Financial Independence through Cracked Apps

Chapter 350 - 189: High-Profile Entrance

Xu Lei looked momentarily stunned, then immediately exclaimed with delight.

"Shen, that’s my boyfriend over there! You can just drop me off here."

"Alright. Don’t forget the stuff in the trunk."

"Okay."

As Zhang Xu passed by, he was rather surprised to see an exceptionally sleek, all-black Jaguar parked downstairs.

After all, a car like that wasn’t a common sight in the complex.

But when he saw his girlfriend get out of the passenger seat, Zhang Xu was completely stunned.

’Xu Lei?’

"Honey!"

Xu Lei grabbed a large bag of groceries from the trunk and, holding an umbrella, walked toward the entrance to the building with a cheerful smile.

"I’m back with the groceries! I’ll cook you something amazing later! Let’s go upstairs. And listen, I passed my interview!"

"..."

Zhang Xu fell silent. Instead of showing any happiness for his girlfriend, his face grew wary.

Because in the split second the passenger door was open, he had seen that the driver was a sharply dressed man in a suit.

’He didn’t look half-bad either!’

This made Zhang Xu’s brow furrow, and he demanded in a cold voice.

"Who brought you here?"

"It was Shen... Lin Shen. The colleague I was always telling you about."

Xu Lei, seemingly oblivious to the change in Zhang Xu’s expression, continued to chatter excitedly.

"You won’t believe it! He turned out to be the boss who interviewed me! He’s the one who founded Shennan! Can you believe it? I was shocked, too."

"No, I certainly didn’t expect that..."

Seeing his girlfriend so elated, the sour jealousy in Zhang Xu’s heart felt like it was about to bubble over.

"Why did you get in his car?"

"Because it was raining, and he was kind enough to give me a ride. What’s the problem?"

Xu Lei finally sensed that something was wrong with his mood, her expression turning to one of disbelief.

"You can’t be suspecting me, can you?"

"It’s kind of hard not to be."

Zhang Xu sneered.

"You could have sat anywhere, but you just had to sit in the front passenger seat? And on top of that, you’re getting a big bag of groceries from his trunk. You two must be awfully close. Driving another man’s girlfriend home... who knows what’s really on his mind..."

"He’s not a rideshare driver! Would it look right for me to sit in the back seat?"

Xu Lei couldn’t believe it. She had deliberately tried to keep her distance from Lin Shen, only to be suspected and openly ridiculed by her own boyfriend.

Her desire to take the initiative and smooth things over between them instantly sank to rock bottom.

"Can you please stop being so unreasonable! You know what? Shen is the one who bought these groceries!"

"I told him we had a fight, and he was advising me to be more understanding, telling me all your good qualities. And this is how you repay him? By making sarcastic remarks?"

’Huh?’

Xu Lei’s furious questioning left Zhang Xu baffled.

’Did I really misunderstand?’

Just as the atmosphere turned heavy and silent, Lin Shen, seeing that the two appeared to be fighting, got out of his car.

As he watched the man approach slowly through the rain under an umbrella, Zhang Xu’s heart skipped a beat, his face filled with confusion.

’He’s Lin Shen?’

’I remember Leilei saying he was just some ordinary guy... You call *this* ordinary?’

Zhang Xu had met Lin Shen once before, when he’d gone to pick Xu Lei up from her company.

As he recalled, Lin Shen had been rather chubby; in any case, he hadn’t looked as good as Zhang Xu himself.

’And now you’re telling me this devastatingly handsome man, who looks to be six feet tall, is Lin Shen?’

’You’ve got to be kidding me!’

’How could he have changed so drastically?’

At this sight, Zhang Xu’s sense of crisis went into overdrive. He eyed Lin Shen warily, subconsciously moving his body to stand between him and Xu Lei.

"You’re Lin Shen?"

"Hello."

Lin Shen smiled and extended his right hand, but Zhang Xu didn’t take it.

Seeing this made Xu Lei’s heart sink, and she became utterly disappointed in him.

’Forget whatever attitude you want to have toward Lin Shen, don’t you know basic social etiquette?’

’He has no common decency at all!’

’So rude!’

’So uncivilized!’

"It’s normal for couples to bicker. There’s no need to let things get this tense. It’s always better to just talk things out."

Lin Shen said with a smile, even though Zhang Xu was clearly hostile.

"You need to have more confidence in yourself, man."

’Like I need a lecture from you.’

Zhang Xu’s brow furrowed, his heart heavy.

Though he was reluctant to admit it, Lin Shen’s mere presence was enough to exert immense pressure on him, as if they belonged to two different worlds.

’If a man like him really decided to pursue Xu Lei, would I even stand a chance?’

Agitated, Zhang Xu grabbed his girlfriend’s hand to lead her upstairs, desperate to get her away from Lin Shen.

"Leilei, let’s talk upstairs."

"Don’t touch me."

Xu Lei violently wrenched her hand away from Zhang Xu’s grip, then turned and bowed to Lin Shen.

"I’m sorry, Shen. I’m sorry for all the trouble. Zhang Xu is just... like this. Please don’t take it to heart. And thank you for the ride home."

"It’s no problem."

Lin Shen smiled and waved.

"You two head upstairs. I’m taking off."

"Okay."

After watching Lin Shen drive away, Zhang Xu let out a long sigh of relief. Seemingly realizing he had been too petty, he tried to apologize in a placating tone.

"Leilei, please don’t be angry. It was my fault. I thought... I thought Lin Shen had designs on you. I misunderstood."

"You’re not the problem. I am."

Xu Lei said softly, with no energy left to argue with him.

By this point, she was completely and utterly disheartened with him.

Just moments ago, Xu Lei had been ecstatic about her new job, but now, all that happiness had vanished into thin air.

’I can forget about the job now.’

’Lin Shen has to be furious.’

A helpless feeling, like she just wanted to laugh, washed over Xu Lei. She picked up the groceries and turned to head upstairs, which immediately sent Zhang Xu into a panic.

He wasn’t afraid of his girlfriend throwing a fit; what he feared was her silence.

"Leilei, I’m sorry, okay?"