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

I've felt unwell ever since that cup of milk tea.

Zhao Yanxi handed the milk tea she had finished drinking to Ding Heng, who took it and drank it.

So natural, so self-evident.

What was she trying to say?

Did you mean to say, "Yan hope drank that milk tea"?

But saying it out loud would make me seem petty.

Now they're whispering to each other in the back.

These are still whispers that will make Yan hope blush!

Wenjing pursed her lips.

During this period, she lived with Ding Heng every day.

I thought that spending so much time together would give me some advantages?

But when Zhao Yanxi arrived—

A cup of milk tea.

A simple "good brother".

Those "advantages" she thought she had suddenly become light and airy, easily blown away by the wind.

Yan hope... has so many methods, and she's so ruthless!

Wenjing bit her lip, suddenly quickened her pace, ran to Ding Heng's other side, and grabbed his arm.

Ding Heng looked down at her.

Wenjing didn't look up, but simply held his arm, her round face puffed up like a little rabbit guarding its food.

"what happened?"

"nothing."

Wenjing simply tightened her grip.

Hua Qing walked to the side, glancing at it out of the corner of her eye.

Seeing Ding Heng sandwiched between two girls, her simple view of love stirred a feeling of disgust within her.

As expected, Hua Yue was right; Ding Heng was a complete scumbag.

He's juggling two relationships and enjoying it immensely!

Hua Qing turned her head to look at her cousin beside her.

He has an ordinary appearance and dresses plainly, and often laughs without a care in the world.

She suddenly called out softly.

"Hua Yue".

"Ok?"

"You're fine the way you are."

"What do you mean, sis?"

"At least it won't attract thieves."

Hua Yue: "?!"

It was the start of the school year, and the barbecue restaurant was quite crowded. The group waited in line for a while before being seated at a long table by the window.

Just like before, Wenjing and Zhao Yanxi sat on either side of Ding Heng, while Hua Qing and Hua Yue sat opposite them.

The waiter brought the menu, and the group gathered together to order.

Pork belly, beef, chicken wings, potato slices, enoki mushrooms... one by one, they were hooked up.

Several young girls went to mix the seasonings hand in hand, leaving only Ding Heng and Hua Qing at the seats for a while.

The two were separated by a table, with an empty baking pan in between.

Hua Qing was looking down at her phone, the light from the screen reflecting on her face, her expression indifferent.

"Senior..."

Ding Heng was about to say a few words to ease the awkwardness.

Hua Qing paused for a moment, then pretended not to hear and continued looking at her phone.

Ding Heng sighed and smiled, not pressing the matter further.

He could tell that Hua Qing was very uncomfortable being alone with him.

The reason I'm still sitting here is probably because...

Ding Heng's gaze fell on her left foot.

He had noticed it several times along the way.

Hua Qing would pause very slightly whenever her left foot touched the ground while walking.

Are you injured?

The hot oil sizzled in the baking pan.

Hua Qing stared at her phone screen, but she didn't actually read a single word.

The boy across from me was sitting there.

She could feel his gaze on her, not the kind of unsettling scrutiny, just... a normal glance.

Then he stopped watching.

This surprised Hua Qing a bit.

She thought this kind of person would take the opportunity to strike up a conversation, get close to her, and show how witty and humorous they are.

But Ding Heng did not.

He just sat quietly, scrolling through his phone, seemingly oblivious to whether anyone was around.

Hua Qing raised her head and quickly glanced at Ding Heng.

The other person sat upright, had strong facial features, and a cool, roguish air about him; he was definitely the type who could easily fool young girls.

Ding Heng suddenly looked over, and Hua Qing immediately looked away and picked up her phone again.

My heart skipped a beat.

It wasn't love at first sight.

It's because they feel guilty.

The guilt you feel when you're caught peeping.

She took a deep breath.

No, sitting like this is too awkward...

She put down her phone and stood up.

"I'm going to the restroom."

After saying that, she walked around the chair and headed towards the restroom, but didn't notice that there was water on the floor.

Hua Qing stepped on it with her left foot and instantly lost her balance.

She instinctively tried to steady herself, but a sharp pain shot through her left foot, and she fell completely backward.

"what--!"

The moment she uttered the exclamation, a hand reached out from behind and steadily supported her waist.

"Senior, are you alright?"

Ding Heng asked the question.

The two were very close, but Ding Heng did not overstep any boundaries except for supporting her waist.

Hua Qing froze for two seconds, then suddenly broke free from Ding Heng's embrace, took a step back, and held onto the table next to her.

"N-nothing... thank you."

Her voice trembled slightly, and she finally staggered toward the restroom.

Ding Heng stood there, looking at the system notification in his mind, his expression indescribable.

[System notification: A person whose Dao heart is clouded has appeared.]

The cracking sound of the sword falling to the ground pierced through the sea of ​​clouds, and the sword intent of the Eastern Sword Cultivator shattered into frost. She once stood on a lonely peak ten thousand feet high, personally resisting the heavenly tribulation in order to seek the Dao, but in the end, her sword broke, she perished, and her Dao collapsed.

The heart of Tao turns to ashes, and cultivation dissipates like smoke.

She believed that only by being ruthless could one attain enlightenment, but she did not know that the brightest moment of holy light was never on a solitary peak, but rather in the unintentional glance when illuminating all living beings.

As fellow upright individuals, please help her reconnect with love, let her learn to feel love, heartache, and longing, and let her understand that being heartless is not fulfilling, and only with love can one overcome tribulations.

When her emotional ties are fulfilled, she will personally sever them and ascend to face her tribulation.

[Task Rewards: +1000 Divine Merit, +6 Constitution, unlock skill "Sword Heart Clarity".]

Chapter 58: Threat? Deal!

Damn system.

How could it just happen like that, without any warning?

Ding Heng pulled up the task list and glanced at it.

[Current Task: 3]

【Task 1: Purify Nun Wenjing (Completed)】

[Mission Two: Eliminate the Evil Dragon Long He (In Progress)]

【Mission Three: The Person Who Faced Calamity - Hua Qing (In Progress)】