Why did the system take my request to take photos with a cosplayer seriously?

Ding Heng: Okay.

Putting his phone away, Ding Heng continued to stare blankly out the window.

It was already dark by 5:30 p.m.

Ding Heng parked his car downstairs at Hua Qing's house and spotted a cold, aloof figure under the streetlights in the distance.

Perhaps to avoid the accidental encounter with Lin Man last time, Hua Qing specially dressed up, maintaining her usual ancient style.

Her makeup made her eyebrows and eyes appear softer than usual, and her long hair was half-tied up and secured with a white jade hairpin, with the rest draped over her shoulders.

The light pink, high-waisted ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) is embroidered with delicate lotus scroll patterns, and the neckline is slightly open, revealing a section of fair neck.

The skirt was bright white, with a flowing hem that swayed gently in the night breeze.

Quiet and dignified, beautiful and graceful.

"Senior!"

Ding Heng rolled down the car window and called out.

Hua Qing looked up at him, walked over, opened the car door, and sat in the passenger seat.

Ding Heng smiled and praised, "Senior, you look really beautiful today."

Hua Qing paused in fastening her seatbelt, then turned her face away: "Smooth talker."

"Just telling the truth."

Ding Heng started the car and slowly drove out of the residential area: "What did you call me here for, senior?"

Hua Qing pursed her lips: "I'd like to pick out a New Year's gift for someone, could you please give me some suggestions?"

"Who did you pick it for?"

"Um... a younger brother."

"younger brother?"

Ding Heng glanced at her: "Just a younger brother?"

Hua Qing's ears burned slightly, and her voice lowered: "A younger brother who is quite close to me..."

How intimate?

"Anyway, it's just...very intimate!"

Hua Qing glared at him, embarrassed and annoyed, her tone hardening: "Are you going to help or not?"

Ding Heng couldn't help but laugh at her blatant attempt to cover up her embarrassment.

"Of course we'll help."

He looked away and stared straight ahead: "Perfect timing, I was also planning to pick out a gift for someone, could you help me with some suggestions, senior?"

Hua Qing was taken aback: "Who is it?"

Ding Heng was quite blunt: "Long He, it's her birthday soon."

Hua Qing's expression froze for a moment. She subconsciously wanted to say something, but then silently swallowed it back, as if she was hesitating about whether she should be jealous of Long He.

After all, Long He had saved her and stood up for her.

Besides, who am I?

girlfriend?

still is……

Hua Qing lowered her eyes and didn't speak. The car slowly drove towards the city center.

The mall was brightly lit, and the Christmas decorations were still up, with red ribbons and golden bells hanging everywhere.

The two walked side by side through the crowd, Hua Qing's eyes scanning each shop.

Ding Heng asked, "Have you decided what to give?"

Hua Qing shook her head: "That's why I came to you, I hadn't thought it through yet."

"What does your younger brother usually like to do?"

"You guys are all pretty much the same, just pick the one you like."

"Then I won't be polite!"

"Oh……"

Hua Qing pouted and didn't reply.

The two entered a men's clothing store. Hua Qing slowly walked around in front of the clothes racks, her fingers tracing over the shirts, jackets, and sweatshirts.

Ding Heng followed beside him, without urging him on.

Hua Qing picked up a dark gray sweater, turned it over to look at the tag, and then put it down.

"This one won't do?"

"Too ordinary."

She picked up another jacket, examined it for a few seconds, and shook her head.

"Too flashy, the style is wrong."

"What do you think his usual style is?"

"He's the... low-key type."

"About the same as me?"

"Um……"

Hua Qing blushed, hung the jacket back up, and turned to walk out of the store.

Ding Heng followed silently, a smile playing on his lips.

He didn't dislike Hua Qing's awkward personality; in fact, he found it inexplicably amusing.

It's as if she needs the title of "girlfriend" to convince herself, and she always emphasizes that she was "forced" by you, Ding Heng.

From beginning to end, he refused to relinquish even the last shred of his pride.

The two of them are clearly aware of the situation, but she refuses to reveal it, thus preserving the unexciting birthday "surprise" that will take several days to arrive.

Once their bond is fully formed, Ding Heng will definitely test whether the fairy's mouth can still be so stubborn when she rolls her eyes and starts acting sweet.

As Hua Qing passed a luxury jewelry store, she suddenly stopped.

The shop window displays a variety of men's accessories—watches, bracelets, necklaces, cufflinks.

The warm yellow light shone on it, giving it an exquisite and expensive sheen.

Hua Qing stared at those things for a few seconds, then, as if possessed, pushed the door open and went inside.

The sales assistant approached: "What would you like to see, ma'am? These are new models, made of silver, and can be engraved."

Hua Qing nodded and looked down to examine it carefully.

She looked at them very carefully, picking up each one to weigh it and examining it closely.

How about this one?

Hua Qing picked up a silver bracelet with a finely woven pattern.

Ding Heng leaned over to take a look: "It's alright."

What does "it's alright" mean?

"It's... alright."

"That won't work..."

Hua Qing put the bracelet back and continued looking.

After looking at a few more, she picked up a leather bracelet, dark brown in color, with a silver clasp on it, simple and elegant.

"what about this?"

Ding Heng took it and weighed it in his palm.

"This is good."

"real or fake?"

"real."

Hua Qing turned the bracelet over and over several times, seemingly hesitant.

After all, the gift Wenjing prepared was a bracelet. Should the man wear one on each wrist, or two on each wrist?

The sales assistant spoke up at the opportune moment: "This one can be engraved. You can engrave your name or the date on the back of the buckle."

Hua Qing finally handed the item back: "Let me take another look."

Similar gifts, bought with my own money and handmade by Wenjing, still feel worlds apart in terms of quality.

"Not buying?"

"Let's take another look."

"Row."

Ding Heng smiled but didn't say anything more.

For the next two hours, Ding Heng accompanied Hua Qing to visit one store after another.

Hua Qing was fully focused from beginning to end, observing carefully, comparing meticulously, and agonizing over the details.

Ding Heng would occasionally offer suggestions and tease her, making the fairy blush with embarrassment and annoyance.

The two strolled from the first floor to the fifth floor, then from the fifth floor to the basement, and finally stopped in the rest area of ​​the mall's atrium.

Hua Qing sat on a bench with a Nikon Z8 packed up in front of her, along with various lenses and other equipment.

Her original budget was around 30,000 yuan, which is roughly equivalent to the monthly allowance Ding Heng currently gives to his girlfriend.

But the sales assistant, seeing she was a novice, persuaded her to add various devices, eventually bringing the total price to nearly 30,000 or 40,000 yuan at checkout...

"Is this senior going all out?"