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

The moment before the winter break ended his exams, Ding Heng went to the old street on the outskirts of the city.

Ding Heng had already arranged for the renovation of his maternal grandparents' shop.

The two adjacent shops were combined, making the whole space twice as big. The shelves were rearranged, the lighting was brighter, and three more employees were added.

Grandpa no longer has to guard the counter all day, and can now free up his hands to play chess and fish with his old friends at the alley entrance.

Grandma couldn't stay idle. She stopped working as a cashier and started wandering around the store instead.

When Ding Heng pushed the door open and came in, the old lady's face lit up with a smile.

"Heng Yazi is here?"

He then glanced behind Ding Heng, his gaze landing on the black sedan outside the shop.

"Where's Wenjing? Didn't she come with you?"

"She hasn't finished her exams yet."

Ding Heng took a can of cola from the freezer and opened it: "I'll bring her to see you when I have a holiday."

Grandma nodded, then her gaze drifted towards the door. The Mercedes window was half-open, and a figure could be clearly seen in the driver's seat.

"Is the one driving... your classmate?"

“My secretary, Lin Man. It’s on my way, I’ll give her a ride home.”

Ding Heng tilted his head back and took a big gulp of cola, letting out a comfortable breath.

"secretary?"

Grandma frowned slightly, her tone a mixture of surprise and worry.

"You're a college student, and you're even asking a secretary for help?"

Ding Heng didn't explain further, but turned around and waved towards the door.

Lin Man pushed open the car door, got out, and quickly walked into the store.

Her outfit today was much simpler than usual... a long black down jacket, thick dark gray casual pants, and flat snow boots.

Her hair wasn't styled much, loosely tied at the back of her head, and she wore almost no makeup.

But the alluring charm that emanated from her very bones was ultimately undeniable, making her worlds apart from the virtuous and quiet woman.

Lin Man walked up to her grandmother and bowed politely: "Hello, Grandma. My name is Lin Man, and I am Ding Heng's secretary."

Grandma responded politely, looked Lin Man up and down, hesitated, but ultimately didn't say anything unpleasant.

"Please sit down, let me pour you a cup of tea."

"Grandma, don't bother, I'm not thirsty."

"When in Rome, do as the host does; once you're here, you're a guest."

Grandma had already turned and walked into the inner room, but after taking two steps, she turned back and waved to Ding Heng: "Heng, come and help me find where I put the tea leaves."

Ding Heng followed him inside.

As soon as the curtain to the inner room was drawn, Grandma's polite demeanor vanished, and she grabbed Ding Heng's sleeve and lowered her voice.

"That girl...is she really your secretary? Or is she...someone of yours..."

The old lady hesitated for a long time, probably unable to come up with any decent words, so she simply said, "Wenjing is such a good girl, you...you can't learn those shady ways, hiring some kind of secretary just because you have money, and then showing off in public."

Ding Heng was both amused and exasperated: "Grandma, what are you thinking? Lin Man is a top student, and she's helping me manage the company now, earning me a lot of money every year."

Grandma asked skeptically, "Really?"

Why would I lie to you?

"Tsk..."

After thinking about it for a long time, the grandmother finally realized that her grandson's attitude did not seem like he was lying.

She sighed softly and reached out to straighten Ding Heng's collar: "I don't care about your companies or anything like that. You need to know that Wenjing is a really good girl."

"Know, know."

Ding Heng gave a perfunctory reply and shoved his grandmother towards the door, saying, "Grandma, don't worry, Wenjing will definitely be your granddaughter-in-law."

"That's more like it."

With reassurance, Grandma returned to the shop.

Lin Man was sitting on a bench next to the counter. When she saw the two of them come out, she immediately looked up and smiled at her grandmother. Her smile was gentle and proper, and there was not a single flaw in it.

Her grandmother exchanged a few pleasantries with her, asking questions such as "How many people are in your family?" and "What do you do for a living?" Lin Man answered them all respectfully and sincerely.

Grandma's expression softened a little, but she wasn't as affectionate as she was towards Wenjing.

After sitting for a while, Ding Heng stood up to take his leave.

Grandma saw Ding Heng to the door, held his hand, and gave him a few more words of advice, nothing more than "study hard" and "don't overwork yourself." Lin Man had already gotten into the car, started the engine, and the heater was blowing loudly.

The car drove out of the old street and turned onto the main road.

Lin Man gripped the steering wheel with both hands, her eyes fixed straight ahead: "Boss, do my grandparents not like me very much?"

Ding Heng smiled helplessly: "They're the older generation, they're conservative in their thinking, don't take it to heart."

What do they think I am?

Lin Man asked jokingly, "An frivolous secretary? Or the kind... a vixen who specializes in seducing the boss?"

Ding Heng remained silent.

Lin Man turned to look at him, then turned back: "Actually, it's not really a misunderstanding."

Ding Heng raised his hand and gently patted her head: "Alright, stop being so dramatic."

Lin Man stuck out her tongue and didn't continue the topic.

As the car rounded an intersection, Ding Heng suddenly asked, "Where are you planning to go for the New Year?"

"I?"

Lin Man blinked and asked in a soft, seductive tone, "Boss, aren't you going to take me with you for the New Year?"

"Go ahead and make the arrangements. Let's all have a lively New Year this year."

"okay."

Lin Man answered readily and decisively, her face beaming with a bright smile.

The Mercedes returned to the underground parking garage and came to a stop.

Ding Heng didn't turn off the engine. He switched to the driver's seat, and Lin Man got out of the car with her bag. She bent down and leaned against the car window, saying, "Take care, boss, drive carefully."

"Ah."

Ding Heng drove out of the garage, and in the rearview mirror, Lin Man was still standing there waving at him, her figure gradually shrinking.

School gate.

Zhao Yanxi was wearing a long, off-white down jacket, with a scarf wrapped around her chin, leaving only her eyes showing. She was standing on tiptoe, peering into the intersection.

Wenjing stood next to her, wearing a light pink short cotton jacket, her hair tied in a ponytail, her cheeks slightly flushed from the cold wind.

The suitcases stood at their feet, one large and one small, one black and one pink.

The Mercedes stopped, and Ding Heng got out of the car and put his suitcase into the trunk.

Zhao Yanxi opened the back door and got in, with Wen Jing following closely behind.

The moment the car door closed, a wave of warm air rushed out.

Zhao Yanxi pulled her scarf down: "Finally finished the exam, I'm exhausted."

Ding Heng started the car and asked, "How did the exam go?"

"What else can we do? As long as we can get through it, that's fine."

Zhao Yanxi turned her head and asked, "Xiao Jingjing, what are your plans for winter break?"

Wenjing replied, "I'll go home to check in today, and then... we'll see."

"Just checking in?"

Zhao Yanxi drawled out, her tone laced with sarcasm: "So, you're just going to follow Brother Ding Heng, right?"

Wenjing blushed slightly and didn't reply.

"I also want to celebrate the New Year with you."

Zhao Yanxi pouted and muttered something under her breath.

Ding Heng glanced at her in the rearview mirror: "Will your parents let you go?"

"No."

Zhao Yanxi sighed: "My mom has called several times to urge me to go back, afraid that I'll stay in Xingcheng with you during the Spring Festival and it'll be a waste of my time! Also, my uncle brought his girlfriend home this year, and he asked me to help him take a look."

"Then you should stay home and stay put. I'll pick you up on the second day of the Lunar New Year."

"Second year of junior high?!"

Zhao Yanxi sat up straight, her tone serious: "Brother Ding Heng, you have to keep your word."

"Do not worry!"

Ding Heng was both amused and exasperated.

Zhao Yanxi's family situation was always a problem, at least during her university years, she couldn't be as quiet as Wenjing.

The car first turned into Zhao Yanxi's residential area.

Zhao Yanxi got out of the car, and Ding Heng followed behind her, taking her suitcase out of the trunk.

Wenjing stayed in the car, looking down at her phone.

As the elevator ascended, Zhao Yanxi suddenly asked jokingly.

"Ding Heng, are you nervous about going to Wenjing's house for the first time later?"

"What's there to be nervous about? It's much easier than meeting your parents."

"Her parents really see you as a golden catch."