After Snagging a Stuffy Giant-Wealthy Daddy - Chapter 10

The launch ceremony for the Shao Corporation’s new ship arrived as scheduled, with a grand scale that far exceeded Li Chu’s imagination. The ceremony was held at one of the Shao family’s piers in the New Territories.

Countless celebrities and guests were in attendance, the air was fragrant with perfume, and the scene was bustling with activity. Almost every media outlet in Hong Kong had gathered there, all hoping to land a sensational headline.

Li Chu wore a perfectly fitted ivory-white suit with a gemstone brooch on his chest. The suit perfectly outlined his physique, making his skin look as fair and flawless as jade. Inquisitive gazes were cast from all directions, and low whispers could be faintly heard.

“Is that the young master the Shao family just brought back? His temperament is truly impressive. Shao Old Madam is keeping him right by her side; she clearly dotes on him.”

“Dotes on him? She even hand-picked him to perform the bottle-smashing ceremony today, overriding all objections!”

“Is that true? The young master is performing the bottle-breaking? That is not following the old traditions, is it?”

The bottle-smashing ceremony at a ship launch is an iconic ritual in maritime culture, usually performed by a prestigious and respected woman serving as the godmother, who smashes a bottle of champagne against the bow. In past years, this role was always filled by significant women of the Shao family. Even if the Old Madam was getting on in years, the Shao family’s second branch had several beautiful daughters.

“When Shao Old Madam makes the decision herself, who cares about traditions? It is clear she is trying to boost this grandson’s status and establish his standing!”

“It seems the Shao family places extraordinary importance on this bloodline that was lost and found. He is truly lucky.”

Li Chu stood obediently beside the ceremonial platform, fighting back the urge to yawn, his eyes watering. Shao Tingyue, with his stern expression, glanced at Li Chu indifferently. The teenager’s hair was carefully combed back, revealing a full forehead and a straight, delicate nose with a faint little mole on the tip. His lips were a pale pink, with a soft, plump lip bead in the center. Li Chu noticed Shao Tingyue looking at him, blinked his eyes in confusion, and asked with his mouth: “Second Uncle, what is wrong? Is there something on my face?”

Shao Tingyue’s dignified expression did not change. His long fingers gently straightened the brooch on Li Chu’s lapel. The sapphire-encrusted butterfly looked lifelike, as if it would flutter its wings and fly away the next second.

“Your brooch was crooked.”

Li Chu looked down and saw the butterfly was now centered, so he gave Shao Tingyue a grateful smile. The crowd was startled again, tucking away their previous gossipy curiosity. It seemed that it was not just the Old Madam who doted on him; the Ship King also held this young master in high regard, and he was not someone to be trifled with.

The ceremony proceeded according to the schedule, with lion dances to warm up the crowd and colorful fireworks filling the sky. After Shao Tingyue, representing the group, gave a brief speech, the main event of the launch began.

The Shao Corporation’s newly launched freighter was staggeringly huge, nearly 400 meters long, standing as majestic as a mountain. The sea breeze at the pier was strong, causing the flags and the ladies’ dresses to flap loudly. Considering safety and aesthetics, the giant champagne bottle was steadily suspended in front of the bow by an intricate pulley mechanism. Li Chu did not need to throw it with force; he only had to use golden shears to cut the rope connecting the champagne. Even so, facing the sea of guests and cameras, Li Chu was still a bit nervous.

Shao Mingzhu wore a pale yellow gown today, making her look bright, beautiful, and charming. Her curled hair was elegantly pinned up, and her neck was adorned with a luxurious set of Australian white pearl necklaces. Beside her were her two younger sisters, Shao Baozhu and Shao Zhenzhu. The little girls were wearing cute little pink dresses, their hair styled in lovely buns. The three sisters looked at Li Chu with smiles; Shao Mingzhu even winked at him and gave a thumbs-up.

Shao Old Madam patted the back of his hand. “Chu Zai, do not be nervous. Early this morning, I asked the Goddess Mazu for you, and she promised to bless you so that everything goes smoothly.”

Li Chu nodded and took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. He took the scissors offered by the etiquette lady, which were tied with bright red silk, looking very festive. Guided by the master of ceremonies, Li Chu walked to the designated position, facing the brand-new giant freighter. The sea breeze brushed against the hair on his forehead, and below the stage was a sea of black hair and flickering lenses. On a whim, Li Chu looked back against the wind. Shao Tingyue was lifting his eyelids to look at him, their gazes locking firmly. At that moment, Li Chu’s heart skipped a beat.

“Bang!”

A crisp shattering sound echoed, and the champagne sprayed across the steel plate of the bow. At the same time, the giant ship’s whistle blared, ribbons flew, and applause and cheers erupted. The ceremony was complete! Li Chu stood there, still somewhat dazed, his back slightly damp with cold sweat.

The celebratory banquet after the ceremony was held at the Regent Hotel, a newly opened top-tier luxury hotel in Hong Kong, with a giant floor-to-ceiling window design offering a panoramic view of the night scenery of Victoria Harbour. Shao Old Madam was feeling unwell, so she returned to the Shao Mansion early to avoid spoiling the mood.

Shao Tingyue had changed into a formal suit. On the index finger holding his wine glass, he wore an archaic black gold family signet ring. As the light danced off it, it subtly displayed his status and authority. Surrounded by the flattery of various political and business figures, his expression remained indifferent. He responded only occasionally and briefly, his attitude distant and restrained, yet no one dared to show him the slightest disrespect.

There was no shortage of clan elders and collateral relatives present tonight. Shao Qixin of the second branch, who was Shao Mingzhu’s father, had rarely been involved in core family matters in recent years, but he was still present for such an important occasion.

“Chu Zai is indeed a good child, obedient and sensible,” Shao Liyan said, looking at Li Chu not far away, suggesting with his words: “However, regarding this matter of recognizing relatives, our Shao family is not an ordinary household. The bloodline cannot be confused.”

“Second Uncle, thank you for your concern. The Old Madam has hoped for this for twenty years; she will not be mistaken. As for other people, I have my own discretion. Whatever needs to be checked or verified, nothing will be missed.” Shao Tingyue raised his eyes, his tone calm: “Now that he has been recognized, I will handle the rumors outside. There is no need for you or the other elders to worry about it.”

Shao Qixin’s face turned awkward after being spoken to like that, and he gave two dry laughs. “We naturally trust you in your handling of matters. I was just offering a reminder, as it concerns the family bloodline inheritance. Since you have a plan in mind, that is for the best.”

He said nothing more, signaled with his glass, and turned to walk elsewhere. The others who were watching the commotion immediately changed the subject, as if nothing had happened.

Li Chu had woken up early today and had spent most of the day standing at the pier, so he was starving. Everyone around him was clinking glasses and chatting, and Shao Tingyue had no time for him, so he quietly moved to the buffet table to eat some exquisite snacks. They were truly top-hotel quality; the snacks were exceptionally refined, and there was an dazzling array of cold dishes and hot entrees. Li Chu even had his eyes on the baked lobster with cheese, which looked excellent and was as big as his calf, along with top-tier abalone sashimi and steamed Dongxing grouper.

“Chu Zai! So you were hiding here!”

Just as he had taken two bites of cake, Li Chu was tapped on the shoulder by Shao Mingzhu, causing him to choke slightly. Shao Mingzhu swirled her champagne glass, smiling brightly. “Let’s go, I will take you to meet some friends. You are the great contributor today; how can you be eating by yourself!”

Before Li Chu could refuse, Shao Mingzhu enthusiastically pulled him to the pool terrace outside the banquet hall. The evening breeze swept across the sparkling pool water, and the distant night view was dazzling. The guests at the banquet were divided into several groups. The senior men were tasting wine and discussing business, while the ladies were discussing beauty and jewelry or going to private rooms to play cards. The young people were gathered by the pool, where the atmosphere was lively and the music upbeat.

“Mingzhu, is this the one who smashed the bottle today? Impressive!”

“Young Master Chu, congratulations! You have really stolen the spotlight today! You must have a drink with us!”

Ever since Li Chu transmigrated to this era, he had endured plenty of cold shoulders and bullying. Being surrounded and flattered by the stars made him truly uncomfortable. A crystal wine glass was shoved into his palm. Li Chu turned his head and saw James, who had accompanied them to the dance hall last time. He was wearing a formal suit, and his temperament seemed much steadier.

“You look very good today,” James said in a gentle voice with a hint of a smile, “the brooch suits you well.”

“Thank you.” Li Chu took a small sip of wine. The dense champagne bubbles exploded in his mouth; it was sweet and actually quite good. James clinked glasses with him, his gaze falling on Li Chu’s slightly drooping eyelashes. “You don’t need to be nervous. It has always been like this in this circle; you don’t need to take the sincerity or hypocrisy to heart.”

Li Chu looked up at him, thinking to himself that this person had a very clear perspective, though he always stood too close when he spoke, and his perfume was a bit heavy. James stared into his eyes and swirled his wine glass. “I don’t know why, but I feel like I’ve seen you somewhere before. Is this the legendary love at first sight?”

Li Chu’s heart skipped a beat, and he took a sip of champagne, saying vaguely: “Is that so? Perhaps I just have a common face.”

James disagreed. “I have never seen a boy as good-looking as you.”

Li Chu did not know what to say, so he smiled and pursed his lips: “Is that so?”

Shao Mingzhu returned after a round of drinks, and seeing that the wine in his glass was almost untouched, she immediately put her hands on her hips. “Chu Zai, are you fish farming? We Shao family members have great tolerance for alcohol; you are being too disrespectful to your cousin!”

James laughed when he heard this, teasing: “Isn’t it supposed to be Chu Zai calling you Mingzhu Jie?”

Shao Mingzhu raised her eyelashes and gave a charming smile. “I don’t care, anyway, Chu Zai has to have fun with me tonight!”

Someone in the distance loudly called James’s name. He signaled with his glass but did not rush to leave. At Shao Mingzhu’s instigation, a few people started playing poker by the pool, where the loser had to punish themselves with a drink. Li Chu was unfamiliar with the rules of this table, and before he knew it, he had drunk several glasses. Soon, a blush appeared on his face, his eyes became dazed, and his reactions grew sluggish.

“Oh no, Chu Zai, you lost again! This time it’s a double penalty!”

“I will cover a drink for him. He looks like he is a bit drunk; it won’t be good if he throws up later.” James’s voice came over, and the people around him erupted in hoots and hollers.

“Chu Zai, your alcohol tolerance is just too low…” Shao Mingzhu’s voice seemed to be coming from very far away.

Li Chu truly could not drink any more. He rubbed his forehead and told Shao Mingzhu that he wanted to go to the restroom to wash his face.

“Go, go, do you want James to go with you?”

Li Chu waved his hand, stood up with unsteady steps, and walked around the walkway by the pool. The water glittered with light, and waiters with trays wove through the crowd. The young people were playing around, and some were chasing each other with water guns. Li Chu, walking by the pool, could not avoid them and accidentally got bumped into the water.

With a plop, the pool splashed with a huge amount of water.

Through the glass curtain wall, the noise and the huge sound of splashing water coming from the pool made Shao Tingyue stop his conversation, his brow furrowing as he looked over. An elderly guest next to him also heard the commotion and glanced toward the pool, shaking his head and laughing: “These youngsters really lack a sense of proportion when they play. But it is understandable; they have tons of energy and a whole world ahead of them. Once they take over the family business in the future, they will settle down.”

“Chairman Chen is truly modest. Everyone knows you have taught your son well; James is already quite successful among the younger generation.” People nearby seized the opportunity to flatter him.

Chairman Chen smiled smugly. Seeing that Shao Tingyue had no expression, he had to restrain his tone. “My brat is certainly not as excellent as the Shao young master, who is so gentle and handsome. I wonder which daughter in Hong Kong will be worthy of him in the future?”

He said this casually to flatter and shift the focus, but as soon as the words left his mouth, the expressions of the people around him turned subtle. The true helmsman of the Shao family before them was thirty years old this year, with top-tier looks and ability, yet he was still unmarried. He did not even have a public female companion, sitting firmly on the throne of Hong Kong’s most eligible bachelor for years. There was no telling how many daughters of famous families and wealthy merchants had shown him favor, but none had ever managed to enter Shao Ershao’s eyes.

There were all kinds of rumors in the streets; some said his standards were too high, some said he was dedicated to his career, and there were even more hidden rumors. In short, mentioning topics like marriage and daughters in front of him was truly awkward. The atmosphere stagnated for a moment. Chairman Chen gave two dry laughs, wanting to say something to make up for it.

Shao Tingyue scanned the room indifferently, did not find Li Chu, and his handsome eyebrows furrowed. He probably did not hear a single word of what Chairman Chen said afterward.

“Excuse me.” After saying this, Shao Tingyue did not wait for anyone to react and left directly.

Li Chu fell into the pool, his formal suit instantly soaked through, and he struggled a few times. The people playing on the shore were instantly in chaos and hurried into the water to fish him out.

“I am sorry, I am sorry, Young Master Chu! Are you okay? We did not mean to!” The people around were no longer in the mood to play and quickly surrounded him.

Li Chu’s soaked black hair stuck to his forehead. He leaned against the edge of the pool, coughing lightly, and water droplets kept falling from his eyelashes. Shao Mingzhu was scared into sobriety and had someone fetch a bath towel, asking with concern: “Chu Zai, are you okay? Is there anywhere you feel uncomfortable?”

After speaking, she nervously looked around. Thank goodness, the black-faced rakshasa Second Brother was not there.

“I am fine…” Li Chu shook his head and used the towel to messily wipe his face and hair. The icy pool water made his head feel a bit heavy, and his cheeks were even redder.

Seeing Li Chu soaked through, with his inner lining sticking to his skin and revealing his fair skin and the contour of his waist, James’s eyes darkened slightly.

“Mingzhu, how about letting Chu Zai go change his clothes first? Beware of catching a cold.”

“Yes, yes, yes, if Chu Zai gets a cold or fever, Second Brother will definitely hold me accountable!” Shao Mingzhu was also panicking, feeling that James’s suggestion was very reasonable, and immediately asked a waiter to take Li Chu to the changing room.

Li Chu nodded blankly, steadied himself, and followed the waiter through the corridor. The wet clothes sticking to his skin were very uncomfortable, and his hair was still dripping water.

Just after turning around the entrance, the dazed Li Chu ran into a solid wall. He slowly looked up, meeting a pair of deep, calm black eyes. He looked at Shao Tingyue in confusion, seemingly not having reacted to who was in front of him. The warm yellow light reflected on the man’s sharp-angled face, flickering.

“Have you played enough?” Shao Tingyue’s voice was low, and his tone was unreadable, his gaze fixed on Li Chu’s face.

Li Chu’s eyelashes trembled, dropping a few small water droplets. He recognized who was in front of him. “Second Uncle.” His cheeks were flushed, his eyes blurred, and his collar revealed a small piece of his collarbone and wet skin.

“You are the first person to end up in the pool while drinking.” Shao Tingyue’s eyes were deep, his tone cold.

Li Chu was usually very well-behaved in front of the man, but his brain had already crashed, and he only knew how to admit his mistakes: “I am sorry, Second Uncle. Can you please not punish me by copying the household code?”

The teenager’s water-filled eyes were unfocused, and he scrubbed at the corner of his clothes while apologizing. He was truly terrified of copying the books; writing traditional characters made him lose the will to live.

Shao Tingyue took a deep breath and gestured for the waiter to leave.

“Come back with me.”

Li Chu nodded obediently, rubbed his blurry, wet, drunken eyes, and felt only that the tall figure before him carried a familiar scent that made him feel at ease. When the evening breeze blew, the heat brought by the alcohol battled in his body, making him shiver involuntarily. His eyebrows knit together, and he whispered, “My head hurts.”

His body went limp, and he subconsciously leaned forward.

His soaked head rested against the man’s chest, and a faint scent mingled with the intoxication of the alcohol. The body heat was transmitted through his thin shirt, and Li Chu comfortably buried himself into it and rubbed against him.

Shao Tingyue’s body suddenly froze, his expression stiffened.