The Yacht Owner's Shock

Linjiang Private Kitchen sat right by the river. Its entrance was small, but the interior was remarkably quiet.

Su Bai parked his Mercedes GLE outside.

Xia Lin sat in the passenger seat. After unfastening her seat belt, she didn’t get out right away. Instead, she turned sideways and straightened Su Bai’s collar for him.

“Try to drink less later.”

“I’m not driving. Isn’t that why I brought you along?”

“You should still drink less.” Xia Lin’s tone was perfectly natural. “Drinking on an empty stomach is bad for you.”

Su Bai lowered his eyes to look at her.

Xia Lin had changed into a fitted light-blue dress that day, its waistline accentuating her graceful figure. Her long hair was pinned up at the back, giving her an air of warmth and poise.

“Teacher Xia, you’re becoming more and more like a housekeeper.”

“I’m looking after you, and you’re complaining?”

“I’m happy about it.”

Su Bai smiled and took her hand.

Xia Lin gave a slight tug, but when he didn’t let go, she simply allowed him to keep holding it. Together, they walked inside.

A server had already been waiting at the entrance.

“Miss Xia, your private room is ready.”

“Mm.”

Xia Lin nodded and led Su Bai farther inside.

The private room was at the very end of the second floor. When they pushed open the door, a middle-aged man in his forties was already seated inside.

He wore a dark shirt and a discreet mechanical watch. His hair was neatly combed, and a black briefcase sat beside his chair.

The moment he saw Xia Lin enter, he stood up.

“Miss Xia.”

“Mr. Zhang, I’m sorry to keep you waiting.”

“Not at all. I just arrived myself.”

As Mr. Zhang spoke, his eyes fell on Su Bai.

Xia Lin introduced them.

“This is Su Bai.”

“Su Bai, this is Mr. Zhang. He’s been in the yacht sales, rental, and management business for many years. He handles quite a few of the yachts here in Jiangcheng.”

Su Bai extended his hand.

“Mr. Zhang, I’ll be troubling you.”

“President Su, you’re too kind.”

Mr. Zhang hurriedly shook his hand, his manner exceptionally courteous.

He had originally assumed that the person Xia Lin was bringing today would be an elder from her family, or perhaps a friend planning to buy a yacht.

But now that he saw him, he realized it was a young man who looked barely out of college.

More importantly, the young man stood beside Xia Lin with an ease that seemed completely natural.

Who was Xia Lin?

She was a prominent heiress from Shanghai, with a powerful family background and even higher standards.

Mr. Zhang had dealt with her several times and had seen plenty of young men try to get close to her.

There had been second-generation heirs whose families were involved in real estate, polished professionals returning from overseas, and young masters whose fathers held considerable influence.

Yet whenever those men saw Xia Lin, they all acted guarded.

They had to weigh every word carefully, and even when making a joke, they would first check her expression.

Xia Lin was always polite and courteous toward them, but she maintained a clear distance.

He had never seen her behave this way toward any man.

As soon as they sat down, she pulled out a chair for Su Bai.

When Su Bai reached for his glass, she casually poured the warm water on the table and pushed it toward him.

“Have some water first.”

“Mm.”

Su Bai picked it up and took a sip before asking casually, “You’re not drinking?”

“I’ll wait until the food comes.”

After saying that, Xia Lin even reached out and straightened the tableware in front of him.

The gesture was subtle, but it revealed an unmistakable intimacy.

Across the table, Mr. Zhang watched, inwardly puzzled.

There was no way they were ordinary friends.

The way Xia Lin was acting made it clear that this young man held a place in her heart.

And not an insignificant one.

Mr. Zhang couldn’t help taking another look at Su Bai.

He was around six feet one, with broad shoulders and a solid back. His features were clean-cut, and he wore no flashy accessories. His clothes were simple as well.

Yet he sat there completely at ease.

There was none of the nervous restraint young people usually showed when meeting a businessman for the first time, nor any trace of deliberately putting on airs.

The feeling was difficult to describe.

It was as though he had no need to prove himself to anyone.

Mr. Zhang had been in the yacht business for many years, and reading people was one of his specialties.

He had met plenty of wealthy people.

Some bought a yacht worth several million and couldn’t wait to show the contract to everyone around them.

Others would spend ages asking about the price, only to say, “I’ll go home and discuss it,” before disappearing without a trace.

Those with truly substantial wealth were often the quietest.

Even so, Su Bai was still difficult for Mr. Zhang to read.

The dishes soon arrived.

There was squirrel-shaped mandarin fish, steamed river delicacies, black pepper beef tenderloin, and several exquisite Jiangnan-style dishes.

Xia Lin considerately served food to Su Bai and even took the time to explain the dishes.

Mr. Zhang’s heart tightened.

Anyone who could inspire Xia Lin to treat him this way was certainly no ordinary person.

Halfway through the meal, Mr. Zhang took the initiative to steer the conversation back to business.

“President Su, Miss Xia mentioned that you’re interested in yachts. May I ask whether you plan to use one here in Jiangcheng or keep it in a coastal city?”

“Either would work.”

Su Bai picked up a piece of fish and thought for a moment.

“I could take it out for a spin around Jiangcheng, use it for gatherings with friends, fishing, or throwing a party.”

“If I go to the coast in the future, I’d want something that can handle open water as well.”

Mr. Zhang nodded.

“Then your requirements are actually quite clear. For inland waters like those around Jiangcheng, a yacht that’s too large may not be convenient. But if you’re considering going out to sea in the future, we’ll also need to factor in cruising range, stability, cabins, and maintenance capability.”

Xia Lin sat quietly beside Su Bai and listened.

She didn’t know much about the technical specifications, but she knew Su Bai wasn’t the type to buy something just to leave it sitting on display.

Whenever he bought a car, a house, or invested in a company, he acted only after identifying the right opportunity.

If he was considering buying a yacht, he certainly wasn’t doing it on a whim.

“I’ve heard that buying a yacht comes with a lot of trouble afterward?” Su Bai asked.

“It does require someone to manage it professionally.”

Mr. Zhang immediately picked up the thread.

“There are berthing fees, insurance, crew, repairs and maintenance, fuel, annual inspections, and management services for when the yacht isn’t in use. These are all fixed expenses. Generally speaking, the larger the yacht, the higher the ongoing costs.”

“Of course, if President Su decides to buy one, we can provide a full range of management services. Berthing in Jiangcheng, the captain and deckhands, cleaning and maintenance, even applying for daily sailing routes—we can take care of all of it.”

“Whenever you want to use the yacht, just let us know in advance, and it’ll be ready to go.”

Su Bai nodded.

“That would certainly save me a lot of trouble.”

“A yacht is meant to be enjoyed as a service,” Mr. Zhang said with a smile. “If the owner has to worry about everything personally every day, then what’s the point?”

Xia Lin smiled at that.

“Mr. Zhang is right.”

She turned to Su Bai.

“You can buy a yacht, but don’t think about studying all the paperwork yourself. You already have enough on your plate. Leave the follow-up work to professionals.”

“Whatever Teacher Xia says goes.”

Su Bai said it casually.

Xia Lin’s ears warmed slightly. She lifted her teacup and took a sip, choosing not to respond.

Mr. Zhang, however, noticed the entire exchange.

He became even more certain that if Su Bai was genuinely interested, this would be a very substantial deal.

When most young people came asking about yachts, they wanted to rent the cheapest secondhand boat available or take one out for a photo shoot.

Su Bai, on the other hand, was asking about management, berthing, offshore travel, and long-term use.

And Xia Lin’s attitude made it clear that she hadn’t simply accompanied someone to browse around.

Mr. Zhang set down his chopsticks and asked carefully, “President Su, that will help me narrow down the options according to your needs. May I ask roughly what budget you have in mind?”

Xia Lin also looked at Su Bai.

She was actually curious.

Su Bai had always been generous when it came to buying things.

Yachts aren’t like luxury cars. A few million, ten million, or a hundred million yuan—each represents an entirely different level.

Su Bai lifted his teacup and took a sip, his tone perfectly casual.

“There’s no upper limit to the budget.”

The cup in Mr. Zhang’s hand nearly slipped.

Xia Lin was stunned as well. Then she pressed her lips together, a hint of amusement appearing in her eyes.

This guy…

He really never left anyone any room to bargain the moment he opened his mouth.

It took Mr. Zhang two seconds to suppress the shock in his heart.

He had been in the yacht business for many years and had heard plenty of wealthy clients say their budgets were unlimited.

But most of them, when it came time to discuss the actual price, still balked at a few million or ten or twenty million yuan.

Yet the young man sitting before him had said it so calmly.

It was as if he were asking the price of an ordinary toy.

Mr. Zhang put away his earlier probing attitude and sat up straighter.

“In that case, I’ll introduce you to our high-end options.”

Su Bai set down his teacup and asked with interest, “How much do high-end yachts usually cost?”

Mr. Zhang’s expression grew serious.

“For a high-end sport yacht between forty and sixty feet, the landed price in China is usually between fifteen and thirty million yuan. They’re suitable for cruising along the river, fishing, and entertaining friends. A sixty- to eighty-foot flybridge yacht, complete with multiple cabins, a lounge, kitchen, and a full entertainment area, generally runs from thirty to eighty million yuan. If you’re looking for a truly luxurious custom yacht—eighty feet or longer, with top-tier interior fittings, stabilization systems, professional crew, and the capability for offshore voyages—the starting price is essentially over a hundred million yuan.”