Lin Shen, however, really liked this kind of dynamic. He felt that first and foremost, a couple should be the best of friends.
Sharing their joys and sorrows, trading a friendly jab from time to time.
These were all spices that seasoned an otherwise ordinary life.
Lin Shen got up from the sofa, stretched, and walked straight to the master bedroom.
He had booked a business class seat on a high-speed train for a little after six the next morning, so time was tight.
He pushed open the door and looked around the luxurious master bedroom. It felt no different from the presidential suite at the Ritz-Carlton.
The only difference was that the decor felt more residential, more like a home.
The moment Lin Shen walked in, the curtains automatically drew shut, and the nightstand lamp turned on, casting a soft, warm glow.
It all happened automatically, no command needed.
"The smart home features are really well done."
Lying on the soft, massive bed, Lin Shen rolled over twice without even reaching the other side. It felt spacious enough for three or four people.
’Perfect for a party!’
Lin Shen thought gleefully. After setting his alarm, he rolled over and fell asleep.
——
——
August 29, 2025, Saturday.
23℃–32℃, sunny, light southeast breeze, 28% humidity.
[Construction Bank: Your account ending in 7946 received a deposit of RMB 100,000 on August 29 at 00:01. Current balance: RMB 8,620,000.]
At 5:00 AM, the jarring, staccato Radar alarm from his iPhone jolted Lin Shen from his sleep.
BEEP BEEP BEEP—!
—BEEP BEEP BEEP!
"SMACK!"
Lin Shen forced his bleary eyes open and slapped his phone into silence. For the first time in a month, he was being woken up by an alarm in the early morning.
However, this time it was to catch a train for a vacation, not for work, which put him in a slightly better mood.
"YAWN—!"
After a yawn, Lin Shen got out of bed, walked to the window, and gave a quiet command.
"A, open the curtains."
WHIRRR—!
As the curtains slowly parted, the hazy dawn, as if freshly washed by rain, gradually unfolded before his eyes.
Mist veiled the river and the dense rows of skyscrapers. The burgeoning daylight wasn’t a sudden, sharp white, but a pale, cyan-tinged blue that bloomed in layers from the east, spreading across the sky.
’What a great view!’
A slight smile touched Lin Shen’s lips. Once the fog of sleep had completely lifted from his mind, he left the bedroom to wash up.
——
「5:20 AM.」
Wenjing Garden, Building 3, Apartment 201.
A clattering and banging had been coming from Jiang Wan’s room for nearly half an hour.
This was starting to irritate her roommate, Xu Lu, who got out of bed and pushed open the door to Jiang Wan’s room.
"Wanwan, are you still not ready?"
"Almost, almost."
Jiang Wan was sitting at her vanity, meticulously checking every detail of her makeup—patting on foundation, carefully drawing her eyeliner. It was a picture of precision.
Seeing this, Xu Lu scratched her messy hair, then grabbed Jiang Wan by the shoulders and began ushering her out of the room.
"Oh, come on, stop with the makeup! You look so beautiful with a bare face; a little bit is more than enough. What are you trying to do, enter a beauty pageant?"
"It’s almost five-thirty! Your train is at six-something, are you going to make it? Get going! I want to go back to sleep!"
"Okay, okay! Sorry, Lu. I’ll treat you to dinner when I get back."
Jiang Wan said apologetically as she quickly grabbed her suitcase and headed downstairs.
The DiDi she had called arrived a few moments later.
Since there were already two male passengers in the back, Jiang Wan chose the front passenger seat, her heart full of anticipation for her meeting with Lin Shen.
However, a small incident occurred on the way to Hongqiao Station: she got hit on.
"Hey, miss. Can I get your WeChat?"
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