Chapter 167: The Capable Secretary Lin
Five o'clock in the morning.
Lin Man had forgotten when she lost consciousness.
All she remembers is that something exploded in her mind at the end, and then her mind went completely blank.
The soreness and pain in her body made her realize that last night was not a dream, and every muscle in her body was exhausted.
She raised her hand and touched the spot next to her.
It was empty; the sheets were cold to the touch, and the person had been gone for a long time.
Lin Man's mind cleared instantly, and she sat up abruptly from the bed, the ache in her body causing her to hiss and gasp for breath.
Ding Heng just left like that?
The bedside table was spotless, without even a note left.
Lin Man paused for two seconds, a surge of indescribable emotion welling up inside her.
accurate.
I'm really annoyed!
I went through so much trouble last night, crying and begging, and my legs still won't close, but the man just pulled up his pants and left?
Is it like ordering a fast food meal?
She instinctively grabbed the shirt Ding Heng had thrown at the foot of the bed, haphazardly put it on, and staggered out of the bedroom.
The balcony door was open, and a cold draft blew in, causing the curtains to flutter slightly.
Ding Heng sat on a wicker chair on the balcony, holding a bottle of beer in his hand, gazing lazily at the distant horizon.
Lin Man stopped in her tracks, exhaled a long breath, as if to expel all the panic she had just felt.
Ding Heng turned around upon hearing the noise: "What's wrong?"
Lin Man didn't answer. She staggered over and slumped into Ding Heng's arms, burying her face in his neck.
"That scared me to death..."
Her voice, muffled in Ding Heng's shoulder, deliberately trailed off with a hint of a sob: "I thought you were gone."
Ding Heng raised one hand and placed it on the back of her head, stroking her disheveled long hair like petting a pet.
"What, are you afraid I won't pay?"
Lin Man shook her head in his arms, her hair brushing against his chin, making the man ticklish.
They said they wouldn't charge you.
She buried her face even deeper, her voice muffled: "And yesterday... I was very happy too."
Ding Heng didn't reply, but continued to gently stroke the back of her head with his palm.
Lin Man secretly glanced up and saw Ding Heng's jawline and the slight movement of his Adam's apple.
Last night...
She thought it would hurt a lot, she thought it would be disgusting, and she thought she would close her eyes and grit her teeth to endure it, just like in the novels.
But Ding Heng was more patient than she had imagined, and also more... troublesome than she had imagined.
She pleaded pitifully, "I just hope... you can come to the karaoke bar to see me more often in the future."
Ding Heng didn't answer, but looked down at her.
The man's gaze made Lin Man feel inexplicably guilty, and she buried her face back down.
The system interface quietly appeared in my mind.
Crown of Thorns: Lin Man
[Current Status: A Princess Defiled by Worldly Affairs]
[Penalty Value: 13%]
Atonement Value: 0%
[Refuge Value: 0%]
[Ding! Punishment value exceeds 10%, milestone achieved!]
[Rewards: 3000 Divine Merit, +15 Perception, unlock the relic "The Penitent's Whip".]
Ding Heng couldn't help but feel a little amused.
Thirteen percent!
Thirteen percent in one night!
These penalty points are so easy to farm!
As for Lin Man's tricks, he had seen through them long ago, but he was too lazy to expose them.
Lin Man wanted to play the role of a pitiful woman who was desperate and sold herself for money in front of him, so he followed her script.
He even deliberately revealed some of his "unfathomable" secrets to her as bait to lure her in.
Sure enough, this self-righteous vixen immediately took the bait.
As for last night...
Lin Man nestled against his chest, her breathing gradually calming down; she was putting on quite a convincing act.
That vixen truly lives up to her name...
Although it was my first time, I quickly grasped all the different techniques.
She learned the postures and rhythms faster than anyone else.
In addition, she had studied dance, so although her flexibility couldn't compare to that of someone like Hua Qing who had practiced for over ten years, she was more uninhibited and could do anything.
And that mouth, the words it uttered...
Unfortunately, his physical condition was too poor, and he fainted halfway through, leaving Ding Heng unsatisfied.
Ding Heng snapped out of his thoughts, slid his hand from the back of Lin Man's head to her shoulder, and gently patted her.
"Lin Man".
"Um?"
She gave a vague reply but didn't move.
"Don't go back to work."
Lin Man's body stiffened slightly, and her face, buried in Ding Heng's neck, subtly curved into a smile.
really.
Men are all like that.
He'd say things like "how much for sex," but once in bed, he'd start persuading people to reform after it was over.
She had seen similar situations many times. Whether it was a KTV or a escort service, which of those young girls hadn't been coaxed like that by customers?
Lin Man lifted her head from Ding Heng's embrace, her eyes slightly reddened, and her eyelashes trembled.
"But I can't earn money if I don't work, and I still have a lot of credit card debt."
Ding Heng put the wine bottle aside and reached out to pull her closer to him.
"It's okay, I'll support you... How much do you need a month? Thirty thousand? Fifty thousand?"
Lin Man pursed her lips, not in a hurry to answer.
How should I react in this situation?
Should one politely decline, feeling flattered, or be moved to tears?
In the end, Lin Man buried her face back, her voice choked with sobs.
"Really……"
"rest assured."
Ding Heng continued to pat her back gently: "As long as you stay with me obediently, I promise I won't mistreat you."
Lin Man buried her face in Ding Heng's chest, her heart overflowing with uncontrollable joy.
Become!
I've succeeded!
As long as she stayed by Ding Heng's side, she was confident that she could make him infatuated with her.
Once he gets used to her presence, once he feels he can't live without her, then I'll slowly reveal those things to him...
Her parents' affairs, the Lin family's affairs, and the relatives who bullied her and treated her like a burden.
Ding Heng can handle someone like Liu Jianming, so her little problem shouldn't be a big deal, right?
The script is perfect.
Lin Man was happily lost in her daydreams when Ding Heng's voice came from above her head.
"Oh, right, I also have a little quirk."
Lin Man's smile froze on her lips.
"You experienced it last night too."
Ding Heng's hand slid from her back to her waist, giving her a light pinch: "You should be able to accept it later, right?"
Lin Man recalled last night once again.
Kneeling, crawling, being forced in front of the mirror...
She swallowed hard. "Could you... not do this every time..."
"rest assured."
Ding Heng said casually, "I'll give you more money."
Lin Man choked.
She whispered, "It's not about adding money..."
Ding Heng's face turned cold: "Unwilling?"
Lin Man quickly shook her head, afraid that she would miss something if she was even a second too slow.
After hesitating for a moment, she tentatively asked, "Do you... usually treat Hua Qing like this?"
Ding Heng grinned, saying nothing, but it was as if he had said everything.
Lin Man gasped.
Huaqing?
Hua Qing, the one who always scolds people in the dance studio with a stern face, walks with a swagger, and keeps everyone at arm's length?
Hua Qing, who always acted aloof and superior in front of her?
She simply couldn't reconcile the image of that aloof and elegant fairy with her disheveled state from the previous night.
But if even Hua Qing is treated like this by Ding Heng, it doesn't seem so unacceptable...
Lin Man tried to convince herself: "As long as you're happy, I'm fine with anything."
What's a little price to pay if it's for revenge!
Ding Heng didn't say anything more, and pulled her closer into his arms.
The morning light slowly spread from the horizon, turning the sky a pale, fish-belly white.
"Speaking of which, what do you think should be my name from now on?"
Lin Man lifted her head from Ding Heng's embrace and began to think seriously.
"husband?"
"Too easy."
"Owner?"
"I'm tired of hearing it."
"Godfather..."
She deliberately dragged out her words, speaking in a coquettish tone.
Ding Heng raised his hand and lightly flicked her forehead: "You look too old. I'm younger than you."
Lin Man rubbed her forehead, pouted, and after thinking for a while, tentatively asked, "Then...the boss?"
Ding Heng narrowed his eyes slightly, reached out and pinched Lin Man's chin, gently rubbing her lower lip with his thumb.
"That works."
He said with a casual smile, "We happen to be short-staffed for a secretary lately, but I don't know if you'd be up to the task."
Lin Man's smile slowly spread from the corners of her mouth, illuminating her eyebrows and eyes.
She leaned forward, her nose almost touching Ding Heng's chin, her voice soft and seductive.
"Don't worry, boss. From now on, leave everything to your secretary. You just need to..."
The vixen's delicate lips pressed against Ding Heng's earlobe, softly exhaling a fragrant breath.
"Do a good job as a secretary."
……
When Lin Man woke up again, it was already noon.
She rolled over, reached to the side, and found nothing there.
This time she didn't panic. She closed her eyes and lay down for a while, waiting for the soreness to slowly subside from her limbs.
Then she sat up, propped herself up on the edge of the bed, and looked down to see a glass of water on the bedside table, next to a strip of pills, with a sticky note underneath.
The paper bore Ding Heng's handwriting, bold and vigorous, hasty yet orderly—[Remember to take your medicine]
It is devoid of any emotion.
Lin Man stared at those four words for several seconds, then picked up the strip of pills—levonorgestrel tablets.
She chuckled, then realized there was nothing funny about it.
I popped one out and put it in my mouth, then swallowed it with the now-cold water.
The pill went down my throat, leaving a slightly bitter taste...
She put down her cup and reached for her phone.
The screen lit up, and a WeChat message notification popped up. It was a transfer from Ding Heng, a full 50,000 yuan.
Lin Man hesitated for a long time, her finger hovering over the screen.
Although she wasn't short of money, she still clicked to receive payment in the end.
With a "ding," the money arrived in my account.
Lin Man tossed her phone aside, lay back on the bed, and stared blankly at the patterns on the ceiling.
Did he really sell himself out?
She never imagined that she would one day be "kept" by someone.
Lin Man chuckled again, this time genuinely finding it funny.
A few minutes later, she picked up her phone again, opened a chat window with the contact name "Duan Biao," and transferred the 50,000 yuan.
Then press the voice button: "Give them this 50,000 yuan. I'll go to the bank to withdraw some more later to make up three months' worth of salary."
A few seconds later, Duan Biao called.
"Xiaoman."
It was a middle-aged man's voice, with a rough quality honed from years of smoking and drinking: "If you're short on cash, you can come later. This money should have been paid by Lin Zhiyuan. If it doesn't work out, I'll go and argue with him again."
"Need not."
Lin Man's voice returned to its usual nonchalant tone: "I don't need your salary. I just happened to find a new job recently."
"What kind of job?"
"secret."
Duan Biao didn't press further, but his tone changed: "By the way, your mother's birthday is next month..."
Lin Man frowned: "I remember, I'll go see her, you don't need to remind me."
Duan Biao replied "Okay" and hung up the phone.
Lin Man threw off the covers and got out of bed. As soon as her feet touched the carpet, her legs went weak and she almost knelt down.
"hiss……"
She stood holding onto the edge of the bed for a while, waiting for the soreness to subside before slowly walking towards the bathroom.
Every step felt like walking on cotton, and my inner thighs ached slightly.
She stood in front of the mirror, leaning against the sink, looking at herself with messy hair and several red marks on her neck.
How could Hua Qing possibly stand it?
She turned on the tap, scooped up some cold water and splashed it on her face, trying to shake off all the random thoughts.
After showering and changing into casual clothes, Lin Man left the hotel.
It was already afternoon when I got home.
She pushed open the apartment door. On the shoe cabinet were packages that had been confiscated a few days ago. The living room curtains were tightly closed, and there was a faint smell of dust in the air.
She tossed her bag onto the sofa and sank into it. Just as she was about to close her eyes and rest for a while, her phone vibrated again.
Messages from Ding Heng kept popping up one after another.
Ding Heng: [Document]
Ding Heng: [Document]
Ding Heng: [Document]
[Ding Heng]: Please take a look at these contracts for me and see if there are any pitfalls.
[Ding Heng]: Also, my grandparents are going on a trip next Wednesday. Could you help them book two plane tickets?
[Ding Heng]: These are their ID cards.
[Ding Heng]: Let's book a hotel too, one that's suitable for the elderly.
[Ding Heng]: It would be best to find them a tour companion as well.
Lin Man stared at the screen, her brows furrowing deeper and deeper.
Is he really treating her like a secretary?
She instinctively wanted to hand the contracts to her assistant, but stopped herself just as she opened the chat window.
The document Ding Heng sent was marked with the word "privacy".
In addition, how should she answer if her assistant asks?
"Well, your boss is being kept by someone. She's now my mistress and secretary, so you'll probably have even more to do in the future..."
Lin Man chuckled at the scene she had imagined, shook her head, got up, turned on her computer, imported the contract, and flipped through it page by page.
Never mind... a secretary it is.
Since I'm just idling around anyway, I might as well find something to do.
She leaned back in her chair, her fingers sliding across the touchpad, her gaze sweeping over the densely packed clauses line by line.
Be diligent and responsible!
……
It's the weekend again in the blink of an eye.
At seven o'clock in the morning, Lin Man was awakened by the vibration of her phone.
She groped her way over, half-asleep, and squinted at the screen.
[Ding Heng]: Arrive at the hotel before 9 o'clock.
Lin Man tossed her phone aside, turned over, and tried to go back to sleep, but a few seconds later she resignedly got up.
She yawned as she walked into the bathroom, washing up, doing her skincare, and putting on makeup, each step a beat faster than usual.
By the time I finished blow-drying my hair and stood in front of the wardrobe, it was almost eight o'clock.
Her fingers traced across the clothes hanger. After a moment's thought, she pulled out a rarely worn office lady outfit from the back, paired with low-cut black heels and black stockings.
Finally, he pulled out a pair of non-prescription gold-rimmed glasses from the drawer, put them on, and twirled in front of the full-length mirror.
Tsk, it actually looks pretty convincing.
We drove to the Chujiang Hotel and took the elevator to the 28th floor.
Standing in front of the door, Lin Man took a deep breath and knocked.
No one answered.
She knocked twice more, but there was still no response.
Just as I was hesitating whether to send a message to ask, the door suddenly opened from the inside.
Ding Heng had just finished showering and was wrapped in a white hotel bathrobe, the collar slightly open, revealing a large expanse of his muscular chest.
"You're here?"
He stepped aside to let her in, his tone indifferent.
"Um."
Lin Man went inside, closed the door behind her, and waited for Ding Heng's orders.
The man had already turned around and walked back to the living room, sat down on the sofa, and picked up his phone from the coffee table to browse through it.
Lin Man stood in the entryway, her high heels clicking on the floor, feeling a little embarrassed.
What should the boss's personal secretary do at this time?
Lin Man thought of the servants who usually served her grandfather, and finally made up her mind to walk over and squat down at Ding Heng's feet.
Ding Heng looked down at her.
Lin Man didn't look up, but reached out to unfasten the Velcro straps on Ding Heng's slippers, her movements gentle.
She took the bathroom slippers off Ding Heng's feet, then took a pair of hotel slippers from the shoe cabinet and put them on Ding Heng's feet.
Then she knelt down beside him.
Knees together, back straight, hands clasped on thighs, posture respectful.
Ding Heng's lips curled into a smile: "Pour a cup of hot water."
Lin Man immediately got up, walked to the tea station, poured a cup of warm water, tested the temperature with the back of her hand, and then respectfully handed it to Ding Heng with both hands.
Ding Heng took the drink, took a sip, and put it on the coffee table.
Lin Man knelt back down, her black-stockinged thighs hitting the floor.
Ding Heng reached out and picked up a grape from the fruit plate on the coffee table, then plucked one and offered it to Lin Man's lips.
Lin Man tilted her head slightly, opened her mouth, and her lips touched his fingertips as she gently took the grape into her mouth.
The juice burst in my mouth, almost too sweet.
"Is it sweet?"
"Sweet."
She nodded.
Ding Heng picked another one, but this time he didn't feed it to her; he ate it himself.
Lin Man knelt quietly at his feet.
Ding Heng praised, "You're quite sensible."
Lin Man raised her head, her foxy eyes behind her glasses curving into two crescent moons, her smile both obedient and ingratiating.
"My boss pays me so much every month, of course I have to be sensible."
Ding Heng reached out and took off the glasses from her nose, then put them on his own face to try them on.
It's matte, and it makes me a little dizzy when I wear it.
He set his glasses aside and gently hooked his finger on her chin.
"Shouldn't you be more sensible?"
Lin Man immediately understood, raised her hand to gather her hair behind her ear, and then took a hair tie off her wrist and gently bit it in her mouth.
……
At noon, the sun was shining brightly.
As the two left the hotel, Lin Man walked beside Ding Heng, almost touching him, her high heels clicking crisply on the floor tiles.
She let her hair down again, draping it over her shoulders and covering the faint red marks on the back of her neck.
Ding Heng opened the Mercedes-Benz door, and Lin Man bent down and climbed into the passenger seat with a seductive movement.
The car drove out of the hotel and merged into the traffic.
Ding Heng, with one hand on the steering wheel, glanced at her sideways and said, "How did you used to spend your money and enjoy yourself? Take me to experience it."
Lin Man leaned back in her chair, blinked, and asked, "The boss doesn't usually spend much money?"
Ding Heng made an excuse, saying, "My family used to be very strict and wouldn't let me spend money."
Lin Man said "Oh," and most of her doubts dissipated.
Indeed, although Ding Heng is rich, judging from his behavior, he doesn't seem like someone who grew up surrounded by money.
Those truly pampered young masters are nothing like him.
"OK."
She sat up straight, took out her phone, and swiped: "Then I'll take the boss to a nice place today."
After driving for more than forty minutes, the car turned onto a tree-lined road on the outskirts of the city.
The trees on both sides are very tall, with overlapping branches and leaves forming a green archway overhead.
At the end of the road was a wrought iron gate. The gatekeeper, dressed in a crisp uniform, bent down to glance at the license plate before raising the barrier to let the car through.
As the car drove in, a large lawn stretched out before us, with undulating slopes in the distance and a few solitary trees standing atop them, their leaves rustling in the wind.
The clubhouse is a Chinese-style building with white walls and gray tiles, hidden behind a bamboo grove, so understated that it is almost impossible to tell what it is.
Lin Man was clearly a regular customer; the receptionist at the door smiled at her and respectfully greeted her as "Miss Lin."
"Still the same old spot?"
"Um."
Lin Man nodded and naturally took Ding Heng's arm.
After leaving the locker room, Lin Man changed into a white golf skirt, the hem of which just reached her knees, revealing a section of her calves.
Her hair was tied back into a ponytail, and she wore a white sun hat, making her look fresh and neat.
Ding Heng was wearing a polo shirt and casual pants provided by the club, the clothes were neatly ironed, and he had a pair of sunglasses clipped to his collar.
"Has the boss hit this before?"
Lin Man handed him the golf club.
Does playing the Switch a few times count?
Ding Heng took the cue stick, weighed it in his hand, and walked to the tee box.
Although he has never played golf, with his current body control, any sport is like a cheat code.
He stood still, feet slightly apart, knees slightly bent, hands gripping the bar, and slowly turned his body.
"Smack."
The ball flew high and far, drawing a white arc in the blue sky before landing on the edge of the green, rolling twice, and stopping just at the hole.
"Wow!"
Lin Man let out a genuine exclamation, then clapped her hands: "Boss is amazing!"
Her voice was crisp and bright, carrying far across the empty stadium.
Ding Heng handed her the golf club: "Why don't you give it a try?"
Lin Man took it and stood in front of the serving table.
Her posture was very standard, clearly indicating she had received formal training, but her swing power was a bit lacking, and the ball didn't fly far, landing in the middle of the fairway.
She playfully stuck out her tongue: "Oops, I didn't hit it right."
Ding Heng smiled but didn't say anything.
For the next hour or so, Ding Heng played ball, and Lin Man stayed by his side.
Every time he hit a shot, she would clap and cheer, praising him to the skies.
Occasionally, a caddie would pass by, glance at you, and then hurry away, their face expressionless, probably because they were used to it.
On the contrary, several operations staff who knew Lin Man were completely confused.
This man must be incredibly powerful, for Lin Man is fawning over him like this...
As the sun slowly climbed overhead and the temperature rose, a thin layer of sweat appeared on Lin Man's nose.
Ding Heng put down his golf club, took the water she offered, and drank a sip.
"Tired?"
"fine."
Lin Man shook her head, folded the towel in her hand, and put it into the basket next to her.
Ding Heng didn't want to tire her out too much, so he put the cue stick back in the bag: "Let's go back."
"Boss, you're not playing anymore?"
"That's enough, it's not interesting anyway."
Lin Man didn't ask any more questions and followed Ding Heng towards the club.
Back in the dressing room, Lin Man changed back into her office lady outfit and stood in front of the mirror fixing her hair.
Her phone vibrated in her bag. She took it out and saw it was a message from Ding Heng.
[Ding Heng]: I'm leaving now, you can drive the car back.
Lin Man was stunned for a moment, and before she could even put her stockings back on, she immediately pushed open the door and went out.
Ding Heng had already changed his clothes and was leaning against the wall in the corridor, scrolling through his phone.
Seeing her come out, he handed her the car keys: "Here you go."
"Boss, is there anything else you need to do?"
Lin Man took the keys, her tone of disappointment going unnoticed even by herself.
"Um."
Ding Heng put his phone in his pocket: "Wenjing and Yanxi have arrived at the hotel. I'll be spending the next two days with them."
Lin Man's expression froze.
"So you don't need to come over for the next two days."
Ding Heng turned and walked out without looking back: "I'll let you know if I need anything else."
Lin Man stood there, stunned, watching Ding Heng's figure disappear at the end of the corridor.
She tried to force a smile, but found she couldn't.
"Yes, sir."
The sound was very soft, and the corridor was empty.
Nobody heard it.