Enjoy Delicious Food

That evening, in a private room of an upscale seafood restaurant in Tianhe District.

Bronze-colored cutlery reflected a warm glow under the soft lighting, while servers steadily brought out an array of lavish dishes to the massive round table at the center.

"Your garlic-steamed Australian lobster, halved and butterflied."

"Lobster sashimi platter."

"Lobster head claypot porridge, and steamed egg with lobster brains—please enjoy."

Xie Yuling stared at the extravagant spread before her, momentarily unsure where to even begin. Several massive Australian lobsters had been transformed into various dishes, covering nearly half the table, each one glistening and aromatic.

She couldn’t help but laugh. "Sister Chu, did you buy out the entire restaurant’s lobster supply?"

Chu Lintian smiled. "Not quite. These were all pre-ordered. Seafood is best when it’s fresh, after all."

As she spoke, Chu Lintian placed a plump piece of garlic-steamed lobster meat onto Xie Yuling’s plate. The jade-white flesh was topped with golden minced garlic, steam still rising from it.

Chu Miaomiao didn’t have many friends, and Chu Lintian knew that girls with good figures often struggled to make close friends in school unless they were naturally outgoing.

So, Chu Lintian made a special effort to be attentive to Xie Yuling.

Xie Yuling took a bite of the lobster meat—it was firm, springy, and rich.

The only lobster she’d ever had before was at wedding banquets, where it was typically served with noodles. But the lobster in those dishes paled in comparison to the succulent meat she was savoring now.

"Why don’t these lobsters have claws?" Xie Yuling had always thought lobsters came with large pincers.

"Australian lobsters are different from Boston lobsters. They don’t have those heavy claws taking up weight—what you pay for is pure meat. Much more satisfying to eat."

Chu Lintian then pointed to the glistening sashimi platter. "Besides, only Australian lobsters are safe to eat raw. The meat is clean and naturally sweet. Boston lobsters have too many parasites—they have to be cooked."

Xie Yuling had never tried lobster sashimi before. She picked up a slice of the snow-white flesh, its translucent marbling still visible, and dipped it lightly in a special soy sauce with freshly grated wasabi before placing it in her mouth.

An explosion of sweetness burst on her tongue—the meat was firm yet tender, with a lingering umami aftertaste and no trace of fishiness.

"So good!" Xie Yuling sighed in genuine delight, her eyes crinkling with happiness.

People from eastern Guangdong could distinctly tell the difference between fishiness and freshness.

It was like the bighead carp Lin Mo had caught at the farm earlier—normally, such fish needed to be purged in clean water for days, or only the head would taste decent.

But under Lin Mo’s handling, not only were the bones removed, but even the fishy odor was eliminated.

That was why no one detected any muddy taste when eating it.

The bighead carp sold elsewhere simply couldn’t compare to the ones Lin Mo prepared himself.

Chu Lintian watched Xie Yuling’s satisfied expression, her smile deepening.

"Eat as much as you like."

Zheng Yuan, however, sighed. "Don’t spoil her too much, or she’ll start turning her nose up at other shrimp dishes."

Xie Yuling immediately protested, "No way! I’ll eat any kind of shrimp!"

Chu Miaomiao simply smiled faintly, taking small, delicate bites of her steamed egg with lobster brains.

It paired wonderfully with rice.

Lin Mo, meanwhile, ate quietly, focusing on the meal. The table wasn’t just laden with lobster—there were plenty of other dishes, and he steadily worked through them.

By the end of the meal, Xie Yuling was thoroughly satisfied, even a little stuffed.

Leaning back in her chair, she patted her rounded stomach and joked, "Sister Chu, I feel like I’m radiating the luxurious aura of Australian lobster right now. This meal will have me reminiscing for at least a month."

It was clear that Xie Yuling’s true nature was lively—she just needed someone to feed her shrimp to bring it out.

Fortunately, Lin Mo had already won her over with his shrimp-based strategy.

After the meal, Zheng Yuan and Chu Lintian excused themselves to the restroom.

Lin Mo remained in the private room, casually seated on the sofa as he gazed out the window.

"You really went all out today, Lintian," Zheng Yuan said politely in the hallway.

"It’s nothing. I’ll be busy from now on, so I’ll have to rely on you and Yuling to keep an eye on Miaomiao."

"Don’t say that. Miaomiao is very well-behaved. Since my husband passed, Yuling hasn’t made many friends. It’s been a blessing having Miaomiao and Xiao Mo around."

"Miaomiao is quite introverted too. I’m really grateful to Lin Mo and Yuling."

Chu Lintian lowered her head slightly, her eyes shimmering behind the veil of her hair.

"Ah, Director Chu? It’s been a while."

A composed, pleasantly surprised voice interrupted them.

They turned to see a young man in a well-tailored suit smiling at them.

He couldn’t have been older than thirty, yet he carried an air of unmistakable maturity and steadiness.

Chu Lintian recognized him immediately. "Lawyer Zeng, hello. It has been a while."

During her time at a subsidiary of Dajiang Group, she had worked with him on several legal matters.

The corporate legal team was often stretched thin, so minor lawsuits were outsourced to his firm.

Though the cases were small, he handled them flawlessly and efficiently.

Zheng Yuan, noting his polished appearance and familiarity with Chu Lintian, tactfully took half a step back to give them space.

Lawyer Zeng moved closer, his smile widening. "I thought a busy executive like you might have forgotten me."

Chu Lintian hadn’t expected to be recognized in her current attire. She responded with a composed, polite smile—warm yet distant.

"Your professionalism is hard to forget. Though now that the legal team has expanded, most issues are handled internally."

"I see. Congratulations on that," Lawyer Zeng said, a hint of regret in his eyes. "Still, I hope we can work together again if the opportunity arises..."

Before he could finish, the door to a nearby private room swung open violently.

A wave of alcohol-laden air rushed out as a man with unsteady footing leaned out, his voice thick with impatience:

"Lawyer Zeng, what’s taking so long? Everyone’s waiting on you!"

Lawyer Zeng’s smile vanished instantly as he turned to explain courteously, "General Manager Li, I ran into an old friend and got caught up chatting."

The man referred to as General Manager Li had eyes clouded by drink, and they roamed over Chu Lintian without restraint.

His gaze was lecherous, as if trying to strip her bare with his stare.

Chu Lintian’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.

The man, clearly drunk, smacked his lips and let out a low, suggestive whistle.

"Hey, not bad. The outfit’s plain, but the foundation’s solid. Lawyer Zeng, you’ve got taste."

With that, he raised a greasy hand, reaching out to tilt Chu Lintian’s chin up.

Her eyes turned icy. Before his fingers could make contact, she took a sharp step back—smooth, precise, leaving his hand hanging awkwardly in midair.