After Snagging a Stuffy Giant-Wealthy Daddy - Chapter 13

His voice was very low, his entire body pressed against Shao Tingyue, his wide eyes filled with pleading.

Shao Tingyue lowered his eyes, looking at the small face inches away. The clean, refreshing scent of the boy, mixed with his breath that carried a faint, sweet fragrance, brushed past his jaw and neck. The palm that was tightly covering his lips was soft, slightly damp, and carried a surprising amount of heat.

The call next door was still continuing, and Shao Tingyue only needed to hear two sentences to understand what was happening. The Shao Corporation was currently riding high in the shipping industry, and when a tree is tall, it attracts the wind. Of course, it would attract the dirty tactics of those with ulterior motives. However, he had always been fearless in the face of such minor waves, and he certainly would not take them to heart.

They maintained their tight, pressing posture. Only now did Li Chu belatedly realize that he had actually, in an act of extreme audacity, covered Shao Tingyue’s mouth with his hand!

Li Chu quickly retracted his hand, wiping his damp palm against his clothes. The moment he finished, he realized that this action seemed a bit like he was repulsed by the man. Sure enough, a flash of displeasure passed through Shao Tingyue’s eyes.

He had been a heaven-favored child since he was young; his family background, education, and appearance were all top-tier. During his student days, he was the object of everyone’s pursuit, and no one had ever dared to show such revulsion toward him.

Li Chu’s small face squeezed out a clever, ingratiating smile. But then again, looking at Shao Tingyue from such a close distance, his high-bridged nose, deep eye sockets, a handsome look with a strong sense of mixed heritage, and the unique aura of a mature man all maximized the visual impact. How to put it? He was handsome; he was just undeniably handsome.

And.

Li Chu’s gaze uncontrollably slid downward. They were pressed so tightly together that he could even feel certain powerful contours and hardness.

Hm, very capable. He is truly a man among men.

Shao Tingyue’s black eyes were half-lowered, staring at the boy’s darting peach-blossom eyes. He could tell at a glance that he was thinking of something useless. The boy was too young; every thought was written on his face.

Li Chu suppressed the messy thoughts in his brain, his earlobes turning completely red, and he hurriedly averted his gaze.

The person in the changing room continued to flatter the person on the other end of the line for a few more sentences and finally ended the call. Then, footsteps came from inside, and the person was muttering to themselves, seemingly looking for something. Their hiding spot was not concealed, just perfectly situated in a blind spot, so Li Chu was still very nervous. Subconsciously, he pushed hard against Shao Tingyue, wishing he could shrink himself and hide inside the man’s body.

Shao Tingyue endured the boy who was wreaking havoc on him, his breath deepening. Li Chu blinked his eyes, flashing an expression that said, “Please bear with me at this critical moment.”

Fine.

Shao Tingyue closed his eyes, took the initiative, grabbed Li Chu’s wrist, and pulled him behind himself. The person fumbled around for a while and finally left; the footsteps receded into the distance and disappeared outside.

Not until he confirmed the other party had left did Shao Tingyue turn around, looking at the boy in the corner with deep eyes. “Do you know how dangerous that was just now?”

“I know.”

“Knowing, you still eavesdropped?” Shao Tingyue’s tone grew heavier.

Li Chu was sweating profusely from the stuffiness, arguing in a small voice, “I was very careful, and I heard them plotting to harm the Shao family. I could not just pretend I did not hear it.”

Shao Tingyue’s voice grew deeper, carrying a sense of oppression. “Have you ever thought about what would have happened to you if you had been discovered?”

The tactics of such gutter rats had no bottom line. If Li Chu had truly been caught just now, the consequences were too terrifying to imagine. Li Chu was left speechless by the questioning. He truly had not thought that far; he had acted entirely on impulse.

Seeing him stay silent, Shao Tingyue’s brows furrowed even tighter. “In the future, when you encounter such things, do not take risks like today, understand?”

Li Chu was scolded into lowering his head, feeling both aggrieved and somewhat unconvinced.

“Understood,” he responded sullenly.

The two walked out of the changing room one after the other. Li Chu followed half a step behind, looking at Shao Tingyue’s back. After hesitating for a moment, he spoke, “Second Uncle, now that you know their plan, shouldn’t you take precautions in advance?”

Shao Tingyue did not stop, only turning his face slightly. “Are you very worried about the Shao family?”

Li Chu was stunned by the question, thinking the question was simply bizarre.

“Why?” Shao Tingyue stopped his footsteps, turned around, and his gaze landed on his face.

Li Chu felt uncomfortable under his stare, his gaze drifting to the greenery on the side, his voice vague. “Aren’t you my Second Uncle? We are family; isn’t it normal for family to be worried?”

He was very clear that he was an imposter. However, the Shao family had treated him truly well, especially the Old Madam, and Mingzhu, and even Shao Tingyue, who, despite his cold face and sparse words, had never treated him poorly. The better the Shao family treated him, the more guilty he felt. If he could help Shao Tingyue with this matter, at least his own heart would feel a little better.

The boy lowered his eyes, his eyelashes casting shallow shadows under his eyes. His skin was exceptionally delicate, like expensive, shimmering silk, with not a single pore visible in the sunlight. Shao Tingyue stared for two seconds, even harboring the urge to reach out and pinch it.

He forced himself to turn his gaze away. “This is not something you should worry about. I will handle it well.”

After saying this, he turned and walked forward, his pace somewhat fast. Li Chu pursed his lips and hurried to follow with small steps.

Zhong Yili was leaning against a pillar chatting with someone, and upon lifting his eyes, he saw Shao Tingyue and Li Chu walking from the changing room area one after the other. His gaze shifted between the two, his eyebrows arching. “What happened to you two? Chu Zai, why is your face so red? Is it hot in there?”

When asked by him, Li Chu subconsciously touched his cheek; sure enough, it was burning hot to the touch.

Shao Tingyue did not stop, casting a cold glance at him. The playfulness on Zhong Yili’s face immediately faded by three parts, and he took the opportunity to change the subject. “OK, I will shut up. Back to business, I bought a new yacht recently and plan to have a pre-wedding party on the high seas next week. How about it? Do me the honor?”

He specifically looked at Li Chu, smiling and inviting him. “Chu Zai, come along too. Just catching the breeze, fishing, and sunbathing on the deck; it is more lively with young people.”

Li Chu’s eyes lit up in an instant, his face full of desire to go. But remembering that the guardian beside him had not spoken yet, he silently closed his mouth and stayed quiet.

Shao Tingyue lowered his eyes, glanced at Li Chu, whose cheeks were slightly puffed beside him, and asked in a deep voice, “Do you want to go?”

Li Chu naturally wanted to go. He had not officially reported to HKU yet, and Shao Tingyue did not allow him to go out and play with Shao Mingzhu; he usually stayed at the Shao Mansion to study and take lessons. He did not need to take over the family business, so why be so diligent?

Before Li Chu could speak, Zhong Yili already jumped in. “If Chu Zai wants to go, let him go. Young people should go out and play more. It is so boring to study this and that all day.”

“Hm.” Shao Tingyue responded, effectively agreeing. He then lifted his feet and continued walking toward the parking lot. Seeing this, Li Chu hurriedly nodded at Zhong Yili and trotted to follow Shao Tingyue.

Zhong Yili watched the boy acting like a little tail and added with a smile, “Chu Zai, remember to bring a swimsuit.”

Li Chu had been poor for two lifetimes. Never mind yachts, he had not even ridden a ferry many times, so he was quite looking forward to this sea voyage.

Uncle Ming had helped him pack his luggage in advance. In addition to daily clothes and sunscreen, he had also prepared several sets of swim trunks. The styles were quite fashionable, tight-fitting boxer swim trunks with thin material and striking colors. Li Chu had no requirements for this; he would wear anything.

However, for some reason, before departing, Uncle Ming brought another swimsuit: a long-sleeved surfing top paired with slim-fit trousers, in a steady dark color.

Uncle Ming put the new clothes into the luggage bag. “Cough, look at my memory. The ultraviolet rays on the sea are strong, so it is safer to prepare some sun-proof and wind-proof styles.”

“Oh, okay, thank you, Uncle Ming.” Although Li Chu found it a bit strange, he nodded obediently.

Finally, the day of departure arrived. The Rolls-Royce Silver Spur drove down from the Peak, and after entering the private pier, Li Chu saw the massive white object at the exclusive berth from afar.

Wow, so rich, so rich, so rich.

Li Chu had only seen yachts on television and thought they were all tiny. He had not expected them to be staggeringly large in reality, like a seaside villa. Shao Tingyue’s gaze shifted from the newspaper to the boy who was sighing in admiration against the wind. His hair was blown up by the sea breeze, and his pretty little face was exceptionally vivid and excited.

“Like it?”

Li Chu was still immersed in the visual impact. Hearing this, he nodded subconsciously, his tone filled with undisguised longing. “Like it! Big yacht! Who would not like it? And big villas, big planes, all kinds of big.”

The end of the sentence stopped abruptly. He suddenly came to his senses, realizing what he had said. “Second Uncle, I was just talking nonsense. You should pretend you did not hear it.”

Shao Tingyue looked at his clever and cautious appearance, and began to reflect on whether he was usually too strict, specifically softening his tone. “In front of me, you do not need to be so cautious. As long as you do not do anything wrong, I will not punish you arbitrarily.”

Li Chu nodded on the surface, but inwardly he was complaining. Even Mingzhu-jie is like a mouse seeing a cat when she sees you, let alone a fake young master like me who is just here for free food and drinks.

“You are now a member of the Shao Mansion. You do not need to read anyone’s expression, and you do not need to have any reservations. If you like it, just like it; there is no need to suppress it.”

Li Chu blinked his eyes, actually feeling a bit touched. Except for his parents who died early, no one had ever said such things to him since he was young. Of course, no one would dislike money. If he had money, he would not have jumped into the sea, nor would he have come to this place. Li Chu sighed faintly in his heart. The real young master might still be suffering somewhere, and he could not occupy the Shao family’s nest for a lifetime. When he had saved enough funds, he would find an excuse to study abroad or leave the country, and he would automatically depart.

The vehicle stopped slowly, and someone immediately opened the door for them. The two stepped out of the car one after the other.

“Tingyue, Chu Zai! Over here!” Zhong Yili’s voice came from the upper deck, leaning against the railing and waving at them. Beside him stood his fiancée, Huo Zhiqin.

Li Chu walked onto the deck along the curved staircase, and his vision suddenly opened up.

The guest area was equipped with sunbathing lounge chairs and comfortable booths, and on the other side was an open-air barbecue bar, where a chef was grilling huge lobsters and top-tier Wagyu beef over charcoal fire. The air was filled with a scent mixed with sea breeze and a faint wood fragrance, while waiters in uniform served guests while weaving through the crowd.

“How about it? Does it meet the Ship King’s standards?” Zhong Yili walked to Shao Tingyue’s side and laughed. “This new ship has complete facilities. There is a cinema and gym on the lower deck, and you can snorkel directly from the stern. Whatever you want to play, it is all here.”

Shao Tingyue was wearing a casual linen shirt and long trousers, with sunglasses covering his eyes, making his aura less oppressive. He gave him face by praising that it was not bad.

The younger generation on the yacht had originally been chatting in the booth. Shao Tingyue was of a senior generation, so they did not dare to be negligent when they saw him, coming over obediently to call him “Shao-sheng.” Shao Tingyue responded, but his face behind the sunglasses remained serious and cold, and the juniors tucked their tails and scurried away after greeting him.

He rarely attended such occasions, and coming today was out of consideration for Zhong Yili, plus there was now a playful little friend at home. Shao Tingyue’s gaze fell on Li Chu not far away. The teenager had been looking and touching everywhere since boarding the ship, his small face filled with novelty and excitement.

He likes the yacht this much? Shao Tingyue pondered for a moment and made a phone call to Liang Wei.

The yacht steward had people move all the luggage up, but discovered a lapse in the room arrangements. Everyone attending the party was a well-known son or young master in Hong Kong, not to mention the distinguished Shao先生. There was a fear of slighting him with the only two master suites on the yacht. With not enough rooms at the moment, they had to allocate from other guest bedrooms. The steward hesitated for a moment but still reported the situation in a low voice to Zhong Yili.

After hearing this, Zhong Yili seemed to recall something and looked at Li Chu with a smile. “Chu Zai, there are not enough rooms on the ship. If you do not mind, can you share a room with Zhiqin’s cousin? The kid is called Alex; he is the same age as you. You guys can chat and play games at night, how about it?”

Li Chu turned his head upon hearing this, just happening to lock eyes with the boy in the booth. The other party smiled very brightly, revealing a row of white teeth. “Hello, I am Alex.”

He looked like a big silly guy, and quite handsome; he should not be hard to get along with. Besides, it was only for a few nights; he had not had any issues sleeping on the floor at Wen Sitong’s place before.

Just as Li Chu was about to nod, Shao Tingyue already frowned and said in a deep voice, “No.”

Zhong Yili was stunned, somewhat puzzled. Shao Tingyue glanced at the bewildered Li Chu and said, “Chu Zai will share a room with me.”