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

Chapter 290 Let's go see the golden sunrise on the mountain (6k views, please subscribe)

In Hu Xiaoyu's home where she lived alone, Lü Yao leaned against the wall, speaking with a half-smile, as if she were really going to do something bad.

When it comes to playing a scumbag... no, he doesn't even need to act; he just needs to suppress his true nature a little.

If he were a little more lenient, he wouldn't be a scumbag.

But Hu Xiaoyu walked up to Lü Yao with her hands behind her back, raised her face, and looked at Lü Yao with her clear, bright eyes: "What do you want to do?"

Lü Yao smiled.

He doesn't really know how to do anything.

Not to mention that he's used to girls taking the initiative, especially the fully automatic kind, and he wouldn't do something as tasteless as forcing a woman, Hu Xiaoyu's background and Lü Yao's current background alone make it impossible for him to do anything out of line.

Now that everyone here is someone of importance and wealth, it's impossible for them to allow those below to dominate those above.

Beauty is a reward for wealth and power, but also a sharp blade that cuts into wealth and power. Ten years later, marriage certificates will become legal property division documents under the rules of strange tales.

Having witnessed so many bloody examples during his studies abroad, Lü Yao, no matter how impulsive he became, would still retain some rationality.

So he said, half-jokingly, "Have you ever heard a little story?"

Hu Xiaoyu stopped confronting Lü Yao, went to the living room, sat down, and said with a smile, "Go on, I'm listening."

Lu Yao chuckled and said, "It's about a couple who went out to play. It got too late to go home, so they booked a room nearby. But because the hotel was full, there was only one room left. So the girl told the guy in the room, 'Behave yourself tonight and don't do anything wrong, or you'll be a beast.'"

"The guy was very respectful of the girl; he behaved himself all night and didn't do anything. Then, the next morning, as soon as the girl and guy woke up, the girl angrily yelled at the guy: 'You're worse than an animal!'"

Hu Xiaoyu stared at Lü Yao speechlessly, even somewhat blankly.

The atmosphere in the room became a little awkward.

Lu Yao himself was also embarrassed and subconsciously turned his face away to look elsewhere.

Hu Xiaoyu laughed speechlessly and said, "So what? What are you trying to say? It's as if I've put you somewhere between a beast and something worse than a beast."

Lü Yao also laughed and said, "Let's liven up the atmosphere."

If it were Jian Xiaojie or even Zhou Bella, upon hearing Lü Yao say that, they would definitely grin mischievously and say, "I'd rather you be a beast, and you'd better not treat me like a human being either."

Those who know how to play might even pull out some kind of cheat code.

But Hu Xiaoyu is not that kind of person.

It seems that every time Lü Yao interacts with Hu Xiaoyu, he has no chance to use his dragon-slaying skills. As a result, he is either caught off guard and at a loss by Hu Xiaoyu, or he appears to be a bit dull.

To some extent, Hu Xiaoyu was indeed quite restrained by Lü Yao.

Lu Yao added, "It's best to avoid inviting men to your home in the future. After all, you can't judge a book by its cover, and it would be terrible if something really happened one day."

Upon hearing Lü Yao's words, Hu Xiaoyu suddenly tilted her head and smiled, "I understand, you're worried about me."

Lu Yao readily admitted, "Yes, how could I not worry?"

Hu Xiaoyu chuckled and said, "Don't worry, do you think I'd invite just anyone home?"

Lu Yao was slightly tempted upon hearing this.

In his mind, these words seemed to be a signal; but in Hu Xiaoyu's mind, they seemed to be a way of expressing trust.

In any case, Lü Yao didn't really have any particular thoughts about it.

His thoughts about Hu Xiaoyu were very complicated.

If he came from a good family, or even entered society with a clean conscience, achieved some success (not even much), and then met Hu Xiaoyu by "chance," and the two hit it off, gradually got to know each other, and eventually got together, he wouldn't be as restrained as he is now.

He will openly admit his feelings for Hu Xiaoyu and then work hard to be together with her.

Lü Yao possesses the most precious thing in the world—"if".

That's why he was able to start his own business with Wang Shu's help even before graduation, and even with the resources and connections of Wang Shu and Jian Xiaojie, he avoided the efforts of two or even three generations. It was also because of them that Lü Yao was able to meet Hu Xiaoyu.

Lu Yao originally thought that he wouldn't waver at all after the "what if" scenario, as making money would always be his top priority.

But it was only after meeting Hu Xiaoyu that Lü Yao truly understood the value of the saying, "Standards are reserved for those who don't like them."

When it comes to someone you like, all standards are nonsense.

Although Lü Yao's feelings would become complicated every time he met Hu Xiaoyu, he had more "what ifs" than most people in the world, so he always adhered to his principles.

So Lü Yao waved his hand at Hu Xiaoyu: "I'm not going to argue with you anymore. I've been driving for a long time, I'm tired, I'm going to wash up and go to sleep."

As he spoke, Lü Yao returned to the guest room that Hu Xiaoyu had prepared for him. Hu Xiaoyu's residence was large enough, and the guest room also had its own bathroom and balcony.

Watching Lü Yao's figure disappear, Hu Xiaoyu smiled.

She could certainly see the inner turmoil in Lü Yao's heart, and she understood that she held a place in his heart. Otherwise, she wasn't a complete fool; why would she do so many things just to be laughed at?

However, Hu Xiaoyu also considered things from Lü Yao's perspective. The gap between them was simply too great, and the negative history that Lü Yao carried was precisely the capital that made Lü Yao who he is today.

This is an unsolvable problem.

But the solution...

Hu Xiaoyu has been found.

The reason she invited Lü Yao to spend the New Year with her was to resolve this matter.

Hu Xiaoyu stared at Lü Yao's room, his eyes becoming deep and his expression dark and complicated.

After a long time.

Hu Xiaoyu stared at the door of Lü Yao's room, her lips moving slightly as if she were saying to the air, "Good night."

After sitting idly in the living room for a while, Hu Xiaoyu deliberately washed up in the guest bathroom, hoping the noise would reach the guest room. After she finished washing up and returned to her room, Hu Xiaoyu suddenly stopped locking the door as she was about to close it.

Should we lock it from the inside?

Ok……

After hesitating for a moment, Hu Xiaoyu ultimately decided not to lock the door.

After getting into bed, the bedroom was dimly lit by the warm glow of the nightlight, creating an ambiguous atmosphere. Hu Xiaoyu, however, was inexplicably alert at that moment. She stared at the doorway, and all sorts of strange thoughts popped into her head like mushrooms after the rain.

"What if he sneaks in in the middle of the night?"

"Probably not..."

"What did he mean by telling me that story about being worse than an animal? Was he criticizing himself?"

With these strange thoughts coming one after another, Hu Xiaoyu gradually fell asleep.

……

The next day, morning.

Hu Xiaoyu woke up comfortably from her sleep, and the first thing she did upon waking was to subconsciously look towards the bedroom door.

The bedroom door was closed properly, and it looked exactly the same as last night.

The thought popped into Hu Xiaoyu's mind: "He really was worse than an animal last night..."

With a bit of a temper, Hu Xiaoyu opened the bedroom door with her slightly messy hair, and then froze as soon as she stepped out.

Lu Yao was sitting in front of the floor-to-ceiling window in the living room. The window was completely enclosed and very bright, so the view from inside the living room was like a painting.

Hu Xiaoyu now lives in a riverside community with a view of the Qiantang River in the distance. Hu Xiaoyu is used to such scenery.

But it snowed today.

There's another person in the house now, a man.

At this moment, the man was sitting by the floor-to-ceiling window, holding a cup of hot tea in his hand. He was wearing loose, comfortable, and simple casual clothes. He sat by the window, and his handsome and three-dimensional features looked like those of a manga character.

"He's so handsome."

Previously, Hu Xiaoyu didn't think she was a looks-obsessed person; she believed that men with talent and good character were more attractive.

Now she realizes how much she used to pretend.

Talent and character are temporary, but being handsome lasts a lifetime.

Moreover, having been in the art world for so long, Hu Xiaoyu has long understood that talent and character are not necessarily related. It is not that people with high talent are necessarily good people; on the contrary, many talented people may have terrible character.

The filth in this circle has reached a point where just hearing about it is disgusting.

Otherwise, Hu Xiaoyu wouldn't have hidden away in a Chinese painting art museum on the outskirts of Hangzhou, living a life of quiet contemplation.

It's rare to have such a beautiful view at home. Hu Xiaoyu's slight morning grumpiness vanished instantly as she hid in the bedroom hallway to secretly admire Lü Yao through the floor-to-ceiling window.

This strange stance reminded Hu Xiaoyu of a short poem.

"You stand on the bridge admiring the scenery, while someone in a building admires you."

Although there was no bright moon to adorn the window at this moment, the light snow mixed with rain in Hangzhou became the decoration, and together with Lü Yao in front of the window, they presented Hu Xiaoyu with a pleasing scene.

However, Hu Xiaoyu didn't get to watch it for long.

A moment later, Lu Yao turned his head in confusion to look to his side and saw Hu Xiaoyu leaning against the bedroom corridor. He said with a smile, "What are you doing standing there? I heard you open the door just now and knew you were awake. I waited for a while but you didn't come to the living room."

Hu Xiaoyu pouted, regretting that she should have opened the door more gently.

She swung her arms as she walked into the living room and sat down on the sofa.

Lu Yao glanced at her and said, "I've brewed some tea, have some first. I'll cook later, what would you like to eat?"

Hu Xiaoyu's kitchen is quite well-equipped, and there are plenty of vegetables in the refrigerator. There is also a supermarket not far downstairs, or you can ask the property manager of the community to help you buy them. In short, it's very convenient.

Hearing that Lü Yao was going to cook, Hu Xiaoyu became interested: "I'm fine with anything~ It's just a matter of what you want to make. I'll have someone buy it and bring it up."

Lu Yao thought for a moment and said, "Then let's make some of the things I usually eat in my hometown."

Hu Xiaoyu nodded eagerly, "Okay, okay!"

Then Lü Yao made a list for Hu Xiaoyu to buy groceries, and then he went into the kitchen to get busy.

For breakfast, a light meal is fine.

Lu Yao made a bowl of three-ingredient congee, freshly made pan-fried buns, and served it with two small cold dishes and two small stir-fried dishes, and breakfast was ready.

It sounded complicated, but Lü Yao was very efficient, working on multiple things simultaneously, and finished in just over an hour. Once everything was almost ready, Hu Xiaoyu squatted in front of the rice cooker and exclaimed, "Wow~ what is this? Soy milk? But it's not thick like soy milk at all! The aroma of rice and sweet potato is mixed together and wafts out! It smells so good!"

Hu Xiaoyu was a little confused.

Lu Yao originally asked Hu Xiaoyu to squat in front of the rice cooker to keep an eye on it and prevent the porridge from boiling over. Unexpectedly, she kept making "wow wow wow" noises like a little glutton.

Lu Yao brought the prepared dishes to the dining table, then went to the rice cooker and stirred it with a ladle. He looked at the rice and sweet potatoes inside; the rice had all expanded and the sweet potatoes were soft and tender.

As he stirred, he said, "This is how I eat it in my hometown of Haizhou. It's made by adding water three times to the tofu residue after making tofu and then continuing to blend it. This liquid isn't really soy milk, but it has a faint fragrance."

"Add rice and sweet potatoes, and you can make a very fragrant porridge."

Hu Xiaoyu's eyes lit up: "() is amazing!"

For Hu Xiaoyu, who had studied in the UK and then lived in Hangzhou, this was a completely new and exciting thing. She had eaten at many Michelin-starred and Black Pearl restaurants, but this was the first time she had ever seen anything like it.

Hu Xiaoyu said enviously, "You must have had such delicious food back in your hometown. You must have been so lucky when you were a child!"

Lu Yao turned off the power and continued stirring the porridge, saying, "When I was a child, my family didn't have such good conditions. We didn't eat tofu often. Only during festivals would every family make tofu from soybeans and have 'Sanjiang' (a type of porridge)."

"The Lunar New Year falls in winter, so the fermented soybean paste can only be kept for a few days, and that's when we can enjoy it fresh."

Lu Yao's expression turned to reminiscence: "Later, when I grew up and came out into the world, I rarely had the chance to be late for this thing anymore."

This kind of thing isn't even found in other places.

When he was studying abroad, Lü Yao wandered around and traveled to many places. He rarely saw this thing until many years later, when he actually saw the so-called "soy milk broth" in a hot pot restaurant. After tasting it, he realized that it was the same as the "three-ingredient soup" from his hometown.

He never imagined that things from his hometown would become popular in such a bizarre way.

However, this type of congee base is only found in a few places and is not common.

As Hu Xiaoyu listened to Lü Yao's story, she seemed to be drawn into Lü Yao's memories. She felt as if she could touch Lü Yao's past through his voice and words.

While speaking, Lü Yao also exuded a fragile and hazy aura.

It resembles a piece of thin-walled porcelain.

It's so heartbreaking.

So much so that Hu Xiaoyu wanted to hug him.

But wouldn't it be inappropriate to hug him now? He's still looking at the rice cooker... Just as Hu Xiaoyu was hesitating, Lü Yao suddenly changed his tone and said with a smile, "Alright, we can eat now."

"Get the bowl."

Hu Xiaoyu immediately came to her senses and was a little annoyed with herself for her hesitation.

Hesitation really does lead to defeat!
Hu Xiaoyu skipped off to get a bowl. Lü Yao ladled out the porridge and brought it to the table. Hu Xiaoyu was drawn in by the aroma of the porridge, her face filled with delight: "So fragrant! So fragrant!"

"The pan-fried buns smell so good!!"

Lu Yao had just finished cooking a meal, and at this moment, having a cigarette would be the most satisfying thing. People who actually cook don't have the mind to express their life insights. After a lot of work and inhaling the aroma of cooking, all they want to do is sit down and catch their breath.

But this wasn't his own home... and Hu Xiaoyu wasn't a smoker, so Lü Yao tolerated it.

He poured himself a glass of wine and sat at the table watching Hu Xiaoyu slurp down his porridge. The aroma of the three kinds of porridge, the aroma of rice, and the aroma of sweet potato blended together almost perfectly. The smooth and silky porridge and the soft, sweet rice and sweet potato complemented each other, creating a feast for the taste buds.

Hu Xiaoyu felt every cell in her mouth was leaping with joy, greedily absorbing the aroma of the delicious food.

Within minutes, half of the bowl of porridge was gone.

Hu Xiaoyu, who was being stared at by Lü Yao, immediately became embarrassed and shyly put down her chopsticks, saying, "We've eaten together before. I don't usually eat like this."

Seeing this, Lü Yao laughed and said, "Eat up! I'm happy to see that you like it. The happiest time for a cook is when he sees that his food is enjoyed by others."

Hu Xiaoyu laughed: "Then I won't be polite!"

After saying that, he continued eating.

Because Lü Yao has been consistently exercising, he doesn't eat much.

But this porridge is really good. It was worth it for him to personally visit several breakfast shops to buy it. There aren't many places around here that sell ready-made porridge.

After finishing her meal, Hu Xiaoyu leaned back in her chair. The once beautiful and elegant Hu Xiaoyu now seemed to be possessed by Ge You, hanging on the chair in a gradually liquefied state.

"So full."

Hu Xiaoyu, rubbing her belly which was so full it looked like she was three months pregnant, said as if she were about to faint, "If I keep eating like this, I'll get fat in no time."

Lu Yao laughed and said, "You look very good when you're chubby."

Hu Xiaoyu didn't believe her: "You're lying."

She doesn't want to get fat.

Hu Xiaoyu sat there doing chores and said, "I usually have my housekeeper come over to cook. Sometimes when I'm busy, I'll have her cook and bring it to my workplace. Even though I have all the kitchen utensils here, I don't cook much."

"Cooking with you today, I realized that cooking doesn't seem so troublesome after all, and it even seems quite interesting."

Hu Xiaoyu tilted her head and looked at Lü Yao: "And watching you cook is quite a pleasure. I didn't expect you to be such a great chef."

Lü Yao smiled.

What a joke.

Dude, you've practiced this a lot.

Otherwise, do you think I only rely on my looks to pick up girls?
Do you understand the impact a girl would have if, after a night out with a girl, you woke up the next morning and made a decent breakfast with the last of the ingredients you had at home?

Especially those cool and sexy girls, those aloof and unapproachable mature women... this style is super effective at handling them.

If the type of woman on social media likes baking, reading, and making light meals, this approach won't work very well. There's only one effective strategy for that type of woman: either rely on innate qualities and acquired skills to utterly defeat them.

Otherwise, they'll be kept on hold by having money in hand.

Even a girl like Hu Xiaoyu, who never lifts a finger, can use this method to gain favor.

But Lü Yao's actions seemed to have sparked Hu Xiaoyu's interest in cooking.

Hu Xiaoyu said with great interest, "Why don't you teach me how to cook?"

Lu Yao laughed and advised, "Why don't we just forget about it?"

He really wanted to imagine that a boy who had returned from England and lived in Hangzhou could have a talent for cooking. Although there is a saying that "a gentleman should stay away from the kitchen" and chefs are not considered to have a high status in many professions, cooking skills still have the word "art" in them.

The same cooking method can make vastly different results in the hands of different people.

Ingredients, cooking time, seasoning... even the order of seasoning is very important; making a mistake can easily ruin the flavor.

Of course, most people wouldn't be able to taste such fine details.

Only those with an absolute sense of taste can appreciate the nuances, such as Chef Sui, who later became very popular on short video platforms.

But Hu Xiaoyu, caught up in the moment, couldn't resist the persuasion: "I think I can do it. Cooking, how hard can it be? We'll have three-grain porridge for dinner tonight, and then I'll cook the dishes!"

She had seen Lü Yao do it with ease before!

Even if you can't achieve the same ease and grace as Lü Yao, as long as you slow down and pay more attention, you shouldn't be too far off.

Therefore, Hu Xiaoyu was full of confidence in himself.

A very bad premonition had already begun to creep into Lü Yao's heart.

but……

If she wants to try, let her try.

If all else fails, we can just order takeout later.

After finishing dinner and cleaning up the dishes, Hu Xiaoyu put on her clothes and said, "Let's go buy some outdoor hiking and camping gear."

Lu Yao was puzzled: "Where are we going to go for fun during this time?"

If we're talking about outdoor activities, there are actually quite a few scenic spots, historical sites, and natural attractions in Zhejiang.

Besides the well-known West Lake and Wuzhen, Zhejiang Province also has places like Qiandao Lake, Putuo, and Tonglu to visit, but Lü Yao has never been to these places.

But Hu Xiaoyu's words stunned Lü Yao once again. She said, "Let's go to Aba and see the golden sunrise on the mountains."

Lu Yao asked blankly, "It's the New Year, where are we going to see the sunrise over the mountains?"

Hu Xiaoyu replied earnestly, "That's right. The best time to observe the sunrise over the Golden Mountain is from October to February of the following year. Now is the perfect time, and there will be fewer people around during the upcoming Chinese New Year. Actually, it doesn't take much effort; I've already made all the arrangements."

Lu Yao truly hadn't expected Hu Xiaoyu to make such an arrangement.

However, Lü Yao didn't care.

Hu Xiaoyu had already bought the necessary outdoor gear for this trip, and today was mainly to select equipment for Lü Yao.

Aba is at a high altitude and extremely cold, so there's a risk of altitude sickness. Therefore, Hu Xiaoyu's plan is to drive a motorhome there, but she won't drive it herself; instead, her housekeeper will come along.

Have the housekeeper drive them to Aba in a campervan...

That's quite creative.

But it must be said, this is definitely the best way to get there.

Even more surprisingly, Hu Xiaoyu also arranged for a supply vehicle to follow them, with professional medical personnel on board, in case of altitude sickness.

I never expected that Hu Xiaoyu, who usually seems to live a simple and unassuming life, would suddenly make such a big fuss.

Listening to Hu Xiaoyu's arrangements, Lü Yao asked, "Isn't this a bit too much? You don't actually want to climb a snow mountain, do you?"

Lü Yao had never been to Aba, but he knew a local guide there. Every year, accidents would happen during outdoor adventures and snow mountain climbing there. If it was a snow mountain climb, then these preparations wouldn't be a big problem.

Many wealthy men who go there will spend money to hire professional guides and local guides to climb the mountain together, and they also bring plenty of supplies and rescue equipment.

Hu Xiaoyu tilted her head and thought for a moment: "Actually, I haven't decided whether I want to go mountain climbing or not. I want to go, but I think I might not be able to."

Lu Yao glanced at Hu Xiaoyu's physique from head to toe: "Indeed."

Climbing snow-capped mountains requires a high level of height and physical fitness. The most famous mountain in Aba is Mount Siguniang, whose highest peak is over 6,000 meters above sea level. It is difficult to climb without a professional mountaineering team.

Most people who go there just want to climb some small hills.

Therefore, Lü Yao also said, "Let's skip climbing the mountain; mountains are better viewed from afar."

(End of this chapter)