Faced with Gu Wanqing's innocent, simple gaze, Lin Shen froze. His cheeks suddenly burned, and he felt a wave of shame.
He coughed awkwardly and put on the air of an elder.
"This is grown-up business. Kids shouldn't ask so many questions."
"I'm a grown-up too, okay?! I just turned eighteen this month!"
Gu Wanqing put her hands on her hips, looking unconvinced, and even held up her ID card to prove it to Lin Shen.
This put him in an awkward spot, so he could only pretend to be angry and say sternly,
"So you were rummaging through my wardrobe, were you?"
"Brother-in-law, didn't you just forgive me..."
Hearing Lin Shen bring up the "wardrobe rummaging" again, Gu Wanqing immediately deflated, her expression pitiful.
"I was wrong."
"I'm just kidding. I'm not mad at you."
Lin Shen smiled gently, quickly changing the subject to drop the matter.
"You haven't eaten yet, have you?"
"Nope, but I brought some specialties from my hometown."
Gu Wanqing pulled two vacuum-sealed packages of cured meat from her suitcase.
"I was originally going to give one to you and one to my sister, but since she's not here, you can have them both."
"Thanks."
Lin Shen wasn't one for false modesty. After accepting Gu Wanqing's gift, he noticed a light white, rectangular amulet tied to her suitcase handle. It had "Winning the Golden Branch of the Moon Palace" written on it.
However, due to the passage of time, the fabric had yellowed and faded.
But it was clear that it had been well-preserved, and he could faintly smell the clean scent of mugwort from within.
Lin Shen was surprised to see the amulet, because it was a gift he had given Gu Wanqing a year ago.
"Winning the Golden Branch of the Moon Palace" is a wish for someone to stand out and achieve great results in the competitive college entrance exams.
"You actually still have it?"
"This?"
Gu Wanqing pointed at the amulet, her tone matter-of-fact.
"Of course I kept it! Wasn't it a gift from you, brother-in-law?"
"It was... I did give it to you..."
A soft spot in Lin Shen's heart was suddenly touched.
He never expected that something he had given so casually, something he himself had forgotten about, would be so carefully preserved by Gu Wanqing.
That was the greatest respect a gift-giver could receive.
Lin Shen felt a strange sense of being moved and couldn't help but pat Gu Wanqing's head.
"Come on! I'll take you out for something good to eat!"
"But we haven't finished cleaning."
"What's there to clean? Aren't you here to travel?"
Lin Shen laughed heartily.
"I'll be your tour guide. I'll show you around Modu for the next few days!"
"Yay!"
Gu Wanqing clapped her hands excitedly and immediately rushed into the master bedroom to change.
Seeing this, Lin Shen went to the bathroom to style his hair.
With the help of various items from[Sports Health], his height had increased to five-foot-eleven, and his once-obese figure had become well-proportioned.
The skin on his face, once covered in dark spots and dark circles, had become smooth and supple. His features were refined, and his nearsightedness had improved to 200 degrees.
All of his body's stats were improving. Even his bad habit of slouching had been corrected by his recent period of intense training.
Compared to the person he was just ten-odd days ago, the current Lin Shen was like a completely different man.
He looked in the mirror, very pleased with his recent transformation.
"So handsome!"
Seeing Lin Shen ready to go and waiting in the entryway, Gu Wanqing's eyes lit up, and she didn't hold back her praise.
"Brother-in-law, you seem so different from before! You're so handsome! You're just like the male lead in a TV drama."
"You think so?"
Lin Shen rubbed his nose, a little shy, then gestured for her to come.
"Let's go."
"Okay."
After leaving the apartment, the two first went to a nearby restaurant to grab a bite.
It was a Hunan restaurant. Its spicy flavors were a stark contrast to the sweeter tastes common in Modu.
But Lin Shen really liked it.
The place was clean, the prices were reasonable, and the portions were large—perfect for a working stiff like him.
Especially the beef brisket over rice. Lin Shen ordered it every time he came, to the point that the owner now recognized him.
"You're here? The usual?"
"Not today. We'll be ordering from the menu."
Lin Shen looked at Gu Wanqing.
"How about you recommend a few dishes?"
"Then let's get the stir-fried pork with chili peppers, Hengyang fish noodle soup, and the Changde-style beef offal pot."
"An expert!"
The owner couldn't help but give her a thumbs-up.
He heard that not only did Gu Wanqing order a classic must-try dish like stir-fried pork with chili peppers, but also two more obscure, regional dishes.
Combined with her distinct accent, it was easy to guess where she was from.
"You're a Hunan girl?"
"That's right!"
Gu Wanqing gave a sweet smile.
"Thank you, sir!"
"Hey! It's no trouble at all."
The owner waved his hand dismissively and turned to walk into the kitchen.
Gu Wanqing sat obediently at the table. She didn't seem to mind eating at a small restaurant like this; in fact, she was quite excited.
"I wonder how the flavors will compare to back home."
"They should be pretty similar."
'Comparisons are cruel, aren't they!'
Lin Shen couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
Gu Wanting was never willing to eat at a place like this. Every time they went on a date, she had to choose a trendy, influencer-hyped restaurant, especially the ones with a "special atmosphere."
'The prices were absolutely outrageous!'
In comparison, the younger Gu Wanqing was much more sensible.
'Maybe it's because she hasn't stepped out into the real world yet?'
A thought stirred in Lin Shen's mind.
After the food arrived, he ordered a large bowl of rice. It was especially delicious with a dish like stir-fried pork with chili peppers.
Because of his training regimen, Lin Shen had almost forgotten what meat tasted like.
The last time he'd eaten meat was... well, the last time, which was a week ago when he had barbecue with Qin Yuenan.
After so long, Lin Shen decided to indulge himself again, and also to test whether the "no regression" effect from[Sports Health] was real.
If it was, he would no longer have to endure bland diet meals of broccoli and tomatoes.
"I'm so full."
Gu Wanqing patted her slightly bulging tummy with satisfaction.
After they had eaten and drunk their fill, Lin Shen decided to take her to Wukang Road that afternoon.
As everyone knows, besides the Oriental Pearl tower and Disneyland, the other must-see attraction in Modu is the Wukang Building on Wukang Road.
Wukang Road → Xintiandi → Tianzifang → City God Temple—this tourist route had been recommended by countless bloggers.
Naturally, Lin Shen had to let the first-time Modu visitor Gu Wanqing experience it.
And, of course, complete a mission for [GoGo Maps] along the way.
[Upgrade Mission: Check in at Modu's famous roadscape—Wukang Road (Completed).]
[Reward: GoGo Maps Lv. 3 → Lv. 4]
[Congratulations, "GoGo Maps" has successfully upgraded to LV. 4! Bonus Reward Triggered: Item Scratch-off Ticket x1.]
[Industrial funds accumulated per Red Point passed increased from 20,000 → 25,000. Current accumulation: 200,000]
[Reward Item: Random Scratch-off Ticket x1]
[Upgrade Mission: Randomly check in at any university campus in Modu]
「4:00 PM.」
"Wow!"
The moment she saw the Wukang Building, Gu Wanqing was completely captivated.
The building's walls were primarily red brick, complemented by wrought-iron railings and carved plaster, giving it a rich historical charm and making it a spectacular sight.
At least for Gu Wanqing, who was seeing it for the first time, it was enough to keep her excited for a while, snapping pictures from every possible angle.
Meanwhile, Lin Shen was on his phone, scratching away.
[Congratulations, you've won first prize: 5,888!]
[Congratulations, you've won an item: One-Day Travel Voucher]
[Note: After use, this voucher will reimburse all of the host's travel-related expenses within 24 hours, including but not limited to food, lodging, and transportation. The final reimbursement amount will be determined by "Payment Treasure." (Please be true to your intentions and do not use this for cash-out schemes.)]
Construction Bank: Your account ending in 7946 received a deposit of 5,888 RMB at 4:23 PM on August 3. Current balance: 163,000.