Chapter 141: Internet God?
Hua Qing finished her lesson at 5 p.m.
Several girls came out of the dance studio one after another, picked up their bags and walked out.
Qianqian walked at the back, turned around and waved to Hua Qing: "See you tomorrow, Teacher Hua!"
"Okay, I'll be on time tomorrow."
The door closed, and the room instantly fell silent.
Hua Qing leaned against the wall, feeling as if her bones had been removed, and slid down into a weak, limp seat.
Her tight-fitting workout clothes were soaked with sweat, outlining her slender waist.
Her face was abnormally red, and the stray hairs at her temples were wet and clung to her skin; her breathing had not yet fully calmed down.
Footsteps came from the living room, and Ding Heng pushed open the door and walked into the dance studio.
Seeing Hua Qing's appearance, he smiled slightly and said, "Senior, you've worked hard teaching. Go wash up and change your clothes before going out. I still have to pick up Wen Jing."
Hua Qing didn't move, but squeezed out two words through gritted teeth: "Scumbag."
Ding Heng wasn't annoyed. He reached out and gently patted her face: "What, do I have to help you take a shower, senior?"
Hua Qing bit her lower lip, leaned against the wall and slowly got up, her legs were obviously a little weak.
She staggered towards the bathroom, leaning against the wall, and turned back to glare at Ding Heng at the door, showing a hint of anger and grievance.
Hearing the sound of running water coming from the bathroom, Ding Heng brought up the system interface in his mind.
【Azure Cold Sword Immortal: Hua Qing】
[Current Status: A Fairy Who Has Lost All Her Cultivation Power]
[Progress of romantic entanglement: 84%]
[Progress of severing emotional ties: 1%]
I originally thought today's show would rise by at least seven or eight points.
So, only four percent?
This fairy's threshold is getting higher and higher.
More than forty minutes later, Hua Qing reappeared in front of Ding Heng, standing quietly.
Wearing a modified Ming-style Hanfu and with light makeup, she once again transformed into a cool and elegant classical beauty.
If it weren't for his slightly awkward walking posture...
Ding Heng looked him up and down, then nodded in satisfaction: "Let's go."
Hua Qing snorted lightly, ignored him, and walked straight to the door.
The two went downstairs, got into the car, and drove towards the driving school.
While waiting at a red light, he glanced at Hua Qing in the passenger seat and said in a flat tone, "Senior, you'll have to get used to it. After all, classes continue until the New Year."
Hua Qing's body stiffened slightly.
Until the end of the year?
There are still more than ten days left before the New Year.
It means that from now on, every day when I teach Qianqian and the others, I will have to...
Hua Qing pursed her red lips and secretly clenched the hem of her clothes with her fingers.
Ding Heng's mental journey suddenly jumped to 85%.
The car stopped in front of the driving school. As soon as Ding Heng opened the car door, a figure rushed over happily.
"Ding Heng!"
Wenjing buried her face in the man's arms, tilting her head back and smiling broadly, her eyes crinkling: "I practiced really well today! Even the coach praised me!"
Ding Heng reached out and ruffled her hair: "So amazing?"
"Uh-huh!"
Wenjing nodded vigorously, noticing the person getting out of the passenger seat, and blinked curiously: "Sister Hua Qing? What are you doing here?"
"Long time no see, Wenjing!"
Hua Qing smiled faintly: "It just so happens to be on the way."
Wenjing said "Oh" and then looked at Ding Heng.
Ding Heng put his arm around her shoulder and walked towards the car: "I'll give Sister Hua Qing a ride home, and let her keep you company tonight."
Wenjing asked, puzzled, "Keep me company? Why would you keep me company?"
I might not be sleeping in the hotel tonight.
Ding Heng opened the car door and shoved her into the passenger seat: "I was afraid you'd be scared by yourself."
Wenjing muttered, "I'm already so old..."
The three returned to the Chujiang Hotel and took the elevator to the 27th floor.
Ding Heng saw the two girls to the door and waved, "Get some rest. Call me if you need anything."
Wenjing nodded obediently: "Okay, drive carefully."
Hua Qing, who was standing to the side, didn't say anything, but her gaze lingered on Ding Heng's face for a moment.
Ding Heng met her gaze and smiled knowingly, "Senior, you have class tomorrow too!"
Hua Qing trembled upon hearing this, lowered her head to avoid eye contact, and muttered again under her breath—"Scumbag!"
After leaving the hotel, Ding Heng drove westward through several blocks before turning into an upscale villa district.
The guard post pole was placed across the entrance, and Ding Heng parked his car and rolled down the window.
The security guard approached and politely asked, "Hello sir, which building are you going to?"
Ding Heng gave the gate number, and the security guard looked down at the registration form, then looked up at him again: "The owner hasn't registered your information. Could you please contact the owner?"
Ding Heng took out his phone and dialed Secretary Huang's number.
"Secretary Huang, I'm at the door, but the security guard said I didn't register."
"Okay, Mr. Ding, please wait a moment."
Less than a minute after the call ended, the security guard received a notification on his walkie-talkie and immediately put on a smiling face.
"Excuse me, Mr. Ding, you may come in now."
As expected of a high-end residential community, the security guards' attitude was impeccable throughout the entire process.
There was neither condescension nor excessive flattery.
The car drove along the tree-lined road and finally stopped in front of a detached villa.
The overall decoration is in the new Chinese style, with white walls and black tiles, and two large red lanterns hanging at the entrance.
As soon as Ding Heng got out of the car, Secretary Huang came out to greet him.
"Mr. Ding."
She wasn't wearing her usual sharp business attire today; instead, she wore a light gray cashmere sweater and her hair was loosely tied up, making her look much softer.
Ding Heng then noticed that Secretary Huang was probably not very old, probably around twenty-five or twenty-six.
"Your room has been arranged. Would you like to go up and take a look? Let me know if you need anything."
"Your room has been arranged. Would you like to go up and take a look? Let me know if you need anything."
Ding Heng nodded and followed Secretary Huang into the villa.
The first floor features a spacious living room with a high ceiling and floor-to-ceiling windows offering views of the Xiangjiang River.
The furniture that Secretary Huang pre-ordered hasn't all arrived yet, but everything that's needed is already there.
Ascending the stairs to the second floor, Secretary Huang pushed open a door.
"This is your room."
Ding Heng walked in and looked around.
The room is very large, at least forty or fifty square meters.
In the very center is a large bed, two meters wide, covered with plain gray bedding.
There's a row of wardrobes against the wall, and opposite is a separate shower area with frosted glass partitions, through which you can vaguely see the large bathtub inside.
He walked to the window, pushed open the French doors, and saw a set of rattan table and chairs on the balcony.
A night breeze blew by, carrying the dampness of the river.
In the distance, the lights of thousands of homes in Changsha are twinkling. The Xiangjiang River flows quietly in the night, with occasional tourist boats passing by, their lights casting long shadows on the water.
Ding Heng turned to Secretary Huang: "Do I have to stay overnight?"
Secretary Huang smiled slightly: "Today is, after all, the first day of handover. Ms. Qu Zhen means that she hopes you and Baima will stay at home overnight, so that the house can have some life in it."
Ding Heng grunted in response and didn't ask any further questions.
Just as I was about to go downstairs, I suddenly heard the sound of ping-pong balls coming from the other end of the corridor.
He followed the sound and pushed open a half-closed door.
The room wasn't large, but it had been converted into a standard e-sports room.
Against the wall was a custom-made long table with two monitors on it, both top-of-the-line gaming screens, curved ultrawide screens with high refresh rate small screens, and several unopened express delivery boxes stacked next to it.
Baima was squatting on the ground, looking at a pile of parts with a headache.
The little girl was wearing a loose pink sweatshirt with bunny ears on the hood hanging down, swaying with her movements.
She wore a dark gray short skirt, revealing smooth, white thighs beneath the hem, with her calves encased in white stockings exposed, and fluffy pink slippers on her feet.
She was tiny, squatting there like a pink cotton candy.
Ding Heng knocked on the door frame.
Baima raised her head, her big, round eyes sweeping over the area before she lowered her head again to continue fiddling with the screws in her hands: "Come in."
Ding Heng walked in and squatted down beside her, glancing at the parts on the ground: "You, a young lady of high birth, are assembling a computer yourself?"
Bai Ma snorted irritably, "Isn't this all your fault? I don't have enough pocket money right now, so I can't afford to hire a computer installer."
Ding Heng was both amused and exasperated, his gaze sweeping across the entire room.
Besides the two monitors, there were several unopened peripherals on the table.
The keyboard is a flagship model from a well-known brand, the mouse is also in the thousand-yuan range, and the headphones hanging to the side don't look cheap either.
He couldn't help but ask, "You call this not having any pocket money?"
Baima didn't even look up: "This is what my mom promised me, I don't have to pay for it."
"Did your aunt agree?"
Ding Heng paused for a moment, then suddenly realized, "Wait, you don't even live in Xingcheng, why are you setting up a gaming room?"
Baima finally raised her head: "Who said I won't stay here permanently? I'll be transferring here next semester."
Ding Heng frowned slightly: "You were doing well studying in Rongcheng, why did you transfer schools?"
Baima continued to tighten the screws with her head down: "My mom wants me to talk to you more, since my grades are just so-so and she doesn't expect me to get into any good universities."
real or fake?
Ding Heng felt a sense of unease.
Qu Zhen and I have only met once. Is it really necessary to rush things to foster a sibling relationship between them?
Just as he was about to ask again, Baima suddenly acted cute and charming: "Brother, come and help me, I can't tighten this screw."
Ding Heng sighed, squatted down, and took the screwdriver from her hand: "Where's the power supply?"
Bai Ma paused for a moment, then rummaged through a pile of parts and pulled out a large black box, handing it over.
Ding Heng then opened the side panel of the chassis and began to install it.
Pema squatted down beside her and watched, blinking her eyes.
The two worked together seamlessly, one filling the container and the other handing it over.
Suddenly Ding Heng noticed two sets of main unit parts on the ground.
"Two sets?"
"Um."
Baima said matter-of-factly, "Isn't that normal? I'll definitely find a boyfriend who loves playing games in the future, so we can play together."
Ding Heng chuckled: "Electronic products are updated so quickly these days, by the time you find your brother-in-law, the equipment might already be outdated."
Baima pouted: "We'll see. Anyway, let's keep it as a backup."
Although Ding Heng wasn't a computer assembly expert, he still knew the basics.
He deftly installed the motherboard into the case, plugged in the power cables, and neatly organized the cables.
Baima watched in stunned silence, and couldn't help but mutter, "You can do this too?"
Ding Heng raised an eyebrow smugly: "The one at my house was bought with my own savings from New Year's money."
"Oh……"
Baima didn't say anything more, but continued to squat beside him, handing him screws and wires, occasionally interjecting with a few words, asking some random questions.
After assembling the two main units, I connected the monitor, keyboard, and mouse.
Ding Heng powered on the computer, entered the BIOS, confirmed that there were no problems, and began installing the system.
Baima sat on the gaming chair next to him, hugging her knees as she watched him play.
Ding Heng glanced at her and couldn't help but laugh.
This little girl, so tiny, just happens to like all these big things.
After installing the system and drivers, I downloaded a few commonly used software programs.
Ding Heng stood up and clapped his hands: "Alright."
You can handle the rest yourself.
Baima jumped off the chair, leaned closer to the screen to take a look, and nodded in satisfaction: "Thank you, brother."
No sooner had the words left his mouth than Secretary Huang's voice came from downstairs.
"Mr. Ding, Baima, dinner's ready!"
The two went downstairs, and the scene in the living room made Ding Heng pause.
On the entryway cabinet, there is a wooden grain container filled with barley, wheat, and tsampa, with several colorful arrow flags stuck in it.
Next to it was a bronze incense burner, and a faint Tibetan fragrance wafted in the air.
In the corner of the living room stands a bronze statue of Thangtong Gyalpo, the founder of Tibetan opera, which is customarily worshipped by Tibetans when they move to a new house.
At the main gate, colorful prayer flags had been hung up at some point, fluttering gently in the night breeze.
On the dining table, besides a few light takeout dishes, there were also rice, oil, salt, steamed cakes, and tofu, each served in a small dish.
The entire villa was brightly lit; all the lights were on from the first floor to the second floor.
It is a relocation custom of the Han Chinese in the south.
Ding Heng looked at Secretary Huang: "This..."
Secretary Huang smiled and said, "Today is the first day of handover, and Ms. Qu Zhen's idea is to respect the customs of both sides."
"Yeah?"
Ding Heng nodded, then looked at the prayer flags and the five grain measures at the door, feeling a strange sense of emotion.
This stepmother is quite thoughtful.
He sat down and asked, "Does Aunt Quzhen really believe in these things?"
Secretary Huang said calmly, "The boss has always respected customs and traditions; there was no other meaning behind it."
Ding Heng recalled that when he last met Qu Zhen, she didn't have any Buddhist beads or dzi beads on her.
Presumably, they still have a sense of right and wrong when it comes to these things.
The takeout was from a nearby upscale Huaiyang cuisine restaurant. The food was light and delicious, which suited Baima's eating habits.
Bai Ma ate a quick bite and hurried back to the e-sports room to download the game.
Seeing her leave, Ding Heng took the opportunity to inquire, "By the way, Secretary Huang, is Bai Ma really transferring to Xingcheng?"
Secretary Huang put down his chopsticks: "That's right."
Ding Heng asked, "Can you tell me the real reason?"
Secretary Huang sighed softly: "Since moving to Chengdu, Bai Ma has changed schools seven times."
Seven times?
Ding Heng was startled.
Baima went to Chengdu when she was fourteen, and she is now eighteen. That means she changed schools eight times in four years, averaging once per semester.
"What's the reason?"
"This child isn't a bad person, it's just... not very sociable."
Secretary Huang carefully chose her words: "Every time, it's because I don't get along with my classmates at school, and I can't stay for long before I have to switch."
"Is it the same this time?"
"About two weeks ago, a female classmate who usually got along well with her said behind her back that she was a nouveau riche."
Secretary Huang spoke calmly, but one could detect a hint of helplessness in her voice.
"When Baima found out, she insisted on confronting the girl, and the two got into an argument. As a result, the girl said some nasty things to Baima's face, and after Baima came back, she stayed at home, saying she didn't want to go to school. So the boss arranged for her to take a leave of absence and come to Xingcheng ahead of schedule."
Ding Heng continued, "Doesn't Aunt Qu Zhen care?"
As a successful businesswoman who has climbed her way up to where she is today, she couldn't just stand by and watch her daughter be bullied.
"The boss can help her resolve external issues, but there's still no way to address Baima's inner conflicts."
Secretary Huang smiled wryly: "So the boss simply thought, maybe the feng shui of Chengdu is wrong, and we should change Baima's environment. So he consulted several masters, including celestial masters and living Buddhas, and they all said that it would be perfect for her to come to Changsha."
Ding Heng's lips twitched slightly after hearing this.
The Star City calculated by the master?
He glanced at the colorful prayer flags by the door, then at the firewood, rice, oil, and salt on the table, and felt a little amused.
Why do all these wealthy people end up getting involved with supernatural and bizarre things to some extent?
As for why the calculation showed Xingcheng...
It's likely that when Quzhen asked the question, she intentionally or unintentionally revealed her inclination, and the masters naturally went along with it.
Ding Heng didn't ask any more questions and continued eating.
After finishing his meal, Ding Heng returned to Bai Ma's e-sports room.
Baima took off her headphones and turned to look at him: "What?"
The gaming chair is very spacious, and when the little girl sits on it, she looks even more petite and adorable.
The fluffy cotton slippers had been kicked off, and two little feet wrapped in white socks were dangling back and forth.
Her feet were small, barely bigger than Ding Heng's palm, with round toes, the tips of which could be seen through the thin fabric.
Ding Heng leaned back lazily in his chair: "Wouldn't you welcome me to play some games with you?"
Baima snorted lightly: "Just don't screw me over."
The two logged into their accounts.
Ding Heng glanced at Bai Ma's screen and gasped.
Goodness, so many skins?
Various limited editions, rare items, and collector's items, row upon row of sparkling pieces, are dazzling to the eye.
Bai Ma pulled Ding Heng into a KOOK channel, and the next second, the sound of the KOOK channel exploded in the earphones.
"Young Master is here!"
"Did you miss me today, brother?"
"Honey, honey! I've been waiting for you for so long!"
"Daddy! Daddy! Take me out to play today!"
Various sweet, coquettish voices rose and fell, some calling for "brother," some for "husband," and some even calling for "father."
Ding Heng felt a chill run down his spine and subconsciously looked at Bai Ma.
Baima was facing the screen with a smug look on her face.
"Quiet down!"
Her voice came through the headphones, deep, magnetic, and with a slightly lazy huskiness—the quintessential bubblegum male god voice.
Ding Heng covered his face with one hand and quickly signaled her to turn off the microphone.
Baima turned off the microphone: "What?"
Ding Heng was both amused and exasperated: "You're pretending to be a man online?"
Baima proudly raised her chin: "How about it? I spent tens of thousands adjusting this voice changer, isn't it pretty good?"
Ding Heng asked, puzzled, "What are you after?"
Pema shrugged and began to explain.
"Before, when I used my natural voice to find people to boost my game online, every time I opened my mouth, those guys would swarm around me like male dogs. Some would call me 'Mommy,' some would try to imitate my 'buzzy' voice, and others would pester me for my WeChat account or say they wanted to show me their abs..."
As she spoke, she wrinkled her face in disgust.
Ding Heng couldn't help but laugh out loud: "So you just pretended to be a man?"
"It's no use."
Bai Ma pouted: "After pretending to be a man, the targets of my harassment changed from men to women, but since they're the same sex, at least it's not as disgusting. It's quite fun to tease them occasionally."
After saying that, she took out her phone, opened her WeChat alternate account, and handed it over.
Ding Heng took it and looked at it; good heavens.
My friend list is full of profile pictures of people who are either "gummy bears" or "don't eat cilantro".
The chat history was filled with all sorts of photos and videos... showing breasts, showing legs, wearing black and white stockings, each one more revealing than the last.
Baima then enthusiastically introduced the girls to Ding Heng: "Look at this one, her skills are alright, but her looks are just average, even a high-quality Photoshop job can't save her. This one has a really nice voice, but it's a bit strained. And this one, she sends me good morning and good night messages every day, I'm too lazy to reply..."
Ding Heng handed the phone back to her, his expression complicated: "Is this appropriate?"
Baima looked completely innocent: "What's inappropriate about it? I didn't lie to them about my body. Sometimes they even get a red envelope from me! It's the online world, you lose if you take it too seriously."
Ding Heng sighed silently to himself.
No wonder this girl has no friends in the real world.
This level of addiction is quite deep.
Baima put her headphones back on, turned on the microphone, and cleared her throat.
The deep, charismatic voice rang out again: "I brought a buddy of mine here today. He's choosing who gets picked. Whoever gets chosen gets a big red envelope!"
The moment the words were spoken, the headphones erupted in excitement.
"Brother, choose me! Choose me!"
"Me! Me! Me! I have a nice voice!"
"What kind of voice does my brother like? Something sweet or something more mature~"
"Brother, I'll send you black stockings! After you take a shower~"
The sounds of various women chattering and babbling filled the air, giving Ding Heng goosebumps.
He glanced at the list and pointed out three voices that didn't sound so convincing.
"Let's choose them."
Baima nodded and pulled the three people into the group.
Games start.
In the first game, Ding Heng was playing jungle, and the three teammates were a support, a mid laner, and a top laner.
As soon as I entered the game, I was bombarded with compliments.
Ding Heng ignored them and focused on farming.
Halfway through the fight, the enemy jungler came to invade their jungle. Ding Heng was about to retreat when the support rushed over, using a skill to control the enemy, almost giving up his own life.
"Brother, run! I'll hold them off for you!"
Ding Heng: "..."
He easily secured the kill on the opposing team, and the support immediately showered him with compliments.
"My brother is so handsome!"
"My brother is amazing!"
"Brother, can we be friends?"
The mid laner and top laner were not to be outdone, and began to frantically make their presence felt.
After the game, Ding Heng was naturally the MVP.
The three companions cheered and jumped for joy in the voice chat, showering the listener with praise as if it were free.
"My brother is amazing!"
"Let's fly! Let's fly!"
"Brother, will you play together again next time?"
Pema watched the commotion from the sidelines, laughing so hard she was shaking her leg. Her little feet, encased in white socks, swayed even more enthusiastically, her toes curling up and down.
Ding Heng selected the next game without any expression.
The second game, the third game, the fourth game...
Every game follows the same script.
The companions kept trying different ways to lick him, which made Ding Heng increasingly lose interest.
After the fifth game, Ding Heng took off his headphones.
Baima also logged out of the game, turning to look at him: "How was it? Was it fun?"
Ding Heng said in a flat tone, "It's pretty boring."
Baima looked unconvinced: "Stop pretending. These escorts start at over two hundred yuan each. So many people would kill for them. You're being fawned over by them, and you're still not happy?"
Ding Heng smiled and didn't refute.
Indeed, those three companions were absolutely top-notch in the market.
She has a pleasant voice, knows how to charm people, and her skills are not bad either.
But this deliberately created atmosphere always makes people feel...
Ding Heng suddenly spoke up: "Bai Ma, haven't you ever played games with your friends?"
Baima was stunned.
The next second, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, her voice suddenly rose in pitch.
"Of course I have friends! I have tons of friends! Back in Chengdu, I used to hang out with them all the time! Play games together! Play together... play together..."
Her voice grew softer and softer as she spoke, until she finally stopped completely.
Ding Heng didn't speak, he just looked at her quietly.
Bai Ma turned her face away, her cheeks puffed out, and stared at the screen without saying a word.
After a few seconds of silence, Ding Heng stood up: "Let's go."
"Where to?"
"Brother, let me show you how friends play games."