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

The sea breeze, carrying the lingering warmth of the sunset, swept across the rocky area that had just witnessed the "battle of the mermaids."

The 38-pound deep-sea grouper was lying quietly on a black rock that had been washed clean by the sea.

Even after losing its vital signs, its massive body still exuded the majesty of a deep-sea overlord.

However, in Lin Mo's eyes, it was just a bunch of walking proteins.

Excuse me, excuse me.

Lin Mo was holding a Japanese sashimi knife borrowed from the program's kitchen.

This knife isn't a famous brand; in fact, the blade is a bit dull.

But as he held it in his hand and casually twirled it, the ordinary steel knife seemed to instantly come alive, flashing with a cold light.

"Director, zoom in."

Lin Mo lazily directed the cameraman, "Remember to blur out these stress-relieving scenes, don't scare the kids."

Before he could finish speaking...

A flash of light.

There was no bloody scene.

Lin Mo's movements were so fast that they were impossible to see; all that could be seen was the silver blade gliding across the fish's body.

Break bones, remove skin, remove thorns.

Every movement was precise to the millimeter, as if he were holding not a knife, but a surgeon's scalpel.

"Sizzle—"

A soft sound.

The entire thick fish skin was peeled off completely, without leaving a single piece of fish meat.

Immediately afterwards, Lin Mo's wrist trembled slightly.

Thin, translucent slices of fish, like works of art, were layered on a plate lined with perilla leaves (picked casually).

The setting sun shone through the fish slices, reflecting a warm, jade-like luster.

The pinkish-white flesh and delicate texture conveyed an exquisite elasticity and freshness that could be felt even through a screen.

The entire place was so quiet that only the sound of swallowing could be heard.

Even Zhao Kuo, who had been putting on a brave face just moments before, now stared wide-eyed, his Adam's apple bobbing wildly.

This is just too... too tempting!

Holy crap! That knife skills!

[I'm a chef at a Japanese restaurant, and I'm speechless! You couldn't cut something like this without at least twenty years of experience!]

[This translucency... is incredible! This is truly top-tier sashimi!]

What exactly does Lin Mo do? He does bone setting, sugar painting, and now even sashimi?

Lin Mo ignored the amazed looks from those around him.

He cut off the last, fattest piece of the fish belly.

The meat there is the most succulent, with its fat distributed like frost and snowflakes, making it the essence of the whole fish.

"Here, have some dipping sauce."

Jiang Ruoyun was already like a little follower, holding the prepared soy sauce and freshly grated wasabi sauce in both hands, waiting expectantly.

Lin Mo picked up the piece of fish belly and dipped it lightly in the sauce.

He didn't eat it himself.

Instead, it was placed very naturally near Jiang Ruoyun's lips.

Open your mouth.

His tone was domineering, yet carried a subtle hint of doting affection.

Jiang Ruoyun was stunned for a moment, and then two red clouds rose on her cheeks.

But the body tells a different story.

"Awoo."

She obediently opened her mouth and took a bite of the valuable fish belly.

moment.

Sweet and fresh.

An indescribable sweetness exploded in my mouth.

The firm texture unique to deep-sea fish, mixed with the aroma of oil, and complemented by the slight spiciness of wasabi and the salty umami of soy sauce...

Jiang Ruoyun squinted her eyes happily, her long eyelashes trembling.

"Mmm...delicious!!"

She let out a muffled sigh of satisfaction, her whole being melting.

That expression was more convincing than any food blogger's review.

"As long as it tastes good."

Lin Mo smiled, then picked up the second slice and put it in his mouth.

"Hmm, it's alright, but the soy sauce is a bit lacking. It would be better if it had some homemade crab roe oil."

【Ahhh! I want to eat it too!】

Lin Mo's feeding technique is so practiced! They're definitely a long-married couple!

This isn't eating fish, it's blatant dog abuse!

The scene shifts.

It was given to Zhao Kuo, who was sitting in the corner.

Our young master Zhao is sitting on a small stool.

There was a small oven in front of them, with two crabs no bigger than the palm of a hand on it, and a few pitiful little stone crabs.

Because the heat wasn't controlled properly, the crab shells were burnt and emitted a burnt smell.

Zhao Kuo held a crab leg in his hand, watching the two people over there enjoying their meal and being all lovey-dovey, and then looked at the small amount of charcoal in his hand that wasn't even enough to fill a tooth gap.

"Click."

He took a big bite of the crab leg, and broke his tooth.

I almost burst into tears.

It's too awful.

The difference is like the difference between a Michelin three-star restaurant and a beggar on the street.

"It's okay... I'm not hungry..."

While trying to convince himself, Zhao Kuo swallowed the bitter crab meat with tears in his eyes.

……

At this moment.

In the capital city, a thousand miles away, at the Song family mansion.

The study was filled with the aroma of sandalwood incense, and the antique bookshelves were filled with various rare and unique books.

A middle-aged woman, dressed in a plain-colored cheongsam and exuding an elegant and noble air, was sitting at a mahogany desk, wearing reading glasses.

She is Song Wan.

Professor of History at Peking University, a top cultural relic restoration expert in China, and also Jiang Ruoyun's biological mother.

"Young people these days, all they think about is romance..."

Song Wan rubbed her temples and casually swiped her tablet.

She originally wanted to watch her daughter's live stream replay to see if her daughter had been led astray by that "poor boy".

Sudden.

The big data algorithm accurately recommended a popular video to her.

The headline is sensational: "Shocking! A dating reality show features the lost art of sugar painting, 'Dragon-like Brushstrokes'—what an amazing guy!"

The cover features Lin Mo standing in front of a night market stall, his wrist suspended in the air, wielding a spoon with incredible speed.

Song Wan originally wanted to leave.

Sugar painting?

What's so interesting about this kind of street-smart craft?

But the instant her finger touched the screen, her gaze swept over the gesture on the cover.

"Um?"

Song Wan's fingers paused.

That suspended wrist posture... that angle of force application...

As an expert who had been immersed in traditional culture since childhood, she keenly sensed something was amiss.

She clicked on the video.

In the scene, the golden syrup seems to come alive, dancing on the stone slab.

Especially when painting the phoenix's tail feathers.

Lin Mo's sudden burst of energy and the high-frequency trembling of his wrist were captured in a slow-motion close-up.

Song Wan's pupils suddenly contracted.

She even stood up unconsciously, her face almost touching the screen.

"This...this is..."

With trembling hands, she rewound the video progress bar and watched it again.

Watch it again.

That flowing rhythm, that "continuous meaning even when the brush is broken."

so similar.

It's exactly the same as the "dragon-like brushwork" that her late mentor, a national treasure-level master of calligraphy and painting, often mentioned in his later years!

It is said that this skill was lost decades ago because it was too difficult to master.

Even my mentor only knew a little bit of the basics.

Who is this young man?!

How could he possibly know such a nearly lost art?!

Song Wan took a deep breath, took off her reading glasses, and for the first time, a solemn expression appeared in her wise and scrutinizing eyes.

"Lin Mo..."

She looked thoughtfully at the name displayed in the chat below the video.

"I initially thought he was just a pretty boy with nothing to offer besides his looks..."

"Looks like I misjudged him?"

After a moment's hesitation, Song Wan picked up the vintage telephone on the table and dialed a number.

The voice regained its former calm and authority, that of a superior:

"Old Zhang, help me find out about that male guest named Lin Mo on Ruoyun's show."

"I want all his records from childhood to adulthood."

"Especially...his lineage."

……

Let's return our focus to the island.

A grand "whole fish feast" has finally come to an end.

The fish, weighing thirty-eight pounds, was eventually boiled down to a thick, white fish soup, which was then consumed by everyone.

Even Zhao Kuo couldn't resist in the end and shamelessly ate a bowl of soup. After finishing it, he pretended to comment, "It's just so-so."

Late at night.

The sound of waves crashing on the beach, and moonlight spilling onto the terrace of the Heartbeat Cottage.

Jiang Ruoyun returned to her room.

She hummed a song, feeling so happy she felt like she could fly.

Today was absolutely magical.

Lin Mo healed her leg, helped her win the competition, and even cooked her such delicious fish.

Although this guy always says "I'm so annoyed" and "I'm so tired", everything he does makes her feel incredibly at ease.

"I want to do something for him too."

Jiang Ruoyun sat on the edge of the bed, looking at the suitcase that was already somewhat empty.

I thought about it.

She carefully took out a cup from the bottom of the box, a box wrapped in several layers of silk for shock absorption.

It was a white porcelain cup.

There are no fancy decorations, but under the light, the porcelain is as white as solidified fat and as smooth as piled snow.

This is Ding ware white porcelain.

It was a gift from Song Wan to her when she turned eighteen. It was said to be an antique from the Song Dynasty, priceless.

Jiang Ruoyun knew nothing about antiques; she only thought the cup was pretty and made drinking water taste classy, ​​so she kept it with her and used it as an ordinary cup.

"Lin Mo seems to really like drinking coffee."

Jiang Ruoyun held the cup, worth an entire apartment, a sweet smile playing on her lips:

"Tomorrow morning..."

"I want to use this best cup to personally brew him a cup of coffee."

"Give him a surprise!"

She carefully placed the cup on the very edge of the bedside table, so she could easily reach it first thing in the morning.

Then, I crawled into bed, completely satisfied.