Why is the system taking my request to photograph a cosplayer seriously?

Chapter 256 Absolute Success in the Secular World

After Baima left, the festive atmosphere in Changsha grew stronger day by day.

Red lanterns are hung in the streets and alleys, and the song "Gong Xi Fa Cai" (Wishing you prosperity) plays on a loop in supermarkets.

Wenjing is busy every day buying New Year's goods and studying the menu for the New Year's Eve dinner. She takes care of everything inside and out like a dutiful daughter-in-law.

Zhao Yanxi stayed at home and made a video call every day without fail.

One minute he's complaining about having too many relatives, the next he's showing off how he helped his mom cook, and he always ends up saying, "Brother Ding Heng, you absolutely have to come pick me up on the second day of the Lunar New Year."

With nothing to do during her free time, Hua Qing took the initiative to go into the kitchen with Wen Jing a few times. Although her knife skills were terrible, her attitude was so good that no one could bear to laugh at her.

Lin Man was the only one who was busier than usual.

In the last few days before the Lunar New Year, she spent almost all her time in her study, constantly receiving phone calls and switching back and forth between reports and emails on her computer screen.

As Ding Heng's "housekeeper," she had to sort out the accounts for the year and then make smooth plans for the coming year.

Ding Heng was the only one who was truly at ease.

Final exams were no pressure for him; Lin Man and Manager Huang kept an eye on things at the company; and Wen Jing took care of the household chores.

He sleeps until he naturally wakes up every day, occasionally goes shopping with the girls, or brews a pot of tea on the balcony and watches the cargo ships slowly sail by on the Xiangjiang River.

That afternoon, Ding Heng was leaning back on the sofa, rubbing black beans, when Lin Man came out of the study with a stack of documents in her hand.

"Boss."

"Um?

'

"In Hong Kong, the annual meeting is scheduled for the 28th. Manager Huang asked me, 'Are you going?'"

Ding Heng took the document and looked it over; it contained the annual meeting's agenda and a list of attendees.

What do you think?

Lin Man sat down next to Ding Heng and said thoughtfully, "Since the company was established, you haven't officially appeared in front of the employees yet. Although Manager Huang is in charge of the daily operations, you should at least say a few words at the end of the year."

Actually, she couldn't quite understand Ding Heng. After all, the company belonged to him. Was it appropriate for him to just sit back and do nothing?

Ding Heng placed the document on the coffee table and pondered for a moment.

"Okay, let's go. Wenjing and Huaqing have never been to Hong Kong before, so I'll show them around."

"Should I go too?"

"If you don't go, who will make the arrangements for me?"

"Yes, boss!"

Lin Man stood up with a smile, picked up her phone and started booking flights and hotels.

Ding Heng leaned back on the sofa, his gaze fixed on the hazy horizon outside the window.

In just two years.

The people, things, and events around me have undergone earth-shattering changes.

As a lucky man, he has already reached the so-called worldly standard of success.

On the 27th day of the twelfth lunar month, the group flew from Singapore to Hong Kong.

It was already evening when we landed, and the city lights were just coming on.

Lin Man's booked hotel is located at the southernmost tip of the Kowloon Peninsula, directly facing Victoria Harbour.

The executive suite is on the 36th floor, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the entire bay, and the lights of Victoria Peak faintly visible in the night.

-

With Zhao Yanxi not around, Wenjing and Hua Qing naturally occupied the master bedroom, while Lin Man stayed in the next room.

But everyone knew that by nightfall, they would most likely end up in the same bed again.

After a short rest, the group first went to the hotel restaurant for a simple meal, and then took a walk along the seaside promenade to digest their food.

Winters in Hong Kong are much warmer than in Singapore, and the sea breeze feels quite pleasant on your face.

Wenjing and Huaqing walked side by side in front, occasionally stopping to take a few photos.

Lin Man followed Ding Heng, still confirming the details of tomorrow's annual meeting.

"Has everything been arranged with Manager Huang?"

"Yes, the venue is in Wan Chai, and it starts at 2 PM. The process isn't complicated. Boss, you just need to go up and say a few words, present awards to outstanding employees, and then draw a prize."

Has the year-end bonus figure been set?

"It's settled."

Lin Man handed over her phone: "According to Manager Huang, this year we'll be tiered by performance, with the lowest tier having a six-month grace period."

The screen displays a long list, with each name followed by a number.

Hengbai Capital was established less than a year ago, and the team is small, with a maximum of about twenty people.

"You can decide for yourselves."

Ding Heng handed the phone back, and Lin Man put it away, then took his arm.

"Oh, by the way, I ordered a new suit for the boss, it'll be delivered to the hotel tomorrow morning—"

"Don't I have a suit?"

"New year, new look—besides, boss, this is your first time appearing in public, you have to look handsome!"

Ding Heng reached out and pinched Lin Man's cheek, his tone indulgent.

"You certainly know how to make arrangements."

He didn't understand anything about company operations. To him, Hengbai Capital was just a symbolic tool, with little emotion or effort invested.

This trip to Hong Kong is basically like dusting off the tools.

The following afternoon, Ding Heng changed his clothes and stood in front of the dressing mirror.

The dark navy three-piece suit is made of a British wool blend, which has a rich texture but is not dull.

The shirt was a clean white, the tie was a low-key silver-gray, and the cufflinks were brought back from Switzerland by Lin Man last month. They were simple in design, with only a small "H" engraved on the edge.

Lin Man squatted down beside Ding Heng's feet, carefully straightening the wrinkles in his trousers, and then stood up to help him adjust the length of his tie.

"Boss, raise your hand. Turn around so I can see."

Ding Heng turned around.

Lin Man took two steps back, looked him up and down, and nodded in satisfaction.

"good."

"If you ordered it, how could it not be good?"

Ding Heng reached out and pinched Lin Man's chin, gently pressing his thumb against her lower lip.

Lin Man took the opportunity to tiptoe and gently kiss Ding Heng's lips, then stepped back, took out a lipstick from her bag, and began to touch up her makeup.

"Boss, let's go. The car's downstairs."

The annual meeting was held in a conference hall in an office building in Wan Chai.

It's not big, about 200 square meters, and it's decorated in a simple and elegant style.

The stage backdrop featured the Hengbai Capital logo, a dark blue background with white lettering and clean lines.

Manager Huang stood at the door to greet guests, dressed in a smart black suit dress, her hair tied up, making her look more mature than usual.

"Mr. Ding."

She came forward, speaking politely and formally: "This way, please."

Ding Heng followed her into the venue.

About twenty employees had arrived and were sitting in twos and threes around the round table, creating a relaxed and casual atmosphere.

When Manager Huang led in a strange young man, everyone fell silent for a moment, and all eyes turned to him.

Some people recognized Ding Heng and whispered to the people next to them, while others were guessing.

Who is this? New here? Or—

Manager Huang walked to the center of the stage and picked up the microphone.

"Everyone, please be quiet."

The whispers in the meeting room gradually subsided.

"At today's annual meeting, the first thing I want to do is introduce someone to everyone."

She turned to the side and reached out her hand towards Ding Heng.

"This is Ding Heng, the founder of Hengbai Capital, and also our boss."

Sparse applause rang out in the hall.

Ding Heng walked onto the stage and took the microphone from Manager Huang.

"Hello everyone, I'm Ding Heng."

His gaze swept across the room.

He picked up the manuscript that Lin Man had prepared in advance and began to read it without any emotion.

The crowd didn't react much until Ding Heng announced the decision to "double the year-end bonus," at which point thunderous applause erupted.

Afterwards, a group of employees gathered around and introduced themselves in a flurry of chatter.

Ding Heng dealt with each question in a friendly and approachable manner, without putting on airs.

After the annual meeting, Manager Huang escorted Ding Heng to the elevator.

"Mr. Ding, you've had a long day."

"You have it harder."

Ding Heng said politely, "This past year, it's all thanks to you working so hard."

"Without Mr. Ding's remote guidance, the company would not have developed so quickly."

Manager Huang dared not be complacent or arrogant.

Of everyone in the company, she was the only one who truly understood that the company's success in domestic and international financial markets was mainly due to Ding Heng's guidance, and that her role was simply to manage the operations effectively.

Just as Manager Huang was about to say something, Ding Heng raised his hand to interrupt her.

"Manager Huang, are you free later? I'd like to talk to you about something privately."

Manager Huang was taken aback for a moment, then nodded.

"OK."

Twenty minutes later, the two sat down in the coffee shop.

Ding Heng picked up his cup and took a sip.

"Manager Huang, you've been working at Hengbai Capital for over half a year now. How are you feeling?"

"fine."

Manager Huang carefully worded: "Although the company is just starting out, we are on the right track, the pace is steady, and you trust me, boss."

Ding Heng nodded, his fingers gently stroking the rim of the cup.

"Then let me ask you something."

"Boss, you say it."

"In September of this year, you bought a stock in advance through the company's information channels, and sold it two weeks later, making a profit of about 800,000."

The color drained from Manager Huang's face instantly.

"At the end of October, you used the company's risk control data to determine that a certain client's position was problematic, so you shorted the stock in advance and made about 1.2 million."

Ding Heng spoke in a calm and unhurried tone.

"In mid-December, you leaked the core financial data of an investment target that the company was negotiating to a friend. That friend bought in before the news was released and made about three million. He transferred six hundred thousand to you as a kickback."

Manager Huang began to tremble, completely unable to imagine where Ding Heng had gotten the information.

Ding Heng picked up his coffee and took another sip: "Manager Huang, you've worked with Aunt Qu Zhen for so many years, didn't she teach you that there are some kinds of money you can't earn?"

Manager Huang stammered, "Boss, I—"

"I'm not here to interrogate you."

Ding Heng interrupted her again: "I've already spoken to Aunt Quzhen about this beforehand, and she did me a favor by letting me trust you one more time. She said you're capable and loyal, but you've been stuck working as a nanny for Baima for too long and are too eager to make money."

Manager Huang nervously swallowed.

Ding Heng put down his coffee cup: "The money you've earned, totaling around two million, should be just enough for this year-end bonus, right?"

Manager Huang immediately replied sensibly, "Boss, I understand. I guarantee you won't lose a single penny."

There will be no next time.

Ding Heng stood up and patted her on the shoulder: "After the New Year, pay more attention to the company's expansion. There will be many more things for you to worry about in the future."

Simply put, Ding Heng is just an ordinary person. Even if he gains extraordinary power, he doesn't have many ideals or ambitions, and he doesn't want to actively challenge the rules of the secular world.

If he truly intended to be a good boss, he would have severely punished Manager Huang today and established his authority among the employees.

But as I said before, Hengbai Capital is just a tool for Ding Heng, and it works well for him so far, so there's no need to make too many adjustments.

He doesn't need the employees' admiration, nor does he need Manager Huang's absolute loyalty.

As long as the tools can continue to function and guarantee him sufficient worldly material enjoyment, that's enough.

It was almost 10 o'clock when we got back to the hotel.

Wenjing and Huaqing nestled on the sofa in the living room, with a local Hong Kong Lunar New Year program playing on the TV.

Upon seeing Ding Heng enter, the two turned their heads simultaneously.

"You're back?"

Wenjing stood up, took the suit jacket he had taken off, and hung it on the hanger.

Hua Qing didn't move, but picked up her teacup and took a small sip.

Lin Man walked out of the bedroom, now wearing a light gray slip dress, her long hair loose, looking relaxed and casual.

"Boss, are you done talking?"

"Um.

""

Ding Heng walked to the floor-to-ceiling window and gazed at the night view of Victoria Harbour.

The night view of Hong Kong is completely different from that of Star City. The harbor is bustling and noisy, with the lights of the high-rise buildings on both sides reflected on the sea.

The skyscrapers of Central stand side by side, and even as the year draws to a close, behind every lit window, countless people are busy making a living.

Meanwhile, he stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window on the 36th floor, enjoying the blessings of having multiple wives, and had just casually distributed year-end bonuses of over a million.

Ding Heng exhaled softly, and a small patch of white mist appeared on the glass.

I heard soft footsteps behind me.

Wenjing walked to his side and stood quietly without saying a word.

Hua Qing also came over and stood on his other side, equally silent.

Lin Man wrapped her arms around his waist from behind, resting her chin on his shoulder, her breath warm.

"Boss, what are you thinking about?"

"It's nothing."

Ding Heng raised his hand and placed it on the back of Lin Man's hand.

"I just think it's pretty good."

None of the three women spoke.

Lin Man made the first move.

She loosened her grip on Ding Heng's waist, walked around to face him, and stood on tiptoe to wrap her arms around his neck.

"Boss, they haven't given out their year-end bonuses yet!"

"What do you want?"

"I want to be filled up by the boss!"

"greedy."

Ding Heng chuckled softly, then turned his gaze to Wen Jing and Hua Qing beside him, pulling them into his arms, one in each hand.

"Go and draw the curtains."

"clear."

Lin Man obediently responded and pressed the button on the wall, and the electric curtains slowly closed.

The moment the light disappeared, the room was plunged into complete darkness.

The friction of clothing, the contact of skin, the suppressed breathing.

Ding Heng's senses, enhanced by the system, were amplified to the extreme in the darkness. Three bodies pressed against him, their temperature, breath, and touch intertwined.

His rough, large hands roamed in the darkness, from his collarbone to his waist, and from his waist to his thigh.

Every inch of her skin responded to his touch, slightly warm and trembling.

Finally, the mattress sank in.

Length of night.

A sliver of light peeks through the gap in the curtains—the sleepless lights of Victoria Harbour.

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