Chapter 175: Secretary Lin, who is becoming increasingly sensible and capable

After finishing their work quickly, the two took a shower together.

When Ding Heng came out of the bathroom, Lin Man had already changed into a brand new office lady outfit and was squatting in front of her suitcase, rummaging through it.

Hearing the noise, she turned her head, her face, now freshly made up, even more alluring and captivating.

"Boss, come and give it a try."

She took a men's suit out of the box, stood up, and unfolded it.

The fabric is deep navy blue, with a clean cut and smooth lines.

Ding Heng walked over and asked, "When were these preparations made?"

"Last week I secretly asked Xiaojing for your measurements so I could have a suit made."

Lin Man held up the suit jacket to Ding Heng: "It was finished before coming to Hong Kong, so it'll come in handy."

Ding Heng obediently raised his arm, letting Lin Man put the shirt on his shoulders.

Lin Man deftly fastened the buttons, one by one, from bottom to top, her fingertips occasionally brushing against his skin.

When she reached the top one, she stood on tiptoe, her breath brushing against Ding Heng's chin.

"Boss, please look up."

Ding Heng slightly raised his chin, and Lin Man straightened the collar of her shirt and took out a tie from the box; it was made of dark gray silk.

She wrapped the tie around Ding Heng's neck, her fingers flying as she tied a perfect Windsor knot, adjusted the tightness, and pushed the knot up to her collar.

Then comes the suit jacket.

Lin Man came up behind Ding Heng, opened her coat, and waited for his arm to slip inside. Then she helped him adjust his shoulder line from behind, gently stroking his shoulder blade with her fingers to smooth out the noodles.

"Boss, could you please turn around here? I need to take a look."

Ding Heng turned around, and Lin Man took half a step back, looking him up and down.

The suit fit perfectly, with the shoulder line just hitting the acromion, and the sleeves extending about a centimeter beyond the edge of the shirt. The waist was cinched just right, making Ding Heng's already tall and straight figure appear even more sharp.

Lin Man nodded in satisfaction, then squatted down and took out a pair of Oxford shoes from the box. She untied the shoelaces, opened the shoe openings, and placed them next to Ding Heng's feet.

Ding Heng stepped into the shoe, and Lin Man held his calves firmly to steady his balance. Once both feet were in the shoe, she began to tie the shoelaces.

Fingers threaded through the shoelace eyelets, crossed, tightened, and knotted... clearly, they had practiced this many times beforehand.

Perhaps because it was too strenuous to squat while wearing high heels, Lin Man changed to a kneeling position after tying her shoelaces and continued to adjust Ding Heng's trouser legs.

She pressed her knees together on the carpet, her head slightly lowered, her long hair falling down to cover half of her face.

From Ding Heng's vantage point, he could see Lin Man's lowered eyelashes, delicate and upturned nose, and slightly pursed, moist lips. Her neckline opened slightly as she lowered her head, revealing a glimpse of her collarbone and the soft curves of her skin covered in velvet fabric.

Black stockings encased her calves, which extended from under her skirt, with her knees pressed against the carpet. The curves of her calves were outlined smoothly and rounded by the stockings.

Lin Man carefully smoothed the fabric of Ding Heng's trouser legs, her movements gentle.

Ding Heng gently placed his hand on her head, his fingers running through her silver-gray hair: "Thank you for your thoughtfulness."

Lin Man raised her head and met Ding Heng's gaze, a bright light appearing in her foxy eyes.

"It's part of a secretary's job."

"How much did it cost?"

Lin Man froze, her fingers stopping at the hem of her trousers.

Ding Heng gently touched her head with his thumb "I can't let my secretary waste money, can I?"

Lin Man lowered her head again: "Thank you for your understanding, boss, but this dress is a gift that I specially ordered for you. I hope you can accept it as a token of my appreciation."

"Gift?"

"Wishing the boss great success in his business, and may his wealth flow in like a river, making him rich every day."

Lin Man playfully spoke auspicious words, letting Ding Heng's fingers run through her hair.

She knew it in her heart.

Ding Heng has most likely seen through her lie.

For someone who could easily bring down Lau Kin-ming, investigating her finances would be as simple as lifting a finger.

But Ding Heng didn't expose him.

He even went along with her script, giving her a way out and dignity, so that she had a reason to stay by his side.

Because he enjoyed her service and obedience, enjoyed the way she knelt at his feet and looked up at him humbly.

And she was willing to kneel, even if it meant abandoning all pride and dignity...

She felt that as long as Ding Heng was still willing to keep her by his side, he would reward her with something someday.

Ding Heng withdrew his hand: "Get up, Secretary Huang must be getting impatient."

Lin Man hummed in agreement, got up to ease the numbness in her legs, and then took out a watch box containing a simple steel-band watch.

"It's a watch from a small domestic brand. The price isn't high, but the workmanship is pretty good. I felt it would suit your low-key style, so I bought one..."

She pulled Ding Heng's wrist, placed the watch face above his wrist bone, and the clasp clicked shut.

"Let's go."

Ding Heng turned and left without expression.

Lin Man picked up her handbag and followed Ding Heng half a step behind, at a leisurely pace.

Secretary Huang was already waiting in the lobby downstairs. Seeing Ding Heng walk out of the elevator, he immediately stepped forward and said, "Mr. Ding, the car is already at the door."

Ding Heng's gaze swept across the lobby: "Where's Baima?"

"It's not convenient to bring her to formal occasions."

Secretary Huang said calmly, "I told her to go out and have some fun by herself, and to go back to the hotel by herself later."

Ding Heng didn't ask any more questions and walked towards the door.

Secretary Huang followed beside him, half a step behind, and opened her tablet to report on the itinerary for the next two days.

The car slowly drove out of the hotel and merged into the busy traffic of Hong Kong.

Skyscrapers stand tall, neon lights flash, and this city is always bustling with activity.

I've arranged to have dinner with Mr. Zhu tonight at a private restaurant in Central.

Mr. Zhu's full name is Zhu Yongchang. He has been Qu Zhen's partner in Hong Kong for many years. He started his business in import and export trade in his early years and later ventured into finance and real estate. He has extensive connections in the local business community.

He was the one who facilitated the company registration.

The car stopped in front of an inconspicuous building.

There was no eye-catching sign at the entrance, only a bronze plaque with a few small characters engraved on it, as if it was afraid of being discovered.

The elevator went up to the eighteenth floor, and at the end of the corridor was a wooden door. Pushing the door open, you would find a completely different world inside.

The decor is in a modern Chinese style, with mahogany tables and chairs, Xuan paper lamps, and a traditional Chinese ink painting of landscapes hanging on the wall.

By the window, a man in his fifties was leisurely sipping tea. When he saw them come in, he put down his cup and stood up.

Zhu Yongchang is slightly overweight, and his eyes squint into slits when he smiles, giving him a prosperous and amiable appearance.

He strode up to her, speaking in Mandarin with a Cantonese accent: "Xiao Ding? We meet again. Come, come, Mr. Qu has mentioned you to me many times, saying you are young and promising, and very handsome. He asked me to take good care of you."

"Mr. Zhu, you're too kind."

Ding Heng shook hands with him: "I'm sure I'll be troubling you a lot this time I'm in Hong Kong."

"No trouble at all. President Qu has been kind to me, and it's nothing much, just a small favor."

Zhu Yongchang chuckled and led them to their seats, then took the opportunity to remind Ding Heng of the details of opening a company in Hong Kong.

Company registration, bank account opening, secretarial services, tax filing... all these miscellaneous tasks can be a headache.

After the meal, Zhu Yongchang arranged for a car to take everyone back to the hotel.

In the car, Secretary Huang took out his tablet and pulled up some information about office buildings.

"Mr. Zhu recommended several office locations, all near Central."

She handed me the tablet: "I have an appointment with the agent tomorrow morning. Would you like to go and take a look in person?"

Ding Heng took it and glanced at it; the location, size, and rent were all listed clearly.

He handed the tablet back: "You can decide, no need to ask me."

Secretary Huang nodded and said nothing more.

Over the next two days, Secretary Huang led Ding Heng in and out of office buildings in Central, where he met with no fewer than seven or eight groups of people.

Lawyers, accountants, bank managers, representatives from secretarial service companies... each person handed over a thick stack of documents, which, when opened, were filled with dense clauses and numbers, making it dizzying to look at.

Finally, things were almost done.

The company registration application has been submitted, and the appointment for the bank account has been finalized. The office is located on the 22nd floor of a building in Central, with a wide view overlooking half of Victoria Harbour.

As for the company's name—Hengbai Capital.

Heng is his Heng, and Bai is Baima's Bai.

Quzhen's shares will eventually be transferred to Baima's name, which can be considered as leaving her daughter a way out.

If Ding Heng can succeed, then they can further strengthen the bond between the siblings, which will be a win-win situation for both of them.

On the last day, surprisingly, there wasn't much important business to attend to.

Baima had been cooped up in the hotel for two days and was itching to go out, so she started clamoring to go out early in the morning.

The three left the Rosewood Hotel and took a leisurely stroll along the beach.

Ding Heng wore a white short-sleeved shirt with dark gray casual pants and canvas shoes, looking like a college student who had just finished class.

Lin Man walked beside him, wearing a simple, loose white shirt, the hem casually tucked into a light blue denim skirt, paired with a pair of comfortable flat sandals.

Baima walked at the front, turning back every now and then to urge, "Brother, Sister Man, hurry up!"

"What's the rush?"

Ding Heng spoke in a lazy tone, indicating he had no intention of following them.

Lin Man suddenly spoke up from the side.

"Boss."

"Um?"

"I have a friend..."

She smiled sheepishly, "I have some spare cash and I'd like to find a reliable project to invest in. I wonder if it's convenient for you, boss?"

After selling her shares in Brilliant Planet, Lin Man now has a considerable amount of cash on hand. Naturally, she wants to have some with Ding Heng, but she doesn't dare to be too direct about it.

After all, her current status is just "secretary"...

Ding Heng didn't say anything and continued walking forward.

"She doesn't have much money, she just hopes to be able to have a bowl of soup with us..."

Lin Man continued to probe cautiously, afraid of saying too much and irritating Ding Heng, and afraid of saying too little and not expressing herself clearly.

Ding Heng asked with a smile, "Why did you come to me?"

"Because the boss is young, promising, incredibly handsome, intelligent, wise, and kind-hearted..."

Lin Man's flattery flowed smoothly, becoming more and more natural with each word.

In her view, Ding Heng is most likely connected with a certain enlightened immortal.

They may not be immediate family members, but they are at least related, and may even be illegitimate children, which is why they were arranged to come to Hong Kong to open an investment company as fronts.

Otherwise, there's no way to explain how a 19-year-old college student could have so much advanced information to manipulate the stock market.

As for whether she can have some soup, it all depends on whether Ding Heng is willing to give her a chance to eat.

"Boss..."

Seeing that Ding Heng did not respond for a long time, Lin Man said in a pitiful and coquettish tone, "If it's inconvenient, that's fine. I'll talk to her about it later. It's not a problem."

Ding Heng finally turned his head and looked at her directly.

Lin Man's heart tightened.

She wondered if it was just her imagination, but after spending a lot of time with Ding Heng, she always felt that Ding Heng's eyes could see through all her thoughts, and that her little bit of cleverness was nowhere to be found in front of him.

Seeing Lin Man's reaction, Ding Heng knew that the stupid fox was making things up again.

However, she has indeed behaved quite well in the past two weeks. It's remarkable that she, who grew up in luxury, has been able to lower herself and serve him so humbly. It's time to give her a treat.

"Alright, have your friend contact Secretary Huang... Make sure the funds go through legitimate channels, don't cause any trouble!"

"Thank you, boss!"

A hint of joy appeared in Lin Man's eyes.

She grabbed Ding Heng's arm tightly and pressed herself against him, saying, "Don't worry, boss, I'll definitely work even harder from now on!"

Ding Heng teased, "Still trying? You fainted halfway through last night, so I didn't get to enjoy myself."

"That's because the intensity was too high for them, boss. They really did their best..."

Lin Man showed no embarrassment whatsoever and instead began to flatter Ding Heng.

Ding Heng had to admit that, as a man, his vanity had been thoroughly satisfied by the vixen.

He asked, puzzled, "Don't you usually work out? You seem to be in pretty good shape, so why do you look worse than Yan hope and Wen Jing?"

Lin Man glanced guiltily at Ding Heng: "To be honest, boss... I actually have a minor problem with my blood vessels, and my blood supply is a bit worse than normal. So when my body experiences strong sympathetic nerve excitation, I am prone to fainting."

Ding Heng frowned.

Why didn't you say so sooner?

"I...I'm afraid if I tell you, boss, you won't..."

She didn't finish her sentence, but the meaning was clear.

Ding Heng cursed inwardly.

It wasn't Lin Man I was cursing, but that damn system.

The Eye of True Sight can see through so many things, yet they didn't tell him this crucial information?

"Has it been checked?"

"Yes, they check every year."

Lin Man quickly assured her, "The doctor said it's not a big problem and won't affect my normal life, just that I need to be careful during strenuous exercise... Boss, you can have fun, I can handle it!"

"real?"

"real!"

Lin Man's tone was firm, and Ding Heng didn't press further.

Let's look at it from a different angle.

The fact that the Eye of True Sight didn't mention this indicates that Lin Man's illness is indeed not a major problem and won't have any impact on him or the mission.

He had considered adding a "Holy Flame Mark" to Lin Man as well, to monitor her physical condition at any time.

However, the system message was clear: insufficient loyalty, cannot be used.

Never mind, no rush.

Let's wait until the silly fox behaves better before we talk about it.

As evening fell, the three returned to the hotel and suddenly heard someone shouting.

"Xiaoman?"

Lin Man stopped abruptly, her pupils contracting slightly.

A man in his fifties, of medium build, wearing a dark gray polo shirt, walked toward them.

He strode up to Lin Man and clicked his tongue twice, saying, "She's getting prettier and prettier; I almost didn't recognize her."

Lin Man responded politely but distantly: "Uncle."

Lin Kaihui, the youngest son of Lin Man's maternal grandfather.

"Who is this?"

Lin Kaihui turned his gaze to Ding Heng.

Lin Man didn't say anything.

Ding Heng extended his hand to introduce himself: "Ding Heng, Xiao Man's friend... Uncle, shall we talk somewhere else?"

Lin Kaihui did not respond, but his lips curled down slightly as he secretly assessed the value of this so-called "friend".

Ding Heng wasn't annoyed. He first sent Bai Ma back to her room to rest, and then went to the hotel tea room with Lin Man and Lin Kaihui.

The waiter brought in three cups of tea and then left.

Lin Kaihui cut to the chase: "Xiaoman, your uncle won't beat around the bush. I came to see you specifically because I have a project to discuss and I'd like to ask if you'd be willing to invest a bit."

Lin Man looked wary: "What project?"

Lin Kaihui leaned forward, his tone mysterious: "A good project. If successful, it will at least quintuple in value within three years."

"How much money do you want?"

"not much."

Lin Kaihui held up five fingers: "Five million."

"Uncle, I'm sorry, I don't have any money."

Lin Man picked up her teacup, her tone casual.

Lin Kaihui said anxiously, "Xiaoman, don't try to play tricks on your uncle! You just sold your shares in Brilliant Planet, how could you not have money? Back then, when your mother was short of money, I was the only one in the family willing to help her, you..."

Lin Man sneered: "Uncle, I've already invested that money."

"Throw it out? Where should we throw it?"

"promise!"

Lin Man glanced at Ding Heng, her meaning crystal clear.

Lin Kaihui's face was gloomy.

"Xiaoman, you're using family money to give to that gigolo..."

"uncle."

Ding Heng interrupted him: "There's something I want to ask you."

Being abruptly interrupted, Lin Kaihui's face turned even uglier, but he still held back from lashing out.

"What is it?"

How did you know Xiaoman was in Hong Kong?

Why are you asking this?

"I'm asking you a question, Uncle!"

When Lin Kaihui met Ding Heng's gaze, he was inexplicably startled and felt a chill run down his spine.

He swallowed hard. "Didn't Xiaoman post on WeChat Moments? I saw she was in Hong Kong, and I figured it was on my way..."

Ding Heng turned to look at Lin Man.

Lin Man quickly explained, "This morning I was in my room, leaning against the floor-to-ceiling window, and took a selfie. I didn't know it would..."

Ding Heng reached out and gently patted Lin Man's thigh.

"It's okay, we'll talk about it tonight."

It's perfectly normal for a woman to take a selfie and post it on social media. But Lin Man, as Ding Heng's "secretary," failed in her duty and exposed her boss's position!

It might not seem like a big deal now, but it could cause trouble later! If someone doesn't even have this much sense of privacy, they'll need a good talking to tonight!

Seeing the intimate posture between the two, and Lin Man seemingly a little afraid of Ding Heng, Lin Kaihui felt a surge of anger rising within him.

What a traitor! He gives them attitude at home, but he's so obedient to a strange man outside.

Lin Kaihui's tone sharpened: "Who exactly are you, and...?"

"uncle."

Ding Heng interrupted him again: "What project are you talking about? Tell me about it."

Lin Kaihui was repeatedly interrupted by Ding Heng, which made him furious, but he inexplicably dared not lash out.

He took a deep breath and began to speak eloquently.

"An AI startup, with staff all having worked in Silicon Valley... Let me tell you, this sector is booming right now, with strong government support and excellent policies."

My friend has already secured several rounds of funding, and his valuation is skyrocketing. I had dinner with him the day before yesterday, and he's preparing to open a round of internal subscriptions, open only to close friends. We've been friends for many years, and he specifically reserved a share for me.

I originally wanted to invest myself, but I'm a bit short on cash lately, so I came to Xiaoman for help. You know, for businesses like ours, cash flow is the most important thing; sometimes it's just a matter of that one crucial step."

He got more and more excited as he talked, spittle flying everywhere.

"Five million isn't a lot! Once the company goes public, that five million could easily become fifty million. I'm only telling you this because we're family..."

Ding Heng picked up his teacup and said slowly, "Uncle, you met with your client in Portugal?"

Lin Kaihui's narration came to an abrupt end.

Ding Heng raised his chin, gesturing for Lin Man to look into Lin Kaihui's pocket, where a small portion of an MGM chip was visible.

Lin Kaihui hurriedly stuffed the chips back into his pocket, forcing an awkward smile: "The customer likes to play a couple of rounds..."

"oh."

Ding Heng's gaze then shifted to Lin Kaihui's wrist: "Uncle should wear a watch often, why isn't he wearing one today?"

Lin Kaihui looked down, and the marks left by long-term friction from the leather watch strap were clearly visible on his left wrist.

Lin Man asked coldly, "Uncle, where's your Patek Philippe?"

Lin Kaihui stammered, completely unable to speak.

Lin Man began to press her with questions: "Did you sell the pawnshop? Did you gamble again? Does Grandpa know?"

Lin Kaihui's face turned pale and then red, his lips trembled a few times, and finally he knelt down with a thud.

"Xiaoman! Xiaoman, listen to me! Your uncle begs you, please don't tell Dad! If he finds out, he'll beat me to death!"

"How much did you lose?"

Lin Kaihui lowered his head, not daring to look at her.

"Say something!"

"It's not much, just over eight hundred. Lend me five hundred, and I'll fill the hole right away!"

"Good heavens..."

Lin Man felt no sympathy whatsoever after hearing this; in fact, she almost laughed.

Lin Kaihui continued, "Xiaoman, please help your uncle. I'm really desperate. They said if I don't pay them back, they'll break my arms and legs... Xiaoman, please have pity on your uncle and lend me some money. I'll definitely pay you back when I turn my life around, and I'll pay you back double..."

Just as Lin Man was about to ask another question, a hand reached out and gently pressed the back of her hand.

"Go back and rest first."

"Boss, this is my family matter, you..."

"obedient!"

Ding Heng's tone was serious and brooked no argument.

Lin Man hesitated for a moment, but finally stood up and obediently walked out of the tea room.

…………

When Ding Heng returned to his room, it was already six o'clock in the afternoon.

Lin Man was sitting on the sofa, holding a cup of tea that had gone cold. When she heard the door open, she immediately stood up.

"Boss!"

"Don't worry, I went with your uncle to see the creditors, it's nothing serious..."

Ding Heng walked to the sofa and sat down, tossing a file folder onto the coffee table.

Lin Man looked at the file folder.

"What is this?"

"Your uncle's IOU."

"Boss, why did you lend money to that bastard?!"

"Don't worry, I'm not that stupid..."

Ding Heng chuckled softly, reached out and pulled Lin Man onto his lap, then picked up the file folder and handed it to her: "Here, take a look."

Lin Man took the file folder, opened it, and took out the contents.

The lender was an investment company she had never heard of, registered in Hong Kong, with a value of over 20 million.

The contract was filled with dense clauses, the interest rate was outrageously high, and the late payment penalty was shockingly high. It was practically a legal "usury"!

The following is the mortgage contract.

The collateral includes Lin Kaihui's villa in Pengcheng, a Mercedes-Benz, a BMW, and shares in several of his companies.

Lin Kaihui has lost everything he could possibly lose...

Lin Man gasped, "Boss, how did you get it back?"

Ding Heng gently kissed her cheek: "What, you need to ask the boss about things too?"

"I'm sorry, boss, it was my fault for being so talkative..."

Lin Man quickly apologized, clutching the stack of documents tightly in her hand, fear welling up inside her.

In just one afternoon.

Ding Heng not only found Lin Kaihui's creditor, but also retrieved the "IOU" from him intact.

Local bullies who do this kind of business are all tough nut to crack...

Lin Man simply couldn't imagine how Ding Heng had done it, or what his background was.

She asked timidly, "Boss, what are your plans?"

"It's yours."

Ding Heng spoke casually, and Lin Man even thought she had misheard.

"This is for you."

Ding Heng repeated it, then smiled and asked, "With this, you should be able to control Lin Kaihui, right? I bet he'll be of some use to you."

Lin Man didn't say anything.

Lin Kaihui was his maternal grandfather's most beloved son. Controlling him would be more than just "somewhat useful".

How did Ding Heng find out? And how much does he actually know? Has he already discovered something?

Lin Man dared not think any further...

"Thank you, boss."

"Don't just say thank you."

"Oh……"

Lin Man responded charmingly, put the file bag aside, broke free from Ding Heng's embrace, and knelt down in front of the man once again.

She took a hair tie off her wrist, gently bit it in her mouth, and then casually tucked her long hair behind her ear.

The movements were gentle, compliant... and increasingly skillful.

Ding Heng closed his eyes, and the system interface quietly appeared in his mind.

Crown of Thorns: Lin Man

[Current Status: A Princess Defiled by Worldly Affairs]

[Penalty Value: 34%]

Atonement Value: 0%

[Refuge Value: 3%]

Don't get lost while following the book, bookmark it, and read it anytime: "How Did the System Take a Cosplay Photoshoot Seriously?"