Shen Modi immediately declined, "I can't take them."
Huo Mingze stared at Shen Modi intently, "Take them. What's mine is yours. You can spend the money however you like in the future."
He locked eyes with her and then glanced outside.
Shen Modi immediately followed his gaze and looked outside.
In the outer hall, people had started to have their meals one after another. There weren't many people, but everyone looked quite posh.
Shen Modi was about to look away when she saw a man with his arm around Yao Yutong's waist, walking into the restaurant chatting and laughing.
For a moment, Shen Modi thought she was seeing things.
She took a closer look and it was indeed Yao Yutong.
Because she was still wearing the fashionable winter dress she had on earlier.
The man with his arm around her looked somewhat similar to Huo Mingze, with softer facial features. However, it wasn't a pleasant kind of softness but rather a bit effeminate, especially when he smiled.
Just then, Yao Yutong also looked over.
Shen Modi gracefully took the cards from Huo Mingze's hand and said, "Thank you, hubby!"
He had told her last night that his cousin was his biggest competitor and asked her to cooperate and play the role of a good wife for this year. Maybe the man beside Yao Yutong was his cousin.
Hearing Shen Modi call him hubby, Huo Mingze couldn't conceal the smile on his lips. He exuded tenderness all over and reached out to ruffle Shen Modi's hair gently, saying, "You're welcome."
Seeing Shen Modi take Huo Mingze's cards, a jealous look quickly flashed across Yao Yutong's eyes.
However, she quickly pretended as if nothing had happened and walked towards the private room with Huo Zhengqin.
Assistant Lu, being quite tactful, said to Shen Modi, "Madam, the password is your and sir's wedding anniversary."
"Okay, thank you!" Shen Modi replied.
She would hold onto these cards for now. If necessary later, she might use them to save face.
Just as she had put the cards away, Huo Zhengqin walked in with his arm around Yao Yutong. He smiled effeminately and nodded towards Shen Modi, asking Huo Mingze, "Mingze, is this really your wife?"
"Do you want to see the marriage certificate?" Huo Mingze asked with a smile in return.
"Haha, look at what you're saying. Your marriage is a good thing. Why would I need to see the marriage certificate? However, you got married so suddenly. Does Grandpa know?" Huo Zhengqin said as he pulled out a chair like a gentleman and let Yao Yutong sit.
"Suddenly?" Huo Mingze slightly raised his eyebrows. "We're a legitimate married couple. How could it be sudden? Of course Grandpa knows. Getting married is a happy event, not something sneaky or shameful. Why would there be any need to hide it?"
He had actually told Grandpa about this after the blind date.
Grandpa said that as long as he was sure about it, and since it wasn't Yao Yutong, he was relieved. He also asked Huo Mingze to bring Shen Modi back to the Huo Mansion to meet him.
There had been a lot going on with his father-in-law, and he had been busy with work these days, so he hadn't had the time to go back to the Huo Mansion yet.
Grandpa basically knew the situation.
Huo Zhengqin laughed again, "True, Mingze. You've always been quick in matters of the heart, believing in love at first sight."
"You do understand me, big brother. Have you eaten? Join us?" Huo Mingze said. "However, we're almost done eating. We won't be able to finish the remaining dishes."
With those words, Huo Zhengqin instantly lost the desire to stay for lunch.
What did he mean by saying they couldn't finish the remaining dishes? Was he asking him to eat their leftovers?
With a curl of his lips, he said, "Mingze, you and your wife enjoy your meal. I just came to say hello. Oh, by the way, sister-in-law, this younger brother of mine likes pretty girls and is prone to falling in love at first sight. You should always dress yourself up nicely. Don't let those flashy and cheap women outside steal his heart."
These words were exactly what Yao Yutong wanted to hear. She even felt that she had won a round and looked at Shen Modi with a haughty tilt of her chin.
Shen Modi gave a faint smile and gracefully said to Huo Zhengqin, "Is big brother complimenting me on being pretty? Thank you for the compliment. You two go and enjoy your meal. Goodbye."
Since Huo Mingze had also called him big brother just now, he should be his cousin.
Seeing that Shen Modi had easily defused the awkwardness, Yao Yutung's face didn't look too good.
Huo Zhengqin left the private room with his arm around her waist, raising his eyebrows and saying, "This woman is quite interesting. I heard she's fluent in English?"
During the banquet, he had asked someone to keep an eye on Shen Modi. Later, he received a report that she could communicate fluently with foreign businessmen.
Yao Yutong's face looked even worse and she snorted lightly, "Her English is indeed good. However, with her background, that's probably the only thing she can show off."
"I heard she's in the same major as you." Huo Zhengqin said with an amused look.
"What?" Yao Yutong frowned.
Could someone like Shen Modi really be in the same major as her?
"She's also a jewelry designer." Huo Zhengqin had a smile on his lips. It seemed he had thought of something interesting and asked again, "I heard that the Zhongding Cup competition, which is held every three years, is quite authoritative in the jewelry industry?"
"Yes, it's considered the top competition in domestic jewelry design. Every year, many ignorant and overconfident designers from poor families want to stand out in the Zhongding Cup competition, hoping to gain the favor of domestic top brands or even the favor of rich second-generation kids. What a pipe dream! However, it's understandable. They've lived a life of being discriminated against since childhood. Now that they've grasped a life-saving straw, of course they want to reach the sky in one step. But, you know, dreams are full, but reality is harsh. Many of those poor designers from humble backgrounds haven't even seen many types of jewelry raw materials. How could they possibly get a good ranking in the Zhongding Cup? Do they really think being a jewelry designer is just about drawing a simple design drawing?"
When she said these words, she naturally substituted Shen Modi into it, full of sarcasm.
The smile on Huo Zhengqin's lips grew even wider as he said, "Do you want to prepare a gift for Shen Modi?"
Yao Yutong tilted her chin up and snorted, "Prepare a gift for her? Is she worthy?"
She suddenly realized what he meant and looked at Huo Zhengqin with an amused glint in her eyes, "You mean?"
"Let her participate in the Zhongding Cup competition. Then, you can teach her a good lesson and let her see the gap between the poor and the rich. Also, let Grandpa and the senior executives of the Huo Group see whether our powerful combination is better or his poverty alleviation combination is better."
Hearing that Shen Modi was to be made to participate in the competition, Yao Yutong immediately felt all the anger in her heart dissipate. Finally, she could crush Shen Modi thoroughly!
She tilted her chin up and said, "I've already signed up. Shen Modi is busy taking care of her dying father and mute brother. I'm afraid she won't have time to participate in the competition."
"Just getting her to participate isn't difficult." Huo Zhengqin had a confident smile on his face.
For someone like Shen Modi who was poor, as long as there was something practical at stake, she would do everything she could to participate in the competition. Moreover, now that she had hooked up with Huo Mingze, she would also want to increase her bargaining chips through the competition.
"Then I'll leave it to you." Yao Yutong smiled sweetly.
"Uh-hum, you just need to prepare well for the competition and strive to get a good ranking."
"Don't worry, I won't let you disappointed." Yao Yutong was full of confidence.
The last Zhongding Cup was three years ago. At that time, Huo Mingze's father was still alive and was at the height of his power. She had accompanied Huo Mingze to go abroad to discuss business and didn't participate in the competition at all.
This time, she was determined to shine brightly.