The dating reality show host just wanted to give up, but the rich girl fell for him.

Jiang Ruoyun was still vigorously shaking Lin Mo's coat sleeve.

Those beautiful peach blossom eyes were filled with expectation, sparkling, almost overflowing.

Her usual aloof and arrogant demeanor in Beijing's high society circles was completely gone at this moment.

She looks exactly like a little girl who has seen her favorite toy and is pestering her parents.

Lin Mo looked down at her, a hint of helpless gentleness rising in his eyes.

He has always been adept at navigating the complexities of fame and fortune.

But he has little resistance to Jiang Ruoyun's blatant dependence and expectation.

He took the girl's hand, which was slightly chilled by the winter wind, and wrapped it in his warm palm.

Then, Lin Mo turned his head and looked calmly at Li Lin, who was standing opposite him with a nervous expression.

To make his clingy fiancée happy, he nodded slightly.

"Alright."

Lin Mo's voice remained the same flat tone with little variation.

It was as if he hadn't agreed to some CCTV New Year's Eve blockbuster documentary, but simply to buy a bunch of scallions at the alleyway.

My hometown is in the Jiangnan region.

"There is an old house left by our elders in the neighboring town of Qingxi. It is nestled against the mountain and by the water, and no one usually disturbs it."

"Let's go there to record."

Upon hearing this, an undisguised look of ecstasy instantly spread across Li Lin's weathered face.

The CCTV chief director, who had seen many ups and downs, nodded repeatedly in excitement.

But before he could say thank you, Lin Mo added another sentence at a leisurely pace.

"But Director Li, that old house has been vacant for several years."

"There isn't a single decent piece of furniture left inside, and some of the wooden structures need to be reinforced and repaired."

"I need to find someone to tidy up the house a bit first, and then we can set off once it's habitable."

Upon hearing this, Li Lin immediately waved his hand and boldly took on the job.

"What kind of nonsense is this!"

"Mr. Lin, the advance team for the program will fly to Jiangnan first thing tomorrow morning!"

"We'll handle everything: materials, labor, and cleaning for the old house renovation!"

"It will take a maximum of one week, and I guarantee it will be spotless and restored to its original state!"

The matter was finalized amidst a biting winter wind.

A week passed in the blink of an eye.

In those seven days, the entire upper class of Beijing practically turned the place upside down.

Countless tycoons and wealthy businessmen waved blank checks, hoping to find the young master who achieved legendary status in a single battle at the birthday banquet.

But Lin Mo stayed in the courtyard house every day, never leaving the house, and his phone was set to reject calls from unknown numbers.

The advance team from Jiangnan sent a message last night saying that the old house has been renovated and is ready for occupancy at any time.

The morning air in Changping Hutong carried a hint of chill from the recent snowfall.

A light layer of white frost covered the blue bricks and gray tiles of the courtyard house.

Warm white steam was rising from the kitchen in the courtyard.

Lin Mo was wearing a loose gray turtleneck sweater and was standing in front of a large wooden counter.

The boiling water in the pot was bubbling and churning.

Just then, a rhythmic knocking sound came from the gate of the courtyard house.

Immediately afterwards, with a creak, the wooden door was pushed open from the outside.

Jiang Ruoyun, wearing a beige cashmere coat and a thick scarf around her neck, walked in from outside the door.

Although their relationship quickly blossomed, the Jiang family had strict rules, and Jiang Jianguo was extremely wary of them.

Therefore, Jiang Ruoyun still lives in the Jiang family's villa on the hillside and does not live with Lin Mo.

To catch the early morning flight, she had her family driver bring her here before dawn.

Behind the girl were two oversized suitcases, each almost half a person's height.

The wheels rolled softly on the bluestone slabs.

As soon as she stepped into the courtyard, she smelled a domineering and alluring fragrance.

Jiang Ruoyun immediately tossed her suitcase into the yard and, like a cat that had smelled fish, ran to the kitchen in her high heels.

She clung to the kitchen door frame, leaning half her body inside.

I took a deep breath of the aroma of scallion oil in the air, and my stomach rumbled softly.

"It smells so good, I'm starving."

She rubbed her flat stomach, gazing longingly at Lin Mo's tall, straight back.

Lin Mo didn't turn around, but just listening to her footsteps, a faint smile appeared on his lips.

In the frying pan next to it, scallion oil simmering over low heat was turning a golden color.

"Go sit at the eight-immortal table in the outer hall, and you'll be able to eat right away."

He deftly grabbed a handful of handmade noodles and tossed them into the pot, then gently stirred them with long chopsticks.

Skillfully scoop out the cooked noodles and drain them.

Pour the mixture into two blue-and-white porcelain bowls, pour a spoonful of piping hot and glossy scallion oil over it, and then sprinkle with a pinch of bright green scallion chopped onions.

A soft "sizzle" sound.

The rich aroma of scallions instantly filled the entire courtyard, creating a comforting and homely atmosphere.

Jiang Ruoyun sat in the hall, holding a steaming bowl of noodles, eating without any regard for her image.

Where is even a trace of the aloofness of a wealthy heiress?

"Eat slowly, there's still some left in the pot, no one's going to take it from you."

Lin Mo sat opposite her, holding a cup of hot tea, and slowly blew on the steam rising from the rim of the cup.

He turned to look at the two huge suitcases in the yard.

He looked down again at the faded canvas shoulder bag at his feet.

"We're going to the water towns of Jiangnan to avoid the storm, not to walk the runway at Paris Fashion Week."

"You brought all this stuff, are you planning to open a clothing store in the old house?"

Jiang Ruoyun swallowed the food in her mouth and raised her delicate chin with a righteous air.

"What do you know?"

"The misty rain of Jiangnan requires different colors of coats and cheongsams to capture that exquisite atmosphere."

"I've already streamlined this several times to match your low-key approach."

Lin Mo smiled and didn't refute it further.

Anyway, the production team has a special vehicle to handle the transportation, so as long as she's happy.

After breakfast, Lin Mo walked to the storage room in the corner of the yard.

He picked and chose among the pile of wood, and found a scrap piece that still smelled faintly of pine resin.

He took out a carving knife and slightly rotated his wrist.

Wood shavings fell like snowflakes, carrying the original fragrance of wood.

In just a few minutes, a wooden plaque with a smooth surface and naturally rough edges was carved.

Lin Mo walked to the desk in the hall and casually picked up a calligraphy brush dipped in thick ink.

There's no need for hesitation; the pen moves with effortless grace.

Several large characters instantly appeared on the wood.

"The boss went back to his hometown to avoid trouble, and his return date is uncertain. The business is closed."

The handwriting was still that stunningly beautiful, slender gold script.

With its powerful strokes and elegant lines, each line exudes the supreme arrogance of a master.

However, the content he wrote revealed an arrogant and incompetent attitude, as if he were utterly hopeless.

Lin Mo took the priceless wooden plaque and walked to the main gate of the courtyard house.

I found a hemp rope and casually hung it in the middle of the two heavy wooden doors.

Just as I brushed the sawdust off my hands, two hurried footsteps came from the alley entrance.

Wang Cunzhuan and Zhou Yang ran over one after the other.

These two are national-level masters whose mere presence in the antique and calligraphy and painting circles can shake the capital.

He was skillfully pulling a faded apron from his pocket, preparing to put it around his neck.

"Old Wang, do you think the boss will make Dongpo pork for lunch today?"

Zhou Yang swallowed hard as he tied the straps.

"I scrubbed the lobby floor until it gleamed yesterday, not even missing a crack. You should at least leave me a couple more spots."

Wang Cunsuan snorted coldly, his face full of disdain.

"You don't know anything! Dongpo pork is meant to be paired with good wine. Today it's my turn to eat two more bowls of rice."

The two were arguing about the staff lunch.

Looking up, I saw the new wooden plaque that Lin Mo had hung on the door.

The two old men, whose combined age was over a hundred, froze on the spot.

His eyes were fixed on the words on the wooden sign, as if he were witnessing an apocalyptic declaration.

"Closed down?!"

Wang Cunzhu's voice instantly rose eight octaves, his dry, strained voice cracking.

Zhou Yang didn't even bother to tie his apron.

He rushed to the door in three strides, his eyes wide open like copper bells.

"lay low in the storm? Go back to your hometown? With no return date in sight?!"

Zhou Yang looked at the words on the sign, still amazed by the perfect strokes of the calligraphy, and wanted to kneel down and copy them.

But now is absolutely not the time to appreciate calligraphy!

"Boss Lin!"

Zhou Yang grabbed onto the heavy door frame, looking like a homeless old cat.

"You can't leave!"

"If you leave, where will we two old bones get a meal?"

Wang Cunzun also realized what was happening and rushed forward in one stride.

He clung tightly to the other door frame, his face filled with grief and reluctance, tears welling up in his eyes.

"Yes, boss!"

"Look at my hands!"

He stretched out his calloused hands, his voice trembling.

"To wash those dishes properly, I even stopped practicing Tai Chi, which I'd been doing for ten years!"

"I touch that sink in the kitchen every day; I've developed a deep affection for it!"

"You can't just take away my right to wash the dishes like that!"

Lin Mo looked at the two old men clinging to the door frame, howling and wailing.

I couldn't help but press my throbbing temples, feeling a bit of a headache.

If the media outside were to capture this, people who didn't know better would think he was a heartless boss who withheld wages and forced elderly people living alone to lose their jobs.

"That's enough, gentlemen."

Lin Mo's tone was calm, but his actions were decisive.

He reached out and ruthlessly pried apart the two old men's fingers, one by one, that were clinging to the door frame.

"You've all heard about what happened at the birthday banquet."

"There are too many eyes watching me outside. If I don't leave today, the threshold of this little restaurant will be broken by the afternoon."

"You two can be considered to have successfully completed your mission this week."

"Go back to your own homes, go back to your own mothers."

Zhou Yang was pushed back two steps, but still stubbornly moved forward.

"Master chef, even if you stop cooking, I can stay and mind the shop!"

"I promise I won't let even a fly trying to get close into the yard!"

Lin Mo completely ignored this.

He turned around and slammed the door shut halfway.

He threw out a final warning through the crack in the door.

"I've already locked the door. Consider this a long holiday for you all."

"You two are usually important people outside, don't do something as shameful as climbing over the wall into someone else's yard."

"Also, there are those antique tables and chairs from the Ming and Qing dynasties in the hall."

"What if I come back and find that I'm missing a leg, or that someone has taken it?"

"I'll use you two as examples."

After saying that, Lin Mo slammed the door shut without any hesitation.

The desperate wails of the two old men were completely shut out from outside the courtyard.

Inside the door, Jiang Ruoyun had already eaten and drunk her fill.

She touched up her makeup with delicate touch-ups, and was in a mood as good as a lark about to fly out of its cage.

"Let's go, the car arranged by the production team is already waiting at the entrance of the alley."

Lin Mo took the two large suitcases from her hands, carrying one in each hand.

He casually slung his worn-out canvas bag over his shoulder.

The two walked out of the courtyard side by side, and Lin Mo fastened the heavy copper lock behind him.

It produced a dull metallic clang.

This wooden door completely locked away all the prosperity, scheming, and endless noise of the capital.

At the entrance of the alley, a spacious black minivan was already parked there.

The driver got out of the car and respectfully helped put the luggage into the trunk.

Jiang Ruoyun couldn't wait to climb into the passenger seat.

As she adjusted her seat, she took out her phone to search for food guides for the water towns of Jiangnan.

"Lin Mo, I checked, the crab roe soup dumplings in Qingxi Town are very famous!"

"How about we go eat there tomorrow morning?"

Lin Mo closed the trunk door and patted the dust off his hands.

"Okay, as long as you can get up."

He opened the driver's side door, ready to get in the car.

Everything seemed to be going so smoothly, and the carefree feeling of abandoning all fame and fortune and just taking off whenever I wanted made me feel completely relaxed.

The instant his hand gripped the steering wheel.

Suddenly, a piercing engine roar came from the other end of the alley.

Followed by.

"squeak--"

A sudden, teeth-grinding screech of brakes shattered the tranquility of the alleyway.

A black, extended Maybach drove by, completely oblivious to how narrow the alley was.

It charged in like a raging wild beast.

Then, a powerful drift.

It stood firmly and perfectly positioned in front of the commercial vehicle.

They completely blocked Lin Mo and his group's way to the airport.

Before the car had even come to a complete stop, the passenger door was suddenly pushed open.

A familiar figure rushed out of the car, panting heavily.

"stop!"

"Don't leave!"

With his slightly overweight belly, Jiang Jianguo stood like a gatekeeper, blocking the entrance to the courtyard house. His face was filled with grief and despair, as if the sky were about to fall.