hollywood billionaire

Chapter 121 Reckless Love

"It was about 2002. I remember coming to the United States after 9/11 and studying at UCB."

Lao Liu picked up the cup, gently shook the warm tea in it, and entered the memory mode.

"Wow, UCB!"

Xu Yiru praised.

"It was very difficult to get in the exam at that time."

"Your sister-in-law is also from UCB. She is a year later than me. She is more difficult." Lao Liu smiled and pointed in the direction of the kitchen, "She said it herself, I don't know, it seems that Rongcheng recorded it that year She's alone."

"It should be true." Han Yi couldn't help but sigh, "When I recorded USC in 2012, there were not many places in Quanrong City...let alone UCB ten years ago. Sister Huang...is too powerful."

"That's right, she came here as a top student." Lao Liu gave a thumbs up, "Her family opened a hot pot chain in Shuchuan, with dozens of stores, but she was not interested in cooking hot pot, but only liked literature, especially Western literature. literature."

"You also read this at UCB?"

"Yes, English Literature, I often joke with her that she is the first batch of petty bourgeoisie in the new generation of Huaguo."

"Then are you a professional?" Xu Yiru became more and more curious about the love history of the couple in the restaurant, holding his cheek with his right hand, and asked enthusiastically.

"I'm not...but it's almost the same. I majored in linguistics." Lao Liu spread out his hands, and there was a cute taste of old naughtiness in his narrowed eyes, "I am exactly the opposite of her. Her family does catering, but She likes literature. My family does research, but I also like to study food."

"Do research, Professor?"

"My father teaches history at National Taiwan University, and my mother has published several books on linguistics. One side gives lectures and the other gives lectures."

"Then how did you guys meet in Berkeley?"

"There was one...well, I can't remember what it was called. Anyway, I was catering for that event, and she came over to attend, and we started talking. I remember she was writing an article about Charles- A treatise on the interplay between food and literature in Dickens. I argued with her all night about it and then..."

"We're together now." Xu Yiru drew a happy ending to the story, showing a satisfied smile.

"It's not that simple. In our era, both sides were extremely conservative. It's not like the young people today, who feel like they don't care about anything." Old Liu waved his hand, dispelling the romantic illusion that Xu Yiru had strengthened on him. In the air, "By the way, how long have you been married? It feels quite young."

"Are we..." Han Yi pointed at himself and looked at Xu Yiru, "You tell me?"

"You're talking." Xu Yiru said in a tired voice.

"We are also studying at the same university, University of Southern California. What's more coincidental than you is that we are still in the same major."

Putting down his teacup and smacking his lips, Han Yi began to make up half-truths and half-fakes.

"She is two years younger than me, but I didn't take a GE course in the first two years, so I met in the same class...and it was a discussion group. At that time, there was a boy in the group who was obsessed with her and pursued her crazily, but It's a pity that she only likes me..."

"Hey, don't talk nonsense, okay?" Xu Yiru slapped Han Yi on the shoulder, trying to gain the initiative in the story, "It's obvious that you are after me, so I reluctantly agree."

"Boys, they understand." Lao Liu helped Han Yi smooth things over with a smile, "It doesn't matter what my husband says outside, just let him kneel on the washboard when he goes back."

"Did you bring the washboard?"

"Do you want me to bring the things that make me kneel?"

"That's not it."

Han Yi and Xu Yiru looked like you came and I exchanged words, they really looked like a pair of newlyweds who were still in love, and even their witty words were sweet, and Lao Liu who was watching added a few more smile lines.

"Anyway, it's love at first sight." Lao Liu commented.

"Is it love at first sight?" Xu Yiru asked Han Yi with a smile.

"That's for sure. If you don't say anything else, just look at your appearance. If I say anything else, it's all nonsense."

When encountering this kind of problem, Han Yi has only one way to deal with it, which is to learn from Chandler and hide his real self in a joke.

"You haven't finished yet, brother Liu, how did you determine your relationship with our sister Huang?"

"We did everything together, whether it was going to the cafeteria or going to the library to write a thesis. After three years, finally on the day of graduation, we went for a walk in the evening at the Berkeley pier. She told me that she didn't want to go home, and I Said, or stay with me, we stay here. That's it, nothing particularly romantic. Wait..."

Old Liu stretched out his index finger, paused, and then continued.

"There's a little bit of romance too, that is, I read her a quote from her favorite author, Thomas Hardy."

"A lover without indiscretion is no lover at all."

Love that is not lighthearted is not love at all.

The firelight from the kitchen leaped over the dark blue curtain and jumped into Xiaoru's eyes, making her realize suddenly.

"Ah, so...Tommy's Wok, this Tommy is not your English name."

"That's right, the name of the store, she took half, and I took half." Lao Liu laughed, "She likes Thomas, and I like Xiaochao."

"It's really romantic."

"It was the waves at the time, and what happened after that was the romance... the romance of the water and the golden mountains." Lao Liu pursed his lips, his eyes flickering, "Both families disagreed with us being together for various reasons, and we just talked to each other directly in a fit of anger." The family lost contact, found a Chinese school in San Francisco, taught together for a few years, pooled some money, and found a Chinese bank for a small loan... and then opened this place."

Lao Liu pointed his fingertips at the warm beige light above his head.

"It's been... five years this year, just right."

"What five years?"

Lifting up the curtain, Sister Huang hurried out carrying a plastic bag full of white foam boxes.

"I said this store."

"Oh."

Sister Huang nodded, and put the bulging pocket on the table.

"Fried fast food, don't dislike it if it tastes bad."

"Thank you, Miss Huang."

Han Yi stood up and smiled modestly at her.

"Just now I was chatting with the boss about the love story between the two of you... I was fascinated by it."

"There's no such thing as a love story." Sister Huang waved her hand in exactly the same way as her husband, "Just find a quiet place to read."

No matter how you look at it, it was a very plain statement, but Xu Yiru's eyes became a little dazed.

"Do you want anything else, kimchi?"

"No need... Hey, let's have some too, haha, thank you, Miss Huang."

"Are you still here tomorrow? If you're here tomorrow, if you think it's delicious, come to the store. It's better to make it fresh."

"Okay, we'll come over tomorrow if we can make it in time... Good night!"

"Good night, be careful on the road."

After greeting each other for a while, when they returned to the hotel on the same road, the coquettish blue filter finally faded, and the night completely enveloped this seaside town that had fallen into a deep sleep.

"It's so cheap...only 50 yuan."

Han Yi put Chase's bank card back into his wallet, felt the weight of the plastic bag in his left hand, and lamented the warmheartedness of the couple.

"The boss and the boss's wife are really nice."

"Very happy too."

Xu Yiru nodded slightly, walking lightly.

"Let's play some songs, Yi Yi, I'm still a little scared."

"it is good."

Han Yi took out his phone, switched to random playback mode, and switched to the next song.The system automatically recommends a piece of music similar to "A Teenager's Romance".

Also a Ricky Nelson song.

"Lonesome Town".

"There is a place where lovers go,
There they go and wash their sorrow away with their tears.

They call it Lonely Town.

Where broken hearts stay. "

"You said... guarding a small town like this for the rest of your life, the world doesn't change, and they don't change, isn't it the most perfect state?"

Looking up, looking at the zero-pollution clear night sky full of stars that are more than the gravel on the seashore, Xu Yiru murmured to himself infatuatedly.

"How do you define perfection, Xiaoru?"

Han Yi looked at the Baodao girl whose eyes were bursting with fireworks, and asked softly.

"It's just like I said." With a sweet smile, Xu Yiru repeated, "The world doesn't change, and neither do they."

"But the world has changed." Han Yi also smiled at her, "It's just that this place is too far from the center of the hustle and bustle, and it will take some time for the aftermath to arrive."

"You're talking about the external world, I'm talking about the inner world." Xu Yiru pointed to his chest with an unusually serious expression, "As long as this place remains the same, they will not change."

"I think..." Han Yi breathed a sigh of relief, and also poked his index finger on his chest, "As long as the outside world changes, the world here... will not always remain the same."

"Really, do you think so?"

"Yes, this is my opinion." After hesitating for a moment, Han Yi nodded and replied positively.

"You mean, you think there will be a day when they will separate?"

"It may not necessarily be separated, maybe they will be together until death, just like the oath said."

Having said that, Han Yi raised the bag in his hand and shook it gently.

"However, after frying one pot after another, the taste will always change."

"I don't quite understand what you mean." Probably guessed what Han Yi was thinking, but Xu Yiru, whose face was becoming more and more tense, still hoped to hear the other party's clear explanation.

"You heard what the boss said just now. His family...a scholarly family, the boss's wife's family...there were dozens of hot pot restaurants in the early 4000th century. They all went to such a good school as Berkeley. Now, In this small town of less than [-] people, they cut off contact with their families on both sides, and prepared orange chicken sauce for white tourists who had no idea what Chinese food was."

"Do you think this kind of life can last long?"

Han Yi looked at Xu Yiru with burning eyes and asked.

"When I was in my 20s, I used all my savings to buy this store. I loved it like sugar. When I was in my 30s, children wanted to study and go to school. I looked around for twenty miles, but I couldn't find a store. It’s a good school, and they don’t have enough money in their pockets to move them back to San Francisco.”

"In another ten years, in the forties, the child raised so hard has grown up and can't wait to leave this boring town. Send him to the airport, and the husband and wife who come home sit on the head of the bed and look at each other... …what next? Walk 5 minutes to work every day, walk 5 minutes home, and keep frying Tommy’s for no reason until they can’t do it anymore? Or do they retire somewhere else?”

"Where should they go if they want to change places? Running a small restaurant like this here, selling American Chinese food for $10, even if it takes another 20 years, it won't be enough for them to buy a house elsewhere. Wan Whether it’s in the district, Los Angeles, or Santa Barbara...even if it’s returning to China. Do you want them to grit their teeth and pay a down payment, and then add a burden to themselves for the rest of their lives?”

"Yi Yi, I didn't expect you to be so pessimistic." Following Han Yi's heavy narration full of shackles of reality, the light in Xu Yiru's eyes also dimmed.

"I always thought that you are a particularly optimistic person, and nothing in life can trouble you."

"I'm also very optimistic now." Han Yichao and Xu Yiru showed a dazzling smile, "But my optimism can only be based on reality."

"Poor and lowly couples are sad about everything. They may not have a lot of money, but they must not be short of money. Otherwise, no love can survive the days without bread... No matter how willful or stubborn people are, they will realize this one day."

"I feel that the boss and the proprietress are just rebellious later than most people...or much later. Or, they have already realized that this kind of small town is incompatible with their growth experience and family environment. Life, in fact, cannot last for a long time, but I just don’t know how to escape this vicious circle.”

"What you said... makes sense."

Xiaoru is like this, even if he disagrees with the other party's point of view, he will first express his approval gently, and then hide his stubborn objection in the second half of the sentence.

"But I actually thought about this question a year or two ago. Does a relationship really need material conditions as a foundation to last long?"

"What's the answer you're thinking about?" Han Yi asked softly, with a trace of curiosity and anticipation that couldn't be concealed in his tone.

"At least not to me."

The movement of Xu Yiru shaking her head was very gentle, but there was an undeniable firmness.

"Of course it doesn't mean that you have to live a lifetime of hard work, but I think that as long as two people are willing to work hard together, one day they will be able to live a good life. Maybe they are not rich, expensive, or perfect, but as long as they are still together, they will be happy." enough."

Say the right thing, say the hard word softly, and don't say a word of the truth.Xu Yiru possesses perfect and elegant social skills that are difficult for ordinary people to match.But when it comes to frank, sincere, heart-to-heart talk without any pretense, she is still a long way from the shy but brave Yujin.

For the Baodao girl, "one or two years ago", "no need for material conditions", and "it is enough to be together", are already the most explicit signals she can give.

"If they are not together, one will have 50 points and the other will have 100 points. If they are together, both will have 60 points. Is this okay?"

"It's fine if you pass the exam." Xiao Ru covered her mouth and snickered.

"I don't think so."

Standing at the intersection of Royal Avenue and Eighth Avenue, Han Yi looked up at the hotel's signboard, and then at the time 20:28 on the screen.Mom and grandma are still fast asleep, and Yoo Jin has 2 minutes to go to the video conference.

"Are we there yet?"

"No." Xu Yiru shook his head, stretched his arms forward, "Should be two streets ahead... and make another circle."

"it is good."

Unspoken, the two people took steps towards the sea, and continued their conversation that they might never have a second time.

"I don't think an originally excellent person should take the initiative to downgrade to adapt to the so-called partner who has to climb up for a long time to reach the same height."

"what……"

Xu Yiru hung her hands in front of her body, and smiled self-deprecatingly.

"It's really a long time to climb."

"No, Ru, you misunderstood."

Realizing that Xu Yiru next to him is not in the same time and space as the Far East Star that shone on Treasure Island in his previous life, let alone be able to perceive each other, Han Yi hastily explained seriously.

"Do you know how good you can be?"

"I?"

"I can read palmistry to predict the future, would you like to help me see?"

"You know how to do this." Knowing that this was Han Yi's words and tricks, Xiao Ru still stood obediently in front of him, spreading her palms.

"The horizontal line from the little finger to the index finger is called the emotional line."

Han Yi turned on the phone light, vertically illuminated Xu Yiru's flawless palm, and said in a serious manner.

"Look, the emotional line is upwards, and there are so many densely packed parallel lines, which means that there is no shortage of suitors in life. There are a lot of high-quality marriage partners, and as you grow older, there will be more and more. good……"

"There are no parallel lines, what are you talking about?"

Xiaoru looked at the direction of Han Yi's finger in a daze.No matter how you look at it, there is only one clear horizontal line standing there alone, and there are three branches at the end.

"Noisy."

Han Yi glared at Xu Yiru.

"You understand or I understand."

"Oh."

Xu Yiru puffed up her cheeks, hiding her smile inside.

"Look at this career line. It starts from the wrist and ends at the root of the middle finger. It's so long. If a woman has this career line, it means that she is very competitive and will be very active in society and stand out."

"Really?" Xu Yiru tilted his head and looked at him, "How outstanding is it?"

"Being a news anchor means being number one on Treasure Island." Han Yi said categorically, "If you do other things, the champion will be soft on you."

"Understood." Xu Yiru nodded seriously, "Dining No. 1."

"That's Yuzhen's throne, you can't take it away...Hey, don't interrupt me, my thoughts are messed up."

"I won't talk anymore." Xiao Ru moved her hand a little closer to Han Yi's direction, "You continue."

"The life line is very round, the lines are so deep, and they all grow to meet the career line. What does this mean? It means health and longevity, and good luck for the family that will be established in the future."

"Finally, the one parallel to the emotional line, and the one below it, is called the wisdom line. Wow, this one is even more powerful." Han Yi imitated Wu Zongxian's tone exaggeratedly, "From the thumb to the end of the little finger, this is very smart." Whether it’s the exam or the job, it’s all about drawing inferences from one instance and knowing everything.”

"do you mean this?"

"Yes." Han Yi nodded of course.

"How did I hear that when the wisdom line reaches the end of the little finger, it also means that life is not going well and marriage is prone to happen?" Xu Yiru stared at Han Yi with a half-smile and asked in a low voice.

"...those are superstitions."

Han Yi waved his hand.

"Anyway, what I mean is, all in all, it can be seen from your palmistry... In the future, she must be a woman with great achievements."

"I'm so good!" Xu Yiru raised her voice cooperatively, showing a surprised smile.

"Yes!"

"But you're looking at the left hand."

Xu Yiru waved the right hand that had been carried behind her back in front of Han Yi's eyes.

Han Yi opened his mouth. At this moment, no matter how eloquent he was, he could only remain speechless.

Seeing the other party's deflated expression, Xu Yiru first subconsciously covered her mouth, and then quickly dropped to her side, laughing happily.Han Yi, who was originally helpless, only lasted for a few seconds, and then joined the laughter that was so clear in the dense night.

"You're really... super blind."

Xu Yiru wiped the corners of her eyes.

"I don't know how to encourage people, and I still read palm reading."

"Maybe the method is really novel, but..." Han Yi turned to the left, and the circle they deliberately drew was already halfway around, "You should understand what I want to say, Xiaoru. Maybe my expression is not particularly appropriate , A person's achievements and life should not be measured by a percentage system. However, my idea has not changed - if you are with a person, you need to sacrifice those rich and colorful possibilities that originally belonged to you. It can show that this person is not your final answer."

"Just like palmistry, the emotional line is just one of them. Career, life, wisdom... There are many other things worth pursuing in life. A person, especially a woman, should not accommodate anyone for the sake of feelings. "

The ice that Han Yi used to disguise himself finally loosened a little, and he revealed the real reason why he had always abided by the principles in his previous life, stayed in the friend zone, and was unwilling to take half a step outside.

Was Han Yi really unaware of Xu Yiru's attitude?
On that rainy night on March 2015, 3, those eyes that accompanied Xiao Rula to the point of tears could be seen clearly.

Why not put it into action?

Because Han Yi knew that at that time, Xu Yiru needed to bend down to accommodate him.

In the previous life, the more time passed and the more famous Xu Yiru became, the more fortunate Han Yi was for his self-knowledge back then.

If she had chosen to be with him at that time, there would not have been a wonderful life that no one else could replicate.

Han Yi couldn't bear to be the one who pulled his partner off the climbing road and accompanied him to shelter from the rain in the dark cave halfway up the mountain.

After all, his father, Yu Linglan, was such a person.

Growing up in such an environment, seeing all the pain his mother went through, Han Yi gradually began to consider the opposite sex first in everything, and put what he wanted at the end of everything.

Han Yi's respect for women may be his greatest strength, but in many cases, it will also become his greatest weakness.

Because, excessive respect can still cause harm.

Of course, even after being reborn, Han Yi still didn't realize the disadvantages of this character and values.After all, back in less than three months in 2016, no one had come to give him such a class.

Therefore, even though he is about to wear the title of Billionaire, Han Yi still can't learn to follow his heart.In other words, he thought that this was his true intention.

Having lived the extra seven years of his previous life, Han Yi too understands how sharp a double-edged sword wealth is.Properly used, like the Madison-Bill contract, a new path can be paved with astronomical figures, a career salvation that spans time and space.But if you are a little careless, you can wear away a person's original edges, sharpness and enterprising spirit in the great sense of security and extreme joy.

When Xu Yiru has not found a life goal other than love, he hastily took a step forward. Life or relationship management is actually the least thing to worry about.For Han Yi, with a reward mechanism comparable to a god, he is confident that Xiao Ru will become the woman with the most material conditions in the world, and create a wealth Eden that even Von Swass-Myers envies.

But the so-called Garden of Eden, in the final analysis, is a place without troubles and meaningless.

Han Yi was worried that when Xu Yiru found out that any of her career planning and career goals were just a drop in the ocean compared to the wealth she already had, and she seemed so naive and ridiculous, all the sharp but shining aspects of her character would be quickly wiped out.Every identity mark that makes Xu Yiru Xu Yiru will gradually fade, and in the end, there will only be one sign left on her body.

Rich daughter-in-law.

From an independent and powerful individual to a lifeless trophy, this is Xu Yiru's deepest nightmare.

Han Yi didn't want to be the creator of this nightmare.

To put it a little more selfishly, he was not sure whether he would still like such a little Ru.

Yi Han wanted to be Paul Getty.

But what he wanted was not the five unknown Mrs. Getty.

He wants Grace Kelly.

The legend of the times that turned Rainier III from "Prince of Monaco" to "Husband of Grace Kelly".

The combination of Paul Getty and Grace Kelly is the perfect love in Han Yi's heart.

"Xiaoru, I..."

For the next words, Han Yi found that he didn't have the courage to speak in Chinese, so he quietly changed to English, which was even more unfamiliar and emotionally alienated to a safe area.

"I just wanted to take a moment to express how much I care about you and the person you are becoming. I really admire the qualities you possess and the strength within you. Being your... I hope the best and most My friend, I want to see you flourish and grow into the strong, confident woman I know you have the potential to be."

"I hope you will continue to explore your passions, dreams and aspirations, as these are the cornerstones of your unique identity. Remember, you should never feel the need to be a victim of love, or let any relationship define your worth ...you are an amazing human being and your worth comes from within, not from anyone else."

"I am here...to support and encourage you on your journey, and together I hope that we can help you realize your true potential. Please know that no matter what life throws at you, I will always be there for you as someone you can count on shoulders and ears to listen.”

Xu Yiru could feel that Han Yi, who spoke English, desperately wanted to withdraw from his feelings.But Xiao Ru is also very clear that for this awkward and tangled man, it is already extremely difficult to be able to express his inner thoughts bravely.

So, Xu Yiru showed what she thought was the softest and most comforting smile, and replied in English.

"It's comforting to know that I have someone like you in my life."

"I also appreciate having you in my life and I look forward to watching you grow and succeed in every possible way."

"Remember, we're in this together, and I'll be here for you, no matter what."

"No matter what?" Xu Yiru asked softly.

"No matter what." Han Yi nodded firmly.

"Then turn up the phone's volume." Xiaoru switched back to Chinese.

Han Yi did as he did, and "Lonesome Town", which lasted only 17 minutes and [-] seconds, has been played on loop for an unknown number of times.

"You can buy a dream or two,

Accompany you through these years.

And the only price you pay,

A heart full of tears..."

"Spread your hands."

Han Yi spread out his left hand suspiciously, and put it in front of Xu Yiru.

Xiao Ru blinked, and the color of her face could not be seen in Ru Mo's night, but Han Yi could feel the warmth of her palm.

"I like to dance, you know."

Grab Han Yi's right hand with his free left hand, put him on the left side of his back, and then put it on his shoulder. Xu Yiru is not so much talking as breathing.

"Accompany me."

"I can't." Han Yi swallowed a mouthful of saliva, and said with a wry smile, "You know that I'm out of coordination."

"Just follow me."

"Walking in a lonely town,

Where broken hearts stay.

Walking in a lonely town,
Cry away all my troubles. "

"To be honest, Yi Yi, I still don't know what kind of person I want to be. I'm too young, and now you ask me to think about things that are unrealistic."

Leaning their heads on Han Yi's shoulders, the two of them looked like an old couple who had lived in a narrow but cozy living room all their lives. There was almost no dance, but both hearts could feel the sway.

"I understand, take your time, don't worry."

Han Yi took two deep breaths silently.

"Me too... two or more three months before I found my direction."

"However, I promise..."

Xu Yiru didn't know if it was Han Yi's chest or her own face, anyway, one of them was always hot, otherwise her forehead wouldn't be dripping with sweat on this cold night.

"I will be who I want to be, and I will be your pride."

"You are already my pride."

Carmel-by-the-Sea, a completely unfamiliar street corner.With the night as the curtain and the stars as the audience, they starred in a musical called "Reckless Love" in this avant-garde experimental theater called Life.

"In a town where dreams are broken,
Pedestrians on the street are named Regret.

Maybe in a lonely town,
I can learn to forget. "

"He doesn't sing as well as you do."

"I feel so too."

(End of this chapter)