Qin Yuenan's impression of Lin Shen was still stuck a week in the past—that of an ordinary, overweight guy.
Although they had often run into each other at the company gym and had pleasant chats on WeChat recently.
But Qin Yuenan hadn't paid him much attention. In fact, she had never taken a real interest in any man.
'Men only get in the way of my work.'
This time, however, Qin Yuenan sized Lin Shen up, observing him for a long while.
When that ordinary, chubby boy suddenly transformed into a well-proportioned, handsome young man with a sunny disposition...
...anyone would have been left marveling.
Even the perpetually aloof Qin Yuenan couldn't help but be impressed by the willpower he must have had to lose the weight.
"You look great. Your weight loss efforts have really paid off."
"Thanks."
Lin Shen smiled faintly and asked the sales associate to bag his old clothes and ring everything up.
Just then, Qin Yuenan's expression suddenly turned serious.
"But I think it's missing something."
"What's it missing?"
Before Lin Shen could get an answer, Qin Yuenan stood up and walked over to the accessories section. After looking for a moment, she had the sales associate take out a silver necklace.
Its design featured small, stacked cubes in silver, black, and bronze, giving it an air of understated luxury.
"Try this on."
Qin Yuenan gestured for Lin Shen to lower his head and personally put the necklace on for him, making his heart race.
After all, at such a close distance, he could not only catch the faint scent of her perfume but also glimpse the deep, smooth skin revealed by her slightly open collar.
'It's rude to stare!'
After a few "polite" glances, Lin Shen forced himself to look away.
"A necklace isn't really my style, is it?"
"A plain white T-shirt is too simple. The necklace adds a nice touch."
Qin Yuenan took a step back and sized Lin Shen up again.
"Go take a look in the mirror."
"Okay."
Lin Shen walked over to the mirror, and a flash of surprise crossed his eyes.
Just as Qin Yuenan had said, the plain white T-shirt paired with the understated silver chain really created a cool vibe.
'Before, Lin Shen had always thought that guys who wore necklaces were in the same category as guys who wore makeup—total sissies.'
'But looking at it now, as long as he liked it, who cared what other people thought?'
"Not bad."
Lin Shen nodded, satisfied, and then followed the sales associate to the register to pay.
The shoes and the necklace made up the bulk of the cost, at nine thousand each.
The shirt and pants came to fourteen thousand.
The total came to thirty-two thousand. For Louis Vuitton, the price was acceptable.
But seeing his savings instantly cut in half still stung. His only hope of making the money back was the Appearance Change Card.
"Take care, sir, ma'am!"
"Mm."
After leaving the Louis Vuitton boutique, they took the elevator down to the first basement level. Qin Yuenan slid into the driver's seat, where she elegantly slipped off her high heels and changed into a pair of flats.
"Where do you live? I'll give you a ride."
"Min'an District."
Lin Shen didn't stand on ceremony and searched for his address on the car's navigation system.
Qin Yuenan, on the other hand, slammed on the accelerator and shot forward, her driving style shockingly aggressive.
Startled, Lin Shen quickly grabbed his seatbelt. He opened his mouth to say something several times but always stopped himself, ultimately not having the nerve to criticize her driving.
During the drive, they made idle conversation.
They mostly talked about work, but sometimes the topic would shift.
Whether it was because Qin Yuenan was bad at making conversation or because of some innate female love for gossip, she was extremely interested in Lin Shen's romantic history, constantly rubbing salt in his old wounds.
Exasperated, Lin Shen decided to turn the tables and ask her the same question.
As it turned out, the 28-year-old Qin Yuenan had never been in a relationship in her life!
'It just goes to show, behind every woman with a unique personality, there's always a bizarre and complicated life story.'
Lin Shen couldn't help but sigh.
'Honestly, an ordinary man could never hope to handle a woman like Qin Yuenan.'
Twenty minutes later, the black Volvo S90 pulled into Min'an District.
"Thanks, President Qin!"
After getting out of the car, Lin Shen gave a little wave with his Louis Vuitton bag toward the driver's side. Just as he reached his building's entrance, he suddenly heard a "MEOW MEOW" from nearby.
"Ginger!"
Seeing an enormous orange cat emerge from the bushes, Lin Shen crouched down in delight.
The cat was very receptive, immediately rolling over on the spot and exposing its belly.
Of course, despite its docile appearance, it was actually quite fierce, earning it the nickname "Psycho."
If Lin Shen hadn't been feeding it for several months, there's no way it would be acting so cute.
"Wait here, I'll get you something to eat."
After giving Ginger's belly a good rub, Lin Shen found the cat treat stick he always carried in the pocket of his old clothes.
Just as he tore it open, a fragrant scent washed over him.
At some point, Qin Yuenan had gotten out of the car and was now crouching beside Lin Shen, tentatively extending her slender, pale fingers toward Ginger.
It was a classic, textbook move for approaching a cat.
First, you extend your hand to the cat, letting it sniff your scent.
If the cat doesn't have a negative reaction, or even licks your hand, it means you can pet it.
Otherwise, it's best to stay away.
Ginger clearly fell into the first category, sticking out its cute little tongue to gently lick Qin Yuenan's fingers.
Not only did she show no sign of disgust, she actually scooped the dusty cat up into her arms.
Seeing this, Lin Shen quickly reminded her.
"President Qin, you'll get your clothes dirty."
"It's fine."
Qin Yuenan didn't seem to mind. Her cat-petting technique was surprisingly professional.
She started by gently scruffing the soft skin on Ginger's neck, then stroked down its back all the way to its tail, and finished with a scratch under the chin.
This made the cat close its eyes in comfort and start purring, leaving Lin Shen utterly astonished.
After all, this was the first time Ginger had ever been so unguarded with anyone besides him.
But what surprised Lin Shen even more was Qin Yuenan's expression.
She... was actually smiling!
It was just a small smile, the corners of her mouth turned up with a hint of contentment, but on her usually frosty face, it was absolutely stunning. Lin Shen couldn't help but remark.
"You have a really nice smile."
???
Lin Shen's sudden compliment made Qin Yuenan's expression stiffen. Her smile vanished instantly, and she shot him a glare.
However, a faint blush appeared on her cheeks.
Perhaps to hide her flustered feelings, Qin Yuenan quickly changed the subject, glancing at the cat treat in Lin Shen's hand.
"Why aren't you using the treats from our company, Pet Guardian Home?"
"They're too expensive," Lin Shen said bluntly.
"Even the cheapest ones are eighty cents a stick. I don't have the money to feed a stray cat something that fancy."
"I know they have ingredients like krill oil and fish oil, but I still think the price should be more accessible. After all, the pet industry is already expanding into the mass market."
"You have a point."
Qin Yuenan seemed to completely agree with him. She even took out her phone and jotted his suggestion down in her notes app.
Her serious, always-working attitude made Lin Shen feel inadequate in comparison.
"President Qin, I saw you were still working overtime at the office today. Don't you ever take a break?"
"I'm off next week."
Qin Yuenan set Ginger back on the ground and brushed the dust from her clothes.
"I remember you saying you like the outdoors, right? Then you can come hiking with me next week."