Financial freedom starts with cracked apps.

New Rongji.

Upon learning that distinguished guests would be dining at the "Rong Family Banquet" at noon, all of the restaurant's service resources were directed towards that purpose.

The three head chefs, along with two apprentices and eight waiters, arrived at the private room on the top floor, led by Zhang Yong.

Not only is the scenery beautiful, with views of Shanghai's iconic landmarks through the windows, but the interior is also exquisitely decorated.

The style is mainly based on folk murals from the Three Kingdoms period, with black, bronze and red as the main colors. The style is somewhat similar to that of the Republican era, and it exudes elegance and solemnity.

The people who were originally supposed to serve Lin Shen and Gu Wanqing should have been their personal butlers.

However, since Ma Zifan personally called to reserve the table, Zhang Yong took it upon himself to become the "housekeeper" for this Rong family dinner.

"Mr. Lin, please choose a suitable menu item."

Zhang Yong pushed a menu in front of Lin Shen and smiled.

"Since you only made a reservation one day in advance, we have taken appropriate emergency measures and expedited the airlift of some ingredients from the local area."

"However, some ingredients need to be purchased, so you may not be able to taste some of the dishes this time."

"fine."

Lin Shen waved his hand.

"It's my fault. Next time I'll book a week in advance. This time it was a last-minute decision."

"Ok."

Zhang Yong was surprised that Lin Shen was so easy to talk to, and his opinion of him improved a bit.

Although he looks like a dashing and wealthy second-generation heir, I didn't expect him to have such a gentle personality.

As expected, Zifan's friends are quite extraordinary.

Lin Shen glanced at the menu briefly, then handed it to Gu Wanqing with a light laugh.

"Let's see if there's anything we want to eat."

"Brother Lin Shen, you can order whatever you want!"

Gu Wanqing quickly waved her hand, her pretty face slightly flushed, her eyes occasionally stealing glances at the dozen or so people standing across the table.

They all looked at Lin Shen and Gu Wanqing with expectant eyes, as if waiting for them to order.

Being watched by so many people, Gu Wanqing's shy and socially awkward nature kicked in again, so she handed over the task of ordering food to Lin Shen and kept smoothing her hair, not daring to look people in the eye.

Seeing this, Lin Shen thought he should quickly finish ordering the dishes to help ease the awkward atmosphere for the young cook.

So he handed the menu back to Zhang Yong and chuckled.

"Uncle Rong, just bring us a few of your signature dishes. You can help me choose what to order. I won't order anything else."

"it is good."

Restaurant owners love it when customers say this, because it motivates them to cook their best dishes according to the chef's usual cooking habits to attract customers.

Therefore, Zhang Yong simply smiled, took the menu, and led the head chef and waiters out of the private room, telling them to hurry up and prepare the dishes.

After the large group of people left, Gu Wanqing finally breathed a sigh of relief, clutching her chest.

Seeing this, Lin Shen smiled and teased.

"Still so socially awkward? I thought having you speak as a freshman representative last time would have helped you get used to it."

"I'm not used to it."

Gu Wanqing said with distress.

"I get a little nervous when there are many people around, afraid that I will say something wrong and make others angry or misunderstand."

"Besides, the place we're eating at this time is so high-end, and I think Uncle Rong knows you, Brother Lin Shen."

Gu Wanqing got up and moved the chair a certain distance away from Lin Shen, then sat down next to him, tentatively reached out and shook his hand. After he took her hand, she whispered something.

"He's so capable, if I say something wrong, wouldn't I be embarrassing you, Brother Lin Shen?"

"That's because you're too kind."

Lin Shen saw through Gu Wanqing's social anxiety at a glance: she cared too much about other people's opinions and views.

It's just that I'm too kind-hearted. I think the simplest way to avoid offending people is to talk less and have less contact with others.

So Lin Shen played with Gu Wanqing's hand while speaking earnestly.

"In reality, it's impossible for everyone to like you when you're dealing with people, so there's no need to care too much about what others think."

"Only by serving yourself well and making yourself happy first, and then helping others, can you live a truly joyful life."

"So don't worry about what you say that will make others think, just be yourself."

"Ah."

Faced with Lin Shen's lecturing, Gu Wanqing didn't find it greasy or anything; in fact, she was quite happy.

Great!
Another day of being lectured by Brother Lin Shen!
He seems to know everything, he's so handsome!
Gu Wanqing looked at Lin Shen with a happy expression, even hoping that he would educate her more and help her figure out the reasons for her social anxiety.

After all, her social experience is limited, and she needs someone to guide her to avoid detours and explain important principles to her.

During high school, you just need to focus on your studies and don't need to think about so many things.

In addition, because Gu Wanqing was so beautiful, both boys and girls were very friendly to him.

The boys who pursued her could line up from one end of the corridor to the other, but she always adhered to the idea of ​​not dating in high school, so she didn't pay much attention to it.

It was precisely because of her gentle and obedient personality that she was very popular in high school, an age when everyone was still naive and confused.

But universities are different.

University is now the first hurdle to entering society, and it involves various relationships among classmates, relationships among club members, and the events that occur when outstanding students are selected.

These social niceties require a person to gradually accept and adapt to.

However, Gu Wanqing still couldn't adapt, so she needed Lin Shen to teach her.

In her eyes, everything Lin Shen said was correct!
After all, he's so young and already so rich. If he didn't have some skills, how could he possibly earn so much money?
Gu Wanqing, as Lin Shen's former sister-in-law, was very clear about his family's financial situation.

This kind of story of starting from scratch and then gradually rising to prominence is more romantic than any idol drama in the eyes of Gu Wanqing, a young girl!

Therefore, her feelings for Lin Shen were not only love, but also a young girl's admiration and respect.

So she rested her head on Lin Shen's shoulder and asked with eyes full of admiration.

"Brother Lin Shen, how should I overcome this social anxiety?"

"Just participate in more activities."

"But whenever I participate in an activity, many boys take the initiative to talk to me, which makes me feel very awkward."

Gu Wanqing muttered to herself.

That's exactly what she said.

Even though Lin Shen had cleared some obstacles for Gu Wanqing by using his status as her "brother," she was just too beautiful, causing many people to almost forget the existence of Lin Shen as her brother.

There's no way around it; a pure and adorable beauty like Gu Wanqing is definitely the most popular girl on a university campus.

Men generally only understand the charm of young married women and mature women once they enter the workforce.

The school is still dominated by sweet girls.

After learning about Gu Wanqing's worries from her, Lin Shen felt that it wouldn't be enough to clear away the obstacles for her; she had to do it herself.

So Lin Shen made the suggestion.

"You can try talking to the people around you, it doesn't matter if they are men, since you won't have any romantic feelings for them anyway."

“But they have designs on me.”

Gu Wanqing pouted and complained.

"As soon as I say a word to them or ask a question, they swarm around me like flies, showering me with gifts and finding all sorts of excuses to contact me on WeChat."

"I feel bad ignoring them..."

Sure enough it is so!

Lin Shen sighed softly. University is the time when boys crave love the most and are most easily swayed by it.

This is what is commonly known as the "simp" period.

Boys at this age are usually either playing video games or dating.

Moreover, the girls they encounter on campus usually don't have the same sense of detachment that comes with weighing pros and cons in society.

During this period, boys and girls are at their purest age.

Therefore, a simple sentence from Gu Wanqing could make the other person develop a good impression of her.

In addition, she has a pure and lovely beautiful face.

This prompted Lin Shen to complain bitterly.

Is this the "beauty effect"?

It was absolutely terrifying.

After thinking it over, Lin Shen realized he didn't have any good ideas, so he could only smile wryly and rub Gu Wanqing's head.

“I feel like you’re still too popular, but it doesn’t seem like your style to ask you to ignore them or keep them hanging on.”

"Just chat with them normally, or talk to girls more."

"Good~"

Gu Wanqing hugged Lin Shen's arm with a grin, then asked curiously.

"Brother Lin Shen, don't you have this kind of trouble? You're so handsome, there must be a lot of people who want to get close to you, right?"

"Um……"

Recalling the various messages and friend requests he received on WeChat every morning, Lin Shen couldn't help but sigh softly.

"Of course I have them too, but I just ignore them because they're useless to me."

"But I can't."

Gu Wanqing counted on her fingers.

"The people I add are mostly from clubs or classmates. We also do group assignments together, so I can't ignore them."

"Then just practice talking to them."

Lin Shen began to impart profound wisdom to Gu Wanqing, who listened with great interest.

After about twenty minutes, the waiter finally started serving the food.

"This is the famous Dongyang boiled lamb from our Rong family banquet, along with Sichuan braised pig's trotters and wild white shrimp cooked in wine lees. Mr. Lin, Ms. Gu, please enjoy."

The appetizers were beautifully presented and looked very appetizing.

The taste was also quite good; the only downside was that there wasn't enough of it.

Of course, the two of them didn't eat much food, since they wanted to try a variety of dishes.

“It looks delicious!”

Gu Wanqing picked up her chopsticks, first placing a piece of mutton on Lin Shen's plate, then peeling the shrimp for him on her own plate.

This gentle and considerate care made him feel flattered, and he quickly smiled and patted her head.

"You just eat yours. I'm so much older than you, how can I ask you to take care of my meals?"

"I just wanted to thank Brother Lin Shen for treating me to something delicious."

Gu Wanqing smiled and placed the peeled shrimp on Lin Shen's plate. She then peeled one for herself and opened her cherry-like mouth to savor it.

As soon as she tasted it, her eyes lit up and she exclaimed in admiration.

"Delicious!"

As a cook who often prepares meals, Gu Wanqing has her own understanding of food.

The aroma of the fermented rice wine in this wild white shrimp did not mask the shrimp's natural freshness at all.

Moreover, its flesh is very plump and bouncy. After taking a bite, it will bounce back in your mouth and spread the aroma of shrimp from the tip of your tongue.

This was arguably the best shrimp Gu Wanqing had ever eaten.

That saying has indeed come true.

The only downside to expensive things is that they are expensive.

"It's really good."

After tasting the food, Lin Shen nodded and continued to taste the second dish.

After the appetizers were served, soups, main courses, and staple foods were served one after another.

Lin Shen had finally tasted what it was like to have lunch with the upper class.

It's delicate but the portion is small; if you like it, it'll be gone in one bite.

This made Lin Shen feel uneasy.

I'd rather go eat chicken hot pot with Sister Nan.

During the luncheon, Lin Shen chatted with Gu Wanqing about her school life and then asked about her plans for the afternoon.

"I want to watch a movie!"

Gu Wanqing excitedly shared her plans.

"Then let's find a park to stroll around, and then go to the supermarket to buy groceries. I'll cook dinner for you, Brother Lin Shen, tonight!"

Ok?
Gu Wanqing's words startled Lin Shen for a moment, then he smiled gently.

"Wouldn't it be better to eat out tonight?"

"no!"

Gu Wanqing, who was usually obedient and well-behaved, suddenly became unhappy and shook Lin Shen's arm.

"You treated me to such an expensive lunch today and even took me to play the claw machine. I also want to do something for you, Brother Lin Shen."

"So please let me cook, please~"

Gu Wanqing once again used her trump card—acting cute.

Those pitiful eyes blinked frequently; any boy stared at like that would involuntarily feel a surge of intense heat in his chest.

Lin Shen was no exception. He couldn't resist his desire and reached out to pinch Gu Wanqing's soft little face. Then he kissed her on the lips and whispered.

"Okay, come to my house tonight and cook. I'd love to eat your cooking, Qingqing."

"whee."

Gu Wanqing smiled, her pretty face slightly flushed, her heart pounding with excitement.

Operation successful!

Actually, she suggested cooking not only to repay Lin Shen for taking her out on a date, but also because she wanted to visit his home!
After all, Gu Wanqing felt somewhat uncomfortable being outside, no matter what.

Even now, in a private VIP room where no one is around, I still feel nervous and anxious about kissing Lin Shen.

But it’s different at home.

It could be said that once Gu Wanqing was at home, she felt like she was in a safe house, where she could do whatever she wanted.

And the best place for a date alone is at home!

We can cook for each other, sit on the sofa and chat, and do whatever we want.

Nobody cares how much you kiss!
Don't be too cool!
Of course, the only downside is that it's easy to get hooked.

After all, it's hard to avoid some intimate physical contact during those times when the two of you are alone together.

Kissing is already considered good; there might even be more intimate contact...

Just thinking about it made Gu Wanqing's cheeks burn and her heart feel restless.

It wasn't that she was worried about it, but rather that she felt a strange sense of anticipation. (End of Chapter)