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

Chapter 286 A Crushing Blow to Jian Xiaojie (6k views, please subscribe)

Lu Yao sent a message to Rong Nianqing, and it took him quite a while to receive a reply from her.

Rong Nianqing: "I haven't seen Sister Jian much lately. I remember she went abroad a while ago, but she should be back now. I invited her to my New Year's Eve party, but she declined."

Refused?
Lu Yao was a little surprised when he saw Rong Nianqing's reply.

Wang Shu was at Rong Nianqing's New Year's Eve party, so logically she shouldn't have refused.

This made Lü Yao realize that something was wrong.

Just as Lü Yao was pondering, Rong Nianqing sent another message: "Although I don't know where Jian Xiaojie is, I can sense that she seems a bit off lately, especially... she seems to have some issues with you."

When Lü Yao saw Rong Nianqing's reply, he couldn't help but grin, thinking to himself, "What's going on here? I haven't done anything right."

wrong.

What I did.

Although this wasn't something Lü Yao actively wanted to do, it seems Jian Xiaojie takes it very seriously—that is, Wang Shu wanting to have a child with him.

Lu Yao knew that Jian Xiaojie was particularly fond of Wang Shu, although he didn't know why Jian Xiaojie was so fond of Wang Shu, or even what kind of story Jian Xiaojie and Wang Shu had, or what their feelings were like.

But just from the fact that she was willing to bring Rong Nianqing over for Wang Shu, it was enough for Lü Yao to understand that Wang Shu definitely had an extraordinary significance for Jian Xiaojie.

However, Lü Yao had been too busy lately and his relationship with Jian Xiaojie had grown closer, so he neglected this matter.

Lü Yao couldn't help but slap his forehead.

I was careless!

It's not entirely Lü Yao's fault. He was busy, but also because things had progressed to this point, and everyone was so familiar with each other. Logically, they shouldn't have shown any unpleasantness in their cooperation over such personal matters.

But Jian Xiaojie's attitude actually relieved Lü Yao, because it showed that she considered him one of her own.

It's precisely because they're one of our own that we get conflicted and emotional.

If Jian Xiaojie treats Lü Yao as an enemy, then Lü Yao could very well suffer a devastating setback without anyone noticing, leading to his utter ruin.

Lu Yao replied to Rong Nianqing, "I understand, I will handle it."

Rong Nianqing replied, "Okay, contact me anytime if you need anything."

Rong Nianqing actually guessed why Jian Xiaojie was acting this way, but she didn't want to get too involved in matters of the heart. Right now, she just wanted to focus on her own work.

Lu Yao replied: "Okay, President Rong, you should get some rest."

Then Lü Yao opened Jian Xiaojie's chat window and sent her a message: "Where are you? Want to chat?"

After Lu Yao sent the message, he waited a long time but Jian Xiaojie did not reply.

Almost fifteen minutes had passed, and Lü Yao realized that Jian Xiaojie was in a much worse mood than before. Just as Lü Yao was wondering whether to call Jian Xiaojie, she finally replied: "Come to the Binjiang Cruise Terminal."

Lu Yao replied instantly upon receiving the message: "Okay."

Lu Yao, who had originally planned to stay overnight at Cheng Xinyu's place, immediately changed his clothes: "Xinyu, Bella, you two rest first. I have something urgent to attend to and need to go out."

Lu Yao spoke in a hurried tone, so neither Cheng Xinyu nor Zhou Bella stopped him.

After going downstairs, Lü Yao got into his car and immediately headed to the riverside cruise terminal.

The riverside cruise terminal is a relatively niche entertainment destination in Shangnan. Those who come here are mostly wealthy and influential, as it not only has river cruise ships but also many yachts, all of which are privately owned by Shangnan's affluent residents.

When Lü Yao came over, he walked along a very quiet but excellent city road. This was a city road specially built by the municipality leading to the riverside cruise ship terminal.

That's how it is in Shangnan.

Just like the women along the Qinhuai River hundreds of years ago, all her charm was hidden beneath her tightly fitting clothes. Passing travelers and those busy with their daily struggles could not see her allure and charm.

In this city, only those who truly hold power know what the beauty of the Qinhuai River's red-light district and the fair-skinned beauties is all about.

When Lü Yao arrived at the riverside cruise terminal, a dimly lit terminal that didn't seem very popular quietly appeared before him.

Lu Yao parked his car and boarded a yacht docked at Jiangwan Wharf according to the address given by Jian Xiaojie. Jian Xiaojie, dressed in a fur coat, stood on the second floor of the yacht, looking elegant and aloof.

Tonight, Jian Xiaojie wore a black cheongsam embroidered with gold. The already fitted cheongsam accentuated Jian Xiaojie's already stunning figure. Her hair was styled in a bun at the back of her head, adorned with two jade hairpins that resembled long swords. Paired with a translucent green jade bracelet on her wrist and the mink skirt she wore, Jian Xiaojie looked like a charming and favored concubine from the Republican era.

Lu Yao boarded the yacht and went up the spiral staircase to the second deck. On the way, he saw that there were quite a few people on the yacht.

There were both men and women among these people.

The women all looked very wealthy and powerful, and the men sitting among them were mostly the male companions of these rich women.

They ate, drank, and had fun on the yacht. Occasionally, a few people would catch a glimpse of Lü Yao outside, but they would only glance at him curiously.

Lu Yao went to the bow of the second deck and saw Jian Xiaojie leaning against the gunwale with a cigarette lit on her lips, her eyes looking elsewhere. He asked, "Speak, what do you want to see me about?"

Just from her expression and tone, you can tell that Jian Xiaojie is very annoyed with Lü Yao.

Lu Yao also leaned against the ship's railing, right next to Jian Xiaojie. It was already quite cold in Shangnan in January, especially in places like the riverside docks. The howling river wind at night carried the chill sweeping down from the north, and every gust of wind felt like an invisible knife at that moment.

Lu Yao unconsciously tightened his coat: "I can tell, Sister Jian, you have a problem with me."

Hearing what Lü Yao said, Jian Xiaojie remained motionless, only the smoke she slowly exhaled quickly dissipated in the wind.

Lu Yao readily bowed his head and admitted his mistake: "I apologize here."

Jian Xiaojie still ignored Lü Yao.

Lu Yao continued, talking to himself, "I know, Sister Jian is angry with me because of Sister Wang, right?"

This time, Jian Xiaojie turned her head slightly, her emotions fluctuating slightly.

Ignoring her, Lü Yao continued, "I know that Sister Wang must have an extraordinary significance to you. Back then, when Sister Wang asked you to help settle things at the bar, I was thinking, what am I that you would call President Rong over here?"

"To be honest, I was quite shocked when I learned that Rong's surname was Rong. So I especially want to thank you, Sister Jian."

At this moment, Lü Yao's words were truly heartfelt and sincere. When he got emotional, he took out a cigarette from his pocket and lit it: "I am very grateful to you all. I remember everything that each of you has done for me."

Whether it was Wang Shu, Jian Xiaojie, or later Rong Nianqing, Gan Xiaoxi, or even Boss Chen Xing, Xu Ziqiao, and Lü Yao, they all remembered them.

Although many of these people had a working relationship with Lü Yao, and Rong Nianqing later favored him because she valued his overall perspective, in any case, from 2013 to now, through countless difficulties, they have indeed stood by her side.

At this point, Jian Xiaojie was already slightly moved.

Lu Yao continued, "I understand very well that someone like me is like a speck of dust, merely landing on your shoes and being carried forward a short distance by the air currents you create as you walk. That might be the limit I can reach in my lifetime."

"Not to mention that you've been holding me in the palm of your hand and leading me forward all along."

“I am well aware of all this, which is why I have always tried my best to repay you, even if my repayment is insignificant…”

After Lü Yao had been talking to himself for so long, Jian Xiaojie finally spoke up: "Alright, you don't need to be so self-deprecating. Useless people can't really survive in our circle."

"The reason you can be led by so many people is because you have that value. You saw it when Nianqing was fighting against the local forces in Shangnan. Out of so many people in the local chambers of commerce and business groups, how many could enter the new allocation model?"

Jian Xiaojie took a deep drag on her cigarette, and a long, thick plume of smoke billowed from her mouth, disappearing into the wind in the blink of an eye: "It's precisely because you're so useful and so good that I... am avoiding you."

"Don't worry, I won't do anything stupid."

She's no longer the stubborn and impulsive little girl she once was. After dealing with so many people and ghosts for so long, she knows how to handle these things.

But Lü Yao didn't come here for that sentence.

He didn't respond to Jian Xiaojie's words, but continued, "Although I say I'll repay you, what can I do? There's really very little I can do. Especially for Sister Wang... Actually, I don't really like children."

"When Sister Wang made that request, I politely declined..."

Jian Xiaojie suddenly interrupted Lü Yao, her tone becoming exceptionally cold, even colder than the river wind in the dead of winter: "You wouldn't be trying to say that you were also forced into this situation, would you?"

As she spoke, Jian Xiaojie turned to look at Lü Yao. Her tense face and cold eyes intertwined with the deep, hazy darkness of the night, even revealing a hint of murderous intent.

Killing intent...

When I read novels and watched movies, I always thought that murderous intent was a very mysterious concept.

But when you actually encounter it, you can immediately tell whether there's any murderous intent. And this clear and intense murderous intent is even better than the murderous intent hidden behind a smile.

At least you can sense the obvious murderous intent emanating from him.

Lu Yao remained calm and smiled, "Of course not. What I'm trying to say is that since Sister Wang has this idea, even if I'm unwilling, I still want to help her fulfill her wish."

Jian Xiaojie's tense expression eased slightly.

Lu Yao continued, "Sister Jian, I feel the same way about you."

Sister Jian fell silent.

Her eyes had long been able to distinguish truth from falsehood, so she could clearly sense that everything Lü Yao said tonight was true and factual.

She also believed that if she made any requests, Lü Yao would definitely comply.

But... what could she possibly ask Lü Yao to do?

Moreover, what did Lü Yao do wrong?
He merely helped Wang Shu fulfill her wish. If she and Wang Shu were simply "good sisters" in the traditional sense, she should be grateful to Lü Yao for making it happen.

Too bad she isn't.

What bothers her about this matter is that ridiculous and childish so-called "sense of purity," just like how some people don't like buying a used car, not only because the performance of a used car is unclear, but some people are even unhappy because there is an extra name on the vehicle registration, so they resist and reject it.

Jian Xiaojie had this kind of mentality.

Jian Xiaojie was starting to get annoyed. She said almost defiantly, "You want to repay me? What are you going to do to repay me? How about I let you jump into the river from here to cheer me up?"

"Row!"

Lu Yao said it with absolute certainty.

Jian Xiaojie glared at Lü Yao, annoyed: "Then you jump."

Lu Yao didn't say anything; he simply stepped over the railing at the edge of the deck and jumped...

Jian Xiaojie's yacht has a second floor that is more than four meters high. You wouldn't die if you jumped into the river from that height, but it's the dead of winter! Although the river has frozen over, the water is still very turbulent in winter, and it's dangerous even though this is a bend in the river.

What's even worse is...

The river water is so cold; if you suddenly fall in and get cramps, you'll definitely be ruined.

Countless thoughts flashed through Jian Xiaojie's mind in an instant. She watched as Lü Yao rapidly shrank in the dark night, and then the sound of him falling into the water quickly brought Jian Xiaojie back to her senses.

Jian Xiaojie quickly kicked off her high heels and rushed down to the cabin, shouting, "Help! Help! Someone has fallen into the water!"

Fortunately, many of these people were avid swimmers, skilled in various recreational activities such as diving, scuba diving, and surfing. Under Jian Xiaojie's guidance, some of them quickly grabbed lifebuoys and jumped into the Gulf Stream, taking advantage of the dim light at the dock to rescue Lü Yao, who had just fallen into the water.

As soon as Lü Yao came up, Jian Xiaojie rushed over, grabbed Lü Yao's collar, and yelled hoarsely, "Are you stupid?! I told you to jump, so you jump!"

Lu Yao was trembling all over, and his nose was choking on water, making him feel uncomfortable. His entire back of his head was sore and numb. The river water, snot, and tears on his face made him look extremely disheveled.

But Lü Yao still said firmly, "Yes, you want me to jump." He shivered and continued, "I will jump."

Jian Xiaojie was so speechless that she wanted to slap Lü Yao twice, but when she saw Lü Yao's wet and cold appearance, her angry, annoyed and speechless heart softened.

She led Lü Yao back to the cabin, which had been renovated and even had a fireplace suspended in mid-air. The fireplace looked like a flat droplet falling from the top of the cabin, giving it an artistic feel.

The presence of this fireplace also kept the cabin warm.

Jian Xiaojie told Lü Yao to quickly take off his clothes to warm himself by the fire, and Lü Yao did so. Among the crowd watching the commotion, many girls bit their lips and raised their eyebrows as they looked at the fireplace, admiring Lü Yao.

Lu Yao is not only handsome now, but his recent fitness training has also made his muscles more defined, a physique that many girls now prefer.

Amidst admiring glances, Jian Xiaojie draped a blanket over Lü Yao: "There are no clean clothes here..."

Lü Yao laughed and said, "I have some in my car."

Jian Xiaojie pulled out Lü Yao's car keys from Lü Yao's wet clothes, and then she said to the group of people she had invited on the yacht, "Let's call it a night, and don't spread what happened tonight."

A girl in the crowd who was close to Jian Xiaojie joked with a smile, "Oh, now that President Lü is here, we all have to back out. President Lü, Sister Jian really cares about you."

"But Mr. Lü just came out of the water, Sister Jian, don't be too harsh on him."

Jian Xiaojie covered her face in exasperation. Didn't her group of friends have any sense of propriety? How could they still be joking with her at a time like this?

However, they were just fair-weather friends.

Jian Xiaojie waved her hand: "Alright, alright, I'm not kidding, let's go."

As she spoke, she personally got up and led the group off the yacht, then went to Lu Yao's car to retrieve the spare clothes from it.

Only when Jian Xiaojie opened the trunk of Lü Yao's car did she discover that there were quite a few personal items in the car, indicating that Lü Yao occasionally spent the night in it.

After taking the things from Lü Yao's trunk back onto the yacht, Jian Xiaojie handed the clothes to Lü Yao and asked, "Why do you keep so many personal items in your car? You don't need to sleep in your car, do you?"

Jian Xiaojie knew that Lü Yao would always squeeze out time each month to inspect and investigate Luoma Lake, Weiguang International, or Huanxie Technology. Logically speaking, those places would prepare a place for Lü Yao to stay.

Lü Yao smiled and said, "For the round trip."

For example, going to Luoma Lake is only three or four hundred kilometers from Shangnan. It's not worth taking a plane or the high-speed rail, because Lü Yao sometimes goes there after finishing work at night, and there may not be any scheduled trains. Driving is the most convenient option.

Sometimes when I'm tired, I just take a nap at the service area until dawn, so I keep a lot of daily necessities in the car, and clothes are naturally an essential part of that.

Jian Xiaojie also sat down in the circular sofa next to the fireplace. The water in the bay rose and fell, and the sounds of the river crashing against the shore and the yachts echoed. In this environment, Jian Xiaojie said helplessly, "You're really going all out."

"I really don't know whether to call you an idiot or... what."

As she spoke, Jian Xiaojie rolled her eyes and glared at Lü Yao: "Can you please not do such stupid things in the future? Don't you know I was just saying that out of anger?"

People often say hurtful things when they're angry.

Just like a couple arguing.

During an argument, one person may blurt out anything under the influence of emotions in order to express their feelings.

"You say you love me, but I can't see it! What proof do you have for me?"

I'd die for you!

"Then go ahead!"

This kind of argument is especially common among young couples.

Therefore, there are many cases online of young couples harming themselves or each other because of this. Lü Yao has seen it with his own eyes and experienced it firsthand. When he was most tormented by his relationship right after graduation, he also thought about using extreme methods to prove his feelings.

of course.

This approach is foolish.

People who usually do this are those who are quite frustrated in real life and have nothing of particular value to prove their worth. If someone has achieved some success and is still treated like this, they are either a great victim, a true romantic, or a chaste man.

For example, there's Xiaoming, who will become famous worldwide for his dragon turtle skills in the future.

But the logic behind Lü Yao's actions is completely different.

First of all, he and Jian Xiaojie were not in a romantic relationship. Although they had communicated closely and were good mahjong partners, Lü Yao and Jian Xiaojie were more like "business partners".

Secondly, in the cooperative relationship between Lü Yao and Jian Xiaojie, Jian Xiaojie is the one who can provide more high value.

At last!
Jian Xiaojie is not the kind of young girl who gets carried away by emotions.

Yes.

The "I'm going to die or live on the spot" act isn't ineffective; it just depends on who you're talking to.

If it's a woman who's naive and clueless about the world, whose mind is full of romance, or who wants others to prove their feelings for her... then such dramatic behavior will only make this kind of young girl think "she's so awesome".

She had no idea about the complexities and interests behind this action.

But Jian Xiaojie is different.

She was a woman who had weathered many storms and was worldly-wise, whose alluring eyes had long since witnessed countless glories. In her eyes, Lü Yao was also the kind of person who prioritized profit over feelings.

It was precisely because of this clear understanding that she was able to comprehend the resolute and genuine intentions behind Lü Yao's actions.

How do you say that?

If she is naive and inexperienced, take her to see the world's splendor; if she is worldly-wise, take her on a carousel.

Although this statement sounds like a joke, its effectiveness is undeniable. Even those with higher skill levels can often use it to their advantage.

of course.

The effectiveness of the operation depends on who is performing it.

Generally speaking, these actions are carried out on the basis of mutual attraction; otherwise, no matter what you do, you'll just be a "submissive man."

Lu Yao's almost "childish" behavior fits the definition of a "carousel." Even if tonight's actions can't dispel all of Jian Xiaojie's inner turmoil, they can at least make her feel less resentful towards Lu Yao.

Jian Xiaojie took a bath towel from the yacht's bathroom and stood behind Lü Yao to wipe his head. The more she wiped, the angrier she became. Finally, almost in revenge, she took the bath towel and frantically rubbed it on Lü Yao's head.

Lu Yao grabbed Jian Xiaojie's hand and laughed speechlessly: "What are you doing?"

Even with her hand being grabbed, Jian Xiaojie continued to vigorously wipe Lü Yao's head, saying angrily, "What did I do? The more I think about it, the angrier I get! I want to kill you! Don't you know how cold it is right now? Don't you know you might get cramps and drown if you jump in?!"

As she continued speaking, Jian Xiaojie's voice grew louder and louder.

Then she heard Lü Yao make a calm, muffled sound from under the bath towel.

Lü Yao said, "I know."

The air fell into a deathly silence.

(End of this chapter)