Chapter 1

TL: Griseo | PR: Sakura

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Chapter 1: This is Shao Chengyun, President Shao. 

       Rays of sunshine were pooling through the windows of the restaurant located on the top floor of the cruise, beaming down on the deck and railings that were just cleaned spotless. Xin Rong, wearing his neatly-ironed waiter uniform, passed by in a hurry. 

       He had been working on the cruise named ‘Lixin Cruise’ for two and a half years now. Due to his diligence in carrying out his duties, along with being well-liked by the passengers, he was promoted to be head waiter shortly after. 

       A few minutes earlier, a call reached the restaurant’s bar counter. The caller didn’t give all the details before summoning Xin Rong to the manager’s office. Without delay, Xin Rong relayed his cleaning duty to one of his colleagues and made his way there. 

      The restaurant and the office area was segregated by a few floors of passenger suites. As Xin Rong was taking the staff route to his destination, he kept recalling if he had made any mistakes during his job recently. The more he thought about it, the more vigorous the palpitations of his heart became as his anxiety arose. 

      The cruise was going to have more than 4000 passengers flooding through the doors in 4 hours and each department was preparing to welcome big groups of them on board. The office area was way quieter compared to the restaurant on the deck. Xin Rong stopped in front of the manager’s office, took a deep breath and knocked on the door twice. 

      The person who opened the door happened to be the manager himself. 

      Xin Rong was taken aback slightly, but Manager Zhu smiled at him in response and said: “Xin Rong, you came here pretty quickly.”

      Xin Rong’s line of sight went over the manager’s shoulder who was slightly shorter than himself in stature, noticing the presence of other people in the office. 

      A man in a neat suit sat in the chair which supposedly should be occupied by Manager Zhu, and next to him stood a chubby middle-aged man. 

      Xin Rong works at the restaurant all year long and was used to encountering all types of customers. He’s pretty good at reading the mood if he would dare say so himself. 

      The man in the leather chair was sitting with his back against the sunlight. Xin Rong wasn’t bold enough to make eye contact with him so all he did was just steal a few quick glimpses. All he could gather from those stolen glances he took was that the man had a pair of deep, abyssal eyes and sharp brows. His expression was cold, a little arrogant even. There was no doubt that this person was superior to Manager Zhu. 

      Xin Rong couldn’t make heads or tails on the current situation he was in, so he asked in a hushed voice: “Manager Zhu, do you need me for something?”

      Manager Zhu let him into the office and introduced the two in a soft, gentle voice which he usually wouldn’t speak in, “This is the corporation’s president, President Shao and that right there is his lawyer.”

      Before waiting for Xin Rong to process what he had just said, he turned around to face the man behind the office desk. “Well then, President Shao, take your time… I’ll leave first?” He said carefully in a questioning tone, in fear that he might offend the man. 

      The man behind the office desk waved his hand and with that, Manager Zhu exited the office, leaving Xin Rong flabbergasted in place. 

      His surname is Shao? Xin Rong assumed, yet he daren’t confirm his empty assumption. Could this man be a higher-up in the corporation?

      Operating a luxurious cruise was only one of the Shao Family’s businesses. Xin Rong never bothered to listen to the gossip shared amongst his colleagues, but he did know that the previous president announced his retirement half a year ago and left the company in the hands of his two sons. 

      Xin Rong, never in his wildest dreams, thought about the two inheritors at all. People of such high profiles aren’t for the head waiter of a restaurant to meet. 

      Perhaps this is a relative of the Shao Family? Xin Rong guessed once more.

      The chubby middle-aged man walked towards Xin Rong and extended his hand for a handshake, “Nice to meet you, I’m President Shao’s lawyer. My surname is Chen.”

      His small introduction threw Xin Rong off even more as he didn’t understand the purpose of having a lawyer present. He extended his own hand, each of his fingers surging with nervousness and uncertainty. 

      Lawyer Chen shook Xin Rong’s hand and pointed to one of the chairs placed in front of the office desk with his other hand. “Please, have a seat.”

      Xin Rong didn’t dare sit. Trying his utmost best to force a collected tone out of his throat before asking, “Do you guys need me for anything?”

      “It’s a long story.” The lawyer stared at Xin Rong, his tone of voice stern and very much business-like but his gaze held a hint of subtle mysteriousness. “Why not take a seat first and have a look at the content of the contract?”

      Shao Chengyun leaned back into his chair slightly with one hand gripping the edges of the table. Indiscreetly, he looked the boy who was exchanging a handshake with Lawyer Chen up and down. 

      Youthful, tall and a rather charming appearance. Unlike your average waiter who serves drinks and meals at a restaurant, he exudes the energy of a golden retriever. At that very moment, the sunlight from outside pierced through the office window and shone down on Xin Rong’s face. From Shao Chengyun’s perspective, it seemed like Xin Rong eyelashes were glimmering under the sunlight. 

      Xin Rong turned around, his eyes immediately locking with Shao Chengyun’s. 

      Lawyer Chen pulled the chair out for Xin Rong and said, “This is Shao Chengyun, President Shao.”

      Shao Chengyun noticed that Xin Rong’s pupils dilated upon the mention of his own name. 

      Well, that scared him. Shao Chengyun mused. His expression remained unchanged as he kept his gaze locked on Xin Rong. 

      Xin Rong looked away and picked up the contract on the table as he listened to the lawyer explain the full story.

     Gradually, as his eyes scanned the words printed on the white sheets of paper in black, Xin Rong couldn’t help but to feel a sense of vague oblivion. The lawyer continued his ramble and he wanted to stop him but couldn’t find space to squeeze a word in. 

     He recognized every word on the paper yet he couldn’t make sense of any of it once he pieced them together. 

     Xin Rong felt like he was having the most bizarre dream that he could ever have in this normal life of his: The man seated across from him whose net worth is over millions, is getting married to him.

     Who’s the crazy one now?

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