Chapter 116: Hua Qing's Determination

Hua Qing pushed Ding Heng away, sat up from his arms, her face flushed, and lowered her head, not daring to look at Long He.

Long He walked into the room, closed the door, and glared at Ding Heng with annoyance.

He was being scolded mercilessly by his agent, while he was having an affair with another woman.

Ding Heng smiled calmly: "How's the public opinion handling going?"

"Public opinion? What public opinion? The internet is practically praising me to the skies right now."

Longhe walked to the sofa, plopped down, grabbed a large gulp of water from the coffee table, and began to excitedly tell his story.

"Did you know? Zhou Meilan and Liu Jianming seem to have succumbed to public pressure and have turned themselves in, confessing to all the despicable things they've done!"

Ding Heng remained calm and continued to ask.

"Didn't Aunt Yang call you?"

"I hit him."

"and then?"

"He didn't say anything."

Long He shrugged: "She said she would handle it for me and told me to think twice before I act next time."

Having only been in the industry for two years, Longhe clearly hasn't yet grasped the deeper operational rules.

In her view, this was a double celebration.

He not only benefited from the traffic boost but also helped his brother.

She was worried that Zhou Meilan and Liu Jianming would dig up dirt on her and retaliate, but unexpectedly, she received good news early in the morning: the two of them surrendered themselves.

Moreover, as more and more dirt on the other party was exposed, her popularity soared, and tickets for the first two shows of her tour were sold out and resold by scalpers at exorbitant prices.

However, Ding Heng knew in his heart that it was probably Yang Sijie who cleaned her daughter's bottom.

Are you going back to Shanghai today?

"Your flight is this afternoon. What's wrong? You're going to miss your sister Long?"

"Consider yesterday something I owe you—"

Before Ding Heng could finish speaking, Long He immediately waved his hand to interrupt him.

"It's too formal for us brothers to talk about this!"

"Shall we talk about something more informal?"

"you say."

"When you stop your concert tour in Changsha, could you save me a few tickets?"

"Keep a ticket?"

Long He was taken aback, and asked warily, "How many do you want?"

Ding Heng thought for a moment: "Four cards, I guess."

Long He's eyes widened: "Four! You have four girlfriends?"

Ding Heng covered his face with one hand.

He and Long He went to the same elementary school, and their math teacher was definitely not the same one who taught them physical education!

……

After leaving the hotel, Ding Heng drove Hua Qing's car, intending to take her home.

Hua Qing sat in the passenger seat and didn't say much the whole way.

As they neared home, she finally couldn't help but ask, "Did Zhou Meilan and Liu Jianming really turn themselves in?"

Ding Heng nodded: "Didn't they release a press release?"

"What's it to you?"

"Does my senior think too highly of me?"

"So what about last night...?"

"I'm with Yanxi and Wenjing. Do you want to call them and ask?"

Hua Qing didn't say anything more, but she still felt uneasy.

No matter how big the scandal was last night, it was essentially just a failed attempt at a quid pro quo, and netizens didn't dig up any substantial dirt on the matter.

Even if it is unearthed, the official investigation and evidence collection will take time.

But Zhou Meilan and Liu Jianming actually surrendered themselves without any struggle.

Hua Qing quietly observed Ding Heng driving, and then her mind began to wander uncontrollably.

If everything is related to Ding Heng...

What extraordinary abilities did he possess to make those two people surrender so readily?

Thinking that all of this was caused by her, Hua Qing felt a mix of emotions.

She inexplicably recalled the domineering CEO novels she read when she was a child—the male protagonist would do anything for the female protagonist, turning the world upside down and trampling everyone who bullied her underfoot.

When I was little, I thought it was so cool and romantic.

Later I felt it was so silly and childish.

But now...

Hua Qing stole another glance at Ding Heng's profile; the morning light shone across his face, flickering in and out.

No wonder he felt comfortable sending his son to the capital.

Is it because she's certain she can't escape his grasp?

[Progress of romantic entanglement: 70%]

[Ding! The progress of the romantic connection has exceeded 70%, and the stage goal has been achieved!]

[Rewards: Divine Merit +1000, Intelligence +6, Skill "Sword Heart Clarity" upgraded again.]

Ding Heng glanced at the prompt in his mind, then looked at Hua Qing's thoughtful face beside him, and suddenly burst out laughing.

"Senior, you're not thinking anything of it, are you?"

Hua Qing blushed.

"No...no!"

The car drove into the underground parking garage of the residential complex, and Ding Heng unbuckled his seatbelt to get out of the car.

"Then I'll be leaving first."

"etc."

Hua Qing suddenly spoke, and Ding Heng turned around.

"Is there anything else, senior?"

Hua Qing pursed her lips, her voice a little soft.

"Aren't you...aren't you going up?"

"Forget it, your family must be waiting for your news, senior. Get some rest first, and I'll come see you when I have time."

Hua Qing didn't press the matter further. Ding Heng opened the car door, then remembered something and turned back to speak.

"By the way, senior, please send me your bank account details later."

Hua Qing was stunned.

"what?"

"Starting next month, I will regularly transfer a sum of money to you."

Ding Heng said casually, "Just consider it pocket money for my girlfriend."

Hua Qing glared at him, her tone a bit sharp: "What are you doing! I only agreed to be your girlfriend, not to be your sugar daddy!"

"Whether you use it or not is your business, whether I give it to you or not is my business. We should treat everyone equally."

After saying that, Ding Heng closed the car door, waved, and turned to leave.

Hua Qing sat in the car, watching Ding Heng's figure disappear into the elevator, and remained stunned for a long time.

To treat everyone equally?

This means that Zhao Yanxi and Wen Jing also have it!

Isn't this still being kept as a sugar daddy/sugar baby...?

But then again.

Since taking on a mortgage, her life has indeed become tight, and lately she has to hesitate for a long time before buying anything.

Ding Heng's "pocket money" was undoubtedly a timely help.

Did he do it on purpose because he realized he was short of money?

Hua Qing had no idea; all she knew was that she was being manipulated by Ding Heng once again…

The elevator goes upstairs and the door opens.

Meow~

Black Bean came up to her and rubbed against her feet.

Hua Qing bent down, picked it up, walked to the sofa, and sank into it.

Black Bean lay on her lap, making comfortable purring sounds.

Hua Qing stared blankly at the ceiling, then picked up her phone to charge and began to respond to the questions and concerns from her family and classmates.

After all, she was also one of the main characters in the dinner video circulating online, and was at the very center of public opinion.

Hua Qing took a deep breath and first dialed Hua Yue's video call.

On the screen, Hua Yue's face was very close, with her dormitory bed in the background.

"sister!!!"

Hua Yue's voice was so loud that Hua Qing instinctively moved her phone away.

"You scared me to death, you know! I woke up this morning and saw it trending on social media, I was terrified!"

Hua Qing looked at her cousin's anxious face on the screen and smiled with a sigh.

"I'm fine."

"Nothing my foot!"

Hua Yue gritted her teeth: "Was that old woman surnamed Zhou trying to get you drunk? Was that man surnamed Liu trying to bully you? Why did you go to the dinner party alone, without anyone by your side, Ding..."

"Ding what?"

"No, it's nothing. I just meant you should send a location tag to someone you know."

Hua Yue wanted to question Ding Heng about where he was, asking, "Isn't he your boyfriend?"

But he didn't want to embarrass Hua Qing.

"Don't worry, Long He is on his way."

"Oh right, I was just wondering why Long He was there, and why he was protecting you?"

"She... happened to be recording a program at the same time."

"Yeah?"

Hua Yue spoke in a flippant tone, clearly not quite believing it.

But she couldn't understand how her sister could have any connection with a big star.

"Anyway, I'm glad you're alright."

She muttered, "Let me tell you, my aunt just called me, she's really worried, you should call her back right away."

"understood."

"besides……"

Hua Yue's expression turned serious: "Sis, seriously, can't we stop being so stubborn? If you don't want to participate in that competition, fine, don't participate. Wouldn't it be better to just go to the Beijing Dance Academy for graduate studies? Why do you have to argue with your family like this?"

"I see."

"What do you know? You know nothing."

Hua Yue sighed: "You always say that, but then you go back to doing whatever you want. Can't you listen to your sister's advice today...?"

"I already said I understood, and you're still nagging your sister? Did you even pass your CET-4 or CET-6 exams?!"

Hua Qing interrupted Hua Yue, her tone stern.

"Okay, okay! I won't argue!"

She wiped her face: "You should call your aunt right away, she's going crazy with worry."

"Um."

The video call ended.

Hua Qing found her mother's number and dialed it.

It was answered almost instantly.

"Qingqing!"

Hua's mother's voice came from the other end: "Are you alright?! Mom saw that video, that heartless Zhou Meilan, is she trying to harm you?!"

Hua Qing leaned back on the sofa, feeling guilty but also suddenly wanting to laugh.

"Mom, I'm fine."

"Are you really okay? Don't lie to Mom!"

"It's really nothing. Long He arrived in time, and there's nothing wrong with us."

"Long He? How do you know her...?"

Like Hua Yue, Hua's mother was also curious about why her daughter knew Long He and was being taken care of by him.

"She happens to be filming a show too... Anyway, Mom, don't worry about me!"

How could I not worry!

Hua's mother's voice rose again: "You're all alone in Xingcheng, with no one to take care of you. What if something happens to you... how will I live!"

"Who said I'm alone? I have Hua Yue now, don't I?"

"That girl is even less discerning than you!"

Suddenly, my father's voice came from the other end of the phone, muffled and indistinct.

Give me the phone.

Then there was a rustling sound.

My father's voice came from the other end of the line, steady but with a hint of tension.

"Qingqing".

"dad."

"Are you alright?"

"fine."

"That's good."

The father paused.

"If we don't participate in that competition, we don't participate. It's not a big deal."

Hua Qing remained silent, and her father continued.

"Your mom is right. It would be much better to just go to the Beijing Dance Academy for graduate studies. Your teacher, Ms. Qi, called me a few days ago to ask about your situation. She said that as long as you're willing, she'll reserve a spot for you anytime."

Hua Qing bit her lower lip.

"dad……"

I know you have your own ideas.

Her father interrupted her: "We know you want to prove yourself, but think about it, how murky is the waters in that TV station? Our family's capabilities are limited; how can your mother and I feel at ease?"

Hua Qing didn't say anything.

Then, my mother's voice came through the phone again.

"That's right! Qingqing, listen to your mother, let's not go to that stupid competition. Your teacher Qi is such a good person. Even when you two had a falling out, he still gave you a high score in the competition! You should let it go..."

"Okay, okay, I'll think about it! I didn't get much rest last night, I need to sleep a little longer, I'll talk to you later..."

Hua Qing made an excuse to hang up the phone.

Black Bean had somehow crawled back and jumped onto her lap again, pawing at her half-heartedly, as if trying to comfort its owner.

"Black Bean, do you want me to go to the capital?"

Meow~

"If I'm going, it won't be convenient for me to take you with me!"

"Black Bean, do you want me to go to the capital?"

Meow~

"If I'm going, it won't be convenient for me to take you with me!"

Meow~

"Then, who should I give you to?"

Meow~

Black Bean jumped back to the ground, strolled over to the massage chair, and stood on tiptoe to pry it open. Ding Heng's coat, which he had forgotten to take, was still hanging on the back of the chair.

"You heartless wretch! You've only seen him once, how could you be so hung up on him? It's one thing for him to attract women, but why would he attract animals?"

Hua Qing pouted unhappily, opened her hand and found a number she hadn't contacted in a long time, hovering her finger above the screen.

After hesitating for a long time, she finally decided to press the button.

"Beep—beep—beep—"

After three rings, the call was connected.

A familiar female voice came from the other end, tinged with surprise.

"Hua Qing?"

Hua Qing took a deep breath.

"Teacher Qi."

She paused.

"I'm going to the Beijing Dance Academy."