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

Chapter 387 Young Master Hou (6k views, please subscribe)

After Lin Yongzhen finished speaking, she took out her phone and started contacting Lanzhifang. Seeing Lin Yongzhen busy, Lü Yao was stunned: "No, it's one thing to have their contact information, but you can also cut in line?"

Cheng Xinyu also exclaimed in admiration, "Sister Yongzhen, you're so amazing!"

Lin Yongzhen smiled and said, "This is nothing special. I just wrote it down when I was running errands for others. These things are convenient for me though."

Lu Yao asked worriedly, "Won't it expose your identity if you contact them so rashly?"

At this moment, Lü Yao's first thought was this, which surprised Lin Yongzhen. After a moment of surprise, she smiled brightly and said, "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. It's not like I asked directly. And even if my personal information is leaked now, it doesn't matter."

So much time has passed, and the aftershocks of the infighting between the old and new factions in Shangnan have become increasingly smaller.

Not to mention that she is still by Lü Yao's side. Unless those forces that have retreated overseas are out of their minds, they would never make a move against Lin Yongzhen now. Even if they were to make a move, it would only be after she has left Lü Yao's protection.

Regardless, Lü Yao's concern warmed Lin Yongzhen's heart.

It feels nice to be cared for like this.

Lin Yongzhen continued to contact Lanzhifang in a good mood.

She used to do these things with some unhappiness, but now she does them with joy. As she worked, Lin Yongzhen felt a slight pang of emotion: "Lin Yongzhen, oh Lin Yongzhen~ you've changed~"

Not long after, Lin Yongzhen raised her hand and said to Lü Yao, "We're lucky, we can have dinner at Lanzhifang tonight."

Cheng Xinyu perked up: "Then I have to give it a try. I'm going to take a shower and get ready now."

Lin Yongzhen stood up and said with a smile, "I'll go too!"

After Lin Yongzhen reached the suite's bathroom, she suddenly turned to Lü Yao and said, "Then please have Mr. Lü take the toiletries out of our suitcases for us later."

Lu Yao felt a slight stirring in his heart; for a moment, he couldn't tell whether the daily necessities Lin Yongzhen mentioned were legitimate or not.

After Lin Yongzhen and Cheng Xinyu entered the bathroom, Lü Yao opened Lin Yongzhen's suitcase and saw many exquisitely designed and powerful items inside. At this point, Lü Yao understood what Lin Yongzhen meant earlier.

So Lü Yao picked out two suitable items from the pile of equipment and then went into the bathroom...

……

When Lü Yao, Lin Yongzhen, and Cheng Xinyu came out of the hotel, Lü Yao asked Cheng Xinyu to drive while he pretended to doze off in the back seat.

There was no other way; fighting on two fronts was a huge test of the soldiers' physical strength and willpower. In particular, Lü Yao had been extremely busy lately and hadn't had a proper rest. Today, he went straight to the hotel after leaving the airport and hadn't had much rest all day.

After such a long journey, Lin Yongzhen was also a bit tired, so she rested in the back with Lü Yao. Only Cheng Xinyu, who was younger and had been given the opportunity, was in good spirits at the moment, so Cheng Xinyu took on the role of driver for the rest of the trip.

When they finally arrived at Lanzhifang, Lü Yao looked at the small, low-ceilinged storefront that resembled an old, self-built house, blinked, and asked, "This is Lanzhifang?"

Lin Yongzhen smiled and said, "Yes."

With that, she led the way inside.

From the outside, the restaurant has walls made of blue bricks. In many places, the blue bricks are showing signs of aging and turning powdery. Moss grows in many places in the gaps between the blue bricks.

If it weren't for the "Zhilanfang" sign hanging above the entrance, Lü Yao would never have guessed that this was a restaurant.

But as soon as he followed Lin Yongzhen into the restaurant, a light and elegant incense fragrance wafted towards him. The moment the fragrance filled his nostrils, Lü Yao felt his previously tired spirits instantly lifted.

"Ouch!"

There's something there.

Putting everything else aside, the aroma you smell the moment you step inside is enough to tell you that this restaurant is something special.

Of the five senses, most people rely on sight the most. Many instinctive reactions are also linked to sight. Many people will unconsciously salivate when they see chili peppers, and even from a distance, the disgusting smell of Lao Ba's Secret Recipe Mini Burger will come to mind.

Although the eyes, which are related to vision, are the most frequently used sense in daily life, the sense of smell is the sense that leaves the deepest impression on people in daily life.

Whether it's the aroma or the smoky smell from a wok, it can instantly activate the nerves throughout the body, generating a wealth of sensory stimulation. This reaction is known in academia as the "Proust effect," which is a memory and emotional association triggering effect that is even more powerful than vision.

The reason Lü Yao knew this was because he had met a woman who was very particular about scents. The reason Lü Yao and she hit it off was because he had used a niche perfume that time.

Under the influence of that niche perfume, the woman was quickly dragged into a quagmire of her emotions. It was only during their conversation afterward that Lü Yao learned about this product and then studied it in depth. From then on, Lü Yao learned to use scent as an anchor point for memories and emotions.

The incense scent that greets you at the entrance of Zhilanfang is a very unique and rare aroma. The incense sticks made with this special blend must be very expensive, but the atmosphere they create is indeed extraordinary.

After all, wealthy people spend money for that "unique" experience, and Zhilanfang does a great job in this regard.

After recovering from the impact of the aroma, Lü Yao began to take in the layout of the Zhilanfang restaurant.

This place is truly a hidden gem, with a classic and outstanding Song Dynasty aesthetic style in its decoration.

Song Dynasty aesthetics emphasizes ultimate simplicity, elegance, and charm. It belongs to the restrained category in terms of aesthetics. However, restrained and sophisticated aesthetics are often difficult to master and control. If not handled carefully, it can easily turn into a vulgar foot massage parlor style.

The interior design of Zhilanfang is very authentic and high-end.

With its sophisticated and restrained aesthetic, Lü Yao now recalls the mottled and simple facade outside and begins to feel that even the mottled walls are full of charm.

"Interesting, very interesting."

Lü Yao followed Lin Yongzhen into the private room, his heart filled with admiration for Zhilanfang.

Just before Lü Yao and his group were about to enter the private room, a soft, hushed call came from below: "Mr. Lü?"

Lu Yao subconsciously looked in the direction of the sound and saw a man with shoulder-length hair wearing a headband, dressed in a T-shirt, shorts and sneakers looking at him in surprise.

When Lü Yao looked at the other person, the other person was clearly taken aback: "It really is you, President Lü!"

The other person quickly approached Lü Yao, and when they reached him, they exclaimed excitedly, "I'm your fan! I never expected to see you here! Oh my!"

The fan's excitement was palpable and seemed genuine, but Lü Yao still felt a little uncomfortable.

In reality, aside from the hype from fan circles, even if people actually encounter celebrities in their daily lives, they wouldn't immediately get excited and rush over. Dongda students' emotions are ultimately reserved and deeply hidden. Don't be fooled by the many female netizens who shout "Mom loves you" loudly online; in reality, they're all ostriches.

Those so-called fans that netizens usually see online, waving flags and shouting wildly at the airport to greet their idols, are just shills hired by the management company.

These shills also have a particularly sophisticated name – “Celebrity Identity Empowerment Marketing Specialist”.

When Lü Yao was studying abroad, he encountered many celebrities at airports, high-end hotels and other places, but he would only glance at them to confirm their identities and would not rush up to them in a particularly excited manner.

And this person in front of me...

Looking at the unusually excited young man in front of him, Lü Yao felt a mix of emotions: "He's quite extraordinary."

However, the fact that the other person could eat at Zhilanfang and was dressed so casually, and whose temperament was not that of an ordinary person, shows that the other person's identity is indeed not simple.

So Lü Yao greeted him with a smile, "Hello! I didn't expect to meet a fan here. What's your name?"

The young man exclaimed again, "Oh my! Mr. Lü, I never expected you to be so humble in real life. I'm so glad to meet you here. You've come here for dinner?"

After saying that, the young man lightly slapped himself on the face: "Look at my loose tongue, no! Look at my brain! I got too excited looking at you. It's pure fate that we met here." After saying that, he slapped his forehead again and introduced himself: "By the way, my name is Hou Yulou. I'm just a nobody. You definitely don't know me."

Hou Yulou?
Lu Yao suddenly felt that the name sounded familiar, as if he had seen it somewhere before.

After much effort, Lü Yao finally remembered who this person was!

He had seen the name in the relevant information of Qiangshi Technology Company. Because of the added advantage of a future perspective, after his own company grew bigger and stronger, Lü Yao has been paying attention to the development of domestic high-tech companies, especially those with unique technology patent systems that have been growing and expanding.

Among these companies, Lü Yao was particularly impressed with Qiangshi Technology, a high-tech company that focuses on brain-computer interface research. Its core technology is concentrated on non-invasive brain-computer interfaces, which involves collecting and processing electroencephalogram (EEG) signals from the scalp surface by wearing devices such as headbands, without the need for surgical chip implantation.

The research on strong-sensing technology mainly revolves around EEG signal acquisition hardware, signal processing algorithms, and specific application scenarios.

When Qiangshi Technology first emerged, its initial applications were mainly concentrated in the fields of education, healthcare, and sleep and health monitoring. However, the applications that truly brought the technology to the attention of high-level officials and were subsequently protected were mainly concentrated in the field of human-computer interaction.

In 2030, the first batch of battlefield robot dogs controlled by helmets and tactical gestures were deployed in exercises. The results of the exercises shocked the world, instantly shattering the existing assessment systems of Tokyo University's war potential by various countries. After watching the footage of the exercises, young people from all over the world went wild online, speculating that Tokyo University might soon be developing a "six-legged, multi-terrain war titan."

And this Hou Yulou before us...

Although he was not a researcher at Qiangshi Technology, he was among the first to engage in in-depth human-computer interaction cooperation with the company. Hou Yulou was also a close friend of the head and chief research officer of Qiangshi Technology, and the two had a life-or-death friendship.

At an overseas academic exchange conference, the chief research officer of Qiangshi Technology encountered an "unexpected" violent incident. Hou Yulou lost an arm in the incident. Later, he was given an intelligent bionic hand developed by Qiangshi Technology, achieving the first "mechanical ascension" in human history.

In Lü Yao's memory of studying abroad, the incident was widely publicized in China, and that exposure once again shocked the world.

Snapping out of his reverie about his future studies abroad, Lü Yao's gaze towards Hou Yulou immediately changed.

When Hou Yulou was studying abroad, he was a close friend of one of the world's top geniuses. He himself came from a very powerful background, so he was incomparable to Lu Yao, a nobody who came from humble beginnings and struggled his whole life only to end up penniless and homeless.

Unexpectedly, after returning from studying abroad in the future, he, who would become a prominent figure in the future, actually became his fan.

Fate really does play tricks on people.

After finding information about the person in front of him from the future, Lü Yao's attitude towards Hou Yulou became somewhat more friendly: "Hello, Mr. Hou. Although I don't know you, you have a full forehead and a square jaw. You are clearly no ordinary person."

Oh?
Hou Yulou was taken aback by Lü Yao's praise: "Really? Oh, Mr. Lü, you really know how to flatter! It's fate that we met. Mr. Lü, please do me the honor of letting me pay your bill today!"

As he spoke, Hou Yulou took out a business card holder from his pocket and handed it over: "This is my business card. Let's have a good chat sometime when we have time."

Lü Yao laughed: "When is another day? How about today?"

Hou Yulou was pleasantly surprised: "Ah? Is that alright?"

Lu Yao countered, "Why not? How many people are in your party, Mr. Hou? I'd like to arrange the dishes."

Hou Yulou rubbed his hands together and laughed, "There are only two or three people. Also, please don't call me Mr. Hou anymore, just call me Monkey!"

Lü Yao laughed heartily and said, "Then I'll call you President Hou!"

Hou Yulou objected: "Young Master Hou!"

Lu Yao had no choice but to comply: "Then, Mr. Hou! This way, please."

After Lü Yao started chatting with Hou Yulou, Lin Yongzhen and Cheng Xinyu stood aside very obediently and without any hurry. After Hou Yulou called his friends in, Cheng Xinyu and Lin Yongzhen gave Lü Yao special face and took the initiative to pour tea for Hou Yulou and his friends.

Once Lanzhifang started serving the dishes, everyone enjoyed the food and wine, and soon they entered into a lively chatter session about all sorts of things.

After exchanging compliments, everyone began to recount their interesting experiences over the years.

Needless to say, there's plenty of information about Lü Yao online. As for Cheng Xinyu and Lin Yongzhen, they were with Lü Yao. Hou Yulou and his group were quite polite, so they didn't press Cheng Xinyu and Lin Yongzhen for details.

In this situation, they can only talk about their own things.

Lü Yao's attention was mainly focused on Hou Yulou.

In Lü Yao's memory, Hou Yulou was just a name, someone who was very close to Qiangshi Technology. Even in Lü Yao's memories of studying abroad, Hou Yulou was just a figure who was pushed to the forefront and became a symbolic figure in the science and technology competition.

But at this moment, this person, who was originally just a name and a symbol to Lü Yao, has become incredibly vivid.

After several rounds of drinks, the room was a mess. Hou Yulou leaned back in his chair, puffing on his cigarette, and began to complain: "I'm really unlucky, really! When I was a kid, I lived with my dad in Southeast Asia. We weren't doing too badly, but when I went to North America to study, my dad's durian plantation was suddenly taken down by a competitor. I went from being a rich kid to a penniless pauper in an instant."

"Later, I finally managed to build up some success out there, but then, unexpectedly, an accident wiped me out of everything. I really was!"

Hou Yulou shook his head and smiled bitterly: "This world is really fucking messed up!"

Everyone was very interested in what had happened to Hou Yulou, so they kept asking, "What kind of accident did you have this time? No, what kind of business have you been involved in outside?"

Hou Yulou said jokingly, "Me? I'm pretty awesome. I started a security and armed company overseas, and thanks to my family connections, I gradually built it up. Just when I was preparing to achieve even greater success, I accidentally exposed a shady deal over there, and ultimately I was forced to leave the business I had built and go far away!"

As he spoke, Hou Yulou, dressed in a T-shirt and shorts, crossed his legs, looking completely nonchalant, making his words utterly unconvincing.

So Cheng Xinyu said with a smile, "Keep bragging. Which online novel's plot did you just copy and apply to yourself?"

Hou Yulou laughed heartily, "As expected, nothing can escape Xinyu's discerning eye! My own true story is too awful to tell, so I won't embarrass myself by saying it!" As he spoke, Hou Yulou tried to save face with a straight face, "I have my pride too!"

The private room was filled with a cheerful atmosphere as the two joked with each other.

but.

Although everyone was laughing, Lü Yao and Lin Yongzhen's laughter had a rather meaningful quality to it.

Sometimes, jokes told in a joking tone are actually the truth.

As for personal circumstances, the old saying from the University of Tokyo, "Don't judge a book by its cover," is no joke.

Later on the internet, there was that KD22/0 internet streamer. A netizen sent him a rocket as a gift, and the next second he actually sent one.

Who could have imagined this?
He appears to be just an ordinary-looking man online.

Leaving aside the internet, let's take the people Lü Yao met during his studies abroad as an example. He knew a guy who came from the industrial park. That guy was sold to the park by a friend he trusted, but later managed to get out of the park by relying on his connections in Dubai.

Then, during a drinking session, she was bragging to Lü Yao and the others that she had found that bastard and peeled the skin off his legs to give him a salt water foot bath.

—Yes, Lü Yao knew that guy was a 1.6-meter-tall iron-clad guy.

At the time, the guy with the t-shirt seemed to be joking, but later Lu Yao heard from other friends that... it was no joke.

Who would have thought that a guy who's less than 1.6 meters tall could be so ruthless?

This story was so outrageous that even Lu Yao himself thought it was nonsense and made up just by thinking about it in his head... but it was actually true.

Therefore, when Hou Yulou said he was joking, Lü Yao was six-tenths skeptical.

Whether they believed it or not didn't matter. They were just strangers who had met by chance. Lü Yao wouldn't say anything too intimate with someone he didn't know well, so he quickly moved on from the topic, and everyone continued eating, drinking, and chatting.

After they had eaten and drunk their fill, Hou Yulou grinned and said, "I've been back in China and traveled to many places, but Chengdu is the only place I both love and hate. The pace of life here is indeed very comfortable, but the climate and food are just too unbearable! Even though my ancestors were from Chaozhou, they can't stand the climate here! Not to mention the food. It's so hard to find a place to eat, but it's ridiculously expensive!"

Cheng Xinyu teased, "Young Master Hou is clearly very capable, what's a little more?"

Hou Yulou laughed heartily, "Things aren't like they used to be. Besides, when it comes to life, you should be frugal when you can and spend money when you can. I just think this place is too flashy. When we have the chance to go to Yuezhou, I'll take you to eat authentic free-range chicken! I guarantee it'll be top-notch!"

Lü Yao couldn't help but laugh, and then deliberately said, "What's so good about Cantonese cuisine? It's all just boiled chicken, scallion oil chicken, ginger chicken, and black bean chicken. It's so boring. If we're talking about food culture, I still prefer the cuisine of the Central Plains. Steaming, boiling, roasting, stuffing, frying, stir-frying, stewing, cooking, deep-frying, and other techniques, combined with various spices and seasonings, can truly reflect Dongda's culture and expertise in food."

Upon hearing this, Hou Yulou immediately became excited, like a rooster in a gladiatorial arena, his fighting spirit instantly ignited.

Hou Yulou straightened his back and said, "That's not true! Let me tell you! Eat in Guangzhou, savor the flavors of Chaozhou! Cantonese cuisine emphasizes authentic flavors and freshness! Free-range chicken! Pure free-range chicken from the mountains! Do you understand the value of that?"

As he spoke, he gestured with his hand and said, "I know! You must have never had authentic poached chicken. I know a farm that guarantees freshness and delicious food!"

At this point, Hou Yulou was fully prepared for battle.

This can be considered a characteristic of people from Guangdong.

They love their food and have their own set of standards for judging it. So, later on the internet, you can often see comments like "Follow the Cantonese Y and Cantonese X into a small alley and you're sure to find something delicious."

Every place has its own unique food characteristics, a point that Lü Yao declined to comment on.

But now, Lü Yao can use this trait of Hou Yulou to get closer to him.

So Lü Yao smiled and provoked him, "So you think Cantonese cuisine is amazing?"

Hou Yulou puffed out his chest: "I wouldn't say it's the best in the world, but it's definitely among the top."

Taking the opportunity, Lü Yao made an invitation: "How about this, let's have a tasting of delicacies from both the North and the South?"

(End of this chapter)