Financial Independence through Cracked Apps-Chapter 122 - 114: Leveling Up to Lv.10, [Camera and Album] Version 2.0
7:30 PM.
The Qinhuai Riverfront.
Mist veils the cold water, moonlight veils the sand / A night moored on the Qinhuai, near a tavern’s stand.
The riverbanks didn’t feel particularly special during the day.
But once night fell, the Qinhuai Riverfront became *the* must-see attraction for any tourist in Jinling, bar none.
Crimson lanterns hung from the eaves of black-canopied boats, and the ornate, painted pavilions on both banks were bathed in a warm, yellow glow.
Upturned eaves traced gilded silhouettes against the sky, while colorful tassels dangled from palace lanterns along the covered walkways.
The water shimmered, reflecting the bright figures of people.
Standing here felt like stepping back into ancient times, with street vendors and revelers everywhere.
Lin Shen strolled along the streets of the Qinhuai Riverfront, holding Qin Yuenan’s hand, his heart filled with emotion.
’This scenery is gorgeous!’
Of course, it wasn’t just the scenery; there were also the people.
Many young women in hanfu had gathered here, taking pictures to mark their visit. Their charming, bird-like laughter was captivating.
Their cute and pretty appearances kept drawing Lin Shen’s gaze, making Qin Yuenan, beside him, a little jealous. Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"Is the hanfu pretty?"
"Not bad."
Lin Shen turned his head. After meeting Qin Yuenan’s icy gaze, his smile vanished and he quickly explained himself.
"I was just thinking that the hanfu they’re wearing would look absolutely stunning on you."
"Then let’s go rent one."
Without another word, Qin Yuenan pulled Lin Shen to a large hanfu rental shop nearby, seemingly in a fit of pique.
’You like looking at hanfu, right?’
’Fine, I’ll put one on so you can look all you want!’
The shop was already filled with customers choosing their outfits.
Some of them were sitting in front of vanity mirrors, having their makeup and styling done by the staff.
Makeup and styling was the most crucial step for a hanfu photoshoot, taking anywhere from half an hour to an hour.
The overall makeup had to match the hanfu, and the choice of hairstyle and various headpieces was also a meticulous process.
Most people couldn’t handle such a complex procedure themselves and had to leave it to the professionals.
After pulling Lin Shen into the shop, Qin Yuenan crossed her arms and gestured around with her chin.
"Go on, pick. I’ll wear whatever you choose."
"Are we really renting one?"
Lin Shen glanced at the dazzling array of hanfu around them, then reminded her in a low voice,
"Other people have worn all of these. Aren’t you a germaphobe?"
"A little, but it’s fine."
Qin Yuenan looked unconcerned.
"I’m not going to wear it against my bare skin. I’ll just put it on over my clothes."
"Good point."
Lin Shen cupped his chin and began to carefully browse the racks.
Given Qin Yuenan’s cool and detached aura, an ordinary style of hanfu just wouldn’t do.
She wasn’t suited for a cute and bubbly style; she needed something befitting her cool, aloof, older-sister vibe.
Moreover, the makeup couldn’t be too heavy, nor could there be too many hair ornaments, or it would fail to accentuate Qin Yuenan’s exquisite, natural beauty.
After much deliberation, Lin Shen decisively chose an emerald green, wide-sleeved robe.
Paired with its accompanying skirt, it would look ethereal and flowing.
"This one."
"Are you sure?"
Qin Yuenan held the skirt Lin Shen had chosen up to her body and her brows furrowed slightly.
"This doesn’t really look like a typical hanfu."
"Right, it’s more of a xianxia style."
Lin Shen explained with a light chuckle.
"After you put it on, Nan, you’ll look just like the senior disciple of a righteous, prominent sect."
"Hmph."
Qin Yuenan snorted softly. Her eyes lit up as she glanced around.
"You’re wearing one with me."
Huh?
Before Lin Shen could react, Qin Yuenan had dragged him over to the rack of men’s hanfu and begun to choose one for him.
Finally, she picked out a mamianqun that was primarily black, with white branches and flowers printed along the hem.
"Here!"
Qin Yuenan shoved the mamianqun into Lin Shen’s arms. After sizing it up against him, she nodded in satisfaction.
"It suits you. Put it on."
"..."
Lin Shen held the mamianqun up to himself in the mirror. At 182cm tall, it was a perfect fit; the hem would hang just above the floor.
’Not bad.’
Lin Shen’s biggest dream after achieving financial freedom was to experience things he never had before.
So, never having worn hanfu before, he was actually quite interested.
He called over a staff member, rented both sets of hanfu, and went to the changing room to try them on.
Of course, "changing" was a strong word; he was really just putting it on over his clothes.
The mamianqun was relatively simple to put on, so Lin Shen came out of the changing room before Qin Yuenan.
Instantly, many eyes in the shop converged on Lin Shen, following him as he walked to the full-length mirror.
The clean shoulder line complemented the draping skirt. The masculine V-shape of his broad shoulders and narrow waist, accentuated by the cross-collar and sash, made his upper body look incredibly broad and upright.
Combined with the faintly bulging veins on his wrists and his sharp jawline, he exuded a dignified air that still held a trace of youthful heroism.
Seeing this, many of the young women in hanfu began to swoon, staring at Lin Shen with undisguised amazement and admiration.
After all, his well-proportioned figure was perfectly suited for a mamianqun!
With the faint, mischievous smirk playing on his lips, he looked just like the lazy, nonchalant male lead from a novel.
Lin Shen himself, however, didn’t think it was all that great. The mamianqun just did a better job of flattering his figure than his loose casual wear.
"Not bad."
Lin Shen flexed his wrists. A staff member came over and asked if he wanted makeup, but he declined.
"No, thanks."
Other people might need makeup to hide their facial flaws, but Lin Shen didn’t.
He was, for all intents and purposes, perfect.
Thanks to the boosts from the Face-Slimming Exfoliator and Vitality Body Milk, his face—from its contours to his skin texture—was flawless.
As for his hair, that was even less of a concern.
Even though it was nighttime, the weather was still quite hot.
Wearing a wig cap and then gluing on a wig would be unbearable for most people.
Lin Shen had only planned on wearing the hanfu for fun anyway; he didn’t need all these complicated steps.
"Nan is so slow."
Seeing that Qin Yuenan still hadn’t come out, Lin Shen sat on the steps at the shop’s entrance and browsed his phone out of boredom.
He opened the Camera and Album app and uploaded the photo of them kissing from the afternoon for the mission.
’There’s probably nothing that fits the "Sweetness" theme better than this, right?’
[Upgrade Mission: Take a photo with the theme of "Sweetness" (Complete).]
[Reward: Camera and Album Lv. 9 → Lv. 10]
[Photography Skill Enhanced 100% → 110%]
[Congratulations! Camera and Album has successfully reached Lv. 10! Now initiating a version update.]
[Camera and Album 2.0 update in progress...]
’Finally, another app has reached level ten!’
The corners of Lin Shen’s mouth curved up, a quiet joy spreading through him.
He had thought the second cracked app to reach Lv. 10 would be Sports Health, the first one he got.
But he’d been stuck on the "learn a sport you’ve never tried before" mission for a long time.
As a result, Camera and Album had come from behind to take the lead.
[DING—!]
[Camera and Album 2.0 is at your service!]
[Update Notice:]
[1. Photography and Videography Skill Enhanced 110% → 220%]
[2. "Background Templates" has been upgraded to "Character Module": You can now scan photos and videos submitted for missions to obtain permanent attribute BUFFs, including but not limited to Constitution, Spirit, Kidney Power, Charm... ]
[3. Missions will now be replaced with videography, adding video themes and offering all-new additional rewards.]
[New Camera and Album Function Awarded: Super Retouching AI x1]
[Upgrade Mission: Please film a story-based vlog with the theme of "young love."]
’That’s a lot of text!’
Lin Shen couldn’t help but complain in his head before carefully studying the 2.0 update log for Camera and Album.
Just like with GoGo Maps, one of its minor functions had undergone a permanent change.
For GoGo Maps, "Industry Analysis" had upgraded to "Industry Planning."
For Camera and Album, "Background Templates" had upgraded to "Character Module."
Lin Shen looked into it and found that it seemed he could drag all the themed photos into the Character Module.
[Sunset: Permanent Spirit +10]
[Youth: Permanent Constitution +10]
[Animals: "Pet Affection" permanently increased by 20%]
[Gourmet Food: "Taste Bud Sensitivity" permanently increased by 20%]
[Fashion: Permanent Charm +10]
[Sweetness: "Love Firmness with Partner" permanently increased by 20%]
As he watched the various buffs pop up on the screen, Lin Shen suddenly felt an unbearable heat course through him. A strange sense of power welled up in his chest and gradually spread to his limbs.
He hurriedly opened his personal status panel, and his eyes widened in shock.
[Constitution: 84/85 = 75+10 (Super Healthy State: Immune to minor colds, chronic illnesses, etc. Physical fitness is comparable to a pilot’s.)]
[Spirit: 81/82 = 72+10 (Super Energized State: Immune to mental illnesses. Can go 48 hours without sleep.)]
[Kidney Power: 80/86 = 76+10]
[Charm: 80 (Average: 50. Surpasses 60% of ordinary people. Level of a one-in-ten-thousand male internet celebrity.)]
[Height: 182cm; Weight: 78kg]
"No wonder my whole body felt a bit off. My stats changed so drastically..."
Lin Shen muttered to himself, then began to study the newly updated function of Camera and Album—Super Retouching AI.
When he opened it, it looked no different from a normal photoshop program, just with a more simplified interface.
You could drag photos in at the bottom, and on the right were various checkbox options.
These included, but were not limited to, character retouching, scenery enhancement, video editing, GIF creation... countless minor functions like these.
The one that interested Lin Shen the most was "Mosaic Removal."
’It even has this function?’
Lin Shen was genuinely surprised. He tapped on it and read the description carefully.
[Mosaic Removal: Can remove any technological effects from pictures or videos, including but not limited to: beauty filters, waist slimming, face slimming, leg stretching... Please don’t get the wrong idea. This function complies with all relevant laws and regulations and is prohibited from being used for illegal purposes!]
Tch—!
Lin Shen curled his lip in disdain.
’Wouldn’t it have been better to call it "Tech Effect Removal"?’
’They just had to name it Mosaic Removal. Who wouldn’t get the wrong idea seeing that!’
Just as Lin Shen was curiously pondering the updated functions of Camera and Album, he suddenly felt a tap on his shoulder.
A young woman in hanfu had mustered up the courage to talk to him.
"Um... can I add you on WeChat?"
