Han Mo stood in place, his posture straight. While outwardly he seemed no different than usual, there was an indefinable aura about him that set him apart from his usual self in a white coat. At this moment, he exuded an unspoken presence. "That's good. You may withdraw for now. We'll go in ourselves shortly."
Uncle Wang left obediently, without another word.
Bai Xi had intended to ask Han Mo what his earlier conversation meant and what he had prepared. However, before she could speak, the naturally vivacious Tong Yao interjected, "Dr. Han, I never would have guessed. You're actually a top-tier young master from a wealthy family!"
Initially, she had only thought Han Mo was a doctor with excellent medical skills. Today, his identity had sparked some speculation, and the scene tonight… perfectly confirmed it.
Although she wasn't particularly interested in cars and didn't know much about them, she recognized a few luxury brands. From their appearance alone, she could tell these cars were worth a fortune.
And that person who had just called Han Mo 'master' was presumably Han Mo's butler.
She had always felt that Han Mo finding Xi'er was a case of him reaching too high. But now… it seemed they were a perfect match!
Han Mo didn't reply, merely smiling.
Just then, Lin Yun and Bai Han, as if having received word, emerged from the villa.
Lin Yun's face betrayed a hint of panic, a mix of shock and joy that left her flustered. Bai Han, walking beside her, appeared remarkably calm.
Lin Yun rushed forward, taking Bai Xi's hand. "This, this, what is going on?"
Bai Xi glanced around, her eyes distant. "Mom, I just got back. Are you really going to ask me this?"
Honestly, aside from knowing that Han Mo called the person who drove the car Uncle Wang, she had no idea what was happening. From that person's reaction, she could tell that Han Mo didn't usually call him Uncle Wang.
That made sense…
The first thing Uncle Wang had said was: king.
Although Qing Yu City was called a city, to its people, it was a fortress. And the person who pacified Qing Yu was the City Lord of Qing Yu City, essentially the king of the entire Qing Yu!
As she spoke, she cast her gaze towards Han Mo nearby, subtly directing Lin Yun's attention in his direction as well.
Lin Yun looked at Han Mo and asked tentatively, "Mo'er, what exactly is going on?"
Han Mo's eyes were calm and gentle. "Mom, Xi'er and I are getting married soon. Although I have no elders present to preside over the ceremony, all the proper courtesies will be observed. Today, I had my family's butler deliver the betrothal gifts. The arrangements were made in haste, and there might be some oversights. I hope you'll be understanding."
Lin Yun was slightly surprised. "Betrothal gifts?"
Hadn't they said Han Mo's family was of ordinary means? Even in decline, how could there be such a display?
These luxury cars, each one worth a considerable sum, with the most eye-catching one exceeding the value of the Bai family's villa. And the items that had been sent into the villa earlier, she hadn't dared to examine them closely, only catching a glimpse, which sent shivers down her spine.
What on earth was going on?
As she pondered, Tong Yao moved first. "Dr. Han, what dowry did you prepare for Xi'er? May I see?"
Han Mo: "Of course. Miss Tong, feel free to look."
If he were no longer by Xi'er's side in the future, she would still need the care and companionship of these people.
The thought of his impending departure sent waves of dull pain through his chest, like a rusty, blunt knife being dragged back and forth.
Tong Yao was always a woman of action. The moment Han Mo finished speaking, she grabbed Bai Xi and ran into the villa's courtyard.
Upon entering, they were stunned by the sheer volume of items piled high in the courtyard.
Was this truly a betrothal gift ceremony? Hadn't they stumbled into a museum of precious artifacts?
Jewelry, gold and silver ornaments, valuable fabrics, rare medicinal herbs… everything the eye could see was present.
On the other side were neatly arranged car keys, as well as property deeds, real estate titles, and bank cards… Was this a betrothal gift? This was clearly a transfer of wealth!
Tong Yao once again transformed into a rendition of the world-famous painting, "The Scream."
Bai Xi, aware of Han Mo's true identity, was not surprised and fell into contemplation as she looked at the items before her.
Seeing this, Han Mo asked, "Xi'er, do you not like them?"
If he had more time, he would have carefully considered the necessity of each item being sent. But now… he simply wanted to give her everything he possessed. Even these were merely the tip of the iceberg.
If he were to leave after saving her, Wang Yang would slowly transfer his subordinates and assets to her in a manner she could accept. This was the last thing he could do for her.
Bai Xi didn't look back at Han Mo. Instead, she thoughtfully considered, "You've prepared so many betrothal gifts, I'm wondering how much dowry I should return."
She had long known that the City Lord of Qing Yu City possessed power, influence, wealth, and land.
However, sending all of this as betrothal gifts truly put her in a difficult position.
Originally, she had only wanted a simple wedding ceremony; a mutual understanding and the sealing of a contract would have been enough. But now that Han Mo had sent such substantial betrothal gifts, wouldn't it seem disrespectful if she didn't offer a corresponding dowry?
She was a practical person, and having spent so much time in the clandestine divisions, she had no use for such items and hadn't prepared any. All she had were digits so long they took ages to count.
But simply offering money in comparison to Han Mo's gifts would seem even more disrespectful.
And if she were to buy things, with less than two days left until the wedding, it would be difficult to procure them in time.
Seeing Bai Xi's serious expression of worry, Han Mo said, "Xi'er, you don't need to overthink this. Didn't we agree? I'll be living at the Bai residence from now on, and all expenses for food and daily necessities will be covered by the Bai family. In that case, all of that will be your dowry."
In these past few days, her emotions had been like a roller coaster, with extreme highs and lows.
Xi'er had accepted his proposal. He had thought they could finally spend a lifetime together in this existence, but fate had played a cruel trick. He had unconsciously fantasized countless times about their peaceful future together: eating meals, traveling, embracing each other in sleep, waking up in each other's arms… He had even imagined them having their own children.
But now, it seemed all of it was just the moon in the water, a flower in the mirror; it could only be a dream.
Bai Xi, however, frowned. "That won't do. If you live at my Bai residence, it's tantamount to becoming a son-in-law, and the betrothal gifts should be from me to you."
When a woman marries, having betrothal gifts and dowry accompanying her are guarantees for her future journey in the world.
If it were as Han Mo said, then by rights, she should be the one giving him things. Even if his parents were no longer alive, as he had said, she should provide him with the necessary security.
Watching these two, Tong Yao was once again stunned by their words.
She had been wondering why Dr. Han and Xi'er's wedding was happening in M City. At the time, she had assumed it was because Dr. Han's family wasn't well-off, so Xi'er was handling things on their end. She hadn't expected this at all.
Not only was Dr. Han from a privileged background, bringing generous betrothal gifts, but he was also willing to accept Xi'er's family and live together in the future. This complete entrustment, if it wasn't love, she truly didn't know how to define the word.