Financial Independence through Cracked Apps

Chapter 389 - 200: The Hotel

At sunset, the afterglow bathed the skyline. Dazzling lights traced the decadent silhouette of Modu.

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel, 52nd floor.

Jin Xuan Chinese Restaurant.

This one-star Michelin restaurant combined the aesthetics of a river view, Cantonese delicacies, and private service into a single luxurious experience. It had quickly become the benchmark for high-end dining in Shanghai.

Its two-person window seats, in particular, offered a panoramic view of Modu’s landmark buildings, both luxurious and romantic.

"Sir, Ma’am, right this way, please."

It was 8 p.m., the peak of dinner service.

The restaurant was filled with hushed whispers and the elegant melody of a piano, mingling with the rich aroma of the dishes.

The ambiance was quiet and pleasant.

CLICK-CLACK-CLICK—!

The crisp sound of high heels on the floor approached from a distance.

A waiter led Lin Shen and Shen Yun to the small, private window-side booth they had reserved. He thoughtfully handed them warm, rose-scented towels and asked softly,

"Would you two require a custom menu?"

"No, that’s alright."

Lin Shen casually flipped through the menu, ordering whichever dishes caught his eye.

Steamed whole lobster with egg white, crispy beef brisket with truffle and port wine sauce...

These were all specialties of Jin Xuan Chinese Restaurant, and Lin Shen had wanted to try them for a while.

"Aunt Shen, see what you’d like to eat."

After ordering, Lin Shen looked at Shen Yun and noticed she wasn’t looking at the menu. Instead, she was cupping her chin, staring blankly out the window, completely lost in thought.

"Aunt Shen?"

Lin Shen waved a hand in front of her face, finally snapping her out of her daze.

She sighed softly, a troubled expression on her face.

"You can just order, Shen. Your aunt isn’t hungry."

"What’s wrong, Aunt Shen?"

After the waiter left, Lin Shen got up and moved to sit beside Shen Yun, asking with concern,

"Are you not feeling well? Or did I do something to make you angry?"

"Both."

Shen Yun shot him a coquettish glance, then snuggled into his embrace and lamented,

"Your aunt is lovesick. Only your comfort can cure me, Shen."

"Haven’t I been comforting you this whole time?"

Lin Shen smiled gently and wrapped his arm around Shen Yun’s soft waist, which drew a sultry hum from her.

"You know full well this isn’t the kind of comfort your aunt wants."

"Don’t be in such a hurry, Aunt Shen."

Lin Shen gently caressed her full hips and waist, lowering his head to chuckle softly in her ear.

"I need to eat my fill to have the energy to ’work,’ don’t I?"

"You’re the one who said it!"

Shen Yun’s eyes lit up. When the waiter returned, she asked for the menu and added several more dishes.

Oysters, bird’s nest, more oysters, nuts...

Just from the names of the ingredients, Lin Shen knew what they were for.

’Jeez!’

’Does she really think so little of me?’

Lin Shen raised an eyebrow. Pulling Shen Yun into his arms, he kissed her charming face and said with a wicked grin,

"Aunt Shen, do you think I need these?"

"You should still replenish your strength."

Shen Yun licked her full lips, her seductive eyes glinting with a predatory light.

"You spent all day teasing me, and now your aunt is all fired up. I’m afraid you won’t be able to handle it tonight."

"You worry too much."

When it came to this subject, Lin Shen was full of confidence. He chuckled and teased,

"I wonder who it was that was screaming last time."

!?

Hearing this, Shen Yun quickly reached out and covered Lin Shen’s mouth, her mature face instantly flushing a tempting shade of scarlet.

The food was being served, after all. If anyone overheard them, it would be utterly mortifying!

Sure enough, no sooner had the words left Lin Shen’s mouth than exquisite dishes were brought to the table, a feast for the eyes, nose, and palate.

A waiter was even stationed by their table to provide attentive, personal service.

He adjusted the distance of their chairs, replaced their bone plates, and even offered Shen Yun a shawl in case the air conditioning was too cold.

Such thoughtful and considerate service was certainly worthy of the price tag of several thousand per person.

But this made Shen Yun very uncomfortable.

With the waiter present, she couldn’t flirt with Lin Shen, let alone engage in any subtle physical contact while sitting together.

After a period of torment, Shen Yun cleared her throat and spoke to the waiter.

"Excuse me, I’d like a more private dining environment."

"Of course, Ma’am."

The waiter was very understanding. He immediately drew the hanging curtain and stepped out.

"If you need anything, just press the bell on the table."

"Mm."

Once the waiter was gone, Shen Yun finally had room to maneuver. She reached out and caressed the back of Lin Shen’s hand, a seductive smile playing on her lips.

"Shen, come sit by your aunt. I want to whisper a secret to you."

"Alright."

Lin Shen moved next to Shen Yun. The moment he sat down on the soft sofa, a delicate hand landed on his thigh.

Usually, the owner of that hand was Lin Shen.

But now, the roles were reversed. It was Shen Yun’s.

She propped up her cheek with her other hand and said with a grin,

"What did you and Ya talk about today when I went to the restroom?"

!?

Lin Shen’s expression froze. He felt a pang of guilt as he said,

"We just talked about some business matters."

Lin Shen had hoped to brush it off with a single sentence, but Shen Yun was clearly not someone who could be easily fooled.

"Really?"

Shen Yun leaned on Lin Shen’s shoulder, bringing her red lips close to his ear as she asked charmingly,

"She didn’t bring up any... explosive topics with you? For example... a threesome?"

!?

Lin Shen’s heart skipped a beat. He glanced at Shen Yun’s teasing, ambiguous smile and sighed in resignation.

"You know your best friend pretty well."

"How could I not know what she’s like?"

Shen Yun couldn’t help but rant.

"She’s always going on about finding a handsome guy or hiring a male model, but it’s all just talk. Her standards for a partner are even higher than mine. Otherwise, she wouldn’t still be single."

"She’s still single?"

Lin Shen was taken aback by that.

’In her thirties and not married? Isn’t that what they call a spinster...?’

"She’s had several boyfriends, but they all broke up. Not a single one made it to the altar."