Chapter 172: Lin Man's provocation, Hua Qing's surprise

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On April 8th, the weather in Changsha was sunny.

Hua Qing's living room.

The white lisianthus bouquet exudes a delicate fragrance that slowly diffuses into the air.

Ding Heng stood in the center of the living room, looking around.

The designer Lin Man hired was indeed professional. In the limited space, the proposed solution was impeccable, and the overall space was neither crowded nor desolate.

Wenjing squatted down beside the coffee table and placed the last few pastries onto a porcelain plate.

"Little Jingjing, that's good enough."

After a long day, Zhao Yanxi slumped onto the sofa: "It's not like we're filming a wedding scene, why arrange everything so neatly?"

"Is it pretty...?"

Wenjing continued to adjust the angle of the last cookie.

Lin Man was adjusting the height of the balloon on tiptoe when she turned around and reached out her hand: "Yan hope, hand me the ribbon."

Zhao Yanxi picked up a roll of light green ribbon from the coffee table and handed it to Lin Man.

Lin Manchong smiled at her and said, "Thanks."

"You're welcome."

Zhao Yanxi withdrew her hand, her tone indifferent.

Lin Man tied the ribbon to the last balloon, clapped her hands, walked to the coffee table, and unscrewed a bottle of mineral water.

"By the way, Yan hope, take a look at this."

She put down her water bottle, took out her phone from her pocket, and swiped a few times: "Here's a new design from the cake shop, take a look and see if it's okay."

Zhao Yanxi took the phone and looked down at it carefully.

The cake has a simple white design, with a line of chocolate text in the center that reads: "Happy Birthday, Hua Qing."

"Wouldn't it be too plain? Should we add a touch of gold or red to make it look more luxurious?"

"That makes sense..."

Lin Man chimed in, "I'll talk to the cake shop again and see if we can add some gold sugar pearls to the edges. It won't overpower the main color, but it will brighten it up."

"OK."

The conversation between the two was calm and natural, without any deliberate warmth or lingering hostility.

Ding Heng watched the interaction between the two and smiled faintly.

Lin Man's social skills are indeed superb...

She never tried to please Zhao Yanxi, but instead showed an attitude of "we are the same kind".

Through daily collaboration, and by showing vulnerability and sincerity at just the right time, he gradually dissipated Zhao Yanxi's defenses.

Even if Zhao Yanxi still harbored resentment, she couldn't find a reason to lash out at Lin Man in this situation.

At 5 p.m., all the setup was finally completed.

The group packed their belongings and prepared to leave.

Hua Yue carried two large bags of trash out first, and Lin Man followed to help. They were both going back to Hubei Normal University, and it was on their way.

Ding Heng picked up the car keys: "Let's go, I'll take you home."

The three of them went downstairs, and as usual, Ding Heng drove, with the two girls sitting together in the back seat.

The car drove out of the residential area and merged into the evening rush hour traffic.

Ding Heng suddenly spoke up: "What do you two think of Lin Man?"

Zhao Yanxi replied lazily, "Why are you suddenly asking this?"

Wenjing answered honestly, "I think Sister Man is really capable. She makes people feel comfortable with her words and actions, and she considers everything carefully. She seems like..."

"Like a ProMax version of Yan hope?"

"I didn't say that..."

Wenjing pouted, and Zhao Yanxi immediately became unhappy.

She stepped forward and said in a coquettish tone, "Brother Ding Heng~!"

Ding Heng reassured her, "Don't worry, you're only a few years younger than her. After two years of training, you'll definitely be no weaker than her."

"That's more like it."

Zhao Yanxi calmed down a little.

Wenjing's evaluation was generally objective. After all, Lin Man was so popular at school and ran a gaming companion shop, so she must have good skills and emotional intelligence.

Of course, this is also thanks to the influence of her family in the past, especially her mother, who was very capable in making the Brilliant Planet business thrive.

Wenjing continued, "But I feel that Sister Man sometimes gets particularly stubborn."

Ding Heng raised an eyebrow: "How so?"

Wenjing recalled, "A couple of days ago, a certain color of ribbon was out of stock. The boss suggested using a similar one as a substitute, but she refused and insisted that the boss order it from another branch. Also, when ordering a cake, because of the staff's negligence, they didn't record the chocolate she wanted, and she immediately complained and demanded it be sent back for remakes..."

Ding Heng smiled after hearing this.

Just as Lin Man herself said, she was petty, vindictive, and even obsessive.

But considering her family situation, it's not hard to understand.

Zhao Yanxi suddenly asked, "Brother Ding Heng, will we be spending a lot of time with Lin Man in the future?"

Ding Heng countered, "Do you want to spend time with her?"

Zhao Yanxi could not give an answer.

Want to?

I can't say for sure.

Don't you want to?

They didn't seem to be that resistant.

The car stopped in front of the main gate of Zhongnan University. Ding Heng reached out and gently rubbed Zhao Yanxi's head: "Why are you worrying about this? It's not like you at all."

"snort……"

Zhao Yanxi gave a soft hum and playfully stuck out her tongue.

That's true. If I wanted to stay by Ding Heng's side, there was no need for me to be conflicted about Lin Man.

No matter what, she was Ding Heng's first woman.

After escorting the two girls back to their dormitories, Ding Heng didn't rush back but sat quietly in the car waiting.

Judging by the time, it should be about right...

The next second, the phone suddenly vibrated.

[Lin Hu Leads the Way]: [Image]

Ding Heng clicked on the picture.

Lin Man stood in front of Hua Qing's dressing mirror, wearing a light green Hanfu.

Hua Qing's Hanfu...

Lin Man is taller than Hua Qing, and her figure is also better than Hua Qing's. The clothes already looked too small on my body.

With her deliberately exposed shoulders and legs, she completely lacked Hua Qing's ethereal and aloof aura, instead exuding a unique kind of allure.

[Linhu Leads the Way]: Aren't you coming to inspect?

Ding Heng did not reply; he simply put his phone in his pocket and turned the car around again.

Forty minutes later, Ding Heng returned to Hua Qing's building and entered the apartment building.

As the elevator ascends, the numbers on it jump one by one.

"bite."

The door opened, and the hallway was quiet.

Hua Qing's door was ajar, with a crack deliberately left open.

Ding Heng pushed open the door and entered. The living room was lit by only a few low-wattage warm lights, the light was soft, as if the atmosphere had been adjusted in advance.

Lin Man lay sprawled on the sofa, her waist bound extremely thin by a palace sash, her skirt hanging down to her ankles, revealing a section of her slender ankles wrapped in translucent silk stockings.

"Boss."

She raised her head, her foxy eyes gleaming.

Ding Heng walked over and sat down, then casually pulled her onto his lap: "Why are you wearing Hua Qing's clothes?"

Lin Man gently traced circles on Ding Heng's chest with her fingers: "Since you're seeking thrills..."

Ding Heng chuckled softly, his hand sliding gently from her shoulder to her thigh. .

"Would you like something even more exciting?"

"How to stimulate them?"

"Give."

Ding Heng took an eye mask out of his pocket.

The fabric is black satin with delicate lace trim.

Lin Man immediately understood and, without the slightest hesitation, reached out and took the blindfold and put it on.

The moment the silk blindfold is covered, sight is taken away, and the world is plunged into darkness.

She could feel Ding Heng's hand still resting on her thigh, his palm warm and his fingertips rough.

But we waited for a while.

I waited a while longer.

Ding Heng did not take any further action.

Lin Man's heartbeat gradually calmed down: "Boss? Didn't you say you wanted to seek thrills?"

"What's the rush?"

Ding Heng spoke casually.

Lin Man pursed her lips and said nothing more.

Time passed second by second, and Lin Man's senses became increasingly acute in the darkness, making each second feel incredibly long.

The prolonged darkness stirred a sense of fear within her, and her breathing began to become unsteady.

"Boss... what exactly do you want?"

Suddenly, Ding Heng pinched her thigh hard, causing Lin Man to let out a short moan.

"Hmm! Boss~"

"It's about time."

Ding Heng's smile was enigmatic...

downstairs.

The new energy vehicle slowly drove into the residential area, and Hua Qing, who had returned early, did not tell anyone.

She had imagined many possibilities, but all of them stopped at the moment she "met Ding Heng".

What kind of surprise did the man prepare for her?

Hua Qing turned off the engine, picked up her phone, and opened Ding Heng's chat window.

【Flower Sea Sunny Day】: What are you doing?

She wanted to find out where Ding Heng was, but he didn't reply for a long time.

Hua Qing was getting impatient waiting, so she threw her phone into her bag, opened the door, and got out of the car.

The nights in Xingcheng in April were slightly chilly. She wrapped her coat tighter around herself and walked quickly toward her apartment building, then suddenly stopped.

Downstairs in the parking spaces, there were two cars: a beat-up Chang'an and a silver BMW, both with license plates she recognized...

Hua Qing's brain went blank for a moment.

They...were at her house?

Hua Qing dared not think further, but she couldn't help it.

Images flooded my mind frame by frame, uncontrollably.

She gritted her teeth, clenched her fists, and strode quickly into the apartment building.

Tolerable or unbearable!

Hua Qing found the elevator too slow, so she simply took the stairs and ran upstairs. She found the door wide open, with warm yellow light spilling across the corridor.

"You're back?"

Ding Heng stood quietly in front of the gate, his hands in his pockets, looking relaxed, as if he was waiting for her, showing no signs of nervousness about being caught cheating.

Hua Qing asked in bewilderment, "Ding Heng...you..."

"Come in."

Ding Heng led Hua Qing into the house, casually reminding her, "Keep your voice down."

The layout of the room made Hua Qing pause slightly.

White lisianthus, light green ribbons, balloons, scented candles... the entire living room is decorated in a fresh and elegant style.

"This is……"

"Pretend you didn't see the birthday surprise Hua Yue and the others prepared for you today, but remember to act convincingly tomorrow."

"Oh... okay."

Hua Qing subconsciously agreed, her mind still blank.

How did you know I was back early?

"secret."

Hua Qing pouted, not pressing the matter, but then suddenly remembered a crucial question.

"I saw Lin Man's car downstairs just now."

"Guess where she is now?"

"she……"

Hua Qing was taken aback and subconsciously looked towards the dance studio.

Ding Heng took out his phone, opened an app that Hua Qing found both terrifying and familiar, and flicked his finger.

A soft sob immediately came from the direction of the dance studio.

Hua Qing's pupils contracted...

Ding Heng calmly put away his phone: "Want to go take a look?"

Hua Qing didn't say anything, but her heart was beating very fast.

A system notification quietly appeared in Ding Heng's mind.

[Progress of romantic entanglement: 93%]

It rose another 1%.

Ding Heng took Hua Qing's hand and led her to the door of the dance studio.

The dance studio was dimly lit.

Lin Man was tied to the barre, her body in the classic backbend position that Saber had when she was bound by Caster, her whole body taut like a bow.

Unlike Hua Qing's relaxed and effortless movements that day, Lin Man's basic skills were lacking.

Maintaining the backbend position was quite strenuous for her; her lower back and abdomen were already aching, and her thigh muscles were taut.

"Huff... huff..."

Her breathing was rapid and erratic, her chest heaving, and fine beads of sweat trickled down her forehead, past her slightly parted lips, and onto the polished floor.

Her legs, encased in sheer stockings, were trembling uncontrollably. Every muscle from her thighs to her calves was screaming in pain. Her slender ankles were stretched into a bony outline from the effort, and her toes were curling up tightly inside the stockings.

"Boss..."

Lin Man's voice trembled as she pitifully pleaded, "Can we end this now? I really can't take it anymore..."

Ding Heng did not answer.

He turned to look at Hua Qing at the door, put his index finger to his lips, and gestured for her to be quiet.

Hua Qing had no idea how to react and just stared blankly.

Ding Heng slowly walked towards Lin Man and placed his palm on her taut lower back.

"I'm going to ask you a few questions, and you'll have to answer them honestly."

"Boss, ask away... I'll tell you anything..."

"Why have you been targeting Hanaharu for the past few years?"

"Didn't I tell you... on my birthday, she..."

"Um?"

Ding Heng applied slight pressure with his hand, pressing his thumb into Lin Man's waist.

Lin Man winced in pain, letting out a muffled groan, and dared not continue to feign indifference.

"I...I'm jealous of her."

She answered through gritted teeth, her tone reluctant.

Ding Heng continued, "Jealous about what?"

Lin Man's voice suddenly rose, as if she had finally found an outlet after suppressing it for too long.

"The moment I saw her, I was filled with jealousy. I was jealous of her purity, beauty, and confidence... Her life was full of ideals and hope, while I lived like a refined walking corpse, not knowing why I was alive every day when I opened my eyes."

"So you're targeting her?"

"Jealousy may be my enemy, but I still want to be friends with her."

Lin Man's voice gradually became indistinct: "But she rejected me first..."

Hua Qing stood at the door, her eyelashes trembling.

Ding Heng glanced at her, then looked away: "Why are you so concerned about her birthday?"

"Didn't you tell me to do it?"

"Um?"

Ding Heng increased the pressure on his hand.

Lin Man winced in pain and finally changed her mind: "Because I still want to be friends with her."

"Don't you have many friends?"

"They're different... Hua Qing is completely different from them."

"What's different?"

"I... I can't explain it."

Lin Man couldn't explain it, but Ding Heng understood it better than she did.

In some ways, Lin Man and Hua Qing are similar, both obsessive and lonely.

But as a genius, Hua Qing's obsession is directed at herself and dance, and she accepts her unique loneliness with equanimity.

Like Baima, Lin Man chose to use worldly things and money to alleviate her loneliness, but the more she did so, the more obvious her inner emptiness became and the deeper her obsession grew.

This is the true nature of her jealousy towards Hua Qing.

If Hua Qing apologizes to you, will you forgive her?

"I have no idea……"

"Then you'd better think it through quickly."

The moment the blindfold was removed, light rushed into her pupils, making Lin Man squint.

Her vision cleared, and she gradually made out the person standing in front of her.

The moment their eyes met, the system interface quietly appeared in Ding Heng's mind.

【Azure Cold Sword Immortal: Hua Qing】

[Current Status: A Fairy Who Has Lost All Her Cultivation Power]

[Progress of romantic entanglement: 95%]

[Progress of severing emotional ties: 1%]