Financial Independence through Cracked Apps-Chapter 75 - 74: Liking

A reward?

Lin Shen hadn’t paid much attention to the earlier messages, but that last word made his mind stir.

’What kind of reward could Nan give me?’

’Could it be... *that* kind of reward?’

After a moment’s thought, Lin Shen immediately replied.

[Lin Shen: Who are you drinking with, and where?]

[Qin Yuenan: I’m at M1NT with my best friend. I’ll send you the location. Just give the waiter my name and he’ll bring you in.]

[Qin Yuenan: Location Shared]

[Lin Shen: Okay, got it. See you in a bit.]

After replying, Lin Shen immediately changed his clothes and got ready to leave, quickly styling his hair.

The reason he was so decisive was because Qin Yuenan had taken care of him when he was drunk the day before. It was only right to return the favor.

’It’s not for some reward.’

’Yep, that’s it.’

*

*

"Lin Shen is actually coming."

Qin Yuenan said in surprise after seeing the message, but Zhao Jianing looked like she had expected it all along.

"Of course! Any guy would understand the meaning of the word ’reward’! It’d be weird if he didn’t come."

"So what reward should I give him?"

Compared to the experienced Zhao Jianing, Qin Yuenan was rather lacking in this area of knowledge. She blinked her beautiful eyes, looking a little lost.

"Give him money?"

"Are you stupid?!"

Zhao Jianing slapped her forehead in frustration. Qin Yuenan was usually so sharp, so how could she be so clueless when it came to romance?

So, she leaned in and whispered in her ear.

After hearing what she said, Qin Yuenan’s face, already flushed from the alcohol, became even more stunningly beautiful. She twisted Zhao Jianing’s ear in embarrassed anger.

"Ningning! You’re talking nonsense again!"

"You’re twenty-eight! To lock a man down, you need to use the physical, not the material!"

Zhao Jianing rubbed her ear, her tone exceptionally puzzled.

"Nannan, don’t tell me you really don’t have... those kinds of desires?"

"..."

Qin Yuenan bit her lip, her shy expression fraught with indecision as if she were hesitating to speak.

In the end, she still asked in a low voice.

"Do strange dreams count?"

"They count! Of course they count!"

Zhao Jianing instantly understood what Qin Yuenan meant by "strange dreams."

The moment the conversation turned risqué, her spirits soared. She sat right next to Qin Yuenan and giggled mischievously.

"Having those kinds of dreams means you definitely have desires! Was it about Lin Shen? Where did it happen? Come on, tell me."

"Mmm..."

Although Qin Yuenan was a bit embarrassed to talk about it, the listener was her best friend, so she wasn’t worried about the conversation getting out. She recounted the story in bits and pieces.

She included what had happened with Lin Shen before the dream, what she dreamt about, and so on.

Zhao Jianing listened with rapt attention, afraid of missing a single detail, the smile on her face growing wider and wider.

"Nannan, it seems like your latent attribute is being an M."

"What does that mean?"

"Usually, dreams reflect a person’s deepest needs."

Zhao Jianing explained.

"Look, every time you dream about Lin Shen, he’s this really assertive and domineering type. But according to you, in real life, he’s relatively gentle."

"What does that mean? It means you want him to treat you like that!"

"That’s not what I was asking."

Qin Yuenan’s expression was slightly puzzled.

"I was asking, what does ’M’ mean?"

"You don’t even know that? You’re so innocent!"

Zhao Jianing couldn’t help but roast her.

"I’m telling you, some conclusions you find online are spot on. For a cold, aloof, goddess-type like you, 80% are M’s!"

"How should I put it... It’s a bit complicated to explain. It’s kind of like... having masochistic tendencies?"

"I don’t have that."

Qin Yuenan immediately denied it in a cold voice, which made Zhao Jianing’s lips curl into a slight smile as she leaned back on the soft single-seater sofa.

"You’re already physically attracted to him, and you still say you’re not?"

"What do you mean, ’physically attracted’?"

"It means that compared to your heart..."

Zhao Jianing suddenly leaned forward, staring at Qin Yuenan’s confused face and giggling mischievously.

"Your body likes him more!"

"Oh, get outta here!"

Qin Yuenan, her pretty face slightly red, shot Zhao Jianing a glare, then curled her lip in disdain.

On the surface, she pretended not to believe it, but inwardly, she was already quietly mulling it over.

Just then, a waiter led a familiar figure over from a short distance away.

"Mr. Lin, Ms. Qin is right over here."

"Thank you."

Lin Shen thanked the waiter and then saw Qin Yuenan, their eyes happening to meet at that exact moment.

"Nan, so this is where you were."

"Lin Shen!"

Hearing Qin Yuenan’s surprised cry, Zhao Jianing turned her head to look and her eyes widened abruptly.

Lin Shen was still wearing the full outfit he had picked out at Louis Vuitton, its style simple and casual.

Paired with the necklace around his neck, he looked effortlessly cool and comfortable.

His face, in particular, was fair and smooth, and his self-styled hair looked incredibly fresh.

In Zhao Jianing’s eyes, Lin Shen was much more handsome in person than in photos, and his figure was more well-proportioned and fit. She was so stunned she couldn’t help but cover her mouth with one hand.

"So this is your good friend?"

Lin Shen confidently took a seat on the sofa near Qin Yuenan, extending his right hand to Zhao Jianing and introducing himself.

"Hello, I’m Lin Shen."

"Hello, hello!"

When Lin Shen gently took the tips of her index, middle, and ring fingers in a gentlemanly handshake, Zhao Jianing knew he was definitely the kind of man you could be proud to show off.

"I’m Zhao Jianing, Nannan’s college roommate and best friend."

Zhao Jianing said with a beaming smile.

"You’re quite handsome. Would you like something to drink?"

"Just a fruit drink is fine, thank you."

Lin Shen glanced at Qin Yuenan beside him and noticed her face was flushed from drinking, clearly looking tipsy.

"I have to drive, after all."

"Okay."

Zhao Jianing ordered a non-alcoholic strawberry drink from the waiter, then also ordered two portions of tiramisu for herself and Qin Yuenan. Cupping her chin, she began to size up Lin Shen with curiosity.

"I heard from Nannan that you’re going to start a business?"

"I wouldn’t go so far as to call it a startup."

Lin Shen said modestly.

"I’m just planning to start a small business of my own."

"So, can you tell me about your plan?"

Zhao Jianing’s only reason for having Qin Yuenan call Lin Shen over was to see what he actually planned to do with the one million yuan.

Even though the money wasn’t hers, she felt it was necessary to vet him for her best friend’s sake.

Because Qin Yuenan had never been in a relationship, Zhao Jianing didn’t want her to get cheated on the first time around.

Lin Shen had high emotional intelligence. The moment Zhao Jianing mentioned the one million, he understood everything.

So, he smiled confidently and spoke eloquently, briefly summarizing his 43-page plan.

From the initial capital investment to the mid-term development direction, and finally, listing the potential risks.

He spoke in a calm and unhurried tone, explaining everything smoothly, which left Zhao Jianing completely stunned.

Although she had never been involved in a startup, she could see sincerity and determination in Lin Shen’s eyes. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Moreover, his conversation was both professional and witty, making him very pleasant to listen to.

His behavior and manners were also elegant and proper.

After this, Zhao Jianing was completely convinced that Lin Shen was a capable and talented person, and that Qin Yuenan probably hadn’t been scammed by investing one million in him.

Plus, Lin Shen’s final trump card made her even more certain of this.

"I don’t plan on spending the money Nan gave me. I’m going to use it to register the company, and after determining the equity shares, I’ll return it to her untouched."

"Just go ahead and spend it."

Qin Yuenan nibbled on her tiramisu, looking at Lin Shen with the fork still between her teeth.

"Or do you not know the PIN?"

"220179."

Lin Shen whispered, suddenly leaning his face close to Qin Yuenan’s ear.

"I would never forget your birthday."

!?

Lin Shen’s sudden closeness made Qin Yuenan’s heart race. She quickly lowered her head to continue eating her dessert, muttering under her breath.

"I never even told you. How did you know?"

"The code for your front door is 2201. I just guessed what your birthday was from that."

"You’ve been to Nannan’s house?"

Zhao Jianing had clearly found a blind spot, looking at Qin Yuenan with a shocked expression.

"Nannan, you..."

"It’s not what you think!"

Qin Yuenan shot Lin Shen a cold glare, then quickly explained.

"Didn’t I tell you before that I sprained my ankle? Lin Shen was the one who took me home."

"Ooh~"

Zhao Jianing deliberately dragged out the sound, a meaningful smile spreading across her face.

"I get it, I get it."

"You don’t get it at all!"

Qin Yuenan said indignantly. After finishing her tiramisu, she took out her car keys and placed them in front of Lin Shen.

"If there’s nothing else, we should get going. We have work tomorrow."

"Alright. Good night, you two."

Zhao Jianing smiled brightly at Lin Shen and gave him a suggestive look, adding a little instruction.

"Remember to take *good* care of my Nannan, okay?~"

"Mm."

Hearing the special emphasis Zhao Jianing put on the words "take care," Lin Shen got a good idea of her personality and felt a secret thrill of delight.

’With a best friend like her who’s always making dirty jokes, I don’t have to worry about the ice queen being clueless in the future!’

"Let’s go."

Qin Yuenan picked up her Louis Vuitton handbag and stood up, but she suddenly felt the world spin.

When she was sitting, she hadn’t felt much.

But the moment she stood up, her alcohol-numbed brain was hit with a wave of dizziness, making her steps unsteady.

Seeing this, Lin Shen decisively stepped forward and wrapped an arm around Qin Yuenan’s slender waist, voicing his concern at the same time.

"Are you okay?"

"I’m fine."

Qin Yuenan quickly struggled out of Lin Shen’s embrace, looking flustered. She took several deep breaths to try and sober up.

This was a public place, after all. A public embrace was a bit beyond what she could handle.

"We’ll be going then."

Lin Shen said goodbye to Zhao Jianing, then caught up to Qin Yuenan and gently took her soft, delicate hand.

"You’ve had too much to drink. Let me help you."

"..."

Qin Yuenan instinctively tried to pull her hand away, but Lin Shen’s grip was firm, so she had no choice but to let him lead her.

She could no longer tell if the dizziness clouding her mind was from the alcohol, or from her feelings for Lin Shen.

The sound of her heartbeat gradually drowned out the piano music drifting through the air, and her body moved in a clumsy shuffle, as if she were a zombie.

Qin Yuenan gazed at Lin Shen’s back, her mind a muddle. Suddenly, she thought this was actually quite nice.

’No need to think about anything troublesome, no need to make any choices. All I have to do is follow Lin Shen, rely on him.’

’Maybe this is what it feels like to be in love?’

Qin Yuenan suddenly began to understand this emotion. She subconsciously moved closer to Lin Shen and squeezed his hand back, whispering her thanks.

"Thank you."

"You’re welcome."

Lin Shen glanced sideways at Qin Yuenan. He thought that seeing the usually cold and aloof woman looking so full of feminine charm wasn’t half bad!

This made the corners of his mouth lift into a slight smile. He suddenly leaned in and chuckled softly.

"But, Nan... I’m still going to want that reward."