Even Less Concerned

"The dishes at Tianfu Restaurant are actually quite good, but they’re a bit too oily. This char siu is way too fatty—the best kind is half-fat, half-lean."

Lin Mo shook his head as he ate.

Chu Miaomiao, munching on salted egg yolk-coated chicken wings, nodded vigorously.

Chu Lintian, on the other hand, gave a wry smile. "Alright, next time we won’t order from Tianfu."

"Wait, how can you dismiss the whole restaurant like that? Sure, the char siu isn’t great, and the roast goose is mediocre, but this chilled eggplant is delicious!"

Chu Miaomiao nodded enthusiastically again before helping herself to two more pieces of the eggplant.

Watching Lin Mo’s earnest expression, Chu Lintian chuckled softly. "Then I’ll learn how to make it for you."

Lin Mo immediately waved his hand in refusal.

"How many dishes can you possibly master? The stoves in restaurant kitchens are nothing like the ones at home—the heat output is completely different."

Chu Lintian simply nodded without arguing.

As she cleared the dishes, she finally spoke up.

"Stay the night. Tomorrow, I’ll take you both for morning tea—how does that sound?"

Lin Mo didn’t refuse and nodded in agreement.

Seeing this, Chu Miaomiao cheered, grabbing Lin Mo’s hand excitedly.

"I wrote a new book—you have to read it for me!"

"Alright, alright, I’ll take a look."

Watching Miaomiao’s delight, Chu Lintian felt at ease.

As for Lin Mo, she trusted him completely—someone who would never abandon Miaomiao, even with Xie Yuling hovering around.

The entire afternoon was spent with Lin Mo, the editor, reviewing Chu Miaomiao’s new manuscript and offering revisions.

With his extensive experience in female-oriented tragic romances—whether it was "Eight Babies at Once," "Blessings of Many Children," or time-travel stories with multiple beast husbands—Lin Mo could handle any trope effortlessly.

By evening, he emerged to watch TV, leaving Chu Miaomiao alone in her room to revise.

The Chu household lacked any festive New Year atmosphere—likely because it was just the two of them, making the holiday feel no different from usual.

Still, the snacks and fruits were plentiful, all of the highest quality.

Lin Mo enjoyed himself thoroughly, especially the incredibly sweet greenhouse watermelons available in winter.

While watching TV, his phone buzzed with a message from Xie Yuling.

She was still visiting relatives—Auntie Zheng wasn’t a local, and though her family was also in eastern Guangdong, they weren’t in Goat City, so she took Xie Yuling back to her hometown for New Year’s visits.

That was why Lin Mo hadn’t gone to Xie Yuling’s place directly.

"You should be back home by now, right?"

Lin Mo replied promptly.

"Back in Goat City. Currently paying a New Year’s visit to Chu Miaomiao’s place."

Xie Yuling’s lips twitched at the message, but then she reconsidered—Miaomiao was one of her own, and she wasn’t even in Goat City anyway.

If Lin Mo went home, who knew if Jiang Yunlu might sneak out to meet him?

Her reasoning was sound, but she had no idea Jiang Yunlu was still traveling out of town.

Jiang Yunlu wasn’t the type to post about her life on QQ, and their group chat had been silent.

So Xie Yuling was completely in the dark.

"Alright. I won’t be back until the day after tomorrow. Will you come back here then?"

"Here" referred to the rented apartment. After a moment’s thought, Lin Mo replied, "Sure, I’ll head back then."

Technically, Lin Mo still had to visit his father’s side of the family for New Year’s greetings.

But he wasn’t keen on going—and they probably didn’t care either.

So he decided to skip it entirely and spend the next two days lazing around at the Chu residence.

Right now, Lin Mo was living like a king there!

For dinner, Chu Lintian still ordered in—but this time, it was ingredients.

Upscale neighborhoods offered concierge grocery services; all they had to do was tell the concierge what they needed, and it would be delivered.

Tonight’s menu: hot pot.

M9 Wagyu beef, plump shrimp, fresh vegetables.

Lin Mo dumped an entire basket of beef into the pot to blanch, just like a Chaoshan-style beef hot pot.

Though there was the option of dipping it in raw egg, Lin Mo preferred a mix of satay sauce, fried garlic crisps, chili, and a dash of vinegar.

The rich, marbled beef, coated in the savory-sweet sauce, brought out the meat’s natural sweetness.

"Is this really not a waste of good beef?" Chu Lintian couldn’t help asking.

"Nothing’s wasted if it’s eaten. Besides, this tastes amazing—here, try it!"

Lin Mo picked up a few slices, dipped them in sauce, and placed them in Chu Lintian’s bowl.

"Go on!"

Chu Lintian had never tried M9 Wagyu as a hot pot ingredient before.

One bite later, her eyes widened.

"It’s so good! Is it because of the sauce?"

Chu Miaomiao immediately raised her bowl. "Me too! Me too!"

Lin Mo obliged, serving her a few slices as well.

Originally, the M9 Wagyu had been a whole steak—Chu Lintian had planned to pan-fry it.

But Lin Mo suggested hot pot, so she ordered groceries while he worked his magic, slicing the steak into thick-yet-thin pieces perfect for boiling.

The excess fat melted into the broth, while the remaining marbling burst in their mouths.

Absolutely divine.

The only downside was Xie Yuling’s absence—they couldn’t finish all the shrimp.

After dinner, Chu Miaomiao and Chu Lintian handled the dishes while "His Majesty" Lin Mo lounged on the couch, watching TV and snacking on fruit.

No one bothered him—he was the king here.

Homebody Chu Miaomiao seemed dependent on Lin Mo outside, but indoors, she mostly holed up in her room.

Once the dishes were done, she retreated without clinging to him.

If it had been Jiang Yunlu, she’d have been shoulder-to-shoulder with Lin Mo by now.

Later, Chu Lintian emerged from her shower and said, "I bought some men’s clothes recently—they’re in the study. They should fit you."

Truthfully, she’d purchased them after Lin Mo’s last stay.

With the heating on, the room was warm, and Chu Lintian stepped out in just a nightgown, her décolletage on full display.

There was no denying it—Chu Lintian’s figure, face, and legs were all top-tier.

If not for her high status, her beauty might have been both a blessing and a curse.

But Lin Mo kept his eyes glued to the TV—until Chu Lintian sat down beside him.

Shoulder to shoulder.

Lin Mo, in long sleeves, barely reacted.

"What should I do after Jiang Beihe’s group takes over?" Chu Lintian suddenly asked.

"Huh? How should I know? It’s your company—you figure it out."

Lin Mo subtly shifted away on the couch.

Too dangerous. He didn’t dare move.

"But I don’t know what to do."

"Just do what you always do. Jiang Beihe’s people already follow your orders."

Lin Mo could feel Chu Lintian inching closer.

So he faked a yawn. "Tired. Going to sleep."

With that, he stood and headed straight for the study.

Door closed. Locked. Mission accomplished.