Why is the system taking my request to photograph a cosplayer seriously?

The hotel room was very quiet.

Hua Qing leaned against the headboard, staring at the ceiling, her mind still buzzing.

The effects of the alcohol had mostly worn off, and my consciousness was gradually returning.

She tried to move her fingers and toes to make sure she could still control her body, then opened her eyes and looked around.

The decor is simple, the space is spacious, and there are several bottles of mineral water and an unopened box of hangover medicine on the bedside table.

The sound of running water came from the bathroom. Hua Qing rubbed her temples, trying hard to recall what had just happened.

The dinner party… Zhou Meilan… that man surnamed Liu… and then… Long He… and that slap.

She looked down at herself; her clothes were still on, and her coat had been taken off and placed aside.

The bathroom door opened, and Longhe walked out.

She changed into a loose-fitting short-sleeved shirt, her hair still wet, and walked around drying herself with a towel in her hand: "Awake?"

Hua Qing nodded: "Um... thank you."

Longhe walked to the sofa and sat down, draping a towel over the back of the chair.

"Of course."

His tone was flat, revealing no emotion.

Hua Qing was silent for a few seconds, then asked, "What happened next? I only remember you seemed to slap Zhou Meilan?"

Long He crossed his legs and said disdainfully, "With so many people taking photos and videos at the scene, once they were posted online, that old bitch and that old bastard had a lot of old grievances dug up. They're probably busy suppressing the heat right now."

"heat……"

Hua Qing's gaze inadvertently swept over the coffee table. Long He's phone screen kept lighting up, with message after message popping up, and the number of missed calls was also 99+.

Her heart skipped a beat: "Have I... caused you trouble?"

Long He didn't say anything, but walked over and turned his phone upside down on the table.

"You smell strongly of alcohol. Go take a shower first, and I'll go find you some suitable clothes."

Hua Qing opened her mouth, but in the end, she only managed to utter two words.

"Thanks."

Long He didn't answer, and turned to walk into the dressing room.

Hua Qing threw off the covers and got out of bed. Her steps were still a little unsteady. She slowly walked to the bathroom door and then suddenly stopped.

"Oh, right."

She turned around: "Where's Ding Heng?"

Long He poked his head out from the dressing room: "I don't know."

Hua Qing was stunned: "He...didn't come?"

Logically, Long He's ability to arrive should be because he received a message from Ding Heng.

Now that so much time has passed, Ding Heng should have arrived by now.

Long He shook his head and continued rummaging through the clothes.

"You can call him yourself later."

Hua Qing didn't ask any more questions and turned to walk into the bathroom.

Longhe found a clean sweatshirt and a pair of casual pants and hung them on the bathroom door.

"The clothes are hanging by the door, take them yourself."

"Um……"

A muffled response came from the bathroom.

Long He walked to the window and stared blankly into space.

She also wanted to know... it was almost dawn, where was Ding Heng?

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

At the same time, in a high-end residential community.

The 28th floor, a large single-level apartment.

A desk lamp was on in the study, casting a dim, yellowish light.

Liu Jianming sat behind a large desk with three or four mobile phones in front of him.

He kept switching between screens, making phone calls, replying to messages, and checking emails on his computer, his forehead covered in beads of sweat.

"Hey? Attorney Li, listen to me, about tonight's events..."

"Old Qi, how's the video coming along? What? It can't be deleted?"

"Where's the PR team? Tell them to come up with a plan right now! Money's no object! What? We have to wait? Wait my ass! If we wait any longer, I'm finished!"

Just as he hung up one call, his phone rang again. Looking at the caller ID, Liu Jianming frowned even more.

He answered the phone, a smile spreading across his face.

"Hey? Mr. Zhao, don't worry, tonight's incident was all a misunderstanding, I'm already handling it..."

After a long explanation, the other party was finally calmed down.

The call had barely ended when another one came in.

Liu Jianming gritted his teeth and answered the call again.

"Feed? Director Wu, please listen to me..."

For Liu Jianming, he was not afraid of Longhe, nor was he afraid of Yang Sijie behind Longhe.

The only thing I'm afraid of is the information that Longhe might reveal by flipping the table, and the public opinion that her celebrity status might bring!

The related video has topped the trending searches, and now information about him and Zhou Meilan is flying all over the internet. Netizens are turning into champions of justice, and the public is in a frenzy.

Many "victims of unspoken rules" have come forward to share their experiences, and he didn't even know 90% of them!

The only saving grace is that the fire hasn't affected his family yet...

After catching his breath, Liu Jianming picked up his phone again and dialed a number.

"Beep—beep—beep—"

No one answered.

He dialed again.

Still no one answered.

Liu Jianming stared at the name on the screen and cursed through gritted teeth.

Zhou Meilan, you old woman "Answer the phone! If you want to die, don't drag me down with you!"

Just as he finished speaking, a cell phone rang outside the study door, echoing the sound of his phone call.

"Zhou Meilan?"

Liu Jianming was startled and began to feel uneasy.

How did Zhou Meilan find this place?

Only his personal secretary, Wang Hui, knows his current residence; even his wife is unaware of the details.

More importantly—how did Zhou Meilan get in here!?

He lowered his voice and called out again.

"Zhou Meilan?"

The ringtone grew closer and clearer.

Liu Jianming's heart raced, and he instinctively reached out to grab the golf club beside him in self-defense.

"Zhou Meilan! Is that you?"

The door was pushed open, and someone slowly walked in, holding Zhou Meilan's phone.

The other person was tall, wearing a dark coat, and had black-rimmed glasses on his face, making his face look blurry and even androgynous.

Ding Heng glanced down at the screen and pressed the hang-up button.

As the bell faded, Liu Jianming gripped his cue stick tightly and swallowed hard.

"Who are you? Where is Zhou Meilan? How did you end up with her phone?"

Ding Heng didn't say anything, walked straight past Liu Jianming, tossed Zhou Meilan's phone onto the coffee table, and leisurely sat down on the sofa.

The next second, he slowly opened his mouth.

"Liu Jianming, male, 52 years old, Han nationality."

His voice was deep and steady, devoid of any emotion.

"ID number xxxxxx, Chairman of xxxxx Co., Ltd., Vice President of xxxxx Association, Committee Member of xxxxx..."

Liu Jianming gripped the cue stick tightly and remained silent, while Ding Heng continued reading.

"My wife, Lu Xiulan, is 51 years old and currently lives in Los Angeles, USA. My son, Liu Ze, is 24 years old and also lives in Los Angeles. He is studying at the University of Southern California, majoring in film production. He just graduated this year and is currently facing setbacks in Hollywood."

Liu Jianming's expression finally changed.

"In addition, you have a mistress named Miao Meina, thirty-nine years old, a former model who now runs three beauty salons. She has a daughter who takes her surname Miao and is named Miao Yutong. She just turned eighteen this year, and her college entrance exam results were not ideal. She has repeatedly expressed her desire to study in Sakura..."

Liu Jianming's breathing became rapid.

"You also have three bank accounts overseas, opened in Switzerland, the Cayman Islands, and Singapore. Domestically, you have two legal teams, one handling corporate legal matters and the other specifically handling your personal assets."

Ding Heng paused, then looked up at him.

"Do you need me to continue reading?"

Having seen his share of ups and downs, Liu Jianming gradually calmed down.

He put down his golf club, walked behind his desk, sat down, and stared at the blurry figure in front of him.

"Who are you?"

"Hua Qing's boyfriend."

Ding Heng spoke frankly.

Liu Jianming was taken aback at first, then breathed a long sigh of relief.

He'd seen plenty of young men standing up for women.

He acted impulsively, thinking himself a hero, but in reality, he was the easiest to deal with.

"Young man, don't be impulsive."

He leaned back in his chair, a calm composure that comes with experience, and spoke in a tone like an elder instructing a younger person.

"What happened tonight was all a misunderstanding. Zhou Meilan is unreliable; I never expected her to make such a mess of things. Don't worry, I'll give you and your girlfriend an explanation."

Liu Jianming took a sip of water to moisten his throat.

"You must be quite capable to have found your way here. But you should use your abilities wisely. Don't jeopardize your future for a woman. This neighborhood is very secure. How did you get in? There are surveillance cameras all the way. If this gets out of hand, it won't do you any good."

In Liu Jianming's eyes, Ding Heng was nothing more than a young man who acted impulsively for the sake of a woman.

As long as we appease them properly, everything is under control.

"Don't worry, the security cameras won't be able to capture me."

Ding Heng raised his hand and removed the glasses conjured by the [Holy Radiance Disguise Mask], and his blurry face began to become clear.

"You're better than Zhou Meilan. She knelt down and confessed after only a few words to me, with snot and tears streaming down her face. She looked quite pitiful and insisted that you forced her to do it."

"What did you do to Zhou Meilan?"

"What can a poor student like me do to her?"

Ding Heng adjusted his posture slightly: "It's nothing more than persuading her to turn herself in, truthfully confess her criminal record, reform herself properly in the future, and turn over a new leaf."

Liu Jianming said dismissively, "Do you think she'll listen to you?"

Ding Heng did not answer the question, but looked directly into Liu Jianming's eyes.

"Let me guess why you're not flustered."

He spoke slowly and deliberately.

"You're fifty-two this year. You've come this far, and you've had a glorious first half of your life. You've enjoyed everything you could. Even if you go to jail, it's just a change of scenery for your retirement."

My wife and children are all abroad, and I've also made arrangements for my mistress and daughter's future. As a father and husband, I believe I have a clear conscience!

"Your only regret now is not making a move against Hua Qing sooner, so you could still disgust me now, right?"

Liu Jianming remained silent, clearly indicating that Ding Heng's guess was entirely correct.

The next second, his phone rang; it was a video call from his wife.

Liu Jianming looked at Ding Heng, who raised his hand, indicating that he should take it.

The screen lit up, and the faces of his wife and son appeared on the screen.

The background is...an airplane cabin?

Liu Jianming's voice tightened: "You're on a plane? Where are you going?"

"Didn't you ask Secretary Wang to contact us about returning to China?"

His wife's expression was calm. She raised a hand to tidy her hair slightly and said teasingly, "I heard you got blackmailed for messing around with female college students back in China? I warned you a long time ago not to mess with those vixens. Now look what happened!"

Liu Jianming slammed his fist on the table: "When did I ever ask Secretary Wang to contact you to return to China?!"

"Just three hours ago, Secretary Wang called me and said that you had encountered some trouble in China and needed your family to come back to handle it. The plane tickets have been booked for us, and we are asked to keep the itinerary confidential. We can only call you after we board the plane."

Why are you listening to him?!

"It wasn't you who instructed me to unconditionally obey Secretary Wang's orders at this crucial moment."

Liu Jianming's lips trembled, and he couldn't utter a single word.

On the other end of the screen, an English prompt sounded.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the plane is about to take off. Please turn off your mobile phones and other electronic devices..."

The wife waved her hand, and the video call ended.

Liu Jianming finally felt fear. He looked at Ding Heng with disbelief: "How did you do that?"

The wife waved her hand, and the video call ended.

Liu Jianming finally felt fear. He looked at Ding Heng with disbelief: "How did you do that?"

Ding Heng's tone remained calm: "Thank you, Secretary Wang."

"Impossible! Secretary Wang has been with me for over twenty years! I gave his entire family their wealth! I saved his life! He would never betray me!"

Liu Jianming trusted Secretary Wang even more than his wife and children.

Even if Secretary Wang betrayed him, why would he help Ding Heng and deceive his wife and children into returning to China?

A short while later, Liu Jianming's phone rang again; this time it was his mistress.

Liu Jianming looked at the screen, and for a moment he didn't dare to answer the call.

The bell rang again and again.

Finally, when the second call came in, he pressed the answer button.

"Liu Jianming!"

The mistress's voice was sharp and piercing.

"Why did you send Secretary Wang to ask me about the accounts? Didn't you say you'd take care of the financial issues at my beauty salons? Now he's checking again, what does that mean?"

"What...what did he ask you?"

"You're asking about everything! Turnover, profits, tax records, supplier lists... you're even checking the backgrounds of my partners! What the hell are you doing?!"

Liu Jianming closed his eyes, took a deep breath, as if he knew the outcome was already decided.

He stopped struggling and instead asked softly, "Is Yutong alright?"

The mistress's tone softened slightly: "What's so good about her? All she does is waste money, and you don't even try to control her. Lately, she's been going to see some gigolos again..."

Liu Jianming hung up the phone, staring blankly into space for a long time.

He asked again, "Who exactly are you?"

Ding Heng smiled and said, "This is the third time you've asked me this question. I've already told you that I'm Hua Qing's boyfriend."

"How can you provide my family with a way out?"

"Leave yourself an escape route? I didn't do anything to them."

Ding Heng sneered dismissively: "They should go back to their country, cooperate with the investigation, and pay their taxes. Can't they find their own way out if they have hands and feet?"

"you!"

Liu Jianming slammed his fist on the table and stood up.

Ding Heng added insult to injury: "Don't worry, Secretary Wang is already handling the money in your overseas account for you, it won't be wasted."

Liu Jianming slumped back in his chair and turned to look out the floor-to-ceiling window.

The sun rises as usual, and it's a brand new day.

"Trying to jump off a building?"

Ding Heng approached Liu Jianming, bent down, and looked directly into his eyes.

Don't even think about it.

His voice was soft, but every word pierced Liu Jianming's heart like a nail.

"Your wife will hate you for the rest of her life, your son will have to pay for your mistakes, and he will never have a chance to get ahead."

Your mistress will remarry, and your daughter will be unable to bear the sudden drop in wealth and status, leading her to fall into depravity and end up like her mother, becoming another old man's mistress...

So you must live! Go in alive, serve your sentence alive, and ideally, come out alive.

Ding Heng straightened up and put on the glasses transformed by the [Holy Radiance Disguise Mask] again.

"Alright, forget I was here..."

The door closed.

The footsteps gradually faded into the distance.

Liu Jianming sat in the chair, staring motionlessly at the empty study.