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

Chapter 289 Lü Yao: Hu Xiaoyu, you're inviting a wolf into the house (6k views, please subscribe)

On the day Lü Yao set off for Hangzhou, he got up early, went to Huasheng Life Plaza to buy things, decorated the place, and left Shangnan. It was almost 1 p.m.

Around 3 p.m., Wang Shu and Jian Xiaojie returned to her and Lü Yao's apartment with bags and packages.

Lu Yao said he would be going out in a couple of days. Originally, Jian Xiaojie was taking her out to play and wouldn't be back so soon, but Wang Shu couldn't help but think about it, so she ended her trip early and came back with Jian Xiaojie.

Before entering the house, Wang Shu and Jian Xiaojie were chatting and laughing. But when Wang Shu returned home and saw the newly decorated but deserted house, all the liveliness that had been in Wang Shu vanished in an instant.

Seeing Wang Shu's smile suddenly vanish, Jian Xiaojie didn't say anything, but silently put the things down.

Wang Shu carried her things toward the kitchen refrigerator. She was in a good mood today and was even wondering if her sudden return would surprise Lü Yao.

Unexpectedly, Lü Yao left much earlier than she had imagined.

The feeling of unmet expectations made Wang Shu's steps heavy. The house, which held so many memories, seemed to be filled with an invisible yet incredibly heavy and sticky glue, making Wang Shu feel suffocated.

On her way to the kitchen, Wang Shu noticed that Spring Festival couplets were pasted on the door frames of the bedroom and kitchen, and red festive zodiac dolls were placed in the corner of the living room.

There are also some new vases in the house, filled with festive and beautiful artificial branches of red plum blossoms. Next to the Tianhuang stone ornament "May all your wishes come true" that was hung on the lamp last year, there is now a piece of golden silk jade carved into "Golden Monkey Offering Auspiciousness". The cute little golden monkey accompanies last year's "May all your wishes come true", which looks cute and auspicious.

The warm yellow light made it incredibly cozy.

But the house felt cold and deserted because one person was missing, creating a stark contrast between the warmth in this corner and the desolation of the rest of the house.

So much so that even the dim ambient light in the restaurant became dazzling and glaring.

"call……"

Wang Shu couldn't help but let out a soft sigh.

So this is what it feels like to be alone in an empty courtyard?

It really is different.

Although Wang Shu had left home every year for the Lunar New Year... it wasn't until this moment that she realized how different it was to leave home and stay at home.

When you leave home, no matter how far you go, you know where you're going. You have a sense of security, so you won't feel anxious no matter how far you go. Not to mention, every time Wang Shu goes abroad at the end of the year, she has her family with her.

But staying here is a completely different story.

You're already here, but your heart is with someone who's wandering far away. When will that person return? Are they doing well? What happened to them today? One thought after another pops up, making it impossible for Wang Shu to calm her mind.

With these chaotic thoughts in mind, Wang Shu tidied up the many things she had brought back, and then took out the usual ingredients such as flower tea from the kitchen to brew tea.

During this time, Jian Xiaojie stayed quietly by Wang Shu's side, knowing that now was not the time to speak.

After Wang Shu finished brewing the flower tea, the two sat down together on the edge of the French bed. Soft music filled the room as Wang Shu curled up in the recliner, holding her teacup, and smiled, "You're very quiet today."

Jian Xiaojie smiled, but still didn't say anything.

Now is the time for Wang Shu to vent his emotions.

as predicted.

Wang Shu continued, "I originally thought that since Lü Yao has so many friends and women around him, he probably wouldn't feel too lonely during the New Year even if I wasn't by his side."

"But it wasn't until I came back today that I realized it wasn't like that at all."

Wang Shu forced a heavy smile: "I have you by my side, and my social circle is still here. When I suddenly came back and saw this empty house, the feeling in my heart..."

She clenched her fist over her chest, as if something was blocking it, and she tore that thing away: "It hurts so much."

Lu Yao has been experiencing this kind of suffering for the past two years.

Jian Xiaojie opened her mouth as she listened. She wanted to say that it wasn't like that. Men wouldn't have such delicate feelings. Without the restraint of women around them, they would only play wilder, happier, and more carefree.

But Jian Xiaojie swallowed the words she was about to say.

Lü Yao didn't seem to be the kind of man she usually knew.

Instead of going home for the Spring Festival, they stubbornly lingered in Shangnan. On New Year's Eve, the lights of every household were on full display, and firecrackers and fireworks could be faintly seen even in the corners of the city. Not to mention that there were always people who violated the ban by setting off fireworks in the urban area.

What was Lü Yao's state of mind back then, alone in Shangnan? That guy's thoughts... seemed to be more delicate than any other man she knew.

As these thoughts raced through her mind, Jian Xiaojie gradually came to agree with Wang Shu's words, and so she fell silent as well.

After a long time.

Jian Xiaojie suddenly said, "Maybe we can bring Lü Yao back with us for the New Year in the future."

Upon hearing this, Wang Shu turned his head and asked, "You have a solution?"

Jian Xiaojie revealed a sly smile: "I've been around to your parents for so long, I can definitely speak up for them. It's true that Lü Yao's identity is hard for your family to accept, but since you've decided to have a child with Lü Yao, we can find a way to get rid of the father and keep the child."

"However, the difficulty of this procedure lies in whether you can give birth to a son."

Wang Shu is not an only child; she has an older brother. But families like theirs never complain about having too many men. Dongda is not a small country like Silla, and Wang Shu's family is not one of the top clans in Dongda.

The more male members a family has, the better.

Jian Xiaojie continued, "Actually, it's okay even if it's a daughter. At most, there will be more pressure. Don't worry, I'll bear it with you. As long as your parents can accept the decision to remove the father and keep the son, then it will be easy to deal with Lü Yao. Just say that Lü Yao is your shield."

She and her partner revealed a scheming smile: "This way, your parents' hatred will shift to that 'never-before-seen' father, making it easier for them to accept Lü Yao's identity. And because that 'never-before-seen' father is acting as a shield, coupled with Lü Yao's current achievements, your parents will be even more likely to accept him."

Wang Shu was stunned.

She really didn't expect that it could be done this way, and the key point is that the success rate of this operation is exceptionally high.

Wang Shu laughed and said, "I'm not a child anymore. I'm already this age. With this move, even if my parents don't understand, they will eventually understand. Maybe next year, we can really take Lü Yao abroad to celebrate the New Year."

Jian Xiaojie said sourly, "It's not us, it's you! I was very busy during the New Year too, okay?"

Wang Shu smiled gently and said, "Then we'll wait for you in New Zealand."

"Oh, right!" Wang Shu suddenly said as if he remembered something, "Do you think this method could be used on Miss Hu?"

what?
Jian Xiaojie looked at Wang Shu in disbelief, wondering if this was the level of intelligence women have when they're in love.

She said disdainfully, "Do you even know what you're saying?"

Wang Shu sighed softly, "Actually, we both know that neither of us can stay by Lü Yao's side for long. The only person who can be considered a good match for Lü Yao is probably Miss Hu. In fact, in my opinion, they are a perfect match."

Jian Xiaojie sighed: "You're still worrying about this?"

As she spoke, Jian Xiaojie went straight to Wang Shu's recliner, sat down in a duck-like position, and pinned down Wang Shu's legs: "Don't even think about it, it's impossible. The key to this operation is that the person involved is willing, and Miss Hu would never be willing. Instead of worrying about others, you should worry about yourself!"

Jian Xiaojie's breath grew closer and closer, and as their breaths mingled, Wang Shu's eyes quickly became tainted. She symbolically pushed him away, saying, "Hey, stop messing around!"

The atmosphere was originally quite melancholic and artistic.

But Jian Xiaojie pressed down on Wang Shu's hand and laughed, "Who's messing around with you!"

(The following 1147 words are omitted~~~)

……

Lu Yao was unaware of what had happened at Shang Nan's home. He drove his Land Rover at high speed towards Hangzhou.

The distance between Shangnan and Hangzhou is actually not far, even less than the distance between Shangnan and Sucheng. However, because Lü Yao made two stops along the way, and there was some traffic congestion during the evening rush hour after arriving in Hangzhou, it was already completely dark by the time they reached the Chinese Painting Art Museum.

That's how winter is; the nights always come especially quickly.

After arriving at the Chinese Painting Art Museum, Lü Yao sent a message to Hu Xiaoyu: "I'm outside the art museum. You're probably about to get off work too."

Lu Yao did not receive a message from Hu Xiaoyu. A few minutes later, Lu Yao saw Hu Xiaoyu, dressed in an elegant style, rush out of the entrance of the Chinese Painting Art Museum. Today, she was wearing a short jacket with a bright green satin upper body, and the collar and diagonal placket were decorated with white fur.

The fluffy, white fur coat accentuated Hu Xiaoyu's delicate and charming face, making her look exceptionally pretty and adorable.

The gray-green ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) on her lower body complemented Hu Xiaoyu's upper body attire perfectly. In the chill of the southern night, this outfit made her seem like a lady who had stepped out of an ancient painting.

"It's so pretty."

Lu Yao thought to himself sincerely.

He stood in front of the Land Rover. In the light of the headlights, Lü Yao, dressed in a black overcoat, had a tall and handsome silhouette against the backlight of the headlights, accentuated by his broad shoulders and narrow waist.

Hu Xiaoyu couldn't see Lü Yao's face clearly.

But his tall figure and mature demeanor, which seemed incongruous with his youthful appearance, seemed to etch Lü Yao's features through the thick shadows.

Hu Xiaoyu rushed over and, without any hesitation, ran into Lü Yao's arms.

Overjoyed, he bumped into Lü Yao.

Hu Xiaoyu's slender yet full figure rushed into Lü Yao's broad embrace.

In the intense light of the car headlights, winter dust seemed to surge and billow out with a "poof," the sparse dust and light, along with the fur collar of Hu Xiaoyu's coat, almost creating a beautiful picture bathed in soft light.

Lu Yao supported Hu Xiaoyu in his arms, feeling somewhat helpless.

For some reason, this little girl always manages to give him just the right amount of unexpected joy, making the little deer in Lü Yao's heart, which had been dead for who knows how many years, seem to be resurrected.

Lu Yao chuckled helplessly, "I've never seen you so unsteady before." Hu Xiaoyu completely ignored Lu Yao, raising her face to look at Lu Yao's face so close to hers, and laughed, "I can see you clearly now."

Lu Yao asked, puzzled, "What kind of talk is that? When have you ever failed to see me clearly?"

Hu Xiaoyu looked up and laughed, "Just now, I could only imagine what you looked like, and when I got closer, I found that you were exactly as I imagined."

Lü Yao: "..."

He was a little shocked.

A girl can almost perfectly remember what you look like just by imagining it... Does that imply that she recalls and reminisces about Lü Yao's appearance every day? Otherwise, how could a memory that should be blurry become so clear?

He's a cultured person after all.

The way they express their longing is so subtle... so subtle it's heartbreaking.

If Lü Yao didn't know Hu Xiaoyu's character, he would definitely think this was a very sophisticated tactic. But Hu Xiaoyu isn't that kind of person, and she had no reason to treat Lü Yao like that.

The sincerity behind Hu Xiaoyu's actions is the sharpest weapon to kill old villains like Lü Yao.

Lu Yao tightened his grip on Hu Xiaoyu in his arms and laughed, "Judging from your appearance, it's not time to get off work yet. Is your own art gallery always this busy?"

Hu Xiaoyu laughed and said, "No, because I've made plans for the next few days, so I need to finish what I have on hand as soon as possible. Some of the clients are in a hurry to complete the tasks, especially since there are commissions from the National Museum of China and the West Lake Museum."

Lu Yao exclaimed in surprise, "Wow, you're that amazing? Even these two museums have commissioned you to do things."

Hu Xiaoyu raised her chin with a hint of pride and said, "Of course! Don't underestimate me just because I'm here. I'm very capable. Even museums abroad have invited me to help them restore historical artifacts."

This is where Lü Yao's knowledge went blind: "What kind of cultural relics are you going to repair abroad?"

Hu Xiaoyu stepped out of Lü Yao's arms: "Are you silly? A lot of our cultural relics are overseas. By the way, why don't you take my keys and go back to my house to wait for me? I still have some work to do."

Lü Yao laughed and said, "No need, I'll wait for you here after get off work."

Hu Xiaoyu put her hands behind her back and said, "You must be working too hard."

Lü Yao laughed: "As long as I'm not working, it's a rest for me."

Hu Xiaoyu agreed, "Okay then, but it will be very boring."

Lü Yao laughed and said, "I can play on my phone."

"That's fine then~"

Hu Xiaoyu took Lü Yao's hand very naturally and led him into the Chinese Painting Art Museum.

Returning to that small courtyard, and to the room within it, several lights illuminated the room, which was filled with various ancient books and paintings, creating a space completely different from the outside world.

Here, ancient lamps and Buddha statues burn, and scrolls of calligraphy and paintings adorn the scene.

A young woman dressed in ancient style is working at her desk here. Her focused expression seems to create a barrier around this place, where even time seems to slow down and bypass it, unwilling to harm the person here.

A bright desk lamp sits on Hu Xiaoyu's work desk. After returning home, Hu Xiaoyu concentrates on restoring an ancient painting that has been severely damaged.

Lu Yao knew absolutely nothing about art and calligraphy, and didn't understand what such calligraphy and paintings were considered after restoration.

Is it new?
Or is it the old one?

Are the picture books that are copied and depicted the works of predecessors, or are they new products that have been reworked by later generations?
However, judging from Hu Xiaoyu's serious expression, Lü Yao knew that there must be some techniques and tricks he didn't know, otherwise Hu Xiaoyu wouldn't have spent so much effort to repair it.

The small room was quiet, with only the subtle sounds of Hu Xiaoyu working constantly coming from it. The subtle sounds produced by this concentration were particularly calming, so much so that Lü Yao, who was playing on his phone, unconsciously put down his phone and looked at Hu Xiaoyu not far away.

She looks beautiful when she's focused on her work.

Hu Xiaoyu was not the kind of woman who was beautiful but ignorant. She was very knowledgeable and had great artistic talent, which even ten Lü Yaos combined could not match.

She's a talented woman who gets commissioned by the National Museum of China and the West Lake Museum.

Such a wonderful woman actually likes him... Lu Yao still finds this development a bit strange. How is this any different from a rich girl falling for a blond guy? Hmm... saying that seems a bit self-deprecating.

But Lü Yao knew very well what kind of person he was. Even if he wasn't a blond-haired guy, he wasn't a good person either.

While Hu Xiaoyu was so engrossed in her work that she didn't have time to look up and see what Lü Yao was doing, and was so focused that she didn't even notice Lü Yao's gaze, Hu Xiaoyu felt an unprecedented calm.

Even the hands that restore cultural relics have become more steady than before.

After a long while, Hu Xiaoyu finally finished restoring the painting in her hands. With a sigh of relief, Hu Xiaoyu straightened up gently and couldn't help but let out a long breath of tired air.

Then she saw Lü Yao bring her a cup of steaming tea from the side.

Hu Xiaoyu turned to look at Lü Yao and smiled, "Thank you."

Lu Yao moved two steps away from Hu Xiaoyu's table and laughed, "There's no need to be so polite. But I don't know if there's anything special about the tea and water here; I just made it randomly."

Hu Xiaoyu smiled lightly and said, "Tea is meant to be drunk. You can drink it however you like. Why be so particular?"

Lu Yao chuckled and said, "When I occasionally go to teahouses with clients or partners, I always hear all sorts of cultural and technical information about tea. Every time I listen, I feel there's a lot to it. For example, what kind of teapot and water to use, and even the different water temperatures for different teas."

Hu Xiaoyu laughed and said, "Oh, it's all just a pretense to make yourself look more important. The main purpose of drinking tea is to quench your thirst; everything else is just fluff."

"To be honest, mood is also very important. When you're in a good mood, even plain water tastes sweet."

Lü Yao smiled.

Hu Xiaoyu is really not pretentious at all.

She exudes a pure, clean, and genuine aura, making her the kind of person who is exceptionally likable no matter how you get to know her.

If we were to label her, Hu Xiaoyu would be the very kind of woman that Dongda University has always admired and loved: virtuous, gentle, elegant, and graceful. So any words used to describe a classical beauty would fit her perfectly.

After Hu Xiaoyu finished his tea, Lü Yao said, "Isn't it time to call it a day?"

Hu Xiaoyu held up one finger: "Just a little bit more!"

She picked up the painting she had just restored and placed it in a glass cabinet. One end of the cabinet had various buttons and panels for setting parameters. After setting everything up, Hu Xiaoyu stood up, clapped her hands, and said, "Okay, let's go home."

As she spoke, Hu Xiaoyu picked up a cloth bag from the other side of the table, packed a few things, and then said with a smile, "Let's go~ Thank you for driving me home today."

Lü Yao smiled and said, "It's my honor."

After getting in the car, Lü Yao set the navigation route on his phone and drove towards Hu Xiaoyu's residence.

Hu Xiaoyu lives in a high-end residential community near Qiantang in Hangzhou. The community is very well-equipped, judging from the underground parking lot alone. The public parking lot that will be a standard feature of fourth-generation residential buildings more than ten years from now has already been installed in Hu Xiaoyu's community.

The entire underground parking garage is clean and tidy, comparable to the parking lots of top shopping malls in big cities.

When they took the elevator up, Lü Yao discovered that Hu Xiaoyu's residence was a one-apartment-per-floor apartment. Upon entering the house, Lü Yao noticed that Hu Xiaoyu's home was very large, and the most eye-catching feature was the completely enclosed floor-to-ceiling windows.

The floor-to-ceiling windows face the night view of the Qiantang River. Although there is not much scenery at night in winter, the completely sealed glass windows are like a picture frame, capturing the outside scenery and keeping it in this house.

After Hu Xiaoyu returned, she turned on the heater, untied her scarf, and said, "Sit down, I'll get you something to drink. What would you like? Alcohol or a soft drink?"

Lu Yao asked in surprise, "You still have wine here?"

Hu Xiaoyu smiled sheepishly and said, "I don't drink alcohol, but I made an appointment to come over for the New Year, so I asked a friend to get some alcohol. There's red wine, whiskey, and gin. I didn't know what kind of alcohol you like, so I got a little of everything."

Lü Yao laughed and said, "I usually mix whiskey with cola."

what?
Cola?

Is this how you drink it?

Unfortunately, she didn't have any Coke at home.

So Hu Xiaoyu said apologetically, "Please wait a moment, I'll have the building manager buy it for me."

Community housekeeper...

Some upscale residential communities do indeed create such positions, and the salaries are quite high.

I never expected that this seemingly unremarkable neighborhood would be so upscale.

Lu Yao chuckled and said, "Okay."

After Hu Xiaoyu and Lü Yao changed into guest slippers, she began to introduce the guest room to Lü Yao like a little fairy godmother: "I've made up the guest room for you~ I've changed the sheets and duvet cover and washed them, and your toiletries~ are all new."

“I also had the cleaning lady come and clean and disinfect all the bathrooms. Although no outsiders have ever been to my house, I still cleaned them all.”

"I don't know what kind of body wash, facial cleanser, and skincare products you use, so I've prepared a little bit of everything. You can choose whatever you like. If you don't find anything you like, I'll go buy some for you tomorrow."

Lu Yao leaned against the wall at one end of the aisle and laughed as he watched Hu Xiaoyu, who was as lively as a bee: "I'm fine with anything, I'm not that picky."

Hu Xiaoyu smiled sheepishly and said, "It's the first time guests have come to my house, so I didn't know what to do and just made a little bit of everything."

Lu Yao said very earnestly, "Thank you for your hard work."

Hu Xiaoyu waved her hand: "No, no, I'm very happy that you could come."

Lu Yao then changed the subject and laughed, "But you're inviting a wolf into the house."

(End of this chapter)