Chapter Seventeen

After returning from the arcade, the two had dinner together.

During the meal, Mo Wansheng's phone suddenly rang; Mo Ningchuan was calling his daughter.

She glanced at Huo Yuzheng hesitantly.

"Go ahead and answer it, it's alright." His tone was very calm.

Mo Wansheng answered the phone while she was eating.

As soon as the call connected, Mo Ningchuan's energetic voice came through the receiver, "Xiao Sheng, how have you been lately?"

"Have you missed your dad?"

As always, Mo Wansheng's lips were as sweet as honey, "Of course I want to!"

"Hmph, you miss your dad but don't even make a single phone call."

"Isn't that too busy?" she replied softly.

Mo Ningchuan joked, "What? You've forgotten your dad now that you have a husband?"

"Dad, you're joking? How could you be?"

The voice on the other end of the phone rose several decibels, and Mo Wansheng glanced at Huo Yuzheng somewhat guiltily.

He continued eating with his eyes down, his expression calm.

He probably...didn't hear it.

"Let's see how you've been lately. Don't forget next week."

"Okay, okay, I know, Dad. I'm going to eat now. Let's not talk while we eat, we'll chat again next week."

Mo Wansheng hung up the phone and turned it off.

Sure enough, he called again, urging me to go back and see him.

Huo Yuzheng asked, "Dad's on the phone?"

"Um."

Compared to the initial nervousness and trepidation she felt when she first wanted him to go back with her, she spoke her mind much more smoothly today.

"Dad wants us to visit him again next Sunday."

"Okay, I understand. I'll have my assistant make time for it."

He put down his chopsticks and wiped his lips with a napkin.

"Aren't you afraid I'll find it troublesome now?"

Mo Wansheng's ears turned red, and her cheeks showed a hint of annoyance.

He was the one who told her to say it in advance, but now he's bringing up her past mistakes again.

"What? Mr. Huo, you find it troublesome?" She met his gaze and replied without any politeness.

Huo Yuzheng: "There's nothing I can do if you find it troublesome, after all, you're Mrs. Huo."

He spoke casually, with a hint of unintentional banter.

Mo Wansheng snorted lightly, "Then Mr. Huo is truly wronged."

She pouted and continued, "Fine, since you find it troublesome, what kind of compensation do you want?"

Huo Yuzheng leaned back slightly; he had set a trap, waiting specifically for her to say those words.

He said casually, "There's a dinner party next Friday night, and I need a female companion. Does Mrs. Huo have time?"

"Okay," she agreed readily. "What kind of wife role does Mr. Huo need me to play?"

In her view, entrepreneurs bring their families to banquets simply to cultivate a good family image and enhance their business.

"Playing a role?"

"You don't need to play anyone else, just be yourself."

Mo Wansheng raised her head slightly, staring intently into his eyes, trying to glean more insights from them.

But she still couldn't see through him.

"Okay." She finally agreed softly, keeping her confusion to herself.

"See you Friday night. The driver will pick you up. I'm going back to my study now. See you Friday." Huo Yuzheng got up and went upstairs.

For the next few days, Huo Yuzheng did not return to the suburban villa.

Mo Wansheng asked his assistant in advance what kind of banquet he was attending on Friday night.

Assistant Lin Hexuan reported the details to Mrs. Huo in detail.

She roughly understood that the banquet was hosted by the Lin Group, and its main purpose was to celebrate Mr. Lin's 70th birthday.

However, most of the guests who came had their own business purposes.

Huo Yuzheng was no exception.

He attended the dinner to promote consensus between the group and the Lin Group in multiple areas.

Mr. Lin is a person who values ​​family relationships very much. In the business world, he is not very willing to cooperate with people whose family relationships are chaotic.

In his traditional view, someone who cannot even manage their own family is not qualified to be entrusted with the responsibility of managing the larger family.

Mo Wansheng guessed that Huo Yuzheng invited her for this reason.

After all, there are so many banquets, big and small.

This is the first time Huo Yuzheng has ever used her since they got married.

Perhaps that's why he married her.

On Thursday, Huo Yuzheng did not return, but he sent someone to deliver a huge dress box.

Inside lay a long, smoky gray velvet dress, which shimmered subtly under the light.

The cut is elegant and neat.

Mo Wansheng changed into a custom-made dress that fit perfectly.

She stood in front of the mirror and tried it on; the curve of the dress perfectly outlined her slender waistline.

She took several photos in front of the mirror.

While I was selecting photos, Huo Yuzheng sent me a message.

"Do the clothes fit?"

Her fingers paused slightly before she finally selected a satisfactory side profile photo and sent it.

In the photo, she is elegant, and her skirt is like a blooming epiphyllum.

The message box remained on the photo; she did not send any text response.

She was waiting for his response.

A few minutes later, his answer remained concise.

"fit."

Mo Wansheng scoffed and tossed her phone aside.

She was not satisfied with this answer.

Sure enough, the happiness I had last weekend was fleeting.

She was overthinking their relationship.

On Friday evening, she walked slowly into the room, wearing that long dress.

Huo Yuzheng was talking with Old Master Lin when he heard the sound of high heels approaching. He turned around and looked at her.

His gaze lingered on her for a moment, a flash of amazement crossing his eyes.

Mo Wansheng didn't stop walking. She walked straight to his side, naturally took his arm, and moved her body closer.

"Hello, Grandpa Lin." She smiled gently, her manners impeccable.

Old Master Lin raised an eyebrow in surprise. "And who is this?"

"This is my wife, Mo Wansheng," Huo Yuzheng said calmly and composedly.

Almost imperceptibly, he tightened his grip on her arm, making them appear even more intimate.

Grandpa Lin looked at Mo Wansheng with a smile, his eyes casually sweeping over their naturally intertwined arms. "What a beautiful woman. Yuzheng, you've really married a good wife. You must take good care of her."

"Grandpa Lin, please stop teasing us." Mo Wansheng's voice was gentle but not at all shy. She turned the topic back to the old man, "You are the star of the day. When I came over, I heard many guests praising your good health and saying that you are more energetic than us young people."

Grandpa Lin laughed heartily, and his eyes showed even more appreciation for Mo Wansheng.

Mo Wansheng took out a purple sandalwood gift box from her bag. Judging from its appearance, it was no ordinary item.

“Grandpa Lin,” she said, handing over the wooden box with both hands, respectful yet elegant, “I heard you love agarwood. This is a small token of my appreciation for you. May you live a long and prosperous life.”

Grandpa Lin took the wooden box and opened it only a crack, and the delicate and mellow fragrance of sandalwood quietly wafted out.

A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes; this was not a spice.

Instead, it was a string of agarwood prayer beads with distinct oil lines, and there were traces of it being blessed by Qinglian Temple.

He gently touched the prayer beads in the box and praised them with delight, "Wansheng really put her heart into this! These prayer beads... are rare, truly rare!"

Grandpa Lin never reveals his preferences in public, and anything that touches his heart is carefully chosen. This gift, clearly, was the result of considerable thought and effort.

"You two," Old Master Lin said with a smile, looking at Huo Yuzheng, "Yuzheng first gave me a chessboard by a famous master, and now Wansheng, you've given me this generous gift. You two are really trying to make me feel grateful!"

Mo Wansheng smiled faintly, "Grandpa Lin, I'm glad you like it. Master Huiming of Qinglian Temple said that this string of prayer beads is destined for him and that it is its good fortune to meet someone who knows how to cherish it. You love agarwood, so you must be destined for this string of prayer beads."

Old Master Lin was deeply moved. In the business world, it's all about exchanging interests, and most gifts are given to please someone.

However, very few people are willing to observe him so carefully and try to understand his true preferences. The significance of this gift far exceeds its monetary value.

When he looked at Mo Wansheng again, his gaze held not only admiration but also the genuine affection of an elder for a younger person. "Master Huiming is right; everything depends on fate."

The wooden box was gently closed, and Grandpa Lin said in a gentle and solemn tone, "Grandpa appreciates your kindness in this matter."

This statement clearly places Mo Wansheng in a unique position.

Huo Yuzheng, who had been observing quietly from the sidelines, finally spoke up gently, "Mr. Lin, you flatter me. Wansheng has been preparing this gift for a long time, and your approval is the best reward."

"Alright, alright, Yuzheng is usually busy, so I won't waste your time together." Old Master Lin smiled knowingly.

As the old man turned to walk toward the other guests, Mo Wansheng prepared to separate the two of them who were standing too close together.

However, Huo Yuzheng naturally moved his hand to Mo Wansheng's waist, trapping her there.

He leaned down slightly, his warm breath brushing against her ear.

"Mrs. Huo, didn't I tell you to be yourself? Why did you secretly prepare so much?"

Master Huiming had long since stopped receiving outsiders, so she must have gone to great lengths to obtain this string of consecrated Buddhist beads.

Mo Wansheng turned her head, breaking free from his grasp, and stubbornly asked, "What? Is that not allowed?"

"Besides, it was already said to be compensation."

"Don't overwork yourself." His deep voice carried a hint of concern.

She lowered her eyes, no longer looking at him. Her long eyelashes trembled slightly.

She had expected to hear his tactless questioning or probing, but instead, she received a gentle expression of concern.

"Let's go get something to eat. You must be hungry."

Mo Wansheng suddenly raised her head, her gaze meeting his deep eyes, and he actually noticed.

She was hungry most of the time at the banquet.

Her gaze lingered on the dazzling array of desserts on the counter not far away, and she said softly, "I want to eat that."

He pointed to the fruit tarts not far away.

"Okay." Huo Yuzheng took her arm and led her to the dessert table.

He didn't let go, but instead used his free right hand to take an empty plate and put an egg tart on her plate.

Which one do you want next?

"that!"

"good."

With each command of "this" and "that," the small plates were quickly piled high with all sorts of desserts, like little hills.