Financial Independence through Cracked Apps

Chapter 444: Chapter 217: Gu Wanqing’s Roommate (2)

Speaking as the freshman representative was her brave attempt at kicking off her university life.

Gu Wanqing remembered what Lin Shen had told her:

"Everyone is the main character of their own story. Be brave and put yourself out there. Years from now, all this so-called ’embarrassment’ will just become unforgettable memories and experiences."

She let out a long breath.

Gu Wanqing took a deep breath, her hand resting on her chest. After composing herself, she broke into a faint smile, bravely took her first step onto the stage, and waved to the audience as she approached the podium.

"Hello, everyone. I’m Gu Wanqing from Class 2 of the English Department. I’m so happy to be standing here today as your freshman representative to share my joy about starting university with you all..."

Today, Gu Wanqing was wearing a white dress that perfectly suited her.

The square neckline revealed the graceful lines of her neck, and the short sleeves hugged her arms. Irregular lace ruffles added a touch of playful elegance.

Paired with off-white platform sneakers and matching mid-calf socks, the whole look was sweet and endearing.

Combined with her long, straight black hair that cascaded down her back, she perfectly embodied the ideal first love of every boy’s dreams.

Her face, in particular, was so strikingly beautiful—her delicate features were undeniably perfect. As a result, many of the boys in the audience weren’t listening to a word she said; they were too busy staring at her.

Lin Shen was one of them.

"Qingqing is so beautiful."

Lin Shen couldn’t help but marvel. Sun Jialin, who was sitting beside him, heard and quickly agreed.

"Yeah, a lot of people at school have a crush on Qingqing."

There wasn’t a hint of jealousy or envy in Sun Jialin’s voice. It was just a simple fact that couldn’t be denied.

Gu Wanqing’s popularity was common knowledge throughout the university. Word had even reached the school administration, which was why she was chosen to be the freshman representative.

After all, that honor was usually reserved for freshmen who had scored the highest on the college entrance exams.

But now Gu Wanqing had taken the spot, and it was hard to say whether it would make others jealous.

Lin Shen grew worried. He immediately put on his protective-older-brother act, crossing his arms and saying in a firm voice,

"In any case, I’m not going to let Qingqing date in college. If she really insists, the guy will have to be better than me, at the very least."

?

Sun Jialin was taken aback by his words, and a peculiar glint appeared in her eyes.

’He really does have a sister complex...’

’They say guys with a sister complex are really doting. I wonder if that’s true?’

Curious, Sun Jialin followed up on his comment.

"What do you mean by ’better than you’?"

"In every way,"

Lin Shen said nonchalantly, counting on his fingers.

"First of all, he has to be better-looking than me. Otherwise, he’s not good enough for Qingqing."

’Great!’

’Just that one requirement alone eliminated 99% of the guys at Shanghai International Studies University who might want to pursue Gu Wanqing.’

’She’d been wandering around campus recently and had seen plenty of guys.’

’Forget being half as handsome as Lin Shen; she’d barely seen anyone who was even 30% as good-looking as him.’

’He’s really dead set on not letting Gu Wanqing date in college...’

"Second, he has to be richer than me. Otherwise, I might as well be the one to spoil Qingqing."

’Rich?’

’What university student has money?!’

’Unless they come from a really wealthy family.’

’Wait, is Lin Shen rich?’

Sun Jialin was filled with curiosity about him. Her questions were always direct; she never beat around the bush.

"Are you rich?"

"Just so-so,"

Lin Shen nonchalantly pulled a car key from his pocket and twirled it.

"Does owning a Mercedes count as being rich?"

"Four or five hundred thousand? I guess not."

Sun Jialin felt that Lin Shen was the one controlling their entire conversation, carrying himself with the air of someone superior.

This made her, who was usually so aloof, feel a bit uncomfortable.

’I have to take him down a peg!’

So Sun Jialin feigned indifference. In reality, for a young man in his twenties like Lin Shen to be driving a car worth four or five hundred thousand was already quite impressive.

But she still said nonchalantly,

"It’s normal, though. You’ve been out of college for a while."

"Oh, this isn’t a four- or five-hundred-thousand-yuan Mercedes,"

A slight smile played on Lin Shen’s lips.

"It’s a Maybach. Worth over four million."

Huh?

Sun Jialin’s face was a picture of shock at his blatant boast. She covered her mouth with one hand, her mind reeling in disbelief.

’He drives a Maybach worth over four million?’

’How can he be so rich at his age?’

Sun Jialin was stunned. After all, that was a full ten times more expensive than she had imagined!

"That should count as having a little money, right?"

Seeing Sun Jialin nod repeatedly, Lin Shen let out an inward sigh of relief.

’The flex worked.’

The only reason Lin Shen had dropped his usual low-key demeanor to flex in front of a young girl like Sun Jialin, who was still wet behind the ears, was to establish himself as a difficult person to deal with.

That way, if word got out, anyone thinking about Gu Wanqing would first have to consider her incredibly arrogant and overbearing "brother."

That might drastically reduce the number of her suitors!

’The price is that my reputation might take a hit... but who cares?’

’I’m not a student at Shanghai International Studies University anyway.’

Lin Shen grumbled to himself before adding aloud,

"Of course, he doesn’t have to be rich, but he has to be capable. At the very least, he’d need to be a top student who’s won national awards."

"Your standards are way too demanding."

Sun Jialin complained, but her tone was much softer than before, even taking on a slightly cutesy quality.

That, Lin Shen hadn’t expected.

’He’d thought his deliberate flexing would disgust Sun Jialin, but it seemed to have made him even more attractive to her?’

’Is this the Charm of the Maybach?’

Lin Shen found it somewhat amusing.

’Faced with enough money, any personality flaw could be reframed as ’character’.’

"With standards like those, Qingqing will probably never date in college."

Sun Jialin found Lin Shen overbearing, but she didn’t dislike his personality. In fact, she felt it suited him.

After all, an ordinary person with no personality wouldn’t be driving a car worth over four million in their twenties.

Capable people were always a breed apart.

Thus, Sun Jialin’s curiosity about Lin Shen only grew, now tinged with a faint hint of worship.

"What do you do for a living to make so much money?"

"I’m an entrepreneur. Started my own company."

Lin Shen felt that as Gu Wanqing’s "brother," he needed to build up her reputation at school and be her rock, so she wouldn’t get bullied.

So Lin Shen began to exaggerate, painting himself as a young and successful entrepreneur. His stories made Sun Jialin’s beautiful eyes light up with fascination.

She even stopped paying attention to the performances on stage, completely absorbed in her conversation with Lin Shen, curious about his life story.

But the auditorium’s sound system was loud, and they didn’t want to disturb the people around them by talking loudly.

So Sun Jialin and Lin Shen had to lean their heads together and whisper.

In the dim light, she could feel his warm breath tickling her ear now and then.

Coupled with Lin Shen’s deep, magnetic voice, it was full of masculine Charm.

At such close proximity, the atmosphere gradually grew intimate.

Sun Jialin’s heart began to race, and a faint blush crept onto her cheeks.

’Maybe the AC in the auditorium isn’t strong enough.’

Sun Jialin fanned her face, but her eyes remained glued to Lin Shen beside her. Under the stage lights, she thought his profile looked more and more handsome the longer she looked.

’To be honest, her heart was starting to flutter.’

’The love-at-first-sight kind of flutter.’

Sun Jialin was at that tender age of first love and budding youth, and meeting a man as perfect as Lin Shen... most people would find such a fateful encounter hard to resist.

However, Lin Shen didn’t seem interested in her at all. Instead, his attention was completely fixed on the stage.

This irked Sun Jialin a little.

’Am I not as pretty as the girls on stage?’

Sun Jialin started to get fidgety, trying to get Lin Shen’s attention with all sorts of small movements.

Like tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, or uncrossing and recrossing her legs.

Seeing her fidget, Lin Shen asked with concern,

"Are you cold?"

Cold?

Sun Jialin froze, a little stunned. Before she could react, Lin Shen suddenly took off his plaid shirt, folded it neatly, and gently placed it over her fair, smooth thighs.

"Th—"

Sun Jialin was flattered by the gesture. She was about to thank him when she was suddenly rendered speechless.

Because after Lin Shen draped the shirt over her legs, his hand settled on top of it as if it had found its home, and he never moved it away.