Chapter 174: Girlfriend, Brothers, and Secretary

Hua Qing's gaze swept over the rapidly receding street scene outside the window, and a sense of oppressive tension emanated from her entire being.

In just four days, Hua Qing's entire holiday felt like a dream she didn't have time to savor.

One day was my birthday, one day I went shopping with Lin Man, and one day I went back to school to complete my graduation procedures... Before I knew it, I was on my way to the airport.

All told, the total time she spent with Ding Heng was no more than a full day.

Aside from sleeping with her for one night, the man never really spent time with her again.

Ding Heng stopped at the red light, glanced at Hua Qing, and reached out to gently pinch her cheek.

"Is your senior still angry?"

"I'm not angry..."

Hua Qing mumbled something indistinctly, turning her head to try and avoid Ding Heng's large hand.

Ding Heng persisted, gently pressing his thumb against her cheekbone. "It's not very convenient in Xingcheng. Once I'm done with this busy period, I'll make time to visit you in the capital more often."

"I still have training to do, you'd better not come here too often..."

Hua Qing raised her hand and slapped Ding Heng's hand away, but her tone unconsciously softened.

She knew perfectly well that Zhao Yanxi and Wen Jing needed Ding Heng to spend time with them, and now Lin Man was another person who needed her attention. The time that men spent with her was basically squeezed out of their schedules.

It's understandable, but she still has some minor emotional issues, even if she doesn't want to admit it.

The green light came on, and Ding Heng gripped the steering wheel again.

"Remember to message me as soon as you land."

"Know."

Hua Qing spoke crisply, temporarily suppressing her inner turmoil.

After a few seconds, she added softly, "I expect to stay in the capital until the selection in July."

Ding Heng deliberately said, "Then I'll try not to bother you before July, senior?"

"Ding Heng!"

Hua Qing suddenly raised her voice, then realized she had overreacted and quickly lowered it.

"you……"

Seeing that she couldn't utter a complete sentence for a long time, Ding Heng laughed out loud: "Don't worry, I'm also itching to see my senior."

As the car slowed down, Hua Qing's gaze returned to the view outside the window.

The airport departure hall was bustling with noise.

Ding Heng pushed his suitcase onto the trolley and turned to look at Hua Qing.

"From now on, you'll be on your own. Remember to be extra careful, avoid unnecessary gatherings, don't easily trust strangers, and if necessary, consider installing a security camera at home..."

"good……"

Twenty-three-year-old Hua Qing listened to nineteen-year-old Ding Heng's rambling and obediently nodded in agreement.

She didn't find it annoying, nor did she think Ding Heng was being too nosy; in fact, she took it for granted.

Finally, he took the trolley handle from Ding Heng and walked towards the security checkpoint with his head down.

After walking a few steps, I heard Ding Heng shouting again.

"Senior, have you forgotten something?"

Hua Qing stopped in her tracks and turned to meet Ding Heng's gaze.

She quickly walked back, stood on tiptoe, and gently kissed Ding Heng on the lips.

"Is that enough?"

"not enough……"

Ding Heng reached out and embraced Hua Qing's slender waist, then lowered his head to deepen the kiss.

The airport terminal was bustling with people.

Hua Qing's heart was pounding wildly, her cheeks were burning, but she didn't dare to push Ding Heng away.

After a while, Ding Heng released her.

"Senior, be good in the capital, remember to call every day, and don't forget your weekly vlog."

"Scumbag."

Hua Qing, as usual, squeezed out two words through gritted teeth, cursed, turned around, and left with quick, hurried steps.

The security check line in business class wasn't long, but Hua Qing couldn't help but glance back.

Ding Heng remained standing in the same spot, hands in his pockets, looking relaxed.

Hua Qing turned around and handed her boarding pass and ID card to the security officer.

As she walked through the security gate, she couldn't help but look back one last time.

Ding Heng waved to her.

Hua Qing hesitated for a moment, then waved in response, turned around and walked into the waiting hall, never looking back.

Outside the glass curtain wall of the waiting hall, an airplane slowly took off, and Hua Qing felt a sense of emptiness in her heart.

Four days was far too short; she hadn't even had a proper chance to say a few words to Ding Heng.

What followed was a long-distance relationship that lasted for months, and I didn't know if I could endure it...

Hua Qing sniffed, took out her phone, and sent a message to Ding Heng.

【A Sea of ​​Flowers Under a Sunny Day】: Goodbye.

Ding Heng replied to the message very quickly.

[Ding Heng]: Keep it up!

The simple and clear encouragement made Hua Qing's lips unconsciously curl into a smile.

……

In April, Changsha is full of spring, and the camphor trees along the roads are sprouting new leaves.

After leaving the airport, Ding Heng drove slowly, one hand on the steering wheel, his mind still replaying Hua Qing's glance back at the security checkpoint.

Are you reluctant to part with it?

It's hard to say, since he could go to the capital to meet Hua Qing anytime he wanted.

But I felt a little disappointed and ashamed.

Compared to Zhao Yanxi and Wen Jing, he really spent too little time on Hua Qing...

As the car turned the corner, the electronic screen at the intersection ahead was displaying "GG" on a loop.

Ding Heng hadn't paid any attention at first, his gaze lazily sweeping across the screen before abruptly looking away.

A huge poster takes up the entire screen.

The figure of a girl is right in the center.

She stood in a vast, empty snowfield, with snow-capped mountains behind her and a deep indigo sky dotted with a few scattered stars on the horizon.

The girl turned her head slightly to the side with her back to the camera, revealing a small section of her delicate jawline. Her long hair was blown by the wind, spreading out in a deep red cascade behind her.

Snow white, sky blue, indigo... but that splash of red was so intense it was almost blinding.

The entire scene exudes a cinematic quality, belonging to a genuine art blockbuster.

At the very bottom is a line of text: 【Aurora Eos·Xingcheng Station, April 20th, we look forward to seeing you there.】

My brother is really starting to look like a star...

Recalling Long He's innocent and clear eyes when he was a child, Ding Heng couldn't help but chuckle.

The perfect image presented to the public after being meticulously crafted and packaged by a professional team is completely different from the girl in private who laughs carefree and can't stop crying.

But these days, where are there any "people" left in the entertainment industry?

They're all just commodities...

As the car drove past an intersection, another poster came into view.

This time, it's a physical "GG" sign featuring a group photo of the four team members, placed in the most conspicuous position at the intersection, as if to remind Ding Heng.

The last time he spoke with Long He was during the Chinese New Year, when they called each other to exchange New Year's greetings.

At that time, Longhe was busy with his tour and his voice was a little hoarse. He was called away by his manager after only a few words.

After that, the two occasionally exchanged messages, which consisted only of simple greetings and meaningless dragon emojis.

Ding Heng took out his phone and opened Long He's chat window. The last message was from five days ago, ending with Long He's [].

Ding Heng pressed the voice button: "Are you there?"

A few seconds later, a reply popped up.

[Sister Long is a dragon, not a milk dragon]: []

[Ding Heng]: Is it convenient to call?

Longhe didn't reply immediately, probably because he was clearing the area or making sure there were no outsiders around.

Two minutes later, a voice call request popped up.

Ding Heng pressed the answer button, placed the phone on the center console, and turned on speakerphone.

"what?"

Long He's voice sounded tired.

"I miss my brothers."

"(ˉ▽￣～) Tch~~"

A soft laugh came from the receiver, the tone feigning disdain but unable to hide the joy: "Come on, I think you just want me to get you tickets again."

"Judging others by one's own petty standards!"

Ding Heng sensed the complaint in his brother's words, but pretended to be serious and said, "This time, I'll definitely support your concert with real money!"

"Come on, you."

Long He's tone softened slightly, and she began to lecture Ding Heng: "How much money could a college student like you have? Don't waste it!"

The credit card that I linked to Ding Heng has only been used once by Ding Heng so far...

Longhe knew his brother was proud and didn't want to directly advise him, and he was even more worried that his poor student would waste money on him.

Ding Heng didn't continue the conversation, instead asking, "When are you going back to Xingcheng?"

"Number sixteen."

Long He revealed his whereabouts without reservation: "The closed rehearsal will last for three days. The hotel is the same place as last time. I should be able to sneak out for a short period of time in between."

"When can I see you?"

We'll see.

"Message me anytime, brother's always here for you!"

"Oh……"

The phone went silent on both ends, and neither of them hung up.

But they both knew that they were no longer like they were when they were children, with endless topics to talk about.

In the end, Ding Heng spoke first.

"brother."

"Um?"

"Is there anything else you'd like to say?"

Long He was silent for two seconds before tentatively asking.

"How are things going between you and your girlfriend?"

"Which one?"

Ding Heng blurted it out.

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the receiver, followed by a gasp of gritted teeth.

Ding Heng could almost picture Long He's expression at that moment... his brows furrowed, his cheeks puffed out, wanting to scold him but unable to bring himself to do it.

"you……!"

Longhe was furious, but he couldn't bear to hang up the phone.

After all, Ding Heng had finally taken the initiative to contact him...

"Ding Heng, I know it's none of my business, but as your brother, I have to give you a couple of pointers."

Longhe was no longer as carefree as usual.

Despite being a dazzling superstar, he carefully considered his tone in front of a poor student.

"I've seen too many male celebrities in the industry lately who play the field. They seem glamorous on the surface, but none of them end up well."

Ding Heng did not interrupt her.

Long He spoke slowly, thinking as he spoke.

"Some lost all their endorsements after being exposed, and no one dared to offer them acting roles. Some were ganged up on by their ex-girlfriends and were beaten so badly they didn't even recognize their own mothers. Others fared even worse, being confronted by the ex-girlfriends' husbands and beaten so badly they had to stay in the hospital for half a month..."

Ding Heng couldn't listen anymore.

"Can't you be a little more like a brother?"

What's the use of me praising you?

Long He's voice suddenly rose, then fell back down, as if he were restraining himself: "Relationships still need to be genuine, for your own good and for theirs... I don't want to see you become like that in the future."

The phone went silent once again.

Ding Heng responded calmly, "Thanks, brother, I understand."

Long He sensed the perfunctory tone in Ding Heng's voice, and though he wanted to say something more, he swallowed his words back.

Faint shouts came from the other end of the phone; someone was calling "Long He".

"I'm hanging up now."

"it is good."

"Bye-Bye."

"Bye-Bye."

After hanging up the phone, Ding Heng gripped the steering wheel and glanced at the poster again through the rearview mirror.

These landmark GG plaques are extremely expensive.

Take the electronic screen at the intersection as an example. It faces the main road, has huge pedestrian traffic, and is located in a core commercial area. The advertising cost would be at least six figures.

The fact that Longhe's poster is here means that the capital behind her is being deployed on a large scale.

The concert pre-show hype is just the surface; the deeper meaning is that it's adding value.

The newcomer who used to rely on her mother's connections to get resources has now grown into a high-quality asset that capital is willing to invest in.

Tours, endorsements, variety shows, music festivals... Once an artist's commercial empire expands, the snowball will keep getting bigger and bigger, until it simply can't be stopped.

The ever-growing snowball of capital will make Longhe increasingly unable to control its own destiny.

The more famous she becomes, the more obstacles she faces.

The agency's contract, the investors' expectations, the fans' pressure... everything was pushing her forward, until she was completely out of control.

Ding Heng withdrew his gaze, let out a long breath, and secretly made plans in his mind.

We need to put the matter of the "unspoken rules" against the brothers on the agenda as soon as possible.

…………

Two days later, Secretary Huang informed Ding Heng that the procedures for registering the company in Hong Kong had been arranged and that he could depart at any time.

The group consisted of four people: Ding Heng, Secretary Huang, Lin Man, and Bai Ma, who insisted on coming along.

It was already afternoon when the plane landed at Hong Kong International Airport.

The person who came to pick them up was a man in his early forties, dressed in a suit and tie, who spoke good Mandarin. He introduced himself as surnamed Zhu, a friend of Qu Zhen in Hong Kong, and was responsible for helping with the procedures.

The group chatted casually for a few moments on the way, and were quite polite.

When Ding Heng inquired about registering the company, Secretary Huang took out a tablet, pulled up a document, and handed it to him.

Starting a company in Hong Kong is simpler than in mainland China.

Only one shareholder and one director are required, regardless of nationality, and all applicants must be at least 18 years old.

The registered capital is symbolically set at HK$10,000, and no actual payment is required.

However, a Hong Kong resident or licensed company secretary is required, and Secretary Wong has resolved this issue through an agency. The process, handled by the agency, takes approximately three to five business days, or even less if expedited.

"First, set up the company's framework."

Secretary Huang put away the tablet: "We'll consider opening an account after the formalities are completed. The bank may require you to go in person for an interview."

Ding Heng nodded: "Okay."

The car eventually stopped in front of a skyscraper.

The gate was understated yet luxurious, and the doorman calmly opened the car door with practiced ease.

The receptionist greets all kinds of guests with a smile, switching between Cantonese and English, and also speaks fluent Mandarin.

Bai Ma skipped and hopped to the front desk, stood on tiptoe and leaned over the counter, looking up as Secretary Huang checked her in.

Lin Man followed half a step behind Ding Heng, her high heels clicking on the ground at a steady pace.

As Ding Heng's secretary, she was wearing a brand new office lady outfit.

Compared to the usual black, white, and gray, the overall burgundy color scheme is more alluring, and paired with sheer black stockings and sky-high heels of 10 centimeters, it makes one stand out in a crowd.

As Secretary Huang was processing the paperwork, Lin Man suddenly stepped forward and handed her her phone: "Secretary Huang, let me do it. I've already made an appointment..."

Seeing that her job had been taken away, Secretary Huang remained calm, glancing at Lin Man's NWC premium membership on her phone, secretly curious.

How could a secretary have an NWC premium membership that requires an annual spending of over 30?

After completing the formalities, Lin Man handed over the room key: "There are two rooms, you and Bai Ma will share one, and the boss and I will share the other."

Secretary Huang took the room key, his gaze lingering on Lin Man's exquisite secretary attire for half a second before casually looking away.

Sharing a room with the boss? And dressed so conspicuously?

Are you... a proper secretary?

The four of them returned to their rooms to rest.

In Hong Kong, where land is incredibly expensive, the suite was larger than Ding Heng had imagined.

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows is Victoria Harbour. Dusk is falling, the last orange-red hue on the horizon has not yet faded, and lights are already twinkling on the sea.

Ding Heng quickly settled his luggage, walked to his desk and sat down. Just as he opened his laptop, he heard a few knocks at the door.

Lin Man held a bottle of red wine in her left hand and two wine glasses in her right. Her long hair was tied up in a bun at the back of her head, and she wore a pair of non-prescription glasses.

"Boss, want a drink?"

"Come in."

Ding Heng shut down the computer. Lin Man walked into the room, put down the red wine, and sat down on the desk. Her skirt rode up slightly with her movement, revealing a section of her thigh covered by black stockings.

The heel of the high heel tapped lightly on the edge of the table, making a soft "click" sound.

She poured the wine, leaned to the side, and let her long, silver-gray hair fall to one side: "Boss, cheers."

Ding Heng raised his glass and clinked it lightly with Lin Man's: "I have to go out again tonight, so don't drink too much and mess things up."

"Understood, boss~"

Lin Man sipped her wine gently, her feet slipping out of her high heels. Her toes, encased in black stockings, hooked lightly around the shoe opening and hovered in mid-air, her instep forming a smooth arc.

With a soft thud, the shoe landed on the carpet, and Lin Man's foot slowly extended towards Ding Heng.

The arch of her foot was perfectly positioned inside Ding Heng's knee, and her toes gently tapped through a thin, gossamer-thin stocking.

Ding Heng reached out and grasped one of her ankles, pressing his thumb against her ankle bone and gently massaging it before slowly sliding it upwards along the curve of her calf.

He casually asked, "You're a VIP member of NWC? Did you used to come to Hong Kong often?"

Lin Man curled her toes slightly: "My mom used to come to Hong Kong often to spend money, and she would occasionally bring me along. She went to the hospital in 12, and in 16, New World still sent her a premium membership card. She couldn't use it there, so I just registered it in my name."

Ding Heng's fingers stopped at the middle of her calf, his thumb gently resting on the outside of her shinbone. "What kind of person is your mother?"

Lin Man chuckled softly.

"To put it simply, my mother is a rough person."

"chuff?"

"Her life can be summed up in six words: make money, spend money, enjoy life!"

Lin Man recalled, "Around 08, 09, and 10 was the peak of her career. At that time, she often took me to Hong Kong to shop, and every time she would buy a lot of clothes, bags, jewelry, etc. She was the kind of nouveau riche from the mainland that Hong Kong loves..."

Ding Heng tapped his finger lightly: "So you learned your habit of spending money recklessly from her."

Lin Man playfully stuck out her tongue: "I've already been very frugal, okay!"

"Do you have some misunderstanding about thrift?"

"Comparatively speaking..."

Lin Man continued her story, picking up where she left off: "When my mother was born, my maternal grandfather's business had already taken off. Although she had lived a life of luxury since childhood, she was, after all, the child of my maternal grandfather's mistress, and was not well received at home."

So, from a young age, she harbored a deep-seated ambition to prove herself no less capable than anyone else. Instead of going to university after graduating high school, she secretly went to work as a waitress at my grandfather's karaoke bar, starting from the bottom to learn about the family business. It wasn't until she was nearly sexually assaulted by a customer and smashed a bottle over his head that my grandfather found out.

Later, my maternal grandfather started paying attention to my mother and gave her some authority, which led to the creation of Brilliant Planet.

Lin Man's tone was filled with a strong sense of pride.

"Later, my maternal grandfather wanted my mother to marry the son of a certain official, saying that it would help the family business. She neither refused nor agreed, but then she got pregnant and forced my father, a rural college student who was eight years younger than her, to come home with her and become her son-in-law."

"Did your grandfather agree?"

"He had no choice but to agree... My mother had already proven her abilities by then, holding several profitable projects in her hands, making her the top figure among my grandfather's many children!"

Ding Heng noticed that when Lin Man talked about her mother, her foxy eyes were full of light, showing a pure and heartfelt admiration for her mother.

Why was your mother inside?

The moment Ding Heng asked the question, the light in Lin Man's eyes went out, leaving them empty and blank.

She didn't answer, but instead pressed a button on the desk. Her two feet, encased in black stockings, gently touched Ding Heng's lower abdomen and rolled them lightly in opposite directions.

The blackout curtains slowly started up, closing in from both sides to gradually cover the entire Victoria Harbour.

Ding Heng gripped Lin Man's slender ankle joints with his fingers, pressed his thumb into the indentation on the inside of her ankle, gave it a gentle press, and then pulled sharply.

Lin Man instantly slumped back onto the desk, her long hair spread out, her skirt billowing up, and her glasses slipping off...

Ding Heng leaned down, placing his hands on either side of Lin Man's body, looking down at her.

"Time to get to work, Miss Secretary."

"Yes, boss!"

This secretary... has to work at a desk!