This was the most authentic Shao Tingyue. He was straightforward, naked, and made no attempt to conceal his intentions.
What was bound beneath his dignified, conservative suit was never the gentle, desireless nature of a refined gentleman, but rather desires that had been suppressed to their absolute limit over the years.
Like magma buried deep beneath the Earth’s crust, unseen by the sun, it would surge upward the moment it found a fissure, exposing the most primal instincts of possession and predation within.
Li Chu’s lips parted slightly. He looked at the man before him, unable to utter a single word.
His heart thumped wildly, feeling like a stress-relief squeeze ball being released and gripped, released and gripped. It was sore, swollen, itchy, and in complete turmoil.
Shao Tingyue retracted his hand, his expression returning to his usual composed reserve. “Do you still have questions? If not, let us eat. You will get an upset stomach if you wait.”
As he spoke, he used a fork to pick up a small, tender piece of green asparagus and naturally offered it to Li Chu’s lips.
Still immersed in the massive shock of the moment, Li Chu opened his mouth subconsciously.
The asparagus was fresh and tender, and he was genuinely hungry, so he decided to finish his meal first.
Shao Tingyue did not eat much. For the most part, he just cut the food on his plate in a slow, measured manner, his gaze falling on the boy beside him from time to time.
This was Li Chu’s first time flying. It was not as scary as he had imagined; it was quite stable. Apart from a little discomfort in his ears, he felt fine.
Suddenly, a question came to his mind: “What about my luggage? And my documents, passport, and such?”
Shao Tingyue chuckled softly, finding it cute that Li Chu was only now worrying about these things. “Everything has been arranged. Uncle Ming will have someone deliver your luggage directly to our residence in London, and I have your documents.”
“Oh.” Li Chu pursed his lips. Everything had been arranged; it seemed this had been a long-planned scheme.
“Drink some water.” Shao Tingyue held the cup to his lips. “Rinse away the taste.”
Li Chu drank obediently. Just as he was about to say thank you, he looked up and found the man staring at his face.
The look was too deep, too focused. The surging emotions within it made Li Chu inexplicably detect a sense of familiarity. Panic rose in his heart, and he subconsciously tried to shrink back.
Shao Tingyue set the glass down and his thumb gently brushed across Li Chu’s moist lips.
“You got some on you,” he said in a low voice.
Li Chu said, “Oh,” and reached for a napkin to wipe it off. However, Shao Tingyue’s hand had already locked onto his waist, and with a slight tug, he pulled him forward.
“Mm!”
The next second, warm, soft lips covered his.
Li Chu froze instantly, as if all the blood in his body had rushed to his head!
The flight attendants were just nearby! Terrified, he widened his eyes, his hands pushing against Shao Tingyue’s chest in a flustered attempt to resist, a muffled whimper escaping his throat.
His struggle only stimulated Shao Tingyue; the previously gentle kiss intensified, becoming forceful and scorching.
His lips were heavily ground, his teeth forced open by a tongue that breached his defenses without mercy.
Li Chu felt his entire body go limp from the kiss. His oxygen was being plundered, and his mind went blank. Gradually losing the strength to resist, he could only clench the fabric on Shao Tingyue’s chest.
The entire cabin became even quieter, to the point where the sound of their intimate movements was clearly audible. Just as Li Chu felt he was about to suffocate, Shao Tingyue finally let him go.
The two separated slightly, their breathing completely ragged.
Li Chu’s eyes were moist, his lips swollen and numb from the kiss, slightly parted as he gasped for air.
There was a thin, shimmering silver thread ambiguously connecting their lips.
Li Chu looked around in shame; the cabin was empty, and the flight attendants had already hidden in the galley.
He breathed a quiet sigh of relief, his cheeks flushed like the sunset clouds by the sea.
The dark tide in the man’s eyes had not yet receded. He looked at the boy’s panicked face with a heavy gaze, his breath still hot. “What are you afraid of? They would not dare to look.”
In truth, even if they had seen, there was no need to worry. Regardless of the relationship between Li Chu and him, or what they did, everything they witnessed on the plane could not be leaked out by a single word; otherwise, they would face the exorbitant penalties stipulated in their non-disclosure agreements.
Li Chu lifted his eyelashes to meet Shao Tingyue’s burning gaze.
His pupils were very black, like the deepest ocean floor on earth, clearly reflecting his own face. The prominent, mixed-race brow bone added a sense of pressure to his gaze, and with his thick, long lashes lowered, there was an indescribable, lingering affection.
Although Li Chu was a bit naturally dense, he could distinguish between feelings of liking and hating. He knew that in this moment, Shao Tingyue likely really liked him.
“Second Uncle,” Li Chu said in a very light, uncertain voice, “how long are we going to be together?”
They were both men. Leaving aside the disparity in status and power, with the Shao family’s vast estate, someone would eventually have to inherit it. It was impossible for Shao Tingyue to never marry and have children for his entire life.
In Hong Kong’s elite circles, the continuation of the family line was paramount. Looking around, which of the prominent tycoons did not have multiple wives and concubines? Even if there was a legitimate wife at home, there would be several mistresses kept outside, not to mention illegitimate children without status.
Whether it was a year or two, even if they were together, there should be a time limit, right?
Shao Tingyue’s body stiffened, his handsome brows knitting together. “How long?”
He repeated the words, his arm involuntarily tightening around Li Chu as if afraid he would brush himself off and run away the next second. After all, it was not as if the boy had not said heartless things like “the next man will be even better.”
Shao Tingyue was thankful he was only thirty. If he were a few years older, he might have been angered to the point of vomiting blood.
“What, you are thinking about breaking up just after we have gotten together?” The man’s tone was cold, his molars clenched tightly.
Li Chu looked up, looking somewhat innocent, and pursed his lips. “Second Uncle, do you intend to marry me? I cannot give birth to children. Who will inherit the family property then?”
This was the family of the “King of Ships.” There was so much money!
The thought of it being occupied by unrelated people made Li Chu feel heartbroken.
Shao Tingyue realized now that the boy in front of him was a money-lover whose head was full of cash; even his tearful appearance last night had been because he mentioned paying back the debt.
The man pinched the boy’s cheek, his tone deep and slow. “Don’t worry, I will have everything arranged before I die. You just need to stay by my side obediently.”
Li Chu nodded obediently on the surface, while whispering in his heart: A man’s mouth is a liar’s trap.
Maybe in two years, you will get bored yourself; by then, you will not even be able to wait for a breakup. I definitely will not sit idly by and wait for that. I will not be the one abandoned!
Shao Tingyue stared at Li Chu’s little expressions, narrowed his eyes, and said calmly, “Babe, I am warning you, do not think about running away; otherwise, you had better run as far as you can. If, unfortunately, I manage to catch you, you will not be leaving the house for the rest of your life. You will stay in bed, and who knows, maybe you really will be able to give me a child.”
Li Chu’s cheeks flushed, and he inwardly criticized Shao Tingyue for being not only a gay man but also a pervert.
“So, do not ask the ‘how long’ question again; it is meaningless.” The man’s fingers brushed against the boy’s star-dusted eyelashes. “There is no expiration date for our relationship.”
As night fell, the plane continued to cruise steadily at high altitude. Their destination was London Heathrow Airport, with a total flight time of approximately fourteen hours.
Li Chu finished an entire movie on the plane, felt bored, and found an original English book to read.
Shao Tingyue glanced at his focused appearance, thoughtful.
A poor boy reading an original English book without any obstacles and actually finding it interesting.
The flight attendant also brought him freshly baked small desserts and hot cocoa. The surface of the caramel pudding was perfectly scorched, and it was garnished with fresh berries on the side.
Li Chu was not quite satisfied after finishing one. Seeing he liked it, the flight attendant immediately smiled and said there was more inside.
Shao Tingyue intended to control Li Chu’s intake of sweets, so with a faint look, the flight attendant understood. She gave Li Chu an apologetic smile and quickly retreated.
Li Chu did not mind, letting out a small yawn, a tiny bit of physiological tears welling up in the corners of his eyes.
Shao Tingyue sensed he was tired, his arm habitually tightening to make him more comfortable.
“Second Uncle, stop hugging me,” he muttered softly, his little face full of sleepiness. “Aren’t you tired after hugging me for a whole day? It is not like I do not have legs; I can just lie down by myself.”
Being held in his arms like this all the time was too intimate, intimate enough to make him panic.
In the end, Li Chu fell asleep in the man’s arms. When he woke up, the plane had landed smoothly.
It was a rare, clear autumn evening in London.
The sunlight slanted down, bathing everything in a honey-warm gold. In the distance, the landscape looked like an overturned palette, appearing like a vintage, beautiful oil painting under the setting sun.
Hm? It is daylight again so soon?
Li Chu rubbed his eyes, looking mistily out the porthole, feeling curious.
Shao Tingyue saw the boy’s wonder and confusion and explained in a low voice, “London is on daylight saving time, seven hours behind Hong Kong, so it is still daylight.”
So that is it. A sense of excitement surged in Li Chu’s heart at having reached a new location—at least he could say he had been abroad, even if it was the England of the 1980s.
The low temperature in early October in London was colder than in Hong Kong.
Before getting off the plane, Shao Tingyue added a camel-colored trench coat to Li Chu, wrapped a thin, plaid scarf around his neck, and put a brown beret on him.
At a glance, he looked full of British style, and it felt like he was wearing a couple’s outfit with Shao Tingyue.
At the bottom of the airstairs, a group of people had been waiting for a long time.
Three black Bentley Mulsannes were lined up. The leader was a foreign man in his early thirties, wearing a well-tailored dark grey suit, his hair meticulously combed, and wearing rimless glasses, giving him a capable and astute air.
“Mr. Shao, welcome back to London. You have had a long journey.” Although he had a foreigner’s appearance, he spoke fluent, authentic Cantonese without a trace of a foreign accent.
Li Chu blinked, finding him quite interesting. The man noticed his gaze and smiled. “Young Master Chu, hello. I am Ryan, Mr. Shao’s chief assistant for overseas business, primarily responsible for handling Mr. Shao’s European affairs.”
Ryan could not help but secretly size up the boy in front of him. He considered himself quite knowledgeable about his boss’s working style and private life. After working for many years, this was the first time he had seen his boss bring someone with him on a business trip. His curiosity was practically overflowing.
No, I have to go probe Liang Wei’s opinion another day.
Shao Tingyue nodded slightly, acknowledging the greeting. “Let us go to the estate first.”
“The cars are ready; this way, please.” Ryan immediately moved to the side to lead the way, and the bodyguards behind followed.
The motorcade drove away from the airport, merging into the evening streets of London.
Li Chu leaned against the car window, feeling the wind and watching the foreign scenery whipping by outside.
Ancient European buildings, red double-decker buses, pedestrians hurrying down the street, pubs decorated with flowers.
It was vastly different from the skyscrapers and dense crowds of Hong Kong, possessing a sense of distant tranquility.
As dusk deepened and the lights began to twinkle, a majestic estate slowly appeared at the end of the view.
It was like a scene that would only appear in a classic European movie: emerald green lawns, mirror-like lakes, solemn architecture.
In front of the gate, there was also an exquisite white sculptural fountain, its water droplets sparkling brilliantly under the lights.
The car stopped steadily in front of the main building.
A butler in a traditional black uniform stood at the door with two servants.
He was the estate’s butler, Harris.
The Shao family’s ownership of this antique estate dated back two generations. Shao Tingyue’s grandfather had studied abroad in his early years and fallen in love with an English lady at first sight. After returning to China, he overcame family opposition and finally became wedded to her, and this estate was what he had purchased at that time.
Shao Tingyue brought Li Chu out of the car. The butler, Harris, stepped forward respectfully and greeted them in English, “Good evening, Mr. Shao, welcome back.”
His gaze fell on Li Chu, and a flash of undisguised amazement crossed his blue-grey eyes. “What a beautiful young gentleman! Simply… God’s most perfect masterpiece!”
His praise was heartfelt. Against the backdrop of this classical estate, the oriental boy before him had a beauty that seemed to have stepped out of an oil painting.
Li Chu was made somewhat embarrassed by the foreigner’s directness; his cheeks flushed red, and he whispered a thank you.
Stepping into the main building, the interior space was tall and magnificent, yet not cold. Ornate, magnificent antique chandeliers hung from the fresco-painted ceiling, refracting brilliant light.
Harris personally led them upstairs to the master bedroom on the third floor of the estate.
The bedroom was very large, decorated in a classic, elegant style, with a view of the shimmering lake outside the European floor-to-ceiling windows.
In the middle sat a classic four-poster bed with curtains, piled with layers of soft bedding, just like the one in the story of the Princess and the Pea.
In the corner were their suitcases—several large ones. It was evident that Uncle Ming had almost packed their entire home.
The butler smiled as he introduced the amenities in the room, then retreated, advising them that if they had any needs, they could use the internal telephone, and he would come up to serve them at any time.
Li Chu stood in the doorway, dazed. He had guessed before coming that they would be staying in the same bedroom, but now that they were actually in the same room, his ears turned hot immediately.
Since they were together, it was inevitable that they would do that kind of thing.
But Li Chu had been single since birth for both of his lives; his theoretical knowledge was pitifully lacking, and his practical experience was zero.
Man and man… specifically how to do it? He was in a state of both haziness and fear.
More importantly, the height and build difference between him and Shao Tingyue was vast. Looking up, looking down, looking left, looking right—he seemed to be the one on the bottom.
A strange shudder ran up his tailbone; just imagining it made it ache slightly.
Li Chu could not help but wrinkle his face. Is it still possible to go wash dishes to pay back the debt?
However, the door behind him had already been closed by Shao Tingyue, and with a click, it locked.
The next second, Li Chu only felt a tightness at his waist, and before he could react, he was already being held up and placed on the entryway cabinet by Shao Tingyue.
He was an adult, after all. Even if he was a bit thin and his frame was not big, was it not a bit too effortless for Shao Tingyue to hold him with one hand? Did he really think of him as a little figurine?
Li Chu’s breathing became a bit chaotic. “Second Uncle, what are you doing?”
Shao Tingyue braced his hands on either side of Li Chu, trapping him completely between himself and the wall.
He did not speak, just rubbed his nose against Li Chu’s, their warm breaths mingling, carrying a deliberate, tormenting intimacy.
“Face so red. Chu-zai, what was that little head of yours thinking about while looking at the room just now?”
Li Chu was struck by his intuition, and he watched him with wide, clear amber pupils that trembled.
“I… I was not thinking about anything.”
Shao Tingyue stared at him for a moment and gave his lips a very light kiss.
“Little ones should not tell lies.”
Li Chu was already quite used to this level of kissing. Even with more excessive kisses, after failed attempts at resistance, he would obediently open his mouth.
“Chu-zai.” Shao Tingyue felt that Li Chu was obedient to the depths of his heart, and his fingertips brushed over the boy’s burning red ears. “If I want it, will you give it to me?”