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

The air in the Heartbeat Cottage was filled with a domineering and unreasonable fragrance.

It was a complex aroma, a blend of the smoky fragrance of oil, the rich flavor of soy sauce, and the aroma of scallions, ginger, and garlic after being stir-fried in a wok. It was like an invisible hand, desperately trying to squeeze out through the cracks in the doors and windows.

At that moment, the door to the cabin was pushed open.

Zhao Kuo strode in with a dark expression.

His once impeccably tailored white suit was now wrinkled and crumpled, with a suspicious ketchup stain on the collar.

Lin Chacha, who was following behind him, was even more disheveled. She was carrying two pairs of high heels and was barefoot on the cold floor, looking utterly hopeless.

In Zhao Kuo's hand, there was also an oil paper bag with the letter "M" printed on it.

Inside were two cold hamburgers and half a box of soggy fries.

This is their "feast" for tonight.

Because they were turned away by Michelin without a reservation, and because it happened to be the weekend peak dining season, all the nearby restaurants were fully booked.

In order to maintain the so-called "class" and avoid queuing, Zhao Kuo insisted on taking Lin Chacha for two blocks, and finally solved their food problem at a fast food restaurant.

"What bad luck."

Zhao Kuo grumbled as he tossed the paper bag onto the entryway cabinet. "A restaurant in this run-down place actually requires reservations? If this were in Beijing, I..."

Before he could finish speaking, his nose twitched twice.

What does it taste like?

This smells amazing!

Gollum—

An untimely loud bang came from deep inside Zhao Kuo's stomach.

The sound was so loud that it echoed in the quiet living room.

Lin Chacha glanced at him subconsciously, and Zhao Kuo's old face instantly turned a deep purplish-red.

He followed the aroma and saw Lin Mo, whom he hated so much, standing in front of the open kitchen island. Lin Mo was wearing a pink Peppa Pig apron (obviously a prank prepared by the production team) and holding a long-handled ladle, gently stirring in a not-so-high-end casserole.

"You're back?"

Lin Mo didn't even turn his head, his tone as indifferent as if he were greeting the neighbor's simpleton, "Have you eaten? If not..."

Zhao Kuo's eyes lit up. He was about to say "I didn't eat well" and try to get a free meal to save face.

Then Lin Mo slowly continued with the second half of the sentence:

"If you haven't eaten, please take out the trash first; the trash can by the door is full."

Zhao Kuo: "..."

[Hahaha! If you haven't eaten, go take out the trash!]

[Zhao Kuo: I've already taken my pants off... no, I've already opened my mouth, and you're telling me this?]

[Snatching bamboo shoots! Is Lin Mo's mouth blessed?]

[But to be honest, I could smell that fragrance! What exactly did Lin Mo do?]

The camera thoughtfully zoomed in, giving a close-up of the dishes on the island counter.

There were three dishes.

There were really only three dishes.

In the center was a pot of braised pork belly, its color a deep red, trembling slightly. Each piece of pork belly was cut into standard mahjong tile-sized pieces, coated in a rich, dark sauce, and shimmering with an enticing amber luster under the light.

Next to it was a stir-fried vegetable dish. The most ordinary romaine lettuce was stir-fried until it was bright green and glistening, and you could even see the residual heat of the wok lingering among the leaves.

The most amazing thing was the soup.

The milky white crucian carp soup was as thick as milk. A few pieces of tender white tofu bobbed in the soup, sprinkled with bright green scallions and a pinch of white pepper.

There was no plating.

There are no carvings.

It's just a very common large bowl, and one of them even has a chip on the rim.

But the overwhelming "food tension" instantly overshadowed the cold hamburger in Zhao Kuo's hand.

"Lin Mo, this is..." Lin Chacha swallowed hard; she hadn't been full at all from that dry hamburger.

"Oh, I just made it casually."

Lin Mo took off his apron and casually draped it over the back of the chair. "After all, the budget was limited. I only spent fifty yuan, so I couldn't afford any fancy ingredients. I could only make do with this simple meal."

As he spoke, he picked up the large bowl and shouted towards the second floor:

"Jiang Ruoyun, come downstairs and have some rice!"

dong dong dong-

A series of hurried footsteps approached.

The eldest daughter of the Jiang family, who usually holds onto the handrail and walks with a swaying gait even when going down the stairs, was now almost teleported to the dining table.

She even changed into a loose set of loungewear, casually tied her hair into a bun, and her face, though without makeup, glowed with anticipation.

"Did you wash your hands?" Lin Mo tapped her hand, which was reaching for the braised pork, with his chopsticks.

"I've washed it all!"

Jiang Ruoyun spread her hands out for Lin Mo to see, like a primary school student waiting for her homework to be checked, and then she couldn't wait to sit down, pick up her bowl and start "fighting".

The first bite was braised pork.

The perfectly marbled pork melts in your mouth; the soft, chewy skin, the rich, oily fat, and the savory lean meat, all mixed with a slightly sweet sauce, create an explosion of flavor in your mouth.

Jiang Ruoyun's eyes widened suddenly, and she let out a muffled sob: "Ugh!!!"

At this moment, all notions of socialite etiquette and facial expression management vanished.

All she knew was that none of the Michelin-starred restaurants she had ever eaten in her life could compare to the soul-stirring experience of this braised pork.

"Eat slowly, it's hot."

Lin Mo sat opposite her and slowly ladled a bowl of fish soup for her. "No one's going to take it from you. Young Master Zhao and the others have already eaten 'high-end Western food,' so they don't care about our pork that costs only a few dozen yuan."

Zhao Kuo stood to the side, still holding the half-cold hamburger in his hand.

He looked at the sauce on Jiang Ruoyun's lips.

Watching her sigh of satisfaction after taking a sip of the hot fish soup.

Watching the pot of braised pork dwindle at a visible rate.

He felt like the hamburger in his hand was a piece of unchewable rubber.

"Gurgle—"

Another loud bang.

This time, it was Lin Chacha's stomach that growled.

"Um... Brother Lin Mo." Lin Chacha tried to play the green tea card, blinking her eyes, "I'm not full either, could you...?"

"cannot."

Lin Mo refused decisively, without even looking up. "Aunt Li just said this meat is for 'my wife' to nourish her body. Whose wife are you?"

Lin Chacha: "..."

[A game-winning shot! This is a game-winning shot!]

[Lin Mo: Not only is he possessive of his food, but he also takes advantage of the situation!]

[What the hell is this about nourishing the body?! Jiang Ruoyun was actually nodding in agreement?!]

[Jiang Ruoyun: As long as there's meat to eat, I don't care whose wife I am!]

Zhao Kuo was thoroughly humiliated! His suit, worth tens of thousands of yuan, was defeated by pork costing only a few dozen yuan!

Is this what they call a "high-level game"? Then I'll choose this low-level game!

The meal was eaten in a flash.

Jiang Ruoyun even used the remaining broth to mix half a bowl of rice, eating it all up, leaving the plate shiny as if a dog had licked it clean.

She slumped in her chair, rubbing her slightly bulging belly without any regard for her image, and let out a burp that smelled of scallions.

"Well--"

After she finished, she realized she was still live-streaming, so she quickly covered her mouth, only showing her innocent big eyes as she looked at Lin Mo.

Lin Mo irritably handed her a tissue: "Alright, stop pretending, the whole internet heard it."

"It's because your cooking is too delicious," Jiang Ruoyun muttered softly. "It's not my fault."

"Yes, yes, yes, the strange pig looks too tempting."

Lin Mo got up and cleared away the dishes. "Let's go to the yard to digest our food, or your face will be swollen like a pig's head tomorrow."

A gentle night breeze blew through the courtyard.

Lin Mo moved two reclining chairs and brewed a pot of jasmine tea that cost a few yuan a packet.

The two lay side by side, looking at the not-so-bright starry sky above them and listening to the faint sound of waves in the distance.

In the villa next door, Zhao Kuo and Lin Chacha are arguing about who should cook instant noodles.

Meanwhile, in Building C, everything was peaceful and serene.

"Lin Mo".

Jiang Ruoyun turned her head to look at the man beside her who was resting with his eyes closed. "Shall we go to the market again tomorrow? I want to eat what that auntie mentioned... that..."

"Which one?" Lin Mo asked lazily.

"It's...that..." Jiang Ruoyun blushed, "pig's trotters. She said it's good for beauty."

Lin Mo opened his eyes and looked at her as if she were an idiot: "I wanted to buy it to make soup myself. You have a good memory."

"hey-hey."

Jiang Ruoyun chuckled twice and moved closer to Lin Mo. "Anyway, we can eat this well for just a few dozen yuan. Let's save money. This show doesn't seem too difficult to record."

Lin Mo sighed, "Miss, that's called survival, not living. I don't want to stay on this lousy show for even a day longer."

Although he said he was disgusted, he still reached out and helped Jiang Ruoyun pull up the blanket that had been blown around by the wind.

This is the life I've always longed for!

[Others come here to act in idol dramas, these two come here to live a real life.]

The happiness that comes from spending a few dozen yuan is far more real than Zhao Kuo's tens of thousands of yuan spent on showing off.

This darn warmth of everyday life is the most comforting thing for ordinary people!

Just as the entire internet was immersed in this warm and healing atmosphere, thinking that today was about to end so beautifully.

The next morning.

The sky was just beginning to lighten.

The peaceful and cozy cabin was suddenly shattered by a piercing air raid siren.

"Waaaaah!!!"

All the guests were so startled that they jumped out of bed.

Immediately afterwards, the director's slightly gloating electronic voice came over the loudspeaker in the courtyard:

"Attention, guests! Urgent announcement!"

"Given the excessive spending of some guests (specifically Zhao Kuo) and the overly comfortable lifestyle of others (specifically Lin Mo)..."

"The production team has decided to immediately activate the 'Extreme Survival Mode'!"

"From this moment forward, the production team is ceasing all food supplies! All existing funds are frozen!"

"Want to eat? All guests, please earn your own living!"

"Initial start-up capital: 100 yuan per group!"

As the broadcast ended, the entire villa area fell into a deathly silence.

Lin Mo stood on the balcony in his pajamas, looking at the empty refrigerator downstairs, his lips twitching slightly.

"What a tragedy..."

He turned his head and looked at Jiang Ruoyun, who also looked bewildered and was holding an empty Coke bottle in her hand.

"Oh no, Boss Jiang, your pig's trotter has flown away."