Like semiconductors, automobile manufacturing, petrochemicals, and steel, shipbuilding is one of Korea’s core industries, long holding the world’s top position.

Although it has now been overtaken by Shen Zhou, its technology remains at the forefront of the world, maintaining competitiveness in the high-end ship market.

The virtual economy is a castle built of sand, beautiful and quick to construct, but cannot withstand the test of time. Although growing in the new era, Jiang Chen somehow always upheld the mindset of the older generation, insisting that real industry is what strengthens a nation.

Venturing into the shipbuilding field not only allows for extending reach but also offers the chance to learn Korea’s core technologies, complementing each other.

Indeed.

The trilateral agreement remains unresolved, yet as he said.

The Five-Star Group is a Korean enterprise, what’s that got to do with the Five-Star Red Flag?

Training troops in Myanmar, selling luxury goods in France, researching machine tools in Japan, shipbuilding in Korea... In the future, it might not be impossible to compete in military industry in the Beautiful Country.

Of course.

Someone probably doesn’t have such grand ambitions.

A B2 bomber costs 2 billion US Dollars, how many coins does he have? 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

In the Apang Palace, Boss Jiang was tidying up in front of the mirror when the door was knocked on.

The Purple Shirt Dragon King walked in.

Just a codename.

The Four Great Kings are all pure men.

"Mr. Jiang, the cake has arrived."

The Purple Shirt Dragon King, who got this codename in a military exercise, was holding a plain twelve-inch cake.

Hmm.

Birthday cake.

"Mr. Jiang, the cake has arrived."

Jiang Chen adjusted his collar one last time as the sunset hung outside the window, the time was about right.

"Let’s go."

The place Yang Qinghua chose was beyond the Fifth Ring, almost reaching the Sixth, which didn’t surprise Jiang Chen at all.

They are different from him.

They are public servants, living on taxpayers’ salaries, probably even taking the lead in public welfare each month, how could they sustain a life of extravagant delicacies?

And tonight’s a private birthday, it’s impossible to be reimbursed from the public account. If they choose those high-end places, a dinner might accidentally cost tens of thousands, who would pay for it?

Them hosting?

That would count as bribery.

See, even the twelve-inch cake he bought only cost five hundred, which is quite affordable given Kyoto’s prices.

Boss Jiang is always a detail freak.

Han’s Family Canteen.

Not only is it far, but the restaurant’s name is also quite down-to-earth, with a simple and modest facade, giving Jiang Chen the feeling of returning to a small eatery in Sha City.

Walking in, hmm, there wasn’t a hidden wonder either, the counter was by the door, and it seemed like the owner was nowhere to be found. The menu was written on a blackboard hanging on the wall, and he glanced at it intentionally, giving him a rough idea of the costs here.

At most, the per capita cost wouldn’t exceed two hundred, and if Teacher Cao came, tonight’s dinner likely wouldn’t surpass four figures.

For a civil servant of this level, a four-figure birthday banquet shouldn’t count as extravagant.

But Jiang Chen was curious.

Would he actually come?

Of course.

Whether he comes or not doesn’t really affect him much.

He had heard some stories about Cao Xiugo and Yang Qinghua, and from an outsider’s perspective, they seemed perfectly matched, but Jiang Chen wasn’t one to meddle.

His understanding is clear. Some things you can watch for amusement, but you should never get involved, or it could be like connecting the zero line and live wire, getting yourself electrocuted by tens of thousands of volts.

As it approached seven o’clock, peak dining time, this small canteen was doing well, so well that after Jiang Chen entered, not only wasn’t the owner around, but not even a waiter came to greet him.

I have to say.

This made someone today slightly uncomfortable.

But it didn’t bother him, small businesses must save on costs, it’s not feasible to hire too many staff, and it’s normal to be busy when business is good,

With no one to mind him, Jiang Chen carried the cake further inside, anyway, the place wasn’t big, only one level, not hard to find.

The Four Great Kings definitely wouldn’t follow him inside, they stayed outside.

Perhaps Yang Qinghua chose such a distant place for a low-key birthday, to avoid being accidentally photographed, which could spoil the birthday mood despite not being troublesome.

Nowadays, many people have cameras on their heads.

"Hey, new shoes, huh? You can use them as a mirror."

Before Jiang Chen could find the spot, he ran into Cao Jinse halfway.

What is fate?

This is fate!

Alright.

Actually, there was only this one path.

Princess Cao probably just went to the restroom, her hands still a bit wet, and she deliberately flicked her hand towards Jiang Chen.

It might be the environment’s influence, or perhaps because today’s a special day, Princess Cao was quite different from her usual solemn self, looking at the "dress-up" certain someone, her slightly curled lips were filled with... childlike cuteness.

The piece "Deskmate" indeed had an effect.

At least she wasn’t glaring anymore, right?

"Your hairstyle needs a bit of work, ran out of hair gel at home?"

Jiang Chen ignored her, leisurely looked her up and down, and finally commented: "You look beautiful today."

Surprised, having anticipated he could only say something nasty and prepared for it, Cao Jinse was caught off guard.

Why didn’t he play by the rules?

Such an ordinary compliment, utterly unremarkable, should belong to obsolete phrases of a previous generation, yet it seemed to make her feel slightly... bashful?

In a half-sleeve casual shirt, pencil pants paired with brown Mu Ler shoes, clearly not intentionally dressed up, Princess Cao brushed her hands, expressionless.

"You seem to have poor eyesight."