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

Zhao Kuo, sporting dark circles under his eyes resembling those of a panda, walked to the fence of Building C with a cup of freshly brewed instant coffee in his hand (the coffee machine was broken) and a resentful expression.

Behind her followed Lin Chacha, who was also yawning, and several other listless guests.

In the center of the courtyard.

Lin Mo, wearing a faded old man's vest and flip-flops, was exerting his strength on a pile of rubbish.

It was a pile of discarded wooden delivery boxes that had been blown away by the wind during last night's heavy rain, along with a few pieces of driftwood picked up from the beach.

It was covered in mud and dried seaweed, and looked filthy.

"Oh, Brother Lin, you're up so early?"

Zhao Kuo took a sip of his tasteless instant coffee and spoke in a sarcastic tone:

"What are you doing? Don't have money to buy furniture, so you're making yourself a little stool to sit on?"

"That's true. After all, we're carrying a debt of five million. Every little bit helps."

"But this kind of rotten wood, full of wormholes, is only good for burning, right?"

Lin Chacha, standing nearby, covered her nose and echoed with a look of disgust:

"Yeah, it's so dirty. Brother Lin Mo, be careful not to prick your hand with a thorn, or someone will feel sorry for you~"

She emphasized the word "someone" and glanced defiantly at Jiang Ruoyun, who had just come out.

Jiang Ruoyun ignored her and curiously went over, squatting down by the fence to look inside.

She doesn't understand wood.

But she thought Lin Mo looked kind of handsome while working.

Lin Mo completely ignored the sarcastic remarks from outside.

His hands didn't stop moving.

The rusty saw seemed to come alive in his hands, moving along the grain of the wood.

"Sizzle."

A cracked wooden board was sawed off, revealing the clearly grained core material inside.

Although it is just ordinary pine and cedar wood, not any precious wood.

But in Lin Mo's eyes, everything has a spirit.

Even rotten wood can be carved if used in the right place.

Last night, the broken window rattled loudly in the wind, keeping him awake for half the night.

Since the production team won't fix it, I'll just have to do it myself.

Since I'm just killing time anyway, I might as well stretch my muscles.

"This piece of material is good; although it's a bit damp, it has good toughness."

Lin Mo muttered something to himself.

He put down the saw and took out a flat shovel and a chisel from the toolbox.

Next comes the real technical work.

Seeing that Lin Mo ignored him, Zhao Kuo felt bored and was about to turn around and leave to contact someone to fix the air conditioner.

Sudden.

"Tap, tap, tap."

A series of crisp and rhythmic tapping sounds rang out.

Lin Mo's chisel fell like raindrops.

Wood chips flew everywhere.

Each hammer blow removes a thin layer of wood, not a bit more, not a bit less.

What were just rough wooden strips were quickly smoothed and flattened by him.

Followed by.

An unbelievable scene unfolded.

Lin Mo did not go to get the nails or glue.

He simply used a chisel to carve out several oddly shaped grooves and protrusions at both ends of the wooden strip.

Some look like a swallow's tail, and some look like a protruding tongue.

The movements were fluid and fast, almost dazzling.

The camera in the live stream was very considerate and immediately gave it a close-up.

on the screen.

Those long, strong hands, with distinct knuckles, were dotted with specks of wood, yet they looked exceptionally sexy.

Shouldn't those hands be playing the piano in Vienna's Golden Hall?

Why are you sawing wood?!

Holy crap! That's some speed!

[A treat for hand fetishists! Those veins, those knuckles—I want to send him my hand mold!]

Wait... what is he doing? Why does this shape look so familiar?

[Is the person upstairs uncultured? This is called mortise and tenon joint! The wisdom of our ancestors!]

"Don't be ridiculous. Mortise and tenon joints are something only masters know. How could Lin Mo, a lazy bum who just wants to give up, possibly know this?"

Zhao Kuo was also stunned.

Although he was an uneducated rich kid, his family owned quite a lot of mahogany furniture, so he had heard of it to some extent.

"This...this is mortise and tenon jointing?"

His eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief.

These days, even professional carpenters prefer to use pneumatic nail guns and super glue because mortise and tenon joints are too time-consuming and labor-intensive, and require extremely high precision.

If it's even a millimeter off, it won't fit together properly, or it will look loose and flimsy.

Lin Mo didn't even use a ruler; he estimated everything by sight.

Is it an act?

They're definitely just randomly chiseling!

Amidst the skeptical gazes of the crowd.

Lin Mo blew away the dust from the wooden strips, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"That's about it."

He picked up a horizontal bar and a vertical bar.

Align.

Without the slightest hesitation.

"Click".

A crisp, pleasant sound of wood striking wood.

That was the sound of two pieces of wood resonating with each other.

Perfectly fitted!

Even a piece of paper can't fit in!

Without any nails or glue, the two wooden strips were firmly joined together, forming a perfect right angle.

Followed by.

"Click, click, click."

Lin Mo's hand speed increased faster and faster.

Horizontal lines are straight, vertical lines are straight, and they intersect.

It's like playing with the most advanced Lego bricks.

Less than ten minutes.

What was originally a pile of discarded rotten wood scattered on the ground was transformed into an exquisite window frame in his hands!

This is not an ordinary "田" (field) grid.

Instead, it adopts the classic "ice crack pattern" design, interspersed with several plum blossom patterns made of wood chips.

It is simple, elegant, and exudes an indescribable sense of sophistication.

Sunlight streamed through the cracks in the window, casting dappled shadows on the floor, creating a scene as beautiful as a painting.

Zhao Kuo tilted his coffee cup and spilled coffee all over his hand without even realizing it.

Lin Chacha opened her mouth wide, the word "dirty" stuck in her throat.

The audience was silent.

The only sound was the wind blowing through the treetops.

Lin Mo stood up and patted the sawdust off his hands.

He lifted the window frame, which was about half a person's height, with one hand and walked to the rickety, broken window.

He gestured.

Raise your hand.

To advance.

"Bang!"

The final muffled thud.

The new window frame fits perfectly into the old one, as if it had always been there.

As stable as Mount Tai.

Lin Mo gave it a push with satisfaction, but it didn't budge.

"Hmm, now I won't be bothered by noise at night."

He casually picked up a rag and wiped the windowsill, then resumed his lazy demeanor.

Turning his head, he looked at the group of "zombies" outside the fence, who seemed to have been acupunctured.

"Oh, everyone's here?"

Lin Mo raised an eyebrow, his tone incredibly irritating:

"Young Master Zhao, you just said I wanted to break a bench?"

"I'm sorry to disappoint you."

"I have a bad back, and sitting on a hard bench is too uncomfortable, so I prefer to lie down."

"I just fixed this window casually, mainly to block the wind, since I'm frail and can't stand the wind."

【………………】

After a brief pause, the chat in the live stream went completely wild.

[Just fixing it while I'm at it!]

[This is what you call a quick fix? With this skill, why not use it to repair artifacts at the Forbidden City, instead of fixing a broken window?]

[Zhao Kuo: I'm here to show off my wealth. Lin Mo: I'm here to show off my skills.]

Is this what they call a game-changing attack? I'm speechless!

[Who just said that was rotten wood? That's clearly a work of art!]

If this window were sold, it would easily fetch at least a five-figure sum, right?

[Jiang Ruoyun's eyes... Sisters, I think she wants to move Lin Mo, window and all, out of here!]

Jiang Ruoyun was truly stunned at this moment.

She grew up in a wealthy family and had seen countless rare and precious antiques.

The priceless huanghuali furniture in her home didn't impress her much.

But at the moment.

Looking at the window made from discarded wooden crates, she found it more pleasing to the eye than any designer brand.

The man carefully polishing the wood in the morning light seemed to radiate light.

That kind of focus, that power to turn the impossible into the possible...

So captivating.

"Gulp."

Jiang Ruoyun swallowed.

She suddenly realized that living in Building C might not be such a bad thing after all.

At least... the windows are quite nice.

Looking at Jiang Ruoyun's infatuated expression, Zhao Kuo felt a surge of jealousy welling up inside him.

It's not just sore, it hurts too.

My face hurts.

He had just been mocking someone for not having money to buy furniture, but the other person casually showed off their skills and instantly elevated the style to the max.

No!

Can't lose!

Building A is a luxury residence! How could it lose to a dilapidated storage room?

"Ahem!"

Zhao Kuo cleared his throat, trying to save face:

"Well... the craftsmanship is actually quite good; he has a bit of a carpenter's talent."

"But what era are we living in? Who still uses these old-fashioned windows? They don't insulate against sound or heat at all."

"Our double-glazed windows are still the best."

As he spoke, he took out his phone and deliberately raised his voice a few octaves:

"Feed? Manager Wang? This is Zhao Kuo."

"The air conditioning and electrical system in Villa A are broken. Send the best construction team over immediately!"

"Money is no object, I want it fixed immediately!"

He was incredibly imposing on the other end of the phone, exuding the air of a domineering CEO who seemed to be in charge of everything.

however.

The voice on the other end of the phone was respectful, but the content was deeply hurtful. Because it was on speakerphone, everyone could hear it clearly:

"Oh, Young Master Zhao, I'm so sorry."

"The typhoon passed through last night, and many trees fell on the island, and the roads were blocked."

"Moreover, the heavy rain damaged the substation as well, so we need to repair the public facilities first."

"You might have to wait in line for yours."

"It will take at least three days before we can send anyone over."

Three days?!

Zhao Kuo's face instantly turned as black as the bottom of a pot.

"Three days?! Do you know who I am? Do you know who lives here?"

"This is a live broadcast! Tens of millions of people are watching!"

"There's really no way, Young Master Zhao... Even if you gave me a hundred million, I still couldn't fly there..."

The phone hangs up.

"Beep...beep...beep..."

The busy signal echoed in the empty courtyard, sounding particularly jarring.

Zhao Kuo held the phone as if it were a hot potato.

Three days.

To spend three days in a glass box with no air conditioning, no fresh air system, and swarms of mosquitoes?

Isn't this just like taking a sauna?

It even comes with a blood-sucking service!

Upon hearing that they would have to endure three more days, the female guests behind them burst into wails.

Lin Chacha was even more distraught, grabbing her hair in despair:

"Three days? They'll really spoil by then!"

"Brother Zhao Kuo, didn't you say you could handle it?"

Faced with the crowd's doubts, Zhao Kuo could only force a laugh, wipe his sweat, and avoid eye contact.

"Well... it's a natural disaster, there's nothing we can do about it..."

"Everyone, please bear with it, please bear with it."

Just when Building A was shrouded in gloom and despair.

Over at Building C.

Lin Mo had already packed up his tools.

He looked at his newly repaired window and nodded in satisfaction.

The window frame is not only aesthetically pleasing, but he also cleverly incorporated several ventilation openings during the design process.

It can both block out the wind and rain outside and utilize the air pressure difference to create natural air convection inside the house.

Even without air conditioning, there is still a cool breeze.

This is the wisdom of our ancestors regarding "through drafts".

"ah--!"

Suddenly, a cry of surprise broke the silence.

Jiang Ruoyun suddenly jumped up and slapped her arm hard.

"It itches! It hurts!"

She pitifully raised her arms.

On her once fair and tender forearm, three large, red, swollen bumps had appeared, forming a string together.

Those are poisonous mosquitoes unique to the island; one bite can cause excruciating itching and may even leave a scar.

After a night of torrential rain, the water level rose, and mosquitoes suddenly swarmed.

"Why are there so many mosquitoes...?"

Jiang Ruoyun was so itchy that tears were about to come out, and she couldn't help but reach out to scratch.

The more you scratch, the itchier it gets; the more you scratch, the redder it gets.

People in Building A also suffered, jumping up and down swatting mosquitoes, creating a rather comical scene.

"Quick! Spray on some floral water!"

"It's no use! These mosquitoes seem to have mutated; they're completely unaffected by mosquito repellent!"

Just when Jiang Ruoyun was about to lose her temper.

A strange smell wafted out of the small house in Building C on the breeze.

It doesn't have that pungent chemical insecticide smell.

Instead, it has a faint, slightly bitter herbal scent with a hint of sweetness.

It tastes a bit like mugwort, a bit like mint, and has a hint of orange peel fragrance.

The flavor wasn't strong, but it felt like a pair of gentle hands lightly brushing against the tip of my nose.

The amazing thing is...

As soon as the smell wafted over, the mosquitoes that were circling and bombarding Jiang Ruoyun seemed to have encountered their natural enemy.

With a "whoosh," they scattered and fled in all directions, disappearing without a trace.

Even the intense itching on my arms seemed to be somewhat suppressed by this cool fragrance.

Jiang Ruoyun sniffed, her eyes instantly locking onto the man sitting by the window, fiddling with a few bamboo sticks and hay in his hands.

This is……

What does it taste like?