"I remember someone once promised to embroider something for me as a thank you for helping her with her business, but how has this same item now turned into a birthday gift?"
The petty man, Cai Wei internally rolled her eyes and awkwardly tugged at the corner of her mouth, saying, "I didn’t know today was Big Brother Huo’s birthday, so..."
"So you have no gift and thought to use my thank you as your birthday gift? Let me think...,"
Huo Yuan stroked his chin, looking at her seriously, "No, that wouldn’t do. Wouldn’t that be too easy on you?"
Cai Wei’s face fell, and she looked at him dolefully, "Big Brother Huo, Young Master Huo, you are after all the richest person in the Great Jin Nation, it’s just one gift, can’t you stop haggling with a little girl like me?"
But Huo Yuan shook his head and said solemnly, "Not at all, not at all. A wealthy businessman remains so by minding every detail, never giving up even a little bit of potential profit. If Mr. Huo were not such a person and today gave way to a woman by half, and tomorrow considered giving way to an elder by half, business would be impossible to conduct. Isn’t that right, Younger Sister?"
Seeing that he was not relenting and seemed to persist in requesting another gift before giving up, a sense of frustration welled up in her heart. She glared at him for a long time, and finally, under his faintly trembling thick eyelashes, she saw the playful teasing in his eyes and realized she was being mocked. She couldn’t help but hold her breath, slammed the table with a "snap" and stood up with a "whoosh," "Fine, isn’t it just one gift? I’ll go and buy it for you!"
Having said this, she actually turned and began to walk away.
Seeing her about to leave for real, Huo Yuan hastily got up and took a few quick steps to block her path, laughing, "Never mind, there’s still serious business to attend to. It’s just one gift; it won’t hurt to talk about it tomorrow."
However, Cai Wei was resolute, "No, I must buy Big Brother Huo the gift first today, or I won’t feel at ease!"
After saying this, she walked past Huo Yuan, intending to go out and buy the gift.
Huo Yuan, helpless, reached out and grabbed her arm, saying, "No need to buy it. If you really feel so uneasy, just treat me to lunch at noon!"
Cai Wei smiled amiably and said, "Fine, let’s eat at the most famous Jufude Restaurant under your family’s name!"
Inviting Huo Yuan to eat at a restaurant owned by his family, wasn’t this clearly an intention to dine and dash?
Huo Yuan laughed helplessly, "Well, thanks a lot!"
The two people finalized their business deal and checked the goods. The keeper of the caravan, Situ Changge, along with a few waiters and laborers, came to pay their respects to the new boss.
Cai Wei rewarded Master Situ and the waiters with several gold maces and encouraged them a bit. Seeing that it was nearing noon, she and Huo Yuan went out to eat.
However, Cai Wei didn’t go to the Jufude Restaurant she had mentioned. The day before, she had offended the Empress Dowager’s nephew at Jufude and had barely escaped. Wouldn’t going there today be a death wish?
Thus, she specifically instructed the coachman to drive to Bafu Restaurant to eat at her own place.
For Huo Yuan, what they ate was indifferent as long as he could be with her, so he smiled throughout the whole process without a word, letting her fuss.
The coach stopped at Bafu Restaurant, and Cai Wei led Huo Yuan inside. Mu Zhongqing saw Cai Wei and Huo Yuan return together and didn’t comment, just welcoming them to go to the inner room to eat.
He and his wife, Lady Du, had taken a liking to Huo Yuan and were more than eager for Cai Wei to come around and accept Huo Yuan!
Cai Wei settled Huo Yuan in a rather fancy private room, then went to the kitchen herself, planning to show off her cooking skills by personally making him a dish of boiled fish.