced loudly:
"He is my boyfriend!"
This sudden action made Lin Yang's eyes widen instantly, his face filled with surprise and bewilderment.
His body instinctively tensed up, completely unprepared for being dragged into such an inexplicable "drama."
"What's going on?"
Chen Qingqing kept winking at Lin Yang:
"Nothing, just play along, help me get rid of a fly!"
At this moment, Lin Yang saw the man with the bouquet, still kneeling, chasing after them, and combined with Chen Qingqing's reaction, he roughly understood what was happening.
When Wang Bin heard Chen Qingqing's words, the smile on his face instantly froze, and a hint of confusion and unwillingness flashed in his eyes.
He scrutinized Lin Yang from head to toe, a wave of jealousy rising within him.
Lin Yang was tall, handsome, and exuded a unique charm.
Wang Bin had to admit that, purely based on appearance, Lin Yang was indeed much more outstanding than himself.
However, Wang Bin and Chen Qingqing had known each other for a long time, and he had some understanding of Chen Qingqing's personality and relationship status.
In his impression, Chen Qingqing had never mentioned having such a boyfriend, and he observed that the interaction between Lin Yang and Chen Qingqing was not as natural and intimate as a couple's would be.
This filled him with suspicion, and he frowned, speaking loudly with a hint of doubt and dissatisfaction:
"You just randomly found a man and said he's your boyfriend, how can you prove it?"
Wang Bin's questioning made the atmosphere even more tense; the surrounding people cast curious glances, whispering and discussing among themselves.
Chen Qingqing's cheeks flushed slightly, she bit her lip, a flicker of panic in her eyes, but she quickly regained her composure.
She knew that if she couldn't convince Wang Bin, this act would not end.
Just as everyone's eyes were focused on them, Chen Qingqing suddenly made an even more astonishing move.
She slightly stood on her tiptoes, gently placed her hands on Lin Yang's shoulders, and then slowly leaned closer to his face.
Before Lin Yang could react, Chen Qingqing's lips had already lightly pressed against his.
In that instant, time seemed to freeze, the entire world fell silent, and only the sound of their heartbeats echoed in the air.
Lin Yang's mind went blank instantly, his heart rate suddenly accelerated, as if it would burst through his chest.
However, Lin Yang was not a person who panicked easily.
He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down.
His mind raced, quickly strategizing how to respond.
He realized that if he showed panic or rejection at this moment, it would not only put Chen Qingqing in an awkward position but also make himself the center of attention, attracting more unnecessary trouble.
Lin Yang's eyes gradually became firm; he decided to cooperate with Chen Qingqing and play along with the act.
He gently put his arm around Chen Qingqing's waist, a confident and composed smile on his face, as if they truly were a couple deeply in love.
His action made everyone around them light up, casting envious glances.
Chen Qingqing felt Lin Yang's cooperation and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
She looked up at Lin Yang's handsome face, a hint of gratitude in her eyes.
She knew she had found her savior this time.
When Wang Bin saw Lin Yang and Chen Qingqing's intimate actions, the fire of jealousy in his heart burned even more fiercely.
His fists clenched, knuckles turning white, and his expression became distorted.
He was unwilling to be rejected by Chen Qingqing like this, and even more unwilling to believe that Chen Qingqing truly had a boyfriend.
"Hmph, even if you two are acting very intimate now, it doesn't prove that you are a real couple."
Wang Bin snorted coldly, his tone full of mockery:
"Maybe you're just putting on a temporary act to trick me."
Lin Yang smiled slightly, his smile carrying a hint of disdain.
He looked at Wang Bin and said unhurriedly:
"If you don't believe it, then there's nothing I can do.
However, the feelings between Qingqing and me cannot be denied by a few questions from you."
Lin Yang's voice was steady and powerful, full of confidence.
He looked at Wang Bin with firm eyes, as if declaring his sovereignty to him.
Chen Qingqing also followed up by saying:
"Wang Bin, I've already told you, I don't like you, and I hope you won't bother me anymore."
Her tone was resolute, without the slightest hesitation.
"So the beautiful lady already has a boyfriend, and he's so handsome!"
"Handsome man and beautiful woman, they are too perfect for each other!"
"Handsome guy, since she already has a boyfriend, you should give up!"
"Yeah, wouldn't you be a home-wrecker if you interfered now!"
...
The onlookers, seeing that Chen Qingqing truly had a handsome boyfriend, began to criticize Wang Bin.
Wang Bin's face instantly turned crimson, wishing he could find a hole to crawl into.
It was the first time he had lost so much face.
"Kid, well done, you just wait!"
He left with a harsh threat and turned to leave the West Lake Restaurant.
Just then, the system prompt sounded in Lin Yang's mind.
【Ding, deep contact with the intelligence target triggered a critical hit, yielding a high-value piece of intelligence, which has now been pushed. Please check.】
"This counts as deep contact?"
Lin Yang had originally thought deep contact meant something literal, but he didn't expect a kiss would count as deep contact.
He opened his panel to check what the newly received high-value intelligence was.