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

"Boss, do you have anything else to do?"

Lin Man took the keys, her tone of disappointment going unnoticed even by herself.

"Ah."

Ding Heng put his phone in his pocket: "Wenjing and Yanxi have arrived at the hotel. I'll be spending the next two days with them."

Lin Man's expression froze.

"So you don't need to come over for the next two days."

Ding Heng turned and walked out without looking back: "If I need anything else, I'll let you know."

Lin Man stood there, stunned, watching Ding Heng's figure disappear at the end of the corridor.

She tried to force a smile, but found she couldn't.

"Yes, boss."

The sound was very soft, and the corridor was empty.

Nobody heard it.

? Chapter 167: Daddy?

In April, during the Qingming Festival, the rain in Changsha was fine and persistent.

Ding Heng stood before his mother's tombstone, holding a long black umbrella. Raindrops pattered on the umbrella, making a soft, rhythmic sound.

Ding Wenjie stood beside his son, also holding a black umbrella. He had gained a little weight compared to before the Lunar New Year, but he looked to be in good spirits.

Neither of them spoke, and they remained silent for a long time.

Rain dripped down the edge of the umbrella, and Ding Wenjie suddenly asked, "Where are your maternal grandparents? They would come every year."

Ding Heng responded, "I arranged for them to go on a trip."

Ding Wenjie turned his head, his expression slightly surprised.

"I left in mid-March, first to Hainan Island, then to Guangxi Province, and finally to southern Yunnan."

Ding Heng said in a calm tone, "She just sent me photos the day before yesterday. The old lady was riding a bicycle by Erhai Lake."

Ding Wenjie didn't speak, but suddenly felt that his son seemed completely unfamiliar.

Ding Heng continued, "The two elders are getting old. They cry every time they come, and it takes them several days to recover after they go back. Rather than letting them come to see Mom and make her sad, it's better for them to go out for a walk and clear their heads. If my mom were here, she would definitely think the same way."

"You did the right thing."

After expressing his feelings, Ding Wenjie asked in confusion, "Heng Yazi, where did you get the money?"

Ding Heng feigned ignorance: "What money?"

"Give your grandparents the money for their trip. Also, your grandfather has mentioned to me several times that you bought them a new TV and a new refrigerator. The old lady tells everyone that her grandson is filial, and all the neighbors know it."

Ding Wenjie took the opportunity to ask all the questions at once: "You basically didn't ask me for money last semester, so I thought you were being frugal. But all of this adds up to quite a sum."

The rain was still falling, neither fast nor slow.

Ding Heng met his father's gaze: "Dad, do you believe it or not, your son is quite talented in finance?"

"finance?"

Ding Wenjie raised an eyebrow: "What do you know about finance?"

Ding Heng started making things up: "I wasn't busy in my freshman year, and I was just killing time, so I thought I'd do some research. I never expected that I'd actually make money from it."

"Stock trading?"

Ding Wenjie was skeptical: "What are you going to use to speculate? Where did you get the capital?"

Ding Heng remained expressionless: "I got the money for my coffin from my maternal grandparents. I was lucky; I caught a few waves of market activity."

"Hey! You think you can cause trouble, huh?!"

When Ding Wenjie heard that Ding Heng was asking the elderly couple for money to invest in stocks, he raised his hand to scold his son, but Ding Heng cleverly dodged it.

"Dad, don't worry, we've paid it all back!"

Ding Heng was both amused and exasperated: "You actually made quite a bit of money!"

Ding Wenjie was stunned for a long time.

"Are you serious?"

Why would I lie to you?

Ding Heng shrugged: "Otherwise, where would I get the money to support those two old folks?"

Ding Wenjie was both amused and exasperated: "Looks like I chose the wrong major for you back then."

"Then what should you study? Finance?"

"At least don't study journalism."

Ding Wenjie patted his son's shoulder, the force neither too light nor too heavy: "Your dad has never made any money in most of his life, but you're doing well, making money in your freshman year of college."

"Hehe, may my mom's spirit protect me!"

"Alright, let's go. Your Aunt Quzhen is waiting."

The rain during Qingming Festival comes and goes quickly, and the sky clears up again in the blink of an eye.

At the foot of the mountain, a black van was parked on the side of the road, its hazard lights flashing on and off.

Qu Zhen, sitting in the back seat, saw the two of them come down the stone steps and opened the car door to greet them.

"Brother Ding, are you wet?"

She handed him the thermos and then took out a pack of tissues from her pocket.

Ding Wenjie took the cup, unscrewed it, and took a sip: "It's okay, there's an umbrella."

Qu Zhen didn't ask any more questions, and turned to look at Ding Heng: "Xiao Ding, get in the car, it's cold outside."

Ding Heng nodded, bent down, and got into the car.

Bai Ma was playing games in the last row with headphones on. Her fingers were tapping the screen rapidly. She would glance up at Ding Heng and wink, then look down and continue playing.

Qu Zhen took out a dry towel and handed it to Ding Wenjie.

"Dry your hair."

"okay……"

Ding Wenjie took the towel and casually started talking about tomorrow's plans.

The two interacted naturally; an outsider might have mistaken them for an old married couple.

Ding Heng saw it all.

Qu Zhen's concern for Ding Wenjie is evident. Today, on Qingming Festival, she accompanied her father to sweep her mother's grave without any discomfort. She even took the initiative to prepare flowers and offerings.

What Ding Heng found strange was that Qu Zhen never mentioned her ex-husband, nor did he see her show any sign of mourning in any situation.

Her attitude towards her ex-husband was as if the marriage had never existed.

The car drove onto the main road and headed west of the city.

"Aunt Quzhen."

Ding Heng spoke naturally, "There's something I'd like to ask you."

Qu Zhen put down the towel in her hand and said kindly, "Xiao Ding, if you need anything, just say so. Don't be shy."

Ding Heng got straight to the point: "I've been investing in stocks recently and the returns have been pretty good. I'm thinking of expanding my investment. But I don't really understand the ins and outs of it, so I'd like to ask for your opinion."

Qu Zhen didn't rush to answer, but first asked, "How much profit did you make?"

Ding Heng announced a number.

The carriage was silent for a moment.

Ding Wenjie turned to look at his son, his expression one of disbelief.

He had thought his son could make money, but he never imagined he could make this much!

Qu Zhen was equally surprised, but much calmer: "It is indeed very good."

"So I was thinking, could we take another step forward?"

Ding Heng phrased it tactfully, but his meaning was clear.

He wants to earn more and needs a legitimate investment channel.

However, as a college student, he found it difficult to navigate the complex procedures and network of contacts, so he wanted to leverage Qu Zhen's connections.

Qu Zhen pondered for a moment: "Xiao Ding, let me ask you something... Is your current success due to luck? Skill? Or is it because you have a master guiding you?"

Ding Heng said confidently, "If I said it was my skill, would you believe me, Auntie?"

"letter!"

Qu Zhen said decisively, "Since you're so sure, then Auntie will help you! How about this... you and Secretary Huang go to Hong Kong together another day."

Ding Heng raised an eyebrow slightly: "HK?"

"Registering an investment company in Hong Kong is simpler in terms of procedures and more flexible in terms of policies."

Qu Zhen arranged, "I have a few acquaintances who can help set up a framework. Don't worry about the money; you pay what you're supposed to pay, and I'll pay what I'm supposed to pay. I'll have 49% of the shares, and you can have 51%, okay?"

"Thank you, Auntie..."

Ding Heng was a little surprised.

He had assumed that Qu Zhen would take the lion's share, or at least have more than half the say.

"However, let me make this clear from the start: you're responsible for how the company operates. I'll just pave the way for you; I won't interfere."

Qu Zhen continued, "I'm a businessman, so I don't really understand financial games. Helping you start a company is just a matter of lending a hand; it won't cost much."

For Quzhen, this amount of investment is really nothing.

But if Ding Heng can really make a name for himself, it will benefit both families.

Several masters initially said that her and her daughter's lucky star was in Xingcheng, but Qu Zhen was skeptical.