Since we are both reborn, of course I would choose the rich woman!

Chapter 254 Secretly Sent to You (6k views, please subscribe)

Rong Nianqing never hesitated to express her appreciation for Lü Yao. Putting aside Lü Yao's highly forward-thinking vision, Rong Nianqing was very fond of Lü Yao's flexible bottom line of being willing to put aside his pride.

Not to mention that Lü Yao is also particularly understanding and can always see through her thoughts. Then, he "takes the liberty" to point out what she wants to do but may not be willing to do, and then patiently persuades her to do it.

Humans are sometimes such strange creatures.

Even when the optimal solution to a problem is right in front of us, people are often constrained by morality, dignity, and personal feelings, making it difficult for them to make a sufficiently rational decision.

Rong Nianqing always regarded Lü Yao as Guan Yu, the Boss Cao, but Lü Yao's actual role was more like Wu Sidao, who was kept by Yongzheng's side before he ascended the throne.

It's hard to say whether Wu Sidao was a real person.

But the higher a person's position, the more they need a "Wu Sidao" by their side.

Perhaps it was precisely because she was aware of her own contradictions and lack of honesty that Rong Nianqing often felt guilty, which is why she was so good to Lü Yao.

Rong Nianqing's thoughts drifted far away, becoming somewhat complicated.

The longer Rong Nianqing spent with Lü Yao, the more confused she felt, as if she were in a thick fog, unable to see clearly what she was thinking.

At times like these, Rong Nianqing would immediately cut off her thoughts and force herself not to think about it so much.

Lu Yao laughed from the side, "President Rong, don't worry, you can rest assured. To be honest, I can't get used to foreign food."

There's a loophole in that statement.

Since returning from the future, Lü Yao has never left the country.

So Gan Xiaoxi, who was also in the conference room, subconsciously asked, "Oh? Which countries have you been to before? Actually, you can eat Chinese food abroad too."

Lu Yao quickly replied, "I haven't eaten it, but I've seen it. I'm not used to Western food or Thai food. As for the claim that there are Chinese restaurants abroad, I don't think it's true. Anything that gets out there will change over time."

For example, the most widely known dish abroad, which foreigners believe must be "General Tso's Chicken," is a Chinese dish.

Rong Nianqing laughed and said, "What you said is true. Actually, it was fine in earlier years. As long as you were willing to spend money, you could still eat authentic Chinese food abroad. But it has become less convenient in recent years. This is because many countries abroad have banned the castration of livestock, so the meat abroad has a strong fishy smell."

"As a result, some authentic Chinese restaurants have to import ingredients from China."

That price is really expensive.

No wonder that later on, the students who went abroad to study didn't do very well academically, but their cooking skills improved by leaps and bounds.

Speaking of food, Lü Yao suddenly thought of Hu Xiaoyu. She had studied in the UK before, which explained why she thought West Lake Fish in Vinegar Sauce was quite good when she first returned to China. He hadn't contacted Hu Xiaoyu for a long time, and only occasionally, really only occasionally, would Hu Xiaoyu's voice and appearance flash through his mind.

That quiet and secluded art gallery, that courtyard where the scent of flowers wafts through the air…

Perhaps it's because he's going abroad, but even the usually rational Lü Yao has started to become a bit sentimental.

Lu Yao composed himself, making sure no one noticed anything amiss, and then smiled and said, "Silla is so close to us, if I really didn't want to come back, you could just go and catch me."

Everyone immediately burst into laughter.

Rong Nianqing laughed speechlessly, shaking her head and saying, "You're getting more and more absurd."

However, when chatting after the meeting, people naturally just talk about whatever comes to mind.

After the meeting, Lü Yao went back to his own company to handle some business, while Wang Shu stayed at Huasheng Life.

That evening, Lü Yao and Wang Shu were called to Jian Xiaojie's secret residence to play cards together, specifically Dou Dizhu (a popular Chinese card game). As for who becomes the landlord, it's naturally whoever wins the bid.

After a fierce game of Dou Dizhu, Lü Yao, who had been very busy lately, took a shower and then fell into a deep sleep on the bed.

Jian Xiaojie hugged Wang Shu from behind, rubbing her cheek against his face and whispering, "He's asleep, shall we go out for a drink?"

Wang Shu smiled faintly and said, "Okay."

Upon entering the living room, Jian Xiaojie poured herself a glass of brandy. Just as she was about to pour Wang Shu a glass of red wine, Wang Shu called out, "Help me mix a glass of whiskey with cola."

Ok?
Jian Xiaojie looked up at Wang Shu from the bar and said with a smile, "How come your tastes have been warped by that guy Lü Yao?"

Wang Shu rarely drank mixed drinks in the past. Even when he did, he drank proper cocktails and rarely used sweet water to mix drinks. Among their group, only Lü Yao liked to do this.

Sprite mixed with red wine, whiskey mixed with cola, and even gummy bears soaked in vodka... These are all Lu Yao's signature drinks. Occasionally, Gan Xiaoxi would also drink these sweet drinks mixed with water with Lu Yao.

Although surprised, Jian Xiaojie still mixed a Coke with whiskey for Wang Shu.

When she took the wine glass over, Wang Shu, wearing a dark red silk robe, reached out and took the glass. The silk sleeves of the robe slid down, revealing Wang Shu's fair arms, which were dazzlingly white in the dimly lit living room.

Jian Xiaojie found this scene extremely pleasing to the eye.

Wang Shu laughed and said, "I used to think that drinking should be done neat so that I could experience the original flavor of the brewing process, such as the peat flavor, the aroma of fruitwood, the aroma of herbs... But after spending more time with Lü Yao, I realized that these flavors are far inferior to the sweet flavor."

Jian Xiaojie also sat down on the sofa, right opposite Wang Shu, the two of them very close: "You, you've been assimilated."

Wang Shu ran her fingers through her thick hair, tilted her head and smiled, "Isn't it a good thing to be assimilated by someone so young?"

Jian Xiaojie leaned closer to Wang Shu, their faces almost touching, their lips nearly touching.

The aroma of wine and the sweet scent of water intertwined.

There seemed to be a glint of water in Jian Xiaojie's eyes, or perhaps the rising steam from a hot spring in winter...

Wang Shu's heart started pounding wildly. She felt her face, which had just calmed down, begin to burn again, so she immediately pushed Jian Xiaojie away a little: "Oh dear, I have something important to tell you."

Jian Xiaojie leaned closer again: "Then tell me, I'm listening."

As she spoke, she moved closer to Wang Shu again.

Wang Shu smiled helplessly, turned his face away, and said, avoiding looking at Jian Xiaojie's watery eyes, "I just wanted to ask you to take good care of Lü Yao while you're abroad. Although he's usually very mature, this time he's setting up a trap for Shilla, and he's up against Samsung. It's not like in China where I can't be of much help, so I can only ask you for help."

In fact, she knew that even if she didn't say anything, Jian Xiaojie would take good care of Lü Yao.

With their separation imminent, Wang Shu felt somewhat uneasy. It wasn't that he was worried about Lü Yao causing trouble in Silla, but rather that Silla was too wild.

Although Wang Shu is very close to Jian Xiaojie and has a deep connection with Rong Nianqing, before Lü Yao entered their group, she was just an ordinary rich woman. Although she had seen a lot of things, those things were basically still at a "normal" level.

Danger is something that has nothing to do with her.

Wang Shu secretly conducted some investigations and discovered that the criminal gangs in Silla were several levels more serious than those in China, and some of them were even front men.

The worst part is that the law enforcement system there is incredibly incompetent, especially since Lü Yao is a foreigner.

The more information Wang Shu gathered about foreign countries, the more uneasy he became.

But unfortunately, she couldn't offer much help, so she's been quite anxious lately.

Jian Xiaojie said sourly, "You're so worried about him, but you're not worried about me at all? I'm still a woman, you know."

Wang Shu tucked a strand of hair behind Jian Xiaojie's ear, then cupped her face and said, "That's because I know you're incredibly capable. You're no ordinary woman."

Jian Xiaojie felt a little pleased, and she smiled smugly, "Are you praising me?"

Wang Shu readily replied, "Yes."

Jian Xiaojie leaned closer, her voice becoming more suggestive: "You can't just ask me to take care of him without any explanation."

Wang Shu turned his face away and stammered, "But, didn't we just... just did it?"

Jian Xiaojie raised her hand and pulled off Wang Shu's silk nightgown: "Three people are three people, and two people are two people. How can they be the same? At this moment, you belong only to me."

Wang Shu wanted to say something more, but Jian Xiaojie had already sealed his mouth. Thus, the ambiguous atmosphere finally accumulated from quantitative change to qualitative change at this moment.

……

Since Lee Yong-jin held a press conference in Silla and thwarted Lee Jae-young's attempts to make things difficult for her, Lu Yao has also begun preparations for going to Silla.

Before leaving, Qiao Maozhong personally came to find Lü Yao.

Although Qiao Maozhong will not go to Silla in person, there is nothing particularly important there that requires his attention, not to mention his superior, Uncle Li.

However, Qiao Maozhong still brought a lot of local specialties over, which he asked Lü Yao to take to Xu Shuncai and Guiya over there.

At Wang Jie's house, Qiao Maozhong had local specialties brought over and introduced them to Lü Yao one by one: "These are pickled lemons, some sour fruits and stir-fried spices. These are all from Guiya. She's from Guizhou Province. I brought these things from her home. They're the taste she's grown up with."

Then Qiao Maozhong pointed to another large box and said, "This box contains some soybean paste and pickled cabbage, all sealed. You can take it with you when you go. It's all homemade stuff; you can't buy it anywhere else."

As he spoke, Qiao Maozhong said with some emotion, "Those two kids work outside and can't come back often, so I can only make up for it in these ways."

Logistics are very convenient now, and online shopping has become a common thing.

But some flavors can't be bought online.

Even in China, when you are in Lingnan (southern China) and suddenly miss the taste of the famous Shandong cuisine, you can't find it no matter how many restaurants you go to or how many online stores you search online.

Some flavors belong only to that one corner of the world.

Lu Yao wholeheartedly agreed, saying, "Yes, some flavors are truly unique to that place."

Qiao Maozhong, surprised by the tone, said, "Oh, Xiao Lü, you know a lot."

Lu Yao laughed and said, "When I first came to Shangnan, I really missed the delicatessens back home. None of the delicatessens here in Shangnan taste the same."

Qiao Maozhong laughed and said, "Right? One year I was hiding in China, and I really missed my mom's dumplings. As soon as I returned to China, I immediately found a dumpling restaurant, paid them enough money to make them according to my instructions, but no matter how they made them, they just didn't taste like my mom's. It was really strange."

When talking about these things, Qiao Maozhong's expression changed.

Given Qiao Maozhong's current age, his parents have probably already passed away.

That's life; the second half is basically a series of farewells.

Lü Yao laughed and said, "Oh, let's not talk about these things. Uncle Qiao, why don't you have a drink here later? I'll make some cucumber salad and fry some peanuts, and we can chat while we drink."

Qiao Maozhong might not think much of anything else, but these two snacks are definitely good with drinks.

Qiao Maozhong laughed and said, "Then I'll have to trouble you." A little later, Lü Yao and Wang Shu prepared some snacks to go with the drinks: smashed cucumber, fried peanuts, sugared tomatoes, stir-fried green peppers and tofu skin, shredded pork with garlic sauce, and a meatball soup. Paired with some Fenjiu liquor bought from the supermarket downstairs, the flavor was immediately enhanced.

Qiao Maozhong rubbed his hands together as he looked at the food and wine on the table: "Great! My mouth is watering just thinking about it."

Lü Yao raised his glass first: "Come on, let's have a drink."

"Go one!"

These simple home-style dishes paired with a little wine are easy and relaxing. Lü Yao chatted with Qiao Maozhong at the table about all sorts of things. After about a bottle of wine, Qiao Maozhong's face turned red, and he talked more and more than at the last drinking party.

Last time, the main characters were Rong Nianqing and Uncle Li, and Qiao Maozhong, as a guest, shouldn't steal the spotlight.

But this time was different. This time it was at Lü Yao's house, and we prepared the food and drinks ourselves, so the atmosphere was much more relaxed.

Later, Qiao Maozhong talked about many things he did in Silla. When he got excited, he laughed and said, "Let me tell you, the people in Silla are very bullying and cowardly. I remember once when I went there to discuss business, we couldn't reach an agreement at the table, so I secretly pulled a fast one on them, and the contract was signed the next day."

"This time, you can go and do whatever you want. If you need anything, just tell my people, and it will be fine!"

Lü Yao smiled and said, "Then I really won't stand on ceremony."

Qiao Maozhong laughed heartily and said, "Don't be so polite with me."

Qiao Maozhong didn't drink too much at Lü Yao's house. He got up when he was about 70% drunk and had his driver and assistant take him home.

As for the things Qiao Maozhong sent, Lü Yao didn't open them. He just piled them up in the living room, planning to pack them up and take them with him when he left in a few days.

……

At the end of July, Lü Yao finally finished handling all the company matters and gave all the necessary instructions.

He then prepared to set off for Silla.

The personnel for this trip to Silla have been selected. In addition to the trustworthy translator sent by Rong Nianqing, Lü Yao will bring Lin Yongzhen as his personal assistant.

Jian Xiaojie also brought a personal assistant, but this time it wasn't Fu Chengcheng who accompanied her.

After meeting up at the airport, Lü Yao looked at the unfamiliar face next to Jian Xiaojie and asked curiously, "Where's Fu Chengcheng?"

Jian Xiaojie glanced at Lü Yao with annoyance: "What happened last time made me realize that Fu Chengcheng is still not mature and steady enough, so I let her stay in China to mature further. This time, the mission to Silla is heavy and dangerous, so I won't take her with me."

After saying that, Jian Xiaojie introduced the woman she had brought with her to Lü Yao: "This is Ni Hui, who used to be a paratrooper for the Northern Sword."

what?
Is it so powerful?
Lu Yao then looked at Ni Hui and found that Ni Hui's skin was indeed much rougher, and her complexion was a light bronze. Her short hair, which reached her ears, made her look neat and capable.

Ni Hui is quite pretty; her features are very defined, and this outfit makes her look very dashing.

Her eyes were a bit too big and round, which softened her heroic and aloof demeanor.

Lü Yao extended his hand and smiled, "Hello, I'm Lü Yao."

Ni Hui looked down at Lü Yao's hand, paused for a second, and then reluctantly shook hands with him, as quickly as if she had been electrocuted.

Lü Yao was somewhat taken aback.

Jian Xiaojie smiled and said, "Don't mind her, she's like that with everyone."

Lü Yao laughed and said, "I understand, it's all about being aloof."

Not many people came to see Jian Xiaojie off. Zhang Xiaonan, whom she was currently pursuing, was far away in Beijing. Although Monia was in Shangnan, she usually wouldn't show up for this kind of occasion. Wang Shu, Rong Nianqing, and Gan Xiaoxi, who were supposed to see her off, had already arrived to see Lü Yao and Jian Xiaojie off together.

Lu Yao and Jian Xiaojie's luggage carts were piled high, making it too much trouble to check them in even if they could be transported.

Rong Nianqing looked at these things, pursed her lips, and said to Lü Yao, "It's still not too late to transfer to a private jet now."

Lü Yao laughed and said, "No, that would be too flashy."

The journey to Shilla wasn't far to begin with; it would only take a maximum of three hours to land.

After saying goodbye to Wang Shu, Rong Nianqing, and Gan Xiaoxi, Lü Yao and Jian Xiaojie led their entourage through the security checkpoint to prepare for boarding.

Rong Nianqing and Wang Shu couldn't help but sigh after Lü Yao and his group disappeared at the security checkpoint. They felt a sense of emptiness in their hearts.

Seeing this, Gan Xiaoxi exclaimed, "What's going on? It's not like we're going to die. We'll be back soon, okay?"

Wang Shu quickly said, "Pah, pah, pah, don't say things like that, they're prophetic."

Rong Nianqing glared at Gan Xiaoxi: "You have such a big mouth."

Gan Xiaoxi immediately moved closer to Rong Nianqing, put her hands on her hips, and said confidently, "Oh, so you're starting to blame me for Lü Yao now? Say something!"

Rong Nianqing smiled speechlessly, rubbed Gan Xiaoxi's face and said, "Alright, alright, let's go back."

Just before leaving, Rong Nianqing made an excuse to go to the restroom, then turned a corner in the Shangnan Airport hall and found Hu Xiaoyu, who was wearing a Chinese-style skirt and top, sitting on a row of seats in the airport hall.

She sat there quietly, like a lady who had stepped out of a painting, serene and elegant.

Rong Nianqing sat down next to her, paused for a moment, and then smiled and said, "Sometimes I just don't understand you."

Hu Xiaoyu lowered her head slightly and said softly, "If I show up, everyone will feel awkward."

Rong Nianqing forced a smile: "Probably not, everyone is quite easy to get along with."

Hu Xiaoyu smiled but didn't say anything.

But she was, after all, an outlier in their circle.

Despite her privileged background and distinguished family history, she shouldn't have had much interaction with someone like Lü Yao. Even people like Jian Xiaojie are people her family avoids and looks down upon.

But fate can be so cruel sometimes.

Their paths crossed.

That guy Lü Yao even inexplicably barged into her heart.

That's incredibly presumptuous of him.

They just barged in without even saying hello.

The brief time they spent together last year keeps echoing in Hu Xiaoyu's mind, so much so that many details she hadn't noticed before are becoming clearer and clearer with each recollection.

Wow, that guy's eyelashes are so long!

That guy has really nice fingers too.

When that guy doesn't say anything, he looks quite elegant lying on the deck chair in the yard.

At first, she thought that such turmoil would gradually subside with her previous life of quiet contemplation, and she would return to the Hu Xiaoyu she used to be. Even if she didn't... she wouldn't have too many lingering feelings.

But she was wrong.

How wrong it is.

It turns out that longing is not like soda, which fades with time; it's like strong liquor, sour soup, or fermented sauce, growing stronger with age.

In fact, she had known for a long time that Lü Yao was going to Silla, but she had not been able to make up her mind whether to come and see him off. She even told herself again and again not to come, because it would be too awkward.

But in the end, she couldn't resist...

I ran over and peeked over.

Then Hu Xiaoyu suddenly felt so sad.

Why is this happening?

That guy didn't say anything... That guy actually didn't say anything...

Hu Xiaoyu finally lowered her head deeply, twisting her fingers around the silk hem of her dress, looking as aggrieved as a good child who had done a day's chores and was waiting for praise, only to be criticized and scolded by her parents when she got home.

So sad...

The sadness emanating from Hu Xiaoyu seemed to be dissipating and becoming tangible.

Rong Nianqing, sitting beside him, felt it clearly. For some reason, she even felt a sense of empathy. So she took a deep breath, reached out and grabbed Hu Xiaoyu's hand to comfort him, saying, "Don't be sad. When he comes back, I'll take him to see you."

and then?
Hu Xiaoyu asked herself this question unconsciously, but the answer quickly came to her mind.

Does he expect her to reveal her true feelings and even accept the women around him?

Her morals and principles wouldn't allow it.

Her family would absolutely not allow it.

There was a deadlock between them.

Rong Nianqing was aware of Hu Xiaoyu's dilemma, but it was a dilemma that could not be resolved.

Sitting next to Hu Xiaoyu, Rong Nianqing suddenly asked, "Tell me, is it more regrettable to have never had something, or to have had it and then lost it?"

Hu Xiaoyu remained silent.

Rong Nianqing patted her on the shoulder and got up to leave the airport.

After Rong Nianqing left, Hu Xiaoyu also got up and left the airport.

She still doesn't know how to solve this problem and can only hope that things will turn around in the future.

Lu Yao was unaware of what had happened at Shanghai South International Airport. After passing through security and boarding the plane, he sat down in first class with Jian Xiaojie, Lin Yongzhen, Ni Hui, and their accompanying translation assistant.

The familiar faces around him alleviated Lü Yao's worries about leaving his hometown. All he could think about now was what he would do after landing in Silla.

(End of this chapter)