Gao Liang carefully examined the wound under Dong Mengyao's guidance. What a strange phenomenon! As Dong Mengyao had said, the injury had completely healed. How could this be? He had only gently pressed against it—according to normal expectations, such a gentle touch should only alleviate the pain, not fully restore the wound. Gao Liang was genuinely astonished. A flash of insight struck him like lightning: Ah! It came back to him now. A few days ago, while saving a girl selling eyeglasses in Binhai City from two thugs, he had sustained an eye injury during their struggle. The thug had stabbed him with a knife, leaving a long gash. Yet surprisingly, only a few drops of blood had been shed—after gathering for a while, only two drops finally fell. Even more astonishingly, the wound had healed just as quickly as Dong Mengyao's finger had today, fully restoring itself, with no visible trace of the injury. With this realization, Gao Liang once again turned to the mirror, carefully inspecting his eyes from the previous incident. He looked left and right, up and down, but found no sign of any injury.
Could it be that I possess some magical ability—such as exceptional vision and rapid recovery after injury? Yet today is precisely the day when Dong Mengyao has been injured! Just by gently holding her, I can now heal her wounds. How truly magical! Before Dong Mengyao, Highlight couldn't fully convey his bewilderment and astonishment. After all, this is something that has happened to him personally—something even he himself finds unclear. If he were to explain it to Dong Mengyao, she would hardly believe it. So, better to keep it quiet. "Sister, go ahead and check the job website. I'll have dinner ready shortly!" Highlight knew Dong Mengyao wasn't skilled in cooking and had even injured her hands, so he felt particularly concerned. "Yes! Thank you so much, brother!" Dong Mengyao expressed her gratitude and joy. Now, Dong Mengyao is happily browsing the internet on her elegant Lenovo laptop, feeling content and refreshed. The fatigue from her day of job hunting quickly fades away. With the ambient sound of the computer speakers playing contemporary music, she softly hums along.
Soon, the newly released film *At Home with the Family Man* appeared in Dong Mengyao's field of vision. She watched it with great interest.
It was a film adapted from a popular online novel—something Dong Mengyao had been following closely. She hadn't expected it to be adapted into a film so quickly.
The film was so grounded in everyday life that Dong Mengyao found herself laughing out loud.
A scene quickly came into focus—oh! How classic! Dong Mengyao widened her eyes and focused intently.
It showed a family man preparing a delicious meal for his beloved girlfriend.
The girlfriend in the film happily exclaimed, "I'm going to marry a man like this one—I never cook, hehe!"
Dong Mengyao felt deeply touched. Wasn't Xiao Tian just like that? How wonderful!
Even more outstanding than the male lead in the drama—he's not only more confident, handsome, and graceful than the character portrayed on screen, but also far more accomplished in his professional life than the typical homebody. Our beloved "Laughing Brother," Gao Liang, truly stands out. Such men are now rare—men who are equally at home in the boardroom and in the kitchen are especially hard to find. Thank goodness, heaven has suddenly placed someone like Gao Liang right in my life. Dong Mengyao is completely immersed in the joy and reflections this film has brought her.
"Little sister, come over! Try this dish I prepared for you—how does it taste?"
Gao Liang has already placed the finished dish on the dining table, warmly greeting Dong Mengyao, who is still engrossed in the movie.
"Oh! Here I come!"
Dong Mengyao happily responds, pausing the movie scene she had just been watching.
"Yay! Isn't this—well, isn't this—"
A big exclamation of delight spreads across her face, her happy expression radiating beautifully and charmingly on her delicate features. Gao Liang is instantly touched.
"Little sister!"
"What's making you so happy?" High Light noticed the rosy glow on Dong Mengyao's face. "Bro, may I ask you—what's the name of this dish?" Dong Mengyao didn't answer right away. "Such a smart little sister—looking at the ingredients, can't you figure out the name?" High Light asked with a smile, looking very handsome. "There are tomatoes and large shrimp—so it must be 'Stir-Fried Tomatoes with Large Shrimp,' right?" Dong Mengyao immediately named the dish. "You're truly smart—right away you've nailed the dish's name!" High Light praised her. "Bro, I don't just know the name—I also know the exact method of preparation," Dong Mengyao said, showing genuine interest as she looked at the dish, which was perfectly colored, fragrant, and delicious. "Really?" High Light couldn't believe his ears—this little sister, who never cooked before, could now describe the dish's preparation so clearly. "Bro, look—shouldn't it be like this: first, remove the stems from the tomatoes and cut them into chunks, then slice the ginger into thin strips; after thawing the red shrimp, trim off the
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil and sauté the minced garlic and sliced ginger until fragrant. Add the tomato chunks and stir-fry over high heat until softened and releasing moisture. Then add the large red shrimp and stir-fry together with the tomatoes for 2 minutes. Pour in 1 tablespoon of rice wine and stir well. Add 1/3 cup of water, stir thoroughly, and bring to a boil. Season with 3 tablespoons of tomato paste, 1 tablespoon of Hai Tian seafood soy sauce, 1/5 tablespoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and 1/3 tablespoon of chicken powder. Simmer for 1 minute to enhance flavor. Then, pour in 1/3 cup of cornstarch slurry to thicken and serve.
"Wow! How did my sister manage to reveal all of my feelings today?" Gao Huang was genuinely surprised at Dong Mengyao. This younger sister was becoming increasingly difficult to read. "Brother, look! It's all up there!" Dong Mengyao pointed to the video on the computer showing the cooking process. Gao Huang was stunned—wasn't that exactly the way the dish was prepared? Today truly felt like the sun rising from the west. His own dish had made it onto the movie screen, and that wasn't the only surprise—what really mattered was that Dong Mengyao had just seen it. Still, it was a good thing—she now understood his intentions. Reflecting on himself, he realized he had never once taken the time to prepare a beautifully cooked, delicious meal for a single girl. But ever since Dong Mengyao came, he always bought the vegetables she liked, brought them home, and cooked them with care—like nurturing precious seedlings of rare flowers. He just didn't know whether these seedlings would take root, grow, or eventually bloom. Gao Huang was lost in thought. "Brother, what are you thinking about? Staring off into space?"
Dong Mengyao watched Gao Huang's quiet, thoughtful expression and asked. "Oh! I completely forgot! You must be hungry now, little sister! Hurry up and eat!" Gao Huang's thoughts couldn't be fully read by Dong Mengyao, so he quickly changed the subject, drawing her attention to the meal. "Let me try my cooking—ah, quite good! Your dishes are delicious!" Dong Mengyao smiled happily, praising each bite. "It would be wonderful if I could have your meals every day!" This heartfelt remark came naturally after she tasted a piece of tomato strips and a South American red shrimp, closed her eyes, and savored the flavors with deep emotion. Gao Huang watched this beloved sister, wishing he could say to her: "Do you know? My cooking is made just for you. If you like it, I'll prepare it every single day."
Yet he felt that if he voiced his feelings, he would lose control of his emotions. How could he not? This little sister before him was so beautiful. If he expressed his genuine emotions in front of her, he would surely be overwhelmed—just like the impulsive situation he had experienced a few days ago. On that day, Dong Mengyao had given him a firm slap, her words and the sting of the blow still fresh in his memory, causing him pain to this day. If one truly loves someone, one should not speak of it too openly—especially not in front of Dong Mengyao. One must keep the love hidden within, or prove it through actions. And today’s events precisely demonstrated just that—how deeply he cared for her as her older brother. For a film school star like Dong Mengyao, I could not win her heart simply by excelling in my work, as I had done with Dai Mengna, nor by achieving academic excellence, as I had with Mei Ji. For Dong Mengyao, I would simply have to be the best brother I could be.