Financial Independence through Cracked Apps-Chapter 81 - 80: Picking Up the Yujie After Work

After enjoying a delicious home-cooked meal prepared by Lin Ping, Lin Shen returned with her to the Warm Claw Nest Cat Cafe in the afternoon.

The designer from the renovation company had contacted him, intending to visit the site to discuss the specific renovation plans.

"You must be President Lin?"

PM, inside the Warm Claw Nest Cat Cafe.

A well-mannered young man walked into the cafe and warmly shook Lin Shen’s hand.

"My name is Zhou Bin. I’m the lead designer for Jutong Horizontal Installation. Here is my resume."

"Oh?"

Lin Shen was surprised that Zhou Bin handed him a resume, and he immediately gained a new respect for the man’s professionalism.

Besides his basic personal information, it listed awards from various domestic and international design competitions.

’Looks pretty impressive on paper, but I wonder how he’ll perform in practice.’

"Very impressive."

"Thank you for the compliment."

Pleased with Lin Shen’s praise, Zhou Bin professionally took a laptop from his bag, placed it on the table, and displayed his design mock-ups.

Lin Ping, who was nearby, also leaned over curiously to take a look.

"Based on the reference images you provided, I’ve made some improvements. First, the ventilation system..."

Zhou Bin launched into a detailed explanation of his various renovation proposals for the Cat Cafe.

For example, the walls would be painted with moisture-proof, scratch-resistant latex paint, the floor would be coated with a layer of epoxy resin, and the windows would be fitted with heavy-duty mesh screens, among other things.

Although it involved a lot of technical jargon, Zhou Bin fortunately explained everything in a detailed and accessible manner.

Lin Shen was able to understand most of it, and he even occasionally discussed aspects of the renovation plan with him.

However, Lin Ping found it a bit hard to follow, so she excused herself to greet customers and make coffee for the two men.

4:30 PM.

After over an hour of discussion, Lin Shen and Zhou Bin had mostly settled on the specific renovation plan for the Cat Cafe.

There were quite a few areas to renovate, but it wouldn’t be a massive overhaul. Nevertheless, it would still create noise and impact the customer experience.

Therefore, Lin Shen planned to have Lin Ping close the cafe for a week, and she readily agreed.

"Then it’s settled on this plan for now."

Zhou Bin stood up, extended his right hand to Lin Shen, and asked with a smile.

"Our renovation team will be here tomorrow. When they arrive, should they contact you or this lady?"

"Contact her."

Lin Shen said with a light chuckle.

"I’ll be busy tomorrow."

"Alright, President Lin. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me directly."

"Okay."

After waving goodbye to Zhou Bin, Lin Shen turned to Lin Ping and instructed her.

"You’ll be watching the shop tomorrow. Remember to take good care of the cats and don’t let them get stressed out by the renovation."

"Okay."

"That’s all, then. I have other things to do, so I’m heading out."

"Alright, Boss. Take care."

After watching Lin Shen leave the cafe, Lin Ping stared at his departing figure for a long time, unable to look away.

*

*

PM.

Lin Shen walked into Huamao Mansion. Using his status as a "janitor," he easily swiped his keycard and entered the company offices.

Looking at the familiar surroundings, he actually felt a pang of nostalgia for his time working there.

Even though that period as a wage-earner had been particularly arduous and exhausting, it was still a very important life experience.

At the very least, it taught Lin Shen that storms never last forever and setbacks will eventually pass.

Lin Shen took the elevator to the third floor of Pet Guardian Home and familiarly made his way to the Marketing Director’s office.

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK—!

"The door’s unlocked."

Hearing Qin Yuenan’s cool voice from inside, a slight smile touched Lin Shen’s lips as he pushed the door open and stepped inside.

The cool and elegant woman was sitting behind her desk, completely engrossed in her computer screen, and didn’t seem to notice who had come in.

"What is it?"

"Nothing important. Just waiting for you to get off work."

?

Hearing that familiar voice, Qin Yuenan looked up, her confused expression turning into one of utter astonishment.

"Lin Shen? What are you doing here?"

"I’m your assistant. Am I not allowed to be here?"

Lin Shen teased, nonchalantly sitting on the sofa and crossing his legs.

"When do you get off?"

"Soon."

Perhaps due to Lin Shen’s presence, the indifference in Qin Yuenan’s tone suddenly softened, and the corners of her mouth curved into a faint, ambiguous smile.

However, just as she was about to say something, she was struck by the memory of last night’s amorous encounter. She instantly grew flustered and averted her eyes.

"Um... want to get dinner together after work?"

"What else would I be here for?"

Lin Shen teased with a mischievous grin.

"Or should we find a bar and grab a drink?"

"..."

Upon hearing this, Qin Yuenan clearly understood the teasing in his words, which were hinting at what happened last night.

A faint blush immediately appeared on her fair face, and she shot Lin Shen a fierce glare.

"No drinking!"

"What a shame."

Lin Shen lay down on his side on the sofa, clasped his hands under his cheek, and chuckled.

"After all, a drink helps you sleep."

"Lin Shen!!"

Qin Yuenan was so incensed by Lin Shen’s antics that she gritted her teeth, her heart hammering in her chest.

She felt that she usually had her emotions under perfect control; people around her even called her cold and aloof.

But in front of Lin Shen, and only him, it was as if she became a different person, her emotions completely volatile.

And so, Qin Yuenan snapped her laptop shut, abandoning her work. She walked out from behind her desk and approached Lin Shen, who had sat up straight, intending to grab his ear and teach him a lesson for his insolence.

But who could have known that just as her hand was halfway there, he would grab it tightly and, in one smooth motion, pull her into his lap.

Huh!?

Qin Yuenan froze. By the time she processed what had happened, Lin Shen’s arm was already wrapped around her waist.

She was wearing a professional office suit today, and the form-fitting skirt accentuated the shapely curve of her backside.

So, as Lin Shen’s hand, which was wrapped around the small of her back, slid slightly lower, he could feel the full, perky shape of her rear.

Qin Yuenan’s face instantly flushed crimson. She slapped his shoulder, exclaiming in a mix of shame and annoyance.

"Are you crazy? This is an office!"

"No one’s going to come in at this hour, right?"

Lin Shen allowed Qin Yuenan to break free from his embrace. She glared at him resentfully as she straightened her skirt.

"If you’re going to be like this, don’t come here anymore!"

"Alright, fine."

Seeing Lin Shen’s pitiful expression, even though she knew he was faking it, Qin Yuenan couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy.

So she took a few deep breaths to compose herself, then held out her right hand to Lin Shen.

"Let’s go. Time for dinner."

"Okay."

Lin Shen grinned as he took Qin Yuenan’s hand. But as soon as he stood up, she immediately pulled away.

"You go first. I’ll meet you in a bit."

"What? Am I that embarrassing to be seen with, Nan?"

Lin Shen teased, earning another eye-roll from Qin Yuenan.

"You know that’s not what I mean."

"I know."

Lin Shen understood perfectly. Office romances were a sensitive topic in any company.

What’s more, Qin Yuenan was the Marketing Director. For someone so young in such a high position, her future was limitless.

Lin Shen didn’t want to jeopardize her future, so he went ahead and took the elevator to the B1 level.

A few minutes later, Qin Yuenan came down as well.

"What should we eat tonight?"

Just as Qin Yuenan was about to get into the driver’s seat of her Volvo S90, Lin Shen suddenly blocked her path, pinning her against the car door.

It was, to be precise, a car-door version of the classic wall-pinning move.

This sudden move caught Qin Yuenan completely off guard. She instinctively averted her gaze, turning her face away and muttering under her breath.

"This is a parking garage. Someone might see us."

"It’s fine. No one comes to this corner."

Lin Shen smiled faintly, lowered his head, and gave Qin Yuenan’s lips a light, fleeting kiss, pulling away almost immediately.

"I want to eat this. Is that okay?"

"..."

Blinking slowly, Qin Yuenan looked at Lin Shen’s roguish grin, and her heart suddenly began to race.

Whether it was the low, sweet words whispered in her ear or the possessive, intimate gestures...

...all of it made Qin Yuenan feel herself starting to get lost in the moment. Her eyes, misty and half-lidded, gazed at him as she spoke softly.

"Of course you can."

The next second, Qin Yuenan took the initiative, wrapping her arms around Lin Shen’s neck, pulling his face toward hers, and kissing him.

In a dim, quiet corner of the B1 parking garage, two figures could be seen pressed tightly against a car.

Lips and tongues entwined in an intensely passionate kiss.

It wasn’t until a car’s headlights flashed by that they realized someone was coming. Qin Yuenan immediately pushed Lin Shen away lightly, her face flushed as she wiped her moist lips with the back of her hand.

"There. Satisfied? Let’s go!"

"Okay."

Lin Shen licked his lips in satisfaction. The sweet taste he’d savored from the elegant woman’s mouth was more delicious than any gourmet delicacy.

The two of them drove out of the underground parking garage, one after the other.

’Lin Shen had originally wanted to take Qin Yuenan out for a nice meal at a high-end, luxurious restaurant to enjoy the wealthy lifestyle.’

’But she had insisted on getting a spicy crab pot.’

’This left Lin Shen a bit confused.’

’Last time it was spicy chicken pot, and this time it was spicy crab pot.’

’A corporate director with a seven-figure salary, and she likes acting like a foodie discovering tasty little hole-in-the-wall joints?’

’She was certainly easy to please, but it just didn’t seem to fit her status.’

But there was nothing to be done. Since Qin Yuenan wanted it, Lin Shen would grant her wish and find the most famous spicy crab pot chain.

Pang Ge Lia!

The pot featured delicious, meaty crab paired with tender, gelatinous chicken feet. The texture was superb, the flavor unique, and the side dishes like potatoes and corn were abundant.

Best of all, the rich, savory sauce was perfect for mixing with rice. It was the absolute best dish to pair with rice!

Lin Shen devoured three large bowls of rice in one go, loading up on carbs.

Besides, he had the "No Atrophy" buff from his Sports Health app. No matter how many cheat meals he ate, the chest and ab muscles he’d worked for would never disappear.

Seeing Lin Shen eat with such gusto, Qin Yuenan’s own appetite was awakened.

Although she normally only ate one bowl of rice, this time she helped herself to an extra half bowl.

Qin Yuenan ate her rice in small bites, stealing glances at Lin Shen from time to time. Finally, unable to bear the suspense any longer, she steered the conversation to the topic on her mind.

"About yesterday... thank you."

"Thank me for what?"

Lin Shen asked, puzzled, while chewing on a chicken foot.

"Weren’t you too drunk to remember what happened yesterday?"

"Yes, yes! I don’t remember!"

Qin Yuenan took a vicious bite out of a crab claw, then suddenly changed the subject, asking softly.

"I have to go on a business trip in a little while. Do you... want to come with me?"