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

On the other end of the video call.

In the study of the Song family in the capital, where the air was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood, the air seemed to freeze.

Song Wan pushed up her reading glasses, her face almost touching the tablet screen.

Her eyes, usually calm and collected despite having seen countless treasures, were now fixed intently on the white porcelain cup spinning under the lamp on the screen.

"These lines..."

Song Wan's voice was tight, with an incredulous tremor.

"Ruoyun, zoom in a little more."

Jiang Ruoyun obediently did as she was told, pressing her phone almost against the winding gold line on the cup.

"Did you see that, Mom?"

Jiang Ruoyun was a little uneasy. "Did you mess it up? That black line was really ugly, so I applied gold powder..."

"nonsense!"

Song Wan abruptly interrupted her daughter, her tone as stern as if she were reprimanding a student who didn't know what was good for her.

What does it mean to be coated with gold powder?

"This is the 'dry lacquer polishing method'! It's a long-lost imperial restoration technique!"

Song Wan took a deep breath, pointed to the details on the screen, and spoke very quickly:

"Look at the trend of this gold line. The beginning is like a boulder falling from a high mountain, and the ending is like a dragon swimming into the sea."

"The most amazing thing is the thickness of the gold powder. It's not a flat application, but rather the adhesion of the paint is used to create a textured effect like a 'mountain ridge'!"

"This is called 'a thunderclap out of nowhere'!"

"Ruoyun, this isn't just repair; it's a top-notch artistic re-creation on this broken porcelain!"

Jiang Ruoyun was stunned.

Although she didn't quite understand the technical terms, she did understand the phrase "top art".

She looked down at the cup, and a surge of pride welled up inside her.

I knew it!

I knew my Lin Mo was the best!

"Mom, so you mean... this cup isn't ruined?"

"Useless? Hmph."

Song Wan sneered, took off her glasses, and said with a complicated look in her eyes, "At the current market price, this Ding ware that has been 'kintsugi' is worth at least three times more."

"Moreover, it is a unique piece with a price but no market."

hiss--

Jiang Ruoyun gasped.

Tripled?

Wouldn't that mean I could exchange my old apartment for a large one within Beijing's Second Ring Road?

"Ruoyun, let's not talk about such vulgar things."

Song Wan put her glasses back on, her expression becoming exceptionally serious, even showing a hint of respect:

"Tell Mom, who exactly is this master?"

"There are only a handful of elderly gentlemen in China who can match this level of skill. Is it Mr. Zhang from the Palace Museum? Or Mr. Wang from Suzhou and Hangzhou?"

Jiang Ruoyun blinked, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up.

"Neither."

She kept him in suspense, saying, "He's a young man."

"young people?"

Song Wan frowned, clearly disbelieving. "Impossible! This level of skill can't be achieved without decades of dedicated practice! Don't be fooled."

"Hey, you'll know whether I'm lying or not just by looking!"

As Jiang Ruoyun spoke, she took her phone and walked to the balcony of her bedroom.

It was already past nine o'clock at night.

A gentle sea breeze is blowing.

In the dilapidated courtyard of Building C, a dim streetlamp was lit.

Lin Mo was wearing that faded old man's shirt and flip-flops, squatting in the corner.

He was holding a leftover fish bone, feeding it to a stray cat that had somehow appeared out of nowhere.

"Yes, that's him."

Jiang Ruoyun pointed the camera at that unseemly back view.

"Lin Mo, twenty-four years old, my... um, my partner."

Song Wan on the other side of the screen was stunned.

She looked at the young man squatting on the ground playing with the cat; his back view was lazy and even a little decadent.

This was completely different from the image of the venerable, white-haired master she had imagined.

Just then.

Zhao Kuo, who had been eavesdropping from the side, finally couldn't hold back any longer.

He had just overheard the keywords "Song Wan" and "doubled value" in the corridor, and the jealousy in his heart was practically turning into vinegar.

On what grounds?

That poor, penniless Lin Mo could easily win Professor Song's favor by simply fixing a broken cup?

No way! I have to ride this wave of popularity!

This is the Song family's most important asset!

Zhao Kuo straightened his expensive silk robe and gave what he considered his most charming and sophisticated smile.

He strode confidently and abruptly brought his head right up to Jiang Ruoyun's phone camera.

Hi! Hello, Auntie!

Zhao Kuo's large face instantly took up half the screen, blocking Lin Mo behind him.

"I am Zhao Kuo! The heir to the Zhao Group!"

"Ruoyun and I are good friends. I was there when that cup was mentioned, and I actually gave her a lot of advice..."

As Zhao Kuo spoke, he also pretended to casually show off the Richard Miller watch worth millions on his wrist.

"Auntie, you look so young, you and Ruoyun look like sisters..."

This set of moves was his secret weapon that made him invincible at various socialite gatherings.

however.

Song Wan, on the other side of the screen, didn't change her expression at all.

He didn't even lift his eyelids.

Her intelligent eyes seemed to have a built-in "garbage filter system," directly piercing through Zhao Kuo's greasy smiling face.

He was still staring intently at the half-revealed silhouette of Lin Mo in the corner of the screen.

"Ruoyun".

Song Wan's voice was calm and indifferent, carrying the authority of a superior:

"Move the camera away."

"There's something dirty blocking my view of the master."

Ga?

Zhao Kuo's smile froze instantly.

It's like it's been frozen solid; it's incredibly embarrassing to have it stuck on your face like that.

Dirty...dirty stuff?!

He, the scion of the prestigious Zhao Group, worth billions, was actually called a filthy thing?!

Jiang Ruoyun almost burst out laughing.

She quickly suppressed a laugh and obediently moved her phone to the side.

"Okay, Mom! I'll move it right away!"

Zhao Kuo disappeared completely from the screen, like a fly that was disliked by everyone.

He stood to the side, his face turning a deep purplish-red, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked, but he didn't dare utter a single word.

This is Song Wan!

She was known as the "Iron Lady" in Beijing's social circles. Even her nouveau riche father had to address her respectfully as "Professor Song."

Lin Mo's silhouette reappeared on the screen.

The stray cat had finished eating the fish bones and was rubbing against Lin Mo's trouser leg.

Lin Mo reached out and casually scratched the cat's chin, exuding an indescribable sense of relaxation.

Song Wan stared at it for a full minute.

The doubts and scrutiny I had just felt gradually dissipated.

Instead, there is a growing appreciation for it, a kind of pleasingness that grows on you the more you look at it.

"Um……"

Song Wan nodded, a rare smile appearing on her lips.

"This young man is interesting."

"Even in the midst of fame and fortune, one can remain true to oneself, neither arrogant nor impatient."

"Beneath this lazy demeanor lies a strong sense of pride."

"Just like his kintsugi technique, it seems casual, but in fact it is meticulously planned and watertight."

Jiang Ruoyun felt very happy to hear this.

My mother is known for her sharp eye for people; to receive such high praise from her is harder than winning a Nobel Prize.

"Of course!"

Jiang Ruoyun puffed out her chest. "How could the person I've set my sights on... no, the partner I've chosen be anything less than excellent?"

Song Wan glanced at her daughter with a half-smile.

"Alright, stop joking around."

"After the show is finished recording another day..."

Song Wan paused, her tone becoming more serious:

"Bring him back for a meal."

"I would like to ask him in person where he learned his 'dragon-like brushwork' and 'dry lacquer polishing' techniques."

boom!

The moment those words were spoken, the live stream chat exploded.

Holy crap!!!

Is this official confirmation? My mother-in-law has spoken: Bring her home for dinner!

[This is the Song family! Countless young masters from wealthy families dream of stepping through their door but can't even get in, and Lin Mo was actually invited?]

[Zhao Kuo is practically shattered to pieces here, hahaha!]

"Dirty stuff... I'll laugh at that word for a year!"

Jiang Ruoyun was so excited that her face turned red.

Take it home for dinner?

Isn't this just... meeting the parents?

Although it was done under the guise of "seeking advice on skills," in this kind of family, being allowed to eat at home is itself a great honor!

"Great idea! Lin Mo is a fantastic cook, I'll have him show off his skills for you then..."

Jiang Ruoyun hadn't finished speaking.

Sudden.

A discordant roar came from the other end of the phone.

The voice came from outside the study door; it was rough, full of energy, and carried a strong sense of bitterness and anger.

"What are we eating?!"

"I object!!"

Immediately afterwards, the study door was pushed open.

A middle-aged man wearing silk pajamas, slightly overweight, and with a prosperous-looking face rushed in.

It was Jiang Ruoyun's biological father, the notorious business tycoon Jiang Jianguo.

Jiang Jianguo was holding a half-eaten apple, pointing at Lin Mo on the screen, his beard trembling with anger:

"I won't agree!"

"This kid looks like a street urchin with no real job! He thinks he can get into the Jiang family just by fixing a broken cup?"

"Trying to steal my cabbage? No way!"

Jiang Jianguo was furious.

He raised his precious daughter with great care, and he wouldn't even let her pour him a glass of water.

And what's worse, on this lousy show, I'm constantly following this brat around!

When his wife mentioned bringing food home, his elderly father completely lost his composure.

Song Wan calmly took off her glasses and glanced back at her husband.

That look was the legendary "death stare".

"You object?"

Song Wan asked in a light tone, "Who was watching the live stream just now, drooling and saying they wanted to eat that braised pork?"

Jiang Jianguo choked.

Their momentum instantly halved.

He glanced at Lin Mo on the screen, who looked like a great cook, and swallowed hard.

That braised pork... it really does look fatty but not greasy, and has a bright red color...

And that sweet and sour pork ribs...

And that seafood congee...

As a seasoned gourmet, Jiang Jianguo had been watching the live stream these past few days and was already drooling over Lin Mo's cooking skills.

But he's stubborn!

"That...that won't work either!"

Jiang Jianguo stiffened his neck, trying to preserve his elderly father's last shred of dignity.

"So what if you're a good cook? Can a chef be a son-in-law?"

His eyes lit up, and he came up with a brilliant excuse.

"unless……"

Jiang Jianguo shouted at the screen in an extremely arrogant tone:

"Unless this kid can make that long-lost 'Crab Stuffed Orange'!"

"It has to be the traditional method from the Song Dynasty!"

"Otherwise, don't even think about getting me to touch my chopsticks!"

After saying that, he felt a little embarrassed and quickly added:

"I'm testing him! It's not that I want to eat it! Humph!"

Song Wan shook her head helplessly and put her glasses back on.

"Virtue".

She smiled at the screen. "Ruoyun, don't listen to your dad."

"but……"

A sly glint flashed in Song Wan's eyes. "Since your dad ordered the food, why don't you ask that kid?"

"If he can really make it, then your dad's bottle of Moutai that he's treasured for thirty years is probably doomed."

……

The video call ended.

Jiang Ruoyun, holding her phone, lay on the bed laughing so hard she rolled around.

quite funny!

I never expected my usually stern dad to be such a hidden foodie!

Crab-stuffed orange?

Although it sounds difficult, if it were Lin Mo...

Jiang Ruoyun turned over and looked out the window at the figure still playing with the cat in the yard, her heart filled with blind confidence.

Even if it were to be a Manchu Han Imperial Feast, this guy could definitely do it!

That night.

The Heartbeat Cabin was filled with a cheerful atmosphere.

Apart from Zhao Kuo.

He returned to his room, looked in the mirror at his handsome face that had been called "dirty stuff," and fell into deep self-doubt.

"Am I... really that greasy?"

……

The next morning.

The sun was shining brightly, and seabirds were chirping outside the window.

The guests got up one after another and came to the living room of Building A.

After these past few days of travel, everyone is a little homesick, and the atmosphere is somewhat listless.

however.

The moment they stepped into the living room, everyone instantly snapped to attention.

In the center of the living room, where the coffee table used to be, a huge long table was now placed.

There was no lavish breakfast on the table.

Instead, there was a bottle of strangely colored, almost blackish-green liquid.

There's also a deck of cards with a skull printed on the back.

The director was sitting behind the monitor, grinning like a fox who had stolen a chicken.

Good morning, everyone!

The director's excited voice came over the loudspeaker:

"Warm moments are always too short."

"After yesterday's rest, I believe everyone's relationship has warmed up considerably."

"So, in order for everyone to get to know each other better..."

"Let's do something exciting today!"

Lin Mo had just walked in yawning when he saw the bottle of green liquid and instinctively felt a stomachache.

"This is……"

Jiang Ruoyun curiously leaned over to smell it, then immediately pinched her nose and took three steps back.

"Ugh! It tastes so bitter!"

"That's right!"

The director announced loudly:

"This is the show's special creation—premium bitter melon, lemon, and mustard sauce!"

"Tonight's game rules are simple: Truth or Dare!"

The loser must either answer an extremely pointed question, or...

The director pointed to the terrifying liquid:

"Let's finish it in one go!"

"If you don't play, you're not human!"

"By the way, today's topic selection was based on real-time voting by netizens!"

These words were spoken.

The expressions on the faces of all the guests changed.

Lin Chacha and Zhao Kuo, in particular, had a variety of interesting expressions on their faces.

Online voting?

Wouldn't that mean we'd expose everything about them?!

Lin Mo.

He glanced at the bottle of bitter melon juice, then at the cards next to it.

He turned around and tried to leave without any expression.

"I choose to withdraw."

"How much is the penalty for breach of contract? Deduct it from my fish from yesterday."