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

"Let's start with a bottle of Bordeaux. The vintage doesn't have to be too good, just a recent few years' vintage will do."

Does the lady have a favorite winery?

"La Fontaine-Roche."

Lin Man closed the menu, speaking naturally and skillfully: "Prepare the decanter in advance."

The waiter acknowledged and withdrew.

Lin Man picked up her water glass and took a sip. Meeting Ding Heng's gaze, she smiled sheepishly and asked, "Was I too casual?"

"No, it's fine."

Ding Heng spoke in a flat tone.

In this upscale Western restaurant, Lin Man was clearly much more skilled than him...

The waiter brought the red wine, opened the bottle, and poured it into a decanter.

Lin Man picked up her wine glass, brought it close to her nose, and then took a small sip.

"is acceptable."

She put down her wine glass, placed her hands folded on the table, and leaned forward slightly.

"Ding Heng, can I ask you something?"

"ask."

"What exactly do you do?"

"Student, don't you already know?"

"I mean... what does your family do?"

"My dad is a photographer, my mom passed away, and we come from an ordinary family."

"is it?"

Lin Man clearly didn't believe it.

Where do ordinary families get so much money?

He stays in presidential suites every day, keeps a bunch of women around him, and can even help them...

Lin Man simply asked directly, "Did you arrange for Hua Qing to go to the Beijing Dance Academy?"

Ding Heng told the truth: "Her own abilities have little to do with me."

"Not much connection? Does that mean there is a connection?"

"Think whatever you want... People always have to move forward. Hua Qing just wants to improve."

Lin Man lowered her head and poked at the salad on her plate with her fork.

"You're so good to Hua Qing."

Her voice was very soft, and it was impossible to tell what emotion she was expressing.

"She is my woman."

Ding Heng picked up his wine glass, his tone indifferent: "Isn't it only right to be good to her?"

Lin Man didn't reply, but secretly glanced at the man in front of her through the amber-colored wine.

Ding Heng was cutting his steak with his head down, not very skilled with the knife and fork, but his posture was inexplicably calm.

Lin Man lowered her eyes, poked the asparagus in the plate with her fork, but didn't put it in her mouth.

"Ding Heng".

"Ok?"

"You just said Hua Qing is your woman..."

"how?"

"Have you ever thought about what would happen if she found out about what happened between you and me tonight?"

"That depends on what we have to do tonight."

Lin Man choked.

She realized that Ding Heng had completely given up on playing this pointless game with her.

Ding Heng continued, "Speaking of which, you still haven't forgiven Hua Qing?"

Lin Man didn't expect Ding Heng to ask this suddenly, and couldn't help but laugh at herself: "I'm a good person in every way, except that I'm petty and hold grudges."

"If you hold grudges over such trivial matters..."

Ding Heng cut off a piece of steak and stuffed it into his mouth: "Aren't you more vengeful when it comes to big things?"

Lin Man's hand movements came to a complete stop.

Ding Heng continued, "Let me give you a piece of advice: holding grudges is not a good habit, especially if you don't have the ability to get revenge. It will only make you feel more and more frustrated."

The speaker is unintentional and the listener is interested.

Lin Man lowered her eyes and unconsciously chewed the food in her mouth.

She does hold grudges.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have held onto Hua Qing's unintentional remark for three years.

On the other hand...

She was powerless to avenge the true blood feud and had to beg for food under someone else's roof.

Lin Man stuck her fork into the steak and didn't pull it out.

"Ding Heng".

She looked up and met the man's gaze: "What do you mean by saying that to me?"

"Give me some face."

Ding Heng said sincerely, "Make peace with Hua Qing. You two might run into each other again in the future, so there's no need to make things so tense."

Lin Man didn't respond to his comment, but instead laughed: "You really care about Hua Qing."

"I told you, she's my woman."

Ding Heng said matter-of-factly, "I'm a bit of a chauvinist."

Suddenly, something came to Lin Man's mind again.

"That incident where Hua Qing and Long He caused quite a stir last time... was it you who smoothed things over for her?"

Liu Jianming's affair caused quite a stir, and Lin Man naturally heard about it, even knowing more inside information than the average person.

Ding Heng didn't say anything, but picked up his wine glass and took another sip.

Lin Man continued to press, subconsciously lowering her voice as if afraid of disturbing something: "Don't tell me that Liu Jianming turned himself in because he had a change of heart, and even brought his wife and children back to China to suffer."

Ding Heng put down his wine glass, his expression remaining unchanged.

"There might be some connection, but don't overthink it."

He neither admitted nor denied it.

But Lin Man's heart was already in turmoil.

If Liu Jianming's surrender was due to being threatened and could be understood, then the fact that his wife and children returned to China further illustrates Ding Heng's methods.

When ordinary people threaten Liu Jianming, he will at most clear himself of any wrongdoing; how could he possibly drag his wife and children into it as well?

unless……

Anyone who threatens Liu Jianming can make his entire family suffer terribly.

Lin Man scrutinized the man in front of her once more.

If he could bring down such a "big shot" as Liu Jianming for Hua Qing, then could he do the same for other women...?

In an instant, the hatred that seemed to have no end appeared with a glimmer of hope.

Lin Man took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.

"Ding Heng".

"Ok?"

"You just asked me about the price..."

"Have you thought about it?"

"Think about it."

Lin Man downed the glass of red wine in one gulp, but her hand trembled slightly as she put the glass down.

What's the price?

Ding Heng leaned back in his chair, looking at her calmly.

Lin Man parted her red lips slightly, her foxy eyes sparkling.

"I won't take your money..."

Chapter 166: The Capable Secretary Lin

Five o'clock in the morning.

Lin Man had forgotten when she lost consciousness.

All she remembers is that something exploded in her mind, and then her mind went completely blank.

The soreness and pain in her body made her realize that last night was not a dream, and every muscle in her body was exhausted.

She raised her hand and touched the spot next to her.

It was empty; the sheets were cold to the touch, and the person had been gone for a long time.

Lin Man's mind cleared instantly, and she sat up abruptly in bed, the ache in her body causing her to hiss and gasp for breath.

Ding Heng just left like that?