"Mr. Chen Mo?"
The name echoed through the jewelry store, and a wave of realization swept through the crowd.
Chen Mo? That name sparked instant recognition.
The female manager's eyes widened in shock.
In Binhai City, you might not know the mayor's name—but everyone knew Chen Mo. If you didn't, you'd either been living under a rock or were just plain ignorant.
Founder of the Marching Ant Company. Creator of the seismograph and holographic smartphone. A genius hailed as the "Iron Man of China," a "tech visionary," and the head of the world's most advanced private technology company.
This was the Chen Mo—an icon of the new era.
"Who's Chen Mo?" a nearby customer asked, puzzled.
"The founder of Marching Ants! Inventor of the holographic phone! The man's practically reshaping the 21st century—and you're asking who he is? Have you been living in a cave?" another customer snapped, rolling his eyes.
"It's really him!" a girl exclaimed, holding up her holographic phone. The floating display showed Chen Mo's name topping the hot search list on Weibo, alongside news about his girlfriend. "It's trending right now!"
The moment they heard "Marina Square" mentioned in the post—everyone in the store knew it was the exact location they were in.
People checked their phones. The trending photos matched Chen Mo's current outfit, minus the glasses. It was obviously him. He looked even better in person—cool, calm, and charismatic.
"Chen Mo is so young and handsome… even with glasses, he looks like he walked out of a drama," a woman swooned. "I have to post this to my Moments. My husband's officially stolen!"
"My idol is standing right in front of me! This is the best day ever!"
"He even designed the wedding ring for his girlfriend? Ugh, I want to cry—this is peak romance."
More whispers and chatter broke out as everyone's eyes turned to Xiao Yu, the lucky woman by his side. The envy was palpable.
What kind of merit had she accumulated in her past life to deserve this man?
Chen Mo's hand gently clasped Xiao Yu's. They looked like the perfect couple—elegant, graceful, and radiant with affection. Just a quiet stroll through a jewelry store, but their presence transformed the place.
Meanwhile, Chen Mo looked down at the phone Xiao Yu handed him, showing the Weibo hot search.
So much for keeping a low profile.
He had only wanted a quiet day off to shop with Xiao Yu. But a single candid photo had gone viral. He'd been recognized, and now they were surrounded by attention.
"Mr. Chen Mo, can I take a photo with you?" a girl asked boldly, already holding her phone and rushing toward him.
Wang Hai and Bai Zhu stepped forward, ready to block her.
Now that Chen Mo's identity had been exposed, they couldn't afford to let anyone get too close.
But Chen Mo raised a hand and stopped them.
"It's fine."
The girl nearly jumped from excitement as she stood beside him. Meeting someone as legendary as Chen Mo in person? Unreal.
"Wang Hai, can you take the picture?" Chen Mo said, handing over the phone.
Xiao Yu stepped aside, giving them space. She was used to this—sometimes employees at the company would ask for pictures too.
"Mr. Chen Mo, could my girlfriend and I take a photo with you as well?" another couple asked, hopeful.
Chen Mo nodded with a small smile.
Soon, other customers joined in, and the atmosphere turned festive. Thankfully, the store wasn't crowded, so it didn't take long for everyone to get their moment.
Once the pictures were done, Chen Mo turned back to business.
"Can the ring be customized here? If not, I'll go to another store."
"Yes! Yes, absolutely!" the manager quickly said, no longer harboring any illusions of buying the design. Just having Chen Mo as their client was already a major publicity win.
"We'll discuss it inside," she said.
Chen Mo nodded, then glanced at Liang Shihui, the clerk who had helped him from the start.
"Bring Shihui too," the manager said, picking up on his intent. "She assisted Mr. Chen—this is her client."
Liang Shihui's eyes lit up. She nodded at Chen Mo with gratitude.
Chen Mo took Xiao Yu's hand and walked into the VIP room with the manager and Shihui.
"Shihui, take their ring sizes," the manager instructed, then turned to Chen Mo. "Mr. Chen, are you preparing for a wedding? Would you like to customize other jewelry as well? We can offer full bridal sets."
"No need for the rest," Chen Mo replied with a smile. "The things I want, you can't provide."
The manager understood instantly. With Chen Mo's status, he wasn't looking for ordinary jewelry. Even high-end brands might not meet his standards—true luxury often belonged to elite collectors or historical estates.
"What materials would you like for the rings?" she asked.
Chen Mo activated his holographic phone again and displayed the design.
"Platinum for the ring body," he explained. "The colorful patterns are inlaid with colored gold. Maintain the original size ratios in the design. Please ensure the jeweler follows the blueprint strictly."
"Understood. We'll have our top artisans work on it, and we'll offer a discount as thanks for your business."
Over the next half hour, they finalized the details.
As they exited the VIP room, Bai Zhu approached quickly.
"Boss, there are reporters outside. A lot of them."
"Reporters?" Chen Mo raised a brow. "That fast?"
"You showed up at Marina Square with Miss Xiao Yu. Someone posted it online. This is downtown Binhai, where multiple media offices and entertainment outlets are based. Word got out, and now they're waiting at the entrance."
"Mr. Chen Mo, do you need assistance?" the store manager asked.
"No need. Thanks," Chen Mo said.
He turned to Xiao Yu, who was still glowing with happiness, completely immersed in the ring and the day's events.
"We can't keep shopping today. Let's head out and get something to eat instead," Chen Mo said gently.
Xiao Yu nodded, smiling brightly. Her mind was still picturing the moment Chen Mo would slip that ring onto her finger.
Chen Mo brushed her hair gently, took her hand, and led her toward the exit.
But the moment they stepped out—
"Mr. Chen Mo, what is your relationship with Miss Xiao Yu?"
"Are you planning to get married soon?"
"Is Miss Xiao Yu pregnant?"
The reporters swarmed forward, shouting questions, only to be held back by security and Chen Mo's team.
Chen Mo instinctively pulled Xiao Yu closer, shielding her with his body.
The camera shutters snapped wildly.
This was the first time Chen Mo had been seen holding hands with a woman in public.
They already recognized her—Zhao Min's assistant, He Xiaoyu, the rumored girlfriend of the tech genius himself.
Chen Mo sighed internally. There was no avoiding it now.
He raised a hand. The crowd fell silent.
"Xiao Yu and I are already registered. We'll be holding a wedding soon," he announced clearly. "There's no need for speculation. Today, we were just customizing our wedding rings."
A simple sentence, but it dropped like a bombshell.
The reporters froze. Even Xiao Yu blinked in surprise. Though she already knew how Chen Mo felt, this was the first time he had publicly acknowledged their relationship.
And he'd done so without hesitation, in front of the cameras.
Moved, Xiao Yu looked at him with glistening eyes full of tenderness.
The crowd exploded again.
"When did you two fall in love?"
"Was it in college?"
"When did you register the marriage?"
"Is there a wedding date yet?"
"Is Miss Xiao Yu pregnant?"
Chen Mo smiled wryly. These reporters were relentless.
"Thank you for your concern," he said calmly. "Xiao Yu and I met and fell in love in college. She's been with me since the very beginning—through everything. Now, we're building our life together. That's all there is to it."
With that, he held Xiao Yu's hand tightly and, under the protection of the security guards, walked away.
They left behind a storm of flashing lights—and a Weibo feed that was only just beginning to erupt.