After Catching The Rich And Old-Fashioned Daddy Chapter 2
byChapter 2: Escape
When in danger, hide!
Li Chu’s heart tightened, and he didn’t answer directly. I only arrived from London recently, sir. This wine is truly excellent. You’ll know once you taste it…
The man didn’t press further, merely shifting his gaze to the bottles on the tray. There were eight in total, the last of the stock Ah Le had given him for the night.
How much.
Ah? Li Chu blinked his false eyelashes, not reacting for a moment.
All of it. The man pointed at the tray. I’ll take them all.
Li Chu’s eyes widened, and his mind began to race.
Each bottle was priced at six hundred, so eight bottles would be four thousand eight hundred. With a twenty percent commission, he would take home… nine hundred and sixty Hong Kong dollars. That was enough to pay next month’s rent and treat Wen Sitong to a good meal.
After all, she had saved his life, and he hadn’t properly repaid her yet.
Li Chu quoted the price, his voice trembling slightly with excitement. However, if you take them all, I can ask the manager for a discount. Let’s say four thousand five hundred.
He took the initiative to lower the price, terrified that this big fish might slip away.
The man took a wallet from his inner suit pocket and pulled out a stack of bills. Without counting them, he placed them on the table. Is this enough?
Li Chu glanced at them. The stack was at least seven or eight thousand Hong Kong dollars. His lips felt dry. It’s enough, more than enough, sir. Shall I… wrap them up for you?
No need. The man stood up.
He was very tall; even in high heels, Li Chu had to look up at him. Once the man stood, the sense of pressure became even stronger, like a mountain looming before him.
Leave the wine here. The man said, his gaze sweeping over Li Chu’s face once more. What is your name?
…Bella. Li Chu tucked his hair behind his ear, not daring to meet the man’s eyes.
He was a well-behaved student from the twenty-first century, born under the red flag and raised in a society ruled by law. Doing something so dishonest for the first time made him feel somewhat guilty.
The man remained silent for two seconds, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly.
Bella. He repeated the name in a flat tone that betrayed no emotion. Very well.
With that, he turned and left the booth, walking through the crowded dance floor toward the bar’s exit. His aura was so powerful that the crowd instinctively parted to make a path for him.
Li Chu stood frozen on the spot, only snapping out of it when the man’s figure disappeared out the door. He grabbed the stack of cash from the table, his fingers shaking as he counted it.
Exactly eight thousand Hong Kong dollars—nearly double his asking price.
Ah Le had said that any extra money could be kept as a tip. Combined with his previous commissions, he had earned more tonight than he could have earned washing dishes in a restaurant for several months.
Was this what it felt like to strike it rich?
Li Chu carried the empty tray back to the bar. Jia Ming looked at him in disbelief. You… you really sold it? All of it?
Li Chu slapped the cash onto the bar and handed it to Jia Ming. This is the money for the wine. Please give it to Brother Le for me.
He hesitated over the remaining money, then pulled out a five-hundred-dollar bill and pushed it toward Jia Ming. This is to buy you a drink.
Jia Ming looked at the five hundred dollars, then at Li Chu, his expression complicated. That man didn’t make things difficult for you?
No. Li Chu shook his head, though remembering those bottomless black eyes made him feel inexplicably uneasy. It’s just… he was a bit strange.
Maybe he was just overthinking it; doing bad things always came with a psychological burden.
Jia Ming pocketed the money and patted Li Chu’s shoulder. Among these rich guys, which of them isn’t strange? Besides, I think I’ve seen that man in the newspapers; he’s no ordinary person. Be careful. If you see him again, remember to stay far away.
Li Chu nodded, but in his heart, he thought: Hong Kong is so big, it won’t be that easy to run into him again.
The clamor of the bar continued.
Li Chu went to the dressing room to take off the wig and wipe away the heavy makeup. In the mirror, his original appearance gradually emerged.
It was a young, almost boyish face, no larger than a palm. His features looked as if they had been delicately sketched in ink, especially his slightly upturned peach blossom eyes and the small brown mole on the bridge of his nose. Since childhood, no one had ever failed to praise his looks.
Li Chu hid the money he earned in a hidden pocket on his person, feeling as light as air. He felt like a bottle of soda fizzing in the summer; even the air seemed exceptionally sweet.
Perhaps he really could survive in this era, and maybe even live a little better.
The streets were empty late at night. As a 3:00 AM breeze blew past, Li Chu pulled his collar tight and jogged away.
At the same time, under a streetlamp across the road, a black Rolls-Royce sat quietly.
The window was halfway down. The man from the bar sat in the back seat, a lit cigar between his fingers. His gaze pierced through the night, following Li Chu’s hurried, retreating back.
…
When Li Chu returned to his temporary residence, Wen Sitong was still awake because she was worried about him. When she saw him pull a stack of money from his pocket, she nearly jumped in fright.
Such a large sum of money! Xiao Chu, you didn’t… get into trouble tonight, did you?
Li Chu’s eyes curved into crescents, his pale face flushing slightly. I’m fine! I met a wealthy client who bought all my wine at once and gave me a huge tip.
If only he had opportunities like this every day. He would stop as soon as he earned enough to buy an ID card. Although drinking that fake wine wasn’t life-threatening, it was still unethical.
Take this money, Sister Sitong. Li Chu counted the bills and stuffed a stack into Wen Sitong’s hand. During this time, I’ve been eating your food and staying in your place, I…
You silly boy! Wen Sitong reacted as if she had been burned, quickly pushing the money back. Keep it for yourself! I didn’t bring you back for your money!
She had grown up in the Social Welfare Department, hadn’t received much schooling, and had started making a living in her teens.
She’d had a younger brother when she was little, but he was adopted when he was six and never heard from again. So, when she saw Li Chu, she immediately thought of her brother.
If her brother were still alive, he would be about Li Chu’s age, and perhaps just as handsome.
But Sister Sitong…
No buts! Wen Sitong’s face hardened, her expression very serious. Xiao Chu, listen to me. Save this money and don’t spend it recklessly. Once you get your ID, go to school. Go to night school or learn a trade. In short, you must walk the right path!
A place like that… it’s not a long-term solution. You’re still so young and have a broad future ahead of you. You can’t hide in a bar pretending to be a woman forever.
Wen Sitong had rescued Li Chu from the seaside, but she never asked about his origins.
What was there to ask? How did he get here? Why did he come? The stories of these illegal immigrants were all more or less the same—they were poor, they couldn’t survive, and they wanted to take a gamble in Hong Kong. She had heard too many stories like that.
Li Chu’s eyes stung, and his throat felt too tight to speak. Since crossing over, he had spent every day in fear and anxiety, wanting to go home but having no home to return to.
What are you crying for? A man sheds blood, not tears. Wen Sitong pinched his cheek and smiled. How about this? Since you made money tonight, we should celebrate! But—
She blinked, a hint of shyness appearing on her tanned cheeks. I have a dinner date with Ah Ken tomorrow. He said he’s taking me to a newly opened cha chaan teng. He doesn’t know about you yet; I’ll introduce you properly another day.
Ah Ken was Wen Sitong’s new boyfriend, a porter at the docks.
Hearing this, Li Chu wiped his eyes and smiled again. Then it’s perfect—I’ll treat you both to a big meal tomorrow! What do you want to eat, Sister Sitong? Roast goose? Seafood? Or should we try that new Western restaurant in Wan Chai?
No need, no need! Wen Sitong waved her hands repeatedly. It wasn’t easy for you to earn that money; save it for yourself. Ah Ken and I are just having a normal meal. Don’t be so extravagant.
That won’t do. I must treat you! Li Chu insisted. If you hadn’t taken me in, I might have died of hunger on the streets by now. I must treat you to this meal, just to… just to thank you for taking care of me.
He spoke so sincerely that Wen Sitong finally compromised. Fine, fine. Then… just something simple. You’re not allowed to go anywhere too expensive.
…
Although Wen Sitong insisted on not taking his money, Li Chu proactively paid the next month’s rent as a form of repayment. Then, while working, he began looking for a new place to live.
As he started searching for an apartment, his impression of Hong Kong’s “inch of land, inch of gold” became even more concrete.
Sixty square feet… that’s less than six square meters. Li Chu looked at the advertisement on the wall, converting the area in his head. It was too small; the space where he slept on the floor at Wen Sitong’s place was probably bigger than that.
The cheapest one is this. A man with a cigarette in his mouth pointed at another ad. Forty square feet, two hundred and eighty Hong Kong dollars a month. But to be honest, this is a cage home. An entire floor is partitioned into over a dozen rooms. There are no windows, so you have to keep the lights on even during the day. In summer, it’s as hot as a steamer.
Li Chu pursed his lips. Is there… anything a bit better for around four hundred?
The man flipped another page. This one. A front room on the third floor of a Tong Lau, seventy square feet, monthly rent is four hundred and twenty. It has a transom window facing the back alley, so the lighting is okay. But— The residents are a mixed bag, and there are many people in special professions working upstairs.
Can I see it?
We can go right now. The man stood up and took a jangling ring of keys from the wall. I have to tell you upfront: there’s a twenty-dollar viewing fee, and the commission after the deal is thirty percent of the rent.
Fine. Li Chu gritted his teeth and pulled twenty Hong Kong dollars from his pocket. This was half a day’s wages from washing dishes.
The man took the money, and his expression softened. Just call me Brother Chang. Are you new to Hong Kong, young man? What do you do for work?
I help out at a cha chaan teng. Li Chu answered cautiously. This was what Wen Sitong had taught him—there was no need to say too much about himself to strangers.
A cha chaan teng is good. It’s stable, and the food is decent. Brother Chang only asked casually and didn’t pry. But if you want to rent a place for four hundred and twenty a month, the wages from a cha chaan teng won’t be enough, right? Do you have a part-time job at night?
Li Chu gave a vague affirmative.
Brother Chang laughed, wearing an I understand expression. Young man, making a living is hard for everyone. As long as you don’t cause trouble, no one cares what you do.
As they spoke, the two arrived at the location.
This is the one.
Li Chu pursed his lips and walked in. The room was even smaller than he had imagined, essentially a rectangle that he could see across in one glance.
There was only a rusted iron bed frame and a wooden table with a missing leg propped up by bricks. The toilet was outside the door, shared with several other small cubicles.
How is it? Brother Chang leaned against the doorframe, smoking. Four hundred and fifty. You won’t find a cheaper private room in all of Hong Kong.
Li Chu walked around a bit, touched the money in his pocket, and finally decided to rent it.
After all, the money he had didn’t allow him to be picky.
Having closed the deal, Brother Chang was in a good mood and treated Li Chu to an iced lemon tea at the store downstairs.
In a dim corner of the shop, a dilapidated small television was playing the evening news.
The Shao Group announced today that it will invest in the construction of a new port in the Northern District. The female anchor’s voice was intermittent. In recent years, Mr. Shao Tingyue has taken over from his father, Shao Licheng, actively expanding the shipping empire and becoming the new generation Ship King…
Li Chu was taking small sips of his cold lemon tea. Since arriving here, he had been busy working to earn money and didn’t know much about this era.
The Shao Group… and some Ship King. It sounded like one of those top-tier old-money families.
Li Chu looked over curiously, but just then, the television screen suddenly turned into static. The anchor’s voice continued, but the key visuals were gone.
Li Chu: …
Brother Chang sneered from the side and glanced over as well. The Shao family, tsk tsk, a truly elite wealthy family. They live in a mansion on the Peak and drive Rolls-Royces. Just a little bit leaking from their fingernails would be enough for people like us to eat for a lifetime.
Li Chu’s eyes rounded, looking like someone who had never seen the world. That powerful?
More than just powerful. Shao Second Young Master has more than doubled the Shao family’s assets in the last two years. I heard that both the underworld and the authorities give him face. He’s a truly influential figure in Hong Kong. Brother Chang finished his lemon tea and said indignantly, People like us can haul cargo at the docks until we die and still not earn enough for one of their meals.
…
Li Chu got the keys to the apartment, bought a bag of fruit for the security guard downstairs to thank him for the job recommendation, and then went back to Wen Sitong’s place to pack his luggage.
He had arrived with nothing, and even now, moving only required a small backpack. It held a few pieces of underclothing he’d bought at the Temple Street night market and some toiletries.
Wen Sitong was very reluctant to see him go but didn’t stop him. After all, if he stayed any longer, her boyfriend Ah Ken would have something to say.
After Li Chu settled into his rental and managed to make it livable, he finally felt a sense of belonging.
Although life was hard, it wasn’t entirely without hope!
Actually, at the beginning, he had thought about jumping into the sea again to see if he could go back. But every time he got near the water, kind-hearted passersby would come out to persuade him not to do anything foolish.
In the end, fearing that a scene would attract the police—and since he had no ID, he wouldn’t be able to clear his name—he had no choice but to give up.
Li Chu gradually adapted to the pigeon-hole-sized room, but the shared bathroom was the one thing he found unbearable.
The bathroom was at the end of the hallway, not separated by gender, with only thin wooden boards forming a crude shower stall.
His skin was naturally pale, and his frame was slender and well-proportioned, making him stand out among the dockworkers and laborers.
Therefore, Li Chu always chose to shower late at night when there were the fewest people, moving as quickly as possible.
However, that didn’t stop people from intentionally looking for trouble.
Hey, you in there, why are you taking so long? Everyone’s waiting. A coarse male voice sounded outside the door, carrying an obvious, lewd tease. You look so fair and smooth; do you want me to help you scrub your back?
Another malicious laugh followed; there was clearly more than one person outside.
Li Chu’s hair stood on end. He pressed his hands firmly against the door, his voice tight. I’m almost done! Please… please wait a moment!
Wait for what? Open the door and let us see. We’re all men, what are you shy about? The people outside pushed harder against the door, making the wooden frame creak.
Li Chu hurriedly tried to pick up his wet clothes, his fingers shaking violently.
The woman living in the next room suddenly pounded on her door and cursed loudly, It’s the middle of the night, what’s all the noise! Don’t you need to sleep?!
The people outside the bathroom finally stopped. Li Chu returned to his little nest in a low mood.
At this moment, his homesickness reached its peak, even though he no longer had a home in his former world.
Over the following week, Li Chu never saw that extremely wealthy man again. The wine stored at the bar hadn’t been touched either; the man was likely too busy to remember.
Li Chu didn’t mind. Once he had saved enough money, he told the manager, Ah Le, that he was resigning.
Ah Le stared at him and smiled. You’re satisfied with just this much? If you think business has been slow lately, I have other ways to make money, if you’re interested.
Li Chu shook his head. He had watched enough Hong Kong movies to know that such subtext never led to anything good.
Ah Le knew he couldn’t keep him and didn’t say much more. He told him to finish his last few days and gave him an extra red envelope as a parting gift.
However, on this day, just as Li Chu pushed open the back door of the bar, the bartender Jia Ming rushed out from inside.
Li Chu, why are you still here? Jia Ming looked nervous, his voice kept very low. Go! Quickly! Don’t come to work tonight!
What’s wrong? Li Chu’s heart sank, his eyelashes trembling.
Author’s Note:
Baby, the one on TV is your husband.
Below is a recommendation for a friend’s story!
The Fake Young Master Scammed the Aussie Rancher by Dong Cai Niang
Adams Wilson inherited his grandfather’s ranch of over ten million hectares. His family is the most famous wool supplier in Australia. By chance, he saved an Eastern beauty who was attacked by a kangaroo on his ranch. The two had a vacation romance—or so he thought. The other party left after calling it a fwb situation and blocked him. Adams laughed in anger: FWB? Fine, he wasn’t tired of being an FWB yet!
Adams grabbed Han Yan’s ankle and dragged him under him. No, it’s Boyfriend, babe.