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

The air was still filled with the lingering fragrance of the exquisite huanghuali furniture.

The lingering sound of the ancient zither from the Song Dynasty seems to still echo in this rustic courtyard.

Lin Mo stood alone in the center of the courtyard.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves, dappling his faded shirt.

He looked down at his palm.

Those hands that usually hold the carving knife with unwavering steadiness, and never even flinch when faced with a penalty of tens of millions in liquidated damages.

At this moment, my fingertips felt slightly stiff.

A thin layer of sweat even seeped from the palms of his hands.

This man always maintains an absolutely relaxed demeanor, whether facing the camera or a tycoon.

On this ordinary afternoon, I felt as nervous as a greenhorn just starting out.

He took a deep breath, picked up a dry towel from the sink next to him, and casually wiped his hands.

His deep gaze was fixed on the tightly closed carved wooden door.

From inside the door, the occasional soft rustling of silk could be heard.

The voice was soft, yet it was like a gentle brush, occasionally brushing against his heart.

It was very quiet all around.

Even Jiang Jianguo, who had been drooling over the rosewood cabinet just moments before, fell silent.

The father-in-law stood to the side, craning his neck, staring longingly at the door.

After a long wait.

"Squeak—"

The wooden door made a long, soft sound as it slowly opened inward.

The carved screen that obstructed the view was quietly removed from inside.

Lin Mo suddenly raised his head, his breath instinctively stopping at that moment.

Song Wan was the first to come out.

This usually dignified and reserved professor of history at Peking University now wore an undisguised look of amazement and pride on his face.

She turned around and reached her hand into the doorway.

A slender, fair wrist gently rested on her arm.

Then, a vibrant red, as intense as the sunset, unexpectedly caught everyone's eye.

Jiang Ruoyun slowly stepped out of the threshold.

At that moment, the sunlight seemed to completely favor her, focusing its rays upon her without reservation.

She usually likes to wear clothes in cool colors, which complements her aloof and world-weary face.

She is a thorny rose that keeps strangers at bay.

But now, all the chill has been completely melted away by this dazzling red.

Wearing a phoenix coronet and embroidered robes, she was formally married.

The base color of the wedding dress is a deep red that has been refined over time and through meticulous craftsmanship.

There is no elaborate and exaggerated Western industrial construction, only a smooth and flowing drape like water.

As she moved lightly with her steps, the hem of her dress rippled in the breeze.

Sunlight shines on the texture of the kesi (silk tapestry), creating a flowing, beautiful effect.

The phoenix, meticulously woven in using ancient techniques, seemed poised to take flight at this very moment.

It is extremely gorgeous, yet it is not vulgar in the slightest.

She wasn't wearing heavy makeup.

She simply tied up her long hair and put on the phoenix crown that Lin Mo had painstakingly carved out for her.

Tassels hung down on both sides of her cheeks, making a soft rustling sound in the breeze.

Jiang Ruoyun lowered her head, somewhat unaccustomed to it.

A faint blush spread across her fair cheeks, reaching all the way to her ears.

At this moment, she was no longer the aloof heiress of a wealthy family in the capital.

She is like a fairy from a painting who has stepped out of the picturesque Jiangnan region.

She was so beautiful that she could topple kingdoms and cities; her beauty was beyond compare.

Lin Mo was completely stunned. The dry towel in his hand fell onto the bluestone slab with a dull thud.

He even forgot to pick it up and forgot to look away.

Time seemed to stretch on endlessly.

His mind went blank; what craftsmanship, what rules, what nonchalance?

At that moment, they all vanished completely.

In the entire world, only the girl with downcast eyes remained before him.

Looking at Lin Mo's reaction, Song Wan smiled with satisfaction.

She released her daughter's hand and took a half step back.

The sunshine and gentle breeze that filled the courtyard were left to these two young people.

Jiang Ruoyun stood on the steps, nervously twisting her wide sleeves.

After a while of silence, she quietly raised her eyes and looked through the swaying tassels.

The moment they met Lin Mo's scorching gaze, which seemed capable of burning them.

The little courage she had just mustered vanished instantly.

"What...what are you looking at?" Jiang Ruoyun bit her lower lip, forcing herself to maintain her usual arrogant tone.

Her voice was soft and gentle, with an undisguised shyness.

"Doesn't it look good? I told you the color was too bright, it looked weird..."

As she spoke, she tried to turn around and hide inside the door.

"Don't move." Lin Mo finally came to his senses.

His voice was much lower than usual, with a noticeable hoarseness.

He strode up the steps.

He walked a few steps to Jiang Ruoyun.

The distance between the two instantly closed.

Jiang Ruoyun was so close that she could clearly smell the scent of wood and sunshine emanating from Lin Mo.

Lin Mo lowered his head slightly.

His deep gaze traced her features inch by inch, as if trying to etch this scene into his very bones.

Jiang Ruoyun's heart was pounding.

"Thump, thump."

The sound was clearly audible in the quiet courtyard.

She didn't dare to look up at him, and could only focus her gaze on his white shirt.

Lin Mo raised his hand. His fingers were long and strong, with thin calluses from polishing the huanghuali wood on his fingertips.

He gently straightened the slightly tangled tassels on her phoenix crown.

Rough fingertips brushed against her delicate cheek unintentionally.

It brought a slight tingling sensation.

Jiang Ruoyun's breathing stopped.

"It's not bad." Lin Mo looked at her evasive eyes, and a smile gradually spread across his eyes.

He leaned close to her ear, his voice so soft that only the two of them could hear it.

"Miss Jiang." He paused, his tone more serious and tender than ever before.

You look...so beautiful today.

Jiang Ruoyun's face instantly turned bright red.

She suddenly raised her head, her peach blossom eyes glistening with tears, and glared at him with annoyance.

"You have good taste." She was sarcastic, but her hand reached out anyway.

He grabbed Lin Mo's clothes and held them tightly in his hand.

It was as if he had captured her most precious treasure in the world.

Lin Mo let her grab him.

He grasped her slender wrist with his other hand and gently pulled her into his arms.

The sun is just right, the breeze is not dry.

The courtyard of the old house was filled with an irresistible pink bubble.

Lin Mo moved very gently, as if afraid of ruining her outfit.

He could feel the person in his arms stiffen slightly, then soften completely.

Jiang Ruoyun leaned on his shoulder, listening to his steady and powerful heartbeat.

The fatigue and anxiety accumulated in the world of fame and fortune in Beijing vanished at this moment.

She knew that for the past three months, he had locked himself in his room, doing everything he could, stitch by stitch, planing every piece of wood, all for her.

This heartfelt sentiment is more reassuring than any sparkling diamond.

Just as the atmosphere was getting intimately intimate, and the two were about to enjoy this tender moment...

"Wow--"

A shrill scream, like a pig being slaughtered, suddenly rang out from the corner of the yard.

The sound was too loud and too sudden.

It startled the sparrows in the old camphor tree, and they all flew away in a flurry.

Jiang Ruoyun was startled and jumped away from Lin Mo's arms as if she had been electrocuted.

Lin Mo's eye twitched, and he turned his head away helplessly.

Just moments ago, Jiang Jianguo was drooling over the rosewood cabinet in the yard.

At this moment, it is clinging tightly to a thick pillar.

He held his head high and closed his eyes.

She cried so loudly and heartbreakingly.

"My God!"

Jiang Jianguo burst into tears, his eyes and nose streaked with sobs.

He cried as he frantically wiped his face with the sleeve of his expensive haute couture suit.

He was the same person who was decisive at the negotiating table and imposing in front of the media.

At this moment, it shattered completely into pieces.

He looked at his daughter, who stood on the steps, dressed in her wedding gown and breathtakingly beautiful.

At this moment, the old father's psychological defenses collapsed in an epic fashion.

"My heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys!"

Jiang Jianguo slapped his thigh and sobbed uncontrollably.

"Yesterday she was still a little girl who followed me around begging for candy."

"How come you're wearing someone else's wedding dress in the blink of an eye!"

The more he thought about it, the sadder he became, and the more he felt he had lost out.

He clung tightly to the pillar with both hands, refusing to let go no matter what.

Song Wan stood on the steps and rubbed her temples.

Although she complained, her eyes were actually a little red.

After all, she is a piece of flesh that fell from her own body, and now that she is getting married, how can a mother not feel heartbroken?

But seeing her husband's embarrassing state, Song Wan still managed to maintain her composure.

"Old Jiang, that's enough for you."

"Doesn't the richest man at all have any semblance of his rank? He's crying like a three-year-old."

"What do I need appearances for! My daughter is gone, what use do I have for appearances!"

His eyes were red as he glared fiercely at Lin Mo.

"You brat!"

Jiang Jianguo pointed at Lin Mo, his fingers trembling.

"My precious cabbage!"

"I've been raising this tender cabbage for over twenty years, feeding it well every day."

"It can't withstand wind or rain, and we've guarded it like a thief for twenty years!"

He wiped away his tears in grief and indignation, his voice cracking.

"And what happened? You still managed to completely seduce me, didn't you!"

The originally warm and romantic atmosphere was completely ruined by his shout.

Jiang Ruoyun, who had just been blushing, was now completely speechless.

"dad!"

She stomped her foot in anger.

"Who are you calling a cabbage! Who's robbing whom!"

She lifted her skirt, intending to cover her father's mouth.

Lin Mo stood aside, watching the chaotic scene unfold.

Instead of getting angry, he couldn't help but chuckle.

This is the essence of everyday life.

There are no power struggles or intrigues among wealthy families, only the most ordinary and genuine hearts of parents.

He walked down the steps and came to Jiang Jianguo's side.

He took out a pack of tissues from his pocket, politely pulled out one, and handed it over.

"Dad, wipe it."

Lin Mo's voice was steady, carrying a reassuring warmth and composure.

Jiang Jianguo took the tissue with a sob in his mouth and blew his nose hard.

He rolled his eyes at Lin Mo, but the hostility in his eyes had actually lessened considerably.

"This cabbage will belong to your yard from now on."

Jiang Jianguo muttered, his voice filled with deep reluctance and warning.

"If you dare to let her go hungry, or let her suffer any injustice, I'll bring the demolition crew and raze this dilapidated house of yours to the ground!"

Lin Mo smiled, his tone gentle yet unusually firm.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of this cabbage's meals for the rest of my life."

"I guarantee it will be even more beautiful and healthy than it was at your place."

Jiang Jianguo snorted and turned away, not wanting anyone to see his reddened eyes.

The courtyard was filled with a cheerful atmosphere.

A gentle breeze rustled the leaves of the old camphor tree.

Lin Mo looked at the family, smiled, and shook his head.

The wedding attire is all ready.

The clothes, furniture, and guqin (a traditional Chinese stringed instrument) were all carefully chosen.

Next, it will be time to host a grand banquet for the people.

He greeted Song Wan and Jiang Ruoyun, then turned and walked towards the study on the other side of the courtyard.

Pushing open the wooden door to the study, a faint scent of ink wafts out.

Lin Mo walked to the large desk and sat down.

On the table, the ink in the inkstone had been ground and was gleaming with a faint black light.

He picked up a clean wolf-hair brush, and paused for a moment with his wrist suspended in mid-air.

At this time in the capital, the celebrities and powerful figures in the social circles were already inquiring about the marriage of the eldest daughter of the Jiang family.

They all eagerly awaited their arrival.

Everyone was waiting for the Jiang Group to send out those high-class invitations with gold trim and elaborate wax seals.

It's a symbol of status, a stepping stone into the top circles.

But they could never have imagined what they were about to receive.

Lin Mo dipped the inkstone in ink.

His gaze fell on the desk.

There was no gold leaf, no sealing wax, and no expensive custom-made cardboard.

Yes, it was just a stack of ordinary red paper that he had just bought from the stationery store in town, a large sheet costing one yuan, which he had cut into neat squares himself.