Financial Independence through Cracked Apps-Chapter 51: A Date with the Senior

"Sweet, look! There’s a lady dancing over there."

"Wow! Mommy, her clothes are so pretty!"

"That’s called Hanfu. It’s a traditional style of clothing from our Huaxia... What are you looking at? Did I say you could look?"

"What? The kid can look but I can’t? Ouch! I’ll stop looking, I’ll stop! Go easy on me!"

...

A family of three stood watching Jiang Wan dance from a short distance away. They soon attracted a number of other tourists, who joined in to offer their applause and praise.

"Amazing!"

"Thank you!"

Jiang Wan gracefully lifted her skirt in a curtsy to the crowd before walking over to a surprised Lin Shen and asking with a light laugh. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

"So, was my dancing okay?"

"It was absolutely amazing!"

Lin Shen couldn’t help but applaud, his voice full of admiration.

"I never would’ve guessed you could dance, Jiang Wan!"

"I’m so-so. I took folk dance for a while when I was a kid, so I just have some of the basics down."

Jiang Wan said humbly, then immediately looked to Sun Wenhao, who was standing to the side.

"Was that last bit usable?"

"It was great."

Sun Wenhao nodded.

"I’ll send you the raw footage when we get back. You should edit it with ’A Stunning Glimpse’ as the background music. I have a feeling it could go viral."

"I hope you’re right."

Jiang Wan gave a faint smile, the cute dimples on her cheeks making a slight appearance. She then pointed to the end of the dike in the distance.

"Lin Shen, come take a picture with me over there."

"Okay."

Hearing Jiang Wan ask Lin Shen to go with her instead of him, Sun Wenhao’s disappointment was written all over his face.

But he quickly let it go, sighing with a wry smile.

’I’m not good enough for Jiang Wan. Maybe giving up sooner is the right choice.’

*

"Be careful."

As they walked down from the dike, the slope was so steep that Lin Shen, ever the gentleman, offered Jiang Wan his right hand.

She was happy to oblige, taking his hand without any shyness. The smile on her lips grew even more captivating.

"Thanks."

"You don’t have to be so formal with me."

Lin Shen said half-jokingly. The soft, delicate warmth of her hand in his palm sent a ripple through his heart.

’Cool as fine jade, a treasure in the palm of one’s hand.’

Lin Shen finally understood just how wonderful it felt to hold a hand as exquisite as the ones described in ancient poetry.

Just then, Jiang Wan suddenly asked.

"Have you seen *Sadness Flows Back into the River*?"

"No."

Seeing Lin Shen shake his head, Jiang Wan took the initiative to explain.

"It’s a romance film, part of the ’painful youth’ genre. The main character suffers from the malice of those around her because of her family situation, and in the end, unable to bear it any longer, she commits suicide by jumping off the end of a river embankment."

Jiang Wan’s tone was full of sadness and regret.

"The line from the movie that stuck with me the most is: ’You live in the light, so you think the whole world is bright.’"

"I’ll have to find some time to watch it when I get back, then."

Lin Shen was quite interested in Jiang Wan’s recommendation. He then led her by the hand to the end of the dike, which was made of broken stones.

"Help me take a picture."

Jiang Wan faced Lin Shen and raised her arms, a radiant smile on her face. Her entire being seemed to melt into the backdrop of the hazy sunset.

The surface of the sea shimmered. A gentle breeze lifted the loose strands of hair at her cheeks, and their tips, catching the light, glowed golden as if touched by sparks of fire, forming a halo that framed her face.

It was such a beautiful and romantic scene that Lin Shen instinctively took out his phone and captured the moment in his photo album.

CLICK—!

"Got it."

"Let me see."

Jiang Wan walked over, lifting her skirt. Overly excited, she didn’t watch her step.

The rising evening tide had made the surface of the stones slick, and they were covered in soft, damp moss.

A moment of inattention was all it took to slip and fall.

"Ah—!"

Jiang Wan cried out as she unexpectedly slipped, her body losing its balance and pitching forward.

But Lin Shen’s reflexes were quick, and he immediately caught her soft, delicate frame in a full embrace.

"Careful!"

Fortunately, Lin Shen had been working on his core strength lately, so his footing was solid. This kept both of them from falling into the sea together.

Still, the sudden incident gave Jiang Wan quite a scare. Once she was steady on her feet, her face was a little pale, and it took a long while for the frightened look in her eyes to fade.

"Phew!"

Jiang Wan let out a long breath. As she looked up, she suddenly caught sight of Lin Shen’s handsome face, just inches away.

His features were well-defined, his eyes deep, and his jawline sharp. He was truly handsome.

This was the first time Jiang Wan had seen Lin Shen’s face from such a close distance, and her heart began to beat inexplicably faster.

’He’s actually pretty handsome!’

"How are you? Are you okay?"

Lin Shen asked with concern. The scene gave him a strange sense of déjà vu.

Back on Sheshan, he had steadied and caught Qin Yuenan in the exact same way when she almost fell.

There was a big difference between the two, however.

Qin Yuenan’s body was firm and solid; you could tell she exercised often.

Jiang Wan’s delicate frame, on the other hand, was incredibly soft.

"Sorry!"

When Jiang Wan came back to her senses, she immediately struggled out of Lin Shen’s embrace.

Usually so calm and composed, her pretty face was now tinged with a faint blush. She averted her gaze and mumbled softly.

"Thank you."

"Are you okay?"

Sun Wenhao, who had been standing on the shore, saw Jiang Wan almost fall into the sea and immediately came jogging over anxiously.

However, she just waved her hand, indicating that she was fine.

"I’m fine. I lost my footing, but Lin Shen caught me."

"It’s pretty slippery over here."

Lin Shen offered his right hand to Jiang Wan again. This time, however, she hesitated for a moment before finally placing her hand in his.

When Sun Wenhao caught sight of this small detail, a bitter feeling spread through his heart.

*

At 7:30 PM, the three of them boarded the bus for the return trip.

Compared to the cheerful laughter on the way there, Lin Shen and Jiang Wan, now sitting together, were both silent. The atmosphere had become quiet.

After all, it had been a long day, and everyone was exhausted, both mentally and physically.

But Jiang Wan’s Spirit, however, was incredibly high.

She kept looking at her left hand, clenching and unclenching it as if savoring a memory.

Then, her gaze stole a glance at Lin Shen beside her.

He was resting with his eyes closed, yawning from time to time and looking sleepy.

Seeing this, Jiang Wan leaned in and whispered softly in Lin Shen’s ear.

"Why don’t you rest your head on my shoulder and sleep for a bit?"

?

Lin Shen was instantly alert. After a moment of shock, he felt a little embarrassed.

"Can I?"

"Of course."

Jiang Wan said with a gentle smile.

"You helped me out today, after all. Don’t be shy."

"Thanks, then."

Lin Shen didn’t stand on ceremony. He closed his eyes and gently rested his head on Jiang Wan’s shoulder.

Instantly, a faint, sweet fragrance filled his senses.

’Smells nice!’

The corners of Lin Shen’s mouth curled up slightly as his consciousness gradually drifted off to sleep.

But as Jiang Wan felt his soft breaths brush past her ear, she suddenly grew nervous and uneasy.

She clenched her hands tightly in her lap and sat bolt upright, her eyes stealing occasional glances at Lin Shen’s profile as he slept.

His eyelashes trembled slightly. His skin was fair, his face clean and fresh, and he even carried the faint, clean scent of dry grass.

Jiang Wan found herself staring, a little dazed, as her mind couldn’t help but replay what had just happened.