Chapter 7 Receive the certificate, ex-girlfriend calls

"Hmm," Huo Mingze responded. He actually hadn't brought it, but he could have his assistant deliver it.

"Have you decided to register our marriage with me?" Shen Modi asked again. Huo Mingze nodded, "Of course!"

"Shall we go register now?" Shen Modie asked. She knew where the Civil Affairs Bureau was, very close to the city hospital, less than ten minutes by car.

"Okay," Huo Mingze agreed. "Dad, please rest for a while. I'll go register," Shen Modie said, sitting by the bedside and holding her father's hand. Shen Weiguo's eyes turned red. "Okay, okay," he said, gripping his daughter's hand tightly. "Modie, look ahead. Have a good life in the future, manage your little home well."

"Mmm," Modie choked back tears. She understood her father's meaning—to forget Tianjie. In truth, she had long forgotten.

"Dad, after we register, Modie and I will be husband and wife. I'll be your son. There's nothing else I can do for you, and I won't give a dowry to Modie. Instead, I'll provide Xiaoguang with a cochlear implant," Huo Mingze said. Shen Weiguo was deeply moved and immediately refused, "No... no..." He was touched; even if he couldn't accept it himself, he could rest assured handing Modie over to him. Marriage, starting with looks, ends with character.

"Dad, let's go register first. Please rest assured, you will get better," Huo Mingze continued.

"Okay, okay," Shen Weiguo repeated twice. Shen Modie used sign language to ask Xiaoguang to take care of his father, and Xiaoguang hurriedly gestured back, indicating he would take good care of his father. Modie and Huo Mingze left the ward. As they reached the stairs, she said, "After getting the certificate, it's a lifelong commitment."

"Yes, a lifelong commitment," Huo Mingze reached out and held Shen Modie's hand. Shen Modie stiffened slightly but didn't pull her hand away. Huo Mingze led Shen Modie downstairs; their ward was on the second floor, so they didn't take the elevator.

"I will fulfill every word I said to you. I will be faithful to our marriage and treat you well," Huo Mingze said.

"Thank you, I will too," Shen Modie replied.

Huo Mingze turned his head, reaching out to gently rub Shen Modie's head, comforting her, "Everything will be alright."

"Mmm," Shen Modie's eyes flickered with determination. At the Civil Affairs Bureau, Modie went to the restroom. Huo's assistant handed the household registration booklet to him and also passed a wristwatch to him, whispering, "CEO, you have an appointment with Mr. Zheng at ten o'clock from last week. There's only half an hour left. What do you think?"

"You go!" Huo Mingze replied.

"It's not possible. Mr. Zheng is difficult. If you don't go in person, he won't agree to sign," the assistant insisted.

"Then let it be," Huo Mingze said, seeing Modie coming out of the restroom and immediately going over to meet her. The assistant watched Huo Mingze's back, feeling conflicted. He had witnessed the six-year relationship between the CEO and Miss Yao, deep and devoted. He never expected the CEO to decide to marry a stranger in the end...

Huo Mingze and Shen Modie took their wedding photos. The photographer looked at Modie's reddened eyes and silently wondered why she was crying if she didn't want to get married. But he remained professional and took their photos well. After receiving the photos, Huo Mingze and Shen Modie went to the counter. The divorce counter had a long line extending ten meters, but surprisingly, there was an empty spot at the marriage counter. The two walked towards it.

Huo Mingze's phone suddenly rang. Caller ID: Yao Yutong! This was the name Huo Mingze changed to after Yao Yutong went abroad. Before, this name was called Tongbao.

"You take the call first," Shen Modie heard Huo Mingze's phone ringing and said. She even retreated to the side of the window, preparing to wait for Huo Mingze to finish the call before they registered.

"It's not an important call," Huo Mingze smiled at Shen Modie and stuffed the phone back into his pocket. "But it keeps ringing," Shen Modie kindly reminded.

"It won't ring in a moment," Huo Mingze said.

"Mmm," Shen Modie responded. Huo Mingze reached out and took Shen Modie's hand, leading her towards the counter. Huo Mingze's phone kept ringing, and he took it out again, glanced at it, smirked, then turned it off.

Six years of relationship, no matter how hard he tried to keep her from going abroad, why did she hurry to call him? He watched her leave, watching her decisively moment, his mind suddenly flashed four words: not too. Fill out the form, sign, take pictures, have the staff stick on the photo, stamp... In less than five minutes, the two marriage licenses were handed to them. Looking at the photos on the marriage certificate, Huo Mingze said to Shen Modie, "In the future, we are husband and wife, we are family."

"Mmm," Shen Modie responded, also looking at her marriage certificate. Her feelings were complex; she had never imagined that her marriage would start like this. Ideals and realities always have gaps. The ideal marriage for girls is always wearing a sacred and pure wedding dress, running towards someone who loves them wholeheartedly. But in the real world, for various reasons, you might separate from the person you love and then find someone you don't love so much, and that's a lifetime. She smiled as she looked at the marriage certificate. Actually, it was much better than she expected. At least Huo Mingze was not only handsome and not eccentric in character but also spent money on her.

She felt like she had hit the jackpot. "Let's go back to the hospital first. Once your dad stabilizes a bit, we'll go out for dinner to celebrate, and then I'll introduce you to my parents," Huo Mingze said. Seeing Shen Modie's empty fingers, he added, "Also, we need to pick out wedding rings. But that can wait. Your dad's situation is the priority. Come on, let's go back to the hospital."

"I can take care of my dad over there. If you have work, go ahead and handle it. I'll call you if anything comes up," Shen Modie said, worried about taking up more of Huo Mingze's time. It was Wednesday, a workday, and she had already taken up his morning.

"We're married now, and your concerns are my concerns. I'll ask about your brother's cochlear implant shortly," Huo Mingze replied, mainly waiting for Qiu Zhan, the fifth elder, to return. Qiu Zhan had taken an early morning flight and should be arriving soon.

"No need. I don't need you to handle the cochlear implant. You've already helped me so much," Shen Modie hurriedly said. Huo Mingze had already tucked away the marriage certificate. He placed both hands on Shen Modie's shoulders, bending down to look at her with focused eyes. "From now on, you don't have to shoulder everything alone. You can rely on me, your husband."

Shen Modie quickly averted her eyes, feeling a sudden pang in her nose as her eyes reddened. She had always thought of herself as strong. But hearing him say she could rely on him made her nose tingle. She had been so tired lately.

"Let's go," Huo Mingze said, reaching over to pat Shen Modie's head, then taking her hand as they left the Civil Affairs Bureau and hurried to the hospital.

In the hospital room, a nurse was just changing Shen Weiguo's IV bag. She informed him that after finishing this bag, he should rest for ten minutes before changing into hospital clothes for treatment. Seeing Modie return, Shen Weiguo anxiously looked at his daughter. Modie knew what her father was thinking and immediately showed him the marriage certificate. Shen Weiguo's dry hands took the marriage certificate. Looking at the photo on the certificate, his eyes glistened with tears as he kept saying, "Good, good." He could finally relax. It was as if a tight string in his heart had suddenly been released. As he held the marriage certificate, his hand suddenly drooped, his body twitched, and he spat out a mouthful of blood...