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

Chapter 447 Lü Yao is very busy (Please subscribe)

After the banquet, the place was a complete mess.

As the banquet hall emptied out, he smelled the mingled aromas of leftover food, alcohol, and cigarette smoke in the air. The rich, luxurious scent seemed to penetrate his clothes and seep into his very bones.

Already seven-tenths drunk, Lü Yao leaned back in his comfortable chair, quietly watching the crowd gradually disperse from the edge of the banquet hall.

Before leaving, the people would come over to say goodbye to Lü Yao. Lü Yao, still slightly drunk, would simply respond. Only after the banquet hall was filled with people who were close to Lü Yao did they gather in twos and threes to chat.

At that moment, Lü Yao suddenly thought of the original lyrics of the song "Sorrow".

In reality, real social banquets don't involve "leaving hastily after dawn." After the banquet, guests either go to a more private place for a second round, or, if they want a more sophisticated experience, they go to various private clubs to try out new and exciting activities.

When everyone was getting tired, someone would naturally take them back for a final social event.

Therefore, at a proper social gathering, no one would lament that "the most absurd people are the sober ones."

There may have been absurdities, but everyone left the final scene with a numb expression. This numbness wasn't the kind of self-reflection with a touch of intellectual pedantry, but rather the emptiness and hollowness that followed the satisfaction of the maximum threshold of sensory experience.

So by the time the banquet was halfway through, most of the people had been led away by Zhu Junyan.

The reason Lü Yao was still here lamenting this and that was simply because the events Zhu Junyan had organized could no longer arouse his interest.

Human sensory thresholds have a limit. When daily sensory thresholds are frequently satisfied at the limit, a so-called "sense of sophistication" will naturally arise in people.

So Lü Yao sat leisurely in a corner of the banquet hall, silently observing the changes in the banquet hall.

A short while later, Rong Nianqing emerged from the crowd and sat down next to Lü Yao.

Lu Yao's eyes were blurry with drunkenness, but his tone, still tinged with the smell of alcohol, was calm and clear-headed. He laughed and said, "I thought you weren't going to come and chat with me tonight."

Rong Nianqing laughed and said, "I really didn't plan to chat with you tonight. I came to advise you to go back and rest early. You've only been back from the plateau for a few days, and suddenly drinking so much alcohol is not good for your health."

Lu Yao glanced at Rong Nianqing. He thought Rong Nianqing would come to talk to him about western Sichuan, the international economic cooperation conference, and domestic strategic development, but she only came to persuade him to go back and rest early.

Lu Yao listened to the advice and said with some regret, "Then it's a bit of a waste of my time waiting for you tonight."

Rong Nianqing shook her head and smiled, "There's plenty of time to chat, no rush."

Lu Yao didn't say anything more. He went back to the banquet hall, first to Cheng Xinyu and Zhou Bella, and chatted with them for a while. Then he returned to Wang Shu, Jian Xiaojie, and Lin Yongzhen and said, "Let's go back."

Wang Shu's smooth face was flushed from drinking, and her eyes seemed misty. Facing Lü Yao's request, she smiled seductively and said, "Okay."

Jian Xiaojie leaned closer and asked with a hint of teasing, "What were you saying over there just now?"

Lü Yao didn't mince words and laughed, "I said I'd go see them in a few days."

Jian Xiaojie grinned mischievously, "How about we take them home tonight? Aren't I thoughtful?"

Lu Yao didn't believe Jian Xiaojie would be considerate; she was just a playful person.

Cheng Xinyu and Zhou Bella were not Jian Xiaojie's prey, but someone like Jian Xiaojie certainly wouldn't mind wild game being offered to her, so Lü Yao refused, saying, "No need."

Jian Xiaojie rolled her eyes: "Tch, boring."

Lü Yao laughed and said, "Then let's do something fun tonight."

Jian Xiaojie became interested: "Oh? What's interesting? Or are you going to keep me in suspense?"

Lu Yao had no intention of keeping him in suspense at this moment, and calmly said, "For example, I'll let you only watch tonight, and not participate."

Jian Xiaojie: "?"

A big question mark appeared on her face.

She asked incredulously, "Are you serious?"

Lü Yao laughed and said, "Why don't you try it and you'll see?"

Jian Xiaojie narrowed her eyes. She was starting to lose track of Lü Yao's thoughts. Lü Yao was no longer the little boy who depended on her and needed her resources to survive. Now, Lü Yao had grown into a towering tree, and her relationship with him had changed from initial mutual support to a complex and intertwined web of interests.

Therefore, Lü Yao has indeed completed a transformation in his identity today, not only in their roles in business cooperation, but also in their private relationship.

Just as a multitude of thoughts were swirling in Jian Xiaojie's mind, Lü Yao suddenly leaned close and whispered in her ear, "You're also looking forward to the day I treat you like this again, aren't you, Sister Jian?"

Lu Yao's words seemed to possess a powerful magic, causing Jian Xiaojie to lose her composure once again.

When she came to her senses again, she saw Lü Yao leading Wang Shu and Lin Yongzhen outside.

Jian Xiaojie felt as if the breath of Lu Yao from earlier still lingered near her ear, and that sensation still made her feel restless.

As Lü Yao, Wang Shu, and Lin Yongzhen were about to leave the banquet hall, Jian Xiaojie finally followed. She thought to herself, "I'll see just how capable you really are!"

So Jian Xiaojie quickly chased after Lu Yao and the others.

Sensing the approaching footsteps behind him, a triumphant smile appeared on Lü Yao's face.

When I was in contact with a certain circle before, an old player in the circle boasted that there was only one core element in the circle, which was "status difference". Lü Yao did not agree with this, but in this kind of niche circle, although everyone is supposed to get together to communicate, they are actually just looking for each other's prey.

Therefore, Lü Yao neither took the veteran player's statement seriously nor disapproved of it.

However, in his practice, Lü Yao discovered that the so-called "status difference" was merely a means and a process. The only truly core thing in that circle was "insight."

To understand others' weaknesses, their needs, their fears, or even their preferences...

People will always unconditionally submit to certain things.

That thing is the target's core need. Once you grasp that need, the true nature of the target depends entirely on the observer's understanding. Lü Yao's ability to judge and manage people was partly developed during this period.

Now, he understands Jian Xiaojie's core needs, so he can control her.

That might sound a bit far-fetched.

Let's take a simpler example.

Lu Yao once personally participated in a street scam, which happened at a market in his hometown. The group of scammers stood on the street, shouting and gesturing in a highly inflammatory voice, attracting many onlookers to watch the spectacle.

The scam is simple: they get you to willingly put money into their pocket, starting with ten yuan, then twenty yuan. They'll then hold a lottery; if you don't win, they'll give you something and return your money. Once you've put three or five hundred yuan into their pocket, you'll be lucky enough to win a prize and receive something that looks quite valuable. They'll even show you the price on the product packaging and ask if you want it.

If you don't want it, you'll have to give back everything you've already received, and you'll also be harassed by scammers.

Once you get it, the other party will shower you with flattery, thus saving your face.

If you were just an onlooker, someone who wasn't involved and only read these descriptions, you'd definitely think, "Of course I'm coming back! I'm not stupid!"

The truth is that there were many people at the scene, and the perpetrators' rhetoric pushed Lü Yao to a moral high ground. Lü Yao, who was put on a pedestal, was too ashamed to ask for the money back. Even with the advice of his friends, Lü Yao couldn't bring himself to do it.

The same tricks are played out all the time in the stock market and other so-called "trading markets".

Those who perform such tricks were called "Ma" in the past. They were the so-called "Eight Great Families" in the martial arts world. In addition, there were "Side Eight Families", "Yin Eight Families", and "Old Nine Families" - the Old Nine Families here is not the Old Nine Families in a certain novel, but another name for "Nine Streams" in the Three Religions and Nine Schools.

In folk parlance, the "Nine Streams" refers to a collection of various peddlers, laborers, beggars, porters, rickshaw pullers, and so on. Although these people were of low social status, the power they formed was not to be underestimated. As for the saying "Upper Nine Streams" and "Lower Nine Streams," it's just the "Old Nine Gates" people trying to glorify themselves.

In a proper dynasty, they would be like rats in the gutter; it was only during the final years of a previous dynasty that these various sects and factions were able to grow powerful and influential.

As a result, these kinds of shady tricks are emerging one after another in the market now, and have even made their way into high society.

It was fortunate that Lü Yao had met all sorts of people and learned a lot before, which gave him the ability to navigate that murky water. Unfortunately, he never truly entered the inner circle and had nothing left but his knowledge.

But it's not his fault.

The period in a person's life when they can truly learn and grow rapidly is only about ten years—between the ages of twenty-five and thirty-five.

If, during this period, there is no benefactor to help them, or no elders in the family to give them advice, or no substantial family wealth to back them up, then any failure would be enough to shatter an ordinary family.

When Lü Yao returned from studying in the future, having accumulated "experience," the difficulty of starting the game again was indeed different.

These insights from studying abroad can be applied not only to practical matters but also to people.

For example now...

Jian Xiaojie's core needs were grasped by Lü Yao, so even though she had been in the dominant position since the beginning of her contact with Lü Yao, she was now being pushed into a passive position.

……

The next day, early in the morning.

Lu Yao went to the villa's terrace.

Jiangdong in late spring and early summer is the real Jiangdong, and Shangnan is more charming and pleasant than other places.

The cool morning air collides with the gradually rising summer heat, creating the unique climate of Jiangdong.

After enjoying the morning air for a while, Lü Yao got up and went back to his room to make himself a pot of coffee. He then leisurely enjoyed the moment. Not long after, a rustling sound came from behind Lü Yao. Judging from the footsteps behind him and the aura emanating from them, Lü Yao knew that it was Jian Xiaojie even without turning around.

Lu Yao picked up his coffee, took a leisurely sip, and said in a good mood, "Good morning, Sister Jian."

Previously, when Lü Yao addressed her as "Sister Jian," it meant he respected her and valued her. But after what happened last night, Jian Xiaojie now felt that Lü Yao's "Sister Jian" was laced with unspoken teasing.

Then, Lü Yao heard a grinding sound coming from behind him.

Lu Yao smiled, patted the other chair next to him, and said, "Want some coffee?"

Jian Xiaojie's voluptuous figure, flowing like a fluid with graceful curves, entered Lu Yao's peripheral vision. Lu Yao poured coffee for Jian Xiaojie, saying as he did so, "You worked hard last night."

Jian Xiaojie was unimpressed: "Hmph."

Lu Yao continued, "Consider it a perk for me, since it won't be easy to see you after I go abroad."

Speaking of this, Jian Xiaojie narrowed her eyes: "Are you sure you'll be okay going abroad? Do you want me to go with you? I'm a foreign expert, fluent in four languages."

Lü Yao asked with delight, "Does it include the mother tongue?"

Jian Xiaojie turned her head and gave Lü Yao a sharp look: "So what? Anyway, I can protect you while I'm abroad, so just tell me if you want it or not~"

As she spoke, Jian Xiaojie propped her arm on the coffee table beside her, a playful glint in her eyes, and said, "Beg me, beg me and I'll go abroad with you and protect you~"

But Lü Yao picked up his coffee, took a sip, and said seriously, "No, not only can you not come with me, but you must stay in China. The more stable and successful you are in China, the safer I will be abroad."

Jian Xiaojie rolled her eyes at Lü Yao and muttered, "Tch, boring."

After saying that, she said with a sigh, "Speaking of which, this is your first time going abroad, right? Nianqing and I are worried about you. And to be honest, do you really have to go by yourself? If it's really not possible, we can find some influential people here to go in your place."

Lu Yao didn't want to discuss this issue in depth. He said with certainty, "It has to be me. I'm important enough, my reputation is bad enough, and most importantly, in the eyes of the outside world, I probably have the most weaknesses."

Money, status, women...

These worldly things, in the eyes of outsiders, can all become weapons to deal with Lü Yao.

After saying that, Lü Yao stood up and said, "I'll leave Sister Shu and Yongzhen at home in your care. I'm getting ready to go out."

He hasn't seen Cheng Xinyu and Zhou Bella for a long time either.
(End of this chapter)