After explaining the situation regarding her fourth brother to Shen Yihan, Lin Mo hung up the video call with a few muttered curses.
She then turned and went to fetch Chef Li from outside.
Chef Li was a man who took great pride in his culinary craft and cherished food deeply.
Having pondered the matter for a while outside, he now looked at Lin Mo and said, "Here’s what we can do, Miss Lin. I’ll prepare the meal, but I’ll intentionally make it taste different from my usual style. Then we’ll say it’s your cooking—I promise I won’t slip up!"
Lin Mo frowned. "How is that going to work? Xie Guanyan just went upstairs to apply some ointment. He’ll probably come down soon, and then the jig will be up!"
Chef Li shook his head. "Lately, the first thing the master does when he gets home from work is take a shower and wash his hair. That’ll take some time. The ingredients are all prepped, so the cooking will be quick."
"Just stand by the door and listen. The moment you hear movement upstairs, I’ll hand you the spatula! It’ll be foolproof!"
For the sake of Xie Guanyan’s well-being, Lin Mo hesitated for a few seconds before nodding. "Alright, thank you!"
Chef Li exhaled in relief. "No trouble at all."
Lin Mo wasn’t used to lying. Now, standing by the kitchen door with her ears perked up, her heart was pounding wildly.
It felt like cheating on an exam.
Twenty minutes later, footsteps echoed from the staircase.
Lin Mo nearly jumped out of her skin. "He’s coming! He’s coming! Code red!"
Chef Li, who was in the middle of tossing the final dish in the wok, nearly sent it flying in his alarm.
Decades of culinary composure almost crumbled in that instant.
"Alright, alright, come here! Take the spatula and just give it a few quick stirs before plating. Sprinkle some of these chopped scallions on top, and we’re done!"
Even Chef Li, a seasoned professional, couldn’t deny his nerves—lying to his employer was a first for him.
Xie Guanyan descended the stairs in fresh clothes, his hair neatly dried.
His gaze immediately landed on the green sofa in the living room.
Not seeing the girl who usually lounged there, he raised a brow in surprise.
Had she gone to her room?
The butler noticed him and smiled. "Sir, Miss Lin is in the kitchen."
Xie Guanyan’s elegant brows furrowed slightly.
"What’s she doing in the kitchen?"
When he reached the kitchen doorway, he saw the beautiful girl wearing a black apron—his own apron.
The black straps cinched around her slender waist, accentuating its delicate curve.
Her jade-white hands gripped a spatula as she stirred the contents of the wok.
Xie Guanyan strode over, his long legs covering the distance effortlessly. "Lin Mo, why are you cooking? Where’s the chef?"
As he spoke, he took the spatula from her hands, his voice gentle. "Let me handle it."
The moment Xie Guanyan drew near, Lin Mo’s heart leaped into her throat.
When his fingertips accidentally brushed against hers, a jolt of electricity seemed to shoot through her, leaving her skin tingling.
Despite the rich aromas filling the kitchen, all she could smell was the faint, crisp fragrance clinging to him.
Chef Li quickly chimed in, "Sir, these dishes were all prepared by Miss Lin herself. She spent the whole afternoon learning from me—she wanted to surprise you."
Xie Guanyan’s hand stilled mid-stir. His warm gaze settled on Lin Mo’s face, his eyes shimmering with something unreadable.
Under his scrutiny, Lin Mo’s face flushed crimson. "Y-yes, I wanted to surprise you."
"Did something happen?" Xie Guanyan’s voice remained calm, though he struggled to keep it steady.
She needed his help!
Good. At least he could still be of use to her.
Realizing she’d been caught so easily, Lin Mo’s long lashes fluttered nervously. "It’s just a small thing. Let’s talk about it over dinner."
Three dishes and a soup were soon served, steaming hot and perfectly presented.
They looked, smelled, and tasted impeccable.
Lin Mo was too guilty to meet Xie Guanyan’s eyes.
He picked up a bite of the spicy shredded potatoes and raised a brow. "What do you need my help with, Lin Mo?"
This wasn’t her cooking.
But the fact that she’d gone to such lengths to deceive him was enough.
Lin Mo took a few steadying breaths to suppress her guilt. "Well, my fourth brother, Ji'an, used to live in the slums. But he suddenly moved, and I think he’s still somewhere in the area. I can’t find him, so I was wondering if you could help track him down."
Her conscience pricked her, but the food was undeniably delicious.
Lin Mo finally picked up her chopsticks and tried a bite of the steamed fish.
The tender, flavorful meat earned Chef Li a silent round of applause in her mind.
"No problem. What’s your brother’s full name?"
Lin Mo hadn’t expected Xie Guanyan to be so easily swayed. Her tense shoulders relaxed slightly.
"His name’s Ji'an. This fish is really good—have some more!"
She placed a piece of fish in his bowl.
Xie Guanyan stared at it for a moment.
She served him food. He was elated.
The staff, still on duty, watched the scene with raised eyebrows.
The master had a well-known aversion to sharing food—there was no way he’d eat from someone else’s chopsticks!
But then, to their shock, Xie Guanyan picked up the fish and ate it, chewing slowly.
The staff: "..."
So much for germaphobia.
After dinner, Xie Guanyan made a call.
"They’re combing through the slums now. I’ll let you know as soon as they find something."
The matter had been resolved far too easily—especially since she hadn’t even cooked for him.
Curled up on the sofa, Lin Mo blinked. "Thanks, Old Xie!"
Xie Guanyan resisted the urge to ruffle her fluffy hair. Instead, he adjusted his glasses and smiled. "And thank you for going through all this trouble for me, Little Lin."
Later, after her shower, Lin Mo received a text from the so-called "Buddha of Beijing’s Elite."
[Did Mr. Xie confess?]
[Wait, no—did he agree to help?]
Lin Mo: [He already helped. He’s such a good guy!]
Buddha of Beijing’s Elite: [He’s not going to end up in the hospital tonight, is he?]
Lin Mo: [...It wasn’t my cooking. The chef made it and pretended it was mine.]
Buddha of Beijing’s Elite: [Oh, good. Now I can sleep soundly!]
Lin Mo: [...You’d better sleep with one eye open tonight!]
Turning off her phone, Lin Mo stared at the ceiling, guilt gnawing at her.
He’d even thanked her for the meal—a meal she hadn’t made.
After turning off the lights, she tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
To make the dishes seem like they were cooked by a novice, Chef Li had seasoned them a bit too heavily.
Now, Lin Mo was parched.
She groped in the dark and got out of bed.
As she opened her door, she froze.
A tall figure stood silhouetted in the darkness, right outside her room.
