Financial Independence through Cracked Apps-Chapter 86 - 85: Distance

What kind of girls do you like?

Lin Shen had pondered this question many times before.

Gentle and virtuous?

Lively and cute?

Pretty, with a great body?

None of those were the most crucial factor.

There was only one type of girl Lin Shen liked.

Girls who liked him.

Ever since a failed relationship, he felt this point was especially important!

"I like girls who like me."

Lin Shen said it frankly. This tongue-twister of an answer was unexpected, and Jiang Wan looked slightly taken aback.

"Girls who like you? Does that mean anyone?"

"Yep."

Lin Shen’s brazen, player-like declaration made Jiang Wan unable to hold back. She covered her mouth with one hand and let out a PFFT of laughter.

"Isn’t that a bit too broad?!"

"Is it?"

"It is."

Jiang Wan listed his qualities with a grin.

"You’re handsome, you have a great body, a gentle personality, and you’re so capable you’ve made a lot of money. Any one of those qualities alone would be enough to win a girl’s heart. With all of them combined, do you really think you’ll have a shortage of admirers?"

"I’m not actually as great as you make me sound, Jiang Wan..."

Lin Shen said humbly.

"I still have a lot of flaws."

"When you have enough good qualities to overshadow the bad ones, your overall image becomes more three-dimensional and compelling."

Jiang Wan’s captivating gaze never left Lin Shen’s face.

"At that point, girls will be falling head over heels for you."

"It’s not that exaggerated, is it?"

Lin Shen found it a little hard to believe.

Although he felt he had changed a lot and his makeover project was a huge success, he wasn’t at the level of a walking magnet for women yet.

Still, Jiang Wan’s praise did make him feel a little giddy, and a slight smirk touched his lips as he retorted.

"So, does that mean you’re one of them, Jiang Wan?"

"Me..."

Jiang Wan seemed to have expected this question. She tapped her cheek with her right index finger as if in thought, then suddenly leaned forward, her chest resting on the edge of the table as she smiled faintly.

"As your senior, I’m actually very fond of you, Junior Lin Shen."

"..."

Lin Shen froze, filled with admiration for Jiang Wan’s high-level game when it came to romance.

’She used the difference in our status to frame her "fondness" as that of a senior for a junior, defusing the romantic ambiguity between a man and a woman.’

’She’s a master at this!’

Lin Shen once again witnessed the mischievous side Jiang Wan hid beneath her gentle exterior, and he mentally conceded defeat.

"Actually, I’m very fond of you too, Jiang Wan."

"Oh~?"

Jiang Wan still wore that same harmless, beaming smile.

"Then what is it about me that you’re so fond of?"

"You’re pretty, you have a gentle personality, you’re poised and generous, and also..."

Lin Shen’s gaze uncontrollably drifted down from Jiang Wan’s face to her stunning curves resting on the table’s edge before he quickly looked away.

But clearly, Jiang Wan had noticed this little detail.

She rested her chin in her hand, the smile on her lips widening.

"And also what?"

"Um... you have a great body."

Lin Shen coughed a few times, complaining internally.

’Why is the food taking so long this time!’

Perhaps in answer to Lin Shen’s inner cry for help, a waiter arrived with their dishes the very next second.

Nigiri sushi, yakitori, tonkotsu ramen, sukiyaki, tempura...

They were all common items in Japanese cuisine, but they were also the ones that best showcased a chef’s skill.

"Let’s eat."

Lin Shen gestured for Jiang Wan to start, but she kindly reminded him.

"Don’t forget what we’re here for. Pictures first."

"Oh, right."

Lin Shen had been so focused on his conversation with Jiang Wan that he had almost forgotten the most important task of the day.

He took out his camera and started snapping away at the spread on the table. CLICK CLICK CLICK. Finally, he had Jiang Wan strike a few poses, getting her in the shot to emphasize how delicious the food looked.

"Done."

Lin Shen showed the camera to Jiang Wan, who nodded in approval.

"You really are good at this. I feel like inviting you today was the best decision I’ve ever made. Thanks for your hard work."

"It was nothing."

Lin Shen chuckled.

"After all, I’ve gotten to tag along with you for several free meals."

With their work done, Lin Shen and Jiang Wan began to dig in. Their conversation shifted to more normal topics, leaving behind the ambiguous questions from before the meal.

"About you wanting to hire a few university students for part-time work, I already have some candidates." 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Jiang Wan said, looking up at Lin Shen after swallowing a mouthful of sushi.

"How about I bring them over tomorrow for you to take a look? You can interview them."

"Okay."

Lin Shen agreed with a nod after slurping up some ramen.

"Let’s meet at the Starbucks by the gate of Shanghai International Studies University. It’s close."

"Alright."

Jiang Wan gazed at Lin Shen’s handsome face, partially hidden by his bangs as he looked down, and asked out of curiosity.

"By the way, Junior Lin Shen, can I be bold and ask just how you made all your money?"

This question had been bothering Jiang Wan for a long time.

From her perspective, the once-ordinary Lin Shen had not only undergone a massive transformation in looks and physique in the three years since graduation, but his life had also become something out of a fantasy.

Buying a new car that looked expensive, casually dropping over thirty thousand on a camera, treating people to dinners that cost several thousand yuan...

It was like he was using a cheat code for life!

Jiang Wan was growing more and more curious about Lin Shen, a peculiar light shining in her beautiful eyes.

They say a girl’s curiosity about a guy is the first step to falling for him, and that’s exactly the state Jiang Wan was in now.

Hearing this, Lin Shen responded with the excuse he had prepared long ago.

"Investing. I invested in some stocks and funds and made a little money. Not a lot."

If you were to ask for the most believable way for an ordinary person to get rich without arousing suspicion, the answer would be investing.

Stocks, funds, cryptocurrency.

Most people are left impressed but confused when someone makes money using information gaps and financial knowledge.

Jiang Wan was no exception.

She nodded as if she only half-understood, then said with concern.

"Investing must be really risky, right? Remember to be careful."

"’Careful’ and ’making money’ don’t really go hand in hand."

Lin Shen smiled confidently.

"Moving up a social class is like climbing a mountain. You can’t possibly scale such a steep cliff by being ’careful’."

"Crisis and opportunity coexist. When your life is no longer predictable from beginning to end, isn’t that when things get interesting?"

"You have a point."

Although Lin Shen’s words sounded profound and philosophical, Jiang Wan understood what he meant.

For an ordinary person to change their fate, they really do have to sacrifice some things and take some risks.

The Japanese lunch drew to a close amid their casual chat.

Before they left, the shop owner gave each of them five twenty-yuan vouchers, hoping they would promote the place to their friends and family.

"We will."

Lin Shen replied with a smile, then led Jiang Wan to the last shop they needed to visit for her blog.

Fingertip Times · DIY Crafts.

The shop’s name was clear and simple; you knew what it was just by looking at it.

However, this was Lin Shen’s first time in a DIY craft shop, and he curiously looked around.

Exposed concrete walls and metal shelves were paired with warm yellow lighting and a wall of green plants.

It had a vibe that mixed industrial-chic with something cozy and healing. The atmosphere was quite nice.

Notably, there was an "inspiration wall" near the entrance, covered with photos of exquisite art pieces handmade by customers.

"So it’s a place for making crafts."

Lin Shen stood before the inspiration wall, observing it for a long time, while Jiang Wan went to talk to the shop owner about their visit.

"You two can sit here."

The shop owner found a quiet corner for Lin Shen and Jiang Wan, then asked with a smile.

"I was mainly hoping you could help us promote our fluid bear painting DIY. Is that okay?"

"Of course."

Jiang Wan nodded, a slight look of worry on her face.

"But we’ve never done this before, so the finished product might not look very good."

"That doesn’t matter."

The shop owner reassured her.

"This kind of DIY is all about letting customers use their imagination. It doesn’t matter what it looks like, as long as you have fun."

"Okay, then."

Seeing Jiang Wan was relieved, the shop owner brought over the tools.

A plain bear model, acrylic paints, a mixing agent, and cups.

The process wasn’t complicated. You just had to mix the colors you wanted and pour them over the plain bear model.

Of course, while it looked simple, it was actually a little difficult.

The hardest part was how to mix the paints.

Jiang Wan spent a while looking up information online and finally decided to make a light pink bear.

Lin Shen was even more direct. He took three cups, mixed the paint, mixing agent, and water in a 3:1:1 ratio, and basically left the resulting color to chance.

’A dark green?’

Lin Shen’s expression was a little strange. He tried pouring the paint onto the plain bear model.

However, only after applying the paint did he realize that this color, which looked so dark in the cup, actually created a wavy, layered effect when it covered the entire bear model.

It looked like it was covered in camouflage.

"It’s quite nice-looking."

Jiang Wan, who was beside him, leaned over to admire Lin Shen’s work, then tried making her own.

In the end, she finished a light pink fluid bear.

"What do you think?"

Jiang Wan lifted her chin proudly and looked at Lin Shen, like a child waiting for praise.

"Isn’t mine prettier?"

"Yeah."

It was the first time Lin Shen had seen Jiang Wan act so cute and playful, and he couldn’t resist patting her head.

"It’s very nice."

"You got paint on your hand."

Startled, Lin Shen panicked and quickly checked his hand. After all, if that kind of paint got in his hair, it would be a nightmare to wash out.

But thankfully, there was nothing on his hand. He couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief. When he looked up, he suddenly saw Jiang Wan covering her mouth, trying to stifle a laugh.

It was then that Lin Shen realized he’d been tricked.

"You’re messing with me, aren’t you?"

"Am I? I don’t think so."

Jiang Wan put on an innocent look. Just then, Lin Shen suddenly pointed at her mouth.

"The paint from your hand got on your lips."

"Junior Lin Shen, the same trick won’t work a second time, you know."

Jiang Wan lectured him with a grin, but Lin Shen just took out his phone, switched the camera to selfie mode, and showed it to her.

Sure enough, there was a small pink mark on the corner of her mouth.

!?

Jiang Wan froze. She looked down at her hand and, sure enough, found a tiny speck of paint on the tip of her index finger.

"Oh no!"

She immediately shot up to go to the restroom. Before leaving, she didn’t forget to turn back and shoot a puffy-cheeked glare at the gloating Lin Shen.

Her playfully indignant look suddenly sent ripples through his usually calm heart.

’This gentle older woman can be pretty cute sometimes, huh?’