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

【Flower Sea Sunny Day】: What are you doing?

She wanted to find out where Ding Heng was, but he didn't reply for a long time.

Hua Qing was getting impatient waiting, so she threw her phone into her bag, opened the door, and got out of the car.

The nights in Xingcheng in April were slightly chilly. She wrapped her coat tighter around herself and walked quickly toward her apartment building, then suddenly stopped.

Downstairs in the parking spaces, there were two cars: a beat-up Chang'an and a silver BMW, both with license plates she recognized...

Hua Qing's brain went blank for a moment.

They...were at her house?

Hua Qing dared not think further, but she couldn't help it.

Images flooded my mind frame by frame, uncontrollably.

She gritted her teeth, clenched her fists, and strode quickly into the apartment building.

Tolerable or unbearable!

Hua Qing found the elevator too slow, so she simply took the stairs and ran upstairs. She found the door wide open, and warm yellow light was shining down the corridor.

"came back?"

Ding Heng stood quietly in front of the gate, his hands in his pockets, looking relaxed, as if he was waiting for her, showing no signs of nervousness about being caught cheating.

Hua Qing asked in bewilderment, "Ding Heng...you..."

"Come in."

Ding Heng led Hua Qing into the house, reminding her, "Keep your voice down."

The layout of the room made Hua Qing pause slightly.

White lisianthus, light green ribbons, balloons, scented candles... the entire living room is decorated in a fresh and elegant style.

"This is……"

"Pretend you didn't see the birthday surprise Hua Yue and the others prepared for you today, but remember to act it out convincingly tomorrow."

"okay."

Hua Qing subconsciously agreed, her mind still blank.

How did you know I was back early?

"secret."

Hua Qing pouted, not pressing the matter, but then suddenly remembered a crucial question.

"I saw Lin Man's car downstairs just now."

Guess where she is now?

"she……"

Hua Qing was taken aback and subconsciously looked towards the dance studio.

Ding Heng took out his phone, opened an app that Hua Qing found both terrifying and familiar, and flicked his finger.

A soft sob immediately came from the direction of the dance studio.

Hua Qing's pupils contracted...

Ding Heng calmly put away his phone: "Want to go take a look?"

Hua Qing didn't say anything, but her heart was beating very fast.

A system notification quietly appeared in Ding Heng's mind.

[Progress of romantic entanglement: 93%]

It rose another 1%.

Ding Heng took Hua Qing's hand and led her to the door of the dance studio.

The dance studio was dimly lit.

Lin Man was tied to the barre, her body in the classic backbend position that Saber had when she was bound by Caster, her whole body taut like a bow.

Unlike Hua Qing's relaxed and natural movements that day, Lin Man's basic skills were lacking.

Maintaining the backbend position was quite strenuous for her; her lower back and abdomen were already aching, and her thigh muscles were taut.

"Huh...huh..."

Her breathing was rapid and erratic, her chest heaving, and fine beads of sweat trickled down her forehead, past her slightly parted lips, and onto the polished floor.

Her legs, encased in sheer stockings, were trembling uncontrollably. Every muscle from her thighs to her calves was screaming in pain. Her slender ankles were stretched into a bony outline from the effort, and her toes were curling up tightly inside the stockings.

"boss……"

Lin Man's voice trembled as she pleaded pitifully, "Can we end this now? I really can't take it anymore..."

Ding Heng did not answer.

He turned to look at Hua Qing at the door, put his index finger to his lips, and gestured for her to be quiet.

Hua Qing had no idea how to react and just stared blankly.

Ding Heng slowly walked towards Lin Man and placed his palm on her taut lower back.

"I'm going to ask you a few questions, and you'll have to answer them honestly."

"Boss, ask me anything... I'll tell you everything..."

"Why have you been targeting Hua Qing over the past few years?"

"Didn't I tell you... on my birthday, she..."

"Ok?"

Ding Heng applied slight pressure with his hand, pressing his thumb into Lin Man's waist.

Lin Man winced in pain, letting out a muffled groan, and dared not continue to feign indifference.

"I...I'm jealous of her."

She answered through gritted teeth, her tone reluctant.

Ding Heng continued, "Jealous about what?"

Lin Man's voice suddenly rose, as if she had finally found an outlet after suppressing it for too long.

“The moment I saw her, I was filled with jealousy. I was jealous of her purity, beauty, and confidence... Her life was full of ideals and hope, while I lived like a refined walking corpse, not knowing why I was alive every day when I opened my eyes.”

"So you're targeting her?"

"Jealousy may be my enemy, but I still want to be friends with her."

Lin Man's voice gradually became indistinct: "But she rejected me first..."

Hua Qing stood at the door, her eyelashes trembling.

Ding Heng glanced at her, then looked away: "Why are you so concerned about her birthday?"

"Didn't you tell me to do it?"

"Ok?"

Ding Heng increased the pressure on his hand.

Lin Man winced in pain and finally changed her mind: "Because I still want to be friends with her."

Don't you have many friends?

“They’re different… Hua Qing is completely different from them.”

"What's different?"

"I... I can't explain it."

Lin Man couldn't explain it, but Ding Heng understood it better than she did.

In some ways, Lin Man and Hua Qing are similar, both obsessive and lonely.

But as a genius, Hua Qing's obsession is directed at herself and dance, and she accepts her unique loneliness with equanimity.

Like Baima, Lin Man chose to use worldly things and money to alleviate her loneliness, but the more she did so, the more obvious her inner emptiness became and the deeper her obsession grew.

This is the true nature of her jealousy towards Hua Qing.

If Hua Qing apologizes to you, will you forgive her?

"I have no idea……"

"Then you'd better think it through quickly."

The moment the blindfold was removed, light rushed into her pupils, making Lin Man squint.

Her vision cleared, and she gradually made out the person standing in front of her.

The moment their eyes met, the system interface quietly appeared in Ding Heng's mind.

【Azure Cold Sword Immortal: Hua Qing】

[Current Status: A Fairy Who Has Lost All Her Cultivation Power]

[Progress of romantic entanglement: 95%]

[Progress of severing emotional ties: 1%]

Chapter 172: Hua Qing and Lin Man's Private Vlog!

Hua Qing's twenty-third birthday was spent amidst a surprise that wasn't really a surprise...

When Wenjing came out of the kitchen with a cake and lit candles, and Zhao Yanxi and Hua Yue sang "Happy Birthday" behind her, Hua Qing still felt her eyes welling up with tears.

Hua Qing is not good at expressing her feelings.

He said thank you over and over again, but his tone was dry, like he was reciting lines.

April 10th, morning.

Hua Qing opened her eyes groggily and saw a man's strong chest.