Chapter 213: So Delicious
Xu Youyou thought to herself—perhaps only someone who had been surrounded by love all their life, with little to no risk in making mistakes, could face setbacks so lightly like Lu Jingyao did.
Suddenly, Lu Jingyao said, “Next time you come across something this bad, don’t force yourself to eat it.”
Xu Youyou’s jealousy turned into guilt. She nodded casually and said, “No one is good at everything, and you don’t need to push yourself too hard.”
Lu Jingyao didn’t say he would give up cooking; instead, he simply said, “After some more practice, I’ll definitely be able to make food that satisfies you.”
Thinking about his unique understanding of cooking, Xu Youyou wasn’t too optimistic.
At least the breakfast incident was over. But during dinner, Dean He couldn’t help but grumble at the table, “It’s New Year’s, and the chickens in the backyard all look sluggish. Did those little troublemakers go and bully them again?”
Xu Youyou buried her head in her rice, not daring to tell the truth.
For most people, Lunar New Year was filled with visits to relatives and friends. But for Xu Youyou, all her close family members were right there with her. Apart from a trip to Huangshan with the Lu family, she didn’t feel any pressure this year—just a comforting sense of truly relaxing at home for a few days.
It was rare for Lu Jingyao to push aside all work and just stay by her side until the seventh day of the new year. Even Assistant Liu had returned to Shanghai early due to work, and the Lu parents had left for Suzhou on the fourth day.
That morning, Qing Yatou came over excitedly, “Sister Youyou, do you have time tonight? I bought a barbecue grill and want to invite you all over for a cookout!”
Xu Youyou agreed instantly. Since her involvement in the talent show’s early selections, she had gained quite a bit of online exposure. A thought struck her, and she added, “The filming team the company sent over should already be here. Make sure they capture this barbecue for footage—it’ll help build content.”
Then, she turned to Lu Jingyao and asked, “If you don’t want to be in the video, I can tell the cameraman to be careful while filming.”
Lu Jingyao shook his head. “Do I look like someone who needs to hide?”
Xu Youyou didn’t understand his desire to publicly claim his role as the official boyfriend. Instead, she found it odd. “You’re the mighty President Lu. Doesn’t appearing in a small-time blogger’s video seem like you’re lowering your status?”
This was Qing Yatou’s very first social media video. Even with money, it wasn’t easy to get small influencers to collaborate, as no one wanted to give their traffic to potential competitors.
So, Xu Youyou just assumed Lu Jingyao wouldn’t be interested.
Lu Jingyao lightly patted her head. “I don’t make a living off internet traffic.”
Xu Youyou’s eyes lit up like a light bulb, and she playfully declared, “Thank you, Mr. Lu, for supporting my humble business!”
She quickly called Xie Ran. As soon as he picked up, she announced, “An enormous windfall is heading your way—be sure to catch it!”
Having a billionaire appear in a video would undoubtedly stir a storm of discussions online.
While the internet could make someone an overnight sensation, failing to handle the subsequent traffic surge properly could just as quickly lead to losing that golden opportunity. Xu Youyou was calling Xie Ran to make sure he had a plan in place.
On the other end of the call, Xie Ran was briefly stunned before replying, “Boss, rest assured. Also, I have good news to share.”
“Xiao Song’s drama has performed exceptionally well overseas. A major foreign production company is interested in purchasing the adaptation rights.”
Xu Youyou was stunned. It wasn’t uncommon for Chinese dramas to be exported, but for a foreign company to want adaptation rights, the show had to be a massive success internationally.
“The drama, being a wuxia series, is a hit among foreign audiences. As soon as it launched on Netflix, it exploded in popularity. In just a few months, it’s already brought in fifty million dollars in revenue for our company.”
Xu Youyou’s jaw nearly dropped—fifty million dollars?! That was over three hundred million yuan! The international earnings were almost catching up to its domestic revenue.
She knew that scripts produced by the system were exceptional, but she hadn’t expected such a massive return on investment. And this was just a few months in—the drama’s popularity would likely remain strong for the next two to three years, bringing in even more profits.
“Also, a foreign gaming company is asking about the licensing cost. They want to adapt the drama into a game. Boss, do you want to collaborate with Mr. Lu’s company, or should we look for top-tier developers globally? I checked with Peter—he’s tied up with Ultimate Showdown and won’t have time to develop a new game.”
Xu Youyou fell into deep thought.
Lu Jingyao owned one of China’s top two gaming companies. If they were looking for a domestic partner, he was the obvious choice.
But… was it really a good idea to mix business with personal feelings when discussing finances?
The thought only lingered for a second before guilt crept in. In all their financial dealings, it had always been Lu Jingyao who let emotions affect his wallet, not her.
She casually mentioned the opportunity to Lu Jingyao.
Without hesitation, he said, “No rush to decide. I’ll have Assistant Liu draft a professional proposal. You can compare it with the foreign company’s offer and pick the best option.”
Xu Youyou couldn’t help but think—Lu Jingyao was always so considerate, never putting her in a difficult position. Meanwhile, she felt like a petty person.
“Do you think I’m being too cautious?” she asked.
Lu Jingyao replied, “Business is business, and emotions are emotions. This is your company’s most successful IP to date—you can’t afford any mistakes. The more careful, the better.”
Hearing that, the last bit of guilt in Xu Youyou’s heart disappeared completely.
Qing Yatou’s house was still in disrepair, but she wasn’t one to sit idle. With the salary Xu Youyou had advanced her, she bought tools and started fixing up the place. Now that she didn’t have to hide anymore, she had spent the New Year cleaning up the yard during the day.
The house was still old and worn, but the yard was much tidier, giving it a quaint countryside charm.
As soon as Xu Youyou stepped in, a mouthwatering aroma hit her.
Unlike the heavy cumin scent of barbecue restaurants, this fragrance carried the pure essence of grilled food, with a hint of sweetness that instantly made her salivate.
“Sister Youyou, I just finished grilling this. My grandpa loves my barbecue, so I think the taste should be okay,” Qing Yatou said, handing her a skewer of grilled beef.
Xu Youyou glanced at the camera rolling nearby. Even if it tasted bad, she was prepared to act as if it were delicious.
After surviving Lu Jingyao’s creative cooking, she had little expectation for Qing Yatou’s skills. But the moment she took a bite, her eyes widened in shock.
This was… too, too, too, too, TOO delicious!
