Financial Independence through Cracked Apps

Chapter 653: Chapter 312: The Coquettish Little Cook (Part 2)

That look instantly ignited Lin Shen’s protective instincts and his desire to conquer.

You have to understand, besides a pair of sultry, shimmering eyes, one of a girl’s most alluring expressions is a pitiful, doe-eyed look.

And Gu Wanqing had perfectly mastered the art of that gaze.

A fire instantly blazed up inside Lin Shen. If they weren’t in a crowded public space like an elevator, he might have just leaned down and captured her lips with his.

But for now, he could only let go of Gu Wanqing’s hand and wrap his arm around her slender waist instead.

He had to admit, a delicate, slender beauty like her had its own advantages.

Voluptuous, mature women like Lin Ping and Shen Yun had full waists that felt soft and supple in his arms.

Qin Yuenan’s waist, toned from diligent exercise, felt more powerful and had an incredible firmness to it.

But Gu Wanqing’s waist was the very epitome of "slender."

Lin Shen felt he could almost wrap his hands completely around her waist.

He used his large hand to measure it, finding that when he spread his thumb and index finger, they could cover the entire width of her lower back.

In other words, she had a genuine A4 waist, completely natural and without a hint of Photoshop or beauty filters.

Holding her gave him a feeling of complete control, leaving him a bit euphoric.

Gu Wanqing, for her part, was having an equally intense reaction.

Having her waist held in such a crowded place, her mind went blank and her heart began to race.

She could not only feel the warmth of his large hand on her lower back, but her entire body was pulled into a half-embrace, completely surrounded by his masculine scent.

Combined with his pleasant scent, Gu Wanqing felt momentarily intoxicated, her pretty face flushing a deep red as it grew hot.

Waves of shyness from being watched washed over her, leaving her at a loss for words. All she could do was lower her head, giving her silent consent to his actions.

He took the hint, and the hand on her waist grew bolder.

It wasn’t just that the fluffy, white lace skirt she wore felt soft and comfortable, but that her waist itself was exceptionally smooth.

Even through the fabric, Lin Shen could feel the softness of the skin beneath.

’A young woman’s body is truly wonderful!’

As Lin Shen sighed in admiration, strange thoughts inevitably began to surface in his mind.

But remembering it was Gu Wanqing, he suppressed those improper thoughts for the time being.

She was just a college freshman, at a stage in her life for experiencing its wonders, not for being tied down by a relationship.

If he were to cross that line with her, he feared she would focus only on him instead of on improving herself.

This wasn’t Lin Shen being arrogant; it was a conclusion he had drawn from observing Gu Wanqing’s reactions.

If they were to take that final step, this girl, just experiencing the first stirrings of love, would surely become trapped in her feelings for him.

That was something Lin Shen didn’t want to see happen.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want their relationship to progress, but rather that he hoped she would focus on herself.

Things like improving her grades, participating in activities and competitions, and enriching her life experiences.

Those were the things an eighteen-year-old girl should be experiencing, not prematurely crossing the threshold between men and women out of curiosity, only to be left with a mind full of wild thoughts all day.

So, Lin Shen simply kept his arm around Gu Wanqing’s waist without letting his hands wander.

If it had been Lin Ping or Shen Yun, his hand would have probably already been on their perky, full buttocks.

And so, with his arm around Gu Wanqing, Lin Shen strolled through the mall.

They first bought some dried fruit and milk tea on the ground floor to serve as snacks for their stroll, then began to wander from floor to floor.

Back when they were at Central International Trade, Gu Wanqing had been timid, not daring to enter any of the shops.

Here at Wanda, however, she was curious about everything.

They first went into a toy store filled with all sorts of plush toys and trinkets. It looked like a general store overflowing with childhood memories.

You could find almost any toy you remembered from your childhood there.

Of course, its main stock consisted of the plush dolls that girls loved and the model kits that boys loved.

When he saw Gu Wanqing’s eyes light up as she gazed at the plush toys, Lin Shen smiled and teased her.

"We already won a huge pile of plushies. You’re not thinking of buying more, are you?"

"That’s not it."

Gu Wanqing hurriedly shook her head, then pointed to a shop partially obscured by the plush toys.

Pop Mart.

"They have blind boxes over there!"

’Blind boxes?’

Hearing the excitement in Gu Wanqing’s voice, Lin Shen grew curious and followed her into the Pop Mart store.

The interior was quite spacious, with most of its shelves lined with all sorts of blind boxes.

Many were collaborations with anime and famous IPs, including Digimon, GG Bond, and others.

Lin Shen even spotted merchandise for a game IP, Eggy Party.

Gu Wanqing’s attention, however, was completely captivated by a series of forest-themed figurines.

The set included various elves, wolves, and little grass sprites. Of course, the rarest of all was the Forest Queen, who wore a radiant circlet.

"I hope I get it!"

Gu Wanqing eagerly plucked a blind box from the display and went to the counter to pay.

Lin Shen had intended to buy a few himself and pay for everything together, but Gu Wanqing insisted on paying for her own.

"Lin Shen, you’ve already spent so much money on me. I have to get this one myself."

Gu Wanqing stressed, and although the 79-yuan price tag pained her, if she managed to pull the secret figure, it would be a huge win!

Gu Wanqing opened the blind box, full of anticipation, but the figure inside was a huge letdown.

It was the most common one, the little grass sprite, and worse, it was the design Gu Wanqing liked the least.

Seeing her expression instantly shift from anticipation to disappointment, Lin Shen didn’t comfort her directly. Instead, he just smiled and rubbed her head.

"Wait here a second."

?

While Gu Wanqing was still staring in a daze, Lin Shen walked straight back into the Pop Mart. Under the astonished gazes of the other customers, he cleared the entire shelf of the same blind box series she had just purchased from.

"Could you ring these up for me? Thanks."

The cashier was stunned to see Lin Shen buying 17 blind boxes all at once. ’You can just do that?’ she thought.

’Even if you really want the secret figure, you could just buy it online for ten times the price. Why spend so much money trying to unbox it?’

’There’s even a chance you won’t get it at all.’

The cashier found it baffling, but out of professional courtesy, she simply smiled and completed the transaction.

"Here you are, sir. Your total is 1,343 yuan."

"Mm."

When Lin Shen returned carrying an entire case of the PUCKY blind boxes, Gu Wanqing’s eyes went wide in utter disbelief.

"Huh? Lin Shen, don’t tell me you bought the entire stock?"

"Mm-hmm."

Lin Shen pulled Gu Wanqing over to a nearby seating area and started opening the boxes.

"Now I’m determined to see if there’s actually a secret figure in one of these."

"I don’t even like it that much, really!"

Seeing that Lin Shen had spent over a thousand yuan on more than a dozen blind boxes just for her sake, Gu Wanqing frantically waved her hands, deeply moved.

But she suddenly felt that what she had just said was inappropriate, so she waved her hands again to explain.

"It’s not that I don’t like it, it’s just... Lin Shen, you’ve spent too much. I feel bad."

"If you really want to thank me, you could try acting a little cute," he said.

Lin Shen smiled and pinched Gu Wanqing’s cheek. She froze for a moment, her pretty face blushing as she quickly glanced left and right.

Although there were still many shoppers passing by, she was deeply moved by his gesture.

So, she bit her lip. After a moment of internal struggle, she suddenly leaned close to Lin Shen and, with lightning speed, gave his lips a quick peck, like a little bird pecking at a tree. Then she immediately buried her head in his chest, wrapping her arms around his waist and refusing to let go.

"How was that for being cute? Do you like it, Lin Shen?"

?

Lin Shen was also taken aback by Gu Wanqing’s bold move. A wave of heat surged through him, and he leaned down to her ear, chuckling softly.

"Of course I like it. Though, it would have been even better if it had lasted a little longer... What do you say we find somewhere quiet?"