Financial Independence through Cracked Apps

Chapter 322 - 181: Lending a Hand

The Bulgari Hotel, Rooftop Terrace.

The girls’ cheerful laughter was endless.

Even Cheng Xiao and Zheng Yanfei, who were usually at odds, didn’t argue in such a romantic and picturesque setting. Instead, they savored the refined life that came with afternoon tea.

Lin Shen wasn’t sure how "refined" it all was; in any case, the pastries tasted mediocre.

Aside from their presentation, their flavor was only slightly richer than what you could get elsewhere.

This was the conclusion Lin Shen reached, thanks to his 20% taste-enhancement ability.

Though the food was average, it provided plenty of emotional value.

A butler provided tableside service the entire time, and the plating of every pastry was perfect for a socialite to post and show off on her feed.

Of course, the little girl did just that.

After a flurry of picture-taking, she immediately started writing a caption.

"An afternoon at the Bulgari is a romance with time itself. Surrounded by not just my besties, but also the one I love most."

[Nine-photo grid]

[Location: Modu. Bulgari Hotel]

"Comment: Ahhh! Babe, you’re so beautiful! (Excited)"

"The one you love most? (Nose-picking emoji) Goddess, don’t tell me you found a boyfriend?"

"Who’s that man holding your hand!? His hand is gorgeous—so well-defined, and is that a Rolex!"

"I’m so jealous! Your boyfriend took you to the Bulgari Hotel for afternoon tea, and on the terrace, no less! That must have cost a fortune, right?"

...

’Hee hee!’

Seeing her feed fill up with a uniform stream of praise and envy, Zheng Yanfei’s vanity was fed until it swelled dramatically, and her adoration for Lin Shen soared exponentially.

"Darling, I like you so, so much~"

Ignoring the public setting, Zheng Yanfei snuggled directly into Lin Shen’s arms, feeding him a small pastry while gazing at him with deep affection.

"Is it good?"

"Not bad."

Lin Shen had little interest in the soft, sweet pastry in his mouth; he was far more intrigued by the soft, supple body in his arms.

The little girl fit the online description perfectly: petite, soft, and easy to push over.

Though she was thin, she was definitely not lacking curves where it counted.

Her enviably slender waist looked as if it could be encircled by a single hand, her beautiful legs were long and straight, and her skin was fair, smooth, and radiant.

It was the very picture of a twenty-year-old girl’s vibrant, youthful body, the perfect embodiment of the word "young."

’Not bad!’

Lin Shen didn’t mind this cloying intimacy from Zheng Yanfei; in fact, he quite liked it when she initiated their cuddling.

Feeding him, holding hands for pictures, sharing fun videos...

Zheng Yanfei initiated all of these couple’s activities, making Lin Shen feel as if he had rediscovered what it was like to be in a relationship.

Except this time, the roles were reversed.

’As expected, being rich really does elevate your status in a relationship.’

Lin Shen sipped his tea, crossed his legs, and closed his eyes, listening quietly to the harpist’s performance.

The instrument’s timbre was inherently clear and ethereal, qualities that were only amplified in the hands of the performer.

The beautiful melody elevated the atmosphere of the entire terrace, making it feel exceptionally luxurious and stylish.

Zheng Yanfei was sensible enough to stop chattering, simply nestling into Lin Shen’s arms.

However, she noticed that the large hand that had been around her waist suddenly moved down to caress her shapely rear.

Then, it tried to slip underneath the hem of her clothes!

Startled, Zheng Yanfei quickly pressed Lin Shen’s hand down. Glancing forward, she saw that her roommates’ expressions had all turned strange.

Cheng Xiao still wore her usual sour face, Xu Manman was smiling mischievously, and Tang Tian directly averted her gaze.

’They obviously saw!’

Zheng Yanfei’s pretty face flushed red, but she couldn’t bring herself to openly reject Lin Shen’s "harassment."

’What if I make him angry?’

So, Zheng Yanfei could only lean close to Lin Shen’s ear and plead.

"Darling, stop touching me... People will see. I’ll let you touch me later, when we’re alone, okay?~"

"Okay."

Lin Shen had only intended to tease Zheng Yanfei and test her boundaries; he had no particular fetish for getting intimate in front of others.

The little girl, however, seemed to rather enjoy this sort of thing.

Although she said no, her body showed no intention of moving away. Instead, she pressed even closer to Lin Shen.

She simply buried her beet-red face in Lin Shen’s chest, like an ostrich burying its head in the sand.

After a while, the harp performance ended. Amid a round of applause, the musician stood, bowed to the crowd, and exited the stage.

"Well? Are you all satisfied?"

Lin Shen saw that the pastries on the table were more or less finished, so he gave a subtle hint.

"Should we order more?"

"I’m full."

Although Jiang Yan had been quiet all morning, his family upbringing had made him the most emotionally intelligent person in the group.

He immediately picked up on Lin Shen’s desire to leave and took the lead.

"Let’s get going."

"What’s the plan for this afternoon?"

Lin Shen cast an questioning glance at Cao Cheng, which made the latter feel a little awkward.

’Why is he treating me like I’m his butler?’

In the past, Cao Cheng had always arranged their itinerary, since he was usually the one hosting.

But now, he suddenly noticed that their little group seemed to be gravitating toward Lin Shen.

For the entire morning, almost everyone had been interacting with Lin Shen.

Whether it was the girls asking him to help take photos or the guys talking with him, the group’s center of gravity seemed to be gradually shifting to him.

At first, Cao Cheng thought it might just be because Lin Shen had recently joined the group, and everyone was curious about the newcomer.

But the more time passed, the more he felt something wasn’t right.

’Why is everyone suddenly deferring to Lin Shen’s opinion?’